In a tiny flat above a busy street in London a woman with unusually colored hair sat down cross-legged on a worn couch with her baby boy. It was almost nap time and Mum had a story to tell.

The baby burbled happily and his mother grinned and ran a finger down his nose.

“Hush now, Teddy Bear. Mummy’s going to tell you a fairy-tale, little wolfling,” cooed the woman with bubble gum pink hair and twinkling dark eyes. She smiled down at the tiny boy who lay in a bundle of blankets on her lap, already nearly a week away from being one month old.

“This fairy-tale is about your mum and dad, you handsome boy. It’s called the Metamorphmagus and the Werewolf.”

“A better title, I think, would be the Beauty and the Beast, Dora,” interjected the tiny boy’s father as he walked in from the kitchen, a bottle of milk in his hand. He was tall and thin with prematurely graying brown hair. Smiling, he settled down on the couch next to his wife and handed her the bottle.

Dora sent her husband a sharp look.

“As I was saying, Teddykins,” she said, addressing her baby but still glaring at her husband, “It’s called the Metamorphmagus and the Werewolf.” Then lowering her voice, she hissed at her husband, “ You are no Beast, Remus, and I am far from a Beauty.”

Remus laughed and held up his hands.

“Alright, you win. But I still disagree. You are the most beautiful, sweet, wonderful-,”

“Ah, shut up, Remus. I’m telling a story here, I don’t want to hear your romantic hogwash,” Dora said in mock annoyance, but the blush on her cheeks said otherwise. Remus grinned and put and arm around her shoulders. Dora leaned back against his side and sighed contentedly. Hoisting her baby into her arms she inserted the feeding end of the bottle into his mouth and continued her interrupted story.

“Once upon a time, Teddy, there was a girl whose crazy mum named her Nymphadora Tonks. It was tradition in her family to name kids something long and old fashioned sounding and a lot of this girl’s cousins were named after stars. But you try explaining that to your classmates when it’s the first day of school and your first name is longer than most of their first names and surnames put together!

“But never mind that now, Teddy, it’s alright. We spared you from that crazy tradition, you won’t have that problem.”

Dora extended a finger to wipe a dribble of milk from her son’s chin with a smile.

“So this girl went by just her last name: Tonks. Or, if someone was really close to her, she’d let them call her Dora. But they had to be really, really close mind you, Ted. For most of her life only her parents were allowed to call her that.

“This girl, Tonks, was really cool. She was a Metamorphmagus- just like you Teddy Bear! She could make herself look like anything. She could have red hair one day and blonde the next. She was brilliant! But, unfortunately, since she was so cool, a lot of her school mates got jealous. Not many people wanted to be friends with the ‘Clumsy Chameleon.’ They didn’t want to be friends with a girl who could look perfect every second of the day.”

Remus squeezed Dora’s shoulder gently as she paused. Dora smiled up at him and then continued.

“So the girl decided she didn’t want to be perfect. She wanted friends, and she wanted to be herself.

“She started wearing her hair in fun colors like pink and blue, and she wore her own face rather than a flawlessly pretty one. She pulled pranks and dodged teachers and by her 5th year she had turned into one of the most popular girls at Hogwarts. She still didn’t have many close friends, but she didn’t mind anymore- she didn’t need friends to keep feeling good about herself. But she knew she wanted to do something with her gift, she didn’t want to just use it to keep the lunch crowds entertained the rest of her life.

“Tonks decided to become an Auror, so she could catch the nasty baduns out there and make the world a better place. With her Metamorphosing ability, she could blend into any crowd and no one would realize she was there. Tonks worked hard to get top grades all through her last three years of school, and finally when the owl came and gave her the report with what NEWTs she had gotten, she couldn’t help growing eight feet tall with pride. Her NEWTs were good enough, so Tonks went off to train at the Auror office with a funny old codger named Mad-Eye Moody.”

Dora’s breathing caught for a moment, and she had to stop to take a swipe at the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Remus squeezed her shoulders again and rested his cheek against the top of her head.

Dora closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. After a moment she opened her eyes again and continued.

