Cry Wolf

by Queriusole

LupinTonks, Black. Tonks, Remus and Sirius unwittingly deal with the Wolf. My last story from Book 5. Long, but thanks for reading.

Summary: Tonks and Remus unwittingly deal with the Wolf.
Disclaimer: The world and the characters belong to JKRowling. I'm just playing. Occurs in the late spring of Order of the Phoenix.

CRY WOLF

In the Void

He was exhausted. His very being had been suspended in limbo since the eve of his last birthday. That much he could still remember. Blackness was all around him now, yet he still maintained a sense of individual being although he had lost sense of time.

The only stimulus he could see was a jagged edge of light. It seemed to taunt him for no matter how long he walked, it never seemed to draw nearer. Until now. Now he was thinking clearly. Now he was devoting his energy to reaching that jagged edge of light.

Now he was calling on the ancient power that ran through his veins. Venificus primo, direct descendent of Roman Wizards. He had turned his back on his legacy, but now in his darkest hour, the blood still ran true. He focused that power to rip open the seam.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The tall man with scars across his face raised himself to his knees from where he had fallen in the ally. It took all of his energy to stand and take one more step. He just wanted to find a quiet place to rest for a few days, so his thoughts turned to Holyhead. Even in its current state of neglect, it offered a safe haven and he felt the pull like a wolf to its den.

But after a few steps, he walked to the bench in the park just off Diagon Alley and sat down heavily. First, he had to rest just a little bit longer.

Darkness was falling when the man felt the raindrops striking his forehead. He wiped his face with his hand while his other fell on a newspaper that stuck to his palm due to the misting rain. The setting sun provided dim illumination, but as he tried to shake the paper off, a headline caught his attention.

It was a copy of the Daily Prophet and the date listed was April 27, a good six weeks since the last day he remembered, March 9, the eve of his birthday. But the man was not as surprised by the time he had been in the void as he was by the news item.

"Headmaster of Hogwarts still at large." The man's hoarse voice read the headline and frowned.

What was this nonsense? McGonagall was Headmistress of Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore had been forced out as Headmaster of Hogwarts during Harry Potter's second year, although it seemed to have given the old man more freedom in harassing his colleagues.

The man flicked his wrists to read the paper. The article continued to provide details that made no sense to him, so he flung it aside in disgust. He stood and made his way to Coven Hall. The library there would have back issues of the Daily Prophet. He needed to find out what had happened while he had been gone before he contacted anyone. He was too cynical to think that he could naively rejoin his colleagues after this lengthy absence. He needed answers.

But a startling conclusion was pricking the back of his mind. He knew when he was, but he had to ascertain where he was.

"Remus, you're back already? I thought you were at St. Andrews."

The man turned carefully when he heard his name. He was too weak to defend himself at the moment.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was soon at his side. "You look like you had had a rough time chasing the Death Eaters. Have you made your report to the Order yet? I'm sure Dumbledore is anxious for any news."

The man restrained his surprise at the comment and opted for a bit of honesty. "No, I haven't reported yet. I need to look up a few things first."

"I'm sure you'll be looking up Tonks later, too," began Shacklebolt.

The man blinked quickly as he registered the name.

Shacklebolt continued, "But she's working late tonight. They demanded all Aurors update their logs regarding the search for the Death Eaters and, you know Tonks. She spent an hour just getting all her notes together."

"Yes, just what I'd expect," agreed the man readily. They shared a laugh and walked away from each other.

The man continued to Coven Hall, but the name Tonks had struck a cord. He put his hands in his pocket as he remembered.

Yes, Nymphadora Tonks, the Metamorphmagus, but in his world, she had not been an Auror. In fact, he had personally seen to it that she never got past her first year of training. Alastor Moody had the ill-conceived notion to send her to track him in order to improve her skills. She had been smart enough to stalk him on the day after the full moon when he was at his weakest, but she had also been arrogant and naive. He had made it a point to eliminate both of those traits.

Nymphadora. She had begun to cringe every time he said her name. He could still hear her whimpers in the echoes of his memory, the gentle pleading in her voice.

"Nymphadora," he said aloud now and smiled at the memory.

She had lasted a month because he enjoyed playing with her ability to change into any of his fantasies. He would have kept her longer, but the little fool had found some gumption and tried to kill him.

"Forgot it was full moon that night," murmured the man to himself.

Her pupils had dilated in terror when he had reminded her. She had looked so fragile and beautiful, he felt compelled to use her one last time. There was nothing left of her in the morning, just the wonderful memories in his mind.

The Wolf grinned. No, that was in his world. In this world, Nymphadora Tonks appeared to be very much alive.

So, this Lupin fought for Dumbledore, was currently based out of London, and had captured the interest of Nymphadora Tonks. He frowned. This Lupin was also alive. That could be a problem, but one that was easily eliminated once he had more information.

If he played this right, he could have his old world back. It would just be a matter of contacting Lucius Malfoy with the right information. But as he walked, he realized just how drained he was. He needed to hide in safety and that meant Holyhead.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Nymphadora Tonks rushed to number twelve. She announced her entrance with a bad stumble in the entry hall and managed to make more noise than she had in months.

The strong arms picking her up made her forget about the screeching portrait. "Wotcher, Remus. Glad you're back."

Remus lifted her to her feet and dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. "I arrived this afternoon, but Sirius said you were busy with work tonight."

