Remus woke up in the early morning hours of January 1st.
He turned over in bed, feeling his wife sleeping soundly next to him, he could tell this by her breathing even without opening his eye.
He kept his eyes closed, hoping to drift back off to sleep, but he was over heated.
His hand was on his wife's stomach, he could feel his son moving in her belly. It was calming.
Remus began to drift back into sleep, but he noticed more about his surroundings than most individuals, even with his eyes closed.
In that moment, his brow furrowed ever so slightly. Behind his closed eye lids, he couldn't help but notice that it seemed far too bright in their bedroom. He pondered this only momentarily, surely it couldn't be dawn yet.
But, then something else sent his senses into overdrive. He simultaneously heard a distant scream, and smelt a tinge of what seemed like smoke in the air.
He bolted up right in bed, opening his eyes. He was momentarily paralyzed in horror at the sight that met his eyes.
It was a ghastly sight he'd never expected or prepared for.
Through the window of their flat he could see exactly why it had been so bright, and why he could smell smoke, and why he was so overheated, why someone had screamed.
The block of apartment buildings directly across the street was engulfed in a billowing wall of flames and smoke. Directly above the building, there was a floating skull with a snake protruding from its mouth.
Remus screamed. "Dora!"
Tonks bolted up, looking absolutely terrified and also confused.
"W-Oh!" She cried seeing, what he had.
"We have to leave now!" Remus yelled grabbing a bag and throwing anything and everything he could reach in it.
But, Tonks seemed frozen in terror for a few seconds.
"Tonks!" Remus yelled.
"Okay, okay. W-what do we do?" Tonks stuttered, hurdling off the bed.
She'd always been the one who was coming to the rescue, she'd never been the person feeling before.
"Go get anything for the baby we need, hurry." Remus instructed her.
Suddenly, there was an explosion outside.
Remus looked out the window, and saw Death Eaters below in the street.
His heart sank. This hadn't been by chance, the Death Eaters must have planned this. There only saving grace now was that they clearly didn't know which apartment block was theres.
He could hear Tonks sobbing in the room that was supposed to be their son's nursery.
She was of course confused and terrified, Remus assumed.
Surely the way she was woken up must have been terrifying for her.
Remus finished filling the few things they'd need into the bag he had, ran to the bathroom and grabbed his stick of Wolfsbane potion and full moon essentials, and met her in the nursery.
"We have to go. Now." He almost felt bad, being so cold about it, but all that mattered right then was that his baby and wife were safe. She was standing over the babies things.
Tonks was crying, and clearly shocked.
"We can't just leave. This was going to be his room. A-and there are children that live in that building, w-we have to help." Tonks was heaving great breaths now, in between sobs. She didn't know what to say or do, or how she felt.
"I-I know." Remus's voice and heart broke.
"But, we still have to go. We can't help them, not now, but we can help ourselves stay safe. Let's go, now. To your mothers" he held her face in his hands, and he wiped a tear away.
Tonks nodded tearfully, grabbing the babies small blanket and the few items they had for him and stowing them in the bag Remus had, they ran into the living room.
"Oh, God." Tonks wailed seeing the block across the street burning.
Remus didn't blame her. Nothing could have prepared them to see this. Not years in The Order, or years at the Auror's office. Remus wasn't sure he had ever seen something so shockingly evil.
Wordlessly, he sent word to the rest of The Order to warn them.
It was a truly horrific sight. Remus couldn't help but think it was something straight from a nightmare.
Undoubtedly, the muggles trapped within were helpless to the flames and chaos around them.
Remus closed his eyes only momentarily, what a ghastly way to die.
Remus shivered, and practically had to pull Tonks into the floo.
They reemerged in Tonks' parents den.
Andromeda appeared to have fallen asleep on the couch, but jolted upright as they walked through the fireplace.
At first Andromeda looked slightly confused, but she saw her daughter's face and a look of terror shot across the features that so resembled her sister's.
"What's wrong? What happened!?" Andromeda questioned, frantically.
"Mom, they're burning London. They're killing them. They're killing them." Tonks wailed, sitting down next to her mother.
Andromeda pulled Tonks to her. She looked stricken. She held her as she cried.
"They're killing them." Tonks cried again.
Andromeda looked to Remus. He and his Mother in law rarely spoke or had much of any contact with each other.
