A/N - Warning for some choice language ahead. This is by far the longest chapter and should probably have been two but I just couldn't find anywhere to split it so get comfy before you start reading... I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for sticking with me guys!

Chapter 29 – If you have ever trusted me…

Tonks walked slowly down to the kitchens, deciding that giving Remus some time alone to digest this new evidence ,which changed everything about that night 13 years ago, was probably a good idea.

By the time she had traipsed all the way back up to the tower that housed the staff living quarters, two bottles of whisky in hand, she estimated he had probably had about 20 minutes. She hoped that had been enough to read through her notes and the most important bits of evidence she had marked.

"Knock knock." She said as she opened the door to her living quarters, "Remus I'm back. How are you doing…"

Tonks looked up as she placed the whisky bottles on the table where she had left Remus reading.

Only Remus was no longer reading. In fact, Remus was no longer there at all.

She checked her bedroom, not sure why he'd be in there but unsure where else he could have gone. She went and knocked on his own door but received no answer.

Sitting back down at her desk she lent over to pick up the file from where Remus had been sitting, only as she picked it up, she realised it wasn't the file she had given to him at all, it was the map. The magical one Remus had shown her – the one that had started this whole thing off – the one that told them Pettigrew was still alive. It was open and at this late hour she could see only a few sets of footprints roaming the castle. Dumbledore was in his office, seemingly pacing. Filch was hovering by the Gryffindor Common Room, no doubt waiting to catch one of them trying to sneak out. She searched the map for Remus and spotted him on the third-floor corridor. She wondered whether she should try to catch up with him. She had known the news that Peter had been the one to betray their friends would be hard to swallow – perhaps he had just gone for a walk to clear his head.

As she absentmindedly continued to look at the map, her heart gave a sudden jolt, as though she had received an electric shock.

Sirius Black.

There it was. His name in black and white next his footprints, heading from the grounds towards the castle.

She grabbed her cloak and her wand and took off, with the map, tearing down the stairs. Running down corridor after corridor, desperate to get to Remus.

She stopped when she reached the moving staircases and searched the map again to see where Remus had gotten to. It took at a long time to spot his footsteps outside.

But Sirius was out there. He may not have betrayed Lily and James, and it seemed as though he hadn't killed Peter, since he was still alive, but he had still murdered a whole bunch of innocent muggles. Some of whom had been children, babies even. The term mass murderer, still very much applied, even if he was, as she suspected, insane.

She pelted as fast as her legs would carry her and when, whilst still running, she glanced at the map and saw that Remus seemed to be heading in a direction that would eventually lead him to Sirius, she shot her wand at her legs to speed them up.

Reaching the great oak doors, she threw her wand up and they opened allowing her to run through without slowing her pace. As she descended through the grounds, down towards the Forbidden Forest, the edge of which Remus seemed to be walking along, she saw that Sirius was heading straight for him.

She willed herself to run even faster. She had to get to Remus, to warn him. To save him. She rounded the corner and spotted him; Remus Lupin was stood on the very edge of the Forest. She looked around but she couldn't see Sirius or anyone else. As she sped closer, she noticed a big black dog lay by Remus' feet. She undid the spell on her legs and slowed to a normal running speed. Then she stopped dead in her tracks.

The dog was no longer lay at Remus' feet. The dog was nowhere to be seen. The shaggy black canine had just turned into Sirius Black. Remus held his wand out – but then lowered it and after looking at each other, the pair embraced.

Something switched inside Tonks, Auror instincts took over completely. She took off again at a run, as she approached the pair she shouted, "Freeze. Sirius Black you are under arrest." The pair turned and saw her, wands raised. Her foot caught on a tuft of uneven ground and she fell, splayed on the ground, shooting her left hand out, she bellowed "Incarcerous" and ropes jumped from her wand and tied around Sirius. She saw Remus flick his wrist, his wand aimed at her and shout "Expelliamus" but too late, she had already wordlessly applied the same spell and as she rose to her feet, once again running forward, she jumped and caught Remus' wand.

She stopped about 6 feet away from the pair and wand still pointing, tried to catch her breath as she said, "Sirius Black. You are under arrest. You do not have to make a statement or confession, but any words uttered will be recorded and may be presented to the Wizengamot at your trial."

She saw Remus shift and pointed her wand at him, "Dora, please. Let me explain."

Tonks heart was still racing, all of her Auror instincts had kicked in and she had executed the textbook arrest. Both suspects were disarmed, and the dangerous suspect was unable to move.

