A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Enjoy this chapter!

I don't own the Harry Potter universe.

Under Control

Dana left early the next morning to interview with St. Mungo's. Her mother went with her, feeling that Dana needed the moral support. Remus remained at her house in France to keep Laura company.

By the time Laura rolled out of bed, Remus had already eaten breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen, and had settled himself at the kitchen table reading the Daily Prophet. She smiled at him half-heartedly as she came down the stairs.

"Good morning," she said.

"Good morning, love," Remus replied. "How are you?"

She shrugged. "All right, I suppose. Mum's gone to the interview?"

"Yes. Your grandmother went with her. She didn't seem to think that your mum wanted to travel alone."

Laura smiled at that. "More like Grandma wanted to meet up with all her old friends. They're probably playing cards right now."

Remus laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised." He paused, and put down the paper. "Do you want something for breakfast? I can make you something."

She shook her head. "I'll just get myself some toast."

"You should have more than that."

She rolled her eyes. "You're worse than Mum."

He laughed. "Well, I've never been compared to a mother before."

Laura laughed with him, and busied herself with making toast. Remus watched her for a moment, then picked up his paper again.

"Can I ask you a question?" Laura asked without turning from the counter.

"Of course," Remus replied, putting the paper back on the table.

She turned to face him before speaking. "Why is Mum making me move?" She asked the question in a rush, as though afraid that Remus would stop her before she could get it all out.

"I think she explained that very well yesterday," he replied. "I suggested that you all come back, and both your mother and Aunt Olivia were very excited about the idea. They want to help to fight Voldemort – something that you've been begging us to let you do ever since we first started talking about restarting the Order."

She sighed. "And did she really think that I'd be excited about it?"

Remus smiled. "I think she thought you'd be indifferent. She honestly didn't think it would make much of a difference in your life."

"How could she think that?"

"Well, she's worked it out so that you'll still go to the same school," Remus said. "And, really, that's where you are for most of the year. Is your summer home really all that important?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "If we stay here, I can still see my friends and …"

Remus looked at her for a moment. "Sit down, Laura. Talk to me for a bit."

She put her toast on a plate, and sat down across from Remus at the table.

"What is the problem here?" he asked. "Why don't you want to move?"

She looked away. "You wouldn't understand."

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Laura, look at me."

She reluctantly turned to meet his eyes.

"You have ranted and raved at your mother, Aunt Olivia and I for telling you that you're too young to have all the same information that we have, or that you wouldn't understand what's going on in the world. Don't treat me the way you think we're treating you. You know how awful that feels."

"I guess you're right," she agreed begrudgingly.

"Good," he said. "Now, tell me. Who exactly is it that you're so reluctant to leave?"

She blushed. "What makes you think it's someone specific?"

"Because I was fifteen once, and I know that I never got that upset about leaving James, Sirius and Peter for the summer." He paused. "I did, however, get quite upset about leaving Laura."

"Your wife?" she almost whispered.

Remus nodded. "Mm-hmm. But, before she was my wife, she was my girlfriend. We started dating during our fifth year. And, believe me, that summer and every summer after were so hard for me. I hated spending all that time without her."

"What did you do?" she asked.

"We wrote to one another every day. We usually visited each other, too, at least for a couple days."

"And that was good enough?"

He smiled. "What choice did we have?"

"It's just … it's really hard," Laura said quietly, her face now quite red.

Remus swallowed, finding it nearly impossible to ask his fifteen-year-old goddaughter the next question. "So, there is someone, then?"

"Yes," she whispered.

Remus nodded, trying to maintain his composure. He had, of course, just admitted dating when he was her age. Even so, fifteen seemed so much older when he was that age than it did when she was that age.

"He's great, Uncle Remus, really great," she said in a rush, getting over her embarrassment. "He's in my year, he gets top marks, he plays Quidditch…. You'd just love him, I'm sure you would."

"Do you?" he asked.

"Uncle Remus!" she exclaimed, blushing furiously again. "How can you ask me that?"

He smiled. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't think …"

"It's all right," she assured him.

Realizing that he had overstepped his bounds with her, he chose a different line of questioning. "Will you tell me his name?"

