End of the Day

Chapter 2

It was the end of the day and Remus Lupin sat alone at the kitchen table, third beer in hand. He sat silently, staring at the brown bottle with the nagging feeling that he'd lost something. Then with the guilt of a thief, he soothed his hand over a small leather-bound journal.

Opening the book, he let the pages flip randomly; however, the notebook instinctively kept opening to one of the latter passages:

"I feel like I've lost something but can't remember what. I look around the old house, and everything is here. Everything I haven't already destroyed and some things that I wish I could destroy, but are proving indestructible.

I found a picture of the old gang at Hogwarts - James looking so confident, Lily with fiery hair, Remus still looking hopeful, and me laughing, not a care in the world. Then I begin to wonder what has happened to that man? I laugh, but it's the voice of an old man that answers. I look at Remus and I see a lie— I remember the betrayal. He has forgiven me, but I can't forgive myself. For any of it.

Is it youth that I'm missing? Friendships that can never be reclaimed? My cousin told me it was love…"

Remus stopped there and let the book fold shut. Then closing his eyes, he lowered his head to the table, letting his unshaven cheek rest against the soft, aged leather. Inhaling deeply, he sighed as Sirius' musky scent filled his nostrils and his heart. He wondered if he had lost hope - isn't that what Sirius was commenting on? If he were hopeless, how could Tonks ever love him?

He strained his brow and tightly pinched his eyes shut. Sometimes he wished that he would never wake up.

"Hey Tonks,

Just confirming that I'll pick you at around 8:00 p.m. tonight.

Bill"

Nymphadora crumpled up the letter and tossed it in the dwindling fire beside her office desk where it burned too slowly. Crossing her arms and huffing, she wondered aloud, "What is wrong with that man?"

"To which man are you referring?"

Moody was suddenly leaning over her desk, breath smelling like a sewer in summer, magical eye looking directly through her. "Ahhh, Remus Lupin."

Nymphadora had ceased to be startled by his sudden appearances and all-seeing eye.

"That is none of you business," she quipped and picked up her wand as Moody sat unfazed on the edge of desk.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with 'that man'; he's a werewolf and a damned smart one."

Tonks began passionately, "Don't you talk"

"Shh! I'm not done."

Moody waved a silencing charm on her, and Tonks did the only think she could do - clamped her mouth shut and glared.

"As I was saying, most men are dumb. Why do you think they're so easily poisoned?"

Tonks rolled her eyes.

"Remus is like a man afraid of poison - a wise man." Moody adjusted his hat. "However, every man has to drink to live. If they don't, they'll die of thirst, and that's nearly as bad as being poisoned." He leaned an inch away from Tonks' own nose. "Are you understanding this?"

Tonks responded by pinching her nose.

"You, Nymphadora, are like a fresh mountain stream trickling through a desert to him. There is nothing he'd like to do more than rip off his clothes and swim through your refreshing waters."

Tonks stood to leave, but Moody grabbed her wrist.

"But Remus has trained himself that waters, especially those that are so alluring, can be poisoned! Therefore, even when he sees a sign that says 'water safe to drink', he just can't make himself do it."

Tonks crossed her arms and huffed silently.

"My gods woman, don't you understand what I'm saying?" He shook her by her wrist. "He'll die if he doesn't drink! So don't let him sulk off to the desert and die a slow death."

Tonks pointed at her throat and Moody waved his hand, releasing her from the silencing spell.

"I already gave him that chance!"

Moody's cracked lips snarled into a smile.

"No dear," he said, crooked finger wagging. "You posted the sign."

Tonks gave into this metaphor with a sigh, "Alright, then how do I get him to drink?"

"You make it rain," Moody said with a wink and walked from the office. "Goodnight, Tonks."

Author's note: Thanks Mercutio-Rane for beta-ing this little work!