Taijitu

"Your mother?" Tonks asked, shocked. Lupin nodded.

Adira Lupin, for her part, was totally silent, her eyes still moving between her son and the strange old woman who had accompanied him.

"And this," said Lupin, breaking the awkward silence and putting an arm around Tonks, "is Nymphadora Tonks. Well," Lupin amended, "Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin..."

"What?" Adira turned back to her son in shock.

"Lupin is fine," said Tonks pleasantly.

"My wife," Lupin finished.

"Whaaaaat?" Adira looked shocked. "You got married? To - to - " she spluttered. "To an old woman?" she fairly shrieked.

Tonks snorted and the older woman rounded on her. "You think it's funny?" she snapped. "How old are you! You're - you're my age! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Actually," said Tonks calmly. "I'm about thirteen years younger than your son."

"What?" Adira snapped again.

"Tonks is a Metamorphmagus," Lupin explained. "She's actually twenty-five."

Adira looked between the two of them, her breathing ragged. After a few moments, she visibly calmed herself.

"Fine. Fine," she said. "But that doesn't explain why you're here. You're wanted for four murders, for Merlin's sake! Didn't you know how dangerous it would be to come here?"

"You know I didn't commit those murders." Lupin's voice was suddenly hard and cold. His mother snorted derisively. "Of course I do. You loved James, Lily and Sirius. You'd no more have murdered them than cut off your own foot. Still, that doesn't mean the rest of the world doesn't believe that it's true."

"Hold on..." said Tonks slowly. "The Prophet's been running articles on us for a while, now. They're looking for us everywhere. If you know Remus is wanted for murder, then you must know that he'd gotten married."

"What - I mean - " Adira looked embarrassed. "I mean - of course I knew he had gotten...anyway...it's none of your business!" she finished, flushing brightly.

"Look - I'm not here to argue with you." There was a hard note to Lupin's voice now that Tonks rarely heard. "I need your help. We need your help." He reached over and put his arm around Tonks' waist.

"You...you need my help?" Adira repeated.

Lupin nodded. "Yes."

"And - " Adira's voice had become dangerously soft, " - just what do you need my help with?"

"Tonks," said Lupin immediately.

Adira's eyes flickered over to Tonks. "What for?" she said carelessly. "She looks fine to me - apart from being a little old."

Tonks couldn't suppress a grimace. Adira's lip curled disdainfully.

"Tonks is going to have a baby," Lupin said abruptly. Adira turned her gaze back to her son.

"A baby?" Adira repeated faintly.

Lupin nodded. "Yes. And, being a mother of a werewolf yourself, you know the dangers that might pose. To both Tonks and the baby."

Adira was quiet. "Yes - I know," she finally said faintly, seemingly still in shock.

"So - will you help us?" Lupin asked gently.

There was a heavy silence whilst Adira looked from Tonks to Lupin, and then back to Tonks. Her eyes lingered on the younger woman for a moment more, and then she turned to face her son squarely.

"No, I'm sorry," she said loudly. "I can't."

"You can't?" Lupin repeated, surprised.

Adira shook her head. "No, I can't. You're wanted criminals! Do you know what would happen if the Ministry found out I was helping you? I'd get thrown in Azkaban, that's what! I don't believe you even had the nerve to come here!"

"The nerve!" Lupin looked angry. "It's your grandchild!"

"Grandchild?" Adira drew herself up to her full height. "You haven't spoken to me in seventeen years! Or have you forgotten?"

"That," said Lupin with forced calmness, "is a two-way street."

Adira hissed angrily. "I don't even know you! I don't know your wife, either! What exactly do you want from me?"

Lupin looked disappointed. "I don't know," he said softly. "I'm not sure why I came here. I guess I thought after seventeen years, that we'd be ready to talk again. I guess I was wrong."

"I guess you were," Adira returned sarcastically.

Lupin put a hand on Tonks' shoulder. "Come on," he said quietly. "Let's get out of here."

Tonks nodded. "Uhh, nice to meet you," she ventured to the older woman timidly. Adira snorted and turned away.

Lupin and Tonks walked out of the room quietly and into the hallway, moving quickly out of the ward.

"I don't think your mother likes me very much," Tonks said when they were finally clear of the ward.

Lupin smiled. "How does it feel?"

"My mother likes you."

