Chapter 10. Amused, impressed and seriously smitten

Two wizards stood in a shadow, waiting for reinforcement. They waited in silence, wrapped in road cloaks. It was getting cold in the evening, and bitter frost was touching their skin.

Mad-Eye heard some noise and twitched. Remus guessed Moody had moved his hand with a wand, preparing for a sudden battle.

It appeared to be just a cat. Moody sighed and continued waiting. Poor Alastor. Remus knew what happen to the old Auror. The only idea Mad-Eye to be defeated sounded horrible. Mad-Eye, the one whose name sounded like terror for the Death Eaters became so easy aim for the dark side. It meant their enemy turned out to be much stronger than he was before. It meant anybody could get hurt, anybody could…

…die? That thought made Remus smile. Oh, he wasn't afraid of death. Why you should be afraid of something you can't avoid? Moreover, Lupin had nothing to loose. He was ill, lonely and desperately unhappy. Nobody cared about him.

Remus sighed. He felt a resistant bitter inside of the mouth, and only good chocolate could kill it. Remus persuaded himself to accept the truth, but nervous shiver run over his body, betraying him. Nobody can deal with such an ugly life.

Fortunately, there was the only one good thing about that. Remus was so hopeless and unhappy that even Death would accept him with some displeasure. There was nothing else she could take with him. No grief, no fear, no despair in the end…

Someone apparated near a broken lantern. Remus and Moody revived.

'Finally', said Alastor. 'That's weird. Kingsley has never been late…'

The figure was getting near, and the Order members realized it wasn't Kingsley at all. The young witch saw them, waved and stepped closer.

Remus had no idea how to react on that while Moody didn't worry at all. He was almost angry and didn't accept Tonks's appearance.

'What are you doing here?' Alastor asked. 'We have been waiting for Kingsley.'

'Hello for you too, Mad-Eye.'

Remus felt awkward again. Tonks's kindness, her easy character and generosity were so catching. He couldn't stay away from it. From another side, that frivolity with Moody looked strange. Lupin has known Alastor since the first Order, and nobody could even dream about the attitude like that. It was so unbelievable…

Dora turned round and smiled to Remus – just like she smiled to someone else. Lupin nodded and felt relieved.

'Scrimgeour made Shacklebolt stay in the office. Some very important meeting, he said. Kingsley told me to apparate here instead of him.'

Moody stayed gloomy. He turned away and made his way to the village. Alastor was still angry at Tonks.

'Haven't you realized we have been waiting for Kingsley for a purpose? There are the Death Eaters sneaking around this place. Only Merlin knows what's going on inside of their heads. Do you think you can manage with all of them just like Shacklebolt himself?'

Remus followed slowly after Moody, but Dora continued to stay few steps away from him. Lupin turned around and faced her glance. Tonks didn't want to give up.

'Do you want to see Kingsley? All right!'

Tonks screw up her face just like she ate a lemon instead of chocolate. A second later there was Shacklebolt's copy wearing a ragged shirt. Well, he always had an eccentric stile, but…

Remus laughed hoarsely. Moody stopped and watched Nymphadora with his magical eye. There was a loud sigh heard.

'All right, you can go with us. But give up your tricks, Tonks!'

Dora laughed too and caught up Lupin with two steps. Moody was moving ahead, examining the territory.

'I'm curious, what the Death Eaters do at Godric's Hollow?'

Staying on the edge of the village, the wizards used a Disillusionment Charm and turned to the main street. The square was empty. There were the voices heard from the local pub, and Remus dropped his eyes immediately. His stomach fell, the shiver run over his hands. Lupin was here may times, years ago, visiting Lily and James, young, healthy, full of plans…

Lupin was going ahead, trying not to look at the monument in the middle of the square and, therewith, at the cemetery. Lupin volunteered to go to the mission, because he was needed by the Order. He had to keep control. If Lupin lifts up his eyes – he is lost. No, it's better for the Potters to stay alive, there, inside of his heart. Remus should let them live in the letter Lily had sent him, or inside of the old dark photos. But not here, not in the double cold grave that have never be able to show the size of the Potters kindness.

Lupin raised his eyes only when they passed the cemetery and appeared on the other side of the village. Lupin noticed Tonks was watching him all the time. She was pale; Dora seemed to realize all Remus's pain.

He didn't want to take her pity. Remus needed to keep strong. Yeah, he needed…

Moody stopped and waved a hand, probably.

'Don't move! They are very close!'

They froze, trying to stay motionless. There were two wizards staying near the broken building. Yeah, old James's and Lily house. Each Death Eater was wrapped in a long road cloak, their heads hidden in the hoods.

