A/N: Thanks you guys for all your really nice comments.
To Alix33: Thanks for all your questions...sorry about the mechanical errors; I do proofread before I go to post, but sometimes I miss stuff. Eyebrow question: I dunno, I guess forest green? Money conversion: Neither, I wasn't really thinking about it. I use the HP lexicon online to do my fact-checking (which I'm pretty thorough about...if I go out of canon, it's usually deliberately and to suit my own purposes).
To Lavi R: Yeah, I agree, rewrites can get tedious. I've seen some where they work really well, other times they add nothing. Thanks for your comments.
To RecklessyConfined, Ashes2Dreams, Legallyblonde79, Flo M Nimo, ILoveDoctorMcDreamy and YouLoveMeCosImCrazy: Thank you for your continuing support! You guys make MY day.
He's gone.
Tonks woke up and realized she was going to be late for work if she didn't get out of bed that second and hurry up. She licked her lips, wondering if she could taste his last kiss there before they said good night.
Stop it. You have Auror duties and Order responsibilities. He has his.
She crammed a scone in her mouth and ran out the door of her apartment as she was whipping on a cloak over her work robes, Apparating directly into the Atrium, running as fast as she could. Everyone around her was running as well; was everyone late as well?
She took the elevator down; it was clogged with harried people. There were so many conversations going on that Tonks couldn't keep track of what was being said. She tripped out of the elevator and skidded to her workplace.
"Tonks!" she heard Savage's voice as she appeared scrambling into the Auror's Headquarters. Most of the Aurors were gone—the air had a sense of something wrong. Savage was holding a stapler. "Grab this Portkey, it's the last, quickly." It glowed blue as Tonks whipped her hand out to touch it.
The unpleasant sensation of Portkey travel brought the two Aurors to a dismally gray beach. An ominous ringing sang in her ears.
The winds were howling; uprooted trees were everywhere, floating in the water and washed up on shore. Bodies were lying in rows—but they were not covered. The buildings nearby were all destroyed.
The Dark Mark lingered in the sky, sending chills down her spine when lightening flashed behind it.
"Merlin, what's happened?" gasped Tonks.
"A bloody great storm," replied Savage, quickly taking into account the sobering scene. They began to jog over to Dawlish, who was checking the pulses of the bodies.
"Where were you?" he asked immediately.
"I went back to send the memos to the Obliviators and to the Minister," replied Savage. "Tonks came back with my Portkey."
"You-Know-Who is back, Tonks," said Dawlish sternly. "You can't get away with nonsense anymore. Be on time and grow up."
Tonks was rarely infuriated, but Dawlish had already moved on.
"Savage, go get the Muggles ready for Memory Reversal," ordered Dawlish. "Tonks, assist Shacklebolt."
Tonks immediately left, not wanting to risk saying something she would regret.
"Kingsley!" she shouted to the tall, black Auror down the beach. He looked and greeted her with a respectful nod. "I'm here to help."
"Can you handle some Dementors?" asked Kingsley, levitating an unconscious body. "Liberacorpus. They're in the woods. There's Williamson, I'm coming with you, just a moment."
Another Auror came rushing over to the bodies to protect them. Kingsley and Tonks set off jogging into the woods. As soon as they crossed from the pebbly beach into the thorny thicket, a chill and a darkness set upon them that seemed to deaden Tonks' soul. The sun seemed overly blotted out by the trees. It was like wandering through a dark forest during a foggy, snowless winter night.
"They sense us and our power. They're hiding. Patronuses," said Kingsley, his breath clouding. "On three. We'll drive them out. One, two, three—Expecto Patronum!"
Tonks thought of the night before as a lynx and a dolphin made of silver vapor trailed out of their wands. They wound gracefully like ice skaters through the trees. Cold shrieks came from behind a few of the trees; dark cloaks moved swiftly between them. The dolphin swam high, leaping out of the canopy, then barreling down into a huddling group of Dementors in a dive as intense as the Wronski Feint. The lynx chased them out, jumping from log to log. The mist began to clear up and the sun peaked through the leaves.
