Welcome home

by RueM

"Greyback took everything from me: my family, my childhood, my friends…but it was me. I allowed him to take you from me…" "Have you come here to apologize?" He looked real pale and sad. The corner of his mouth turned down, his arms folded as if he was holding himself. Looking at him, she realized, was like staring into a mirror..."I've hated you for so long… I can't forgive you."

10. Chapter 10

Hi everybody. I know it has been long since I posted the previous chapter. I'm sorry... I hope someone will still enjoy reading this story.

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"Put down that tin of biscuits"

"But mum," protested Bill "I'm hungry!"

"How can you be hungry?" Fleur frowned her eyebrows astounded "You just ate a sandwich."

A biscuit in his hand, Bill shrugged his shoulders "Did you hear Remus, don't you? He says it is a normal effect of ..."

"I don't mind what Remus said!" replied Molly sternly "It's almost dinner time."

"But mum..."

"Go, help your brother set the table" Molly took the biscuit from his hand and put it back in the tin.

Despite everything, at the sight of Bill snorting and protesting while following her mother in the kitchen Ted couldn't help but laugh between himself at the memory of Bill, Charlie, and Tonks stealing chocolate and biscuits from the cupboard. And for a moment he wished they could come back to those days when they were naive enough to think they would not be discovered, when the only monster they had to fight were those under their bed. But things had changed they had grown up, fast, too fast, he thought watching her daughter keeping playing with a leaf, her gaze fixed on the gravel, avoiding looking at him. "Can I?" he asked and seeing Tonks shrug her shoulders Ted sit next to her on the low wall "You know..." Ted broke the silence again "I was getting used to the idea of you living with us."

"It was only a temporary situation."

"I know." Ted admitted sighing "But I loved the idea of the three of us eating together, talking about our day... just like when you were a child."

"I'm not a child anymore, dad."

"No?" Ted asked frowning "Why are you avoiding us, then?"

"I'm not..."

"Look at me." he cut her short "Look at me, Nymphadora."

Her father had been avoiding calling her like that since she had been old enough to ask him not to do it. Tonks didn't even know why he had agreed with her mother when they had chosen it. Anyway, hearing him calling her like that made Tonks feel like a child who had been caught red-handed.

Seeing her raise her head reluctantly Ted sighed. He had seen her become stronger, more independent, and more determined year after year. He couldn't have been more proud of the woman she had become but ha also knew her strengths were her weaknesses."This is not your fault."

Their gaze met for a moment but then Tonks looked away, unable to sustain his gaze. The feeling of guilty crashed her. She knew something had been about to happen. If only she hadn't ignored that bad feeling, if only she hadn't postponed protecting her parents' house "If only I hadn't been so mad at mum..."

"'If' has never made a difference." Ted replied making her look at him again "If your mother hadn't been born in that family. If the Ministry had believed in Dumbledore's word or your cousin's innocence, nothing of this would have ever happened."

"But I..."

"We are your parents we should protect you not the other way around. "he cut her short and before she could open her mouth he went on "We want to help. Let us do it, don't keep us away to protect us. And Nymphadora" he added taking her face in his hands "whatever should happen to us, it is because of our choices and not your fault. Do you understand me?"

"I..." she looked away for a second biting her lips then stared straight back at him "I understand dad."

Ted nodded, caressing her cheek. Despite everything, a shy smile played on his lips. For a long, almost interminable moment that day, coming back home, finding the main door opened with no sound coming from inside, he had feared something awful had happened. After listening to Andromeda's story his fear had turned into terror until he had seen his daughter was all right. Suddenly his hand stopped "Your eyes..."

"What?" asked Tonks seeing the half-surprised half excited expression on his face.

"Your powers..."

Focused on herself she hadn't heard her mother coming "Mum!" Tonks jumped turning.

"Sorry, I didn't want to scare you." Andromeda said stepping closer "can you control them again?"

She shook her head "Only my eyes' colour" then remembering she focused and made them turn plain brown "Sorry, I forgot you don't like when I do it."

