12th of July 1995

It was the second morning in the Grimmauld Place for Gwen, and the first one without Remus around. He left right after she and Tonks got there yesterday, and told that he will be back tomorrow. After Tonks and Remus left, and she and Sirius shared another firewhiskey, she decided she will help Remus in every way she can. It wasn't fair that he was out of place because of her, no matter what he said. Tonks left shortly after Remus, looking kind of disappointed. Gwen noticed that, but didn't say anything. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, and she didn't want to jump into conclusions or make Tonks feel uncomfortable. Somehow, Gwen thought that Tonks' sudden lack of mood was connected with Remus leaving. She and Sirius were just having breakfast, when she had to break a news that Sirius wouldn't like.

"Hmm… I though you should know, Severus will come by later," she said, looking directly at Sirius, not giving him much space to object.

"Oh? How so? And of course I should know, it is my house after all," he scoffed.

"I invited him. I need some things, and he will get them for me. Plus, I need to talk to him. If it bothers you, we will meet somewhere else, like I int…"

"No, you're not leaving this house alone. Maybe they are still looking for you," Sirius said harshly, like he was no open for discussion.

"I can do whatever I want, Sirius," Gwen said. "But I agree, I might still be in danger, and that's why Severus said he will come by, and not to leave this place."

"I think the hell froze over because I agree with Snape for the first time," Sirius said, and stuffed his mouth with eggs, and ham which Gwen made. She stopped eating, and was now looking directly at him, taking a deep breath.

"I'm not having this, Sirius, and I mean it. He is in that Order, too, and if this is the Headquarters, you can't have problem with him being here. And he is not coming to see you, he's coming to see me. If you have a problem with him, we'll be in my room."

Sirius choked on his meal for a second, coughing hard. Gwen looked at him with her eyebrows high. She gave him her glass of orange juice, since he downed his coffee. He took a sip, and looked at her.

"Oh, Merlin's beard… You're shagging Snape?"

"No," Gwen said shortly, with mocking emphasis, and a slight frown. She looked uncomfortable, like that idea was crazy.

"Are you like, in love with him?" Sirius was now mocking her, but was frowning at the same time with disgust on his face.

"Don't be a prat, Sirius," she lowered her look, and started eating her breakfast again. Sirius was the one who was staring now, because she couldn't read her reaction. "I'm not romantically involved with Severus. I would call him my friend, but he doesn't like that, so I won't."

"You're a really weird woman, Gwen. He says he's not your friend, but you consider him one? How does that make any sense?" Sirius started eating again, jerking his head. Gwen finished her meal, and pushed the plate at the centre of the table.

"I don't expect you to understand, but you're not a fool, and you saw what he did for me. That wasn't the first time he saved my life, and I'm now asking you to act civil around him," Gwen's voice was firm, and confident. She radiated confidence, and Sirius was a bit amazed by that. He summoned himself more coffee, took a sip, and pierced her eyes with his.

"Alright, so be it. You told me you don't lie, so I guess I should trust you." His voice, however, cracked a bit. Trust was something that wasn't easy when it came to Sirius Black. He trusted few people, and most of them were dead now. But, Gwen figured his trust issues in the first week of them knowing each other. So she knew that his trust is not something for playing with.

"Thank you. And all I've said is true," she smiled kindly at Sirius, who finished his breakfast, too. He nodded, not saying a word, taking another sip of his coffee.

"So, what's up with Tonks?" Gwen changed the subject, not wanting to provoke Sirius when he finally agreed with her.

"What do you mean?" Sirius frowned at her.

"Well, she was in a really good mood on our ride back here, and she looked rather down when she was leaving. I swear I saw her hair turning navy blue," Gwen leaned on the table, supporting herself on her elbows. Sirius was lounging in his chair, with his legs spread, and his hands on the back of his head.

"I still can't believe you drove in a car on the top of this damned building. But I didn't notice that. I don't really know if she can control her hair changing, though..." Sirius looked amused. He liked mysteries, they always gave him a shot of adrenaline.

