"It's in the trees - it's coming!"

[Remus Lupin]

Word count: 590
Tag: Nymphadora Tonks
Lyrics: The Hounds of Love - Kate Bush

'The hounds of love are hunting me
I've always been a coward,
And I don't know what's good for me.'

Humming to himself (offtune, as always), Remus ventured downstairs. For a moment, he'd forgotten about the portrait of his oldest friend's mother and pulled a face at her as she screamed numerous insults at him before he could close the curtains and shut her up. At least she hadn't commented on his singing, he thought grimmly, but faintly amused. Remus couldn't sing well at all, even though he loved music. Ironically, when he tried singing any louder than a hum, it usually sounded like howling. He usually didn't try singing loud, just hummed off key a little and hoped no one would hear.
He was early, the living room was still empty. Just like he had hoped. An Order meeting would commence in about fifteen minutes – minutes he was going to use to prepare. Not so much on the meeting, more on who was coming. One person in particular, really: Sirius' younger cousin. His friend had laughed at him as Remus had fallen silent the first time he'd seen her – about a week ago – and had clapped a hand on his shoulder with a boyish grin Remus knew so well from their days at school. It had been a while, more than a while, since Remus had had a crush on anyone, really, and it surprised him how familiar the feeling felt. It seemed the day was in black and white until the colourful girl entered the house. The realisation made him, somehow, feel younger, almost like before.. before all those things had happened and Remus had started to feel old. He tried to convince himself it was Sirius' reaction that made him feel boyish and energetic, that that smile (or grin, more like) had given him back some of the part of himself he had lost after he had left school, after James and Lily had died, and after living alone for years. But he knew it wasn't so much Sirius that did it, it was Nymphadora. (He knew she hated her first name, but he couldn't help it – he liked it.)

'Well, here I go!
It's coming for me through the trees.
Help me, someone!
Help me, please!'

Walking to the kitchen, he put the kettle on and waited for the water to boil. He usually brewed tea for the meeting when he was early; talking over tea was so much easier. At the moment he hated that there wasn't much he could do apart from patrol certain areas, but knowing Dumbledore, he'd soon find something Remus could really do. He wanted to contribute, he wanted to be useful – that was all he wanted to be his whole life. How could you claim to have lived a good life if no one remembered you? If no one had had the idea you'd contributed to something good? Remus just wanted to be the best he could be. He knew he wasn't much, but at least he could try.
He was just toying with a cup, throwing it up in the air and catching it again (hurray for werewolf reflexes, it was one of few things he had at least learned to accept through the years), when he heard someone stumble in the hallway and curse. Chuckling to himself, he put the cup on the draining board and opened the door to the hallway. “Good afternoon, Nymphadora.”

'Do you know what I really need?'