Noticing the enthusiastic light leaving her eyes, Andromeda's stomach twisted. If only she could have told her how wrong she was. How surprising and amazing had been to see her changing hair colour for the first time. How much fun Ted and her had had, trying to guess what colour they would have been in the morning. Until that day, at least. Ted had found a way to forget it but she hadn't. And every time she saw Tonks change her hair colour the fear flowed in her veins, the pain spreading from her hand, her parents' words echoing in her ears. They had promised her she would lose everything she cared about, starting from her daughter. Something become to tremble and crumble inside of Andromeda's chest as soon as she realized her behaviour had almost let her parent's words become true.

Talking with her mother had never been easy, Tonks thought, feeling Andromeda's gaze on her. Her father said it was because they were too much alike but she couldn't help feeling there was a wall between them. Her mother loved her, she knew it well but she had always been so strict. Tonks knew she had never been the daughter Andromeda had wished for. Tonks would never forget the quite disappointed quite horrified expression on her mother's face on the day she had worn her uniform for the first time. But, despite everything, her mother didn't deserve the words she had told her. Especially after what had happened that day. "Mum...I didn't mean to..."

Their gaze met, and for a moment Andromeda's need to tell her everything was much stronger than pain. "I..." she said taking half step ahead but then she stopped. Telling her the whole truth would only have increased her hate for them. Increase her desire for revenge. Make her do something reckless. And her daughter was already risking more than she could ever fear." I forgive you." she said briefly turning and beginning to come downstairs

Tonks frowned, for a moment she had had the feeling her mother was about to tell her something "Mum, " she called putting her hand on her arm, stopping her "what were you..."

"Oh, there you are." said Charlie seeing them on the first-floor landing "Dinner is ready."

"We are coming," Andromeda said making Tonks' hand slide away from her arm.

"Mum." said the girl stopping her again "What did you want to tell me?"

"Nothing."

"You are lying." replied Tonks seeing her avoiding her eyes"Why are you lying to me?"

"Let me go, Nymphadora."Andromeda said coldly trying to free her wrist "You're hurting me."

"Gravy?"

"Thanks" Ted nodded taking the saucer Arthur was passing him.

"Not for me." said Andromeda sitting at his side.

She was so tense he thought he could break her just by touching her "Everything's fine?" Ted asked his wife passing the saucer to Molly

"It couldn't be better." the woman replied ironically watching Tonks enter the room.

"Oh, please." said Ted following her gaze, seeing their daughter sitting next to Lupin. " Tell me you didn't fight about him again."

"I'm sorry Ted. I'm sorry I'm the only one who can't forgive him for what he did to our daughter." Andromeda replied sharply "Anyway I promised you I would give him a chance and I'm keeping my promise."

"Dora," whispered Remus seeing her parents whispering and looking at them "is everything ok?"

"Sure. "Tonks replied briefly "Can you pass me the sausages, please?"

"Love..."He raised his eyebrows noticing her eyes were dark brown "what happened?"

"I'm starving, Remus." Tonks cut him short taking the sausage from his plate "I forgot to have lunch."

"How could you have forgotten lunch?" asked Bill astounded

"I've been a bit busy." Tonks replied taking a forkful of food

"I can't believe they accepted to meet him." said Charlie "After all he did..."

"Charlie..." Arthur murmured gazing at Bill

Seeing his brother suddenly become pale, his hand clenching the knife, Charlie felt stupid for not having thought the topic could affect him "So..." he coughed clearing his throat "did you really ask Tonks to help you with the wedding's preparative?"

"Did you choose a date?" asked Molly, hoping the conversation would stick to that topic

" Not yet but..."

"What was he talking about?" Ted asked in a low voice

"Fenrir Greyback." Arthur said filing his glass "Didn't you read the newspaper?" seeing them frown he went on "I imagine it was on today's edition. He got to speak to the Wizengamot to bargain his arrest."

They looked at him incredulously "Did Scrimgeour lose his mind? Is he under the effect of a course?"

Arthur shook his head drinking a big gulp of wine.

"Greyback" murmured Ted turning to look at the guys, Charlie and Fleur trying to distract Bill "Isn't he the one who bit your son?"