"Does Remus and she know each other for a long time?" Gwen asked, and Sirius frowned a bit on that question.

"Well, I don't really think that them meeting when he was sixteen, and she was three counts, so I would say they know each other less than us two, Why are you asking?" Sirius' eyes shrunk, and he looked at Gwen suspicious.

"Oh, nothing then… I thought that maybe they are friends, or something, and connected the change with his departure. But I guess it's not it," Gwen said flatly, but with a tone of curiosity in her voice. She ran her hands through her thick hair, tossing her head back.

"Oh… Oh! She stared at him for some time in the first Order meeting. I thought it was because of the scars, you know, many of them stare at him."

Gwen jerked her head, and was now looking at Sirius with a devilish grin on her face.

"She fancies him," Gwen said boldly, and Sirius spat the sip of a coffee he just took.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked, confused.

"Did she really looked at his scars? Think about it. I wasn't there obviously, but you were, so think hard Sirius."

Sirius frowned, trying to think about what he saw in the meeting. He closed his eyes, and saw Tonks looking at Remus, but not at his scars. She somehow studied his face features, touching her wrist, clearly unconsciously.

"Well, now when you said it… She wasn't… I don't know, she was ogling him for sure, but I don't really know what was on her mind, so…" Sirius was now confused, but the mystery just got more mysterious. "She's my baby cousin, and he is an old werewolf. Don't really see those two together."

"I never said they will marry tomorrow, just that she fancies him. Maybe she's just attracted to him. I mean, scars or no scars, he is nice looking man," Gwen said matter-of-factly. She saw Remus few times in Hogsmeade, in the daylight, after a good night's sleep. He looked less ill, and fresher than yesterday. He wasn't the typical handsome man, but he wasn't bad looking either. And he had interesting eye colour.

"Oh, so you like him? I don't follow this conversation, and excuse me but since when is Moony this interesting to ladies?" Sirius said kind of offended. He was usually the most handsome one in their little clique.

"Your comments, Sirius…" Gwen sighed. "Remus is definitely not my type, too bright. But I guess he is Tonks'."

"I think you're crazy," Sirius said, with a smile coming through his voice.

"You might say that, but I have an intuition for this kind of things. Lets bet! I'll give you… hm, what do you want?" Gwen was determined, and sure of her words. Sirius was intrigued, and was now leaning forward to her, grinning.

"The bet's on. But when we find out who's right, we'll talk about the stakes. You in, Doherty?"

"Of course I am," she moved her face closer to Sirius, and mocked him. "But you'll lose, Black."

Gwen stood up, and picked up the dishes, bringing them to the kitchen.

"You know I have a house elf? You don't have to clean!" Sirius yelled, but all he heard was Gwen's soft, ringing laughter.

It was almost 8 in the evening, and Snape still hasn't stopped by. Gwen was now a bit annoyed, because she thought he will be here in the afternoon. Sirius was in his mother's room with Buckbeak, and Gwen was trying to make library more presentable. Tall mahogany bookshelves were filled with various books, all looking rather old, valuable, and for Gwen, beautiful. Some of the copies were destroyed by the Doxies, but it wasn't much. The library had two writing desks, and a set contained of mahogany and royal purple couch, and 4 armchairs. Even though it was run down, it was beautiful. If this house wasn't decaying for years, it would really be something priceless. She managed to make the room look good, removing all the doxies, spiders, and moths she found there. However, there weren't any boggarts, and she was grateful for that because she wasn't up for seeing anything scary now. She was just sorting some books, and skimming through the pages of some ancient writing sitting on the couch, when she heard doors opening.

"I thought I would find you there," Snape was standing on the doorstep, entering the room, and closing the door.

"Sev… I knew you would come, but I think we misunderstood on the details," Gwen said, putting the book on the coffee table with the rest of the ones she was sorting. "Sit, please."

