A Likely Story

Next day, she awoke bruised and scraped, but oddly refreshed, as though she had slept deeply despite her injuries. She winced as he continued to shake her shoulder.

"Ow! I'm awake!" "

We overslept," he said. "It's seven-thirty."

"Oh, shite!" She started to leap from the bed, but he stopped her with an outstretched hand.

"Not so fast." He whisked aside the coverlet and regarded her body critically for a moment before applying a Healing Charm here and there. He Summoned her clothes from the heap on the floor, shaking them out before tossing them onto the bed beside her. "Fortunately, Albus is in his office this morning," he told her while she was getting dressed.

Pulling on a sock, she looked up, bemused. "In his...office?"

"Where else would he be?" he retorted. "I had to tell him I was terminating the Occlumency lessons, and there was no point in forcing me to continue. And I had to explain our...situation."

She blushed. "What did he say?"

"With respect to the Occlumency, he didn't argue as much as I expected. I think he knew a lost cause when he saw it. As to this, he said that as long as I didn't do anything illegal, my personal life was none of his business. And in times of war, people seek solace any way they can, etcetera." He made a wry face.

She rolled her eyes. "Nosy old man."

"You don't know the half of it. And he provided me with a Portkey that will take you straight to your bed." He held out what looked like a stick of gum wrapped in purple packaging adorned with moons and stars.

She accepted it and turned it over in her hands, puzzled. "I give up. Nice packaging, though. Is it his own brand?"

"Albus' safeguards are always sweets-related if he can manage it," he replied. "You have to chew it. That way, I don't accidentally get transported to your bed just from handling the gum."

She grinned. "No need to make Dolores more jealous than she already is."

He shuddered dramatically. "Though if she tried to make trouble for me, I'd just tell her I'd been meaning to ask staff at the Ministry if she frequents the men's toilets there as often as she does here."

Tonks raised her eyebrows and spat out the gum unchewed into her hand. "Really?"

He nodded. "How else would she have found Montague? Now get out of here." He looked pointedly at a clock. She returned the gum to her mouth, bit down, and found herself back in Gryffindor Tower, in her bed, under the covers, clothes removed and folded at her feet. An unfamiliar pressure under her hand revealed a toy stuffed snake of green terrycloth with silver button eyes nestled in bed with her. Nice touch, Albus, she thought, before throwing the snake aside, morphing into her younger appearance, and beginning another day pretending to be a student.

Transfiguration was her first class. To her surprise, she arrived on time and only slightly out of breath.

But Professor McGonagall addressed her sharply. "Miss Black, you are to proceed to the Headmistress' office at once."

Tonks looked questioningly at the teacher, who shook her head slightly. "Immediately, Miss Black."

Tonks walked down the corridor leading to Umbridge's office, her head teaming with questions and potential excuses. Surely Albus had arranged for Olympe Maxime to verify that a "Dora Black" had been attending her school? Considering that Dolores was suspicious and obsessive enough to check, she, Tonks, should have been.

A tall, elegant black boy stepped into her path, seemingly out of no-where. "Salut!" he called, smiling. "May I have a word?"

Tonks regarded him more closely and recognised him as a fifth-year Slytherin. But he wore no Inquisitorial Squad pin. He smirked as she finished scrutinising the front of his robes. "I have no such pin," he said. "But even if I did belong to that group, I think it's better as a general rule to be less obvious about where one's loyalties lie. Do you agree?"

The Head of Slytherin would certainly agree, she thought. Affecting a slightly puzzled look, she smiled back at the boy. "Excuse me. I have to go to the Headmistress' office." She walked around him to continue down the corridor.

He addressed her retreating back. "When you have been requested to do something, sometimes the best way to comply with the request is not to follow the most obvious course of action."

She stopped and turned to face him. "Who are you? The Slytherin philosopher?"

He spread his arms wide. "Why so scathing? Are we Slytherins supposed to spend every second of every day scheming and plotting? Is there a rules book which states that Slytherins can't be contemplative and thoughtful?" He looked up and down the corridor before reaching into a pocket. "Would you like a stick of gum?" He held out a small oblong purple packet adorned with moons and stars.

