Tonks, on the other hand, had been quiet. She had a tea tray upside down on her lap, a quill and ink nearby and she was looking down at the parchment, a half-written report addressed to Dumbledore in the works. "Well, it's better than Grimmauld Place, and I can fix up the guest room. Didn't know I was gonna need it, thought Dumbledore had said something... in case I had guests."

Tonk's lips twitched. Once again, Dumbledore had known more than he had let on. Now she had Sirius Black in her house. "I figured I would notify Dumbledore at least of this development. It's gonna be tough if the Ministry catches word though. So, you're really gonna have to lay low, Sirius."

Sirius nodded, lowering himself on the couch now that he had removed himself from the floor. "That Elias kid packs a punch, I was expecting it would be you Moony. But I don't think I could take the two of you together." Sirius laughed, "charming, she is, though. I thought I was hallucinating when she came across me out there. Thought she was your daughter for a second. She shares the same eyes. It was wild."

"Wouldn't mess with love," came Tonks' voice. "I've been watching them. They go back and forth a lot, and I was sure she realized what was going on, but, looks like I was wrong. Its times like these Rose reminds me of how young she really is, because she is very much like Remus in a lot of ways. Very cool-headed. Most of the time."

Sirius nodded, snickering. "I assume she has that self-sacrificing bit too?"

Tonks nodded, smiling slightly.



He heard the door open and close again and she closed her eyes, knowing someone would join her out here. She half hoped it was Tonks. She looked up and her heart stalled, nope. Not Tonks. She didn't shy away from him when he took her hands, however, in fact, she studied them. That feeling was back again and she forced herself to look at him, she needed to. Her lips twitched again. The question she wanted to ask on the tip of her tongue.

"Elias..."

She swallowed, and she found herself linking her fingers with his and holding on like she was about to fall. "I know... that we go back and forth a lot... but... have I... have I been blind this entire time?When..." her heart hammered in her chest. "When you told me you were in love with me, that you still were, that... that wasn't part of our game, was it?"

You know that part of her brain? That part of her brain where she locks up alllllll her Remusisms? Well, each and every single one of them was struggling against their cage. Once upon a time, she would've said 'she couldn't', who in their right mind would be in love with her once they found out what she was? It was a very sad truth, one of the things she took to heart from Remus. It was going to be very difficult for her. Sure, she might be pretty, have a good smile and sure, she hadn't transformed with the full moon for a very long time, but that still doesn't change who she is. And the regulations set against her, for when she left Hogwarts. Hogwarts was both fantasy and reality, hell, Beauxbatons had been along the same lines too. Although unlike here, where her lycanthropy was almost taboo, at Beauxbatons, there had been no hiding her, it had been announced, as per regulation, that she was a werewolf. She had been expecting to be very lonely... and then Elias happened.

She hadn't known what to think there, his easy smile. There had been no faking it. She didn't know what to do with it, so she had just let it happen. She assumed it wouldn't last for long. How wrong she was... something in her broke after Christmas in her third year at Beaubatons and she couldn't go on pretending that life was okay. That life would work out. She felt sorry for herself, she had felt sorry for Remus... and Elias had been there. He had somehow gotten into her dorm, where she had been hiding, not eating, not sleeping, bright red burns on her wrist from the watch and Elias was suddenly there. The look of fury from today reminded her of the blazing look he had in his eyes then. He had been rambling off something in French, so fast she wasn't able to keep up with it and then he kissed her.

Kisses at thirteen were different, new, unexplored, but the intensity burned her. She had locked away the memory, putting it off as a one-off thing, because at that time, he had been just a normal boy. Untouchable. There was no furthering or exploring the feelings that kiss meant. It wouldn't have been worth it. No matter how much she had wanted to. Self-sacrificing, remember? But from that day, she loved him too. There was an unspoken bond that formed between the two of them and while it wasn't publically obvious, it seemed people just understood not to come between them.

And then, she moved back. She assumed it was fate telling her to move on and between the crazy of Hogwarts and Harry Potter; she seemed to have done so.

But now it was looking right into her eyes again. "Elias... I.."

She honestly had no words, only emotions. Emotions she couldn't put into words. So, being who she was, how she was, simply yanked him forward, returning that kiss from all those years ago, pulled away, eyes blazing, and kissed him anew. Her hands released his, to thread into his hair.



Sirius nodded, agreeing with him, "lay low. Got it. Don't mess with Rose, got it. I'm sure she packs quite a punch too if I pissed her off too. I can just tell I don't want to get on her bad side. Not sure if I'd survive all three."

He frowned, "yeah, I knew this. That's why her appearance was rather shocking. It was like you, but a very... female you. Ain't gonna lie, it was weird. And then she had that charm about her too..."

Then a grin spread across his lips. "So, Dora, is it?"