Snape did as she said, and sat on the couch. He gave her a small paper bag.

"Your ingredients, and don't think I don't know what you'll be doing with them."

"Nothing you haven't done for a year, if I remember correctly, Sev." Gwen said, looking at him straight in the eyes. He sighed in protest, and rolled his eyes, but swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"So how are you?" he asked with a soft, and barely hearable voice. It wasn't something he usually did.

"I'm fine. And thank you for saving me, again. I guess I'm not that independent as I thought," she said, and fidgeted her fingers a bit.

"You are, but you shouldn't strut around alone. You're someone noticable, and if they are looking for you…" Snape was interrupted, much to his dismay.

"Are they? You know if they do, Sev. You think I don't know where have you been?" Gwen knew that Dumbledore sent Snape to join the Death Eaters. But she also knew where his allegiance stands, and she never questioned that. He sighed loudly, again.

"They are," his answer was short, and flat.

"Laina…" Gwen cursed in Bulgarian, and her head was now in her hands.

"They know about your… abilities. And they know how skilled you are. The Dark Lord himself asked for you, since your father is dead. He asked me if I know where you are, and I played my part."

Gwen lifter her head, and looked at Snape again.

"Sev… You can't lie to him like that. If he finds out he'll kill you."

"You have any better idea? Maybe want to join me for a next meeting?"

"No, of course not… But why am I interesting to them? I don't get it…" Gwen was confused, scared, and she really didn't want Death Eaters chasing her. The worst fears of her mother came true…

"Voldemort wants the prophecy about him and Harry. And he thinks he could use a seer now… And the daughter of one of his most loyal seems quite… fitting." His face was emotionless, and Gwen knew what that meant. He was boiling inside, and tried to hide it, as always.

"Fucking hell…" Gwen tossed her head in the back, and lifted her legs on the couch, knocking off some books in the process.

"Look, Gwen, I think you sh…" Snape was interrupted with Sirius barging in the room. He rolled his eyes at the sight of him, and said. " Of course."

"Oh Sn…" Sirius started, but Gwen's look pierced him as a knife. "Snape. When did you sneak in?"

"And Dumbledore left you in charge here… That house elf would do a better job at keeping this house safe." Snape scoffed, and Gwen noticed Sirius fist clenching.

"Sev…" she at least tried to do something, but Sirius was now right in front of the couch, and Snape stood up. Gwen was still sitting, looking at them from the couch. Snape was on her left, and Sirius on her right.

"You're in my house, Snape, show some manners if you have them. Or is that reserved only for Voldemort and his cronies?" Sirius was now taunting Snape, but he managed to not insult him directly. That was civil, right?

"Watch your mouth, Black. I know a few of those, as you said, cronies, who would be delighted to find you," Snape's voice was tense, but monotone. He watched at Sirius with a smirk.

"Sev…" Gwen tried to calm the situation again, but both of the men ignored her.

"Oh really? Then send them to me. Let's see what they're made of…"

"And you too…" Gwen said, this time trying to get Sirius' attention.

"Are you really that ignorant, Black? Your fighting skills are… rusty at best while they fight all the time. As much as I would love to see you squirm, Order comes before that, and the safety of this… house." Snape said with a scoff of disgust.

"Even this derelict, and tumbled down, it still looks better than anything you have. And what do you have, Snape, hm? A shiny cauldron? I know you most definitely don't own a bottle of shampoo…"

"You're a child, Black, I pity you, and this… this period of time you call life."

Sirius now charged at Snape, almost punching him in the face, when both of them were knocked over in the armchairs behind them. Gwen was now the one standing, with her hands in the air. She cast one spell that had an impact on both of them. Sirius opened his mouth to say something, while Snape looked at her horrified. She waved her hands once more, and casted silencing charm on both of them. Sirius' words became silent, and Snape looked even more horrified when he figured what Gwen did to both of them.