Tonks grinned in comprehension. Taking her hand off the wand in her pocket, she accepted the proffered gum and popped it into her mouth. Just as she felt the familiar tug behind her naval, the boy gave her a parting wave.

Moments later she stumbled against Albus Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore looked up from a parchment. "Welcome. Have a seat." He waved a hand and a plush chair covered in bright purple velvet appeared beside her.

"Forgive the subterfuge," he continued as Tonks seated herself. "Since my little dispute with the Ministry, I have to be creative about how I invite people to my office." He pushed papers aside and folded his hands on the desktop, smiling gently. "You're needed in London. What with the Death Eaters' continuing efforts to break into the Department of Mysteries, the Order and the Ministry both feel your absence. Your assignment here is terminated. I am sorry." He slid a box of chocolates across his desk towards her.

To hide her dismay, she dithered a moment while selecting a chocolate. "The Aurory doesn't apologise for assigning its people hither and thither."

He regarded her silently for a moment. "No, I'm sure it doesn't."

She looked down to avoid his gaze and found herself staring at the box of chocolates. "Erm...these are excellent truffles, Albus," she said, helping herself to another.

"Yes. I received quite a few on my birthday. You only have to drop hints around some people. Like with the socks."

"The...socks?" The puzzlement in Tonks' voice was partly muffled by chocolate.

"For the past couple of Christmases, Molly has been bestowing me with hand-knit woolen socks in colours to match more robes than I have ever owned. Should I live another one hundred and fifty years, I will not exhaust my sock bounty. Harry must have said something, don't you think?"

Bewildered, Tonks took another truffle before pushing the box away. "I'm eating far too much chocolate these days."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Severus has asked me how I got to such a healthy old age, eating so many sweets." He leaned forwards in his chair. "Between you, me, and the fencepost, he's a very smart boy, but when it comes to sweets, he misses the point entirely."

Tonks almost choked on a truffle, hearing Snape called "boy," then struggled to disguise a blush. Severus had made a jibe about her generous hips when they were getting dressed one morning, weeks ago. Was there nothing this old man didn't know about?

Dumbledore pushed the box back towards her. "Take the box. Please. I never thought it possible, but one really can have too much chocolate. Give them away if you must." Looking more serious, he handed her another stick of gum. "This will take you to your flat in London. From there, report to Kingsley at the Ministry. I will make your excuses to Minerva and Severus." He smiled sadly at her. "The Death Eaters will make a move soon, but not here. Tom's interests lie at the Ministry."

After a day at the Ministry spent filling out forms explaining her absence--Tonks had spotted Sirius Black in north Scotland, and when she tried to arrest him, he transformed into a dog and leapt into a herd of cattle, nipping at their heels to start a stampede, and losing himself in the mêlée, she wrote with amusement--she stopped in at 12 Grimmauld Place. Sirius and Remus were sitting at the kitchen table, deep in conversation, a candle and a bottle of wine between them. A large flat box shoved to the side contained the remnants of a pizza.

"Wotcher, Remus, Sirius. This looks positively romantic."

Sirius snorted and Remus laughed. Tonks then recounted what she'd told the Ministry.

Sirius affected a puzzled look. "I thought I was in Thailand."

"No, Padfoot." Remus was affecting a scornful tone. "You're in the foothills of the Himalayas. Kingsley's positive you've thrown in with the Yeti. Remember the article last week?"

After a moment, Sirius nodded slowly. "Yes, of course. All that travelling has got me disoriented." Sirius slid out his chair. "Speaking of travelling, I was just on my way upstairs. But you must join Remus for a drink."

She looked at her watch. "Isn't it a little early for bed?" she teased.

"I'm feeding Buckbeak. Or maybe I'll try and open that locket. Or sweep up Doxy droppings in the library. Anything to avoid doing to him what he deserves now more than ever, which is to hex his bony arse back to Scotland." He stood and left the table.

