I don't own HP.
This has been edited slightly 7 years later. I was 12 when I wrote this so I apologise if my 3-year-old sounds more literate than a normal 3 year old should be.
"Diagon Alley!" I shout and toss the floo powder into air. The green flames engulf me and in, I don't know, 4 seconds? I come tumbling out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron, covered in soot as usual. "Ah, Mr Lupin, good to see you." Tom the barman says with a forced smile. Of course, he doesn't really mean it, he says that every time I show up. I know the truth is, he finds me annoying and "no fun". Just because I don't want to drink beer and chat with him about my life, I'm "no fun". He should meet Hagrid, they'll be best friends. Not that I'm complaining, he scares me a little, has this look that reminds me of Bellatrix Black. She has this demented look on her face, reminds me a bit of a skeleton.
She's not right in the head, Bellatrix, a bit crazy, goes around school bullying students for no reason and believes that anybody but pure-bloods are scum. Actually, majority of the Black Family are like that, marry or befriend anybody but pure-blood wizards and you're disowned, or thought of as a disgrace to the family or "noble house of Black" as they call it and all that rubbish. They are mostly Slytherins, the house for all the ambitious,determined people, and they're also mostly followers of He-who-must-not-be-named, or You-know-who. Though, there are a few good people in the Black family, my good friend Sirius Black, also known as Padfoot. He became a disgrace to the family after being the first in his family to be sorted into Gryffindor, he ran away from home a few weeks ago, couldn't take all their pure-blood nonsense anymore. He's now living with my other good friend James Potter or Prongs.
You-know-who does have a name, Voldemort or Lord Voldemort. A lot of people are shriek, gasp or flinch when they hear it being said but I don't know what's there to be scared of. I don't think it's even his real name. I mean, Voldemort? His parents must have wanted to be creative if that's really his name. He a "dark lord" who believes that pure-bloods are superior and wants to wipe out everybody else (half-bloods, muggle-borns, anything but pure-blood wizards, you name it) and take over the world. To be honest, I don't think he's even a pure-blood. They're dying out. The only reason wizards are still around is because we married muggles, non-magical people, and had kids. But anyway, Voldemort's getting more powerful. He's on the move, there are murders in the papers nearly everyday, and though there is not much evidence, it's most likely him who's behind it.
Which means I need to watch out.
I'm Remus Lupin, 16, a wizard, half-blood, a brown haired average boy starting my 6th year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I'm in Gryffindor house, and I hate to say it, a werewolf. I was bitten by Fenrir Greyback, a death eater, which is basically what followers of you-know-who call themselves, and what quite a few of the Blacks are. My father somehow offended him and as revenge, he bit me. He gave me my "monthly gift". Merlin, I sound like a PMSing girl, gross. Transforming hurts a lot, it's really painful. And I have scars on my face from self-inflicted injuries. Being a werewolf sucks, how can Greyback stand it? Someone should make a potion, a painkiller. I'd be really grateful. I already join the billions of people being targeted by Voldemort because I'm a half-blood, fine with me. I'll be in a better place. But I'll have difficulty finding a job in the future, if I live that long. There are werewolf bans nearly everywhere. For some reason, the Ministry Of Magic has something against werewolves. They think we're dangerous. Well, they thought wrong. We're only dangerous during the full moon, once a month. If not we're just like them. Normal wizards. I hope they do something about it in the future. If not, I have no idea what will happen to me.
I just realised I've been staring into blank space for the past 5 minutes.
"Mr Lupin?"
"Huh?" I turn around to see Tom giving me this weird look.
"Are you going to just stand there?"
"Uh, sorry. I'll be heading off now." I say, flustered. I run for the door.
I hear Tom mutter, "Strange boy." just loud enough for me to hear before the door swings shut behind me.
I can't believe I just stood in the Leaky Cauldron for 5 whole minutes thinking about Blacks, Voldemort and my future! If I even have a future. Mum always says I should stop being so negative, but it's true, I'll have no future unless werewolves aren't banned from almost everything. I sigh. I might as well be optimistic for now, while I'm still at school and have friends. It'll be just sad if I died knowing I was never happy.
Now I have to focus on why I'm at Diagon Alley in the first place. I'm shopping for books and school supplies. I'm starting my 6th year at Hogwarts. 6th! I feel so old.
