A/N: At the end.
----
Fighting
---
"Come on Stubbs. It's just a training course. Pick up the pace!" She called.
Stubbs was falling behind-severely.
When Mad-Eye had made her run the course he had sent hexes at her whenever she fell the slightest bit behind. Suddenly she was beginning to understand why Mad-Eye had used such a method.
Her eyes darted around the course.
"Hospers don't do that! If you over compensate for your balance you'll fall, trust me!"
And Hospers proceeded to fall on his face.
Oh well, she warned him.
Willaby was doing better….barely.
He saw her look at him and immediately began to apologize profusely.
"I'm sorry ma'am, really I….."
"Don't apologize, concentrate and do better." She scolded.
"How goes the morning training?" Asked Kingsley, coming up and standing beside her.
"How does it look like it's going?" She muttered under her breath.
"You know, you could always use some of my methods….."
She turned around and smiled.
"I'm beginning to think I should, Mad-Eye."
"So this is the lot I'm going to have to work with?" He questioned, his magical eye whizzing about at the sight.
"Yeah, Scrimgeour's orders." She answered.
"Mind if we give them some incentive to do better? At this rate, they'll be dead before they can blink if we send them up against any Death Eaters." Said Mad-Eye.
"One for each of us?" Asked Kingsley and Mad-Eye nodded.
She turned to look at the three Aurors running the course. Mad-Eye had a very valid point. They'd never survive a fight.
Oh well, it was for their own good.
She nodded and both Mad-Eye and Kingsley grinned.
"I want that snail. He really needs a bit of fire behind him….." Smirked Mad-Eye and he sent a jet of flame at Stubbs.
Stubbs yowled painfully and turned to look at the three of them.
"Constant vigilance! Now move, you lazy bag of dragon droppings!" Yelled Mad-Eye and he sent another jet of fire out to emphasize his point.
Kingsley took up aim at Willaby.
"I think a nice Blast-Ended Skrewt might make him improve…." And then there was a six foot long Skrewt chasing Willaby who was screaming like a little girl.
"Good one, Kingsley. Oh, look at him run!" Laughed Mad-Eye, thoroughly enjoying himself.
That left Hospers.
"Hmm….Balance is a key asset….I think it's time for some ice skating." And she hexed the ground beneath Hospers, turning it to ice.
Fwomp!
Flat on his arse.
"Get off your bum Hospers! This in no time for a break!" She called.
Both Kingsley and Mad-Eye were smiling now.
"They're going to hate me for this….." She sighed.
"At least they'll be alive and able to hate you." Mad-Eye reminded her.
--
"I want the mission completed within the week, Miss Tonks." Scrimgeour told her a few weeks later.
"Can't do it, Rufus. Stubbs, Hospers, and Willaby aren't ready." She said.
"Ready or not, it needs to be done and done now. Do you understand?"
"I understand perfectly. I don't think you understand."
"Oh really?"
"I can't run this mission."
"Why not?"
"I'm pregnant."
He laughed at her.
"I'm serious."
"Pregnant or not, you're not getting out of this mission, Miss Tonks."
"You unbelieveable….."
"You're bordering on insubordination, Miss Tonks."
"If it keeps those three alive and my unborn child, that's fine by me."
"It is your job to keep your team alive in the field, not make excuses for them. You've had them for almost two months now. As for your convenient pregnancy, have an examination after the mission. If a medi-witch gives me a proper report that you are, indeed, expecting, I'll remove you from active duty. But I want results and I want that mission completed tonight."
"But….tonight's….it's almost a full moon. I have reason to believe that….."
"I don't care what you believe, Miss Tonks. Do the mission tonight or you're fired." He told her and he walked away before she could say another word.
Shit.
--
"Tonks, you okay?" Asked Kingsley.
"The mission's tonight." She said quietly.
"What?"
"Scrimgeour ordered that we carry out the mission tonight." She told him.
"Are you kidding? Stubbs, Hospers, and Willaby aren't ready yet……"
She turned and looked up at him.
"Do I look like I'm kidding, King? Believe me, this is the last thing I should be doing."
"What do you mean?"
She sighed and shook her head.
"Don't worry about it, Scrimgeour certainly isn't."
