July 1, 1995

'Dora,

Just wanted to see how you've been…haven't heard from you in a while…I hope your big glamorous Auror lifestyle isn't too time consuming and you can come visit us soon.

Much Love,

Mum and Dad

Tonks laughed as she folded her Mother's note and scrawled a quick reply. It was entirely too hard to keep things from her parents and since the Order was secret, she'd been avoiding them. Especially since she knew of Sirius's location and innocence. The next meeting was in two days and she was hoping to talk to her cousin more in that time. Something in the room growled…her stomach? With a sheepish grin, she realized she hadn't eaten since breakfast and quickly heated up some meat and vegetables. She thought of Bill, who was seeing that Veela girl again tonight and had told his parents that he would be with Tonks. She'd offered him the cover because he wasn't ready to tell his mother that he really liked the girl.

Tonks tried to remember her last boyfriend. Well, there was Charlie Weasley…but that was years ago in her sixth year for a month. They decided it was too weird and just opted to remain good friends. Then, at the beginning of Auror training there had been a boy named Thad, which had been a bust since he'd only been interested in getting in her pants. A grin came to her face as she remembered the bloody lip she'd given him when he tried to put his hand up her shirt. She sighed. Other than those two, she really hadn't dated. Unlike most girls, she'd never even had sex, which was rare for most girls her age. Some stupid sentimental piece of her wanted to wait until marriage.

She cracked open a bottle of Butterbeer and sat reading Witch Weekly, which was unusual for her. She usually headed straight for the Prophet. This week's featured article was a love quiz. WHY ARE YOU STILL SINGLE? With a shrug she decided to take it. Her final results read,

The fact is, you are too into your work to put effort into a relationship. You should try to go out more and make time for friends.

She ran a hand through her hair, which had become bland, brown and shoulder length. I'm pretty…aren't I? She looked like her mother a bit, and she'd always thought her mother was a pretty woman. The fact that she was even reading Witch Weekly disgusted her. A short rap at her window made her jump so severely, her knees buckled and she crumpled to the floor. It was only an owl, of course. She let the bird in and untied the note from its leg. The handwriting was a messy masculine scrawl.

Nymphadora,

Or is it just 'Dora? I can't seem to remember. My friend Remus and I were going to have a big dinner and there's probably too much, so if you don't have any plans, you should join us. We can catch up on old times and I'll fill you in on Harry…my Godson.

Hopefully we'll see you tonight,

Sirius (and Remus)

She laughed at how young he still seemed in his writing and replied that she would be there as she eyed the hideous food she'd already heated. And it would be nice to get to know her cousin, since she'd barely known him before he'd been a convicted murderer. She caught a glimpse in the mirror and sighed. Her short hair was a mess, she didn't ever wear makeup, if it weren't for the pink in her hair and well, the fact she had breasts she thought she quite resembled a fourteen year old boy.

"Ugh! No wonder you don't date!" She muttered, thinking a moment. Grabbing the wretched magazine off the table she turned to the section with tips to make girls look better.

Hair…why not try long? She made her hair long, halfway down her back and turned it back to her natural brown color.

"Now I know why I change it…" She said, eyeing the mousy color. Within moments their were strands of blue throughout it. She nodded and pulled the front of her hair back and secured it with a barrette. Opening her cupboard, she eyed the makeup she'd never used. After three tries she managed to get mascara on, once poking herself in the eye. After a bit she was thoroughly satisfied and left her flat, disapparating onto the doorstep of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.

Sirius must have been near the door, because it opened almost instantly.

"Hello!" He said enthusiastically.

"Hello Nymphadora!" Came the faint voice of Remus Lupin from the basement. She cringed at the name but smiled at her mother's cousin, offering him the bottle of Firewhiskey from her house.

"I like your hair!" Sirius said as she stepped in and he closed the door.

"Thanks," She laughed. "So is the little woman cooking?" He looked a bit embarrassed.

"Remus? Yeah, he's…"

"I'm only teasing Sirius, but I had to. Two grown straight men living together. It's quite comedic." After a moment he grinned at her.

"You've inherited 'Dromeda's sense of humor."

Remus was setting the table as Sirius led Tonks into the kitchen. There was a large roasted chicken sitting in the middle of the table surrounded by various side dishes.

"Wotcher Remus!" She said cheerfully. "You must be quite a cook!" He chuckled, brushing off his old tweed jacket.

"Actually," He replied, "I cannot take credit. Molly was kind enough to provide us with food." She nodded with a grin.