"Pierre," she replied. She sighed. "I hate being away from him now, and we're both in France. What's it going to be like when we're in different countries?"

"You'll make it, Laura," Remus smiled. "I'm sure it'll be fine. You'll still be able to write to one another, and maybe you'll be able to visit one another."

"I suppose," she said glumly.

"Does your mum know about him?"

She shook her head. "Please don't tell her. It's awful enough that you know. Having her know would be impossible!"

Remus couldn't help laughing. "Your mum dated when she was your age. I'm sure she'll be fine with it."

She shook her head furiously. "I don't want her to know!"

"Sweetheart, it might make things easier on you. If she knows, it'll be much easier to ask her if you can invite him to visit you in England."

"I guess you have a point," she said reluctantly.

"Do you want me to tell her?"

She considered this for a moment. "No, I'll do it."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Please, Uncle Remus, promise me you won't tell her – or anyone else."

"I promise." He smiled, and rose from the table. "Is there anything else I should know about you?" he asked as he picked up a pitcher of juice.

"Not really," she admitted with a smile. "Haven't I shocked you enough for one day?"

He laughed, pouring them each a glass of juice. "You know, I do have a pretty high tolerance for shocking statements. Aside from the fact that I was fifteen back in the dark ages, I did teach quite a few teenagers a few years ago."

She smiled. "I know. You're the completely unflappable one. Nothing ever shocks you." She paused, and smiled again. "Do you have any secrets to share with me?"

He smiled. "Laura, do I really look like the type of person who keeps secrets?"

She looked at him critically for a moment. "Yes."

He laughed. "Well, there's nothing you'd be interested in."

"You never tell me anything!" she said with an exaggerated sigh. She looked down into her cup of juice, growing quiet.

"Hey," Remus said. "Are you all right, little girl?"

She looked up at him. "Can you promise me something?"

"Anything," he smiled.

"Please don't tease me about Pierre."

He looked into her eyes, realizing with no small measure of surprise how concerned she was about the situation. "Of course I won't, sweetheart."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"Laura," he said slowly, "you can always come to me with anything you need to talk about. You know that, right? I won't tease you, not over something like this, nor anything else that's important to you."

"I know," she said, her eyes showing relief. "I just …"

He smiled, and touched her hand. "I love you, little girl. I'll always be here for you."

"Thanks," she said again. She covered his hand with hers. "I love you, too."


"This is insane," Tonks muttered to herself as she looked over the extensive master schedule of Hogwarts classes. "How can anyone keep all this straight in their head?"

A knock sounded on her door; she jerked her head up from the parchment that covered her entire kitchen table and spread off the table toward the floor. She grabbed her wand, and pressed her ear against the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Molly Weasley, dear."

She smiled as she opened the door. "Hi, Molly."

"Hello, dear," Molly smiled as she entered Tonks's flat. "How are you?"

"Fine."

Molly looked at her closely. "Are you sure?"

Tonks smiled. "Please don't tell me that I look tired. That's probably the worst thing anyone can ever say."

"No, dear, it's not that, it's just …"

"What?"

"There's something about your eyes."

Tonks frowned, and went to look at herself in the mirror over her fireplace. "My God," she muttered, looking into the pale blue-gray depths of her eyes. "I haven't had them this color in years."

"Why not?"

"This is my actual eye color," she said. She smiled. "I've always hated it – the Blacks have eyes this color. Didn't you ever notice Sirius's eyes?"

Molly looked thoughtful. "I suppose you're right."

She nodded. "Pretty much the entire family has these eyes. It makes sense when you think about it. Blue is recessive, and when you keep marrying your cousins … I just always wanted to distance myself from them, like my mum did. So, I almost never have my eyes this color."

"Why did you want them like that today?"

Tonks looked a bit worried. "I didn't do this," she said.

"You – you didn't?"

"No."

"But why would …?"

"I don't know." Tonks bit her lip, then decided that she couldn't dwell on it while Molly was there. "Enough about that. I'm sure you didn't come here to talk about my eye color."

"No," Molly said. She plastered a falsely bright smile on her face. "I wanted to let you know that Bill is engaged."

