Tonks sighed and leaned against the back of her seat as the Hogwarts express rocketed along. Why Cally was talking to Shannon Finnegan of all people was beyond her. Personally she thought she had taken complete leave of her senses.
She closed her eyes and wished she could close her ears to their chatter. Maybe I can make them smaller she mused and began to amuse herself by shrinking and enlarging her ears.
"What are you doing?" Shannon's voice inquired snidely. She put emphasis on what.
Tonks opened her eyes to see both Cally and Shannon looking at her. Cally looked amused and her lips were curling up at the corners. Shannon juts looked disgusted.
Instead of answering Tonks closed her eyes again and trained her thoughts on how she would be able to see Remus soon. Not that day sadly, but maybe the next. It had felt horribly long since she had seen him at Christmas, still slightly battered. She had gotten to spend four glorious days with him before they had to part again. One more year, she reminded herself.
As if she could sense whom Tonks' thoughts were on Shannon asked, "So how is that boyfriend of yours?"
Tonks sighed irritably; her reunion fantasy punctured, and opened her eyes again.
"Shannon, why the hell are you in here with us?"
Cally shot her look, for some reason she wanted Shannon there, but Tonks ignored her and looked at Shannon expectantly.
She smirked, which really wasn't that good a look for her. It would have been better if she glared superiorly. "Oh, I' m sorry Nymphadora I wasn't aware that my presence bothered you. You still haven't answered. How is he? Or did you break up?"
Tonks rolled her eyes and shot Cally a look that said I will murder you, Calliope, if you do not shut this trollop up. Cally simply shrugged helplessly. "Shannon, I'm sure you don't want to here about Remus you don't even know him. Tell me how Mark is doing, he's playing for Ireland now?"
Shannon wasn't distracted though. Her favourite activity was bothering Tonks and she was getting into her stride. "Because I've been hearing rumors about him, from a family friend." She shook her head.
"Oh, I bet you have. Tell me Shannon doesn't Liam Semple have better things to be doing then going around spreading lies? I should think he would be too busy keeping his arse out of Azkaban."
"How dare you" Shannon hissed. "My Liam,"
Tonks laughed without humor. "Oh so now you've hooked up with a Death Eater? Really Shannon I thought you'd at least have some common sense."
"At least he's not an out of work, wer…" Tonks cut her off quickly by pulling out her wand. "Finish that sentence Finnegan," she hissed through clenched teeth, "And I will hex you so badly that you won't be able to tell your face from your ass."
Shannon paled slightly and stood. "Owl me over the summer Cally," she said as she headed out of the compartment. "I don't know why you continue to hang around with this freak. All it will lead to is trouble." She flipped her long silky locks and then was gone.
Tonks sat back down, having stood when she was threatening Shannon, and crossed her legs one booted foot tapping impatiently. "One of these days I'm going to show her what I really think if she's not careful." She glared out the window; they were almost to Kings cross.
"Why did you bring her in here any way? You know we can't be two feet in front of each other without it ending in a pissing match."
Cally wrinkled her nose at Tonks's Language but said, "I know you don't like her and I know she can be difficult..."
Tonks snorted. "Difficult? Cally she is the queen of the frigid bitchs."
"But she is my friend and I would like you to try and not get into it with her when I'm around."
Tonks shook her head, her lips pursed in anger. "That's like asking James Potter and Snape to have tea together. I'm not the one that starts it Cally and I'm not gonna sit here and take her snide remarks. I've been dealing with it for almost seven years."
Cally sighed; obviously knowing she was fighting a loosing battle. "What was she going to say before you threatened her?" she asked instead.
"I don't know," Tonks lied quickly. "And frankly I don't really give a rats arse. I just wanted her to sod off."
They were now pulling into the platform and they both stood and began collecting their belongings. "Come stay this summer?" Cally asked softly. She didn't want to fight with Tonks.
Tonks nodded briefly but embraced her best friend quickly. "I know I can be a bitch sometimes, I'm sorry."
Cally laughed. "I couldn't have put it better. Don't worry, its really Mark I was trying to find out about. He's been owling me lately you know."
It took them a bit to get off the train and when they did they said goodbye with another hug, Cally making Tonks promise that she would come and stay. When Tonks stepped through the barrier she got a surprise. Instead of her parents, whom she had been expecting as usual, she saw Remus who grinned at her.
Throwing all propriety to the wind she rushed forward and jumped into his arms, kissing him with abandon. Remus had to walk back a bit to steady them and when she pulled away to look at him he was laughing.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" she demanded beaming up at him. Her feet were dangling off the ground and she knew they probably looked ridiculous if the looks passers by were giving were any indication, but she didn't care. She was in Remus's arms again and not even the nasty look Shannon threw them as she walked by could ruin her happiness.
"And miss out on a reaction like this?" he teased. "I think not." He placed her back on her feet and Tonks reluctantly relinquished her hold around his neck in favour of taking his hand.
"I convinced your mum and dad to let me come meet you." He said as he pushed her trolley out to the parking lot. "I've recently learned how to drive. Legally." He added with a smile when he saw her look. "It wasn't that hard considering I've been driving for years without a license. Lily convinced me that I needed one though. Merlin knows why."
