"Look I really have to go now mum," Nymphadora Tonks insisted.
She was standing in the middle of the crowded platform waiting to board the Hogwarts Express. All around her students were dragging trunks and owl cages, greeting old friends loudly or having tearful goodbyes with their families. New students were standing around looking terrified while the older pupils were trying to impress the younger ones or else they were ignoring them like some had chosen to do.
Tonks quickly pecked her fair haired, round bellied father on the cheek then gave her mother one last hug before backing away on to the train. Andromeda's brown eyes were slightly watery as she watched her only daughter join the others climbing aboard the bright red train.
Tonks began making her way down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express when all of a sudden she tripped over a stray trunk and went crashing to the ground.
"Oh I'm so sorry!" came an apologetic voice.
A strong hand reached down, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to her feet.
Tonks looked up and found herself face to face with Bill Weasley. She had been about to go off on a rant of curses and swear words but swallowed instead when she saw Bill.
He stood there looking slightly embarrassed – his long red hair sticking up oddly, the fang earring swaying and his blue eyes worried.
"Sorry," he repeated letting go of Tonks's arm. "I dropped my wand you see and some idiot Slytherin kicked it so it rolled off away down the corridor then of course I had to go crawling after it so I just left my trunk here," he explained.
"Oh it's all right," Tonks said lightly. "It was just an accident," she beamed up at Bill.
Bill looked relieved as he picked up his trunk and hurried off away down the train.
"Nice hair colour by the way!" he shouted back, admiring her lime green hair from a distance.
Tonks sighed as she continued on in the opposite direction. Ever since she had first laid eyes on Bill Weasley she had, had a crush on him. That was four years ago now, she reminded herself. If he liked you too then he would have told you by now. He only thinks of you as his younger brother's friend and that is the way it will always be so get over yourself. Despite how many times she told herself this though Tonks still really liked him. It just seemed to get worse every time she saw him.
As she walked a compartment door to her right was flung open and a broad shouldered red haired boy stood grinning at her.
"About time you showed up!" he said.
"Charlie!" Tonks greeted her fellow Gryffindor student and best friend with enthusiasm.
"Look what I got," Charlie looked down at the small prefects badge he had pinned on to his muggle jumper.
"Prefect! Well done!" Tonks shrieked and threw her arms around Bill.
"You should have seen mum when I told her," Charlie laughed. "Started bawling her eyes out and saying how proud she was at having two of her sons being prefects."
"She should get to know my mother," Tonks said, pointing out the window at the dark haired woman wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "I'm a fifth year for goodness sake not a first year!"
"Well she only has you doesn't she," Charlie said reasonably. "My mum has plenty of kids back home to keep her busy!"
"Yeah maybe," Tonks said distractedly, her mind drifting to Bill.
"Listen I have to go meet the rest of the Prefects but I shouldn't be long," Charlie began. "More people will probably come and join you soon anyway."
With a quick wave he stepped out of the compartment and disappeared. Tonks heaved her trunk up on to the luggage rack before taking a seat next to the window. She smiled out at her parents as the train began making it's way slowly out of the station, gradually picking up speed as it went.
Once out in the countryside the door slid open and three other people entered – two girls and a boy. The two girls seated themselves beside Tonks while the boy sat opposite.
"Tonks!" the boy smiled.
He was built the same way as Charlie but with dark brown hair and grey eyes.
"Hello there Archie," Tonks said cheerfully.
"Where's Charlie?" one of the girls that had entered piped up.
"He's been made a prefect so he is away off to, I really don't know what it is he's away to do," Tonks replied. "But don't worry Adalia he'll be back soon!" her eyes twinkled.
Archie smirked.
It was widely known across their year that Adalia liked Charlie but only Charlie himself seemed oblivious to this piece of information despite the fact that she continually batted her dark eyelashes and flicked her long golden hair around whenever she came into contact with him.
"So how are you Estra?" Tonks asked the other girl.
"I'm fine thanks," Estra replied. "How about you? Did you have a good summer?"
"Yeah it was all right," Tonks shrugged. "It's a lot better here at Hogwarts though."
Estra smiled as she pushed her glasses further up her nose. She was the more serious out of the three girls. While Tonks could be found creating mischief somewhere and Adalia trailing Charlie around the castle, Estra would be sitting quietly in the common room reading. She was pale compared to Archie who spent most of his free time out riding on his broom. Estra was small and thin, her black hair always tied up neatly unlike Adalia who was tall and spent a considerable amount of the day brushing her hair until it shone.
It was not until another twenty minutes that Charlie reappeared.
