This chapter is set between Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. DRCMC = Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

Words

"I'm keeping my surname, by the way,"

"Pardon?"

"Yours is nice, but "Hi, I'm Dora Lupin but everybody calls me Tonks," is too complicated,"

"It's up to you,"

"I dunno anything about planning a wedding, so I figured names'd be an easy place to start. One decision out of the way,"

"What about a date?"

"Okay, on to decision two,"

"I don't want to waste more time. I want to marry you as soon as we can,"

"Me too. What d'you need to get married? How do you get a venue? We'll have to do it on the cheap if it's going to be soon,"

"Would you mind that?"

"Of course not. We can do it with- what?- thirty people?"

"Let's set a date first,"

"Right, sorry. I'm just excited,"

"So am I,"

"What about this time next week?"

"The 12th?"

"Yeah. Merlin knows if I'll be working, I suppose I could ask Kingsley for it off,"

"Don't do that. Let's keep this our secret for now,"

"You know that's going to kill me. I wanna tell everybody,"

"Secret just for a few days,"

"Okay. Our secret".


"Remus, stop a sec,"

"Yes?"

"Umm, I haven't been taking a Contraceptive Potion,"

"Oh. Well, we don't have to if you don't want to,"

"I do. I really want to. Don't stop,"

"I don't want to stop,"

"You'll have to do the charm, yeah? Is that okay?"

"If it's okay with you?"

"Course. I trust you. Even if you did only get an A in Charms".


"Listen. I want to say sorry,"

"You don't need t-"

"No, I do. I'm sorry for how things ended between us. I'm sorry for everything about this last year. All of it was my fault, and I sincerely apologise,"

"Have you finished?"

"Dora-"

"It doesn't matter,"

"It does,"

"I don't want to keep going over it. You were an idiot, and now you're not being an idiot anymore. It's over now, let's move on,"

"Are you sure?"

"We both know how shit the last year's been- we don't need to re-live it. The future's way more exciting. Our future,"

"Yes. Our future".


"Are you alright?"

"Sort of,"

"Sort of?"

"I spoke to Mad-Eye at lunch. He's been snooping through the minutes of Scrimgeour's latest meeting, and he says that there's going to be a massive crackdown,"

"I imagine so,"

"No, I mean a crackdown on...Merlin's beard, a massive crackdown on werewolves, Remus,"

"I should have known this would happen,"

"We'll get through it. Mad-Eye's going to pull any string he can, and you're in the DRCMC's good books,"

"The DRCMC don't have good books,"

"You're on the register, you've been open about it and you're not..."

"Not like any of the people I've spent most of this year living with,"

"Exactly. You're nothing like them. The DRCMC have got nothing against you,"

"I'm a werewolf. They've got everything against me,"

"Aurors eat the DRCMC for breakfast, and you've got three Aurors on your side. One's Mad-Eye, and one's going to be your wife this time next week. The DRCMC don't stand a chance,"

"It's not them we're fighting,"

"But it's you I'm fighting for,"

"I don't want you to spend the rest of your life fighting for me,"

"You know what? That's exactly what I want".


"We'll have to contact Hestia urgently,"

"I'll do it. Expecto patronum. Message for Hestia Jones: An incident near Dorking. Shouldn't affect her plan for Harry's family, but might be worth checking. No, don't go just yet. Remus, look,"

"Mmm?"

"I want to show you this. It's a normal wolf, see? Not a werewolf,"

"Yes, I see,"

"Okay, off you go to find Hestia now,"

"Do you know when it changed?"

"After Sirius, I suspect. I'm not sure,"

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be. I love it. I didn't for a while, but it's- it shows how much I love you. How could that not mean everything to me?"

"You're everything to me, too,"

"This'll make you cringe, but I always wanted to be more like you,"

"You didn't,"

"I did. I do. That's why I like it. And because it made me feel like you were with me when you weren't,"

"I'm so sorry-"

"That's not what I meant. I loved it being there. But I don't need that anymore, because I've got the real you, haven't I?"

"I've always been revolted by mine, for obvious reaso-"

"Yeah, and I reckon you're wrong. Yours isn't a werewolf and mine isn't either. Normal wolves are really clever and protective and they don't attack people. So I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of,"

"I know. What I was going to say was that it doesn't seem so bad anymore".


"I've been thinking about the guest list. Family's going to be complicated, but for friends: Aisling, Levi and Mick, obviously, and Levi's family are a plus two. Maybe Rukhma and Jez. Nine Weasleys, or eight if Charlie can't come, plus Harry, and I suppose we've got to invite Fleur-"

"I've been thinking too, and we can't have that many,"

"I don't want Fleur there either, but if we're inviting the rest of them we have to invite her too,"

"Not just Fleur. We're going to have to limit it to probably only your parents,"

"Pull the other one,"

"I mean it. It's not safe,"

"I'm not getting married with just my parents there! What kind of wedding is that?"

"A wedding to a werewolf,"

"But it'll be crap,"

"Oh,"

"For God's sake, I didn't mean it like that. Marrying you's going to be the best moment of my life, but it's not a proper wedding without guests,"

"You parents can come,"

"I want my friends. Don't you want Harry and everyone there? I thought I could meet some of your family at last,"

"I'm sorry, it's not possible,"

"Don't I get a say in this?"

"I wish I could give you the wedding you deserve. I wish all our friends and families could be there. I wish I wasn't what I am. If I could change for you, I would,"

"I don't want you to change,"

"You should. Goodness knows I wish I could change,"

"I want the world the change for you. That's why we met and that's what we're going to do, together,"

"Just your parents to attend, then?"

"Can we have at least have a massive party when this is all over?"

"Perhaps".


"That's it?"

"This is the last box,"

"What happened to all the furniture from your old cottage?"

"It was from the cottage, it didn't belong to me,"

"Not even the bookshelf? I thought you said you took your bookshelf everywhere with you,"

"I meant the books, not an actual shelf. It's a metaphorical shelf,"

"Chuck whatever you want off mine, there's tonnes of crap on it,"

"I noticed the four versions of the Martin Miggs Annual 1983,"

"There was a competition that year. Some of the books had winning tickets in, so I asked everyone to get me a copy so I had more of a chance of winning,"

"And did you?"

"Win? Nah. Mum used the books to press flowers. Bin 'em if you want,"

"We could find flowers at the inn on Saturday and press those,"

"You're sweet. Are we finished?"

"Yes. That's everything,"

"Looks like you're moved in,"

"Looks like I am,"

"We're living in sin,"

"Until Saturday,"

"Remus?"

"Hmm?"

"Welcome home".


Thank you for reading. This story recently turned two years old, and the two years I've been writing this fic have been very uneven and taxing for me- even without the global pandemic! Working on this fic and knowing that people are enjoying it has got me through tough times, so thank you for your views, your feedback and your support. It truly does mean a lot.