A/N: Hey, y'all. It's me updating.

What-- updating, you ask? Yup, you heard right. You probably don't remember when I last updated (so do I), but all that matters is that I'm actually post something now. Yay.

Well let me apologize for not having been able to update. For the past few weeks I kept blaming something we all call writer's block, but as I type this, I realize I've only become lazier than I already am. So sorry if my laziness made you lose all of your patience. But aside from being a total sloth, I've also been slammed with intense pressure in school, with all the requirements we have to pass, projects to do… *sigh*, I'm glad it's all slowing down for me now-- I'm relaxing again!

Another reason why I've no time to update is… Glee. Yes, the TV series. I've only been hooked up on it now that I'm not that busy anymore; it entertains me a lot, and it's a very useful distraction from everything that stresses me out, like this fanfic apparently.

A/N 2: Okay, I know you're all just pissed off by this very long Author's Note (which has an additionally annoying second part-- this one), so I won't say anything else, just this: Thank God I've Updated.

When Time-Turners Go Haywire

An RLNT fanfic, AU

5: Rescue

XxX

"Well… what're you waiting for?" said Remus, after they had tired themselves of laughing. "What would you like to eat, Dora? Ask away…."

While the teenage Remus Lupin and the present-day Tonks were quite enjoying themselves in the unusual past, present-day Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were becoming distressed, trying desperately to explain Tonks' disappearance.

"Where on earth is she?"

"Are you sure you didn't hear her slip out the door?"

"No, of course not! She'd have to trip by that nasty troll's leg before she could leave!"

"Fair point, Padfoot," Remus mused.

"I just don't understand how she's disappeared like that… has she suddenly cured herself of her clumsiness?" Sirius chuckled.

"No, that's not it--" interrupted Remus, who found Sirius' joke untimely. "She would've told you she was leaving, and you know she wouldn't leave the drawing room a mess when Molly's told her to clean it up…"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying… I think I know what's going on here." And with one last look at Sirius, Remus turned on his heel and strode out the door.

"Hey, Remus!" called Sirius as the door slammed shut; a second later, Sirius' mother's portrait started screaming. "Great, Moony, just great! You don't tell me what's going on and you leave me with this mess to fix?"

XxX

Back in the year 1976….

"So you're currently in your sixth year," said Tonks. "And a prefect? Blimey… but I'm not quite surprised about that bit," she added, laughing lightly.

"Why?" asked Remus.

"Well, in my present… let's just say you'll turn out to be a very good man."

Remus laughed darkly. "No kidding? I am a werewolf, and you're telling me I'll turn out just fine in the future?"

Tonks rolled her eyes at him. "And here you are again, belittling yourself. Seriously, those things don't work out with me anymore; you've got to stop being too modest--"

"I'm just telling the truth--"

"Let me tell you something, Prefect Lupin-- just because you're a werewolf doesn't mean you have to be mean like most of them are!" Tonks closed the gap between them on the carpeted floor where they sat. "Stop stereotyping, please. Trust me…" Tonks held out her hand and stroked Remus' cheek. "You'll be one of the kindest people I'll be encountering."

Remus looked up, met Tonks' dark eyes watching him and knew at once he just had to believe what she has said.

"Thank you, Dora."

"No problem, Remus," said Tonks.

"Speaking of problems…," began Remus. "How are you supposed to solve your problem of getting back to your time? I mean in your present, in my future…."

"Hmmm… honestly," muttered Tonks. "I don't know where this Time-Turner will bring me next, seems like it's got a mind of its own."

"Okay," said Remus, slightly startled by this information. "I think it would be better if you took that off, at least for now." He gently reached out and slowly took off the chain around Tonks' neck.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Tonks suddenly said, giggling.

"I have no idea," replied Remus, laughing. He set the Time-Turner on top of a table next to him. "Well, at least you won't be going anywhere else soon."

"And that's what you want, don't you?" Tonks giggled and leaned to plant a faint kiss on Remus' lips.

"Yes," he confessed laughingly. "I'd rather you stay here with a potentially dangerous werewolf than accidentally transport yourself into the dinosaurs' era."

The laughter of his younger self and the present-day Tonks still rang in the ears of Remus Lupin, as he recalled his encounter which happened almost two decades ago.

XxX

It was dawning on Remus now.

As he sat in one of Minerva McGonagall's armchairs, waiting anxiously for his colleague to arrive from a staff meeting, Remus figured the puzzle pieces to fit perfectly with each other. He knew what was happening, and knew what he had to do-- hence there he was, waiting for Minerva McGonagall in her office at Hogwarts.

Five minutes later and an astounded McGonagall entered her office, her eyes slightly bulging at the sight of Remus. She immediately shut the door of her office and stepped forward urgently.

"Lupin, you know it is much more advisable to communicate via Patronus--"

"No, I had to see you personally," said Remus as he stood up.

"Why--"

"I need to know the password to Dumbledore's study."

"Is it that urgent that you had to come over here to ask me this personally--"

"Yes."

"And what do you need it for--?"

"I'm sorry but this matter is between Dumbledore and I."

"I'm afraid to say but I--"

"Please, Minerva, I need that password--"

"Let me say this, Remus, but I do not appreciate the way you've been cutting my sentences short," said McGonagall heatedly.

"I'm really sorry… Minerva, pardon me, I didn't mean to act that way."

"Very well," nodded McGonagall. "His password-- bubbly dip. But mind you, Remus--"

"Thanks very much, Minerva!" Remus leapt to his feet and rushed outside. "I owe you my life for this!"

"Remus, wait!" called McGonagall, but Remus had gone. "Professor Dumbledore is not in his office!" she added-- but to no use.

XxX

Panting for air, Remus stood in front of the gargoyle that guarded the passageway towards Dumbledore's study. "What are you standing here for, eh? Do you know the password?" grunted the gargoyle.