Arthur nodded "He bit Remus too."

At those words, Ted turned his head to look at his daughter who was playing with her mashed potatoes pretending to laugh at Charlie's joke.

"Scrimgeour ordered the Aurors to protect Greyback from the crowd."

First Greyback, then Narcissa's unexpected visit. It couldn't have been a coincidence, Tonks thought tiredly trying to make sense of the events of those last days. There must had been a scheme, she could almost feel it but she couldn't see it. Why had Narcissa waited so long to threaten her parents? Was the message really intended for them? But more than anything...what was her mother hiding from her? Why her mother didn't trust her? She couldn't find an answer.

She hadn't moved a muscle, thought Remus entering the room and seeing she was in the same spot he had left her ten minutes before. She had barely spoken during the evening and only to briefly answer questions. He didn't need to be a legilimens to know which thoughts were crowding her mind. Remus leant at the window next to her who had not even noticed his presence.

"I've missed it."

His voice, his fingers brushing her hair away from her cheek made her lose the train of her thoughts. "What?"

"Are you sure she'll come?"

Hearing Molly snort "What did he do this time?" asked Remus entering the kitchen, a couple of chairs preceding him floating in mid-air "where do I have to put these?"

Sirius crossed his arms annoyed "I did nothing."

"This is the problem. Time would seem to pass faster if you did something instead of sitting and watching the clock" Molly replied and before leaving the room added to Remus "Near the cupboard will be fine, thanks."

"She can be such a bossy woman." said Sirius as soon as she left the room closing the door at her back...

"Put them down." said Remus seeing him take a couple of biscuits from the tray "those are for the meeting."

Looking defiantly at him he bit the biscuit and jumped on his feet moving closer to his friend"when did you become such a boring middle-aged man?" he asked watching him dusting the chairs.

"I'm four months younger than you." replied the other hitting him with the duster and snapping the biscuit from his hand "Hum," he said chewing "she can be a bit bossy but she surely is a great cook." smiling back at Sirius, Remus leant back against the cupboard "When did you last see her?"

"Before my crazy relatives scared Andromeda and her husband to death making them cut links with anybody, my cousin used to send me some pictures of her." Sirius said taking the biscuit floating towards him "I think Nymphadora was four."

"Nymphadora..." Remus repeated taking another bit "it is really an unusual name."

"Yeah, I don't think my little cousin like it. " Sirius agreed "Did I tell you she is a Metamorphmagus?"

Remus put the rest of his biscuit in his mouth trying not to laugh. He hadn't seen Sirius so excited since that night he had finally proved his innocence to Harry. "Really?"

"It is such an amaz... You!" Sirius exclaimed seeing him giggling.

"You told me it only ten thousand times this week." Remus laughed at his disappointed expression " I can't..." the sound of something falling and the shouts of Sirius' mother cut him short. They looked at each other for less than a second then run upstairs.

It wouldn't have been impossible for everyone not to notice her spiky purple hair, but it wasn't it that caught his interest.

"This." replied Remus pressing his lips on her cheek for a very long moment.

A familiar tickling feeling ran on her skin. "What color are they?"

His fingers brushed lightly along her jaw bone stopping under her chin "Dark green" he answered making her raise her face towards his. He could have made her promise to obey the Ministry, to protect the monster that had ruined his life but she had no idea of how hard had it been for him to see that expression on her face when she had left their room. As if he had asked her to betray him... forcing himself to chase away those thoughts he bent his head and pressed his lips on the tip of her nose, on her cheek, on her jaw bone, on her closed eyelid. He had wanted to hug her, to kiss her like that, since the first moment she had returned to the Burrow only the presence of her parents had kept him from doing it.

Tonks giggled passing her arms around his shoulders, his lips, his breath tickling her, making the thoughts troubling her fade away. "Remus..."

"Yes, love?" he called kissing the corner of her smiling mouth.

She loved her powers, they were part of her, and having them back, even if partially, made her feel almost complete. But if having the ability to change her appearance could sound amazing controlling that kind of power required control of her feelings and emotions. She had never been good at it, especially when he was close to her, she admitted to herself feeling her eyes changing again. "What's your favourite colour?"