"Do NOT call me that. You raised your wand to me Lupin. You tried to disarm an Auror. You know I'm going to have to arrest you too."

She wasn't sure why she was stalling; she knew she should send a Patronus to Kingsley, Black should be handed over the Dementors and Remus should be taken to the Ministry to await charges.

Her heart sunk at that last thought.

But it wasn't her friendship with Remus that was causing her to stall, it was the files she had been reading not an hour ago. The Ministry had done one over on Sirius before – surely, they would just throw him back in Azkaban no questions asked, or worse still – he'd be sentenced to a dementors kiss.

Seeming to sense her hesitation Remus spoke quietly but confidently, "Tonks, I promise, we can explain everything. Sirius is innocent."

Tonks scoffed, "No, he might not be the reason that the Potters died but he still killed that bridge full of muggles."

Remus shook his head but before he could continue speaking Sirius shouted, "Well done, just as smart as every other brain-dead ministry suit. Putting 2 and 2 together and coming out with a turd."

Remus looked at Sirius and shook his head again, "Sirius shut up. Tonks listen, we can explain everything. Please don't send for anyone. That is… unless you already…"

Tonks saw some uncertainty flash in Remus' eyes. "I haven't."

Sirius snorted, "Some Auror, you'd be on your back wishing for death if we really were death eaters. And what is happening to your hair. Were you busy playing hairdresser before you came running out here tying up innocent people and jumping to the only conclusion the ministry ever can – the wrong one!"

Tonks could feel a slight tingle in her hair that told her it was morphing through a myriad of colours. She had never struggled to control it before when working, though she had never been in a position quite like this either. Never been faced with the possibility of having to arrest a friend. To arrest Remus.

"Sirius would you shut up! Tonks is clearly an excellent Auror – she has my wand and you bound. Hardly a time to be antagonising her, is it."

Sirius jumped slightly so he could turn and look at Remus, "Would you listen to yourself, excellent Auror and hardly a time to be antagonising. God you're not shagging her are you." When Remus didn't immediately reply Sirius added, "Oh God you are," then to Tonks he added, "you've got yourself a furry little boyfriend. And one that has late night meetings with escaped mass murderers, what will the ministry have to say."

Tonks pocketed Remus' wand and raised her own, it was time to message the Auror department.

"Tonks, please." The tone of Remus' voice stopped her in her tracks. "If you have ever trusted me do not contact the Ministry. Take us to Dumbledore." She lowered her wand slightly as she pondered his words, "Tonks, you know me. Please, trust me. I would never do anything that would put you in harm's way."

Sirius snorted once again, "Is this some shit harlequin romance novel or what."

Remus snapped his head round to look at Sirius, "For the love of Merlin, would you shut your mouth."

Tonks thought back over the past nine months. All the evenings spent with Remus. All the glances, the hugs, the almost kisses. He hadn't been fooling her – had he? She thought back to Christmas, to his gift to her. You are love.

Had she ever trusted him?

"Fine. I'll take you to Dumbledore. It is his School. He can decide how to deal with you both."

Her emotionless voice sounded foreign to her ears.

"Great! Road trip! Can we get a fucking move on?" Sirius shouted bitterly. A nasty edge to each word he uttered. "Think you could untie me, so I can walk."

Tonks laughed; her breath visible in the chilly night air. "Fat chance. You can travel as you are, or I can call the Dementors and ask them to provide you with transport." She thought she saw the first flicker of fear flash across Sirius' face.

In truth, even if Remus hadn't been there, she would never have called the Dementors. She would have sent Kingsley an SOS and explained what she had read in the files before taking Black into the Ministry. She knew Kingsley would be as appalled as she was to learn of the cover up that had happened all those years ago.

"Go Black. Get moving!"

Tonks stepped sideways as Sirius began to shuffle his feet forward.

"You too Lupin. Keep your hands where I can se…" The warning died on her lips. What did she think he was going to do? It was Remus Lupin.

Had she ever trusted him?

Not an hour ago she would have said, she trusted him with her life. Now she supposed she literally was.

Remus moved back to walk slowly behind Sirius, who had taken to moving forward in little jumps as the ground began to incline towards the castle. It was slow progress, but it gave her time to gather her thoughts and for her heart to stop pounding in her chest.

"He really is innocent you know."

She realised with a start that Remus had slowed his pace and was stood only a little in front of her. She was certainly not regulation distance apart from a suspect.