"They demanded we provide paperwork to demonstrate the great effort the Ministry is making in tracking the escapees from Azkaban--as if everything coming down from official channels isn't a dead end." Tonks shook her head, then took a good look at Remus. "What's going on? You seem worried."

"Sirius and I had a chat with Harry before dinner."

"Harry Potter?" asked Tonks as Sirius approached them. He had been busy closing the curtains on his mother. "How did he contact you? And why did he contact you?"

"He used the floo right under the Toad's nose," declared Sirius with some pride. Everyone understood the Toad referred to Umbridge.

"Harry ran across an old memory of Snape's in a pensieve that didn't reflect well on his father, James, while he was at Hogwarts," explained Remus.

Sirius shrugged. "We tried to explain to him that all fifteen year old boys are idiots."

"Harry idolized James and what he saw was James being all too human. I don't suppose any of us were at our best in that episode," admitted Lupin as he put his arm around Tonks. "I might have to talk to Snape about the Occlumency lessons. That's the serious issue; he's refusing to continue Harry's training."

Sirius snorted. "Just tell Dumbledore and he'll sort it out. The less we talk about Snivellus, the more enjoyable our evening will be. I have few enough pleasant moments as it is. Although the thought of tripping over Kreacher's corpse has its appeal. He's hiding again."

"Poor puppy," said Tonks as she reached over to scratch behind his ear as if the man were Snuffles.

"I just wish Harry had stumbled onto our memories of James," sighed Sirius, then he smiled and turned to Remus asking, "Do you remember the time James had to chase the snitch through the infirmary?"

"It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't dunked it in the Pepper-up potion," reminded Remus.

"I bet Pomfrey busted you good for that one," said Tonks.

"Banned us from visiting our sick friend after the next full moon, so of course we had to sneak in through the window," said Sirius with a grin.

"I have such devoted friends," said Lupin while he rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you get us some butterbeers and I'll sit in awe while you two reminisce further about the Marauders?"

"I suppose you want a bite to eat, too?" asked Sirius. His question was immediately confirmed when Tonks' stomach growled. "Right, butterbeers and sandwich coming up."

As he walked to the kitchen, Remus turned to give Tonks a proper hello.

"Mm, you know how to make a weary witch regain some energy, Professor," murmured Tonks. "I was so happy when King told me he saw you in Diagon Alley earlier. He brought me some coffee just to let me know."

Remus frowned for a moment. "Tonks, I wasn't in Diagon Alley. I came straight here."

It was Tonks turn to frown, then she grinned. "So are you implying we have another doppelganger situation here?"

Remus put his arm at the small of her back to lead her to the kitchen. "I won't worry unless my double starts reciting bad poetry. Maybe it was polyjuice?"

Tonks snapped her fingers. "You know, it might've been Mad-Eye Moody practicing his disguises. He mentioned something about testing a new formula for the polyjuice potion."

"Haven't felt him plucking any of my hairs, but I suppose that's a reasonable explanation. It wouldn't hurt if we slept here for tonight just to be safe."

"One bed is as good as any as long as you're in it," said Tonks with a sly smile.

But while the trio at Grimmauld Place poured over their memories, the man at Coven Hall absorbed as much information as he could about the world around him. It was enough that he first made plans to regain his strength at Holyhead. But once the Wolf had recovered, the fun would begin.

wwwwwwwwwwwwww

The Wolf stalked his prey carefully. He needed information before he could execute his plans, but he was a patient man. He had spent the last month or so at Holyhead recovering his strength. It had actually been a pleasant respite. It was obvious this Lupin still valued his legacy, the fool. It was also obvious that most of his funds had gone to maintaining the ancient abode.

Still, Holyhead had been the perfect place to rest. The atrium had prevented the Wolf from feeling a prisoner and, although the clothes were worn with age, the fit was perfect. There was even Wolfsbane potion to ease the two full moons he had passed, but now it was time to get to work.

The one odd thing had been the evidence that a woman shared the house. The clothes in the wardrobe indicated her presence, but it was the light fragrance of perfume that had caught his attention. It evoked strong memories of Tonks, especially when he had slept in the bed. The scent of the woman filled him and he had rested well as his mind replayed the way he had toyed with the little metamorphmagus.

So that was part of the reason why the Wolf decided he would watch Nymphadora Tonks. He knew she was an Auror and that she shared her bed with this Lupin. He could trace her from the Ministry offices and she would lead him straight to his double. The Wolf had perfected his Disillusionment Charm so that even Alastor Moody couldn't detect it. He would have no trouble stalking Nymphadora Tonks.

- - - - - - - - -

Tonks stepped out of the Ministry of Magic and looked over her shoulder. There was that feeling of being watched again, just like this morning. The Wolfshadow amulet seemed to produce a light itch as it rested against her skin.

The witch was relieved to see Alastor Moody exit the building. She touched his arm as he went by and whispered, "Mad-Eye, do you see someone watching me? I mean with your magic eye."

Moody obliged her by looking up and down the street, but detected nothing with natural or magic eye. "Not a thing there, lass. You're not getting spooked, are you? Everyone is in a safe place; no one is getting to them."

"I know, it's just that this morning I thought I could feel someone watching me."

"Do you want me to walk you home?" offered Moody.

"No, I'll be fine. Remus should be meeting me at the flat anyway."

