Chapter 1: Embarrassing Discussions

The small, four-bedroom cottage that Tonks had received from her father, who had inherited it from his muggle parents, was quite cozy. Dumbledore had ensured them that it was quite safe: Unplottable, out of the way, and some of the strongest wards ever erected. It was a white, two-story home with a dark blue roof, shutters, and trim. The wards stretched two hundred yards in each direction, allowing room to practice Quidditch or just fly around. The North Sea was accessible by a stone path leading down from the house.

Harry spent most of his time lying on the beach, and it showed on his skin, which was turning a light bronze. Tonks wasn't the only female to notice this either. Remus's cousin and his family had been attacked, leaving his cousin's daughter without parents. It wasn't related to Voldemort in any way, as far as anyone could tell, since the girl and her family lived in America. Remus was named godfather at her birth and was her closest living relative, so he had gladly taken her in.

Amanda White was a beautiful girl only four months younger than Harry. She had shoulder length blonde hair that she wore in ringlets, and dark blue eyes that looked like the midnight sky. She was average height, slim, and moderately busty. Harry tried not to check her out, though he often couldn't help himself. Both of them were in mourning, and it wasn't exactly appropriate for him to entertain the thoughts he found floating through his mind.

The pair of teenagers had become close over the week that Harry had been there, and were often seen in each other's company. Perhaps it was from suffering similar losses and having no one else their own age around, but the two of them seemed to be a bit more than friends from the second day they had spent together.

Before, Harry had reservations about the people he would open up around. With Amanda he had no such problems. And before moving to England, Amanda told Tonks, she rarely allowed anyone to see her in the bikini that Harry had often been seen admiring from the blanket that always lay next to hers.

Nearly two weeks into his stay at Tonks's home, Remus woke Harry near noon. "Wake up, sleeping beauty, we have things to do." The werewolf laughed as Harry grumbled and sat up in bed.

"What's up, Moony?" he asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Busy night? Dora had trouble waking Amanda too…" the elder man said with a wink. "Seriously, we need to take care of some business in Diagon Alley, meet me downstairs in a few minutes."

Harry threw his clothes on and trotted downstairs. "Where're Tonks and Amanda?" he asked, yawning again.

"Hogwarts," Remus replied, "Minerva wanted to speak to her before term began. She'll be in Gryffindor, you know. Her school was nearly identical to Hogwarts, same houses and all."

"Yeah, she told me. The Salem Institute of Sorcery, right?" Harry asked, Remus nodded. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

"Gringotts, then the Ministry. We're almost out of time for you to claim your family's vault. The vault you've been using is only your school vault. The money in it will be transferred to your family vault as soon as we sign the papers." Remus told him. Harry looked shocked. "I know, I know, you're happy with what you have. Still, it goes back to Gringotts if you don't sign the papers by the end of the week. You only have two weeks after you come of age to do it, unless Healers at St. Mungo's or Professor Dumbledore sends notice that you can't make it until you are out of school on holiday or out of the hospital."

Harry merely nodded, looking like a small child with the spoon of porridge in his mouth as he did so.

An hour later, Remus and Harry walked out of Gringotts, Harry's moneybag filled for his school purchases and the school year. They stopped at Quality Quidditch Supplies to examine the new Firebolt XS, a new model of the fastest racing broom in the world. The price tag on it, however, was enough to make Harry decide his Firebolt was quite good enough. Harry purchased new Quidditch pads and a new broomstick polishing kit before he and Remus walked back to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch.

The pair of wizards sat down to eat after Tom, the barkeeper, gave them their food. Halfway through the meal, Remus looked at Harry with a mischievous grin that convinced Harry that Lupin wasn't always the good boy that kept his father and godfather in line. "So, Harry, what is there between you and Amanda? I must keep an eye on my dear goddaughter, after all. For a few more months, at least."

Harry choked on his butterbeer. "Moony!" he half shouted, blushing darkly. After a moment of stuttering and babbling he regained his composure. "We're friends, close friends. I wouldn't mind being more, but I don't think either of us are ready for anything like that right now." He looked down into his plate, blushing darker than before.

Remus laughed heartily. "I was hoping you'd say that. Harry, Amanda is all the family I have left, and as such is the last person with Lupin blood in her veins. I would love a child of my own, but I would never willingly pass this curse onto anyone, so that is out of the question. You are the last of the Potters, well, kind of. You do have a cousin, Susan Bones, though that goes back four or five generations."

"Moony, what… what are you saying? You want me to… and Amanda… you want us to have a baby?" Harry looked torn between shock and horror. "We… we're not even dating and you want us to have a kid?"

