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Summary for this chapter: Bad moods, new dead people, research and (almost) discovery!

Answers Ending in Questions

Severus Snape was not having a good morning. In fact, he was not having a good life, and subsequent death. Going along those lines, it seemed it wasn’t getting any better, either.

The night before, right as he was about to go to bed he had gotten a fire-call from his favorite person in the world, James. He had almost reached through the connection and wrung his neck. Instead, with much self-control, he had politely asked why he had called him.

James had also answered politely, if a little coldly, that he wanted to speak with him, and Lily, the next morning at about ten o’clock.

At this proclamation Severus had gotten a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach and asked, “So what will we have the pleasure of discussing?”

James had winced at his tone, quickly sent a pleading glance at Lily who was sitting behind him and replied, “The situation with Tonks.”

“And?” Severus had said, knowing the other man was trying to hide something from him. “If it has to do anything with those two mutts I refuse.”

Suddenly James had found himself between grimacing and throwing himself through the fireplace to kill the other man. He ended up just managing to say, “Don’t call them that!” before he was pulled backwards and Lilys face appeared in the fire.

“Please, Severus, we really want to speak with you,” she said and at that moment he knew he had lost.

He sighed weakly and put his head in his hands, “Fine, fine, ten o’clock. I will see you tomorrow.” Severus said and abruptly walked out of the room.

That had been at about midnight, now at nine forty-five he found himself walking up the stairs to their door. He let himself in and walked to the sitting room to sit on the couch. Lily came in a couple minutes later to ask if he wanted tea and he had nodded, grumbling.

When she came back James had managed to drag himself downstairs and was sitting in a recliner by across from the couch. Lily had made three cups, anticipating her husband’s arrival. When they had gotten comfortable Lily began to speak.

“So we all know why we’re here-”

“Not like we care,” Severus said coldly, glaring at his tea.

James and Lily exchanged a glance; Severus really wasn’t a morning person.

“Yes, but that’s beside the point. Even if we supposedly don’t care we still know what’s going on and have an obligation to make sure everything turns out well!” Lily said enthusiastically.

“Sure, now all we have to do is figure out what it is that we’re doing.” James muttered.

“I vote we do nothing unless Sirius and Remus begin to openly advertise their...relationship.” Severus said slowly, looking around to make sure Tonks hadn't woken up and wandered downstairs at some point unknowingly.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea!” James exclaimed.

“I don’t.” Lily said with a glare to her husband.

“And why not?” he replied.

“Because she’s a busy-body that won’t keep her neb where it belongs,” came a new voice.

Everybody jumped and looked around quickly. Fred Weasley stood in the doorway looking bored.

“Mr. Weasley!” Severus said, and wearily looked around, paranoid that both of them had conspired to die at the same time.

“Don’t worry Snape, only me...for now.” Fred said and smirked at the other man.

“I’m hoping that means in about fifty years, and not that you two had made some kind of creepy suicide plan should one of you die unexpectedly.” Severus said, and raised an eyebrow.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” Fred said and winked. “Anyway, now that I’ve interrupted your little party what’s going on?”

After they’d explained most of it Fred looked kind of put out. “Is that all?” he asked, “Couldn’t it be a little more exciting? More scandalous?” he was suddenly cut off as Tonks stumbled into the room.

“Good morning,” she mumbled before she staggered off to get tea.

“Well, there you go. Enough ‘excitement’ for you?” James asked and Fred made a face.

“You were just waiting until she came down, weren’t you? You wanted to get the jump on me!” he accused and the adults smothered grins.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Snape said with complete seriousness.

“You’re all bonkers, I’m not sure if I should be in the same room as you.” Fred said and backed off playfully.

“Whoa there!” Sirius exclaimed as he grabbed Fred by the shoulders before he ran him over.

“Sirius!” he exclaimed, delighted, “And...Professor Lupin!”

“Not professor anymore, just call me Remus,” he said and smiled sadly. “I suppose we’ll see you around now.”

“Yeah, I guess so, my flat is about a ten minute walk from yours,” Fred said, glancing over Sirius and Remus and noting the distance between them, trying to see if they would slip up.

Much to his chagrin they sat down at reasonable distances from each other on a couch and he sighed and sat also. Tonks came into the room with a cup of tea and sat herself next to Lily on another couch.

James looked at the clock and the two newest members of their not so little meeting. It was only a little past eleven.

“So, what are you two doing here so early?” he asked.

“It’s Remus’ fault.” Sirius said immediately.

