The picture depicted a skeleton in black armour riding a pale horse. At his feet lay the body of a fallen king. I looked from the card on the table to the woman who had placed it there. "This doesn't mean literal death, right?"

Emmeline's smile was warmly approving. In Divination, Trelawney's had always seemed to say I'd just proved there was such a thing as a stupid question. My friend touched the banner held in the skeleton's hand with a fingertip. "The rose symbolises life, and in the background, the sun is rising on a new day."

"The unending cycle of life," Remus said.

Emmeline beamed. "Exactly. Death, birth, renewal, this card foretells that you will be blessed with the ability to make changes, to transform old attitudes and situations into better, stronger ones."

"Transitions are never easy," Remus said wryly.

Emmeline's smile was bittersweet. "No, and I have endured many of them." She contemplated the card and said, "While living without my husband caused the most sorrow, I believe the Underground's disbanding will be my biggest regret."

My gaze flew to Remus. He didn't look surprised. I wasn't either, and yet I was. It was a strange feeling, almost identical to what my Muggleborn roommate had described back in seventh year. Before her parents divorced, my friend had ignored the signs because she didn't want to see them. In the same way, I'd pretended the infrequent meetings, declining attendance, and missions reduced to a few eavesdropping jaunts were just a phase.

I now admitted to myself that I'd seen this coming, but I had to ask, "If you'll regret disbanding, why do it?"

Emmeline patted my hand. The gesture was something Gran would do. It reminded me that although we got along famously, I was much younger and far less wise.

She said briskly, "It's the right thing to do. I gathered this group to continue the work others had begun. We have done our best, but the price paid for what little information we gather has become far too dear."

Kingsley's voice saying people die echoed in my mind. I said, "Still, can't you find out whoever is leaking information?"

"We've tried for the last six months. Between Kingsley's arsenal of Wizarding gadgets and my divining, we have scrutinised every remaining member." She shook her head slowly. "Even if we discovered those responsible, the Undergroundhas been compromised on too many levels," she said, voice tired yet filled with resolve.

My partner had a similar expression of resigned acceptance on his face. I said wildly, "So the fate of the Wizarding world is in the hands of the Ministry? Oh, that's comforting!"

"Don't forget Harry Potter," said Remus.

Hysterical laughter burst from my throat. "The-Boy-Who-Lived-But-We-Don't-Know-Why…Right… In his spare time between classes and the Triwizard Tournament, he can take on You-Know-Who!"

"I pray it does not come to that."

The gravity of Emmeline's tone caused tears to spring to my eyes. "So do I. Sirius really loves that kid. If Harry di—"

"Don't say it." Remus placed his hand over mine and pressed softly. "Have faith."

I tried to smile. "Gran says she walks by faith, not by sight. Not a bad idea, I guess, when the way looks dark."

"Not bad at all," said Emmeline. She stood and smiled determinedly. "I have Torta Barozzi in the kitchen. Come, have dessert with a cup of caffè marocchino." She led us through the house, explaining, "The Italians may only drink espresso morning and night, but I am not Italian, and caffeine keeps me up if I drink it too late in the day."

The espresso with a dash of hot milk and chocolate powder was fab with the moist, fudgy cake. Chocolate lifted my spirits, helping me say with only a trace of sarcasm, "So, this group whose work you carried on. Any chance of them rising from the ashes again?"

Remus drank his caffè the wrong way and began to cough. I pounded him on the back until he said with a small smile, "Thank you. I'm fine."

Emmeline was smiling too. "I have a feeling it will, my dear, when the time is right."

I heeded the subject is closed tone and accepted another thin wedge of chocolate cake. "This is amazing. My mum would love the recipe."

"Thank you, but I was sworn to secrecy when I learned the recipe in Italy almost twenty years ago." Emmeline watched me take another bite, lips curving as she said, "We had finished touring a medieval castle and decided to venture into the small town nearby, stopping at La Pasticceria, the pastry shop, for a sweet. Winston had gelato, and I chose a slice of Torta Brazzio."

"What flavour of gelato?" I asked, curious about the wizard she'd loved so much.

"Lemon."

