I do not own the characters or anything else that might be recognizable in this story.i am simply having fun.:)

The summer went by quickly, and for Remus it passed with a flurry of visits from Tonks, who seemed particularly keen to escape her home for his, and to the Potter's where James and Sirius were camped out, plotting away full moon adventures and new pranks to pull. The two full moons that passed were more difficult than usual and Remus could only conclude that it was the absence of his friends that caused this.

"Don't worry Moony," James reassured him after he came out with a bad gash in his side after the last one. "Everything will return to normal when we get back to school. Padfoot and I won't let you hurt yourself. Or anyone else," he added under his breath.

And so, the 30th of August came and the Marauders plus Tonks could once again be found sitting around the fire pit on the beach, toasting the new school year. Unlike the year before, Peter had been able to come, and he was now hiccuping from the Firewhisky he had drank. Sirius had declared that since he had missed the year before he had to drink three shots any way for the past years resolution. Peter of course had complied and now he was looking like he had drank too fast.

James pounded him on the back. "Breath Wormtail, before you hyperventilate. You'd think you'd never drank before."

After Peter had calmed his breathing down and his hiccups had subsided, Sirius picked up James's glass and poured him a finger of Whisky. "Right Prongs. Drink up. That's three shots. Not only did Evans not talk civilly, she admitted that she would take the giant squid over you. I think it may be time to move on.'

James gulped his shot and raised his glass for the other one. "Never!"

Sirius gave a bark of laughter and saluted him as he downed the second one. Then the third.

Tonks held out her glass. "Pour some here. I failed miserably with my resolution. Shannon Finnegan is just too good at sneaking up on me." The only reason Tonks ever retaliated was because Shannon would try to jinx her first. Oh well, she thought downing her third shot, no permanent damage done.

Remus and Sirius were the only two who didn't have to take the three shots but after making his resolution Sirius downed another four for "luck" he said.

By the end of the night Peter's hiccups had returned, Sirius was singing some punk song he had heard at Tonks' and Tonks herself was drunk.

"Your Mother is never going to let you come back," Remus told her as he carried her up the lane. She had jumped on his back on the beach and refused to move.

"She'll never know." Tonks whispered in a loud voice. "I'll just stay with you tonight kay?" Her breath stank and it was all Remus could do not to gag as she leaned around his shoulder.

All five of them made their way into the Lupin's house to use the floo. Peter went first; he seemed to have his hiccups in hand, followed by James who said he should go first to make sure Sirius made it out OK. After he had gone, Remus threw some powder into the fire and called out the floo direction before pushing Sirius ,who was still singing, in.

"Dora?"

There was no answer. He shook her legs a bit, but all she did was mumble incoherently.

"What?"

His only answer was a snore. She had passed out still on his back. Sighing, but amused, Remus headed for the stairs that would take him to his room and was met at the foot by his father. John Lupin had not yet met Tonks, having been at work whenever she was over, so he stared curiously at the girl with the pink hair who had her nose pressed into the back of his Sons head. Even more curious was the fact that Remus seemed to be carrying her off to his room.

"Do I want to know?" he asked as Remus stepped around him.

"No Dad," Remus said now highly amused by the absurdity of it all. "You really don't. See you in the morning." And he thudded up the stairs, Tonks bobbing slightly with each step.

When he reached his room he dumped her on the bed. Her only reaction was to curl into a ball, pulling her knees inward, and to let out another snore. Laughing quietly Remus scribbled a quick note to her Parents then quickly sent it off with the family Owl. Then he pulled the old mattress he kept under his bed, usually used by James or Sirius, and promptly fell asleep after making sure that if Tonks was going to vomit she was pointed away from him.

"Remus love?" Sarah stood in the doorway of her Son's room. When she spoke the lump on the bed didn't move, which was unusual. Remus was always prompt. Her answer came instead from behind her. "I'm here mum."

She turned, confused. Remus stood behind her fully dressed, his shaggy hair dripping into his eyes.

She looked at the bed again. "Dear, who's in your bed?"

"Oh, that would be Dora," He said nonchalantly, moving around her. "She passed out on the way back here you see. I couldn't wake her, so I owled her parents. They're going to meet us at the station with her trunk." He then went over to the bed and lent down "Dora."

