author_by_night | The Five Remus-and-Tonks Rules of Thumb

(Disclaimer: Not based on or inspired by any specific fics; simply done as a guide.)

1. Remus really does love Tonks. Really.

Remus wouldn't just "pretend" to love Tonks while really wishing she were Sirius. However, it is fine, if one wishes, to write a past relationship with Sirius, as long as you do not try and tell me that JKR's having Harry notice Remus and Tonks holding hands meant Tonks had put Imperius on him.

2. You must not make Tonks a ditz.

She's an Auror. On a similar angle, do not make Remus someone who Tonks had to teach to laugh; considering some of his actions in PoA, I think he's already got a sense of humor.

3. Sirius's last name is not "Who?"

Consider this scenario:

Remus: BoohooSiriusDIED!

Tonks: ...oh. Who was he again?

Remus: *Senselessly snogs Tonks*

Come on, R/T shippers! If Tonks was that disrespectful about it, there's no way Remus would continue to date her.

Furthermore, no matter how you see Tonks and Sirius in terms of closeness, as Hermione said, "that's not the point, he was her cousin!" Even if Ron
was right about them never having met (which I really doubt, but you never know), there's still going to be the fact that a long last relative died.

4. The Potters died YEARS ago.

I highly doubt Remus cries over them every night. I'm sure certain things have brought painful reminders, but people generally move on. My Dad lost
a very dear friend, incidentally around the same age as Remus would've been, and he doesn't, to my knowledge, cry about it every night.

5. Remus is not a Pound Puppy every Full Moon.

And Tonks isn't going to chase him around the yard with a stick.

Follow these guidelines as a field guide. Please. ;)