It's been so long! I am terribly sorry for the wait. :(

Thanks to everyone whose been reading and reviewing, I promise that A Review A Day Keeps The Doctor Away. :P

Anyway- to make it up to you I have a double update coming! :)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: As always, HP world belongs to JKR. Penelope, however, is MINE. :)

It had started to rain outside the Charing Cross station. Many passers-by were running for cover, while the rest opened umbrellas or simply continued their walk unaffected by the precipitation.

There was a clash of thunder, and Penelope pulled her hood over her head to keep dry, but it was no use. The storm was to great.

She glanced at the address on the paper again, and looked around to locate herself. Charing Cross Road. She was in the right place. But where was the Leaky Cauldron?

Studying her surroundings, she realized that she was where she had been yesterday. Penelope turned round a familiar corner and reached the dark alley yet again.

She smiled as the chipped sign made a creaking sound, and suddenly jerked her head around as she recalled the black animal that had startled her. But there was no dog in sight.

An elderly lady stepped out of the Cauldron's door, and stopped abruptly when she saw Penelope, panicking.

"Are you…you know…mage-er-a wiz-no-er-ah-"

"I'm a witch, if that's what you mean."

The old lady smiled. "Yes. Well then, I'll be off."

"WAIT!" called Penelope after her. "Do you know a Nymphadora Tonks?"

The old woman turned around, studying Penelope curiously. She doubted a bit, before adding, "Well, well, aren't you full of surprises? I suppose you're a metamorphgus too? I'll get her for you."

And before the young girl could reply, the lady whisked open the door to the pub and called inside, "DORA! There's a young witch out here asking for you!"

She turned to Penelope again.

"Well, she'll take care of you. She's training to be an Auror, you know," she added in a matter-of-fact tone. And with one swift movement of her cloak, she disappeared.

Penelope sighed, not having the faintest idea what an Auror or a metamorphgus was, and wondering how this elderly lady had just vanished into thin air.

A woman of around 20 years interrupted her thoughts though, coming out of the Cauldron. She had bright red curls, a pale heart-shaped face and dark twinkling eyes. She looked like something out of a fairytale despite the fact that she dressed plainly.

"Hello, you're Penelope, aren't' you? Let's get out of the rain," she suggested, leading the girl inside.

The Cauldron was just like it had been the day before. Tom, the barman, was preparing a drink, customers were consuming their orders and a few were asking for rooms.

"A butterbeer and firewhisky, please," ordered Nymphadora Tonks, laying down Penelope's suitcase, which she had kindly offered to carry, next to a free table.

The two sat down and it was the Auror-to-be who started the conversation.

"So. You're the young Jones are you?" she commented, grinning, "I'm Nymphadora Tonks. Most people call me Dora, but really, calling me Tonks is enough."

Penelope laughed.

"Okay. Tonks. The old lady told me that you're training to be an Auror. What is that?" she asked, as Tom brought their drinks.

Tonks smiled and thanked the barman before replying.

"I forget you don't know about the wizarding community. I guess I'll have to tell you my life story then –although, mind you, it's a very boring one. My mother is Andromeda Tonks, hence the fancy names, but she was born a Black. She married my muggle, that is, non-magical, father, Ted Tonks. I graduated from Hogwarts three years ago and now pursue the Auror career, which my teachers thought I was too much of a joke for. An Auror is someone who basically hunts down Dark wizards and puts them in Azkaban, the wizard prison.

"So like the muggle police?"

Tonks exploded into a fit of laughter. "Far more complicated matters than they ever have to face, I assure you."

Penelope nodded, understanding more and more with each queston. However, there was one tiny thing still nagging at her mind, and so she asked away.

"What is a metamorphgus, Tonks?"

"A metamorphgus is someone who can change their physical appearance at will," she replied, and suddenly her hair turned electric blue.

Penelope grinned and drank a sip of butterbeer. She hadn't made such a good friend in months.