Interhouse Fest 2016 - Hope Versus Werewolf (Part 2 of 2)
Parts I and II Here
Part III
The trapdoor swung aside, revealing a wooden ladder.
The basement wasn’t very deep, but the smell was musty and the air humid and cooler than the rest of the house. Rubbing her arms to keep off the cold, she looked around the room.
The walls were made of stone, but there were claw marks all over them. The wooden support pillars had suffered an identical fate. Aside from the candles attached to the walls, the room was bare. On first look it was hard to understand what was so special about this room that Remus hadn’t wanted her to see it.
Tracing the claw marks on one of the pillars, she finally understood.
This had to be where he transformed during the full moon. He’d made these marks when his mind hadn’t been his own, and he still believed she didn’t know what he was. A thud from behind her made her jump.
“You shouldn’t be here,” said Remus.
“You should’ve shown this place to me! There’s nothing here that you needed to hide from me!”
“There’s also nothing here that’d help you break the curse.”
Remus Lupin truly had to be the thickest and most stubborn man alive.
“Maybe I wouldn’t have needed to come here if you hadn’t avoided me for the last couple of days! Which is, by the way, a rather impressive feat, considering the size of this house.”
“Let’s just get out of here, Tonks.”
“No, we will talk this out right now. I won’t let you weasel your way out of this!”
Remus sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “And what is it that you want to tell me?”
“For such a smart man you can be quite an idiot sometimes, Remus. I know what you are, and I didn’t need to see this room to know it.”
“I- you don’t-”
Now it was her turn to let out an exasperated sigh.
“You’re a werewolf, which I already knew when you kissed me! Seeing this room was just confirmation to what I already knew, and it makes no difference to me.”
“Do you have any idea what you’re saying? Have you even seen a werewolf before?”
“Yeah, I have, actually. During my third year of Auror studies, Mad-Eye and I interrogated Fenrir Greyback, and I know you’re nothing like him.”
“At the end of the day we’re all the same. Monsters.”
“You’re no monster.”
“You’re being naïve, Tonks.”
“How about you stop patronising- what was that?”
They both went quiet at the sound of the trapdoor above them slamming shut. A few seconds later there was another sound, this time as if something heavy was being moved directly above the hatch.
“Sirius!” Remus yelled, climbing the ladder. He made an attempt to push the door to the side, but to no avail.
“Who’s Sirius?” she asked.
Remus released a rare curse.
“I’ll tell you later, preferably once I’ve throttled him. This door wasn’t made to open from the inside, only from the outside. And now that there’s something heavy on top of the hatch, it means we’re not getting out until someone takes it off.”
“So we’re stuck here?”
“That would seem to be the case for now.”
“That means you have time to explain to me about Sirius.”
He cleared his throat.
“I guess it does. What I’m about to tell you may upset you, but I’m asking you to listen until I’m finished and then get angry if you’re still so inclined.”
She raised her brows.
“All right. Get on with it, then. I’m listening.”
***
Tonks took the news of Padfoot’s identity rather well. She didn’t seem to think it was preposterous to believe Sirius was innocent. So at least there was one topic they had no need to argue over that night. He had no idea when Sirius would be inclined to let them out, but he doubted it’d be until the morning.
“So Sirius was in his Animagus form when you were cursed and then got stuck?”
He nodded.
“Yes. There are few people outside this house who are aware of Sirius’s other form.”
“The Ministry doesn’t know either?”
“No. I don’t think him being stuck as a dog as punishment is what any Ministry worker had in mind for him.”
Just a few hours ago his old friend had been doing his very best to convince him to go to Tonks and “finish the job,” that they were too close to breaking the curse to fail now. He’d known he’d have to at least try, but he’d never felt right kissing her without her knowing about his condition. Now that he knew the truth, he wanted to smack himself. He’d underestimated this woman again, and after everything she knew, she was still there, sitting next to him on the cold stone floor of the basement, and not refusing to look at him or talk to him. That was a miracle in itself.
“I still think we should talk about what happened between us,” she said, this time much less forcefully than earlier.
“What is there to talk about?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes at him.
“Did you run because you thought I didn’t know you’re a werewolf?”
“Mostly because of that, yes.”
“But I did know, so you had no reason to worry.”
“Perhaps not. I’m sorry for underestimating you.”
“Apology accepted.”
“But I can’t stress it enough that I believe werewolves to be unsuitable romantic partners as a whole.”
Tonks scoffed.
“That’s bollocks, Remus. You’re a good man who hasn’t let his circumstances define him. There are far worse men out there who claim to be wholly human,” she said, bumping his shoulder with hers gently.
He chuckled.
“On a more serious note, your transformations must be very painful. These marks here… They’re deep.”
This was yet another topic he did not wish to discuss with her, but then again, she had a way of bringing up all the things he never wanted to talk about.
“You could say so. The wolf wants to kill, and when I’m transformed, there are no humans here to prey on. It needs to take it out on something,” he replied quietly.
She suddenly pulled his right hand into her lap, tracing the scars on it before he could pull it back. Her touch on the sensitive skin burned, but not in an unpleasant manner, which was exactly why he cursed Sirius yet again for locking them in together.
“You hurt yourself too,” she said. It wasn’t even a question, but rather a statement.
He yanked his hand from her.
“It’s nothing,” he said roughly.
He made to stand up, but she grabbed his arm before he could do that.
“What-”
Before he could get out another word, her hands were on his face and her mouth on his. Her kiss was fervent and demanding. This was a terrible idea, but Merlin, she felt so good.
"We should stop," he whispered against her neck.
"Give me one good reason to."
"I'm too old you."
"Irrelevant."
"I'm a werewolf."
"I don't care. Let it go, Remus. I know you want this," she replied, forcing him to look at her.
He was tired of avoiding her, of trying to hide how he felt about her when she was right in the next room. After a last sigh of resolve, he took her heart-shaped face between his palms and kissed her.
Her eyes took in all his scars, not horrified or pitying, but accepting. She truly saw him the way he wanted to be seen, against all odds. His initial nervousness began to fade, and he allowed her to kiss an old scar on his shoulder. She was a treasure that could never be his the way he wanted her to be, but for tonight he could put that reality out of his mind. For tonight he was just a man who loved a woman, nothing more and nothing less.
***
The morning arrived too fast as far as Tonks was concerned. The warm cocoon formed by their bodies and various clothes had kept her warm throughout the night, but as she opened her eyes, she saw that the trap door was open again.
Willing Remus to stay asleep for just a little while more, she tightened her hold on him and returned to the memories of the night before. There was no way she'd ever forget about it, but she'd wasn't foolish enough to think he'd feel the same way. He'd been more than a willing participant and even called her "Dora," which she loved hearing from his lips, but no promises had been made. Yet she dared to believe that they could sort this out, that she could make him believe in them.
When Remus began to stir, she knew it was time to face the outside world and a more reserved Remus Lupin.
"Good morning," he greeted, his voice hoarse.
"It is a good morning," she replied.
He said nothing in return but to her surprise kissed her tenderly.
"Breakfast?" he suggested.
They gathered their clothes and ate in the kitchen with Sirius. Nobody seemed to know what had occurred between them, and it seemed that Remus wanted to keep it that way. He barely looked at her.
Trying to shake the hurt caused by Remus’s distant behavior, Tonks returned to the library after breakfast, intending to update Remus on her progress, but the crystal ball on the corner table caught her attention. It was showing something. She couldn't make out what was happening until she was standing right next to the table. What she saw made her want to vomit. Her innocent father being dragged out of his house by Dawlish and his minion. Next it showed them dragging him along a corridor at the Ministry and finally setting him in front of Dolores Umbridge. Tonks had never had to personally work with her, but she was aware of the woman’s dubious reputation. A cold dread for her father filled her.
The parchment in front of Umbridge stated the charges: "Knowingly protecting a well-known fugitive. Crime is punishable by 2 years in Azkaban."
Dawlish and this broad were trying to send her father to Azkaban of all places! Gasping, she ran out of the room, bumping into Remus in the foyer.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"Umbridge is trying to get my dad thrown into Azkaban!"
"Based on what?"
"They're claiming that he's participated in harboring a fugitive. They must know about Sirius. Listen, Remus..."
"You need to go."
"I have to save him, but I'll come back here as soon as I can, I promise." After a quick kiss, she was out the door.
“Wait, it could be a trap!”
“Yeah, it could, but what else can I do?” she asked, turning back to face him.
“Just- just be careful.”
She nodded, and after taking a few steps from the house, Disapparated.
Why did you let her go? We have less than two days until the deadline, she'll never make it back here on time! barked Sirius.
"I know, Sirius, but how was I supposed to keep her here? Her father's in real danger, we all here know what Dolores Umbridge is capable of."
