25 June 1995

Tonks opened her eyes to find herself in the Hospital Wing. Several beds around her were occupied by various figures – Remus, Sirius, Harry, Viktor, and Cedric.

"Hello?" Tonks called hoarsely. "Anyone?"

"Hello, Nymphadora." Tonks turned her head to the left. Remus had many bruises and cuts on his body, which were all in various stages of healing. She looked down to see her legs wrapped tightly; they were throbbing terribly.

"Remus? What happened?"

"We got Splinched. A few regrown bones and plenty of Blood Replenishing Potion helped, but we're all to take it easy for the next few days," replied Remus.

"No…I meant what happened before that?"

"We were in the graveyard at Godric's Hollow. I believe Dumbledore is coming to see us once Poppy wakes Sirius."

"The boys?" Tonks gestured towards the sleeping, still frames of Harry, Cedric, and Viktor.

"They'll all live."

"Good." Tonks winced as she tried moving herself on the bed. "Oh my – Hope! Where's Hope?"

"Your mother is taking care of her," Madam Pomfrey interjected. "She'll be here in a few minutes to learn what happened as well."

"Do you know what happened, Madam Pomfrey?" asked Tonks.

"I know what I need to know." She took a few vials of potions and tipped them down Sirius's throat in an attempt to wake him. He coughed and sputtered, looking disoriented as he opened his eyes to find the Hospital Wing.

Remus spoke to Sirius to fully wake him. Tonks wiggled her toes, feeling her whole body stiff and pained. Whatever Splinching had done to her body, it couldn't have been pretty, she thought.

Moments later, Dumbledore swept into the Hospital Wing followed by Ted, Andromeda, and a sleepy Hope. Tonks's heart immediately soared to see her daughter again.

"You'll have to wait to hold her," Madam Pomfrey cautioned. "Your bones in your arms and legs need a little more time to rest and reset."

"Can I hold her?" asked Remus. Madam Pomfrey nodded, smiling, and Andromeda brought Hope to Remus's lap. He winced but brought Hope up on his chest for sleeping.

"Thank Merlin all of you are back safe and sound," Andromeda said, kissing the top of Tonks's head. "You've no idea how much you terrified us."

"What happened after the graveyard?" Tonks asked. "Or before it? Who won the tournament?"

"I will fill in the blanks, as it were," Dumbledore said calmly. "First, Miss Delacour won the tournament. Somehow she managed to avoid everyone else and get to the Triwizard Cup first. It was not a Portkey, as we confirmed beforehand."

"Good for her," Tonks said tiredly. "What happened to Krum?"

"I will explain shortly. The tale begins with our friend and judge Mr. Ludo Bagman. It appears Ludo was under increasing pressure to pay off a great deal of debt for his bets. We believe he was offered a deal from an unknown person, likely a Death Eater. We are unsure who it is, as Ludo is now dead and cannot tell us."

Tonks, Remus, and Sirius all gasped collectively and Dumbledore put his hand up so he was able to continue the account.

"We've pieced this information together based on what Cedric and Harry told us. Ludo was promised every knut and more upon delivering Harry to the graveyard at Godric's Hollow."

"But how? We checked every inch of that maze! There was no Portkey!" Remus cried. "How in Merlin's name did he do this?"

"Ludo created a pit for Harry to fall into shortly after entering the maze. He made a mistake, however, and Cedric fell into the pit first. He attempted to levitate himself out, but couldn't. Harry happened to hear Cedric struggling in the pit and came to help him," Dumbledore replied.

"The noble thing to do," Sirius murmured. "Harry, through and through."

"Precisely. The pit was charmed so that it would open to an underground passageway upon Harry's falling into it," Dumbledore continued. "After inspecting it myself it was charmed with an Age Detection Charm. Only someone underage would open the passageway. Cedric and Harry thought the passageway was part of the maze and so they followed it. The passageway led out of Hogwarts's grounds, which was far away enough that someone was waiting for Harry to Side-Along Apparate him to Godric's Hollow. Harry told me it was Peter, who had been transformed as a rat and waiting until Harry reached the Apparition point."

