'Aurors! At attention!'

Seventy-eight pairs of eyes looked up at Kingsley and Amelia. Seventy-eight men and women stood rigidly straight in salute.

'You are all aware of what is to happen tomorrow afternoon,' Amelia said, business-like. 'You are all aware that we are at war. You are all aware, thanks to the Daily Prophet, of the two wizards that the Prophecy concerns.'

'Yes, ma'am,' seventy-eight voices barked.

'The Ministry of Magic will be the most dangerous place in the world tomorrow afternoon,' Kingsley picked up seriously. 'The probability is high that Lord Voldemort will make an attempt to seize the Prophecy, Harry Potter, or both tomorrow. It is up to us to ensure that such an attack, if it happens, is stopped. Madam Bones and myself will stand right by you. It is time that we all did our duty to the country. It is time that we all did our duty to the people.'

'Yes, sir,' the Aurors replied in unison.

'Senior Aurors, step up,' Amelia ordered.

Ten witches and wizards stepped forth from the gathered crowd and saluted.

'I expect each and every one of you to set an example of duty, bravery, and leadership,' Amelia shouted. 'You are responsible for the lives of your comrades, your fellow Aurors, Hit-Wizards placed under your command, for innocent witches and wizards, and most of all, for that of a child. I expect you to do your duty to the highest standard possible tomorrow, whether an attack occurs or not. Do I make myself clear?'

The ten Senior Aurors saluted and shouted their affirmative replies.

'Kingsley, the plan.'

Kingsley turned to the Aurors. 'The Unspeakables will be bringing the Prophecy into the Atrium to be heard in front of a few select representatives from the Daily Prophet and associated media. You will be stationed around the Atrium, the Floo exits, and other key positions around the Ministry. You will be given specific assignments tomorrow to prevent any leaks of information. You are to be on your guard at all times. If an attack occurs, you are to engage the enemy with lethal force. You are to protect bystanders as best you can. Do not protect the Prophecy, do not attempt to protect or get in the way of Harry Potter himself. Is this clear?'

'Yes, sir!'

'You are not to leave the Auror Office until the end of the day tomorrow,' Amelia said. 'We will arrange for food and sleeping arrangements to be delivered. You will be given a Sleeping Draught, which you are to take. You will need your rest for whatever happens tomorrow.'

Another round of shouts of affirmation. Kingsley and Amelia nodded their thanks and turned and left the room.


'Sirius!' Andromeda accosted him the moment he stepped out of the Floo.

Sirius inclined his head. 'Andie?'

'It's really happening tomorrow?'

Sirius nodded.

'And do you think there'll be an attack?'

Sirius nodded again.

'And Dora is involved?'

'Yes,' Sirius sighed. 'She's a Senior Auror.'

'And will you be there?'

'Yes,' Sirius replied. 'As backup. Moony will be there, too.'

'Then I'll be there,' Andromeda said firmly. 'If my entire family is there, then I'm not sitting at home.'

Sirius was alarmed. 'Andie?'

'You heard me, Sirius,' Andromeda snapped. 'My daughter and cousin are both going to be caught in the thick of it. You don't think I'm going to sit on the side-lines and let it happen, do you?'

'Andromeda, there's no need,' Sirius replied. 'Amelia's deploying the entire Auror force. The Unspeakables would sooner end the world than let Voldemort discover their secrets. And there's Harry himself, and Hermione, who insisted that she be there.'

'And none of that changes the fact that you and Dora, according to your own words, will likely be fighting the Death Eaters tomorrow,' Andromeda shot back. 'I'm not an Auror, Sirius, but I'm capable of holding my own in a battle. You protested me going to Hogsmeade, too, and if it weren't for me, you might've died. Neville Longbottom would definitely have died.'

'We were facing perhaps a third of You-Know-Who's total forces in Hogsmeade,' Andromeda continued. 'Snape said so himself. Led by Bella, but still only a third. What if he throws all he has left against the Ministry tomorrow? You'll need all the help you can get.'

Sirius sighed. He loathed the idea of his favourite cousin stepping into battle against Voldemort, but he also knew that she had her mind made. There was little that he could do to convince her against going. Truth be told, he understood her. If Sirius's presence had not been requested by Amelia herself, he would still have given anything to be there alongside Harry and Hermione.

'So that's a yes, Sirius?'

'That's a yes,' Sirius replied glumly.

'And Cissy?'

'You're going to drag her into this, too?'

