Tonks couldn’t help it. She screamed. Loudly.
The werewolf cocked its head at her, advancing slowly and silently on
padded paws.
She couldn’t move. It was like she was glued to the ground. The werewolf
took another step towards her, readying itself to leap.
Bounding noisily down the stairs came a huge black dog. It jumped the last
few steps and knocked the werewolf down. When the dog had it pinned to the
floor, it barked up the stairs. A huge stag jumped down, landing in front
of Tonks.
Charlie didn’t stop to ask questions. He hauled Tonks to her feet, and
threw her on the creatures back, jumping on behind her. The stag ran down
a narrow tunnel, head bowed so it didn’t hit the roof. Charlie shoved
Tonks’ head down, as she didn’t seem to be back in control of her body
yet. The stag was approaching a patch of light. Suddenly they were out,
the full moon shining brightly above them. Charlie turned his head as they
rode out, and saw the whomping willow, floating as if it were frozen.
The stag sat down, allowing its passengers to get off. Charlie climbed
off, helping Tonks, who was just coming round. Staggering to her feet,
she gawped at the stag.
It was changing. Suddenly, sitting in its place, was a boy of around her
own age, with ruffled black hair, peering at her with hazel eyes behind
round glasses.
“Are- you- mental?!” He asked, looking at the her and Charlie in horror.
Tonks ignored the question. The boy looked like someone she knew, a long
lost friend of sorts…
“Its not possible!” she cried.
“Did she hit her head?” The boy asked Charlie incredulously. Charlie
shrugged.
“Probably.” He told the black haired boy.
“What were you doing in there anyway?” the boy demanded.” I don’t
recognise you. Are you even from here?” he asked, gesturing to the castle
looming behind him in the moonlight. Tonks nodded numbly.
“Are you… are you James Potter?” she asked apprehensively. The boy nodded.
“So what were you doing in there?” James demanded again.
“We just came in from Hogsmede! Then Tonks tripped, and next thing we
know, there’s a werewolf practically on top of us!” Charlie yelled. “We
didn’t do anything!”
“Its night.” Tonks observed. She checked her watch. “Since when is it dark
at 3.30 in the afternoon?” She asked, confused.
The boy called James checked his watch. “Your so dumb. Its 3.30 in the
morning!” he said, rolling his eyes.
“What’s the date?” she asked, her voice filled with panic. If her
suspicions were right, and if this really was James Potter…
“12th of May, 1976” said James.
“12th of May 1988” said Charlie.
Tonks stared at the two boys in horror. Charlie and James were frowning at
each other. Then her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
“Tonks? Hello? Earth to Tonks… Girl with purple hair? Can you hear me?
Are you ok?”
Tonks’ eyes fluttered open. She sat up.
“Are you ok?” asked Charlie. “You fainted.”
“I’m fine, thank you.” She replied huffily, shrugging his hand off her
shoulder. James sniggered. She glared at him. He quickly stepped back as
she got to her feet.
“Jeez, if looks could kill,” he muttered. Charlie nodded in agreement.
“Hey Prongs, what’s going on?” Another figure appeared out of the
darkness, making its way towards them. “I left Wormtail with Moony- who
are you?” He asked, frowning at Tonks and Charlie. He was a handsome boy,
with dark hair that fell into his eyes, achieving a casual elegance that
neither Charlie nor James could have managed. “He looks so familiar …”
thought Tonks. Then it hit her. James. Prongs. Moony. Wormtail. There was
one missing… this boy was Sirius Black!
Tonks stepped back, drawing her wand from the waistband of her jeans.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie asked.
“Are you as completely stupid as you look?! Its Sirius Black!” Tonks cried
hysterically.
“Oh,” said Charlie, comprehension dawning on his face. He Knew that Tonks
And Sirius had been really close- well, before he’d murdered 13 people and
betrayed his best friends.
“How do you know my name?” Sirius asked. “Or do you just recognise me for
my good looks?” He let out a bark of laughter.
“This is no laughing matter, buthead!” Tonks yelled, slapping his arm.
“The only reason id know a scum bag like you is because my mums your
cousin!”
“That’s not possible.” Said Sirius, rubbing his arm, while James laughed.
“Andromeda’s kids only 3.” He gave James an oh-no-she’s-crazy look.
Tonks looked over at Charlie. “Crap! It really is 1976!”
“Duh! Are you that crazy that you cant remember the year?” Sirius raised
an eyebrow, which, in Tonks’ opinion, made him look even more gorgeous.
“If we weren’t related…” She sighed dreamily.
“It must have been the time turner. We’ve gone back 12 years!” Charlie
groaned. This was just what he needed. Stuck in another time frame with
his crazy ex. Perfect.
“Hang on-so you’re really from the future?” Sirius asked suspiciously.
Charlie nodded.
“And you’re really my cousin?” He turned to Tonks, who was pulled out of
her trance.
“Yup.”
“How do I know that you’re not really you-know-who’s spies?” he asked.
“Prove it.”
Tonks rolled her eyes, then screwed them up, changing her hair from purple
to black, pink, blue, red, green, brown, blonde, and back to purple.
“Whoa.” James exclaimed. Sirius grinned.
“Nymphie!” he stepped forwards to hug her. She stepped back quickly.
“Did I do something?” He asked, concerned. He’d obviously forgotten all
the names she’d called him.
“Um… Its just that no one calls me “Nymphie.” ever. They all call me
Tonks.” She lied. She couldn’t tell him that he was a mass murderer… could
she?
“Oh. Sorry… Tonks.” There was an awkward pause.
“Shouldn’t we go see Dumbledore?” Charlie interrupted the silence.
