Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters, plots, terms etc.
A/N: This is, as the summary states, a sequel to "Spinner." I have been hesitant to write one, but here it is. It will be a bit different, however. It will likely not be quite as silly for many reasons. Still, one of its many genres will be humour. It will not follow the books after book five or six as "Spinner" was written before then. I have most of the story outlined and a fair bit written. This chapter, is however, to feel out interest. So enjoy and please review.
Spinning Ends
Chapter 1: Prologue
Bad Ideas
Tonks ran. She ran and she ran fast and she ran hard. Shit, she thought.
It was supposed to be just some investigation. Some elderly woman was accused of breeding dangerous creatures at her remote estate. What the assignment description had forgotten to add was that the old hag was breeding Cornish Pixies with Blast-Ended-Skewts; that she had anger management issues, that the woman had "issues with authority"; that she would be setting her monstrous creations upon anyone she disliked. And that meant Tonks, the innocent Auror, would be running for her life.
She gasped for air as she finally crossed the boundary of the estate. Tonks was quite glad that the woman had enough sense to put a barrier so that the creatures couldn't escape from the estate.
After catching her breath, Tonks apparated back to the Ministry, fully intending on giving her boss hell. Or maybe she would just write a very angry letter, she thought, after realizing that yelling at her boss was probably not a good career move. But who needs a job anyway?
"Dwalish!" she yelled as she entered the Auror Department.
"Yes, Tonks?" asked her boss smoothly.
"Did you forget to tell me anything about my assignment?" she seethed.
Dwalish looked slightly nervous. "Well, nothing too important…"
"And what was this 'not too important piece of information?'" Tonks asked.
"Er, that Ms. Ivington spent ten years in St. Mungo's ward for the incurably insane," answered Dwalish, fidgeting with the hem of his robes.
"I see. And you thought this irrelevant? Certainly. It is not as if she would set her monstrous creation on an Auror."
Dwalish paled. "She...?"
"Yes, Dwalish, she did. I know you are my boss, but you need to do a better job. And not almost get your Aurors killed by something that can sting, bite, shoot fire and fly!" she yelled. "I am taking the rest of the day off!"
Tonks slammed Dwalish's door and stormed down the hall. That certainly had be liberating. Now she would see if she had a job tomorrow.
Apparating into her flat, Tonks threw herself down upon her couch and immediately picked up her Thesaurus, trying to come up with some good, insulting names to call her boss when he fired her. 'Negligent twit' was sounding good and fairly accurate to her at this moment. She then threw the book down on her table. Tonks knew that there was more bothering her than just work.
It had started before Voldemort's downfall—when she had been the prisoner of Severus Snape for some months. She fought against him and they bickered back and forth. She knew she had been quite the pain for him. Though, even in that, something sparked between them. She still didn't understand it.
Tonks had then suffered greatly at the hands of Voldemort. He had manipulated her body and her mind; however Snape had stealthily intervened, making it a little less unbearable. He had saved her and then he had taken a large part in Voldemort's demise. The problem was that she and her cousin Draco Malfoy were the only ones that knew this and they had no proof. So Snape disappeared.
She sighed. She had not heard a word from Severus in months. At first he wrote fairly often. Yes, the letters were vague and distant verging on cold, but it was at least something. Now there was nothing. This would not have been a problem if she didn't have feelings for that insufferable man. She really wanted to get his name cleared. But really what then? Would they declare their undying love for each other, get married and have lots of babies? The mere thought was nauseating.
Tonks stared into the fireplace. She had not dated since before her time at Spinner's End. Actually since before she joined the Order of the Phoenix. That had been nearly four years ago. No wonder she was depressed and irritable. It wasn't as if she had not had offers, though. She had had a few, but she turned them all down. Damn feeling beholden to an overgrown bat who didn't write.
She stared into the fire for a bit longer. She contemplated and the she zoned out. She then started to fall asleep. Fortunately, Tonks could not fall asleep well while sitting part way up. As her head fell, she jerked awake. She check her watch. Great Scott! She was late!