AN - Thanks for sticking with me on this story - I can't tell you just how happy I am to be writing again! I'm so excited to share the next few chapters with you! For now, who is for lunch with the parents?

– Mum, why do you have a photo of Remus Lupin?

The winter sun hung low in the sky making her squint and cover her eyes with her hand as she walked along the familiar street. Enjoying the warmth on her skin, her pace slowed, and she tilted her head up towards the heat. It had been a harsh winter – both figuratively and literally.

Tonks didn't mind the cold, but this winter had been particularly nasty, with storm after storm making it hard for anyone to get out of the castle. She had felt cooped up, cut off as she was from being able to walk into Hogsmeade or take a stroll around the expansive Hogwarts grounds. Of course, the weather-imposed imprisonment in the Castle probably wouldn't have been quite so painful to Tonks had she been able to spend it with someone.

Tonks hadn't properly spoken to Remus since he'd requested that she leave his interview. He had made attempts, almost daily at first, to explain to her, but she had told him it didn't matter, and walked away from him or even a few times closed the door on him. She had taken to avoiding him as much as possible and though he still occasionally tried to catch her eye or stop her in a corridor they hadn't had a real conversation in several weeks.

And she missed him. A lot.

Her last-minute decision to leave the castle this morning on her day off had been a combination of needing to escape the confinements of her living quarters and concern that her resolve to stay away from Remus Lupin was dissipating. She had bumped into him at breakfast. Recently she had taken to arriving early at the Great Hall as soon as breakfast was served for staff, grabbing a plate and taking it back to her room but this morning he had beaten her there. Indeed, he looked as though he hadn't slept at all. She realised at once that he was ill again. The empathy and concern that washed over her was both instantaneous and debilitating. She wanted to run to him, usher him back to his room and care for him. When he had noticed her arrival and locked eyes with her, she'd known she needed to get away from Hogwarts – even if it was just for a day.

Her long-suffering parents deserved a visit. She knew she had been neglecting them since starting this assignment – if she was honest with herself, she'd been rubbish at visiting them as often as she should for the past year or so. She loved her parents with all her heart, but they weren't the easiest people to be around. Her father, loving, caring, doting as he was, worried so much about her, he fused over her, even more now she'd moved out than when she had lived at home.

And Andromeda.

Tonks and her mother were so polar opposite and yet so alike it was a complete juxtaposition. They thought the same about everything, shared every opinion and impulse – how they acted upon those feelings was where they parted company. Andromeda was stoic, emotionally strong, reserved and steady. Tonks on the other hand wore her heart on her sleeve, reacted before her brain had time to catch up with her mouth and could fall over thin air. They frustrated each other but could also read each other like no one else.

She let herself in to her childhood home, all at once wishing she could go back to a simpler time, when she had been a child and felt the sanctuary of her bedroom but also knowing she couldn't bear to live in that house again.

"Mum, Dad, are you in?" In her haste to get away from Remus she hadn't even let them know she was coming. She heard movement upstairs followed by her Father belting out some random words in the vague imitation of the tune that was playing through the radio. Immediately she felt the urge to run and throw her arms around him.

"Dancing Queen, feel the heat from the margarine OH YEAH"

Ted Tonks wailed at the top of his lungs as he began his descent down the stairs.

"Tonks!" Seeing his only daughter at the bottom, he took the last few with a skip and pulled Tonks into a bone crushing hug. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming. I'm so glad you're here." He pulled back, his hands still on her shoulders, "You've made my day. Come on, you look hungry lets make you some lunch."

Tonks knew there was no point telling him she had eaten a huge breakfast not two hours ago. There was no way her Father was letting her leave his house until he had witnessed her eat a decent meal.

"I wasn't 100% sure I'd have the time to come." Tonks said as she followed her Dad down the hallway into the kitchen at the back of the house. "Where's Mum?"

Ted turned and smiled at his daughter, clearly still shocked she was actually there. "She popped out about an hour ago, she should be back anytime now."

