Prologue

Hogwarts 1990

" I have to tell him Tonks," She said turning to the girl she'd known her entire life.

"Charlie will understand Amerie, he loves you," She said watching as the amethyst eyed girl shook her head. She knew all to well how the sins of your family could affect you.

"Maybe if I had told him from the start, but not now, especially when I'm mentioning it the night before graduation," She whispered feeling the tears well up as her throat formed a lump.

"You aren't supposed to tell anyone Amerie, your breaking a rule by even speaking hit aloud," She whispered as she nodded. She understood it logically, but since when did matter of the heart follow logic?

" I told him I'd met him at one, so I have to go," She whispered pulling on a maroon colored sleeping robe as she tucked her wand in the sleeve.

Making her way down the stairs on silent feet Amerie Johnson knew she was about to alter the path of her life forever. She'd held this one thing back from Charlie and it had eaten her alive. She who prided herself on being truthful honest and straight to the point had been pretending to be something she wasn't' for the past seven years.

She'd been in love with Charlie Weasley from the moment they'd met during tryouts for Quidditch. Amazingly enough the feeling was mutual and the legendary seeker and Chaser had been dating ever since.

"Amerie what's going on?" Charlie asked appearing a few moments later with tousled ginger colored hair.

" I have to tell you something," She whispered looking around as she drew him over to the couch beside the fire.

"And you had to tell me at one in the morning?" he asked frowning at her unusual behavior. He knew she was nervous about what would happen after they'd left Hogwarts but this was more than that.

" I'm not even supposed to be telling you this, but I think it's only fair you know what you' d be getting in to if you decided to stay with me," She whispered as he frowned. What did she mean if he decided to stay with her of course he was going to. They were like peas and carrots, with her chaser skills and his seeking they could both land professional spots and travel together until they got married.

" I know you think you know every thing there is to know about me, and the truth is … for the most part you do, " She said looking up to meet his confused amber eyes.

" There's…. there's something about the Johnson blood that is no longer mentioned and forbidden to mention. You know I'm a pure blood, but what you don't know is that I have Black blood in me," She said as his eyes widened slightly. It was a shock, but not a complete surprise; the pure bloods almost all had intertwined family trees.

"I don't see what…" He said as she placed two fingers on his soft lips to silence him.

"Before we were blood traitors we were just as bad as the Malfoys and Blacks, we had a lot of people involved…. With you know who and should he ever return my family would be the first on his list to seek revenge on," She said sitting back as she took in his freckled covered face trying to gauge his reaction as he digested everything.

"Tonks is more than your best friend-"

"She's my cousin," She said nodding as he shook his head.

"Why didn't you tell me this until now Anne Marie!" He hissed angry as she shook her head.

" I- I didn't know how to," She said shaking her head as he stood , face flushed with anger.

"Did you think it would matter? I told you I loved you, and I meant it," He said as she stood attempting to soothe him.

" I know Charlie, and I never doubted that," She said swallowing hard as he shook his head.

" Then why wait so long? I can't believe your telling me this the day before we graduate! Is there anything else you have that you've been holding on to for the past seven years?" He asked quietly as she shook her head refusing to cry.

"I need to think," he said standing abruptly and heading up the stairs.

Those were the last words they every truly spoke as he made his decision to go off to Romania and work with Dragons and she took a professional Chaser position with

The Kenmare Kestrels. The sudden break up was often talked about and almost as legendary as the relationship.