"Harry noticed Peter transforming first and told Cedric to run or use his Portkey, which was a brilliant move on your part, Tonks," Dumbledore said, nodding at Tonks. "Before Cedric could do either, he noticed that Peter had grabbed onto Harry. Good-hearted, generous boy that he is, Cedric took hold of Harry and the three of them Apparated to Godric's Hollow."

"When they landed in the graveyard, Voldemort – still in Crouch Jr.'s body – ordered Peter to kill Cedric. Again, in a brilliant move, Tonks, your dueling lessons with the boys paid off. Cedric and Harry immediately began dueling Peter and other Death Eaters. Cedric was cursed badly but was able to use his Portkey. He thought he'd grabbed hold of Harry, but it was too late and Harry had been taken hostage by Voldemort."

"When Cedric returned, Severus used Legilimency to determine that Cedric and Harry had been at Godric's Hollow. This is when you, Remus, and Sirius went away to follow them, if I'm not mistaken," Dumbledore said, nodding again at Tonks, Remus, and Sirius.

"Harry returned several minutes later, shocked but intact, with his Portkey. He told us what had happened but by the time we were able to get to Godric's Hollow, the three of you were gone. Only the bodies of Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr. remained in the graveyard."

"How did they find us?" Sirius said weakly. "I don't remember where we went."

"I took us to Hogsmeade," Tonks replied. "That's what I tried to do."

"You were successful. Aberforth found the three of you in some pieces," Dumbledore said evenly. "Side-Along Apparating two others after the stress you'd endured did you no favors. He alerted us that you'd returned and managed to patch you up well enough to bring you three here."

"What happened in the graveyard?" Ted interjected. "The three of you arrived bloodied beyond recognition."

"That's probably the Splinching," Remus said, while Tonks flushed, feeling guilty. He relayed the entirety of the events in the graveyard, from finding Tonks as a badger, Voldemort's return through the Gaunt and Potter bones, and finally, Peter's sacrifice for Remus's life. He concluded, saying, "If it wasn't for Peter, I'd have died. I…still can't believe it."

"Is Harry all right? Cedric? Viktor? Will they all be okay?" asked Tonks, looking at the three boys' sleeping frames.

"Harry is shaken, but otherwise safe. No one was able to take his blood, which prompted Voldemort to use James Potter's bones for his Regeneration Potion—"

"—does that null the Blood Protection Charm?" interrupted Andromeda. "Is he still safe with us?"

"Yes, he is," Dumbledore assured. Andromeda exhaled, relieved, and slumped against Ted's shoulder for support. "Using James Potter's bones may afford Voldemort some share in the protection that Harry has, but not in its entirety, if I'm not mistaken. Harry's protection is strongest so long as he calls your home his."

"Obviously we're his family and his home," Tonks said firmly. "He's my brother."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at her. "Yes, he is."

"What about Cedric and Viktor? How are they?" Remus asked, glancing over at the other beds.

"Cedric was cursed badly. He will make a full recovery but Madam Pomfrey and the Healers at St. Mungo's believe it will take him several months to walk again. He is lucky to be alive and he owes his life to your careful planning, Tonks."

Tonks smiled, despite her pain. She'd managed to save Cedric! He would have to learn to walk again but he was alive and safe, she thought happily.

"Mr. Krum fell into the pit long after Cedric and Harry had gone away. To his dismay, several blast-ended skrewts had made a home there in the meantime and Mr. Krum suffered a great deal of burns as a result of the confined space. He won second place, as Cedric and Harry returned from the maze sooner," Dumbledore replied. "Cedric and Harry lost, but they are alive, well, and safe. There is no greater prize than that."

"How'd Mr. Diggory take it? Cedric's dad?" Tonks asked, remembering the somewhat pompous man who'd been suspicious of her for months for training both Cedric and Harry together.

"Amos is beyond grateful for you, Tonks," Dumbledore said kindly. "Cedric told us everything as soon as he was able to speak, from the planned Portkey to the advanced, grueling dueling sessions you'd given them. He was nothing short of impressed and grateful for saving his son's life."