Walking round the kitchen, looking at the photos stuck to the fridge, hung from string across the patio doors and turned into magnets on the freezer, most of which were of her, she couldn't help but smile. She really should visit her parents more.

"I guess you're busy with things at Hogwarts. I hope she gets home before you have to head off."

Tonks walked up and hugged her Dad from behind, wrapping her arms around his belly and resting her head on his back. "Actually, I was hoping I could stay for the night. Head back early in the morning."

Ted turned and crushed Tonks. "Oh that's wonderful. We can hunker down this evening in the den and watch Singing in the Rain."

Tonks smiled, "Dad, couldn't you re-enact that whole film by now."

Ted Tonks barked out his laugh, "Don't be silly of course I couldn't."

Tonks rolled her eyes, "You've watched it at least 100 times, that's only since I've been alive."

Ted put his arm around his daughter, "Oh I'm not saying I don't know all the words, the dance routines and songs, it's just it has three main characters. I'm good Pumpkin, but not that good!"

Tonks took the hot tea her Dad offered her, along with the massive bacon sandwich and the pair walked into the living room. Tonks curled her feet up underneath her on her parents old, but plump sofa.

"Ted, Ted! I'm back. It was so busy, I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sure Diagon Alley used to be quiet when Hogwarts is in session, but now it seems it is consistently packed." She placed her bags in the kitchen and followed Ted's shout of 'We're in here'.

"Tonks!" Andromeda beamed before catching herself and gathering her composure. "It's so lovely to see you. Did we know you were coming?"

Tonks repeated what she had told her Dad and the three sat together in the living room generally catching up on the past few months of life. The longer she stayed the guiltier she felt for not visiting sooner.

"So, what's up Tonks?" Her Dad had never been subtle. Tonks shifted in her seat.

"What do you mean?"

Her Dad smiled kindly. "Well, as lovely as a surprise visit from my wonderful daughter" Andromeda slapped him gently on the arm, "our" she interrupted, "sorry, our wonderful daughter is – we know you well enough to know somethings up."

Tonks smiled in a way she hoped was convincing, "Honestly guys, I'm fine. Good actually. I just realised it had been too long since I visited."

Her Mum and Dad looked at each other, the way they had when she was a child and they had caught her in a lie.

"Well I guess work is quite hard at the moment. I've not been doing a particularly good job recently, truth be told." Ted moved and sat on the other side of the sofa his daughter was still curled up on.

"You are doing your best. I know you are because you always do and that is all anyone can ever ask of you."

Tonks smiled at her Dad, "I wish you were Minister for Magic Dad, sadly Fudge doesn't really care whether or not I'm doing my best."

Tonks stood up and walked over to the fireplace. "I was sent to Hogwarts to protect Harry and the students from Sirius Black and he's managed to get into the castle not once but twice! No one has blamed me yet, but it's only a matter of time."

Andromeda's voice was hardly audible – "Sirius? I thought you were at Hogwarts for general security."

Tonks grimaced, that is exactly what her parents would be thinking, because that is exactly what she had told them. She may have left out a lot of details about her assignment. It wasn't as if they talked about Sirius regularly, but every time his name had come up, she had seen the effect it had on her Mum.

"Well, yeah it started out like that but…" Tonks sighed, "Ok, look I'm sorry I know I should have told you but I didn't want to upset you Mum. I didn't want either of you to worry."

Tonks sat back down but was fidgety. She hadn't realised just how stressed she was until she had gotten away from the castle.

"I'm sure it's not all that bad," said Ted, ever the optimist. "You're amazing and anyone who knows you, knows you're an incredible Auror. Is there no one else who could continue the assignment? They had you doing lots of paperwork before this didn't they? That seemed like a good deal to me. Nine to five aye."

Tonks couldn't help but smile at her Dad, his faith in her was never ending but if it was up to him, she would never leave her desk at the ministry.

"She's too talented to be chained to her desk, Ted."

Tonk blinked at her Mother, it wasn't that Andromeda wasn't supportive, just that she rarely voiced that support, out loud.

