A/N: This wasn't the originally planned chapter. I have chapters through to six planned, and this was never intended. Luckily, I think it works though it doesn't have the action the likes of chapter 4 have.

Thank you's to: laladoink – yes I know I should update more. Unfortunately, I am on holiday at the present time, but am doing this anyway as I hate having chapters stored up in my notebook for too long.

Pickledishkiller – Woah! Scary! Hehe. Thank you hun, hope you like the new chapter.

Remus'Fiance – Thanks for you review. Sev/Tonks does indeed rock.

J – Amazing? Amazing? Faints Uh… thank you… wow… speechless. Amazing? Wow…

ZevofB3K – Tonks is lucky but we all know who she's meant to be with. Drags Sev over and points to him

Atenea217 – More action in the next chapter I'm afraid. I felt the story needed something to set it up, and I therefore wrote it whilst on the ferry to the Isle of Wight.

Tonks followed Severus to the door, unsure of what he was going to do next. She had always had him cast as a mysterious figure; dominant, brooding, witty. "Nymphadora, you're following me," he stated obviously, not turning around to face her.

"Yes," she agreed. "Because you haven't explained what I have to do. In fact, you just stormed out, which I think was really rude and…" Severus turned around, obvious frustration upon his usually sneering, but calm face.

"I didn't tell you anything," he began. "Because you're not going to get involved."

"What? Look her Mr. I want to be involved. It makes sense… it's the next logical step. Another spy. If anything happened to you… well, it would just be useful."

"You're not going anywhere."

"Severus I'm not stupid! I can do this."

"You cannot use the highly useful skills of Occlumency. You will not be able to close your mind to him. You'll be found out in an instant." Plans, ideas, stormed through Tonks' mind before she finally said.

"I won't be if you teach me." Severus stared at her for a moment, before repeating his earlier sentiments.

"You're going to stay here and continue working only at the Ministry. You'll only end up getting hurt." Tonks pouted.

"Please Severus, I want to get revenge for Sirius. He would have wanted me to fight and do everything I could…"

"He would have wanted you to work alongside anyone other than myself."

"Severus…"

"The answer's no, Nymphadora." He then turned and stormed out of The Burrow. Anytime before now, Tonks supposed, she would probably have gone to talk to Dumbledore about Severus' reluctance to make use of other plans made within The Order.

Sadly, Severus himself had made this option impossible. Tonks sighed. It seemed so odd that the old man with his twinkling eyes had always been around and suddenly… wasn't. Did he really make the plans with Severus? Was he really aware of his own up and coming death?

Tonks turned around, ready to retreat back to the living room to see Remus studying her, a worried expression upon his face. "Are you sure about this Tonks?" he asked, fiddling nervously with his cloak. She nodded.

"More than anything."

"Snape lives at Spinners End." Remus was obviously so unwilling to hand over this information, Tonks realised, but she accepted it all the same. "Right at the end – number 107. It's a Muggle street so it may be an idea to dress as one, and for goodness sake, be careful." Tonks smiled at him.

"I'm only going to see Severus. We all trust him." And with that, she walked through the door with her new-found knowledge, not hearing Remus' final words.

"I don't."

-- -- -- --

Severus had been reluctant to answer the door, knowing full-well it would be Tonks, determined to get her own way. However, he did open it and snarled her entry. She walked into his living room and carefully took a seat upon his sofa.

"You don't stay here often," she noted, looking around. She looked up as Wormtail peered around the door, his rattish features staring at her.

Severus did not see him, but noted this new presence immediately. "Elf-made wine, old brand, and a tea for Miss. Tonks." Wormtail glared angrily. "Now." Tonks raised her eyebrows as Wormtail walked away muttering angrily to himself, leaving Tonks and Severus alone.

Severus closed the door, and waved his wand throughout the room. "What did you just do?" Tonks asked curiously.

"Soundproofed the room. I know Wormtail, he'll stop at nothing to make sure the Dark Lord discovers my 'disloyalty'. And now, why are you here?"

"To learn Occlumency. I want to help you, you know this already. Remus and the rest of The Order have agreed and you told me I didn't know Occlumency so I'm here to learn." Snape stared at her for a few moments before reaching a decision.

To be honest, I don't think I'll be great at this… I just have to hope Sev's a good teacher… Despite annoyance that in Tonks' mind she called him 'Sev', he didn't believe she would be able to pick up the difficult art either.

"If you cannot perform it by this evening, you are not getting involved."

