It had been another long day. Tonks was glad that it was almost over but it had been a good day. Getting to see two good friends celebrate their love in times like these was always good and even better yet having the love of your life at your side once again always made the day wonderful. She looked adoringly at the man at her side, he was talking adamantly to a man she did not know. Remus looked so good in the new dress robes that Bill had instead insisted on buying him if he was going to be part of the wedding
She had to admit that she was getting a little bored, and started thinking about just what she wanted to do to Remus, because he was looking so good today, when she noticed Ginny and Hermione talking near the house. Tonks excused herself and went over to talk to them for awhile she had seen Harry and Ginny talking a while ago and was wondering what was up with them.
"Wotcher" she called to the two girls.
"Hi Tonks," they replied in unison.
"It is good to see you and the professor back together," Ginny said with a smile.
Tonks blushed slightly and smiled; Ginny had been the one who had known about the two of them the longest, having walked in on them at a most inopportune time in the kitchen at the Order's headquarters. It had been one of their first kisses that she walked in on, the first time and it seemed like every time the Weasley clan had been at Grimmauld thereafter she had walked in on them when ever they kissed in on of the common rooms. Luckily, Ginny never walked in on them in a bedroom then they might have had a little more explaining to do.
"You two make such a good couple, next wedding we attend will most likely be yours," Hermione said with a wide smile.
Tonks looked over her shoulder at Remus and smiled. Where they have had not really talked about it much, but she did know that is where their relationship was heading.
"I think we still have a while before we get there, girls"
They just smiled, because they knew that he was proposing to her tonight. They had both spotted Remus was talking to Tonks father earlier this week in Diagon Alley. And they thought that it was real sweet that he could be so old-fashioned and talk to her father before hand. They had talked to Remus later that day and said that he felt he needed to explain himself to Mr. Tonks, saying that he was truly in love with her and even though he may not have much to offer her in the way of material things, he would do his best to protect her and never cause her harm
"So, was it love at first sight for you two or what?" Hermione asked.
"Not exactly" Tonks laughed, "The first time I saw him I was about six years old."
"Really I didn't know that, I just assumed that you meet through the Order," Ginny said with surprise.
Tonks took a sip of punch and shook her head, "No, we reconnected at that time but the first time I meet him, Sirius was babysitting me."
"No way!" they both said in complete shock.
"Yep, and it's quite a funny story actually"
The other two girls looked at each other with grins and turned to sit on some benches near by. They made themselves comfortable and looked at Tonks expectantly. Tonks rolled her eyes and took a seat in a chair across from them.
"Well, as I said, I was about six years-old……."
Mum and dad never seemed to go anywhere, so I was surprised one summer day when mum came and told me they were going away for the weekend, and that her cousin Sirius was going to stay with me. I knew that Sirius was the only person in mum's family that she ever spoke to anymore and if he was the only one they could get to watch me then I knew they had to get away. It was not that they did not trust him; it was he was not known to be the most responsible of people. But nonetheless he would be staying with me for the weekend while mom and dad went away.
I was quite indifferent to this, mum and dad had gone through a string of babysitters for me. Some they fired, some refused to come back: I was a bit willful as a child. But the one thing I did know was that Sirius was a wizard and could do magic, so he would appreciate my newfound abilities as a Metamorphmagus. At that time, my parents did not want me to morph because, being that I was not yet old enough for Hogwarts, I could not receive proper training on how to handle my ability and could might morph myself into something and then not be able to return to normal.
When I heard the doorbell ring I know it had to be Sirius no other guest to our home would just hold it down and make it ring in one long tone. As I went running down the stairs to greet him, my dad opened the door and I flew through it, jumping up on Sirius and nearly knocking him over.
"Well hello to you too, Nymph," Sirius said as he pulled me into a big bear hug.
"Look what I can do," I squealed as I scrunched up my face and turned my chocolate brown locks to a bright pink.
"Nymphadora, now what did we tell you about doing that," my father said in his must stern voice.
"No morphing until I get to Hogwarts, but I can always been able change it back see." Once again I scrunched up my face and attempted to change my hair back to its normal color, however that time it did not change back. "Oh well, I like pink," I said and started to squirm to make Sirius to put me down, and when he did I ran off in search of a mirror to check out my hair and figure out why I could not get it to change back.
