A/N (Info on the terrible format of the first eight chapters will be in a later A/N)I know that Nymphadora didn't go to school at the same time as the Marauders, but this is just what I think probably would have happened if she did. I know that some of the drama in this is kinda unlikely but I mean most of it is Sirius being a drama queen, and we all know that he totally was (See: ONLY ONE WILL DIE TONGHT! – just bloody tell him you want the rat!) I don't own anything Harry Potter, as much as I hope. I wrote most of this a while ago, so there may be some questionable grammar and spellings. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Staring up at the clouds, Nymphadora Tonks smiled. "I love hanging out with you guys!" she laughed, as Sirius jabbed a hand into James' side, making him jerk. Remus nodded. "They're cool, but so annoying." He laughed with Tonks, "Usually they plan on how to get back at Severus. James is still fuming with him for calling Lily… That." He glanced at James, who's head was at his feet. Nymphadora nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I don't think I'd like it either. If my boyfriend was called that I'd be angry too." Sirius sprang up, and eyes his second cousin accusingly. "Who's this boyfriend?" he looked at Remus, who shrugged. Nymphadora rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. "Why are you so protective? And I don't have a boyfriend, I was talking hypothetically. Everyone here is terrified of me," she pointed to her teal hair, "Or they just hate me. as if I'd ever get a boyfriend with this dumb condition, or whatever the hell this," she pointed to her hair again, "Is." Sirius stood up angrily. "Just because you're a Metamorphmagus it doesn't mean that any man wouldn't want you. it makes you special, right guys?" he turned to his two best friends, who nodded.

Peter Pettigrew found his friends sat beneath the Whomping Willow, a lunatic tree that was controlled by Professor Dumbledore and was ordered not to attack the Marauders or anyone with them. The reason for this was rather…. Furry, and the Marauders were told not tell anyone, despite the fact that half the school knew anyway. "Hey guys, Nymphadora," he said, sitting down. Tonks' hair turned a shade of orange. "Don't call me that, Peter, you know I hate it." He smiled anxiously and nodded, before moving margianally closer to Remus. He and Sirius, being as strong as they were, were probably the only ones who could calm her down if she got too angry, and would hopefully stop her attacking him. This happened in her first year, when Peter had accidentally insulted her. How was he to know that her hair wasn't blue by choice. Lily joined them a moment later and sat beside James in the small circle. "I can't believe we have to leave you here for two whole years on your own." Sighed James. The Marauders and Lily were in fifth year, whereas Tonks was only in the third year. She nodded, taking a bite out of her jam sandwich. "I'll be fine, what's the worst that could happen?" she smiled. Sirius looked up from where he was pulling the grass out of its roots. "You could get a boyfriend." He said, deadly serious. Lily burst at laughing, and Tonks glared at her. She tried to stop herself from laughing, but there was a huge grin on her face.

"Oh no! It's her!" yelled a first year boy. It was only two weeks into the term, but Hufflepuff had already told the first years about Nymphadora, claiming she was 'Dangerous'. The common room mostly cleared, except a few people who stared at her cautiously. "She doesn't look very happy… we'd better watch out…" one girl whispered to her friend, who nodded, her eyes not leaving Tonks. Damn this school! Everyone was so judgemental! She went into her room, where the other third year girls were congregated. "Here she is! Tonks, who do you think Jessie's brother will be taking to the Valentine's Ball?" asked Avalanti. She smiled gleefully as her best friend squirmed. "I don't know," Tonks shrugged, "Hannah Grayson maybe?" she had seen them together many times, and they were a well-known Hufflepuff couple, almost as famous as Lily and James. The room erupted into laughter as Jessie slammed her face into her pillow. "I don't want to know who my brother is dating, Okay?" she wailed as the girls laughed mercilessly, before running out of the room. Tonks sighed, grabbing a book and attempting to leave the room. "So, come on, Nymphadora, who are you going with?" sneered Avalanti, blocking her way. Tonks' hair turned orange. God she hated that name. "I'm not going. Not that there's anyone I'd go with anyway." The girl laughed nastily and the remaining two girls cornered her beside a bed. "What about Remus, eh?" She smiled when Tonks' hair glowed pink. Avalanti laughed, "It's so obvious you like him." the girls laughed after her as she fled the room, running through Hogwarts' corridors, and not stopping until she reached Gryffindor's painting.

