Remus was sat on the sofa, Teddy in one arm and a book in the other, when Arthur Weasley's Patronus soared into his living room. He'd been reading to Teddy from the Tales of Beedle the Bard. Tonks said it was pointless, reading to a baby so small, but Remus liked to. It was relaxing for him, and Teddy liked hearing the changes in his voice. If Remus read the stories right, the boy would thrash his legs at exciting bits and relax when the story was slower.

"Fred and George say there is to be battle with You-Know Who at Hogwarts. All Order members to get there now," said the Patronus.

Opposite him, Tonks' face went pale.

"Are you going to go?" she asked.

"I think I'll have to," he replied. "This could be it. They'll need every wand they can get." He kept his face passive. He didn't want her to see the panic rising within him.

"I don't want you to go," she said.

"I know," he replied. Truth be told, he didn't want to go either. He wanted to stay here, finish the story he was reading to his son, and then do his bathtime. He wanted to balance Teddy on his legs while he ate his dinner, and then be around to pass things to Tonks while she gave Teddy his. For months, he'd done no fighting at all, and the last thing he wanted now was to head back into the fight.

"Unfortunately", she said, "I know you're right. They will need every wand they can get. And you're one of their best. I just don't want to risk you."

"I'm nowhere near as good as you. Or the other Aurors."

"Only because they'd never have taken a werewolf through training with their stupid prejudices. You could have done everything I have and more."

"We're both great," said Remus. He didn't want to argue, even in a good natured way with each of them arguing the case for the other. "I don't want to go, you know."

"I believe you," she said. "It's funny. A year ago you were off throwing yourself at whatever danger was passing on purpose, and I really thought you were going to get yourself killed to avoid having to admit you loved me. I almost gave up on you. I couldn't see how you'd change. And now, here you are reading stories to your baby, not wanting to go anywhere near a battle."

"This is what seems right," he said. It didn't cover all the emotions he felt, about her and Teddy and their life, and his own stupidity before, but it was all he could manage. "You've changed me."

"Nah," said Tonks. "It was never up to me to change you. That was your responsibility. I just helped you figure out that you wanted this for yourself."

She understood. She knew all the unsaid things he was trying to say.

"I'm lucky you waited as long as you did."

"That you are, Mr Lupin." Her voice was jovial, and there was a smile on her face, but Remus knew it was at least partly faked. "Teddy's not going to let you go without finishing that story."

He finished the story. Teddy waved his legs and arms happily at the ending. Tonks insisted on a photograph of the two of them together before she took him. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as he handed his son over to his wife. Remus kissed both of them on the forehead."I love you," he whispered. "Be safe."

"We'll be fine here with Mum," said Tonks. "It's you that's running into danger. Bloody overly-brave Gryffindor."

"You'd do the same if not for Teddy," he said. "Bloody overly-loyal Hufflepuff."

"I would," she replied. "Come back safe."

"Of course I will," he replied. "I'm doing this just for you two. How stupid would I be not to come back to you at the end?"

And before he could try to stay, he turned and left. His wife and son followed him to the doorway, Teddy's hair flicking from blue to gold and back again. As he went past, he pocketed a photograph of Teddy from the table in the hallway. He wanted to show Harry, if he was there, and the other members of the Order. They'd like to see it.

In his sock drawer, there was a letter. He would come back the next day and remove that letter, when they'd defeated Voldemort. But in case he didn't, it was there. For Teddy.

When he arrived in Hogshead, Apparating into the bar of the Hogs Head as instructed, the place was a mess. Aberforth was shouting at the arrivals to 'watch my stock!' and Arthur was herding people up a tunnel. Kingsley Shacklebolt was dashing around, for no apparent reason, and nearly collided with one of the barrels of mead Aberforth was so worried about.

Remus grabbed Kingsley and encouraged him up the tunnel, following on behind Molly, Bill and Fleur. There were only a handful of people travelling up the tunnel, and Remus hoped it would be enough to defend the castle.

"Remus, do you know where this tunnel goes?" Kingsley asked.

"No," said Remus. "I contacted Fred and George. They say it will take us to where the students are gathering, or those students who are resisting Snape's regime."

"Wands out?" asked Bill.

"Just to be sure," said Remus, reaching the end of the tunnel first.

There was no need. The new arrivals were engulfed by a sea of happy students, and the room seemed perfectly safe. Remus could see many of those he'd taught amongst those in the rooms, and unsurprisingly no Slytherins. Remus thought of Ottoline, and felt bad. Not all Slytherins refused to resist. He had an idea.

"Fred, George," he said, turning to the twins. "Can we tell others about this?"

"More the merrier, I reckon," said Fred. "I've got the old Quidditch team coming up. George has got a few other mates of ours on their way."

"One of them's a Slytherin," said Remus.

"Hey, I'm not discriminating, long as they'll bash You-Know-Who's snakey nose with all the curses they know," said George. "Needs sorting out, that nose. And I've got to pay old Snivellus back for an ear while I'm at it."