"Brilliant," he said, commending her. "They were probably waiting for us to leave the Muggles alone for their chance to feed."
"Why were the Dementors here?"
"I suppose they're no longer under Ministry control," said Kingsley gravely. "Dumbledore suspected it was only a matter of time."
"Should we tell Dawlish?"
"Not yet. We should tell the Order and then decide what to do. No sense shooting our mouths off if it loses us our jobs—or more importantly, our usefulness to the Order."
A twig snapped, then several.
"Wait," said Tonks as Kingsley turned back to go to the beach again. "Someone's here."
Neither said anything--the air was silent.
"They wouldn't be stupid enough to stick around," whispered Kingsley. "Not the Death Eaters. They'd run."
Then Tonks saw it—a pearl-white and gray body, raggedly clothed, walking awkwardly. Its face was one of the scariest she'd ever seen. It was neither male nor female, but its eyes were pure white with no expression. Whatever it was, it was clearly not alive and not properly dead, either.
"I don't believe it," muttered Kingsley, his jaw dropping.
"You don't want to believe it," replied Tonks. "Me neither. Inferi. They're using Inferi."
"Ferrum Inflammari."
The body's feet parted from the ground and suddenly flew at them. Tonks screamed, but Kingsley brandished his wand; a long, molten cord funneled out of the end, a whip. Kingsley brought it over his head and jerked his arm in such a way that the whip encircled the torso of the zombie, torturing it and throwing it to the ground.
Three more pale corpses walked slowly toward them.
"Ferrum Inflammari," repeated Tonks, holding out her wand. A long-handled, double headed ax of cursed fire appeared in her hands, her wand acting as a handle. The corpses started running at her.
The first, his white eyes rolling, launched his arm at her. She brought the ax down, cleaving him diagonally from his shoulder to his hip. He fell down in two smoking pieces. The smell was almost more than she could bear. Kingsley whipped the second, bringing it to its knees. Tonks took the last, bashing it several times at the neck before its head would sever.
"Merlin," murmured Tonks as the ax shrunk in her hand. "I thought—I thought they were only legend."
"This is out of our hands," said Kingsley. "We have to notify Dumbledore as soon as we're back at the Ministry."
"Are the Muggles all right?" asked Tonks finally.
"Yes. As soon as we've got the area secured, the Healers are coming in."
As they emerged, Kingsley reported to Dawlish and Tonks relieved Williamson of watching over the unconscious Muggles. Williamson went over to the road to help the Aurors there secure it.
"Secure!"
"We're all secure, Dawlish!"
The Obliviators had begun to Apparate in, but Proudfoot waved them away from the Muggles.
"Let the Healers see to them first! They're wounded, you could addle their brains if you do it in the wrong circumstances!"
"We know how to do our jobs, thank you very much!" an Obliviator snapped.
A group of St. Mungo's Healers, huddled around a stretcher bed as a large Portkey, were next to appear. Tonks turned her back on them and watched the forest. She wondered vacantly if Remus was running through a forest right now. How was he going to find the werewolves? The Inferi kept flashing in front of her eyes. Were they fresh victims, or ones dug up villainously by Voldemort?
"I'm going back to the Ministry to send an owl to Dumbledore. Notify me immediately if anything changes," said Kingsley, suddenly behind her. And suddenly he was gone again.
Tonks watched the forest, as vigilant as Moody could possibly have dreamed.
"You, there, can you help me?" a Healer asked Tonks.
"Sure."
"Hold her head," said the witch, cradling the wrist of the Muggle woman who had blood crusted on her face. Tonks knelt, supporting the woman's body while the Healer examined her.
"Nasty," she remarked quietly as she administered a lumpy ointment to the Muggle's forehead. "What happened here?"
