"I can't believe this," I complained to Kingsley at work the next morning. "This is the second time this month Cornelius has asked to see me. I can't understand why."

"I didn't want to tell you this," Kingsley started, "but I heard that they were sending a few people to sit at Azkaban while they reorganized prisoners next week."

I groaned. "And I'm assuming they're sending the aurors lowest on the totem pole to do that."

"Sorry," he said.

"Honestly. They couldn't find any decent Hit Wizards to do this?" I asked.

"They had decent Hit Wizards, but after Sirius escaped they felt that security there was left better in the hands of more skilled personnel," Kingsley said.

"Skilled personnel my ass. This is because I said 'but I like Dumbledore' at out last department meeting. And also probably because I'm like 12 compared to the rest of you, no offense," I said.

"Stop fretting," Kingsley said. "It'll turn out alright."

"They'd better give me time off for this, or at least a decent assignment. If I have to look at one more Sirius Black sighting from Nepal I kick a puppy," I said.

I reached Fudge's office and went inside.

He was sitting at his desk, like always. Becca standing at his side, clipboard in hand.

Fudge smiled at me.

"Auror Tonks, good to see you again. Have a seat," he said.

I took two steps into the office and tripped over his umbrella stand. Falling to the ground.

*Umbrella stands will be the death of me.*

I fixed the umbrella and climbed to my feet.

"Sorry, sir," I said.

"No trouble, what with your reputation I should have prepared," he said.

On the outside I was smiling. On the inside, I wanted to hit him in his smug little face.

"Anyway, I wanted to speak to you about some news I received recently," Fudge said. "It's disturbing to think that anyone in the auror office could be in league with Dumbledore, especially an outstanding auror such as yourself, but someone has taken the liberty of informing me that you may in fact be in league with not only Dumbledore but the Potters as well."

That someone was definitely going by the name Lucius Malfoy.

"Sir, I can assure you that these accusations aren't true," I said.

"Well Rufus tells me that a few weeks ago the two of you had a bit of a disagreement on the issue of Dumbledore," Fudge said.

It hadn't been much of a disagreement. It had something more along the lines of me fangirling Dumbledore at an inappropriate time.

"I was being more sympathetic, you see, I don't feel it's been appropriate for the media to attack him the way that it has. The ministry can handle its business with him without splashing it across the front page is all," I said. "I meant no disrespect."

"And you are not in league with Dumbledore?" Fudge said.

"Absolutely not," I said.

I was so impressed with myself I couldn't stand it. My mother always told me Black's knew how to tell a good lie.

"Well, good," he said. "In other news, we'd like to put you on temporary leave. Paid of course. Next week, we'll be setting out you and Dawlish to guard Azkaban prison for the week while we adjust our high security level. Please use the time off to mentally prepare."

That was his fancy way of saying "get some balance before Monday."

"Of course sir," I said.

"I don't wish to be seeing you until then Miss Tonks," he said. "Have a good day."

"You too sir," I said.

I rose from my seat and left without incident.

As quickly as I could, I apparated to Grimmauld Place and walked right in through the front door to the kitchen.

"Guess who gets to guard Azkaban prison for a week?" I said collapsing down into a chair.

"Oh, how'd you land that crap job?" Sirius asked.

"I'm related to you is how," I said. "Oh, and by the way, Lucius Malfoy is told Fudge I was in cahoots with Voldemort. He's gonna learn eventually that snitches get stitches."

"Angry then are you?" Remus asked.

"Well spotted," I replied. "But what have you been up to today?"

"Nothing much really. However, we did just have an interesting conversation with Harry. Apparently he's caught the attention of some Slytherin girl and it got me to thinking of all the girls I dated in Hogwarts," Sirius said.

"Technically you only dated one girl. The number of girls you violated is a larger more terrifying number," Remus said.

""I wonder whatever happened to Veronica," Sirius said.

I thought for a long moment.

"She was the tall dark haired girl wasn't she?" I asked. I was really young when Sirius and Remus had been in Hogwarts, but I remembered just a few of his friends.

"That would be her. The only girl I ever loved. I was with her right up until they chucked me in Azkaban," Sirius said.

"Hannah says Danielle goes to Hogwarts now," Remus said.

"Wow, Danielle, really? She was no older than Harry and Hannah," Sirius said. "She was Veronica's niece. Her parents were murdered by Lestrange unfortunately. Veronica and I were raising her."

