Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 68

Anyone doing anything fun today? :)

Auriga walked over to her desk in the Auror office, using what most would say is a normal pace, but was practically sluggish for her. "Welcome back, Malfoy," said someone she didn't know the name of. She just smiled at them.

When she arrived at her desk, there was a flashing green and yellow banner hanging on the pinboard above her desk, reading WELCOME BACK AURIGA!

Auriga grinned and looked around, wondering who had put it up. A man with receding grey hair grinned as he attempted to walk past without looking at the expression on her face. "Hello, Tonks," Auriga said with a smile as the man walked past.

"What was that you just called me?" the man asked with a frown. For a moment Auriga's heart fluttered to a stop, but then the man screwed his face up and Tonks was stood there, her hair a shade of auburn-brown. "I liked it."

"Thought you would," said Auriga smugly. "I assume the banner was you?"

"Course it was," said Tonks, leaning on the edge of her desk. "Do you like my hair?"

"Very sensible," said Auriga.

"How did you-er...how did you know it was me?"

Auriga sighed. "Your right foot kept scuffing the floor and you wouldn't stop grinning. And the only middle aged man I know is my father."

"And Lupin," said Tonks lowering her voice.

"Merlin's beard, he is not middle aged!" Auriga said hotly, feeling her eyes grow wide. Tonks just shrugged and hurriedly stood up as someone approached from behind Auriga.

"Morning, Tonks," said Robards, "And welcome back, Malfoy. It's good to see you."

"Thank you, Sir," said Auriga, leaning on her chair to help her get to her feet. Tonks made to help her but Auriga waved her away.

"Please, sit down," said Robards, also stepping forward.

"No, no," said Auriga, stubbornly persisting. "I'm back to work."

"Excellent," said Robards with a smile. "So in December I'll appoint you to the Hogwarts guard? We'll see how you do there and then we'll get you back into investigation."

"That sounds excellent, Sir," said Auriga. "Where would you like me until then?"

Tonks snorted and Robards just grinned. "I forgot this was your first time injured."

"You're on desk duty, Malfoy," said Tonks, sounding like she was enjoying herself a little too much.

"That's...fine," said Auriga. "I can still help investigate though? And analyse statistics, and help with the Azkaban operation?"

"Oh yes, we'll need help with all that," said Robards with a wave of his hand. "If you'll excuse me..." He trailed off before heading back into his office with a tired looking Shacklebolt.

"You're not mad about desk duty?" asked Tonks with a frown.

"Tonks," scoffed Auriga. "My dream job was filling in reports about trade tariffs. Trust me, this is far more exciting than that."

*****

A tear fell down Tonks's face as she howled with laughter at Auriga, bent over and clutching her stomach. Sirius wasn't much better - he was wheezing from where he sat in his chair. "It's not funny!" said Auriga, aware she might start stomping her foot.

"Not funny?" said Tonks between chokes of laughter. "This is the best thing that has ever happened to me!"

"Please let me take a picture!" begged Sirius.

"No way!" said Auriga, grabbing a bottle of butterbeer. "When I said you could choose my costume-"

"You said it didn't matter!" protested Sirius gleefully.

"Yes, but I didn't quite have Snape in mind," said Auriga. She looked down at herself, pushing the black hair that Sirius had charmed to look just like Snape's out of her face. She was wearing button-down black robes, that went all the way from her toes to her chin. But the most annoying part was that Sirius had also charmed her nose. Just her nose. And she was sure it was quite a bit bigger than Snape's, which was really saying something.

Tonks had arrived looking the spitting image of McGonagall, emerald robes and all, but had now changed her face back to normal. And Sirius...Sirius was sporting plum robes with little gold stars on, had charmed his hair to be long and grey, like Dumbledore's, and was wearing what was clearly a fake beard.

"Well," said Sirius, dabbing at his eyes, "I think we all look fantastic."

Several hours later and the three of them were sat on the floor, which was littered with empty bottles of butterbeer and mead. In front of them was a freshly opened, but half empty bottle of firewhiskey, and Sirius had provided them each with a glass, which probably cost several tens of galleons.

"Auriga," said Tonks, "I'm really glad you're in the Order."

"Thank you, Tinks," Auriga said, attempting to pat her shoulder but missing entirely. "Sorry, I meant Tonks."

"No problemo," said Tonks, leaning on her shoulder. Auriga smiled at her friend, but Tonks was now asleep.

"I'm going to go to bed," said Sirius, yawning and climbing to his feet.

"Wait, wait!" said Auriga waving her hand in front of her. "I want to talk to you."

"About what?" asked  Sirius, allowing himself to fall back into a large armchair.

"Th-That thing you told me about," said Auriga. "About Remus."

"Oh," said Sirius, frowning, "Yeah?"

"Officially revoked," said Auriga. "I don't... you don't have to do it anymore."

"Sorry, Malfoy," said Sirius, "No can do."

"What?" said Auriga as Sirius began to make his way from the room. Tonks snapped awake. "No, no, no! Why not?"

Sirius shrugged and placed his glass down on a table. "I promised him," he said simply.

"But that," said Auriga. "That wasn't his deal to make! I'm a grown woman, I don't need you!"

The words registered with Sirius. "You don't...need me..." he repeated. "I'm sorry, who sat with you every day when you were in hospital? Who dealt with the doctors and the press? Whose damn house are you in?" He began to raise his voice as he spoke.

"You!" cried Auriga. "You and yours! But you've only done all that because he asked you to!"

"No, Auriga," said Sirius, more quietly now. "I did it because I'm your friend." And with that, he left. They heard a mumble of, "he knows how to pick them," before footsteps upstairs.

Auriga was infuriated. Not only had Sirius had the last word, but his argument was simply wrong. He had told her so in the hospital. He was there because Remus had asked him to! But maybe...maybe Sirius had been a friend. And maybe she'd just lost him.

"I'm going to bed," she muttered to Tonks, but she was already asleep, head lolling back into the sofa.