"Not sure," replied Tonks, her eyes darting back to the wood. "Looks like a Death Eater attack to me."
The Healer dropped her ointment before gasping and picking it back up again.
"I was graduating Hogwarts when he was defeated the first time," whispered the Healer as the Muggle began to moan slightly. The Healer slipped a vial of sunny, yellow liquid out of her cloak and dripped it down into the mouth of her patient. "Do you—do you think we have a chance to get him again?"
"Not soon," said Tonks. "But there's always a chance."
"Oh," said Healer meekly. "Well, this one's ready for her memory to be wiped."
Tonks waved an Obliviator over as Kingsley burst onto the scene.
"Dawlish! Robards!" he bellowed, drawing the attention of everyone conscious on the beach. "There's been another attack—a bridge in Brockdale was destroyed."
"Kingsley—really-" Dawlish sputtered, but he could only muster indignation at the disturbance.
"Proudfoot, Tonks, Savage!" called Robards, taking charge. "Go to Brockdale. Dawlish, Williamson, Carter—stay here in the West Country."
Tonks said a short farewell to the Healer witch, who looked nervous as Tonks left her side. Tonks closed her eyes, focusing on the river in Brockdale.
She felt the darkness and the feeling of being squished through a straw.
The scenery was also torn apart like a painting knifed, but here, the action was only beginning. There was Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Aurors, dueling fiercely with two masked figures in black cloaks. Moody was skulking by the bank, hexing Death Eaters from behind.
"Get the people in the water!" Shacklebolt shouted to Proudfoot and Tonks. Both nodded quickly as Shacklebolt and Robards charged at two Death Eaters, who were just ending Cruciatus Curses on Muggles as they saw the Aurors approaching.
Shacklebolt seemed to let out four Disarming spells at once, but only hitting one target, while Robards took to simply trying to blast the Death Eaters away. Tonks and Proudfoot ran past them and jumped from rock to rock, making their way down the steep bank to the river.
When Tonks finally found a solid space to stand (she had tripped a few times and scraped her knees), she whipped out her wand and screamed "ACCIO CAR!" The sheer force of her spell lifted one of the dozen cars out of the water, and sent it zooming towards her. Tonks realized her mistake before Proudfoot intervened.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he cried, and the car stopped, as though caught by an invisible baseball mitt. He levitated it toward a quiet piece of shore before glaring at the younger Auror. "Watch it, Tonks!"
They continued down, but they were pursued by Robards and another Death Eater who was shouting curses at the pair trying to save Muggles. One of the curses hit Tonks' ankle and she was sent sprawling down the remainder of the bank. When she stood up, she was dizzy and had a nasty gash down cheek, but otherwise unharmed.
"Reducto!" The Death Eater who had triumphantly watched Tonks' fall was blasted off the rocks by Robards' spell, cannonballing into the water at a dangerous speed. The three Aurors watched him float away.
"I think that was Rabastan Lestrange," called Proudfoot to Robards as Tonks levitated a few more cars onto the shore.
"Accio Muggles!" Tonks cried. A few who were not strapped in by safety belts and who had conveniently left their car windows open in the late June heat came flying out of their vehicles, piling on top of Tonks. Once she worked herself out from under them, her Levitating Charms joined Robards' Locomotor Autos. In time, all the cars were piled on the side of the road, while there was no telling who was alive or not.
"They've Disapparated!" she heard Scrimgeour's voice from above.
"It's clear," asserted Kingsley.
"Can we bring this lot back to the West Country?" asked Proudfoot, motioning to the pile of Muggles after Shacklebolt and Scrimgeour had managed to get down to the shore. "Keep all the Muggles safe together-"
"No, how would you explain how they ended up there?" replied Savage. "It'd be a nightmare for the Obliviators, trying to figure out which belonged where."
"It's safer, though," said Kingsley. The Aurors looked to Scrimgeour for a decision. The grizzly, limping Head Auror squinted for a moment in concentration.
