You Had Me at Hello
Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews : they really did make me smile and now I've started writing this I really can't stop so aha.
Tonks held her wand aloft walking through the darkness that surrounded her in the empty corridor; she heard a slight movement behind her and pulled the Invisibility Cloak she had borrowed from Mad Eye over her.
"Nox," She whispered and stood in the darkness, waiting and watching for any signs of life.
She looked ahead and saw a small beam of light round the corner at the tip of a wand before its master appeared. Tonks was blinded by the beam and couldn't see the owner of the wand until he was almost level with her. She suppressed a small gasp and watched as a cloaked and masked man approached the door with interest. He stood with his wand pressed close to the door; he reached out a gloved hand and placed it in the middle of the door. Nothing happened. The figure then turned and held the wand aloft so that the whole corridor was eliminated.
"Who's down here?!" Called a deep voice from the direction of the lift
"Nox," Whispered the man as the other beam of light grew closer.
Another bright beam of light eluminated the corridor again and Tonks stood staring at the unmasked and uncloaked man that now was thrown into full relief of the light. Shoulder length blond hair, with a cruel twisted expression, his wand still held aloft his hand un-gloved. Tonks rush of hatred shocked even her when she saw Lucius Malfoy standing before her staring at the owner of the second wand that was still eliminated shining down the dark corridor.
"Pardon me, I must have gotten out on the wrong floor, after all it is pitch black all over the Ministry tonight," He sneered smirking
Yeah, your doing I don't doubt.
Tonks thought, her face screwing up in anger. She hated the man that stood before her, her uncle if you like, though she had never and would never call him that. She was not part of that family, and never would she want to be; they all believed in and supported Voldemort's views on muggle borns, mudbloods as they called them, which was a word dirtier and more foul than any, swear word in existence. She didn't need or want them, of course they may all be related by blood that could never change but she would never consider them family, her aunts and the entire Black line, bar Sirius of course since he was an outcast for being decent, brave and open minded himself; disowned Andromeda when she had fallen for Ted Tonks a muggle, not a pure blooded wizard like they had hoped and wished. But as her and her mother before her had learnt the world would be a better place without wizards and witches like this in existence, that was why she Tonks had never needed more family than her mother and father because through all of what they had overcome together they were like aunts, uncles, cousins, distant relatives combined into one, they were perfect and all she ever needed.
But as she had found recently, as her mother had once told her, since joining the Order it was like joining a family, a group of people that cared greatly for each other, were always worried when something terrible happened and some of the Order were involved, always greeted each other with a smile and warm welcome. And of course she had a part of her own family in this group of amazing witches and wizards, Sirius. And she was grateful to have him there at her side when she looked around at these people, like the huge family they had never had.
Tonks watched as the other wizard approached so the beam of light eluminated his face and threw Malfoy's sharp dangerous expression into view.
"Well then, let me escort you to your destination of choice since you seem to be lost down here." Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep calming voice echoed off the walls.
"No no, that will not be necessary, I will just find my way back to the Atrium and head home," Malfoy sneered trying to move past Kingsley who did not flinch as the Death Eater walked towards him wand still held aloft in his hand
Tonks clutched her own wand ready to strike if he even dare try to hurt Kingsley. Malfoy stopped trying to move past him and simply stood pointing his wand directly at Kingsley's face. Kingsley raised his eyebrows at the out stretched wand wordlessly asking why he would need that pointing at his face for suggesting a simple answer to a supposed 'lost' Death Eaters question. Malfoy saw this and lowered his wand immediately.
He was expecting a duel to the death over this or perhaps he hoped.
Tonks thought scathingly.
"My apologies, you made me apprehensive with your sudden appearance." Malfoy smirked as he lowered his wand.
"Not a problem, "Replied Kingsley keeping his face passive and unreadable. "Now, please let me escort you back to the Atrium, the Minister would be most displeased if he knew Id sent you up there unescorted after finding you so obviously distraught about wandering around in the dark down here."
Tonks put her fist in her mouth to stop from snorting with laughter. Distraught? Him? Never. He found exactly what he was looking for crafty git, she thought.
"Yes, and thank goodness you have found me," He smirked his lip curling "I shall put a good word in with the Minister for you,"
"Many thanks," Kingsley said with a curt nod that was returned by Malfoy instantly "This way please, "He said making a sweeping movement with his arm.
Malfoy gave the corridor one last sweep with his eyes because he knew somewhere here concealed stood a member of the Order of the Phoenix and strode past Kingsley outstretched arm without a backward glance.
Kingsley did not move straight away, he too knew this was true. His eyes too swept the corridor, he was looking for Tonks, any sign of life to show she was alive and that no harm had come to her at Malfoy's doing. She made the Invisibility Cloak rustle slightly and he fixed his eyes upon the spot in which she stood. He moved his lips silently but she already knew what he was going to say.
"Call a meeting. Now."
He tore his glance away from the spot in which she stood and walked silently after Malfoy. As the light disappeared she knew she was going to have to call a meeting of the whole Order to gather at Grimmauld Place and at one in the morning that wasn't going to be an easy task. Tonks walked to the end of the corridor, standing just beside the lift she whispered
"Expecto Patronum,"
A chameleon appeared before her and after looking back at her for a few seconds streaked out of view, she knew it was going to wake the other members of the Order and send them to Grimmauld Place for the meeting. Tonks pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and started walking down the once again darkened corridor.
