Thanks you guys!
xanya-forever:blushes: oh, you're too kind…! I loved writing about happy Sirius…not glum-oh-I'm-stuck-in-my-crappy-parents'-old-house-Sirius.
DarkSideoftheMoon: Hahhahha, that bribe doesn't really work 'coz I work at a pretzel place! Awesome-nosity, no? Thankies!
Mag: Yeah, there's gonna be some HBP spoilers after this chapter. Actually, everything from the next chapter on are gonna have MAJOR spoilers. And your English is quiteexcellent!
Also, loads of gratitude to Paris BYK, Elf771, sexyface, and chaotic pink chocobo! Hershey's Chocolate Bars for all of you!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine. All I have is an aluminum wand.
His Metamorphmagus
Chapter III:
Desert Lilies and Train Stations
Remus Lupin quickly strolled down one of the many wide corridors of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Healers in sweeping lime green robes bustled in and out of quiet rooms, waling rooms, whistling rooms, and a particularly crowded room emitting angry squawks. The former professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry ignored these usually disturbing noises, his wrinkled face contorted with worry. Only in his late thirties, but Remus's hair was now dusted with gray streaks. He blinked down at the small bouquet of desert lilies, wafting a calming scent along the busy hall.
He came to a halt in front of a wooden door labeled "Fatal Hexes". Ht turned the knob and the door slowly and silently swept open.
The narrow beds with coarse blankets that lined the oak walls were empty save one. A pale woman with short, mousy brown hair was flipping through a copy of Witch Weekly, rolling her bright eyes at some of the articles. She then sighed heavily before tossing the magazine aside and taking up a copy of the Daily Prophet. The newspaper held her attention slightly longer than the magazine, but its fate was the same as its former, thrown onto the wooden floor with a bored exhale of breath.
A smile played across Remus's lips as he watched. The young Auror had been confined in the empty ward for a week and she was already longing to go out. He knocked onthe doorframe and cleared his throat slightly, alerting her that she had a guest.
"Good afternoon, Tonks," he greeted brightly.
"Remus Lupin," she chided. "It's about time you came to visit!"
"You've only been in for a week," he pointed out.
"Yes, but even Dumbledore's stopped by twice," she replied with a waving finger. "And do you know how busy he is?"
Remus chuckled. "Yes, but everyone listens to Dumbledore, now don't they? If he wants to visit a friend in the hospital, he visits them, even if he's in a meeting with the Minister of Magic, running one of the greatest schools in the world, or preparing for a war."
Tonks waved him over. "I'm so rude," she said apologetically as she conjured up a funny looking armchair with multiple arms that kept changing. Remus walked over to the morphing chair and took a seat. The arms stopped waving and color changing, settling on a somber gray with the arms held out gently.
"I got these for you," he offered the small bundle of desert lilies to her.
She accepted them shyly. "How'd you know these are my favorite flowers?" she asked as she conjured up a small, multi-colored vase half-filled with water out of mid-air and gently set the delicate blossoms in it.
"Well, you did mention it once…" he trailed off with a sheepish look.
"But that was ages ago!" she said in surprise, but her expression was soft and she seemed touched.
Remus's face grew hot and he could feel it glow red. But Tonks noticed his bashful silence and quickly changed the subject, "How is everyone?" she asked, her eyes dimming slightly as her face set into a serious expression.
"Madam Pomfrey took care of everything," Remus said reassuringly, grateful for the topic change. "Neville's nose and Ginny's ankle were restored. Ron and Hermione are still in the hospital wing, though. But they're going to be fine."
"And Harry?"
Remus's head inclined forward slightly. "He's still trying to get over Sirius's death," he sighed. "All of us are."
"How are you?" asked Tonks in a hesitant tone, worry etched into her heart-shaped face.
"Oh, I'm fine," he replied airily, not looking in her face. "How are you doing, though?"
"I'm fine," she said, "but I know you're not."
Remus looked away. Of course she would know that. Everyone had been asking about how he felt. How did he feel?
