Having the kids around the house set Remus slightly on edge more than before. In general, having anyone around him set him more on edge than usual. At first, he became dependent on Sirius for directions and guidance, but he couldn't just walk into a room and assume it was empty unless Sirius, who was already prone to drifting off and finding other things to do, said otherwise. He had to depend on someone (usually Hermione) to announce their presence inside the room and tell him who was there. Therefore, Remus found himself spending more time alone in his room.

Then there was a knock on his bedroom door. "Hello? It's Tonks."

Remus jumped up off of his bed. He self-consciously tried to smooth down his hair as he walked over to open the door. He had to pause to search for a pair of pants from the floor upon realizing he was in his underwear. "Hang on!" Remus finally stumbled to the door. "Hello."

"Oh, sorry, I just came to make sure you hadn't died in there." She said lightly. "Haven't seen you since the meeting last week. Are you... staying in here for dinner?"

He thought about the accumulation of plates on his dresser. "Um, well... sort of, I suppose."

"All by yourself?" Tonks laughed. "Oh, c'mon now, you can't hole up in here forever, can you? The Order still needs you."

"Why would they? It's not like I'm exactly Order material anymore, am I? I can't go on missions. Or to work, just yet." If ever. Remus explained. "I can sit through the meetings, but without my wand I can't really do anything at all."

"You're working to get better and that's all that matters right now. We wouldn't throw you out to twist in the wind by yourself, now would we?" She said. "What happened to your wand?"

"Lost it during the, erm... incident." He pointed up at his face. "Not that it'd be much use to me now."

"Perhaps we could get you a new one."

"What would I do with it?"

She was brewing a question in her head. "Have you considered getting magic eyes?"

Remus laughed bitterly. "I got kicked out of the hospital after three days because they said they couldn't do anything and I had to self medicate with dittany. I think even if I had the money for one, they'd never let me get my hands on them."

"How are you holding up otherwise?" Tonks seemed more genuine now. "

"I'm still alive, am I not?"

"Did you lose your hearing as well? I asked you how you were doing." She didn't sound angry or challenging. Tonks sounded sincerely concerned about his wellbeing and that was extremely unsettling.

"I'm... I'm not doing so great." He closed his eyes. Typically this would have been a maneuver to make a person figuratively disappear during a conversation. Now, he just felt rather trapped talking to a complete stranger. "Look, it's not that big of a deal, really. I don't need help, I'm just..." He had already dug his grave and now she was going to make him lay in it.

"Remus, I know that now's a really bad time, but you've got friends here. Okay? What about Sirius?"

"Sirius... I dunno, he's been withdrawn lately." Remus didn't exactly want to answer. "He's got his own issues that he needs to work through and he just... he doesn't exactly understand the magnitude of what's happened yet. I don't think I have either, frankly."

"If you ever need help or something or just to talk, we're all perfecting willing to be there for you. And if not everyone, then me." Tonks informed him. "I have work, but you can always come to me."

"That's nice and all, bu-"

"Ah." She cut him off. "Maybe you should opt for a little human interaction to take your mind off things, what do you think? It really would help, you know." Tonks paused for a second. "It's almost time to eat. Do you want to see if they need help with the food?"

"Is that all you came to say?"

"Actually, what I'm really here for is your dirty laundry. Molly's washing clothes because Kretcher won't. The help with the cooking isn't necessary, but I thought I'd offer. You know, keep you busy."

"Oh, of course." He opened up the door for her. "Give me just a second. Sorry about the mess. I'm not exactly sure if I was given a clothes hamper and if I did, I can't find it."

"Don't worry about it." She replied. Tonks walked around him. He could hear her flick her wand and it occured to him that she appeared to have a basket in her arms somehow.

"I can help." Remus said. He felt that it was a bit pointless, however. He was standing in the dark, utterly useless.

"No need to do more work than necessary. I've got it, don't even worry about it."

"Well maybe I don't want you going through all my dirty socks and underwear." He said directly.

"Believe me, I have seen many more things that are far worse." She probably rolled her eyes. "When I was in training, I spent two weeks with a bunch of guys who apparently didn't know how to bathe. Perks of being an auror, I suppose."

"Still, I think I'm perfectly capable of picking up my own clothes off the floor. I don't need to be babied."

"Oh, goodness! Yes, my wrist hurts so much, oh Merlin's pearly beard, I can't even use my wand because I'm so crippled!" The sarcasm hit him a bit late. "One of us would've used a wand anyways, so there you go. Done before you can even snap your fingers." Tonks had suddenly gotten closer to him than he anticipated. She didn't sound angry at him for complaining either, like he wasn't even a bother.

"I know, bu-"

"Here then." He suddenly felt a heavy basket in his hands. "You carry that, and I'll take some of those dirty dishes down to the the sink."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather I take the more breakable things?" He offered.

There was a clanking of dishes. "Nope. I've got it."

"Are you sure?" He asked hesitantly.

