Happy Easter everyone! I know it was yesterday - but i was too busy eating chocolate and sunbathing in the glorious weather to update then :/

But i shall send all those who review virtual mini eggs :D

Chapter 10

Tonks winced slightly as she knelt down in the upper corridor of Malfoy Manor. She ached all over. Last night hadn't been very pleasant at all. After the disturbance Malfoy hadn't been in one of his nicer moods.

He'd caught Tonks standing outside in the grounds with all the alarms blazing and had instantly assumed she'd attempted another escape. But Tonks had been glad about that. She didn't want Malfoy to know Remus had been at the gate…

But of course, Malfoy wouldn't just leave it at that. Tonks had had to be punished, and she'd received several cruciatus curses.

She winced slightly as she reached for the soaked through rag she was cleaning the floor with. Every single muscle in her body protested at the slightest movement, but she had to carry on. It was part of her punishment. All the upper landings had to be spick and span else Malfoy would let loose another torment of spells at her.

Tonks dunked the rag in a bucket of luke-warm water next to her and rung it out. She then continued the tedious and long task of scrubbing the wooden floor of Malfoy manor clean.

She tried to concentrate her thoughts on other mundane things than the burning in her muscles. She had to thank Dobby. She hadn't seen the elf since she'd begged him to help her, and she was almost certain that Remus turning up last night had been down to the house elf.

It wasn't long until she reached the other end of the corridor. She was wringing out the rag again when she heard some muffled voices coming from behind Lucius Malfoy's office door. Tonks knew someone was here because the doorbell had gone around fifteen minutes ago.

Her curiosity and Auror instincts got the better of her and she moved closer to the closed door of Malfoy's office.

"…of course, Mcnair didn't quite understand the effects of the potion…" Tonks easily recognized Lucius' voice.

"…Well, it was to be expected…" The rough, grating voice could belong to no one else but Greyback, Tonks was certain. "…Well, Malfoy, as nice as it's been to chat and catch up, I believe there were other reasons for me being here?"

"Yes," Malfoy replied and then paused. "The dark lord has a few tasks that need completing, and thought it would be best if you and your pack carried them out…" Tonks leaned in closer to the door. "I understand you ran into a member of the order the other day?"

"Yes," Greyback growled, "Lupin, and his brat…"

"Yes, well, the dark Lord has reason to believe that the order is meeting up in London soon. And where the order is, Harry Potter is not so far behind. Our Master has asked that your pack scour the streets of London for them. I have some photos here of the enemies of the state, pass them around." There was a slight rustling and Tonks assumed that the photos were being handed over.

"You're not to harm anyone you find either. Injure or maim if they pose any real threat, but the dark Lord wants to interrogate them himself."

"Is that all our Master requires of me?" Greyback asked.

"For now, yes," Lucius replied.

"Mentioning Lupin…" Greyback said. "I've got a bit of a bone to pick with him. I understand you keep his lovely wife here," Tonks could almost hear the sneer in his voice. "I don't suppose you would mind if I paid her a visit?" Tonks felt slightly sick.

"Not at all, as long as there's no permanent damage done…"

Tonks backed away from the door. Being caught eavesdropping would not bode well for her. And she was certain she'd heard enough now. She picked up the bucket and moved further down the corridor, wondering when Greyback would come look for her. She could go and hide…no that would just make things considerably worse.

Her stomach knotted at the thought. To say she was not scared would be a great misconception, but she was determined to not let Greyback know it when he came for her.

She knelt down and began to scrub at the floor once more, keeping her mind occupied with the task. It wasn't long until the office door clicked open though and Fenrir Greyback stepped out, shortly followed by Lucius.

Tonks ignored them both and continued to scrub away at the floor. She heard them say some brief goodbyes and then someone's retreating footsteps. When she glanced up next Fenrir Greyback was standing over her.

***[:]***

"Has anyone seen Sirius at all today?" James asked whilst crossing his arms and leaning back against a kitchen counter.

"No, 'fraid not," replied Remus who was searching through the cupboards. "he's probably still asleep, he could sleep for several days and not realize he'd missed out…"

"Yeah, but, I'm sure he'd have come down for food or something by now?" James said, watching Remus sift through the contents of the cupboards. "What you looking for Moony?"

"Chocolate," he replied. "There has to be some, I'm sure I hid some in one of these cupboards…"

James reached up into a cupboard behind him, quickly locating a bar of honeydukes finest. "Moony," he said.

Remus turned around and James chucked the chocolate towards him. He only just managed to catch it on time. "Thanks," he said, opening the bar and snapping off a few squares.

"Is Ted alright now?" James asked whilst watching his friend consume the chocolate as if it was some form of drug.

"Yeah, he went to bed. I think I kept him up all night. I kept moving about and things…"

At that exact point the kitchen door to Grimmauld flew open, crashing into some cupboards with a bang. A disheveled, messy haired Sirius stood on the other side. He stepped into the room quickly, making his way over to the table and talking animatedly. "I've been sat up all night sifting through nearly every conversation I had with the Malfoy's when I was a kid, even after I thought my brain may turn into mush! It's taken me a while…okay, it's taken me all night and morning, but I have devised a plan… " he held up a piece of parchment in his right hand, "…that is so full proof that Malfoy won't know what hit him, and Tonks will be out of that hell hole before you can say Hippogriff."

James and Remus glanced at each other and then turned back to Sirius.

"Well," Remus said, "What is it?"

Sirius pulled up a chair and sat down. James and Remus quickly joined him and he began to talk animatedly once more.

I know it's a bit short, but the next chapter will be nice and eventful :) Please R and R

Millipher Steerus xx