Title: A discovery
Author: Full moon girl
Disclaimer: see first chapter.
I had this chapter ready for some time but my computer crashed. Actually it went on fire. Funny, funny. I expect to have the next chapter ready quicklier. This chapter is really long but I din't know how to cut it. I am very sorry for the first version of this chapter I posted, it wasn't the final version and it contained some terms in my native language that I forgot to translate.
Thanks to Bardlover and Slinky-and-the-BloodyWands, for reviewing, you really made my day. Also special thanks to Bardlover for offering to beta, now chapters won't be so full of my mistakes, thanks again.
After having entered the building, Nymphadora prepared herself for the dissaproving looks of some of her co-workers and the remarks of her boss. To be the only female Auror in the Ministry was sometimes funny, but most of the time this fact brought her a lot of problems. The habitual excentrity in her appearance helped her not to look like a little doll, but to the most experienced Aurors she was nothing more than a punk doing a men's job. Sometimes she felt like an advertisement to the wizarding community: 'Girls can enter in the Auror's office too'. To the youngsters she was a clumsy tomboy in which help they would go wanting Merling knows what in exchange for it.
Thanks to Merlin there was a small portion of their partners that found in her a person. They would joke with her, have a coffee with her and trust her with their lives. In this small fraction there were few people. One of them was her superior Kingsley. Another one was her partner Sturgis.
It was him the one waving his hand in the contiguous table. There was no reason to deny it. The man was attractive, in a way that will make women turn her heads and men make a gutural noise to his walk. His blonde hair and green eyes would soften the manly expression that his structured chin gave him. But the reason that justified the lack of air some women experimented near him was his smile. There were no pretensions, no fake seduction in that smile. It was full of life: pure and raw.
"Good morning, Nymphadora, I'm sure Kingsley is prepared to tell you off, you had checked a bit later than usual, even for you" , his playful expression was what annoyed the female auror the most.
"Sturgis, I had warned you, one more Nymphadora, and that beautiful face of yours that gives you weekends off will need some amends", in the end she will never get angry with him, it was impossible, but from there to let him call her Nymphadora there was a walk.
"Come on, Tonks, the other ones don't get offended even if a do a mistake, and all you do is complain all the time Don't punish me for something that I can't be blamed of." The young man followed Tonks to the coffee machine. Every day he will wait Tonk's arrival to have a coffee with her. After all, they were the only ones who knew how it worked. Arthur Weasley had brought it to investigate it and them being one of the few with muggle roots were the only ones who used it. Seeing Tonks more calmed after getting her morning coffee he smiled. "It seems this afternoon you will be having the pleasure of my company".
"I can't. I have a reunion to which I must attend.", she lowered her gaze. It would be hard to hide her involvement with the Order from Sturgis.
"I am attending the same reunion, Kingsley sent an invitation to me as well", he smiled seeing Tonk's face of surprise and joy.
"Oh, it's wonderful, I thought I would be alone in the reunions with Kingsley", she felt more relieved now. It had been a little irreflexive to think she was the only one in the Auror's office who had been asked for colaboration. The words sounded fresh in her head: "Your memory will be erased".
"Hey, Sturgis, do you know something about the guy who interviewed me? Maybe he interviewed you as well. His name was Remus Lupin. Altough maybe he don't have the last word, almost deciding who joins the order and who doesn't. It seems Dumbledore trusts him a lot. I thought that maybe he had a important position at the Ministry, but I don't remember seeing him here. However, I can remember having read something from a Lupin in The Profet, but I can't remember what. Do you, Sturgis?".
Sturgis' smile darkened , Nymphadora was one of the few people who could forget why had been Remus Lupin prime news on The Profet. "Maybe you should ask him". It will not be him the one who will tell Tonks about Lupin being a werewolf. He really didn't know how she would react.
