Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K. Rowling and her associates. Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do, however, own my OC, Monica Devlin. Do not steal this work.

AN: This is a short Fanfic that just came to me one night. I always wondered about ghosts in the Potterverse, and the reason they would choose to become a ghost. Plus, I love the Marauders, so this just fit like a glove. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Reviews are ALWAYS appreciated, especially since I haven't read all the books (*legasp!* It's a cardinal sin, I know. I'm working on it!) so I know next to nothing of Remus and Tonks (the movies are CRAP for their characters -.-). If I've got facts or things wrong, lmk. I might keep 'the mistakes, as this IS a fanfic and can happen however I want to, or I might change it.

I also feel I have to warn you, this fic is kinda depressing. that's just the way I roll. But I'm regularly a pretty happy person. Promise! And there's some language, but I personally don't think it's too bad. ALSO, The twilight comment in here is not meant to offend. I actually love Twilight (Team Jacob!), but I really couldn't resist...

Anyway, Sorry for the long note. Enjoy my fic!

In Another Time, In Another Life

Chapter 1: Changing

Lord knows it would take another place, another time, another world, another life...

~Beyonce, "Best Thing I Never Had"

Remus Lupin was preparing to go to sleep when a familiar translucent figure floated through the old wooden motel door and into the room. He sighed, sitting on his bed and looking up at the figure with his sad and scared eyes.

"What's the matter, Loopy?" The ghost asked, amusement and concern colouring her voice as she used one of her many nicknames for him. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

He shook his head, smiling only slightly at her joke. "I'm just worried about you Mo," he whispered, running his fingers through his light brown hair. In the glow of the translucent ghost light both the youthful bronze and aging grey highlights glimmered faintly.

Remus knew talking to ghosts would seem strange to Muggles, but it was only that he was close friends with a ghost that would weird out a wizard. This particular ghost had been his best friend back when he was in Hogwarts, especially 6th year when they had dated. She was the first to discover, in 1st year, that he was a werewolf, and had helped him through every single one of his transformations faithfully, never scared and always comforting, until 5th year when his friends James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew became Animagi to help him with his transformations. When he finished Hogwarts she resumed sitting with him every full moon, talking and helping him through every transformation.

Monica Devlin was a Gryffindor, like himself, and she was unique. If she was an Animagi she would probably be a falcon, Remus imagined. He loved her loud and unladylike laugh, her light personality, her tangled messy black hair and lively blue eyes like lapis lazuli. She was just beautiful enough to be noticed, but not enough to be the prettiest at school in most people's opinion. 'Most people', however, did not include Remus. He liked that she was naïve, that she trusted him and seemed to always know who was a friend and who was a foe. And when she did find an enemy, she always had the courage and ability to kick his or her ass quite thoroughly. She was optimistic and fun, but could be serious when she needed to be, and hated doing her homework, unlike Remus. Sometimes she was too dramatic and she had a quick temper, but that never mattered to him. She wasn't his type at all, but somehow he loved her all the same.

Monica had been found dead at the beginning of 7th year on the Quidditch pitch from a killing curse, and her murderer had never been found. Though that was 17 long years ago, he still talked to her every day as her ghost visited him nightly. She was his advisor, his friend, and always did right by him. Without her, Remus knew he would never have made it through his hectic and difficult life and stayed a sane and somewhat good man at the end of it all. Monica's ghost was never bitter and scary like the Bloody Baron, or regretful and sad like Moaning Myrtle. She was simply herself, and though he hated to admit it, he was glad she had become a ghost instead of dying peacefully because now he never really had to say goodbye.

"Why would you be worried about me, silly? I'm dead; it's not like I can get hexed or something," Monica replied, floating around the room to levitate over the desk as if she were sitting on it. Her long messy hair hung down by her face as her death-dulled blue eyes searched his.

"Well, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about lately," Remus said carefully, trying to breach the subject leisurely.

"Okayy…" Monica answered slowly, inclining her head. Monica was a goofball, but at moments like this she was quite serious.

"I met a girl a while ago. Her name is Nymphadora," he said hesitantly, hoping she'd get the hint.