"She is more than capable of running the whole Black investigation if she had to."

Tonks felt a little emotional, "Thanks Mum."

Andromeda batted away her daughters' words and patted the space next to her. Tonks strode across the living room and curled up under her Mother's arm. Something she hadn't done in years.

"But work being difficult isn't all that is bother you, is it Nymphadora?"

Tonks rolled her eyes. Of course, she could fool her Dad, but Tonks and Andromeda were far too alike.

"No, it's just work." Tonks tried her best to sound convincing. From the looks on her parents faces, it wasn't working. "Things just haven't been the same recently." Her parents look unsatisfied with her vague answer. "Fine! I had a… disagreement with a friend. Well someone who I thought was a friend. I mean it's not like we had known each other all that long, but we had spent quite a lot of time together, so I guess when you think about it cumulatively, we've actually spent so much time together that it was like we had known each other for ages."

Tonks realised she hadn't taken a breath throughout that tirade. Her Mother stoked her hair. "What happened?"

Tonks snuggled closer into her Mother. She didn't usually encourage Tonks when she was rambling. "Well, I'm not sure really. It's hard to explain. I didn't tell Remus something that I should have but then I apologised, and he said he had forgiven me but then he kind of betrayed me, without warning or explanation. We haven't really spoken since."

Ted leant forward and looked at his daughter more closely, she seemed more upset than he had seen her in a long time. "Didn't this Remus give you any reasons as to why he 'betrayed you'."

Tonks had to laugh at her fathers use of air quotes. He never had mastered how to use them properly. "No! Nothing. Well, he tried. He's tried quite a few times actually."

Ted nodded, "And?"

Tonks sighed, "I didn't want to hear it. What could he say? He just sat there not even looking at me and requested that I leave. What possible explanation could he have?"

Ted patted his daughters' knee gently, "That's probably a question best levelled at, Remus was it?"

Andromeda sat up, making Tonks fall face first into the sofa. "Remus Lupin?"

Before Tonks could reply, Andromeda swished her wand and a small black box with silver engravings floated into the room.

"Yes, Remus Lupin. How did you…"

Andromeda opened the trinket box and handed Tonks a photo from inside. "Is this him?"

Tonks was staring at Remus Lupin. Except he was younger, his hair was longer and messier, and he had the biggest grin across his face. He was stood between two other boys, one she recognised instantly as Sirius Black, looking healthy, happy and handsome. On the other side of Remus was a man she didn't recognise. As if her mother was reading her mind she said, "That's Remus with James Potter and…" Andromeda paused, "Sirius."

Tonks shook her head. "Mum. Why do you have a photo of Remus Lupin?"

Andromeda was staring into the empty living room, after a moment or two she seemed to register that Tonks' comment was aimed at her. "Oh er well, Sirius came to stay here once. You were a toddler, they were only boys themselves. He had been staying with the Potters but I think James' Grandparents were in town so Sirius came here. After a week or so, Remus and James came to visit him." Andromeda took the photo from her daughter and stared at it. "He was so much the life and soul of the party, Sirius, so funny, always playing pranks, but he was thoughtful too, kind. It was a side of him not many people got to see."

Tonks could hear the pain in her Mother's voice. This was why she hadn't wanted to talk about her work or Sirius. "Mum we don't have to talk about this…" Andromeda took Tonks' hand and squeezed it.

"It's ok Nymphadora. I'm ok. It's good to remind myself of the good times, that there were good times with Sirius - that he wasn't always bad." She rubbed her thumb over Sirius' face. "Anyway, I wasn't going to talk about Sirius. I wanted to talk about Remus."

Tonks felt like she had wondered into some weird dream. Her mother was hugging her, squeezing her hand and wanting to talk about Remus Lupin.