"What happened?" asked Sirius, sitting in front of his cousin, who's hair was glowing pink. "I'm Embarrassed, why don't you ask my hair?" she pointed angrily to her head, tears in her pink eyes. Sirius sighed. "Who said something? Was it that girl again? Was she taking advantage of your…." He trailed off, gesturing towards her hair. Remus sighed and pulled a chair, facing her. "What did she say to embarrass you?" he asked. Tonks' hair glowed even brighter than before. "I'd prefer not to talk about it." She mumbled, hiding her blushing cheeks. Sirius pushed Remus back, putting his face inches from hers. "If you don't tell us we can't help-" "You aren't very sensitive are you?" Lily appeared, leaning against the doorway. "Go on, boys. Get out of here. Girl stuff." She pushed the boys into their room, and sat in front of Tonks. "Come on," she smiled, "What happened?"

Lily looked thoughtful when Tonks finished her story. "Right," she murmured, "That is a huge problem. The best thing you could do is try and control you're feelings, try not to show them as easily." Lily smiled, "And this girl? She's just a coward if she uses your condition to intimidate you. she's just mean. Ignore her." There was a noise from the boys' room, and Lily put her ear to the door. She put a finger to her lips. Tonks laughed as Lily pulled open the door, Sirius collapsing onto the common room floor. "It's a good job these doors are soundproof from the outside, eh, Tonks?" she gave her a knowing smile, before going back to her room. "so, what was wrong?" Nymphadora shrugged. "Nothing for you boys to worry about." She winked to where Lily was peeking through her door, before leaving for Hufflepuff's headquarters.

"So what was that thing with Tonks about?" asked James, the following day at breakfast. Lily sighed. "If Tonks wants to tell you, which I highly doubt, then she can." She smiled, "It's like, Girl Code not tell each other's secrets." She laughed as James and Sirius groaned loudly. Remus looked up from his book. "I hope Tonks is okay. That Avalanti girl needs putting in her place. Her taking advantage of Tonks makes me so… angry!" he slammed his hand on the table, making a few people stare. He blushed slightly. "Why are you so angry?" asked Sirius. Lily half-smiled, but no-one noticed as they were staring at Remus. He shrugged. "She's my friend. she doesn't deserve to be bullied just because she's a Metamorphmagus." He said quickly. James and Sirius shrugged and went back to eating, but Lily stared at Remus for a second. His cheeks were bright red. He couldn't…. could he? Sirius smiled mischievously. "What?" Lily asked, being dragged from her thoughts, Sirius winked at her, "I think that this is the perfect occasion for a… small prank…" he said, grinning.

Tonks was walking to Dinner a week later when Sirius and James came up to her, grinning. "Don't eat your dinner," said James, "We're pulling a prank on Hufflepuff, Slytherin and the teachers. We didn't cast the spell on Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, but we couldn't single you out, so just say you aren't hungry." She rolled her eyes and shrugged. She was used to her cousin and his friends telling her not to do something. They were, after all, The Marauders, famous for causing havoc at Hogwarts. She sat beside Jessie, the only nice third year. She smiled. Did she really want her to get pranked? Yes. "Where's the food?" asked Avalanti. She looked at Tonks nastily. "I'm not hungry," she said to Jessie, who shrugged. Tonks turned to see that the whole Gryffindor table was grinning. When the food appeared, everyone tucked in except for Tonks. It was hilarious.

"You made everyone's food taste like rubbish? That's so immature!" laughed Tonks, the day after. Lily nodded sadly as James and Sirius high-fived. "It was pretty funny though!" smiled Remus, making Tonks' heart flutter. He hair began to change to pink. "What?" she realised that Remus was stood beside her, and her eyes and hair were now pale pink. She shook her head, and the colour disappeared, going back to its normal purple. "Yeah, I guess. You ought to have seen Avalanti's face!" she smiled. Remus nodded and turned to Peter. They both peered over his shoulder to see that he was staring into his hand. "What are you doing?" asked Tonks. He looked up, surprised. "I'm reading my palm to see what happens. It says that I die pretty young, and that I don't have children." Sirius looked at him quizzically, before sighing and holding out his hand. "Here, since you asked." The group rolled their eyes. Sirius was such a drama queen. Peter peered into his hand. "It says that you die pretty young too. you don't get married or have kids either." Sirius smiled. "You're happy about that?" asked Lily, "Weirdo. Here, Peter, read mine." He took her hand, then said, "You die before me and Sirius, and you get married and have one child." James sighed loudly, and when Peter tried to grab his hand he pulled back. "I prefer to take life as it comes thanks." he smiled nervously. Remus laughed.

