Disclaimer: As much as I wish it's mine, Harry Potter actually belongs to the incredible JK Rowling. Who would have known?
Dedication: clothes…what would we do without them?
A/N: This is my third (and possibly final) attempt at angst. Please don't laugh at the hideousness of it!
Silver Kills Werewolves
BANG!
Tonks ducked as a wall behind her exploded, sending chunks of granite raining over the flagstones. She barely noticed it; for her mind was set on something far more important than her safety. Remus was out there, fighting like she expected him to but what she never wanted. Tonks gripped her wand as a bolt of fear coursed through her body. What if he was dead? What if he's out there, injured and dying?
Tonks quickened her pace, breathes coming in ragged gasps.
She blasted a sneering Death Eater from her path before racing out the main entrance hall as she searched desperately for a glimmer of amber eye, or mop of greying brown hair, or a swish of patched cloak, or a glimpse of jarrah wand, or anything that indicated that her Remus hadn't left her. The fray was thickening around her; it was getting harder and harder to dodge curses…
"Hello missy!" snarled a voice behind her.
Tonks spun around and stared into the masked face of a thickset Death Eater.
"Incarcerous!" she yelled.
The Death Eater blocked her hex and then countered it, "Crucio!"
Tonk dodged the flying jet of light and managed to break free of her duel and continue her search for Remus. She ran onto the grounds where spells were flying everywhere, she ducked and ran stealthily through the mêlée looking everywhere for him.
It was complete pandemonium, dead bodies were scattered over the grass and Tonks had to tell herself it wasn't him, that the person lying a few yards from her wasn't going to be Remus, spread eagled and cold.
"Remus!" she shouted, "Remus!"
Nothing answered except the ring of spells and screaming fighters.
Suddenly, through the din she heard a familiar voice, shouting profanities, Tonk immediately set off in that direction, yelling his name.
When Tonks finally found him she expelled a small relieved laugh that soon died in her throat the moment she saw his situation.
Bellatrix Lestrange, in all her sick glory, had crippled Remus by the knees and had him kneeling with his back to her, she had pulled his head back by the hair and had her wand pointed directly at his throat.
"Remus!"
His eyes widened when he saw her and he choked out, "No! Go back Tonks! Go, GO!"
"What do we have here?" said Bellatrix smarmily, "A little bit of love?"
Remus struggled even more furiously, "GO! For goodness sake! Think of Teddy, please!"
Suddenly Bellatrix was speaking again but to someone behind Tonks, "Lookie here Rodolphus! We've got a matching set!"
Before Tonks could defend herself who she guessed was Rodolphus had thrown a snapping jinx at the back of her knees, feeling them shatter she gasped in pain as she fell into a kneel. Instantly her wand was out of her hand, her head wrenched backwards and a wand at her jugular.
"NO!" screamed Remus desperately, fighting against his captor with renewed vigour. Bellatrix just laughed and yelled "Crucio" causing Remus to scream and arch his back as the all consuming pain enveloped his body.
Tonks was screaming too, "REMUS! REMUS!"
Rodolphus laughed at her anguish, holding her back by the hair as she vainly tried to reach her husband. The image of him writhing under the curse was worse than Tonks could ever have imagined.
Suddenly it stopped and Remus was left panting and Bellatrix left laughing, "You should have heard your filthy half-blood lover scream for you, werewolf. She has quite a voice in her."
Remus tried to lunge out of Bellatrix's grasp towards Tonks but she jerked him back roughly, "Nuh uh uh, we must play fairly. It's Mrs Lupin's turn now."
Tonks braced herself as Rodolphus moved his wand to between her shoulder blades and hiss, "Crucio!"
Tonks felt herself seizure and writhe as the curse attacked her, vaguely hearing a despairing voice cry out beyond her world of pain. She clung to that familiarity and it made her agony that one shade more bearable.
Then, as suddenly as it started it was over and she was once again in the harsh grip of Rodolphus Lestrange, opposite her sorrowful husband and cackling enemy.
"Well, well, it seems the old dog yells for his filthy spouse as well, how… weak," said Rodolphus smoothly. Remus lunged on his shattered knees towards Tonks a second time but was restrained by his captor.
"You bastards," snarled Remus, the wolf rising, "what has she ever done to you?"
"Tut tut Mr Lupin," said Rodolphus, "your language is appalling, perhaps my lovely wife will be able to remind you of some manners."
"Oh certainly, dear," simpered Bellatrix, "Crucio!"
"NO!" shouted Tonks as yet again she watched Remus jerk and twitch in suffering, "please!"
Rodolphus laughed as she begged for Remus's release, stuff her pride, if it made her cousin leave Remus alone then it was well worth the shame.
Eventually, after what seemed like a lifetime, Bellatrix finally lifted the curse, glorifying as Remus bit back a moan but couldn't stop the violent tremors shaking his form. Tonks spied blood trickling down his chin and throat, staining his collar. He lifted tired, glistening eyes to meet hers.
"Teddy," he choked out, "Whe-ere - ?"
Hot salty tears cut through her eyes, "He's home, with family…don't – don't worry."
Suddenly, out of the abyss, Tonks felt the bony knuckles of Rodolphus Lestrange connect with her cheek. Coppery blood filled her mouth but she let out an angered growl, then span as far around as she could on her bleeding knees and spat at her captor's feet.