"This Slytherin is one of the good ones," said Remus. He sent his Patronus off to Ottoline and William. Somehow, it felt like they'd want to be here.

Shortly afterwards, the castle turned to chaos. Suddenly Harry was there, and they were officially fighting. Arthur and Molly were arguing with Ginny about her involvement in the battle. Some of the students were messing around, shouting chants and singing songs. All that, Remus had expected.

Percy Weasley arriving was not something he had expected. Remus left to go down to the Great Hall with Bill and Fleur, leaving the other Weasleys to their reunion.

He was regaining some of that feeling he'd had when he'd first joined the first war. Excitement, the feeling of power and of doing something important. Bill and Fleur were holding hands. A small part of him wished Tonks was here. He'd have liked to have been fighting beside his wife. But Teddy needed her more than he did, tonight.

The Great Hall was filled with noise and activity. Minerva McGonagall was at the front, looking firmly in control. Gone was the nervous Headmistress of a year before, straight after Albus' death. She was replaced by a confident, assured woman who very much suited her role in charge of the room. She stood tall, dressed in smart robes, her hair impeccable. She was ordering students, staff and Order members around with ease.

Remus slipped into a corner where he wouldn't be in the way, next to Fred and George. The twins were singing loudly. It was a very crude song, and anatomically impossible for what they were planning to do to Death Eaters, but when they encouraged Remus to join in he did. It felt like a night for singing, and to keep busy.

Minerva came to ask Remus for advice, which he gave. She was drawing up her battle plans. Kingsley, laughing, questioned who had put her in charge, but nobody wanted to challenge that.

As the last of the students filed in, Fred turned to Remus.

"Remus? Do you think we'll have to actually kill someone?"

"I don't know," said Remus. He had no wish to lie to the twins. He hoped they wouldn't have to; he didn't want any of the ones he saw as the kids to have to experience the battle, let alone the feeling of responsibility for another person's death.

"Truth be told, I don't really want to," said George. "It feels like sinking to their level."

"Have you ever killed anyone, Remus?" asked Fred.

"It may be necessary," said Remus, thinking of the man he killed. "I have done. It weighs heavy on my heart, but it was necessary. They will be fighting to kill us. I wonder if the time for being merciful has passed."

"Well, that makes me feel a bit better," said George. "You've not turned into a raving monster for killing someone, so there's every chance we won't."

"Except he does turn into a monster," said Fred. "Big, hairy thing. Massive teeth. Claws, and all. Though he's a fucking vegetarian monster, so how scary that could be I don't know."

"Ever seen how he tackles a carrot, brother of mine?" asked George.

"Can't stand carrots," said Remus, deadpan. "It's the peas that need to watch out."

"I think we've finally taught old fluffykins here how to joke!" said Fred, and high-fived his brother. Remus laughed.

Minerva gave out instructions, and Remus collected his group to go out into the grounds of the castle. He waved to Fred and George, who shouted goodbyes back to him. The twins were great.

"I want to see that baby!" Minerva shouted after him, which drew a smile from Remus.

It felt good to be doing something again, in a way.

His group consisted of mainly students, an older couple who said they were parents of a student, and Emmeline Vance. A couple of the student names he recognised. Dean Thomas had been friends with his father-in-law, it turned out, and his friend Seamus had been resisting Snape from the start. The others introduced themselves as Ernie, Hannah, Lavender and Parvati. He remembered them roughly from his time teaching.

He was about to give his group a short pep-talk on the steps of the castle when two figures came tearing out of it at speed. The blonde girl almost tripped over her laces in her haste, before barrelling into him.

"Ottoline, William! You came!" He hugged the girl back, and shook William's hand.

"You think we'd miss this?" asked Ottoline, scraping her hair back from her face.

"Thought we've helped you before, we can do so again," said William. "Ottoline claims she's the only Slytherin fighting on our side."

"She may well be right," said Remus. He turned to the others. "But we can trust her."

"Not with your cheese," said William, bitterly.

'Mike's here, too," said Ottoline. "'Cept he's still got no wand, so I've Disillusioned him."

"Going to sneak up behind people and whack them with a pipe," said the patch of air Remus could only assume was Mike. "Ottoline's idea. Sneaky, that girl."

"Anna's inside, and Eugenia. They're shit at fighting so they're going to stay with Madam Pomfrey and do healing stuff," said Ottoline. "Werewolf crew, to the rescue!"

A few of the group started to look a bit concerned at the self-declared werewolf girl with lime green trainers waving her wand about with abandon.

"Alright," said Remus, deciding now was the time to take control back. He addressed his whole group. "I want you to be aware that we're going to be on the front line of the battle," he said. "We will likely be the first people Death Eaters reach, when they break through the magical defences. Death Eaters battle to kill. We, generally, do not, but Minerva says on this occasion we can if we must. If you don't want to be at the front, please leave me now rather than during the fight. When we are out there, you may well be at more danger to leave than to stay."