The mental picture of a reserved but loving English couple seated in a tiny shop off a cobbled Italian street made me smile. Slowly, the vision shifted and became one that made my breath catch: another couple, dressed casually and acting openly affectionate. They sat close together, talking softly. It was a satisfying image, but something was off. I realised the man held an empty dish. I asked Remus, "What's your favourite kind of gelato?"

He said, "Stracciatella."

In my imagination, the man dipped a spoon into his vanilla and chocolate gelato and fed it to his wife. I sighed and returned my attention to the present conversation. Emmeline said, "I prefer Bracio, chocolate and hazelnut." She asked Remus, "Do we even need to enquire the flavour Tonks prefers?"

His eyes crinkled in a smile. "She might surprise us."

I used my fork to cut another bite of cake. "No, I won't. It's chocolate."

Despite Emmeline's protests, Remus and I helped clear away the dishes. I tried my best to be careful with the crockery and only dropped one platter. Emmeline repaired it with a chuckle. "I would toss it out, but the Great Aunt who gave it to me for a wedding gift expects to see it used on her visits."

"Wow, she must be really old," I said unthinkingly. I immediately tried to remove my foot from my mouth. "I mean..."

"She's a right hag, but Eudora's family," Emmeline said with a small laugh, "She's old, too, but that doesn't stop Auntie from pestering me to invite Albus over for a drink when she's here."

"Albus Dumbledore?" I said incredulously.

She winked. "Barmy, isn't she? I only invite him to have drinks with me."

Remus coughed behind his hand again. I patted him on the back and tried to get my head around the idea of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and sex symbol to seniors.

It was inconceivable.

.

I was still fighting shudders over the thought of Emmeline and Albus in a clinch when we Flooed back to my place. The moment Remus stepped out of my fireplace, I said, "You don't think she…and Dumbledore."

He shook his head. "No, they're just friends." He added musingly, "I always wondered if he and Minerva were partners." I must have made a horrible face, because Remus started laughing. It was a nice laugh, rich like chocolate, but I didn't appreciate it half as much as the hug he gave me. He said humourously, "Think of it like this. One day we too will be, in the words of Mr. Santini, active seniors."

"What? That…elderly Casanova…better not get active with my Gran!" I sputtered.

"I believe the modern term is get busy," Remus said smilingly.

I groaned and scrunched my eyes closed. "I don't like to imagine anybody besides us as intimate, much less getting busy." I lifted my head and asked worriedly, "Does that make me a prude?"

"Not as long as you like the thought of us being intimate." He paused and asked huskily, "Do you?"

My face felt hot. I melted against him, whispering, "So much I wish . . . ."

He kissed me, allowing me to say without words that I wanted to be with him, although something held me back from giving myself fully. I couldn't speak the words, because they'd sound mental. I needed more than I love you, but I didn't know what that was.

Right now, I needed only to explore the warmth of his skin with my hands and the heat of his mouth with my tongue. Remus wanted the same, tugging at the hem of my tee while I unbuttoned his shirt. My fingers followed the silky arrow of hair down his abdomen and then caressed back up while his touch created sensations I never wanted to end.

That was the tricky part.

Over the months, kissing had become the kind of snogging that strained the limits of what my pal Jan called amitié amoureuse, a passionate friendship. I still loved kisses and intimate conversations, but the desire for more kept me in Remus's arms until exhilaration became frustration.

Remus pulled away, looking as tense as I felt. He raked a hand through his hair and said, "Do you want to go for a run?"

I had to laugh. "Sure. I'm all warmed up." He smiled wolfishly, watching me pull on my t-shirt. I backed toward the bedroom. "I'll get my stuff and change in the lav." Remus kept gear in my wardrobe; we went running frequently these days. I turned to open the door.

"Nymphadora."

I looked back and caught the lacy item he threw me, saying, "Thanks. I got it half-off at a Siren's Secret sale. You like?"

"Yes. Did you buy the matching panties?"

I blew him a kiss. "That's for me to know, and you to find out."

Remus's huff of amusement kept me grinning while I picked out a running bra and shorts. In the lavatory, I splashed my face with cold water and ran my wrists under the tap for good measure. All effort to regain my cool was lost the moment I saw my love sitting on the bed tying his trainers. He looked too scrummy in shorts, but I could hardly demand he wear a tracksuit in warm weather.

"Ready?"

