Lupin put his arms around his wife, not even caring that he'd never shown affection for her in front of anyone before. It wasn’t that he was ashamed, not at all, but sometimes he worried what people would think. He was so much older. If Tonks had just been one year younger, he would have been her teacher.
Tonks mumbled something against his chest, but it didn't matter that Lupin didn't understand much. If he couldn't understand the actual words he could understand the thought behind them.
They had all looked up when Bill entered and assumed expressions of relief that another of us was back, but they barely had time to say anything when Bill spoke, grim-faced.
"Mad-Eye's dead," he had said bluntly, and beside him, Remus felt Tonks stiffen.
There had been a silence, as Remus cautiously looked round at his wife and saw her face crumple as she avoided his eyes.
It was this that caused Remus to pull Tonks close to him.
Tonks walked cheerfully into the Ministry, a spring in her step even as she walked extra carefully. She really didn't want to spoil the moment by falling over. Again.
She walked into the classroom with the other trainees, a few familiar faces among them. Still walking carefully, she went over to join them and they talked for a few minutes, all beaming.
But when the teacher walked into the room, they all immediately rushed to their seats. He was old, gruff, and formidable and didn't look in the best of moods.
"Constant vigilance," he grunted. "I didn't like to see the way you all rushed to your seats when you saw me. You should have known I was coming."
They all exchanged glances, rather frightened.
He tapped the blackboard with his wand and immediately a chalk starting writing on it.
Auror Training
Alastor Moody
Tonks beamed.
"Right," said Moody gruffly. "You've all taken exams to be here. But you need more, don't you?"
They all nodded nervously.
"Yes, you do," he agreed. "You need preparation, you need stamina and you need to be always ready. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he roared again.
"Right, I need a volunteer," he said, casting his eyes around the classroom for a raised hand, and when he saw none, he pointed at Tonks.
Tonks tried not to shake.
"You," he barked. "What's your name, girl?"
"Nymphadora Tonks," she said, slightly scared, standing up.
"OK then, Nymphadora," (here Tonks winced) "up to the front."
Tonks stood up, but in her hurry to do what the teacher said, she forgot to be careful and fell flat on her face.
When she woke up, she was the only one in the classroom, propped up on a chair and feeling the familiar sensation of stitches in her forehead.
"Ah," said Moody, surprising her. "You're awake."
Tonks nodded gingerly, hardly daring to speak.
"You feeling alright?" he said, almost mildly.
Tonks nodded again.
"You want to be careful," he continued. "I've known wizards die from falling like that. Better wizards than you, girl."
Tonks blinked, and in her curiosity, she forgot her shyness. "Who?" she asked interestedly.
Moody stared at her, obviously a little caught out. "Never you mind," he mumbled at last, and for a long time Tonks was the only student who dared to talk in front of Moody.
Moody had meant so much to her.
It had always been Moody who had helped her through things, frequently giving her stitches, crawling across the floor at the battle of the ministry to check she was alright when he was injured himself, even offering a slightly-less-gruff word every so often when she'd been so depressed about Lupin.
They had all known this might happen, and they were all willing to die in order to defeat Voldemort. But when Tonks thought about Moody, and the kind of man he was – he shouldn’t have died like that. He should have died where everyone could have seen and applauded him – not where his death would have to be covered up. Not where the Order had to go and rescue his body to stop the Death Eaters taking it.
Tonks didn't even notice that Molly and the other Weasleys were there, looking saddened themselves, or even Harry in the corner, drinking Firewhisky with a face like thunder. All that mattered was that Moody, her protector, was gone. She knew now why Harry was so different from before the battle at the ministry – she had barely known Sirius, though he was her cousin, but to Harry it had been like losing a father. And to Tonks, that was what losing Moody was like.
But as Lupin gently took his arm away from around his wife, off to do his duty, though she did not think it possible, she felt her ability to cope diminishing even further, and as she thought about what it would be like to lose him instead, Tonks drew her own arms around herself protectively, as if to try and replace him. Tonks knew that without Lupin, she wasn't going to cope with the loss of anyone.