A brief, heavy silence followed Dumbledore's statement.

"What happened after that?" asked Sirius. "Who got Peter and Crouch's bodies?"

"Their bodies are in care of the Ministry of Magic. We brought Aurors to Godric's Hollow to inspect the damage," Dumbledore replied. "Ludo's body was found this morning outside Hogsmeade. The Aurors believe it was foul play, as do we. I hope that the Aurors come by to see the three of you to learn what happened in the graveyard. Because Cedric and Harry only saw Voldemort in Crouch Jr.'s body, only the three of you can attest to Voldemort's return."

Tonks bit her lip nervously. In the first Tonks timeline, the Ministry hadn't believed Harry when he'd said Voldemort had returned.

"Do you think they're going to believe us?" Tonks asked quietly. "That he's back?"

"I certainly hope so, Tonks," Dumbledore said grimly. "I certainly do." Madam Pomfrey appeared behind Dumbledore with a frown on her face and her hands on her hips.

"That's enough excitement for now," she announced quickly. "My patients need rest!"

"I agree," Andromeda said. "Nymphadora's too pale for my liking. I'll get her some Blood Replenishing Potion."

"Can I hold Hope for a bit, please?" Tonks said. "I missed her."

"I'll bring her to you, love," Ted offered. He took Hope from Remus and placed her gingerly on Tonks's lap. The pain was instant – Tonks was certain she'd Splinched both her thighs – but it was worth it to be able to kiss Hope's head briefly.

"Take these three, Nymphadora," Andromeda ordered. "I'll be getting to Remus and Sirius next. You'll want to sleep through the Skele-Gro."

"How badly did we Splinch ourselves?" Sirius asked, incredulously. "Skele-Gro for all of us?"

"Let's say it's a very good thing my brother has a strong stomach," Dumbledore said kindly. "I'll check in with you all in the morning. For now, get all the rest you need."

Tonks finished the potions her mother had given her just before Ted picked Hope up from her lap. She felt the Dreamless Sleep Potion take effect moments after it went down her throat and knew no more.

….

1 July 1995

For the first time in many years, Tonks wished she'd been awoken by a vision from Voldemort. She'd taken Dreamless Sleep Potion every night following the skirmish at Godric's Hollow and the subsequent Splinching. Otherwise, sleeping while healing two re-grown legs had been all but impossible.

She now sat in the library of Grimmauld Place with Dumbledore and Harry. In a repeat of the other timeline, number twelve, Grimmauld Place had become the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.

"Describe every detail you saw, Harry," Dumbledore requested. "Nothing is insignificant about this vision."

"Voldemort is really angry," Harry began awkwardly. "He said something about a prophecy first…and Wormtail. He said Wormtail told him a fake prophecy to punish his friends…my mum and dad. He thinks Wormtail was never on his side because he died for Remus and felt badly that my mum and dad died instead of me."

"Why did he think it was a fake prophecy, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, adjusting his half-moon spectacles on his crooked nose.

"He said something about a little girl…Tonks. He didn't know who she was before but he knows now. Someone told him that Nymphadora Tonks was the Girl Who Lived with me and almost died too. He knows it was Tonks who came to rescue me and thinks she's part of the prophecy. Someone told him that she's practically my sister but she is my sister."

Tonks grinned at him and hugged him from the side. Her muscles were sore but she was almost back to her normal self.

"Go on. What happened after Voldemort found out about Tonks?" asked Dumbledore.

"He thinks that the prophecy is real but it wasn't the truth. He didn't say what the prophecy was," Harry said nervously. "He wants to find the prophecy now but doesn't know how to get into the Ministry. That was it…he's really angry, he thinks Wormtail betrayed him, and he wants to go after Tonks now."

Tonks swallowed hard. Voldemort wasn't supposed to know who she was – not yet.

"Sirius told me about the prophecy but he said I already defeated Voldemort when I was a baby," Harry said, furrowing his brow. "Was he wrong too? Will I have to be the one to kill him?"