“He sure was nuts. But he was the best Auror there ever was, and he came to be something like an insane uncle for Tonks. He taught her everything there was to know about the job and more. Like why you keep your wand out of your back pockets.”

Dora grinned and dimples sprang to life in her cheeks. Teddy, mirroring her, grinned back around his bottle, exposing toothless gums. Dora laughed.

“Finally, three years later, Tonks was a fully qualified Auror, despite almost failing stealth and tracking due to having feet about as graceful as an elephants’.

“Old Mad-Eye retired, and Tonks started her first year on the job. Since she was so new, she got mostly desk work at first. Soon she heard that Mad-Eye was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, and she was sad that she wasn’t able to go to his classes.

“But it turned out the new Defense teacher was really a Death Eater in disguise! He helped You-Know-Who come back! Tonks knew she had to do something, so she joined a group called the Order of the Phoenix. And that’s where she met a tall dark werewolf named Remus Lupin.”

Dora turned to look at her husband.

“Do you want to tell your side of the story now?”

Remus grimaced.

“Teddy doesn’t want to hear it, do you Ted?” He laughed but then his face darkened. “It doesn’t make a good bedtime story.”

Dora made a face like she’d swallowed a lemon and suddenly her twinkling dark eyes were two sizes too big.

With her lower lip stuck out in a pout, Dora blinked a pair of literal big brown puppy eyes up at Remus.

“Please?”

Remus’ lips quivered as he tried to hold back a smile. It was a Herculean effort.

“Teddy does want to hear the Werewolf’s part of the story, don’t you, Teddy!” said Dora, holding up her son. Teddy looked up at his dad with a pair of big brown eyes identical to his mothers and giggled. Drool crawled down his chin. Remus couldn’t hold back his grin any longer. He took the infant into his arms and, laughing, retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his sons face clean.

“Alright, alright, you got me,” he said, his mellow voice highly amused. Dora concentrated again, then winked at Teddy over Remus’ shoulder, her eyes back to their usual shape and color.

When Remus had finished with his handkerchief he set it aside and cleared his throat. Teddy stared intently at him as he hesitated. Finally, in the quiet tone that he had used when talking to Teddy through the wall of his Mother’s womb before he was born, Remus began.

“Once upon a time there was a boy named Remus John Lupin. He was second child born to his parents, but his brother had died a week after he was born. His parents were very careful with Remus because they were so worried that he would go the same way as his brother, but Remus grew to be strong boy. He loved to play outdoors and especially to romp through the woods across the street from his house with his dog, Fiddle.

“One night, when he was almost nine, Remus snuck out of the house- something you must never, never do, Teddy. It was the full moon, and Remus wanted to catch a glimpse of a Mooncalf dancing in the wheat field down the road. He had heard his parents talking about the stamped down wheat it had left after the last full moon. He called Fiddle to come with him and set off towards the wheat field but halfway down the street Fiddle started barking and ran into the woods. Remus… Remus followed him.”

Remus stopped, looking pained. The hand he was using to hold Teddy’s bottle shook slightly. Dora rested a calming hand on his arm and he jumped as if he had forgotten she was there. He gave her a small smile and rested his free hand on hers for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he turned back to his tiny son.

“Remus heard a dog whimpering and thought it was Fiddle, so he walked toward the sound. It… it was not Fiddle.”

Remus shifted uncomfortably. After a moment he spoke again, seemingly skipping over details too harsh for telling.

“When Remus woke up a few weeks later in St. Mungo’s he was the world’s newest Werewolf. His parents tried everything to get rid of his affliction, but nothing worked. And they didn’t have the Wolfsbane potion back then.

“His parents spent nearly all their money trying to relieve little Remus of his monthly torture. They had to move to a smaller house in a part of town that wasn’t very nice. But they never sold their books, not even when they had to live off of stale bread and tap water. They knew an education was important, and they were worried that because of Remus’ lycanthropy, he would be unable to go to Hogwarts. But the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, didn’t think that Remus’ disease should prevent his going to school.

“So the September after he turned eleven, Remus went to Hogwarts like any other young wizard. Dumbledore provided a place for him to transform away from all humans, and everything was as if Remus were just another boy. Remus made wonderful friends, but he didn’t dare tell them what he was for fear they would abandon him.”

