Interlude A – A Memory of Sunshine

They had both been young, Tonks particularly, when Remus had promised, in the ashes of victory, that everything would be okay, but only two years later everything had gone wrong.

Tonks had sat down at the table, in her old flat in London, and had looked at Remus nervously. "Remus, we need to talk." Her hair had been a bright, electric blue, the colour she knew that he liked.

However, Remus had been feeling on edge, and so had snapped back, "Oh really? I thought that was all we ever did?"

Tonks had flinched at that, but had then reached forward to take his hands. "Look, we've discussed this before; I want to have kids, Remus." They had discussed it before; many times in fact.

He had turned his head sharply, not wanting to look at her. Through a clenched jaw he said, "I can't give them to you, Tonks." And it was true; any chidren of his would, in all likelihood, be similarly afflicted with lycanthropy, if he were even able to father any. Most werewolves were sterile. Even worse, there was the risk of infecting Tonks herself.

"We could adopt, Remus. You'd make a great dad, and you know it."

Remus had remained staring at the wall, and felt the prick of a tear develop in one eye. He would have loved to be a father. "There's too much risk, Tonks. I couldn't put a child in that kind of danger, even if the Ministry would allow it."

She was squeezing his hands, but he still avoided her gaze. "I'm sure we could sort something out, Remus. We've got friends in high places, after all."

He had finally looked back at her, and had seen the worry in her face, and the anxiety. She deserved to have her own children, he thought, of her own blood. Certainly her Metamorphmagi talents ought to be passed down. His thoughts had solidified, until he knew what he had to do. But even then, he had remained a coward. "I can't put my name to an application like that. I won't endanger a small child."

"Merlin, Remus! You taught at Hogwarts."

"Yes, under strict security, and all of the children were older. And even then, something went wrong." He had paused, and then decided to bring one of his secrets into play. "When I was a student at Hogwarts, I nearly infected Severus Snape."

Tonks had been shocked by that. "You did?"

"I could never forgive myself if something like that happened to a child entrusted to my care."

Tonks had pulled her hands away slowly, and then stared at him as if she had never seen him before. "You're not going to change your mind, are you?"

As he shook his head negatively, she had sighed, and then said, "Then that's it, Remus. I guess ... I guess we'll just have to go our separate ways."

"I guess so, yes." It had cost Remus a lot to say that calmly. Looking at Tonks, he suspected that it had cost her a lot to ask.

Remus remembered little of the rest of the conversation, only that he had left soon after, being very polite. He had gone to his little house, and sat on the cold stone floor. All of his fine, noble, reasons for letting her go tasted like ashes in his mouth.

Interlude B – No Smoke Without Fire

The Ministry of Magic was quiet. Most of the staff had gone home for the weekend, and only a few keen workers remained, mostly scribbling away at their desks. One, however, was sitting at his broad desk, looking at the painting in front of him. With a weary sigh, he kicked his feet up and put them to rest on the desk, leaning backwards.

"Get in here, Percy. I've no time to waste."

At his stern tones, a young, red-haired man inched into the picture frame. "Good evening, sir."

"Percy, report." The man in the chair said nothing more.

"Well, sir, I have nothing to report from the Auror offices. Nymphadora Tonks was seen talking to some of the people from the werewolf case, but as far as my colleague could hear, nothing of importance was discussed. Down in the Department of Mysteries, Jason Cartwright, from Magical Creatures, was there all afternoon, discussing the unicorn problem with one of the Unspeakables. I did not hear any other topic of conversation. In Misuse of Muggle Artifacts nothing to report. Kimberley Arrott was absent again." The painted Percy's lip curled in contempt. "Susan Bones was being highly efficient in the Statute of Secrecy offices, finishing off the prosecution case against Dedalus Diggle."

The man in the chair interrupted. "Who is running the defence?"

"An outside lawyer. I believe his name is Torrance Dorfaux."

"I know of him. He used to work for Zabini, on her numerous divorce cases."

"Quite. In my opinion, Susan's case is watertight, although you may be interested to hear that a couple of the more long-in-the-tooth residents of that office are not best pleased. I think that one of them, possibly Brutus Channings, might decide to do something rash.

"I will take that into consideration, Percy. Please continue."

"In International Affairs, nothing to report. Oh, except that old Stuart was grumbling about our negotiating stance on the Floo Powder issue. He was saying that we were being 'unreasonable'. Laurel was keeping an eye on Magical Creatures. She said that Jason Cartwright made a copy of the werewolf register in the afternoon. She also said that Silvia Roberts was showing signs of empathy with the current centaur bargaining position..."

"Stop," said the man in the chair. "Did you say that Jason Cartwright copied the werewolf register?"

"That's what Laurel said. Her main painting is actually in the Werewolf Registry, you know."

"Yes, thank you, Percy, I know. I arranged that myself." He glared sharply at the forlorn portrait of Percy. "But didn't you just say that Mr. Cartwright was with the Unspeakables all afternoon?"

Percy looked momentarily confused. "Yes. I was watching him myself. He was there from two-thirty through till ten to five."

"When did Laurel see him?"

"I am not sure – she just said the afternoon."

"Please check on that. I have a suspicion that someone might be trying to sneak around under our noses." The man leaned back in his chair and smiled lazily. "You're dismissed, Percy. Nice work."