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. 'Do you think it's fair to her to be kept at home, when the rest of her family is out there? She fought Bella for us, Sirius. How would it make her feel to sit out now?'

Sirius bowed his head. 'If she insists, then…I can't really stop her, can I?'

'No, you can't,' Andromeda affirmed.

Sirius sighed. 'You won't put yourself in unnecessary risk.'

'No unnecessary risk, but that doesn't mean no risk.'

'No, it does not,' Sirius repeated. 'Are you sure about this, Andie?'

'Have I not made myself clear?' Andromeda asked. 'Was this not something you always wanted? To show that the Blacks aren't all, well, black? And to destroy the Dark Lord once and for all? Do you think I'll back down from this?'

Sirius shook his head. He knew Andromeda too well that she was not one to step back from her convictions.

'Then it's decided,' Andromeda said with a sense of finality. 'We fight tomorrow.'

'We fight tomorrow.'


The Dark Lord stood at the centre of more than four hundred kneeling dark-robed witches and wizards. Those who were left of his most loyal Death Eaters knelt directly at his feet, while his foreign sympathizers and cheap soldiers-for-hire prostrated further back. There were not many of his original followers left, but those who were left, the Dark Lord knew, were his most fanatical and devoted.

'By nightfall tomorrow, the great victory will be ours!' the Dark Lord proclaimed. Cheers erupted from the gathered Death Eaters.

'We will have conquered the Ministry and quashed the so-called "Boy-Who-Lived" under our feet,' he continued to more cheering. 'What is left of the rabble that dares to stand against our noble cause will be forced to submit or face death. We, the most noble of the pure-bloods, shall rise and take our rightful place in the world, the place that had been taken from us by Mudbloods, muggles, and filth!'

The cheering grew louder than ever at those words. The Dark Lord knew that he had an unparalleled ability to rouse his followers. Not even Dumbledore, the so-called 'Leader of the Light', had the powers and charisma that the Dark Lord held. That was one reason among so many others that proved that he was the wizard most fit to rule over not only magical Britain, but the entire magical world.

'Those who serve me valiantly will be rewarded in the New Order,' the Dark Lord promised. 'Those who display cowardice on par with the blood-traitors will be punished accordingly. You are fighting for your own survival! Let that reflect in your fighting spirit!'

The Death Eaters cheered once more. The Dark Lord dismissed them.

'Severus. Stay,' he ordered as the other Death Eaters filed out.

The man did as he was told. The Dark Lord saw out of the corner of his eye Draco glare at his former teacher as he filed past, seemingly disgruntled that Severus was being allowed knowledge that was being kept from him. The boy still had much to learn, the Dark Lord thought. Though he may have quickly risen to the top ranks of his Death Eaters, he was too hungry for yet more power and status, the Dark Lord observed. It was a Malfoy trait, but it was one that was not conducive to the Dark Lord's ultimate aims.

'My Lord?' Severus asked.

'You are aware of what you are to do?'

Severus nodded. 'I am to keep the Headmaster,' he sneered, 'away from the Ministry.'

The Dark Lord nodded. 'And your plan?'

'He will be called away by a forged emergency summons from the Board of Governors,' Severus replied smoothly. 'His performance at the school in the last year has been…lacking.'

'Nothing less than expected, then,' the Dark Lord mused. Of course the old Mudblood-lover was performing beneath standards. To even coexist with that kind of filth…not even mentioning advocating for them. It simply demonstrated that a wizard had no proper spirit, that he was weak.

'It is unsurprising, My Lord,' Severus agreed. 'Which, I hope, will keep him from questioning the validity of the summons.'

'Well planned, Severus.' The man had proven his worth once again, no matter what Draco's doubts were over him. When the Dark Lord ascended to his rightful throne, Severus would be rewarded for his service. This, at least, was a promise that he intended to keep.

'You have my leave,' the Dark Lord whispered. Severus bowed once and strode out of the room.

The Dark Lord sat back down on his throne. It was less than twenty-four hours now. He, Lord Voldemort, the immortal Dark Lord, who had defeated death itself, would soon rule over the whole of magical Britain.


'It will be tomorrow,' Saul Croaker addressed the gathered Unspeakables.

Murmurs washed through the crowd. Unspeakables were turning to one another, whispering. Saul could not comprehend what they were saying, nor could he guess at it. Unspeakables were mysterious people. Saul knew. He himself was one, after all.

'We have to prepare,' he continued. 'You know what to do.'