"Tonks…."
"Just….let me worry about it, King."
He swallowed hard and nodded.
"I'll tell Mad-Eye and the others about the mission. And I think I'll put in a quick appearance at H.Q. See if anyone will follow behind as back up."
She shook her head and sighed.
"I doubt anyone will be able to, with the kinds of shifts everyone's been pulling lately."
"It's worth a try."
"Mmm. Well, I have to go home and get some things in order. I'll be back here at dusk. Tell the others to be here then, okay?"
"Sure thing, Tonks."
"Thanks." She said and she gave him a fake smile before she turned to leave.
"Hey…"
She turned back and looked at him.
"It's going to be fine, Tonks, really."
She nodded and left.
Somehow, she doubted that everything would be 'fine'. She didn't want things to be 'fine'. 'Fine' was not good.
--
"Remus….." She called when she got home.
"In the kitchen." He answered.
She took off her cloak, hung it up and sighed before going into the kitchen to join him.
"Tea?" He asked and then he saw her frown.
"Nym? What's the matter?"
"Sit down Remus…." She said heavily and she sat down at the table and waited for him to do the same.
"Tell me what's wrong." He said when he took his seat.
Better to get right to the point. She had to leave soon.
"The mission's tonight."
"But….."
"I don't have a choice. Scrimgeour ordered that I complete the mission tonight or he'll fire me. He doesn't care that half of the team members aren't ready. He wants this done and he wants it done now."
"Did you tell him?"
"Yes."
"And he still…?"
She nodded.
"I'll come with you…."
"No. I don't want you in harms way too. It's bad enough as it is."
She had a very good reason for not wanting him to come along….
"Nym…"
"Kingsley is checking with head quarters to see if anyone will follow already. Remus please, I don't want you to go." She told him, fiddling with her ring.
"And I don't want you in danger."
"But it's one night before the full moon. I have no idea how long this will take…."
Okay, that wasn't the real reason. She couldn't tell him. Then he would definitely want to follow her.
"When?"
He could tell she was revving herself up to leave.
She sighed.
"Dusk."
He looked out the window and then stood up and held his hand out to her.
"Come here."
She looked up at him curiously, but stood up.
He took her hand and pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, resting his chin on her shoulder.
She couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face and she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in her sweater.
"Be careful."
"I will."
He pulled back and looked down at her.
"I mean it, Dora. Come back to me."
Oh….he only used that name when he wanted to be exceedingly gentle…
She leaned up and pressed her lips to his.
"Always."
He sighed heavily.
"Remus…"
"Hmmm?"
"Here….hold onto this for me." She whispered and she took off her engagement ring and held it out to him.
"Dora…."
There was a pained look on his face.
It felt like she wouldn't return….
"Please, I don't want anything to happen to it."
"Alright…"He said quietly and she placed it in his hand.
"I have to go, Remus…."
"I know." He said and he kissed her forehead.
"I'll be waiting." He whispered.
She smiled up at him ad stepped out of his embrace.
"I'll be back as soon as I can."
He nodded and watched her go to retrieve her cloak and walk out the door.
He sighed again and held her ring up to look at it.
He wasn't gong to get any sleep tonight. He could already feel the worry bubbling up inside of him.
--
She arrived back at the Ministry and headed up to the Auror locker rooms to get ready. The rest of the team wasn't there just yet.
Oh well…. More privacy for me…..
She changed out of her regular robes and clothes and donned her black, formfitting mission clothes, complete with the equivalent of combat boots.
"Hello Tonks." Said Kingsley as he walked into the locker room.
She nodded at him as she finished tying her boot.
"Did you check with H.Q.?" She asked quietly, just in case someone were to come in the door.
"Yeah. Just as you thought. No one can come."
Probably just as well. No use in endangering everyone….
"Anyone else here yet?" He asked as he opened his locker.
"Oi! Don't shove!" That had to be Stubbs…..
"I'd say so." She answered and looked up as Stubbs, Hospers, and Willaby were unceremoniously shoved through the door.
"Get a move on!" Growled Mad-Eye.
She sighed and went to one of the mirrors. She had to do something with her hair….