"Stop! Just stop! Both of you. I'm not having this. If you move your arses from those armchairs, I will immobule you so hard you won't leave this place for another three hours. And I swear on my mother's grave, I will put you in a position so close that the only thing you will see is each other's face." Gwen was frustrated with their behaviour, mad for them quarrelling like teenagers. Sirius' eyes were wide open, and Snape looked even more horrified than before. The thought of them looking each other for a long time wasn't appealing, so they obeyed her and stayed in the armchairs.

"Good. Now… I will be staying here since, well, You-Know-Who is mental enough to think I will join him. And I want that to work, but I can't with you two fighting like that. I'm now asking both of you politely to put aside all your differences, and try to be civil. You're thirty-something grown adults, not some Hogwarts fourth-graders. Act like that." Gwen said, switching her look from Snape to Sirius. Sirius was terrified by the news. "Do we have an agreement? No more fighting, insulting, bickering… Anything childish, and not necessary."

Both of the men just stared at the woman who was fuming in front of them, dressing them both down. They weren't moving.

"I said do we have an agreement? Nod if you agree, and if not nodding, I'll just consider you don't, and I don't want that." Both of the men nodded. "Okay, now shake hands. A real hand shake."

Both of them stood up. Snape looked at Gwen looking like he will burst into flames, and Sirius looked like he will explode. Gwen was content with that. It was the only way for them to listen to her. They shook hands. For real this time.

"Thank you! Now," she waved her hands, and the silencing charm was off.

"You're crazy," Sirius scoffed.

"Maybe I am, but I don't want to die because of you two acting like two immature gits."

Snape was silent, with horror still on his face. He stared at Gwen, but couldn't talk.

"Who is after you?" Sirius asked, even though he knew the answer, and looked at Gwen, ignoring Snape completely.

"The Death Eaters. Sev just confirmed it to me. Because of the prophecy about You-Know-Who, and Harry. Sev thinks it's because of my seer abilities…"

"But you can't see things at will… I'm sure Voldemort knows that," Sirius was now looking at Snape, who crossed his hands.

"He does. I think it's more than that, but haven't figured it out yet. However, I already spoke to Dumbledore, and he said we must have a meeting at once. It will be tomorrow at 7 in the evening. I suppose it is because of Lupin's… night out. We have to team up, and watch over Potter, and the prophecy." Snape said, with a smirk on his face. He loved being in control, knowing more than others. Sirius on the other hand, was nervous because once again he was powerless.

"I'll let other Order members know then," Sirius scoffed, and charged towards the door. Snape was very pleased with the fact he could basically boss Sirius around like that. Sirius was the one in charge of noticing the Order members about meetings. As much as he would like to punch Snape in the face, Sirius decided to leave before that happens. Gwen was right, they had to be civil, much to their dismay. Sirius left the room, knowing he will talk with Gwen more when Snape leaves. He needs to know the whole story. When he closed the door, Snape turned to Gwen.

"Don't you ever, EVER, do that to me again, Gwen," he said strictly, frustrated, and tense.

"I'm sorry, Sev, but I can't have you behaving like that. Like it or not, I'm the safest here. And if you want me safe, you won't argue that. Please, Sev… Don't make it any harder than it is."

"Right. So you think you're safe here with him? I would offer you to stay at my house, but it's not safe now. Maybe one of your father's houses?" He asked her.

"No. Even if they were safe, which I highly doubt, I would never live there. I would rather go back to being a Muggle." Gwen scoffed at the idea which disgusted her on so many levels. No. She can't live in her fathers house. Not one of them. Just no.

"Then I must agree this is the safest solution for now. But I don't like Black snooping…"

"He's not snooping, he is worried about me, just like you are. You won't admit it, but I know you better than that." Gwen placed her hands on her hips, standing bravely in front of Snape, whose arms were still crossed on his chest.