"No, no! Harry, you misunderstand! I'm just saying that should you become closer, and I do hope you will, that sometime in the future the Potter and Lupin families can become one. Your father was like a brother to me, and I had always hoped that a cure would be found and that I would have a child and that child could become involved with one of Lily and James's children." He sighed and took a deep breath.

"Sirius wanted the same thing. Peter too, probably. Then Peter betrayed your family, Sirius was blamed for Peter's crimes, and I… well, there is still no cure in sight. Probably never will be…" Remus sat back in his chair. "I know how embarrassing this must be."

Harry wholeheartedly agreed. His face was still the color of a beet. "Can you imagine what a grandchild of two marauders would be like?" Remus laughed. Harry had no choice but to join in.

"Do the words 'Extremely Dangerous' mean anything to you?" Harry shot back. Their laughter doubled, generating some confused stares from the other patrons.

"Seriously, Harry, promise me that if anything begins between you that you'll treat her like James treated Lily. She's all I have left." Remus looked solemn.

"Of course, Remus." Harry replied, reaching across the table and putting his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Now! Shall we go? I need to be licensed to Apparate!"

Tonks, Amanda, and Professor McGonagall sat in the Gryffindor Head's office. "Miss White, you were sorted into the Salem Institute's Gryffindor house, correct?" Amanda agreed, "Right, we could skip the sorting, considering the witches that founded the school were Hogwarts trained and there was one from each house. I have been told that they have a sorting hat of their own, am I right?" Amanda nodded again. McGonagall stood and walked to the shelf opposite her desk.

"Miss White, while we would normally assimilate you into the rest of the Gryffindor seventh years, I'm afraid I must ask you to be sorted again." Amanda nodded and placed the offered hat on her head.

Hmmm, difficult… Not as difficult as some I've sorted, but still difficult. My American counterpart had the sense to place you in Gryffindor, though you'd do well in any house.

That's what I was told at my last sorting.

Hmmm, I think we will keep you in Gryffindor. You've got courage to spare and I can see you've already got a friend there. How is Mr. Potter these days?

He's upset over his friend's death, but I think he's beginning to feel better. He's certainly bringing me out of the funk I was in.

Ah, yes, he has that effect, I'm told. Give him my regards, please?

Certainly.

"Gryffindor, Minerva." The hat said before Amanda whipped it off her head and presented it to her head of house.

"Right, you've been sorted, you've got yours and Harry's booklists and school letters, now what shall we do?" Tonks asked the younger girl. "We've got a whole day ahead of us, anything special in mind?"

"Not really, I am a bit hungry if you want to grab a bite to eat." Amanda's stomach growled, confirming her statement.

"Right, to the Three Broomsticks! We've got a starving lady to attend to!" Tonks made her hair alternate between dark red and bright red, looking like a siren flashing.

The Three Broomsticks was bustling with the residents of Hogsmeade. For a Wednesday afternoon, it was rather crowded. A few people waved at Tonks, who still had flashing hair, as the Metamorphmagus steered Amanda to a table in the back.

Rosmerta waltzed back to their table, handing out drinks on the way. "Hello Tonks, what can I get you ladies?" They ordered their food and drinks and watched Rosmerta receive lecherous stares from numerous men.

"I hope I look that good at her age…" Tonks said in a whisper to her companion. Amanda laughed lightly and jabbed Tonks in the ribs.

"You can change your appearance at will! You could look like an old lady or a toddler, why are you complaining." Tonks laughed, agreeing with her.

"I don't suppose you'll have any trouble with things like that, you've got it all." Tonks grinned evilly.

"Huh? I've got what? Remus is my only family. He's great, but still… I miss my parents." Amanda lowered her gaze as the food arrived at the table.

"Now, now, none of that. I know how it is to lose family. Harry told you about Sirius, right?" Amanda nodded. "My mum's favorite cousin. No one was as devastated as Remus or Harry, but mum and I came close." Tonks put her arm around the younger woman's shoulders. "That, however, is not what I mean."

"Eh? What are you talking about then?" Amanda demanded, curiosity taking over. "Spill it lady!"

"Remus is going to kill me…" Tonks began as she took a bite of her sandwich. "It seems that you have attracted the attentions of a certain person. He's a nice catch, you know. Good looking, sweet, caring… fabulously wealthy…"

"What are you talking about, woman?" Amanda asked, blushing. "Who?"

"Honestly, how many men have you been around since you arrived in England? It certainly isn't my boyfriend! I doubt that Remus would be attracted to a sixteen year old that he's related to!" Tonks chuckled as Amanda's eyes bulged and threatened to erupt from her head.