But what was it that she suspected him of? All she had seen was him hugging Sirius. Hadn't he just found out that the friend he thought had murder his other two friends had actually only tried to murder a different friend because that friend had betrayed the first two. Oh and a few dozen muggles had got caught in the deed.

She shook her head. "That isn't for you or me to decide. The Wizengamot…"

Remus cut her off, "You know as well as I, you were the one who said it in your summary of the files, the Wizengamot can only make decisions based on the evidence they are given."

After a few more minutes of walking slowly, behind a jumping Sirius, in silence, Remus cleared his throat. "Thank you for trusting me."

Tonks continued to stare at the back of Sirius' head. Ignoring the request from her brain that she look at Remus. Never take your eyes off your suspect. Even once they are bound." Mad Eye's voice reverberated in her head.

"You've…" she started unsure what words were going to come next, "You've never given me reason not to. Before tonight."

Remus slowed his step so he was beside her. "I know I should have waited for you – explained. It's just, reading your summary and the evidence you'd outlined and putting that together with what I'd gleaned from the files I was reading – it all came together. Like a light bulb being clicked on after 13 years – slow at first, then blindingly obvious all at once. I checked the map to see where you were, planning to get you on my way to see Dumbledore, when I saw Sirius' name on the map."

"Having a good old heart to heart back there you two. Isn't he a bit old for you love? If it's older man you're into, take these ropes off. I've never said no to a pretty face before. Seems wasteful to start now."

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose, "Sirius, Tonks is your cousin. Do us all a favour and if you aren't going to say anything useful, stop talking."

Sirius howled with a maniacal kind of laughter, supporting Tonks' theory that St Mungo's would have been a much better fit for him – though she supposed if she had been guarded by Dementors for more than a decade, she'd be a bit mad too. "Little Nymphadora?! 'Dromedia's sprog. Get out!"

Black continued to mutter to himself. Ignoring him, Remus continued. "I really never meant for any of this to happen. I only tried to take your wand because I know what an incredible Auror you are. I worried if I didn't stop you, both Sirius and I would be on the way to Azkaban before we could blink – let alone explain."

Tonks tuned back into Sirius' ramblings, "A daughter of the most noble and ancient house of Black, an Auror. A thumping good one too. I'm rusty, but disarming Remus, when recovering from a fall, I mean that's impressive."

Remus nudged her shoulder and it made her jump slightly, she definitely wasn't treating him like a suspect. "Are you going to let him out of those ropes at some point?" She shot him a look and he continued, less jovial, "I just meant, we might get to Dumbledore quicker if he can walk properly."

Tonks waved her wand at Sirius and the ropes were replaced with shackles on his ankles and wrists. "Oh dearest cousin, thank you! I can see what you see in her Rem…" Sirius' next words were muffled against the second spell Tonks cast, sticking his tongue to the roof of his mouth and preventing him from talking easily. She heard Remus chuckle beside her and turned to glower at him.

"I'm sorry! I know none of this is funny."

Tonks sniffed indignantly – this wasn't funny, that was an understatement. She wanted to run away from all of this. From Hogwarts, from Sirius, from this investigation, from Remus. Especially from Remus.

"No, sorry, I just mean…" Tonks had never heard Remus struggle to find the right words before, "I thought he had betrayed them Tonks, betrayed me. But he didn't. 13 years I spent not knowing how to mourn for him. I mourned for Lily and James, that was in some sense easier – they were gone, but I could remember them how they had been, brave even in the face of death. Loyal, loving, friends until the very end. But Sirius…"

In front of them Sirius let out a strangled sort of grunt, "him, I couldn't mourn, I didn't know how to. He was gone but not dead, yet somehow the man I had known was dead. When I read the notes you had written for me and the witness statements, I put it altogether with what I'd been reading and knew what had happened… Sirius had suspected me as much as I had suspected him."

Tonks brow furrowed, "You suspected Sirius? Before the Potters d… before anything happened to the Potter's you mean?"

Remus' voice was quieter than it had been, Tonks thought she could hear shame and regret all mixed into his one word reply, "yes."

He was silent for a few moments before he carried on, "We knew there was a spy in the Order, too many members were being picked off, it was clear someone was passing on information. I'm ashamed to say it now, but at the time, I very much suspected Sirius. The Potter's switched Secret Keeper, at my suggestion. I gave them some story about people expecting it to be Sirius, but though I never admitted it to myself at the time, I think subconsciously by that point I didn't trust anyone, not even Sirius. It wasn't that I trusted Peter, I just underestimated him. It was my fault they… I killed the Potter's."

