Just another take on a Tonks is a werewolf story. And I can not deny, I love the idea of mates among werewolves and have seen it often in fics with these two.
It'll hopefully span from OoTP-DH.
Also, I'll be using scenes from the books.
Obviously, if you recognise it, I don't own it.
*****Also, I edited something in CHAPTER SIX. If you notice it, cookies for you, considering it's relevant later ;)*****
I did not realise it would be so difficult to write out OoTP, my GOD
Which will be very different from canon.
Shoutout to my ladies, LesbianRavenclaw and Kem'Ajiana, because I'll be using them, as I've been used in Kem'Ajiana's stories(I believe two of them? and you should read her stories for sure because yas)
Charlotte and Tonks walked for only a few minutes before the trees opened up to a large area filled with tents. To Tonks, it seemed like something out of the Robin Hood movie that had come out in 1991, and she wasn't sure if she should be surprised or not that werewolves were living like this.
"Are there any non-werewolves living nearby?" Tonks asked as they walked.
"You saw the house, then?" Charlotte asked. "Bruce has shown interest in taking over it, it's been apparently abandoned for years, but no one has gotten the gate open. I personally think it's sealed with magic. But no, there's no non-werewolves."
"Has this pack been here long?"
"A few generations, from what I understand." Charlotte said. "Alpha is always passed down through the same family in this pack. Other packs, it's just whoever is beta, but apparently Bruce's family has had alpha rank for four generations."
"Four generations of werewolves?"
Charlotte shrugged. "They're not born werewolves, but most parents around here choose to infect their children around age ten, and then we keep them here, because it's not mandatory to attend Hogwarts. Oh, Tonks! You remember my cousin, Cass?"
"No." Tonks admitted. "Oh, wait, the American one?"
Tonks remembered, barely, that Charlotte's parents had moved to London in 1972- right before Charlotte was born- and that she had a cousin a few years older than her back home.
"Yes, well, she's here too." Charlotte said. "Remember when I said my cousin was coming to visit me over the summer on sixth year?''
"Barely."
"Well, apparently, she never went home, she's been here the whole time."
"And you had no idea?" Tonks asked.
"Well, Cass traveled a lot, so... no." Charlotte said, with a shrug. "I was so surprised when I got here, and she was here."
The camp was larger than Tonks' initial impression had told her. There was what appeared to be a garden off to one side, overflowing with leafy plants and various vegetables. There were a few fire pits, all in the middle of a circle of tents. She noticed that everyone seemed to be varying ages- from babies to elders.
"Are they all werewolves?" Tonks asked Charlotte.
"Not all." Charlotte explained. "Some aren't infected at all, some have lived here their entire lives. Listen, the alpha isn't a terrible person. Initiation isn't some terribly brutal beating. His mate died three years ago, when his son was born. Right now, he's just looking for someone he can trust to watch his kids- alphas don't do anything, including raising their own."
"So, he needs a nanny?"
"Yes."
"I'm not-"
"He's going to love you, Tonks. Trust me, it's the best way to get into the pack." Charlotte said. "And you're young, maybe he wants more heirs-''
"No."
"I'm joking!" Charlotte said. "Nah, he'll love you. It's difficult, his kids haven't warmed up to anyone since their mother died. Poor Liam never even met her."
They stopped outside a large tent, and Charlotte turned to Tonks. "People don't go by last names, you know." She said. "So you better get used to your name, Nymphadora. Wait here."
She glared at Charlotte, who gave her a brilliant grin before disappearing inside the tent. She waited for a few moments before Charlotte rejoined her. "Alright, come on." Charlotte said. "He wasn't interested, but I mentioned the Metamorphmagus thing, I hope you don't mind."
"Oh, okay, I guess if it helped..." Tonks said, as Charlotte led her into the tent.
The inside of the tent was definitely bigger than the outside, just as wizarding tents usually were. The alpha was a little older than she had expected, wearing similar robes to the rest of the pack and to Charlotte herself, plain blacks and greys and browns. Tonks wondered if this was why Remus wore such muted colours, perhaps all packs wore similar robes.
"Bruce, this is Nymphadora." Charlotte said. "Nymphadora, Bruce."
Bruce stood from the chair he was sitting in, holding out a hand to her. She shook his hand quickly. "Charlotte tells me you've chosen this pack as a favour to Albus Dumbledore." Bruce said as he sat again. "Why would anyone do favours for that old fool?"
"It's not just for him." Tonks explained. "Haven't you heard about what happened in June?"
"Wizarding news is useless to me." Bruce said. "My beta would know more."
Tonks looked at Charlotte, who nodded encouragingly. "I was also told you were hoping to find someone to help with your children." Tonks said.
"Are you good with children?"
"I'm not terrible with children."
To her surprise, Bruce laughed. "You're a Metamorphmagus, Charlotte tells me."
"Yes, sir."
"Charlotte, where did Liam and Grace go?" Bruce asked, looking at Charlotte.
