Harry Potter series is work of J K Rowling

It was a peaceful day like most of the days at Burrow and with Tonks beside him, it became more perfect. They were huddled next to each other on the sofa; with her hand in his while he silently stroked her new ring. In front of them were Molly and Arthur sitting together on a love seat and to their left was Bill and Fleur sitting on an armchair with Fleur on Bill's lap. Of course those two never needed two chairs...

They were all chatting, listening to laughter of kids floating down. It was such a... domestic and normal day, something he wasn't much used to. Talking leisurely with friends and having evening tea while appreciating kids presence in the house and of course with love of his life beside him, comforting weight of her head on his shoulder.

Merlin he was about to get married; something which he had thought impossible.

Suddenly fierce banging on the door rattled them all into alertness.

"Who's there?" Bill asked in a strong voice walking up to the door with wand in his hand, while others followed him. He felt Tonks standing in a defensive pose beside him and he found a moment to reassuringly squeeze her hand.

"Please...open the door." Came an unfamiliar female voice, it sounded broken and afraid.

"Declare yourself first." Tonks spoke in a confident voice to show that they weren't alone, in case someone was playing trick.

"Please..." The voice moaned as if in pain and sobbing voice followed.

"I..I think it really might be someone who needs help." Molly spoke quietly looking uncomfortable.

Remus was in two minds: either it was really someone in desperate want of help or someone was playing them.

"Open the door Bill. We all are ready for whoever it is." He said while raising his wand more fiercely. He felt others following his action. Arthur covered Molly, while Bill covered Fleur to keep them out of way of danger, though he heard a huff from Fleur, she didn't say anything. Instinct was to take Tonks in to his protective shade but he knew he would end up getting hexed if he tried such a thing. She was an Auror after all and she looked at him as if to say 'Try me'...

"Alohmora." Bill whispered and the door creaked open.

There was a woman in dark brown hairs, her robes ragged and torn, soiled as if she had been dragged on the ground. But when he noticed her eyes, something within his mind clicked...

She looked oddly familiar...

Those dark green eyes, cheekbones, lips, her hairs through which he had ran his fingers countless times...

Oh god... It can't be...

Meanwhile, the woman looked ready to collapse. None of them lowered their wands, yet their stance relaxed. She seemed to give off vibes that screamed that she wasn't danger.

She seemed to be looking for something or rather someone...

When her large eyes looked at his wide shocked once, it was as if time stopped still.

"Oh Remus!" She exclaimed and ran towards him in desperation, throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to his chest.

Unintentionally, his hand slipped away from Tonks as he moved backwards with force.

Everyone looked at him oddly, he noticed in his daze.

He hesitantly placed his hands on her back and asked fearfully, still not sure what was going on. "Ellie...?" His voice shook.

"Oh Remus... Oh Remus... It has been horrible..." She sobbed, and looked inconsolable burying her face in his neck. It was warm with tears.

"How...?" He mumbled, clueless, looking helplessly to others and finally his eyes lingered on Tonks who was looking oddly at him and appeared to be uncomfortable as if she wasn't liking what she was seeing.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Arthur offered. While he looked puzzled, he obviously had figured out that it wasn't a matter to worry.

As he took Ellie's (was it really Ellie?) shoulders to pull her away, her hold tightened further as she whimpered a no. Figuring that she won't let go, he guided her to the sofa without loosening his hold on her in an awkward position and made her sit.

Tonks immediately took the seat in front of him while other seated as well.

"What's going on Remus?" Bill asked while Fleur handed a glass of water to Remus to give it to the woman.

As he once again tried to untangle himself from her, she whimpered again. "I am here, you are safe. Don't worry." He tried to sooth her and it worked as she let her arms fall.

He thought he heard Tonks take a sigh. Sigh of relief...?

"Here drink this." He said offering water to Ellie and she drank away all in two gulps as if she had been thirsty for ages. Now that she had calmed a bit he took a good look at her. Her hairs were disheveled, she had dirt smudged on her face and her lips bore a little cut. But she still had the same good looks; no matter if they were currently hidden under dirt and distress. He saw Fleur wringing her hand and knew why. Ellie was one-sixteenth Veela. Though she lacked typical Veela temper and hairs, beauty ran in her family.

"She's Ellie..." He started, looking at Tonks firstly, suddenly wishing for her warmth. "We... I have known her since my Hogwarts time... She-she disappeared one week after James and Lily's death... I-We tried to find her, but after few years she was declared dead-" She choked back a sob and he looked back at her, taking her familiar hand in his large ones. "What's going on Ellie... It's been sixteen years...'

Everyone listened with bated breath. But for a moment they thought she wasn't going to speak. Then she composed herself, wiping her tears and looking him straight in to his eyes.

He stopped breathing when he looked in her large eyes, the eyes he had long thought to be closed for forever. God it was all so surreal... he had wished that people long dead from his past would come back alive but obviously he hadn't thought it would ever come true.

"Remus..." She said in a voice which had become so hazy in his mind over course of years. "I-I remember nothing. All I know is that I was held hostage. I escaped somehow and found my way to Hogwarts." She dissolved into uncontrollable sobs and he rubbed her back soothingly. "I met Minevra... I thought it was 1981 but but she told me it was 1997! I was so shocked that all I wanted was to reach you. Minevra told me you would be here at Burrow, Hugo Weasley's old home." Hugo was Arthur's younger brother.