Moody merely nodded, then stomped off in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. Tonks just stood watching him for a moment, then abruptly returned to the Ministry offices.

The Wolf huffed as he saw the witch re-enter the buildng. Silly twit of a girl probably forgot her wand. He maintained his vigilance from the ledge of the buidling across the street. He absently noted the emerging Ministry employees as he waited for Tonks to reappear.

Time passed and the Wolf automatically labeled the people he recognized. He smirked when he saw Percy Weasley. The redhead was met by a young woman--Penelope Clearwater? Yes, that's who it was. She immediately took his hand and began chattering at him. The Wolf had killed the two of them at the Quidditch World Cup the past summer just because he found them annoying. Pity they didn't stay dead in this world.

The Wolf then watched as Percy Weasley was bumped by the blunt end of an umbrella to his spine. A rather dizzy looking old woman with gray curls had jabbed him when she was opening her umbrella, although there was no rain. The Wolf could hear her high pitched voice offering her apologies.

"Silly twit," murmured the Wolf to himself as his eyes drooped a bit. He could have used a longer time to recover, but boredom had been a worse fate than fatigue. His surveillance of Nymphadora Tonks didn't require much energy what with the chit's penchant for odd hair colors.

Little did he know that as the hour passed, his prey had made it past him without detection and was even now greeting Remus Lupin at the London flat.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Wotcher, Johnniekins."

"Auntie Nyms, I didn't know you were coming for dinner," said Remus when he looked up from the meal he was cooking.

"I think we should quit watching the Muggle movies that Pops sends to me. I could swear there was someone watching today. The amulet felt itchy, too." Tonks shook her head as her pink hair emerged. "But Mad-Eye couldn't detect anything."

"Do you want to head to number twelve?" asked Remus with a bit of concern.

"After dinner. Everything will probably be fine tomorrow," said Tonks as she sat down. "Pass the bread, please."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Wolf was fuming. She had tricked him! The witch had changed her form and slipped past him. He threw open the door of the room in the Muggle hotel and flung it closed with a bang.

The Dissillusionment Charm he had mastered made him undetectable even to Moody, but obviously something had tipped her off. He needed to think about how to conceal himself further. But when the Wolf found them, he would show them no mercy now!

wwwwwwwwwwwww

It had taken him some time, but now the Wolf not only used a Disillusionment Charm, he had also nicked an Invisibility Cloak. He was walking right behind Nymphadora Tonks.

Tonks was walking gingerly through the great hall of the Ministry. Spring cleaning was proceeding and that meant a fresh coat of paint for the facility. Even now the paint brushes were magically smearing the walls with a dull light yellow that should be reserved for infirmary bedpans.

Those thoughts distracted the Auror, so she slipped suddenly, but caught her balance by hanging onto a counter top.

But it wasn't a counter top, it was a board setting loosely on two stands to provide a makeshift table. She didn't realize the other end had tipped up when her weight brought the one end down.

"Oof."

Tonks turned around quickly, but could detect nothing amiss. She shook her head. She could have sworn she heard someone. She shrugged and walked to her office.

In the meantime, the Wolf limped behind her trying to keep up with her quick gait. Damned bloody knee! The board had tilted at the perfect angle to catch him on his old injury. Still he managed to slip into her office as she sat down.

The Wolf was determined to not lose sight of her today. He wanted to take care of his business with Lupin and get on with his life. The office was small and he had to squash himself into a corner in order not to disturb the Auror. What followed was the most boring morning of his life.

The Wolf vowed that at the next full moon he would find every beaurocrat in the Ministry and bite their heads off. First there had been the Auror briefing with the whiny voiced old witch. Then the Aurors had a meeting over what color to paint their offices this year.

The Minister of the Interior (Decorating) had hauled the witch up to stand beside him. Tonks had been reduced to changing her hair color to correspond with the Minister's descriptions. Given the scowl on Tonks' face, the Wolf thought he could count on her help to eliminate the Ministry officials if he'd give her first shot at this one. And for all of the trouble, the Aurors had unanimously decided to keep their offices painted Eggshell.

The Wolf followed Tonks as she trudged back to her office as she mumbled, "...used like a bloody paint brush..."

Tonks closed her door with a decisive click and settled to her desk. She ignored the faint itchiness around the Wolfshadow amulet she wore.

Paperwork. The Wolf felt like flaming all the paperwork at the Ministry as well. The paper airplanes were zipping in and out of Tonks office under the door. She separated them into piles labeled as Beaurocratic Nonsense, Usual Loonies, Worth a Wand. The first stack was the largest, but each note required a receipt. Yes, he was defintely flaming all paperwork after he bit the heads off the Ministry officials.

The monotony of the morning was lulling the Wolf into a stupor. He moved his position a bit so that he stood beside the doorsill. Perhaps Lupin would visit the Auror at her office? His wish came true, but with adverse consequences for the Wolf.

- - - - - - - -

Remus Lupin was walking beside Alastor Moody in the hall outside of Tonks' office. "I'm afraid that what you have is not an artifact of the Dark Arts, but a Muggle wind-up toy."

"But how does the kangaroo land perfectly on its feet when it somersaults? There has to be magic there, Lupin," insisted Moody.

The Professor had been called in to help identify an artifact found in an investigation, but was not above using the opportunity to see Tonks and perhaps slip off with her for a bite to eat.