I took my Ordinary Wizarding Levels at the end of last year, my 5th year. O.W.L.s. The reason some of the most slack and care-free people you knew freaked out and wet their pants. I did well enough, 7 "Outstandings", 1 "Exceeds Expectations" in Care Of Magical Creatures and 1 "Acceptable" in History Of Magic.
1 week ago
"When is the stupid owl coming?" I knew I sounded like a bratty 5-year-old but I didn't care. I just wanted to get my O.W.L. results!
"Calm down, Remus, it'll come soon. Quit asking, I'm just as nervous." Mum replied.
"Pfft." I said. If she was nervous, she would be shaking uncontrollably and squealing every few seconds. It was quite annoying.
"Fine, you got me. I was trying to make you feel better." She said, exasperated.
How is that supposed to make me feel better? I thought. Women can be weird.
I turned to look out the window, started hyperventilating, and moved away in time to avoid getting hit by the brown owl as it flew through the window and landed on the table. It gave me a curious look and then stuck out its right leg.
I walked over cautiously and slowly untied the string around the envelope and the owls leg. This was it. I was finally getting my O.W.L. results. All my hard work had come down to this...
"HURRY UP AND OPEN THE STUPID ENVELOPE!"
I spun around. My mother was giving me a "first-you-worry-that-the-owl-won't-come-and-want-it-to-hurry-up-and-when-it-comes-you-take-your-own-sweet-time-getting-what-you-have-been-waiting-for-for-the-past-hour?" look.
I gave her a "I'd-tell-you-to-shut-the-hell-up-but-I'm-too-nice" look, opened the envelope and took out the parchment with my results.
ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS
Pass Grades:
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)
Fail Grades:
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)
REMUS JOHN LUPIN HAS ACHIEVED:
Astronomy: O
Arithmancy: O
Care Of Magical Creatures: E
Charms: O
Defence Against The Dark Arts: O
Herbology: O
History Of Magic: A
Potions: O
Transfiguration: O
I seriously need to stop daydreaming in the middle of nowhere. I'm getting odd looks from random witches and wizards.
I wander around Diagon Alley, getting new robes, picking up books and potion ingredients and all those other things I need. I walk past "Quality Quidditch Supplies" and see their latest broom model, the "Hurricane 1000". Sirius would love that, now that he's not living with those pure-blood freaks maybe he could get one.
I walk over to "Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream Parlour" to buy my usual chocolate ice-cream. I don't know why, but I just really like chocolate. It tastes so nice and sweet.
"You can't catch me!"
I see a flash of pink, hear an "oof!" sound and the next thing I know, I'm on the ground. "Ouch." I can't think of anything else to say. There's something in my face so I can't see and, there's something on top of me. I can't get up. Great, just great.
"I'm coming for-uh, oh." I recognise that voice, I hear it almost everyday. "Up you go, Nymphy." The weight that was on me earlier is gone and I can see.
"Is he dead?" A little girl with short pink hair and dark eyes who looks around 3 years old and a tall boy my age with black shoulder length curly hair and grey eyes are staring at me. Pink looks worried while my dear friend grins down at me. This is awkward.
"Moony! Didn't expect to see you here! How's life?" Sirius Black exclaims. I don't know whether to slap him or punch him. Oh, wait, I can't do anything. I'm lying on the ground, looking like an idiot!
"Help?" I groan. I sound pathetic.
Sirius pulls me up and slaps me on the back. I wince. He doesn't know his own strength.
"Sorry 'bout that. You alright, Moony? That was quite a fall."
"I'm fine," I turn to Pink, "who's this?"
"Oh, you know my cousin Andromeda?" I nod. Andromeda Black, married a muggle-born, Ted Tonks, I think his name is, and got disowned by the Blacks for being a blood traitor.
"This is her daughter! Little Miss Clumsy also known as my cousin, Nymphadora. I call her Nymphy. Nymphy, this is my friend, Remus, or Moony. Call him whatever you want."
"I'm not clumsy." Nymphy says. Then she looks up and me. "Hello."
"Hi." I reply.
I turn to Sirius, "Wait, If Andromeda is your cousin, and Nymphy is her daughter, how can both of them be your cousins?"
He thinks for a while. "I don't know. It's really confusing actually. I just think of both of them as cousins. My family is weird, there's incest, too many children, everything! It's all really confusing and complicated."
I decide to change the subject, "So, what are both of you doing here?"