"The wireless." She croaked, gesturing with her head to the small table a few feet from Remus.
He dove to the wireless and turned the dial.
All they got was static, but then Remus had an idea. He turned the dial to the station they usually broadcasted PotterWatch on and said the password.
Suddenly, a dial tone was audible. Remus gasped. Perhaps Lee would do an emergency broadcast.
Then, the radio cracked and someone began speaking.
"Hello, hello. This is River coming to you live, this is an emergency broadcast, here at PotterWatch.
This is a warning to all of our friends and supporters out there. Stay away from London. Death Eaters are burning down entire city blocks. It's not safe. Stay inside and away from London until further notice.
We'll have an update for our listeners as soon as possible. Stay alive out there folks.
Signing off for now."
The recover clicked.
Tonks was sitting next to her mother and had composed herself the best she could.
Andromeda shook her head in dismay.
"Monsters." Was all she could muster in that moment.
"I-I don't think we can go back home now, not after this." Tonks sniffed, wiping her face.
Andromeda sadly patted her daughter on the back.
"You can both stay here, in the little n flat over the garage. It's small, but it will do for now. Keep you both safe." Andromeda insisted.
She wanted her daughter and grandson safe above anything else.
Andromeda prepared them all tea and soon Tonks was dozing with her head on her arm.
"Perhaps i should wake her up, so you two can go to bed?" Andromeda asked, eyeing her daughter's sleeping form.
"No, let her rest a little longer." Remus whispered. "I can stay up with her. I'm sure you're exhausted."
Andromeda looked a little hesitant at this.
"Well, if you're staying up, I am too." She shrugged.
Remus blinked. This was one of those awkward moments with his mother in law, where it was obvious that she didn't like or trust him very much.
"Okay. Whatever makes you comfortable." Remus said quietly.
Andromeda looked at him oddly at this, her face softened just slightly.
She nodded, and shuffled off to get more tea.
When Andromeda returned to the den she was quiet, and sat in the window sill.
Eventually, after what seemed like forever, Andromeda broke the silence.
"Well, talk about an explosive start to the year." Andromeda shook her head, peering out the window, down the street.
"Was it Bellatrix?" She asked, turning to Remus.
Remus was a little surprised that she was addressing him, but responded kindly.
Remus shook his head. "I'm not so sure, we didn't stay around to find out." He explained.
Andromeda nodded, and sighed, looking out the window once more as she did.
"Well, we should theoretically be safe here. I'm our secret keeper." She explained.
"Good. Good." Remus nodded, sipping his chai tea.
"Thank you for the tea, it's very nice." Remus thanked her.
"Y-you're welcome." She nodded.
Andromeda walked slowly over to her daughter and covered her up with a throw blanket.
"I think I can probably leave the two of you. You know how to get into the garage? It's just out that door." She pointed to the back door down the back hallway.
Remus was a little surprised, she had seemed hesitant to go to bed just a few minutes before.
"Yeah, yeah. Go to sleep, it's so late." Remus encouraged her. "I'll get her to bed soon."
Andromeda was slightly hesitant but went off to sleep.
This left Remus alone in the den with a sleeping Tonks.
He lead back against the cool stone of the hearth, and sighed, thinking of the nights events. Of the poor unfortunate souls who surly perished that night.
He closed his eyes. He wished they could have helped them. But, he knew this was bigger than them now. It would take more than the act of a single person to end this war.
This war ending was the only way to save more lives. He thought of Harry too. He desperately wanted to make amends with him.
Eventually, his thoughts strayed to James. He missed his old friend more than he could say. He hoped wherever he was he was watching out for him. He needed to make up with Harry, for James.
Remus was startled by Tonks, she jumped up a little, confused momentarily about where she was.
"Hey, it's okay." He whispered to her.
"Let me take you to bed. It's late." He added.
Tonks blinked, but nodded.
Together, they went up to the small little flat above the garage.
It had a single bedroom with a little office. It would suffice for the time.
Remus struggled to fall asleep once they had laid down.
Remus felt his son move once more as he caressed Tonk's stomach.
He sighed. He wasn't sure how the next few months would go, or if he'd be suited for fatherhood. He certainly hoped he'd would be.
But, one thing was very clear, 1998 had not started off well. This didn't seem like a promising omen for the remainder of the year.