It…it was just so abrupt. One minute Sirius was there, laughing and the next…
"Remus?"
He blinked out of his reverie and found an anxious Tonks before him. She had crawled out from under the coarse covers and her hands were placed over his.
"Remus, it's all right, you can tell me."
"It's…I don't' know, really. I guess I'm still trying to sort it all out. To…let it sink in? Or just realize it's not a nightmare; that it's reality."
She squeezed his still-young hands and he returned it gratefully.
"He was a brother to me. They all were my brothers. They accepted me without question. They didn't fear me—well, maybe Pettigrew, but he hid it, I guess."
"I accept you for who you are," Tonks said in a low tone.
He freed on hand and brought it up to her pale face. "Thank you." Her cheeks reddened slightly and he quickly drew his hand back, wondering about his strange actions. The two sat in an awkward, embarrassed silence.
Remus racked his mind for something to say. "Oh, I almost forgot! Dumbledore asked if you wanted to help us see Harry off at King's Cross next week."
"Us?"
"Oh, the usual crowd," he ticked the names off by absently tapping them on her hand, "Mad-Eye, Arthur, and Molly. We were also thinking about talking to his relatives."
Tonks grinned widely; having heard about the legendary Dursleys, she figured a dose of their own threatening medicine was sure to come into play with Mad-Eye around. "Count me in," she proclaimed enthusiastically.
"Good," said Remus, getting up from the somber armchair (which immediately came to life). "I'll see you there, then."
"All right," she banished the chair with a quick flick of her wand.
He glanced over his shoulder before shutting the door to find her carefully arranging the blossoms in the vase.
Gentle smiles played across both faces as he left the ward and she drank in the sweet scent.
Trolleys quickly shoved past a large, strange group of people. Trains whistled and announcements were made by a monotonous, bored voice,
Remus grinned as he stood next to a now pink-haired Tonks in a violet The Weird Sisters shirt. The two, along with balding Mr. Weasley, plump Mrs. Weasley, sinister Mad-Eye Moody, the mischievous Weasley twins, and beaming Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley were facing a porky Mr. Dursley (whose upper lip was sweating profusely), enormous Dudley Dursley (staring from one magical being to the other with a petrified expression), and thin Mrs. Dursley (so pointedly refusing to look at Tonks's bright hair, she nearly backed into an on-coming trolley).
"Bye, then, Potter," said Mad-Eye as he clapped the messy-haired boy on the shoulder with a gnarled hand.
"Take care, Harry," Lupin said in a kind tone as the two shook hands. He watched as the young man hugged Mrs. Weasley and exchanged farewells with his friends. He shot each and every one of them an expression of pure gratitude before wheeling his trolley away with the Dursleys hurrying behind him, grateful to leave the presence of those…people.
As soon as the group was out of earshot, Tonks burst out laughing. The rest soon followed suit, infected by the bout of hysterical laughter.
"I think the mob got the message across, don't you, George?" Fred Weasley asked his twin.
"I don't know," George feigned worry as he looked at the retreating backs. "Maybe we should have them followed by our Spy-ders."
Ron paled. "Sp-spiders?" he croaked weakly.
"Nothing to fear, my arachnophobic brother," said Fred as George drew a lifeless spider out from his pocket. "It's still in its developing stage."
"But it's sure to be a hit when it finds its way into houses and help you learn amazing secrets about your friends and foes," George recited as he causally dropped the fake insect back into his dragon skin pocket.
"We're stilling trying to work it around Imperturbable Charms," Fred explained as he glanced at his wristwatch.
"Oh, will you look at the time."
"Galleons away!" the two gave the group a quick wave before Disapparating.
"Remus," said Tonks as the group dispersed after saying their farewells to one another.
"Yes?" he turned his attention to her as the Grangers left with the Weasleys.
"May I speak to you?"
"I best be going," Moody said in a gruff tone. "You two keep an eyeout for Death Eaters."