"I went to visit Andy, I visit her every now and then, she's one of the few relatives I can stand, and my favourite. I've been helping her babysit Nymphy while she does, well, whatever she needs to do. She lets me take her out to Diagon Alley to get ice-cream and other stuff. You?"
"Buying books for 6th year."
"Ugh, don't remind me, 2 years left and then we're done. I feel so old!"
"Same."
"So, you getting ice-cream?"
"Yup."
"Let me guess, chocolate?"
"Yup."
"You always get chocolate when you're here."
"And you have never not bought your 3 scoops of cookie dough." I shoot back. 3 scoops? How can he not feel sick?
"Right you are, my dear friend."
"Can we get ice-cream?" someone says in a soft voice.
Nymphy. I forgot she was even here. Apparently Sirius did too, he looks a bit shocked to see her.
Sirius turns to look at me and says, "Rock, paper, scissors. Loser pays for Nymphy and the winner."
"What?" He can be soooo random.
"You heard me."
'I think for a bit. Then grin. I know why he doesn't want to pay now. He only comes up with these excuses when this happens.
"You forgot to bring your wallet, didn't you?" I ask, smirking.
"Oh Moony, you know me too well."
"Fine." Not worth arguing over it, I have some left over birthday money.
"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"
Damn it, I lost. I should have chosen rock.
"Ha! In your face, Lupin!" Sirius shouts while doing a happy dance. Nymphy bursts out laughing.
"Argh! But you're buying the ice-cream." I say handing him the money.
"Why me?"
"Because you're partially responsible for my fall. I'd ask Nymphy but she can't reach the counter."
Sirius looks at Nymphy. She gives him a cheeky smile and says sweetly, "I want strawberry cheesecake, please." Sirius glares at her. Then he directs his attention to me.
"But, but-"
"Off you go, Padfoot." I push him towards the counter. Where Mr Fortescue is smiling at us and waiting patiently.
"I thought you were my friend, Moony." He says looking hurt.
"Nice try, and I am your friend. That's why I'm paying."
He grumbles and walks over to Mr Fortescue, who's trying not to laugh. Were we that funny?
Nymphy is staring at me with wide eyes.
"Let's get a table."
She nods and we go to sit down at a small table with 4 seats, sitting opposite each other.
We just sit there.
I decide to be friendly.
"So, how old are you?" I ask her.
She holds up 3 fingers in response.
"What do you think of Sirius?"
Nymphy smiles at me. "He's funny," she replies. "And acts like a drama queen sometimes."
"He always acts like a drama queen." I say, then I proceed to tell her about a snowball fight me, him, James and our other friend Peter Pettigrew, or Wormtail, had in Hogsmeade in our 4th year.
Me and Peter versus him and James. I somehow got lucky and one of my snowballs hit him squarely in the chest. He fell over, his hat came off, and his hair got covered in snow. Being the drama queen he is, he started apologising and begging for his "beautiful" hair's forgiveness.
Nymphy burst out laughing, harder then last time. It's not that funny. But I guess kids her age find everything funny. I know I did. Suddenly, her hair colour changes from its bubblegum pink to a light shade of purple.
"Whoa! How'd you do that?" Her hair changed colour! And she didn't cast any spell on it!
"Huh?" Nymphy hair colour changes back to bubblegum pink and she looks at me confused.
"Do what?" I turn around to see Sirius returning with our ice-cream on a tray.
He sets the tray down and takes a seat next to me. We take our ice-cream.
After taking a bite, he asks again, "How did "who" do what?"
"Nymphy's hair changed from pink to purple!" Tonks blushes and this time, her hair turns magenta.
Sirius chuckles lightly, "Oh I forgot to tell you, she's is a metamorphmagus. She can change her appearance at will."
She's a metamorphmagus! Unfair. Lucky her, better than being a werewolf. I stare at my ice-cream, pouting.
"Jealous, Moony?" Sirius asks, looking amused.
We eat the rest of our ice-cream in silence.
Sirius is the first to finish. Licking his lips, he asks me, "Hey, Moony? What's the time?"
I look down at my watch. "3.30. Why?"
"Oops. Andy told us to be back a half hour ago."
"Mummy's going to be mad." Nymphy says, looking worried.
"Nah, she won't. But hurry up and finish your ice-cream. We've better run." Nymphy starts shoving big spoonfuls of ice-cream into her mouth.
