For anyone who cares to recall, I've split this chapter in half-gives me more time to muddle through, and adds a better, erm, flow to the over-arching tale. Perhaps. I promise Tonks will be more central soon; one cannot rush an exposition, can they? x

"A lake lay stagnant, silver and glistening, still as ice. Wolves twirled around the circumference, like carousel animals, up and down, up and down, their leader a black, shaggy dog. Remus was floating at the center, strings attached to his torso, wrapping around as if he were a maypole, the painted wolves grinning devilishly. He could not move, could hardly breath as the string drew tighter and tighter against his body.

"Help." He breathed. "Please…help." Molly floated above, her face contorted in rage, Sirius's body in her arms.

"Look what've you've done Remus, look what you've done! It's your fault…" Molly shrieked in a ghostly, banshee voice.

"No, it's not…Molly…help, please, Sirius…" The strings were too tight, he strained to see. The painted animals were clawing in brilliant heaps of color and fury. The weight on his chest was unbearable…"

"Um, Professor Lupin, Professor Lupin? Are you alright? Professor?"

Remus awoke with a start, cold sweat in rivulets down his back. He grasped his chest. No string. No creatures. Merely a dream.

"Just a dream…" he murmured. The freckled face of Ginny Weasley was staring intently at him through tendrils of obnoxiously ginger hair. He realized he had fallen asleep in the chair, in plain view of all. He was mortified his friends could have witnessed him in such a vulnerable, uncontrolled state. And the drips of the dream still clung to his measured pulse and blinking eyes.

"Professor, you were shaking…and shouting. Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes Ginny, just fine." He stretched his aching joints, hands nervously waving her away."I had a long night. What time is it?"

"Almost noon, sir. Mum wanted me to see if you were at all hungry. She didn't appear too happy, though. Is it something to do with the Order?"

These kids. He shook his head, smiling slightly. They tended to use him as their access to the secrets. Perhaps it was the fact he was less threatening than Mad-Eye, or far more approachable than Sirius. Or he was a pushover. What a sentiment.

"No Ginny…it's something to do with…" His brow furrowed as he hesitated. She didn't need to know. "It's nothing. Am I late for lunch?"

"No, it's just started!" She skipped away towards the kitchen, her red hair flying behind in a torrent of scarlet. Remus groaned as he pulled himself out of the chair, hair still damp from the lake. Raising his wand, he muttered "sicco", drying the locks and his clothing, and made his way through the door. The kitchen was full-to-bubbling with members of the Weasley brood, along with Sirius and Hermione, visiting for the remainder of the summer following a snorkeling vacation in New Zealand with family. Mundungus was settled around the large table as well, staring at something intently in his lap. Remus hoped it wasn't anything vaguely related to that particular area of anatomy, when he nearly stumbled into Mr. Weasley , who was flitting around the room in panic.

"I'm late, so very late. How will I explain this to Kendra?…I have a meeting with the Minister of Magic in less than five minutes, five feeble minutes Molly! How could they throw this at me at such quick notice?…and on the night Operation James is going to take place! Do you think they know? That we're going to retrieve Harry? What if this meeting is just a ploy to hold me over so I won't be able to keep an eye on the sky watchers? Molly, I…"

"Arthur, calm down. You're a wizard, you'll be there in a snap. Fudge may just be interviewing you because of…um… your work for the department! Perhaps it's good news, think of that…"

"A promotion!" Exclaimed Fred from his seat.

"Yeah, Dad. Fudge will make you his right-hand man!" Shrieked George, spittle spraying across the table. Ms. Weasley looked on with curled disgust. "Now that would be nice. We'd be just rolling in dough. We'd have an actual allowance for starters, slick Teddy-boy outfits, perhaps new supplies…"

"For what, may I ask?" Mrs. Weasley growled as she handed Mr. Weasley his coat and a piece of buttered toast. "If you even think of starting that evil mail-order joke service again, why I'll…"

"Mum, we're just shitting around." Fred shot back.

"It's the only thing we know how to do." George snickered.

"Except snog."

"You're right Fred, we're the best snoggers in the whole of Hogwarts! The ladies will be pouncing all over us the second we step through the Great Hall!"

"Sirius has nothing on us!" Sirius grinned as he looked up from his soup, Mrs. Weasley rolling her eyes in dismay. The twins were a lost cause.

"I have to go now, Molly." Mr. Weasley gave her a quick peck as he threw some floo powder into the fireplace. "Remember everyone, if I'm not back for tonight, please…"

"It's fine Mr. Weasley, just go!" Hermione urged.

"Well, say hello to Harry for me." He stepped into the fire, then disappeared with a turn of his slipper. The haphazard dressing in the rush to leave had left him too disoriented to remember proper footwear. The household resumed eating, as Remus took a place between Sirius and Fred. Molly frowned slightly.

"Woken up after your little venture, have you?" Her back was to him as she stirred the soup, ladling it with a little too much slosh and vigor.

"What venture?" Ron asked eagerly.

"Nothing…just a stroll." Lupin's hands were sweating. Why couldn't Molly keep quiet?

"Jes' a strill, eh? Mer like a date to me! Ha! Remus, ladie's man! That'll be the dey!" Mundungus snorted, as his head plopped down into soup once more, apparently, asleep again.

"The nerve of him." Molly muttered as she placed the soup in front of Remus. "Excuse me, I'm expecting a call from Muriel." She headed towards the living room fireplace with a pout in her step. Sirius gazed at his friend, his voice low.

"Everything ok?"

"Yes. A few extra aches, that's all. You?"