"H-Harry? But… why would he be interested in me? I'm sure there are prettier girls in Hogwarts he's attracted to! He's like the most famous person in our world! Surely someone else has a better chance." Amanda couldn't believe her ears. Tonks told her that Harry liked her and she was complaining!

"Why in Merlin's name are you arguing about it? And what would make you think there are prettier girls? You look great, and our little Harry has noticed that." Tonks asked rhetorically. "Would you like to know a little about Harry's history with women? You might be a little surprised." Amanda nodded, blushing.

"Ok, a couple of years ago Harry had his first… I don't know if you could call her his girlfriend. Her name was Cho Chang." At this, a dark-haired woman at a nearby table stirred.

"Excuse me, did you just say 'Cho Chang?'" she asked, turning to Tonks. Tonks nodded and the girl turned her chair to their table. "That's me, what are you talking about?"

Tonks smiled. "An old friend of yours, Harry Potter." Cho smiled.

"I let that one slip through my fingers… that was a mistake if I ever made one," Cho laughed, "but I'm happy. I have a wonderful boyfriend now."

"What happened between you and Harry?" Amanda asked rather tactlessly.

"Well, I was mourning the death of my previous boyfriend, Cedric Diggory. I was rather confused about it all. You heard about Triwizard Tournament?" Amanda nodded. "Harry and Cedric were the Hogwarts Champions, even though there is only supposed to be one champion from each school. Well, at the end, Harry and Cedric took the cup together for a Hogwarts victory. They were portkeyed to a graveyard Cedric was killed before they could do anything, and Harry was used in a ritual to resurrect You-Know-Who." Cho paused, looking like her heart was about to be ripped to shreds.

"Anyway, I felt like I was betraying Cedric's memory when I started dating Harry, but that's not why we broke up. Harry formed an illegal Defense Against the Dark Arts group that year because our teacher refused to let us perform the spells. There were about two dozen of us in the club. My friend Marietta told on us one night, not knowing that Harry's friend Hermione had jinxed the member roster. The result was the word 'Sneak' across her face in horrible pimples."

"Harry stood up for his friend, and we had a flaming row about it." Cho glanced at the ceiling. "Looking back on it, I suppose Marietta shouldn't have told. It forced the Ministry to evict Dumbledore and our Defense teacher became Headmistress. That was the end of us. I tried to get him back last year, but he only wanted to be friends. He was dating Lisa Turpin at the time."

Amanda looked from Cho to Tonks. "Know anything about that one, Tonks?" Tonks nodded. "And?" demanded Amanda.

"They had a few dates, but it was going nowhere." Tonks said, Cho agreed. "The only other person I've seen Harry do anything remotely romantic with is the few times he's flirted with me. I usually start it, and he knows I'm just playing so he plays back, but that's it. Trust me, Mandy, he's falling for you. He may not even realize it, but he is."

"He is a bit thick when it comes to women." Cho agreed. "Sorry to chat and run, ladies, but I have to get back to work. Good luck, Amanda. Oh, and don't take him to Madam Puddifoot's on a date… I traumatized him with that place." Amanda blushed again and finished her sandwich.

Harry zoomed above the waves on his Firebolt, thinking over what he and Remus had talked about. He had been chasing a walnut that he had charmed to fly around for nearly forty-five minutes when he heard a voice from below.

"Hey, Harry! Come down here! I have a job for you!" Amanda shouted at the blur on the broom.

"Hi Mandy, what's up?" he asked, landing beside her on the sand. She tossed him a bottle of tanning lotion.

"Get my back for me?" she asked in an innocent voice. Harry had gladly accepted the task each time she had asked. It had taken her three days before she became comfortable enough to ask him to do it, and now she couldn't think of anyone she would rather have. Harry had a way of massaging her when he put it on that drove her crazy.

"Mr. Potter, I do believe that I'm going to have to keep you around if you keep that up." She laughed as Harry finished. Both teenagers laughed and Harry conjured a towel for himself.

The two of them lay there talking until the sun climbed down behind the horizon and they lost their tanning opportunity. Returning to the house they found a note saying that Tonks would be out with Remus until dawn, it being the full moon and all, and that they should be good and not do anything that the adults wouldn't do. Both of them laughed at the instructions and Harry set to cooking.

Tonks and Remus smiled as they arrived at the cottage the next morning. Harry and Amanda had fallen asleep together on the couch. They had been watching Tonks's TV and were now sitting up with their heads together and a blanket over them.

"They look great together." Remus whispered to Tonks as he drank the painkilling potion she gave him.

"Yeah, they do. Lets leave them there. We need to sleep ourselves. To bed, mister!" both laughed as Tonks steered Remus to their bedroom. Go Amanda! Sweep that boy off his feet! She thought as she helped Remus into bed and collapsed beside him.