Remus paused, staring absently at his son. Dora watched his face carefully, searching for a sign that he was in need of comfort, but after a moment he flashed a grin at Teddy and continued.

“Remus’ friends weren’t stupid. In the second year they guessed his secret. And they didn’t flee his friendship as he had expected. They decided to help him through his transformations by coming along with him as Animagi. By the fifth year they had all three learned how to turn into animals. Suddenly the nights that would have been the worst part of his life became the most exciting.

“They stayed friends after they left Hogwarts. It was a dark time. You-Know-Who was on the warpath for Pureblood rule and wizarding domination over Muggles. Remus knew it was wrong, so he joined the Order of the Phoenix. Soon his friends had joined too. One of Remus’ friends, James, had gotten married, and he and his wife had a little boy. For some reason You-Know-Who wanted to kill him- their son, so they went into hiding.”

Remus looked down at his own son and almost unconsciously tightened his hold and the little tyke. He smiled sadly at the little boy. His mind seemed to be on the other little boy, his friend’s son.

“You-Know-Who went after them. Remus’ friend and his wife died but their son survived. You-Know-Who disappeared. Remus’ friend Sirius was arrested as a spy and for the murder of their only remaining friend, Peter. But it turned out that Peter was the spy, and had faked his own death. But Remus didn’t know that until, after twelve long lonely years, he went to work at Hogwarts as Defense teacher.

“James’ son, Harry, was going to school there, and Remus got to be friends with him. Sirius, who was Harry’s godfather, broke out of prison because he had seen an article in the newspaper showing Peter in his Animagi form on the shoulder of Harry’s best friend. He knew his godson wasn’t safe. Remus, who thought himself the only living and half-sane person left from his old group of friends, did his best to protect Harry from him.

"When Sirius and Peter showed up and the whole story was uncovered, however, Remus was overjoyed to find out he was not the only living and half-way sane one left, Sirius had never betrayed them after all. But, too soon, his old friend had to go back into hiding when Peter, the traitor, escaped. Remus had to quit his job at Hogwarts soon after when an old school enemy revealed his disease to the students.

“The very next year, You-Know-Who returned and Remus rejoined the Order of the Phoenix. And one day a charming little-girl Auror with interesting hair tripped over Remus’ feet, apologized, and introduced herself as ‘just Tonks.’”

Remus reached down and touched Teddy’s cheek. “It was your mum.”

Dora giggled and snuggled closer to her husband. Remus turned to look at her with a grin.

“It is your turn to tell the story, Mrs. Lupin.”

Dora punched him on the arm, and, half teasing, growled, “You know better than to call me that, old man.”

Remus smiled, leaned over and kissed her forehead.

“Whatever you say… Nymphadora, dear,” he said quietly and grinned.

Dora put her hands over her ears and groaned.

“Even worse!”

Lupin chuckled. Teddy shifted uncomfortably.

Straightening up, Dora reached over, plucked her son from her husband’s grasp, stood, and starting bouncing with the tiny towhead.

“See what he does to me, little man? You won’t let your daddy call me funny names will you, Teddy Bear?”

Teddy gurgled. Dora patted his back and he let out a little burp.

“That’s better,” said Dora, smiling. Teddy yawned and pressed a soggy cheek against his mother’s neck, his eyelids heavy.

“Oh dear, I think we’ll have to continue this story tomorrow, Remus. It’s Teddy’s bedtime.”

Remus smiled, swept a hand through his graying hair, and stood.

“Shall I put him down or do you want to?”

“Oh, I’ll do it. I’m teaching Teddy- oh, but I shouldn’t tell you.”

Lupin raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment as he sat down again. Dora hummed a lullaby as she walked away, and little Teddy drifted away into darkness and dreams on the sound.

“Alright, where were we? Oh, yeah, when we met.”

It was the next day, and once again, the smallest Lupin’s bedtime was approaching. Dora held him once more. She was settled comfortable on the couch, her legs thrown over those of her husbands’ so that she was on his lap, with young Teddy in her arms. Remus looked rather more tired today, but he managed a smile for his son. The full moon was hardly a week away, and he appeared to be already feeling the effects. Dora took Remus’ hand in hers and squeezed it gently, then began the story where they had left off the night before.

