Chapter One

The Invisible Man

Nothing much going on. It looked like rain. In fact if you looked enough, you could see it coming down in spots. A rainy Sunday afternoon. There was nothing much to do except sit and watch the rain. Sit and watch the rain and think.

All muggle born. She tried to come up with every one she knew. People from school. People from work. Friends of the family. And family. She tried to think if the forces at hand achieved what they hoped do, just how much of her life would be affected? How many people would she lose? Tonks tried to count them off on her fingers—tried to number them. She didn't stop because it became too numerous but simply because she really had no idea who was and who wasn't a muggle born. Some were obvious. Some had told her but that part of someone wasn't a thing that people wore around on their sleeves. You can't look at a man and know he's muggle born or pure blood or a squib for that matter. How many did she know?

Her father was the most obvious out of all of them. He stood out like a sore thumb and for the first time in her life, she worried for him. Really truly worried. Ted had always been a man of crazy ideas and wayward plans. He was a man who chose to see the goodness in people rather than the faults. For that he was both a very well liked man and a very foolish man.

The war had been boiling for some time now. It was like soda under pressure. It was ready to explode and, try as they may, the Order could not seem to stop it or at least ease the explosion. Too many people stood in the way. Fudge mostly—a stout man who barked at the auror office continually about how Dumbledore was losing his mind. Those within earshot stood and smiled, nodded and grudgingly accepted Fudge's version of the truth. Kingsley and Moody were patient. They hated playing into the minster's hand but they did it with greater ease than Tonks could. She was all ready to rush about the ministry with a marching band, defacing Fudge and his "truth", trying to make the wizarding world wake up. There is trouble. There is a war. There are people who want to erase our way of life. You can't hide from it.

Of course what was Tonks to the wizarding world but a single witch who sat so low on the totem pole that most people didn't notice her despite her ever changing hair color? She was told to bite her tongue, smile and nod.

Unable to speak about the injustice, Tonks found thinking about it insufferable and turned again to her father. Her friends. All muggle born. Who all did that title encircle? How many members of the Order would be put on the chopping block not because they were waging a war against the ministry but because of who their parents were? Tonks quickly flicked through all the members, marking them off as safe or not.

And really only one huge hole presented itself.

Of course there was dozens of witches and wizards in the Order. Of course she didn't know every one of them but she considered the ones she did and the ones who meant something to her—the ones that hit a personal chord.

And there was only one real hole.

She had no idea what Remus was. In all their conversations the one thing he spoke of the least of was his family. He had a mother and a father. That, all in all, was about it. The rest was a mystery. It wasn't a kind of topic Tonks regularly thought to be of importance—blood lines and blood status. But now in the path of a coming war, the question seemed of dire significance. Like the fear she felt for her father, Tonks began to wonder if this good friend was in danger as well. Perhaps that was why he never talked much of life before the Order. Remus could see what was coming and (in his usual fashion) hated the idea of people worrying about him. He would keep this part of his life secret as well. He would take this to the grave and rather die than bother someone with his silly problems.

Tonks rolled her eyes. So stupid.

If that was the case, it wouldn't be the first time. Once on a mission for the Order, Tonks and Remus were sent out together to escort the Weasley children and Harry back to Hogwarts via the Knight Bus after their Christmas holiday. On their way back the duo was apprehended by a pack of dodgy looking thugs who attempted to mug them. Both still liked to joke about why in the world the group chose them. Remus certainly didn't look like he was made of money and Tonks in her usual mismatched outfit couldn't have appeared rich in any way.

Still the group rounded on the wizard and witch and got a good hexing for their troubles. It wasn't until the pair got back to headquarters that Tonks realized something was wrong. Remus held his upper arm tightly and when he removed his robe, it was clear there was a puddle of blood pooling beneath his shirt. One of the thugs had had a knife.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tonks demanded as she watched Remus dab at the cut later that evening.

"It's not a big deal," he said with what seemed an ill fitting smile, "I've had worse. Believe me."

But to Tonks, the cut looked bad. It was long and no matter how much Remus worked at it, it never seemed to stop bleeding. Tonks and Sirius had to basically beg Remus to allow Molly to look at it. Even after it had been cleaned and bandaged away, the man still insisted it was fine and he could have easily dealt with it himself.

