Content includes mention of character death. –N

Remus was back in London when he received the message, that there was a fight at Hogwarts, and he was needed at once. Of course he went along with several of the others and joined a small group of students – formerly called Dumbledore's Army, he remembered – and fought the Death Eaters off. After, he waited in the hospital wing with some of his former students and colleagues. Filius Flitwick lay in a bed at the end of the wing, unconscious, though he would make a full recovery. Bill Weasley lay in the bed beside the rest of them, having been ravaged by Greyback. And it wasn't even a full moon …

"Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though," Ron said to Harry of Bill, hoping for a cure. "Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in this state."

Ginny spoke up. "Ron, Dumbledores dead."

"No!" Remus stood and looked back and forth between Ginny to Harry. Neither of them said anything, and Remus sank back into his chair, his whole body trembling.

"How did he die?" whispered Tonks. "How did it happen?"

"Snape killed him," Harry said. "I was there, I saw it. We arrived back on the Astronomy Tower because that's where the Mark was…Dumbledore was ill, he was weak, but I think he realized it was a trap when we heard footsteps running up the stairs. He immobilized me, I couldn't do anything, I was under the Invisibility Cloak. And then Malfoy came through the door and disarmed him … More Death Eaters arrived and then Snape – and Snape did it. The Avada Kedavra." Harry fell silent, and Madam Pomfrey burst into tears. Ginny hushed her. "Listen," she said. It was Fawks, Dumbledore's Pheonix, singing, its sound reverberating across the grounds. Moments later, or maybe time that expanded for forever, McGonagall joined them, and demanded to know what happened. When they told her, Tonks spoke up. "I'd love to know what Snape told him to convince him," she said.

"I know," Harry said. They all turned to look at him. "Snape passed Voldemort the

information that made Voldemort hunt down my mum and dad. Then Snape told Dumbledore he

hadn't realized what he was doing, he was really sorry he'd done it, sorry that they were dead."

They all stared at him.

"And Dumbledore believed that?" Remus asked. "Dumbledore believed Snape was

sorry James was dead? Snape hated James."

"And he didn't think my mother was worth a damn either," said Harry, "because she was

Muggle-born. 'Mudblood,' he called her."

Soon, Molly, Arthur, and Fleur joined them, fawning over Bill.

"Of course, it doesn't matter how he looks," Molly sobbed. "It's not r-really important. but he was a very handsome little b-boy. Always very handsome … And he was g-going to be married …"

"And what do you mean by zat?" Fleur asked. "What do you mean, 'he was going to be married?'"

Molly hesitated. "Well, only that –"

"You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me anymore?" Fleur demanded. "You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me?"

"No, that's not what I —"

"Because 'e will!" Fleur continued. "It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill loving me!"

"Well, yes, I'm sure, but I thought perhaps, given how – how he –"

"You thought I would not weesh to marry him? Or per'aps, you hoped?" Fleur asked. "What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these

scars show is zat my husband is brave!"

Molly hesitated once more, her eyes on Fleur, who was now putting ointment on Bill's cuts. Finally, she said, "Our Great-Auntie Muriel has a very beautiful tiara, goblin-made, which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding. She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair."

"Thank you," Fleur said. "I am sure zat will be lovely." Another beat, and both women went to each other, hugging and crying. And then –

"You see!" Tonks yelled, now standing. "She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!"

Not here. Please not here. "It's different," Remus said, barely moving his lips. His shoulders tensed. "Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely —"

"But I don't care either, I don't care!" said Tonks, seizing Remus' robes. "I've told you a million times!"

Remus's hands rose to hers, still on his robes. "And I've told you a million times," he said, "that I am too old for you, too poor. Too dangerous."

"I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus," Molly said.

"I am not being ridiculous," Remus said, his face flushed now. "Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."

"But she wants you," Arthur said. "And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so."

"This is not the moment to discuss it," Remus said. "Dumbledore is dead …"

"Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world," Professor McGonagall said. Remus looked down at Tonks, her eyes wide and her mouth trembling. For just a beat, Remus thought he might kiss her. Then Hagrid burst into the room, and the moment was gone.

He needn't worry, though. They were the last two people left in the hospital wing after everyone else left – aside from Molly, Arthur, and Fleur – and they left together. The door closed behind them and Tonks said, "Listen, Remus."

Seized with daring in that moment, Remus put his hands on both sides of her face and kissed her. She rose up on her tiptoes, wanting him as close as she could get him, and moaned. When they broke apart this time, he stayed, their foreheads touching. He told her what he had been trying to deny to himself all year. "I think I love you, too."