Author's Note: Honestly this came about mostly from my avoidance of school work. I do have a fair bit written up, but I'm still trying to put some of it together in a more coherent way. Mostly lighthearted for now, it will become a bit more dark and/or serious as the story continues. I just like the idea of Tonks at school with the Marauders.

"Nymphadora?"

The sound of her hated first name drew Tonks from the book she had been absorbed in. Miffed, she directed her most pointed glare towards her mother, who simply rolled her eyes and continued speaking to her.

"You have a bruise on your neck."

Andromeda's tone wasn't accusatory, but Tonks knew her mother well enough to read between the lines. Cursing her slipped morph, she quickly disappeared her rising blush. She knew exactly the 'bruise' her mother meant.

"I do, yes. It can't be news to you that your only child has the balance of a drunken mountain troll?"

Her mother huffed, exasperated as usual.

"Yes dear, I'm aware. Although from here it rather looks like you've fallen neck first into a family of leeches."

Realizing too late that her sip of tea had been a mistake, Tonks sputtered the steaming liquid onto the pages of her book, quickly launching into a stream of curses. Madam Pince had been explicit in her warnings about taking library books home over the break.

Andromeda simply rolled her eyes and wandlessly vanished the blooming stain from the pages of her daughter's book.

"Honestly Nymphadora, you act as if I've never been sixteen. Tell me about this young man."

Now unable to morph away her deepening blush, Tonks hid behind her cup of rapidly cooling tea.

"There's no 'young man' mum, please drop it, for the love of Merlin."

Andromeda's eyebrows raised skeptically from behind her own cup of tea.

"There are other ways I can find out, you do realize?"

Tonks' mouth dropped open, her teacup dropping to the table with a slosh.

"You wouldn't!"

Andromeda primly placed her own teacup onto its allotted coaster, waving away her daughter's latest mess.

"Wouldn't I?"

"Mother! Don't you dare look into my mind! Daaaaaad!"

The tail end of Tonks' sentence trailed behind her as she sprinted out of the sitting room and up the stairs, tripping only once. Andromeda shook her head lightly at her daughter's antics and picked up her tea again as Ted entered the room, scratching the back of his head.

"What now then?"

Andromeda looked up innocently at her husband.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Edward."

Ted dropped heavily into what had been his daughter's seat, sighing and running his hand down his face, ever wearier as the month of December passed.

"Honestly Dromeda, can't you just leave her be for now?"

Looking at her exhausted husband, Andromeda dropped the prim posture she normally maintained around others.

"I'm worried about her."

Ted sighed, having anticipated this conversation.

"I know love, but why?"

"She's secretive, she's moody, and I know you saw the hickey. She's having trouble controlling her morphing."

"She's sixteen, I don't think any of that's abnormal."

"There's a boy, I'm sure of it."

Ted sighed again, heavier than ever.

"Probably, yeah. But she's sixteen Dromeda, do you remember how we were at sixteen?"

"Exactly!"

Only mildly startled by his wife's sudden outburst, Ted raised an eyebrow prompting her to continue.

"When we were sixteen we were being so secretive because you're muggleborn and my family are a bunch of blood supremacists. It would have been wholly forbidden. When have we ever forbidden Nymphadora from associating with anyone?"

Andromeda watched as her husband scratched his chin, taking in her argument.

"Well, we haven't. Of course not. But maybe she's just embarrassed. Maybe he's not much to look at, or not all that bright, or – Merlin forbid – he could be a Slytherin. Or perhaps not a 'he' at all."

Leaning back in her chair, Andromeda drew her eyebrows together.

"I suppose any of those things could be true. But Ted, when has Nymphadora ever been shy? About anything? I'm just concerned it's something worse."

"Like?"

"What if he's much older? A professor? Or what if he treats her poorly? Or – oh, Merlin – Ted, what if he's related?! Sirius is only a year older than her, and I've heard her say he's handsome!"

Ted sat forward and reached out to calm his quickly panicking wife.

"Andromeda, love, calm down. Dora is about as likely to fancy Sirius as she is to start letting us all use her full name."

Andromeda snorted in response, giving a slow nod as Ted continued.

"As for the rest of it, I highly doubt our daughter is dating one of her professors. He could very well be a bit older, but I quite doubt it's anything inappropriate. And from the way she's been acting, all love struck and doe eyed, I think her mystery suitor treats her quite well. And I hardly think you threatening her with Legilimency will help matters."

Andromeda turned a light shade of pink before responding, muttering.

"She jumped to that conclusion. All I meant was that I'd ask Sirius about it."

"Uh huh," Ted muttered placatingly "of course."