5 July 1995

"How is he?"

Remus rolled his eyes as he walked into the basement kitchen, where Sirius and Tonks were sharing a bag of jelly slugs. The moment he'd seen Remus, Sirius had jumped to his feet, wide-eyed.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Remus said dryly, shrugging off his traveling cloak and accepting a jelly slug from Tonks.

"Brilliant," Sirius said impatiently, as Tonks snorted with laughter. "Now, how about Harry?"

"He seems fine, Sirius," Remus sighed. "Same as he was two days ago—clearly fed up with his relatives, but not about to start hunting Voldemort down by himself or anything, no matter what Dumbledore seems to think."

Sirius sank back down into his chair, sweeping a hand through his shaggy hair. "If Dumbledore would just let me go—"

"And do what?" Remus asked him, frowning. "Not only would you be putting Harry in danger, you might end up chucking yourself back into Azkaban. You know Kingsley's just managed to get the search force to move out of Europe and into Asia—"

"Oh, shut it," Sirius snapped, glaring at Remus. "I get it, all right? I'm useless anywhere but here."

"I didn't say—!"

"Oi. Knock it off, both of you."

Remus stopped short, looking around at Tonks in surprise. Across the table, Remus could see that Sirius had done the same thing.

"Harry's fine, we're fine, and we're all doing the best we can," Tonks said in a low voice, looking significantly from Sirius to Remus. "So stop bickering like a pair of teenagers, will you? You're acting like a right pair of Snapes."

Sirius spluttered in indignation, but Remus's mouth twitched. At the Order meeting last night, Snape had presented his latest intel on Death Eater movements, the whole time throwing haughty, imperious looks in the direction of where Sirius and Remus were sitting. The other Order members present had either not noticed or pretended not to, but Tonks had interrupted Snape's report to ask if he wanted to take her seat—between Remus and Sirius—since he kept looking at it.

"Snape," Sirius spat. "That greasy git—"

"Sirius, for Merlin's sake, show some respect," Tonks said sternly. "That's Professor Greasy Git to you."

Remus burst out laughing, and even Sirius couldn't seem to resist a grudging smile.


8 July 1995

Remus glanced up from the newspaper he was flipping through on one of Grimmauld Place's moth-eaten armchairs. Tonks had just walked into the upstairs drawing room, pulling her hood back and rubbing her eyes tiredly. Her hair was a deep emerald green today, tied back in a high ponytail.

"How's he doing?" Remus asked, lowering his newspaper.

Tonks looked at him, eyebrows raised in amusement. "Now, you sound like Sirius."

Remus snorted, "Touché." Tonks grinned.

"He seemed all right," Tonks shrugged, walking over and sinking into one of the dingy armchairs across from him. "Doesn't get out very much, does he?"

"Well, it would make our job a bit more difficult if he did," Remus said with a chuckle.

Tonks rolled her eyes. "All the same…he's nearly fifteen. The summer before my fifth year, I don't reckon I was ever at home, y'know? And don't even get me started on that uncle of his…"

"Everything I've heard about Harry's aunt and uncle—from him and from his mum—don't instill a lot of confidence in their ability to raise children," Remus agreed grimly.

"Then, why has he got to be there with them?" Tonks asked, shaking her head. "Surely, Dumbledore could have him moved here, with you and Sirius."

The mere thought made Remus's heart feel heavy with longing, but he shook his head. "Dumbledore says Harry's safest with his family."

"Dumbledore says a lot of things," Tonks said cynically. "And while most of them are right, I don't see why he should be allowed to play God."

Remus stared at her. Over the five days that had passed since Tonks's first Order meeting, she had easily ingratiated herself into the rhythm of Grimmauld Place. She was hilarious, albeit occasionally tactless, and she was stubborn, her persistence a match even for Sirius's. And every once in a while, she said something like this—something that made Remus stop short.

But with Tonks, the serious moments didn't usually last long. And sure enough, when Remus looked up from his newspaper again, it was to find that Tonks had her face screwed up, her hair flitting rapidly from emerald green, to a blinding yellow, to a dark violet, then to an electric blue.

"Merlin's beard, cut it out," Remus burst out laughing, shaking his head. "Besides, pink suits you."

A second later, Tonks's hair was spiky and bubblegum pink, her fringe bouncing as she got to her feet. And with a wink that made Remus's stomach twist in a very odd way, she got up and headed back toward the main staircase.


15 July 1995

Remus arrived at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place late in the evening after his watch duty shift, expecting to find it empty. There was no meeting scheduled for that night, as the majority of Order members were either busy with their assignments or other work commitments.

When he opened the front door, however, Remus was surprised to be greeted by a buzz of chatter and a sea of flaming red hair traveling up the main staircase.

"Fred! George! Don't you dare take those things up to your room!"

"Mum! Have you seen my cauldron? I think I left it at the Burrow!"

"Where's Bill? He's bringing my trunk!"

"Mine too!"

"Remus! Hello!"

Remus blinked. Molly Weasley was beaming at him from the foot of the staircase, her face flushed. She was carrying in her arms several large saucepans, as well as a cardboard box of what looked like cleaning potions.

