"I'm not sure the Muggle Prime Minister understood the gravity of the situation." Savage went on, adjusting her jacket as she prepared to leave. "Dawlish was there with Scrimgeour and... are you even listening to me?" She stopped abruptly, realising Tonks wasn't paying attention.

The girl blinked as if shaking away from her thoughts. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

Savage raised her eyebrows, studying her colleague closely. Tonks had been unusually distracted and silent since the news of the arrest had been spread inside the Department. But before she could ask what was wrong, Kingsley appeared at the door.

"Tonks," the man called, his deep voice carrying a calm urgency, "do you have a moment?"

"Sure," nodded the girl, putting down her quill. She followed him into the corridor. "What's going on? Did Scrimgeour..."

" Not now." Kingsley cut her short. Glancing around discreetly, he raised the parchment, making it appear as if they were simply discussing work. Leaning closer, he whispered, "We can't wait. You have to persuade Fleur."

Tonks frowned "Are you not coming?"

Kingsley shook his head "Scrimgeour asked Dawlish and me to conduct the questioning and...Tonks!" he called in no more than a whisper seeing her startle and clench her fists. Her hair, turned fire-red, was betraying her emotions. "Control yourself!" he warned.

"It isn't right, is it? The way he's reacting..." Arthur spoke softly, his voice low enough that his son couldn't overhear.

"I've never met anyone who has suffered injuries like his," admitted Remus, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong. "This is not the reaction I would have expected from him." A thoughtful expression appeared on his face. "I fear he hasn't realised what happened to him yet..." He took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "Listen... it's only ten days before the full moon."

"Remus..." Arthur began, concerned.

"Werewolf or not, he's going to feel it." Seeing the worry in Arthur and Molly's eyes, Remus continued, "I don't want to scare you, but I think you should know."

Arthur's gaze instinctively turned towards Bill's room as he ran a hand through his hair. "What do you mean? What's going to happen to him?"

Remus' chest tightened as the memory of Molly's boggart echoed in his mind. "It depends on how strongly the moon affects him," he said carefully. "With some luck, it'll influence only his mood, but..." Despite his calm voice, Remus considered this the least likely outcome.

Molly cut him short, anxious. "Can you do something to help him?"

"Maybe," he answered, though his voice lacked conviction. "But I need you to take note of any changes in his usual behaviour; his mood, his tastes... The more I know, the more I'll be able to help."

The asymmetrical shape of The Burrow appeared suddenly in front of her. It was getting dark, and the warm light of the sunset was casting long shadows across the ground.

She looked at the house for a very long minute, biting her lower lip, trying to calm the rapid rhythm of her heart and hoping her hair wouldn't reveal her emotions.

The gravel crunched beneath her feet as she walked towards the door.

"Wotcha!" Tonks forced a smile on her lips as Fred opened the door. Her voice sounded brighter than she felt."Has everyone arrived yet?"

"Not yet," he said, letting her in and helping with her cloak. "We're waiting for Emmeline and Sturgis."

"Good." She sighed, relieved. "I think I couldn't stand another one of Moody's speeches about the importance of arriving on time," she said, following the voices coming from the living room.

Even if some of the members of the Order hadn't arrived yet, the meeting was already in progress, and the tension in the room matched the gravity of the topics being discussed.

"Any news from the giants?"

"They may prefer not to take sides. They trusted Dumbledore's word, but now..."

"They think we can't defeat Voldemort without Dumbledore," noticing the tears in Professor McGonagall's eyes, Moody snorted. The firelight caught his scarred face, highlighting his permanent scowl."It's impossible to reason with the giants. We'll do better without them," he said curtly.

"We need their help," Hestia Jones disagreed. "We need all the help we can get."

"What did the centaurs say?"

The room grew noisier. Remus closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and rubbed his temples as if trying to fend off a headache.

That was their first meeting since Dumbledore's death. They were unprepared and outnumbered. They needed a leader, someone who could put all the pieces together and make them work as a team.

As much as he respected Moody, his brusque nature often alienated those they needed most. Minerva would have been a good leader if...

The sound of Tonks' footsteps distracted him from his thoughts. Remus' gaze flicked to her. Relieved to see her, he straightened his back and stifled a smile. She had been at the Ministry for more than nine hours. Keeping himself from standing and kissing her required Remus almost all his willpower. But they had agreed that the Order couldn't afford distractions. Not when everything was hanging by a thread. He reminded himself of that again. If they had found out about his relationship with Tonks, it would have only complicated things. They were already tolerating him with thinly veiled suspicion, some more than others. He couldn't allow them to doubt Tonks.

