Five days pass before Tonks feels like herself again.
In that time the tails around the cottage increase exponentially—reminding them every day that Remus is a wanted man. Every time Tonks looks out the window there's a different cloaked wizard scouting the beach. Sometimes Remus recognizes their faces—werewolves—and he tells her about them. The stories make her shiver and she clutches at him tighter as they sit on the patio in the cool ocean wind, wrapped in the blanket from Grimmauld Place.
There's an array of Muggle doodads spread out across the table in front of them—soon to be pieces of the magical radio Remus and Charlie have been building.
"What does this do?" she asks.
"It'll allow the radio to link up to a channel, like the WWN."
"Is it ready? I mean, have you tested it and everything?"
"Arthur's just about finished converting it."
"Well after that flying car this should be a breeze."
Remus chuckles and Tonks can feel the sound rattle across her shoulders and down her spine.
"You will be careful, won't you?" she says. "You haven't been out since the Ministry break-out. Kingsley's had so much trouble since then; I'm just worried."
"I'm sure Charlie will find somewhere safe for us to set up. And last I heard Kingsley and his wife had settled."
"That doesn't mean they won't find him again."
"No, but for now it's better than being on run."
Tonks sighs. "I still don't understand why you can't just launch the program from here, or the Burrow. Wouldn't it be safer?"
"Kingsley doesn't want us linking our homes to the program, just in case."
"But—"
A wispy, silver fox scampers out from under their seat and perches on the table in front of them. It tips its head side to side, very reminiscent of Charlie, before his voice bleeds through the foggy animal: "Fred and George said we can do it out the back of their shop. We'll go tonight, when it's dark. Bring Tonks' invisibility cloak."
With wide eyes, Tonks turns, pleading: "Oh, Remus, you can't go into Diagon Alley."
"It'll be dark, love. And I'll have the cloak."
"That doesn't change anything. You're a wanted man. If someone finds you—"
"They won't, Dora. Please don't worry. You know it's not good for the baby."
"I don't know how I'm supposed to help that."
He leans close, pressing a kiss to her temple, his lips trailing down to her ear, before whispering, "I'll just have to distract you."
Tonks fights the smile that curls her lips. There's still a panic filled bubble in her chest, but as her heart speeds to catch her emotions, the bubble deflates.
"What exactly did you have in mind, Mr. Lupin?"
As darkness descends Remus and Charlie Apparate just outside the Leaky Cauldron. The moon is high, almost a perfect circle, painting the street in yellows and golds.
Remus cocks his head, stretching his neck, the pull of the moon strong against his blood and bones.
"You alright?" Charlie asks.
"Yes. It's still a day yet."
"Bill gets like that now. Twitchy. Achy."
"He will."
"You should see the way he takes his steak."
"Raw?" Remus asks, his lips tipped up.
"It's bloody disgusting. Pun intended. I don't know how Fleur puts up with him all moping and whiny."
"The same way Tonks puts up with me I suppose."
"Somehow I know Tonks wouldn't put up with you like that."
Remus chuckles. "You're probably right."
"Of course I am. It's one of the things she used to beat on me for. 'Charlie you pretentious know it all. Shut up before I beat your ass.' Your wife had a violent streak as a teenager."
Remus bites his cheek to hide the smile. "She's grown out of it some."
"Nah, I think she's just channeled it all into her hexes. She taught Ginny the Bat-Bogey and man, its wicked good."
"I'll have to remember that when I let her loose with Teddy."
Charlie barks a laugh. "Can't imagine a smaller Tonks running around. I mean, the kid'll be cute as hell, but he'll probably be dangerous. Maybe a biter. Andromeda said Tonks used to bite when she was little." Charlie waits until Tom stifles the lamp light inside the pub, tossing the last few stranglers into the street. "Chuck that cloak on in case Tom catches us. It's time."
Sneaking through the Leaky Cauldron after hours proves to be the easy part of the mission. Getting into Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes proves to be the hard part. They enter through the back of Fred and George's shop, keeping their hands clear of the bins propped on either side of the door.
"Research and Development," Charlie huffs with a crooked smile. "Fred's working on some invisibility powder. Hasn't seen his left hand for a week.''