She concentrated and watching her reflection as her hair became long and dark. Dark brown hair would suit her best tonight. She then fastened her now mid-back length hair into a ponytail and sighed when she saw the ends of her hair curl of their own accord.
"That's a new look for you, ma'am." Said Willaby.
"He's right. You never keep your hair long." Kingsley shared.
"And it's never your natural color either." Grunted Mad-Eye.
She turned around to face them.
"Tonight it is." She told them.
"Good to know you take after your mum somewhere." Said Mad-Eye.
"Mmmm…. All right, lets get a move on. We're burning moonlight." She said.
"Do you know which Death Eaters will be there?" Asked Stubbs, already scared stiff.
"We believe that Macnair, Alecto, Amycus, Travers, Avery, Rabastan, Rodolphus, and Bellatrix Lestrange, will be there." Answered Kingsley.
"I think there might be one other to worry about…. And if he is there, we are in definite trouble." Said Tonks.
"Who is that?" Asked Hospers.
She turned her gaze to him and narrowed her eyes.
"Never you mind. He'd kill you before you could even blink. Stubbs, I want you to handle Alecto and Amycus with Hospers. Willaby you've got Travers. You think you three can handle that?" She said.
All three nodded.
She sighed heavily. They wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Kingsley, Mad-Eye, I want the two of you to take care of Avery and Macnair. And if you get the chance, take out Rabastan and Rodolphus. I think they're going to try and help my aunt and she'll go after me."
"Bellatrix Lestrange is your aunt!" Asked Willaby.
"She is." Answered Tonks.
"But….how can you….?" Asked Willaby.
"She killed a most beloved cousin right in front of me, Mr. Willaby and has tried to kill me on several occasions. I assure you, I have no problem fighting her. And I do not appreciate you questioning my authority." She told him and he immediately quailed under her gaze.
"Three is a lot for one person….." Said Stubbs.
"You just stick to Alecto, Amycus, and Travers. Let Tonks, Kingsley, and I worry about the rest." Growled Mad-Eye.
"What about the other one?" Asked Hospers.
"I'll deal with him. Now lets move!" Ordered Tonks and she walked out of the locker rooms, followed by her team.
--
All holding their wands at the ready, the team apparated from the Ministry into an apple orchard that was approximately a quarter mile away from the farm. No use in giving away the element of surprise or being unprepared.
"Everyone remember what you're supposed to do?" She whispered.
Five heads nodded.
"No heroics. If it gets bad, apparate back to the Ministry if you can. All right?"
Again, five heads nodded.
"Now, they have been staying in the barn, so… Stubbs, you and Mad-Eye approach from the north side, Kingsley, take Hospers and sneak up on the eastern side. Willaby, you're with me and we approach from the south."
"What about the western side?" Asked Stubbs.
"If you had paid attention to the map of the area you would know that the barn is built into the side of a rather large hill and its western side is, in fact, the hill." Muttered Mad-Eye.
"Alright, enough of this. You have your orders. Move out." She told them.
The other four began to disperse and Willaby was more than ready to follow.
She grabbed his arm and held him back.
"What….?"
"Not that way. Stay close and don't make a sound. Got it?"
He nodded.
She sighed and started for the barn.
--
She could see where Mad-Eye and Kingsley were when she and Willaby got into position. Now all she had to do was give the word…..
Hm….charging in wouldn't be to their advantage….but drawing the Death Eaters out….
She raised her wand and she saw Mad-Eye and Kingsley doing the same, following her lead. She was glad to see the Stubbs, Hospers, and Willaby were keeping their wands down.
She sent a jet of fire at the door of the barn. Kingsley's wand sent out something that sounded like a cannon blast and Mad-Eye sent up fire works.
If that didn't get the Death Eaters' attention, nothing would.
Four figures charged out of the barn, wands raised, their heads turning rapidly, searching for the cause of such a commotion.
Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw Mad-Eye and Kingsley begin to send hexes at the newly emerged Death Eaters.
Before she could yell for Stubbs and Hospers to help, more Death Eaters emerged.
She sent out as many hexes as she could and left her hiding place. It was useless now anyway.
At least Willaby got the hint and followed after her, sending out hexes left and right.
"Look who we have here, Rod, my precious niece!" Sneered Bella.