Lupin snorted. "Now."

Tonks' smile faded as they walked back through the corridors again. Why hadn't she ever asked Remus about his mother? She knew his father had passed away a long time ago, and she'd always assumed that his mother had, too.

"Why didn't you tell me about your mother?" She asked softly. Lupin glanced at her.

"I should have told you," he said quickly as they reached the entrance to the hospital. "As you can guess - we don't exactly have the best relationship."

Lupin and Tonks walked through the glass and ended up on the busy street that they'd started on.

"I could see that," Tonks said dryly as they began to move up the crowded street. "Is that the reason we went to St. Mungo's?"

Lupin nodded. "Who best to advise us than a woman who raised a werewolf? Plus, she's a Healer. She could have helped us. If she'd wanted to," he added bitterly, and Tonks glanced at him, surprised.

"Well, you did spring our visit on her," Tonks reminded him gently. "It must have come as a big shock, after seventeen years."

Lupin shook his head. "She was always like that," he said. "Stubborn, head-strong, never willing to talk about things that really mattered..."

"Just like her son?" Tonks offered gently as they came to a stop in an abandoned alleyway.

Lupin smiled slightly. "Maybe."

Tonks grabbed his arm. "So," she said, her face suddenly serious. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Lupin's face clouded over. "It's a long story."

"I have time."

Lupin sighed. "We really have to get home. Can't it wait?"

Tonks shrugged. "I suppose."

"All right, then." Lupin grabbed her hand. "Your mother will be worrying, we're late as it is. It's almost half past five. Let's go."

And with that, they turned and disappeared.

**********

It was almost an hour later before Tonks was able to settle enough to get Lupin to talk.

"I just have to morph back," she muttered, standing in front of the mirror. "And then I'll get him to tell me exactly when he hasn't spoken to his mother in seventeen years..."

"First sign of madness, talking to yourself," a voice said from behind her.

Tonks turned to find her husband standing at the door of the bedroom they were staying in. She smiled as he moved closer to her.

"Yeah, well..." She shrugged and turned back to the mirror. She screwed up her eyes, concentrating on changing back to her normal appearance. It seemed to be taking a lot longer than usual...

"It's not working," she heard Lupin say, as if from far away. She opened her eyes and looked in the mirror. He was right.

"What's going on?" she muttered, frustrated. In the mirror she could see Lupin's reflection, frowning worriedly.

"Maybe you should just wait," he said uncertainly. "We'll get it checked out..."

"No," said Tonks firmly. "I've been able to control my morphing since I was five years old and I scared Kathryn Rhodes into thinking she had a twin. I can do this!"

And with that, she closed her eyes again.

Lupin watched worriedly as Tonks stood there for several minutes, before finally beginning to morph. As before, it took an abnormally long time, and Tonks seemed for a moment to be stuck between being an old woman, and being herself.

Suddenly having an insight as to what would happen next, Lupin hurried forward as Tonks finally completed the transformation and her legs crumpled under her. Grabbing her, he half-carried, half-walked her to the bed where she lay, motionless.

"Dora?" He leaned over her, his eyes clouded with worry. "Can you hear me? Are you all right?"

She finally opened her eyes, and Lupin saw with relief that they were back to their normal indigo.

"Gak," she moaned. "Bollocks."

"Are you all right?" he asked again.

She nodded and began to sit up. "I think so," she said shakily. "What was that?"

Lupin shook his head. "I don't know. But I don't think you should morph again until we find out."

"Agreed." She shook her head once more, and then stared up at him. "But I still haven't forgotten."

"What?"

"What you have to tell me." She patted the bed next to her. "Spill."

Lupin sighed and took a seat on the bed next to her. Tonks immediately laid back on the bed and stretched out. Lupin smiled.

"What?" Tonks smiled up at him. "I want to get comfortable - it's going to be a good story, right?"

"Right," Lupin agreed. Then he was silent.

"Well?" Tonks demanded after a few moments. "I'm good at reading you, Remus, but I'm not that good. You need to talk."

"All right." Lupin sighed again, leaning back onto the mattress as well. He was silent for a beat, and then turned to his wife.

"Didn't you ever wonder why Harry wasn't placed with me when Lily and James died?"

Whatever Tonks had been expecting, it wasn't that. She blinked.

