Sometime in the early morning or late night hours, Lupin woke up. He was a little groggy, and knew that if he moved he would have a monster headache; it took him a moment to realize where he was, and whose waist his arms were wrapped around.

Oh, he inwardly groaned as the earlier events were remembered, kind of. Still, he thought, can't be worse than that one time in Bulgaria with the pineapples…

Then he stopped thinking, because he noticed the way that the sliver of moonlight caught Tonks, illuminating the pink strand of hair that fell across her face, marking her momentary vulnerability and immortalizing the beauty of her face in one inspiring instant. Lupin brushed her hair back from her face, and figuring it was his only chance and that everything would be turned right-side-up the next day, softly kissed her temple then fell back into slumber.

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Tonks woke the next morning to a beam of sunlight directly in her face. The effects of the alcohol were minimal, and she relaxed, until she wondered why she was on her couch instead of her bed…with somebody's arms around her waist.

"Oh," she said as she recalled the night before. She did not get time to dwell on it, as there was a knock at the window.

It was an owl, blue and it was tapping the window insistently. She opened the window and let the owl in and took the scroll it carried, which read:

Nymphador, Arthur's been hurt. He's in St. Mungo's. Visiting hours are at ten. Could you do me a huge favor and bring my children and Harry here? They're at the headquarters. I've also asked Mad-Eye and Remus.

-Molly

Tonks scribbled "Yes, be there soon," and sent the owl off. She glanced at the sleeping form on her couch and whispered, "Remus?"

Then louder, "Remus?"

"REMUS!" He stirred lightly and rolled over. She sighed.

"I guess I'll have to leave him here." She found some paper, left a note and Disapparated.

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Lupin got up later with a crazy bad headache. The first thing he noticed was that Tonks was one. He sat up fast, and his throbbing head did not thank him for it.

"Wand! Where's the-"he searched around in his pockets and found it in his pockets, still intact, thankfully. With great struggle he arose, and spotted a note on the table.

-Remus, Arthur Weasley is at St. Mungos. TRIED to wake you. Took Weasley kids. Will go back to Grimmwauld's Place afterward. Join us if you can.-

Lupin glanced at his watch, which exclaimed (RW-what? Watches can't read or say anything either, so why not exclaim?) thirteen minutes after noon. He figured there may be a possibility of still being at St. Mungo's, so he'd go back to Sirius' and have some tea before everyone got back He wrote "Got it," on Tonks' note and Disapparated.

Sirius was sitting at his table, reading.

"You, know, you really should warn me. It would be polite."

"Ah, where's the fun in that? Do you have some tea? Or possibly some Mandrake juice?"

"Aww…Moony's got a hangover. Yeah, I've got some."

He got up and began to prepare it for Lupin. "So was Tonks any fun last night?

"She's ruddy awful at drinking games," Lupin replied.

"Which is why you didn't even make it home last night."

"How'd you know?"

"I have my ways, Moony. But come on, she's my cousin!"

"Nothing happened, Padfoot."

"Sure?"

"Yes. So what's this about Arthur?"

"He was bit by a snake while on watch. Pretty bad from what I hear. Odd thing is, Harry saw it and warned Dumbledore. BUT he says he saw it from the snake's point of view."

"Poor kid, he really could use some help in all this, and all he has are us."

"Some help huh? A werewolf and an escaped convict. Couple of old sops."

"We're not that old. Only twelve years older than Tonks."

Sirius raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

A flurry of activity was heard from the hallway; the group had returned. Lupin heard the stomping of feet going upstairs, and waved hello as Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Ron and Tonks entered the kitchen. Tonks gave him a look that suggested infinite painand probably and Unforgivable Curse or two if he mentioned last night at all.

RW: This is it for now…Haze has some stuff to do & we're at school and all…but it's long, so be happy! I am!

Love ME!