One by one, the Unspeakables nodded. Saul divided them into groups and sent them away. They worked discreetly under invisibility spells of the type only known to Unspeakables. They worked for hours to set the wards on every square inch of the Ministry. They cast Disillusionment-dispelling wards, reinforced apparition-preventing wards to block all apparition in or out of the Ministry, and cast a variety of spells, fortifying the Ministry complex. They warded the Floo grates to allow only entry, blocking all routes of escape for the Death Eaters. There would be no way out of the Ministry complex, not now that the rest of the building was warded to hell and back. It was the one-way funnel through which the Death Eaters would come to their deaths.

Saul made his way to the shelf where the Prophecy was stored and lifted it off its stand. Only an Unspeakable, acting of their free will, could do that without losing their minds. He carefully wrapped it in a velvet cloth and placed it in a pocket of his robes.

The trap was set. The bait was placed.


Albus stared across his study blankly and sighed. Tomorrow. He was sure it would happen tomorrow. The Ministry had been foolish. They had lured Tom, and perhaps all his Death Eaters, right into their midst, right within arm's reach of the Prophecy.

He was not going to be there tomorrow. He had given Severus the idea of using a forged letter from the Board of Directors to justify his absence. He was not going to prevent Harry from going, either. Despite everything, he believed that Harry could still be Saved. Everyone could. Perhaps a face-to-face confrontation with the Dark Lord was just the thing Harry needed to realize the error in his ways. Besides, Albus hoped that a massive battle would take out some of Harry's allies – or at least force them to turn their backs on him. There may be deaths, but they would be deaths that had to happen for the fulfilment of the Greater Good.

Albus was the only one that knew that Tom could not be killed, no matter how much Harry or the Ministry tried tomorrow. He had kept the knowledge of the Horcruxes to himself, hoping to wait until a day when Harry was ready to tell him. That day, Albus thought, might now come sooner rather than later.

Just to be safe, Albus planned to appear right at the end of the confrontation. He had allies in the Ministry that would inform him when the inevitable battle ended. Harry would be thoroughly shaken then, he was sure, and he would be ready to allow Albus to return to guiding him. Then, under his guidance, Harry would finally work to destroy the Horcruxes, then face his destiny at Tom's hands, completing the Greater Good, and ending Tom once and for all. If Harry was still committed to descending the path of darkness after that…then Albus must deal with him however he must.

Albus only hoped that Harry did not mindlessly snuff out too many lives of those that could still be Saved before he appeared.


Harry, Hermione, and their group did not go down to dinner that night. Instead, Dobby and Winky delivered their meal directly to the Room of Requirement, which produced a table for seven, fit for a veritable feast.

Dinner was quiet. There was a mountain of food on the table. All of Harry's favourites were right there, but he could not find it in himself to enjoy them. Snape had all but confirmed to Harry that afternoon after Potions that Voldemort was going to be attacking with his entire force tomorrow, and never before in his life had he felt more nervous about something.

The tension in the air was incredible. It was worse than the night of the Third Task, even worse than the night before the Battle of Hogsmeade. Tomorrow was going to be the apocalyptic battle, they were sure of it.

'You need to eat,' Hermione said, almost bossily, to the others. 'You need your energy tomorrow.'

Hermione was not setting a good example, though, for her portion was nearly untouched itself.

'Go over the plan again,' Ginny said, playing with a meatball.

They had already gone over the plan more than ten times that night, but Hermione consented. It was something to calm her down, and it seemed like Ginny, at least, found it helpful tonight as well.

'Harry will leave with Amelia as arranged,' Hermione repeated. 'We will sneak out of school early tomorrow morning and head to our meeting point with Sirius. He will bring us to the Ministry. We'll join Harry there.'

'As long as you're all sure that you want to go,' Harry added. 'If you want to back out – '

'Harry, shut up,' Neville snapped. Harry was taken aback by the usually timid boy's sudden rudeness and fell silent. 'We've been through this more times than I could remember. We're not backing out.'

'I still can't believe Sirius assented to them coming along,' Harry murmured to Hermione.

Hermione looked at him sharply. 'He accepted that it was their decision,' she scolded sternly. 'You should too.'

Harry nodded sheepishly and sighed, and gestured to Hermione to speak.

'We'll take up our positions in the Atrium,' Hermione continued. 'We'll be within sight of both Harry and the Floo exists. If the Unspeakables did their job, then that'll be the only avenue of approach. That doesn't mean you should let your guard down from other possible paths, though.'