'Let's divide and move ahead from different sides. Tonks…'

'Be careful, I know.'

Remus imagined Tonks to roll up her eyes. Alastor moved on the right. Lupin caught Nymphadora and showed her to step on the left. There was a sigh heard, but Tonks did what Remus showed. Lupin stayed in the middle, harmless in the case of a sudden attack.

They came closer and listened.

'I don't understand why we should examine the house again…' said the tall one.

'The Dark Lord is interested in this place. Do you want him to get into Dumbledore's trap?' asked the other.

When Bathilda Bagshot contacted with the Order and told about the Death Eaters, Dumbledore sent the strongest wizards to find out what's going on. By Albus's opinion, Voldemort was planning to revisit the village again. If he desired to get the Prophesy he needed to start from the end…

'There are no snares here. The Order members are not as clever as you think about them'.

'Well, but the old man is cleverer than any of us.'

'Look', said the first one, pointing at the gate.' There are lots of writings here. 'Keep strong, Harry.' 'We believe in you.'

'What if we leave a course here? We could catch all the rats that are leaving the messages. I beg it must be mudbloods…'

Lupin hasn't noticed his fists to clinch.

The third Death Eater came from the courtyard.

'Clear. I think we can…'

Something cracked on the left. Remus's heart sank. Tonks hasn't taken the promise to stay careful. Before he moved, the Death Eater sent a curse into Nymphadora's side.

Without understanding what he was doing, Remus cried out:

'Protego!'

The second curse came from Mad-Eye's side. Their common power helped to rebound the curse from Tonks. It was good, but Lupin and Moody had been compromised immediately. The Death Eaters turned their wands to them. Remus jumped away, and the next curse passed by. Someone, Dora, perhaps, made a new shield, and the portion of charms went back to the dark wizards. Remus heart Moody's heavy breathing who was sending curses and trying to move from one side to another. Now he was glad to spend a year in the trunk. Mad-Eye became thin and swifter.

'Expulso!'

'Confundo!'

'Stupefy!'

The wind took off the hood of one Death Eater. Tonks cried out with a triumph. Dora, Moody and Lupin came closer to the opponents but didn't have a clear advantage yet. Tonks seemed to find it now.

Remus was watching the moment when Tonks took off her disguise and became visible again. Next moment she turned into Nott, whose face was open now. It created some sort of shock among Death Eaters, and Remus realized the whole plan. Tonks created a pause, and they needed use it.

'Stupefy!' cried out Remus and Moody, pointing the wands at the wizards.

'Confundo!' pronounced Tonks, finishing the last one. His face became empty. The man started to gaze around without understanding what was going on.

'Are you kidding me, Tonks?' hushed Moody. Just like Lupin, he became visible again. 'Where did you learn to endanger yourself?'

'It's called counterattack', Tonks was out of breath, but very happy. She became herself again, girl's bright hair were shining in the dark.

'But it worked, Mad-Eye!'

Remus gazed at Tonks with a surprise. To be honest, everything could go wrong. The girl risked herself without any hesitation. Lupin imagined Tonks wounded or even dead and felt that ugly gall in the mouth again.

'Fine', Moody sighed. 'Let's clean the place.'

They came closer to the Death Eaters. The first one was unconscious, the second stood numbness. The last, unlucky one, stumbled on the partner and was examining him with a childish surprise.

'What's we gonna do?' asked Dora.

'Let's use a Confundo you had used already. It must be Macnair…'

'Right', Lupin nodded. He remembered Walden since the early days. 'It's pointless to delete their memory. If we do, they won't remember they have been here already.'

'Then we should send them to their master.' Dora said. 'We change their memory a bit, that's all. They will tell the story how someone has attacked them. It means Voldemort won't go here anymore. Dumbledore fooled him.'

'Good. The idea is not very clean, but it's fine. Let's start working.'

Moody, Lupin and Tonks came to each Death Eater.

'Make them forget the unnecessary details and scatter. Confundo will do it. In the count 'three'…'

They pointed the wands on them.

'Forget you had seen us…'

'Someone attacked you, but you don't remember the face…'

'The house was clean, but you were caught in the trap in the very end…'

The Death Eaters' faces were empty. They nodded, accepting all the theories they just had heart and prepared for desapparation.

'Good', said Moody when the dark wizards vanished. 'Now we can go home too.'

The work was done. Remus, Alastor and Nymphadora only needed to say goodbye.

Tonks waved to Lupin just like she did before, but something changed. Dora was so brave, so talented and so reckless that Remus could not to adore her today. The young witch rose in his estimation, and Lupin was happy to share the mission with her. He was amazed, impressed and seriously smitten. What a wonderful girl, that Nymphadora…