"Will do, Mad-Eye," said Remus as Tonks waved distractedly. The retired Auror stumped off and disappeared.
Remus turned to Tonks. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing at the nearest exit.
"Oh…of course."
"Tonks, are you all right?"
"Fine," she said hurriedly. "I just need to talk to you about something."
Remus gave her a searching look as they exited the crowded station. "Here," he offered her his upper arm.
She nodded as her pale hand clasped around his arm and they Apparated to a park far from the train station. They quietly took a seat on an old wooden bench perched between two large oak trees. Birds chirped as he turned and directed his attention to the pink-haired woman.
She took a shaky breath and looked him dead in the eye, "Remus, the past year, you were one of the few people who truly believed in me."
"Everyone—" he started.
"Thought I was too young," she smiled. "And maybe I am, but that didn't stop me from proving them wrong."
He gazed at her intense eyes and sighed inwardly at all the life she had within her.
"And...and most of all, I wanted to prove myself worthy of you."
Remus let the words sink into the silent air (for the birds stopped their song seconds before). He realized what she was getting at. "No, Tonks—"
"Yes," she said in a low voice. "Do you remember when we first met?"
He nodded mutely.
"You were just as tired and cautious as you are now. You don't let anyone get close to you. Why is that?"
"Tonks, you know why."
"Because you're a werewolf?" she stated in disbelief.
"And that's why we can't be more than friends," he interjected firmly.
"Do I look like a helpless little girl to you?" she demanded.
"No, but things could happen."
"Exactly! Things could happen," she repeated his words as she gazed at him intently. "You wouldn't be alone anymore. You could be accepted as the man who set aside the monster he was forced to become and just…" she waved her hands to emphasize her next word, "live."
"Tonks, I can't endanger anyone that I care about."
"So you do care?"
"I care about you more than anyone else," he croaked out.
She sat there with a tender expression on her heart-shaped face. "Remus," her hand fell on his. He jerked away and got to his feet.
"But it can't happen," he said in a firm tone.
"Why?" she mouthed soundlessly her as pink hair drooped.
"You're you, much too young. It'd feel like I was…I was taking advantage of you."
"No it wouldn't," she protested.
"Tonks, listen to me," he said, placing both hands on her shoulders. "You need someone closer to your age. Someone good and whole. Someone…someone that can sweep you off your feet without consulting a lunar chart beforehand. You don't want to be confined to a—a—" he grit his teeth together, "a half-breed like me. I'm too old for you. Too danger. And much too poor." He straightened up and turned away, "Go. Go find a man worthy of you."
"Remus," she rose and gazed into his somber eyes. "I just want you."
He froze, their eyes connected. Her glistening brown orbs were as sincere as ever. He knew she could take care of herself. He knew she cared about him and he earnestly wanted to hold her close. But he knew she was too young and whole. He turned his head away in order to avoid the hurt expression that would be pressed across her face. "No, Tonks, that is something I can't give you."
She stood in silence.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as he watched her out of the corner of his eye.
Tonks's face was paler than ever and her hair was dulling. She looked at him for a long moment.
"I'm sorry," he repeated and her eyes glistened.
She didn't say a word. Her body disappeared into thin air with a saddening pop.
Important note: There will be HBP spoilers from the next chapter and on! (Thanks to mag for reminding me!) So if you haven't finished HBP yet, don't venture any further until you learn whowas killedand start developing insane little theories as to why and all that good stuff!
Another chapter done! Only two weeks left before I have to go back to the roach infested building with tiny halls (better known as school). I think I might be able to get a chapter or two in before I return to the land of learning.
Everything's currently riding on untangling the mess of ideas I have for the next few chapters and making sure they work around the book. Hahaha, wish me luck!
Okay. The usual plea for reviews. Please you guys? Please? I have…um… :glances over shoulder: (DarkSideoftheMoon's gonna love this one) PRETZELS! And not the little bleh hard ones, the big soft ones! And I made them all! BWAH!
Until next time,
Farfanugans,
Chikin Wang.