Disclaimer: Are these things really necessary? Not mine.

A/N: Such enthusiastic reviews! Thank you so much. It really does encourage me to continue the story and Ideeply appreciate it. To make up for so much space between the first and second chapter, I wanted to update quickly. Here it is! The second half was actually originally written (many moons ago) for Sirius, but then the plot took over. I hope someday soon I'll get to use those lost puns which had to be removed. One more chapter after this!

Chapter 3:

I watched Sirius with something between delight, amusement, and horror. Obviously, the halo was counterproductive. Lily came by, looked down, shook her head, and said, "I hope you're not involved in this mess."

I considered. "Not yet."

Lily blinks. She is, of course, used to this. Sirius and I have been idiots the whole time she's known us and so really, what can she expect—particularly from Sirius? Of course, now I'll show her what a wise soul I have become.

"Don't worry, dearest. I'll convince Lupin without disturbing him further."

Lily blinks again. And then she smiles a little. She puts her arm around me and kisses me lightly on the cheek.

"Of course, James. I'm sure, if anyone, you can convince Lupin of the benefits of allowing one's self to love."

I think she might be patronizing me, but I have no time to analyze her tone. It is, finally, my turn!

I appear by the side of Sirius and announce my intent.

"I almost had him, James!" Sirius claims indignantly, "You should have given me five more minutes and he and Tonks would have been going at it like Hipogriffs."

Lupin still has not looked up at me. "This is not happening to me. It cannot be happening to me."

"But it is, Moony!" I say sternly, "And it's your own damn fault. You've been a prick about this whole situation and now is your day of reckoning."

Lupin stands abruptly looking like he did when he found Sirius and I covered in what was his potions project. You add a bit of skrewt slime and who knew it was going to explode?

When mild manner professor, Remus Lupin's, anger rises, he becomes—

"Oh yes, James, I'm sure! I'm sure you know the solution to this dilemma. Because obviously you understand both the feelings of Tonks and me to an infinite extent. I'm sure the you know all of the intimate details of our situation from your high and mighty perch up there all cozy in heaven whilst, I, utterly and totally ALONE, battle the return of Voldermort, the terror of Ferir Greyback, my own unforgivable love for a woman who is thirteen years my junior, and your son's angst-ridden determination to isolate himself and take the weight of the world on his shoulders! I'm sure you know exactly what to do. Well, James, your bird's eye view must be 20-20 making you a perfectly qualified Jacob Marley and Padfoot here the bloody ghost of Christmas past—"

"Excuse me?"

Lupin barely paused, turning to Sirius practically growling, "But unless you two are living it, which inherently due to your present state you most certainly aren't, I don't think that you can have anything to say to me."

Oh dear, I knew there was a reason he had better marks than me. Still, I deserved a try.

"Lupin, do you love her?"

And, worn out from his tirade (worthy of Mad Eye Moody) he collapses in the chair again.

"Yes."

"Isn't that all the logic you need?"

Lupin pauses for a moment, looking straight ahead, rubbing his chin. And for a moment, I am victorious! I have done it. I look at Sirius smugly and am about to delicately disappear, leaving Lupin with his thoughts, growing ever more positive when Lupin replies, "You know, Prongs, you're right."

"Thank you, Moony!"

"It's easy…" Lupin stands again, looking inspired.

"Indeed, Lupin."

"All you need is love."

"That's right."

"All you need is love!"

"Now you've got it!" I'm ecstatic.

"All you need is love, love…"

"Finally, Remus," I sigh.

"Love is all you need."

"Wait, is that familiar?"

Lupin sits back down. "It's the Beatles."

I am very confused. "So you weren't sincere?"

"I'm tired, James. I'm tired of hearing the same clichés over and over again! 'I don't care!'" he mimics, "'All you need is love,' and "Love conquers all.' If that was true, you would still be here with me James! Your son would not be the Boy Who Lived, I would not be a lonely pariah, and Dumbledore… Dumbledore, that most beloved man, would not be dead. Dumbledore would have wanted a little more love in the world they tell me. Well, I don't know if I can provide that. Everyone I've loved is gone. I've thrown that sentiment to the wind, I'm afraid. To love again would be to give up my last reserve and Tonks deserves more than the dry heart which is all I can give. Love cannot change that I am old, I am poor, I am dangerous, and that all of us are in mortal peril at every moment."

