The Forest of Dean

I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. I nodded at Hermione. Yes, it was right. I lowered my wand that I had raised while I was questioning him. He held out his arms, wanting to embrace. A sudden thought crossed my mind and I raised my wand again, "If you've been in hiding all this time, how do I know that you aren't under the Imperius Curse? Y-You left me. How do I know that you didn't get cursed and are doing the bidding of...of him?"

Sirius: I nodded at this, "It's never a bad thing to be overly cautious, but I am not under the-"

"But how do I know? You can tell me whatever you want to! But that doesn't differentiate from truth and lies."

Sirius: I sighed, "Let me finish without interruptions." I waited until he had agreed to this before continuing, "I know how to fight the Imperius Curse. That is my first argument. My second argument is that someone under the control of another wizard isn't essentially themselves. The only reason you doubt me is because of everything that is happening. You first began to question me when I referred to "Riddle" as the Dark Lord. I did tell you why I did this. Because of the taboo of sorts. The last thing that proves my point is the fact that Moony didn't doubt who I was. If there was anyone to doubt me, it would be him." I paused and looked between the three of them, "Any other accusations? Do you believe I am the Dark Lord in disguise and that I just tortured the information I needed to answer your questions?" I glared.

"Sirius, no!" I sighed. "We.... well, we've had to be really cautious since we rescued Harry from the Dursleys this summer, we were betrayed, and no one in the Order knows who to trust anymore, everyone's being cautious. And really, you can't blame us for being skeptical...."

Tonks: I rolled my eyes. "Kingsley. Is that really necessary?" I asked. "I mean, there are just so many Death Eaters out here,"

Kingsley: "Yes, it is necessary. There are Snatchers, they're after the Muggle Borns, and are payed even more for Order members," I said quietly, quickly, wand still pointed at Remus.

I considered his question quite seriously. Maybe not the "Dark Lord" but something of that sort I suppose. I had a bad gut feeling so I knew I wouldn't be trusting him with my life anytime soon, but he had answered most of our questions. My eyes had narrowed slightly, almost unnoticeable, not with discontent but with worry. I didn't want to offend anyone though... Where would that get us?

Sirius: I continued to look at Harry.

I lowered my wand, "Alright." I sighed, "It just seems so...so..."

Sirius: I nodded, "I understand," I said, thinking back to when I had met up with James and Lily when I had fallen through the veil.

Lupin: "He's right Nymphadora." I sighed, "My name is Remus John Lupin. I am a werewolf and an ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I am known as Moony to only close friends. I am one of the four creators of the Marauders Map. This map is of Hogwarts and shows the whereabouts of everyone on Hogwarts grounds, aside from the Room of Requirement, only because it is sometimes there and sometimes not, and therefore unpredictable. The other Marauders consist of James Potter, known as Prongs; Sirius Black, known as Padfoot; and Peter Pettigrew. James, Sirius, and Peter were and are unregistered Animagi. Their animal forms are as follows: James, a stag; Sirius, a black dog; and Peter, a rat. Peter betrayed James and Lily Potter to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when he became their Secret Keeper. Sirius was originally going to be the Potter's protector, and has felt the utmost remorse ever since." I smiled wanly, "But I suppose my information is boring you, is it not?"

I smiled as Harry seemed to accept that this really was Sirius, and I glanced at Cho, who looked uncomfortable. I grabbed her arm and walked a few feet away. "Maybe it would help if I explained some?" I smiled. "Plus, I think Harry wants a few minutes alone with Sirius,"

Tonks: "I suppose you'll want to do me now?" I asked, as Kingsley nodded to Remus, and smiled a bit, then nodded at me, and pointed his wand at me. "Right, let's see. My name is Nymphadora Lupin, but everyone but you, Remus and my parents call me Tonks, I'm a metamorphamagus, my parents are Andromeda Black and Ted Tonks, I was a Hufflepuff when I attended Hogwarts and was never put in a position of any power, due to the fact that I couldn't behave myself for more than an hour at a time, at the very most. Er..... well, I tend to trip over everything, and it's amazing I haven't killed myself yet, the only time I seem to have any coordination is on a broom, and I was an alternate Chaser on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team during my 3rd year and the rest of the time, apart from 1st and 2nd year I was on the regular team. I'm an Auror and the late Alastor Moody was my mentor during training, and sometimes after, and it was he that recruited me to the Order of the Phoenix.... I suppose that's enough isn't it? I'm rambling now aren't I?"