Yes, we do, but come on, she was so close to breaking the curse that I could practically taste it. She loves you, all you had to do was make her say it.
"How?"
How about telling her you love her? She would've returned the words, you know that!
Remus sighed. He knew he was responsible for his friends' fate, but telling Tonks he loved her wouldn't have been fair to her, as he had no intention of ever telling her that, curse or not. She was innocent of what had happened to them and didn’t deserve to be lead on. On the other hand, he was responsible for the fate his friends had suffered.
"Dumbledore will be here when the deadline closes; perhaps he's been able to think of another way to get us out of this. Or maybe he can at least buy as some more time," said Remus, knowing his optimism was hardly warranted. Dumbledore had already done his best, including giving them the crystal ball. It was unlikely that he'd be able to help them anymore.
Do you even believe that yourself? Asked Sirius, turning his back to Remus.
“It looks like Umbridge knows about you, Sirius. I don’t know how she found out.”
That Dawlish bloke we saw following Tonks the other night must have tipped her off someway, but how? I’ve never seen the man before.
“That’s a good question, but at this stage I think it’d be safer for you to leave. They’re bound to show up here soon, and I won’t be able to do much if I’m in the basement.”
I’m not going anywhere. We’ll see this through together. And if we’re both in the basement tonight, I doubt they’ll come knocking, if they want to live until the morning.
“And what happens after that? You know how I am the morning after a full moon, I won’t be of any use to you.”
It doesn’t matter. Look, our time’s running out anyway. I might as well go out with a bang instead of hiding out in the woods as a dog for the rest of my life, finished Sirius, stalking out of the room.
Remus had made a mess out of everything. If Tonks had broken the curse, Sirius wouldn’t have been this suicidal. He hadn't been able to manipulate Tonks the way he should have been, and falling in love with her had certainly never been a part of the plan. The one thing he wished for more than anything else was that there was a way for him to carry the curse alone. As long as the others could go back to their lives, he would manage. Even if he was never able to leave the house again as a human. His friends didn't deserve to pay for his shortcomings. Perhaps he could still ask Dumbledore if he could redirect the curse just on him once they reached the deadline, if they were still alive at that point. He sat on his bed and buried his head in his hands.
“Remus, dear?” called out Molly. Remus raised his head and offered her a wry smile. She had always been good to him, never blaming him, despite the fate she and her family had suffered.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I saw Tonks leave, and I just wanted to tell you that Arthur and I think you did the right thing.”
“She won’t make it back here on time to break the curse,” he replied softly.
“Maybe she won’t, but she’ll save her father from Umbridge. You have no reason to feel guilty about what happened to us, Remus. Arthur and I are responsible for ourselves and for our children. We made the decision to help Dumbledore, you and Sirius in the first place, and we don’t regret it. It’s better to stand for what you believe in than live your life just trying to avoid all possible dangers. That’s the way we raised our children as well.”
“But I’ve failed all of you.”
“You’ve done the best you could. You’re an honourable man and the curse that bitch cast on us was pure evil, she never believed you’d even come close to breaking it.”
“She knows about Sirius now, Molly.”
“But how?”
Remus shook his head.
“We don’t know how, but it’s likely that she’ll be here soon enough.”
“Then we’ll fight her, all of us together.”
“They just want me and Sirius, you don’t need to put yourselves at risk.”
“You don’t think we want to do anything we possibly can to get revenge on her? I’m sorry, Remus, but there is no way we’re going to stand in the sidelines.”
***
Tonks Apparated directly to London and the Ministry entrance. They were still holding her dad somewhere in the premises, and she was not going to leave without him. She'd talk to Dolores Umbridge herself.
The Ministry was mostly deserted this time of the night, but it didn't take very long for her to find out which floor Umbridge's office was in.
The door to her office was wide open, and she saw the bitch herself sitting at her desk. The entire room was so pink it made her want to vomit, especially the combination of the color and the porcelain kittens placed all around it.
Striding into the room, she didn't care if she was offending or inconveniencing the hag.
"I want my father out of here. Right. Fucking. Now."
"Evening, Auror Tonks, what a lovely surprise. Please have a seat, dear."
Tonks sneered.
"I'm not going to have a seat. I don't know why you've decided to attack my dad with these ridiculous accusations, but you're going to drop them now," she said, banging the desk with her fist.
"If you want your father released, I suggest you co-operate with me, Miss Tonks."
"On what?"
"On catching a dangerous criminal and his companions."
"And who is this dangerous criminal?"
Umbridge let out a girly giggle, making Tonks's blood boil.
"My, my, dear girl. I'm obviously talking about your cousin Sirius Black and his friends."
"I have no idea what you mean," she replied, hoping her lies were convincing enough to even just stall her for a bit.
"I've recently found out through my sources that Sirius Black is an unregistered Animagus and is being harbored in a derelict cottage by the werewolf Remus Lupin. I also know that you have been associating with this beast."
Tonks clenched her hands into fists so hard her nails began cutting into her palms. How dare this woman call him that. And how dare she try to use her dad to get to Sirius and Remus. And Remus’s house was not a derelict cottage.
"I have been trying to break a curse involving Remus Lupin, yes. But I know nothing about Sirius Black," she said through gritted teeth.
Umbridge sighed.
"Very well, then. We will have to do this the hard way then, Miss Tonks. Don't tell me I didn't try nicely at first. Dawlish!"
Before Tonks's vision blurred, she saw her colleague and unwanted suitor break out from the Disillusion charm he'd been hiding under.
***
The familiar pre-transformation symptoms took over Remus's body long before sunset. The cold sweats, aches and tremors kept him confined to his room for the rest of the day, and Sirius was nowhere to be seen.
When the transformation was than an hour away, he dragged himself out of bed and went downstairs, aiming to get to the basement with enough time to spare.
He had just reached the ladder when Sirius suddenly sprang into the room, barking.
They’re here. Umbridge and Dawlish.
Before Remus could get to the window, a familiar, sickly-sweet voice boomed from outside.
"Lupin and Black, come out immediately! Nothing needs to happen to her, as long as you comply!"
He grabbed his wand quickly and threw the front door open with Sirius at his coat tails.
Dolores Umbridge was standing on the edge of the clearing with her wand at her thrust, enhancing her voice. Next to her stood the man who he and Sirius had only gotten a glimpse of a couple of nights earlier, who was holding an unconscious Tonks. What had they done to her?
Remus watched as the somewhat nervous look on Umbridge's face turned into glee at the first step he took away from the safety of the porch.
Part IV
Tonks’s head hurt more than after the Christmas party during her 7th year of school, and that was a lot to say. As she opened her eyes, her vision was still blurry, but her hearing was just fine.
“Pete, stop hiding, you imbecile, and watch her!” hissed a voice she recognised as Dawlish’s.
“Y-yes, John, right away.” Of course he’d brought his favourite sidekick along.
“What are you so afraid of, you little twit? I’m an Auror, I can handle one werewolf and an Animagus!”
Pete didn’t reply, but she felt another presence behind her, and Dawlish gave her a little shove. She tried wriggling, but her arms and legs were bound tightly. Pete was shorter than her, and she got the feeling he was deliberately trying to hide himself behind her.
Her vision began to clear, and she could see Remus on the porch, about to step down. No, don’t do it, she wanted to scream, but her voice failed her.
In a flash, Remus turned into a wolf, who kept on advancing towards them. His eyes were blue, and the look he gave her told her that it was still Remus in there, not the werewolf. Just as she began to wonder how much time they had until the moon rose, the clouds cleared, revealing the pale orb. They were out of time.
She could pinpoint the exact moment Remus’s mind was taken over by the werewolf. The eyes boring into hers were no longer his, the look in them something much more feral than the gentleness she’d grown to associate with him. His body shook and a roar tore out of his throat. No matter how bad she wanted to do something to help him, she knew he’d tell her to run as fast as she could. She needed her wand back, now.
The ropes binding her hands to her sides and her legs together were too tight to escape from, but she was able to bend down and jump on Pete’s toes. The man screamed and staggered away from her, rubbing his sore foot, while she fell down in the ground, hitting her side. Luckily both Umbridge and Dawlish were too preoccupied with Remus to take much notice of her.
“Kill it, Dawlish!” yelled Umbridge, backing away from Remus as fast as she could, her wand pointed at him.
“That would be my pleasure! Come on, Pete, let’s get that beast!” he bellowed, striding forward. She had to get her wand fast if she wanted to save Remus.
Instead of joining Dawlish, Pete just stared at the porch with a fearful look on his face, and then suddenly he disappeared, leaving behind a pile of clothes. A rat emerged from the pile and scurried into the forest. The form Pete had taken made her heart speed up. Was Pete actually Peter Pettigrew? She decided to make sense of things later and focus on getting to her wand.