"Then I would advise that we get a second opinoion," replied Remus.

"Let's confer with Tonks then," insisted Moody as he led them to her office.

Remus opened her door just enough to poke his head through and ask, "Are you busy? We'd like to confer."

The Wolf heard the voice and held his breath. Perfect. Everything was falling into place.

That's when Moody decided to make his entrance.

If the Wolf had known Mad-Eye Moody's penchant for throwing open doors at full force, he would not have been stupid enough to stand behind this one. The Wolf learned his lesson as his body slumped to the floor.

Tonks looked up startled and attributed the thunk she heard to the way Moody manhandled the door. "Nothing that can't wait, but if you want to engage my services, it will cost you lunch."

"Bossy thing, isn't she, Lupin?" grumbled Moody. "Well, come along, then, I haven't got all day."

"At least you weren't forced to be a color swatch for the Ministry of the Interior..."

But Tonks had a smile on her face as she walked between the two men. It wasn't often that Remus could be seen with her like this, so she wanted to enjoy it.

In the meantime, the Wolf got his rest, unbidden though it had been. Unfortunately, the witch did not return as she was called away on a case that afternoon.

So the Wolf went back to his Muggle hotel that evening feeling quite grumpy and wanting to kill something. Unfortuntaely, homocide would garner attention he did not need at the moment, so he dampened his bloodlust and instead ordered a steak from room service. Raw.

wwwwwwwwwww

The Wolf was waiting for her. This time, the Wolf didn't need her to lead him to her office. He positioned himself carefully in a corner far from the door.

At least today was more interesting than the last. Apparently the Aurors were undergoing their annual evaluations. Tonks had spent the day completing a series of obstacle courses that tested physical, magical, and rational abilities. The Wolf crossed his arms as he watched the witch demonstrate her talents. This Auror would not have fallen so easily into his trap.

Tonks was weakest in stealth and tracking, but her quick reflexes and creative solutions prevented disasterous outcomes. Her incendiary charm flowed naturally, he had learned. He had underestimated her power and almost got crisped.

But that was forgotten when the witch underwent the physical trials. She was wearing a pink tank top that said $$$$$ and shorts. She had been specifically instructed not to use her morphing abilities, but her lithe body was in peak condition and the Wolf appreciated this immensely.

Tonks nodded and waited for the signal to begin. She couldn't hope to beat Kingsley Shacklebolt's record, but she did want to move into the top ten. It was a goal she had set for herself because it would put her out of the Witches' league and in the runnng with the Wizards. The gleeful smile as her time and accrued points were announced indicated her success.

The Wolf surveyed the witch as she accepted congratualtions from her peers. Shacklebolt had swept her over his shoulder and spun her around in his exuberance.

"This calls for a celebration, Tonks." The wizard had finally put the witch on her feet.

"I'll send a note to the house and then pick up some ice cream at Fortescues to take home, yeah?"

Shacklebolt nodded in understanding. "I'll go over now to help our friend fix something besides sandwiches."

Tonks quickly showered while the Wolf enjoyed the view in the witches' locker room. There were about four other young women using the facilties. He finally felt things were going his way.

The Wolf waited patiently as Tonks wrote a quick note and sent it to the owlery. By the time they left the building, he was following an old woman with gray curls who was pracically bouncing as she walked to Diagon Alley. So, that's how she had slipped passed him the first day?

As they approached Fortescues, the Wolf's grin widened. This was exactly what he had been hoping for.

"Oy, Johnniekins, I thought you'd show up for ice cream."

Remus bowed dutifully in greeting and replied, "It's always a pleasure to accept your bribes, Auntie Nyms. And I was told that the chocolate turtle flavor would be appreciated."

"Does that pooch of mine want to chase the poor little turtles around the bowl?"

"Only after each turtle is properly named," said Remus before turning to give their order.

The Wolf watched his double with great distaste. There was nothing about him that would be described as predatory. Lupin looked far too proper for his own good. And his eyes were practically gleaming when he looked at Tonks even in her disguise. It was unsettling to think they had anything in common.

"Professor Lupin!"

"Ah, the new entrepreneurs. So, how's business?" asked Remus with a smile. He felt the witch at his side poking his rib. "Excuse me, you do remember Auntie Nyms?"

"Why, yes, it's good to see you again," replied George, then in a whisper winked at Remus and added, "She's one of our best customers."

Remus quirked an eyebrow as Tonks explained, "You know how I have to keep my silly mutt entertained."

The young men gave their orders for ice cream cones while gushing about their enterprise. The Wolf had to step back as arms went flailing while the twins described their latest project.

Unfortunately, more orders of ice cream cones were making their way to the customers just as Tonks and Remus bid the twins farewell. The Wolf dodged one server only to trip over the subsequent one. It was raining cones at Fortescues as the Wolf lay on the floor where he had fallen on top of a scoop of chocolate turtles.

"you clumsy--" "There was something there--"

While the servers were arguing, one ice cream cone landed on the Wolf's head like a unicorn horn. There was no torture worse than vanilla jumping bean ice cream tap dancing on one's forehead while cold chocolate turtles swam at one's back.

As Tonks stepped outside, she heard the commotion, but could see nothing when she peered behind her other than a dancing ice cream cones. "Sounds like Fortescue has a waitress as clumsy as I am. Vanilla is still the most popular flavor, though."

