A/N: As always, I want to give credit where credit is due: in this case, Boys Like Girls for the wonderful song, “On Top of the World”, as well as, of course, Jo, for Harry Potter. I am not attempting to claim that I wrote these lyrics or made up this world. Thanks, guys, for the inspiration!
Beyond King’s Cross
Look up, the stars are fading,
And I am still here waiting
To see you again,
Be with you, my friend.
It was the time before daybreak when the sky is a light purple haze. Remus had no time to glance up at the retreating stars, however. He was locked in combat with three hooded Death Eaters. He didn’t know their identities, and did not think he wanted to.
He was bloodied, he was tired, he was fighting, but Lupin still found seconds to look over at Tonks. She was valiant, dodging green bursts of light coming from every direction in the foggy morning air. Only my girl can take four at once, he thought proudly, though his stomach jolted with worry. He couldn’t bear to think of what would happen to Teddy if he, or, God forbid, Tonks…
Stop thinking that and fight, damn you, Remus shouted at himself inwardly. A new feeling of electricity pumped through his veins as the sky lightened, slowly casting a reddish light upon the fallen. A blur of bright pink to his left drew his eye. Tonks had come to back him up.
Remus flashed her a quick, strained smile before resuming. In a few minutes, the two had subdued Remus’s Death Eaters and breathed a sigh of relief. Remus reached for his wife’s hand and quickly squeezed it. “Nice.”
She smiled back at him. They turned to go help the others, dodging curses rapidly as they went. Before Lupin even knew what had happened, Tonks was bleeding profusely from a cross-shaped wound on her chest and stomach. He groaned, and fell to his knees. The sheer amount of blood quickly turning her light jumper black was enough to stop his breath. Remus knew nothing but that he had to get her away from the fighting. He scooped her up in his arms and cast a Disillusionment Charm on them both before sprinting as fast as he could to the Forbidden Forest’s edge.
It took a few minutes for him to get there, but it was worth it. The area was nearly deserted, except for an injured centaur groaning softly several meters away, and people fighting in the distance. Remus did not know which side those people were on, but it did not matter, as long as she was safe.
He spotted an old oak tree that offered a lot of coverage, and Lupin laid his wife down behind it and lifted the Charm off of them both. Tonks had paled drastically. Her skin had a light bluish tint to it, and her hair was barely a shadow of the brilliant fuchsia it had been minutes before. Her golden cat eyes opened. “Sectumsempra,” she whispered hoarsely.
When the moon is gone forever,
I hope you're up there somewhere.
I'll see you again,
Be with you my friend.
Lupin nodded, a feral sob bursting out of him before he could try and stop it. He tried vainly to close her wounds magically, but he had never excelled at Healing, and his knees and hands were already drenched. Part of him knew he could do nothing, but he refused to believe that traitor part of him, and kept trying different spells. I will not stop trying, he told himself. I will not let her down; not now, not ever.
“Magic can’t fix everything, love,” she murmured to him, moments later. Her eyes were swimming in tears as she reached a shaking hand up to his face to cup his cheek. He grabbed her hand and held it there.
“I love you,” he whispered.
She just nodded, and reached her arms up to him as though she were a child. Remus knew what she wanted. He put his wand down on the forest floor and he cradled her, kissing her cheeks, and whispering to her. “I love you, I love you, I love you…please stay…Oh, God, please,” he kept talking, as though that would change things, make them different, make them better. He did not want to give up on the best thing that had ever happened to him.
'Cause all the roads, they lead to where you are,
And all the streetlights shine like they were stars-
That's where you are.
The light was becoming ever brighter. Light leaked through the heavy canopy of tree branches and made Tonks’ pale hair glimmer. Remus was still bent over her, but he wasn’t whispering anymore. He was looking straight into her glazed eyes, talking louder, willing her to stay with him. Her skin was still warm. She was alive, but barely.
Let's spend tonight on top of the world.
And we can do anything,
We can be anything.
I'll meet you tonight on top of the world-
As real as it seems,
You're only in my dreams.
“We’re seeing eachother for the first time, my brave girl. Order meeting. Remember, such a long time ago. You are the most beautiful pink-haired auror I have ever laid eyes on. You are not scared of me. I am surprised; still am, actually. You knock over that bloody Troll umbrella stand for the first time. Did I know then what you could- would- be?
“I’m sorry I tried to keep you safe by staying away. I love you. Remember that, okay? I’m sorry I fought you for so long. We could have had more time together…What will Teddy do?” And Lupin broke down and sobbed. Tonks, with great effort, lifted her hand again, to his head this time, and rested it in his shaggy light brown hair.
