DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter by J.K Rowling.

Author's Note: Hello, my name is Cloey van Zyl and this is a story I started writing way before I even knew what fanfiction was. I love the Harry Potter books and my favourite character is definitely Tonks. When I read the books, I always feel like her character and romance with Lupin isn't explored enough and so I decided that I would write my own version of the story. It's the same storyline but just from her POV and looking more closely at her background. It's one of my longest stories (sitting at around +- 38 800 words, yeah I know that might not be a lot for many but for me it is!). I'm not too sure about the quality of the writing because it was done a while ago but I just wanted to see what others might think of the story so this is the first chapter. The chapters are relatively short and I haven't finished the story, only really about half way, so I don't know if I'll ever be able to put the whole thing on . Anyway, enough of my rambling! I hope you enjoy:) Also, there are some OCs that I created, btw!

PART 1

Chapter 1

"Harry Potter? As in, the Harry Potter?", I counted quickly on my fingers, "Wow, you're right. He's the right age. Did Gabriel talk to him?".

Francesca shook her head, "No, but everyone talking about him!". Gabriel was Francesca's younger brother and was a fifth year Hufflepuff.

"What house is he in?", I asked the question even though I had guessed the answer already.

"Gryffindor. Not very surprising.".

We were both silent for a moment until, "Do you think we'll ever meet him? Maybe he'll need protection and they'll assign me to be his bodyguard when I finish Auror training.", my mind was perhaps a little imaginative.

"Who would he need protecting from? He's the Boy who lived!", Fran asked with a laugh.

"Well, I don't know! Some say He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named didn't really die, he could come back.".

Fran gave a snort. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can't come back, he'd be too scared of Dumbledore.", she paused before, "Plus, he'd be too embarrassed: he was defeated by a baby!".

I joined in the laughter and took a sip of my butterbeer.

One year before that afternoon in late September, I hugged my mum and dad goodbye and, seeing my best friend Chuck, I hurried away shouting, "Bye!" over my shoulder to my parents.

Chuck held out his fist, which I promptly pounded with my own. "Hey Tonks, how was the rest of your holiday?", his almost permanent grin lit up his face and I felt one form on my face as well.

"It was alright, but my mum had me practising household cleaning spells for weeks. How was yours?". Chuck started to push his trolley with his trunk and owl towards the luggage carriage and I walked next to him. "It didn't help at all did it though?", he gave a chuckle, "Mine was awesome, Jimmy helped me practise quidditch every day when he was visiting from America. I reckon I could take on the whole of the Slytherin team single handed and beat their stupid arses into the ground.". Chuck was on the Hufflepuff quidditch team as a beater and being so competitive, every year he prophesised Hufflepuff's victory and gain of the Quidditch Cup and every year when we didn't get it, he laughed it off and told everyone else on the team to stop lazing around and get some more practise for the next year. Chuck had told me many times to try out for the team but after the third time I tried out and was refused because I was "too clumsy, we all know you'll just drop the quaffle Tonks" by the captain, I had given up and instead had to be content to watching from the stands and occasionally helping Chuck to practise.

"Well you had better, Chuck. We need to win that cup this year; this is our last chance for us to win it. Next year we'll be leaving and if I don't see the cup in the Hufflepuff common room I'm gonna cry.". Chuck gave a sigh and, having finished unloading his trunk, we started for the nearest door onto the train, "Jeez, I know, I know! You're worse than Phillips is. You know he's been made captain this year? The last owl I had from him over the holidays was a five page essay about flying techniques. And the one before that was all about team reformation.", I gave him a sidelong glance and when I saw the pain-filled expression on his face, I laughed.

Chuck and I found ourselves a compartment and three minutes later the train pulled out of the station and the long journey to Hogwarts began.

Phillips soon found us and came into the compartment.

"Tonks! Chuckie!", he grinned and after giving me a hug and Chuck a fist pump, he sat down and sighed.

Chuck was the one who spoke the thought that was whizzing through all three of our heads, "So this is it, hey? Our last year at Hoggies.".

"Yep, and then we'll all be set loose on the world. I'm so excited to go.", Phillips was always very enthusiastic about leaving Hogwarts.

"I guess, but it'll be hard to say goodbye won't it?", a sentimental part of me sprang to life, "I mean, think of all the memories we have of the place.".

Phillips grinned at this, "Well, now is the time to make some more! We got one year left and luckily I've been made Quidditch captain. If there's anyone who's going to make sure we get that cup this year, it's me. And then there's the House cup of course. Tonks,", he turned to me and gave me what I guessed what a fierce, authoritive glare but all it managed to do was have me struggling to keep a straight face, "you better stop messing around in class so that we don't lose any points unnecessarily. That goes for you too Chuck.". Chuck and I swapped glances and then after half a second of silence in the compartment, we burst into laughter. Phillips glared at us but couldn't hold it for long and so one of our last train rides to Hogwarts began.

A/N: Hope you liked it, please review and let me know what you think! Also, if anyone wants to beta this or my other Glee stories, please PM me:)- CvZ