"Really?" Tonks exclaimed. "To Fleur?"

"Yes," Molly said, still with the same false smile.

Tonks laughed. "You know, Molly, you don't have to pretend to be happy for my sake. Personally, I'm offended that Bill didn't tell me himself."

"Oh, all he can see is that girl. I'm afraid he's neglecting others to spend more time with her," Molly said, obviously annoyed. "He's having her stay with us now. He seems to think that we all need to be one big family before the wedding."

"Well, I'd say that's a good thing, since he's marrying her," Tonks laughed.

"I was hoping you could talk to him about it, Tonks," Molly said. "I know you and Bill are old friends, and I'm sure he'd listen to you."

"Listen to me?" Tonks repeated. She frowned. "Molly, are you asking … Do you want me to try to talk him out of marrying Fleur?"

"Well, I was hoping …" Molly trailed off, her face flushing. "I'm sorry, Tonks. It was silly, I suppose."

Tonks smiled understandingly. "If I can find the time, I'll talk to him, Molly, but I won't try to talk him out of getting married."

"Oh, Tonks, I'm sorry," Molly said. "I know you're busy enough with work. You and Remus probably barely have time to see one another…" She trailed off again, her eyes widening in horror at the implications she had put into that last statement.

Tonks smiled sadly. "Remus and I aren't dating, Molly."

"You're not?" Molly asked in surprise. "But I thought –"

"What Sirius thought he saw does not qualify as what actually happened," Tonks said. "Remus is a great friend, but it stops there."

Molly looked at her closely, noting the sorrow in her blue-gray eyes. "Are you quite sure?"

"I think I would know if I were dating him."

"Yes, I suppose you would," Molly said slowly. She felt a sudden, strong desire to mother the young woman before her. "You know, dear, I'd like you to come over for dinner tomorrow."

Tonks smiled. "All part of the plan to get Bill away from Fleur?"

"No," Molly chuckled. "I'd just like to have you over. I know the children would love to see you. Now that Hermione's home with her own family, I think Ginny misses having a 'big sister' around."

Tonks grinned. "What about Fleur?"

Molly made a face. "Having those two in the same room without Ginny being rude is rather a miracle in itself."

Tonks laughed. "It can't really be that bad."

"You'll have to come over and see for yourself."

"All right, I'll come," Tonks laughed. "What time?"

"How about seven?"

"Perfect. I'll see you then."


Remus and Laura were playing chess when Dana and her mother came home. Laura jumped up, ignoring the chess pieces that yelled at her for abandoning them in the midst of battle.

"Mum!" she exclaimed. "How did it go?"

Dana smiled, flushing slightly. "Grandma and I only got halfway to Diagon Alley before their owl reached me. They've offered me the position."

"And did you accept?" Remus asked.

She nodded, her eyes beginning to sparkle. "I start next week."

"That's fantastic!" Remus exclaimed. He crossed the room in two strides, and hugged Dana close, lifting her off the ground to swing her around. "I knew you'd get it!"

She laughed. "Put me down, Remus!"

He set her back on the floor, and she hugged him again.

"I just can't believe it! Everything's happening so fast."

Her mother patted her cheek. "It's wonderful, Dana. It's all working out exactly as you had hoped." She crossed to Laura, and put her arm around her. "Don't you want to congratulate your mother?"

"Of course," Laura said. She detached herself from her grandmother, and hugged Dana. "Congratulations, Mum."

Dana hugged her tightly. "You'll love it there, Laura, I know you will."

When she released her daughter, she was shocked to see the tears that stood in Laura's eyes. Dana touched Laura's cheek, wiping a tear away.

"What's wrong, darling?"

"Nothing," Laura said, sniffling.

"This is not nothing!" Dana replied.

Remus looked at Mrs. Morgan, then at the kitchen door. She nodded, and they left the room together.

"Do you know what this is all about?" she asked.

Remus nodded.

"And I suppose you're not going to tell me?"

Remus sighed. "I promised Laura I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Not even her grandmother?"

He laughed. "I'm sure you're on the 'people she really doesn't want to know' list."

Mrs. Morgan smiled knowingly. "It's a boy, isn't it?"

Remus smiled. "Well, you didn't hear it from me."

