A/N: It's so much fun to know what's going to happen, well of course I do, it's my story but still...(grins uncontrollably!) You guys are probably gonna hate me for this chapter...shrug. Happy families would mean no trilogy...I do what I have to do.


Remus awoke the next morning to find that he was still in his clothes from the day before. He gave a slight groan, running a hand over his face as he remembered the previous day's events. Showering and dressing in fresh clothes, he made his way slowly down to the kitchen. Hearing voices below, he paused to listen.

"Ron, stop talking with your mouth full. It's disgusting." That was definitely Hermione.

"Yes, Mother." This came cheerily from Harry followed by the girly giggle of Ginny Weasley. Everybody seemed to have risen early except him. And what about Tonks? Sure enough he heard her voice, as jovial as the rest.

"I think your eating habits are wonderful, Ron. A real gentleman."

"That's Ron, alright," came Harry's reply and the group broke into a laugh. Not really wanting to be surrounded by such high-spirits, Remus turned to leave but caught Ginny's eye.

"Good morning, Professor Lupin," she called and the gang all turned to look up at him.

"Wotcher!" Tonks called, flashing him a grin. He responded with a brief smile before joining them around the table. Hermione poured him a cup of tea, which he accepted gratefully.

"How you doing this morning?" Tonks asked, dropping her voice so only he could hear. He gave a nod but remained silent. She pulled him into a one-armed hug, before releasing him to continue with her toast.

"What…what are you eating?" he asked.

"Toast," she replied matter-of-factly, with a firm nod of her head. Remus just stared at her.

"With a layer of golden syrup, blackcurrant jam and chocolate spread," Harry explained from across the table. Remus cringed and saw Ron doing the same.

"It's nice," she insisted as she took another bite. "Wanna try some?" She shoved it under Ron's nose and he withdrew quickly.

"Um…no ta," he mumbled, swallowing in disgust. Tonks gave a laugh and ruffled his red hair.

"I'm taking the kids back to school today," she told Remus. "Dumbledore sent an owl this morning. The other students slept over at Gringotts–"

"Ah, I bet they got to sleep in those purple sleeping bags," Ron cut it. "You remember the purple sleeping bags Harry?" His friend nodded eagerly.

"Oh yeah! Those sleeping bags were amazing." The boys trailed off into their own reverie. Ginny widened her eyes, obviously disturbed. Hermione just looked between her two best friends, cringing at their idiocy. Tonks gave an uncomfortable cough.

"Right…anyway…Dumbledore wants all the students to collect their things today. He's giving them an extra four days of summer holiday."

"Never thought we'd owe the Death Eaters, eh," Ron said, clearly pleased. "Why couldn't they have come before the exams?"

"Ronald!" Hermione protested fiercely. The boy cowered under the reprimand.

"Then we are going home. Which I think is for the best, don't you Ron," Ginny addressed her brother. He nodded eagerly, eying Hermione warily.

"And Minnie and Harry are coming back here. Oh and we need to write to the Dursleys, let them know that we're bringing Harry home."

"Can't I just stay here? I'll be coming back in a few weeks anyway," Harry reasoned but Remus shook his head.

"You know you have to stay at the Dursleys once a year. It's for your own safety Harry."

"Yeah right," he mumbled, looking at the table.

"So…if you could write a letter while we're gone, we can send it with Hedwig when we get back," Tonks finished.

"That's if she hasn't been ripped to shreds by the Death Eaters," Ron commented dryly.

"Ron!" Ginny and Hermione exclaimed simultaneously. Harry just shot him a scowl. Tonks gave a nervous laugh.

"And on that note we should get going, before Ron loses all of his friends." She rose from the table and her students followed suit.

"Are we going on the Knight Bus?" Ginny asked as they put on their jackets. Tonks nodded.

"Are you sure you can handle that, with the breakfast you've just had," Ron commented. Tonks stared at him.

"I'll be fine Ron, but thanks for the concern. You can sit by me though, just to be on the safe side." Ron's friends gave a laugh as his face fell in horror. Tonks gave Remus a kiss on the cheek in passing. Harry, following her, also blew a kiss in Lupin's direction. He rolled his eyes as the boy grinned. The children filed out of the kitchen, leaving Remus alone once more.


