Author's note- Sooooo, I do have a life outside of fanfiction. :D Sry I'm slow at updating chapters and such- HBP is going to be a bitch to right cuz its so freakin depressing. I'm writing and rewriting a lot of things in this story and I'm back at school and stuff, so sorry about the wait on all this but don't worry…IT WILL GET DONE!

Chapter Fourteen-Advice at the Burrow

"-far too peaky and pale-"

"I'm fine Molly!" Tonks exclaimed trying to wrench back her cloak.

"-with lines under your eyes, and looking so-"

"I just had to drop off a few things for the Order! I don't want to be a bother and get in your way; I was just on my way out-"

"-a nice cup of hot tea will do wonders I think."

Tonks finally let go of her cloak with a loud sigh and Molly hung it up on one of the pegs, smiling at her.

Trying to argue with Mrs. Weasley was like trying to playing chess with her son Ron. You could never win.

"Sit down dear."

Tonks obediently sat down in one of the chairs and ran a hand through her still mousy brown hair which despite her constant efforts these days remained lank and drab.

"I'm sure you're so tied up with Order work these days that you haven't had much of a chance to relax." Mrs. Weasley said warmly. "And I've been meaning to talk to you."

Ah.

Tonks watched as Mrs. Weasley went about through her cupboards, pulling out all sorts of various cans and bags.

"How about a biscuit?"

"Sure."

Mrs. Weasley poured nearly the entire contents of the tin onto a plate which she placed in front of Tonks.

Tonks reluctantly took one and nibbled at it as Mrs. Weasley smoothed her old green dressing gown she was wearing and sat down across from her.

"Bill told me you your not quite yourself these days." said the red-headed woman. "Kingsley and Mad-Eye seem a little worried too."

Shit. I'm not my usual chipper self for a few days and Mad-Eye is probably spreading the idea that I'm Imperiused or something. Great…just great.

Mrs. Weasley was looking expectantly at her and Tonks blinked, realizing she had just missed a question. "Sorry, what?"

"I was asking you what's bothering you?"

"Oh. Nothing." Tonks said with as much conviction as she could muster.

Mrs. Weasley raised a skeptical eyebrow as she got up and went about getting the tea ready. "Now Tonks, although I can't say I'm exactly fond of your…certain hair colour that you usually choose to display-"

Tonks started to grin. The first real one in days- "Pink?"

"Yes, exactly…though it's a personal choice in all, I have to say I've become accustomed to seeing it on you and these days…" she looked pointedly at the mess of mousy brown ontop of her head.

Tonks sighed heavily. "I don't know what's going on Molly. I wish I did. Usually when I have trouble morphing its because I'm really sick or something- but even then I could manage a little thing or two."

"So then what's bothering you?"

Tonks shrugged. "I have no idea."

Well that wasn't entirely the case- she wasn't stupid. She was fairly certain that the heart of the problem lay with a certain suicidal man that she was madly in love with. Why though it was still affecting her morphing and her mood despite her valiant efforts to push him mentally away as he had already done with her- she didn't know.

Mrs. Weasley did not admit defeat so easily. "Have another biscuit dear."

Tonks took one as she watched Mrs. Weasley fixed her up a cup of tea. "I really don't want to keep you up Molly-"

"Nonsense."

"No, really. This is insane, I should be getting some work done-"

"Work- work, work! That's all you seem to do these days Tonks! Have you ever thought of settling down at all perhaps?"

Tonks gagged on her biscuit she had just taken a bite out of. "I'm not really the settling down type of girl Molly!"

"Well you never really know."

Mrs. Weasley went about getting a clean mug from the cupboard and Tonks watched her, thinking hard. Perhaps Molly might actually be able to give me some good advice…I mean...she is the woman with seven children and a husband who are all involved with the Order-

"Molly?" Tonks said. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course you may." Mrs. Weasley said warmly as she handed Tonks her mug of steaming tea.

Tonks bit her lip, trying to think of how to word the thousands of thoughts and feelings that were flying around helter skelter in her mind. "What do you do, when someone is involved in something dangerous- like Order work for example, and well…you love them and know that they could be killed? Do you let them do it, or do you try to stop them?"

Mrs. Weasley looked at her for a moment with an unreadable expression before she sat down across from Tonks.

"I mean-" Tonks said quickly. "Is it selfish to think something like that when you're apart of the Order? Are they right in telling you it's not really your business and you should move on without them?"

But before Mrs. Weasley could reply to this, there was a sudden noise by the stairs. Tonks turned her head to see a young red-headed girl standing there.