Tonks opened the kitchen door to an almost full kitchen and that was just with the current occupants of the house. Molly, Arthur and Bill Weasley, Sirius and Remus Lupin were sitting ready and waiting, looking alert and ready to march to war if needed.
"What happened?" Bill asked
"Tea, dear?" Molly interjected before Tonks could answer him.
"Please," She nodded taking her own seat opposite Sirius
It had been at least a month since the first ever Order of the Phoenix meeting she had attended, she was used to having intense stares from the surrounding people in the room when she had witnessed something or had been made to give reports on her findings. She was still not comfortable with having Remus Lupin stare at her in such a way, I wish he wouldn't do that, it sits uncomfortably with me, she thought.
"Well I was on guard duty as per usual," She said shaking off her cloak and hanging it off the back of her chair. "Watching the door, and I heard footsteps. I thought it might be Kingsley just coming to let me off duty but just in case. I took Mad Eyes spare Invisibility Cloak with me, for security reasons, lucky really or I might not be sitting here or worse be in Azkaban." She looked up as Molly handed her a cup full of steaming Tea and as she looked back at the rest of the watchful crowd she caught Remus's eye and her stomach gave an uncomfortable turn.
He was watching her intently, his eyes never moving from her face. He looked pale and slightly strained usually, but tonight there was something else etched in his face, it looked a lot to Tonks like worry but she could be mistaken.
"Thanks Molly," She smiled as Molly Weasley returned to her seat and gazed at her as intently as the rest of the group that was crowded around the table.
"I pulled on the cloak and stood waiting, watching in case I had just heard things. Then a Death Eater bold as brass came striding up to the door, wand pointing straight at it, he put his hand in the middle of the door and when nothing happened merely just stood there."
"Merlin's beard," Arthur said shaking his head
"It was a few seconds before Kingsley showed up. But of course by then he had extinguished his own wand and changed out of his Death Eater attire. When the light fell upon his face, there stood,"
"Malfoy," Sirius said and his expression darkened when Tonks nodded.
"All three of us knew what he was doing there, so Kingsley never bothered to ask him but he escorted him back up to the Atrium, but the way he went about it was so amusing I just had to stuff my fist into my mouth to keep from laughing,"
"In true Black style," Sirius smirked and Molly threw him a dirty look.
"So, Voldemort knows what's hidden in the Department of Mysteries does he?" Bill asked with a dark expression.
"He must suspect it's something important if he knows that Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix is keeping a watchful eye over the place, that's why he sent Malfoy, to see if we were watching tonight and to try and get through the door." Remus concluded
"Well, we can't do anymore than we are doing right now. Does Dumbledore know all this?" Molly asked Tonks
"No. That's where I was heading next seen as he can't come here because the Ministry's watching him." Tonks replied drinking down the tea.
"No you don't," Molly said "You're going to stay here tonight; you look really pale and slightly peaky. You need a good night's rest, plus if Kingsley witnessed this he would surely go to Dumbledore himself,"
"But," Tonks started lamely
"Molly's right, your mother would kill me if she knew what you were doing and for not letting you get enough rest and food. We don't need you worn out and over tired before the good stuff starts," Sirius said grinning deviously at her
I'm being treated like I'm twelve again! Your mother and all this rubbish, he acts as though he supposed to be looking after me when I'm old enough to do that myself.
She thought irritably. It's not that I don't appreciate any of this, but I really need to tell Dumbledore this tonight, it's important, Tonks thought while trying to stifle a yawn behind her hand which unfortunately for her did not go unnoticed by Molly.
"Bed," She said simply as though that was an end to it "I'm going to make one up for you in one of the spare rooms upstairs." And she swept from the kitchen without another word.
"Well that's you told then isn't it?" Said Bill grinning "You never argue with her, ever."
"But what am I supposed to wear to sleep in?" Tonks asked before considering she was the only female in a room full of men.
"Nothing?" Sirius sniggered
The men laughed, Tonks scowled at her cousin and then looked at Remus who was not laughing but giving her that lopsided grin again. The one that always made her breath catch in her throat whenever she saw it.
"Seriously though," Sirius sniggered "I might have an old shirt or something upstairs you can wear."
"Thanks, that's a giant help." She sneered at her still laughing cousin she chanced a glance at Remus who was now smirking.
Men.
She thought, cursing all of their existences as Molly reappeared and summoned them all to bed before they wake up the children.
Tonks wondered up the stairs after Molly, they had left the laughing men to clean up the kitchen as punishment for their trying to be amusing.
When they had reached the third landing of the large house she pointed to a ajar door and said " In there dear, fresh linen sheets and nice aired rooming are waiting for you."
"Thanks, Molly," She grinned and Molly Weasley returned the smile before retreating back down the stairs no less wanting to check that none of her children or Hermione were awake and listening intently to what had been going on.
She walked across the landing to the ajar door; when she pushed it open she found a double bed made with crimson sheets, folded back looking welcoming; something that only a mother knew how to do. The window was open which was letting the slight breeze through so that he curtains swayed gently in the breeze; the wallpaper was peeling off, but that was expected considering the age of the house.
There was a knock at her door, and her heart leapt when Remus entered carrying a blue shirt in his hands. He held it out to her and she took it and felt her cheeks redden slightly when her fingers brushed against his.
"It's the only one we could find," He said "My apologies,"
"For what?" She asked holding up the shirt and seeing what the front read. "Ah."
"Yes, Sirius always did have rather amusing taste when he was young." Remus smirked
There on the shirt the words emblazoned were 'Ride me. I'm famous."
Haha. Thanks goes to everyone who reviewed for me :
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