"He was a sweet boy. Sirius used to talk about him endlessly." She was smiling now, reminiscing, finally able to remember some of the good without immediately being winded by the bad. "On the odd occasion Sirius took a breath and had a serious conversation, he always talked about how he wished he could be more like Remus; loyal, friendly, kind, studious and honourable." Andromeda chuckled, "Apparently most of the girls in their year had a thing for him, something that made Sirius a little jealous; and furious because Remus was never interested in any of them. I remember Sirius telling me with a level of incredulousness that made me smile, that Remus often helped girls with their homework – actually just to be friendly, not because he wanted to make out with them."

Tonks smiled, that sounded just like Remus. Unfailingly kind and thoughtful without any expectation of anything in return.

Andromeda continued, "I only met him a few times, but he was always so very polite and considerate. Thoughtful even and unfailingly kind."

Tonks smiled at her mother's choice of words. They really were so alike.

"That's Remus," Tonks said softly, "He never thinks of himself, even when he probably should. The students all love him, even loads of the Slytherin kids. You're right, he is kind and thoughtful but he's wickedly funny too. I wish you could hear some of the stories he tells of when he was at school with Sirius." Tonks sighed.

Andromeda turned to look at her daughter. "He sounds like someone worthy of a second chance. Or at the very least the opportunity to explain his actions. Wouldn't you say?"

Tonks kissed her mother on the cheek and happily accepted the one-armed hug that was offered.

"I'll fetch some floo powder then shall I?" Tonks stared at her father.

"Well, I assume you'll be wanting to get back to Hogwarts tonight instead of staying here until tomorrow morning?"

Tonks mouth gaped open. "How could you possibly know…?"

Ted chuckled. "Tonks my dear. I know you like to think you are so very mysterious to us, but reading you is quite literally easier than reading a book." Ted pointed to her hair.

Tonks hand went to her head where she felt short spikes. "When you arrived, it was long and mousy brown. Now it's pink and spikey. I've been your father long enough to know what that means."

Tonks stood up and hugged her father. "You aren't annoyed are you? That I'm not staying?"

He beamed at her, "I'm just happy we got to spend some time with you my darling. But promise me you'll visit again and soon!"

Tonks drew a cross over her heart. "I promise."

Andromeda stood and excused herself, "I'll grab the box of floo powder."

Tonks and Ted watched as Andromeda left the room, straight backed and graceful.

"Is she ok? Mum. She's been really… really…well she's hugged me loads today."

Ted gently took hold of his daughters' shoulders, "Oh Tonks my dear, she is absolutely fine, she just misses you terribly. We both do. She talks about you constantly you know. She's so proud of you. We both are."

Tonks hugged her Dad, "I'm so sorry Dad. I will visit more I promise. I never meant to stay away. I just got so caught up in work and…"

Ted waved away her explanation. "We always knew you'd want to spread your wings Tonks, find your own way. Just know we are always here, whenever you need us, for whatever you need. Always.

Andromeda reappeared, the floo powder box in hand. "It has been so lovely catching up with you Nymphadora."

She pulled her daughter in for yet another hug. "I hope you'll be able to get some time off to visit us again soon. Maybe we could meet in a café somewhere, have some lunch?"

Tonks was sure the woman before her was not her Mother. She was offering to meet her in a muggle café. The guilt she had felt at not visiting her parents swelled in her chest. "That would be really nice Mum, but I promise I'll visit again soon. Why don't I come stay for the weekend, next time I get one off, later this month I think."

Her mother beamed at her. "That would be lovely. And if things go well with Remus, that is, if you decide to forgive him, do bring him around. It would be lovely to see him again."

Ted chuckled, "I know I for one would like to meet any man who can make my daughter forget to morph her hair pink." He winked at his daughter and received an elbow in his side from his wife.

"Well you better get going." She opened the floo powder box allowing Tonks to take a handful. "Wait! Nymphadora, why don't you give this to Remus. I have a few others." She handed Tonks the photograph. Tonks looked down at the sparkling eyes of Remus Lupin. Her parents were right, the man she had come to know deserved the chance to explain.

"Bye Mum, Dad. See you soon! I promise. Love you."

AN - I hope you liked it. Whatever your thoughts, please do leave me a review - reviews may coax Remus into making an appearance in the next chapter...maybe :D