“Shh. Everything will be fine…” her voice cracked, and it was so hard for Lupin to hear her. “I love you, forever…we’ll see each other again. Don’t…worry,” she finished weakly. Her eyes closed and Lupin kissed her forehead softly before laying her down on the soft, cool earth. Shocked, dazed, he touched her hand one final time before getting up and returning to the grassy spot near the lake where he had been fighting before.
His thoughts were consumed. How could he have taken her for granted so long? Her blood was on his hands. On his clothes. He could not escape. He could barely deflect curses anymore. He could barely see anymore.
Back up at the castle there seemed to be a gathering of people, but Remus did not investigate. He knew could not fight like this. He turned around, to go back to his wife’s body again, and a figure appeared out of the shadows.
My heart is empty without you.
Sometimes you don't know what you do;
And I need you tonight,
I'll fall asleep and it's all right,
Close my eyes and I'll be by your side…
Lupin never saw the dark-robed woman. He did not hear her laugh under her breath. He did not hear her whispering madly about “pruning the family tree”. He did not even notice the quick flash of bright green light heading for him amidst the other curses jetting madly, and everywhere.
All he saw was Tonks, and in his mind, she looked as vivid as ever. She seemed to beckon him close. Her clothes were spotless white, and she smiled, although it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Come to visit me already?” she inquired with a raised eyebrow. He ran toward her, enveloped her in a bone-crunching hug, lifted her up, and twirled her around. Laughing as he set her on her feet, he asked her, “What on earth…?”
“Well, actually, I don’t think we are,” Tonks interrupted gently, gesturing around at the incandescent, glowing cityscape. It was unlike any place Remus had ever seen. He looked around in awe, marveling at the colors that seemed completely unfamiliar.
”Where’s the baby?” Remus wondered aloud.
Tonks leaned her face up to kiss him softly. “He’s still alive, love,” she whispered, and after a pause, she continued, “thank God.”
“Oh,” Lupin whispered, and echoed, “thank God.” He could not help feeling devastated that he would not be with his son, to raise him, and teach him how to ride a broom. Another child orphaned by the conflicts of adults; what a cruel world it was sometimes.
Remus stood, staring around at his new landscape, without really seeing anything. A few moments later, Tonks said softly, “He will be surrounded by people he loves and who love him, you know. I think he will be okay without us, and although it pains me to say it… someday, we will see our baby again.” She reached up to muss her husband’s hair, noting the lack of wrinkles on his face. She lifted up her t-shirt slightly, to show her stomach. There was no trace of a scar. Lupin reached down, ran his hand across her healed stomach, and leaned down to kiss it.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. I guess I’m glad I died,” Remus laughed a little. Tonks joined him, gracing him with that comfort; her laughter was his medicine, the best kind.
Tonks grasped his hand, and pulled him across a shimmering golden field of something like rye that he had not noticed before. “Hey, there’re some people who are going to be pretty happy to see you…” she smiled.
Lily, James, Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred Weasley, Lupin’s parents, Tonks’ father, and countless others waved at him. Remus was suspended in disbelief. He hugged and shook hands of his loved ones, and talked animatedly; all the while he clutched Tonks to him, as though terrified she would leave him again.
The beauty of his new home, and finally being able to catch up with all his friends, made Lupin feel at ease. He laughed and chatted and before he knew it the sun (was it the sun?) had set. There were fireflies darting around in the golden field. Lupin wondered if this was all a dream, but pinched himself and decided it was not. Dumbledore looked at him with twinkling eyes, as usual, and Remus decided to go with the flow.
After a few minutes of quiet thinking on his part, Lupin heard a loud whistle, and looked surprised. “They have trains here?” he marveled.
Dumbledore smiled at him and winked behind his half-moon glasses. “Sometimes even the dead need to go places, Remus.”
Let's spend tonight on top of the world.
And we can do anything,
We can be anything.
I'll meet you tonight on top of the world-
As real as it seems,
You're only in my dreams.
A/N: I hope you like this one; I do. I would love some feedback as always; review if you have a second! If you guys like this story, I do have a sequel semi-planned in my brain, so let me know if you're interested in reading it.
If you are wondering how Tonks' & Lupin's bodies got from the grounds to the Great Hall, one of the Order found them and brought them in, to be with the others that had passed.
On another note, the standing offer for people making me banners is: if you make me a banner for one of my stories I will write you a fic with a plotline that you choose (within reason). Email me if you would like to do this. Thanks!