"Well," she said, almost apologetically, "I thought Dumbledore wouldn't have really wanted Harry to live with you, when...well..."

"When I'm a werewolf," Lupin finished. Tonks nodded. "That's true. As soon as I'd found out what'd happened in Godric's Hollow, I contacted Dumbledore and basically begged him to let me take Harry. I almost had him convinced, too." Lupin smiled, but it was twisted and grim, and Tonks frowned.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

"Of course, Dumbledore was worried about what would happen, once a month, when I was unable to take care of Harry," Lupin began. "I wasn't married, Peter was apparently dead, and Sirius was on trial for the murder of three people, never to see the light of day again. So I offered the only solution I could think of - my mother."

"Your mother?"

Lupin nodded. "I offered a compromise. My mother could take care of Harry for the one night a month when I couldn't. It was the perfect solution. I was even willing to move to a nice little country town and take care of Harry there, away from the wizarding world, as Dumbledore had wanted. That way, Harry could stay with someone who cared about him." Lupin's voice became bitter. "Instead of going to live with those horrible relatives of his- I know Lily and James never wanted that to happen."

"But it did happen." Tonks looked over at her husband, who looked saddened. "You never got Harry."

Lupin sighed. "No," he replied. "I never got custody of Harry."

"Why?"

"My mother," said Lupin resentfully. "She decided that I was too young to look after a baby. She said, at twenty-one, I didn't have the maturity, and she didn't want to be lumbered with the responsibility of caring for an infant when I'd decided that I'd had enough. And besides that, she thought my affliction would somehow stop me from being a good guardian." Here he gave a sarcastic laugh.

Tonks was confused for a moment. "You mean - she refused?" she asked, comprehension dawning on her face.

"Yes," said Lupin. "She point-blank refused. Dumbledore had no choice but to take Harry to the Dursleys'. Where he grew up knowing nothing but neglect. I could have taken care of him if my mother had just compromised. But no, she was always like that, always impossible to reason with, it was always either her way or no way!"

Lupin hadn't realised he had raised his voice until Tonks flinched. He relaxed back onto the bed.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "It's just that talking about it has raised some old feelings in me, I guess."

"It's understandable," she said, touching his hand. "I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me this before?"

Lupin shrugged. "I guess I didn't want to think about it. It just makes me angry that Harry never really knew me as he grew up, that he probably thinks I just abandoned him..."

Tonks reached over and cupped Lupin's face in her hands. "He does not think that," she said firmly.

Lupin sighed and shifted slightly on the bed. "It doesn't matter now," he said quietly. "What's done is done: Harry and the others are out there right now, probably fighting to the death, and there's nothing I can do to help them. There wasn't when he was a baby, and there's nothing I can do now."

The room was silent.

Tonks leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you," she murmured against him.

Lupin felt his hands slide to her hair, which immediately lengthened against his touch as he pulled her closer, their lips meeting again in a fiery kiss that left him breathless. Once again he was consumed with love for the woman who sat in front of him. She had the uncanny gift of always being able to make him feel better.

All other thoughts were extinguished from his brain as Tonks pulled him even closer and deepened their kiss. Slowly he lowered them both to the bed, and the room was silent for a long time.

**********

Early the next morning, Tonks crept from her position next to Lupin in bed. Gathering her clothes she dressed silently, being very careful not to disturb her husband as he slept on.

When she was fully dressed, she crept towards the door. She was almost out of the room when she stopped and looked back at him. He was still sleeping soundly, his arms spread out across the bed, a small frown playing on his face.

"I'm doing this for you," she said quietly. "I hope you understand."

With that, the left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She patted the pocket of her robes, ensuring she had her wand. With that confirmation, she padded quietly downstairs towards the living room. Shrugging on her travelling cloak, her hand closed around the front doorknob and, without looking back, she opened the front door and slipped quietly through it, closing it softly behind her.

Moving across the front yard, she opened their front gate and took a deep breath. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, and stepped across the threshold of the front yard.

She couldn't feel anything, but she knew instinctively that she had just left the protection of the Fidelius charm. She was on her own. Putting her head down, she walked determinedly up the lane a few paces, then turned and looked back. The house was gone, invisible to the ordinary persons' eye. Sighing, she turned on the spot and disappeared.