Remus shot Sirius a glare and said, “I thought that we would try to be on time for once. It just ended up with us being way early instead.”

Sirius snorted and mumbled, “Well, that’s an understatement.”

Lily cleared her throat and said, “Well, since we’re all here let’s try and figure out why Tonks didn’t manage to get home.”

“Yes, that is a problem,” Severus said, leaning back. “I propose we go to Dumbledores library and research.”

Fred and Sirius winced and James made a face.

“Umm, I have stuff to do. I’ll see you lot later, yeah?” Fred stuttered and fled.

“Cheater,” Sirius mumbled and James nodded.

“Well, let’s go then,” Remus said cheerfully and Lily nodded enthusiastically.

Lily turned to Tonks, “Do you want to come with us or do something else?”

“I think I’ll go explore,” Tonks said, smiling faintly, her hair beginning to turn a brighter shade of pink, “I’ve always wondered what the other side was like, and now that I’m here I might as well see what there is to see!”

-- -- --

Tonks wandered off and the remaining group headed over to Dumbledores house and the library that it doubled as. Dumbledore had greeted them at the doors and he seemed to have finally changed his appearance to how it was when he was younger. He had short auburn hair and a nice complexion. He still had the twinkle in his blue eyes and that seemingly all-knowing air about him that drove others crazy.

After two hours with a brief break for lunch even Remus was getting dejected. They had gone through all the books they had originally looked at and found nothing. At last Sirius had broken down and went to go find Dumbledore to see if he had any recommendations.

“Ah, I was wondering when you were going to ask me, my boy,” he said with that cursed twinkle in his eye.

Sirius was slightly disturbed by the fact that Dumbledore now looked the same age, or younger, than himself, and still called him ‘my boy’. “Yes, so, are you going to answer me?” he asked impatiently.

Dumbledore just smiled patiently, “Muggles say the reason for ghosts is that they have regrets in the mortal world. It’s not the same in the wizarding world, but it still affects us. I think that the reason Tonks was unable to go back was that she has regrets that she must face before she goes back.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Sirius said cautiously. “I’ll go tell the others,” he called as he went to find the others.

-- -- --

Sirius and Remus got home late that night, as usual. As they got ready for bed Remus went over the conversations that had kept them from getting home at a reasonable hour.

--

“But what are her regrets?” James asked, frustrated. They had been sitting in their living room for the last hour going over that point getting no further than the first time the question had been asked.

“We’ll just have to ask her,” Remus spat out, annoyed. He had kept quiet most of the conversation, but annoyance and lack of sleep had finally gotten to his temper.

“We would, but she’s still not back.” Sirius said, rubbing at his temples. A headache was threatening him if he didn’t get to bed soon.

“She’s been gone for awhile, maybe we should-“ Lily started, but was interrupted when the object of their conversation walked in.

“Sorry I’m late,” Tonks looked sheepish, “I almost got lost and had to ask for directions. Anyway, I’m beat. I’ll see you all tomorrow morning.” She yawned and went upstairs.

“I am not coming here tomorrow. I want a day to cool off. I’ve done nothing but be with you all since Remus got here. I want to just sit around all day without worrying about trapped ghosts.” Sirius said stubbornly.

“As much as I’m loath to admit it Sirius is right,” Severus said, reminding everyone he was still there, as most of them had forgotten. “We all need a day to get ourselves together before we go off to save the ghost.”

“All right, but we still need to talk about all this.” Lily said, though she wasn’t all that opposed to the idea.

“We will, though it seems that’s all we’ve been doing lately. We need to do something. Try something other than just sit around talking.” Remus said and got up to stretch. “Come on Sirius. Let’s go home.”

--

Sitting in bed Remus thought that he might have been a little short, but at the moment he didn’t really care. He was jumpy. Tomorrow was the first full moon since he had come to dead land and he was slightly nervous. He wasn’t sure if he would transform or not. He could feel a little of the wolf moving around but it was nothing like the huge amount of pressure he had felt while he was alive.

Sirius leaned over and gave Remus a kiss on the cheek before he turned the lights off. Sirius knew the other man was nervous about tomorrow night, but he would be there no matter what. That was part of the reason he had suggested a day off.

Maybe Lily, being the busybody she was, would get some information out of Tonks and they would be a little farther on the puzzle. He smiled to himself as he got comfortable.

Yes, that would be nice. He couldn’t wait until his barrier was gone and he could have his werewolf all to himself.

-- -- --

End chapter eleven