Chapter 1: The Session

Nymphadora Tonks never considered herself a "girly girl" by any means, but the 7th year Hufflepuff always felt so alone on the expansive campus of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She gazed into her full-length mirror and began to change particular things about herself, all the while wondering what combination of looks would entice even a little bit of interest from the opposite sex. After fidgeting for a few minutes, she sighed and returned to her normal state, with shining light brown hair down to her shoulders. She gently slid her glasses back on and opened up her copy of Quidditch Through the Ages. She opened the book to the back pages, where the most recent scores were being etched out before her very eyes. The Chudley Cannons had begun a five-match long "road" trip, first topping the Patonga Proudsticks in Uganda, and were currently leading the Tchamba Charmers by a score of fifty to thirty in Togo. As her eyes scrolled down the scores, she snorted and thought to herself, "Gee, Tonks. You wonder why you don't have any dates… you insist on being called your last name, you care more about quidditch than any boy in Hogwarts, and your idea of an amazing date would be to play wizard chess and chat about nothing in particular… you really need to change…"

Tonks set her book down on her nightstand and buried herself in a pillow. Thoughts of inadequacy raced through her brain. It was then that the door opened and her roommate, Grace Tierney, entered. She saw Tonks crying, and, being one of her few friends, sat beside the couch as Tonks looked up at her.

"What's wrong Tonks?"

"Wotcher, Gracie…" Tonks said through sniffles. "I… I just don't feel… like I'm enough… I'm overlooked by every boy in this school…"

Grace gently rubbed her friend's back, having heard this same problem for many evenings. "Shh… it's okay Tonksie… I'm sure you're going to find a great guy who will love you and treat you like the great person you are… you just have to wait for the right one… none of these stuck up boys who have their heads so far up their arses that they could wear themselves as hats."

Tonks let out a small chuckle as Grace continued. "Besides, didn't your mum say it's best to focus on schoolwork and then on the Quidditch Cup when you're all caught up with the homework?" Tonks nodded. "Now what do you say we go down for some dinner. After that, I met this wonderful counselor here on the grounds that might be able to do you some good, even if it's just having him as someone else that you can talk to…"

A weak smile and a nod came from under the pillow. Tonks sat up on the bed and dried her tears, then followed Grace into the Great Hall for dinner.

After the two roommates ate their fill, they walked down one of the well-lit corridors to the counselor's office. A big oak door with a gold nameplate was now all that kept Tonks from trying to resolve her problems. "I… I don't know if I can do it."

"Of course you can. You talk to me just fine… I'm sure you'll find he's easy to talk to. He's a great listener, from what I've heard." Tonks sighed, resigned to her fate, and knocked on the door twice. While waiting for an answer, she examined the nameplate.

R. Lupin

Counselor

A tall, thin man answered the door with a smile. "Can I help you?"

Grace gave Tonks one last reassuring smile and headed back to the Hufflepuff common room. After watching her roommate disappear down the hallway, she looked up at the man, seeing his perfectly chiseled, clean-shaven face and his gorgeous hazel eyes. "Well? Can I help you?"

"Yeah… I… umm… I'm… Tonks?"

"You don't seem very sure… would you like to come in? Perhaps that could jog your memory." He said it with a charming smile that eased her embarrassment slightly. All she could muster was a nod as he opened the door to allow her in. He motioned to a plush red couch by a window and then closed the door, casting a silencing charm on the room. Tonks tripped slightly on the elegant light blue rug resting in the middle of the room and stumbled onto the couch as the counselor pulled up a matching cushioned armchair beside her.

Noticing her embarrassed silence, he began with that amazing smile again. "Hello, I'm Remus John Lupin, and I am a professionally licensed counselor. Before we begin, I would like to assure you that our conversation is kept thoroughly secret and is protected by the strongest charms and hexes, so that if I speak any of your secrets out, I shall be punished by having my lips seared together for a year." Tonks chuckled a little. "Now, those who come in here are by no means crazy, and I can tell that you aren't, due to the fact that you haven't started throwing pillows and books around the room. If you feel so compelled to, however, I just ask that you please clean it up after our session." He sighed as if relieved to have the formal business out of the way. "Well, with that being said, who might you be? Are you this 'Tonks' that you spoke of earlier?"

Tonks blushed a deep shade of red and nodded. "Yes, I am. My… roommate suggested I come see you because I've been having some problems with my… uhh… you know, self-image? I guess… I guess I just want to be one of those girls that all the boys want to be around, but it's never worked that way for me…"

"Well, Tonks, I'm happy to say that your problem can be easily fixed. All you have to do is look into this mirror here." Remus pointed to a gold, full-length mirror in a free corner of the room. Tonks walked over, being sure not to trip again, and gazed into it. As if instinctively, she began to change her hair to a blond color and put it up into pigtails. Remus snapped to attention in surprise.

"You're a… metamorphagus!"

Tonks nearly leapt into the air in terror as her eyes widened. "Is that bad?"

"No no… it's just a surprise, that's all. Your ability is quite unique and should be considered a blessing!" Tonks exhaled deeply and smiled as Remus spoke. His words seemed to ease her little by little.

"Now, what do you see in that mirror?"

"Well, I guess you can tell that all I can see is something that needs to be changed…"

He nodded. "Well, I propose you look at things in a different light. Rather than seeing this person that needs to be changed, why not look at it as someone who is unique in her own special way, and should not have to change herself for others to be content with her? You are a very talented young lady, and you shouldn't be put off by these boys here. Believe me, there is a world much bigger than Hogwarts."

He finished with a smile, but as she stared at herself, Tonks could only see her imperfections. As he droned on, she began to develop an irrational hatred toward this man, who suggested that all of her problems could be fixed with a mere change of attitude. She began to wonder what gave him the entitlement to pass judgment on someone who was inferior to all the other girls. As these thoughts flew around her head, she finally twirled to face him, stumbling over her own two feet. Regaining her balance, she let all hell break loose.

"You think you're so smart, don't you? You think that I can change everything that's wrong with me just by a change of the way I look at myself? What you're suggesting I do is to lie to myself and pretend that my unattractiveness is not there. How dare you! What makes you so sure you know me? You have no idea what it's like to be a freak that nobody can stand. I'm lucky if I even have one friend, while I'm sure you just laugh yourself to sleep with all the stories you hear. Try taking a walk in my shoes and see how great it is to not feel wanted by anyone!"

With that, she grabbed a random book from the bookshelf and heaved it at Remus. If not for a quick duck, it would have hit him square in the forehead, but had luckily thudded against the wall behind him. Tonks made her way out of the office and slammed the door shut.

Remus sighed to himself. "Well, that could have gone a lot better…"

A/N: Please R&R so I know whether to continue this story or not. It would be much appreciated. In return for reviews, you shall receive one counseling session with our favorite werewolf.