"I will admit it, because I am, and should be worried about you. You are skilled, and very capable, but so are they. I don't want you going anywhere from here. I can't accompany you because that would put you in more danger, and I don't trust any of them to take care for you." Snape put his guard down for a moment, and was even surprised by his own words.

"I appreciate you worrying, Sev, but Tonks escorted me already, and we did well together. So, if I'll go anywhere, she will be with me," Gwen tried to make Snape more relaxed, even though she wasn't that sure that Tonks would really accompany her whenever she needs it. But, she could always ask her werewolf roommate, too.

"You believe her? You believe Black? And Lupin? I trust your judgement, but…"

"No buts, Sev. I do trust Sirius, Tonks seems like she likes me, and Lupin left this house for a couple of days because of my safety. But I would go with Tonks. I like her too, whatever you have against her. So, she mocked a bit on your expense at Hogwarts. Big deal, you're grown man."

Snape rolled his eyes, but his face remained stone cold.

"It's funny how you care about me, and always do what's best for me, and yet you said we aren't, and can't be friends…" Gwen was now looking straight into his eyes, thinking about what Sirius said earlier.

"Gwen…"

"What? You said it yourself a year ago…"

"I did, but you and I both know why I said it."

"No, Sev, I really don't understand that." Gwen admitted, and lowered her look, now staring at the floor.

"I sometimes say things I don't mean, alright? Don't make me revise what happened that night." Snape said, giving her no place for arguments. She lifted her head at once, looked at him for a second, or five, and charged to hug him.

"If you don't hug me back, Sev, I swear to Merlin, I will imperio you to do so," she said quietly right in his ear, and she felt his arms wrapping around her loosely.

"Happy now?" he said when he let her go.

"Yes, and I proved my point. I read you like an open book, Severus Snape," Gwen said mockingly, sitting on the couch again.

"I would say that's not true, but I don't have time for that argument now. I must go. Another meeting is starting. Take care, Gwen, try not to become a self-pompous prick in this house. It seems to make people that way." Snape said, turned, and left Gwen alone exactly how he found her. In the middle of the library, surrounded by books. Right when she saw Snape's cloak flowing behind him, she remembered the one that was lying in her room. She will have to give it back to him.

Remus was alone in his cottage, counting the minutes until the full moon rising. He was sore, and tense, and somehow, couldn't wait to end this cycle. He got Sirius' note about the meeting tomorrow, and was surprised to have an Order meeting on such short notice after the last one. He guessed Snape found out something from the Death Eaters, so they need do plan a strategy. And he wasn't wrong. The woods surrounding the cottage were mostly people free, and it was the safest place for now to transform.

He sat on his porch steps, in expectation. He breathed deeply, filling his human lungs with warm summer air. He closed his eyes, and saw a picture of sunflower fields. He blinked hard. This is it. The moon is playing tricks on his mind, and that meant the full moon will rise in a matter of seconds. He undressed himself, and was now standing naked in front of his cottage. He didn't have many clothes, so he tried not to ruin any more. He closed his eyes again, and saw the sunflower field again. The sun shined so brightly, like it only could in sunsets. He felt his muscles tensing, his bones aching, the pain piercing down his spine, and limbs. It's coming. Remus felt so trapped in his body now, feeling to big for it. He blinked another time, and closed his eyes again. He knew he won't remember this night in the morning, but as always, the memories came to him in the later days. And he saw the field again, but someone was in that field. His vision became blurry, and he couldn't smell anything anymore. His human senses were leaving him slowly. He felt himself getting bigger, and bulkier. His spine bended, and his joints stretched. That was the most painful part, but he let out only one soundable moan. He was used to this, used to the pain. His skin burned, and he felt every strain of hair coming from it, as it turned wolf's fur. His jaw hurt as it was slowly turning into a snout. That's it. The pain was almost unbearable, but Remus knew it was the last stage. The one before the complete numbness, and waking up in following morning. He closed his still human eyes one more time, and saw exactly who was running through that sunflower field. He recognized the pink hair, heart-shaped face, and a big blue eyes. And the mesmerizing smile. Tonks. But it was done, his mind was not his anymore. The wolf howled at his mortal enemy, the moon, opening another night of terror for the man.