"I believe they're with Cass and Clare." Charlotte said. "Should I go get them?"
"Yes, if they like Nymphadora, she can stay. If not, she leaves." Bruce said, and Charlotte nodded, leaving quickly. "Nymphadora, I can't help but notice you're unmarked. Have you not met your mate?"
Tonks didn't know what to say. Lie and say she didn't get along with Remus? Lie and say she hadn't met him at all?
"We've only just met." She finally said.
"And he is not here with you."
"No."
Bruce nodded slowly. "Interesting." He said. "Do you know the story of Tatiana, Nymphadora?"
"I've just learned it, yes." Tonks said, and then figured she may as well tell him, perhaps it would help her. "She's my great great grandmother, actually."
"Oh?" Bruce asked, looking interested. "So why did Albus Dumbledore send you to me? Surely, there are better packs to send someone with your bloodline into?"
"Voldemort has returned." Tonks said. "There's rumour he's recruited other werewolves."
"And you're here to ask me to join Dumbledore."
Tonks nodded. "Yes."
Bruce was quiet, and the quiet moment was interrupted by Charlotte's return with two young children. The older of the two was a girl, with long wavy blonde hair and wide blue eyes. The younger was a boy, his hair darker but just as curly, his eyes a darker shade of blue than his sister's. They were clinging to Charlotte's hands.
"Nymphadora, this is Liam and Grace." Bruce said. "Children, Nymphadora."
She had to keep telling herself not to correct him, not to say her name was Tonks, so she stayed silent. The little girl, Grace, looked at Tonks carefully. "Papa, she's the one who stays." Grace said.
Bruce nodded. "Charlotte, she can stay with you and the children at night. We'll give you a week, Nymphadora. If my children are happy after a week, you can be a member."
Charlotte nodded again, leaning down and scooping Liam up. She gestured to Tonks and Grace, and they walked outside again. "Well, it could have been worse." Charlotte said. "He could have sent you away immediately."
"Even if he send me away after a week, I suppose I still have time to try and convince werewolves to join us." Tonks said.
"Does Voldemort really have werewolves?"
"Apparently." Tonks said, as Charlotte led her into the tent next to where the alpha was. The tent had four beds, but was otherwise empty.
"We don't spend much time inside, unless the weather is bad, but that's only usually during the winter." Charlotte explained. "I'll find you some robes, you'll want to blend in with us as soon as possible, and of course, no one here wears anything that's even slightly attractive-"
"Why don't you wear Muggle clothes or different robes from shops? Surely there's a wizarding village-''
"Well, there is, but we find it's easier to get fabric and make our own robes. The colours are boring, but only because we don't want to make it easy for other packs to find us if we're walking on our own while we hunt." Charlotte explained.
"Hunt?"
"Yes, we can't just live on multiplied vegetables." Charlotte explained. "We hunt for wild animals, mostly. Werewolves need meat, right?"
"So, you do use magic?"
"Not all of us, but some of us haven't given up our wands." Charlotte explained. "We need magic, anyway, to keep us separate from the non-werewolves on full moons and to heal us. And for hunting, ooh, hunting's great! You have your wand, right?"
Tonks nodded, and two women entered the tent.
"Can you believe that old hag?" A dark haired, dark eye woman asked Charlotte, as her dark haired companion rolled her blue eyes.
"Cassie, this is Nymphadora. Nymphadora, Cassie." Charlotte said. "The quiet one is Clare."
"The Hufflepuff?" Cassie asked, and Tonks nodded. "Of course!"
"So, who's a hag?" Charlotte asked. "You can't be talking about Helga-"
"I am talking about Helga! She keeps saying we're unnatural-"
"Well, werewolves are." Charlotte said, and Cassie huffed.
"She meant us being mates." Clare said. "Says it defeats the purpose."
"You two are mates?" Tonks asked, and both women nodded.
"Well, Helga's just bitter because she's one of the few who has never met her mate." Charlotte said. "Between us ladies, she desperately needs to just-"
"Charlotte, children." Clare said, gesturing to Liam on Charlotte's arms and Grace standing near Tonks.
"-she should lower her standards." Charlotte finished with a roll of her eyes. "I suppose it doesn't matter now, she's too old to produce cubs anyway."
"Who's Helga?" Tonks asked.
"The pack gossip." Cassie said. "She'll inject herself into everyone's business, she tells people how to raise their children, she's kind of the-"
"The Molly Weasley." Charlotte said. "Is Molly still an overbearing pain in the arse?"
"-pack mother, despite having none of her own." Cassie finished, rolling her eyes at Charlotte. "Char, you need to let that go."
"So why doesn't she care for the alpha's children?" Tonks asked.
"Because he can't stand her." Cassie said. "But she can't be banished without committing some kind of crime."
"What could get someone banished?" Tonks asked.
"Whatever the alpha decides, really." Cassie said. "Which is why I don't understand why she's still here."
"Well, she's the best at making robes, that might be why." Clare offered. "And she cooks really well."
"She's still a hag." Cassie decided.