Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and many of the settings in this story. JK Rowling does.

Number 12 Grimmauld Place had an eerie abandoned feel about it, despite the fact that a young woman had been living in the building for a number of months. She had applied what could only be referred to as 'homey touches' to the interior. Nymphadora Tonks wasn't much of a one for cleaning, but since she was living in someone else's home she felt she should make the effort. Thus, when she rushed through the front door of the property, she tried as neatly as possible to slam the door against the rain and tidily throw her coat on the banister.

She took of her soaked footwear and left them by the door, padding her way to the kitchen in bare feet, when she felt the musty carpet damp underfoot. She turned around sharply, and bent low on her haunches. She could clearly see her own footprints down the hall, soaking through the carpet, but there were also footprints leading to the kitchen and back up the hall again.

She froze in thought for a moment. Whoever was in the house hadn't been here long. Their footsteps were still wet...and quite big. Probably male. Whoever they were had also probably heard her slam the door...

It might be Harry, she told herself, but then…it might not be Harry. Tonks pulled out her wand, glad she'd taken her shoes off, and made her way up the stairs.

As she made her way up the stairs she could hear the muffled sounds of people speaking, and the soft steps of someone light pacing agitatedly, their footfalls softened by the dust.

They were in the living room. The door was slightly ajar, and the flickering light of a candle escaped through the crack. Piercing the darkness, she stood in.

'Why are we here?' Someone demanded. 'We need to find your cousin; she'll look after you I hope. You're in far too much danger to be walking around the place.'

Tonks peered carefully through the crack. Was that Snape? And the Malfoy boy? No...but it was! She kicked open the door and aimed her wand at Malfoy.

'Expelliarmus!' Malfoy's wand arched through the air. Tonks caught it with a practiced sort of grace. She snapped it in half. Malfoy gasped, but she ignored him and threw his wand halves down the stairs.

Tonks' attention wound to Snape. He was sitting, apparently unfazed, gazing at her. Though out of the corner of her eye, Tonks had seen him jump when she'd kicked in the door.

'What are you doing here?' She asked.

'Why didn't you disarm me, Miss Tonks?' He asked, a sly grin playing on his lips.

'My...my...my wand!' Draco stuttered.

They both ignored him. Truthfully, Tonks had felt that there wasn't much of a difference between an armed and unarmed Snape, but that two against one was rather unfair. She also didn't have much of a shot at him; it was just like him to lurk in the shadows. So, she'd evened the odds...a little.

Snape stood. Tonks didn't move, holding her ground. Unconsciously, they began to circle each other. Well, semi-circle each other, really, as Tonks was unwilling to let Snape get much closer to the door, and Snape didn't seem to want to provoke her.

'Why, Nymphadora...' he said eyeing her mousy brown head of hair 'You still don't seemed to have regained your abilities.'

Snape threw a curse at her, mostly for show. Mostly. Tonks deflected it with a shield charm.

'I just think brown suits me,' Tonks said.

'Looking through the family library on inherited...gifts, were we, Nymphadora?'

'DID YOU SEE WHAT SHE DID TO MY WAND?!!'

'SHUT UP!' the adults shouted at him.

'What are you doing here?' Tonks asked him again.

'I need a favor.'

'From me?' Tonks raised an eyebrow. 'What could I possibly be able to do for you?'

They heard the door close down stairs. Both Snape and Tonks turned their attention to the noise while Draco spluttered over his broken wand.

'Tonks?' Remus Lupin's croaky voice drifted up the stairs.

'You need to leave. Both of you,' Tonks said. She backed toward the door a little. 'I'll be down in a minute, Remus,' she called, hoping he wouldn't come up the steps. 'I'm not decent. Put the kettle on.'

Snape was looking her up and down as Remus called that he'd make her a cup of tea.

'What do you want, Snape?' she hissed.

'I need you to look after the boy.'

Tonks snorted. 'And what makes you think I'd want to look after some demi-Death Eater? Eh?'

'He's your cousin, after all.'

Tonks looked the boy up and down. He looked worried, pale and thin. There was a little something about his eyes...a dulled sparkle. It reminded her horribly of Sirius.

'Why does he need looking after?' she asked, returning her gaze to Snape.

