Disclaimer:  JK owns all recognizable characters… blah blah blah.

A/N:  Sorry it's been so long, kids!  I've been in a bad place where I couldn't write at all!  But some very funky dreams seem to have fixed that.  Enjoy!

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He loved her.

That thought ran through Tonks' head for the millionth time since his admission this morning.

She had thought she would never hear those words from him. Had assumed she was nothing more for him than a fling. But then he had said those three little words, and she knew that Remus wasn't the type of man to say it if he didn't mean it.

So, after his whispered admission, she had helped him into bed, kissed him on the cheek, and left him to rest. She left him to rest, and had made her way down to the darkened kitchen to cry quietly.

When Molly came upon her a short time after and asked why she was crying, Tonks couldn't explain. She should be happy. She was in love and loved in return. But that knowledge only saddened her.

There was a war coming. In truth, it was already here. And whether they would survive or not was a question no one could answer. Was it worth the risk? To love him and let him love her in return when either of them could be killed?

She posed that question to Molly.

"What is more worth fighting for than love?" Molly countered. "Why sacrifice what happiness you have just because of the sorrow you might have?"

Tonks was inclined to agree, but wondered if Remus would feel that way too.

"What if Remus doesn't agree?" She asked, her voice small.

Molly smiled and gave the younger woman a quick hug. "Remus is a smart man. I think he knows better than anyone how fleeting life can be."



When Remus carefully made his way to the kitchen later that day for some food, Tonks was back to her usual exuberant self, experimenting with new haircolors.
While Molly fixed a plate for Remus, Tonks sat down beside him with a cheeky grin.

"Wotcher, Remus."  She said, laying her hand on his knee.

He couldn't help but wonder at that.  When he had told her he loved her, she had practically fled.  He had assumed that his transformation had changed her mind, and that she didn't want to be with him anymore. 

It had happened before.

Eying her cautiously, he toyed with the food on his plate.  "You ok, Tonks?"  He asked in a whisper.

She cocked her head to one side, her eyes bright, her now scarlet hair tumbling over her shoulders.  "Sure.  Why?"

"You seemed upset this morning."

"Well, yes.  I was.  But I'm not anymore."  She replied.

Molly slipped from the kitchen with a quick nod to Tonks.

Remus laid down his fork and turned in his seat to face her.  "You're not upset anymore?"  When she shook her head, he sighed.  "So then, you've decided."

Tonks wrinkled her nose.  "Decided what?"

"That you don't want to be with me anymore."  Remus said quietly. 

She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up his hand to stop her.  "It's ok, Tonks.  I understand."

She stared at him for a moment, then removed her hand from his leg. 

He felt a sharp swift pain in his chest at her action.  Turning back to the table, he gazed down at the plate of food in front of him.  Hadn't he expected that?

"You understand, do you?"  She asked softly.

He nodded, not daring to look at her.

"Remus, you bloody idiot."  She slapped the back of his head.

He looked up.  "What?"

She was grinning at him.  "Didn't last night prove anything to you?"

"How exactly do you mean?"  He asked a bit stiffly.

"That I don't care a whit about you being a wolf." 

He thought about that for a moment.  "But… You said you were upset this morning."

"Of course I was upset, Remus!"  She exclaimed.  "You were in pain and there was nothing I could do."

"Oh."  That was all he could manage to squeeze past the emotions clogging his throat.  He chanced a look at her.  "Really?"

He could see the sincerity in her eyes.  She was truly exceptional, he decided.

She leaned close and kissed him lightly.  "Really."

Remus smiled, his weariness and aches fading away in the light of her concern.  "I'm glad you were with me last night, Nymphadora."

She beamed at him, but her response was cut off by a shrill scream from another part of the house.

Tonks gave Remus a startled glance, then leapt up and ran from the kitchen, pulling her wand out.

Remus followed a little less quickly, joining her at the door to the drawing room.  The other occupants of the house were gathered there as well, and Ginny stood just inside the door, her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide with fear.  Harry took a step toward Ginny, then paused, uncertainty crossing his features.

Remus entered the drawing room with Tonks at his side, and Harry followed just behind them.

The ghostly apparition of Sirius' mother was easy to recognize, due to the portrait in the entry of the house.  She was in the midst of a violent tirade, directed to an unseen person.

"Flitting about with those people.  That Potter boy, and his mudblood girlfriend.  And that creature!"

Remus tensed, knowing what was coming next.  Harry was staring with undisguised horror, and Tonks' face was set in a stony mask.

"A werewolf, for Merlin's sake!  What is he thinking!  Ruining the reputation of the Black family!"  She pulled her wand out of her robes and pointed it toward the wall where the Black family tree hung.

"He will not be allowed to besmirch the name of Black any longer!  From this day on, he is not a member of this family!"

Sparks flew from the tip of her wand, and the vision faded away.

It felt like a tight band was constricting around Remus' chest.  He closed his eyes, trying to force the feeling away.

"Barmy old bat."  Tonks muttered.

Remus opened his eyes and gave her a weak smile.

"What, exactly, was that, Remus?"  Harry asked softly.

Remus sighed.  "It's a sort of ghost, Harry.  Not like the ghosts you are used to, it can't interact with the living."

"It's more like a memory, isn't it?"  Harry replied.

Pleased by the boy's intuition, Remus nodded.  "The house's memories, in a way."

Then he turned to face the others.  "Are you alright, Ginny?"  He asked the shaken girl.

She nodded, carefully not looking at Harry.  "Yes.  It just startled me."

Tonks crossed the room to hug the younger girl.  "It's ok, Gin.  You should've seen me the first time I saw it."

"It's happened before?"  Mrs. Weasley responded, her voice tight.  "And you didn't tell us?"

Tonks faced Molly.  "Not this particular one, no.  I saw something else in my bedroom."

"I should have warned you all."  Remus said quietly.  "I apologize."

"What does it mean, though?"  Harry asked.  "Why are we seeing this all of a sudden?"

"I have no idea, Harry."  Remus replied.  It was painful enough for him to see these memories, and he couldn't imagine what it was like for the grieving boy.

"We'll have to speak to Albus."  Molly announced.  "He needs to know about this."

            She turned and left, ushering the others away with her, leaving Remus and Harry alone.

"Have you seen him?"  Harry questioned.  "Have you seen Sirius?"

Remus reluctantly faced him.  "Yes."  His voice was strained.

"I wish I would see him.  Just once."

Reaching out, Remus put his hand on Harry's shoulder.  "No, Harry.  This damn house seems to be dredging up some of Sirius' most painful memories.  You don't want to see that."

Harry shook his head.  "It wouldn't matter.  Just to see him one more time."

"I know you miss him Harry.  I miss him too.  But he wouldn't have wanted you to see these memories."

Remus decided then that he would have to find a way to stop these visions.  To protect the others from any more grief.