Remus Lupin moved through the streets of Hogsmeade. Darkness had settled over the town and rain misted down from darkness. His ragged cloak clung to him as he made his way to The Hogs Head for a meeting. He was undercover for the Order of the Phoenix at the moment, trying to infiltrate and gain information from the werewolves as to the movements of Voldemort.
Earlier today he received an interesting message through the Owl Post to come and meet someone today at 10 pm. He did not know who sent the message. The note was short and left Remus’ mind spinning. It had said:
“Power and Money interesting things. Meet me today at The Hogs Head and it will gain you both.”
Remus wondered about who would send such a message, what it meant, and if it would give him information that help the Order in their fight against Voldemort.
He moved into the tavern and took a seat in the back; he hung his damp cloak on a hook behind the table. The bar wench moved over and took his order. He ordered a Fire Whiskey to sip while he waited.
After a few minutes a figure dressed in a ragged navy cloak moved towards his table. Remus could not tell if the figure was a man or a woman, but obviously the figure was moving towards his table. The figure’s face was hidden deep in the hood and covered by a red scarf. Red eyes stared out at him, glowing in the darkness of the hood.
“Good evening Mr. Lupin. It appears that you received my message,” a course whisper came from under the scarf as the figure handed Remus a piece of paper. Remus turned the paper over in his hands and read the block letters upon it:
“If you kill Nymphadora Tonks I will deposit 100,000 galleons into your Gringotts account.”
Remus blinked in surprise. He worked to keep a neutral expression on his face, something that came quite naturally after all these years of living as a werewolf. At first he wondered how this figure could know about his feelings for the younger woman. Then he realized that it might be a test, to prove that he was indeed on the side of the werewolves. If he did not accept this challenge, he would blow his cover. He also blinked at the amount of money listed. How much he could do with a figure such as that, more money than he had ever had in his life. The life he could build for himself and Tonks…but it was she he was to kill. He knew he needed to accept this mission. He would figure out how to carry it out…without actually harming her later.
“I accept,” he calmly said and the figure faded into the night.
*****
Nymphadora Tonks walked glumly through the streets of Hogsmeade. Her shoulders were slumped and her normally vibrant hair hung limp and mousy brown instead of her normal bright pink. Even her normal Weird Sister’s t-shirt was covered by black robes that were worn and almost threadbare.
Times were hard for her. The man that she loved had turned his back on her, her cousin Sirius was lost in the war. Work had her pulling twelve hour days while not paying her any different due to a tight budget. Now her mother and father were about to lose the only home she had ever known to the Malfoys because they couldn’t pay taxes that Lucius Malfoy had persuaded the Wizengamot to pass before getting caught with the Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic.
Listlessly, she walked into the Hogs Head and sat down in a booth. When the bartender plodded by, she ordered a Firewhiskey. Tonks took no notice of those around her and just stared into her drink while her weary feet enjoyed the rest.
It took a minute for Tonks to realize that someone had slipped into the booth across the table from her. Slowly she raised her head to find a deeply cloaked person that seemed to be carefully watching her. Her Auror senses took over and Tonks tried to find at least one defining trait to the form. There was no way to know who this person was.
The cloaked person reached into their robes and slipped a piece of paper out of their pocket. Tonks watched as the paper was placed on the table in front of her. Carefully Tonks unfolded the paper and read:
If you kill Remus Lupin I will deposit 100,000 galleons into your Gringotts account.
Tonks stared at the note in shock for a moment. Here could possibly be the answer to her parents’ problems. With one easy assignment she could save her family from financial ruin. It took another moment for the name on the paper to enter her weary brain…Remus Lupin.
All the emotional and physical stress of the past few months caused something to snap in her brain. Red flowed in front of her eyes as she thought about how the man she loved kept pushing her away and would not even give her a chance. Perhaps it was some spell on the parchment, or just the weariness of the past few weeks causing some madness in her, but Tonks found herself looking up at the cloaked form as she said, “Yes, I’ll do it.”
*****
Remus finished his drink and then moved out of the tavern. As he walked away he realized he was being followed. This must be part of the test. They are going to make sure I complete the task assigned to me. How am I going to get out of this without really harming her? I guess I’ll have to cross that road when I get there. She’s working for the Order up at Hogwarts tonight, so I’ll go try to find her.
Remus pulled his cloak up around his head and cast a few protective spells about himself. A disillusionment charm should help me lose the person following me. I also need to figure out a way to talk to Tonks and let her know that someone wants her dead. I need to find a way to make it look like I carry out this mission but protect her at the same time!
Remus moved out of the town and towards Tonks’ normal patrol area. He did a quick search and soon found the younger Auror. He did not know if he was still being followed and was unsure how to go about this mission and protect Tonks. As quietly as he could he followed Tonks on her patrol looking for an opportune time to confront her.
He was afraid of the unknown. He was afraid to blow his cover for the Order. He was afraid that the person following him would discover his secrets. He was afraid that he would be forced to carry out this mission he had foolishly accepted in order to stay useful to the Order. Most of all he was afraid of facing his feelings and having to admit that he truly did love the woman he had been assigned to kill. Maybe she won’t know it is me. Maybe I’ll be able to figure out a way to save her. Maybe she will kill me before I have a chance to harm her.
As she neared the edge of the Forbidden Forest he drew his wand, now was as good a time to confront her as any. He released the Disillusionment Charm and stepped out of the shadows.
