Chapter 18:

Irritations

The problem with looking for someone at the Spell and Sphinxes was that everyone who drank there looked the same. It was as if they where all going for the same typecast character in a play. They lurked around the pub with their hunched shoulders, shady eyes and dark hooded robes. Each one looked wearier than the next.

Tonks and Benson joined them. They pulled their own hooded robes down over their eyes. They each bought a pint of ale that looked and tasted as if the glass had the remains of an ash tray in it. Both of them searched the room for Lysander Nichols.

Tonks looked at her watch, they had been waiting some time now, and it was close to three. She had told Remus that she would meet him at five. If she was to get back to her flat and pack her overnight bag, she was going to be pushing her luck.

Just as Tonks was about to suggest that they call it a day, a young man walked confidently into the pub. His muggle jeans were lose and baggy, his black traveling cloak was much the same. His light brown hair was slicked back so much that Tonks wondered if it wasn't painted on. "San, boy-o. 'Ow are ya?" the barmen called across to the cocky teen.

"So, so." Lysander replied. "Tell me, you haven't seen Emilia around today have you?"

The barmen shook his head and passed him a pint of the same murky ale that Tonks and Benson were sipping.

"Damn. The slut has gone and run off with some of my merchandise. If you see her, try and work out where she's staying. I'll make it worth your while."

Across from Tonks, Benson had drained his pint glass. "I'm going to get another." and then in a whisper Tonks could only just hear, "And I'll see if I can't get a bit more out of that git."

Benson wandered over to the bar. He stood only a few feet from Lysander. "Same again, barman," said Benson. For a moment Benson only looked at the teen next to him, then with a full pint in his hand he lent over. "You look like a well informed young man."

Lysander ran a hand down his slicked back hair. "Depends what you want to know about?"

"Well, my girl and I, we came down this end of town hoping to buy something that would make our weekend a bit more exciting."

Lysander gave Benson a good look over. "Just what type of a good time where you looking for?"

Benson moved closer to Lysander, but before he could say anything the door of the pub banged open.

Three men strolled into the pub as if it was their own home. Tonks' jaw dropped, she knew all three of them. One, the largest of the three, stood back from the other two, his name was Crabbe and Tonks had seen him only in passing. Same with the skinnier of the remaining two, his name was Nott. The last man, Tonks knew very well, even if she had only ever shared a few words with him. He was Tonks uncle Lucius Malfoy.

Tonks struggled to not let her hatred for Malfoy overwhelm her. She fought back the urge to run at him screaming, or to throw her pint glass right at his smug face. Malfoy on the other hand was looking at the two men at the bar, Benson and Lysander.

"Lysander, I didn't know that you where at all acquainted with our friend Benson here?" Malfoy said, as he strolled over to the two men.

Benson kept cool but Tonks knew that, just like her, he would be swearing under his breath.

Lysander took a measured sip from his pint. "We only met just now."

"Ah, I see." Malfoy said concernedly, "Benson here, if I remember, is in the Auror office. Did you know that Lysander?"

Lysander stiffened. "No I didn't. In fact he didn't even introduce me to his girlfriend." Lysander gestured towards Tonks.

At that moment Tonks tried very hard to morph, but nothing happened, she was too startled. Besides it would have been a moment to late, Malfoy had already recognized her.

"Nymphadora? Is that you?" Malfoy called out across the pub, whose patrons couldn't have cared less about the scene unfolding in the middle of it. "Dating married men now, are you?"

Tonks noticed Benson instinctively cover his wedding band. "Yes I am Uncle. Have to do my bit at keeping the Black name nice and muddied up."

Malfoy turned back to the two men at the bar with a stony look. "Mr. Benson, you must excuse Lysander and me. He's doing some potion research for me and I need to talk to him about it."

There was nothing else for it. Benson and Tonks left the pub with nothing, but the bitter taste of giving Lysander Nichols a heads up that they were after him.

Outside the pub Benson kicked a bin. "It was stupid of you to say that to Malfoy."

Tonks looked sharply at Benson. "The man's a prize git."

"He's a very important man. Not to mention the friends he has at the Ministry."

"I don't care. He's a f-"

"I do care. Comments like that will get back to our superiors, and not only will they reflect badly on you, but also on me." With that, Benson stormed off down the alleyway.

Tonks apparated before she gave herself time to think about his comments.

Remus had been sitting on the step at the front of Tonks apartment block for an hour. The sun was setting now and he strained to read his book by the fading light. Eventually he gave up on reading and slipped his book back into his suitcase.