After a productless day of work and a few calling with information of the whereabouts of her cousin, Nymphadora left the Ministry and walked to her flat. It would take her nearly forty minutes to go home, but in a time in which people would apparate from one place to another and another, she liked to walk, the sense of the freezing breeze of London, the chill that produced the wind making its way in her strategically placed scarf and the sensation that she got when she entered her small flat, that was real magic. Leaving the scarf, the coat, the pair of gloves and the hat, Nymphadora took a quick shower and entered her room cursing her ability to forgot to bring the clothes to the bathroom, now she didn't know what to wear and had only a towel. Jumping alternatively in one of her feet, she finally decided to sit on her bed. It was one of these rare ocasión in which she didn't know what to wear.
Nymphadora Tonks wasn't really the type of girl who will freeze in front of the wardrobe with no heater thinking in what she should wear when there was a heater in the living room. But today was an important today. It was truth that she was clumsy to the limit, but if people could see through this fact, Nymphadora was a very intelligent woman, the idea of what she could find today in that creepy house was adquiring shape in her head. The members of the Last Order would be people who had survived duels with Death Eaters and in some cases with You Know Who, people as skilled as Alastor Moody, who had suffered more losses in that time period than all her generation. She felt a bit childish looking at her t-shirt's wardrobe and her current purple hair. Thinking a bit over the gigantic bed, she decided to be herself. It would have no sense other way. And it would be too tiring to look like a perfect veela all day. After all this reflexions, she chose her favorite Weird Sister's t-shirt, a pair of jeans and today hair will be... pink.
"Good, now I'm late", almost forgotting to grab her keys, she walked to Grimauld Place having to do a stop in the way. She really would be late.
She finally arrived to Grimauld Place. She used the ring thinking in who would be in the reunion. Maybe Sturgis would be there already. The door opened and since there was nobody behind it Nymphadora came into the house. The corridor was dark, she could sense some objects, but her ability to fall was really increased without light. Thinking in how she managed to mantain herself on her foot in that farfetched house. Ouch, she had thought too much. But under her, she didn't felt the fitted carpet of the Ancient Black House, instead of that she sensed the warm and characteristic smell of a man. Her palm was over a too washed shirt, white, one of her favorite colours in a man's indumentary. When her face was less red, or at least aceptable she raised her head and found the identity of her cushion. It was Remus Lupin."Ah, from all the people it had to be him". The man who introduced her to the Order, a man serious enough to find annnoying her hair but kind enough to not say it loud.
"I'm sorry, I had no intention to fall over you", Nymphadora hit her forehead at her fantastic choice of words.
"I mean, It was not like I had fallen intentionally", 'Good Nymphadora, now he had the confirmation of your stupidness'. And with that thought she extended her hand to him.
The man observed the extended hand attentively. Nymphadora looked at him curiously. "Come on, I can support you, I'm an Auror", and her smile and her brow movement extracted a smile from Remus, who keep on looking the extended hand.
Finally, he accepted the hand, 'So she is one of the few witches who doesn't know about it'. Her smile was warm. Remus thought about the irony of the situation, the witch who smiled now will make a disgusted face when someone would gave the information later.
Sirius entered the living room, "Remus, I thought it's a little early", a smirk on his face as a greeting, "for that", and his playful look was fixed in their twined hands. Like each other's hand was on fire they got away fast. So fast that Nymphadora fell off again. However this time the sensation behing her blushing face helped her to get up by herself.
"You know that is not in my condition to chase young women that I barely knew, unlike a certain wizard, whose name will remain anonymous, who transformed her animagi form in a puppy to enjoy the lap of young witches at Central Park", the tone of Remus voice was more serious than any person who was referring an anecdote of this type, but the unhidden smile which could not leave his face took away every bit of seriousness to his speech.
"Remus, Remus, Remus, I feel wounded, you know I would never associate with that kind of people", and letting his look travel to his cousin he let out a sigh, "Dear cousin, yesterday I tought you were exagerating about your clumsiness. Tell me, is some new strategy to get men on your feet. If that is the case I could gave you some advice about what can make a man..."
What could have been a very ilustrative conversation in Nymphadora's opinion was interrupted by a startled Remus, "Sirius, I do not think it would be beneficial for a young woman like Nymphadora to get that kind of information from a man like you".