13th of July 1995

Gwen set up her potion equipment in her room, making it even more crowded. It wasn't a big room anyway, and she already had a bunch of book, a lot of clothes, gramophone records, and wizarding trinkets. Her ingredients must be kept in the bag for now. She was almost done with the essence of dittany, because Sirius told her about Remus' wounds after every full moon. If she interrupted him transforming in the security of this place, at least she could do is brewing some remedy. She woke up early, and already made some soothing potions for muscles and bones. She never met a werewolf, but she read a lot about them, and knew their weak spots. Gwen wondered if Remus being so skinny had any effect on his transformations. Her hair was braided in a long, thick braid, and she wore a dark green shirt, and a pair of washed up jeans. She was bare feet for most of the time in the house, much to Sirius' disagreement. His knocks on the door interrupted her, as she turned to see him.

"Sorry for bothering you, but just wanted you to know Remus is back. I figured what you're doing here all morning, and I really think he could use some of those," he pointed at the bottles placed on the desk.

"Oh, just give me a second to bottle this," Gwen said, and started to do so a bit faster. "How bad is it?"

"Not too bad, though. He's sore, and bruised, but has only a few new cuts. But he looks like hell, I guess he slept outside or on the floor again. I don't get this man, Gwen, after every full moon he would sleep on the floor like it's normal. I, even in the dog form, always want comfortable sleep," Sirius was now standing by Gwen, collecting the bottles, giving her glances to see if he picked the right ones. And he did.

"You need to shave, Sirius. This hair can stay, but the beard… Do something with it," she pinched his cheek, and turned with the essence in her hand. Sirius followed her as they descended in the Remus' room. He did look worse than usual, but Gwen knew he will patch him up until the meeting.

"Thanks, Gwen, you're really kind," Remus said, as he took the potions, one by one, laying in his bed. "How much do I owe you for this?"

"Don't insult me like that, Remus Lupin. I'm here living on other's expense, the least I can do is put my skills in good use. I'm good at potion making, and you need those. So, drink up, and be done with that modesty of yours," Gwen's voice was once again bold, and determined. Sirius watched her in awe, thinking about how she would make an excellent Minister of Magic.

"Thank you, I can't express how grateful I am," Remus said with a smile, opening the potion vials. "If there's anything I could do for you, let me know."

"Actually, you can. You'll help me with the downstairs bedrooms in a few days. I don't like boggarts, don't want to see boggarts, and I can't deal with them."

"Of course," Remus said, not even questioning her attitude. But Sirius was wondering what frightened Gwen so much, but remained silent.

"Right, now… Since this one," Gwen jerked her head in Sirius' direction. "Doesn't know how to cook a bloody egg, I'll make us some lunch. Sirius, refill the vials, will you?"

She left the room, leaving both Remus and Sirius speechless.

"She's…" Remus couldn't find a word, and looked at his old friend confused, but not in a bad way.

"Something. It's good to have her around, see?" Sirius said, grabbed the vials, and left to refill them.

When he entered Regulus', now Gwen's room, and took a good look at it. She really made the room nothing like it was before. She even managed to remove that nasty Slytherin emblem. He thought about asking her to remove his mother's portrait for he was refilling the potions, he spilt some on her books, but managed to prevent the damage with some quick thinking magic. He muttered a few swear words, when an idea came into his mind. He filled his coat pockets with vials for Remus, and waved his wand to gather all of Gwen's potions equipment. She just can't have that there.