“Teddy, remember that werewolf that Tonks had tripped over? Remus? Well, he was the nicest guy Tonks had ever met. He was quiet, but very smart and very considerate. He was the most gentlemanly man she had ever known. He never made her feel stupid, even when she was wrong, and always treated her with respect. That wasn’t something she could say for several of the men she had been around in the past.

“When Tonks first met him she was a bit worried about his disease. She’d been brought up to believe that all werewolves were evil, bought off by You-Know-Who. But soon she realized that she was judging him for a part of him that he couldn’t change, just like so many people had judged her Metamorphosing. She felt terrible. He had never judged her for her clumsiness or her hair color, and there she was judging him for something that affected him one night a month, something in which he had no say.

“Tonks and Remus were soon very good friends. They worked well together, so they were sent on a lot of missions for the Order together, and then, when Harry Potter, Remus’ old friend’s son- and the famous Boy Who Lived to the rest of us- needed a guard to get to headquarters, they were the first two to sign up.

“Soon Tonks realized, she liked Remus more than any man she’d ever known. She could rely on him for anything. He listened to her, and then remembered and brought up, weeks later, the things she said. He was honest, a good person, and he was sweet and rather handsome to boot.”

Dora glanced at her husband. He didn’t meet her eye, but his cheeks were slightly flushed and there was a small smile playing on his mouth. Dora grinned happily and went on with her story.

“Tonks tried not to think much about her growing feelings for Remus though. She thought they would only get in the way of her work, and anyway, he’d never so much as glanced at her in a way that suggested he felt the same. But one night they were on assignment together. They were tracking a lone Death Eater. He was walking down the sidewalk in a dirty neighborhood in London, and he didn’t seem to have noticed them, but then he turned and hurried down an alley. They were worried he would get away, so they ran into the alley after him, and suddenly they were surrounded! It was a trap! An ambush! There were probably seven or eight Death Eaters, all stepping out from behind trash cans and jumping off of garage roofs, their wands out and death in their faces. There was no way Tonks and Remus could get away without a fight!”

Dora’s eyes lit up, and she waved her hands animatedly as she described the scene. Remus watched her with an amused smile.

“The lead Death Eater asked if they would surrender. Remus whipped out his wand and Tonks spat on the ground. Remus’ voice was almost dangerous when he spoke. He said-“

“Never,” Remus growled, trying hard not to grin as he reenacted the moment for his son. Dora giggled and continued.

“Tonks and Remus were dodging curses left and right, firing spells back as fast as they came, but they were outnumbered eight to two. Tonks managed to stun one of the Death Eaters, and Remus disarmed another, but they were getting tired. They couldn’t hold out much longer. Then, to cap it all, Tonks somehow managed to trip over her own feet and fall face-first into the alley wall.”

Dora shook her head, embarrassed.

“She blacked out for a moment and when she came to, there was Remus- the brave man- standing over her, holding off all seven remaining Death Eaters by himself! The one he had disarmed had found his wand. The Death Eaters were hurling spells at him, and Tonks watched as he missed death by an inch.”

Dora shuddered, and Remus’ arm tightened around her. She turned to smile up into his face, and continued.

“Just then, as she saw how close he had come to dying, and in defense of her, she realized just how much that werewolf, that gentleman, meant to her. He could have Apparated away, left her to die and saved his own life, but he had stayed, he was risking his life for her. She knew that, though she had somehow managed it before they had met, she could no longer survive without Remus Lupin. Tonks jumped to her feet, surprising the Death Eaters and giving her the advantage. She managed to stun two more of them before they could react, Remus stunned a third, and hexed a fourth, and then Tonks was dueling one Death Eater and Remus was dueling two.

“Tonks sent spell after spell at her opponent, a pudgy little woman with an ugly face, but she just couldn’t keep her mind on the fight. She could hear Remus and the other Death Eaters fight nearby, and she was nearly worried out of her mind that he would be hurt.

“Then there was a yell from one of Remus’ opponents and the one Tonks was fighting was distracted. Tonks blasted her backwards into a wall and ran to make sure Remus was alright.