"Nymphadora? Wow, her mom a Greek Myth enthusiast or something?" Monica questioned, floating over to do her equivalent of sitting beside him.

"Don't make fun of her, Monica" Remus scolded, though he knew Monica always used humour as a remedy for pain. He knew this was going to be hard for her to accept. It could mean that she wouldn't see him as much anymore. Even, perhaps, never again.

"No, no, Remus I'm not making fun of her," Monica assured him, "I actually really like the name. But knowing the kind of girl you'd fall for, she probably hates it. It's too fantastical or ridiculous or something. That's probably why we never worked out, because I love that stuff."

Remus was shocked with her insight on the type of girl he fell for. "You're right; she hates it and prefers the name Tonks, which is her last name. And we didn't work out because you died, Mo. Besides, how did you know that I liked her?"

Monica sighed, resigned. She would never admit it to Remus, but she was still hopelessly in love with him. But maybe he did know, because Monica saw the hesitation in his face as he spoke of this Tonks woman, as if he was afraid to hurt her. Well, too late for that shit Monica thought ruefully. Remus had been through so much in his life and Monica had always felt sorry for him, and therefore she wasn't mad with Remus at all. Nothing seemed to go right for Remus, whether it was his friends or his job or his luck. That was the main reason she still hung around, to make sure he was okay. Her own feelings contributed too, of course, but she mainly did it to help him. She suspected her death still weighed heavily on his mind, as he hadn't had any girlfriends since the day they had found her body.

Monica had always known, ever since she had become a ghost and decided to still be friends with Remus, that someday she'd have to let him go, accept the fact that he needed to move on and she'd be left behind as a ghost ( no pun intended) of his past. It made Monica sad, but she was dead and she had no right to pretend that she wasn't. She couldn't act like she had a claim to him that he was violating by moving on without her. Her time with him had been cut short 17 years ago, no matter what she felt or did. She was lucky to still be his friend at all. And despite what she felt inside, Monica wasn't going to make things worse for him. He deserved better than a ghost. He deserved a girl who could give him everything, and she would be damned (no pun intended, again) if she made him feel guilty for wanting that.

"I'm surprised you didn't find someone earlier, to be honest Moony. I was almost worried that I was holding you back," Monica finally replied, head hanging slightly.

Remus looked over at her with pleading eyes. "You weren't holding me back, Mo. I was holding myself back. Don't feel guilty or sad over Tonks, please. It's probably not going to work out anyway. I just thought you should know, because she's become a big part of my life recently."

Monica rocked back on her heels, shocked at his lack of self esteem. Despite her curiosity of how he was holding himself back, she had to know why Remus was so determined that it wouldn't work out. "Why the hell wouldn't it work out? If she has problems with you, I swear I'll break my promise to avoid you in the daytime and haunt the hell outta her!"

Remus laughed, relieved that she was taking it so well. "No, no, no it's not that! It's just she's a bit…young."

Monica ogled her best friend oddly. "Oh no, don't tell me this is some Twilight bullshit that you've imprinted on some 2 year old," she said bluntly.

"No, thank goodness," Remus replied, amused. "But I'm 34 and Tonks… is 21."

Monica was slightly shocked at the 13 year age difference, but pushed it aside for her friend's sake. Monica was used to delivering pep talks to her downtrodden friend by now. "That's not so bad, Remus, really. It's not like its illegal or you're stealing her virtue. The only problems I can see are her not liking you or her not accepting you as you are."

"She definitely likes me, and she accepts me… but I don't accept me, Monica. I don't want to ruin her reputation with my lycanthropy. What if we got married? Or had children? What if my child became a werewolf because of me? I could never live with myself. That's why I've held myself back from moving on and finding a girlfriend, a wife, anything. You're perfect because you don't have to worry about those things."

"Oh I see, you just hang around with me because I'm the only girl whose life can't be ruined 'cause I don't have one. Yay me! Maybe I'll go join Moaning Myrtle in the washroom at Hogwarts." Monica responded, faking a small moan and flying above his head with a bogus expression of tragedy on her face. Remus would have laughed at her fairly decent imitation of Moaning Myrtle, but he was in too somber a mood.