'Remember to always cover each other,' Harry said. 'And be aware of what's going on around you. And don't start off with weak spells, just – '

'We know,' Neville interrupted. 'We've been doing this for months. It's almost second nature to us now. You don't need to remind us, Harry.'

'Sorry,' Harry muttered, looking down at his plate. This was not what they needed to hear right now, he realized.

Hermione reached under the table and pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey. No one questioned where she got it from or why she had it. She raised her wand and conjured seven glasses. She filled each three-fourths of the way, far more than what one would usually pour. A flick of her wand and the seven glasses were sent around the table.

'A toast,' she said, raising her glass. Harry and the others copied her. 'To us. We'll get through this and we'll be back here tomorrow night to celebrate.'

'To us,' everyone repeated and drank. Harry emptied half of his glass and raised it again.

'To the end of Tom Riddle!'

'To the end of Tom Riddle!' the chorused back.

The seven of them finished the rest of their glasses and set them down on the table. Harry knew that this was the last time that he would be seeing most of them before the Ministry tomorrow. As much as he hated thinking along that route, he knew that he had to say a proper goodbye, in case…anything.

Harry embraced Neville first and wrung his hand.

'Don't say it,' Neville muttered quietly. 'We will make it through this. Trust, Harry.'

But as much as Harry wanted to believe, he could not trust. 'Neville, you're an incredible wizard and person,' he said. 'It's been an honour.'

'And it will continue to be,' Neville replied firmly. 'We'll all be fine. Know that.'

Harry nodded and let him go. Daphne was next. 'You two take care of each other, all right?' he whispered as he hugged her.

'The same to you,' she replied. 'As Neville said, we'll be fine.'

Harry let her go and she left the room with Neville. He went to Ginny next and hugged her.

'I loathe myself for letting you go tomorrow,' he said glumly.

'Don't,' Ginny replied. 'I'm not the little girl you pulled out of the Chamber…uh…however many years ago. I can take care of myself.'

Harry hugged her again, almost tearfully. 'You're like my little sister, you know. Take care of yourself.'

Ginny nodded, kissed Harry on the cheek, and left.

'Don't worry too much,' Luna advised. 'It attracts the Wrackspurts and they make you confused. We'll all be fine, Harry.'

'Thanks, Luna. Be careful, okay?' Luna nodded and hugged him quickly before turning and following Ginny out of the room.

Susan hugged Harry quickly. 'I'll say the same thing as everyone else. Don't worry too much. We'll all be okay.'

Harry nodded and tried to convince himself of the fact as Susan left the room. It was only him and Hermione now.

Hermione came up to him and tenderly placed a hand over his heart. 'You don't need to say anything,' she whispered. 'I already know.'

'As do I,' Harry breathed back. 'This isn't the first time for either of us.'

'And hopefully this will be the last time,' Hermione said gently. 'After this is all over, we can do all those things we've always wanted to…'

'We can do whatever you'd like,' Harry promised.

'And whatever you'd like, too.'

Harry shrugged. 'I'm not too imaginative.'

'Then start being imaginative,' Hermione said, chuckling. She pushed him down on the bed and started working at his shirt buttons. 'We have, what, a hundred or so years ahead of us? We can't possibly do…this…every day for the rest of our lives.'

'Every other day, then?' Harry asked, smirking. He pulled her blouse over her head.

She blushed faintly pink, and Harry immediately felt much of his tension leave him as he saw it. She pulled his head up into a passionate kiss.

'Every other day,' she promised. 'Up until you grow tired of it.'

'What else?' Harry pressed, his hands now at her waist.

Hermione laughed. 'Change the whole bloody world, how about?'

'Sounds good to me,' Harry replied. His trousers ended up on the floor besides them.

'And a few kids?'

'Whenever you're ready,' Harry said simply.

'Their hair will be a nightmare,' Hermione chortled. 'Later, though?'

Harry nodded. 'Of course. I don't mind practicing how to make them, though.'

'I don't, either.' She flipped him on top of her. 'Let's get some practice in, then.'


Severus Snape sat alone in his office, examining his left forearm.

If Potter succeeded, tonight would be the last night that he was held a slave under its malign influence. Severus was not a religious man – his muggle father had been a devout Anglican and beat Severus and his mother constantly for being magical – but he prayed now to whatever god that Tobias Snape may have believed in that it would all end tomorrow.