James finally gave in, meaning that the whole group had had their palms read. "It's so weird that you four have the same thing, and we do." Sirius shook his head. Peter looked at the four's hand again, and did a double take. "Lily, you and James die the same age, same with Remus and Tonks. Like, literally on the same days." The group looked at each other worriedly. After a while Sirius laughed. "You're worse than Professor Celeste. She says that Pete's gonna kill himself, that I'm going to get eaten by some sort of vail and that Lily and James are going to die protecting a baby." This made Tonks laugh, which made Lily laugh, and in the end the Marauders were laughing their heads off beneath the Whomping Willow, just like always.

Tonks sat on her own in most lessons. The teachers knew that the rest of Hufflepuff didn't really like her much, and that they tended to avoid her, so didn't think it fair that she was forced to sit next to someone who was afraid of her. She was staring into space, thinking about werewolves, when the teacher said, "Tonks, what do you think? Are werewolves dangerous or not?" the class looked at her. Of course she was given this question. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Avalanti smirk. "No, I most definitely do not think that werewolves are dangerous." Professor took a step towards her. "So what do you think they are like?" she glanced around the class. Normally they would be doing something else, but this question was just too hilarious to not watch. "Werewolves are misunderstood creatures, much like myself. Nobody in here actually knows anything about me, they just judge me because of what I am, just like Remus." She put a hand over her mouth immediately. How could she be so stupid? Why did she answer? She was such an idiot! Remus was never going to forgive her. "Do you think this… Remus person is hot, Nymphadora?" Avalanti asked. The class laughed as her hair turned pink. "That's enough, now."

Tonks skipped her following classes, spending the time under the Whomping Willow, after narrowly avoiding getting killed by its manic branches. Tears rolled down her face as she curled up beside the trunk. She was facing the Forbidden Forest so that no-one would see her. How could she have let this happen? She had given everyone proof that Remus was a werewolf. He was never going to forgive her. And then her hair had to go crazy and turn different colours so now everyone, both the Hufflepuff students and the Gryffindor students knew that she liked him. God damn it! She heard a noise behind her and her head turned at rapid speed. Oh god. "Lily, I don't need this right now." Lily sighed and sat down, putting her hand on Tonks' shoulder. "I know what happened, a bunch of Gryffindors came and told us. Sirius wasn't very happy, apparently they didn't realise that you were his cousin." She smirked when Tonks snorted. She put her head on Lily's shoulder, like she was an older sister. "What did they say?" she said, putting her head in her hands. Lily laughed nervously. "Well, they ran up to us and yelled, 'Remus! Remus, that scary multi-coloured girl likes you! she had to give her opinion on werewolves and she said that they're misunderstood, like her, and she said your name, but then Ava asked if she thought you were hot, and she blushed really badly, like even her hair and stuff went pink, it was so funny!' I had to stop them both from killing him, the poor kid." Nymphadora sighed. How had everything messed up so badly?

Sirius' brow furrowed; he was still fuming about what had happened. He looked at Remus, who was taking notes. "aren't you angry?" he whispered. Remus shrugged, his face turning beetroot. "Embarrassments happen, I guess…" he mumbled. Sirius stared at him wide-eyed. How could he not be? "she was sticking up for you-" "Yeah, she also told everyone what I am." Remus looked at her, and for the first time Sirius thought he might be on the verge of crying. But he was so angry he didn't care. "People know what you are? Everyone knew, and how do you think she feels? She has no way of hiding what she is and everyone hates her, at least you have friends." Remus turned away. "She has friends too." he said, closing his eyes, which were tearing up. "I mean friends that aren't your cousin. And true friends who don't get angry when they get stuck up for." The bell went just then and Sirius stood up angrily before storming out and down to Dinner. "What did you do?" asked James, laughing. Sirius was so melodramatic! He looked at Remus, and realised that he was practically crying. "I'm going back to the common room, I don't feel well." He mumbled, striding off.

Lily looked at Sirius thoughtfully. Remus sure had got upset over that whole Tonks thing, clearly, which made her wonder… she glanced at James, who was sat beside her, then at Peter. They were both looking at Sirius nervously, but he didn't raise his head from the table. "Must be asleep." Whispered Peter.

"I'm not, I'm trying my best to get rid of the headache that is Mr Remus Lupin." Lily raised her eyebrows at James. This couldn't be good. "What did he… you know, do?" asked James cautiously. He knew not to push Sirius when he was angry. "He's angry at Tonks for revealing what he is, even though the whole school knows anyway. She was only trying to stick up for him, but as per always he has to act like it's the end of the world. Poor Tonks. At least Remus is in a house that doesn't completely hate him." Lily put her fork down. Was she really about to do this? Tread in deep waters? "What about the fact that she likes him…. does that have anything to do with it?" James looked and Lily, and Sirius' head sprang up. "What?" he seethed. Lily sighed. "That boy also said that that Avalanti girl asked her if she thought Remus was hot, and she flipped out. How do we know that Remus feels the same way but just doesn't want to talk about it?" Sirius stared at Lily, eyes wide. "My best friend IS NOT dating my cousin, are we clear?" he slammed his head back down on the table, ending the conversation.