At the same time, Sirius jumped out of the bushes, tackling Dawlish and buying her more time.
Umbridge screamed when a plate smashed into her chest. When Tonks looked into the direction the projectile had come from, she saw Molly, Arthur and their kids behind the now open living room windows. They were fighting back. Another plate shot out, this time landing on Umbridge’s head, eliciting another scream from her. She pointed her wand at the house, but the various dishes flying in the air made it too difficult for her to aim properly, and she kept on missing.
Using the chaos to her advantage and trusting the others to keep Umbridge occupied, Tonks crawled to the pile of clothes left behind by Pete and began sifting through them with her legs. By the time she was finally able to locate her wand and release herself from the ropes, Sirius, Remus, and Dawlish had all disappeared.
Before she had time to guess which direction they’d taken, she heard a feral roar. Remus. Following the sound as fast as she could, she staggered through the trees until she spotted Remus and Dawlish.
"Avada-" he started.
"Stupefy!" she yelled, countering the Unforgivable.
Please, let Remus still be alive... Dawlish was out cold on the ground after having hit his head on a rock, and she had enough sense to tie him up before attending to Remus. Or the creature that was currently in possession of his body.
The wolf was bleeding from its muzzle and side, and its breathing was uneven. A branch was sticking out from its right side. She knew she'd have to get it out or he'd die. Werewolves were dangerous, but she had no time to hesitate.
She leaned over him and placed the tip of her wand on the branch. It would have to be done quickly so she'd have time to stop the bleeding. Tonks murmured the spell and watched the branch disappear, leaving a gaping wound in its place. She gasped at the size of the injury but immediately cast another spell to fix his bleeding vessels.
Unfortunately she was no Mediwitch, but there was no way she could just take him to St. Mungo's. He would need to survive until the morning at least in order for that to happen. Now all she could do was hope. Laying her hand on the wolf's side, she waited. His breathing was still shallow, and she swore her own heart stopped beating for a second when the wolf missed a breath. It was still dying, which meant Remus was dying too.
Tears sprung to her eyes; she was going to lose Remus because he'd left the house to save her. She should’ve been more careful while confronting Umbridge, he’d even warned her that it could be a trap. If she’d controlled herself better, maybe they wouldn’t have gotten her and Remus would be safely in the basement.
"You can't die... Remus, please... I love you, and I want you to hear me say it," she confessed, her tears falling on the wolf's fur coat.
Burying her face into the wolf's side, she let herself mourn for the love that she may have lost, the man who might never know how she felt about him.
"Tonks, what are you doing? Get away!" She turned her head toward the unknown voice and saw a lanky man with shaggy black hair.
"Who are-"
"Don't recognise me when I'm not a dog, do you?" replied the man, a hint of amusement leaking into his tone.
"Sirius?" If Sirius was human again, it had to mean that the curse was finally broken. But how?
"Yes, it's me, and now please, for all our sakes, step away from the werewolf. Remus is not flying that broom right now."
Before she could move, the wolf's eyes opened for the first time since she'd arrived at his side, and he released a low whine.
"It's all right. I'm trying to help you," she murmured, hoping her voice was calming enough. If she ran, the wolf would surely follow and tear the wounds open. There might not be a way to save Remus if that happened.
"Tonks, now! Go back to the house, I’ll take care of this!" yelled Sirius, and within seconds he was a dog once more. She stood up and took a few slow steps back, hoping it wasn't enough for the wolf to see her as prey.
Sirius landed on the wolf just as he made an attempt to get up. Tonks took this as a cue to turn around and run.
As she neared the house, her steps slowed down, and she felt exhaustion seeping into her limbs. She was out of danger, at least for now. To her surprise, the front of the house was full of people she’d never seen before in her life, but Dolores Umbridge was nowhere to be seen.
“Tonks, dear, you did it! Come here!” called a short, red-haired woman, pulling her into a tight embrace. It took her a few seconds to place the familiar-sounding voice.
“Molly,” she gasped.
“Yes, it’s me! I don’t think we’ll ever be able to thank you, but we’ll do our best. Come and meet everyone.”
She was hugged by the rest of the Weasley family as well as Fleur, who was so beautiful as a human that Tonks felt slightly embarrassed of having had to dress before her. Their joy was genuine but overwhelming for her, especially since she didn’t even know yet if Remus would survive. She kept on stealing glances at the forest, expecting Remus and Sirius to emerge, but instead of them she spied a group of three people, including one who was being practically dragged between her mentor and a senior colleague.
“Mad-Eye! Kingsley!” she exclaimed, jogging to meet the strange group.
“Evening, Tonks, glad to see you’re in one piece,” greeted Kingsley.
“What are you two doing here? How did you know?” she asked, finally taking notice that the man Mad-Eye and Kingsley had a death grip on was Pete.
“Long story, Tonks. I’ve been tracking Dawlish’s activities for the last week, and tonight I spoke to your father and then to someone else. After that it was just about putting all the pieces together and taking action,” explained Mad-Eye hastily, giving her a look that told her she’d be in the receiving end of another one of his lectures in the near future.
“But what’s more important is that this bloke right here is Peter Pettigrew. We’ve all thought him dead for the last 13 years, but turns out he’s been keeping a close eye on the Ministry through Dawlish. The last time anyone had seen a photo of him was more than a decade ago, and why would the Ministry insist on showing people photographs of dead people? Smart weasel, this one right here, but not as smart as he should’ve been,” muttered Mad-Eye, poking Peter’s side with his wand.
“Tonks, my dear girl, please tell them they’ve mistaken,” prayed Peter, giving her a look that she supposed could have passed for pathetic and innocent to some people. Not to her. After hearing the stories of Peter’s deception, she had no empathy left for the man.
“You’re the reason Sirius went to Azkaban, and then you tried to put my father there. It’s you who should be in Azkaban,” she replied coolly.
“We need to go now, Tonks, but I expect to see you back at work on Monday!” said Mad-Eye before Disapparating along with Kingsley and Peter.
“He does indeed deserve to go to Azkaban, and he will go there after a fair trial,” boomed another familiar voice from the shadow of the forest.
Beside Dawlish’s unconscious form stood her former Headmaster, probably the most formidable wizard of her time.
“Headmaster Dumbledore,” she greeted.
“Evening, Nymphadora. Alastor alerted me to the events and I got here just in time to assist in capturing Peter and your colleague here.”
“What about Umbridge, Headmaster? I think she cursed Remus and the others.”
Dumbledore nodded.
“I am aware of that, and she has already been taken away. She was uninjured but quite angry when some of your colleagues removed her from the premises. She will be punished accordingly; I will testify against her myself if I have to.”
“Good. What about him, then?” she asked, motioning to Dawlish.
“He tried to use an Unforgivable on Remus.”
“You are referring to Mr. Lupin’s werewolf form?”
“Yeah.”
“If Dolores Umbridge was still in charge, he would be released. However, her removal from office will make Mr. Dawlish’s life more difficult.”
“But he might not be punished?”
“He might not go to Azkaban, if that is what you’re asking. Yes, he attempted to cast an Unforgivable Curse, but he was also facing a Dark Creature. He will certainly insist it was self-defense.”
“I’d rather not be an Auror anymore, if that means working with someone like him. He’s a criminal.”
Dumbledore smiled at her kindly.
“You are a good person, Ms. Tonks. You are the kind of an Auror the Ministry desperately needs. If all the good people in the Auror Department decide to leave, what will be left? The ones like Dawlish here, I’m afraid.”
“How am I supposed to pretend that I trust him?”
“This may not be the best time to discuss this, but dark times lay ahead of us. Your considerable skills will be needed in order for our world to survive. Staying with the Ministry and gathering more experience is the best course of action, if I may give a piece of advice.”
“I’m sorry, but what are you talking about, Headmaster? Dark times?”
Dumbledore hesitated.
“I have reason to suspect that Voldemort and his ideology may not be as dead as we would like them to be. But do not concern yourself with that tonight. The feat your achieved was extraordinary. You proved that everything Dolores Umbridge believes in is untrue, and you broke a powerful curse.”
“I still don’t fully understand what exactly broke it.”
“Love. It sounds clichéd, but it was love. You love a person whom he himself, as well as Dolores Umbridge, truly believes to be unlovable. She believed that once time ran out, she would have forever rid herself of Mr. Lupin and the others. You were an unforeseen variable in this equation, as far as she is concerned.”
Love? She had broken the curse when she’d told Remus that she loved him. She almost felt like laughing. It had been that simple. Now if only she’d told him about her feelings earlier, and maybe Remus would not be mortally injured.
“But why did she curse them in the first place?”