"Oh, I'm happy as a fairy." He waved his spoon dramatically for this, in mock delight. "Happy, happy, happy." Sirius grunted as he turned back to his soup.

"Sirius" Remus whispered back, "I know it's hard, not being able to pick up Harry, but you must understand it's for the greater good!"

"You're starting to sound just like Molly! Moony, hell, I'm a grown man! I'm tired of the greater good!" His voice was louder now, and the entire table had suspended their chatter to watch. "I just want to see Harry!" He returned the glances of the company, and settled back into himself, the tone decidedly less intense."Besides…it's not about that. I need to go to my room, to…think. Hope everything's alright with you mate." He clapped Remus on the shoulder, pushing his chair back, shaking the table in the process, and proceeded to stomp up the stairs. Remus apologized to the rest of the table. Something else seemed to be bothering Sirius and he was too tired to ply it out at the moment.

He had soup to finish.

"Ok Ron, now hold the handle steady as I prepare to blast it. Everyone in position? We don't know what articles, or erm, creatures, are in here, so be prepared to protect yourself…"

Somehow, the rest of Remus's afternoon had been wrangled into household chores. Or rather, chores in the Grimmauld vein…indicating that even mundane tasks like dusting and organizing were sure to bring up something vile and vaguely evil, and required "CONSTANT VIGILANCE" as Mad-Eye would spout. Currently, he was helping to open and pilfer through a giant wardrobe in Mrs. Black's chambers. Sirius had declined to help; he never entered the rooms of his mother without absolute need. And Remus could understand why…the entire place reeked of depression and gloom, with undertones of musk, mulled wine, and the unnerving metallic hints of rot. Quite the decadent combination, really.

"Creatures?" Fred squirmed. "What sort of creatures?"

"As long as it's not enchanted spiders, we're cool with it. Right Ronnykins?" George grinned devilishly. Ron blushed but stood his ground, his trembling hands betraying his solid stance.

"We won't know until we open it, shall we now? Okay, on the count of three." Remus raised his wand, "One…Two…Three! *BANG!*" The handle blasted off, sending Ron hurtling towards the twins. They screamed as they were knocked to the floor, a heap of dust and limbs.

"Boys, are you alright?" The room was clouded for a moment, and only shapes were visible.

"Just fine *cough* Remus, just fine." Fred pulled George up with a pop, wiping dust gracefully from his robes, leaving Ron rubbing his head in disorientation. Remus strode over and helped him gain his bearings.

"Now, when that's settled." Fred stuck his tongue out at the nuances of the pun. Remus gave him a wink. "Let us finally examine the contents of Mrs. Black's wardrobe, if we dare." They pulled open the now blasted door with a cringe, only to be greeted by the sight of mountains upon mountains of…

"UNDERWEAR! Ugh! Bloody Hell! THAT'S DISGUSTING!" George whimpered, scrambling to hide behind a petrified Fred, who seemed more focused on attempts to not wet his pants. The boy tentatively reached out a hand to touch the tangled, monsterous mess.

"Wow." Gasped George, as he pulled out a rather horrid pair of orange-lace panties, in a size more befitting a giantess than a witch. "Who knew you could get them so …large? I like an ample bum as much as the next fellow, but this is just ridiculous. Look Ron, you could use this for a new dress robe! It matches your eyes!"

"Ha, ha…very funny. Not! Ugh, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing women's panties. Especially those. They shouldn't be fit for public viewing. More like an object of dark magic." He shuddered as he placed a bra the size of a washtub in the rubbage bag. A family of mice had nested in one of the cups. Fred replied with an over-toothy snicker.

"Well, I would assume they were to contain some very dark magic indeed. If by dark magic one means shi..igumbleh!" Ron had stuffed the freckled twin's mouth with a handful of degraded garters, causing an impromptu lingerie battle of torn tights, bloodied bloomers, and panty sling-shot action. Dust rose like mini bombs as the boys shrieked and ducked amongst thealiGothic furniture.

Remus just rolled his eyes, and continued to gather the clothing in bunches, screwing his nose in disgust. The odor was sickly, and the images associated with the clothing were…disturbing, to say the very least. He'd need a long bath, he noted while grimacing, to recover from this event. He snuck a peek at his watch.

"Let's finish this quickly boys. I have to be in the kitchen in ten minutes to meet the rest of the order for Operation James." Ron nodded, distracted momentarily as Fred brandished a studded and rather imposing leather whip, whacking George right on the rump. The boy yelped.

"Ouch!, what the hell was that for?"

"You've been very naughty, Georgie. You deserve punishment!" Fred cackled as he raised the whip again.

"Alright, Fred! Leave the sex toys alone, please. If your mother caught you playing with them, it'd be off with my head. And who knows what potions and hexes and diseases are lingering on them."

"Black plague, I suspect!"

Remus fought back a grin as he deposited a rather nasty box of what looked suspiciously like dildos and anal beads into the bag. He'd rather not know.

"Remus!" A booming voice sounded up the stairs. It was Kingsley. He was required.

"Okay, I must depart boys. Take these, and burn them…destroy them, toss them in a gulch, what have you. I never want to see them again, and I know Sirius would agree. And be sure Kreacher stays far, far away."

"Amen". Replied Fred as they dragged the bag down the stairs with perverted glee, cracking the whip every so often and elicting a screech from Molly below.

Ha, I hope you weren't too disturbed by Ms. Black's more...deviant hobbies. And I'm not referring to her Death Eater Trading Cards either. I'm so evil. :P

I'll update in due time, meanwhile, if you wish, feel free to review. They are always such a lovely surprise.

~hippie