Remus and Tonks woke up in the morning, safe in each others arms. Ted Tonks had left a few days ago. Everyday, they scoured the papers and listened on the radio for mention of his name. Every time they saw no sign of it, it meant he was alive and well.

"You've got to tell your mum, you know," Remus said, his hand resting on Tonks' stomach.

"I'm not showing yet," Tonks said.

"She could use some good news after Ted leaving," Remus murmured.

Tonks sighed. "Who do you think will show at the Order meeting?"

"Hopefully as many as possible. I doubt Minerva will be able to leave the castle. I've heard there are two Death Eaters who will be teaching come September."

"The kids must be terrified!" Tonks said.

"They will all be safe if they are from pure-blooded families," Remus said solemnly.

"That's disturbing," Tonks shook her head. "Hermione's got to be on the list the Ministry has, looking for muggle borns. Oh I wish we would hear from them and know that they are okay."

"Me too. We've just got to trust that they are," Remus said.

"Tell her, Tonks,' Remus nudged her forward. For some reason, he looked gloomy. Tonks approached her mother, who was reading the Prophet at the kitchen table.

"Mum," Tonks said quietly. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course, darling. What is it?" Andromeda looked as though she had aged years in the days since Ted had left.

"Mum," Tonks said. "Remus and I are going to have a baby."

Andromeda didn't smile. In fact, she looked frightened. "What if it is like him?" Andromeda asked in a hushed voice, taking her daughter's hands in her own.

Tonks yanked her hands away. "I don't care," Tonks said loudly. "I love him, and I'll love his child!"

Andromeda looked shocked. Tonks turned away and grabbed Remus' arm.

"Let's go," She said angrily and the two hurried out the door and disapparated.

They appeared outside the Burrow and Tonks began storming towards the door, but Remus seized her wrist, and stopped her.

"Your mother's right," Remus said. "What if the baby is like me? I could never live with myself, putting an innocent child through so much agony."

"I'll love it no matter what," Tonks said, angry tears springing to her eyes.

"If the child is normal, they will have to go through the shame of having a werewolf as a father," Remus looked withered. "I can't do it, Tonks, I can't."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tonks asked, overcome by fear.

"It was a mistake, I can't put you through this," Remus said as he turned towards the door.
Tonks clamped her mouth shut as Arthur asked them their security questions. Tonks avoided Remus and went to sit by Molly, who was clutching her clock with each of the family members' names on the hands. All the names hovered over Mortal Peril.

"Tonks dear, you look ill. Are you alright?" Molly asked, touching Tonks' cheek with the back of her hand.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," Tonks forced a smile.

Kingsley showed up for the meeting, along with Bill Weasley and Daedalus Diggle. Minerva was at school, Moody and Dumbledore were both dead, no one had heard from Mundungus since he abandoned Moody, and Snape had betrayed them.

"We've got to keep an eye on the school. The students will be in danger. Ginny will surely continue what Harry started, with the whole Dumbledore's Army business," Molly said.

"Can we blame her? Those kids learned valuable spells from those meetings," Remus said.

"I can't have my daughter risking her life like that," Molly shook her head.

"Maybe we can have her work in a more passive way. Send us information about what's going on at school," Arthur said.

"Ah-hah," Kingsley said as an owl crashed into the closed window. Bill ran out to get it.

"This says Severus Snape will be taking over as headmaster..." Bill trailed off.

"He bloody killed Dumbledore!! How can he get away with that?!" Tonks exclaimed.

"Harry was the only one who saw, other than Draco Malfoy and the Death Eaters," Remus said.

"I can't send my Ginny back there," Molly said tearfully.

"We have to dear, they'll target us even more if she doesn't go," Arthur comforted his wife.

"We can have one Order member posted to Hogwarts at all times, incase trouble breaks out," Kingsley said.

"Only one?!" Molly asked.

"We've got to protect muggle-borns and keep the Death Eaters at bay. Remember, we're some of the only few who know the truth about the Ministry," Kingsley said.

"Tonks, dear, have you been back? What's it like?" Molly asked.

Tonks shook her head, and Remus spoke.

"I won't let her. By virtue of me being her husband, I've put a target on her head."

"Don't talk like that, Remus," Arthur said.

"It's true," Remus said, avoiding Tonks' gaze. Tears sprang into her eyes all over again and she blinked them away quickly.

"What about Harry? How can we help him?" Molly asked.

"He didn't tell anyone a thing. But it's clear they had some kind of plan," Arthur said.

"I have an idea where they might have gone off to," Remus said. "I can try to talk to them, see if they'll let me help."

"You do that," Molly nodded. "I need to know they're alright."

"In the meantime, I'll be first post at Hogwarts on September first. All our communication needs to be coded and unsigned. The Ministry will be searching through everything. Communicate in person when possible," Kingsley said. "I'd best be off."

"Me too, got to get back to Fleur," Bill said, following Kingsley to the door.

"I'll look for Harry," Remus said and without another look towards Tonks, he left the Burrow.

Everyone had gone, and Tonks couldn't keep it together anymore.

"Tonks! What is the matter, dear? I knew you weren't alright!" Molly wrapped her up in a motherly hug.

"Remus—he—he's leaving me!" Tonks choked out.

"He wouldn't do that!" Molly said in disbelief.

"He said our child will be ashamed to have him as a father," Tonks cried. Repeating the words made it all the more real.

"Hang on—child? Are you expecting?" Molly asked.

Tonks nodded tearfully.

"Oh my," Molly said, pulling Tonks back into her arms. "We'll get him back, don't you worry. He loves you far too much."