Tonks sat Remus sat in awkward silence, listening to footsteps receding up the stairs. Remus was avoiding her eyes.

"I guess it's not your bony arse he's talking about," said Tonks, smiling gently at Remus.

His gaze flickered briefly to meet hers. "My arse is not so bony these days, what with all these meals of Molly's." He blushed before continuing. "Yesterday Sirius said that since 'You-Know-Who' is already taken, this bloke is 'You Know What.'"

She chuckled uneasily. Remus quickly poured a glass of wine, pushing it towards her. "Pizza's probably still warm, if you're peckish."

"No, thanks, just this." She sipped the wine. "I'm trying to reduce."

"Why?" he said. "You're perfect." And he blushed again.

"I'm glad somebody thinks so," she replied, grinning. He was so embarrassed, the poor bloke. Who ever heard of a shy werewolf?

"So...what was Sirius on about?"

"Harry talked to us today through Dolores Umbridge's fireplace," Remus said quickly, relieved at having something to talk about. "He...erm...found out something about James from Snape and wanted to ask us if it were true."

"Did it have anything to do with that memory he saw in the Pensieve?"

Remus stared at her. "He told you?"

"My job has been to keep an eye on Harry," she replied evasively.

Remus sighed. "Harry's very upset."

"Well, he should be. That was a very stupid thing he did."

Remus shrugged. "Snape hasn't exactly gone out of his way to win the boy's trust."

"Snape's not exactly in a position where he can, is he?" Tonks retorted.

Remus inclined his head noncommittally and sipped his wine. Then they heard the front door open and the almost soundless tread of someone approaching who knew where all the squeaky floorboards were. Snape threw open the kitchen door. He started to enter, but stopped upon seeing Remus and Tonks at the table, a half-burned candle and bottle of wine between them.

"Thank you for coming, Severus," said Remus in a low voice.

Snape turned to Remus, his eyes narrowing. "I'm only here because I have an errand to run close by," said Snape imperiously. "Whatever you have to say, you're wasting your breath. These Occlumency lessons have been a fiasco from the start. The boy is determined to sabotage my best efforts to teach him."

Remus conjured and filled another wine glass, avoiding the Potions master's prying eyes. "Wine, Severus?"

Snape frowned. "This isn't a social visit," he hissed.

"It's elf-made wine," said Tonks mildly.

Snape's frown softened. "If you insist." Striding across the room, he snatched up the glass and retreated to his spot back by the door. "Adequate," he said, after a sip.

Remus cleared his throat. "Personally, I think it's good for Harry to see his dad in a more realistic light rather than as a paragon of heroism and virtue."

Snape cocked his head. "Is that so?" he said, starting to smirk as he leaned against the doorjamb, sipping wine.

Undeterred, Remus continued, "Yes, and he's learned his lesson. From now on, Harry would be more obedient and respectful than you have ever seen him."

"Glad he's learned something," said Snape. He pointed his wand at the bottle and tapped the rim of his glass, causing it to refill.

With a tinge of exasperation, Remus said, "Look, whatever's happened, our objectives remain the same."

To Tonks, Snape said, "This really is excellent wine. My compliments to Black."

Remus said, "Shouldn't we all be doing our utmost to prepare Harry?"

"And if I don't?" retorted Snape, smiling unpleasantly. "If I don't and we lose this war, go ahead and blame me if you wish. I'll be dead anyway."

Tonks opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it and looked at Remus, who gave her a small, pained smile. Then she looked back at Snape, who raised his eyebrows slightly, looking annoyed. She was starting to feel annoyed herself. Surely they could see that she was caught in the middle, and it wasn't her fault that she got on with everybody. With some defiance, she met Snape's eyes. I'm not blowing friendships to suit you or anybody else for that matter, she thought.

Snape drained his glass. "Lupin, that's obviously the best you can do. I must be going. Come along, Tonks."

"What?" Tonks' gaze shifted between each wizard in confusion. "Why?"

"I require your assistance," he replied curtly, and swept out of the kitchen.