"No, no Mo that's not it," Remus insisted, standing so he could pace his small room at the motel he was currently staying in, his plaid pajamas dragging on the floor as he paced, "Monica, I think there's some things we should get straight before I go to bed for the night."

Monica settled herself on the end of the bed again and Remus lay across it, leaning against the headboard. Monica struggled with the reality of discussing her deepest feelings in a musty old hotel room, but finally looked at Remus and decided she didn't care.

"Go ahead, Mr. Moony" she responded, crossing her legs and looking in his direction. In other circumstances she would have made a joke about his constant seriousness, but right now was not the time. Remus was right: they really did need to talk. They'd been ignoring the topic of their feelings in regards to each other for 17 years; it just couldn't continue.

Remus cleared his throat and spoke. "Monica, since the day you died, nothing's gone right for me. The rest of 7th year for me was… not exactly a blur, but more of an out-of-body experience. The only time I really got to be myself was as a werewolf with Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail. Every time I looked at a Transfiguration book, I found myself thinking of that time when you bet me that if Gryffindor could win their next Quidditch game against Slytherin, I would have to help you do your Transfiguration homework for a year. When Gryffindor won, you kissed me and even though I lost, I was completely content to see you happy. Everywhere I went and everything I did that year after your death had a memory of you attached to it. I felt guilty for your death, and your memory followed me everywhere, especially when you talked to me at night. Since then I've thought that you, the ghost of you, was the only one who I'd ever truly be able to be with. You're the only one who understands, cares, and has been with me long enough to know me inside out. My whole life has been riddled with losing jobs, moving around, death to people I care about and mistrust of the ones remaining alive. You were the only constant, and I appreciate that. And somewhere along the way, I truly fell in love with you. I dated you in 6th year because I liked you, but I never truly loved you until you died. But I do love you, and I still mourn your death. I know that will continue until I join you. But I think it's about time I let you move on to the afterlife. I'll always miss you Mo, and I hope you know that."

Through this, Monica had begun to cry silently at his heartfelt confessions. She's had no notion he felt like that. Any more tears and I might as well join Moaning Myrtle, she thought to herself wryly. "Thank you, Remus. I needed that. I need you. But now it's my turn."

Monica floated to hover her hand over Remus', and he imagined she'd be holding his hand if she could. She took a deep breath, looked down at the cheap old bedspread, and began.

"I've loved you… well, since 1st year, really. On the risk of sounding cliché, you kept me grounded. You know me: always jumping around from one thing to the next, the crazy girl, the happy girl, the eccentric, naïve girl. But my wandering was grounded by you. You were my foundation, the reliable friend who'd always be just what I needed, even if I'd had no clue what that was. We made no sense, but that never really mattered to us, did it? That night in 1st year when I was out late on the Quidditch pitch chasing an imaginary Quaffle, heard you moaning and found you and helped you through your first Hogwarts transformation? I think it was that moment, when I saw you so scared and vulnerable on the ground that I fell in love with you. I never really showed you that I liked you until 6th year, but I felt it constantly through those years. I've never really been good with words, Loopy, you know that. I never said what I felt because I wasn't sure how to put it into words without freaking you out. I was scared of how I felt. So seconds before my death on that dark night of the full moon, I decided to become a ghost because I didn't want to leave you without telling you everything I'd kept from you. I stayed behind on Earth for you. When I woke up a ghost, my first thoughts were of you, how you'd react to my death and my new form. So after I oriented myself, I went straight to find you. I found you at 5 in the morning, refusing to leave the Quidditch pitch where they were examining and moving my body. So I waited in your room for you to return, despite my better judgment. I shouldn't have returned, and I'm sorry for that. It's like I've been haunting you for all these years, and I'm sorry. You could have moved on so much faster if I hadn't been so selfish and stupid. I still love you, even more than that first day, and I've tried my best to be alive for you, to be the old me, the human me. But I can't pretend anymore. You deserve Tonks; you deserve someone alive, who will love you fully, who can give you a better life than you can even dream of. And no matter how much I might want that for you, more than I want my own life back, I can't give it to you. But she can. But you have to go out there and want it. Remus John Lupin, you have to go out there and live for me. Appreciate it all. You deserve that and so much more. I'm sorry for being dead, for holding you back, for being selfish. I just can't do this to you anymore."