Sirius was miserable for the best part of three weeks. He and The Marauders barely spoke, as he spent most of his time at the Whomping Willow, looking for Tonks. She now skipped most of lessons, crying under the tree's trunk. Her hair constantly flicked from blue to pink to red when she was in the hallways, causing most of the school to look at her. Even when she was in class, all she did was cause havoc. Avalanti didn't go a day without having an inkwell blow up on her desk, or having a book fly at her face. Tonks was in detention so much she was catching up to Remus and James on 43 each. Sirius was rather proud of her as he listened to her third Howler that month. James winced as Andromeda screamed at her daughter, who casually sat eating, the whole school staring. "Causing trouble in class? That's disgraceful!" yelled her mother as she nodded. "You'll never become an Auror, they don't let bad kids in. Besides, they probably wouldn't let you in anyway, given what you are… And don't think your father hasn't heard about this too! He says the exact same as me. You'll never get married, Nymphadora, no man would want you. not at this rate." The Howler ripped itself up. Tonks had stopped eating at the part about becoming an Auror, and her hair went pink, then blue. A tear rolled down her face. Her mother was right. She was never going to get a boyfriend or a job, not with her condition. The Great Hall stared at her as she got up and left, their heads turning as Sirius followed, then Lily, then James, then finally Peter. Remus was the only one left. "Aren't you going?" asked a seventh year. The school looked at him anxiously, before He shrugged, standing and sauntering after them.

The Marauders found Tonks in her usual place. "I-I have to ch-change my p-place. I k-keep getting d-disturbed." She stuttered, gulping back tears. Sirius knelt beside her and she bawled into his arm. "W-Why can't I j-just be n-normal?" she wailed, "M-mum's right, I'll n-never be able to g-get m-married!" she choked on the last word and burst into a set of fresh tears. Her hair was changing colours rapidly. She wailed again, but this time it was as if in pain. Lily peered around the tree and held her head, "She's having a panic attack, Sirius, and they can be fatal to Metamorphs." She said. She wanted to be Healer, and knew about attacks like these. Sirius took of his jumper like Lily ordered and put it beneath her head. "What can we do?" He said, completely panicked by his cousin's state. Lily shook her head, noticing that Peter and James had arrived. "Quick, you two, help me hold her down, she needs to move as little as possible." Remus leant on the tree above them, watching as the girl cried in complete agony. It was like watching someone suffer the Cruciatus Curse. He winced as Sirius yelled at him, "Remus, why the hell are you just standing there? Help us!" He seemed really upset; it was the first time the Marauders had seen him cry. "I can't lose her, Remus, please, she's the only sane one in my family!" Remus sighed and rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't exactly call this sane." He pointed at Tonks' hair, which was turning every colour of the rainbow. Sirius really wanted to punch him as he watched, but he knew he couldn't leave her.

Lily couldn't understand it. Why was Remus being so horrible? It was nowhere near the full moon, and he used to be just as worried about Tonks as Sirius. What had changed? Was it really because of what had happened? "For Merlin's sake, Remus, Help!" Yelled James. He was getting really annoyed now. Couldn't he just help? After about three quarters of an hour, her hair stopped switching, and she stopped trying to escape their hold. Lily listened to her breaths for a moment, before nodding. "She's gonna be fine." She sighed with relief. Sirius felt like bursting into tears. However, he had more important matters to attend to. He and James stood up and looked at Remus. "Why didn't you help us?" panted James, "Your strength could've really helped." Remus shrugged and opened his book. Rage filled Sirius, and he lunged forwards, James only just grabbing him. Lily stood between them. "He's acting so casual, like she means nothing! How can he be such a-" Lily interrupted Sirius before he said something he'd regret; "Sirius, calm down. Just because Rem- Lupin," She glared at him, purposely calling him by his last name, "is acting like the werewolf he is, it doesn't mean you have to act like a lunatic too. Now, can you please lift her, we need to get her into a bed." She continued to glare at Remus as they walked past. James had to help Sirius in lifting the girl, she was in such an awkward position. Peter was the last of the five of them to leave the scene, and he scuttled straight past him. Remus sat down where Tonks had been just a moment before. He had no idea why he'd been so idiotic. He put his head in his head in his hands and sighed loudly.