"To be on the safe side, I'll carry the ice cream, Auntie Nyms," said Remus as he took the carton from her. "Let's get home quickly."

By the time the Wolf had slipped out of Fortescues, they had apparated to their destination. The Wolf stomped back to his hotel room barely containing his rage. He needed some distraction to dampen his bloodlust. He needed to think of a new plan.

On a whim, he turned on the Muggle television set, but then banged his head softly against the headboard as he watched the images. It was a cartoon and, if he remembered correctly, the characters were a Coyote and an ever elusive Roadrunner.

Fine. It was time to resort to Plan B.

wwwwwwwwwwww

The Wolf had a talent that would surprise many. Not only was he a lycanthrope, but he had devoted sufficient energy to become an Animagus. It was not a skill he often used, but it had served him well in the past. His new form should facilitate his surveillance of Tonks. It had taken him a week to make sure he could control the form, but today his efforts would pay off.

As before, he waited in her office, but as soon as she arrived, the Wolf acquired his new form. He coordinated the eight limbs with ease and was soon nestled in the witch's robes just under the collar. There were advantages to being being a small creature.

At the end of a very long day, the Wolf was still in position as Tonks left the Ministry. As he rode on her shoulder, the Wolf considered that Tonks had seemed a bit wan today. She just didn't seem as lively as she usually was. It was a gloomy, rainy day, so the wizard has quite happy to catch the ride on her shoulder under the shelter of her umbrella.

Tonks walked to her flat. Remus had been sent out three days ago and she had been busy with guard duty in the evenings. She was finally off tonight, but that meant she would feel lonely. Then an owl suddenly swooped down and dropped a scroll that she deflty caught.

She quickly tore it open and read aloud, "Dearest Mary, I'll be at the old place by midnight if all goes well. Love, John."

Her step was much lighter as she changed direction and headed to Grimmauld Place.

- - - - - - - - - -

The Wolf calmly registered their destination as Tonks walked. She waved at Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alastor Moody before the men just disappeared from the street. A fidelius charm? If the this Remus Lupin had access to the safehouse, then he should as well. He hoped.

Tonks approached the area where the men had vanished, but walked right to the door. Suddenly a deafening screeching could be heard.

"Half-blood filth! Abomination! How dare you enter--"

From his vantage the Wolf was suprised to hear the tirade coming from the portrait, but it allowed him to confirm his suspicions about the house: Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. It didn't exist in his world anymore. He had helped destroy it and Sirius Black at Halloween. It had taken little effort to overcome the defenses of the drunken wizard. Unfortunately, the sacrfice had allowed Dumbledore to escape them once again.

And there stood Sirius Black in living glory. Although he looked guant, the man did not appear to be drunken. The Wolf surveyed the crowd for the others gathered around and realized this was what he needed. He had stumbled onto Dumbledore's followers, although the man in question failed to appear.

Still, the Wolf was intent on not leaving this place until he had dealt with Dumbledore's supporters. He remained on Tonks' shoulder after the meeting when he noticed she was the one staying to help Sirius Black clean up.

"I assume you're staying here tonight?" asked Sirius as he flicked his wand to send another dish to the draining board. At her nod, he continued, "Watch out for Kreacher, will you? He keeps disappearing on me."

"We've never found him skulking in our room. I think the lycanthropy scares him off," said Tonks with a shrug. "Now if you finish drying these, I'll get a game of wizard's chess set up."

- - - - - - - - -

Remu Lupin entered number twelve without so much as alarming Mrs. Black's portrait. He walked up the stairs quietly and, although his mission had been tiring, felt himself invigorated at the thought of the woman who would be waiting for him. Little did he know that hanging on the ceiling in a corner of the bedroom, the Wolf watched and waited.

Remus opened the door to the bedroom to find Tonks lying on floor as she listened to the old phonograph. She had been tapping her feet to the music, but now opened her eyes and sat up.

"Welcome home, Professor," she said.

Remus knelt beside her as he let his gaze travel along her body. "Stealing my shirts again?"

She was wearing a gray Oxford shirt, but somehow the color and the fabric looked enticing rather than drab and showed off her well-toned legs. Her hand immediately began unraveling his tie as she explained, "It had your scent, so I wanted to feel it next to my skin."

Her words were simple, honest and sufficient to underscore her desire to be with him. For a moment all they did was hold each other, their necks entwined, their hands gently stroking the other's body not so much from passion, but merely the need to know this was real.

The Wolf was disturbed by the quiet image of the witch and wizard. He would have already been taking his pleasure from her. How could they just hold each other like that?

But then he was satisfied when he noticed that the witch was deft in her movements as she managed to slide off their shirts while they exchanged caresses. Even from where he watched, the Wolf could sense the heat that arose from the intimatae contact of skin to skin.

Remus kissed Tonks deeply and soon re-discovered the delights of his woman. But when he had moved them to the bed so that they could find their pleasure, he found his lady was quite distracted. Something other than he was garnering her attention.

"Nymphadora," he murmured.

"Hm?"

"What are you staring at?"

"There's a spider in the corner on the ceiling."

Remus looked over his shoulder to where she pointed. "It's a wolf spider; they're harmless."

"But it's just hanging there."

"Fine." Remus made a flicking motion with his hand in the direction of the wolf spider and it disappeared. "Now, do I have your full attention?"

"Oooh, yes. Remus!"

