Natural Progression

Natural Progression

Three

The following morning Tonks awoke earlier than normal. Much earlier. How this had happened, she didn't know, although she had a sneaky suspicion that her mother had made her one of those fabulous hot chocolates the night before.

She plodded into the living room, conjured herself some toast and turned on the television. The news was on the BBC. She changed channels and turned her hair green. She glanced in the mirror and heard a kids show on BBC2. She changed the channel and turned her hair orange. There was some inane discussion on GMTV about the soaps. She switched over and her hair returned to pink. She settled on Channel Four for a light American sitcom.

Tonks put her feet up and nibbled on her toast. She raised an eyebrow at the antics of the mother on the sitcom. She was quite reminded of her own. Just then, a head appeared in the fire. Tonks started before making sure her pyjamas were sufficiently covering her modesty.

'Tonks,' said Remus with an arched eyebrow, 'you're up. I expected to have to Floo over and come and wake you.'

Tonks felt both embarrassed and energised. The thought of Remus waking her up in the morning was rather lovely. Then again it was also rather mortifying.

'Wotcher,' she said through a stifled yawn. 'What do you want?'

'Dumbledore has given me a surveillance mission. He reckons you'd be the best person to accompany me.'

'Surveillance?' Tonks asked, confused. 'What about getting the wolves on our side?'

'It's connected. I'll explain later,' he told her. 'Listen, do you know Harvey's Sandwich Bar?' Tonks nodded, it was just a few streets away. 'Good,' said Remus. 'Meet me there in an hour.'

'Okay,' she agreed. 'But Dumbledore knows I'm due at the office at four, doesn't he?'

'He knows,' said Remus, and Tonks had the distinct impression that Remus had been the one to inform Dumbledore of this. 'I think he may be trying to get the Auror Office to come around to his way of thinking. I'm sure he'll let you know if you do have to go into work, but otherwise I'd assume not.'

'Well, I'll see you later then.'

Remus smiled and disappeared.

Tonks watched the remainder of her programme, feet still up on the couch, all the while thinking about what she should wear to meet Remus. In the end she settled upon a pair of jeans and an orange t-shirt. She left her hair pink and put on her tattered old trainers.

When she arrived at then café Remus was already there. It seemed he had bagged a window seat as soon as the place opened.

Tonks sat down next to him and yawned, somewhat melodramatically. She pulled the coffee he had bought her towards her and examined it for a moment before sipping it a little.

'Aren't you going to ask me why we're here?' Remus asked. Tonks merely shook her head, which coaxed a warm, rewarding smile from him.

They continued to smile at each other to the point where they became rather uncomfortable and both averted their gazes. Tonks stared down into her cup at the foam atop her drink, whilst Remus looked curiously out into the street.

'Ah,' he said after a little while. 'That's why we're here.'

Tonks looked out of the window and saw a scruffy looking an in Muggle clothing leaving the small terraced house opposite the café.

'Are we going to follow him?' Tonks asked, ready to attempt to be stealthy.

'No,' said Remus, laying a hand on her arm in order to keep her from standing. He did that all right, but only through the goose bumps he managed to send all over her. 'Now, we wait.'

'I don't understand,' said Tonks. 'Don't we have to follow him and see what he does and things?'

Remus chuckled and looked at her with raised eyebrows.

'Tonks, I don't mean to sound harsh but,' he smiled a large benevolent smile, 'do you really think that Dumbledore would recommend you for a stealth mission?'

Tonks beamed back at him before they both began laughing. After a while, Tonks looked at him, smiled, and then remembered she had no idea why she was there.

'Seriously though, why am I here?'

'Dumbledore knew it was going to take a lot of waiting around,' said Remus and he took a sip of his drink. 'He thought it best if I go with a friend and someone who was at least a half blood.' Tonks nodded, it made sense.

'I'll go and get the second round of coffees then shall I?'

A few minutes later and they were laughing about the antics of various Order members.

Then, the door of the shop entered, and in walked a girl in her early twenties. She was of average height, thin with her hair in girlish pigtails. She was dressed in a bright pink dress that was quite understated compared to the pink of her lips.

'Oh god, Remus hide me,' said Tonks, hiding her face behind a menu, but it was too late.

'Nymphadora! How lovely!' said the woman as she tottered over to them.

'Hi Twirl,' Tonks said, forcing a smile to her face. To her dismay, Twirl pulled up a chair and sat directly between Tonks and Remus.

'How are you? I was worried you might be dead with this war thingy and all. But it wasn't in the Prophet so...anyway, who's this?'

'Twirl, this is my friend and colleague, Remus Lupin. Remus, this is one of my dorm-mates from Hogwarts, Twirl Tomkinson.'

'Nice to meet you,' said Remus politely, but Twirl merely ignored him and turned to Tonks.

'He's a bit old for you isn't he?' she said in something of a stage whisper.

'Twirl, we're not-'

But it was too late, Twirl was monologing.

'I had an older boyfriend once, but it didn't work out, I mean it was just sex, sex, sex all the time. A girl needs something more, you know?'

Tonks zoned out after a while and just made noises of agreement where appropriate. She had been having a lovely time with Remus and then in comes Twirl of all people. She was probably the worst blast from the past Tonks could ever have wished for.

A long time later, Remus and Tonks were woken from their daydreams by some useful information within Twirl's dialogue.

'And of course it's awful, the Prophet today, isn't it? I mean who would have thought the You-Know-Who would go after old Amelia Bones?'

'What?' said both Remus and Tonks in unison.

'Didn't you hear?' said Twirl as she fingered her pigtail. 'Inside a locked room...they think he might have done it himself.'

Remus had got to his feet, Tonks followed suit.

'Sorry Twirl, we have to go,' said Tonks and they bolted from the café. They turned a corner and then broke into a run, sprinting for Tonks' flat.

They needed details, advice and most of all, they needed to speed up the process of ending this war.