“When she got there he was just sending a stunning spell at his second opponent- the yell had come when he’d hit the first one with a jinx. His stunner hit the man in the stomach and sent him sprawling. But by now the first few Death Eaters they had stunned were waking up- Tonks could hear them yelling in the alleyway behind her. Remus looked around at the sound and saw her standing there. He yelled something and burst into a run towards Tonks. He rammed into her, almost knocked her on her back. A half second later a killing spell shot through the air where she had just been standing! Remus grabbed her hand, then, whirling, sent a curse in the Death Eaters’ direction and Apparated them away.

“They appeared in a nicer part of Muggle London, near a pub. Remus led Tonks inside, still holding her hand. They walked over to a table in the corner and Remus let go of Tonks’ hand to pull out her chair. Tonks sat down and then Remus sat down across from her. Tonks’ mind seemed to be moving very slowly. All she could think was Remus saved my life twice. He almost died. He saved my life. She was staring at her hands, but she wasn’t really seeing them, she didn’t notice they were shaking until Remus reached out and took hold of one of them again.

“Tonks looked up at Remus. He looked calm, as he always did, but his eyes were wary. He asked if she was alright. Tonks looked at him and realized that as long as he was nearby… she was alright.”

“So, when I say romantic things it’s hogwash, but when you go romantic it’s alright?” Remus interrupted, laughing. Dora grimaced and stuck her tongue out at him, then turned away and crossed her arms, pouting. But then he laughed again, more softly this time and, taking her chin in between his thumb and forefinger, turned her face towards him again. His expression was bemused.

“Dora, you are adorable.”

Dora sniffed, and tried to turn her head away again but her chin was still firmly clamped in Remus’ fingers. Remus’ face became very serious though his eyes were still smiling.

“Nymphadora Tonks Lupin, I love you. I’m sorry if I offended you. Will you forgive me?”

Dora glared at him for another moment then burst out laughing. Remus looked relieved.

“Of course I forgive you. There is nothing to forgive! I was just joking. Will you forgive me, love?”

Remus nodded gravely then flashed a grin, leaned forward and brushed a kiss on his wife’s nose. She blushed and Remus took advantage of her silence.

“Now it is my turn,” he said, and lifted a fidgeting Teddy off his mother’s lap where he had lain, momentarily forgotten.

“Alright, little man. Where did I stop? Oh yes, when Remus met Tonks.

“Remus thought the little girl Auror was a bit silly and very sweet. Like your Mum said, they went on plenty of missions together for the Order, but they also sat through some of the longest meetings together as well. There was one meeting in particular that took place long before the Death Eater incident your mum was just talking about, where Snape, a boring and annoying old school mate who turned out to be a spy for You-Know-Who and, ah…well, that’s another story…

“Anyway, Snape was giving the longest, dullest report you could possibly imagine. Even Remus was having a hard time concentrating. He looked around, and the only people still paying Snape their full attention were Dumbledore, the most brilliant man ever to live and Hogwarts headmaster at the time; Minerva McGonagall, the highly intelligent Transfiguration teacher and deputy head; and Tonks, the little-girl Auror who had stumbled over Remus’ feet when they first met.

“Remus was impressed. A new respect for Tonks came over him. He had come to know that she was a charming, funny and kind young woman, but he had not guessed at the depths of her intelligence. He began to pay more attention to the things she said and did, and found, to his-“

Remus glanced at Dora, a sheepish look passing over his tired face. When next he spoke he sounded apologetic.

“…found to his surprise, that her comments were more insightful and her thoughts more interesting than he had before imagined the charming little-girl Auror capable.”

Dora rolled her eyes.

“It was the hair, wasn’t it,” she said dryly. Remus looked surprised.

“No actually, it was the expression on your face that misguided me. So open and accepting… childlike.”

Remus, looking down at his son, missed the smile those words inspired on his wife’s lips. There was silence for another moment than Dora elbowed Remus in the ribs.

“It’s still your turn. Keep going.”