My gaze flickered past him to the pillows lying side by side. "Almost."

.

The next morning, I had barely stumbled out of the shower before the front door wards chimed. I dragged on a robe and hurried to open the door. "Why didn't you Floo, ba…by…"

Instead of Remus, Tom and Julia were waiting in the hallway. They didn't look lovey-dovey like I'd expected. They weren't even smiling. Not sure what to make of their closed expressions, I glanced from the cups Tom carried to the bag in my best friend's hands and said, "Anything from Chocolat makes my day brighter. Come on in!"

My visitors were conspicuously silent as they entered. Remus stepped out of the fireplace. He looked at me with a slight frown. "Don't you have work today?"

I glanced down. I really should have used a Drying Charm. I nodded. "Yeah, I just thought it was you at the door so I…" I jumped out of the shower, soaking wet, and ran to meet you. I clutched the front of my robe and said, "I'll go get dressed now."

After pulling on trousers and a pink embroidered tunic to match my hair, I left the bedroom and found the others talking quietly in the lounge. To be precise, Remus was explaining that Mundungus had owled shortly after midnight, reporting that his trawl through usual haunts had unearthed no rumours of blackmail. He asked Tom to consider paying and using spells on the money to trace it to the blackmailer.

Tom exhaled heavily. "I'll have to talk it over with Evan and Maris. I'll let you know."

I'd been sitting on the rug, listening and eating a chocolate almond croissant. I took another bite and took a sip of café au lait, more concerned about the couple's personal problems. Julia was eating a plain croissant, and I'd bet her coffee was black.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Julia demanded.

I shrugged awkwardly. "I thought you'd be eating an éclair or at least a truffle. Aren't you happy?"

"She acted thrilled last night," said Tom.

In her chair, Julia leaned forward, snapping, "That was before reality hit."

I put down my croissant. "Wait a minute. Did you two kiss and make up or not?"

"We did," said Tom.

"Not!" declared Julia.

"I didn't sleep on the sofa, darling."

"You weren't awakened with a kiss, though!"

I looked from one set face to another. "Hold on. Tom, didn't you explain and beg forgiveness?"

"Yes, practically on my knees."

"Jul, didn't you forgive him?"

"Yes, but . . . ."

"What?" I asked, when she trailed off, shaking her head. "He said he was sorry, you forgave him, what's the problem now?"

"You don't understand," Julia said, rising. Her gaze went to Remus. "What if she'd lied to you for months instead of days? After she explained everything, once the relief wore off, would an apology really have made up for the pain she put you through?"

"No."

My stomach twisted. Remus reached out and took my hand. I whispered, "You wouldn't forgive me?"

He said, "I think I could forgive you anything, but it would take longer than a single evening to forget."

Julia nodded before turning on her heel and heading to the fireplace. "I can't talk about this now."

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" said Tom, once his partner had gone.

"Give her time," Remus said. "When Julia sees that you're including her in every part of your life, she'll be reassured that you won't hurt her like that again."

"I wanted to say I was sorry and leave it at that," Tom's voice was filled with self-deprecation. "I so worried about what might happen if I broke my silence, I never thought about the consequences of not telling Julia."

A heavy silence fell. I said, "At least your hair won't turn the colour of crap."

Tom laughed shortly. "That's the last thing I need, Harriet the Spy thinking I'm sucking up to Gulch by toning down excessive attractiveness unbecoming to an Auror."

"I never got that memo," I said, a bit miffed.

"Perhaps you should be relieved," Remus murmured.

Tom snorted. "If Gulch calls me into her office and makes an indecent proposal, I won't need threats to make me quit."

Silence fell once again. It was time to do something to lighten the mood or break into my stash of anti-depressant chocolate. I concentrated and morphed my features to resemble those of our wicked-witch supervisor. I raised my hands and wiggled my fingers. "I'll get you, my pretty!"

My wicked cackling made Tom smile. While I morphed my face back to normal, he said, "Want to switch partners for the day?"

"No, I want you to go hug Julia and tell her you understand how she feels, even if you don't like it, and then treat her like she deserves."

Tom nodded and left. Remus said, "That was good advice."

I said wryly, "Given from personal experience." He walked over and kissed my cheek. I sighed. "Why do I have to learn things the hard way? Because I have a hard head?"

