It was the week before Christmas and the whole of the world seemed to be busy making holiday plans. The snow had already begun to blanket the Earth, driving away the warmth with a bitter chill that lingered in the crisp air and raced alongside the wind. There was something about the week before Christmas that brought a warm feeling to the hearts and minds of those who particularly enjoyed the holiday; Remus Lupin was one of those.

Standing before a large window in his common room, he smiled, deep in thought. So much had changed in his life over the course of two years. Though ironic, the loss of Sirius Black had seemed to bring an end to his misfortune in life. It had closed a chapter full of bitterness and detestation, and turned a new page for him. He and Sirius� cousin, Nymphadora Tonks, had wed after a yearlong courtship, and had moved to a picturesque house that had been a gift to the couple from Lupin�s family. Albus Dumbledore had asked Remus to return as a teacher to Hogwarts, and for once in his life, Remus felt some semblance of stability.

He laughed ruefully to himself and turned around to admire his neatly decorated home. My Home. He thought sentimentally. He had grown up in a nice home, but once he had moved out of his parent�s house, he had lived in a run down shack, unable to afford anything better. He vividly recalled the years of wearing tatty robes, wandering village to village in search for a job. He had gotten by, barely, but now those days seemed like a lifetime ago. A lump formed in his throat at that thought and he choked it back with a laugh.

�Getting a tad too mawkish in your old age, Remus.� He chided himself.

There was a gentle rap on the door, and Remus went to greet the caller. Pulling open the door with a wide smile, he looked down at the sole person on the step. A woman, slightly younger than Tonks, with long black hair and pale gray eyes stood looking at him expectantly.

�Would you care to invite me in, or shall I just stand out here and freeze?� She asked with a hint of sarcasm.

�Um, forgive me, I�m sorry.� Remus stumbled over his words, stepping back to allow her entry. �You must be��

�Raya.� The girl answered for him as if bored. �Raya Black. You must be Tonks� husband.�

�Who?� Remus asked absently as he closed the door, distracted by her likeness to Sirius. Raya arched an eyebrow at him curiously. �Oh, Tonks. Yes, yes, of course! Most just call me Remus, though.�

�Right.� Raya replied with a strange expression. �So, where am I staying?�

Remus raised his eyebrows at her, befuddled, noticing for the first time the suitcase in her hand. �I�m sorry?�

�Uhh�I assumed when Tonks invited me here for the holidays I�d be staying with you.� At Lupin�s lost expression, Raya sighed. �Tonks didn�t tell you I was coming, did she?�

�No, I�m sorry, she didn�t.� Lupin answered, mentally cursing his wife�s forgetful nature.

�Oh, how bloody typical.� Raya sighed in exasperation. ��Oh, you�re part of the family, Raya, come stay with us! I just won�t tell anyone you�re coming because that would start rumors.�� Raya mocked what Tonks had probably thought and Remus couldn�t help but laugh.

�Listen, it really isn�t a problem.� He condoled, taking the suitcase from her. �I love having company stay for the holidays. We�ll just set you up in the spare bedroom.�

�Are you sure? I�d hate for Tonks to think you�re going out of the way for me.� Raya asked sarcastically. Remus shook his head laughingly and began to climb the stairs with Raya at his heels. He led her to the spare bedroom that held a double bed, a bookshelf filled with antique texts and a writing desk.

�I�m guessing you use this room more than Tonks.� Raya asked sardonically.

�What makes you say that?� Remus asked offhandedly as he set the suitcase beside the bed.

�The books. I think the only thing Tonks reads willingly is Witch Weekly.�

Remus laughed loudly at this, pointing to a magazine stand near the bed that was, indeed, stuffed full of old issues of the women�s magazine. Raya rolled her eyes and laughed as well.

�Well, I�ll let you unpack. Tonks won�t be home until later tonight, but make yourself at home.� Remus headed back downstairs and into the kitchen to make them some tea. He set the water on the stove to boil and took down two slightly chipped cups, placing a tea bag in each. He turned to go back into the great room, but as he neared the kitchen door, it swung in, slamming solidly against his nose.

Remus stumbled back, slightly dazed, and clasped his nose. �Oww!�

�Oh, Remus! Damn! I�m so sorry!� Raya exclaimed apologetically, rushing forward to make sure he was alright. Remus looked at her through his tearing eyes, trying to laugh through the stinging pain.

�Don�t worry about it. I don�t think it�s broken.� He told her, feeling his tender schnoze.