Tonks stared, openmouthed at Dumbledore. Was it time to tell Harry about the horcruxes? Their impending deaths at Voldemort's hands?

Dumbledore cleared his throat lightly. "Yes, Harry, you will."

Harry's jaw dropped open. He opened and closed his mouth a few times while Tonks sat upright and rigid, anxious over what Dumbledore would say.

"You will not be alone, Harry," Dumbledore said gently. "You will need to deliver the final blow, I believe, but you will not be alone."

"But…I'm the one who has to do it," Harry said quietly. "Me? No one else?"

"It would seem so. It is my hope, and my goal, that you will not need to do this anytime soon."

Tonks stared at Dumbledore incredulously. He gazed back at her, a pleading look in his eyes. Perhaps it wasn't time to tell him about the horcruxes after all.

"For now, Harry, continue your studies. We have the Order now and we will be taking out as many of Voldemort's followers as we are able in the coming years. My hope is to weaken Voldemort enough that defeating him will not be difficult."

"Okay," Harry mumbled, looking downcast. "Do you think I'll die?"

Tonks felt the lump in her throat forming. She knew the truth – they would both have to die. She glanced up at Dumbledore again to hear what he would say.

"You will die one day, Harry, and it's my hope it will be when you are at an old, ripe age." Dumbledore kept his hands clasped in his lap. Harry nodded feebly and looked back at Tonks.

"What about Tonks? Is Voldemort going to want to kill her, too?"

"Probably," Tonks replied instantly. "He'll try to get to anyone you care about. We're going to fight, Harry. You'll be safe as long as you're at school, here, or at home. If we're really lucky, we'll be able to keep Voldemort at bay for a long time."

"If we're not?" Harry asked, his voice cracking. "If it's tomorrow?"

"It won't be tomorrow," Tonks said fiercely. "We won't let it happen, Harry. Like Dumbledore said, you won't be alone. We're both in the Voldemort-is-after-our-lives-club." She smiled weakly at him.

"Okay," Harry agreed. "I can do this. We can do this."

"That's my brother," Tonks said, hugging him again. "Why don't we get Kreacher to make you some treacle tart? Ginny and Ron are coming over later, you know."

Harry brightened instantly. "They are?"

"Of course they are. This is headquarters again."

"Again?" Harry asked, taken aback.

"We can discuss that another time, Tonks," Dumbledore said. "For now, I'll be joining your parents in preparing for our meeting tonight."

Harry sat up straight. "Will I get to go too?"

Tonks snorted. "Take it up with mum."

Harry winced and shook his head. "Bollocks."

….

15 July 1995

"Kingsley! It's so good to see you!" Tonks said enthusiastically. She lunged at him and hugged him, having missed him in the last year she'd been relatively unemployed. "Are you part of the Order too?"

"I am now," he replied. "I'll discuss it at the meeting tonight."

"Would you like to meet my daughter? She's upstairs now."

"She's right here!" Molly announced, holding Hope in her arms. Tonks bit back the urge to laugh; with Molly now at Grimmauld Place so often, Tonks thought Hope rarely spent any time away from someone's loving arms.

"Come meet your Uncle Kings, Hope," Tonks beamed. She took Hope in her arms and brought her to meet Kingsley.

"Uncle?" Kingsley said, arching a brow at Tonks.

"What else would you be?" Tonks handed Hope to Kingsley. She began playing with one of Kingsley's earrings, to his dismay.

"No, baby, no tugging."

"Not used to kids?"

Kingsley made a face and handed Hope back to Tonks.

"It's all right if they're not your cup of tea. I didn't think I'd like her as much as I do." Tonks kissed Hope's cheek and held her tightly. Hope began reaching for Tonks's shoulder-length, aquamarine hair, but she morphed it to a soft blue pixie. "I thought this was only useful when I was an Auror or in disguise. She's in the stage of grabbing anything she wants."

"Our meeting is going to start soon, Tonks," Molly said, from the stove. "Will Hope join us?"