Just over two hours later, Tonks and Harry trundled back down the stairs. Harry carried his broom, which he placed upright in the corner of the kitchen. Tonks carried Hedwig in her cage.

"One owl," she announced, placing the cage carefully on the table. Hedwig just blinked, uninterested.

"You shouldn't be carrying that," Remus muttered, but he didn't look at her.

"It's fine," she told him. "Is that the letter?" She indicated to a piece of parchment in front of her friend. He nodded. "Cool," she picked it up, and then noticed another scrap of parchment. She frowned. "What's that?" Remus finally looked up at her, and then turned to Harry.

"Do you think we could have a minute, Harry?" The boy looked between his guardians.

"Harry, please."

"What's going on?"

"Go on, Harry. Help Minnie unpack. And here, take these." Tonks handed the boy the letter to his Muggle family and his owl cage.

"Ok," he resigned, heading back up the stairs.

Once Harry had left the room, Remus broke his gaze from his friend. She, however, continued to stare at him. He knew this, of course, but ignored her nonetheless.

"Well? What's going on?" Tonks asked, echoing her student's question. Remus gave a small cough.

"Sit down." She did as she was told, feeling rather like his student. When Remus continued to stare silently at his hands, Tonks spoke up once more.

"Remus, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" He finally turned to her, taking her hands in his.

"It'll be a year tomorrow since Sirius died." Tonks blinked at this, slightly taken aback.

"Oh. Is that what you wanted to talk about?" she asked quietly. Remus shook his head, letting go of her hands and turning away once more.

"No," he whispered. He picked up the piece of parchment in front of him, and passed it to Tonks, who blinked at it. "This came while you were out … from your mother." Tonks snatched it from him immediately. She unfolded it, seeing no name or greeting. The only thing she found was a Canadian address; written in the same handwriting they had both seen on the parchment that had held Bellatrix Lestrange's whereabouts. Tonks stared at it intently, feeling her hands begin to tremble. Her mother was alive. But why was she contacting her now? Had she heard about Bella? The attack on the Ministry? Tonks doubted her mother knew about the incident at Hogwarts, less than 24 hours after it had happened. She looked up from the parchment to see Remus staring at her, his eyes held a sudden sadness that Tonks didn't understand.

"Well…I can't write to her can I, it's not safe." She put the address on the table. "I don't know why she's sent me this."

"You do know, Tonks," he replied quietly. Tonks? What was that all about? She shook her head in confusion. "I..." He put his head in his hands. "Tonks, I think you should go to Canada." A stunned silence followed. Tonks gave a hollow laugh.

"That's crazy," she breathed.

"Is it?"

"Remus, you know it is!" Tonks hissed angrily. She felt her face getting red. "Do you understand what you're saying?" Remus simply nodded. "No, I don't think you do. You're asking me … telling me to leave you. Run away from everything we've fought for, are still fighting for! Why?" she shouted at him.

"Because I don't want you to die, ok?" he shouted back at her. "I didn't expect you to be angry about this, Tonks. I thought you'd understand."

"Understand? You want me out of your life–"

"I never said that!"

"–And you thought that I'd understand?" she choked back tears. "Well you obviously don't know me very well then. Hell, maybe you know me too well, maybe I've just realised that I don't know you at all!" She rose from her place, snatching the address from the table. Remus followed her.

"Where are you going?" he called after her. She spun around fiercely.

"Canada, Remus! See you in Hell!"


Harry closed Hermione's bedroom window, watching Hedwig fly off into the distance. He turned to see Hermione hanging up her robes with a sigh.

"You ok?" he called from the window and his friend nodded. "Listen…I know it's gonna be hard for you, living here. But I'm going to be back in a few weeks."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she teased with a giggle. Harry pouted indignantly, before crossing the room to pull her into a brotherly hug.

"You'll have Tonks, and Remus. You're not on your own Hermione."

"I know," she breathed into his chest. "It's just going to take a bit of getting used to. This," she looked around the dark, drab room, "this is my home now."

"And we are your family now," Harry added, grinning down at her. She smiled back up.

"Yeah, and what a family!"

At that moment they heard heavy footsteps stomp down the hall, followed by a raised voice.

"Oh, just piss off Remus!" Harry and Hermione looked at each other in confusion.

"Tonks, I really think we need to talk about this." ("Did he just call her Tonks?" Harry whispered.)