"Tonks!" Ginny exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Your Mum is holding me hostage and planning on interrogating me about me miserable love life. Tonks thought. But instead she simply said, "Your Mum was just making me a cup of tea…why're you up?"

"Needed a glass of water." Ginny said, holding up her empty bedside cup.

Mrs. Weasley stood up, looking thoughtful. "I just remembered," she said suddenly. "I forgot to make up a bed for Harry. He's coming sometime early this morning."

She gave a Ginny a very knowing look to which the red-headed girl rolled her eyes.

"Mum…" she groaned.

Mrs. Weasley's look was one of feigned innocence. "Ginny, what on earth are you-?"

"Mum, we've talked about this already. Just go up and make the bed for him, I'll head up in a minute."

Mrs. Weasley looked disappointed as she left the kitchen and climbed the stairs.

Tonks smiled at the girl sitting across from her. She had gotten to know Ginny very well when the Weasley's were staying at Grimmauld Place for the Order. To Tonks, Ginny was like the little sister she had never had but always wanted.

"So why're you really here?" Ginny asked her.

Tonks grimaced. "I just had to drop something off and then I figured since I wanted advice on something I thought I'd talk to your Mum for a bit."

"What about your own mother?"

Tonks hesitated. "Its not really something I could properly explain to my own Mum."

"Is it something to do with work in the Order?"

"Sorta."

Ginny's brown eyes looked thoughtful. "This isn't about Professor Lupin at all, is it?"

Tonks felt herself immediately start to blush. Had she been THAT obvious to everyone? "No." she said quickly.

Ginny looked honestly surprised. "No?" she repeated. "Then what is it?"

Tonks, try as she might, could not think of a decent lie and as the seconds lengthened, Ginny seemed to have guessed the truth.

"It IS about Professor Lupin!" she said smugly as she folded her arms and leaned back in her chair. "Well what is it? What's going on?"

Tonks bit her lip. "I honestly don't know anymore. I thought he loved me for awhile, but now…I'm not so sure."

"That's ridiculous." Ginny said firmly. "You're smart, and brave, and funny-what's not to like?"

"It isn't that." Tonks explained, she was touched by the teenager's kind words. "He's afraid he'll mess up my life if he gets together with me or I'll get hurt because of the work he's doing now for the Order."

Ginny frowned. "That's absurd. Surely someone as smart as Professor Lupin would realize that?"

"You'd think." Tonks said gloomily as she took a sip of her tea.

"He'll wise up." Ginny reassured her. "I know he will."

"Thanks." She said with a sad smile. "I guess that's the best I can hope for at this point."

Ginny gave her a bracing smile in return. "He will." She said. "You two will be together in no time at all-"

"The day me and Remus officially get together will be when you and Harry have been an item for sometime." Tonks snorted.

Ginny's face quickly turned crimson. "Well if you put it like that." She mumbled.

"It'll happen." Tonks said. "You and Harry I mean."

Ginny shot her a skeptical look.

"It will."

"Well I don't care anymore." said Ginny in a false imitation of loftiness. "Besides, I'm already with another boy…Dean."

"Still dosen't mean that you don't fancy someone else though."

The red-headed girl looked miserable now. "I do care about Dean though…very much."

"Of course you do!" Tonks said warmly. "But it's okay to keep an eye out on someone else. You're still following Hermione's advice, right?"

Hermione's suggestion of having Ginny act more like herself around Harry and going out with other boys to branch out a bit, Tonks had heard late one night at Grimmauld Place when all three girls were talking about boys. Hermione had apparently bestowed this wisdom upon Ginny awhile ago, but was reassuring her it was a good plan when the red-haired girl began expressing doubt.

Ginny nodded.

"Well that's the best advice I think you'll get." Tonks said. "Just because you may have found the right person for you in your life doesn't mean you have to put the rest of your world on hold for them. Boys don't pick up on subtle hints. I discovered a long time ago that in order to get the point across you have to full out snog them in public-"

"-or grab the front of their robes and shake some sense into them?" Ginny suggested.

The both laughed at their dramatic, rather absurd suggestions.

"It's true though." Tonks said. "Boys don't get it."

Ginny sighed heavily as she got up and went to fill her cup with water in the sink.

"What about Bill?" she asked suddenly.

Tonks who was halfway through a sip of tea, started chocking. "What about him?" she gasped.

Ginny turned to Tonks. "You know…" she said wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Maybe?"

"No." Tonks said firmly.

"But you just said that you don't have to put the rest of your world on hold for someone, even if you think 'their right person'."

Tonks shook her head. "Bill is more like a brother to me than anything else Ginny. Besides he's already with Fanny...engaged I believe."