Dumbledore sighed.
“She was hell-bent on finding Sirius and believed that his old friend would be helping him. She also knew that both Remus and the Weasley family were allied with me. It was an enticing opportunity to leave both Sirius as well as me with fewer allies.”
“How come nobody’s missed them?”
“Umbridge made sure all the Weasleys’ relatives and friends believed they’d moved abroad after Arthur had been offered a job. And I believe all inquiries that were made to the Ministry were quickly erased from official documents and the people who made them found themselves Obliviated.”
“What about Remus, hasn’t anyone asked after him?”
“He’s always lived a rather solitary life.”
She tried to suppress the sob that threatened to escape her throat. He really had nobody, outside of his friends.
“He’s dying… I - I did my best to help with the wounds, but I’m not sure…” she confessed, allowing herself to think about the possibility of losing him for the first time since she’d left him with Sirius.
“Yes, I saw him with Sirius in the forest. I don’t believe there is much any of us can do at this stage.”
“Can’t you try to help him?”
“Werewolves are another species entirely. There is little we can do for them medically until they transform back into human form. If his body is strong enough, he will make it through. I suggest you go inside and let Mrs. Weasley make you a warm cup of tea. I will be back in the morning, but until then, have faith. Love is the strongest magic in this world, and Mr. Lupin knows he is not finished here.”
As Dumbledore prepared to Disapparate with Dawlish, she realise there was still one thing she needed to know.
"Do you know if my dad's okay?"
"Yes, you'll find him at home. He's shaken up and concerned for your safety, but unharmed."
She sighed in relief. She would have to see him as soon as she could, but not until she could be certain that Remus was going recover.
"Thank you," she replied quietly.
Dumbledore’s hand squeezed her shoulder gently before he grabbed a hold of Dawlish’s arm and Disapparated.
***
Sirius levitated the unconscious and bound wolf into the house an hour later when Tonks had just managed to convince Molly that she did not need or want another cup of tea and pushed away a plateful of biscuits.
“Put him in the bedroom!” she urged Sirius, toppling over a chair as she tried to stand up.
“Yes, my lady,” grunted Sirius.
Rushing into Remus’s room at Sirius’s coattails, she pulled the covers aside and allowed Sirius to lay him on the bed.
“He’s still alive, isn’t he?” she asked, needing confirmation.
Sirius nodded.
“He’s as stubborn as they come, Tonks. He’ll make it through this. It took a while until I got him to calm down after you left, but I don’t think he tore anything open.”
Tonks stayed awake by Remus’s side until dawn arrived and he transformed back. After gently removing the ropes on his wrists and ankles, she cleaned and bandaged the wound on his side. He felt feverish, but only slightly so. Taking his hand into hers, she lay down next to him. It wasn’t her intention to fall asleep, but before she had much time to think about anything, her body made the decision for her.
***
Remus woke up to a stabbing pain in his right side, surprised he wasn’t dead yet. Turning his head, he saw Tonks curled up on the bed beside him, her fingers holding onto his gently. Oh Merlin, Tonks. She could have died trying to save him, he could have killed her. Just then, her eyes fluttered open.
"Wotcher," she whispered.
"Hello."
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Like I've been trampled by a dozen Hippogriffs, but I'll live," he replied, hoping to cast away the look of worry on her face.
"Good. I was worried there for a while."
"You broke the curse."
"Yeah... Accidentally."
"In any case, thank you. Sirius and the others are free now, because of you."
"What about us?"
Of course she would go straight to the point.This must be done, he told himself, but somehow knowing that didn’t make it any easier.
"There is no us, Tonks. I used you to break the curse, and I'm sorry for doing that, but that's all there ever was to it."
"You're lying," she replied. He could hear that her voice was close to breaking, and it made him wish he could take it back.
"No, I'm not. I think it'd be for the best if you went home now, I'm sure your father would like to see you."
She scoffed as he turned away from her but soon felt her shift and stand up. In mere seconds the door closed quietly behind her and just like that she was out of his life for good. He took several steadying breaths, hoping the hand squeezing his heart would relinquish its hold soon.
Before he'd even had time to accept the new reality, the door slammed shut.
"What did you say to her?" hissed Sirius.
"What was for the best."
"You are so full of it sometimes, Moony. She was the best thing to ever happen to you, and I'm not saying this just because she's my cousin."
"She doesn't deserve to be tied down to me, Sirius."
"Isn't that for her to decide?"
"It's up to me to be the realist in this case."
The eye roll he received from his old friend was eerily similar to the one his cousin had given him several times.
"Whatever, Remus, but I know you'll regret doing this."
***
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. The air grew cold and then warmed again. Remus did not notice most of this, as he spent most of his time working various low-paid jobs. He took as many shifts as he could, only resting when his transformations wouldn’t allow him to function normally. Sirius had grown concerned after a few months and kept on insisting he should contact Tonks. He had even gone as far as threatening to invite her over for dinner, but Remus had replied that in that case he wouldn’t be in attendance. He knew Sirius had been out with Tonks though and that she had asked about him.
His old friend was now having the time of his life and would often try to coax him to join him in some pub, insisting that a good night out was what he needed. Finding work in London was easier than it would have been in the country, so he had settled into one of Sirius's guest bedrooms. Although not having to pay rent was certainly a benefit, Remus also knew that Sirius needed the company, as without him he only had an old house elf and his mother’s insane portrait to talk to.
A few times Remus had waited around the Ministry's entrance, hoping to perhaps catch a single glimpse of Tonks but had chickened out before she'd shown up. Watching her like this was wrong and would do no good to anyone. He had to move on.
Molly and Arthur had invited him over to dinner, but he had declined out of fear that Tonks would be there as well. He must have been quite transparent, as Molly had gently told him that Tonks still missed him and that she was still available. His feelings for her had refused to fade despite the time and distance between them. He should not hope that she still felt the same way about him, but a part of him reveled in the pieces of information he’d been given. The odds had never been in his favour, but it seemed that despite the probabilities, there was a woman out there who loved him.
Christmas was approaching again, and after a few shots of Firewhiskey at the Leaky Cauldron he found himself wondering if he ought to talk to her after all. It had been nearly 15 months since he'd last seen her, but the memories of her and their brief time together wouldn't leave him alone.
If she rejected him, it would be easier to get over her... Or that was what he told himself right before finally knocking on her father's door on Christmas Eve. Of course, she might not even be there, but he didn't have her address in London.
"Hello!" greeted the familiar older man at the door, giving Remus an appraising glance. Yes, this was definitely her father.
"Hello. I'm sorry for intruding, but I would like to speak with your daughter."
Ted blinked.
"You're Remus, aren't you?"
"Errr... Yes."
"Well, better late than never! Come on in, son, I'll let Dora know you're here."
He stepped into the foyer, uncertain if he should bother to remove his cloak. Raising his head to face the sound of steps from the stairs, he saw her. Tonight her hair was a lovely, deep chocolate brown and tied in a loose ponytail, and her yellow-gold dress robes glimmered in the light. Her dark eyes were fixed on him, but the expression on her face was unreadable.
He swallowed nervously. She had a right to be angry, he reminded himself. The things he’d said to her to drive her away…
"I've been worried about you," she said quietly, at last reaching the last step.
She stopped, her hands reaching out to grasp the bannister, as if she would fall without the support.
"I've managed," he replied softly.
"Not well, I can see that for myself. You need to eat more."
"You sound like Molly."
"What are you doing here? It's been-"
"12 months, two weeks and three days."
"Yeah. Wasn’t sure if you’d counted," she answered, her voice suddenly more quiet.
He shrugged, trying to appear more nonchalant than he felt.
"I-I wanted to see how you were doing."
"Is that all?"
He hesitated. This was his last chance to back down.
"I did also want to know if you still... If you still had feelings for me."
There, the cat was out of the bag now. He'd said it.
"That was a long time ago," she replied.
"I know. I understand that I'm coming too late, but-"
"Don't interrupt me, Remus Lupin! Yes, it's been a long time, but I've been hoping you'd show up every single day." He gasped.
Tentatively, he placed a hand on hers on the bannister. He itched to pull her into his arms.
"Is that what you were hoping for tonight as well?"
"Yes," she breathed.
"Then you should know that despite my best efforts to let you be with someone who can offer you more than I'll ever be able to, I haven't been able to forget you. You changed me, Dora, and if you were still willing to give us a chance, I’d be the luckiest man alive."
She smiled at his use of her pet name.
"This is probably the best Christmas present I've ever got," she admitted.
"Really? An old, bitter werewolf?"
"Don't you ever dare try to make decisions for me again, Remus."
"I can't help wanting to protect you. Even if it is from me."
"And why exactly would that be?" she asked. He knew what she wanted- no- needed, to hear.