"My favourite colour?" Remus repeated kissing her again, a wide smile making his eyes sparkle "Don't you know it?"

Had Remus ever said it to her? Tonks asked herself trying to remember it, in vain. Her eyes moved from the yellow pinboard on the wall, to the blue lamp on the desk.

Seeing her frown thoughtfully, realizing she didn't know the answer "Come," he said taking her hand "I'll show you."

He moved the tower and rested his shoulders against the chair again "It's your turn."

"One hour." Sirius insisted trying to convince him " I won't be away for more than one hour."

"One hour or ten minutes...it doesn't matter." replied the other "You are not leaving this house."

"I have been stuck in this house for three months!" Exclaimed Sirius frustrated "I need to move, to breath!"

He sounded so desperate, thought Remus. He couldn't even imagine how hard it had to be for his friend to have managed to escape from prison only to find himself locked up in another one. Of course, Grimmauld place wasn't a prison, he wasn't a prisoner and there were no Dementors but still, Sirius wasn't free.

"Come on!" Sirius insisted seeing his friend hesitate "You know as well as me that nobody will pay attention to a man walking his dog."

"I'm sorry." Remus shook his head, his eyes avoiding Sirius'. "You heard Kingsley..."

Losing his temper Sirius hit the chess pieces with the back of his hand and stood "I don't give a crap about what Kingsley says!"

"And what about what I say?" asked Tonks entering the room.

Surprisingly Remus saw his friend darting at the girl for a brief moment and then, instead of answering back, snorting and sitting on the sofa crossing his arms but listening to her. Their eyes met, a smile played on Tonks' lips, realizing he was staring at her, Remus looked away embarrassed.

"How long will it take?"

"We are..."

"A day? A week, a month?" Sirius cut her short impatiently a feverish light burning in his eyes "I'm tired. I'm tired of waiting for them to understand I'm innocent. Twelve years..."

She looked at him, sorry. She knew his patience was being severely tested. Forced to live in a house full of awful memories, to watch the other members of the Order come and go, to hear their reports while he had to stay at home and feel powerless. She could imagine what was happening in her cousin's mind. The last thing he needed was to be told what he could and could not do. But at the same time, she knew Kingsley was right. "Fine." Tonks cut Sirius short "If you beat me, I'll take you out for a walk."

"What?" asked Sirius and Remus at the same time.

"If you beat me at chess, I'll take you out for a walk" she replied holding out her right hand "I give you my word."

His gaze moved from her face to her hand to her face again. Beating Ron was quite impossible, beating Remus was hard, but beating Tonks... Sirius smiled. He had seen her play. He took her hand and stood on his feet again "Agreed."

He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Remus frowned. He had seen her play too. Even a child would have been able to beat her. "Nymphadora," he murmured, " what are you doing?"

"Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus."

Remus rolled his eyes at her "You can't let him do it. " he replied astounded "It's too dangerous."

"I know." she assured him watching Sirius setting the chessboard

"Tonks..." Remus took a half step ahead grasping her wrist and keeping her from reaching the table.

He had never stepped so close to her, touched her. Her eyes moved from Remus' eyes to her wrist to his eyes again. "Do you trust me, Remus?"

"With my life." those words slipped from his mouth. At the sight of her slightly blushing cheeks, an unusual pleasant feeling began to run in his veins confusing his mind and at the same time making him aware of how close she was to him, of her scent, of his thumb moving out of his control, caressing lightly her skin, of his eyes unable to look away from hers.

After all those months she still couldn't say having understood him. She couldn't say if he found her annoying or liked her. But there was something intriguing about him, she admitted to herself. After that rainy night outside Olivanders' shop Remus had avoided her as if he couldn't stand her presence and yet, in the last month, she had shared her shifts with him more than with anyone else. He was not bad at flying or at tracking too and well...it wasn't unpleasant to be on duty with him. It was pleasant to talk with him when he was in a good mood. Sometimes she had the feeling that the Remus she shared her turns with wasn't the same person she bump into at Grimmauld place. As if, when they were alone, he often forgot the role he had set himself to play. But she couldn't understand the reason for that as well as she couldn't understand the reason why he had tried to hide his condition from her. She had thought he didn't trust her. And yet, those words, the way he was looking at her, his touch... it was so light, almost imperceptible but at the same time it was as if she had been waiting for him to do it, she thought, her gaze moving slowly from his eyes to his lips to his eyes again, her heart beginning to run...

