A little oneshot about Tonks. It takes place during the Final Battle (which takes place at Hogwarts). I thought that maybe it would be a bit of a relief to write about someone other than the Trio, etc. That and someone told me I had to work on my imagery. I don't think I really succeeded, but oh well- they can bite me hahaha.

Disclaimer: JK is boss!

Auror Tonks

Her ears were ringing and it was the only sound she could hear. Kingsley Shacklebolt was standing in front of her screaming his head off; his right arm dangling uselessly in his right hand. Why was he horizontal and why was the ground vertical? She registered the burning of wood, broken rock, and bits of someone else's teeth digging into her face and lying directly in her line of vision. When had she fallen?

The memory of blasted chunks of castle came to her mind. So there had been an explosion. And then she remembered completely: Shacklebolt, the new girl Tessie, and she had had that Vincent Crabbe boy cornered in the dungeons. He must have enlarged the barrels (all eight of them) before they had rounded the corner, but when they saw him he was already saying the spell. How many times had she created small fires to keep warm on the school grounds as a teenager? And how many times had she seen the same spell used to wreak havoc? Vincent Crabbe, eighteen and friend of Draco Malfoy, blew himself up with simple magic and eight barrels full of Muggle gunpowder.

There had been quite a bit of space between the group and the boy, but Kingsley was proof enough they hadn't come out of the blast unscathed. The ringing in her ears continued and she tried to get up to Apparate Shacklebolt back to Head Quarters, but she couldn't move. Her limbs felt so heavy, and her head was aching but panic didn't seem to be settling in. Someone fell to their knees in front of her; Tessie. The girl was yelling at her, concern filling up her chocolate brown eyes. She had a small cut above her brow but seemed to have gotten away relatively unscathed. The younger girl was gripping tightly to her hand, smiling assuredly- but not convincingly- occasionally looking to her and then beyond her. Suddenly there a release of pressure and something was being lifted off of her middle. Lifting her head slightly, she saw a large chunk of stone hit the dungeon wall and fall to the ground. Tessie was pointing her wand at it menacingly.

"Can you move your toes?"

The younger girl's voice barely cut through the ringing but her words weren't making sense.

"Tonks can- you- move- your- toes?"

She nodded. There was nothing severely wrong with her apart from the ringing and likely some shock. Her legs would be bruised to all hell, but they were functional. Apart from some deep but small cuts, so was the rest of her. Tessie helped her up and then looked to Kingsley.

"He wouldn't let me anywhere near him," she explained, the words making more sense this time.

"He'll bleed to death if we don't get him to Head Quarters!" Tonks had to yell to hear her own voice.

"You can try, but he nearly jinxed my arse off."

Tonks slowly edged towards the screaming man. He wasn't moving around or anything, just standing in one spot clutching his arm and screeching like a rudding banshee. Blood was everywhere, draining from his body as though it had been itching to do just that all along. The stench of it made her gag; she recognized the coppery taste of her own in her mouth.

"Distract him!"

Tessie immediately caught on and jumped into Kingsley's point of view, drawing her wand. Tonks took her chance and lunged at him, grabbing him around the waist. She saw the double flash of red and Tessie falling to the floor and then she was looking into the eyes of Molly Weasley.

Head Quarters; they had made it.

Pain exploded across her chest. Looking down with wide eyes, Tonks saw the deep gash trailing from her right shoulder to her belly. What the hell kind of curse had that been?! Instantly, the memory of Tessie hitting the ground came to her mind. Without a word to anyone, she let go of the older Auror and Disapparated back to Hogwarts.

She finally took a moment to look at the carnage. Blood, flesh, teeth, and dishevelled stone lay everywhere. Bits of burning wood from the barrels were scattered throughout the dungeon- and so were bits of Vincent Crabbe. Tonks looked around and when her eyes fell on Tessie's motionless body, she knew the curse had been fatal. Half of the girl's face had been completely mutilated, and her neck was, if possible, worse. Her eyes stared frightfully and unblinking at Tonks, making her shudder. Ignoring her own blinding pain, she crouched down and brushed the girl's eyes closed and prepared to Apparate back to Head Quarters with tears stinging her eyes. She surveyed the area around her and for the first time she acknowledged the fact that the Death Eaters had 'stooped' to the low of using Muggle made weapons in their Pure Blood war...

"Hypocrites," she growled.

Dust lifted and settled as she disappeared.

AN: Yeah, it's a little...gross. Oh well, imagery enough for you, anonymous fiend?! Hahaha, so R&R as you so please. Even flames are fun to read!