The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

LXXIX: Compensation

Remus ate more than he should've at the curry restaurant, and though he tried to tell Tonks not to, she bought a meal to go to send home with him, and he flushed as she shoved the bag in his hand as they got onto the muggle bus, having swiped her own fare card before he could stop her. "Tonks --" 

"Enjoy it, Remus. Alright? I just want you to be alright," she'd said, and it had bothered him all the way across the city, even as she chattered away about how great it had been to see Charlie Weasley and about how excited she was to get to be security at the Cup that weekend. "I'm hoping I'll get a eye on Victor Krum. You seen him?"

"No," Remus admitted. He'd never been as big into quidditch as his mates and other than following Oliver Kent's success on the Cannons, he hadn't paid much attention to quidditch at all in nearly fourteen years. 

"Well he's right brilliant. Bulgarian." Tonks shivered. "Gorgeous. You ought to look at the Sports section of the prophet now and then. You'll enjoy the view." She elbowed him, laughing and her eyes sparkling. "Sorry, I know - you like 'em with the long hair and leather jackets, rather than clean cut and sporty, huh?"

Remus blushed. 

When he went to get off the stop by the Ministry entrance, Tonks was surprised Remus was following her. "You've got Ministry business?" she teased.

He sighed. "I still haven't done the registration paperwork. If I'm not careful they'll send that entrapment bloke after me again... I can't afford anymore fines. I'm already a couple hundred galleons in debt at Gringott's and they said if I don't register soon I'll be facing jail time when they catch up with me."

"I won't let that happen."

Remus shrugged, "I don't know that you could do anything about it, honestly."

She followed him, even though she wasn't working that day, and walked with him all the way to the Atrium of the Ministry, just before the security checkpoint where he would be required to weigh his wand and get his credentials for going further into the building.

They lingered in the atrium, the bustle of the place flurrying all around them. The statue of the Wizard, Witch, Muggle and House-Elf stood over them, spurting forth water in colorful streams. He stared up at it, thinking how that fountain was supposed to represent the equality and harmony among beings, but they'd left several sorts of beings out of the statue. 

"I really hate that you have to register," Tonks said, shaking her head, "That foul Snape to blame and all, you deserve so much better than the Ministry treats werewolves." Her hair started fading to red from the pink.

Remus pointed, "You're going red, Tonks."

"Oh am I? Blimey. I just get so bloody fired up..."

Finally, they parted ways, Tonks walking backwards back to the floos to go home and Remus on through security. She didn't let her eyes drop away from him until after he'd gone through the checkpoint and onto the elevator at the far side. She sighed, feeling awful and wishing she could do more than a couple plates of curry to help Remus Lupin's life be just a little bit better.

"Name?"

"Remus - R - E - M - U- S... John Lupin."

The liaison looked up. "Yer not serious?"

I'm not but my husband is. "What?"

"Lupin? Yer name be Lupin and yer a bleedin' wolf?" The Liaison asked, chuckling, "Bit spot-on innit?"

Remus shrugged.