"Are we playing or not?"

Sirius' impatient voice made Tonks startle and come back to the real world "I'm coming. Sorry." she said unwilling freeing her wrist from Remus' grip "Relax and watch us play." she added before reaching Sirius.

"What were you talking about?" Asked Sirius looking suspiciously at his friend who was still staring at her.

"Nothing important." answered the girl sitting in front of him and touching his left fist. "You move first." she said seeing she had chosen the black pawn.

Sirius nodded moving the first pawn "Anyway," he said waiting for her to move "I like your eyes' colour. Don't you like it, Remus?"

"Blue..." said Tonks looking at her reflection in the mirror "with a touch of green"

"It's the colour your eyes turned into every time I didn't behave like a bloody idiot." Remus murmured at her ear. His breath tickled her neck, making her shiver.

"Every time?" Tonks repeated turning in his arms.

He nodded smiling back at her. Never had he been so afraid that something might happen to her as in the last few days and now Andromeda and Ted's story... "I couldn't look away." he said, his hand running through her hair. "And of course your cousin noticed it."

Tonks tilted her head slightly to the side, her gaze following her fingertips slowly brushing against his cheek "Did he, eh?" It had been a very long day for him too, Tonks told herself noticing the way he was looking at her, feeling his arms holding her tighter.

"He loved to make me notice it. To tease me. " he smiled at that memory, "I lost my privacy as soon as he realized I was falling for you." he went on his hand began to slowly move down her back"It was as if he had turned fifteen again. Telling me what to say to you," his fingers slipped under her shirt "what to do..."

The way he was looking at her, the way he was caressing her made the flame his kisses had started in her chest burn in her veins. "Our...our conversations," she said, her mind beginning to have difficulty concentrating on something different from his hand moving up her side. She cleared her throat "I don't know how, but he managed to make them about you too." she thought about all the times her cousin had unexpectedly changed the subject. At that time she hadn't understood the reason for it, but now she knew it. "Telling me how clever" she went on putting her hands on his chest "and fun you are. " she frowned meeting his gaze "I'm starting to believe he wanted to manipulate me."

"Of course, he wanted to manipulate you." Remus replied laughing at her fake surprised expression " He knew I wouldn't find the courage to make the first move."

"But you did, didn't you?" Tonks asked passing one arm around his neck "Wasn't it only a coincidence you and I were almost always on duty together, was it?"

Seeing the suddenly understanding expression on her face Remus laugh between himself "You often had the night shifts so it wasn't that hard to convince the others to change their turns with mine."

"You knew how to confuse me." she admitted, her gaze moving slowly from his eyes to his mouth"Ignoring me during the day," she murmured on his lips, her hand moving slowly down his chest reaching the hem of his pullover, grasping it "spending your nights with me." she added kissing him softly while pulling up his pullover.

She startled opening her eyes, gasping for air, her heart beating so fast it could have stopped, Greyback's words echoing in her ears. Her sight adjusting to the moonlight, it took her a couple of moments to understand she was in her bed, that it had been only a nightmare. But, she admitted angrily, it hadn't been only a nightmare. She rolled on her side looking at Remus, an exhausted but happy expression on his face, tempted to wake him up. For a moment that evening, she had thought about telling him what Greyback had told her. That she thought Greyback knew who she was, that he knew the man he had bit during the battle was one of her friends. But how could she tell him that? How could she tell him the strange feeling she had felt when that monster had stared into her eyes?

The sound of a starting engine, of tires on gravel. She moved closer to the window and looked outside. The headlights of a car shone in the sunrise light as it pulled out of the driveway heading for the city.

She watched her neighbours wave one last time at the people inside the car before entering back home and turning off the light in the patio.