"Fleur." Ginny corrected her as she mimed vomiting into the sink. "Also known as 'Phlegm'."

Tonks chuckled. "Right. So that's right out."

"But maybe if you came round more often?" Ginny asked hopefully.

She shook her head. "I'm already going for a drink with Bill next week-"

Ginny perked up at this.

"-with a few friends so that I can meet Fa-I mean- Fleur."

Ginny looked disappointed.

At that moment Mrs. Weasley decided to reappear.

"Are you going out with Bill next week?" she asked Tonks, not even bothering to pretend she hadn't been listening to the last bit of their conversation.

"Yes, with a few friends so I can meet, Fleur."

Mrs. Weasley let out a loud sniff. Tonks smiled.

"Well I know Bill will be glad to see you again." Mrs. Weasley said forcefully. "He really does care about you so much you know."

Tonks wondered if Bill had even mentioned her name in the past week. Probably not.

"That's…really nice of him. I care about him too, you know- with the Order and-"

"Of course you do!" Mrs. Weasley beamed.

"-in a good friends sort of way!" Tonks added hurriedly.

Mrs. Weasley nodded and tapped her nose in a knowing sort of way.

Tonks resisted the urge to bang her head against the table.

"Well, night Mum." Ginny said as she kissed her mother goodnight. "Night Tonks."

"Night Ginny."

And in a flash of red hair- Ginny was gone back upstairs, leaving Tonks to the mercy of the 'Mrs. Weasley Inquisition'.

An awkward silence filled the small, cramped kitchen.

Tonks took another sip from her mug.

Mrs. Weasley couldn't seem to wait as patiently as her, "Well… what about Bill, Tonks?"

She forced herself not to wince. "Molly…" she said slowly. "I really don't think me and Bill will be anything more than friends at this point."

"Is there someone else for you then?"

"I…" she began and then trailed off. " I really don't know."

Mrs. Weasley sighed and reached across the table to pat Tonks's hand in a sympathetic sort of way. "Poor dear…this is all about Remus, isn't it?"

She must have had a sign post on her back or something- a big giant neon sign over her head for the past few months declaring her love for the stupid werewolf in question, this was INSANE.

"How, how- on earth did you know?"

"Tonks, don't be ridiculous- everyone saw it."

"How?!?!"

Mrs. Weasley merely shrugged. "When two people are in love with eachother, its always painfully obvious to everyone else who is watching."

"When one person is in love with someone else you mean." Tonks said gloomily. "I don't think he really loves me."

"But of COURSE he does!" For someone who seconds ago had been scheming to get her together with her oldest son- Mrs. Weasley was remarkably quick at changing gears. "You only have to see that look in his eyes to know that he truly loves you."

"If he loved me he wouldn't purposely break my heart."

"He probably felt he was doing it to protect you."

Tonks scowled. "I don't NEED protection. I'm not a little girl!"

"I know that." Mrs. Weasley smiled. "But sometimes when people think their helping a situation their actually making it worse for others."

Tonks let out a half-indistinguishable noise of scathing disgust. "He should have thought that through before he went ahead with his dumb plan."

"Well I'm not saying what he did was very wise, but I'm sure he had your best interests at heart."

Tonks stared gloomily into her mug of tea.

"He's not leaving right away though, is he?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "From what I heard, Dumbledore wasn't sending him off for the next week or two-"

Tonks's head shot up at this news. "He's staying for a little while?"

"Yes, so perhaps if you talked to him-"

"Forget it." Tonks said quickly. "He didn't tell me he was staying longer…he's already made his decision, so I'm making mine."

"I'm sure if you just told him-"

Tonks shook her head furiously. "His mind's already made up. I'm not going to make any effort in changing it."

"Dear, I'm sure he'd want to talk to you again before he left."

Tonks could think of nothing to say to this, so she stared at her teamug.

"Tonks?"

She looked up from her mug, into Mrs. Weasley's concerned face and sighed quietly. "I'm tired of chasing after him Molly. I don't think there's anything else I can do now."

"Perhaps if you were just to-"

Mrs. Weasley stopped sharply right in mid-sentence staring at the door. Tonks had heard it too, a brisk knocking. Mrs. Weasley leapt to her feet and ran to the door, her hand tight on the knob- Tonks already had her wand drawn and pointing at the door.

"Who's there? Declare yourself!" Mrs. Weasley said nervously.

A calm, familiar voice from behind the door came through to them, "It is I, Dumbledore, bringing Harry."

Mrs. Weasley flung open the door and Tonks pocketed her wand as she saw it was indeed the old bearded wizard with the dark haired boy.

"Harry dear! Gracious, Albus, you gave me a fright, you said not to expect you before morning!"