I turned and looked as Cho and Hermione walked away. I looked down, ashamed of what I had accused Sirius of. A part of me still seemed to believe that it wasn't the real Sirius standing in front of me. But I tried to push that thought completely out of my mind. After what seemed like a century I looked up at Sirius. He was smiling broadly at me, as if we hadn't been separated for all that time.... I tried to return the smile, but I imagined that it looked more like a grimace. I couldn't believe that after all of the wild accusations that I had made against him, that now seemed ridiculous, now that we were standing here in silence. And the silence was definitely my fault. I knew that deep down inside. It was like a sixth-sense. I knew that if I started talking that it would be like old times. And it seemed as though Sirius was waiting for just that. But I couldn't bring myself to speak. He seemed to hold his breath as I looked down and attempted to burn a hole into the foliage that littered the forest floor. Finally I couldn't bear the acute silence any longer, "I...I'm so-" He reached out and put a heavy hand on my shoulder. I immediately looked up and watched as he shook his head. I opened my mouth to say something else, but was cut off.

Sirius: "Harry," I began. "Harry, Harry, Harry...." I laughed at the look of bewilderment on his face. "You don't need to apologize for anything. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I shouldn't have approached you like that. Walking over to you with Remus would have most likely made you feel more comfortable, but it's over and done with. You did exactly what you should have done. Very few people can be trusted in these times and I would have been a fool to not think that you would have behaved the way you did. I may have been wrong in saying that you are exactly like your father. You are quick to trust, but even quicker to question that trust if the need arrives. I am overjoyed to say that trusting someone you shouldn't will not be your downfall. After all, we all need to keep our friends close and our enemies closer," I paused and grinned. "Maybe I'm talking too much." I suggested.

I was quick to object, "No, no not at all. I wouldn't care if you were talking about something barbaric. I would still listen. I've had to go far too long without hearing your advice."

Sirius: I nodded, "But we don't want to talk for too long. We need to get to somewhere safe."

"You're right. We do. But where?" I asked.

Sirius: "I was thinking Grimmauld Place. Unless you are against that."

"I think that's great. If you think it's still safe."

Sirius: "I think that it is one of the safest places for you to be right now. Especially with the Ministry and Hogwarts infiltrated."

Lupin: "A bit." I smiled and drew my wand pointing it at Kingsley.

Kingsley: I put my wand back in my robes, and looked at Remus. "I am Kingsley Shacklebolt, I am the Head of the Auror Department at the Ministry of Magic, and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. My patronus is a Lynx. Up until recently, I was the bodyguard of the Muggle Prime Minister, under the ruse of being his secretary." I stated calmly.

Tonks: I watched Remus and Kingsley as I walked slowly to the tent. After a moment Remus put his wand away, and Kingsley sat by the fire again, and watched the trees surrounding us, looking anxious and suspicious. Remus looked at him for a moment, as if unsure about something before starting toward the tent looking more weary and tired than he had in a while. "Are you alright?" I asked when we both entered the tent.

Lupin: I nodded, "There is a lot going on right now."

I half-halfheartedly smiled at Hermione. "Yeah, that would help I think..." I didn't know what exactly to ask her so I explained my skepticism. "It's just everything is so backwards now... And Sirius turning up all of a sudden with the way he avoided your questions. I just can't seem to trust him. I don't want upset Harry or anything, but isn't this really odd? Couldn't it be dangerous?"

Tonks: "Right, I know what you mean...." I nodded slowly, before sitting on one of the cots in the tent. "What do you think we're going to do now? I mean, it isn't like we can just sit around, not helping, it's obvious that all the resistance that is available is needed. We can't all sit around, hiding. Can we?"