He pauses and begins to slowly pace. I open my mouth to speak but find I can have nothing to say. Lupin suddenly makes me doubt my own actions, the decisions Lily and I made some 16 years ago. Were we wrong? Were we naïve? Was it selfish for us to bring Harry into such an unstable world? The silence from Sirius makes me unsure. But then Lupin continues.

"Love, James? Love, Sirius? Well of course that is enough for you! Love is reckless and fleeting, but you were never one to reject the pleasures of the moment because of the consequences of the future. The pleasure of love, temporary or otherwise, might be enough for you, but it is not enough for me."

Hmmm. Not so victorious after all, I suppose. And really, I'm not feeling so good about my life or lack there of. I too, begin to fall into Lupin's despair when the fireplace bursts to life as the flames suddenly swell. Lupin turns to the flames almost wearily. What on else (not) on earth can possibly haunt him tonight?

Now that is an entrance! And from a most unexpected source. Ghostly white and every so delicately she comes out of the blaze, arms stretched forward. She like the angels of old: graceful, wise, and powerful radiating light and authority and the flames flicker around her. For a moment, we were all breathless with awe. However, the effect was rather ruined as she shrieked—

"James Henry Potter!"

Ah, the wife. How I'm glad I never married. I am, though, very glad that James took the plunge. I do love to see him cower.

"L-lily? Don't worry, dear, I'm just convincing Lupin here that he should give up his little 'ever man is an island' charade. Don't you agree, dear? Can you imagine what our life would be like if we hadn't committed ourselves to each other for our last years. What if I had acted as Lupin is now? Cold, unfeeling—"

"Oh, yes, James. Remus's staunch nobility is just revolting. If only he could be more like you. And practically throw himself at his conquest regardless of the cost. Oh yes, James. Lupin's sensibilities are ridiculous."

James, the fool, smiles at Lily proudly and nods firmly at Moony.

"James." I say.

"Yes, Sirius?" he asks, still looking superior.

"Sarcasm."

His face falls.

"Boys. Back up." Lily commands with a face that would shame McGonagall.

"But Lily…" we whine.

"You're doing more harm than good, I'm afraid."

"Lily, I've got wings!"

"I've got logic!"

She shakes her head. "Ah, but I'm afraid that Mr. Lupin has taken it upon himself today to prove that he can be just as inanely hard-headed as you two."

I was about to protest again. The nerve of the woman, thinking she can barge in on this paranormal reunion and ruin it! We would have gotten him to come round eventually. I opened my mouth to really give her what for when Lily turned to me with a severe look—

—and winked.

I knew I liked her. "Yes, Prongs, I think we'd best just leave Lupin be. He obviously doesn't think that our celestial appearance is enough to make him think seriously about our reasoning."

James was beginning to grow indignant as I had been before. "Now see here, Sirius, Lily. I'm not ready to give up on our Remus just yet. I think that if I just explained another way of looking at it—"

Lupin groaned, "This is going to be like that frog legs potion, isn't it?"

I looked meaningfully at James, "I think we'd best go, Prongs."

He finally caught on, my old friend. He noted my significant look and Lily's stare of fury and determination aimed at our poor living Moony, innocently rubbing his temples back in his armchair. "I concede, Padfoot, you're right. Lupin's in no mood to take us seriously, no pun intended. Good bye, Moony. Try not to screw things up too badly."

Remus grunted and continued to message away his headache.

And now, back in our heavenly perch, Prongs and I watch with interest as Lupin battles our last defense.

"Thank you, Lily, I knew you at least would see the harsh truth of the situation."

His relief would be short-lived. "Oh I see the truth, Remus. And I believe in this situation your sense of smell is not making up for your wolfish tendency to see things in only black and white."

He groans, "Not you too…"

"Yes me too!" I say indignantly. I can tell Remus is mentally shutting off now, rolling his eyes and leaning his head back into the cushions, raising that inquisitive eyebrow of his. It would embarrass him to know that half the girls in school secretly swooned at that eyebrow.

