"So," James Potter started, leaning in over where Tonks sat on her work stool, a bit too close for her taste, "Do you think it can be done?" He finished, as he watched her measure the area in question.
"I can cover scars, James. It wouldn't be the first time I've even worked on a werewolf inflicted wound. The issue is, really, does Remus really want it covered?" She glanced over at Remus, who was already buttoning his shirt back. He'd undone it and shrugged the shoulder off to allow Tonks to take measurements of his mark.
"Why wouldn't he?" Sirius ask, speaking before Remus even opened his mouth. He seemed annoyed with the other two.
"I've never heard him mention it. Just seems like a personal decision to me. A deeply personal one. From what I understood- Ya know, like from school, those scars are kind of a touchy thing... That's all." She commented.
"It wasn't something I had ever considered, is all." Remus finally said quietly. Tonks squinted at him, feeling like he may have been suckered in to coming with the other two.
"And it's not like you've even had that many conversations with Moony, anyway. If it is so personal why would he share it with someone he doesn't know?" Sirius added, seeming offended by her remark.
"No, I guess I don't know him as well as you lot, do I?" She ask finally, steeling her face against all emotion. She wrote down a few more notes and sat back at her desk, before taking out a new sheet of paper. "Who is next?" She ask, waiting.
"Pads." James said, pushing his friend with his shoulder.
"Fine." Sirius huffed, pulling his jacket off and tossing it at James' face, then shrugging his tshirt off as well. Sirius had several tattoos, more done by Tonks than anyone else, covering his torso, arms, hands and the back of his neck. He even had a couple on his legs. He raised his arm and gestured with the other hand. "Here, I want mine along my ribcage, in this large blank area." He said. Tonks measured, clicked her tongue and decided to make the normal small talk she did with other clients.
"So- What made you boys decide for Patronum tattoos?" She ask, jotting her measurements for Sirius down. She shooed him away and gestured for James. "You're up, Prancer."
"Well, I was reading about them in one of Lily's magazine. And we're all very, very proud of you, by the way, but they are amazing. So I ran it by the lads and they agreed. So We're coming for my birthday." Sirius explained.
"Oh." Tonks nodded. She measured James' calve where he indicated and jotted it down. "So, each one takes three hours, round about. It is intense, painful, magically draining. But once on, it works." She said, laying her pen down and looking all three men over. "I can do you all three in one day, if you insist, but it will be a long day for all involved."
"Together." Remus said, "Or not at all."
"Color me shocked." She mocked but smiled. Shaking her head in amusement, Tonks leaned over her desk and opened her appointment book. "I have a Saturday at the top of next month. That is the best I can do. I actually will have a guest artist from Canada here, a friend of mine who has also perfected the style. He's going to mine that Thursday. Saturday he'll be here and can do walk-ins."
"We'll take it." James said. "They're on me. How much did we say?"
"They're five hundred galleons each. For you boys, I'll do four-twenty each." She said. There were a few inter-group protests, then James stepped forward and took his bank notes book and wrote her a check for the total. She smiled politely and wrote out a receipt.
Later that evening, Remus sat quietly in Tonks small kitchen, watching her from behind the mug of tea he nursed as she cooked some sort of chicken. She'd been silent the entire evening, not even greeting him when he'd come in, and Remus knew she was angry, hurting. But they'd planned this meal, and this evening, a while back, and she'd wanted to try the recipe for so long. He sighed, setting the mug down on the counter. "Say anything." He pleaded.
"There is nothing to say." She replied in a small voice, moving from cupboard to cupboard gathering things.
"Dora..." He begged.
"No. Sirius said it all." She said, turning, slinging a dish towel from her shoulder to the floor. "And you knew if you wanted your scar covered, you just ask. I would have. But that was- Embarrassing? Hurtful? I don't know. I feel like you are so full of secrets. You never told me about the scar cover up... and you won't tell the others about me." She looked at him with so much hurt. "There is nothing left to say, is there?"
"I-"
"Nothing." She repeated, answering her own question. A tear slipped down her cheek. "Maybe you should just go..." Her voice broke when she said it, and tears continued to follow the first on the trail down his cheeks. He stood, swallowing the knot that rose in his own throat, and nodded once before turning to leave.
"Can I call you later?" He ask meekly.
"I'd give it a day or two, Rem. Really think about how you can make this right. If I am what you even want." She had tears streaming, and he wanted so badly to dry them, but he knew he caused them. He nodded again, lingering for just a moment before leaving.
Back in the warmth of his quarters, Remus had found himself flopped across a large leather armchair, staring up at the ceiling rather than attending to the pile of half graded essays that were scattered across his coffee table. He had found himself in a rather difficult place, but he knew it was all his fault. Tonks had basically begged him from the beginning not to keep her a secret. Remus knew this was all his fault, and now they were in what was effectively their first real, true fight.