"I'll never put my life in the hands of centaurs and goblins," Mundungus Fletcher said, his voice cutting through the room.

"I'm sure they feel the same about you," Tonks said. Like Moody, she had no faith in Mundungus' motives for joining the Order. She didn't trust him. Deliberately moving as far from Remus as possible to sit next to Charlie "How is Bill?" she asked.

"Bill's feeling better," Charlie said, trying to reassure her. "At least, that's what he says." He glanced instinctively at the ceiling towards his brother's room. "Even so, he's been acting weird since yesterday evening."

She frowned, her tone shifting to concern. "What do you mean?"

Charlie hesitated, clearly struggling to find the right words."He's a bit too... happy. He makes jokes about what happened... I don't know. It's just... strange." His expression darkened as he noticed Tonks glancing at Lupin."We didn't know he'd come tonight or..." he said apologetically.

Feeling a little guilty about not being able to reveal the news to his best friend right away "Where's Fleur?" Tonks changed the subject quickly.

"She's upstairs with Bill," Charlie replied. "She never leaves his room during the day. Why?"

"I have to..."

"Nymphadora!" barked Moody, annoyed at their whispering.

Her hair turned fire-red. "Don't call me Nymphadora!" she snapped, glaring at Moody. The irritation flashed across her face, but as soon as she caught the smirk on Remus' face, she exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair as if trying to smooth away her frustration.

Charlie raised his eyebrows, surprised. "Did you get your powers back?"

"I can't control it," Tonks snorted. "It's so annoying." Her voice softened as she leaned back in her chair, her exhaustion starting to show. "It's been a frustrating day at work," she muttered, her tone quieter now. "And my hair colour changing according to my feelings is the last thing I need."

The low murmur of the room resumed, only to be interrupted by Moody's sharp question. "Why is Kingsley not with you?"

Tonks' heart sank. Her throat tightened, and for a moment, she hesitated. "It was... requested by Scrimgeour," she said finally, her voice carefully neutral.

Professor McGonagall frowned in puzzlement. "Requested?

Tonks turned to look at her former teacher. "The Ministry wants him and Dawlish to conduct the questioning."

Moody frown deepened. It was not like her to be so reluctant to speak."Who is being questioned?"

Tonks could feel everyone's gaze on her. She could almost hear Charlie's unspoken question. She could even hear his sharp breathing. She knew he had understood. There was only one name that could have made her so reluctant to say it aloud.

"Greyback" she murmured, her gaze flicking to Remus.

"Did they? Did they get him? When? Where? " Asked the members of the Order all at once, their voices overlapping. But it was Arthur's voice that rose above the others.

"Less than one hour ago." said Tonks "He tried to attack a man in the area Dawlish and Kingsley were patrolling ..." Her words faltered, her throat tightening as her hair shifted erratically through a kaleidoscope of colours: blue, pink, green, black, then back to brown.

"The man..." Molly started hesitantly.

"He is fine," Tonks replied quickly, almost absent-mindedly. Remus' expression was so carefully blank that it unnerved her. She couldn't guess what he was thinking."Kinglsey and Dawlish stopped him in time. And the man's memory has been modified."

"A Muggle?" exclaimed Dedalus, shocked "Where did it happen?"

"Near Somerset House" Tonks answered, her heart pounding so hard she was sure everyone could hear it. " Luckily most of..."

"He'd never attack a Muggle," mumbled Lupin thoughtfully, almost to himself.

"Lupin?" Moody frowned, leaning forward.

"He considers Muggles worthless," Remus replied, his tone calm and measured. "He would never risk being caught to attack one of them. It has to be a diversion."

"That's what Kingsley and I think too," Tonks said, fresh air filling her lungs as Remus' eyes finally met hers. The faint curve of a smile on his lips sent a small, reassuring warmth through her.

"A diversion from what?" asked Hestia sceptically. "They're already winning..."

"They haven't won yet," replied Molly fiercely. Her voice shook with barely contained anger. The thought of the monster who had bitten her son making fools of them all set her blood boiling. "We just have to figure out their plan."

"How?" asked Mundungus in a defiant tone. His chair scraped loudly as he leaned forward, crossing his arms.

"Well, there might be a way to find out their intentions" Replied Remus looking at the map opened on the table.

Arthur's face darkened as he realized what Remus was suggesting. His jaw tightened "It's madness!" he said, shoving the map aside impatiently. "This whole idea was foolish from the beginning."