She reappeared in the dingy alley she and Lupin had been in only yesterday. She felt her trepidation growing as she looked around. She had the sneaking suspicion she was being followed.

She was putting herself in great danger, she knew. Being unable to morph, she was completely exposed. Any person could recognise her and try to take her in.

She'd have to hurry.

Pulling her cloak closer to her body, and pulling the hood down so it half-obscured her eyes, she rushed from the alleyway and into the busy streets of central London. Becoming obscured in a crowd was the easiest way to lose whoever was following her - she had learned that in her Auror training. It was one of the basic rules every Auror followed. If she was indeed being followed. She could just be paranoid.

No, she mused as she made her way up the crowded street, her instincts had always been pretty good. She was being followed: she could feel it.

She finally reached her destination, and leaned close to the glass.

"Wotcher," she whispered. "I'm here for the maternity department."

The ugly dummy of Purge and Dowse nodded once, and Tonks slipped through the now non-solid window. Emerging on the other side, she didn't even glance at the Welcome Witch and instead turned immediately left, and down the maze of corridors she'd been led through yesterday.

Her mind was racing as she sped along the corridors. She lowered her hood, but continued to keep her head down. She glanced up after a few minutes to see the sign welcoming her to the Pearson Parson ward. She breathed a sigh of relief and made to move through the ward doors, when a hand suddenly closed over her wrist.

She let out a cry of surprise and struggled as she the hand tugged her so that she spun around, whilst another hand was placed over her mouth. She tussled with her assailant, trying desperately to reach the wand in her pocket, but it was fruitless. Her attacker, obviously tired of wrestling with her, cracked her across the top of her head with their wand.

She saw stars and slumped against her attacker, half conscious. She was barely aware of being dragged into a room off to the side of the ward and thrown into a chair in the far corner. She dimly heard the door being closed, and watched as a blurry shape headed towards her.

"Don't move," said the attacker, and Tonks registered that the voice was male. Her attacker also held his wand at the ready, pointing it at her. "Security has been called. They'll be here within moments. Move - and I'll kill you."

**********

Lupin was drifting.

In his dream, he and Tonks were walking in a bright meadow. Tonks was laughing, and pointing to something in the distance. Lupin looked ahead, and found a small child sitting in the middle of the meadow, roaring with delight. Lupin smiled as he realised - this was his child...

But suddenly everything changed. Lupin turned to Tonks, only to find that she wasn't there. His heart jolted, and he spun around, looking for his wife.

"Tonks!" he tried to call. His voice didn't want to seem to function. He opened his mouth again, and found that he couldn't speak. He turned again and finally spotted her. She was way off in the distance, obviously terrified. She screamed as she was dragged away by an unknown attacker.

"Remus! Remus! Help!"

"Dora! Dora! DORA!"

Lupin sat bolt upright in bed, his breathing ragged. It took him a moment to realise that it had been a dream. He slumped back on the pillows and let out a deep sigh of relief.

When his heart rate had subsided, he looked over at the clock that sat on the beside table. It read 8:00 in the morning. He sighed again.

"What a dream," he murmured, rolling over to check his thrashing hadn't disturbed his wife.

She wasn't there.

Lupin sat up again, rubbing his eyes. It wasn't like Tonks to get up so early.

"Dora?" he called, looking around the room. There was no answer.

"Dora?" he called again. The silence seemed to press down upon his ears and he frowned, throwing back the covers of the bed. Pulling on his robe, he couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong.

Don't be stupid, he told himself. It was just that dream that's making you feel this way, Dora's probably downstairs, that's all...

But the thought of his dream, and the terrified expression his wife had been wearing in it, just made him dress faster.

"Dora?" he called loudly as he stumbled into the landing. With every passing second of silence, his trepidation increased tenfold. Where was she?

"Dora!" he headed down the stairs, taking them two at a time and staggering into the living room. It was dark and empty, the blinds still drawn. He half-ran into the kitchen, but finding it empty, he turned in a half-circle and looked upwards.

"DORA!" he bellowed, finally abandoning all pretence.

He heard pounding footsteps behind him and turned, thankful that Tonks had finally heard him. His relief was short lived however, as Andromeda hurried into the kitchen, still pulling on her robe.

"What?" she demanded, skidding to a stop. "What's going on?"