I nodded. "I know, but.... I think we need to trust the members of the Order of the Phoenix, because if we can't.... then who can we trust? I understand what you mean, and I'm experiencing the same feelings myself. Sirius has always been like this though, I think that being in prison, and being charged for the death of his best friend.... that can't be easy on a person. I really don't think Sirius is dangerous as much as he is reckless, though I will admit that recklessness can lead really easily to being a danger, but I don't think Sirius is going to be dangerous consciously," I explained, trying to ease some of the uneasiness I knew both of us were feeling. "I don't want to offend Harry with as short of a temper as he's had lately, either. It's a running risk though, and I think it's better to offend him if we're unsure about something, and to risk it turning into something big, than keep it to ourselves,"

I nodded back agreeing. "Do think that Harry would let him come with us? Or ask him to?" I asked inferring her thoughts. I hadn't thought past the fact of Sirius being a threat due to my worry, but obviously we had to think about the journey ahead of us. "I do think it's a good idea though... if it gets to that point, to speak up..."

Lupin: I shook my head, "No, we need to continue resisting, secretly. We have everything against us, but we mustn't give in."

I nodded eagerly, "Then by all means. I don't think out in the open is the safest place to be anyway."

"I hope he'll let us. He can't do this alone," I told Cho before I glanced over at Sirius and Harry who had seemed to come to some sort of conclusion and I walked over. "Are we going to go somewhere, then?" I asked.


Tonks: "Yeah. I know.... and I expect you'll want me to stay with my parents won't you?" I asked with a roll of my eyes. "That isn't happening, I am an Auror in case you'd forgotten that, and yes, you are very easy to read." I added with a small smile.

I followed along with Hermione back to the group. I looked from Sirius to Harry to get some idea of what had gone down during Hermione's and my own absence.

I nodded at Hermione, "Yes, to Grimmauld Place."

Lupin: I gave her a weak smile.

I nodded. "I thought so, and with Sirius here.... that'll really help things,"

Tonks: "Is the smile because you know I'm right, or because you're going to try and convince me otherwise?"

I looked back down at the ground for seemed to be the hundredth time trying to remember what Hermione had said and the fact that he had proved to us that he was Harry's uncle. What was with me and eye contact?

"I agree. And we need to get somewhere safer than this."

Lupin: "I thought I was very easy to read."

"Yes. So, we're apparating onto the top step, then?" I asked, getting a confirmation.

Tonks: "Only when you're not on guard with yourself like you are now," I sighed. "So, which is it?"

Sirius: I nodded, "If not there is a chance that Death Eaters will be there. Snape could have easily told them where Grimmauld Place is."

Lupin: "Convince."

I nodded again, then realized that Cho didn't know what we were talking about. "So should we go two at a time?"

Tonks: "Alright, try it. But, I'm as stubborn now as Ive ever been." I warned.

I looked to Sirius to answer this question.

Sirius: "Yes, you two girls go first, and Harry and I will follow you in two minutes."

Lupin: "Well, then I'll have to think about how to convince you then."

I wondered where exactly Grimmauld Place was. I heard the name thrown around a few times when there was talk of the Order, but I wasn't sure of it's exact purpose of location. I guessed it was a kind of meeting place for them. I took a step closer to Hermione when Sirius said that we would apparate together first. The question came to my mind as to why they would have to wait a whole two minutes, but I dismissed it.

I took Cho's arm and looked at Sirius before disapparating. "Remember, your Mum is still there, so don't make too much sound as you come inside, though it'll be likely she'll be awake already," I reminded him before apparating onto the top step of Number 12, Grimmauld Place. ((ooc: how embarrassing, I almost put 'Number 13....'))

Tonks: "So, is that to say you really don't have a good reason for making me stay behind while you and the others go and play hero? I want to help, Remus. Not just sit around, not able to do anything, and wondering every second whether you and the other Order members are okay....."

Sirius: I nodded to Hermione. After waiting for two minutes, I grabbed Harry's arm and turned on the spot.

Lupin: "It's too difficult."