Tonks' heart skipped a beat. The room seemed to begin spinning as she realized what Remus was proposing. She couldn't believe he was considering joining the werewolves again. Her chest tightened, her hand clenched the edge of the table, but everybody's attention was on Remus, nobody seemed to notice her reaction.

"What does it matter?" Mundungus exclaimed, cutting in again. "Even if he tracks down the werewolves, I'll never trust them!"

"Mund..." Professor McGonagall tried to silence him, but the wizard ignored her.

"What do we know?" Mundungus continued, his voice raising "He spent almost a year among werewolves, and they welcomed him. They shared their plans with him..."

"Keep your mouth shut Mundungus!" Moody roared.

"I won't shut up!" Mundungus snapped back, standing. His eyes were blazing with defiance. "How can we be sure he's not a traitor?"

"Dumbledore..."

"Dumbledore is dead!" Mundungus yelled, slamming his fists on the table. "He was murdered the same night the Death Eaters attacked Hogwarts. If Lupin had warned us in time, then maybe..."

"Remus didn't know anything until it was too late to..." Arthur tried to interject.

"Or so he says," Mundungus interrupted, his tone dripping with scepticism. "It's well known that werewolves have suspicious minds, but they welcomed him. They shared their plans with ..."

Hearing the accusations against Remus, Tonks shook herself out of her spiralling thoughts. She wasn't about to let anyone insult Remus. Especially not someone like Mundungus. "What's your problem, Fletcher?" Tonks' voice cracked through the room like a whip.

Mundungus glared at her, his eyes narrowing at the silver 'A' glinting on her black jacket. Raising his chin, he stared her down. "I won't sit next to someone of his kind." he spat.

"Then leave," Tonks replied coldly. Her voice was sharp as steel, her eyes burning with barely concealed fury. "Nobody's stopping you, you filthy little thief."

Mundungus' face twisted, but he refused to back down, confident that Hestia and Dedalus would side with him. "He's a werewolf!" he exclaimed pointing his finger at Remus "He's nothing like us. I'll never risk my life for..."

"Enough!" barked Moody, darting at Tonks while grabbing Mundungus' shoulder and shoving him back into his chair. "Nobody will leave this room until the meeting ends. And nobody," he growled menacingly, his grip so tight that Mundungus flinched, "is going to doubt the loyalty of one of us."

"As I was saying." Remus continued calmly as if nothing had happened. He stood and moved behind Tonks "There might be a way to find out their intentions." Leaning forward, his hand brushed her arm deliberately as he reached for the map.

At the sight of Remus so close to Tonks, Moody scowled "How will you contact them?" the old man barked pushing him aside to look at the map better.

"I haven't figured that out yet," Lupin admitted, studying the markings. His brow furrowed with concentration. He had no proof, but he was sure the werewolves had moved their campsite. "I'll come up with something."

The fire was crackling softly, casting flickering shadows across the room. Fleur was sitting hunched forward on the worn sofa, her elbows on her knees, staring into the flames as though they held the answers she couldn't find. Tonks stood in the doorway for a moment, watching the French girl. They had never been friends. They were too different. Fleur had always been critical of her; of her messiness, her clumsiness. But Tonks had to admit that she'd never really tried, either.

The voices of Moody, Dedalus, Arthur and Remus come in from the garden, muffled but audible. Molly was in the kitchen, and Fred, George, and Charlie had gone upstairs to check on Bill. Tonks glanced at the staircase one last time before entering the room.

"Do you mind?" she asked gently.

Fleur shook her head, shifting slightly on the sofa.

"How are you?" Tonks asked, sitting beside her.

"I'm fine," Fleur replied curtly, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. "Why shouldn't I be?" There was a sharpness in her tone, the ghost of her old arrogance.

Tonks sighed, choosing her words carefully. "You should get some rest. I'm sure Charlie..."

Offended by the assumption she could let someone else sit up by Bill's bedside."I'm not tired, Nymphadorà," Fleur snapped, cutting her off. Her voice was sharp, but her eyes betrayed her exhaustion. Then, as if realizing Tonks had done nothing to deserve her anger, she softened. "What happened? I heard you arguing."

"Nothing." Tonks shrugged, trying to dismiss it, but Fleur's frown was incredulous. Tonks' hair turned black, betraying her unease. With a sigh, she corrected herself. "Actually… I have to ask your help."

Fleur frowned "My help?"

"There's been another murder."