- - - - - - - - - - -

The Wolf shook his body as he transformed from wolf spider into wizard. His head ached from the little maneuver Lupin had pulled. Wandless magic? The Wolf had mastered many things, including becoming an Animagus, but wandless magic was not something he could do like that. The single flick had swept the wolf spider out of the room and into the adjacent bedroom right through the wall.

Luckily for the Wolf, the room was currently empty. This suited him well, however. He would rest for a moment then commence with his search. He remembered that this house had all manner of Dark artifacts. One in partiuclar stood out in his mind.

The Veil. If he found it, he could use the instrument to eliminate this Lupin without leaving a trace of the man he was replacing. He could then spy on the Order until he could locate Dumbledore.

The original arch for the Veil was in the Ministry of Magic, but the Wolf, also a Professor of Dark Arts, remembered the symbols to create a new doorway. It would not be as effective as the original, but then he would not be the one to suffer a slow, suffocating death. The Wolf would need Lupin to still be alive when he pushed him through because the Veil fed on life, but there was all manner of ways to immobilize him.

He'd need to get rid of Sirius Black as well, but in that case, he could have the body found. And what would he do to Nymphadora Tonks? He smiled at the thought.

wwwwwwwwwwwww

Remus nuzzled Tonks' hair one last time before leaving the bed in the morning.

"Why are you getting up? she grumbled.

"Breakfast. You do remember? Nutrient consumption at the beginning of the day to maintain energy?"

"Want pancakes," she mumbled as she hugged his pillow. "And bacon."

"Whatever your heart desires and the larder provides," assured Remus as he dressed, but he felt Tonks grabbing him around the waist as he sat on the edge of the bed.

She whispered without opening her eyes, "What I desire is Professor RJ Lupin, but I bet we'll have Sirius howling at the door if he doesn't get some bacon."

Remus kissed her cheek as he rose. "I'll see what I can do."

Remus never made it to the kitchen. He had taken a few steps down the call away from the bedroom when his doppelganger materialized in front of him.

"Hello, Remus. Time to meet your evil twin," said the Wolf.

Before Remus could register surprise, the Wolf put all his power into the stupefy spell. He called for ropes that bound the man and transported the body to the corner of the attic that held the Veil.

"You'll be out for a few hours," said the Wolf as he looked at the man lying unconscious. "In the meantime, I think I'll have some fun."

- - - - - - - - - -

Nymphadora Tonks stetched languidly. She had dozed off again when Remus left, but there were no sounds or smells indicating breakfast was cooking. She bet he had to go to the market. She hugged the pillow next to her for a moment, then was surprised when the door opened. Remus stood there just watching her for a moment.

"I thought you were making breakfast?"she asked as she absently rubbed her skin where her amulet made contact. There was that itching again.

The man shut the door quietly and approached the bed. "I find my appetite is very specific at the moment."

Tonks just smiled invitingly as he sat on the bed and leaned in to kiss her. He seemed to have an urgent need that she met willingly enough, but then he abruptly pinned her hands above her and let his full weight pin her down. His hands moved roughly on her body.

She jerked her head away from him quickly. "Remus? What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong that can't be fixed in a few moments." The man's tone wasn't teasing and the expression she read in his eyes wasn't gentle.

That's when the banging started. "Moony, get off of Tonks and get down to the kitchen. We need breakfast!"

The loud knocks on the door had startled the Wolf and allowed Tonks to roll away.

"We're coming," called Tonks.

"I bet," called Sirius through the door.

"I mean we'll both be right down," said Tonks as she quickly grabbed her robe. She glanced at him warily and said, "Let's go, Remus."

The Wolf just nodded and followed them down. He had made a mistake in letting lust get the better of him. He needed to be patient. He needed to kill Sirius Black.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Remus Lupin shook off the darkness and willed himself to gain consciousness. It was a trick that he could use against the stupefy spell.

"Evil twin?" The phrase echoed in his mind. How could--then he remembered the world that his incompetent Fairy Wolfmother had sent him. It was a world where his colleagues were Death Eaters, his grateful host was Lucius Malfoy and Remus Lupin was a ruthless killer.

Remus turned his head to survey his current environment. It looked like one of the nooks in the attic, but his attention was caught by a tattered curtain hanging from a makeshift arch. Someone had removed the full length mirror and draped the fabric over the opening. As he recognized the symbols, Remus felt his heartbeat quicken. It was the Veil!

The artifact had been lost almost forty years ago from the Ministry. To pass through the Veil meant Death and, although this archway was a substitute, Remus had confidence that anyone who went through wouldn't come out alive.

Remus struggled against his bonds, but found them too tight. He couldn't do wandless magic without some mobility, but he did have one thing he could call. The Professor closed his eyes and concentrated on the Wolfshadow amulet.

"Invito Venus." The spell activated the Wolfshadow amulet around his neck and its partner.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Wolf was walking behind Tonks when a light seem to flash in the corridor. Sirius turned around immediately.

"Where's that light coming from?" Sirius pulled out his wand thinking that somehow the Pensieve they had destroyed was re-emerging.

"Wait! It's just the amulet..." Tonks voice fell away as her hand touched her amulet that now displayed a moonstone embedded in silver.

The light was emanating from her stone, but when she turned to look at Remus, there was nothing but the shadow of his Werewolf being cast on the wall. But this wolf was much larger and even the shadow had feral eyes.