Sirius moves closer to me and says in voice loud enough for only me to hear, "Andy knows we'll be late, that's why she tells us to come home earlier than she needs us to."
I can't help laughing. Sirius is late for almost everything. The only time he's punctual is when there's a quidditch match, good for Andromeda for noticing his tardiness.
Nymphy finishes her ice-cream and lets out a large burp. "Oopsy."
Sirius sighs. "Come on Nymphy, let's go."
"Nooooo." She groans.
"If we get home less than an hour late, your mum said she would buy you a new toy." Ha. I doubt that. Did he say an hour? How late have they been?
Nymphy eyes widen, "LET'S GO!" Merlin, little kids are so gullible. And with that, she takes off down the path and towards the Leaky Cauldron.
Sirius looks at me, and takes a deep breath, "Gotta run, mate. The kid may only be 3, but she can run. See you!"
With that, he runs after Nymphy, "Oi! Wait up!"
I take my things, thank Mr Fortescue and walk to the Leaky Cauldron, not bothering to try and catch up with the two (they're too fast), to floo home.
23 year old Andromeda used-to-be-Black Tonks was reading The Daily Prophet, it was a crappy paper, but crappy news was better than no news at all. She sighed, another muggle family murdered. Probably by him, and Bellatrix.
Though Bellatrix had only joined the Death Eaters only four years ago, she was already one of the Dark Lord's favourites. Their madness must have brought them together, she thought. She had two sisters, one older, one younger, they were Narcissa and Bellatrix. Narcissa, the younger one, she could live with. But Bellatrix, ugh, that monster, she was wanted by the Ministry of Magic. Andromeda hated her. And to make things worse, she resembled Bellatrix. Unlike, most of the Blacks, Narcissa Black had blonde hair. But, Andromeda and Bellatrix both had long, thick and shiny dark hair. The only difference was that she her hair colour was light brown, whereas Bellatrix's was a darker shade. And her eyes were softer and kinder. According to her husband, Ted Tonks. Often, people would mistake her for Bellatrix, and they would run away in terror or start cowering in fear. One idiot even called the Auror department, but that was another story...
Anyway, Andromeda did not want anything to do with the Blacks, except for the few sane ones, like her cousin Sirius Black, who was currently taking her daughter, Nymphadora, out to Diagon Alley. She had told them to be back at 3.00.
She looked up at the clock. 3.42. They were late again.
Just then, she heard a knock on the door. That had better be them.
She opened the door.
"Where's my toy?" Her daughter Nymphadora, asked excitedly.
"Toy?" What did Sirius do this time?
"We came home less than an hour late." She says.
Andromeda looked at Sirius, he seemed very interested in his shoes.
She kept quiet for a while. Nyphadora was looking at her expectantly.
Oh, I think I know what happened.
Andromeda bent down so she was face to face with Tonks.
"Sorry, dear. I haven't had time to buy anything yet. I'll tell you what, to make it up to you, I'll make you your favourite apple pie."
Nymphadora smiled happily at her mother, "It's okay, mummy. Can I help you make it?"
Andromeda returned the smile, "Of course, go to your room and get changed. How was your trip to Diagon Alley?"
Her daughter's smile got wider. "It was fun! We met Sirius' friend, Remus! He's nice!"
Andromeda had met Remus Lupin once, he was polite and seemed like a nice bloke.
"I'm glad you had fun, off you go. We'll start baking in about 10 minutes."
Her daughter nodded and ran upstairs.
Now, to deal with this kid.
"So," she said as she stood up and groaned. Her legs hurt from squatting down for so long. She folded her arms. "what did you do this time?"
Sirius jaw dropped, "Why do you assume that every time I take her out, we do something wrong?"
Andromeda sighed, "Because, 2 weeks ago, both of you returned here covered in mud. And the week before, after you left, Tonks told me that you started yodelling every time you saw somebody walk out of Flourish And Blotts. Do you want me to remind you of what happened last month?"
Sirius looked horrified. "No."
She laughed. "Thanks for taking her out today. So, I'll see you around?"
Sirius sighed, "Yeah, see you." He turned to leave.
Hold on, I can't just let him leave like that.
"Wait, Sirius! One more thing!"
"Hmm?"
"You're paying for her new toy."
"What-but-I-"
"I'll stop by the Potter's next week to get the money."
"Why-no-how-"
"Bye!"
And she shut the door in his face.
That was the longest thing I've ever written. Gosh, I'm tired. :)