"Who?" Charlie's voice cut in as he entered the room, sitting on the armrest beside Fleur.

"A goblin at Gringotts," Tonks said grimly. "The second one in less than a month."

Charlie frowned, leaning forward. "Do you think it's connected?"

Tonks nodded. "Not every goblin will stay neutral. Some of them are already taking sides, and we need to figure out who they'll stand with before it's too late."

"They don't want the Aurors to investigate, do they?" Charlie straightened slightly, his expression sharpening. It wasn't a question.

"They're calling it an accident." Tonks turned to look at Fleur. "Which is why we need you."

Fleur's lips parted slightly, surprise flickering across her face. "Me?"

"You're the only one who stands a chance of getting answers," Tonks said, her voice gentler now. "The goblins don't trust anyone outside their own, but they know you. If anyone can get close enough to find out what's happening, it's you."

Fleur hesitated, her gaze dropping to her hands."I hadn't thought about starting to work until Bill..." Her voice faltered, and she glanced instinctively toward the ceiling.

Seeing Fleur hesitate and understanding what thoughts were crossing her mind, Charlie placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. " he reassured her "I'll stay with him. I won't leave him alone."

Feeling guilty for asking her to leave Bill's bedside "I wouldn't ask this of you if it weren't urgent, Fleur. You're the best chance we have." Tonks insisted

Fleur was quiet for a long moment, the only sound the crackle of the fire. Finally, she nodded, though her expression remained uncertain. She knew, Bill would have never forgiven himself if he had known his condition had stopped her from helping the Order "I'll try. But I'm not sure I'll find anything. They don't trust anyone, not even me."

It was true, Tonks knew it. Getting answers from the Goblins was nearly impossible. "Just keep your eyes open. Pay attention to anything unusual." replied Tonks "Any change in the routine can be important for us."

Fleur nodded again and rose to her feet. Without another word, she left the room, her footsteps fading into the corridor.

"Tonks," as soon as Fleur walked away, Charlie slid to Tonks' side on the sofa, his tone low and curious. "Why didn't you say anything about this during the meeting?"

"I don't want Mundungus getting involved. The last thing we need is him convincing everyone we've already lost the war," replied Tonks, sighing heavily as she ran a hand through her hair.

Charlie nodded. Mundungus was so afraid he probably would've run as far away as possible if he hadn't been scared of Moody. His tone softened as he spoke again. "You didn't tell Fleur about Greyback, did you?"

Tonks' expression darkened. She shook her head "No." she said " I don't think she should know about that now. She is suffering enough right now. I don't know how she would take the news."

"And you?" asked Charlie raising his eyebrows "How are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've known you since we were eleven." Charlie turned to face her, his gaze thoughtful and steady as he studied her. "I've seen the way you snapped when Mundungus attacked Remus…"

"She shouldn't have done it," Remus cut him off, entering the room quietly.

"Of course, she shouldn't!" barked Moody, the thud of his walking stick against the floor punctuated his words as he pushed past Remus with deliberate force."What the hell were you thinking?"

"I just said what the majority of us think," Tonks replied, standing to face the old Auror. "Everybody knows Mundungus joined the Order only because he's afraid"

"I don't care why he joined us!" Moody cut her short "We need him..."

"He is a coward." replied Tonks fiercely "He has never told us anything we couldn't have found out ourselves."

"We don't have time to waste looking for information in the slums," replied Moody, his tone like thunder. "Did I teach you nothing? Or is his presence enough for you to lose your common sense?" he asked, his magical eye turning to the back of his head, pointing at Remus "And you!" His gaze turned sharp and hostile as he turned to face Lupin. " You've done enough. Stay away from her!" he snapped, grabbing the cloak he'd left over a chair. Muttering under his breath about not letting anyone ruin 'five years of his work', Moody stomped out of the room, his stick hitting the floor even harder than before.

"Wow," murmured Charlie turning to the window and watching Moody cross the garden. "That was… something." He turned back to Tonks. "Are you all right?"

Tonks nodded shrugging her shoulders as she sat on the sofa again. "It's just Moody."

"But he was right," Remus replied seriously. "We're few. We can't afford to lose anyone else. Mundungus may not be the most honest man, nor the bravest but he is a member of the Order. We have to act as a team. You shouldn't have threatened him." His expression softened, his lips curving into a gentle smile as he added, "Still, I'm glad you stood up for me." He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her lips. "Thank you."

Charlie blinked, confused "What..." he murmured his gaze moving from Tonks to Remus to Tonks again. "when..."

