Neeps: Your wish is my command, dahling! ^ ^

Remus stalked angrily out of Grimmauld place, Harry's disgusted look mingling with old memories of Dora sobbing.

I'm pretty sure my father would have wanted to know why you aren't sticking with your kid, actually.

I'd be pretty ashamed of him.

My father died trying to protect my mother and me, and you reckon he'd tell you to abandon your kid to go on an adventure with us?

I think you're feeling a bit of a daredevil. You fancy stepping into Sirius's shoes.

The man who taught me how to fight dementors – a coward.

Remus whirled around and kicked a lamp post, rage bubbling over. The harsh words kept running through his head, over and over. He limped down the street, his foot throbbing, and a thick, sick feeling of betrayal seeping into his heart.

But honestly, what had he expected? He knew Harry was wiser than most gave him credit for; he knew that he'd see through the lame excuses. The boy, the man had spoken only the truth. He was a coward, abandoning his wife and child out of fear of the future.

The horrid, sickening truth crushed him, and he felt a wellspring of self-loathing overwhelm his selfish self-pity. The sound of Dora crying invaded his head again, and he sat down heavily on a park bench with a sob. He held his head in his hands, tears trickling from between his fingers.

Had he driven away his last chance for happiness? Or was there still time?

He sat there for a few more minutes, attempting to calm down, but always breaking down a moment before true calm, and so minutes became hours. People passed him in the dark, late night joggers glancing with confusion and sympathy before passing on. Dawn broke and birds began to sing urgently. It was a cool sunrise, and gold light blanketed the park. Remus stood, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, taking several deep breaths. He'd have to make amends. He'd have to try.

He looked around to check if anyone was around before Apparating to Tonks' parents house. The place was considerably nicer than his and Dora's house, and he felt distinctly awkward as he approached.

He knocked on the door, a terrible ache of nervousness and fear settling in his stomach. After a moment, the door opened a crack, and a woman's voice said, "Who's there?"

"It is I, Remus Lupin, a werewolf, husband of Nymphadora, normally known as Tonks," he hesitated, then decided that it couldn't hurt. "Never known as Nymphie." A short laugh came from the other side of the door, and it opened. The woman standing before him didn't really look like his wife. In his opinion (and from what he'd heard, in Harry's opinion as well), she looked like her sister, Bellatrix. She looked at him with thinly veiled irritation.

"Remus," she said, nodding curtly.

"I've… Come to speak with Dora," he said slowly. Andromeda raised an eyebrow, then moved aside, allowing him to come in.

"I'll ask her if she's up for it," she said, going upstairs and leaving Remus in the living room. He sat down, looking around at the old fashioned wall paper and oil paintings.

He pondered what exactly he'd say. There wasn't much he could say, but he figured "I'm sorry," would be a good start.

"Remus?" He turned and watched his wife approach the couch, but not sit down. Her hair was deep cerulean blue, and she watched curiously as he stood.

"Dora, I… I was wrong," he said, squirming under her unyielding gaze. "I shouldn't have left. I feel… Horrid. Terrible. Please…" His vision blurred, and he wiped his eyes, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Dora."

"Remus…" She said softly. She walked closer to him and punched him in arm, hard. He rubbed it, staring in shock at his wife. She punched him in the chest. "Never." She hit his chest again. "Do that." She shoved him, and he was so stunned that he stumbled back a few steps. "Again." She reached over and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulders. "Got it?!"

"Got it." Remus said softly, rubbing soothing circle into her back.

"I was worried! I thought you were going to go off into the blue and I'd never see you again!"

Remus decided to refrain from telling her that that very nearly happened, and only kissed her forehead.

"Where's Ted?" He asked. Dora sighed.

"You've heard of the Muggle-Born Register?"

"Of course. I was telling Harry about it earlier. That and the… other propaganda." Dora nodded.

"He's Muggle-Born, but he refused to register. He's on the run."

"My god…" Remus said breathlessly.

"He'll be fine," Dora said uncertainly. "He's a great wizard, no matter what anyone says."

"I believe you," Remus said, though he was uncertain. The Snatchers had Fenrir Greyback and others on their side. While he had no doubt that Ted Tonks was a great wizard, superior numbers made a difference.

They both sat down on the couch, leaning on one another.

After a few minutes of peaceful silence, Dora said, "There's gonna be a baby soon, you know."

"I know."

"And you're okay with that?" Remus was silent for a moment.

"I'm just… Not sure. I'm not sure that I'll be able to raise a human being. The thought is frightening. I don't think I can. I'm happy that you're having my child but… I don't think I have the confidence to raise it." Dora was silent. "I mean, a person like me… Who makes no contributions to society… Do I have the qualifications to raise a child?" Fear invaded his thoughts again, and words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop. "What if, because of me, the child went down the wrong path? What if, because of me, the child was bullied? Or hurt terribly? Or lived an unhappy life?" His throat tightened. Dora considered that.

"We'll do it together." She said finally. "We'll hug it. And touch it. And hear what the child says. And if he does something bad, we'll stop him and tell him why it was wrong. We'll be very clear." Remus stared at her, feeling tears well up again. "And if one of us gets too emotional and makes matters worse, we'll apologize, and hug him tightly." She smiled at him. "Together. Like that." She reached up and cupped his cheek. "We'll raise it like that."

I think his rant is quite in-character, if I do say so myself. It's probably arrogant to say so, but I think it is.