He is preparing himself for the same reasons that make sense to everybody else but him, the reason he will dismiss with his mantra, "Too old, too poor, too dangerous." However, my friends, I am a very crafty, crafty woman, not to be underestimated by any of these marauders. So I have decided to take a different route.

"Remus, look at me."

Remus sits up again and looks as a despondent five year old would, glaring at his old mother who is about to lecture him on underage magic. He wasn't expecting what I was about to tell him.

"Remus Lupin, you are poor."

He blinks, "Excuse me?"

I gesture airily, "You may never be able to support Tonks. I very much doubt that the wizarding world will ever accept you fully and allow you to maintain a steady occupation. And your great and quite useful academic knowledge will probably never be recognized for their full worth."

I've hooked him now. He studies me with both eyebrows now raised, breathing deeply in a state near to relief. Still, he keeps up his guard. As a result of the war, we have all learned that the line between a trustworthy friend and truly formidable opponent is thin indeed.

"Remus, you are also rather old."

"Thank you, I've been trying to tell her—"

"And you look rather older."

He is silent now.

"I would not be surprised if somewhere along the line you are mistaken for Tonk's uncle," I state matter of factly, "Or even for her father."

He's beginning to look rather incensed now.

"Finally, Remus, you are quite correct. You are damned dangerous." I move towards him, leaning in. "Should something go wrong, Tonks might die or become a werewolf herself! You lead a limited life. There will always be a part of you which is loyal to and, indeed, is the wolf. And to be frank, Tonks would be better off had she never met you."

He's gone pale now. I almost feel sorry for the git. He looks so drawn and thin. He is almost like a ghost himself in that large armchair. He looks up at me with pleading eyes, knowing I've said the truth and wishing desperately that it wasn't so.

"You miss those old clichés don't you?" I ask and he looks away. But now I go in for the clincher. I sit, or rather, hover just above the footrest in front of Remus.

"But she did meet you, Remus. She did. And she loves you."

He turns back towards me, thinking I've gone soft. "That's not enough, Lily. All the things that I've said, that you've said, are true and—"

"Remus, would you die for her?"

Remus barely considers, looks me straight in the eye and says, "Yes."

"And do you think she'd die for you?"

Remus does not break our eye contact, but considers a little longer this time. He knows his answer, I know his answer, but as if we were playing a delicate chess game, he is trying to figure out what my next move will be once he responds with, "Yes."

"Then, it's too late to fight this, Remus. You're both gone, hook, line, and sinker. Perhaps if you had had Trelawny's gift," we both smile wryly, "you could have avoided her and not gotten so close. But now, do you really think that refusing to be with her will make her and her heart safer? You said it yourself; you're all in mortal peril at every moment. Your deaths aren't going to get anymore likely than they already are Remus. Throw a werewolf in the mix and who knows, maybe Tonks will be even more on her guard."

Remus considers this, but then shakes his head and counters me. "But what if I were to transform around her without my wolfbane? Anything could happen in this kind of environment."

Predictable, Lupin. "She's an auror, Remus! She can protect herself. I think you're overestimating yourself. You're a werewolf not some indestructible machine. I watched Severus Snape fend you off that day in front of the Shrieking Shack."

Lupin visibly shudders. I know that must have been a painful memory.

"Come on, Lupin, you're a marauder. You're supposed to have faith that everyone is more powerful than Snivellus…"

And suddenly we've gone into a deeper territory, less about Tonks and more about recent events. Lupin looks at me in question, but I cannot answer with a look or otherwise. Dumbledore's business is Dumbledore's business and the little I've learned about him from above certainly doesn't make me an expert. I move on.

"And Lupin, all people are dangerous in their own way. Tonks's clumsiness could prove lethal! In some ways, you are the less dangerous one. You are cautious, intelligent, and you have a nose for peril."

Lupin's mouth twitches, "If I'm cautious it's thanks to your husband and his best friend. I've never thought of statues, doorways, quaffles, pillows, or papers since without knowing of their hidden menace."

I can almost hear Sirius's bark of laughter from above and I know Lupin can too as he glances upward with that characteristic "I know what you're doing and I don't like it" look that poor Prefect Lupin used to give so freely. His face has only been filled with anguish and worry for too long.

Checkmate. "What do you say, Lupin?"

Remus smiles at me. Actually smiles.

"Thank you."