He looked between his cousin (now sporting a pink face to match her hair) and his friend, "my, my, my. What have I missed?"

Returned affection, she had felt this once, but there was something just so pure about it coming from Elias that she knew she would be addicted to it. And even though, she knew he was also like her, she couldn't shake the part of her that remembered that once upon a time he had just been a normal boy, so part of her was still conflicted, was it right for her to do this; but she was after the fact that it should be right. She shouldn't have to fear the outcome of who she loved, just because the ministry were gits.

Her eyes had a determined blaze to them now, closing that small distance between them again, then parted with him to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth, trailed along his jaw before placing a lingering kiss to his neck. She pulled away before her emotions could take her too far.

"Stupid," she muttered. "I'm kissing you for mine and if you don't mind, I would enjoy free-reign of that activity, with the implication that it is not a game if we are in agreeance?"



"I can tell," guffawed Sirius. "Part of me says it's more than that."

He waggled an eyebrow, chuckling. Good for Moony; he was afraid that would deny himself happiness for the rest of his life. He turned his gaze on Tonks, "I'm sure you don't need telling this, but don't let his self-deprecating and self-sacrificing ways bring you down."

Tonks, despite her blush, nodded and laughed. "No worries, I'm well ahead of you."

Her gaze found Remus' and she smiled.

"Unfortunately," Sirius drawled, an amused look on his face. "You'll find it hard pressed for anyone to allow you to make their decisions for them."

He said it matter of factly, declaring that this would not be the end of this, but also, a message. "And I know my dear cousin won't just sit idly by and let you dictate her decisions."

Sirius sighed. "All these years and you still haven't learned and here I thought your sister would have helped you with your outlook on life."



"Who would I be to deny that?" she said with a small laugh. The emotion had settled and now, now she just felt at peace with herself. It was a good feeling. SHe took his hand again, standing and pulling him up with her. She sighed at herself, looking at the cottage. "We should leave them be."

She poked her head in the door.

"...and here I thought your sister would have helped you with your outlook on life."

Well, that was awkward. "We're going go back up to the castle now..."

Sirius waved her off with a grin."Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Rose glared, "next time. It'll be me hexing you, Sirius Black."

She shut the door promptly, turning towards Elias. "Shall we?"

Tonks was honestly content to see how this played out, she was still writing her report of Dumbledore and besides Remus glancing in her direction, a soft smile; she had seemed to have melted into the background. This was fine, they needed this moment. She pretended not to be paying attention to them as they bickered on and she smiled.


"Hadn't seen her..." Sirius' brow furrowed. "Remus, the last time I saw the two of you together she was attached to your hip! Inseparable!" Shock really wasn't quite the right word, anger was close, but he quieted it, reigning it in. "You left her? Your own sister? To deal with it on her own? I'm going to assume you've seen where you went all wrong with that one already."

There were so many questions he wanted to ask. How did your dad handle that? What about Ameile? Well, it's obvious how they handled it, a fair bit better than the last time, obviously. Probably all thanks to Ameile.

He frowned again, looking to his cousin who seemed to be ignoring them. "Oh, I'm sure we'll find him. Like you said, I have capable people behind me now. No more halfbaked planed from Padfoot. You're at the helm, now, Moony."

"Your fault?" Sirius barked out a laugh. "I wasn't under the impression you were the one telling Greyback what to do. Really, Remus, you've really got to stop doing this to yourself."

There was a snap from behind him and Sirius turned to see his cousin, eyes blazing, a small smirk appeared on his face as he gave a large over an exaggerated yawn. "Say, Nym, darling, that guest room? I think I'll take a kip."

"End of the hall," she said, eyes still hadn't left Remus. Sirius looked to Remus, "I'll leave you two be. It's been a while since I've been able to sleep in a warm bed."

Sirius vanished and Tonks set down the now broken in half quill, her exterior mood calm from the form she was feeling on the inside. Her voice was low as she spoke. "I hope you aren't planning what I think you're planning, Remus Lupin."

Her brow twitched. Yep, he was doing it again. She was trying to stay calm. It wouldn't do to turn this into a shouting match. She knew what she was getting into. Just re-establish, Dora.

"There was no taking advantage of anyone, Remus, that was a mutual agreement. One that I would particularly like to repeat."

She sighed. "Look, I know that you're feeling like you failed Dumbledore because of this. But, if I hadn't have been here; if Rose hadn't have been here, would it have every honestly occurred to you that the truth you believed to be true, was flawed? He was in the wrong place at the wrong time - right time for us, to be honest, but. So what that Rose was the one that came across him? We haven't failed anyone. We've found and apprehended Sirius. That was the objective. Regardless of how it happened."

She had moved from her spot towards him, taking his hand in hers. "Now we just have to wait until Peter decides to reappear. With Sirius apprehended, it'll make the job easier. Let's just make sure we find Peter, okay? No one has failed anyone."