"I almost don't recognize her with her natural hair." Rodolphus grinned back.
"Spare me the family reunion, you two." Said Tonks and she sent stunning spells at them.
"Awe, that's no way to greet your family Nymphadora." Scolded Rodolphus.
"We should teach her a lesson." Cackled Bella, sending out a crucio.
Tonks dodged it and nearly collided with Rabastan.
"Oh no you don't. You're not going to run from your aunt and uncle." He smiled manically.
She barely had enough time to cast her scorching spell, giving her just enough time to get away.
She sincerely would have liked to see how the others were doing but she was too busy worrying about her own neck to care all that much about playing babysitter at the moment.
"Little Bitch!" Snarled Rabastan.
Crap!
They were surrounding her.
"No where to go now, Nymphadora." Smirked Bella.
"Don't bet on it, aunt Bella." Tonks answered and she disapparated.
"Not as stupid as she looks." Laughed Rodolphus.
"Thanks." She whispered behind him and she cast a stupefy before he could fully turn around.
"Tricky, tricky little bitch." Said Rabastan and he tried to hex her, but she managed to dodge and hit him with a stupefy as well.
"Just you and me now, aunt Bella, and I owe you." She said.
Bella smiled.
"Still upset that I killed your dog?"
Tonks sent a hex at her and Bella jumped out of the way.
"I'll take that as a yes. Unfortunately, your skill hasn't improved. You're still a novice!" Sneered Bella and she sent a crucio at Tonks.
"Tonks! Move!" Yelled Mad-Eye, just before he sent a stunning spell at Bella.
Tonks rolled out of the way and Bella's curse missed.
When she went to get up someone grabbed her by the back of her neck and picked her up off of the ground and held her high above it.
"Put her down, Greyback!" Yelled Mad-Eye.
The bottom dropped out of her stomach.
He drew her closer and she could hear and feel as he buried his nose in her hair and sniffed.
"You're the weakling's bitch. I can smell him on you."
"Put her down now!" Screamed Willaby.
Oh no……
Greyback's head jerked up and she could hear as his lips drew back in a sinister smile.
"Fresh meat." He growled and he lunged at Willaby.
Merlin forgive her!
She managed to kick Willaby before Greyback could reach him, effectively knocking the novice out of harm's way.
Fenrir snarled in her ear, but didn't stop. He kept moving, heading away from the battle, Mad-Eye hurling hexes after him.
She could hear Kingsley trying to help Mad-Eye and her heart sank.
Their hexes wouldn't work on him. It would be like trying to hex Hagrid. It just wouldn't work. Their hexes were useless.
She struggled in his grasp, but only succeeded in getting him to tighten his hold around her throat before he slung her over his shoulder. Now he was running full out and her kicking and punching was having no effect. He was laughing at her. She was helpless.
--
"Put me down!"
"Quiet, bitch." He growled.
She had no idea where they were or how long he had been running, but she had a feeling that it had been for more than half an hour.
He may be a disgusting, foul, evil, sick and twisted werewolf, but he could definitely run.
He finally seemed to be slowing down a bit.
"Where are we!" She demanded.
"I said quiet, bitch!" He snarled and then they were inside of a building.
Oh shit…….
It looked like the inside of another barn, from what she could see.
He threw her down onto a hay pile and went back to lock them in.
She made to get up but stopped quickly when he turned and came back to her.
"Stay down, bitch." He breathed and he took her wand out of her hand and snapped it in half.
She coughed from his putrid breath and he turned again and went to deal with the locks.
She could hear the barn door slam shut and then heard at least two horses whinny.
Damn it! She couldn't apparate when he was touching her. She might get splinched if she did that. But she doubted that she would be able to apparate anyway. Her emotions were all over the place. Apparating wouldn't be safe.
Fenrir returned smiling.
"Ah, food." He grinned, his eyes gleaming at the distressed animals.
She couldn't help the grimace that the thought of the slaughtered horses caused in her features.
His eyes narrowed at her.
"I suppose the weakling doesn't eat fresh meat, does he?"
She looked up at him, but didn't speak.
"Answer me, bitch."
"No, he doesn't kill animals." She told him.
"He always denied himself the pleasures of his existence. But now….." He grinned sinisterly down at her.