Remus chuckled and sifted his fingers through my hair. "Hmm…yes, I'm afraid so."

I stuck the tip of my tongue out at him and slid my hands into his hair. "Your head is hard, too, baby."

"That's a relief."

"Why?"

With a smile in his eyes and voice, Remus said with a straight face, "Butting heads with you won't cause lasting damage."

.

I was still smiling foolishly over the thought of literally butting heads with Remus and then snogging him when I passed through the double doors of the Auror Offices. A co-worker looked at me speculatively, so I hastily assumed a professional demeanour and walked faster. I didn't want end up the subject of another one of Marsden's office cartoons!

Tom and Julia were quietly discussing a case in his cubicle, so I waved and headed for my own. Inside, Jerry was tossing a dart at the miniature board on the wall. It landed well wide of the centre.

"Connelly, are you sure you're part Irish? You can't throw straight to save your life."

He hefted a dart and said, "At least I'm on the board."

I clapped his shoulder when his next throw barely made it onto the dartboard. "Cock-eyed optimism. I'll never doubt again."

Jerry's grin made him look like a Wizard Scout leader, with a freckle-faced, outdoorsy appeal. I was glad his on-again, off-again relationship seemed to be going well at the moment. He said, "I know I've got the Irish luck. Mum finally invited Anne to dinner."

Oh, crap. Why was he smiling? I would've been wringing my hands in his place. I tried to be a voice of reason. "Isn't it a little…soon…for that?"

"Your parents have Remus over all the time."

"That's totally beside the point, Jerreth. You and Anne are a totally different case."

"Why, Nymphadora, because we're not in love like you and Remus?"

I socked Connelly in the bicep. "No, it's because the first and last time Anne spent time with your mum, she never wanted to see you again." While he rubbed his sore arm, I said, "After all the ups and downs you two have been through, do you really want to risk that happening again?"

He thought a moment and then said, "Yes."

I patted him on the arm. "Then good luck, mate, wish I could be a fly on the wall to—"

"That's a great idea!"

I took a step back. "What is?"

"You coming to dinner! Mum will be so distracted by you that she'll lay off Anne. It's brilliant!" Jerry was smiling so widely I wondered if his cheeks hurt.

I said, "Sorry, mate, I'd do it, but I've already got plans."

"I didn't tell you the date."

I mentally crossed fingers. "Is it Friday?" I'll have an extortionist to catch, an indoor barbeque to suffer through.

"Oh, it's not on Friday, Mum has a garden club meeting then. It's on Wednesday. Say you'll come!"

I ignored the chill running down my spine. There was no such thing as precognition. Maintenance had cast the Cooling Spells too strong. A draft made me shiver, entirely by coincidence. I didn't want to spend a meal getting put down, but if I didn't run interference, Anne would be left to the mercies of Mrs. C, and Jerry wouldn't have a girlfriend Thursday morning. Resigned, I asked, "What time?"

"Mum says eating early is better for the digestion, so right after work?"

"All right."

"Thanks, Tonks."

I rolled my eyes and took a seat behind my desk, picking a manila folder out of the inbox. "Yeah, yeah, you owe me." I opened the folder and began to laugh. "Did I ever tell you about a situation artist named Wizard Waldo?"

He said, "No, but I heard about that tube station bust."

"Well, the busker who filed the first report is accusing another wizard of trying to take up where Waldo left off." I handed him the information with a smile. "Let's get to work."

.

.

A/N: When it rains, it pours, lol. Anyone looking forward to dinner with Mrs. C? LOL The readers whose reviews I eagerly looked forward to last week were… aamattsonperdue AAMLrox alix33 Ange de l'eau Bardlover cupcakeswirl eleen Elspeth Bates Embellished Fauzia FNP Freja Lercke-Falkenborg GraceRichie Hurley's Belial ishandtwofourths Kates Master katieweasley ladyofthebookworms Machiavelli Jr MagicalMischiefMakersInc Magnolia Crescent MamaLisa MollyCoddles MsMissProngs Nessime petiteloupegarou Polaris101 RiTa Sivaroobini Lupin-Black Sophia Loren squirrley donut sunny9847 Verity Weasley wotchermona and Writer Merrin