It was that what make the "young woman" jump."It's Tonks and I am 23 years Auror, do not treat me like a child", her voice was determined but in her mind she made the resolution of never hearing this type of stories from Sirius.
The classical noise of an apparition was heard in the kitchen and the three people knowing themselves late went to the kitchen thinking Dumbledore was the one behind the noise, because almost everyone was already there. But when the old door was opened they didn't saw the long white beard.
Instead of it a big nose and an extremely greasy hair were found in that kitchen. Standing near the table, Severus Snape dedicated one of his trademarked disgusted faces to the group, which was returned by Sirius and Nymphadora and ignorated by Remus.
"Look at who we have here: respetable aurors, healers, ministry personal", and he gestured with a hand to the group seated around the table, Nymphadora could see Sturgis, her boss Kingsley, the Weasleys, Moody, woh, there was a legendary auror in that filthy place, and some witches she didn't know "and to complete the group The Marvellous Trio: the fugitive convicted, the clumsy auror and last but not least: the werewolf", and with that, said as the simplest statement he turned around and found a seat.
The effect was inmediate. Her brain refused to register the fact that the kind man who introduced her yesterday to the order, her new cushion was a werewolf. Her experience with werewolves was limited to two or three at work, society made them rough, their talk was frequently unintelligible. But in that man there was more education than in her total boyfriend collection. It was truth that nobody had denied it, the interesed didn't even do it. It was looking at the man in the shabby clothes, tired, maybe of life, maybe of people, when she remembered where she had seen his name, Remus Lupin, a teacher who resigned in Hogwart after it was found that he was ... a werewolf. She felt dumb, everybody knew it, except her. There she had the reason behind Sturgis strange beaviour this morning. After discussing with herself, what could she do to be more careful, Nymphadora noted she had become the center of all looks, of course, she had been pacing in the middle of the kitchen for what it would have been almost five minutes.
"It seems you are a real "black" sheep" his voice had adoped the tone that he would use for a Slytherin student,"more than your cousin". The implication on the simple phrase and its double meaning almost made Nymphadora choke.
"Don't worry, he has good manners, if you avoid him during the full moon he won't give you problems". There was no need to wait for Sirius' response, he stood up violently producing the fell of his chair, only to be stopped by a strong arms. Behind the tight grasp there was a thankful smile owned by Remus: 'There is no need'. Nymphadora, who had come to herself again, pronounced a spell to have a chair.
She began to levitate the chair in the presence of the attentive look of the whole Order. Her reaction or the lack had left all the people with the impression that she find Remus repulsive. But wizard society had taught Nymphadora not to judge people by something they can control. She had learnt in first person what could that behaviour do to a different person. No, it wouldn't be her the one to throw the first stone.
Nymphadora directed her chair to Remus and Sirius, but in the way the chair tripped with something greasy: Snape's head. With her best smile she give Snape her excuses, "Sorry, clumsy Auror you know."
Snape raised his eyebrow with a incredulity look on his shrewd eyes and a wry face because of the hit,"Are you going to sit there?".
"Of course, the Marvellous Trio can't be separated", the young woman inclined her head to the seated professor, as she was doing a intimate space, "Oh, you wanted to enter", her mocking voice began to raise Snape anger to limits he tought exclusive of the Potter boy,"I'm sorry, but we're already three, it would have no sense". With that smile present in her face she sat between the other two members.
Sirius' guffaw could have been heard in all London if Grimauld Place was not under the Fidelius charm. A smile was in the face of his partner too, not so noisy but so wide that could not be hidden after his unsuccesful attempts.
A few seconds later Dumbledore came and the talk was made mostly by him, he presented every order member to the others and made clear that there was nobody more significant than another. After having stated the order objectives and giving tasks like guards at the Ministry and some spy jobs he left after having excused himself and lamenting not to be able to spend more time with the newcomers.
