When Tonks arrived at Grimmauld Place that evening, Sirius was not in his usual seat in the kitchen. However, in his place sat his friend… What was his name again? Tonks thought quickly. Lupin something. Reg? She giggled at her own thought as she descended the stairs. The man looked up to see her.

"Hello Nymphadora," he said quietly.

"Hello…uh… sorry what was your name again?"

"Remus."

"Remus," she echoed. "Sorry, I thought it was Reg." The corner of her mouth twitched a smile and she saw his do the same.

"No, it's always been Remus. There's some tea in the pot if you'd like some." The witch smiled politely and crossed to the sideboard. Tonks began to pour the beverage into a mug when her hand slipped causing the spout from the teapot to knock over the cup. The small amount she had already poured pooled out. The mug rolled off the edge of the sideboard and smashed onto the hard tiled floor. Tonks winced and Remus looked around sharply.

"Oops, I'm always doing that. My bad." She fixed the mug in an instant, but did not go for a second attempt. Instead she sat opposite the man and stared at him intently. He looked up from an old edition of The Quibbler.

"Where's Sirius?"

"Shower," he replied simply and carried on reading a highly entertaining but rather improbable article on breeding Eight-Legged Snootlebeetles. He risked another glance over at Tonks, whose hair he noticed to be baby blue and fell down to her shoulders.

"So, you're a shape shifter?" he asked already knowing the answer from the Umbridge comment Tonks had shared that morning.

"Uh huh, a Metamorphmagus. I'm a rarity. Sirius says I should be studied." She gave a little laugh. Remus just nodded slightly and returned to his article. After a while he lowered it again.

"Would you stop staring at me please?"

Tonks looked away and mumbled an apology. Remus knew she had noticed his light scars, which ran across his face. He also thought she would be too shy to ask where they were from. He was wrong.

"Where'd you get the scars?" she asked almost casually. He lowered the magazine, all the way to the table this time, and offered her an indifferent stare. Tonks refused to break eye contact, and he wondered whether she even realised she had crossed a line. Probably not, he guessed.

"I really don't think that's any of your business, do you?" he asked sharply. Tonks looked away.

"Geez," she mumbled to herself. To Remus' relief, Sirius entered, breaking the uncomfortable moment. Sirius was shaking his wet hair slightly in a very doglike manner.

"You know what I fancy?" he said, rubbing the ends of his hair with an old damp towel.

"Hestia Jones?" Tonks teased. Sirius looked warily behind him, as if worried that the female Order member would walk right in and hear.

"Shh you! Do you think she knows?" he added curiously. Tonks laughed as he plonked himself beside her.

"Nah, how could she? She avoids you like a…convict. I could always let it slip by accident though." She gave a grin and he pushed her jovially. "So you were saying…"

"Was I? Oh yeah… I have a craving for sweet and sour pork with fried rice…oooh and crackers too…oh and maybe some chips." Tonks gave a sigh.

"Ok, I'll nip out in a bit. I paid last time though."

"Nuh huh."

"Yuh huh."

"Nuh huh!"

"Yuh huh!"

Remus gave an impatient sigh causing them both to turn to him.

"What's wrong with you?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing," his friend replied shortly. Sirius turned to Tonks who gave an apologetic smile.

"I think I pissed him off. Was just trying to make conversation. He's a bit touchy, your friend."

At this Remus decided to leave, throwing The Quibbler down in the centre of the table as he went.

"Remus!" Sirius called after him but was ignored. The man gave a shrug and turned to his cousin. "Anyway, where were we? Nuh huh!" Tonks rolled her eyes.

"There's only one way to settle this Black…rock paper scissors."

Sirius raised his eyebrows in interest.

"Ok, if you think you can handle it, you're on. But I warn you now, I play dirty!"

An hour later Tonks sat opposite Sirius as he ate, wondering how she had managed to let him con her into paying again! Sirius pushed his food away with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Always tastes better when someone else pays, don't you reckon?" he said smugly. Tonks mumbled a response. "There's still some left if you want some." She shook her head, reaching into her bag for an apple. "Yeah, maybe you shouldn't...calories an' all." He gave her the once-over and she gave him the Vs indignantly. Sirius laughed and leant back in his seat. "Maybe Remus will finish it."

"Maybe."

"Wanna go ask him?"

"What, and get my head bitten off again? I don't think so!"

"Nice choice of words there," Sirius muttered. "He's a nice guy really."

"He's absolutely smashing," Tonks said mockingly, over-pronouncing each word. Sirius laughed. "I really don't know why you're friends with him," she said sulkily.

"Um…because he's nice?" Sirius repeated feebly. "Aw come on Dora –"

"Tonks!"

"Tonks then, you just need to get to know him a bit better. Do it for me, eh?" Tonks gave a sigh of resignation and rose from her place.

"Fine, but if he's mean to me I'll cry and blame you!"

Tonks knocked cautiously on the door, as if worried that the door itself would be bad tempered. A quiet response came from inside. Tonks opened the door slowly and took a step inside. The room was poorly lit and barely habitable, as were most of the rooms in the manor house. Tonks looked at her feet uncomfortably.

"Er, Wotcher. Sirius was wondering if you were hungry." She looked over to the bed to see Remus perched there, looking at her blankly.

"I'm fine thank you," he said curtly.

"Oh," came her reply, "well, if you're sure." She turned back to the door then paused, remembering Sirius' words. Tonks gave a sigh and then turned back around. "Listen, I kinda got the impression that we got off on the wrong foot."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Which foot would that be?" he asked mildly.

"This one." Tonks raised her right foot slightly and wiggled it from the ankle. Remus shook his head and Tonks almost swore that she saw a faint smile. "I'm sorry…can we be friends?" Her forward question caused a silence to fall between them. Remus blinked at her for a while, then looked at her suspiciously.

"Did Sirius send you up here?"

"Well…yeah. But I wanted to come, too. I don't always do what I'm told." She gave him a wicked grin, and he smiled.

"Very well Nymphadora, we can be friends."

"Goodo. Oh one thing though…don't call me Nymphadora, otherwise we cannot be friends," she said firmly and he laughed.

"I see, so it's friendship but on your terms."

"Yes, so no Nymphadora, ok?" she said lightly, heading for the door.

"We'll see," he teased and she stuck her tongue out at him, leaving him alone to contemplate his new friendship.