"I really think I need to get the hell out of your life Lupin," she shouted back at him. (Hermione's mouth dropped. "Do you think we should do something?" Harry shook his head.) "Stop acting like a child!"

"I'm the child? I'm the child? I think that's a bit of a kettle and pot thing to say don't you?"

"Fuck you!" ("Yeah, you're right. Maybe we should…" As Harry moved to the door, Tonks said something that made him stop in his tracks.")

"You know what Remus," she gave a bitter laugh. "You treat people like this and then you wonder why you're alone." (Harry heard Hermione gasp from behind him, then a door slam on the corridor. He thought it was Tonks, until–)

"Remus…Remus I'm sorry, I didn't mean…come on, open the door. Fine, be like that! Jerk!" The pair heard what sounded to be like a foot coming in aggressive contact with a door, followed by a small yelp of pain, then angry footsteps once more. Harry and Hermione turned to each other.

"What a family," Harry echoed her words with a grin. She thumped his arm.

"It's not funny Harry. We should go see if they're ok."

"Be my guest…I'm hiding in here." Harry took a seat on the bed. Hermione just stared at him. "Oh, come on Hermione. We can't get involved. They'll sort it out…Fancy a game of chess?"

"Harry!"

"Exploding Snap?"

"You're unbelievable, Harry Potter," she breathed with a sigh.

"Why, thank you very much."

Harry and Hermione didn't see Remus or Tonks for the rest of the day. Hermione caved and played too many games of chess with Harry in the kitchen, until he got bored and moved on to Exploding Snap.

"We could do our homework," Hermione suggested hopefully, after she had won yet another game. Harry grimaced, shuffling the pack once more. The girl gave a groan. "Come on, we can get it out of the way. I'll even help you." Harry paused, seriously considering the offer, before shaking his head.

"Nah, you can help me in a few weeks time," he told her with a grin. Hermione accepted her pile of cards, defeated. After that round, Harry began to build a house of cards. Hermione watched him, while making them both a cup of tea. She paused and, keeping her back to him, she began a new conversation.

"You know what tomorrow is …"

"Thursday," Harry supplied, never taking his eyes off his cards.

"Harry…"

"It's a year since he died, I know," Harry mumbled, still refusing to look her way.

"And…"

"And?" he repeated. Hermione sighed loudly, returning to the table and placing the mugs down heavily, causing the cards to fall. Harry scowled at her.

"And do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked pointedly.

"No not really," Harry muttered, reaching for the cards again. Hermione took his hands before he had chance.

"I really think you should," she said quietly. Harry paused and then looked at their hands, joined together on the table.

"What's to say Hermione? I miss him. I miss him every day. Tomorrow may be the anniversary of his death, but to me it's just another day to miss him more. Does that make sense?" Hermione nodded. Satisfied with their brief conversation, she let go of his hands.

"So…fancy another game of chess?" Harry asked hopefully. Hermione rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long summer.

They stayed up, talking long into the evening about anything that came up; Quidditch, exams, Krum, Cho Chang ("A cringe-worthy topic," Harry had called it), their parents, and finally Tonks and Remus' baby.

"I hope those two sort it out," Hermione said.

"They will," Harry mused. "They're made for each other, they just don't know it yet."

It was almost midnight when Molly Weasley had popped her head through the grate of the fire to ask if Tonks or Remus had seen Ginny's wand. She thanked Hermione, who passed it to the woman, then chided them both for still being awake at that time of night. The woman disappeared, mumbling something about having serious words with Lupin and Tonks, causing Harry and Hermione to giggle. They made their way quietly up the stairs, not wanting to disturb the adults, though Hermione pointed out that neither of them would be asleep. Harry had to agree.

They stopped outside Hermione's door. Harry felt as if he were walking her home, even though his room was on the next floor.

"Well, goodnight Hermione."

"Good night Harry, sweet dreams." She opened her door.

"You know…you're a lot easier to talk to than Ron," he told her and she laughed.

"Harry, you sound surprised." He grinned at her in return, and then kissed her on the cheek.

"See ya," he called as he ran off down the corridor leaving Hermione stood there giggling, shaking her head lightly at her friend's departure. She was right; Harry Potter was unbelievable.

A/N: Ok, you can review and let me know how much you hate me now. I'm expecting a beating...feel free :D