He wasn't even paying enough attention to know what was happening when the knocking started on his door. He simply waved his hand lazily over at the door, and the knob clicked open, letting Professor Slughorn in, steaming goblet in hand. The older professor looked his former student-turned colleague in his distress and cleared his throat. "Alright, boy?"
"Hmm. I don't know, maybe?" He blinked a few times, sitting up to properly address his guest.
"Feeling poorly or troubles with a lady?" He ask, sitting himself down across from the werewolf. He pushed the goblet slightly closer.
"Both?" Remus replied. He huffed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"I get the feeling you don't want to share. I assume I know her?" Slughorn offered, grinning. Remus felt his annoyance growing, even though he was actually quite fond of the old potions master.
"You've been teaching here since... Well I assume the founding- Of course you know her. You know everyone." Remus joked, and it made the old man laugh deep in his belly, which was almost as amusing as the joke itself.
"That is fair. I tell you what..." Slughorn dug in his pocket and took out a small vile of purple liquid and he tossed it to Remus. "This won't have any reaction with that wolvesbane, but it will help you sleep. You're going to need your rest. Take it, then the other."
Remus looked the older man over, but shrugged and popped the cork off the vile and swigged the entirety of it down, then the foul wolvesbane potion as a chaser. He made a horrible scrunched face at the taste, which he was sure he'd never get used to. He found Slughorn had stood and moved over to his chair. He laid a hand on Remus' shoulder. "Thank you, sir." As he handed the vile and goblet back to the other wizard, who smiled warmly.
"Anytime, my boy. Anytime." The man said, leaving Remus quarters. He sighed and leaned on back in the chair. It was a rather comfortable place, that chair. And his eyelids were growing heavier. Between the mentally exhausting fight with his girlfriend and the moon being full the very next night, he was quite tired. He waved a hand again and the papers he'd had on the coffee table vanished themselves into his office and he kicked his feet up where they had been, leaning back and closing his eyes.
His rest was cut short, however, when he felt someone violently shaking his arm. His eyes shot open, bloodshot, and he jumped as his nerves struggled to keep up with the forced consciousness. Even when he'd awoken, Harry kept shaking his arm. He looked pale, like he'd been terrified.
"Harry!" Remus gasped, catching Harry's arm with his other, free arm. "What's wrong?" He blinked into the dim light of the room. It was nearly midnight.
"It happened again!" Harry said, his voice panicky.
"Where?" Remus stood straight up.
"In the Common room. Like it is inside the walls. I was up late reading for Transfiguration, because I can't quite get Hedwig to turn into a crystal glass. She's always a more clay looking goblet. So I was reading about the spell. And I heard it. Said it wanted to hunt." Harry shivered at the thought.
"Hunt." Remus repeated. "Hunt what?"
"Us. The students." Harry said, "I think."
"Show me." Remus said, forgetting his own exhaustion. He followed Harry back out of his quarters, into his office, then out and through the defense classroom and down the corridor that lead up to Gryffindor tower. Harry hesitated at the portrait.
"I was sitting at the couch that would be..." He walked about four feet down and laid a hand on the stone wall. "About right here. It sounded like it was inside the walls." Remus furrowed his brow in thought. He did not want to call more attention to Harry's issue if it was something he could solve. He knew it might cause the young wizard a bit of grief. But he didn't want to underestimate the situation. Remus came and laid his head flat against the wall, eyes closed listening.
"Whatever it is- It seems to be gone now. Do you feel okay staying in your dorm?" He ask, a hand on each of Harry's shoulders. Harry nodded.
"I think so." He said, then stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Remus, hugging tight into him. "Thank you for believing me, Uncle Moony. And helping me." Harry said, pulling away.
"Always, Harry. You know that." He gave Harry a squeeze on the shoulder and stood, watching as Harry reentered the tower. He turned and headed back to his own wing of the castle. It was mostly dark, the sparse lantern here and there, and he had his wand to guide the way for the rest. He was just past the library when he, too heard something. Movement. In the dark.
"Hello?" He called into the darkness, and he cast a lumos ball out into the unlit void, lighting his way.
"Is someone there?" He called again. "I won't give you a detention if you come out now..." The sound, like something large dragging against the stone, moved away from him. He tried to follow it, but the sound moved faster than he, and Remus lost track of it. He felt a bit uneasy, but admitted his defeat and headed back to his own room to finish sleeping off his potions.
I hope you are all still enjoying this! I have quite a plan for this- and Next chapter will have more Sirius and Hermione for those curious about them.
Thank you all so very much for the reviews, and for following.