"Nah. With a house full of babysitters, Hope doesn't need to sit through a boring meeting. I'll get Harry or Ginny to watch her."

"I'll bring her up," Molly volunteered. "Ginny just adores Hope."

Tonks kissed Hope's cheek again. "You be good for your Auntie Ginny, Hope." The baby babbled while Molly took her up to see Ginny and Harry.

Other Order members began coming in through the Floo or front door. Remus and Sirius came downstairs to join the others in the kitchen. It was moments like this – Remus, Sirius, and Tonks together at the kitchen table, with Dumbledore at its head – that gave Tonks the strongest sense of déjà vu. Dora had loads of memories of this very place, albeit with a relatively emaciated, escaped Sirius, a more scarred, broken Remus, and an entirely different Tonks.

Dumbledore began the meeting and gestured for Arthur to begin with news from the Ministry.

"It's as we expected, unfortunately," Arthur began grimly. "Kingsley can confirm from the Aurors' offices, but the word is that Fudge doesn't believe Voldemort has returned and is looking for any way to discredit Remus, Sirius, and Tonks."

"What?" Tonks yelped. "We saw him – we saw him!"

"I know you did," Dumbledore said firmly. "Fudge is afraid of the responsibility of managing a world with Voldemort in it again. Kingsley, your impressions?"

"Scrimgeour is overwhelmed by the escaped Death Eaters and pressure from Fudge. The Minister's office is putting pressure on us to deny any claim that Voldemort has returned, despite the overwhelming evidence," Kingsley said steadily. "This will be hard for you to hear – Black, Lupin, Tonks – but the three of you are being discredited as unreliable witnesses."

"What the fuck, Kings? Why?" Tonks roared.

"I believe you. It's why I'm here," Kingsley replied. "I trusted your instincts before and I trust them now. Scrimgeour's been told to say that because you and Black were fired, you're disgraced ex-Aurors. Lupin's lycanthropy nulls any claims he might make."

Tonks shook with rage. "What? That's bullshit!"

"We agree with you, Tonks," Arthur said gently. "We're trying to tell you to prepare yourselves for the students' or parents' reactions when you return to Hogwarts next term."

"Unfortunately, Remus and Tonks are not returning to Hogwarts this fall," Dumbledore interjected. "I was informed just this morning that the Ministry deemed them unfit for instruction due to their claims surrounding Voldemort's return."

"That's why we can't come back?" Tonks demanded. "I thought it was 'cause Voldemort's after me!"

"It certainly doesn't help, sweetheart," Remus said, rubbing a soothing circle in her back. "I was expecting this."

Tonks frowned at him. "You were? Why didn't you tell me?"

"This morning's edition of The Prophet." Remus slid the morning paper to her. The front page showed that the Ministry would be undergoing an investigation of all Hogwarts professors to ensure their competency ahead of the next term. "There's no way I'd have passed their investigation. I'm all right, I promise. I'll have the time I wanted to write those textbooks."

"What am I supposed to do? Kingsley, does this mean I can't be an Auror? I thought…now that the term was over…" Tonks's voice trailed off, thinking that any day now, Scrimgeour would allow her to return to her old job.

Kingsley shook his head. "I'm sorry, Tonks."

"So…what are you saying? Not an Auror…not a substitute professor…what am I going to do?" Tonks asked, blankly.

"Same as what I've been doing, dear cousin," Sirius interrupted, looking bitter. "Voldemort's been after our blood for a year. We get to spend our time between Grimmauld Place and your parents' place in East Sussex. Be thankful we've got Remus and your kid here to liven it up a bit."

"What about missions? The Order will have missions, won't it?"

"Not for us, sweetheart," Remus said quietly. "We'll be doing reports and laying low. With how close we are to Harry – and each other – we'll be here for the foreseeable future."

Tonks put her head in her hands. She suddenly recalled the first Sirius who had been a prisoner of Grimmauld Place due to being an escaped convict. Nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed.

"Look on the bright side, Tonks," Molly said soothingly. "You'll get so much time with your daughter!"

