I feel the tendrils of the story and characters begin to take root again in my imagination; like re-softening clay that's been stored for far too long in that creepy corner of your basement. It's incredible. Please review & tell me your impressions! xx

Remus bolted down the steps, the grimy windows darkening as afternoon cooled into evening. Time had passed so quickly whilst fumbling with deviant items, and he had nearly forgotten the Order meeting included a dinner, probably to fortify the members before Operation James. Molly had been toiling in the kitchen the entire afternoon, with pot-roast and jams and savory meat pies aplenty. Remus had never been so well-fed since Hogwarts; his lean form was almost presentable, at least out of the range of famished lunatic. Almost.

He hurried through the dank corridor, the light from the kitchen faintly brightening the hallway enough for him to avoid an umbrella stand, Kreacher, a pile of galoshes and…OOOMMPPHH!

"So sorry, oh dear oh my. That was a person I just ran into, wasn't it? Dammit." An unfamiliar voice muttered into his ear, with a slight bubble and Welsh accent, as Remus lay supine on the floor, entangled with a strange witch. Her body was small and compact, and he could feel her muscles pressing through her robes, smell a particular hint of peaches and chocolate that was favorably delicious. He was momentarily winded, and not solely from the collision.

"Lumos." The witches' wand illuminated her heart shaped face in a halo of light, as she grinned broadly with apple cheeks and bright, obnoxiously pink-spiked hair. Remus was struck not only by her prettiness, but immediate warmth. How many people would be this friendly after being knocked over unceremoniously in the dark? He groaned as he tried to rise, and the witch giggled further.

"Wotcher! Pity we had to meet in such an awkward place, no? You must be…"
"Remus." He coughed, sweating a bit. "Remus Lupin."

"Ah yes!" She nearly squeaked with excitement. "I recall; Sirius's mate, mentioned you quite a bit when he was younger. The name is Tonks. Pleased to meet you, Remus. I'd shake your hand, but I fear it may be trapped beneath me at the moment. Oh bother." Indeed, his arm was lodged under her squirming torso, which made Remus struggle to remove it faster. He was feeling quite warm.

"I'm such a klutz, please excuse my awfulness just now. You've been such a good sport about it too." She rose to her knees and stood up, gently removing herself from his legs, and standing over him with a sheepish look, head cocked and glowing. She reached down to help him, chuckling as he blushed.

"No need for embarrassment, it was my fault completely. I fall all the time, it's rather spastic. I'm just lucky because this time, I had you to catch me." She gestured with a wink.

Remus smiled.

"Any time, erm…Tonks. And it was a pleasure to meet you. New to the Order?" She nodded fervently.
"I'm an auror. You?"

"Resident bum, really. Though Sirius seems keen on stealing that title from me in a flash." My, she was easy to talk to. His insides clenched, wondering if she knew the truth of his condition. He was on file at the Ministry, naturally, but who memorizes names of werewolves? Though she did seem to recall his name; was she an old girlfriend of Sirius? Her features hinted slightly at Black elegance, but there was something wholly organic and impish about her. He'd have to inquire later. Currently, the broad expanse of Kingsley was blocking the light from the kitchen, as he surveyed the scene with a raised eyebrow.

"Already making quite an impact, are we, Tonks?" His low rumbled with a pleasant air. He was teasing. Tonks blushed and scowled, poking the commanding auror. His chuckle made the eyes of his face squeeze shut as his body shook in delight.

"Remus, this is my lovely co-worker. Quite a top notch ministry worker, if I do say so myself. Can't seem to get me tea as timely as I'd like, but…"

Tonks snorted. "Tea? Sheesh, stick that up your berk. I'm not your secretary, sir. I'm your peer! Soak your teabags yourself." Kingsley gasped in mock offense, then turned to lead the pair back through the corridor. Tonks turned quickly to smile once more at Remus, and he felt his heart flutter. What was coming over him? He nervously ran a hand through his graying hair, and moved onto the prospect of dinner, and friends. Much business to attend to.

The kitchen was packed to bursting with a dozen or so witches and wizards, many of whom Remus was familiar with. The Order had been undergoing several evolutions and tweaks as Dumbledore organized in the wake of the TriWizard Cup last year. The secret organization's second generation was still too scattered and inchoate to be quite as intimate as his first instatement. But times had changed to. Things were far more hopeful then, far more exciting.

How clueless they were. How very young and clueless.

He struggled to fix his disheveled hair, fumbling with the clasp of his cloak. The damn thing had gotten tangled again, probably during the fall with Tonks. Sirius spied him from his seat in the corner and rushed over to help. He smiled as the clasp was finally freed from Remus's jumper.