"Oh—Molly—how are you?" Remus hurried forward to help her with the box.

"Oh, doing all right, Remus, thank you," Molly said, her smile growing. "We're sorry for barging in like this, but—well, after talking to Dumbledore and Sirius, Arthur and I decided it would make sense to just move our things here for the summer, as Order duties pick up." She paused, glancing around the foyer with an uncertain expression. "It doesn't seem like anyone has properly cleaned up here in a bit, does it?"

Fortunately, Remus was saved the trouble of answering to this by Sirius's sudden appearance on the first floor landing. He was grinning widely, happier than Remus had seen him in the last two weeks. "Remus, you're home! Did you see? We have houseguests!"

"I did," Remus smiled back. He looked at Molly. "Are all the children here too?"

"Yes—well, except for Bill, who's got his own place in London," Molly said, looking suddenly exhausted—and Remus felt a pang of sympathy. "And Charlie, of course—he's still in Romania, doing what he can for the Order from there."

Remus nodded. "What about Per—?"

He was cut off by a loud BANG from one of the upstairs bedrooms, followed by a garble of angry shouting and hysterical laughter.

"Ooh, I swear, I'm going to lock those two in the wine cellar if they keep this up," Molly said through gritted teeth, adjusting her grip on the saucepans and glaring in the direction of the second floor. "I'm sorry, Sirius—"

"Sorry? What for?" Sirius asked, eyes gleaming. "Don't worry—I'll go check in on the lot. You focus on getting your things unpacked."

Molly smiled tiredly as Sirius disappeared down the landing. "Sweet of him," she said to Remus.

Remus shook his head. "I don't think his motives are entirely unselfish—you might want to make sure he isn't egging the twins on."

Molly sighed. "If he keeps them out of my hair for the next two hours, I won't hold it against him."

Just then, there was a knock on the front door.

"That'll be Bill, with the rest of the things," Molly said, shifting the saucepans in her arms and heading for the basement stairs. "Could you let him in, Remus? I need to set up in the kitchen."

Remus nodded, walking over and pulling open the front door. Bill Weasley stood on the top step, holding a trunk in each hand. Next to him, to Remus's surprise, was Tonks.

"Wotcher, Remus," she greeted him brightly as she walked inside, Bill behind her. "Did you know Bill Weasley was back in England? I can't believe he didn't say a word!"

"I'm only here for the Order, as you know," he smiled, shaking his head. "Egypt is waiting for me."

"Sure," Tonks rolled her eyes. "I'd bet you ten galleons right now that you never go back. You're going to get married within the year and have seven wartime babies, just like your parents."

Bill snorted. "Ha. Not likely," he said. "I've had enough of that for a lifetime with my siblings, thank you very much. Speaking of…" he trailed off darkly, heading for the stairs with Ron's and Ginny's trunks.

Tonks grinned after him, then turned to Remus. "Hi."

"Hello," he smiled, shutting the front door. "I didn't know you knew Bill."

"Oh, yeah, I was in school with him—Charlie, as well," she said cheerfully. "Played them both in Quidditch. Made Charlie cry once, too—my finest moment as captain, I reckon."

Remus chuckled and shook his head, following her into the house. He had known Tonks was young—the youngest Auror in her cohort, as she'd mentioned proudly on more than one occasion—but hearing that she had gone to school with Molly's children certainly put things in perspective.


2 August 1995

"Stop fidgeting, Sirius."

Sirius gritted his teeth, but stilled his hand, as Remus applied two drops of Dittany to the angry, red bite marks on his index and middle fingers. Hedwig had not been playing around when she'd appeared at the house earlier in the evening with letters for Sirius, Ron, and Hermione, who had arrived at Grimmauld Place the previous week. It had taken a spoonful of Molly's Calming Draught to quiet the owl—but not before she'd taken a few good bites out of Sirius's and Ron's hands.

"Ah," Sirius hissed, as the Dittany smoked and subsided. He flexed his fingers, which looked mostly healed, though still a little raw and pink. "Thanks."

Remus nodded, closing the small brown bottle and slipping it back into his traveling cloak. He stared at Sirius for a moment, but his friend was steadfastly avoiding his gaze. Remus knew he must be too angry to speak, already furious with Dumbledore and, now, equally—if not more—furious with Mundungus for deserting his post in Surrey and leaving Harry unprotected from the Dementors.

"It's not your fault, Padfoot," Remus said quietly.

Sirius's jaw tightened, but he still didn't look up. Remus sighed, closing his eyes.

"Hey."

Remus turned around. Tonks had appeared at the top of the basement staircase, her expression serious.

"Dumbledore wants you both downstairs," she said. "He's got a plan to get Harry."

Remus looked at Sirius, but the other man had already straightened and stalked down the foyer to the stairs. His footsteps echoed sharply through the otherwise silent house. Remus felt a lump swell in his throat as he too climbed to his feet, and he swallowed it down heavily.

Tonks gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze as she followed him downstairs.