Tonks rolled over and moaned but didn't open hr eyes. "Dora." He shook her shoulder, but again she only moaned. Finally Remus placed his mouth near her ear and blew in it.

Immediately she shot up, her hair tousled and her eyes looking red rimmed. "Merlin's saggy sequined thong!"

Remus chuckled and Sarah still in the door tried not to laugh. It would only embarrass the poor girl more.

"We have to go soon." Remus told her "You've got time for a quick shower I think. I've made you breakfast but you'll have to eat it on the go."

Tonks groaned and stumbled off in the direction of the bathroom. 10 minutes later she was down stairs, red eyes gone, looking as if she had not gotten drunk the night before.

As Remus handed her the napkin with her toast in it she sighed. "Promise you'll marry me someday," She pleaded. "You take better care of me than my mum."

Sarah, who was used to Tonks eccentricities by now, simply laughed although she couldn't help thinking that if things progressed like she thought they would that that could very well be the case one day.

John Lupin, who didn't know this girl from Eve, shook his head and said he'd be waiting in the car.

Over an hour and half later they had arrived through the barrier at platform nine and three quarters. Tonks thanked the Lupin's for letting her stay, although only John had really been aware that she was there, and ran to her own Parents.

"Strange girl." John mused. "Well son, see you at Christmas?" he hugged Remus quickly but Remus didn't mind. His father was shy of public displays of affection.

Sarah pulled him in and grasped him tightly. "Have a good year love. Stay out of trouble, you know what I mean. We'll see you at holiday."

Remus smile at both of his parents once more then boarded the train and went to go find his friends. They were in their usual compartment towards the back.

"Don't open the door so loudly." Sirius groaned as Remus entered. "My bloody head is pounding."

"Well, that's what you get when you drink a bottle of Fire whisky, plus five shots," Remus said without sympathy.

"It wasn't the whole bottle," Sirius muttered as the train started to move.

"It was mate. Sorry." James laughed. Sirius groaned and closed his eyes.

"At least you didn't pass out before you got home."

"You passed out?" asked Peter, staring at Remus in disbelief. He didn't think he'd had that much to drink.

"No. Dora did."

Sirius's eyes snapped open. "Bet Andy and Ted didn't like that." He sounded almost gleeful.

Remus raised a brow and rolled his eyes. "Well they didn't find out. I sent them an Owl saying that Nymphadora had fallen asleep and I didn't think it would be best to wake her."

"She stayed with you. At your house. In your room?" Sirius wigged his brows suggestively.

The look Remus shot him was scathing, causing Peter and James to crack up.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. She's your cousin, you'd think you'd have a little more respect for her than that."

"Besides, she's only 14." James supplied. "Practically a baby."

"That's not what you thought when Lily was 14." Sirius jibed.

James went red but didn't rise to the bait. He wanted to take a new tactic where Evans was concerned.

In her compartment down the train, Tonks rested her head against the back of her seat. She might have not looked like it, but she was nursing a pretty good hangover. I'll never drink again. She told her self. Or at least until I'm 17.

"Bad night's sleep?" Cally asked. She was flipping casually through witch weekly.

"No. I got pissed at Remus's."

"You what?" Cally was now giving her friend her full attention.

"Got right drunk. I only had five shots. I think." She groaned. "Ended up staying the night and woke up to Remus blowing in my ear. Not a pleasant thing, let me tell you. His Father was there too, just my luck, the first time I meet the man I'm nursing a hangover."

"What do you care what he thinks of you; you don't care what anyone thinks. Besides it's no like you'll have to see the guy a lot, you're only Remus's friend. You don't need to impress him" She watched Tonks closely for any sign of emotion. She had suspected for a while that Tonks might fancy Remus, but had never brought it up.

"Doesn't matter any way. His Mum loves me," Tonks said dismissively. She wasn't about to admit that instead of lessening, her crush on Remus only increased as she got older.

"Hm. Aren't you a little young to already be crashing in guys rooms?" Cally smirked.

"He slept on the floor if you must know. I do remember waking up to vomit and tripping over him. Or maybe I vomited on him? I don't know. That would just be fantastic. God I'm never touching another drop of fire whisky." And she closed her eyes ignoring Cally's snickers of laughter as the train moved steadily on.