"Because I love you."
FIN.
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Part III
The trapdoor swung aside, revealing a wooden ladder.
The basement wasn’t very deep, but the smell was musty and the air humid and cooler than the rest of the house. Rubbing her arms to keep off the cold, she looked around the room.
The walls were made of stone, but there were claw marks all over them. The wooden support pillars had suffered an identical fate. Aside from the candles attached to the walls, the room was bare. On first look it was hard to understand what was so special about this room that Remus hadn’t wanted her to see it.
Tracing the claw marks on one of the pillars, she finally understood.
This had to be where he transformed during the full moon. He’d made these marks when his mind hadn’t been his own, and he still believed she didn’t know what he was. A thud from behind her made her jump.
“You shouldn’t be here,” said Remus.
“You should’ve shown this place to me! There’s nothing here that you needed to hide from me!”
“There’s also nothing here that’d help you break the curse.”
Remus Lupin truly had to be the thickest and most stubborn man alive.
“Maybe I wouldn’t have needed to come here if you hadn’t avoided me for the last couple of days! Which is, by the way, a rather impressive feat, considering the size of this house.”
“Let’s just get out of here, Tonks.”
“No, we will talk this out right now. I won’t let you weasel your way out of this!”
Remus sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “And what is it that you want to tell me?”
“For such a smart man you can be quite an idiot sometimes, Remus. I know what you are, and I didn’t need to see this room to know it.”
“I- you don’t-”
Now it was her turn to let out an exasperated sigh.
“You’re a werewolf, which I already knew when you kissed me! Seeing this room was just confirmation to what I already knew, and it makes no difference to me.”
“Do you have any idea what you’re saying? Have you even seen a werewolf before?”
“Yeah, I have, actually. During my third year of Auror studies, Mad-Eye and I interrogated Fenrir Greyback, and I know you’re nothing like him.”
“At the end of the day we’re all the same. Monsters.”
“You’re no monster.”
“You’re being naïve, Tonks.”
“How about you stop patronising- what was that?”
They both went quiet at the sound of the trapdoor above them slamming shut. A few seconds later there was another sound, this time as if something heavy was being moved directly above the hatch.
“Sirius!” Remus yelled, climbing the ladder. He made an attempt to push the door to the side, but to no avail.
“Who’s Sirius?” she asked.
Remus released a rare curse.
“I’ll tell you later, preferably once I’ve throttled him. This door wasn’t made to open from the inside, only from the outside. And now that there’s something heavy on top of the hatch, it means we’re not getting out until someone takes it off.”
“So we’re stuck here?”
“That would seem to be the case for now.”
“That means you have time to explain to me about Sirius.”
He cleared his throat.
“I guess it does. What I’m about to tell you may upset you, but I’m asking you to listen until I’m finished and then get angry if you’re still so inclined.”
She raised her brows.
“All right. Get on with it, then. I’m listening.”
***
Tonks took the news of Padfoot’s identity rather well. She didn’t seem to think it was preposterous to believe Sirius was innocent. So at least there was one topic they had no need to argue over that night. He had no idea when Sirius would be inclined to let them out, but he doubted it’d be until the morning.
“So Sirius was in his Animagus form when you were cursed and then got stuck?”
He nodded.
“Yes. There are few people outside this house who are aware of Sirius’s other form.”
“The Ministry doesn’t know either?”
“No. I don’t think him being stuck as a dog as punishment is what any Ministry worker had in mind for him.”
Just a few hours ago his old friend had been doing his very best to convince him to go to Tonks and “finish the job,” that they were too close to breaking the curse to fail now. He’d known he’d have to at least try, but he’d never felt right kissing her without her knowing about his condition. Now that he knew the truth, he wanted to smack himself. He’d underestimated this woman again, and after everything she knew, she was still there, sitting next to him on the cold stone floor of the basement, and not refusing to look at him or talk to him. That was a miracle in itself.
“I still think we should talk about what happened between us,” she said, this time much less forcefully than earlier.
“What is there to talk about?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes at him.
“Did you run because you thought I didn’t know you’re a werewolf?”
“Mostly because of that, yes.”
“But I did know, so you had no reason to worry.”
“Perhaps not. I’m sorry for underestimating you.”
“Apology accepted.”
“But I can’t stress it enough that I believe werewolves to be unsuitable romantic partners as a whole.”
Tonks scoffed.
“That’s bollocks, Remus. You’re a good man who hasn’t let his circumstances define him. There are far worse men out there who claim to be wholly human,” she said, bumping his shoulder with hers gently.
He chuckled.
“On a more serious note, your transformations must be very painful. These marks here… They’re deep.”
This was yet another topic he did not wish to discuss with her, but then again, she had a way of bringing up all the things he never wanted to talk about.
“You could say so. The wolf wants to kill, and when I’m transformed, there are no humans here to prey on. It needs to take it out on something,” he replied quietly.
She suddenly pulled his right hand into her lap, tracing the scars on it before he could pull it back. Her touch on the sensitive skin burned, but not in an unpleasant manner, which was exactly why he cursed Sirius yet again for locking them in together.
“You hurt yourself too,” she said. It wasn’t even a question, but rather a statement.
He yanked his hand from her.
“It’s nothing,” he said roughly.
He made to stand up, but she grabbed his arm before he could do that.
“What-”
Before he could get out another word, her hands were on his face and her mouth on his. Her kiss was fervent and demanding. This was a terrible idea, but Merlin, she felt so good.
"We should stop," he whispered against her neck.
"Give me one good reason to."
"I'm too old you."
"Irrelevant."
"I'm a werewolf."
"I don't care. Let it go, Remus. I know you want this," she replied, forcing him to look at her.
He was tired of avoiding her, of trying to hide how he felt about her when she was right in the next room. After a last sigh of resolve, he took her heart-shaped face between his palms and kissed her.
Her eyes took in all his scars, not horrified or pitying, but accepting. She truly saw him the way he wanted to be seen, against all odds. His initial nervousness began to fade, and he allowed her to kiss an old scar on his shoulder. She was a treasure that could never be his the way he wanted her to be, but for tonight he could put that reality out of his mind. For tonight he was just a man who loved a woman, nothing more and nothing less.
***
The morning arrived too fast as far as Tonks was concerned. The warm cocoon formed by their bodies and various clothes had kept her warm throughout the night, but as she opened her eyes, she saw that the trap door was open again.
Willing Remus to stay asleep for just a little while more, she tightened her hold on him and returned to the memories of the night before. There was no way she'd ever forget about it, but she'd wasn't foolish enough to think he'd feel the same way. He'd been more than a willing participant and even called her "Dora," which she loved hearing from his lips, but no promises had been made. Yet she dared to believe that they could sort this out, that she could make him believe in them.
When Remus began to stir, she knew it was time to face the outside world and a more reserved Remus Lupin.
"Good morning," he greeted, his voice hoarse.
"It is a good morning," she replied.
He said nothing in return but to her surprise kissed her tenderly.
"Breakfast?" he suggested.
They gathered their clothes and ate in the kitchen with Sirius. Nobody seemed to know what had occurred between them, and it seemed that Remus wanted to keep it that way. He barely looked at her.
Trying to shake the hurt caused by Remus’s distant behavior, Tonks returned to the library after breakfast, intending to update Remus on her progress, but the crystal ball on the corner table caught her attention. It was showing something. She couldn't make out what was happening until she was standing right next to the table. What she saw made her want to vomit. Her innocent father being dragged out of his house by Dawlish and his minion. Next it showed them dragging him along a corridor at the Ministry and finally setting him in front of Dolores Umbridge. Tonks had never had to personally work with her, but she was aware of the woman’s dubious reputation. A cold dread for her father filled her.
The parchment in front of Umbridge stated the charges: "Knowingly protecting a well-known fugitive. Crime is punishable by 2 years in Azkaban."
Dawlish and this broad were trying to send her father to Azkaban of all places! Gasping, she ran out of the room, bumping into Remus in the foyer.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"Umbridge is trying to get my dad thrown into Azkaban!"
"Based on what?"
"They're claiming that he's participated in harboring a fugitive. They must know about Sirius. Listen, Remus..."
"You need to go."
"I have to save him, but I'll come back here as soon as I can, I promise." After a quick kiss, she was out the door.
“Wait, it could be a trap!”
“Yeah, it could, but what else can I do?” she asked, turning back to face him.
“Just- just be careful.”
She nodded, and after taking a few steps from the house, Disapparated.
Why did you let her go? We have less than two days until the deadline, she'll never make it back here on time! barked Sirius.
"I know, Sirius, but how was I supposed to keep her here? Her father's in real danger, we all here know what Dolores Umbridge is capable of."