Rodolphus was disgusted.
"You bitch!"
"You bastard," retorted Tonks.
"Tonks," whispered Remus, drawing her attention back to her crippled husband, "Tonks, please, just – just do what you can to survive. Teddy – he'll need you."
Tonks stared at him, "he'll need you too, don't – don't say things like that!"
A ghost of a smile crossed Remus' face, "don't worry about me. I'll be fine – tell him about me – tell him about the happier times we had."
Tonks couldn't believe what she was hearing, "No! Remus, what are you doing!"
"Aww…" taunted Bellatrix and Tonks was shaken out of her despair for a moment, she had forgotten about their capturers, "having a last minute discussion? Never mind, it won't last will it, Rodolphus?"
"I doubt it!" he hissed back in malice.
Then Remus spoke up, his voice suddenly stronger than before as he addressed Rodolphus directly, "Let her go. Let her go and you can do whatever you want with me -"
"Remus, no!" shouted Tonks, struggling, "don't do this!"
Her husband continued on regardless, "anything I can offer -"
Rodolphus laughed, "And you don't think we can't already make you do that? I don't know about you, wolf, but I think you're the ones with the shattered kneecaps here."
"Nevertheless," intervened Bellatrix, "there is one question myself and the Dark Lord wants to know the answer to."
Remus gritted his teeth and seemed to hang his head a little; "only" he choked out, "only if you let her go."
The two assailants exchanged glances then began to smile, and suddenly Tonks found them even more untrustworthy than before.
"Remus, please!" she called.
"Very well," Rodolphus sneered, "you tell us an answer - a truthful answer - and we just might let Mrs Lupin go."
"Promise," panted Remus, "you'll do it. Promise you'll let her go. I don't care what you do to me, just don't – don't hurt Tonks."
"Very well, wolf," sneered Bellatrix, "you have yourself a deal, but you have to answer the question first."
"Fine," whispered Remus, his amber eyes staring into his wife's, "do your worst."
"Remus…" whispered Tonks, "please…"
"Where is Harry Potter?" Bellatrix asked snidely.
Remus smirked vaguely, "I honestly don't know."
Crack!
Bellatrix had hit Remus around the head, "like hell you don't, werewolf."
He let out a small chuckle, tiredly blinking away fresh crimson blood trickling from where Bellatrix's ring had split his forehead, "I have no idea where Harry Potter is, Death Eater; he's been as elusive from the Order as he has been from you. And I'm incredibly proud of him for doing so."
A jet of yellow light flash from above Tonks and hit Remus square in the face. Her husband growled as the curse from Rodolphus snapped his nose and blood sprayed onto the grass in front of him. He stayed there for a moment, his head hung; droplets of scarlet dripping from his lowered face.
Bellatrix bent down and spoke in his ear, "where is he?"
"I – don't – know!" Remus spelt out.
"I think I've had enough of this, Rodolphus," said Bellatrix loudly, straightening up, "I think it's time to finish it. What do you say?"
"I thought you'd never ask," smirked her husband.
Remus lifted his head suddenly, "you said you'd let her go you bastards!"
"Oh yes indeed we did!" cackled Bellatrix, "Rodolphus, release Mrs Lupin this instant!"
Tonks felt Rodolphus' rough hands push her away and immediately she began to pull herself towards Remus. Her breathes came in laboured gasps but that didn't deter her from dragging her destroyed knees towards he husband, who still kneeled, captive, at Bellatrix's feet.
"Hey," Tonks whispered when she reached him, stretching out and holding his beaten face in her hands, "you still look dashingly handsome to me."
Remus coughed out a laugh and blood poured from his mouth snaking deep red rivulets down Tonks' wrists, eventually soaking into her shirt. The moment of amusement was lost a second later; however, when he realised she was still there with him and had not left.
"Get out," he choked, "you're free, leave – please Tonks!"
However much he pleaded with her, however, Tonks couldn't find it in herself to leave him stranded with a monster such as Bellatrix Lestrange, so instead she kept hold of his face, wiping away the tears of frustration and pain that spilled over her knuckles from his bloodshot eyes whilst whispering incoherent words of comfort.
Bellatrix was enjoying their exchange, "I'm so sorry dear, but your husband really must be going soon. Hurry it up a bit will you."
Tonks felt anger like she'd never felt before lick at her insides and burst through her mouth, "You won't be killing him you bitch."
Bellatrix laughed, "Oh but I practically already have. You see, silver kills werewolves."
Tonks looked down.
A short silver knife gleaned at Remus's throat, glinting in the fading light for a second and then disappearing in a spray of crimson blood.
Then, his eyes widening, Remus fell.
Tonk didn't even hear Bellatrix's laugh as she caught her husband, his hand clutching his gagging, slit throat and his amber eyes locked with hers. She didn't here Rodolphus Lestrange walking behind her and pointing his wand at her back. All that she cared about was comforting this amazing man as his life ebbed away in front of her eyes.
She did, however, hear the Killing Curse being yelled from behind and through the flash of green light see Remus' fading eyes widen in horror and the slightest of relief.
Perhaps, Tonks thought in her last second of life, he was slightly happy that wherever he was headed she was going to be there to meet him at the end.
A/N: I've never actually written any Tonks/Remus action before. Hopefully it didn't turn out to badly. Please tell me what you think...fingers and toes crossed that you all liked it!