Rating, Summary, and Disclaimer: See Prologue
Chapter Notes: Meetings and Reunions (hence the title of the fic) of the Order. The Weasley kids move in next chapter. If anything, Remus can get a job as a door attendant. When Nymph meets Wolf. Actually, when Nymph trips into Wolf. Squee at LT'ness!
Thanks for the reviews! Thanks to MissSophia for beta'ing!
Chapter Three- The Old and the New Order
Lupin heard Sirius let out a string of swears as the doorbell rang at precisely 7:01 PM. A few seconds later, the curtains to Sirius's mother's portrait flew open, and she began to scream.
He stuck his head out of the doorway of his new bedroom and said to Sirius as he ran past, "Tell them not to ring the doorbell."
"You think, Moony?" Sirius said, sounding exasperated. "Get out here and help me with her."
Lupin grinned at him and sauntered down the stairs. Mrs Black saw him and began to scream obscenities about Dark creatures and half-breeds. Together, the two men wrestled her curtains back in place.
"I'd take being called 'Dark creature' and 'half-breed' over 'abomination' and 'shame of my flesh' any day," Sirius said as he straightened out the curtains and brushed the dust from his hands.
Lupin shot him a dark look over his shoulder and then went and opened the door. On the doorstep were McGonagall and Snape.
"Remus," McGonagall said warmly, hugging him as she entered the house.
"Lupin," Snape nodded at him, took one look at Sirius, and then headed further into the house.
"The meeting's downstairs," Sirius called.
Snape took a right, heading into the basement kitchen.
"Good boy, Padfoot," Lupin said. He was relieved that Sirius hadn't started with anything. However, Sirius wasn't listening, he was staring at McGonagall.
"Oh, Sirius," McGonagall began.
Sirius ran down the last two steps and pulled her into a hug. "Hello, Professor," he said, sounding hoarse.
McGonagall took his face in her hands. "You look terrible," she said. There were tears streaming down her face.
"That's what twelve years in prison will do to a soul," Sirius joked flatly. She choked on a laugh. He grinned at her.
"It's not funny!" she told him, trying to hold back another laugh.
All three of them jumped as the doorbell rang. Mrs Black's portrait flew open, and she began screaming again.
"Professor, meet my dear old mum." McGonagall stared at the portrait with a look of horror on her face.
"It's time you called me Minerva," she told her former pupil. "Remus, answer the door. Sirius, you and I shall close these curtains, and then I would like a cup of tea. You," she said, turning towards Mrs Black,"be quiet!"
"Figures you could silence her," Sirius muttered as his mother fell silent. He and McGonagall pulled the curtains closed again.
"The door, Remus. Sirius, your arm," McGonagall ordered. Both men jumped to comply.
Lupin opened the door as Sirius offered McGonagall his arm and walked her down the hallway. Sirius grinned at him over his shoulder. Shaking his head, Lupin turned back towards the door. On the doorstep were Molly and Bill Weasley. He could identify them by their red hair.
"Professor Lupin?" Molly asked timidly.
"Yes. You must be Mrs Weasley. Please, come in." Lupin stood back so they could enter. "Sorry I took so long to answer. We had to quiet Mrs Black." He waved towards the curtained portrait.
Molly glanced towards the portrait and then back at Lupin. He sighed. "It's okay. I don't bite in human form." Molly blushed. "It's fine," he told her, as she went to apologize.
Bill grinned. He stuck his hand out to shake Lupin's. "I've heard a lot of great stuff about you from my brothers and sister. Professor Dumbledore has Apparated to Mrs Figg's. They should be here any minute. Who's here already?"
"Minerva, Severus, and Sirius are down in the kitchen. Sirius is making tea. I do hope you ate, as neither of us are great cooks. We've been relying on take-away."
"Now you've said it," Bill said as Molly bustled towards the kitchen. "She'll have a five-course meal whipped up in no time." He laughed at Lupin's moan of pleasure.
The doorbell ran again. Right on cue, Mrs Black's curtains flew open and she began screaming. Bill hurried to silence her as Lupin wrenched open the door.