Severus had done all he could. Potter knew for sure now that the Dark Lord was going to make his move tomorrow. The Headmaster was out of the way – his obsession with Potter's…effective…means of dealing with the enemy would only be a hindrance and a danger, Severus thought – and the Dark Lord had taken the bait hook, line, and sinker.

He knew how to read the Dark Lord, and he knew that the Dark Lord, shockingly, had no expectations of a planned trap. He may have been brilliant in his day, Severus knew, but that kind of arrogance was lethal. Severus did not know what Potter had planned, but he would wager that it involved all the firepower that the Ministry could muster.

Severus hoped that it had been enough, that he had done enough to help Potter, to bring down the Dark Lord, could mean that he had earned even a sliver Lily's forgiveness. He did not hope, though, nor would he ever know. He was prepared to work all his life to make up for what he had done if it needed be. He was not going to give up or rest on his laurels just because the Dark Lord had fallen. This was the choice that he had made more than fourteen years ago. This was his life now.

Severus wondered if he should openly take a stand of defiance against the Dark Lord tomorrow. It was what Lily would have wanted him to do.

But the Dark Lord and the Headmaster had both ordered him to stay at Hogwarts.

But was Severus really in the business of obeying either one of them?

No, he was not, he thought. Severus may be a slave, but he was a slave to his past wrongs, his past regrets, not Dumbledore or the Dark Lord. What would Lily tell him to do? She would tell him to be brave, to stand up for what he thought was right. For all this time, he had been the stooge of two masters. It was time to do what he should have done long ago, if only he had listened to Lily.

Severus gave his Dark Mark one last hate-filled look. He sneered at it. He was not its slave. He would be no longer. He had made his decision.


Daphne broke away from Neville and looked him in the eyes. The boy looked disappointed that the snog had ended. She had other plans, though.

'Nev, did you lock the classroom door?'

Neville nodded. 'I did when we came in here. Muffliato and everything too.'

'Do you trust me?'

'With my life.'

Daphne took a deep breath. 'I know you don't like this talk, but…say…this was our last night together. What would you want to tell me?'

'That you're brave and beautiful and unexpectedly kind and I trust you more than anyone else with my life,' Neville replied in one breath. 'Except maybe Harry or Hermione, but…well…'

'Understandable,' Daphne chuckled, bemused. 'That's all?'

'And…uh…well, you're one of the few people that brings out the best in me and…and…' Neville blushed deep scarlet and combed a hand through his straw-coloured hair. 'And I think…well…I…I l-love you.'

Daphne's heart shot to her throat. 'I think I love you too,' she breathed. 'And this is probably one of the best things that's ever happened to me.'

'Same for me,' Neville muttered.

'Do you trust me, then?'

'Of course I do,' Neville said, looking a little confused.

'Anything I do?'

Neville nodded.

'Tell me if you want to stop, then.'

Neville's face changed from confusion to surprise as Daphne shoved her hand under his shirt and began unbuttoning it. Neville was not the clumsy, chubby boy that he used to be, she could tell. Under her hands, Daphne felt a flat stomach toned with firm muscles. She had imagined that it would feel something like this, given all the training that they had been doing, but the real deal was much better than the fantasies.

'Uh…Daph?'

'Too fast?'

Neville shook his head. 'Fine…but…well…unexpected,' he stammered. 'Where're you going with this?'

'As far as you'd like,' Daphne whispered sultrily in his ear. She giggled out loud as Neville's eyes widened in shock.

'You want to…you want to…?'

'To shag you?' Daphne laughed. She unbuttoned the last of Neville's shirt buttons and tore it off him. 'To have you inside me? To fuck your brains out? To make love? I don't care. Whichever term you prefer.'

'Are you…are you just doing this because…well…tomorrow?' Neville asked.

'No,' Daphne replied. 'I'm doing this because, as, in case you forgot already, I love you.'

Neville swallowed. 'Then…okay…yeah…as long as you're comfortable.'

'Aren't you boys supposed to be excited about sex?' Daphne asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Neville shrugged. 'Well…it's not something I do every day, you know…'

Daphne laughed again. 'We'll learn together, then?'

'Sounds good to me,' Neville said, smiling broadly and beginning to work at her blouse.


Remus Lupin was sleeping – or trying to sleep – in the Great-Hall-sized room where all the Aurors were spending the night. Since he was technically an independent volunteer, he had been permitted to leave. He had thought, however, that he should show some grit and solidarity with the rest of his unofficial comrades.

And especially one in particular.