"What sort of assistance does he require at this time of night?" said Remus softly, as if he were talking to himself.

There was a crack as Sirius materialised in the kitchen. "I don't know about you two, but I'm going to find out," he said, and stalked out of the kitchen on the trail of Snape.

Tonks and Remus looked at each other, simultaneously rose to their feet, and rushed after Sirius.

Snape and Sirius were standing facing each other in the front hallway. Sirius, wand pointed at Snape's face, had just said something, ending with, "Snivellus!"

Snape, hands in pockets, smirked. "Wormtail called me that recently. And you share his penchant for listening at doors. I must tell him how much you two still have in common."

Tonks walked around Snape to stand between Snape and Sirius, hands outstretched. "That will do," she said, trying and failing to emulate the calm authority of the Headmaster, but she was too angry. "Sirius, Severus has to run an errand, and whether I go with him or not is my business." She turned to the other wizard. "Snape, just stop it."

"Stop what?" Snape smirked in mock innocence, taking his hands out of his pockets, palms upturned.

Sirius pointed his wand accusingly at Snape's face. "You left that memory unattended on purpose. And Harry, like any sensible person, is suspicious of you, and being only a kid after all, he couldn't resist seeing what you were hiding from him. So you could back out of the Occlumency lessons all righteously indignant about your privacy being violated. You planned it all along. Admit it."

Snape chuckled. "Why, yes, Black. You have found me out. It was I who arranged to have the Weasley twins shove Montague into the Vanishing Cabinet several days previously, timing it just so that he would pop up in that toilet right at the start of an Occlumency lesson. Coordinating it with Umbridge's schedule for sneaking into the men's toilets was tricky, but all too simple for evil dark wizards like me." Mrs Black's portrait had woken up, and Snape raised his voice to be heard above her screams. "Thank you, Black, for acknowledging my omnipotence. Tonks, let's get out of here. I can no longer suffer the presence of such inferior beings." He turned and started for the door.

Sirius grabbed Tonks' left arm. His grip was painful. "Don't go with him," he whispered urgently. "Think of your future."

Remus leapt forwards. "Padfoot, you're hurting her," he protested.

Tonks waved her wand over Sirius' hands. He gasped and released his grip. "Sorry about that, Sirius," she said. "And it's my future after all." Pulling her arm away from Sirius' now-slack hands, she ran for the door, trusting that Remus would stop Sirius from following. She tripped over the threshold and would have fallen headlong into the street if Snape hadn't grabbed her elbow as she hurtled past. To balance himself, he grabbed the doorknob, pulling the door closed with a dust-clearing crash. For a moment they could hear the enraged shouts of Mrs Black and the answering imprecations of her son fading as the house shrank between numbers eleven and thirteen. They hopped off the front step just before it vanished completely.

"So where are we going?" she asked lightly.

"My house," he answered tersely, looking up and down the street.

"I didn't know you grew up in the same neighbourhood as Sirius. Did you know each other as boys?"

He snorted. "It's closer than Hogwarts, but not walking distance. I'll take you." He grasped her elbow and they Disapparated.

They arrived in a dingy neighbourhood of ramshackle houses that looked deserted.

"Severus! We can't go Apparating into Muggle areas!" Tonks whispered indignantly, looking around.

"No-one but me lives here anymore, so I can come and go any way I please," he retorted. "This way." He led her down a dead-end street. The house at the end appeared to be the most ramshackle of all. Weathered boards nailed in a haphazard way partly obscured a smashed front window. The chimney had collapsed, its bricks scattered about the front garden and across the half-crumpled roof, its rafters showing in spots. But as Tonks and Snape approached the house, they saw it seem to blur, and suddenly the front window was intact, curtains neatly drawn. Snape waved his wand and a puff of smoke rose from the chimney, now straight and whole. There were no bricks in the front garden as they walked across it to the house, pausing before the front door.

"I've started a fire, but I haven't been here since the summer. It's going to be cold." Snape spoke half-aloud, as if bracing himself before entering.

"Purebloods can't see anti-Muggle charms," Tonks murmured.