My dad laughed at me as I run into the other room. "We have been telling her not to do that because she can not change it back, but this time I think we will keep it like that to teach her a lesson." He looked back and watched me look at myself in the mirror and shook his head as I came back into the entryway
"I take it that you are old enough now that we do not need to go over rules, that we can expect you to behave yourself."
"Yes daddy." I said as I skipped back into the room. If I'd heard it once I'd heard it a thousand times; I may have known the rules but that did not mean I always followed them.
"This time I was not talking to you. I was talking to Sirius," Dad picked me up. giving me a hug and Sirius a stern look as my mum walked into the entryway checking her handbag to make sure she had everything.
"Ted, I am sure Nymphadora can take care of Sirius just fine" she laughed as she gave Sirius a hug.
"Don't worry; I am sure that between the two of us we can survive the weekend without too much damage to life or property." Sirius said in the most serious voice he could muster.
"Well, I see that Nymphadora has already disregarded the rules and has shown off her newly discovered ability," she said shaking her head at my shockingly pink hair.
"I like it pink."
Mum just rolled her eyes at me and leaned over to take me from dad so that she can have her hug from me before they headed out the door.
"One of these days you are going to do that and it will stay like that forever," mom said giving me a look that told me she was amused but still concerned. Then, looking at Sirius, "No girls over, no taunting her with magic, and both of you know how to behave yourselves so I expect it." She gave us both one more glare before turning and getting into the car.
Sirius closed the door. We just looked at each other for a second before he moved off to the study and said "Well, kid, I have a few owls to send. I am sure you can entertain yourself for a little while. Megan, I am sure, can't wait to hear from me."
"You know you are not allowed to have girls over while mom and dad are not here," said as I raised a pink eyebrow at him.
"Yes I know. I am not having any girls over, I just need to keep up with my girlfriends, can't let one go on without thinking I am madly in love with her," he then patted me on the head and strolled into the study and shut the door. I rolled my eyes and headed off upstairs to my playroom.
I am not sure how much time passed, being that I was six and had little concept of time, but the door bell rang again, and I went to the top of the stairs to see who it was.
Standing in the doorway were two young wizards; one with dark messy hair, and hazel eyes, the other with smooth light brown hair and grey eyes. I had seen the dark haired one before and knew he was a friend of my cousin but could not remember his name, and I assumed the same of the other one.
"You know that you are not supposed to have friends over" I call from the top of the stairs. The trio looked up at me and gave me a smile.
"James, Remus, you remember my cousin's daughter, Nymphadora. Nymph, this is James," as he points to the messy haired wizard, "and Remus" and jesters to the other one who was leaning on the door frame and gave me a shy smile.
"If you are not supposed to have friends over, we better go," Remus said with a look of concern.
"No, your parents just said no girls, and as I am sure you can tell. James and Remus are deficiently not girls." They all smiled up at me with James giving a cocky little wave. I admit he did have me there. I just shrugged my shoulders and started to come down the stairs.
"I'm hungry," I complained as I came to the bottom.
"Yeah, Sirius, we're hungry." James mimicked my voice.
"Well the kitchen is right though here." Sirius led the way as the three of us followed him down the hall in search for food. Once in the kitchen I crawled up on a stool at the breakfast counter and watched as the three young wizards searched the cabinets.
"Don't your parents believe in ready-made meals?" Sirius commented as he closed the freezer.
"Or leftovers?" James said as he closed the refrigerator. "Moony any luck"
"No," he said as he closed another cabinet. "Not unless we want to cook something."
"Great, then get to it," said Sirius, taking a seat next to me.
"Why do I have to do the cooking?" Remus complained.
"Because you are the one with a muggle mother," James smirked.
"Oh, so that makes me an expert on cooking does it?"
"Well, when we are in a house full of muggle appliances, then yes, we don't know anything about running them, we grew up in totally magic homes," Sirius arrogantly replied. "By the way Nymph, why do you have a kitchen full of muggle appliances, both your parents are magical.'
"Because dad does most of the cooking and he prefers to do it the muggle way, something about the way he was brought up."
"All three of us are fully trained and capable wizards. I am sure that we can come up with something to eat." James exclaimed.
