I woke up several times during the night to check the box for a response. Please tell me you're out safely, I silently begged him.

Around four, something appeared. I gripped the paper tightly in the dark, groping my nightstand for a light. I found the smooth wood of my wand and, hand shaking, lifted it to illuminate his short note.

Dearest,

I can't leave now. If I leave just before this calamity, I'll never be trusted here again, and we need these people. More than that, dearest, these are my people and I can't desert them in their time of need. Before you ask, yes, Dumbledore also told me to get out, so don't be angry with him. I've warned Sam. I don't know how to warn anyone else, but at least I'll be here to help them.

The full moon is tonight. I'll hunt with my pack.

Still and always yours,

Remus

I read it twice, then a third. The tears forming in my eyes made it hard to read. I stumbled to the edge of my bed and sank into it, reading again.

Remus,

Don't you understand?? I MIGHT HAVE TO HURT YOU!!! Get the hell out of there! There will be fighting. People will get hurt. I sure as hell won't let you be one of them.

Besides, Fang IS a criminal and deserves to be arrested so don't you dare warn people and have them ready for us. Get out. Now.

Frantic with worry,

Tonks

Worries must not have been keeping him up late because even though I stayed up waiting for a response, none came. I fell asleep, exhausted, sometime around five-thirty.

It took the alarm's persistent buzzing nearly five minutes before I stumbled out of bed to hit the snooze button. It dodged neatly and continued buzzing. Stupid enchanted alarm clocks. Rubbing my eyes blearily, I got dressed, mumbling swears. Luckily I had some coffee—or the wizard equivalent—ready in the kitchen or I never would have made it to work.

But I did, not that I got any joy out of that either. After serious internal debate, I had forced myself to leave the box at home, knowing the havoc that could ensue if the Ministry got their grubby hands on it. At the very least, considering the mission I was currently on, I'd lose my job. Likely it would turn out lousily for my Remus too, and the Order. Still, I regretted not having it.

We spent the day practicing. We read instructions, memorized faces, and kept practicing.

One good thing happened today. Christine mentioned, offhand, while Allie was elsewhere, that her meeting with Mad-Eye had gone rather well.

"Is that so?" I asked.

"Indeed," she said. There was a pause. "Sorry I can't say more."

"I understand."

Our quills scratched companionably for another few minutes. "You know, I'm hungry. It's nearly lunch break. I know this great café not that far from here. What say we grab a bite?"

Ten minutes later, we sat together in a small booth, happily munching hamburgers.

"So this is all for real," she commented.

I nodded. "Scares the hell out of me," I said.

"Me too." She sighed. "My mum's been telling me all along not to trust the Prophet. Guess I should just admit that she's always right."

I laughed. "My mum's always has to be right, too. Didn't make life easy when I was a teenager, lemme tell you."

We talked about our childhoods for the rest of the meal. It was only at the end that her real concerns came up.

"Tonks?"

"Mhm?"

"Mad-Eye wants me to meet with some people in a couple days."

"At—" But I couldn't say the name, so she clearly didn't know about Number Twelve yet.

"In a park. I just…I'm nervous. What if they don't trust me? I'm on the good side, I swear. It's just…"

"You want me to be there."

She nodded.

"I'll do my best."

"Thanks." She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "I'm really glad to be part of the team, doing the right thing, you know?"

I knew.

There was, thankfully, another note in my box.

Dearest,

I'm staying. I promise I won't jeopardize your mission. This is where I belong, darling, and it's where I'm staying.

If something happens to me, know that I love you.

Yours forever,

Remus

I crumpled it up and threw it on the floor. How could he? He was recklessly endangering his own and other's safety for some clichéd sense of responsibility to people he had no freaking obligation to!

Nice how even when you're pissed as hell your vocabulary doesn't shrink, the stupid voice in my head noted dryly.

Shut up, I told it and went back to ranting about Remus. He could get seriously hurt! He could put me in a situation where I might have to hurt him.

Then you'd better make sure you know what to do.

SHUT—I paused mid-thought. Stupid self was right again. I leaned down and carefully picked up the balled letter, smoothing it out on my knee.

He loves me. He loves me!

I sat down and carefully worked out a plan. Tomorrow I'd be ready.

"It's nearly time."

Remus looked up. Sam stood at the entrance to his tent.

"You've taken your potion?" he muttered.

The boy nodded. "You?"

Remus nodded.

"Tomorrow—" Sam began.

"You should leave early tomorrow morning. I don't know what time they'll be coming."

"But you—"

"I'm staying."

"Then I'll stay."

"No."

"I beg your pardon?"

"No. Go." Remus rummaged through his bag.

"I'm staying, Remus."

The first howls reached the tent and the ghost of a smile flickered on Sam's lips. "Besides, it's too late to go now. Shall we?"

Remus sighed and the two stepped out into the night where the silvery light of the full moon cast an eerie glow on their faces as their bodies transformed.

Well, there you have it. Next chapter, though vaguely planned out, will probably not be up for a while. My apologies.

Reviews, as always, are appreciated, and thanks to those of you who reviewed!