�Are you sure?� She asked worriedly, resting her hand on his arm. �I didn�t realize you were right there.�

�It�s okay.� He repeated. �I�ve been meaning to take that damn door off for that very reason, only I figured Tonks would be the one to bang into me.�

Raya laughed sympathetically, but reached up to move his hands off his nose. �Let me see.� Remus obliged her, feeling his pulse quicken as she gingerly stroked the side of his face. Their eyes locked into one another�s and for a long moment they simply gazed at each other. The pot on the stove began to whistle from the steam and almost reluctantly Remus moved away from Raya.

�Tea?� He asked, clearing his throat.

�Please.� She answered, unsure of how to feel at that moment. Remus poured the water over the tea bags, then offered her a cup. Their fingers brushed together as she took it from him and a mysterious wave passed through each of them. Again, they simply looked at one another for an instant before Remus led the way out to the common room. He sat in an armchair while Raya took over the sofa.

�So, Raya, what do you do?�

�I work at the Ministry in the Magical Creatures department. We�re trying to pass a law right now that would outlaw the execution of untamed animals.�

�Fascinating.� Remus replied. �Think it will pass?�

�Now that Fudge isn�t Minister we have a better chance.� Raya answered honestly. �What about you? What do you do?�

�I teach Defense Against The Dark Arts at Hogwarts.�

�Again?�

�Yes,� Remus answered shrewdly. �Why?�

�Oh, well, I just thought after the year you resigned that you wouldn�t be allowed back�being a werewolf and all.�

Remus blinked at her. �How did you know about that?�

�I was there. A sixth year Slytherin.� Raya informed him. �I thought it was good of you to resign. It was really dangerous for you to be teaching there. You could have bitten someone.�

Remus tried to ignore the insult, and see what she was saying from her point of view. �Perhaps you�re right, but there are many things that people don�t understand about werewolves.�

�Like?�

�Like the fact that the Wolfsbane potion renders us as harmless as a family dog.�

�I realize that now, Remus, but at the time, I just thought it wasn�t a very good idea. I only meant that I would have thought there would be parents protesting your appointment to the staff, that�s all.�

�Some did.� Remus admitted. �But none of the parents pulled their children out of the school.�

�Well, that�s good then.� They both fell silent, neither wishing to start a new argument, and simply gazed at the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. The twinkling lights had a calming effect and, coupled with the tea, Remus started to feel drowsy. He set aside his teacup, and closed his eyes, meaning only to rest them for a moment, but slowly drifted off to sleep.

Raya glanced over at him and smiled at his sleeping form, his arms crossed over his chest, his head falling slightly to the side, feet stretched out and crossed at the ankle. He looked peaceful. She remembered how he had looked when he had been her professor�tired, old beyond his years, and ragged. While his hair was still flecked with gray and his face was still slightly creased from age, he had a healthier glow about him. The dark circles under his eyes had vanished, and his clothes were no longer patched.

She had to admit, he was a handsome man even though the extensive scars from his boyhood encounter with a werewolf marred his face. Raya particularly liked how his hair fell into his eyes, giving her a strong urge to run her fingers through it.

She inwardly groaned, pushing her own hair back from her face. Why was she thinking this way about a married man? A man, she might add, who was married to her cousin. She�d never felt anything towards him when she�d been his pupil, but there was something different about him now that drew her in. Maybe she was imagining things, but she could have sworn that he had felt something earlier as well. Fleeting, but it was there. The only question was: Did she dare take the risk to find out if that something truly existed? It seemed unfair not to know, but who was she to try and steal Remus away from Tonks?

As she sat there watching Remus sleep and contemplating her choices, the fireplace burst into flames, startling her, and she looked over to see Tonks� face in the flames. �Remus?�

�He�s sleeping, Tonks.� Raya informed.

�Wearing him out already I see,� Tonks said with a jovial smile. �Listen, I�ve got to go on an overnight mission, so I�m not going to be home until tomorrow evening. Will you let Remus know?�

�Of course,� Raya told her, an evil smirk forming on her lips. �It�s nothing dangerous, I hope?�

�Oh, no, not in the least. Don�t worry, and give Remus a kiss for me.�

�All right,� Raya said with reservation and with that the flames died out. Raya blinked once, staring into the empty fireplace. Was that her sign? She looked back over at Remus who was undisturbed in his slumber and smiled. She decided to let him rest, and went into the kitchen to put away her empty cup when an idea struck her. Wondering how often Tonks cooked for Remus, Raya opted to make dinner for him. She ransacked the pantry and freezer for something he might like, then set to work.

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