The reunion was concluded an all the people begin to go home. Remus and Sirius went to living room and Nymphadora stayed sitting alone in the kitchen, a bit troubled. After being a few minutes in this position she decided to go the living room, finding the two men tasting one of the finest firewhiskys in London in the filthy sofa.
"Do I interrupt?"
"Hell, no, come here, I tought you should have gone already", it seemed to Nymphadora that Sirius should not drink too much of this firewhisky.
"Take this", with an embarrased face she handed a box to Sirius that she had resized a few seconds ago. Her face found the floor.
Sirius opened the box to find a hawaian pizza. "Hey Nymphie you remembered".
"If you call me Nymphie one more tiem I will hex you till you have no conscience".
"I assure you woul not perceive the difference", said Remus with his glase almost full. The two of them laughed making Nymphadora desire such a strong bond with another person.
"Stay with us if you have no plans, Tonks", Sirius asked to her younger cousin. That was good, Nymphadora would have never asked but wanted to stay.
She made herself comfortable in the sofa and they began to eat. Nymphadora began to explain Remus the origin of pizzas and the variety of them. The man was good listening. She believed nobody had given so much attention since their powers were found out.
It was an intervention of Sirius the cut of the conversation. "Tonks, he's a half blood, like you and an avid pizza eater". Nymphadora's face went a little red, she had been speaking for ten minutes. She lowered her gaze a bit to hide her blush.
Seeing the effect of her joke to the girl, Sirius intervined, "Do not feel embarrassed, he would never cut anyone when he or she speaks to him". Nymphadora looked at the man sitting beside her, she could see him blushing a bit by the comments of his friend and realized they were true. There would not be harm in his words or his feeling to other people. Having extended her exam too much she focused again in the pizza.
The person in question smiled and after having finished the portion."But I didn't know you liked pizza", he said looking at Sirius, "and it has been ages since I have tasted the hawaian."
Nymphadora smiled, "When I was a child he came sometimes to eat pizza. My mother would make two more for him".
"You could have said it when you were at my house spending the summer, my mother had you spoiled too", Remus eyes were filled with nostalgy and a bit of loneliness.
"So, you two are friends since school?" Her voice was more surprised than she pretented to.
"It seems so strange?" Remus voice was peppered with a bit of playfulness.
"Well, it is that he... well and... you", she felt a bit embarrased after seeing that. After all she had promised herself not to judge anyone.
"Yeah, I know, I know he seems of the problematic and attractive type and I am the responsible", his arms was over the sofa and he seemed more relaxed.
The three of them laughed for a lot and after talking about the Auror training, Remus teaching at Hogwarts, and after a few hours she decided to go to his flat.
In the sofa, Sirius sleeped peacefully, maybe as an effect of the great amount of alcohol he had but with a wide grin on his face.
Remus stood up at the same time she did, causing Nymphadora a tingle in her stomach, she was not used to the gentlemanly type, at least directed to her, the tomboy type. At any rate she suspected it was only his god manners. But when she was going to cross the door, Remus addressed her politely, "Nymphadora, I...".
The only response he got what a praying gesture Nymphadora with a imploring face and a funny smile.
"Sorry, I know it's Tonks, well I would like to thank you", his voice tone lowered gradually, "for not refusing my company and for thinking that sitting beside me won't get you bitten". Now his gaze had lowered to unexpected limits.
"There is no need to thank me", she said gesturing a bit nervous, "probably and judging by the few I know about you you're the one that worries more about hurting someone during a full moon", and she paused a bit after continuing with a firmer tone, "because you know how it feels".
Subconsciously, Remus covered the scar in his hand putting it behind his back. Twenty five years earlier he was having the same conversation, but it wasn't a pink haired auror in front of him, there were three first year Gryffindors. The sensations now and then brought a smile to Remus' lips that left Nymphadora with no doubts. Behind the shabby clothes and the serious expression there was a true Marauder. Feeling funny inside she smiled and said goodbye. Remus said goodbye too.
In the farfetched living room a sleeping man's smile got wider.
Author note: If you find it good, not so good or horrible. Leave and review and tell me why. You will get a cookie. I promise.