Tonks arrived earlier than expected, and was now standing on the first step of the house. She entered slowly, and heard Molly, and Arthur Weasley laughing. She also heard Moody, Kingsley, Hestia, and Minerva McGonagall. It wasn't a surprise for her to be in the Order, though. Tonks' hair was in a peachy orange colour today, looking like a sunset. She chose a shoulder length wavy hairstyle with fringes. Her attire was subtle – a Muggle band T-shirt, a light ripped jeans, and of course her clunky boots. She was just in front of her biggest obstacle on the way to the dining room, the hideous umbrella stand, when she heard a hoarse voice from the stairs.

"Watch out, my reflexes are not that good to catch you now," Remus was walking down the stairs, and Tonks stopped as she watched at him. He looked tired, but not at all bad. Gwen's potions were really miraculous.

"Wotcher, Remus," she said brightly, happy to see him all well. She wasn't really sure why she felt so relieved by that. "How are you?"

"I've been better, but Gwen is really good at potion making. She made some remedies for me, and all I need is a good night's sleep. And you? Work and all?" he was approaching her, standing at a safe distance. All he could think about was the scene he saw before his transformation. This woman running through the sunflower field. And her hair… It was the colour of the sunset he saw. Exactly the same colour.

"Boring. Now when I know where Sirius is, there's nothing really going on there. Kingsley promised to make it a bit more interesting, though, can't wait what he has on his mind." Tonks said, and smiled shyly. Remus, however, returned the smile.

"Kingsley is quite dedicated, so I think he found the exact thing to keep you entertained. Also, I think with the guard duty, and the espionage, we will have to do… You'll be quite busy," Remus said calmly, with soft, smooth voice.

"Oh… how do you know that?" Tonks was wondering. Were they having an Order meeting without her?

"Snape was here yesterday, and he told Gwen and Sirius some things. I didn't really understand because Sirius is a terrible at recounting serious topics. I figured it's easier for me to just wait for the meeting."

"Right, well…"

Tonks sentence was interrupted with Dumbledore, and Snape entering the house. It was their cue, so Remus gestured Tonks to enter the room first.

"Tonks!"

She heard a familiar voice, turned, and saw Charlie Weasley, sitting next to his father. He was charging towards her, hugging her hard, and lifting her up.

"Charlie! Oh my…" she was really happy to see her old friend, but she was surprised to see him.

"I haven't seen you in ages!" He said, ruffling her hair. Tonks noticed that Gwen was now the one sitting left to Sirius, and Remus was in his usual spot. Gwen waved at her, smiling brightly, and Tonks returned the wave, and a smile. Gwen then returned with talking with Remus, and Kingsley. Tonks found that scene funny; a bookworm, and a two Ravenclaws having a conversation, with Sirius frowning between them. "Sit with me! I hope we'll have a time to share a drink afterwards." Charlie said, and pulled out a chair for her. Tonks sat, and smiled at Charlie thanking him, since she lost her place on the other side of the table. She felt kind of sad because of it. She was now placed diagonally from Remus, and Charlie was on her left. He looked even more bulky, and his hair was really grown, along with his beard. He looked more manly than before.

When Dumbledore, and Snape entered the room, all of the members went silent, waiting for Dumbledore to open the meeting.

"Good evening, my dear Order," Dumbledore said with his calm, but warm tone. "I'm sorry to call upon you on such a short notice, but we have some tragic information, and we need to work fast. But first, I would like to greet Miss Doherty," he showed in Gwen's direction, and all eyes were on her. She froze, and Sirius nudged her with his leg a bit. She smiled nervously, and nodded to Dumbledore. "I'm really glad to see you here, and joining us in our meeting, even though, if my mind serves me right, she still isn't our member."

Gwen now felt like an outcast, and her cheeks were blushing. Sirius nudged her again, but this time it was his hand on her thigh, tapping. She managed to pull a slight smile at him, and when she turned she noticed Snape's eyebrows rising.