"I wanted to tell you," Tonks smiled apologetically " But we couldn't say it in front of everyone else."

Charlie frowned, but before he could speak, Remus cleared his throat.

"Did you hear what Mundungus said?" His voice was quiet but firm.

Charlie rolled his eyes, snorting. "Bullshit!"

The conviction with which he said it made Remus' smile widen. "Yes," he nodded in agreement, "but he's not the only one who thinks that, and you know it."

"If you're thinking about Hestia and Dedalus..."

"They're afraid," Remus cut him off, his expression serious. A knot tightened in his stomach at the thought of their doubts. "Afraid of what happened to Dumbledore and Bill. I'd have doubts too if I were them." He sat on the armrest passing one arm around Tonks' shoulders. "I understand why they feel that way."

"Oh, come on Remus I..."

"It's true, love," he replied, his tone soft, his fingers running gently through her hair. "They don't know me as well as you do. "

"That's only because you make it very hard for everyone to get close to you." replied Tonks, a teasing edge creeping into her voice."It took me months to get answers from you. And if it hadn't been for my cousin…"

"Wait." Remus' brow furrowed, concern flickering in his eyes. "Did you ask Sirius to talk about me?"

Tonks nodded, her smile turning mischievous. The look of mild panic in Remus' eyes made her want to laugh. "You didn't want to answer any of my questions."

Hearing Tonks giggle, Charlie couldn't help but smile. He'd spent months trying to cheer Tonks up. Months of seeing forced smiles and forced laughs. Now, for the first time in what felt like ages, she looked happy. "Wait for mum to know it!"

"To know what?" asked Molly entering the room, a basket full of the knick-knacks she had moved to clear the table for the meeting in her arms.

Midnight had just passed when two loud pops interrupted the silence of the night.

The lights in the house were off, and when Tonks opened the door, preceding Remus, the only sound that greeted them was the snoring from upstairs.

"Thanks," she murmured, letting him help her with her cloak, her attention drawn to the note on the small cabinet next to the coat rack. "Are you hungry?"

Even in the dimly lit hallway, Tonks recognized Remus's expression. His shoulders stiffened slightly, but she sighed, rolling her eyes as she said, "Don't worry, I'm not doing the cooking. My mother left something for us in the fridge."

"In that case..." Remus sighed in relief, following her to the kitchen and closing the door behind him as silently as he could.

"Hey!" Tonks exclaimed in a low voice, mock-indignant. "I can cook. I've helped Molly make dinner more than once when we stayed at Grimmauld Place, and nobody ever complained."

Despite his growling stomach, a shiver ran down his spine at the memory of the last time Molly had let Tonks help her in the kitchen. He raised a single brow. "Luckily Fleur wasn't home those nights." He grinned slightly, letting her understand that Fleur would have had much to say about those dinners.

"She used to complain about everything." said Tonks taking a couple of containers from the fridge "Le weather est too cold. Le bed est inconfortable"

Remus smiled, he had almost forgotten how good Tonks was at mimicking Fleur's strong French accent. She wrinkled her nose in a way that made him chuckle softly.

"She wasn't so bad," he replied, opening a drawer and searching for cutlery.

"You say that only because you didn't have to share your room with her," Tonks replied, putting the containers into the microwave and setting the timer.

" I saw you talking to her tonight."Remus leaned against the counter, his eyes studying her. His gaze was focused, more serious than before.

"Yeah." Tonks nodded taking two plates from the cupboard "She's the only one who can help us understand what's going on inside the Gringotts."

"The Goblin they found dead..." murmured Remus remembering hearing something about it.

"There has been another murder today." said Tonks passing him two glasses "But they don't want to talk to the Aurors." seeing the thoughtful expression on Remus' face she went on " Do you think it is related to..."

Remus nodded slowly, his mind racing through the details, already piecing things together."It could be."His voice was calm, but there was a flicker of tension in his jaw, a sign that his thoughts were becoming heavier by the second.

Tonks hesitated "Remus..." she murmured, a hint of worry creeping into her voice at the memory of how quickly he had volunteered to contact the werewolves. An action that had sent a chill through her.

His expression softened, but there was a shadow in his eyes as he answered, "I have no intention of leaving you, love." He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. " I'll find another way to talk with them."

Tonks'stomach twisted at that thought. Her pulse quickened. She understood his determination, especially after what had happened during the meeting, but the cold fear, that was spreading through her chest, only seemed to grow. "I know you will. But... I just..." She paused, biting her lip, trying to push back the unease. "Love, please. It's not worth wasting your time thinking about what Mundungus said..."