"I can't find Dora," Lupin said shortly, still looking around the kitchen as if hoping she was hiding behind the dustbin. Andromeda looked alarmed.

"What do you mean you can't find her? Where could she be?"

"I don't know, that's the point," Lupin said tensely. "Dora!" he called again, becoming less and less hopeful with each passing second that she was actually going to answer him.

"Well, when did you see her last?"

"Last night, before we went to sleep. I woke up this morning and she was gone." The words were pouring out of his mouth as he continued to look around the kitchen, a tight knot forming in his stomach.

"You - you don't think..."Andromeda looked distressed. "You don't think she was attacked, do you?"

Lupin shrugged jerkily. "How could she have been? Unless she left the house..." His voice trailed off and he threw a sharp look at Andromeda. "She left the house yesterday to get the paper. You don't think..."

"I'm checking!" Andromeda rushed from the room, and Lupin heard her slamming doors in the living room. "Her cloak's gone," she finally called. There was a pause. "And so are her shoes."

Lupin hurtled from the kitchen and up the stairs towards their bedroom. When he got there, he took one look at the bedside table and dashed out of the room again.

"Her wand's gone, too," he reported, leaning over the banister. Andromeda craned her neck to look at him as he hurried back down the stairs.

"Do you think she's just gone out for the paper?" Andromeda asked doubtfully. Lupin shook his head.

"No. She should have been back by now. Unless someone attacked her while she was out..."

His stomach roiled at the thought, and he headed towards the coat closet and began to pull on his worn travelling cloak.

"Where are you going?" Andromeda asked fearfully.

"I've got to go looking for her," Lupin said shortly.

Andromeda nodded slowly and watched with apprehension as Lupin drew his wand. "Where are you going to go?"

"I'll go to headquarters first," Lupin decided, pulling open the front door, "and see if they have any information. Molly and Arthur are usually the first to know about anything that happens in the Order." He went to move out the door, but suddenly stopped and turned. "Someone should let you know something soon."

Andromeda nodded. "Be careful, Remus."

Nodding slightly, Lupin left the house, the door closing with a snap behind him, and made his way briskly down the front path, trying not to let his panic obscure what little rational thought he had left.

**********

As Tonks began to regain her senses, she sat up slightly. The man surveyed her with caution and raised his wand higher.

Tonks tried not to groan as her head throbbed, and turned to look at her attacker. "Who are you?" she demanded.

He shrugged. "Let's just say I sympathise with the, uh... 'New regime.'"

"So you work here?" Tonks asked, taking in his Healer uniform.

"That doesn't matter." He shook his head. "You must have known you were being followed. Yet you chose to return here. Why?"

"Personal reasons," Tonks countered, trying to locate her wand surreptitiously.

"Looking for this?"

Her attacker held up what Tonks recognised as her own wand, and she glared at him. "Personal reasons?" he continued. "Those reasons wouldn't have anything to do with Adira Lupin, would they?"

Tonks stared at him woodenly, and he grinned.

"I thought as much." He looked down at her. "How far along are you? Three months? Four?"

Tonks' hands instinctively curled over her stomach and, for the first time, she felt a trace of fear, not so much for herself, but for her child.

He laughed. "Oh, don't be such a worry wart. I'm not going to hurt you. Unless you give me reason to."

"Go to hell," she hissed, narrowing her eyes at him. His smile flickered.

"You'd better watch it," he said softly, his eyes darkening. "Or I might just have a little...accident."

He flicked his wand, and Tonks ducked instinctively as the fabric of the chair was split in two, right where Tonks' head had been a moment before.

He laughed again, and then checked his watch. "One minute," he said cheerfully, "and the Snatchers should be here. I'd imagine they'd get a considerable reward for you. And, of course, I'll get a share of the profits," he added with satisfaction.

Tonks straightened and glared at him. The door suddenly opened behind them, and Tonks felt a jolt of fear well up inside her. She was going to be handed over to the Snatchers...what would happen then?

The man turned. "It's about t - "

Whatever else he was going to say was cut off as he was thrown across the room. He landed with a dull thud and laid still, a trickle of blood oozing from his temple.

Tonks jumped to her feet, ready to fight. As the dust settled, she lunged forward to attack, but suddenly stopped short.

Adira Lupin stood at the doorway looking horrified, her wand in hand. She and Tonks stared at each other for a moment, and then Adira spoke.