Yes, we do, but come on, she was so close to breaking the curse that I could practically taste it. She loves you, all you had to do was make her say it.
"How?"
How about telling her you love her? She would've returned the words, you know that!
Remus sighed. He knew he was responsible for his friends' fate, but telling Tonks he loved her wouldn't have been fair to her, as he had no intention of ever telling her that, curse or not. She was innocent of what had happened to them and didn’t deserve to be lead on. On the other hand, he was responsible for the fate his friends had suffered.
"Dumbledore will be here when the deadline closes; perhaps he's been able to think of another way to get us out of this. Or maybe he can at least buy as some more time," said Remus, knowing his optimism was hardly warranted. Dumbledore had already done his best, including giving them the crystal ball. It was unlikely that he'd be able to help them anymore.
Do you even believe that yourself? Asked Sirius, turning his back to Remus.
“It looks like Umbridge knows about you, Sirius. I don’t know how she found out.”
That Dawlish bloke we saw following Tonks the other night must have tipped her off someway, but how? I’ve never seen the man before.
“That’s a good question, but at this stage I think it’d be safer for you to leave. They’re bound to show up here soon, and I won’t be able to do much if I’m in the basement.”
I’m not going anywhere. We’ll see this through together. And if we’re both in the basement tonight, I doubt they’ll come knocking, if they want to live until the morning.
“And what happens after that? You know how I am the morning after a full moon, I won’t be of any use to you.”
It doesn’t matter. Look, our time’s running out anyway. I might as well go out with a bang instead of hiding out in the woods as a dog for the rest of my life, finished Sirius, stalking out of the room.
Remus had made a mess out of everything. If Tonks had broken the curse, Sirius wouldn’t have been this suicidal. He hadn't been able to manipulate Tonks the way he should have been, and falling in love with her had certainly never been a part of the plan. The one thing he wished for more than anything else was that there was a way for him to carry the curse alone. As long as the others could go back to their lives, he would manage. Even if he was never able to leave the house again as a human. His friends didn't deserve to pay for his shortcomings. Perhaps he could still ask Dumbledore if he could redirect the curse just on him once they reached the deadline, if they were still alive at that point. He sat on his bed and buried his head in his hands.
“Remus, dear?” called out Molly. Remus raised his head and offered her a wry smile. She had always been good to him, never blaming him, despite the fate she and her family had suffered.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I saw Tonks leave, and I just wanted to tell you that Arthur and I think you did the right thing.”
“She won’t make it back here on time to break the curse,” he replied softly.
“Maybe she won’t, but she’ll save her father from Umbridge. You have no reason to feel guilty about what happened to us, Remus. Arthur and I are responsible for ourselves and for our children. We made the decision to help Dumbledore, you and Sirius in the first place, and we don’t regret it. It’s better to stand for what you believe in than live your life just trying to avoid all possible dangers. That’s the way we raised our children as well.”
“But I’ve failed all of you.”
“You’ve done the best you could. You’re an honourable man and the curse that bitch cast on us was pure evil, she never believed you’d even come close to breaking it.”
“She knows about Sirius now, Molly.”
“But how?”
Remus shook his head.
“We don’t know how, but it’s likely that she’ll be here soon enough.”
“Then we’ll fight her, all of us together.”
“They just want me and Sirius, you don’t need to put yourselves at risk.”
“You don’t think we want to do anything we possibly can to get revenge on her? I’m sorry, Remus, but there is no way we’re going to stand in the sidelines.”
***
Tonks Apparated directly to London and the Ministry entrance. They were still holding her dad somewhere in the premises, and she was not going to leave without him. She'd talk to Dolores Umbridge herself.
The Ministry was mostly deserted this time of the night, but it didn't take very long for her to find out which floor Umbridge's office was in.
The door to her office was wide open, and she saw the bitch herself sitting at her desk. The entire room was so pink it made her want to vomit, especially the combination of the color and the porcelain kittens placed all around it.
Striding into the room, she didn't care if she was offending or inconveniencing the hag.
"I want my father out of here. Right. Fucking. Now."
"Evening, Auror Tonks, what a lovely surprise. Please have a seat, dear."
Tonks sneered.
"I'm not going to have a seat. I don't know why you've decided to attack my dad with these ridiculous accusations, but you're going to drop them now," she said, banging the desk with her fist.
"If you want your father released, I suggest you co-operate with me, Miss Tonks."
"On what?"
"On catching a dangerous criminal and his companions."
"And who is this dangerous criminal?"
Umbridge let out a girly giggle, making Tonks's blood boil.
"My, my, dear girl. I'm obviously talking about your cousin Sirius Black and his friends."
"I have no idea what you mean," she replied, hoping her lies were convincing enough to even just stall her for a bit.
"I've recently found out through my sources that Sirius Black is an unregistered Animagus and is being harbored in a derelict cottage by the werewolf Remus Lupin. I also know that you have been associating with this beast."
Tonks clenched her hands into fists so hard her nails began cutting into her palms. How dare this woman call him that. And how dare she try to use her dad to get to Sirius and Remus. And Remus’s house was not a derelict cottage.
"I have been trying to break a curse involving Remus Lupin, yes. But I know nothing about Sirius Black," she said through gritted teeth.
Umbridge sighed.
"Very well, then. We will have to do this the hard way then, Miss Tonks. Don't tell me I didn't try nicely at first. Dawlish!"
Before Tonks's vision blurred, she saw her colleague and unwanted suitor break out from the Disillusion charm he'd been hiding under.
***
The familiar pre-transformation symptoms took over Remus's body long before sunset. The cold sweats, aches and tremors kept him confined to his room for the rest of the day, and Sirius was nowhere to be seen.
When the transformation was than an hour away, he dragged himself out of bed and went downstairs, aiming to get to the basement with enough time to spare.
He had just reached the ladder when Sirius suddenly sprang into the room, barking.
They’re here. Umbridge and Dawlish.
Before Remus could get to the window, a familiar, sickly-sweet voice boomed from outside.
"Lupin and Black, come out immediately! Nothing needs to happen to her, as long as you comply!"
He grabbed his wand quickly and threw the front door open with Sirius at his coat tails.
Dolores Umbridge was standing on the edge of the clearing with her wand at her thrust, enhancing her voice. Next to her stood the man who he and Sirius had only gotten a glimpse of a couple of nights earlier, who was holding an unconscious Tonks. What had they done to her?
Remus watched as the somewhat nervous look on Umbridge's face turned into glee at the first step he took away from the safety of the porch.
Part IV
Tonks’s head hurt more than after the Christmas party during her 7th year of school, and that was a lot to say. As she opened her eyes, her vision was still blurry, but her hearing was just fine.
“Pete, stop hiding, you imbecile, and watch her!” hissed a voice she recognised as Dawlish’s.
“Y-yes, John, right away.” Of course he’d brought his favourite sidekick along.
“What are you so afraid of, you little twit? I’m an Auror, I can handle one werewolf and an Animagus!”
Pete didn’t reply, but she felt another presence behind her, and Dawlish gave her a little shove. She tried wriggling, but her arms and legs were bound tightly. Pete was shorter than her, and she got the feeling he was deliberately trying to hide himself behind her.
Her vision began to clear, and she could see Remus on the porch, about to step down. No, don’t do it, she wanted to scream, but her voice failed her.
In a flash, Remus turned into a wolf, who kept on advancing towards them. His eyes were blue, and the look he gave her told her that it was still Remus in there, not the werewolf. Just as she began to wonder how much time they had until the moon rose, the clouds cleared, revealing the pale orb. They were out of time.
She could pinpoint the exact moment Remus’s mind was taken over by the werewolf. The eyes boring into hers were no longer his, the look in them something much more feral than the gentleness she’d grown to associate with him. His body shook and a roar tore out of his throat. No matter how bad she wanted to do something to help him, she knew he’d tell her to run as fast as she could. She needed her wand back, now.
The ropes binding her hands to her sides and her legs together were too tight to escape from, but she was able to bend down and jump on Pete’s toes. The man screamed and staggered away from her, rubbing his sore foot, while she fell down in the ground, hitting her side. Luckily both Umbridge and Dawlish were too preoccupied with Remus to take much notice of her.
“Kill it, Dawlish!” yelled Umbridge, backing away from Remus as fast as she could, her wand pointed at him.
“That would be my pleasure! Come on, Pete, let’s get that beast!” he bellowed, striding forward. She had to get her wand fast if she wanted to save Remus.
Instead of joining Dawlish, Pete just stared at the porch with a fearful look on his face, and then suddenly he disappeared, leaving behind a pile of clothes. A rat emerged from the pile and scurried into the forest. The form Pete had taken made her heart speed up. Was Pete actually Peter Pettigrew? She decided to make sense of things later and focus on getting to her wand.