"Righto Professor! Start you're teaching." She was a little too happy about the plan, Severus thought to himself, but decided he was thinking too much into it.

At that moment, Wormtail reappeared and placed the tray of drink down; two glasses and a bottle. No tea liked Severus had asked. He moved to pour the drinks. "That will be all Wormtail."

Tonks watched his eye twitch as he reluctantly left and Severus locked the door behind him. "Guess he wanted to find out what you were up to."

Severus stared her right in the currently green eyes, searching her mind and invading the private memories and thoughts of Nymphadora Tonks.

Wormtail's face was the first to appear as he moved to pour the drinks. I have seen that face before, Tonks' voice whispered to itself. Now, where was it… didn't Sirius once mention Peter Pettirgrew? Maybe that's who it is… he said he had betrayed him…

Remus Lupin was next in the trail as Tonks' thoughts drifted to earlier that day. Remus didn't seem pleased I was spending time with Severus… but it's all for The Order. He acted that way after I told him how I felt, and then Dumbledore told me to go and see him. Remus didn't want me to go to Hogwarts.

I wonder if it was because Sev was there? He never liked me spending time with him.

And then, the picture of Tonks talking to Severus at Hogwarts, outside of Dumbledore's office as she waited to see him. Hm… intriguing… oh, hi Sev. Enjoying invading my mind? Find anything interesting in there?

And then, he felt himself being pushed out.

He hadn't expected this.

He had always known the witch to be powerful; despite her clumsiness she had always performed well at Hogwarts and had been smart enough to become an Auror, but very few could perform Occlumency to the level that they could control what the person performing Legilimency could see.

He glanced at her suspiciously as she took a sip from her wine. "Problem Severus?"

"You can already perform Occlumency." Reluctantly, she nodded, sighing.

"It was part of my Auror training. Not a necessary part, but I picked it up pretty quickly."

"You almost made me waste my time. Why?"

"Well, I knew I had to convince you to let me help spy and I thought that if I could prove I knew some of the skills, you'd finally let me. Oh, and I had to tell you that the time Dumbledore summoned me to see him, you know, the day you and I well… he was actually going to ask me if I could help spy because he was aware I had Occlumency powers."

"You thought wrong. This makes no difference."

"Sev!"

"Severus."

"Sev-er-us, will you stop being so stupid and please, just let me help you." She picked up the second glass of wine she had poured him and attempted to make him hold onto it.

"There is no chance that…"

"Why?" she questioned.

"Why? Because you'll get caught, you'll get hurt. If you get hurt, and if you do, that ruddy werewolf will make perfectly sure you never will again because he would have broken every bone in my body."

"So, you're afraid of Remus."

"You will get hurt." And suddenly, much to the surprise of Tonks, and to what seemed, Severus himself, he sneezed. Tonks' eyes widened.

"Oh… wow… you're human!"

"What else did you think I was?" Severus questioned irritably.

"It's just… you seemed incapable of anything as typically human as sneezing or hiccoughing or anything like that, and well… you're not!" She could see Severus was less that amused so she grabbed his hand and trust the wine glass into it. "I'll see myself out," she told him. "But please, think about it." He followed her to the door.

"Nym…"

"Call me by my first name and I call you Sev."

"Fine. Miss. Tonks…"

"Tonks. Severus, stop being so damned formal."

"Tonks. I've already thought, and you cannot convince me." A challenge, Tonks thought to herself. Well, she had one more piece of ammunition left.

"What if I told you that Lucius Malfoy attempted to recruit me? Well, he didn't just come right out and say it, but he hinted. You know, 'you're true, loyal family have all followed along the correct path Nymphadora' and 'one day, you will see only power' etcetera, etcetera."

"You work for the Ministry."

"They're looking for someone to spy. They want knowledge but no one wants the job. I can give it to 'em. Well, certain facts anyway. The majority of stuff has to go to The Order first, and then I can condense it to stuff The Ministry should know." Severus glared at her.

"Fine. I shall alert you when I going to a meeting. I will go directly to The Burrow." Tonks smiled brightly and walked out of the door.

"You won't regret this." And with a small wink, and walked away.

"Wormtail, I need you to set up a meeting between myself, Miss. Tonks and our Lord."

Oh, and there's a small section that I added after re-reading Chamber of Secrets, page 193. Cookies to the people that work out what I am talking about.

Oh, and those that have this story on author alert but not reading, please drop a little review in and let me know what you think. :)