Her neighbour's daughter had probably come to visit her parents, thought Hope smiling at the memory of that nice girl who had moved to Bath two years before. "Tonks!" the woman jumped at the sight of the girl sitting in the dim light

"Oh?" Murmured the girl absently raising her head at the sound of her name.

"Tonks, darling," she called again noticing the distress in her eyes "are you all right?"

Tonks nodded "I was thirsty"

"I see." Hope replied seeing the untouched glass of water on the table "Do you mind if I sit here with you?"

She scrolled her shoulders, her eyes staring at something in the distance, lost in her thoughts again.

Hope looked at the girl for a couple of minutes in silence. When she and Remus had come back home Tonks had had such an upset expression that she and Ted couldn't help but ask what had happened. Hope was sure they hadn't told her all but what she knew was enough to understand the reason why Tonks couldn't sleep. "I'm sure they are safe now, darling."

The gentle touch of her hand surprised Tonks. That woman knew nothing about her, nothing except what she and Remus had told her, and even so, she had accepted her in her house and treated her like a daughter. "You're right." she sighed agreeing to let her believe it was the thought of her parents tormenting her. Hope and Lyall had no idea of what was happening at the Ministry in those days and Tonks was sure Hope wouldn't have sat next to her if she had known it. "I'm sorry you fought with your husband because of me."

"Oh, don't even think about it." Hope replied smiling "Lyall is proud but he knows you did it to protect us." she rested her shoulders against the chair "I've never approved his decision to refuse magic. Sometimes I think it is a way to punish himself. He can be so stubborn... Anyway," she went on "are you sure you don't prefer to stay with your parents?"

"No." Tonks shook her head and then seeing the woman frown she went on "My mother...well...we'll end up fighting. " she said absent-mindedly touching her wedding ring.

"She doesn't approve Remus..." said Hope noticing her gesture

"No...well.. she... it's complicated. Anyway" Tonks replied drinking a big gulp of water trying to swallow the bad taste her last conversation with her mother had left in her mouth. She was hiding something from her, she had always been hiding something, and now she was sure of it. "Can I ask you something?"

The chirping of birds, the morning light filtering from under the curtain, Remus turned on his side and stretched out his arm looking for her. "Dora" he murmured half-asleep touching the mattress "Love?" he called, his fingers reaching the edge of the bed. Yawing, he opened his eyes and took his watch to check the time. It was too early in the morning for her to have gone to the Ministry. Her clothes were still on the chair, her uniform jacket hanging at the hook behind the door, asking where she had gone, he got out of the bed.

The sweet smell of biscuits tickled his nose as he opened the door of his room. The door of the bathroom was half opened, arching his eyebrows he began to go downstairs. It was impossible Tonks was downstairs, baking biscuits. Last time she had tried to bake something she had almost set fire to the kitchen.

" ' Morning."

"Shhh!" whispered Hope pointing at the girl sleeping on the chair with her head in her arms.

"Not bad for her first time" seeing him looking at the flour and biscuit dough on the floor, at the trays of biscuits on the table Hope answered his silent question.

"She is not really good at domestic spells" smiling at the sight of flower on his wife's hair.

"No spells in this house. We did everything the muggle way" replied Hope checking the oven"I can't believe her mother has never taught her how to bake biscuits"

"Andromeda is a great cook." Remus said " But she is not exactly a patient woman. I imagine it is difficult learning to be a mother when nobody showed you what it means." he went on thinking about the mark on the woman's hand.

Hope stared at him perplexed.

"Forget about it." he said before she could ask the meaning of his words

"What happened between her and her mother?"

"What do you mean?" Remus asked perplexed

"She talked about something called the Order. And her job." Hope said trying to remember everything the girl had said to her but some words had sounded strange in her ears "She told me her mother didn't want her to accept it. That she didn't want her to use her powers. And well" she went on "she believes her mother doesn't trust her, that she is hiding something."

"Andromeda..." Remus sighed passing his hand on his face. "She believes she is protecting her."

"How could her mother think..."