"Bring them. Portus," he said, turning a Volkswagen into a Portkey. "Four minutes. You, girl, make sure all the Muggles are on; Shacklebolt, Savage, Proudfoot, secure the area and round up Muggle witnesses for Memory reversal; Robards, come back with me to the Ministry."
No one argued as Tonks started placing limp hands onto the hubcaps and bumpers of the car, nervous that there Dementors or Inferi about and slightly miffed that Scrimgeour didn't know her name, even though she'd been a qualified Auror for over a year now.
Tonks and fourteen Muggles were transported back to the beach.
"HALT!" came Dawlish's shout as the car crashed onto the beach, its windows smashed. The Muggles were flown everywhere, mostly on their backs. A few Healers and Obliviators screamed, ducking for cover.
"It's me, Dawlish!" Tonks shouted, leaping to her feet. "These Muggles need help!"
The Healers hurried over to the Muggles who were strewn about the beach.
"What happened to them?" asked one of the Healers, examining a young boy. "Was it magic or not?"
"The accident was magic, but I think their injuries aren't." Tonks shouted at another Healer dragging them into a row. "Oy, keep them away from the others so we can tell which are from Brockdale. It'll help with Memory Reversal and to figure out where they're supposed to be."
"This one's dead," a voice came from a little ways away. Tonks felt her knees weaken slightly—she didn't want to hear any more.
"Tonks, report," said Dawlish, catching his breath as he jogged up to her.
"A bridge—it was a bridge that was destroyed. The Muggles in their cars went into the river. At least four Death Eaters," Tonks added and Dawlish drew his breath sharply. "We overpowered them. Scrimgeour and Robards went back to the Ministry. Kingsley, Proudfoot and Savage are securing the bridge and getting the Muggle witnesses ready for memory reversal. Can you tell the Obliviators?"
"My house! What the hell happened to my house?" a man screamed from the other side of the beach, surveying a mess of rubble on the ground. Nobody answered, but the Memory Charm that hit him subsequently calmed him down.
"We might be going beyond our means here," an Obliviator stated to Dawlish.
"No matter," Dawlish replied. "You—and you" (he motioned to a second from the Squad) "can go with Tonks here. Side-Along Apparition."
"Let's go," said Tonks, hooking her arms into the Obliviators'.
The darkness consumed them, then subsided as they touched ground in Brockdale.
"Tonks!" Savage's voice called. He was clearly struggling with Body-Bind curses on a small but increasing crowd of Muggles. Proudfoot mirrored his struggled on the opposite side of the broken bridge.
"There!" Tonks said, pointing the crowd out unnecessarily to the Obliviators. "Go help them."
Most of the Muggles were watching in wonder as Kingsley walked upon the water, watching for danger.
Tonks Apparated again to the bottom of the shore. Kingsley came over to her.
"Most of the Muggles are safe," she said immediately. "At least one's dead.
"Dumbledore's been notified. No sign of Dementors or Inferi here. Not enough of us—get the other side of the bridge, we're vulnerable." He looked up at the Obliviators and stepped back onto the shore, watching as they modified memories.
Tonks, panting, climbed up the shore again. Sweat glistened on her forehead and pink locks stuck messily to her temples. She stood on the broken edge of the bridge. Constant vigilance.
"Little pixie!" a shrill voice called behind her. Tonks whipped around, her wand still held at the ready.
A masked woman stood before her at the edge of the broken bridge. A Death Eater; Tonks looked left and right, but the other Aurors were looking out; they would not expect an enemy to appear directly in the center of their protective circle. At least it was not Bellatrix Lestrange--but it was another female Death Eater.
"What do YOU want?" shouted Tonks loudly, but she couldn't be heard over the wind and the roar of the river.