“Um well, about that… you can’t tell him about what you saw just now, see-”
“You’re unregistered animaguses, and Dumbledore doesn’t know.” Tonks
supplied dully.
“Yea. So, it might be better if we wait till morning, you know, coz we
shouldn’t be out at night… and then you can meet Peter and Remus!” James
said brightly.
Tonks smiled. She remembered Remus. She’d had the biggest crush on him. He
was so gorgeous!
“Earth to Tonks…” Charlie was waving his hand in front of her face. She
snapped back to reality.
“Come on, we’ve got to sneak you in so you can get some sleep.” Sirius
took Tonks’ hand, smiling. She tried to smile back.
“So… What am I like in the future?” Sirius asked her.
“Shit! What do I say?” “Um I dunno. You’re… busy at the moment. I haven’t
seen you for a while. Last time I saw you you were pretty cool.” Tonks
mumbled.
It was technically the truth.
“What about me?” James asked enthusiastically. “Do me and Lily get together?”
Tonks didn’t know what to say to that. She shrugged.
“You were last time I saw you.” she told him.
“Yes!!” James punched the air, while Sirius, shaking his head, tapped a
panel on the castle wall, revealing a secret room.
“We can stay here for now. You really shouldn’t have told him that, Tonks.
He’s going to be high for ages now. We‘ll never hear the end of it.”
“Not for long.” Tonks gave Sirius a nasty grin, glancing at James doing a
victory dance around the small room.
“James?” She walked over to him. He was grinning like a maniac from ear to
ear.
Tonks raised her hand, and slapped him hard across the face. The
resounding “Slap!” was loud enough to make Sirius and Charlie cringe.
“Get over it and shut up, or I swear I will stick your head so far up your
ass it comes back out your mouth.”
Sirius looked surprised, but not displeased to see her threaten James like
that, who was now unusually subdued. He needed someone to pull him off his
high horse every now and again. Charlie was shaking with laughter.
“Same goes for you, asshole.” She told him, raising her wand pointedly.
He stopped laughing at once.
“She did it once.” He told Sirius quietly. “Garrett never was the same
afterwards. Where she learnt that hex, I’ve got no idea. Stupid Slytherin
prick deserved it though.”
Sirius looked at Tonks. It was a scary thought, her doing that to some
poor Slytherin.
She looked so innocent as she pulled an old blanket into a corner, curling
up under it.
“That really hurt,” pouted James, who was looking extremely put out, while
Sirius sniggered at him.
“Tough luck mate!” Sirius grinned.
“I’m warning you, shut up, or else!” Tonks yelled from under her blanket.
Sirius quickly shut his mouth, before morphing into the huge black dog and
curling up to sleep more comfortably. James and Charlie exchanged glances
before grabbing blankets and settling into sleep.
“Tonks, wake up!” Tonks opened a bleary eye, and saw James Grinning at
her. She groaned.
“Shit. I wasn’t dreaming.” she muttered. Sirius laughed, pulling her to
her feet.
“Nope. But now its time for you to meet the other Marauders!”
He tapped the panel in the wall, and they all stepped out into the early
morning sunshine, rubbing their eyes.
Sirius walked in the direction of the whomping willow. Standing in the
shadows on the edge of the forbidden forest were two boys.
One was quite tall, and rather skinny, with an obviously toned chest
beneath his tight t-shirt. The other was small and quite fat. They walked
out to greet James and Sirius.
Tonks’ heart skipped a beat. The tall, toned boy was Remus! And was he
fit? Hell yes! She couldn’t help but stare. He was gorgeous. He had sandy
coloured hair, and dreamy blue eyes. There were scars up his arms, and a
few long ones across his face. She wondered how he’d gotten them all.
“Remus, Peter, this is Tonks and Charlie.” Sirius introduced them, after
explaining the situation to Remus and Peter.
“Pleasure to meet you, Charlie. And Tonks-?”
“Nymphadora Tonks.” She smiled at Remus.
“Nymphadora.” Remus smiled back, and shook her hand, then Charlies.
Tonks was over Charlie like that. Remus was so much better in comparison.
“Nymphadora, I am truly sorry about last night. I never wanted to hurt
you, and well, it’s a good thing Sirius came when he did.” Remus
apologised.
“That was… you?” Tonks asked, shocked. “Well, that explains the scars.”
Remus nodded.
“I understand completely if you-” But he never got to finish, because
Tonks had flung herself on him, gripping him in a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry, Remus. Its not your fault, don’t worry. I’m ok, so no harm
done.” Tonks smiled at him again, gazing at his deep blue eyes. He smiled
back.
“I like your hair.” He complemented. She pulled on a short purple strand.
“Thanks. I always liked pink more myself, though.” She said, scrunching
up her eyes and changing it. Remus starred. “I’m a metamorphagus” She
explained.
“Oh that’s so cool!” they walked to the castle in silence, before Remus
spoke again. “This Charlie, is he your boyfriend?” he asked casually. He
obviously got his dating tips from Sirius. Tonks snorted.
“No. Stupid Wanker Dumped me about half an hour before we met last night.”
Tonks scowled in Charlies direction.
“That was foolish of him” Remus said quietly. Tonks whipped round to stare
at him. He blushed.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t-”
“Its Ok. don’t worry, I prefer blondes anyway.” Tonks said, taking a
sideways glance at Remus grinning. He smiled back.
They climbed the stairs to Dumbledore’s office.
“Do you know the password?” Tonks asked, surprised. Remus nodded smugly.
“Sugar Quill.” He said. And the stone gargoyle moved aside. They climbed
the stairs, and waited at the top for the others, before knocking on the
door.
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