*****
Tonks went looking for Remus the next night. She would pay for missing more sleep, but wanted to take advantage of a night off. It was a night she usually worked for the Order, but Molly Weasley had insisted she get some rest when they last saw each other.
A part of her brain seemed to burn with the need to get rid of the werewolf that had spurned her love and made her feelings into a warped mess. Her blood-shot eyes seemed to be tinged with a ring of red and someone that knew her aunt would have finally seen a resemblance. There would have even been a few people that could have mistaken Nymphadora Tonks for Bellatrix Lestrange from a small distance.
Her search led her back to the Hog’s Head Inn. It was an obvious place to start since Remus was supposed to be luring the werewolves over to the Order of the Phoenix’s side in the war and several went to the Hog’s Head in disguise, including Remus to pass information back to the Order. As she was walking by the pub, she tripped over a bucket full of spider eyes and fell face first into a mud puddle. As she stood up, she saw Remus standing in the doorway of the inn.
Frustration filled Tonks as she thought Remus had seen her. It only took a moment to realize that his back was towards her. Quickly Tonks picked herself up and headed back to the main part of town.
Tonks walked to the Three Broomsticks and up to the room she had been calling home for the past few months. Morphing into a fat old lady and transfiguring her clothes to fit the part took a moment. She walked through the bar and back into the street after performing a disillusionment charm.
Feeling that her disguise was good enough to fool Remus, she headed back towards the Hog’s Head. Quickly Tonks hid behind some boxes in an alley beside the inn and morphed so she blended into the bricks around her. Then she slid into a small space behind the boxes to wait for him to come out.
Time passed slowly as she waited. All the sleepless nights began to catch up to her and slowly her conscience began to bother her.
What am I doing here? Remus is the man that I love! I know that he has all but called me a fool for loving him, but I can’t help it. For all that he has gone through; there is a strength and kindness to him that I have never seen before. He has every right to be bitter and mean, but he does everything he can to be a contributing part of society. Standing up for what he believes to be right and fighting against those who would take the freedom of Wizards, Witchs, and Muggles show what a great man he is.
He doesn’t mean to break my heart. Remus tries to protect those he cares for and he believes he is doing that for me. What he doesn’t realize is that I know what the dangers are and I don’t care. I want to be with him in spite of what he is. He is a beast only once a month and I just can’t see him that way. I see the man, not the beast! It doesn’t matter to me that he is older than me. Age is relative. Everyone grows old.
As she sat and thought about his disregard for her feelings and her ability to care for herself, anger filled her once again. Slowly her eyes once again glowed red.
Finally Remus emerged from the inn, and Tonks found herself trailing him. She would follow through with the orders to kill him, even if it slowly killed her.
*****
The figure in front of Remus had her wand quickly in her hand. He then heard Molly Weasley demand, “Halt! Who are you and what are you doing here?”
“Molly? What are you doing here? I thought Tonks was working tonight?” baffled Remus asked of the older woman. Molly pulled back her hood a bit so Remus could see her face in the misty night air.
“Remus! Thank goodness. I really didn’t want any trouble. Tonks has been so exhausted lately so I told her to go get some rest and that I would work her shift tonight. Between work, extra shifts for the Order and emotional stress she has just worn herself out,” Molly said with a knowing eye, staring Remus straight in his eyes.
Remus looked a bit sheepish and could not keep eye contact. “I know she has had a rough time. I have been hoping that keeping my distance will help her forget me, but it doesn’t seem to be working. I’m too old for her and I’m a werewolf! I don’t want to hurt her emotionally or physically, but I can’t change who and what I am. I’m here tonight looking for her for that very reason. Someone is trying to have her murdered. In fact I was trying to find a way to protect her. Actually, I’m supposed to be the one killing her. I needed to maintain my status with the werewolves, and think this is a test to see how reliable I am, how true I am to the part I’ve been playing. The person who hired me for this task I believe has been following me tonight. I just don’t know what to do! I am useless if I can’t maintain my cover, but I’ll kill myself if I harm Nymphadora. I need to make it look like I kill her while I protect her,” Remus explained to Molly.
As Remus told the story of the evening Molly first looked sympathetic and then shocked as she heard about the danger Remus and Tonks were both in. “Well, first we have to find Tonks. I can’t leave Hogwarts until the end of my shift, but you can go try to find Tonks. I’ll try to go talk to Dumbledore and see if he has any ideas on how to make it look like you kill her, but to keep her alive. We’ll also try to figure out who hired you for this dreadful task. I’ll send you my Patronus with any suggestions we come up with,” Molly said as she rushed towards the school.
Remus turned back towards Hogsmeade. While he moved back towards town he looked for signs of who was following him. He was not as careful on his return trip to the town. He was contemplating the events of the night. How was he going to protect Tonks?
As he walked through the Hogwarts gates he saw something sparkle just off the path to the right. He went over to see what it was and as he bent over to pick up the necklace he saw lying there green light passed over his head, missing him by mere inches. Remus quickly spun around, his wand in his hand in an instant searching for the person who had just tried to kill him.
“Tonks! What are you doing?” the astonished man asked of the younger woman who looked like she was ready to duel him…to the death.
For Love Or Money by Cwiddy, Cheshlin
Story Notes:
This Story was written by Cheshlin of Slytherin House and Cwiddy of Hufflepuff for Gauntlet 6. Many thanks to our beta: OliveOil Med for her help with this!
Chapter Notes: This is J.K. Rowling's Universe. This story exists because of her work.