A Step Into the Future: A Marauders Fanfiction (completed)

Eighteen: You Look Like You've Seen a Ghost! Oh, Wait...

REMUS: "Well, what're you waiting for? Knock Rem!" I scoffed.

"Pfft, we can't just knock! What do we do? Pop right in, 'hey future selves!' We have to plan this through!"

"Well," Sirius argued, crossing his arms dramatically. "It's not my fault you overthink things. We can easily just walk in, explain our situation, ask them a few questions..."

"We can't just act like this is some warm, happy family gathering because it isn't! We need to--"

Sirius pounded on the door before I could say more.

"There! Happy? Was that thought through enough for you?"

"Sirius Black, you bloody--"

The door opened.

It was a girl. Her hair was styled uniquely, bubblegum pink. She was quite pretty. I think I recognized her from somewhere. Where had I seen her?

She was carrying a plate of tea. The second she looked up to greet us, her mouth and the tea fell to the floor. (Her mouth didn't literally fall I mean, but the tea did.)

"Tonks? What'd you break this time?" I heard a grumpy voice call from down the hall.

She just stared at us, and I swore her jaw was going to become unhinged.

"Tonks, where are you?"

"I-in here!" She still stared at as, as if she didn't quite know what to say.

"Merlin, oh Merlin."

"Nymphie?" Sirius stepped forward. "Why, I haven't seen you since our mum's huge fight last year. You were what, four then? Seems you've grown."

"Oh, Sirius," she sighed. "Merlin, come inside quickly you two. Dumbledore told us, but I never would've thought--quickly, now!" She beckoned us quickly and shut the door behind us, nearly getting the doormat caught in it in the process.

"You two are actually here, Merlin," she said in a daze.

"Erm, yes. We are, as a matter of fact." I stepped forward. " Remus Lupin, Sirius has told me a fair bit about his metamorphous cousin. It's a pleasure." For a moment, I swear I saw a hint of a blush, but she immediately returned to normal composure.

"Still as tight-knit as ever, Remus. I know you, believe it or not," she smirked slightly, but then again put on an unreadable expression.

"Tonks!" An older guy sprinted into the room, his wand out. "I heard you yell, what's going--" he froze the second he saw Sirius and I. By looking at the scratches on his face, I immediately knew who he was.

"Remus Lupin, pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about you," I said ironically, sticking out a hand towards him. He ignored it and put on a stern look.

"You two," he lectured. "You weren't supposed to know--you were supposed to stay at Hogwarts! I even told Sirius--" his face paled, "Sirius Black you little--" someone slid into the room. His face looked gaunt and pale and his structure, fragile. But he smiled brightly all the same.

"You two, huh? I was hoping someone would crack my little code to Harry. Stuck in my old childhood home? Haha! I knew I could could on you two little devils." He ruffled our hair as a father would do to a son, or an uncle to his nephew.

"Sirius, my boy! Looking handsome as ever!" He exclaimed. Sirius--younger Sirius--recoiled in disgust.

"I'd say the same to you but mum always tells us not to lie. Wait--she doesn't." Older Sirius laughed heartily, and patted both of us on the shoulders.