"Sorry about that," he muttered as he sat down beside Archie. "Where is the rest of the team?" he asked.
"Further down the train," Archie told him.
He and Charlie were both in the Gryffindor quidditch team. Charlie the seeker and Archie one of the chasers.
"So I saw Bill back there Nymph, he's been made head boy you know" Charlie told Tonks. "Anyway he told me about your little trip!"
"Really?" Tonks said, pretending not to be interested.
"It sounded hilarious!" Charlie roared with laughter.
Tonks drew her wand from under her sleeve and waved it at Charlie so that his mouth closed tightly.
"It's not so funny now is it?" she grinned.
Charlie gestured to his mouth clearly trying to get Tonks to release the spell but she turned away and started speaking to Estra instead.
This was an almost daily routine for Tonks and Charlie so none of the others paid much attention to the fact that Charlie could no longer speak. They had grown used to the pair jinxing each other for fun every chance they got.
ten minutes later Tonks removed the spell but immediately got one fired back at her.
"Jelly legs curse," Charlie told her, looking down at her wobbling legs.
"Interesting," Tonks replied. "Well I guess if you don't release me then you will just have to carry me to the castle!"
"Fine by me," Charlie declared.
When they arrived at the castle that night though Tonks was free of the jinx. She and Charlie took a seat along with the rest of their friends at the Gryffindor table and after watching the sorting they tucked into the feast. Further along the table from where they sat Charlie's older brother was whispering into an older girl's either.
"Bill got himself a new girlfriend?" Tonks asked Charlie, trying to keep her voice normal.
"Yeah," Charlie took a large forkful of chicken and swallowed. "They got together before the summer. She's pretty isn't she?" he admired the brunette next to Bill.
Tonk's felt her heart fall at this piece of information. Bill had a girlfriend. One that was older, prettier and smarter than her. She sighed.
"Yeah she's not bad," she told her best friend.
"Not as pretty as you though," Charlie winked at her. "Who in their right mind would chose brunette or blonde when they could have turquoise, scarlet or lime green," he laughed.
Tonks responded by flicking a slice of carrot at him.
"Who is she?" Tonks asked, trying not to appear to curious.
"Dunno," Charlie shrugged. "Never met her before. Bill mentioned her name a few times but I didn't pay much attention. Although wait till you hear this," he said. "Apparently she had liked Bill for years but hadn't done anything about it. I mean how stupid is that!" he scorned. "All she had to do was get a friend to find out if he liked her too and they could have got together ages ago."
"Crazy," Tonks mumbled as her cheeks turned pink. "So did he ask her out or did she finally decide to ask him?" she asked.
"What's with all the questions?" Charlie asked. "I feel like someone famous being interviewed on the radio."
Thankfully Tonks did not have to come up with a reply as at that moment the puddings appeared on the table.
Later that night Tonks sat in the corner of the common room with Charlie.
"Maybe we should get to bed?" Charlie suggested. "Bill says the OWL year is a nightmare and since it's our first day tomorrow…" he tailed off as the sounds of giggling came through the portrait.
"Charlie! Tonks! What are you two still doing up?"
Tonks's breath caught in her throat. She could recognise that voice anywhere. She spun around to see Bill Weasely hand in hand with his girlfriend.
"Oh have you guys met Olivia?" he said quickly.
The girl smiled revealing a perfect set of white teeth.
Tonks forced herself to smile back while Charlie said hello.
"Well I'd better get off to bed," Tonks said hurriedly. "Night Charlie, Bill. Nice to meet you Olivia," she began making her way across the common room to the staircase up to the dorms.
"Oh wait I'll walk with you!" Olivia called out in a sweet voice.
"Tonks glared at the ceiling before stopping to wait for Olivia to catch up.
As the two began walking she could sense Bill's eyes on them from across the room.
"So how long have you and Charlie been together?" Olivia asked as they ascended the spiral staircase.
"Oh we're not together!" Tonks said quickly. "We're best friends."
"I just assumed you were together," Olivia said apologetically.
Tonks started laughing. "That's the funniest thing I've heard all day!"
For a few seconds she forgot her hatred for Olivia as the two laughed together but it soon washed back over her.
"I can't believe how lucky I am being Bill's girlfriend," she told Tonks. "I never thought it would happen because he is so popular with the girls here at Hogwarts. For a while he seemed to have a different girlfriend every week!"
Tonks clenched her fist. She had gone through that torture as well though she was not about to admit it to Olivia.
"Well this is me. See ya!" she called, tripping up on the top step in her haste to get into her dorm.