“Oh, yes. Well, soon, Remus couldn’t help wanting to know her opinions on everything. Not a thought entered his mind but he wanted to discuss it with her. But he was very careful. He didn’t want to force her to share her ideas, and he didn’t want to scare her away either. She, however, seemed to enjoy his company, was comfortable near him, and liked having him around. It wasn’t a feeling he had enjoyed very often since he had lost his friends all those many years ago. He felt like he was imposing on her friendship, but he enjoyed her acceptance and her company too much to let her go.

“Then came the night that they were ambushed.”

Remus’ face darkened. His eyes stared into space, seeing once more, perhaps, the menacing shapes on every side. When he spoke again his voice was low and rough.

“As the Death Eaters came out of the shadows, Remus realized several things at once. He realized how easily either of them might die that night. He realized that if Tonks died his life would no longer have meaning. And then he realized that he would do anything to keep her safe.

“So they fought. Remus didn’t allow himself time to think about his realizations until the Death Eaters were defeated and Tonks was safely away from them. Suddenly they were sitting at a table in a pub and Tonks was shaking. Remus wanted so badly to hold her close, tell her that it would be alright, tell her that he would protect her and never let anything ever happen to her. But he didn’t want to frighten her, so he just took her hand and held it tight.

“And then he let himself think.

“Remus was in love…in love with funny, sweet, intelligent Nymphadora Tonks. For most people being in love is a good thing. But Remus was a werewolf and therefore, by definition, hated by wizard-kind. He couldn’t find work. He was poor. He was shunned. And one night a month he was a dangerous monster.”

Remus paused, his face lined with pain. Dora, who had been making faces for Teddy’s entertainment, glanced up at her husband. Her eyes grew concerned as she saw his expression. With a comforting hand, she reached up and pressed her palm to his cheek. Remus leaned into her hand, his eyes half closed for a moment before continuing.

“He had nothing to give her. If they married then she would receive a share of all the unkindness the world had bestowed on him for his condition. She would be hated, poor and shunned. And she would be always in danger… in danger of being hurt by Remus. He couldn’t bear that. And even if he had not been a werewolf, he was still thirteen years older than her. She couldn’t possibly see him as anything but a friend.

“He resolved that he would simply never let her know that he loved her. He would be her friend, her confidant and her protector, but nothing more. He would keep her safe…even from himself.”

There was silence. Dora cleared her throat.

“My turn.”

Remus handed over Teddy without a word. Dora tucked his blanket more firmly around him as she began.

“Where did I leave off? Oh, yeah. Remus was holding Tonks’ hand. Tonks had some serious butterflies flapping around her stomach. In fact it felt more like a flock of owls were swooping around in there. Tonks looked up at Remus and was sure he could tell what she was feeling and he didn’t like it. He looked tired, and unhappy, and a little angry, too. She thought he was gonna tell her off for being in love with him, as if it were some adolescent crush on a handsome teacher. Which wasn’t all that far off, I suppose, huh, Teddy? She’d only been out of Hogwarts a few years when he started teaching there. But anyway, the next thing she knew he was asking here about one of the spells she had used and buying her something to eat.

“Dora decided that she would keep quiet about her feelings. He wouldn’t want to be her friend anymore if he found out! She didn’t want to lose her best friend.”

Teddy yawned. Dora, who was just opening her mouth to continue, stopped mid-word and watched as Teddy blinked sleepily. After another moment he yawned again. Dora sighed.

“Well, it looks like we’ll have to continue tomorrow.”

She slid off the couch, and stood, Teddy in her arms. Remus, who had been staring broodingly at the back of one of his hands, looked up as she continued, “You know, I really thought we’d be done tonight. Seems our story is rather longer than I thought, Remus!”

Remus grunted in agreement and stood up.

“Shall I?” he asked, holding out his arms for Teddy.

“Thanks, love, but I’ve got him. You look like you need sleep just as much as he does. Why don’t you get to bed?”

Remus nodded wearily.

“Alright, but I’m putting him down tomorrow.”

Dora smiled and stepped closer.

“Of course you are, Remus.”

She gave him a quick kiss then turned away, carrying Teddy away to his crib. Once she had tucked him in she kissed his forehead and began, in whispers, the secret tutelage she had declined to reveal to Remus the day before.

Teddy was asleep before the end of her first sentence.