(A/N: This takes place after OotP. According to the HP Lexicon Remus was born in 1959 making him 36 and Charlie was born in 1973 making him 22. In my fic Tonks and Hestia are Charlie's age, Kingsley is Remus' age and Emmeline is about 29. Molly and Arthur are in their 50's. I hope you like it! Please review!)

Disclaimer: No matter how many times I wish on stars and eyelashes and dandelions and four leaf clovers, I am still not J. K. Rowling. That's depressing.

Laughter, Tears, and Mystified Men

Nymphadora Tonks watched Harry Potter walking out of King's Cross Station with the Dursleys. She knew she, Remus Lupin, Mad-Eye Moody, and the Weasleys (and Hermione Granger) had intimidated them but she still couldn't help but wonder if Harry would be treated any better than he ever had been before. Even though Tonks had put on a good show in front of the Dursleys she was really very tired. Tonks had gotten out of St Mungo's only the day before and had insisted on coming to meet the Hogwarts Express even though the other Order members had told her to go home and rest.

"Feeling alright?" Remus asked, as though reading her mind.

"Just tired and sore," Tonks replied. "I'll be fine after a nap."

She started to walk away but tripped and winced as pain shot through her ankle. It still hadn't healed from when she was cursed by Bellatrix Lestrange and had fallen down the stairs at the Department of Mysteries.

Remus caught her and put an arm around her waist and Tonks put her arm around his neck and leaned on him, grateful for the support.

"I'm coming to your flat with you to make sure you get there all right," he told her. "We'll have to walk. You're not well enough to apparate safely yet."

Tonks was too tired to argue as Remus helped her limp out of the station.

When they reached her flat Remus helped Tonks into bed, despite her protests that she could do it herself, and made her a cup of tea. When they had finished their tea and Tonks had fallen asleep Remus quietly left the flat, locking the door behind him.

Tonks awoke to the sound of voices. She remembered talking to Remus and then falling asleep. 'Someone must have come to call and Remus is talking to them in the living room.' Tonks thought. 'But he wouldn't still be here would he? And that doesn't sound like Remus…that sounds like Aunt Bellatrix!' Tonks was out of bed in an instant, grabbing her wand off the bedside table. She knew she was in no condition to fight Death Eaters, especially when it sounded like she was outnumbered at least three to one. Tonks had just raised her wand to Disapparate when –

"Expelliarmus!"

"Protego!" Tonks yelled whirling around. She recognized Bellatrix by her voice but couldn't place the three others that were with her as they were all wearing masks. Tonks threw out every hex and curse she could think of, except the Unforgivables. Her opponents weren't quite so nice. Tonks saw a few jets of green light before Bellatrix screamed, "No! I don't want her dead, yet!"

Tonks took advantage of the Death Eaters' moment of preoccupation. "Impedimenta! Expelliarmus! Furnunculus! Petrificus Totalus! Tarantallegra! Incarcerous!" There were other spells mixing with her own. Remus was back! Arthur Weasley and Mad-Eye were with him! She didn't know how many of the curses hit their targets but three of the four Death Eaters were on the floor, unable to move. Tonks raised her wand to help subdue the last Death Eater. He made a slashing movement with his wand, yelled an unfamiliar incantation, and Tonks knew no more.

(A/N: I love leaving cliffies!