Short and snappy; enjoy!

A Matter of Loyalty

Frozen, she ordered a hot chocolate.

"What was that, dear?" Madame Puddifoot asked over the din, chasing Tonks' words with her small ear.

A large group of Hogwarts girls left, leaving a quieter atmosphere, and Tonks was able to make herself heard. She paid for her drink and carefully carried it back to her table in the corner. She wished she had gone somewhere else; some infuriatingly happy couple had taken up residence opposite her, and were in the process of slowly devouring each other's faces.

Silently, she pretended to vomit a little in her mouth.

Madame Puddifoot caught her eye with a disapproving, accusatory look and Tonks knew exactly what she was thinking; I remember when that was you.

She had indeed visited this tea shop with Remus when they had still been together, but she refused to believe that they had been anywhere near as disgustingly sickening as the couple across from her. In fact, she had vivid memories of them making fun of the whole lurid concept of the shop, which may have explained the less than warm welcome from Madame Puddifoot herself.

"Well, I heard from Daisy that Dumbledore searched everywhere for a different teacher before he chose that wretched Snape..."

Someone sitting behind her was conducting a rather loud, shrill conversation. Tonks sighed, wishing that she had never come in here at all.

"Really? I'm not surprised. He doesn't look the least bit trustworthy," another woman's voice added. "Of course, I can't say I trust Dumbledore with our children at all if he's putting them in the hands of people like Mad-Eye Moody and that Lupin fellow..."

Tonks heart lurched; why did his name have to follow her around? And why were they talking about someone they knew nothing about; Remus was probably twice the people they were. Who did they think they were?

"Oh, yes, I remember him. The werewolf? Absolutely disgusting. And they say that Dumbledore knew all along! Probably let him roam about the castle too, no doubt. If he'd have hurt my Ruth I don't know what I'd have done. I'd have hunted him down like the animal he is. I simply can't believe werewolves aren't locked up."

Fury pushed through her veins; hot and powerful. Remus had broken her heart, but for all the right reasons. He was still the most wonderful man alive.

"I can't agree more. Of course, we all know Dumbledore's going senile, anyway. Perhaps the werewolf confounded him? I was thinking about not letting Marvin go back this year. Of course he hadn't started school when Lupin was there, but you never know who Dumbledore might bring back."

"You know, I've heard of werewolves threatening people with a bite. Do you think that could've been how he got the job?"

"Could've been..."

Tonks had had quite enough. Her chair scraped over the floor as she rose to her feet, her entire body tense.

The two women looked up as she turned to fix them with her best glare. She silently thanked Mad-Eye's training for that one.

"You're both fools," she told them quietly, and for a moment she reminded herself of Remus; before she had met him, she wouldn't have taken such a calm approach. "You think that you know someone because you read an article by Rita Skeeter three years ago? I can tell you two now that Remus Lupin, the werewolf, is the best man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. In fact, I feel sorry for your children for having never been taught by him. He's gentle and kind and more talented than your poisonous little minds could ever begin to comprehend."

Both women looked murderous and flushed with humiliation.

Tonks turned on her heel, heading for the door. She felt all eyes on her.

Sniggering, she looked over her shoulder, and called, "And the sex was brilliant, too."