"I know."Remus sighed deeply, looking away for a moment as if he was trying to collect himself. "But I'd lie if I said his words didn't hurt."

He didn't often show how deeply something affected him, and Tonks was caught off guard by the honesty in his admission.

"If only I had figured out their plan in time. If only I..." His voice trailed off, a quiet bitterness underlining his thoughts.

Tonks reached out, her hands firmly pulling him closer. "You did everything you could do." Her voice was fierce, protective, and loving all at once"Nobody can deny that. You've done more than Mundungus ever did for the Order. You don't have to prove anything to anyone."

Despite everything, Remus's lips curled into a shy smile. He squeezed her into a hug, pressing his lips on her forehead for a long moment. "I'm not doing it to provesomething." His voice was quieter now. "But I'm the only one who can do this. And, as you said... we need to figure out their plan as soon as possible."

Remus' words were sensible but that thought terrified her "What if they found out you are a spy? " she gave voice to the question that was haunting her.

"They don't know yet," replied Remus confidently. "Or they would have killed me already. Only Greyback could have recognized me, and I've avoided him."

Although his tone was calm and controlled, she couldn't help noticing his lips twitch in a grimace as he pronounced that name. Her stomach twisted angrily as she brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, her gaze following the pale scars crossing his face.

"So," Tonks said sitting in the old armchair "you're my cousin's best friend."

Lupin nodded over his book.

"Can I ask you something about him?"

"Uh!" her request surprised him. Lupin raised his eyes and looked at her. Her purple hair framed her pale, heart-shaped face. Her dark twinkling eyes resembled those of Sirius before Azkaban. He lowered the book slightly, intrigued. "Do you want me to tell you something about Sirius?"

"I hardly know anything about him at all. Mum doesn't talk about him." As soon as the words left her lips, Tonks thought she knew almost nothing about Lupin too. He seemed like a nice guy but there was something in his eyes … a certain kind of loneliness, a cold brick wall between him and everyone else."If you don't have anything better to do."

"Well..." Lupin said stroking his short beard "I think I'll have time to read it." He closed the book and smiled "What do you want to know?"

"How did you meet?" she asked. Sirius and Remus were so different that it was hard to believe they were friends. "Has he always been so…"

"Impulsive?" The man suggested, ironically "Immature?"

She looked away for a moment, thinking. The door of the little drawing room was closed but they could hear Sirius and Molly's voices. "Impatient."

"Patience has never been one of his virtues." Lupin stretched his arm and put the book on the three-legged table "Only few people would have used 'Impatient' to describe your cousin." He crossed his legs, put his left elbow on the armrest and his chin on his hand. "If I remember correctly, some of our schoolmates used to call him a jerk. But Severus prefers to c…"

She had never seen him in such a good mood, though Tonks. His smile was so kind she couldn't help but smile back. She had never heard him talking about his life as a student. She had never heard him talking of something other than Voldemort or the Death Eaters. His voice sounded different, pleasant. He looked different, relaxed…younger. The firelight flickered in his face. The scar on his chin became more evident

"How did you get your scars?"

Neither Remus nor Sirius ever answered that question so she had to find out the reason for Remus' scars on her own. Not that it took her long to understand it. She had never known why he had been bitten or who had done that to him. Never before the previous night. Her fingertips brushing lightly against his cheek, she raised herself onto her tiptoes, leaning forward and kissing him.

"Dora," he called softly, as he felt her hand angrily grab his shirt at chest level, exactly at the level where Greyback had bitten him. "Love, no."

He pulled her back gently, just enough to look into her face. "No," he repeated, his tone firmer now, understanding the thoughts crossing her mind. "Promise me you will keep yourself away from him."

There were not many werewolves wanted by the Auror Office. And Fenrir Greyback was certainly the most despised among them. His preference for choosing his victims from among young people had immediately placed him at the top of the wanted list.

"How old were you?"Tonks asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Remus shook his head sadly "It doesn't matter."

"How old, love?" she insisted with determination.

Remus sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging. "I was four years old," he said bitterly.

"Four," Tonks echoed, her fingers clutching his shirt tighter. She couldn't understand how anyone could wish to harm a child.

"Dora, please." his voice broke slightly as he cupped her face in his hands making her gaze meet his "Promise me you'll keep yourself away from him."

There was such anguish and fear in his voice that Tonks' heart shrunk in her chest "I promise."