I hope it was his favourite watering can, that it was a present from a loved one and held deep emotional value because after it had exploded I cast a Reparo on it and caused it to explode again. That was of course after I made it stop hitting me. I storm back in to the Auror Offices in a foul mood and begin to search my pockets. Then I pull off my robes and begin to search the lining. There has to be something, something he's been using to track me. I give up when I realise that if I don't stop soon I'll be standing in my underwear, and instead slap my wand against my jeans trying to remember the incantation that reveals tracking spells. My anger is starting to fade leaving something that feels an awful lot like fear.
"Well done Tonks."
Kingsley's timing is dreadful and he really doesn't deserve the look of absolute malevolence I shoot in his direction.
"Mrs Swithering just flooed, apparently you are a polite and efficient young lady who is an example to us all."
"Grrr," I respond.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes," I'm surprised I get the word out, what with my jaw being so clenched.
"We can rain check tonight."
"I'm fine," no I'm not. I'm being stalked by one of my cousin's friends who is an ex convict, a werewolf and incredibly polite about the whole thing which just made it worse. I realise I've been following Kingsley back to his cubicle, and he picks up a scroll from a chair in the corner.
"Stay put then, I just need to see Scrimgeour and then we can make a move."
I nod and plonk myself down behind his desk and glare at the mountains of paperwork. I need to tell Kingsley about this because now it's real and not just the hairs on the back of my neck, or an over active imagination. What if he follows us to the pub? I fidget and look up and see Sirius Black glaring right back at me.
Sirius who is not in Tibet.
Not in Tibet because this morning he was with Remus Lupin eating all the cereal and being grumpy.
Remus Lupin must have that affect on people.
I definitely should tell Kingsley about that, and then a truly awful thought hits me; it explains why Kingsley found my outburst this morning so amusing. It takes a while for the significance of that to sink in and then I can feel the world fracture and shift slightly around me because despite recent events I am almost able to accuse my boss on the flippant comment of a man I've just met.
Although I should be trusting my hunches. When had Moody said that? Oh yes right after he's told me the sort of people the Order would be recruiting.
Young people.
People with fight.
People who can fight.
People with connections to the Ministry.
Oh Merlin, people like Kingsley.
Which doesn't make sense, because why would the Order of the Phoenix want to protect Sirius Black? When Kingsley comes back I am still sat there trying to work through the feelings that are kicking about in my stomach.
"Ready to go Tonks?"
Strange he doesn't look different.
"Yes."
"You sure you are up for this?"
"Oh, yes."
I know I'm probably being presumptuous, but the thing is I really do believe Voldermort is back, and that it is highly possible that Dumbledore would reform the Order of the Phoenix. Just to top it all off I really do want to believe that Sirius is innocent because the man who used to charm my teddy bears into a conga line really can't be responsible for the death of all those people. What I also believe, right now, is that Kingsley, and probably Moody, are so dead because the emotion that has finally won out is one of acute disappointment that they are involved in Merlin knows what and didn't tell me.
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The Muggle pub is busy, full of young trendy things making an awful lot of noise. I keep a close tail on Kingsley as he works his way politely and firmly through the crowd, at least my body does but my mind is racing with what is going to happen next, how exactly I am going to confront them without sounding mad and/or hysterical. It occurs to me belatedly that perhaps I should have actually told someone where I was going. Kinglsey waves and I hear Moody's voice respond, the sound of it makes me clench my hands, why didn't he tell me about this? Aren't I good enough?
He has a hat over his magical eye, which to be honest only draws attention to it. Kingsley may look at home here, but me with my hair and Moody and his eye must look like we've escaped from children's fiction. Kingsley slides into the booth and belatedly I notice the third man who is trying not to meet my eye.
"You bloody coward," I shout at him, my mouth shooting off with out reference to my brain.
"You've met?" Kingsley looks at Lupin and then at me.
"Not under the best of circumstances."
"You set a watering can on me."
"What?" Kingsley looks at Moody.
"It appears Lupin is not the skilled tracker we thought he was."
"I seem to remember you were very smug when you realised she'd figured it out."
"Figured what out?" I can feel rationality leaking away at speed.
"Sit down Tonks," Moody says gruffly.
"You were following me!"
"Sit down," Moody grabs my elbow and pulls me roughly on to the seat next to him.
"Standard procedure," Kingsley explains, "we wanted to make sure the other side hadn't got hold of you first. We chose Remus because we thought you'd be less likely to recognise him. I've been watching you at work, he's been watching you outside."
"Why? What the bloody hell is going on here?"
"Pull yourself together," Moody snaps.
I look at the three men who are sporting expressions that range from embarrassment (Moody), puzzlement (Kinglsey) and down right amusement (Lupin).
All right, I'm calm.
"Someone tell me what is going on." I take a deep breath, "please."
Moody takes something out of his pocket and pushes it across the table, it's a curl of parchment, hardly impressive but I unroll it, "the headquart…"
"In your head, Tonks," Moody sighs, "Kingsley and I have been saying lots of nice things about you, so don't let us down before we even get there."
I am still sitting there staring at the piece of parchment. I recognise the handwriting, I've seen it on my end of year report cards often enough, "Nymphadora shows great promise but an unnatural gift for trouble', after a while I become aware that my mouth is open.
"Meeting starts at eight," Kingsley says, "we thought you might be interested, what with your recent obsession."
"Ur huh," I drag my voice out from wherever it's been hiding, but fail to put it to good use. "So he is back?" I manage finally.
"Yes," Moody says and I feel a warm fuzzy glow in the pit of my stomach, probably not the most sensible feeling to have about Voldermort returning. "So I was right…."
"And Scrimgeour is wrong, yes Tonks," Kingsley gives me the understanding smile of a fellow Ministry dogsbody, "and while we are feeding your ego, you were also right about Arthur."
"And Snape," growls Moody.
"Now I know you're taking the piss."
"Oh that's nothing," Remus Lupin is smiling and I notice reluctantly that there's something quite endearing about it, "wait until you meet Sirius."
"He's innocent?"
"Yes, he can't wait to tell you all about it."
I meet Kingsley's eye and he has the decency to look slightly guilty, "he's here in London," he admits.
I actually sigh. It's like a knot in my stomach, one that I didn't even know was there, has uncoiled.
"And I can see him?"
"I don't think he'd forgive us if you didn't," Lupin is still grinning as though someone has told him the best joke in the world.
"Just one thing," Kingsley says, "that project Scrimgeour set you; we'd appreciate it if you weren't quite so thorough in future."
I nod enjoying a world that is very slowly starting to make sense again, "I'll say it went to Tibet then, shall I?"