"You Aurors are so clever, saving the Muggles," giggled the woman. "And you! Cutting up my lovely Inferi! Since you're the little one, we'll take you hostage." Before Tonks could stop her, she flew forward, grabbing Tonks' arm and dragging her into Disapparition. Tonks looked out helplessly just as Kingsley had turned around to make eye contact with her. She disappeared into darkness.
But unlike a usual Apparition, there was no light for a long time. It was deathly dark, and Tonks was frightened out of her mind.
"Wakey, wakey, pixie," the woman's cackle could be heard. Tonks was groggy, but was aware she was sitting on a hard, stone floor. The side of her face throbbed violently, as though she'd been struck by a Bludger.
"Who's there?" Tonks called, surprised that her voice came out as a croak. "Where am I?"
"You're in my hands, little ickle Auror," said the Death Eater. Tonks opened her eyes and looked up at an intimidating figure in a black cloak and twisted, serpentine mask.
"Why?" asked Tonks, but the witch cackled.
"How would Dumbledore refuse us now?" she asked, apparently talking to herself now. "We have one of his from the Order! He'll do anything for love!"
"What do you want with Dumbledore?" asked Tonks fiercely.
"Who's Dumbledore?" asked a scared voice. Tonks looked into the darkness and could barely make out a figure, curled up in corner.
"Shuddup, you," the Death Eater snapped. "Anyway—I'll be back—don't move." The Death Eater stalked out of the room, shutting what Tonks couldn't see, but surmised by its sound, was a heavy door.
There was Tonks' and the stranger's breathing.
"Hello?" asked a meek, young male's voice. "Who's there?"
"My name's Tonks," Tonks replied. "What's your name?"
"Sam Belton," he said quietly.
"Are you a Muggle, Sam?" asked Tonks quickly. She crawled over to where he was and felt around in the dark for him.
"I—I don't know, I don't even know what that means."
"Do you know magic?"
"Magic?" he asked uncertainly. Tonks felt her hand knock against something living. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Like card tricks?"
"No," she replied. "How did you get here?"
"That creepy woman—it was so weird—we were by the river, on the bank, and she came out of nowhere. She grabbed my arm and everything went black. I guess I must have fainted or something, because I woke up and she was walking with me to this—I guess it's a castle!"
"A castle?" asked Tonks, but she heard the door open again, creaking, then shut again. She instantly fell silent, but no one was there.
Suddenly she felt a thin, masculine hand over her mouth, gripping her jaws and cheeks. A thin lock hair that felt wet brushed against her cheek as she squealed.
"You're in the dungeon of a temporary fortress in the Forbidden Forest," she heard Severus Snape's voice hiss in her ear. "Alecto Carrow will come back in here with food. Don't eat it. Her wand is in her lower left pocket; yours on the right breast pocket. Take the Muggle and go down the corridor, up the stairs, through the right passage and out the back. Then Apparate or go north to Hogwarts. Say nothing about this to the Death Eaters and wait until she has seen me outside."
Tonks nodded and the hands released her instantly, leaving her face feeling slightly bruised and greasy. She watched as the door opened again, the light from outside shimmering slightly, as though passing through water. Auror training taught her to see a Disillusionment Charm when she saw one. The door closed again, but opened a moment later again.
"What was that?" asked the Muggle boy, but Tonks ignored him.
"Alecto," came Snape's voice from behind the cloaked Dark witch at the door. "I am returning to the Manor. Do not disappoint the Dark Lord."
"There is no fear for me, Snape," Alecto hissed back.
"Believe me, I do not waste the energy." Snape's footsteps retreated and the witch approached.
"You'll be hungry," Alecto Carrow said, placing a plate and a goblet down on the ground. It was a Cauldron Cake and a pint of pumpkin juice. "You're in here for quite awhile—at least until Dumbledore decides what to do with you. Maybe the Dark Lord will deal with you himself—or just give you to us."