"Tonks, that's not Remus!"

Sirius had his wand out to cast a spell before Tonks could recover from her shock. His expelliarmus was countered, but the backlash sent both Tonks and Sirius to the floor.

The Wolf cast his attacks quickly but carefully. He didn't want the witch killed yet and avedra kadevra. was best used in single combat. Cruciatus would be more effective. The Wolf cast the spell at Sirius and it connected, but Tonks was quick to counter it with a firebolt. Her incendiary charms came naturally and with force.

The Wolf growled in pain and flung the next cruciatus at Tonks. She felt the pain hit her body and writhed in agony. It had been a short burst, but Sirius was now able to attack. As Tonks got her bearings again, her eyes followed the spear of light from the amulet indicating that Remus was still in the house.

"Sirius, he's in the attic. We have to save Remus!"

The Wolf threw up a wall of fire so they could go no further and hurried up to where Remus was waiting. There was no sense wasting that trip through the Veil. He could still save his mission by sending Remus through and assuming his identity in this world until he could make a move again.

Tonks and Sirius looked at each other. "We can't apparate; we don't know exactly where Remus is."

"Contain or drain, cuz?" asked Tonks.

"Contain. Ready? Arca." Sirius drew a box around the firewall with his wand.

"Abscido aero," called Tonks as the imaginary box was drained of oxygen.

They waited impatiently for the fire do die, but leapt over the charred floor and sped to the attic.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Well, Remus, it looks like I'll have to play at being the good twin," said the Wolf as he reached the man. "Just give me that pretty bauble with the moonstone. I should have known you'd keep the Wolfshadow amulet! Don't you know how much you could sell them for? Now where is it?"

Remus felt the gag removed from his mouth, but quickly turned to kick the Wolf on the gimpy knee he fervently hoped they shared.

In a rage, the Wolf sliced the air with his wand as he called the Wizrad'sWhip. Although it sliced into his back, Remus now had his hands free, so he quickly released his ankles from the ropes. He turned with his wand loosely in his hand. If they shared the wand, then the instrument would not be effective in this duel. Still, the Wolf called the expelliarmus spell, but Remus let his wand slip away.

The Wolf grinned at his unarmed opponent, then scowled when Remus just waved his hand in a gesture to eliminate the Wolf's wand as well.

"You think I can't defeat a weakling like you?" roared the Wolf.

Tonks and Sirius heard the harsh voice and ran to its source, but they were pretrified by the sight.The two men stood grappling with each other in front of the Veil.

"Which one is Remus?" asked Sirius. "I mean our Remus."

"I--I think--" Before Tonks could use the Wolfshadow amulet, one man lost his balance and started falling through the Veil. The roar of a strong wind began and the man grabbed his twin.

The curtain slipped back into place with a final ripple, but both men were gone.

Silence.

"Remus! Remus!" Sirius' screamed for his friend, but there was no response. Still, when Tonks tried to run forward, he held her back.

"Let me go! He's just--"

"No," came the harsh whisper. She could hear his voice breaking. "I won't lose you, too."

Tonks looked at her cousin and the sorrow on his face made her break down. They were clinging to each other and were unashamed to shed their tears.

"No, tell me it's just a bad dream," she whimpered.

"I wish I could," replied Sirius as he wept into her hair.

"We d-don't even ha-ave a b-body." Her voice was breaking as she tried to get her thoughts into words.

Sirius could only shake his head and gently stroke her back. Tears were still streaming down his face. "He would have fooled us if not for the amulet. They were so identical."

"I thought his nose was longer than mine." The hoarse voice sounded weary, but the cousins turned around to find Remus Lupin sagging against the wall behind them.

"Remus? How did you escape?" She looked up cautiously and was about to go to him.

"Wait, Tonks, this might not be our Remus," said Sirius as he pulled out his wand and aimed it at the wizard.

The man merely nodded, then used two fingers to pull out his Wolfshadow amulet. The shadow cast by his body had no feral eyes. "And if you want more proof, you named the chocolate turtles Herkimer, Iago and Jarvis before devouring them with relish when we last brought you ice cream."

Sirius grinned, but Tonks said, "Wait."

She walked to Remus and hesitantly touched his face. Then she rose on her tiptoes to kiss him. Cherish. "Yes, this is Remus."

"Now that everyone's satisfied, let's stop this crying and get this Veil where it belongs."

"You would have been crying too if you'd thought you'd lost us," warned Sirius.He wiped the tears from his face a bit self-consciously and gave his hair an arrogant flick while he assumed a manly posture.

The effect was lost when Remus picked Sirius up in a bearhug and said, "Nonsense, I never cry."

"Put me down, you lanky, lycanthropic--,"

"But not lacrimating," inserted Remus as he put his friend back on the floor.

"Boys, boys! Settle down. Now tell us how you escaped the Veil. No one can do that," said Tonks.

"I never went through," explained Remus. "I guessed his plan and was ready to apparate to our bedroom at any moment. It was the only place clear enough in my mind in the house. That's why it took me a few minutes to get back up here. And what did you do to the hallway? There's still smoke everywhere."

"Sirius, why don't you tell Remus while he fixes us breakfast as an apology for making us cry," suggested Tonks. "I'll see to the Veil. Moody and I can concoct a story about finding it and see that it's returned to the Ministry."