At the same time, Sirius jumped out of the bushes, tackling Dawlish and buying her more time.
Umbridge screamed when a plate smashed into her chest. When Tonks looked into the direction the projectile had come from, she saw Molly, Arthur and their kids behind the now open living room windows. They were fighting back. Another plate shot out, this time landing on Umbridge’s head, eliciting another scream from her. She pointed her wand at the house, but the various dishes flying in the air made it too difficult for her to aim properly, and she kept on missing.
Using the chaos to her advantage and trusting the others to keep Umbridge occupied, Tonks crawled to the pile of clothes left behind by Pete and began sifting through them with her legs. By the time she was finally able to locate her wand and release herself from the ropes, Sirius, Remus, and Dawlish had all disappeared.
Before she had time to guess which direction they’d taken, she heard a feral roar. Remus. Following the sound as fast as she could, she staggered through the trees until she spotted Remus and Dawlish.
"Avada-" he started.
"Stupefy!" she yelled, countering the Unforgivable.
Please, let Remus still be alive... Dawlish was out cold on the ground after having hit his head on a rock, and she had enough sense to tie him up before attending to Remus. Or the creature that was currently in possession of his body.
The wolf was bleeding from its muzzle and side, and its breathing was uneven. A branch was sticking out from its right side. She knew she'd have to get it out or he'd die. Werewolves were dangerous, but she had no time to hesitate.
She leaned over him and placed the tip of her wand on the branch. It would have to be done quickly so she'd have time to stop the bleeding. Tonks murmured the spell and watched the branch disappear, leaving a gaping wound in its place. She gasped at the size of the injury but immediately cast another spell to fix his bleeding vessels.
Unfortunately she was no Mediwitch, but there was no way she could just take him to St. Mungo's. He would need to survive until the morning at least in order for that to happen. Now all she could do was hope. Laying her hand on the wolf's side, she waited. His breathing was still shallow, and she swore her own heart stopped beating for a second when the wolf missed a breath. It was still dying, which meant Remus was dying too.
Tears sprung to her eyes; she was going to lose Remus because he'd left the house to save her. She should’ve been more careful while confronting Umbridge, he’d even warned her that it could be a trap. If she’d controlled herself better, maybe they wouldn’t have gotten her and Remus would be safely in the basement.
"You can't die... Remus, please... I love you, and I want you to hear me say it," she confessed, her tears falling on the wolf's fur coat.
Burying her face into the wolf's side, she let herself mourn for the love that she may have lost, the man who might never know how she felt about him.
"Tonks, what are you doing? Get away!" She turned her head toward the unknown voice and saw a lanky man with shaggy black hair.
"Who are-"
"Don't recognise me when I'm not a dog, do you?" replied the man, a hint of amusement leaking into his tone.
"Sirius?" If Sirius was human again, it had to mean that the curse was finally broken. But how?
"Yes, it's me, and now please, for all our sakes, step away from the werewolf. Remus is not flying that broom right now."
Before she could move, the wolf's eyes opened for the first time since she'd arrived at his side, and he released a low whine.
"It's all right. I'm trying to help you," she murmured, hoping her voice was calming enough. If she ran, the wolf would surely follow and tear the wounds open. There might not be a way to save Remus if that happened.
"Tonks, now! Go back to the house, I’ll take care of this!" yelled Sirius, and within seconds he was a dog once more. She stood up and took a few slow steps back, hoping it wasn't enough for the wolf to see her as prey.
Sirius landed on the wolf just as he made an attempt to get up. Tonks took this as a cue to turn around and run.
As she neared the house, her steps slowed down, and she felt exhaustion seeping into her limbs. She was out of danger, at least for now. To her surprise, the front of the house was full of people she’d never seen before in her life, but Dolores Umbridge was nowhere to be seen.
“Tonks, dear, you did it! Come here!” called a short, red-haired woman, pulling her into a tight embrace. It took her a few seconds to place the familiar-sounding voice.
“Molly,” she gasped.
“Yes, it’s me! I don’t think we’ll ever be able to thank you, but we’ll do our best. Come and meet everyone.”
She was hugged by the rest of the Weasley family as well as Fleur, who was so beautiful as a human that Tonks felt slightly embarrassed of having had to dress before her. Their joy was genuine but overwhelming for her, especially since she didn’t even know yet if Remus would survive. She kept on stealing glances at the forest, expecting Remus and Sirius to emerge, but instead of them she spied a group of three people, including one who was being practically dragged between her mentor and a senior colleague.
“Mad-Eye! Kingsley!” she exclaimed, jogging to meet the strange group.
“Evening, Tonks, glad to see you’re in one piece,” greeted Kingsley.
“What are you two doing here? How did you know?” she asked, finally taking notice that the man Mad-Eye and Kingsley had a death grip on was Pete.
“Long story, Tonks. I’ve been tracking Dawlish’s activities for the last week, and tonight I spoke to your father and then to someone else. After that it was just about putting all the pieces together and taking action,” explained Mad-Eye hastily, giving her a look that told her she’d be in the receiving end of another one of his lectures in the near future.
“But what’s more important is that this bloke right here is Peter Pettigrew. We’ve all thought him dead for the last 13 years, but turns out he’s been keeping a close eye on the Ministry through Dawlish. The last time anyone had seen a photo of him was more than a decade ago, and why would the Ministry insist on showing people photographs of dead people? Smart weasel, this one right here, but not as smart as he should’ve been,” muttered Mad-Eye, poking Peter’s side with his wand.
“Tonks, my dear girl, please tell them they’ve mistaken,” prayed Peter, giving her a look that she supposed could have passed for pathetic and innocent to some people. Not to her. After hearing the stories of Peter’s deception, she had no empathy left for the man.
“You’re the reason Sirius went to Azkaban, and then you tried to put my father there. It’s you who should be in Azkaban,” she replied coolly.
“We need to go now, Tonks, but I expect to see you back at work on Monday!” said Mad-Eye before Disapparating along with Kingsley and Peter.
“He does indeed deserve to go to Azkaban, and he will go there after a fair trial,” boomed another familiar voice from the shadow of the forest.
Beside Dawlish’s unconscious form stood her former Headmaster, probably the most formidable wizard of her time.
“Headmaster Dumbledore,” she greeted.
“Evening, Nymphadora. Alastor alerted me to the events and I got here just in time to assist in capturing Peter and your colleague here.”
“What about Umbridge, Headmaster? I think she cursed Remus and the others.”
Dumbledore nodded.
“I am aware of that, and she has already been taken away. She was uninjured but quite angry when some of your colleagues removed her from the premises. She will be punished accordingly; I will testify against her myself if I have to.”
“Good. What about him, then?” she asked, motioning to Dawlish.
“He tried to use an Unforgivable on Remus.”
“You are referring to Mr. Lupin’s werewolf form?”
“Yeah.”
“If Dolores Umbridge was still in charge, he would be released. However, her removal from office will make Mr. Dawlish’s life more difficult.”
“But he might not be punished?”
“He might not go to Azkaban, if that is what you’re asking. Yes, he attempted to cast an Unforgivable Curse, but he was also facing a Dark Creature. He will certainly insist it was self-defense.”
“I’d rather not be an Auror anymore, if that means working with someone like him. He’s a criminal.”
Dumbledore smiled at her kindly.
“You are a good person, Ms. Tonks. You are the kind of an Auror the Ministry desperately needs. If all the good people in the Auror Department decide to leave, what will be left? The ones like Dawlish here, I’m afraid.”
“How am I supposed to pretend that I trust him?”
“This may not be the best time to discuss this, but dark times lay ahead of us. Your considerable skills will be needed in order for our world to survive. Staying with the Ministry and gathering more experience is the best course of action, if I may give a piece of advice.”
“I’m sorry, but what are you talking about, Headmaster? Dark times?”
Dumbledore hesitated.
“I have reason to suspect that Voldemort and his ideology may not be as dead as we would like them to be. But do not concern yourself with that tonight. The feat your achieved was extraordinary. You proved that everything Dolores Umbridge believes in is untrue, and you broke a powerful curse.”
“I still don’t fully understand what exactly broke it.”
“Love. It sounds clichéd, but it was love. You love a person whom he himself, as well as Dolores Umbridge, truly believes to be unlovable. She believed that once time ran out, she would have forever rid herself of Mr. Lupin and the others. You were an unforeseen variable in this equation, as far as she is concerned.”
Love? She had broken the curse when she’d told Remus that she loved him. She almost felt like laughing. It had been that simple. Now if only she’d told him about her feelings earlier, and maybe Remus would not be mortally injured.
“But why did she curse them in the first place?”
Dumbledore sighed.