She hissed the last 's' sound in delight. How could Tonks attack her while she was sitting on the floor? She'd be cursed before she could stand up. Although it was dark, Tonks saw Sam reach for the goblet. She grabbed his wrist, knocking the juice over accidentally.
"One at a time, dearies," cackled the Carrow witch. She squatted down to right the cup, and Tonks saw her chance. She launched herself at Alecto, who screeched indignantly as she fell onto her back.
"You little-" but Tonks had forced a hand over her mouth, using the other to get the wand out of her pocket. She fished, working against Carrow's thrashing, until she found an unfamiliar wand. Holding it, she dug for hers, pummeling the Death Eater as she went along, finally grasping her own wand.
"Petrificus Totalus," Tonks recited. Alecto, scrambling to her knees, fell back onto her back and froze, an indignant expression on her face. Tonks stood up and ran to the door to see if anyone was nearby. The corridor was empty.
"Sam! Are you coming, or not?" Tonks asked irritably.
"Yeah, yeah," he said, quickly getting to his feet and stumbling out with her.
"Hold my hand," Tonks ordered. She could see him properly now—he was older than she had thought, maybe a year or two older than Harry, Ron and Hermione. He did as instructed as Tonks ran down the corridor to the stairs. She led the way, wand out, turning in all directions, looking for other Death Eaters, but the fortress, as Snape had called it, seemed deserted. "Come on."
The boy kept up diligently as she led him out the back.
They emerged to much more light, which was saying something for the Forbidden Forest. She could properly see the fortress now; it was a relic, the likes of which she had seen in one of her history books. It was probably as old as Hogwarts, built for ancient wars against goblins or centaurs. It was small, about an eighth of the size of the School. The rocks were well-eroded and ivy grew everywhere, but it had a foreboding sense of darkness that Tonks was eager to be rid of.
"Point me," she said, placing her wand upon her flat palm. It spun for a moment before giving a heading away from the fortress.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Sam as she yanked on his arm once more.
"No time," said Tonks. "We have to run." She still held his hand as they jogged—if trouble was spotted, she wanted to be able to Apparate instantly, but she wanted to go to Hogwarts first as Snape had said. Her head was still spinning. How could she have imagined all this when she woke up this morning?
"Puh—Pardon—me," wheezed the boy after awhile. They had been running for several minutes. Tonks was no athlete and she was breathing heavily as well. "Could we—break?"
"Sure," she said, panting. They took a moment to catch their breaths. Tonks took his hand again, but he pulled it back.
"Wait," he said. "I want to know what's going on and I'm not running anymore until I find out."
"Even if you're in grave danger?" asked Tonks, frowning. "We'll be safe soon, but we have to keep going."
"No," said Sam. "I want to know."
"Okay," said Tonks warily. "Let's walk. I don't want to stay in one place for long. Take my hand again." As Sam Belton took her left hand, she held her wand erect with her right, spinning around and looking for danger.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Tonks."
"Just—Tonks? Like just Cher or Prince?"
"No. My first name is Nymphadora, but no one calls me that. And you're Sam and you're a Muggle."
"What the hell is a Muggle?" asked Same miserably. "I've been called that four times today, twice by you and twice by that hag."
"A Muggle is a person-" Tonks whipped around, checking from behind and the sides. "-with no ability to do magic. Someone like you."
"I'm great at doing the coin trick," he said. He reached behind Tonks ear with his free hand, producing a coin and grinning. Tonks couldn't help but smile back. "See? I knew you were all right."
"Not the same thing," said Tonks, smirking. She knew she was breaking a few laws when she pointed her wand to the coin and commanded, "Geminio."
A small stream of duplicated coins dropped into her open hand, to the astonishment of Sam.
"Evanesco," she whispered, and they vanished again. His eyes grew wider. "Real magic exists, Sam. You have to start believing that or you're going to die very soon."
"Die?" he whispered back. Tonks took his hand again and they began walking more briskly.
"If they find us again, they might kill us. I don't know."