She nodded. "Laura's a beautiful girl. Of course all the young men would want to date her." She bit her lip. "I just can't believe she's old enough for it."

"Neither can I," Remus smiled. "It sort of makes me feel old."

She laughed. "At least you're not her grandmother! Think of how old that makes me feel!"

The kitchen door swung open, and Dana walked in.

"Well," she said, running her hands through her hair, "I'd say all of yesterday makes considerably more sense now."

"She told you, then?" Remus asked.

"You knew about Pierre?" Dana demanded. "You knew, and you didn't tell me?"

"Calm down, Mum," Remus smiled. "She just told me this morning. I didn't have a chance to tell you – and, there's the fact that she swore me to secrecy."

Dana sighed. "I can't believe she didn't think she could come to me with this."

Her mother looked at her and smiled. "Dana, how old were you when you went on your first date?"

Dana frowned. "Probably her age," she admitted.

"And when was the first one you told me about? Because, to be honest, dear, Aidan is the only boy I ever remember hearing about."

Dana laughed. "Okay, Mum, I see your point."

"Good."

"Where is she now?" Remus asked.

"Writing to Pierre," Dana replied.

"She's telling him that you're moving in a letter?" Mrs. Morgan asked in surprise.

Dana nodded.

"I'd think she'd want to tell him in person," she mused.

"Oh, these kids convey everything through written messages," Dana said. "Sometimes I doubt they actually talk to one another even when they're at school."

Remus was about to comment about the notes his own students passed when an owl flew through the window. He recognized the aged bird immediately.

"That's the Weasleys' owl," he said. "I thought they weren't supposed to use him for long journeys."

"I can see why," Dana said, bending over the animal, who had collapsed in the middle of her table. "Here, Remus, this letter is for you." She handed Remus the letter. "I'll see what I can do for this poor little guy."

Remus opened the letter while Dana and her mother tried to help Errol.

"Dear Remus,

"I hope this letter finds you, as I'm not sure where you're staying right now. Feel free to keep Errol for a few days to let him rest if he seems to need it. I felt bad using him at all, but I needed to get this message to you.

"I went earlier today to visit Tonks, and, frankly, I'm concerned about her. She just doesn't seem quite herself, and the sparkle has very literally gone from her eyes. I think she's forcing herself to work too hard, particularly given recent events in her family. I thought that perhaps you could speak with her. It would probably cheer her up to see another friend.

"Thank you, Remus, for anything you can do to help. I just adore Tonks, and want to do anything I can to see her happy again.

"I'm sure we'll be in touch soon for one reason or another.

"Molly Weasley"

Remus sighed, bringing Dana's attention away from Errol. She looked up at him with concern.

"Not bad news?" she asked a bit fearfully.

"No," he said. "Just another letter asking me to go cheer up Tonks."

"From the same person?"

"No, this one's from Molly Weasley."

Mrs. Morgan smiled. "I didn't realize you had the power to cheer people up, Remus."

He smiled. "Well, my cheering charms are quite good," he said lightly.

"Go see her, Remus," Dana said. "Olivia's well on her way back to normal, and I don't think we need you to help us pack. We'll be fine for a few days without you."

"You're sure?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm sure. Just go see Tonks. Do what you can for her."

Remus nodded. "All right, then." He smiled slightly. "I'm not sure what I'll be able to do, but I can try my best."


Tonks stared at her eyes in the mirror for what felt like days after Molly left. Even when she finally went back to work, she couldn't stop thinking about them. Every time she walked past a reflective surface, she would pause to see if they had changed to – well, any color, really. She even would have been happier with a deeper shade of blue.

"What is wrong with me?" she asked, rubbing her hands over her face. "Why won't my eyes do what I want them to do?"

A knock on her door interrupted her discussion with herself. Sighing, she picked up her wand as she crossed to the door.

"Who is it?"

"Remus Lupin."

She gasped, and threw the door open. "Remus!" she exclaimed. "When did you get back?"

He smiled, and stepped into her flat. "Just this minute. I understand that you've been given a new, rather stressful mission, and I thought you might like to talk about it."

She nodded. "I'm guarding Hogwarts, Remus."

