Disclaimer: For the last time, no! I don't own Harry Potter and his friends, enemies, pets, surroundings etc. They all belong to the great J.K. Rowling! Oh and also, I don't own Sister Hazel's lyrics.

This time it was Tonks who stopped dead. The tunnel they came from ended in a big room with many other openings in it. She did a few more steps forwards, then sank down with a sigh of despair.

'Now what do we do?' she asked, rubbing her temples. 'This place is even bigger than I first thought.'

Dingerly dropped himself next to her on the hard floor. 'Ouch, my feet hurt.' he complained.

Only Kingsley stayed where he was. 'I don't think we should linger in this hall, too many ways to approach and surprise us.' He gave Dingerly in particular an irritated look.

'So, what are you saying? Should we go back or try one of the tunnels?' Tonks asked him.

He made to answer but was cut off when several people bumped into him, from behind.

Tonks started to wonder if there was a curse on this place, making people bump into each other all the time, but then realized it was an idiotic thought and more urgent matter were at hand. Like the fact that a group of Deatheaters just bustled into the hall. Kingsley scrambled up, looking shocked as the ten men and women surrounded them and immediately started a firing of spells.

Dingerly reacted the fastest; he had always been hailed for his quick reflexes. Silently, he put up a quick shield, bouncing of several spells, of which one hit a Deatheater. This woke Tonks and Kingsley from their shock and they started firing spells back.

As she tossed them spell after spell, Tonks recognized one of the Deatheaters as the one they had bumped into. 'I guess Dingerly was right.'

The Deatheaters outnumbered them three to one, yet it seemed at first as they were winning. Soon they had taken down four others of the remaining nine. Then, Dingerly was hit by a nasty Sectumsempra and Tonks saw Kingsley being cornered by three of the Deatheaters. The one that had taken down Dingerly joined the other one Tonks was fighting and she was too driven in the defense. She felt herself go stiff by a well-placed stupefy and watched Kingsley undergo the same fate from the dusty ground she now found herself lying on.

The Deatheaters didn't hesitate and walked towards her.

'Let's take you back to the Master.' one, a particularly nasty looking man with long, dusty-red hair, said as he lifted her over his shoulder.

'Oh perfect.' was all she could think. The five people started walking to a tunnel, leaving their fallen companions behind. They were dragging their prisoners with them, but before they reached the entrance, a soft meow could be heard. Tonks could see a brown cat approaching from an opposite tunnel before her sight was taken from it when the Deatheater turned around. The others had turned around too and seemed quite surprised.

One of the women raised her eyebrows, 'Never mind, I bet it's just lost. Let's go.'

'Well it sure seems to know where the exit is,' the Deatheater carrying Tonks answered as he turned back. Tonks could just catch a glimpse of the cat heading into the same tunnel the Deatheaters were.

However, soon she saw a whole different sight that made her almost gasp out loud; a man came running from the tunnel behind her and, with a large jolt in her stomach, Tonks recognized Remus. A few seconds later, more people entered through the tunnel.

It didn't took the Deatheaters long to recover from their surprise and soon curses were flying again. From her limited point of view, Tonks couldn't follow much of what was going on. Every now and then, a person, Deatheater or ally, passed by, leaving her either worried or hopeful.

Suddenly the noise of fighting died away, all Tonks could now hear was the soft moaning of Dingerly right next to her. Scared, she awaited what would happen. 'Who has won? What are they waiting for?'

The shuffling of footsteps sounded very close to her head. Then, all of a sudden, the face of a man appeared right in front of her, a face she didn't recognize. She would have screamed if she would have been able to.

'Are you okay?' the face spoke. Then, the man seemed to realize what was going on and lifted the stupefying spell off her.

Tonks immediately sat up and looked around for Remus. She saw him a few feet away, looking at her awkwardly.

Tonks also noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione and was very surprised to see them there. Before she could make a comment about it though, she saw Remus come towards her and the strange man who had freed her.

'Are you okay?' he asked concerned as he stretched out his hand to help her stand.

'Who are you?' Tonks asked the man instead as she remained seated.

'I'm Jaston.' When Tonks kept staring at him he continued, 'Remus and I…worked together a couple of years ago.'

'Yeah, he and I used to be good friends before we lost sight of each other.' Remus stated matter-of-factly.

Tonks frowned a bit at his curtness. 'Where did you work?' she asked them curiously.

She saw the two of them hesitating, throwing each other indefinable looks. 'We… Some government project, right after the first war. There were some more werewolves and other humans involved,' Remus decided. 'But I can't tell you much more.'

Tonks nodded in understanding. They were all silent for a while, lost in thoughts. Then Remus reached out his hand to her again and lifted her up after she took it. She smiled at him but he didn't meet her eyes. When he tried to pull back his hand she kept holding on. Finally he looked up. 'Can we talk?' she asked him.

'Sure.' he responded, taking her apart from the rest.

'Remus…'she started.

'I'm sorry.' he suddenly interrupted her, eyeing her intently. 'I'm sorry about everything. I was a fool, I realize that now.'

'Re…'

'No wait, let me finish.' he broke her off again. 'Romulus… he did his evil when he was human. It made me realize that people don't need to be a werewolf to do bad things. Of course I have known that long ago, but this rubbed it under my nose. You are threatened by such treachery from humans too and I don't want to make you… more vulnerable to that. Call it an urge to protect you.' A slight smile crossed his face, then faded away. 'But I know now it is also love. …I really hope you could give me just another chance.' he concluded.

It was silence for a moment as Remus seemed to await her answer tensely.

'So what if you're a bit more cranky every once a month? So am I.' Tonks smiled. Then she became more serious. 'You know, my life would mean more if I could spend it with you. Even if that would make that, somehow, shorter. Why life a long Lupinless life if it is a terribly lonely one? Dangerous as you might be, it would hurt me so much if you left me again I don't think I would even survive.' She raised a finger as he started to object, 'That's why you must promise me… even swear it to me, to never walk away like that again'

Remus didn't hesitate anymore, 'Dear Nymphadora, I swear I won't ever do that to you again. I won't just walk away anymore, I promise.'

She smirked, 'You'd better not, or I'll get dangerous. Now let's get you fixed up.'

Just when the sky runs out of rain
Just when the sun runs out of light
Just when the earth is ill with pain
Just when your body is out of fight
I will be there
I will be the smallest piece in everything
And I would give my life before I break this promise to you

(fragment from: Sister Hazel – Sword and Shield)

END

A/N: I suddenly realized the story had to end here. Dragging it on wouldn't improve it and I would just be having you waiting for some more stretched chapters. My other problem is chronic time shortage. I really have to apologize about the rather lame ending but I felt like I had to give you something.

Questions about Jaston and co. may be answered in an other story, in another dimension, where I do have time and more inspiration :-P Other questions, just ask. Also feel free to point out faults and criticize in all other possible ways.

1.000.000 times sorry ;)

Bye,

Leonew