"Best keep out of things then."
"I'll sa—son of a bitch!" Charlie cries.
"What?"
"Stubbed my toe."
"On what?"
Charlie whips around, wand drawn up defensively. "I don't know, but whatever it was, it was moving."
"Did Fred and George say—"
"That there were weird things in the shop? Yeah, they did. Warned me about fooling with anything we happened to find roaming."
Remus steps lighter after that, following Charlie up a set of narrow, winding stairs. He stops before a long wooden work counter and Remus sets to work clearing space. "Did your father or Bill run into any trouble passing the word along at the Ministry?"
Charlie shrugs. "It'll take time to gather momentum, but word of mouth will spread eventually. The pocket is small right now. We've stuck to people we know are on our side."
Remus makes a vague humming noise. "Fear breeds traitors."
"But this," Charlie says, tipping the satchel on his back and shuffling the parts along the counter. "This will breed hope." He smirks. "At least that's the plan."
Together he and Remus begin assembly of the radio, running wires and placing antennas. "This is terribly Muggle," Charlie complains, having prodded something with his wand that sent sparks up his arm. He turns in a circle and curses Merlin, shaking out the tingles.
"Yes, well, it's almost done," Remus says, hovering the final piece off the floor where he spent that last ten minutes assembling. "Here, place that along the top."
Charlie catches the metal and hooks it into place, sighing with his hands on his hips.
"Does it look right?" Remus asks, coming to stand by him.
Charlie nods and reaches for a series of knobs. "Dad said to set it up just like this and tune the dial, three spins to the right, back one, and an extra half a turn should do it." The radio buzzes to life, drowning out Charlie's triumphant glee of, "Yes!"
"It worked," Remus says in disbelief.
"Did you ever doubt?" Charlie laughs. He pulls out a chair and gestures for Remus to sit. "Would you like to take it away, Mr. Moony? I'm sure your lady is listening at home. Probably getting antsy by now."
Remus and Charlie share a knowing smile (they half expected Tonks to follow them to Diagon alley), before Remus hooks a pair of headphones over his ears and pulls the microphone to his lips. He gives Charlie a nod, and waits while he depresses a series of buttons. Charlie gives him a thumbs up and Remus makes his first announcement, reading off the pre-worked script Kingsley owled to him earlier in the day.
"Good evening, witches and wizards," he begins. "If you're tuning in you've reached the resistance. A dedicated group of fighters working diligently to take on the Dark Lord's regime. Though many of you care to deny it still, the fact of the matter is that we are at war, and the longer we wait, the stronger the Dark Lord will become. It is time to band together. It is time to fight."
Remus takes a breath and Charlie gives him the go ahead again.
"You may have noticed the recent Muggle-born breakout in the news. The Ministry of Magic has fallen. It no longer fights to protect you. The Dark Lord's followers work from the inside to infiltrate and destroy. Do not turn to the Ministry for help."
Remus flips the next page.
"This program will be dedicated to spreading news of the resistance. Our fight. And most importantly the work of Harry Potter. Albus Dumbledore believed in the boy and it is with him that our trust and help must remain.
"So, on that note, our last reported sighting of Harry was in a Muggle diner where he was engaged in a duel with several Death Eaters. Harry and his companions appear to have escaped and continue to pursue a mission known only to them, presumably set by the late Albus Dumbledore.
"Further information on this matter will be relayed as it becomes available."
Remus swallows and heads into a series of announcements.
"Anti-muggle born legislation continues to tighten within the Ministry . . . snatchers will now patrol Wizarding communities in search of listed fugitives . . . homes raids have begun . . . in-person searches will be conducted at the entrances to Diagon alley, requiring a self-identification process and wand weighing . . . groups of goblins are looking for aid in the Fenwick Forest. If you can provide shelter they will be at Common Creek until dusk tomorrow.
"Stay tuned nightly. Reports will be sporadic. This is . . . Potter Watch signing off."
Charlie grins at him, releasing the buttons on the radio. "That bit at the end there. That was golden."
"You think?"
"If that doesn't get people moving, I don't know what will."
"It's just a matter of—
The sound of glass shattering echoes through the shop and Charlie freezes, mid-stride.