"Absolutely positive." The rattling dodged around him and headed towards the stairs.

"Wait-Could you-" For a split second, Remus realized he was completely alone with no idea where she had gone.

"What's wrong? Oh." She walked back up the steps. He felt a hand reach up the sleeve of his sweater, holding onto is wrist. For whatever reason, he thought about how her fingernails were longer and her fingers colder than he imagined. Remus felt weirdly roused by her touch in a way that like a child learning object permanence. When she touched him, there was another real, breathing human being beside him. He didn't even know her, but by the slightest physical intimacy she gave him, she had made herself into a living person. "Here, I can show you the banister."

"The pla-" There was a loud crash, followed by a wave of breaking, and he jumped a couple of feet backwards, her hand flying off of him.

"Shit." She exclaimed. "Goddamnit."

"Tonks? Was that you?" A woman's voice called from below.

"Sorry, Molly!" She shouted back.

"Merlin's balls, Tonks, what did you do?" A different voice from above yelled.

"It's fine, Sirius!" Remus called back. "Wait, is it fine? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Yeah. I mean, no. I got it." Tonks let out an exhausted sigh. "Let me clean this up and I'll help you down."

"Can I do anything?" He offered.

"ScourgifyThere was a jostling noise and Remus had to assume the mess disappeared. "Alright, now back to you. Do you know where the banister is?"

"Maybe?" Remus hesitantly reached out into the void and found the railing.

"Here, I can hold your arm, or take the clothes if you need."

"I... I think I've got it." He replied. "But thank you."

"You don't have to thank me so much, I'm just trying to be accommodating." Tonks told him. In the kitchen, Remus could hear water boiling on the stove. Someone was inside the kitchen, presumably cutting up something on a wooden cutting board. "Hi, Molly. I managed to lure the wolf out of his dungeon."

"How lovely, dear." The older woman remarked. "Remus, are you doing alright? Just set the basket in the floor, I'll take care of it."

"I could try and cut something if you need." He offered. Part of him was actually excited that she would say yes and let him get to do something productive.

"I don't need any help with the knives." Molly said. "But would you like to help me with the green beans, I would be very pleased, but you don't have to help."

"I'd actually really like to."

"Okay, then. Just have a seat there and I'll get you the bowl. You do know how to peel green beans, correct?"

Remus had to walk into the chair before he could figure out sitting down. "I'll be fine."

"Here to go. And I'll help." Tonks sat down in the chair next to him, setting something on the table. The bowl is on your left, between us, and just put them in the other bowl in front of you."

He nodded. "Got it. I can do that."

"I like your optimism." She told him.

They sat for a few minutes, with only the snapping of the green beans and the boiling in the stove accompanying them, as well as Molly, who's exact locatilocation and activity was uncertain. "So... what made you join the Order anyways?" Remus asked.

"I'll confess, I've had my foot in the door for a while now." Tonks replied. "I joined to become an auror, Moody saw me, thought I'd be a good apprentice... and the rest is history."

"You must be quite good at duelling then." Remus remarked.

"I'd say I've got some experience under my belt." She boasted. Remus chuckled. "What about you?"

"I think I could hold my way through a duel."

"No, I meant how did you come to the Order."

"I was here during the first wizarding war. Not here, obviously. Sirius's parents were still alive, and Regulus too. My friends and I joined. If I remember correctly, at the time, we were just forming, so we didn't exactly get an invitation to the Order; we were the Order back in the day." He told her.

"So you must be quite good at duelling then, eh?" Tonks asked.

"I taught at Hogwarts, you know. Defense Against the Dark Arts. Year before last."

"I think I heard something like that." She remarked. "And from what I heard, you were unanimously liked."

"Pray tell, how have you heard so much about me?"

"I'm just rather nosy. I've got too much freetime so I make Sirius spend time with me. He doesn't seem to enjoy it very much. He thinks I'm annoying. Do you think I'm annoying? I don't want to drive you up all the way up the wall."

"No, I don't think so." Remus told her. "It's actually sort of nice. Well, it's nice having someone keep you company."

"I'm sure it is." She responded as if he had said the most blatantly honest thing in the world. Remus found himself still getting caught up when she was talking. By what she was saying alone. she almost sounded rude, yet she had enough of a sense of humor, or perhaps plain stubbornness, that she made herself captivating. He could hear her chair slide backwards (it was actually hard not to hear it screeching across the tile). "Maybe you could try it more. You're certainly good company."

"Thank you." Was all Remus said. "Just curious, how is all the cleaning coming along? I heard the house needed a lot of work, but I never saw it for myself. I can telltell the lights are working better. It's not as dim as it usually is. That or I just sit in the dark too much."

"It's going pretty well actually. We managed to get rid a lot of the clutter. Some of it we don't know what to do with, though. Do you know how much stuff around here has to be very specifically and properly disposed of?" She scoffed. "I don't get how the house is still standing. Or cursed."

"You never know." Remus replied. "Might as well be, honestly."