"Nymphadora?"

Tonks nodded and Adira sighed.

"Oh, thank Merlin...I thought I was too late..." She glanced around quickly. "Come on, we've got to get out of here. The Snatchers will be here any minute."

Tonks hurried over to the unconscious man and grabbed her wand before following Adira out of the room.

"How...how did you know?" Tonks panted, quickening her strides to keep up with the woman.

Adira glanced over at her. "After your impromptu visit yesterday, I was taken into custody for... 'questioning...'" Adira smiled bitterly at this. "I've been interrogated all night. I managed to escape this morning, stunned one of guards, but not before they helpfully informed me that they were following you and, the next time you left your safe house, they were going to try and capture you. I overheard the guards talking as I snuck away from the interrogation site...said you were heading to St. Mungo's. So I headed here. And I was just in time, too," she added, glancing over at Tonks again.

"Who was that?" Tonks asked, pointing behind her.

"You mean that man who attacked you?"

Tonks nodded.

"That was Augustus Pye."

"Augustus Pye?" Tonks repeated in surprise. "I remember him. He treated Arthur when he was in here. He's on You-Know-Who's side now?"

Adira shrugged. "Augustus has never really been on anyone's side. He's always been about the profit. I'm not sure about now - could be the Imperius Curse, could be just him, I don't know." Adira suddenly stopped. "Look." She pointed ahead, towards the exit.

Guards were swarming around the perimeter, obviously waiting for the appearance of the two women. Tonks glanced at Adira.

"There's too many. We can't go that way."

"No," Adira agreed, chewing on a fingernail nervously.

Tonks looked around. "Is there a back entrance to this place?"

Adira shook her head. "There's the staff entrance, and that's as heavily guarded as the front. Maybe even more so."

Tonks swore. "Damn. Well - come on." She started to lead the way back through the halls, glancing over her shoulder at the crowd of wizards grouped at the entrance.

"Wait." Adira didn't move. "Where are we going?"

Tonks didn't break her stride. "We're going to have to find another way out of here," she said quietly, "or give ourselves up."

**********

Arthur and Molly were just padding into the kitchen, still dressed in their robes, when Lupin burst into the kitchen. Arthur jumped and immediately went for his wand, but Lupin held up his hands.

"It's me! Remus! I need help!"

"A Death Eater wouldn't say that," Arthur said, slowly lowering his wand, frown lines furrowing across his brow. "What's going on?"

"Tonks is missing," Lupin said hurriedly, trying to calm his pounding heartbeat. "Is she here?"

Molly and Arthur shook their heads simultaneously, and Lupin felt his heart sink further. Trying not let his emotions show on his face, he continued in a tone of forced calmness.

"Have you seen her?"

Again, Molly and Arthur shook their heads. "What do you mean she's missing, Remus?" Arthur asked, coming towards him.

Lupin clenched his jaw. "When we went to bed last night she was in the house. This morning when I woke up, she was gone. Her wand and her cloak are gone, too."

Arthur and Molly exchanged glances.

"We think she left the house," Lupin continued, trying to ignore their look. "She left yesterday to get the paper. Except she should have been back. Arthur, I..." Here, Lupin paused, unable to get out the words. "...I think she may have been attacked," he forced himself to say.

Arthur exchanged another glance with his wife and then moved towards the kitchen table. "Remus, why don't you sit down..."

"No, thank you." Lupin was pacing the kitchen, trying not to panic.

The thought that maybe Tonks was at the Weasleys' had been his last hope. Now he didn't know where to begin to look for her...or even if she was still alive...

"I'm sure she's all right, Remus," Molly said, coming closer to him. She didn't sound too convinced.

Lupin bit back his reply and instead nodded tersely. "So, you haven't heard anything?" he asked in a last-ditch effort. "No attacks? No kidnappings? No...murders?"

"No," Arthur said firmly. "Nothing like that. And we'd be the first to know."

"I know," Lupin said quietly. "That's why I came here."

There was a silence in the kitchen as all three of them became immersed in their own thoughts. Lupin's mind was racing, his thoughts tumbling around in his head, chasing each other, until nothing about the situation made sense, nothing...he had to do something, he couldn't just sit here while Tonks was missing, he had to get out there...

He turned suddenly and faced Molly and Arthur.