"Front window?" Remus says, hunching over the counter.
"Sounds like it."
"What's going on?"
Charlie crawls forward and peers over the edge of the bannister. Seeing the flash of black cloaks he retreats. "A raid," he whispers. "Time to pack it in. Bastards better hope the twins haven't booby trapped the place."
Remus begins shrinking the radio, small enough to stow away in his pocket. But before he can finish, Charlie grunts and they're engulfed in darkness: a heavy, powdery mist grinding against their skin and in their nostrils.
"Peruvian darkness powder," Remus gasps, rolling the black sand off his tongue.
There's a groan and the dull sound of flesh meeting bone. Someone's thrown a punch.
"Fred and George have to stop selling this crap to the wrong people!" Charlie lets out a great wheezing hack, his hand colliding with Remus' shoulder as he swings again in the darkness.
Remus barely manages to get his hand over Charlie's mouth before other hands break through the mist and seize them.
They're hauled down the stairs and into the front room; out of the darkness, the bulky shadow leaning against the wall shifts into view.
"Greyback," Remus says shortly.
"Oh, come now, we're old friends by now, Remus. Call me Fenrir."
"I wouldn't exactly say that."
"And who else is here with you, hmm?" the werewolf asks, his yellow eyes sparking. "The wifey maybe?"
Charlie lunges but is caught up by the hand around his throat. He grunts and spits, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
Greyback regards him with a sneer before he begins pacing between the shelves, stowing things in his pockets at random. "I really hoped I'd be the one to find you, Lupin. You know, I purposely left out seeing your wife that morning at the Ministry. Didn't want her on their lists so that when I found her I could deal with her myself. You see," he tilts his face towards the moon, highlighting charred bits of skin—Aconite burns Remus realizes, "her and I have some unfinished business."
"She's not here."
"That so? Too bad. Though I bet she'd come running if we let slip that her husband had been taken in by some Snatchers. We'll print up a nice article in the Prophet. Put your lovely mug up on there. She wouldn't be able to resist. Maybe even get some of the other Order scum to come running." Greyback returns to his side and seizes a handful of Remus' hair, wrenching his head back. "Where are you hiding Shacklebot, hmm? He'll fetch a nice price when we find him."
Remus grunts against the pain, but remains silent.
"You know it's inevitable, right? You can stay quiet. You can beg and plead. But I'll find them, Lupin. Shacklebot. Your wife. Your son." He snickers as Remus' eyes widen. "Oh, yes, Lupin. I haven't forgotten about the baby. And where ever they end up when we're done with you, I'll find them and I'll wait. Until he's just old enough to survive the transformation. Like father like son."
"Why?" Remus growls. "What use are they to you?"
Greyback's eyes grow comically large, manic even as he gestures wildly. "Because we don't get to live like the rest of them, Lupin. And you don't seem to get that? So I have to teach you a lesson. I'll take you back to the Ministry and let the Dementors suck on your soul bit by bit, until you're a writhing, miserable excuse for a man. And then I'll let you watch as I turn your wife. And then your son. That's assuming I'm able to stop myself of course. I've become better over the years, but sometimes those . . . urges are just too strong, with the moon and all. And your wife is so very, very young. Almost a child herself, wouldn't you say?"
"I'll kill you," Remus snarls, the hands of the other Snatchers tightening around his throat.
"You won't, because if you really had it in you, you would have done it already. You would have pointed your wand at my chest and that would have been the end of it. Lucky for me you're one of the good guys. Won't even be able to do it to save your own son.
"And when I've bit him I'll take your wife and play around with her a bit. Then, when the moon's full I'll take her with me into the woods and when you wake up from you're soulless slumber, you'll see what really happens during the moon when you don't swallow down that muck the Wizards make you take.
"Does it make you feel better, Lupin? Accepted? Do they let you curl up on the floor in front of the fire if you promise to be a good little wolf? Weasley's wife always leaving you table scraps?"
Remus lunges again but Greyback is faster and his hand slashes the air, leaving four red ribbons upon Remus' face.
"To match your others," he snarls before turning to the other Snatchers. "Take them in. Check their pockets. I want their wands!"