By the end of her speech, Monica was crying quite terribly. She had never been a pretty crier, and being a ghost didn't change that.

"I promise, Monica. I'll live for both of us," Remus whispered desperately, losing his composure at her heartbreaking confession. He was glad both of them had gotten this big topic off their chests before she had to leave.

Monica nodded and floated over to a corner of the room, trying to get ahold of herself. She was wearing what she had died in, her tattered Gryffindor Quidditch practice uniform, and the ghost tears were staining it and then fading.

"Monica," Remus said from behind her, choking and tripping over her name as he stood from the bed and walked over to her, putting his arms around her where her waist would be. She turned around and looked at his face, so close to hers. If she still had the ability to kiss him, she would have.

"I love you," Monica whispered, tears staining her lips, placing her arms around his neck without touching him. He rested his head in the air right by hers. Holding him with his arms around/through her and his forehead on hers, it was the closest they had been since she died.

"I love you," he whispered back, holding her and looking in her eyes as he thought about how angelic she looked. It was the first time he'd said those eternal words directly to her, living or dead, and if Monica hadn't already been crying that would've done her in.

"Well, finally. That's 17 years in the making" Monica mumbled, trying to lighten the mood as she wiped the tears streaming down her face. Remus laughed quietly, stepping back slightly. When they had dated, she had said it to him often and meant it every time, but he would always respond with a smile or a kiss. She had always known it would take him a while to be able to admit it to her. But 17 years was a long time.

He smiled at her, his eyes teary. "That meant a lot to me, Mo. And I forgive you, though I'm not quite sure what for."

Monica laughed quietly, which brought a smile to Remus' face. "I'm going to miss you, Loopy. And I forgive you for your idiocy. You had nothing to apologize for, you stupid bloke."

Remus laughed. "We always have this argument when we make up, why would this be any different?" He mused aloud, going back to lay down on the bed, hands behind his head. He shut his eyes and there was a brief silence between the two.

"When do you plan to…leave?" He murmured sleepily, opening his golden eyes groggily.

"Oh don't worry, I plan to haunt you for a little bit longer." Monica said, hovering down at Remus' feet. "I wanna meet this mysterious Tonks woman. Maybe you don't want me around you during the day, but Tonks…"

Remus laughed as he threw a pillow through Monica, and she jutted out her lower lip in an adorable pout. "You know I hate it when you throw stuff through me and I can't throw things back," she whined, grinning in contradiction to her statement.

He laughed, "You deserved it. No haunting my woman; you'll scare her and then she'll never date me, knowing what my ex is like."

Monica's heart stung a little at being called his ex, but she knew that was what she was and she had to get used to it. Besides, he hadn't meant to hurt her, and this was the kind of thing she wanted: him coming to terms with her death. "My woman? I'm glad to see you've got some confidence back. But am I really that terrifying?" Monica started making fake ghost noises and moaning as she floated around the top of the room.

"You are when you're angry," he replied, pulling a pillow over his head. "Now I need to get some sleep, so stop your moaning. You won't leave without telling me first, right?"

"I won't stop until you tell me you'll at least introduce us before I leave," Monica taunted, moaning slightly louder.

"Fine," he spat, removing the pillow from his head as she stopped grousing. "Do you promise to say goodbye before you leave me?"

Monica flew down to Remus' bedside, suddenly serious. "I promise," she whispered, doing her equivalent of kissing his cheek. "G'night, Mr. Moony."

Remus smiled as he closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Ms. Devlin."

AN: Hope you enjoyed! Review? :) 3

Playlist:

Angel by Sarah McLachlan

Here Without You by 3 Doors Down

Hallelujah by Kate Voegele (or various other artists)

Already Over by Red

Tears to Shed from Corpse Bride

Remembering Sunday by All Time Low