Tonks pauses, head tilted and eyes thoughtful as he casually remarks upon the state of housing (or non-housing, as the case may be). It's a stark reminder of what was in her Remus' past. In this Remus' future. But she realizes, as she watches him, that his youth..this youth..likely had some difficulties (beyond the obvious) that he glossed over in their adult conversations. Whether it was shielding either one of them from those thoughts, or rose-coloured glasses on the times, Tonks isn't sure. She opens her mouth, but thinks different of it.

Different, but not better. Better would be to tell him everything and hope that the future changes. Tricky time travel.

Instead, she vacillates between the lighthearted conversation of riddles and the perhaps-treading-more-difficult ground of homes and dorms and the like. "Hufflepuff dorms are right by the kitchens. So I'd sneak in and grab snacks and things."