"Years?" she asked.
"Yes, since I was twelve actually. My mum taught me on the sly and then Sirius decided to take over. How he figures these things out I will never know."
She could just picture a 12-year-old Remus trying to drive while Sarah encouraged him from the passenger seat. It was bittersweet.
They had now reached a blue Ford Cortina that Tonks recognized as John Lupin's. It's Remus's now I suppose, she reminded herself. She could remember the one and only time she had ridden in that car, two summers ago and she had had her first hangover.
Tonks got in while Remus hefted her trunk into the back. "Seat belt," he said as he started the car. Tonks rolled her eyes. "Don't worry I've got it covered. If Sirius taught you, I'll defiantly need it."
Remus scowled in mock offense. "Ye of little faith."
Tonks had to admit as they pulled on to her street that Remus was a rather good driver, nothing like Sirius who drove like he had a vendetta against all the other motorists. Or her dad who shouted rude things when someone cut them off. Only once when they were on the motorway did Remus cuss vehemently when a woman in a red mini almost hit them.
"She's not even watching where she's driving!" he had exclaimed as Tonks tried to control her mirth at hearing him call someone an "ass wipe."
"Too busy putting on her lipstick I expect." She had gasped.
"Are you coming in for a bit?' she asked after he stopped the car.
"Yes I suppose so. I'll have to go soon though."
Remus ended up staying for dinner and it was rather late when he finally departed the Tonks's with a promise made to Dora that he would see her in a few days.
"No avoiding me this summer." She had whispered in his ear after breaking off a particularly passionate kiss made under the eaves so her parents couldn't see them through the window.
"No avoiding." He agreed.
+
July 18 1979. It was a day that Remus would remember forever and years later look back on with mixed emotions.
The day dawned brightly promising beautiful weather; there was not a sign of a cloud in the sky.
Remus stood by the window in his kitchen sipping a cup of steaming tea as he stared out into the garden absently. The roses are coming in he mused, then smiled slightly. He remembered when his mother had decided to plant them; his father had not been pleased. He said that they would take over everything. Sarah had won out of course, she always did. He was right though, he thought as he heard footsteps come thudding down the stairs, they have taken over.
Sirius came in then and slumped into a chair groaning. "Coffee Moony. Give me coffee."
Remus pulled himself away from the window view and poured his friend a cup, which he then slid across the table and Sirius caught expertly. "Cheers," he said before taking a large gulp. "Ah," he sighed and finally looked at Remus.
There was a thud upstairs then followed by a curse and both men looked at the ceiling.
"D'you think he's going to make it?" Sirius asked with a slight smile.
"James? Yes. Of course if we don't get him to the church on time Lily will castrate us all."
Sirius nodded, "Well I'm quiet fond of my parts were they are thank you very much, so maybe we should get a move on."
"You've got his robes?" Remus asked as they headed out of the kitchen and upstairs.
"Moony, I might be irresponsible some times but not that irresponsible. Of course I have them." He paused and then said, "I sent Wormtail for them last night."
This caused Remus to laugh and roll his eyes. Of course he would get Peter to do it for him, some things never changed.
When they arrived upstairs they found James sitting on the floor looking dazed. "I can't go through with this." He said as soon as he saw them. "What if she doesn't show up?"
Sirius pulled him to his feet briskly. "Of course you're going to go through with it. You've only wanted to marry Lily since we were 12 years old."
"As to her not showing up, I don't think you have to worry about that. She's probably just as nervous as you anyway."
James groaned. "Not helping Moony. If she's as nervous as me neither of us will make it!"
"Right, Moony take his other arm."
Remus obliged and he and Sirius frog marched James into Remus's parent's room. "That's why you have us Prongs. To make sure you don't do a runner."
Peter arrived then and they began to get ready. At half past 11:00 they all left the house, Sirius and Peter to go with James who was still insisting that Lily would not show up, and Remus apparated to Dora's.
Andromeda answered the door when he knocked and she smiled warmly at him, ushering him inside. "Well don't you look handsome today."
"Oh, thank you." Remus was surprised to find himself colouring a little. He never could receive a compliment without it flustering him slightly. He had been working on breaking himself of it for years; he now had it down to a slight blush instead of the raging red face he would get as a child.
"And he doesn't look handsome any other time?" Tonks asked coming out of the kitchen. "Wotcher love. Mum stop checking out my boyfriend." She said cheekily.
Andromeda sniffed, the closest she would ever come to snorting. "I was simply giving him a compliment darling." She appraised her daughter's appearance then and Remus did the same. She was wearing pink dress robes that reached to her knees and her normally colourful hair was a deep chestnut. On her feet were white pumps, which Remus was sure she would not be able to walk in long before he would end up scooping her up.
"You look lovely darling. I'm glad you decided to take my advice and go with a neutral hair colour." She gently pushed back a piece of Tonks' hair and despite herself Tonks smiled. "Yeah well I guess you can be right sometimes. We should get going."
