A Tumultuous Tenure
Professor Vector and Tonks go on their first outing and disguises are unveiled
Chapter 10: A Protective Shell
A few minutes later, I walked into Madame Puddifoot's in disguise. The lady herself greeted me warmly and offered to show me to a seat near the window. I told her that I was meeting someone, and when I looked over her shoulder I saw Tonks (Dwight) sitting at a table in the back. She, er, he, was very much alone and no one else was sitting there.
"Darlene!" shouted Tonks in her disguise. "You're bleedin' late! Again! Why do I even bother with this bird?" Tonks seemed to yell to nobody in particular. "Do you have another bloke?"
Madame Puddifoot looked over in dismay. She had seen her share of couples fighting in her shop, so she was not really surprised. It was actually quite normal. She would see them again usually after they had made up. She quietly led me over to Tonk's table and kindly handed me a menu.
"Just a butterbeer, please," I said.
"Yes, dear." She took the menu and fled.
"Not bad. Your disguise could use a little work though. We rarely ever use the same one twice. Only if they seem to work and we need to infiltrate an area where we are making progress or connections, especially if we are polyjuiced as someone, er, from the other side, if you know what I mean," said Tonks.
The words "Death Eater" went unspoken.
"I have some ideas already," I said. Then I began to have a sneezing fit. Above our table was a fairy that was charmed to throw silvery glitter every two minutes.
"Good. Anyway, I heard a lot about you. Heard you went to the Welsh Wizarding Academy and later worked at Gringotts." Tonks looked around as the last couple was leaving after paying their bill and she continued…
"Me, I went to Hogwarts and studied to be an auror. What is it like teaching there without having been a student?" asked Tonks.
"I love it. Everyone has been wonderful to me," I said.
"Snape was your mentor I heard. That must have been grand," Tonks blurted out and I had to laugh at the expression on her face.
"I've gotten used to him. Actually, what does he do in the Order exactly?" I was really curious to know. I also was curious to know if my butterbeer was still consumable. It had glittery flakes that were floating at the top and accumulating rapidly.
"You can eat them, no worries," said Tonks.
"Mia," she looked around and when she saw there were only two people there and Madame Puddifoot was in the back she continued…
"He is working for both sides. He has infiltrated, er, You-Know-Who and his, er, people. He goes to their meetings or when he is summoned. He even goes to their, er, social functions. How else would he gain their trust again? He is a bit dodgy and no one really likes him. He was my professor at Hogwarts and I couldn't stand him. Always criticizing…I can be a bit clumsy at times. Well, at least I was able to pass and become and auror," said Tonks. "There was that one time I tripped over my feet and knocked over a cauldron as he walked by and it scorched the bottom of his robes. Not sure he has ever forgiven me. It was an accident, Mia." She grimaced in embarrassment and held up her hands.
I seriously tried to keep a straight face.
"He has never really tried to get into anyone's good graces, that's for sure. I don't think he really cares. Always wondered what makes that man tick. But I can tell you so far that his leads and his work have been brilliant. The group, (she didn't want to use the word "Order") has accomplished a lot with his information and it has been solid and put to good use on our end," Tonks admitted.
"We all wonder what makes him tick,' I said. "Well, we can't worry about that. There are many important things to be done. If he wants to be disagreeable, I will at least admit that he is brilliant. And if he is as helpful as you all say, well, let it be then." I sipped my butterbeer and the conversation about our first real mission arose.
"We will meet at the "restaurant" (she meant 12 Grimmauld Place) and we will discuss our next "get-together." Let's go. Puddifoot's is closing and we can continue this at the Hog's Head," Tonks replied. "I think Madame Puddifoot has seen enough of our ugly mugs."
When we left the tea shop we walked down the path to the Hog's Head. Tonks and I were talking and laughing and then we looked up suddenly. Severus Snape was walking our way in the opposite direction.
We continued talking to each other and he never glanced our way. We walked on; I was thrilled. He did not recognize us!
All of a sudden, I discovered that I could not move. I stopped abruptly and turned to look around. Snape was there and he had one toe of his black boot firmly implanted on the edge of my cloak. I craned my neck to both sides but it was impossible-all movement from the neck down was considerably constricted.
"Well, well, well, out for an evening stroll, I see," he said, with a sneering caress in his low voice, that only we could hear.
"A few observations, if I may. When you both looked in my direction, you had your mouths slightly agape and a look of recognition in your eyes. Your body language is deplorable…a dead giveaway."
Tonks and I said nothing. He was so subtle. I looked around and marveled that nobody seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary, or that he was hindering my movement with his foot on my cloak.
"Also, what were you doing in the tea shop?" inquired Snape smoothly.
"How do you know we were there?" I asked arrogantly, and reaffirming his claim that I am a dolt.
"You both have a silvery substance all over your persons," Snape pointed out. He reached over and dusted an inch of silver confetti off the shoulder of my cloak.
In a way it was more the offhand, arrogant way he elegantly wiped the confetti from my shoulder that pissed me off more than his cutting observations.
"Really," Snape glared nastily at Tonks.
She had the look on her face that said, Oh, Merlin, her we go.
"You are not a novice, Nymphadora. You should know better. What is the muggle expression? Ah, yes, the blind leading the blind, or rather, the hopelessly daft."
"Another thing," he whispered softly in my ear. "Do not use the clothing you were seen in before you venture out in future. Midnight blue dress and matching velvet cloak. I might not have recognized you if it were not for the Hogwart's faculty badge on your cloak. Now all of the villagers will be inquiring about the sad, ghastly, new teacher they had never heard of. If I were you, I would look into a Standard Book of Spells, Year 1, at the very least. As a matter of fact, I will even, in good faith, let you borrow one. Good evening."
He released his foot and my cloak was freed. I rubbed my neck because it was a bit stiff from when he held down my cloak. He turned and walked away never looking back.
Tonks looked a little uneasy and I was positively speechless. I felt awkward and astounded that I had made such a stupid error.
"Let's call it a night, Mia. We will meet again. It is my fault. I didn't check because I was too busy enjoying your company. Next time I will tell you about some of the royal blunders I have made. Don't feel so bad."
I could only imagine the expression on my face at that moment.
She gave me a sympathetic, sheepish grin and we parted ways for the evening.
I heard her mumble to herself.
"The bastard knows I hate the name, Nympahdora."