"And of course, young Mister Weasley here, who joined us immediately," Dumbledore said, proud of his Gryffindor student. Charlie grinned, at all, and made a small wave. However, Tonks wasn't watching at her best friend. He looked at Remus trying to keep his focus, fidgeting with his fingers. Why was he such a distraction for her? Why was she not okay with sitting here with her best friend whom she hadn't seen in months? She wanted to sit there with him, Sirius, and well, Gwen. She stuffed her hands in her pockets, and felt little something she brought for Remus.

"Now, the prophecy about Harry and Voldemort is hidden in the Department of Mysteries. For those who doesn't know the story behind that, please talk with Alastor later. He will explain everything," Dumbledore said in a hurry, and Moody grunted. "I'm sorry for not having more time to talk, but this is very important. We must keep guard at both Harry, and the prophecy. Voldemort thinks it's essential for this war, and it mustn't fall into his hands. I talked with Severus, and he sorted you in pairs. You will now work together like that, until further notice. Severus paired you considering your skills, and compatibility. I must say I'm quite pleased with the pairings, and I hope you will all work just fine together. We must be very careful. I have some individual tasks for you, though. I would kindly ask all of those who work for the Ministry to open their eyes, and listen carefully. Every information, no matter how small it seems, can be crucial now. Charlie, I assume you'll do your best with our international connections, just like your older brother. Sirius, and I assume Gwendolyn now, will be responsible for the schedule since they will be staying here. Every time before taking shifts, I expect from all of you to report to them. No exceptions," Dumbledore pierced Snape with his blue eyes through his half-moon spectacles. Snape scoffed, and looked at Gwen, who gave him a little smile. "Molly, I expect from you to arrange the children to come here at once. The sooner, the better, but I want extreme caution with handling that, and I know you won't disappoint. Elphias, Emmeline, Hestia, you three will be talking with some people of interest. And we must start thinking about how to bring Harry here."

"Albus, I'll organize that," Moody grunted loudly, and Dumbledore nodded.

"Thank you, Alastor. I hope we will have the schedule soon, so we can start planning that," Dumbledore said, giving a meaningful look to Gwen and Sirius, who both nodded. "I'll leave you now to Severus. He will explain the pairings, and I expect one of you to be on the guard duty in the Ministry tonight. The prophecy is our highest priority, right below Harry's safety. What is important is for us to work together, and to open our eyes. I must go now, take care, my dear order! Severus, I give you my word, and place."

Dumbledore stood up, and left the dining room. Snape was the one standing on the opposite side of the table from Sirius, who rolled his eyes, almost soundly.

"Well, I'll firstly read the pairings…"

Tonks was rolling her eyes too, she hated Snape's voice because it reminded her of his lessons. She couldn't focus on his talking, figuring she will notice her name being mentioned. Her eyes, again, flew across the table, in a direction of Remus. But now, he was watching her too. When their eyes met, he smiled slightly at her. She felt her cheeks blushing, before she could morph it. Their eye contact lasted for a while, and none of them noticed Gwen nudging Sirius, grinning. She noticed them, and saw it as a proof of her before said statement. Tonks flinched when she heard her name.

"Nymphadora Tonks," Snape said with the emphasis on her first name. He did that whenever he caught her red handed in his class. "Will be paired with Remus Lupin."

Tonks turned towards Snape, maybe a little too rashly, knocking the table with her boot. She could almost hear Moody's deep breath of disappointment, but she didn't care. She felt overwhelmed, and confused. Why was she so… drawn to him? Why was she so twitchy? And most importantly, why was she looking forward now for her first mission with him? A lot of questions zoomed in her head, while Snape explained the tasks Dumbledore assigned to them. But Tonks couldn't focus on anything now. The same questions that were on her mind, was on Remus' too. And for the first time ever, Remus Lupin couldn't help but not focus. He just thought about the first mission. With Nymphadora Tonks.

So, I can't do my usual notes on this because next chapter will be all about Remadora :3

What did Tonks bring for Remus?

And what about the looks?

And what's up with Charlie?

What will happen on their first mission?

Stay tuned for more! Don't forget to let me know what you think!

xx