"Yeah," gasped Remus. "Bubbly dip," he said, and as soon as the way cleared for him he rushed inside without stopping.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Remus knocked continuously as he called. But there was no reply, only silence. He grabbed the door knob and turned; with a click, it slowly opened itself and Remus took a cautious step forward. "Sir?"

There was a ringing silence as he moved inside and shut the door behind him. Turns out that Dumbledore wasn't in-- something Remus should've known had he not cut Minerva McGonagall's sentences short when she called for him. Looking around, Remus realized that there was no backing out just because Dumbledore wasn't there to help him with what he was planning to do. He knew he had to take the matter into his own hands, and that he will do-- even if it meant prying, and possibly... stealing.

Well, consider it as borrowing, Remus thought, and with that he began to search through the wide range of magical instruments in Albus Dumbledore's office, hoping to find what he was looking for.

Remus scanned through shelves and drawers, but there was nothing. Until he came across one large cabinet, the cabinet he hadn't noticed as it was in the corner of Dumbledore's office, obscured by the dim light. It was his final chance-- he had to find it here, he just had to….

With the cabinet door wide open, Remus greedily ran his hands over the objects, feeling them, scanning his eyes for the object he needed. Over and over he repeated the procedure, making sure he hadn't overlooked anything, and sure enough there it was-- Remus narrowed his eyes and confirmed that he had indeed found it.

At last, the Time-Turner was now in Remus's hands.

Breathing heavily, Remus Lupin carefully wore the necklace around his neck and whispered, "Don't worry, Tonks… I'm bringing you back." He clutched the hourglass and spun it nineteen times. "1976, I'll be there," and in a blink, he was gone.

XxX

Remus blinked awkwardly for a bright light was keeping him from seeing clearly-- it felt warm on his skin, but it irked him that he was forced to narrow his eyes to prevent the sunlight from blinding him.

"Where am I?" Remus whispered to himself. He realized he had been lying on something slightly bristly-- grass. He quickly sat up and paled after seeing that he hadn't ended up in Hogwarts, nor did he end up in a grassy field (which he thought when he realized he was lying on grass). For the ground wasn't purely grass; there were gray square stones lying equally apart from each other in an orderly manner, set against the green grass where Remus found himself lying.

"What am I doing in a graveyard?"

He propped himself to get up on his feet, and began to walk through the empty graveyard. Remus felt safe for there were no people who might see him, but he felt uneasy as well, wondering what year he'd ended up in. As he cautiously paced through the gravestones, he paled once more when the date of death of a man named William Carter caught his eye:

Date of Death: January 12, 2014

Remus understood now-- and he understood that rescuing Tonks from 1976 wasn't as easy as he'd thought, especially when you could possibly be in the year 2014, or some time past that year. He frustratingly bit his lip as he walked past, but stopped dead when he saw two familiar figures a few meters away from him. Remus Disillusioned himself and slowly crept to the two women, until he was near enough to see and hear them, but far enough so that they would not feel his presence.

Familiar women they were-- the first was an aging woman, nearing her 70's, but looking strong-willed and determined. Andromeda Tonks wrapped one arm around her companion's shoulder, and Remus' heart gave a small leap of joy as he acknowledged who the other woman was.

Still looking lovely, Remus thought; Nymphadora Tonks, who looked like she was in her early 40's, leaned against her mother and together they looked down at the gravestone before them. And as suddenly as Remus' heart leapt, it swiftly sank down disturbingly to his stomach when Tonks burst into tears and hugged her mother.

"Why him, mum?" mumbled Tonks, and Remus froze. Somehow it struck him that the dead person was male… Was it possible that it was him underneath that gravestone? He shivered, and ignored the thought.

"He was a good man," said Andromeda. "I just wish I was able to spend more time with him." The two stood there for a few more minutes before they left, still unaware that Remus was with them.

Remus couldn't help but think that it was him that had died. As much as he tried to ignore it, he couldn't-- his mind had so much power over him right now. All he wanted was to know whose gravestone it was, to clear his mind and calm him.

But what would he do if he saw his name on it?

"I don't care," he breathed deeply. He strode over to the spot where Andromeda and Tonks stood and bent down….

A thousand arrows seemingly struck his heart once he laid his eyes on the stone, and the name etched upon it.

"No," he exhaled loudly. His eyes remained fixed on the name in the gravestone… Remus felt he needed to be alone here for a while.

To Be Continued…

XxX

A/N: Wanna party with me? Be my guest-- I'm just so relieved I actually got to finish this chapter! I thought I'd never get a move on, but I did-- so that's just great. Feel free to celebrate with me for your long wait's now over.

But I advise you not to party completely; there's no guarantee after all that I'd be easily updating the next chapter, although I already have some pretty good ideas for chapter 6, so I'm pretty excited to get started on it.

READ and REVIEW, guys! Please, I'd really like to know what you think about this, with the whole Remus-rescues-Tonks situation, and the fact that he gets lost himself, too. And I'd like to know who your guesses are for the unknown dead male who owns the gravestone.

Who do you think is the man buried there, eh-- and why did Tonks have to cry for him like that? Or if you have a suggestion, you could choose who you'd like to be buried down there, haha.

And the password-- bubbly dip-- just something random I thought of on the spot. Pardon me if it's lousy.

Apparently, Remus thinks the only way to save Tonks is to follow her into the past. Mmm... okay, I guess.

A/N 2: *sigh* Thank you, thank you so much for those who stuck with me-- I know your patience is at an extreme low right now and you've probably forgotten what my fic is really all about (well, go ahead and read the previous chapters then) but I know you readers are still out there. Review this one, all right? At least, this one. :]

To step up-- thanks a billion, people. Peace.

XxX