"Do you remember Sirius? Do you remember what he said about his family?" Remus saw his mother frown, remembering, and then nod "It was Andromeda's sister the one who threatened her and her husband yesterday. D" he saw his mother astounded expression but went on "ora doesn't know it but it isn't the first time it happens."

Hope put her hand on his arm stopping him. He had said enough and she remembered Sirius' stories "She should know it."

"I know." Remus nodded "But I think her parents should tell it to her." then looking at Tonks and asking himself how was possible for her to sleep in that uncomfortable position he added. "I should take her to bed."

"Don't wake her up." said his mother watching him trying to figure out how to carry her upstairs without waking her up.

"I'll try." he replied softly passing one arm under Tonks' knees, the other around her shoulders.

Years of training alerted her senses. As if someone had just pinched her she jolted awake "What the..." she gasped wriggling, "Ouch!" she exclaimed knocking her head against something hard. Her hand automatically searching for her wand while stepping backward, her sight still adjusting at the sudden light. "Remus..." she called still confused, seeing him covering his nose with his hands "oh, love." she murmured, starting to remember and realize she had to be fallen asleep on the chair "Is it broken?"

He shook his head, his face still hidden behind his hands

"Let me see it." she said sorry making him lower his hands. Then she frowned puzzled "are you laughing?"

"You should have seen your face."

"My face?" she asked confused

"For a moment I quite believed you were about to stun me. Constant vigilance" he giggled mocking Mad Eye "Alastor should be very proud of you. But perhaps you spent too much time with him." he grasped her hand and pulled her in his arms "Should I be jealous of him?" he asked joking

"Perhaps I should have stunned you." she replied resisting the temptation to laugh with him "Didn't they tell you it is dangerous to take an Auror by surprise?"

"I know nothing about Aurors." he said, "I simply wanted to take my wife to bed." he took her hand and made her put it on his shoulder "and I would still like to do it." he murmured leaning down his head towards hers "Even if she tried to stun me. Anyway," he added smiling, his gaze moving down on her body in a way that made her blush, "I think my pullover looks better on you than on me."

She smiled, standing on the tips of her toes and kissing him.

"I told you that you would wake her up." said Hope making Tonks jump and turn in Remus' arms "I'm quite happy you woke up." he whispered pressing his smiling lips on her hair, squeezing her in his arms for a moment before letting her go. "So," he said stepping closer to the table, looking at the biscuits "that's what kept you busy all night"

"Your mother tried to teach me how to bake biscuits."She remembered looking at the mess surrounding her "I'm sorry." for the second time she moved her hand to take her wand before remembering she was wearing her pyjamas and, most important, that in that house it was forbidden to use magic "Where can I find broom and mop?" she offered to help clean

"Later." said Hope gently refusing her offer "First we have to understand where to put them."She looked at the biscuits "I'm afraid we got a little carried away"

"Most of them look like shapeless blobs." sighed Tonks deluded, looking at the biscuits too

"I'd never seen a biscuit affected by dragon's pox before." replied Remus seriously looking intently at a particularly lumpy biscuit

She took a handful of flour and threw it at him then turned to Hope again "I told you I'm not good at it." she said " I tried to follow your instruction but ..."

"All you need is a little practice" Hope cut her short encouragingly "I'm sure they taste great."

"Uhm...I'm not so sure about that" she replied sceptically at the same moment as Remus took a biscuit and bit it. "Remus..." she called watching him close his eyes, a strange expression on his face "It can't be that bad, can it?" she asked looking at Hope for help trying to remember what had she exactly put in them."I'm so sor..."

"That" Remus cut her short "this is the best biscuit I have ever offense mum." he went on turning to Hope while taking another bite "But they are even better than yours. "

"No offense at all." the woman replied putting the flour back in the cupboard. Seeing her son, finally forgetting what had happened to him and simply behave like a young man flirting childishly, was something she had never imagined would happen."I think I'll try to sleep a couple of hours." she said looking at them one last time before leaving the room laughing between herself.

"You!" Tonks hissed embarrassed seeing him eat the remains of the biscuit giggling "You made me believe they were disgusting!"