"Dear, dear…Moony, you look as if you've gone through a hurricane…or perhaps some wild sex." He wiggled his eyebrows with devilish glee. "Tell me, who is the pretty lady? Or man, if you're so inclined." The man looked far too pleased with himself at that statement. Remus frowned as he as he shoved Sirius slightly, muttering.

"I had a wee mishap in the hallway, that's all."

"Oh, you're doing it in the hallway now…kinky. With whom? My vile, loathsome cousin Nymphadora?"

Remus sighed, as Sirius's smirk grew wider.

"Who in the world are you referring to…"? His breath caught suddenly, as he was greeted once again by a certain peachy witch.

"That…" as she punched Sirius hard in the shoulder, resulting in a yelp of suprise, "would be the horrible name my dearest darling mother bestowed upon me. Don't." She growled, tapping her wand against Remus's lips before he could even think to breath, let alone speak. "Argue with me. You know it's horrible, and denial will do you no good." She smiled once more, lowering the wand lightly.

"As for you…" she turned to face Sirius, his teeth pulled back in his trademark dogged grin.

"This should wipe the smirk off your pretty-boy face." His eyes went wide as his mouth disappeared from view, hands pulling frantically at blank, smooth skin. Tonks rolled her head back and chuckled, her entire form trembling in the inexplicable delight. It was an intoxicating sight, one that moved Remus's lips to curl in tandem.

"Serves you right Padfoot, disrespecting your very unvile and lovely cousin that way! And a lady to boot!" Tonks crinkled her nose in annoyance upon hearing the terms of endearment Sirius so willingingly forgot to shower, and rolled her eyes with a huff, hands perched on her jutting little hip.

"Nice to meet you again. Remus." His name caught on her tongue, like the beat before a giggle. She skipped away to the dinner table with nary a glance backwards, tripping over her robes along the way. Remus was simply stunned. He would have remained in that slack position all night, mouth gaping and useless, if not for Sirius beating furiously on his back.

"Oh, sorry mate. Here…" He muttered the spell that returned Sirius's sly grin, much to the owner's relief. Sirius's eyes soon narrowed.

"So, now I see what's going on."

"What?" Remus murmured, his eyes still glazing as he observed Tonks flitting through the crowd, the way she would tug up her robes in excitement, the slight dimples on her rosy cheeks. Her strident, raucous, ever present laughter.

"You have the hots for my cousin! You sly wolf of a man! This is downright hilarious…if not slightly nauseating." Sirius motioned to vomit.

"WHAT?" Remus sputtered. "That's the craziest scheme you've concocted! Me? Her? We just collided a few moments ago. She's probably ten years my junior, and already more accomplished and clever than I could ever hope to be. And…and…how could I possibly be infatuated with a person I've only just met…"?

"Happens all the time." Sirius shrugged, as if his skills in lady-love were a common occurrence amongst men. "Still, I'd be careful about who you fancy. Tonks is more a bloke then anything." He whistled innocently.

"She's not. She's quite feminine. Rebellious…erm, extraverted…and pink. But feminine."

"She's a bloke Moony, look at that chest. Flat as a warm pop."

"She has breasts, they're just not as well endowed as say, Mada…hey, wait! Why are we discussing this? Who cares? She's just a friend Sirius! And your cousin! We can't parse her assets likes she's an…object or…" He was stopped as Mad-eye let out a yelp, signaling the night was now ripe for the briefing to commence. The crowd shifted to gather their cloaks and head to the yard.

Sirius sighed as he clapped Remus's shoulder.

"You seem to care. Good luck. Take…take care of Harry for me." With a final nod of the head, Sirius slouched back to the house, brooding over his exclusion once more. His friend's bright mood was once again deflated, and Remus secretly wished he would stop acting like such a…child over the entire ordeal. But Sirius was always one to toss caution to the wind; a trait Remus both resented and admired. To be so free with your feelings, your impulses. To let down the guard.

The sliver of the moon peeked from behind the forms of clouds, as the braying of distant wolves sounded in his veins. Distant, but never completely gone, this beast within. He beat it down and gathered to the door, awaiting further news.

Operation James was swayed to motion. There was no turning back now.

Author's Note: Sorry for the shorter update here; I didn't want to randomly squish together plotpoints and lose the pacing of the piece. I'm at the end of my 2007-outlines, and must complete the overarching idea of my plot for now. Reviews would be most helpful in deciding how to direct this tale. But at least Nymphadora is bumbling around in my skull now. 3

~hippie