I looked at the trio skeptically as they continued to bicker about who will cook, and what they will cook. So I got down and went to a cabinet and started to look around for myself. I was not allowed to use the stove on my own but I could if I had the help of an adult. So, I pulled out a box of mac and cheese and trotted over to the stove. I pulled out a pan and then drug a chair over to the sink and fill the pan with water. The boys were still arguing and didn't even notice what I was doing, until I pulled on Remus's elbow and asked him to turn on the stove for me.
All three suddenly stopped and looked at me.
"What?" Sirius exclaimed.
"I need someone to turn on the stove for me because I am not allowed. I can fix mac and cheese, but only if someone turns on the stove for me."
"Ha, here we are, three grown men and a five year-old is going to give us a cooking lesson." Remus laughed.
"I am six thank you very much."
"Oh, sorry," he said sheepishly as he turned on the stove.
I set the pan on it and turned to look at the three of them, and giggle they are all watching me fascinated. The water started to boil and I poured in the macaroni, then I hopped off the chair I had pulled over to the stove, went to get the milk and butter out of the refrigerator.
"Could you help me pour the milk, since it is a brand new gallon and I only need a little?" James took the jug from me and poured the amount I asked him to.
"I will also need help taking it off the stove and draining it." As I look at Sirius.
"Ok just tell me when," he replied. I nodded at him and he levitated it over to the sink, where I had a strainer waiting.
"Where do you want this," he asked, pointing to the pan.
"Just put it on the counter right there," I say and pointed to the hot pad left on the counter. I then set about making the cheese sauce while the three sat and continued to be fascinated by me. I then start to dish it out onto the four plates that Remus had gotten out earlier. Each took a plate and started to eat.
"Wow Nymph, this isn't half bad." Sirius said with a mouth full of food.
"So what else can you fix, kid?" James asked, also with his mouth full.
"Nothing, but I can do this," and change my hair to the same bright yellow-orange that only macaroni and cheese is.
Both James and Remus's eyes were as wide as saucers. James paused with his mouth hanging wide open and a fork full of macaroni and cheese halfway to it.
"How did you do that?" Remus whispered, starting to look a little concerned.
I giggled and smiled at him and scrunched up my face to concentrate on changing it back to normal, however once again due to my inexperience with magic I was unable to get it done and this time I panicked. I jump down from my perch on the stool and ran into the hall where there was a mirror. I tried once again and still my hair was a bright yellow-orange, and by this time I was no longer clam and I started to cry.
The three marauders came into the hall and I threw myself at the one nearest to me, who happened to be Remus.
"I don't want orange hair for the rest of my life," I cried into his stomach as he tried to take a step back, but I had clung on like a leach.
Sirius bent down to my level and put a hand on my back. "How did you change it from when I got here?"
"I don't know, I was playing and it just went back."
"Well don't you think that will happen again?"
Sniffing, "well maybe," I said a little uncertainly.
"Tell you what," James said stepping forward and reaching for his wand, "I know a spell that can change it back."
"What?" both Sirius and Remus said at the same time.
"This from the man who can't do his own hair," Sirius smirked. James ran a hand through his own hair for a second as if assessing that thought, then shrugged. "Well, if you think you can do any better.""No, I have to see this," Remus muses; Sirius looked a little more worried but nodded his head. James then muttered an incantation, waved his wand and a jet of blue light came out the end and the enveloped my head. I then had a funny sensation on the top of my head. As the marauders gasped, I turned to look in the mirror and found that now my hair was blue with green and gold streaks. Screaming once again, I almost toppled Remus as I clung to him.
"What the hell did you do to her, do you realize what her parents will do to me when they get home and see her hair like that?"
James started a string of profanities that, as six year old I did not quite understand except that they were words that I was not supposed to use, and them mumbled something to that effect into Remus's stomach.
"What did you say?" he asked, pushing me away a little in hopes that I knew something that would help the situation.
"I said, 'those are naughty words and mom will wash out your mouth with soap if she hears you talk like that.'" The three of them looked at me for a second confused, and then started laughing as they realized what I had just said. I start too, not knowing exactly what I am laughing at, but I know that they no longer look as worried as they had been, and that helped me calm down.
"Look now at your hair," Remus said, pointing at the mirror on the wall. I'll take a look to see that is now back to its normal chocolate brown color.
"Well at least I know we won't starve this weekend, but I think I will get a little sick of mac and cheese for every meal," I mumbled.