"Why, what'd I do? What'd you do?" he asked fearfully.
"Nothing," said Tonks honestly. "You have to know, in this world, there are two types of people who use magic—the type that uses it for good, and the type that uses it for evil."
"But why are they going to kill us?"
"Some of the evil ones want your kind—Muggles—dead."
"And you want the Muggles alive?"
"Very much so." Tonks led them into a job again.
"Did that woman want to kill me?"
"Probably."
The youth paled at this pronouncement but did not lose his footing, as Tonks had done several times and nearly tripped.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"To school," Tonks said simply, hoping they encountered nothing more unpleasant than Death Eaters in the woods. The pair traveled silently and swiftly. After twenty minutes or so, they emerged, panting, at the edge of the wood where there was much more sunlight.
The very welcome sight of a looming castle and a nearby pumpkin patch came into view.
"HAGRID!" Tonks bellowed with exhaustion, tripping up the steps to his cabin. "Hagrid, it's me, it's Tonks! Help!"
Hagrid opened the door and looked down upon Tonks and the Muggle.
"Holy shit," muttered the boy, taking in the half-giant's size.
"Don' need none of that kinda talk," said Hagrid reprovingly.
"Sorry," the boy replied, looking down, scared.
"Hagrid, there are Death Eaters in the woods. They're shacking up in an old fortress. They kidnapped me and this Muggle, but we escaped. Please, will you let us into the castle to see Dumbledore?"
"O' course!" Hagrid said immediately. They kept jogging, Fang at their heels, up to the door of the great castle Tonks hadn't seen for three years.
"Why are we going in here? That sign says it's dangerous," Sam said, pointing at a sign neither Tonks or Hagrid could see. "I feel like I shouldn't be here."
"Tha's cause yer a Muggle," replied Hagrid cheerfully as he worked a key into the hole of the door. "Yer probably the firs' Muggle to e'er see Hogwarts on the inside! Tha's a great honor, that is."
"It's okay, Sam. We're actually safer here than anywhere else in Britain right now," assured Tonks. "Thanks, Hagrid!" She let go of Sam's hand and they ran through the entrance hall to the staircases.
"Whoa!" yelled Sam, looking up at the many staircases, some of which were moving, and at the many portraits, all of which were moving.
"Bloody hell, I don't know where his office is. Professor Dumbledore!" Tonks shouted stupidly to the empty hall.
"Miss Tonks?" asked a familiar voice. Tonks inwardly cringed on impulse from hearing the voice that had given her so many detentions for her persistent clumsiness. McGonnagal was walking at a quick pace from around a corner. "What brings you here?"
"I need to see Professor Dumbledore right away."
"Of course," she said, leading them. They were well up the first staircase before McGonnagal asked, "and who is this?"
"Oh! So sorry. This is Sam Belton," Tonks said immediately. "He's a Muggle, Professor."
"A Muggle! In Hogwarts?" she asked, looking scandalized.
"You know, I am kind of tired of that word," sighed Sam, gazing dreamily at the moving portraits. "I'm also a Boy Scout, a Libra and a book enthusiast."
"That's very nice, Sam," McGonnagal said crisply, taking them up another staircase. "But I and Miss Tonks are witches."
"This is Professor McGonnagal," said Tonks. "She teaches Transfiguration."
"Transfiguration?" asked Sam.
"It is an elementary branch of magic," recited McGonnagal. "This way, Miss Tonks."
"You—you teach it, like a subject? Like maths?" he asked. "This is a school?"
"For wizards and witches," Tonks agreed, nodding. "I was taught here."
"His memory will be reversed, of course?" asked McGonnagal.
"Of course."
"What?" asked Sam, but Professor McGonnagal had clipped him off.
"Lollipops," McGonnagal, said, clapping her hands at a statue. Sam cried out as it stepped aside and revealed a door and a staircase.
"This is barking mad," he muttered, following Tonks and McGonnagal obediently through the door.