She and Remus exited the house and Andromeda watched them through the window, smiling when her daughter immediately wrapped her arms around Remus and kissed him. She's growing up so quickly, she thought sadly as she watched them disapparate, separately now since Tonks had gotten her license.
As soon as they reached the small wedding chapel, one of the only ones in the country that performed wizarding marriages, Tonks scrunched up her face and turned her hair bright pink.
Laughing when Remus raised both brows at her she said, "Lily asked me to keep it pink, I just couldn't convince mum and she wouldn't of let me leave if it was anything but brown."
They entered the building and immediately ran into Dumbledore and Moody who were conversing in the entrance.
"Ah, Remus, Nymphadora, May I say that you both look very nice today."
Tonks smiled and gripped Remus's hand tightly for a moment. She knew he was probably flushing, he usually did.
"Thank you professor. You look rather dashing yourself."
Dumbledore was wearing robes of periwinkle blue and his hat was of a same blue with his favourite pattern on it.
"Yes, I considered green robes but alas they made me look rather peakish. I dare say you remember Alastar?"
Moody grasped Remus hand briefly and nodded in greeting. "Lupin."
Tonks had to suppress the urge to giggle. Of course they had to act as if they hadn't just seen each other the day before at an order meeting, but it was still a little absurd.
When Moody turned to her she smiled brightly, to which she thought she saw his lips twitch slightly. "Yes I remember. I don't think I'll ever forget. How goes the Auroring?"
Moody moved closer, Remus was now in conversation with Dumbledore and a man in a purple top hat that had just entered.
"We've almost got that boyfriend of yours. Had him cornered along with four others yesterday. Bastard got away though; it's just a matter of time. Not too smart that one."
Tonks snorted. "Yeah well, he never was."
"I think it's time that we all gained our seats." Dumbledore suggested.
Moody looked around at the packed chapel his black eyes narrowed. "Don't know why Potter and Evans decided to get married now, too many people. Any one of them could be a Death Eater."
"Well then I guess its lucky you're here isn't it." Tonks said as Remus ushered he to her seat, Moody and Dumbledore were behind them. "Someone has to be constantly vigilant," she jibed remembering the speech he had made to her as he brought her and Cally up to the castle on the day she had dueled Liam.
She wasn't sure but she thought she saw Moody smile.
The ceremony was beautiful. Both Remus and Tonks thought Lily looked radiant in her dress and James couldn't stop beaming, especially after the wizard performing the ceremony pronounced them Mr. and Mrs. Potter.
Afterwards Tonks got separated from Remus as she was pulled into conversation with Lily's mother, whom Lily had apparently told that Tonks could change her appearance at will.
Just as she was being asked to change her nose for the fifth time, a glowing Lily Potter rescued her.
"I need to borrow Tonks for a moment mum, I'll be back in a minute."
As soon as they were away from Mrs. Evans Tonks embraced Lily warmly. "Congratulations! You look gorgeous."
Lily beamed. "Thank you." She then laughed and Tonks realized that she still had a pig snout for a nose. She changed it back with a laugh of her own.
"I'm sorry about my mother, my parents are really interested in all the stuff in our world. She nearly had a fit when I told her about you, she's wanted to meet you for ages."
"It's alright." Tonks shrugged, she was used to it honestly. The only person she had ever met that didn't ask to see her change was Remus.
"So, how does it feel, being married?"
The four Marauders had come into view now and were laughing as Sirius teased James, unaware that they were being watched or that someone was taking their picture.
"It feels…" Lily paused and there was a dreamy look on her face. "It feels amazing to know that we'll be together for the rest of lives. That we're bonded unbreakably."
She glanced at Tonks and smiled. "You'll know one day. It's hard to explain."
Tonks shook her head as she watched the four men interact. "I don't think so Lily. Remus will never ask me to marry him. He's too afraid, he tries to hide it, but I see it. And there is no one else for me."
Lily smiled at her again and Tonks felt bad. She didn't want to mar her happy day with her relationship issues. "I'm sorry I don't mean to be a downer."
"It's ok. And I think you're wrong, Remus will ask you one day. It may take a while but I' m sure it will happen."
James was beckoning now and with one last smile Lily went to join him and Remus came over to Tonks.
"They look so happy." She said watching James and Lily kiss in the middle of the dance floor.
"Yes, James hasn't stopped beaming since he saw her walk down the aisle. He was sure she wouldn't show up today."
Tonks didn't say anything just grasped his hand. "Dance with me?"
Remus smiled down at her and kissed her forehead. "Of course."
They moved onto the dance floor and Tonks wrapped her arms around his neck securely. It felt perfect, his hands on her waist, and the closeness of the hold. This is all I need, she thought as they twirled slowly to the music. Part of her couldn't help hoping though that what Lily said was true, that they would one day be bonded forever.
An: I estimated when Harry would have been concieved (November) and decided that July would be a good time to get married. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, i know it's longer then usual, nine pages. oh and i have to say i don't own anything to do with Harry Potter as i forgot to at the beginning of the chapter. Reviews make my day, so please review! :)