"Thanks," he said shortly, going to move out of the kitchen.

"Remus, wait!" Arthur called. "Where are you going?"

Lupin stopped and turned. "I have to go looking for her. I can't stay here."

"You don't even know where she's gone," Arthur said. "Where are you going to start looking?"

Lupin shrugged. "I don't know." He another move to exit the kitchen, but Arthur called again.

"Remus - do you think this is such a good idea?"

"Arthur," Lupin said softly, not turning the older man, "if it were Molly who was missing, would you really ask yourself whether it was a good idea to go looking for her?"

Arthur was silent for a moment. "No," he said finally. "I wouldn't care."

Lupin nodded slightly and began to move forwards again.

"But - " Arthur's voice suddenly rang through the kitchen again, " - I don't have the advantage of a handsome, talented older man giving me advice."

Lupin turned again. "Handsome?" he asked with a slight smile.

Arthur grinned. "Okay, maybe that's a stretch." His grin faded. "It's not going to do any good you going out and getting yourself killed looking for her," he said quietly. "I promise you - we'll find her. We'll call everyone we know, find out everything we can. And then we'll go looking for her. As a group. All right?"

Arthur stared at him pleadingly. Lupin was silent for a long while. Finally, he nodded.

"All right," he said quietly. "But if we can't find anything, I'm going looking for her. Agreed?"

Arthur hesitated. Then he nodded. "Agreed."

"All right." Lupin headed towards the fire. "Let's get looking."

**********

"Here it is."

Adira turned to Tonks with a fearful look on her face. Tonks nodded grimly. "This is it?" she asked.

Adira nodded. "This is the staff entrance."

Both of them poked their heads around the corner cautiously. The back door was relatively quiet, with only two guards posted. Given they both looked wary and had their wands drawn, Tonks was pretty sure they knew what was going on.

"This looks like our best way out," Adira whispered to Tonks. "But why are there only two guards at the back entrance? They know we're going to come this way."

Tonks was wondering that herself. Why heavily guard one entrance, and leave the other almost totally defenceless? It was almost as if someone was giving them a deliberate out...

"It's a trap," she said quietly, still watching the entrance intently. "They know we can't get out the front entrance: it's too heavily guarded. They know we have to come this way. As soon as we reveal ourselves, they'll attack. We can't go this way."

Tonks went to turn to move away when she suddenly felt someone grab her hand. She involuntarily went to cry out, but the person put a hand over her mouth. She struggled for a moment, desperately trying to reach her wand, but a voice suddenly spoke in her ear:

"Tonks! Tonks, it's me!"

Tonks stopped struggling and the hand was removed from her mouth. Spinning around, she took in the figure: slightly balding, with a strong, muscly build and bright blue eyes.

"Bob!" Tonks breathed quietly, staring up at the new face. "What are you doing here?"

Bob Marcella stared back at her, a slight smile on his face. "We were called in. Runcorn told us that you two were on the loose, and..." Bob shrugged, a twisted smile appearing on his face. "Some of us are not going to be beaten into submission. We're working from inside the Ministry, trying to bring it down. We miss you," he added suddenly, his smile fading.

Tonks grinned at him and then, impulsively, she reached up and enclosed him in a tight hug. He coughed slightly and patted her on the back, embarrassed.

"Yes, well..." He coughed again. "Look, I've led the guards to believe you're going to storm the front entrance. If you hurry, you can escape out the back. Come on," he started to lead the way, but Tonks grabbed his arm.

"Wait! What about the guards?"

Bob grinned, and then stepped out into the open. "Oh, mighty guards!" he called, his arms spread wide. "Smite me!"

The two guards looked startled, then one began to laugh.

"Stop messing around, Bob," one of them called. "Hurry up!"

Tonks turned to him, her mouth open. "They know we're here?"

Bob grinned back at her. "There are resisters everywhere, in every occupation. These guys are only two of many. Now, come on!"

He grabbed her hand, and together the three of them moved forwards towards the guards. When they drew close, Tonks smiled at them gratefully.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," one of the guards said, waving his hand. "We know you're innocent. And so is your husband."

Tonks felt relief fill her body, and nodded quickly, tears filling her eyes. At least somebody believed them.

"Now," Bob said gruffly, "you need to go."