Tonks couldn't help herself, the anger seeping away as she saw the distraught look on Remus' face, she touched his forearm, "You know that isn't true. If what you're telling me, if all of this is true Remus," she stopped and looked at him, he held her gaze for a moment and nodded, "Pettigrew betrayed the Potter's, not you. He is the reason they died."

Sirius obviously struggling against the spell Tonks had placed on his mouth struggled as he shouted, "I suspected boo too. Bily n Bames…" It was for no feeling towards Sirius, but only because of the pained expression on Remus' face that Tonks lifted the spell. "Thank you." Sirius said very seriously. "Remus it wasn't your fault. When Lily and James suggested changing Secret Keeper, I suggested Peter too, I'm so sorry Remus. I thought he was the person people would least expect, but I also didn't trust anyone by then. I should have trusted you. I think I thought the same as you – Peter Pettigrew wasn't a threat to anyone. It didn't even occur to me that he was clever enough to carry off being a spy. I underestimated him, that night, when we made the secret keeper change and again on the Bridge. I should have killed him when I had the chance."

Tonks bristled, hearing the hatred in Sirius' dangerously even voice reminded her that though not a betrayer of friends, he was a muggle mass murderer. "Instead you just blew up a few dozen Muggles." She punctuated every word.

"No." Remus' voice was so quiet beside her, she wasn't sure if he had actually spoken, until he continued, "I thought that too, at first." Remus stared at the back of Sirius' head, "I'm sorry Sirius." Remus cleared his throat and continued, "It was Peter. It was when I was reading the witness statements you'd highlighted that I spotted it. A single sentence that pulled everything together. 'The last thing I remember before the explosion, was the smaller man throwing something into the middle of the bridge, then he sort of twirled on the spot and disappeared – then boom.'" Remus' voiced caught. "I knew… I knew as soon as I'd read it – I must have reread it a hundred times. That was Peter's signature – potions. Peter never quite felt at ease using his wand, the spells he cast were adequate but never spectacular. But potions, that he excelled in. The bastard threw an explosive potion into the middle of the bridge and then turned into a rat."

Tonks realised with a start that they had reached Dumbledore's office. She stopped them all outside, "He turned into a rat?"

Remus nodded. "That is also my fault. I'll explain inside, Dumbledore will need to hear everything too."

Tonks had always admired Dumbledore. His way with words, his kindness, the fact that she suspected he could tell when she was morphed but never let on, except via the twinkle in his eyes when he looked at her. But when she entered his office with Sirius in shackles and a disarmed Remus Lupin, she couldn't help but feel a little chagrin at his lack of reaction. He sat quietly and listened to Remus, with a few additions from Sirius, explain the whole story, showing no more shock or surprise than if they had been telling him about the weather Hogsmeade had been enjoying over the past few weeks.

"…and he turned into a rat." Remus' words bought her back to the conversation.

"A rat?" Dumbledore asked. Tonks smirked, at least he seemed to be as lost as she was, though clearly not as dumbfounded as she had been.

"Erm, yes, well…" Remus squirmed, pulling at his collar, looking every inch the 15-year-old boy, caught out telling a lie to his headmaster. "I should have told you Dumbledore, please believe me if I'd have had any inkling that it was relevant…" Remus looked down at his shoes.

"We're animagi" Sirius, sensing Remus' discomfort took over, "since fourth year. James, Peter and I. James was a stag, I'm a dog and…"

Dumbledore smiled, "Peter is a rat."

Remus and Sirius nodded.

"I must say, though it was dangerous of you all, I am rather impressed. Teaching yourselves how to become animagi - and at 14." Dumbledore smiled a little.

"Well, we wanted to help Remus – we tried to find a cur…" Remus' cough and pointed look at Sirius stopped him mid-sentence.

Dumbledore continued, more seriously this time, "So I suppose you spent much of your time in Azkaban as a dog Sirius?"

Sirius nodded, "Not at first, I was so depressed for the first few years it didn't really occur to me that I could change without my wand. They – the Dementors, you can't really have normal thoughts around them. But one day I did it – became a dog and somehow, they didn't affect me quite so much – I think maybe, they couldn't sense my presence as strongly, so they stayed away from my cell. I couldn't stay as a dog all the time, otherwise they might have become suspicious but over the years, I spent more and more time transforming. Earlier this year, I was eating some gruel when the bowl fell and it spilled out of the cell, I transformed and slipped through the bars without thinking about it – it wasn't until I was out that I realised what I'd done… the Dementors didn't seem to notice so I just started running, dived into the water and then swam."

