AN: Going to be jumping forward a bit here, nothing else seemed to be working and I've been dying to get to this. As always, anything recognizable does not belong to me. AN 2: I wanted to say that although it is taking me forever to update and will most likely do so for the foreseeable future as real life is mad crazy, I will make the promise that I will never abandon this fic. The moment I posted the first chapter, I made a commitment to finish this and finish it I will. I have a plan, I know exactly what I want to happen, but getting there may take a while.
The rain pelted down, in heavy sheets, streaking the un-curtained window and casting iridescent light patterns on the walls of the room. The old clock on the bedside table read the hour to be a quarter after three.
The house was quiet, not even the old owl roosting on top of a kitchen cabinet, made a noise, preferring to sit sedately and peer out into the dark. The only sound to disturb the preserved sereneness was the steady breathing of the small woman sitting on the queen-sized bed, legs crossed. She stared out at the rain that was pelting her window, expression fixed, almost unblinkingly. She knew that she should be sleeping, or at least making a go of doing so, lest she be tired for the day ahead, yet she couldn't find it within herself to even want to try.
Turning slightly to the empty space beside her, she sighed placing a hand where the other body should be resting. Would have been, if she hadn't picked a fight. Again. It seemed lately everything turned into an argument. She supposed that this time it had been she who started it, although a stubborn part of her self wanted to refuse that notion. Now, here it was nearing another hour and she was by herself, while her other half, was who knows where. She hoped at least, that he wasn't stuck in the rain.
A sharp knocking at the door of the house interrupted her thoughts. The sound seemed to echo in the stillness that had existed until that moment. The sound was like a shock to her system, instantly her heart sped up slightly, although if she were to look at herself in a mirror then she would see an outward appearance that suggested she was nothing but slightly curious as to whom was at her door on such a horrid night.
Rising, she palmed her wand, which had sat on the bedside table, easily accessible. Part of her wondered if it might be her husband, she wouldn't put it past him to knock on the door instead of coming in. He could be as miserable as they came if he ever felt so inclined to do so. Another part of her mind screamed that the knocking, which had started up again, could only bode trouble. Strange things had been occurring lately, ratcheting her paranoia on high.
As she stumbled down the stairs and tripped over the raised carpet landing with a muffled curse, the pounding on the door only seemed to increase. She supposed, as she regained her feet and lurched towards the door, that if the person on the other side meant harm they wouldn't have bothered to stand out in the rain for so long and bang on the door.
With slightly baited breath and squared shoulders she whipped the door open, wand raised and a spell already halfway off her lips. The figure that greeted her on the other side was thoroughly soaked, that much she could tell. They stood in shadow, the rain obscuring her view of their features. Although after a quick assessment, she could see that they were quite ragged looking, cloths hanging off of a too thin body that looked as if it had once been built for more muscle.
It seemed that her nighttime visitor was also drinking her in, and before she could speak they let out a snort of amusement, shaking their head. It was that slight bit of laughter that gave it away.
"Sirius?" she breathed in disbelief, her wand hand coming down numbly to her side. Vaguely she thought how that had been a mistake, she knew never to lower her weapon until she was absolutely clear on the situation, but she was too shocked to care.
He stepped closer, and now she could see his face clearly. A genuine smile, one she got the impression hardly ever touched that once handsome visage, curved his lips and then his familiar voice was bringing her back to a time when things had seemed so much simpler.
"Nymphadora. You going to let me in, or are we going to stand here all night staring at each other? Frankly I haven't got the patience, not even after all these years."
She stepped back, muttering automatically, "Don't call me Nymphadora," as if it had only been yesterday they'd last lain eyes on each other and not almost fourteen years. He stepped into the house closing the door behind him and shaking out his long wet hair, like the dog he sometimes was.
Coming out of her shock slightly she frowned, crossing her arms. "What the bloody hell are you doing here? Are you crazy, do you want to get caught and tufted back into prison?" she demanded. "What if you had been seen?"
Sirius's eyes were scanning the small living room, apparently taking in the changes and lack there of.
"Lovely greeting," he muttered moving towards the fireplace mantle and the pictures there.
Tonks followed him, still frowning. "Sirius?" she said in a more controlled voice, "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but why are you here?"
He turned away from the mantle, raising a brow. "Are you?" his lips twisted upwards in some semblance of a smile.
"Am I what? Getting absurdly annoyed at you? Yes."
He laughed and the sound of it pierced her heart. It had been too long…
"Same old Tonks," he shook his head.
She eyed him for a moment and then moved closer, wrapping her arms around him. "Of course I'm happy to see you, you berk," she muttered.
He seemed to hesitate staying stiff, but then his arms were around her as well. "I wasn't sure," his voice was quiet. "I thought you might know what happened. I was sure Moony would have told you, but still…"
Tonks sighed, pulling away and whipping away the tears that had formed in her eyes. "Yeah, he told me. Look, how bout a cupa, I could use one, and I don't want you catching cold from being out in that rain."
She led the way to the kitchen, feeling out of sorts. As she got the mugs down and filled the kettle, Sirius settled at the table. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, and the weariness that seemed to radiate off of him was palpable.
"So, I guess I can assume that you stuck it out with Moony then? And you just don't make it a habit of answering your mates doors for them in your nightclothes."