"We were lucky." Dumbledore said, striding into the Burrow after Harry. "Slughorn proved much more persuadable than I had expected. Harry's doing of course." His light blue eyes fell upon her at last. "Ah, hello, Nymphadora!'

Tonks forced herself to sound as cheerful as she could. "Hello, Professor... Wotcher, Harry."

"Hi Tonks."

She noticed Harry was looking at her curiously but it was Dumbledore's piercing gaze that caused her to start. The man seemed to look right through her and know exactly what was going on- and the last thing she wanted was Albus Dumbledore to get involved as well in giving her advice for her dismal relationship with Remus bloody Lupin.

"I'd better be off." She said quickly. She stood up and went for her cloak. "Thanks for the tea and sympathy, Molly."

Mrs. Weasley looked worried at her words but before she could say anything, Dumbledore spoke up. "Please don't leave on my account. I cannot stay, I have urgent matters to discuss with Rufus Scrimgeour."

"No, no, I need to get going." Tonks said avoiding those piecing blue eyes of that she could still feel on her. She was slightly afraid of the illogical idea that if she looked into them long enough he would know exactly what was going on and what she was thinking. "Night-"

"Dear, why not come to dinner at the weekend, Remus and Mad-Eye are coming--?"

Thank you Molly Weasley for making it painfully obvious to the newly assembled just what it was we were talking about. "No, really Molly…thanks anyway…" Tonks said as airily as she could manage. "Good night, everyone."

And having donned her cloak at last she hurried past a troubled Mrs. Weasley, a bewildered Harry and a pensive looking Albus Dumbledore into the front yard.

With a turn of her heel she apparated away into the darkness.

Damn Dumbledore. She thought angrily. It was all his fault. Damn him for putting the stupid idea into Remus's head about being a spy for the Order-Stupid Remus. Stupid Remus who was staying longer than he had expected and didn't see it as quality time to snog her before he left-

Albus Dumbledore was an evil man. Tonks decided firmly.

Albus Dumbledore was a good man. Remus thought.

He knew for a fact that Dumbledore had given him some light Order work to deal in recent days just so that he would have the chance to visit Harry on his birthday. He had secretly wanted to stay for it, but thought that with his recent declaration to carry on with his mission, he would have to miss it. Dumbledore seemed to have guessed his private thoughts however and so Remus was able to have birthday tea with James and Lily Potter's son. He mentioned nothing of his upcoming mission to Harry of course.

Miraculously, he had managed to avoid Tonks. He was worried he would run into her through the Order at one time or another, but no chance presented itself causing him to feel both reassured and furious.

But now there was no time to think of that. Remus looked about the subway where he had been standing for sometime- it was all empty now except for a tired looking business man and a younger man sitting in the corner with long hair down to his waist beating a large bongo drum.

He took a deep breath. Here he was…going straight into the belly of the beast-

Or rather the jaws of the beast.

Months of trying to find the hidden location of Fenrir's pack had led him to this terrifying moment. He stood there listening to the young man beating the bongo drum which was oddly matching his own furious heartbeat.

He felt so very vulnerable. He did have his wand on him, though he had a terrible feeling that it might be taken from him by the suspicious pack- but going without it was suicidal. With the exception of his wand, he was completely unarmed for walking into a pack of werewolves.

Remus walked purposefully to the edge of the platform and looked down the dark yawning tunnel to his left that had been taped off. A dusty sign hung over the deserted tracks that read 'Out of Order'. He looked back over his shoulder where the muggle businessman was giving him a funny look. Though Remus was wearing his tattered muggle clothes, he had brought his shabby cloak with him and so therefore was still drawing more attention than he would have liked.

And suddenly he heard the noise he had been waiting for that entire night. The weary underground train was pulling up to them at the platform. The muggle businessman stood up quickly and made his way over to the yellow line, waiting impatiently as the bongo drummer continued to bang loudly on his instrument.

The train hissed to a stop and only a young and rather drunk couple got off, laughing hysterically as the businessman got on.

Remus stepped closer to the unused tunnel to the left. He assumed the excuse for its current state was the significant damage it had received from the muggle WWII. Also the station he was in wasn't exactly the busiest platform in the London Underground. There were far bigger things to fix up these days at larger, busier stations. The major repairs that were needed on the deserted track weren't a primary concern for the muggle government which left it perfect for homeless people, wanted thieves, murderers-

Or werewolves.

Within seconds, the train that had pulled up was wearily puffing away from the tracks back to where it came from- It was only him now and the bongo player. Remus eyed the other man warily. The musician was now very absorbed in drinking out of a bottle that was wrapped in a brown paper bag.