As usual, the office was airy, lined with books and sprinkled with odd, silver instruments. Tonks had never seen it before and was almost as mystified as Sam at the great, red bird sitting behind the Headmaster.
"Minvera, Tonks," he said congenially. "How are your healths?"
"In fit condition, Albus," McGonnagal returned swiftly. "Tonks says she has an urgent message for you."
"I daresay so," he replied. "Please sit." Two chintz armchairs appeared out of thin air, bumping slightly against the backs of Tonks' and Sam's knees, urging them to sit. Immediately, Tonks obliged, but Sam leapt away.
"Would you prefer to stand?" asked Dumbledore politely.
"That—that chair is magic, too, isn't it?" he asked, bewildered. "Cripes!"
"This is Sam Belton," said Tonks. "He's a—I mean, he was at the accident site of the Brockdale Bridge collapse. He and I were taken hostage by a Death Eater. They have a stronghold in the Forbidden Forest, Professor."
"I am aware of it," said Dumbledore gently. "But I believe they will not stand it long. The centaurs are very wary about wizards living in their midst, particularly ones of the Dark persuasion." His gaze moved over to the boy with his hands in his pockets, watching the chair warily. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Sam. You have nothing to fear here. I only ask your patience these few minutes for Tonks' report, and then I shall satisfy your curiosity. Please."
Something about Dumbledore's voice calmed him, and Sam nodded before sitting on the chair.
"They caused a—a hurricane, or something, in the West Country. Lots of Muggles were injured but the Aurors secured everything. Kingsley and I—they're not only controlling Dementors, but they've got Inferi, too."
"Kingsley did notify me."
"Then the bridge in Brockdale collapsed. I dunno how many are dead. Then a Death Eater, Alecto Carrow, she Side-Along Apparated me to the stonghold. I don't think there were any other Muggles there except Sam."
"I am grateful that you escaped," said Dumbledore. "It was Severus' doing, I imagine?"
"He helped, yeah." Tonks fell back into the cushy chair. She felt utterly exhausted. "What do you think I should do now?"
Dumbledore's eyebrows rose; Tonks remembered she was the Auror, she was the one supposed to be taking care of everything, but she was at a loss here.
"Perhaps you ought to see Madame Pomfrey about that head wound you have sustained," Dumbledore said evenly.
Tonks touched her head and felt it was wet for the first time. She looked at her fingers—red. Her stomach bubbled with nervousness at the sight of the blood.
"Don't we have to wipe his memory?" asked Tonks uncertainly.
"Sam?" asked Dumbledore, as though he were asking whether he wanted sugar or not in his tea. "What do you think? Should you like to keep your memory, or have it all recollection about this magical world you have stumbled upon today erased?"
"You mean, forget all this?" asked Sam, waving his hand around the office. "No way!"
"You realize, my dear boy, that you are bound to absolute secrecy about these affairs to others, such as to your friends and family?" asked Dumbledore.
"It's a secret? Magic?"
"Naturally," answered Dumbledore, nodding. "Otherwise, no doubt, it would not feel so foolish to believe."
"No one'd believe me anyway," shrugged Sam.
"You may take your leave, Tonks, if you wish to go to the hospital wing, while I explicate the finer points of our society to our guest," instructed Dumbledore.
"Yes, Professor," said Tonks, standing to leave. McGonnagal still stood next to the doorway.
"Prof—Minerva?" whispered Tonks as Dumbledore began to Sam. "Have you heard anything about Remus? Is he okay?"
"I believe he left last night," replied McGonnagal stiffly. "But there have been no further developments. You ought to see to that injury, Miss Tonks."
"Yes, ma'am," Tonks said automatically before descending the staircase.
A/N: That's a really awful place to end, so I'm sorry for that. This is the last chapter for a week or so. THERE IS MORE COMING. Please review! Thanks, you'll hear from me again soon.