Tonks snorted. "Yeah, as if I'm not already considered enough of an oddity around here as it is." She glanced down at her pink camisole and sleep shorts. "The neighbours have enough to talk bout. But yes, I "stuck it out" much to the distaste of my mum, let me tell you. I'm pretty sure she thinks we should call it a day. She never did seem to get it, try as she might." She sighed, "Whatever, it is what it is yeah?"
If Sirius detected the dejected and resigned tone in her voice, he chose not to comment.
"So, where is Remus?" the question should not have been met with the reaction it received.
Tonks had just been about to pour the tea, but at his question she slammed the kettle down. "How should I know?" she demanded, "I'm not his bloody keeper!" a mug fell to the floor then, apparently shaken by the vibrations from the slamming of the kettle, breaking into tiny shards. "Bloody fuck," she cursed, pulling out her wand to clear it up.
"Trouble in paradise?" he asked mildly, watching her reassemble the mug.
"If this is paradise, I'd hate to see hell. That man is impossible."
"I know," he replied, fondly. "It's why I always loved him the best." He sobered. "But really, do you know when he'll be back? I need to talk to him. Now."
Tonks had finally managed to pour the tea and now brought it over, sliding his mug to him.
"What happened?" she sat, folding her legs beneath her on the chair.
"This is a conversation I only want to have one more time tonight. We'll wait for Moony."
They drank their tea in silence, until some time later, he asked, "So, what did Remus do to you?"
She ran a hand tiredly over her face and sighed, tracing the rim of her mug with a finger. "Nothing. He didn't do anything. It's me that has the problem. We're just so…it's just so hard, you know? You decide you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you love them, but it just never seems like it's enough. I'm just tired, of fighting with my mum, and him being ok with people degrading him. He's so much better then all that, and with each new legislation, I see the anger burning there, I can see it in his eyes, Its that look he gets you know? The one that makes you realize that there really is something else lurking inside. But he always says its fine, he's fine, he'll figure something out. He can't even get a bloody job now."
She looked up at her cousin, "We fight all the time and its like we can't even talk anymore. He's my best friend Sirius and I can't even face having a brief normal conversation with him."
He sighed, "You know what Remus is like Tonks, probably better than anyone else. He's always been an emotionally stunted git. Tell him what you've just told me. Its always been his way to pull away when things get hard, thinks it will spare the people he cares about in the long run."
She shook her head, "I just wish he wouldn't. We were happy, just the two of us, going bout our lives. Until last year. That's when everything started going pear shaped."
"After what happened in the Shrieking Shack," he stated almost bitterly. "Yeah well, things are going to go to hell even more Tonks."
Before she could ask what he meant, the sound of the front door opening and closing reached their ears.
"Honey, I'm home." Sirius muttered. +++
As soon as Remus entered the house, the scent hit him. Being a werewolf had its perks, if you wanted to call them that. Because of his heightened senses, he'd always been able to distinguish people by how they smelt. To him each person had a unique personal scent. The one that greeted him now was very familiar if dampened by the smell of sweat and dirt and brought to mind late nights, too much alcohol and laughter.
Abandoning his wet cloak, shoes and socks, he strode towards the kitchen, his voice preceding his entrance.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
A bark of laughter was his answer as he entered the room and leaned against the doorframe.
"Finally, I was beginning to think you'd drowned out there."
Remus simply raised a brow expectantly, gaze intent on his friend. Tonks let out an exasperated sigh and stood. "Tea?"
"Ta, love." He said quietly, eyes still locked.
She smiled slightly, willing to let her frustration go for now. They would talk later, as Sirius had suggested, but now…
"Well he's here now, so what's happened?" She asked, handing Remus his tea and retaking her seat.
Sirius returned Remus's gaze, his dark eyes intense in their graveness. "Voldemort has returned."
There was silence then, the only sound was the rain beating against the windows.
Finally, "What?" it came out as barley a breath, but both men heard it.
Remus had gone white, a feat for someone usually so pale. His voice though was steady, when he spoke. "I think you'd best start from the beginning Sirius." He sat beside Tonks and took her hand when it sought the comfort of his.
"It was Wormtail," he shook his head bitterly. "It was that Bloody rat." And so for the next hour Sirius told them of all that Harry had told in Dumbledore's office. He spoke of the tournament, the imposter Moody, the portkey, the ritual that had been performed and all that had transpired after.
"Fudge just denied everything?" Tonks demanded. "Even with all the overwhelming proof? What does he think that Harry killed that boy and just made it all up? What the hell is his problem?"
"He's afraid," Remus supplied. "And it's Harry's word against the ministry's. They've always chosen to ignore how severe the situation is."
"And look how well that worked last time," Sirius muttered.
"How is Harry?" Amber eyes met grey in silent communication.
"He's coping. Still in shock, angry. I didn't want to leave him but,"
Remus smirked. "His masters voice. When Dumbledore speaks we all jump."
Sirius saluted him with his mug, "Cheers mate."
"So," Tonks asked. "What's next?"
Sirius shrugged. "We wait for Dumbledore. I've contacted all the old crowd, we should be meeting soon, but until then…"
None of them said it, but they all three sensed it, the change in the air. It was a sick anticipation.
"Nothing is going to be the same ever again," Tonks thought watching her Cousin and Husband as they talked. She couldn't help thinking that there was a very good chance that by the time this was all over they could all very well be dead.