"Nothing you do could ever be disgusting" Remus replied "Even if, on a second thought," he went on thoughtfully brushing his short beard "that stew you made for Sirius and me..."

Tonks frowned at his words. "You said you liked it."

"I lied to you." he admitted with an amused grimace "And, to be honest, I did it quite often." he went on. Then seeing the expression of surprise and disbelief on her face he arched his eyebrows "Do you really want me to believe you thought my life was so boring I had nothing better to do in my spare time than pretending to read while ears-dropping your conversations with Sirius?"

"I know for sure that it was even more boring."

"Ouch!" exclaimed Remus kissing her hand and pressing it on his chest"That hurts."

"And anyway," she said, her heart starting racing trying to keep on with his beating under her hand, "didn't your parents teach you that you shouldn't listen to others' conversation?"

"I must have skipped that lesson." he joked taking another biscuit.

"What did you say they are?" asked Fred

"Nuts biscuits."

"And did Tonks make them?" the boy asked again staring doubtfully at the biscuits "Are you sure we can eat them? I mean..."

Seeing Remus scowling "I'm sure they are delicious." Charlie said darting at his brother "Ted and Andromeda are still upstairs." he turned to Remus again "But they are aw..."

"Did my daughter come here with you?" Andromeda asked cutting Charlie short

Remus turned to the woman coming downstairs. It was obvious she hadn't slept."She went to the Ministry."

A disappointed, deluded expression appeared on her face for a moment "Did you tell her..."

"No," Remus assured her "But you should do it." seeing her shaking her head he stepped closer to her lowering his voice so that only her could hear him"Your cousin loved to talk and I know something of what happened to you and Ted. Perhaps not everything but enough to understand some of your choices."

She opened her eyes wide in bitterness and anger "He had no right to tell you."

"No,he hadn't. You're right." Remus agreed "I'm not the one who should explain Nymphadora why you didn't want her to use her powers, or become an Auror. But if you don't do it" he promised, "I'll do it."

"You have no right to interfere in..."

"I have every right!" he replied "I won't stay silent and watch my..."

"Hi." said Ted interrupting them "Is Dora here?"

"She went to the Ministry." answered sharply Andromeda "I hope you're happy, now."

Ted sighed watching his wife enter the kitchen"She believes it is my fault. That I shouldn't have encouraged Dora." he said noticing the puzzled expression on Remus' face "I thought she had accepted our daughter's choice. But what happened yesterday..." he sighed again then turned towards him "This is not the right moment to talk with my wife. Let her calm down."

"She deserves the truth."

"Some truths are harder than others to be told." replied Ted and before Remus could reply he went on "How do you tell your child that her mother's family swore to kill her? That they almost succeeded in it? " he asked and seeing Remus couldn't find an answer "We should take a sit before it begins," he added entering the already crowded kitchen

There were only a few of them that day, luckily Mundungus was present, noticed Remus sitting next to Fleur, telling himself he wasn't in the mood to ignore his provocations. It was the first time Andromeda and Ted were taking part in a meeting of the Order, he thought looking at the serious expression on their faces, Ted's words echoing in his mind. The spot he had noticed on Andromeda's hand, how did she have got it?

"What do you think about it?" asked Minerva "Remus?"

"Why are you asking his opinion?" asked Hestia "We don't need..."

"'cause he knows this area better than any of us." Kingsley cut her short darting at the woman

"Remus..." Fleur touched his arm shaking him away from his thoughts

"Sorry." Remus straightened his back and looked at the map open on the table. Kingsley was right, he knew that area of the lake district better than any of them. That was the area where he had spent the last months of spring "I think we may have more luck searching here." he said indicating a point near Loughrigg Fell "Some of them could be still hiding there."

"It's too risky." Said Molly shaking her head

"Do you have a better idea?" asked Minerva

"I know some of them." Remus said thoughtfully "they are good people. I could try to contact them..."

"Someone could intercept your message."

"That's a risk too." Remus nodded

"Do you think they will answer your message?"

"I don't know..." he admitted "Anyway," he went on passing his fingers through his hair "I've to talk with Tonks about it before taking a decision."