"Fine, but I think I want an omelette with lots of onions," began Sirius.

"Onions? But you don't like onions," reminded Remus.

"I will if they make you cry..."

Tonks sighed as she heard the men's banter as they walked out of the attic. She stared at the archway knowing that some people could hear whispering, but all was silent. She used her wand to remove the symbols on the archway, then carefully rolled the Veil and placed it in a box.

As she closed the lid, she felt a tear running down her cheek. She was glad that she lived in a world with her Remus Lupin and not the Wolf.

wwwwwwwwwwww

Remus Lupin sat in the chair at St. Mungo's and looked at the young witch who was unconscious in the bed. She looked young and fragile and he fervently wished she didn't have to take any part in this war. He took her hand in his, but bowed his head as the memories flooded him.

With his height advantage, it had always been Lupin's task to attack as an archer would with a barrage to isolate the enemy fighters. This helped ensure individual duels, but also meant he was everyone's backup. He had overextended his abilities in sculpting the duels that night while simultaneously calling protection spells when Order members fell.

And so he had protected Moody as best he could when he was struck down, but Remus kept seeing every tumble of Tonks' body as it fell down the stones. The Wolfshadow amulet had helped invoke the lamina spell he cast so that no bones were broken, no ribs tore into her vital organs. Only the faint heat from the amulet he wore assured him that Tonks was still alive during the fight.

But his releif had been short-lived. The Veil. That bloody curtain should have been destroyed, but instead it was hung in the original archway again. His rational mind could understand the purpose it served. The voices behind the Veil were real after all, but although he kept Harry from going through, he had to turn away from that curtain before he gave in to the impulse of setting it aflame.

Come back, come back, Sirius Black.

"Come back, come back, Sirius Black."

"Remus?"

He looked up and blinked. He had not realized he spoke aloud, but for a moment the sorrow was replaced by unmitigated joy. "Nymphadora Tonks, you gave me quite a scare."

She squeezed his hand and managed to chide him, "Just call me Tonks, Remus."

He didn't answer, just raised her hand to his lips for a soft kiss. But her hand fluttered out of his grasp and traced his face. "Remus, you're crying? What happ--Is it Harry?"

Her face was already crumpling in grief, but he assured her, "No, Harry survived the fight, better than most of us in fact. Dumbledore, too."

"The others? Mad-Eye, King?" She saw him nod quickly, but he closed his eyes and she could see the tears quetly streaming down his face. She couldn't seem to get the name out.

All Tonks could do was hold Remus and remember that the last time he had cried, he had been a child.

"He was my first friend, Tonks, before all of the others, Sirius was the first to befriend a lonely, lanky, lycanthropic git like me. The Veil took him away from us."

Tonks tried to gain control of her voice. She was gently rubbing his back as she also admitted, "He was my first friend, too. Not just a cousin, but my friend."

Remus blinked his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing. It had been so long since he had cried, he had forgotten what it felt like. "I'm sorry, you don't need me breaking down like this."

"Yes, I do, Remus, because it means we face our grief together and put our energies to winning this war," said Tonks with conviction although she was sniffing away her own tears. "Who was it?"

"Bellatirix Lestrange." Her aunt's name sounded hollow whe he said it. "His own cousin, your aunt. Blood means nothing to her."

Tonks closed her eyes and winced. "That's what held me back when I was dueling her. Aunt Bella and her little presents. And because I couldn't take her down, Sirius is dead."

"No, don't blame yourself like that," said Remus. He had actually put a hand on her shoulder to shake some sense into her, but she nodded.

"I know," she admitted as her Auror training kicked in. "Losing comrades is not an excuse for guilt or vengence. It's wasted energy that can cripple you and compromise your goals."

"That sounds like Moody talking," said Remus with a slight smile. "And it's kept him alive this long."

Tonks held his hand tightly, "Poor Harry. We need to take care of him for Sirius."

"Moody was going to meet the Hogwarts Express when it arrives in London," said Remus. "Harry's the type to appreciate the gesture more than the words."

"We'll be there waiting for him then," said Tonks. "What about you? No physical injuries?"

"Just a very deep scar on my heart," confessed Remus, but as he leaned in to kiss her he added, "but I think the rest will mend."

Nymphadora Tonks accepted his kiss. Cherish. Love. It was the one weapon they had over the Dark. And as in all things now, they shared their grief.

The End

Author Notes:

It's FINISHED! Sorry if it was too long, but I wanted some history for the Veil without going into what it really is. Furthermore, I wanted a story that went beyond Remus breaking the news to Tonks that Sirius was gone.

As you may have guessed, the Fairy Wolfmother wound up sending Lupin the Wolf into the Void where he was able to break out and into Remus the Professor's world. And the evil twin really is gone this time.

The ice cream flavors at Fortescue's (Vanilla Jumping Bean; Chocolate Turtles) are not canon. The spells to contain and drain and the lamina (protective shell) aren't canon either.
I think that's all. This can be read as a stand alone, but if you want the other stories, just hit Queriusole.

I will not be writing for Lupin/Tonks at the very least for about six months if not a year. It's possible this is absolutely the last story I write, depending on what's up with Book 6. You can catch me posting at David Thewlis online in the meantime, but no fic.

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read and review. Several of you have taken the time to faithfully provide comments that have helped drive the story. But I wish all of you a mountain of Chocolate Frogs with your favorite collecting cards.