Tonks flushed and felt guilty, forgetting that she would have to die sooner or later at Voldemort's hands. Perhaps being stuck at Grimmauld Place or her parents' home in East Sussex would work out in her favor, after all. If it meant spending all the time she had enjoying the little time she'd get with her daughter, it would be worth every minute left.

….

2 August 1995

"Smile!" Tonks called to Hermione, Ron, and Harry. They all held up their various pins with huge grins on their faces. Just the day before, Hermione and Ron had been named Gryffindor prefects. Harry, meanwhile, had been named Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain. The three of them had new, shiny badges and grinned at their shared successes.

"I'd have thought Angelina, Katie, or Alicia would've been made captain," Harry said, while running his finger on his new badge. "I wonder why I got picked."

"You were the obvious choice, mate," Fred replied. "Everyone knew it. You've been on a broom for way longer than any of them."

Harry smiled at his badge and tucked it into the parchment holding his booklist. Tonks was secretly rejoicing over the choice. With Hermione and Ron as prefects, Harry being captain allowed him many of the same privileges as prefects had.

"What's the Defense text?" asked Remus, after he'd congratulated all three Gryffindors. "Have they announced the new professor?"

"No announcement yet, but this is the textbook," Hermione replied, showing Remus the assigned text. He scoffed at it and shook his head.

"Is there something wrong with the textbook?" asked Tonks.

"It's a theoretical book for children," Remus replied, offended. "I'd only give it to Hope if she was having trouble sleeping. It's that useless."

"You don't think it will be helpful?" Hermione asked, crestfallen. "It's our O.W.L. year!"

"Hermione, I will send you, Ron, and Harry the draft for my text for O.W.L. level Defense," Remus replied. "I may not be your official professor but this Slinkhard text is rubbish."

The Floo's fire became a bright, emerald green, indicating someone was on their way. Moments later, Dumbledore stepped out of the fireplace.

"My hearty congratulations to our new Gryffindor prefects and Quidditch captain," Dumbledore said cheerily, upon seeing Ron, Hermione, and Harry's smiling faces. "I assume this is a celebration?"

"It will be once Kreacher's made more food," Tonks replied. "What brings you here? Our next meeting isn't for a while."

"I was hoping to meet with your father, Ted. Is he in?"

"My dad? Yeah, he's up in Orion's old office," Tonks said. "Hogwarts business?"

"Indeed. I believe he's expecting me, so I'll be off," Dumbledore said, as he swept out of the kitchen in his bright blue robes. Once he'd left, everyone fell silent.

"I wonder what that's about," Ron said. "Think it's about the Board of Governors?"

"I hope it's not to take him off," Tonks said. "I dunno if they can do that though."

"We'll have to see," Remus said, shrugging. "I'm sure your dad will tell us whatever we need to know."

"I hope this means I can get out of this house," Harry complained. "It's either here or East Sussex again with Draco."

"Harry, you spend most days there flying your little heart out," Tonks reminded. "It's not like Remus, Sirius, or I have it any better than you. At least you'll go back to school in a month."

"They really won't let you and Professor Lupin teach again?" Hermione asked, visibly disappointed.

"The latest bullshit they've printed is—" Tonks summoned that morning's edition of The Daily Prophet. "—'Mrs. Lupin-Tonks, despite marks sufficient to become an Auror, fails in her judgment. No self-respecting witch or wizard marries and reproduces with a Dark creature. This lack of judgment indicates how unfit Lupin-Tonks is for any profession involving the molding of young minds.'"

"They said that about you?" Harry said angrily. "That's rubbish! You're the only reason Cedric and I are alive!"

"It doesn't matter," Remus said bitterly. "They see what they want to see. We are fortunate enough that we have a roof over our heads and want for nothing. If we were any others we would be in loads more trouble."

"Isn't this considered slander?" Hermione said, while reading the article. "Can't you…do something?"

"Our legal system is different than the Muggles' system is, Hermione," Remus replied. "It is kind of you to think this, but we're all right. We'll help the Order from here and if any of you need help with your classes, you can always write us."