For the first time that evening Tonks felt desperately sorry for Sirius Black.

"So, it's true then. You really are innocent. Of everything." She was surprised at how quiet her voice sounded.

Sirius turned to her and nodded slowly. "Sorry if I was a bit of an arse early, I used to be quite the charmer, 13 years with only Dementors for company I suppose, I'm a little out of practice talking to people. Thanks, Nymphadora, for not calling the Dementors."

Tonks felt traitorous tears sting the back of her eyes, she'd be damned if she was going to let them fall, not yet, not here. There would be time for that later.

"Incidentally," Dumbledore's voice brought her eyes from Sirius' to her own, "why didn't you call the Dementors, or anyone from the Ministry? Not that I am criticising - disarming Remus Lupin and tying up Sirius in one swish of your wand," Dumbledore shook his head smiling, "I always knew you'd be an excellent Auror Tonks. Seems I was mistaken. You're an extraordinarily excellent one; but why did you bring them to me?"

Tonks looked down at her shoes, half embarrassed at his compliment and the answer to his question, "Remus," she looked at him, then back down at her shoes. She steadied her breathing then looked Dumbledore squarely in the face. "Remus said if I'd ever trusted him in the past, I should bring them both to you before I contacted anyone at the Ministry. I did…" She paused and glanced at Remus, who was looking at her intently, holding his gaze she continued, "I do trust him. Emphatically."

Dumbledore nodded his understanding. "Instincts – gut instincts, a gift to any Auror and more powerful than any defensive spell or curse." Dumbledore clasped his hands together and placed them under his chin. "So, you're convinced of Sirius' innocence Nymphadora?"

Tonks nodded.

"And you would agree, may I be so bold to assume, that it would be unwise for us to contact the Ministry – they are, I am afraid to admit, unlikely to give Sirius a fair trial. No matter how much fuss we make."

Tonks nodded again, "I'm reticent to believe it – but I fear that were the Ministry to be called, Black would be handed over to the Dementors, no questions asked, and no defence heard."

It was Dumbledore who nodded this time. "Well then, Sirius, I believe we have some work to do. I'm assuming that, as you were an animagus during your time here at school you'll have visited the Shrieking Shack each time Remus did?" Dumbledore tilted his head down and stared at the two men as if they were two boys, over the rim of his half-moon spectacles, Sirius merely nodded. "Good, you'll know where it is then. I suggest you stay there whilst I figure out what is best to be done."

Dumbledore leaned back in his seat, "That just leaves you Remus. Tonks, what would you like to do about Remus – he did attempt to disarm an Auror? Though I believe he meant no harm of course, it is still a crime. You would be well within your rights to take him in." Though Dumbledore sounded completely serious, Tonks saw the tell tale twinkling in his eyes.

Remus stared at his shoes and said nothing.

"I think, Dumbledore, Remus and I may have both said and done things we regret tonight. I don't think arresting him will be necessary."

Remus looked at her, his lips forming into a tight line, which at the corners almost made it into a smile, "Thank you" he said quietly.

"Well!" Dumbledore clapped his hands together – "Sirius, we need to get you to the Shrieking Shack before anyone sees you in the Castle, I believe you still have the map you were referring to Remus?"

Tonks pulled it out of her cloak and held it out to Remus.

"Argh, there it is. Remus, I suggest you keep hold of it, just in case Sirius decides to do anything reckless and leave the Shrieking Shack. You always were the only one who could reason with him."

Sirius grunted, "Hey! I am here you know."

Dumbledore rose and walked round his desk, placing a hand on Sirius' shoulder, "Yes, we hadn't forgotten. And I must apologise for not saying this early, though at the time, I had every reason to believe you were a mass murderer – you've been missed Sirius. It does me good to see you and know you are the man I always believed you to be."

I really hope you enjoyed the chapter - please let me know. I finally finished chapter 31 - the last chapter of this fic today. I'm a little sad to let it go! Haha, but if you've enjoyed this or like reading Tonks and Remus fics, give me a follow as I've already started writing two others - One Christmas based fluffy one (because the whole world is topsy turvy, so why not) and one featuring Teddy :)