'They want him dead,' he said rather softly. 'I do believe the Dark Lord has for some time now. A punishment to Lucius.'

'Alright.' She could hear the kettle steaming in the distance. 'Fine. But you have to go. Now.'

Tonks grabbed Malfoy by the scruff of the neck and pulled him out of the room.

'You're staying here, my lad. Out of sight.'

Tonks was almost running as she pulled Draco Malfoy further up the steps toward the attic. She opened the door and practically threw the boy into the room. Dust flew into the air as he landed on the creaky, wooden floors. Tonks entered the room; Malfoy slipped back from her.

'There's no need to be scared of me, Draco,' she said, trying to be somewhat kind.

'I'm not scared,' he sneered up at her. 'I just don't want you flinging me around MY house!'

'I do believe this house belongs to Harry Potter.'

Malfoy snorted in distaste. 'This house is mine by rights! When Black died it should have been mine!' As the boy continued his rant about male Blood and family lineage, Tonks sorted through a stack of books. She could imagine his mother informing him haughtily of the property he'd get when Sirius croaked. She lifted a heavy, black bound volume and began to flick through it. She stopped on a page and began to read. Quite suddenly she snapped the book shut. Draco broke off his rant at the sound.

'What are you doing?' he asked, looking at his cousin, who seemed to be concentrating on something. Tonks lifted her wand to her hair and used it to take quite a hefty chunk of it out. She set the book down and, wand in her teeth, began to hastily tie the soft brown strands into tiny bundles. Draco looked at her, confused. The routine reminded him of something. Tonks paused for a moment, looking curiously at the bundles of her own hair. The Metamorphmagus took up the book again and reread some information, then setting her wand gently on her lap she bit down, hard, on her thumb. She squeezed a few drops of blood onto each bundle and then hastily muttered a few words over each before flinging one into every corner and window pane. She finally tied one, with much ceremony, to the door handle.

'What are you doing?' Draco sneered.

It's a Sealant Spell. Now be quiet,' Tonks replied and shut the door in his face. She could hear Draco trying to get past her ward, unsuccessfully.

There were footsteps on the stairs and Tonks spun round to see Snape making his way toward her.

'I told you to leave,' Tonks said, thankful Remus was taking his sweet time with that tea.

'I wanted to see what you planned on doing for the boy,' he told her.

Snape opened the attic door. Tonks took a step back and shrunk the book in her hand to something the size of a small pill and put it in her pocket. Snape made to enter the room, but upon stepping toward the threshold, was violently sent flying through the air. He hit the wall with a dull thud. Dust flew up from the ground around him. Tonks choked for a moment on the stale taste of it.

'Take down the barrier,' Snape told her.

Tonks laughed through her chokes. The Death Eater grabbed her by the arm. 'Give me the countercharm.'

'No.'

You don't think that over time I can't undo a simple piece of blood magic?'

'Oh, Snape, I know you can't. Metamorphmagus blood, remember. Always changing.' She gestured around her. 'Old family home. Blood ties. The boy has Black blood as well. Simple but effective.'

'You say that almost like you planned this whole thing.'

Lupin's voice drifted up to them again. Tonks made to move but Snape had a firm hold on her hand. She looked into his dark eyes – a mistake, she thought at once. They weren't angry. She thought she saw a flicker of fury, but it seemed to fade almost instantly. He was staring at her, a curious expression forming on his usually impassive face, as though he were making up his mind.

He took a breath and held it for a moment before he spoke, softly.

'Find Horace Slughorn,' he said finally. 'He will be able to make…past events…clear to you.' His words were carefully measured.

He turned to leave but Tonks grabbed his arm.

'Wait…' She looked at him for a moment, mentally debating whether to ask him or not. Tonks slid a hand into her pocket and took out a much read, much battered letter.

'Have you had any word from Abrianna?' she asked him finally.

Snape froze. His dark eyes betrayed shock and under her hand his arm tensed. He stood silently for a moment, not even turning around, silently refusing to look at the letter in her hand. Finally he moved, he turned round to face her and raised his hand as if to strike her, but instead gently stroked her cheek. Snape held her gaze for a moment and then without a word, he swept off in the direction of the living room. A few seconds later she heard the fire roar.