Bugger. Remus thought. Well hopefully he won't notice me.

And he jumped He landed, none too gracefully on the tracks and stood up as he quickly made his way to the deserted tunnel. Upon reaching the mouth of the tunnel he paused only for a moment to take a deep breath.

This is it…

An icy draft from the mouth of the tunnel, sent his tattered cloak blowing gently a bit behind him. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and stepped forward.

As he picked his way over the rubbish littered tracks- the light from the station behind him was quickly fading, casting longer and darker shadows over everything in his path. He lit his wand and looked about the orange-rust and graffiti covered walls and the half-caved in ceiling as he continued his path.

It was growing colder, as the tunnel plunged deeper and deeper. It seemed to be taking forever- Every turn ahead of him he was sure would be the last one, until he came to the end of it and saw that there was still another one up far ahead on the tracks. He drew his cloak closer about him as he walked deeper into the darkness, water dripping from the ceiling. He must have looked absurd. Merlin's beard, all he needed was mask and he could be the bloody Phantom of the Opera.

As he walked, he thought of his plan. He would cautiously approach the pack and explain to them that he needed to speak to Fenrir Greyback- hardly any of them would expect him to know who they were so hopefully out of their curiosity he'd be brought to him straightaway where he would undoubtfully be questioned-

A slight frown appeared on his prematurely face. Fenrir Greyback…how on earth he was going to keep a rational head about him, he didn't know. And how on earth he could convince Fenrir he wasn't a spy he had no answer to either. He had spent weeks rehearsing various situations in his head but as he walked down the tunnel, he still felt terribly unprepared for what was lying ahead.

The tunnel turned suddenly and Remus upon walking around the corner saw there was a bit more light here- a flickering half dead emergency light up ahead on one of the walls. He had hardly taken a few steps forward however when he heard a cough far ahead of him on the tracks.

Remus threw himself behind a large mound of bricks and rubbish and extinguished the light from his wand. He crouched there for a moment before cautiously peeking over the top of the mound.

Far ahead, barely distinguishable in the shadows was a filthy looking man who was walking slowly in Remus's direction with an odd, sloping stride. Remus could tell from the shadows on the werewolf's face that he was squinting in the darkness- as if he was looking for something…or someone.

Remus ducked his head behind the mound again, trying to keep his breathing steady-

"Randolph?!?!"

Remus stopped breathing- the snarl echoed around the tunnel walls.

"Who else?" came another voice from the other end of the tunnel.

The speaker of the first voice sounded slightly disoriented when he spoke- "Oh! There you are! Wasn't sure if it was you or not- you came out of the shadows so fast."

A rasping chuckle. "There's more than one way down here Lyall."

"I know that…its just…"

"What?" asked the other voice sharply.

Silence. Remus held his breath again, listening hard.

"Its nothing." said the first.

A pause and then, "I suppose we should hurry, then? Fenrir was expecting us minutes ago-"

He could hear them walking down the tunnel together. Cautiously, he peeked around his hiding place again and saw the silhouettes of two men walking down at the end of the dark tunnel.

He began to follow them- his heart racing with anticipation and fear. It was almost too perfect- follow them right to the pack's hideout- possibly to Fenrir himself-

And suddenly one of the werewolves stopped short in his tracks.

Remus immediately threw himself behind an old rusty pillar, trying to keep his breathing quiet and steady as silence filled the long tunnel. The loudest sound in the place had to be his pounding heart that was banging against his chest as if it were about to explode. He strained his ears, listening intently.

Finally, he could hear footsteps walking away back down the tunnel again. He cautiously poked his head around from his hiding spot and could barely make out the dim silhouette of one of the wild looking men turning a corner.

He walked quickly and quietly to the side exit, listening to the footsteps far ahead of him. He made a careful effort to avoid a large puddle and some overturned rubbish lying in his path.

He reached the end of the tunnel and quietly turned the corner after his query. There was a long narrow side tunnel stretched ahead of him. The walls were dimly lit here but bright enough for Remus to see the dirty, rubbish littered walls and floor. And there- a good ways away from him was the first werewolf walking steadily down the tracks, with his odd, sloping stride.

His heart which had been pounding furiously moments before came to a sudden screeching stop- all of the blood in his veins seemed to have frozen. The other werewolf wasn't there-

Remus never heard the other werewolf come up from right behind him- but he felt the pain burst before his eyes as something heavy hit him from over the top of his head. His last fleeting thought before he fell unconscious to the slimy stone floor was that he'd be lucky if he ever opened his eyes again.

Author's note: MUWAHAHAHAHAH! Sry bout the cliffhanger.