A/N: Hey! This would be my first attempt writing a fanfiction about Harry Potter after writing fanfiction for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. This fic would be centralized around Tonks and completely AU (although some part of the main timeline might still be mixed in between). This chapter is only a small build-up to the upcoming plot. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1: School

"Ow! I'm so sorry, sorry…sorry!" Nymphadora Tonks rambled as she ploughed laboriously through crowds of students, tripping, stomping on other's foot and even elbowing some. Unfortunately, she was still on the stairs of the sixth floor while in the dungeon, she imagined Snape was probably already instructing the class of Slytherin and Hufflepuffs what to do, minus Tonks.

Snape…That idiot of a professor…She muttered incessantly to herself as she rushed. He was new too, having just become the potions master in her sixth year, following Professor Slughorn's retirement.

In her arms, she was cradling thick potions notes as well as charms. She had been studying with Charlie Weasley just moments ago, trying to brush up her charms before facing the N.E.W.T examinations.

It had took her great pains to get where she was, having scored mostly her 'Outstanding' in her O. since her long time ambition had been to be an auror

Tonks ran down the last flight of stairs and stumbled into the dungeon, sending her books all over the place.

"Merlin!" Tonks cried in exasperation as she hastily scooped her books back into her arms and upon adjusting her bag, which was already filled with notes and books; she made a final last dash to the potions classroom.

Approaching the large heavy oak door, Tonks slowly opened it, cringing as the room fell into silence. She looked down, unwilling to even shoot a glance up, knowing that every pair of eyes in the room is now looking at her.

"Nymphadora," She heard him emphasized every single syllable of her horrid name curtly.

Clenching her fist which was previously used to push open the oak door, she swallowed her anger and spoke, "Good afternoon professor." Tonks lowered her gaze, staring intently at the cold concrete flooring.

"You're late." Snape's voice stated cuttingly. Without looking up, Tonks could imagine him folding his arms.

"I'm-"

"Detention." He snapped, "After dinner, in my office." Then suddenly, the class bustled with activity again as the students continued going around retrieving the needed ingredient. She didn't miss the Slytherins sniggering at her as she brushed past them to get to her assigned table.

Normally, she'd have hexed them so badly that even their own mother wouldn't recognize them but after a strict warning from Professor Sprout that her bad behaviour might threaten her chances of becoming an Auror, Tonks started to swallow everything they teased her about.

Even Charlie said she'd changed so much.

"Hey! Where were you?" Jan hissed as she continued throwing ingredients into the pot.

"Studying. Didn't notice the time…" Tonks sighed as she glanced up at the board for what they were brewing and got to work immediately.

"Tonks, come on! We all-" Jan instantly fell silent, continuing her work. Tonks grabbed her stuff and trudged her way over to the ingredient cabinet and started with her potion, ignoring Snape as she passed him.

"Tonks, we're all working towards ours arses off for N.E. but you've changed…" Jan huffed as she ran to catch up with Tonks, who took her bag and left the moment she handed up her work to Snape.

Tonks resisted the urge to squirm under her friend's stare, "Look, I gotta meet Charlie; I'll catch up with you later." Without another word, Tonks took off to the Great Hall, knowing Charlie was having his study period.

Plenty of people made fun of her on the way to the Great Hall but Tonks took it all in silently, faintly aware of the fact that her hair was now blonde and not the usual bubblegum pink she liked. She'd made many enemies from her first year here, mostly by hexing them just for using her first name or teasing her hair.

"You okay?" Charlie turned to her, beckoning her to sit beside him. She sat down at the Gryffindor' table beside him.

A few first years glanced at her, uncomfortable but most of the seven years were used to Tonks's presence at their table; likewise, most of the Hufflepuffs were used to Charlie's presence at their table.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Tonks glanced over her shoulder at them before looking at him. He had both eyebrows raised, "I was late for Snape's lesson…"

Charlie cringed, "Lemme guess, detention in his office after dinner?"

Tonks glared at him before sighing and nodding sullenly.

"Get over it Tonksie! You got detention a hundred times when you hexed his students into the hospital wing!" Charlie exclaimed. Tonks scowled at him.

"Now my career is at stake!" Tonks grumbled, pulling out her charms book.

"Tonks, seriously? I doubt getting a few detentions would get you kicked out of the list of possible Aurors." Charlie shook his head, "And anyway, if you do, you can join me! In Romania."

"Please Charlie," Tonks smirked, "I'm not as exotic as the dragons there." She nudged him in the ribs teasingly.

Charlie grinned, "You could morph to be."

Tonks punched him in the shoulder.

Dear Tonks,

Heard from Charlie you're having a hard time in Hogwarts, something about your career. Don't kill yourself thinking about it, seriously. Be the Tonks I know! The one who always cause trouble, the one who not only goes to bed after the curfew but stayed up the whole night playing pranks, the one who can't decide between the hair colour of neon green and bubblegum pink! Write to me.

Love,

The perfect prefect, Bill.

Bill,

I'm fine, don't listen to Charlie, we all know he exaggerates. I am just more well-behaved nowadays (which you'll be happy to know) My grades seem to be improving but according Charlie, not my temper. But you're right, it was much easier back then to be myself, disregarding all the rules and having nothing to lose…anyway, whatever it is, I can't get myself away from detention. I just earned one from Snape and am heading there now. I miss having you always covering up for me when I break the rules!