“She was hell-bent on finding Sirius and believed that his old friend would be helping him. She also knew that both Remus and the Weasley family were allied with me. It was an enticing opportunity to leave both Sirius as well as me with fewer allies.”
“How come nobody’s missed them?”
“Umbridge made sure all the Weasleys’ relatives and friends believed they’d moved abroad after Arthur had been offered a job. And I believe all inquiries that were made to the Ministry were quickly erased from official documents and the people who made them found themselves Obliviated.”
“What about Remus, hasn’t anyone asked after him?”
“He’s always lived a rather solitary life.”
She tried to suppress the sob that threatened to escape her throat. He really had nobody, outside of his friends.
“He’s dying… I - I did my best to help with the wounds, but I’m not sure…” she confessed, allowing herself to think about the possibility of losing him for the first time since she’d left him with Sirius.
“Yes, I saw him with Sirius in the forest. I don’t believe there is much any of us can do at this stage.”
“Can’t you try to help him?”
“Werewolves are another species entirely. There is little we can do for them medically until they transform back into human form. If his body is strong enough, he will make it through. I suggest you go inside and let Mrs. Weasley make you a warm cup of tea. I will be back in the morning, but until then, have faith. Love is the strongest magic in this world, and Mr. Lupin knows he is not finished here.”
As Dumbledore prepared to Disapparate with Dawlish, she realise there was still one thing she needed to know.
"Do you know if my dad's okay?"
"Yes, you'll find him at home. He's shaken up and concerned for your safety, but unharmed."
She sighed in relief. She would have to see him as soon as she could, but not until she could be certain that Remus was going recover.
"Thank you," she replied quietly.
Dumbledore’s hand squeezed her shoulder gently before he grabbed a hold of Dawlish’s arm and Disapparated.
***
Sirius levitated the unconscious and bound wolf into the house an hour later when Tonks had just managed to convince Molly that she did not need or want another cup of tea and pushed away a plateful of biscuits.
“Put him in the bedroom!” she urged Sirius, toppling over a chair as she tried to stand up.
“Yes, my lady,” grunted Sirius.
Rushing into Remus’s room at Sirius’s coattails, she pulled the covers aside and allowed Sirius to lay him on the bed.
“He’s still alive, isn’t he?” she asked, needing confirmation.
Sirius nodded.
“He’s as stubborn as they come, Tonks. He’ll make it through this. It took a while until I got him to calm down after you left, but I don’t think he tore anything open.”
Tonks stayed awake by Remus’s side until dawn arrived and he transformed back. After gently removing the ropes on his wrists and ankles, she cleaned and bandaged the wound on his side. He felt feverish, but only slightly so. Taking his hand into hers, she lay down next to him. It wasn’t her intention to fall asleep, but before she had much time to think about anything, her body made the decision for her.
***
Remus woke up to a stabbing pain in his right side, surprised he wasn’t dead yet. Turning his head, he saw Tonks curled up on the bed beside him, her fingers holding onto his gently. Oh Merlin, Tonks. She could have died trying to save him, he could have killed her. Just then, her eyes fluttered open.
"Wotcher," she whispered.
"Hello."
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Like I've been trampled by a dozen Hippogriffs, but I'll live," he replied, hoping to cast away the look of worry on her face.
"Good. I was worried there for a while."
"You broke the curse."
"Yeah... Accidentally."
"In any case, thank you. Sirius and the others are free now, because of you."
"What about us?"
Of course she would go straight to the point.This must be done, he told himself, but somehow knowing that didn’t make it any easier.
"There is no us, Tonks. I used you to break the curse, and I'm sorry for doing that, but that's all there ever was to it."
"You're lying," she replied. He could hear that her voice was close to breaking, and it made him wish he could take it back.
"No, I'm not. I think it'd be for the best if you went home now, I'm sure your father would like to see you."
She scoffed as he turned away from her but soon felt her shift and stand up. In mere seconds the door closed quietly behind her and just like that she was out of his life for good. He took several steadying breaths, hoping the hand squeezing his heart would relinquish its hold soon.
Before he'd even had time to accept the new reality, the door slammed shut.
"What did you say to her?" hissed Sirius.
"What was for the best."
"You are so full of it sometimes, Moony. She was the best thing to ever happen to you, and I'm not saying this just because she's my cousin."
"She doesn't deserve to be tied down to me, Sirius."
"Isn't that for her to decide?"
"It's up to me to be the realist in this case."
The eye roll he received from his old friend was eerily similar to the one his cousin had given him several times.
"Whatever, Remus, but I know you'll regret doing this."
***
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. The air grew cold and then warmed again. Remus did not notice most of this, as he spent most of his time working various low-paid jobs. He took as many shifts as he could, only resting when his transformations wouldn’t allow him to function normally. Sirius had grown concerned after a few months and kept on insisting he should contact Tonks. He had even gone as far as threatening to invite her over for dinner, but Remus had replied that in that case he wouldn’t be in attendance. He knew Sirius had been out with Tonks though and that she had asked about him.
His old friend was now having the time of his life and would often try to coax him to join him in some pub, insisting that a good night out was what he needed. Finding work in London was easier than it would have been in the country, so he had settled into one of Sirius's guest bedrooms. Although not having to pay rent was certainly a benefit, Remus also knew that Sirius needed the company, as without him he only had an old house elf and his mother’s insane portrait to talk to.
A few times Remus had waited around the Ministry's entrance, hoping to perhaps catch a single glimpse of Tonks but had chickened out before she'd shown up. Watching her like this was wrong and would do no good to anyone. He had to move on.
Molly and Arthur had invited him over to dinner, but he had declined out of fear that Tonks would be there as well. He must have been quite transparent, as Molly had gently told him that Tonks still missed him and that she was still available. His feelings for her had refused to fade despite the time and distance between them. He should not hope that she still felt the same way about him, but a part of him reveled in the pieces of information he’d been given. The odds had never been in his favour, but it seemed that despite the probabilities, there was a woman out there who loved him.
Christmas was approaching again, and after a few shots of Firewhiskey at the Leaky Cauldron he found himself wondering if he ought to talk to her after all. It had been nearly 15 months since he'd last seen her, but the memories of her and their brief time together wouldn't leave him alone.
If she rejected him, it would be easier to get over her... Or that was what he told himself right before finally knocking on her father's door on Christmas Eve. Of course, she might not even be there, but he didn't have her address in London.
"Hello!" greeted the familiar older man at the door, giving Remus an appraising glance. Yes, this was definitely her father.
"Hello. I'm sorry for intruding, but I would like to speak with your daughter."
Ted blinked.
"You're Remus, aren't you?"
"Errr... Yes."
"Well, better late than never! Come on in, son, I'll let Dora know you're here."
He stepped into the foyer, uncertain if he should bother to remove his cloak. Raising his head to face the sound of steps from the stairs, he saw her. Tonight her hair was a lovely, deep chocolate brown and tied in a loose ponytail, and her yellow-gold dress robes glimmered in the light. Her dark eyes were fixed on him, but the expression on her face was unreadable.
He swallowed nervously. She had a right to be angry, he reminded himself. The things he’d said to her to drive her away…
"I've been worried about you," she said quietly, at last reaching the last step.
She stopped, her hands reaching out to grasp the bannister, as if she would fall without the support.
"I've managed," he replied softly.
"Not well, I can see that for myself. You need to eat more."
"You sound like Molly."
"What are you doing here? It's been-"
"12 months, two weeks and three days."
"Yeah. Wasn’t sure if you’d counted," she answered, her voice suddenly more quiet.
He shrugged, trying to appear more nonchalant than he felt.
"I-I wanted to see how you were doing."
"Is that all?"
He hesitated. This was his last chance to back down.
"I did also want to know if you still... If you still had feelings for me."
There, the cat was out of the bag now. He'd said it.
"That was a long time ago," she replied.
"I know. I understand that I'm coming too late, but-"
"Don't interrupt me, Remus Lupin! Yes, it's been a long time, but I've been hoping you'd show up every single day." He gasped.
Tentatively, he placed a hand on hers on the bannister. He itched to pull her into his arms.
"Is that what you were hoping for tonight as well?"
"Yes," she breathed.
"Then you should know that despite my best efforts to let you be with someone who can offer you more than I'll ever be able to, I haven't been able to forget you. You changed me, Dora, and if you were still willing to give us a chance, I’d be the luckiest man alive."
She smiled at his use of her pet name.
"This is probably the best Christmas present I've ever got," she admitted.
"Really? An old, bitter werewolf?"
"Don't you ever dare try to make decisions for me again, Remus."
"I can't help wanting to protect you. Even if it is from me."
"And why exactly would that be?" she asked. He knew what she wanted- no- needed, to hear.
"Because I love you."
FIN.
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