So stupid.

All muggle born. She began again but her thoughts were cut short by a shuffle outside her door. Tonks lifted her gaze and stared across her flat towards the door where she distinctly heard the shuffle again. Someone was outside her apartment and had just realized how loud the creaky floorboards could be. They creaked again under the weight of the stranger. On the defense, Tonks gripped her wand as she approached the door and lifted it eye level as she opened it.

To her surprise, there was no one there. Curious, she let the door swing open all the way and stared down the hallway, faintly hearing another shuffle and a pop. Perhaps someone had just disapparated? Or perhaps Tonks had heard nothing. Her mind had been on frightening material and perhaps she had imagined someone was there—ready to snatch up all her muggle born acquaintances and attempt other nasty deeds.

She sighed at her own stupidity and began to close the door when it caught on something. Lodged in between the creaky floorboards and the jagged bottom of the door, Tonks found a single envelope—thin and made of old, yellowing paper. Tonks feared it might crumble in her touch but after retrieving it, found the letter to be quite stable. Across the front in a familiar patchy lettering read her name—Dora. Realizing who this penmanship belonged to, Tonks again looked down the corridor, stepped into the middle of the hallway and looked. She called out Remus' name even, believing fully now that she had heard someone apparate out of the vicinity earlier on but confused as it why Remus was leaving her a letter.

Walking inside again, Tonks removed the letter from its envelope and was struck by something even before reading. The letter was perfect. Perfectly written. Perfectly symmetrical letters. It looked like a piece of art. All the words fit neatly their lines. There was nothing crossed out or blotted away. It looked as if it were a page torn from a book rather than a hand written letter. Even the signature at the bottom appeared forced—perfect, yes, but completely strained.

She finally looked beyond the letter's impeccable nature and began to read its content:

Dora,

I wish I was the kind of person who could say this to your face. It's a cheap trick and a bit shady to write what I'm about to say in a letter but I ask you to forgive me. I'm not the kind of person who can say what I think and writing it even has proved very hard.

I have greatly enjoyed our time together. I have loved getting to know you and becoming your friend while working for the Order. It takes a bit of effort to write the word "friend". My life hasn't been one that's known very many friends as I'm sure you can understand why. The truth of the matter is that I haven't really had as much fun as I have had with you since my days at Hogwarts with James, Sirius and Peter. Since James and Lily's death, I haven't had much time or belief in companionship. But despite a war raging and everything, you find a way to allow me to have fun again. I hope you consider me a friend like I consider you one.

That being said, however, I believe there are lines that must be drawn. This coming week we have plans to attempt another try at Knockturn Alley but I'm afraid that will a single mission for you. I will be moving north towards Wales and trailing a group of underground werewolves. I have spoken with the Order and I feel this is a needed move. These wolves I seek are rather passive compared to many other groups I know of. They can be persuaded to join the Order if I go and so this is where I feel my place is. The Order needs them and so I will go.

I'm going also because there are lines that need to be drawn. This is an excellent opportunity for me to help the Order and attempt to put things back into focus. This is an excellent opportunity for me to put distance between myself and you. I'm afraid there are things I've let get out of control. I see you as a friend and respect our friendship but as of late, I have seen you as something else. I wish I was the kind of person who could say this to your face. You deserve to know that truth and you deserve to have it told to you in person. But one out of two isn't bad, huh? Dora, I need to put this distance between us because I believe I love you and I know it isn't like that between us. I have tried to put these feelings away somewhere but it seems my only chance of really getting rid of them is to remove all temptation. I'm sorry and I hope this won't affect our friendship. I hope you understand why I'm telling you this. There is a war going on and lying never helped anyone. I don't want you to think for a moment that I'm leaving because I don't think highly of you. It's because of that that I have to go.

Please keep safe and hopefully we'll see each other again.

Tonks looked around her dark flat. She pulled her wand again and lit it. She stared around, waiting for the band of people to jump out and surprise her. Waiting for someone to tell her this was a joke and it was all too hilarious. It was all too much. This was a joke.

She stared around and waited…and waited…and waited….