Love,

Tonksie.

Tonks scribbled hastily before securing it on the foot of the school owl. She gave it some food as a reward just before it took off. Tonks sighed heavily before picking up her abandoned school bag from the floor and left the owlery for the dungeon.

She rapped her knuckles on the door and heard Snape's curt order to enter.

"Nymphadora,"

Tonks rolled her eyes, unable to resist herself.

"I'm surprised you are able to resist the temptation to change your hair colour since potion class."

Tonks bit her lips to prevent her gob from opening and letting out a string of curses at Snape for that. She shrugged, the recently overused non-committed reply.

Snape ignored her and continued, "You will clean up the potions store and get it done in an hour. I suggest you get to work." He added the last statement as she rolled her eyes again.

"Of course, Professor Snape." She replied, grumbling as she picked up the rag where she just left them at the corner of the office in the cupboard. It seems no one get detention from him nowadays apart from her.

"Just like your cousin, whiney, useless," Snape muttered

Tonks stopped in her tracks to the potion storeroom, "Don't talk about Sirius like that." She growled through her teeth, closing a fist around the rag. Finally, days of holding it all in exploded, "You have no rights to say that about him!" Tonks snapped, throwing down the cloth.

Within seconds, Snape stood up from his desk and walked up to her so quickly that Tonks was taken aback. She shuffled back quickly as he approached her, "Your cousin is a swine, just like his friends!"

Tonks glared at him even as she was backed against a wall with a very murderous looking Severus Snape seething in her face.

"No!" She shouted like an indignant child, "He's not! He's honourable and brave!"

Snape scoffed, "Get out," He sneered, his eyes flashing with anger.

Without a backward glance, Tonks grabbed her bag and stomped out, unsuccessful in her exit as she tripped over the rag. She got up with a huff and left, wishing she wasn't so clumsy.

Tonks intended to head to the library, already in no mood for dinner. On her angry way there, she broke into tears. Rubbing them off roughly with the back of her hands, she turned to make a detour, escaping into a hidden tunnel which was a shortcut to one of classrooms from the dungeon.

She dropped her bag by her side and curled up, sobbing. It wasn't fair…

Sirius hadn't done anything wrong!

In all her years at Hogwarts, she'd stood out because of her ability to morph and not everyone treated her well. Instead of trying to blend in with a normal hair colour, like her mother had suggested, she'd always stood up for herself. Tonks was never short of hexing anyone into the next century if they even give the slightest insult to her, even since her First year.

Sirius had taught her those, of course only the incantations, when he came over to baby-sit her since she was just a few months old. Her mother was constantly kept busy when she had to run errands and her dad was always working to keep their stomachs full, so when they let her down, there was always her cousin.

She'd took an instantly liking to him, there was just something about the mischievous glint in his grey eyes that drawn her to him in admiration.

Tonks'd heard about the darker but very vague story of her mother's family at a young age, ironically through Sirius, who against Andromeda's will, went ahead to tell young Nymphadora all about her evil Aunts.

That was why Tonks wanted to be an Auror. It was never in her nature to sit back in the first place and she knew for a fact that not all Blacks were Dark wizards and witches.

She knew one who not only was not a dark wizard but hated dark magic to the very core. Tonks knew that Sirius Black is good; he's innocent of whatever crime everyone has said he'd committed. As cliché as it sounded, Tonks felt she needed to redeem that family name, she wanted to make right everything that was wrong. And, there's even a possibility of her clearing Sirius's name.

She wanted to stand up for whatever she believed it. But truthfully, Tonks had no idea how she was going to do that when she wasn't even able to stand up for Sirius against one Professor.

Wearily, Tonks wiped her tears on the sleeve of her robe. Wiping her face more thoroughly of tears, she picked up her bag headed straight for the library.

She slammed her Defence against the Dark Arts book down on the table, ignoring the annoyed glare she got from the librarian as she sank down into her seat. Tonks crossed her arms on the book and lay her head down.

"Are you sure?" Tonks's four-year-old legs struggled to keep up with Sirius as they walked out of the kitchen.

"Yes! You'll be an extraordinary witch one day! Oh yes I hear it! Nymphadora Tonks, the great Auror, striking down her evil Aunts with one stroke from her wand!" Young Tonks made a face as her first name was said but beamed at her cousin's exaggerated display of magnificence.

"Are you kidding with me?" Tonks just had to ask, knowing people like him always loved to say things like that to pacify her talk about being an Auror.

"No, didn't you hear? I'm always Sirius!" She screamed as he swopped down and scooped her into his arms. Without missing a beat, he dropped down into a couch, cradling her firmly. Before she knows it, she was looking into his earnest eyes, "You'll be great Nymphadora, so brave and smart, no doubt will be the best Auror in history." He grinned.

Tonks stared up in wonder at him as he said that to her.

"Sirius-ly." He added and dove in to tickle her.

"Sirius," She murmured his name, feeling his name roll off her tongue smoothly. Tonks sat up with renew vigor as she opened her book and started on her essay.

To be continued…

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