"C'mon, you lot, cheer up," Tonks said, as Kreacher popped into the kitchen to serve them treacle tart and butterbeer, in celebration of their recent accomplishments. "You're prefects and the Quidditch captain. How bad could the new term be?"

….

19 August 1995

"This is very, very bad."

Tonks put down that morning's copy of The Daily Prophet after having read the front page article. Dolores Jane Umbridge, the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic, had been named the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts that term. She had also been named the High Inquisitor in order to rid the school of any non-approved professors, curriculum, books, or extracurricular activities. Nothing was permitted until she approved it directly, under the auspices of the Minister's office.

"Dad, did you know about this?"

"Albus and I spoke about this a few weeks ago," Ted replied. "He mentioned it was a possibility but we didn't think it would come to this. Umbridge is one of the worst people Fudge could've chosen for the position."

"Why? What's so bad about this Umbridge woman?" asked Harry, while holding up The Prophet. "She looks like a toad."

"That woman is unpleasant, to put it mildly," Ted said evenly. "She spearheaded anti-werewolf legislation in the mid-1980s which your aunt and I worked hard to repeal. She introduced many laws to limit the movement or rights of anyone who wasn't wholly human."

"Vampires, werewolves, merpeople, centaurs, elves, goblins…you name it, she went after us," Remus growled. "If it hadn't been for Ted and Andromeda, I'd have been pathetically unemployable and destitute."

"That's bull—"

"Language, Harry," Andromeda scolded. "Your niece is impressionable."

"Mum, Hope's not even a year old. Anyway, she'll have to get used to whatever comes out of my mouth, so—"

"—be that as it may, we ought to try for her sake," Andromeda concluded. "I agree that Umbridge is a foul woman, but we must work with what we have."

"Other than hating people like Remus, is there anything Harry should know about her?" asked Tonks.

"She represents the Ministry," Ted said. "She will be promoting the mainstream views of the Ministry in the classroom. Don't be surprised if she spouts the same news as The Prophet."

Harry scowled at them. "She'll say Tonks, Remus, and Sirius are all liars?"

"Among other things, I'm sure," Remus replied, clenching his fists. "Try not to let it get to you."

"Is there anything else I should know, Uncle Ted?"

"Hagrid will be away for a few months, on a long-term mission for the Order," Ted replied. "A witch called Professor Grubbly-Plank will teach in his absence…besides this, be very careful when sending any communication to any of us."

"Why? You think she'll read our letters?" Harry asked, while scratching his head. "Isn't that—"

"Mental?" Tonks suggested. "Because it is."

"Speaking of which, I have a few things that will help," Andromeda interjected. She took out a thin, leather-bound journal and a small hand mirror. "The mirror is a twin. If you call Sirius's name into it, he will hear it and respond to you. He has the other twin. The journal is a twin as well. I have the other twin. If anything – and I do mean anything, Harry – goes wrong, you write everything in here and I'll see it. There is no problem too small."

"Talk into a mirror for Sirius—"

"—Remus and I will have access to the mirror too. Remember we'll all at Grimmauld Place together—"

"—if need be, use your Patronus to send us messages too," added Remus.

"Or write in this journal," Andromeda reminded. "You'll have many of us to rely on, Harry."

"Do you really think I'll need all of this?" Harry asked dubiously. "How bad can one professor be?"

"As I mentioned earlier, Harry, I think the answer is 'very, very bad,'" Tonks said grimly. "Just do what mum tells you. There's no problem too small."

Harry sighed before taking the mirror and journal. None of them were particularly comfortable with the situation, but as they'd done for many years, they could only prepare for what lay ahead.

….

1 September 1995

"Congratulations, Head Boy!" Tonks hugged Cedric, seeing him for the first time since June. He walked with a cane and was assisted by his girlfriend Cho, but was beaming brightly upon seeing Tonks at Platform 9 ¾.

"Thank you, Prof—"

"—call me Tonks, Cedric. I'm not your professor anymore and it's too stuffy for me. I'm Tonks to you now."