Sirius knelt beside Tonks right until the moment she woke up, three hours later, in the middle of the night. She sprang up, scared. "Sirius? Lily?" she saw Sirius beside her and stared at him, wide-eyed. "What happened? Why am I here?" Sirius took great care in explaining what had happened, leaving out what Remus had done. "She's right you know, Mum. I'm never gonna become an Auror. They aren't going to let me, especially after this. As for getting married…. Well we established ages ago that that's not happening, so…" she trailed off, seeing that Lily and James were sat on James' bed. "You guys stayed up too?" she asked, worried. Her friends hadn't slept? She didn't care about sleep, she didn't go to many classes, but Lily wanted to be a Healer, and she needed perfect grades. "Panic Attacks can be fatal to Metamorphs, we had to make sure you were alright." Smiled Lily. Peter was staring at her, terrified. James rolled his eyes. "Ignore him, he had your foot, I think you kicked him in the face three times." The Marauders laughed as Peter nodded. Tonks got up and pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry Pete. I know you meant well…. Did I hurt anyone else?" They all shook their heads. "What about Remus… he isn't here! God, he wasn't so bad he had to go to the infirmary was he?" Sirius looked at Lily. She shrugged anxiously. James scratched his head. Peter looked at her nervously. "What? Did I kill him?" her hair turned grey with worry. James sighed.

"We have to tell her…. Remus didn't help. He was there, but… but he wouldn't help us. He just watched, the git." He looked at Sirius, who'd scrunched up his hands into fists, "We don't know why, he just, didn't seem to care…" Tonks' eyes welled up with tears. He didn't care? Lily stood up and hugged her. "He's awful, we know. he hasn't come back, thank Merlin. If Sirius didn't kill him, I wouldn't doubt that me and James would have his throat." She smiled slightly, before looking at the door, which opened. "Talk of the Devil." James seethed. He looked at Sirius, who calmly sat down. He wasn't going to upset poor Tonks even more by becoming a murderer. Remus sat on his bed and pulled a book off of the table. He began reading, despite that fact that the Marauders were staring at him. Tonks shifted awkwardly on her feet. "I should go…" she mumbled, "The girls, th-they'll be wondering where I am." Sirius rolled his eyes, completely annoyed. "No they won't, Tonks, you know they don't like you… no offense." "It's fine, I'll just stay in the common room. Most people clear out when I'm in there anyway." Lily looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "No, Tonks, you're staying in my room. At least then you don't have to share with…" She glanced at Remus, "Boys. You won't have to share with boys." She finished, not trying to start an argument. "I'm not supposed to be here anyway, we'd get so done." Tonks shook her head, "It's fine, the common room sofa's pretty comfy anyway, you know. Besides, no-one in Gryffindor likes me much ether. Or Ravenclaw, and especially not Slytherin. Then again, after what my extremely loving Mother wrote in that Howler, they probably adore me. Yay." She sighed, and was about to leave when Peter stood up. "Don't go, Tonks. Just because… people… here aren't nice doesn't mean you have to leave us. We're still your friends." It was the first time he'd spoken about Remus, even though it was indirectly aimed at him. Tonks smiled. "No, It's good. I wouldn't want your house to hate you too." she opened the door and slipped out of it silently. As she walked through the corridors, tears rolled slowly down her face and her hair turned a deep blue. How had everything gone so wrong?

"Well done, Lupin." Said Sirius. None of the Marauders had called him by his first name since he'd started acting like a prat. He sat on his bed. "You know, the only reason I'm not killing him is because Tonks needs me out of prison, right?" he looked at James, who nodded. Lily sighed loudly. She was reaching the end of her tether. Remus acting horrid, Sirius and James angry all the time, Peter barely talking, Tonks constantly upset. Everything was falling apart. She felt like she was going to cry. "I'm going to bed." She mumbled, wiping away a tear. James looked at her, worried, as she left the room. "James, could you help me with my Transfiguration homework?" Asked Sirius, "I'd ask someone else, but he's acting like a git at the current time." He glared at Remus, and James sighed. "You're a bloody Animagus, Sirius. Can't you figure it out yourself? I'm going to bed." He pulled the covers over himself, and Peter silently turned out the light beside his bed. James did the same, his face in his pillow. The only light was coming from Sirius and Remus' bed lamps, the only sound was Sirius' scrawling. Eventually Remus turned out his light, then finally Sirius did. But none of them were asleep. They heard movement, and then sobs. Peter was crying. His friends were breaking apart, all around him, and then what would he have left? He'd be on his own just like Tonks would be the year they left. They four boys sat, listening to Peter's wrenching sobs. Little did they know that two girls were doing the exact same thing.