"From what I've been told, they lived in the states for the longest time and moved back just a few months ago," Remus said. "I'm sure we'll be hearing from her eventually, if Dumbledore has interest in her rejoining the order."

Sirius nodded. "So, Tonks, did you have anyone special in Hogwarts?"

I shook my head. "Nope. I dated Bill once in fourth year, but that was as special as they got. I dated a ton of losers. I was the sleezy kind of girl who wore short-shorts and halter tops all the time and only attracted the wrong sort of guys."

Just as I finished my sentence Hannah walked into the kitchen wearing short-shorts and a halter top.

Sirius' expression was both horrified and priceless.

"What are you wearing?" he asked as Hannah reached up to the cabinet.

"Clothes," she replied cheekily.

"You dress like that while you're at school?" he asked.

"If the occasion calls for it," she replied.

"And what occasion would that be?" Sirius asked.

"Let's say it's 90 degrees and I'd like to avoid a heatstroke," Hannah said, alluding to the current temperature of the smoldering house we were currently trapped in.

Sirius shook his head. "That's not clothing. That's an invitation."

If there was one thing you didn't say to a combative teenage girl like Hannah it was that.

"An invitation to what?" she asked, crossing her arms and cocking her head to one side defensively.

"To the small bit you are covering up," he said.

"Oh, give me a break!" I said.

I looked over to Remus who could tell this was about to be a train wreck.

"You know most blokes these days are only after one thing you know," Sirius said.

"I had no idea," Hannah replied, obviously annoyed.

"You're a smart girl, Hannah," Sirius said. "I don't expect you to dress like a tart."

"A tart?" she asked. The pissed off 15 year old meter was rising.

"You'll only attract those kind of blokes dressed that way," Sirius said.

"Well, maybe that's what I want then," Hannah said.

Remus' jaw dropped and I quickly clamped my hand over my mouth to keep my gasp in. Had she really just said that to Sirius?

Sirius' face twisted in horror at her comment. "Hannah!"

"What? Would you have me dress like nun then?" she asked. "Should I join a convent while I'm at it? How miserable and shut in do you want me to be before you can be happy?"

Sirius leered at her. He was definitely just as angry as Hannah had been.

Hannah had been so sweet and funny when she arrived and Sirius had always been pretty lighthearted. This fight they were in the middle of was just completely horrifying.

"I think you need to go upstairs and change your clothes and your attitude," Sirius said.

"Bite me," she replied walking back upstairs.

For a moment the room was silent.

I felt like I should say something and from the look on Remus' face he did too, but what could we say?

"Did you hear the mouth on that girl?" Sirius finally asked.

"I'm sure she didn't mean that," Remus said. "She was just upset."

"But does that give the right to talk to people that way?" Sirius asked. "And did you see what she was wearing?"

"You don't think you were a little tough on her?" I asked.

"She shouldn't be dressing like that. She's 15 years old," Sirius said.

"And that's the way they dress. Besides you can't expect her to walk around wearing a jumper all the time. It's 80 degrees outside and even hotter in here," I pointed out.

"It would make me feel better," Sirius said.

"Yeah well she's 15. She doesn't care much about your opinion," I said.

"I don't like it," Sirius said.

"Get over it," I said. "You agree with me, don't you, Remus?"

"Actually, I think I'll have to agree with Sirius on this one. You have to admit her clothes don't leave much to the imagination," Remus said.

"And 15 year old boys can imagine a lot," Sirius said.

"They do a lot too," Remus said.

"Exactly my point! No one knows better than I what 15 year old boys are after," Sirius said.

"You said something to her that upset her and you've obviously done something to upset her in addition to your spat," I said. "I think it might be a good idea to go talk to her."

"About what?" he asked.

"Well, for starters you could apologize for calling her a tart," Remus said. "That was out of line."

"True," Sirius said.

"And then just ask her what you've done that bugging her," I said.

"I haven't done anything wrong," Sirius said.

"Surrogate parent or biological parent or godparent – parents are always wrong in the eyes of their children," I said. "And do as little talking as possible. Let her talk."

Sirius frowned at me. I pointed him away. He got up from the table and walked upstairs.

"What would he do without you?" Remus asked.

"He would be a terrible parent," I said. "I may not know a lot about being a parent but if there's one thing I know about, it's being a 15 year old girl."

"Lucky him, he has you," Remus said.

"Yeah, I'm a pretty hot commodity if I do say so myself," I said.