"Now he has bedded an Auror. His sense of irony runs very deep."
She said nothing.
His eyes narrowed again and his clawed hand jutted forward and ripped open her cloak and tore her shirt.
She tried to stop him, but his other hand came up and she couldn't push him away.
"He's marked you too. Looks like he couldn't control himself after all." Laughed Fenrir.
"What do you mean?" She asked before she could stop herself.
He regarded her for a moment before he answered.
"He was the most controlled in the underground. He never let his instincts rule him. He believed that everyone could control their Weren tendencies. He was trying to undermine me and I made him pay dearly."
She remembered seeing the new scars and wounds when Remus had returned. So he had been the one to cause them…..
He smiled at her scowl.
"He may be a weakling, but he has good taste. An Auror and a Metamorphmagus? Someone who can keep him safe from the Ministry and provide ample entertainment in his bed."
Her eyes narrowed at him.
"The impudent little shit. He's managed to get you pregnant as well."
"Don't…"
His hand went to her throat again.
"I made him, you little bitch! I decide what happens! I decide!" He snarled.
His eyes wandered around the barn and then he smiled again.
"My appetites are strongest just before a full moon…. I haven't had a female at my disposal for a long time…."
Her eyes widened and she began to kick and scream again.
He laughed at her. She would not get away.
"No! Let me go! Let go!"
"I don't think so, bitch."
He picked her up by her neck again and carried her over to a pile of rope.
Oh Merlin!
"Let me go!" She screamed.
He ignored her this time and tied one end to the rope around her waist and then her neck and made sure that the knots were behind her back so she wouldn't be able to undo them.
Then he fettered the rope to the nearest wall of the barn.
She struggled against the ropes but it didn't do her any good.
He stepped back from her and scratched his scruffy chin.
"You're almost ready." He sneered.
"Stay away from me!" She hollered at him.
He stepped closer again and began to rip her clothes.
"No! Stop!" She bellowed.
"No one here to stop me, bitch. No one here to hear you scream except me and the horses." He growled.
--
She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes and gulped them back. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry, she couldn't.
"You're small, bitch. You'll definitely be screaming."
She glared up at him and then wished she hadn't looked up at all. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.
He was ripping his own clothes off. His chest was covered in filthy grayish brown hair. And …..Oh Good Godric!
He had torn off his trousers.
That was the last straw. The queasy feeling in her stomach moved up into her throat and then her mouth and she threw up.
She was vaguely aware that he was laughing at her when she had finished retching.
"What will the weakling do when he finds out that I have ruined you?" He growled in her ear.
She looked up at him and glared.
Now she was glad that she had taken off her ring……
He laughed at her and then she felt his hands claw at her legs.
"Now I get to make him pay again for undermining me by pleasuring myself with his mate."
She clenched her mouth shut and concentrated on not letting her tears fall as she looked him straight in the eyes.
She was probably insane at this point. She would have loved to laugh right about now. Kingsley said that everything would be fine. Now she felt fine all right. F. I. N. E. Frantic. Irrational. Neurotic. Emotional.
"Time to break that spirit of yours, bitch." He snarled and he spread her legs, even though she was fighting him with all her strength, and he thrust inside of her.
---
A/N: Yay! Return of the long chapters! Woot! So...what did ya think? Oddly enough, this one only took a little over a day to complete (don't ask me why, but the longer ones always take less time). And I managed to have a bit of a family reunion in this one- more of Tonks' family! And I couldn't help but put in that training scene (Burn him Moody, burn him!). And thumbs up to Willaby for effort! He really was trying to help. And look who else managed to make his way into my chapter- Fenrir Greyback-the fuzzy bastard himself. I bet none of you saw that one coming, did you? But Tonks did. And Scrimgeour...well- he's a prick (or as my German grandmother would say "he's a schmuck."). And poor Remus, left at home to worry... I don't doubt that some of you are probably ready to strangle me for this plot line at the moment. Trust me, it's going to get much more involved in the next chapter. I really don't know who to pity more- Tonks or Remus at the moment. Oh well- you have to torture your characters if you want your story to be half decent.So blame that fundimental principle, not me (okay, you can blame me too :). I hope this one was a good one. Thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter!