Without the distraction of his book, Remus wondered about the lateness of Tonks. She had told him that they would meet after she finished work. Perhaps, he thought, she had decided against taking him with her. But then surely she would have told him.

A loud crack came from the alleyway next to where Remus was sitting, Followed by the arrival of an annoyed looking Tonks. She stormed around the corner stopping a few feet in front of Remus.

"Is anything the matter?" Remus asked.

Tonks walked on towards the door. "No everything is fine. Benson is just a knob."

Remus picked up his case and followed Tonks into the apartment block. "Benson? That you work with? Is he why you're late?"

Tonks spun around on the stairs, and then had to grab hold of the railing, as she very nearly went tumbling down. "I'm sorry. Were you waiting long? I should have sent you a message. We had a lead. Sorry."

"It was fine. I got a bit of reading done. What did Benson do to upset you?"

Tonks continued up the stairs to her apartment. "He told me off."

"About what?"

Tonks stood, bag in hand collecting her thoughts. "While following our leads we bumped into Malfoy. I made a smart mouthed comment to him. That's all. And then Benson tells me off. What right does he have to tell me what to do?"

"Well you do work for the Ministry, and Malfoy does carry a lot of weight there. I'm sure Benson was only thinking of what would be the best for you." Remus instantly regretted what he said. Tonks was looking at him in absolute annoyance.

She pushed past him and huffed off down the stairs. She miss stepped about half way down and fell down the second half of the stairs. Remus ran down to help her up, but she pulled away from his grasp.

"I'm sorry." Remus said unhelpfully.

"Just shut up, while I calm down." Tonks snapped at him before storming out the front door and disappearing down the side alleyway.

Remus caught up with her in time for Tonks to mutter her parents address to him before disapperating. Nervously Remus followed.

Tonks only had to wait a few seconds before Remus appeared next to her, but the few moments alone in the sharp coolness of the night, were enough to calm her down just a bit. When Remus did appear, she turned to apologize at the same time that he did.

"I'm not pissed at you, just Benson," Tonks explained. With that they walked down the small pebbled driveway of the Tonks house.

The House was a one storey cottage. Tall trees grew around the property edge, and Remus supposed that the land after the back fence was some kind of woods, or nature reserve. There was a wet smell in the air and as they neared the house Remus could make out a large pond that made up most of the garden. The house itself was half covered in ivy and had an old thatched roof.

Tonks knocked at the door. Before waiting for someone to answer, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Remus followed. He could tell Tonks was still annoyed at him, even after her apology.

"Dora, Is that you?" A man with thinning light brown hair and a large belly came bumbling into the hallway. Remus could see the resemblance to Tonks in his broad smile. A thin woman, who was undeniably a Black, swept gracefully into the hallway behind the man.

"Nymphadora!" Tonks' mother walked toward her daughter with her arms open.

The two women hugged, next Tonks stepped forward and gave her father a kiss on the cheek. Remus noticed that Andromeda, apart from a fleeting glance, would not look at him. Ted on the other hand was now smiling at him, waiting for Tonks to introduce them.

"Mum, Dad. This is my boyfriend Remus Lupin. Remus, Andromeda and Theodore-"

"Please! It's Ted." Tonks father interrupted. He stretched out his hand towards Remus. He shook it happily.

Remus turned to extend his hand to Andromeda. The look of disgust that was on her face could not have been topped even by her sisters. She took a deep breath and her eyes flashed back to Tonks.

"Remus Lupin is your new boyfriend!" Exclaimed Andromeda. "And I use the term boyfriend loosely."

"Mum, don't be like that." Tonks pleaded.

"How am I meant to be?" Andromeda turned to look Remus in the eye. "I'm sure you're a very nice man. But you can't be many years younger then me. And if I'm not misinformed you're a werewolf. Those things alone would not recommend you as a good boyfriend for my Dora. But then on top of that you were once friends with Sirius Black." Andromeda turned back to Tonks. "You really can't tell me you're happy with all that?"

"Dromeda I think-" Ted tried to cool down the situation.

"Ted, let the girl answer."

Tonks pink hair was slowly turning a shade of red. "Piss off Mum. I knew you'd be like this!" She turned sharply on her heels, and yanked the door open. Turning to Remus who had taken a step towards her, "And don't you follow me! I know whose side you're going to take. Again."

The door slammed and Tonks was gone, leaving Remus with her parents. Andromeda turned on her heels the same way that Tonks had and disappeared into another room in the house.

"Well Remus, I'd say you and I could do with a large glass of fire whisky" Ted Tonks offered as he led Remus into the sitting room.

A/N: Hey guys just want to say again how great it is to have people who like reading my story. Thanks. well you know what to do...review!