"Remus is a doommonger," said Ottoline. "You'll be fine."

"We're staying," said Dean, firmly, twiddling the wand he'd borrowed from a first-year Gryffindor who had tried to refuse to leave.
"Of course," said Lavender.

"Nothing more important," said Ernie.

"What's the plan?" asked Emmeline.

He outlined it. They advanced forward along a covered walkway carefully as the Death Eaters' spells began to affect their magical protections, listening carefully for sounds of approach. Remus took the lead, Ottoline by his side. William and Dean Thomas covered their backs.

"I can hear something," said Parvati, as they stood by the greenhouses.

"That way," whispered one of the parents, pointing.

A huge group of Death Eaters were running down towards them, wands out and fierce faces.

"Ready," said Remus. "Fire."

As soon as the Death Eaters were in spell casting range they began to shoot spells at Remus' group, and they received an answering flurry back. Dean Thomas was fast, Lavender and Seamus slower but more accurate. This was a battle like even Remus had never seen it before; wizards didn't fight in organised groups. One of the parents was hit by a spell, rolling down behind a greenhouse. Remus was firing spells as quickly as he could, trying to seek out the most dangerous Death Eaters in the group to take down first.

The battle became more what Remus was used to. Groups spread out, taking on individuals to duel. Remus was fighting two of them. He had no time to check on the welfare of anyone else, although he desperately wanted to know. He hoped they were all alright. He hadn't even checked on the woman who'd gone behind the greenhouse.

Remus sent daggers flying towards one Death Eater, and while they were occupied managed to immobilise the other he was fighting. This gave him seconds to look around. Lavender was fine. Ottoline and William were backed into a corner, but handling it. He cursed the Death Eater who was almost getting the better of Seamus, causing the man's wand arm to bleed profusely. Seamus Stunned him, hopped over him, and went to help Parvati.

The first Death Eater Remus had attacked was back, three daggers hanging precariously out of his shoulder. The only effect seemed to have been to make him more angry. Remus shot flames at him, causing his mask to heat up. The man careered backwards into a hedge, which Remus forced to bind him and then turned and ran to find another Death Eater.

Already, Remus could feel his body getting tired. He hadn't fought since the Weasley wedding. This was not a time to give up, though. He had to help everyone else. He ran through the covered walkway, shooting spells through the greenery into the Herbology courtyard. He almost tripped over a body on the floor, and crouched down. They weren't dead, thankfully. They were wearing Hogwarts uniform. He cast a couple of healing spells on the injuries he could see, ducked a stray curse, and stood up to rejoin the fight. It would have to do. He had to balance saving the injured with preventing more people becoming that way.

In the centre of the courtyard, three of the school students were battling one Death Eater. It was one Remus recognised as Antonin Dolohov, one of the most vicious. The students were clearly struggling. Dolohov was fast, and had no issue with using the worst of spells. It was most of what the students could do to dodge the repeated Killing Curses being flung their way, and they had little chance of getting a spell of their own on target.

Remus darted forward, shouting them to get out of the way. He had to try and get Dolohov down. The students gratefully scattered, although not avoiding the fight they each joined another duel. These kids were so incredibly brave.

Dolohov didn't care who he fought. He ignored the departing students and focused his attention on Remus. Perhaps he just liked to kill. Some of the Death Eaters just did.

The two wizards battled. When Remus was fit, they would have been evenly matched, and in fact Remus had bested Dolohov before. But he was slower than usual. He knew it, he could feel it, and he tried to mitigate for it, fighting more defensively than he usually would and focusing on the aim of his curses rather than the speed.

Then he saw a tuft of familiar pink hair in the walkway, from behind the plants. He thought he'd imagined it. He saw it again. He was distracted. Dolohov got a curse on mark, a blast of something purple which seared Remus' arm. He hit him back with flames, setting the wizard's robes on fire. Tonks burst into the courtyard, shouting.

"Remus!" she screamed.

"Tonks!" he shouted back, in between curses aimed at Dolohov.

Dolohov turned, a laugh on his sadistic face. "Avada Kedrava!" he shouted, turning his wand on Tonks instead of Remus.

Tonks, Remus thought, Teddy. He threw himself at Dolohov, knocking the man's focus and causing the curse to crash into a potted plant which smashed everywhere. Remus' Muggle fighting skills were far superior to Dolohov's, and he got two good punches in before the Death Eater cursed him off. He understood why Muggles fought that way, now. It felt good.

"You don't fucking kill my wife!" he shouted. "This is for Teddy!"

Both wizards screamed "Avada Kedrava!" and Remus heard Tonks shouting his name as the green light swirled through the air. Then the world went dark.

A/N:

Ahhhh!

Thank you to everyone who has read, commented on, or otherwise engaged with my little story. I started writing it just to see if I could tell this story and do it justice, and I'm pleased with how it's turned out :)

Even if the ending is shit, because these two deserved their happy ending. I may yet write that story.