6 August 1995

Remus returned to the basement from bidding Mundungus goodbye to find Sirius, Tonks, and Bill still talking quietly at the dining table. Moody and Kingsley, who had just arrived at headquarters after nightshifts at the Ministry, followed him downstairs into the kitchen. Glancing around the room, Remus saw that Molly hadn't returned from shepherding the children to bed—and Arthur, it seemed, had left to join her.

"…surprised they all listened and went upstairs," Sirius was saying. "I expected them to argue again. I'd've certainly asked more about the war and the Order if I were them."

"At a certain point, with Mum, you know it's time to give it up," Bill told him shrewdly. "You've got to give her some credit—it wasn't easy with seven of us, but she's done it well, for the most part."

Bill seemed to be addressing Sirius more than anyone else in the room, and Sirius, for his part, seemed to take the hint.

"Contrary to how it may have seemed…I do appreciate everything she's done for Harry," he said in a stiff voice, not meeting Bill's eye. It was far from an apology, Remus knew, but it seemed to be enough for Bill, who nodded.

"Personally, I'm starting to think Dumbledore's off his rocker," Moody grunted, his magical eye swiveling madly as he sank down into the empty chair beside Tonks. "The lad needs to know what he's up against. How's he supposed to protect himself if he doesn't know what he's meant to protect himself from?"

"He's only fifteen, Mad-Eye," Kingsley said in his deep, measured voice. "He's brave, but he's impulsive. He needs time to grow up. They all do."

"Harry can handle it," Sirius said, eyeing Kingsley sharply. "He's been through a hell of a lot more at fifteen than any of the rest of them, and he knows it."

Kingsley didn't respond, and a small silence fell over the table. The tea kettle began singing on the stove, and Tonks jumped up to retrieve it.

"You know…I feel for him," she said, glancing back from the stove as she poured tea into six cups. "I know the other kids are getting frustrated too, being kept in the dark like this. Isn't it better that they know what's going on, so they don't do something impulsive and irresponsible?"

Tonks was trying to balance the six teacups on a very flimsy-looking tray. Sensing imminent chaos, Remus immediately got up to help her. She smiled warmly at him.

"I'm not saying Harry can't handle it," Bill said slowly, accepting his cup of tea. "But—why should he have to? I mean, I'm trying to imagine being fifteen and hearing that a whole damn—" he glanced briefly in the direction of the stairs, lowering his voice, "—Prophecy was made about my life. Especially after having just watched You-Know-Who return and kill my classmate. It's unthinkable."

"It's his reality," Sirius said harshly. "And he deserves to know it."

"Exactly," Moody growled. "Constant vigilance."

"You know, it's a pointless conversation we're having," Kingsley put in, frowning. "None of us can tell him anything without Dumbledore's permission, and we aren't going to get it." Remus saw his gaze linger on Sirius for a moment, but Sirius didn't meet Kingsley's eye.

At last, Remus cleared his throat.

"While Harry is being kept in the dark about all this, as unfair as it is," he said quietly, "it's our responsibility to keep him safe. Make sure he's not getting himself into trouble at Hogwarts or with the Ministry, and keep an eye out for any threats to his safety. It's all we can do, and we'd better be thorough."

Another silence fell over the group as they all looked at one another.

"Well, Remus is right," Sirius said finally. "As he usually is."

Remus looked at Sirius, expecting to find scorn or disdain in his expression, but his eyes were devoid of both. Remus stared at him, and Sirius gave him a tiny nod.

"I'll speak to Dumbledore about setting up patrol rotations in Hogsmeade," Moody grunted, pulling his cloak over his broad shoulders and tucking his hip flask into his belt. "I know we're stretched thin as it is, but we do need eyes on the castle once the lad's back in Scotland. I'll get in touch about it this week."

There was a murmur of assent as everyone, taking Moody's declaration as a cue, began gathering up their belongings as well. As Sirius showed Kingsley, Moody, and Bill up to the ground floor, Remus began stacking the empty tea cups back in their tray. Looking across the table at Tonks, he saw her hold back a yawn as she collected her wallet and wand.

For the first time, Remus realized how exhausted she looked. Her eyes were bloodshot and ringed with circles. He felt a pang of sympathy; he was sure that young Aurors were overworked as it was, without the added burden of secret reconnaissance and daily guard duty.

"You look knackered," Remus said softly. "Are you sure you don't want to sleep here with us?" No sooner had the words left his mouth that he realized how they must have sounded. He felt his face heat up and he immediately backtracked, "I'm…I didn't mean…"

But Tonks's gray eyes were twinkling with amusement. "I know what you meant," she said lightly. Shaking her head, she leaned up and gave Remus a quick peck on the cheek before she headed for the stairs, pulling the hood of her traveling cloak up. "See you later, Remus…"

Remus stared in the direction she'd gone for several, long moments. Then, shaking his head at himself, he banished the tea cups to the sink, dusted his hands, and began the walk upstairs.


Author's Note:

Double post this week because I have NO SELF-CONTROL! The title of this chapter was inspired by the Pottermore quote, "Remus, so often melancholy and lonely, was first amused, then impressed, then seriously smitten by the young witch." I'm soooo excited to explore the beginnings of this relationship over the next few chapters.

Ari