"You-You remember nothing? Who held you captive?" He seemed so astonished that he had no idea where to begin and how to begin.

"I don't remember Remus, I don't remember anything."

"What is the last thing you remember?" He asked, fearing her answer.

"That-that night 6 November, 1981, with you. Remember? You had come back home late and you were hungry and we had nothing at home... Since you were tired I had offered to buy some eggs from nearby store... You had even kissed me bye and had told me to be careful but obviously I got so careless..."

It seemed everyone in the room have stopped breathing. He didn't had heart to look them in eyes especially Tonks'. He looked at the floor. He had been trying to tread carefully, trying to avoid the revelation...

That he and Ellie had been in love. That they had been a couple for two years. That they even had shared a place for about seven months...

He never got around telling Tonks, he had never felt the need. Yet he could almost presence her stiffening at Ellie's words...

"If that was the last thing you remember how come you know that you were held captive?" Her voice was so cold, so unlike her that he could barely believe that it was his beloved. She was always so compassionate towards vulnerable people, one of the reason he loved her so much. He looked slowly, afraid of what he might see. But she wasn't looking at him. She was glaring at Ellie with barely hidden contempt.

"No, then I remember waking up in an unknown room... It-it all seemed so strange... I faced no resistance while escaping... All I remembered was that I had gone to buy eggs and since it was morning when I woke today, I thought only one night would have passed..."

"Then why not go back to Remus', why did you go to Hogwarts?" Tonks interrupted harshly.

Ellie frowned at Tonks, wondering why this woman was so cold with her. "You-you all don't think I am an impostor am I?" She asked looking at everyone, finally resting her eyes on Remus.

Oh she was not an impostor all right, he can tell. He looked up at Tonks again pleadingly, wanting her to cooperate, to help him solve this mystery, but she was once again not looking at him. She was staring unblinkingly at their hands- Ellie's single in his both. He removed his hands so fast as if burned.

"I am not an impostor." Her voice interrupted his thought. She plunged her hand into her neckline and took out a pendant he recognized all too well.

"Remus, see this. You gave me on my birthday; you said it was your mother's. I was in different clothes when I woke up but this was in place." He stared at the jewelry. It was a thin silver chain with a tiny star shaped diamond.

"But-" Tonks started but this time he interrupted. This hatred did not suit her. He wanted old Tonks back.

"Tonks..." He said softly. Finally she looked him in the eye fiercely but her gaze softened when she took in his pleading face.

"Sweetheart." Ellie's voice broke their silent communication and he winced internally. "Remus, please..." She palmed his cheek and made him look at her. "I-I want to be alone- with you, please take me from here, please take me home. My mind is reeling. I had been Twenty one, one day and next day I wake up, I am a thirty something, thirty seven years old woman. My whole life wasted and I don't even remember... please take me away from all this." With this she leaned forward burying her head in his shoulder and hugging him to her.

This time he didn't even stopped Tonks from glaring. Oh god, what a mess...

Then a comprehension dawned on him and his face went pale.

For Ellie it was only yesterday that they have been together, even though she now knew sixteen years have passed, her feelings were unaltered. She obviously was still in love with him...

"Not yet." It was Molly who spoke. "I think we should call Poppy, Get her checked up."

"I am fine." Ellie moaned from somewhere below his chin and he felt warmth of her breath through his shirt. "I want to just sleep."

"I'll floo Poppy." Bill said hastily, ignoring Ellie's comment.

"Come dear let's take you to a room where you can have a lie in." Molly said in a motherly tone and approached her, but just as she tried to pull her away, she pushed herself further into Remus.

"She's in shock Molly." Arthur said in a soft voice to his wife. "Remus, would you take her to Percy's old room? We all will tag along." He said hastily, probably sensing Remus's unease at being left alone with his old lover, that too in knowledge of his current lover.

"Al-alright." He urged her to stand but it seemed she had no energy left. "Ellie..."

"Remus... would you carry me to the room? Like you do when I am tired? I can barely stand." Her use of present tense did not go unnoticed by him.

In all honesty, he was heartbroken at her distress. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like to wake one day and realize that whole world around them have changed. She had meant so much to him. Before being his love, his girlfriend she had been one of his best friend. After James and Lily's death she had been his safe heaven. He remembered that one week prior to her disappearance they had been inseparable. They had spent almost their whole week, ignoring the world, in their bedroom making love again and again, washing away all the pain with physical comfort. She had been close to Potters too. In fact she had been Lily's best friend.

When she had disappeared, he had almost come on the verge of being mad, wondering how more could he take...

But now here she was, mentally shocked but otherwise unharmed. A little older yet posing same elegance and beauty. He was sure he would feel elated once his own shock ebbed away to have his best friend back, a link to his past...

He looked at Tonks. She was staring at the floor, looking tearful, it broke his heart yet he steeled his heart for few moments. Reminding himself all the time Ellie had been there for him, he decided that it was now his turn to return the favor. He gently picked her up in his arms, like old times, as she had said; she encircled her hands around her neck, her head flopping down his chest. He sighed and looked at the flight of stairs leading to Percy's room.

"Poppy is on her way."

He heard Bill's voice in background as he climbed the stairs.

He could feel his back burning with Tonks' raging gaze.