"Evening, all." He smiled brightly as Mrs Black's screams were muffled. On the doorstep were the remaining members of the original Order of the Phoenix, Emmeline Vance, and Hestia Jones. "You've all been informed about Sirius, correct?"
"Where is he?" Arabella asked. "I owe that man an apology."
"We all do," Moody said gruffly.
"He's in the kitchen downstairs. First door on the right. Bill can show you."
As the group walked away (Emmeline and Hestia wide eyed), Lupin overheard Moody telling the others, "Dumbledore's gone to met Arthur Weasley and the two Aurors. Wish I could be there when he tells them that Black's innocent and that they're headed to his house for tea."
Lupin was still chuckling as three more knocks sounded at the front door. Opening the door for the third time, Lupin saw Dumbledore, Arthur Weasley (who, like Bill and Molly, was easily identifiable by his red hair), and a witch and wizard, both in Auror robes and uniforms.
"Everyone's here, Remus?" Dumbledore asked as he entered.
"Yes, sir. They are all downstairs. Mr Weasley, I believe your wife has taken over the kitchen. "He smiled at Arthur's sigh.
"Call me Arthur and I shall call you Remus. My children are still singing your praises. Best Defence teacher they've had."
Lupin turned around as the witch gasped. She went wide eyed and tripped over the umbrella stand, pitching headfirst into him. He caught her easily, before she could make enough noise to wake Mrs Black, and set her back on her feet, holding her hand to steady her. "Nymphadora Tonks, I presume," he said with a smile.
She blushed. "Yes. And you're Remus Lupin."
"Yes, I am," he said, waiting for her outburst. It never came. She finally let go of his hand and stood watching him.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt." The wizard introduced himself. Dumbledore stood off to the side, beaming.
"Moony, old man, what's taking so long?" Sirius called as he ran up the stairs. "Oh," he said as he came to a stop and took in the Aurors in their robes and uniforms. "It's my worst nightmare."
Shacklebolt and Tonks exchanged glances and then burst out laughing. Dumbledore joined them. Lupin shook his head at his friend.
"What?" Sirius asked, pretending to look innocent. "Nymphadora Tonks, I haven't seen you since you were eight. Look at you, all grown up. And an Auror to boot. Andi must be so proud."
"Don't call me Nymphadora and we'll get along just fine. It's just Tonks."
"Fine, just Tonks. We shall catch up after the meeting. Shacklebolt, aren't you in charge of my capture?"
"Yes, I am. I do believe that you will be spotted in Hawaii tomorrow." Shacklebolt grinned at Sirius.
"I hear it's lovely there this time of year." Sirius grinned back. The two wizards walked off towards the kitchen, plotting the different locations of Sirius's sightings.
"Nymphadora." Dumbledore gestured that she should precede him.
"After you, sir," she smiled. Dumbledore nodded and followed behind Shacklebolt and Sirius.
"I thought it was just Tonks," Lupin asked.
"The Headmaster is on the short list of people who can call me by my given name without getting hexed."
"I think Nymphadora is a lovely name," Lupin told her.
She blushed again. "It's horrible. What's with yours?"
He raised an eyebrow. "My Muggle-born mother thought it would be cute to name me Remus, since my surname was Lupin. She was a mess after I was bitten-"
"Because you really were a wolf." Tonks finished for him. "I bet she was."
"Nice hair colour, by the way," he commented, to change the subject (although for some reason it wasn't bothering him to talk about himself with her). "Goes well with your uniform."
"Oh," Tonks said, touching a short pink spike. "It's pink to annoy Scrimgeour." She scrunched up her eyes as if trying to remember something. Her hair turned black and grew shoulder length almost instantaneously.
"You're a Metamorphmagus," Lupin said. "And you look like Sirius."
"I'm impressed, Remus. Most people just gape at me, but you got it on the first try. Yes, I suppose I do look like Sirius. We are some sort of relation." She grinned at him. "Damnit, we'll be the last ones downstairs."
"It's okay," he said, offering her his arm. "We can blame it on me playing doorman."
He smiled as she giggled. Arm in arm, they headed off towards the kitchen.
TBC