Tonks turned to him worriedly. "Are you going to be okay?"

Bob grinned. "Sure. I'll just tell them you stormed the back entrance, and stunned us all."

"How's that going to work?" Tonks asked, confused. "They're going to know you're lying when you're not stunned..." Her eyes widened as it finally clicked at to what he was saying. "No!" she exclaimed. "I am not going to stun you!"

"You have no choice!" said Bob quickly. "It's the only way out of here."

"I don't care," Tonks said stubbornly. "I won't do it."

"Look." Bob grabbed her arm. "I know you're in the Order of the Phoenix, and I know your husband is, too. Don't ask me how I know, but I know. You don't think he's going to come looking for you once he realises your missing? And what good is it going to do if you're both captured and killed? Because that's what's going to happen. And the Order - and Harry Potter - are our last hope. Plus," he added, smiling, "you have a little baby to think of. Now..." He lowered his wand, the guards doing so as well. "Just get it over with."

Slowly, Tonks nodded. "Are you going to be okay?" she whispered, her eyes filling with tears again as she thought of the next time she'd see him.

"I'm going to be fine," Bob assured her. "Really. I survived through the last war - I can do it again."

Tonks nodded and blinked back the tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she said honestly, addressing all three men. They nodded.

"You can repay us by defeating You-Know-Who," said one of the guards.

The other guard nodded. "Yeah. I have a wife and kids. I'd hate to think my children are going to grow up in a world where there's no choice."

Tonks nodded, hesitating.

"Nymphadora." Adira nudged her arm, her voice slightly constricted. "Nymphadora - we have to go."

Tonks nodded, took a deep breath, and drew her wand. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "Stupefy!"

There was a flash of light, and all three men crumpled to the floor, motionless. Tonks' face crumpled for a moment as she surveyed them at her feet. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Adira was a sympathetic look on her face.

"I never thought I'd have to attack people on the same side as me," Tonks said hollowly, staring down at them. "And what happens if no one believes them? They'll be killed."

Adira smiled slightly. "I know the two guards. If anyone can survive, they can. And your friend seems like a very good Auror."

Tonks nodded sadly. "He's the best."

Adira nodded, and Tonks straightened her shoulders, looking determined. "All right. Come on, we have to get out of here."

And with that, the two women hurriedly stepped over the bodies of their fallen comrades and headed out the door.

**********

Lupin's knees ached. He'd been peering into the fire for the past half hour, trying to get some news on Tonks, and he'd gotten nowhere.

"That's it," he said grimly, clambering to his feet and wiping the dust off his trousers. "I said I'd give it half an hour, and I did. I can't sit around here any longer! I have to go looking for her!"

"Remus - " Arthur started, looking alarmed as Lupin started to head for the door. Their inevitable argument was cut short, however, as the front door of the Burrow was suddenly thrown open with a loud bang, and two figures tumbled into the kitchen.

Lupin's heart stopped. It was Tonks. She looked around wildly, before finally seeing her husband in the corner.

"Remus!" she cried.

Lupin strode forward and with one swift movement enveloped her in his arms. He felt his knees tremble with relief as he held her and she looped her arms around his neck, enjoying the familiar way they greeted each other.

"You're okay," he said into her hair. "You're okay...thank Merlin you're okay..." As his relief began to fade, he felt the anger growing inside of him. "Where have you been?" he asked sharply, pulling away from her. Tonks immediately looked guilty.

"Remus..."

Lupin raised a furious eyebrow, trying not to show just how angry he felt. "Do you realise how stupid it was of you to leave the house by yourself?" he snapped. "Do you know what could have happened to you? I've been worried out of my mind..."

"Remus!" Tonks cut him off. "I know, and I'm sorry, but I did what I had to do."

"What you had to do?" Lupin repeated incredulously. "What does that mean?"

Tonks stepped back slightly, and Lupin's eyes were drawn to the individual who had accompanied Tonks into the kitchen. He felt slightly numb as he took in the elderly woman in front of him. Her expression was unfamiliar - for the first time in a long while, she was actually smiling. A rather tentative smile, to be sure, but a smile all the same.

"Mum." He spoke the word softly, not sure why the presence of his mother in the Burrow shocked him so.

"Hello again, son," Adira said nervously, stepping forward further. "I think we need to talk."

Authors Notes: Please review!