"Thank you, Tonks."

"Thank you, Pro—"

"You too, Cho," Tonks repeated. "Tonks for everyone."

"Thank you, Tonks, for saving Cedric," Cho said, awestruck. "He told me everything you did for him – and for Harry."

"It was the least I could do. I meant every word when I wanted both Cedric and Harry to stay alive. I am sorry that you didn't win the Triwizard Cup, but I wanted to follow up on another promise." Tonks grinned at them and produced a sack of gold from her rucksack.

"1000 Galleons for returning mostly safe and sound," Tonks said, offering Cedric the sack. "It's got a Featherlight Charm on it so you could put it in your trunk for now. It's all yours."

Cedric's eyes grew wide, in disbelief.

"You didn't…this is too much…I didn't win."

"I promised. Take the Galleons, Cedric. I don't care what you do with them but they're all yours."

"Thank you," Cedric said softly. "Cho…could you put them in my trunk?" Cho nodded and opened Cedric's trunk to put the Galleons inside.

"Mrs. Lupin!" A booming voice rang behind Tonks. She whipped around and saw Amos Diggory coming up to her with his hand extended and a bright smile.

"Please, call me Tonks," Tonks said. "Lupin-Tonks is my surname but I've been called Tonks for almost as long as I can remember."

"Tonks, thank you for my son," Amos said, his voice full of emotion. "Cedric told us everything. We believe you, your husband, and Mr. Black. We know you're not lying."

"Thank you. That means a lot…we've had a trying summer."

"As has my son," Amos said. "Look at him now, just needs a little help to walk! He'll be running in no time!"

"Dad…I need the cane," Cedric said awkwardly. "At least I can still fly."

"That's wonderful, Cedric! Hopefully with flying and being a student you'll get back on track for all your N.E.W.T.s," Tonks said.

Cedric chuckled. "I think you did more to help with my N.E.W.T.s last term than I'll have all of this term, especially with Defense."

"Is it true you made Cedric and Harry duel you and Professor Lupin at the same time?" asked Cho. "And…other things?"

"It's a trick I learned from my Auror training," Tonks grinned. "We were taught to duel in pairs against pairs with obstacles. Hagrid had blast-ended skrewts to work with so we added those in one by one till we had four of them fighting four of us."

"Incredible, just incredible," Amos noted. "The Portkey, too?"

"Cedric and Harry now know how to create Portkeys of all kinds – timed, untimed, specific locations – I put them both through mini Auror training for months."

"Wow." Cho looked up at Cedric with pride and admiration. He blushed a little under the praise, and Tonks beamed at him.

"You deserve that Head Boy badge, Cedric. You're going to do great things this term," Tonks said. "I've got to go – time to say goodbye to Harry – but stay in touch when you can, all right?"

"Thank you again, Tonks, for everything," Cedric said. Tonks smiled at him before returning to her family.

"What are you going to do with the gold I gave you, Harry?" asked Tonks. "Enough Chocolate Frogs for the whole train?"

"Nope! Uncle Ted suggested I invest it so that's what I did."

"Did you really? Where?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Harry said coolly. "If they're successful I'll get 2% of their profits."

"Who?"

"Don't worry about it, Tonks."

She narrowed her eyes at him but Harry wore a playful smile and shrugged at her.

"When did you get so grown up?"

"When I found out I have to kill someone," Harry said flatly. "Really puts life in perspective, doesn't it?"

"It'll be all right, Harry. Do your best in school and make the Gryffindor Quidditch team proud. Don't forget to tell us if anything goes awry."

"I used to think that our family was paranoid but now I reckon everything will go wrong."

Tonks frowned at him. "Let's hope we're wrong this time and everything this term will go right."

Harry snorted at her. "Tell that to me when someone isn't out to kill us."

Tonks was ready to reassure him when a gaggle of freckled redheads came in through the barrier. Harry lit up to see Ron and Ginny heading his way.

If nothing else, Harry has his friends, Tonks thought. Friends make all the difference in the world.