He raised his eyebrows. "That's a pretty tall order. You're not on your own, are you?"

"No," she said. "John is sending me a team of Aurors, but they won't arrive until the week before school starts."

"Is this for the Order or for work?"

"Both, really. John sent me there, and I'll be answering to him, but Dumbledore is giving me some Order members to work with, too."

"So you're in charge?"

"Yes," she said, expelling all the air in her lungs. "I'm the lead Auror. I'm running the mission."

"Impressive," Remus said, smiling at her. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," she said. "It's exciting, but it's really overwhelming."

"Which part?" Remus asked.

She laughed shortly. "I'd go so far as to say all of it. Everything is just on the largest scale! I never realized how many secret passages the castle has, and the master schedule is too big for my table."

Remus looked at the parchment that fell over the edges of the kitchen table. "May I?"

"Of course."

Remus looked down at the document. "Well, this isn't so bad."

"Maybe not to you – you worked there!"

He smiled. "Tonks, you need to calm down. You're going to make yourself sick."

"Have you been talking to my mother? That sounds like something she'd say."

Remus shook his head. "That is the second time today I've been compared to someone's mother."

She giggled in spite of herself. "I'm sorry. You don't generally strike me as the maternal type."

"Well, I suppose that's a good thing." He paused, and looked at her closely. "I am being serious, though. You're killing yourself over this for no reason."

"Remus, this is the most important assignment I've ever been given. I can't afford to mess it up. It would be career suicide."

"Maybe, but don't you agree that actual suicide is far worse?"

"I suppose," she smiled.

"Now, let's go over this schedule. I'm sure I can make you understand it."

"Don't get too excited," she said. "I'm not exactly the greatest mind out there."

He raised his eyebrows. "Weren't you a Ravenclaw?"

She shrugged. "Call it a fluke."

"Don't act like you aren't clever to impress me," he said mildly. "It will have exactly the opposite effect."

"Right," she said. She pulled her hair back into a messy bun and stuck her wand in it to hold it in place, then bent over the table next to Remus.

He looked at her hair with one eyebrow raised.

"Don't comment," she said. "Moody always gives me a hard time about it, but I haven't lost a single hair yet doing this. Besides, nothing holds my hair as well as my wand."

Remus shook his head. "Whatever makes you happy, sweetheart."

She smiled and winked at him.

Remus looked at her for a moment, and found himself captivated by her eyes, which were slowly changing to a beautiful shade of brown. After losing himself in them for a moment, he cleared his throat. "I've never seen your eyes look like that."

"Lord, are they still blue?" she asked.

"No, they – well, they're changing."

Tonks gasped, and ran for the nearest mirror. She shrieked with joy as she watched her eyes change color.

"Everything all right?" Remus asked.

"My eyes are changing!" she exclaimed. "I've been so worried!"

"You couldn't change them?" Remus frowned.

"I was just having an off day," she said dismissively. "Come on, let's get to that schedule."


It was late when Remus finally prepared to leave Tonks's flat. She gave him a beaming smile as she showed him to the door.

"Thank you so much," she said as they both stepped outside her flat into the hall. "I would have spent the next week trying to figure out that schedule without you."

"You're welcome," Remus smiled. "If you'd like, I can help you figure out the castle, too."

"Teachers know more than the average person?" she teased.

"You could say that," he smiled.

"I'd love a guided tour, then," she grinned. "When would you like to go?"

"I'll owl or Floo to set up a date."

"All right," she agreed. "Oh, and just so you know, I'm probably going to move soon."

"Move? Why?"

"Dumbledore thinks I should live closer to the school."

Remus nodded. "You're moving to Hogsmeade, then?"

"It looks like."

"Well, if you need any help with that, just ask."

She smiled. "Thanks, Remus. I really appreciate all you've done for me."

He waved her gratitude aside. "You'd do the same for me."

"Yes," she agreed. "Still, though." She leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you." She smiled as she lowered her heels back to the floor. "Good night, Remus."

Before he could say a word, she was gone, back inside her home with the door closed behind her. As though in a daze, Remus reached up to touch the place where her lips had grazed his skin.

"Good night," he whispered.