A/N: OK, this needs a big long note. This April, I participated in Livejournal's rtchallenge community, which had a prompt of a word, quote or picture for each day in April. I did all 30, and I will be posting the vast majority of them here (some of them suck). Just to save you confusion, they follow no logical order, besides the days they were written on. I hope you enjoy them, all the same!

"Dost thou think that because thou art virtuous that there shall be no more cakes and ale?"

It was a glorious Saturday night in the middle of summer, and Remus Lupin was indoors, reading the newspaper. There were quite interesting articles in the Quibbler even if they were nonsense, and the cocoa was nice, but Remus couldn't help wishing, just a little bit, that he was with Tonks at the party.

Nymphadora had been invited to a garden party hosted by her beloved Aunt Narcissa. Although the two were far from close, Narcissa had apparently insisted that she attend because of "family principles". This statement wasn't at all comforting, but Tonks thought it could be OK, even if Remus wasn't going to be coming with her. Remus had not been invited, partly because he wasn't really a family member, and partly because the Blacks had a common familial grudge against anyone with the surname Lupin. It had been his dad's fault. The man just had to protest when he and Remus's mother had proudly marched their son up to the steps of 12 Grimmauld Place, only for Mr Black to offer them some bread crusts if they didn't come back again.

Remus was contemplating how much he had sulked after that incident when sparks appeared in the fire, and a large shape was rotating inside. Remus leaned forward to see 'Nym' emerge from the flames, looking flustered but cheerful.

"That was quick." Remus remarked. She had only been gone for fifteen minutes. "Good party, was it?"

"She chucked me out!" Tonks grinned. "Or rather, Draco did. Little git hasn't liked me since I…er…put worms down his back. I was ten, he was four…anyway, he told me that my offerings were not suitable to people of their social standing."

Remus was aware that each guest had been asked to bring some sort of food or drink (preferably both), and Tonks's choice, in hindsight, was bound to be rejected by such as the Malfoys. People of their honourable status just didn't touch that stuff.

"He then had the ruddy cheek to say I'd been spending too much time with you. That brat. I should have brought some spaghetti with me for him. With meatballs."

Remus laughed, thinking of Malfoy's childish comments to him all those years ago. He couldn't help feeling a pang of guilt about Nym's rejection, though. They were living an impoverished life, what with him being unemployed and Tonks's pay check being cut by Rufus Scrimgeour to the point that it was only slightly better than no job at all. He knew Tonks's choice demonstrated how well she was adapted to her new lifestyle, and he was glad of that, but he knew she was missing out on a lot.

"Still!" she said, throwing herself down on the sofa and wrapping her arms round Remus's waist. "I'm happy to be home with you…Draco would probably mention you somewhere and I'd be screwed all night."

"Screwed?" Remus asked, alarmed. Tonks smiled and nudged him in the ribs.

"Screwed as in dirty look, not screwed as in the other meaning, because I wouldn't be bothered about having that all night. Dirty slang aside…what are we gonna do with this stuff?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "We are going to play ice hockey with it, Tonks. As you do."

Tonks mock-frowned at him and Summoned the food and drink towards herself and Remus. He then got out his wand and made a rather neat set up for them, using a tea towel, several plates, and two champagne glasses Tonks had run off with after they'd spent a night in a luxury hotel one time.

"Not bad for the poor." she remarked. Remus nodded, and they tucked in together, talking and laughing like they would at any fancy party.

"If there's one thing I love about being poor," Tonks said, "it's that you're never too special for anything!"

"Especially," Remus added as he raised his glass to toast her, "bright pink fairy cakes and Spicy Ginger Ale."