He opened the front door. "True. They can easily find the house when they come to this neighbourhood. What's your point?"

"Well, wouldn't you want to hide from the...wait a minute...what do you mean, 'they?' Mrs Black's portrait said your blood was as good as Malfoy's."

"Lucius wouldn't agree." He gestured towards the open door. "After you."

She entered to find herself in a tiny book-lined sitting room furnished with a couch, a chair, and a rickety table. Despite the small size of the room, a tiny fire was barely able to penetrate the gloomy chill, but Tonks crouched before it, attempting to warm her hands.

She looked sideways at Snape, who had sat down on the couch. "So...why did you get so angry when Mrs Black made that crack about your alcoholic father, if it was no more than mistaken identity?"

"Think she touched a nerve, do you? Well, you're wrong. She always mistakes me for the Death Eater who killed Regulus, and I'm sick of it. That's all."

"Sirius told me you and Regulus were friends." Snape abruptly stood and left the room, and Tonks wondered if she'd pushed him too far. But he returned moments later with a steaming teapot and two cups and sat back down on the couch. When Tonks sat beside him he handed her a cup of tea and they sat in companionable silence for several minutes as they warmed themselves.

"The less you know about certain things, the better." He wasn't looking at her and had spoken so quietly it was as if no-one else was in the room. Then he set down his cup of tea roughly, spilling some of it, and turned towards her. "Regulus and I split a bottle of Firewhisky one night and confessed to each other that we didn't want to be Death Eaters any more. We decided that we each stood a better chance on our own. Though I told him he was a fool to try and run. He didn't know Occlumency, so he couldn't do what I did, but he could have gone to Albus for protection. Idiot."

Tonks set her own teacup down and managed to crack the cup and spill the remaining tea.

Snape mended the cup and cleaned the table. "More tea?"

"No, thank you," she said, feeling more awkward than ever. After weeks of wishing that he would tell her more about himself, she was frightened by his sudden frankness. What might he tell her next? She had been more like a teenager than she realised, living only for the present with no regard for the past. It was as if she'd forgotten he'd been a Death Eater.

"Listen, I'm sorry..."

"No, you're not," he interrupted, eyes glinting. "Nor should you be. You can ask anything you like. Whether or not I answer is my choice."

"But I didn't mean to remind you of..."

"I never forget I was a Death Eater. Which reminds me." He reached into a pocket and removed some small wooden cubes that looked like dice from an ancient board game before he unshrunk them, revealing rat traps.

"You...have a rodent problem, Severus?" she said, puzzled. He was a strange man, but never whimsical.

"I'm going to have a rodent problem," he replied cryptically.

"There are charms that work better than those Muggle traps. And you don't need my help for this, Severus."

"These traps are appropriate for this particular species. And yes, you're right that I don't need your help. But did you see the look on your cousin's face when you left with me right under his nose?" He smirked. "The werewolf said that if I came over to talk with him, Black would stay out of my way. But there he was, wand right in my face."

She sighed. "It's hard on him, being stuck in the house all these months. He may as well have never left Azkaban."

"I'm glad we agree."

She glared at him. "Look, you're going to have to face the fact that Sirius and Remus are friends of mine."

"And you're going to have to face the fact that they are not friends of mine," he retorted coldly, standing. "And I'd rather you didn't know where this place is. So I'm going to Apparate you back, rather than giving you coordinates."

She remained seated. "But you could use my help with baiting the traps," she said mildly.

He paused on his way to the front door. "I beg your pardon?"

"The traps," she repeated, and grinned. "You want something that will tempt him that also is sticky and will stay on the traps. Toffee would work, I think. Sirius told me he's mad for sweets."

He continued to scowl at her a moment, but then his brow smoothed. "Very well," he said silkily, and pointed his wand at one of the book-covered walls. It opened to reveal a hidden staircase. "It's been a long day."

She rose and took his arm. Together they went up the stairs. The door closed behind them. Dust re-settled on the bookshelves as if they had not been disturbed in years.