"Now it makes sense." With a laugh, she said, "Not that I have room to talk. I've burnt soup!" Remus laughed as if he hadn't laughed in years.

"Stop babbling you two! Let's eat!" Sirius complained as the three sat around the end of the long table.

"So Nymphadora…" Sirius finally said after eating a whole leg off of the chicken. Giggling, she poured him some Firewhiskey.

"Sirius, it's Tonks…or 'Dora if you'd rather, but not that monstrosity!" There was a twinkle in his eyes as he said,

"'Dora then. Have you been dating much?" Remus choked then. Tonks raised her eyebrow at him and pushed his glass of water closer.

"Actually," She said, eating a piece of her chicken. "I don't date very much. I mean my last real boyfriend was Charlie Weasley and that was five years ago."

"Oh, Charlie? Really?" Sirius said teasingly. She gave him a look.

"Yes, for one awkward month until we both realized we'd rather be friends. And we still are, thank you!" Sirius had a mischievous look on his face.

"Oh, I don't know…you and Charlie's big brother looked pretty chummy at the Order meeting." Remus cleared his throat loudly before Sirius yelped, "Ouch!"

"Bill?" She laughed out loud. "It's not what you're thinking…" Sirius's eyes narrowed and he positively looked like her mother when she was trying to catch Tonks in a lie.

"What do you mean?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I promised him I wouldn't tell." An impatient snort came from Sirius.

"Who am I gonnatell?"

"Fine," She broke, "But if you say anything I'll beat the shit out of you…without the help of a wand." She winked at Remus, who was suddenly interested in his peas. With a sigh, she said, "Bill is seeing someone and he doesn't want anyone to know." Remus looked up again.

"Really? Who?" Tonks shrugged.

"Some Veela…" She replied. "But enough about my love life and Bill Weasley! What about the two of you? Married? Kids?" Sirius made a noise of disgust.

"Yes 'Dora, I managed to get married and conceive a child in Azkaban." Now her eyes narrowed.

"Technically, you've been out for a year, you git!" She laughed, turning her gaze to the other male. "What about you Remus? Wife? Kids?" A low uncomfortable chuckle came from him.

"No, nothing like that. I'm more worried about finding a job. As you know I'm infected with lycanthropy, so it makes things difficult." Tonks nodded sympathetically.

"I can't imagine…" Seeing it was hard for him to talk about, she changed the subject. "So, tell me about Harry!" With fatherly pride, Sirius took the lead.

"He looks just like his Dad…"

"But he has Lily's eyes." Remus reminded him. Sirius nodded.

"Right. He is a really good boy with a good heart. Of course, he's stuck in Little Whinging every summer with Lily's horrid sister and her husband." As she listened to them tell her about Harry, it became very clear to her just how dear James and Lily had been to them. She'd never had a friend that close to her. It was nice to see there was still some good in the world.


"Well, I think he's done for the night." Remus observed, as Sirius began to snore in the armchair he was sitting in. He'd downed half the bottle of Firewhiskey. She got up.

"Come on, I'll help you get him up to his room." She said, as they both put an arm around Sirius and carried him upstairs. After a small struggle they got him into his bed.

"Thanks." Remus said and she nodded, following him out of the room. As they were walking back downstairs, she stubbed her toe and fell, but luckily his reflexes were good and he managed to catch her.

"We really need to stop doing this," She said, turning pink at her clumsiness.

"I don't mind." He replied. "Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." His eyes were kind as she stepped away. A pang of emptiness gripped him as she stepped out of his arms. She's your best friend's baby cousin, Remus…His head said.

"Well," She said after a moment of silence. "I guess I should…you know…get going."

"Yeah! I mean yes! Of course…Well, it's been fun having you Nymphadora." She smiled despite the name.

"You know, somehow it doesn't bother me as much when you say it." He chuckled.

"I'll take that as a compliment. And I must say, I missed the pink hair." He added.

"Really?" She asked. He nodded.

"It flattered you." He said, looking away, embarrassed. I cannot believe you just said that you dolt, He thought, No more Firewhiskey. Ever. To his surprise, however, she pulled the barrette from her hair and it changed back into the bubblegum pink color that came just to the nape of her neck.

"I like it better too." She replied and shocking him even further, gave him a quick hug. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Well, it was really Sirius's idea…" Remus lied. It had actually been at his suggestion that Sirius had decided to invite her over.

"Oh..." She bit her lip invitingly. Did she sound disappointed? "Well, it was fun! But…I really do have to go now. Bye Remus."

"Goodbye Nymphadora." He watched her disapparate, and sighed once she'd gone, grabbing the Prophet to look for new job options.