Tonks was still sitting upright, one bed over. Her hair was long and back to her natural brown. Remus thought that it must have been the stress that had taken a toll on her transformation abilities.

'You're staring,' Tonks suddenly said.

Remus averted his eyes quickly and felt his cheeks burning. 'I was just…looking in your direction,' he fabricated a quick excuse.

Tonks snorted. 'Uh-huh. So, what's on your mind, Auror Lupin?'

Remus had many things on his mind, and unfortunately for him, most of them involved the Senior Auror sitting next to him.

'Nothing, Senior Auror Tonks,' Remus lied. This was not something Tonks could know about, he determined. He was lucky enough to have her associate with him, despite knowing about his 'furry little problem', already. The additional burden was…unneeded.

'You're a very bad liar, Auror Lupin,' Tonks observed. 'What's on your mind?'

'You should get some sleep,' Remus protested feebly.

'Don't try to distract me,' Tonks mock scolded. 'I'll have you know that I was trained in interrogation.'

'I'm not trying to,' Remus said, weakly attempting to distract her.

'You can tell me or we can keep this going,' Tonks huffed, folding her hands over her chest.

'Why do you care?'

Tonks rolled her eyes. 'Because I care about you, stupid.'

Remus's heart gave a happy jolt in his chest. 'You do?' he asked, keeping his voice level.

'Do you doubt me?' Tonks demanded.

'Well…uh…yeah?'

'And why?'

'Because of…you know…the, uh, problem.'

'The inconvenience you have when it's that time of month?' Tonks asked, the corners of her mouth twitching.

'If you want to put it that way.'

'Why do you think it matters?'

Remus shrugged. 'Everyone seems to think that it matters more than just a little.'

'Sorry, bad question, then,' Tonks corrected herself. 'Why do you think that it matters to me?'

'Pardon?'

'Don't lie, Lupin,' Tonks snapped. 'You know exactly what I'm talking about. This isn't the first time I've caught you looking at me. I've just never said anything before.'

Remus's heart twisted in agony at the rejection. Truthfully, though, he really expected nothing else. 'Look, Tonks, I didn't mean…'

'You didn't mean?' Tonks asked in an incredulous whisper. 'Now you say you didn't mean it?'

'Okay, I meant it,' Remus conceded. 'But…you don't need to think about it, okay?'

'And why shouldn't I think about it?' Tonks demanded. 'Have you ever stepped out of your self-loathing for a second to consider that, perhaps, I could feel the same?'

Remus could not believe his ears. Was Tonks really saying what he thought she was saying? Remus did not let his face betray his hope, though. It was all too likely that Tonks meant something different, that his hopeful mind had simply interpreted it the way he wanted to, or hoped to.

'Well? Have you?'

'Have I felt what?' Remus asked, trying his hardest to keep his voice level.

'What you feel, idiot,' Tonks hissed. 'I don't know…attraction, maybe?'

Remus felt like he could jump for joy, but a second later, his heart fell to the pits of his stomach. Tonks was trapping herself. She could not have anything to do with him, even if she wanted to. Remus could not let a bit of selfish desire ruin her career, her life.

'You can't,' he whispered. 'You know what I am. You know the monster that I become once a month. You know how society feels about creatures like me. You can't.'

'Don't you tell me what I can or cannot do,' Tonks said quietly through gritted teeth. 'This is what I want, Remus. This is what I want, Remus. You're not stopping me.'

'What you want isn't necessarily always what's best for you,' Remus muttered.

'You know what'll be the best for me?' Tonks snarled. 'For you to get off your bloody high horse and do what you want. Society be damned! Do I look like I care? We're about to fight Voldemort and you're still letting your misguided beliefs of yourself stop you from having what you know you want?'

Remus sighed. He could feel himself being won over. He detested it, and he needed to stop himself from allowing – encouraging – Tonks to dig her own grave.

'What about your family?' Remus attempted. 'What would they think when you tell them that you've been lusting after a werewolf who's more than ten years your elder?'

'Mum wouldn't care,' Tonks replied resolutely. 'Neither will Dad. They know who you are, and they've never treated you any different. Sirius is your best friend. He won't say anything against your happiness. Aunt Cissy…she won't say anything, even if she thinks poorly of it. And even if she does, I don't care.'

Remus opened his mouth to protest, but Tonks interrupted.

'The day after,' she said. 'You and I. Dinner. Understood?'

Remus's mouth stayed open, but he did not protest. Numbly – and he knew he was going to curse himself for this later – he nodded, and Tonks beamed.