Resorting to Muggle Methods

By Matthew W. Quinn and Kyli Ann Rasco

August 1st, 1997 AD

8:40 PM

Nymphadora Tonks narrowed her eyes.

"Let me get this straight," she said. "I'm pregnant and bleeding — which happen to be signs of an impending miscarriage — and you're not treating me because my husband is a werewolf?"

The Healer rolled his eyes.

"If I have to choose between helping an injured witch or wizard or preventing the death of some half-beast, I'm going to help the injured witch or wizard."

A very snobby expression crossed the doctor's face.

"Someday you'll thank me for this. You won't have to look after two animals, after all."

Before Tonks could say anything, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Oh no. No, no, NO!

She felt beads of cold sweat beading on her hairline. She could feel her hands beginning to shake, feel the pain in her injured arm that caused. Her mind briefly retreated to the blood she'd seen on her underwear, to what was going on inside her…

"You son of a bitch!" she half-screamed after the retreating Healer. She put all her fear and anger into that shout and for a moment, she felt a little better.

She turned back to the receptionist.

"Ma'am, please. My son, he could be dying and…"

"All right," the receptionist said. "I don't think Keira is doing anything right now."

Oh thank God. A woman Healer, she'd understand.

"Keira!" the receptionist called out. "We've got a problem!"

A blond-haired witch emerged from the back of the clinic.

"Yes?" she asked.

The reception gestured to Tonks.

"She's pregnant and bleeding."

The Healer's eyes widened.

"Oh dear," she said. "Give me that sheet."

The receptionist handed her the form Tonks had filled out. Keira looked at the information and shook her head.

"You married a werewolf?"

Oh not again.

A drop of sweat trickled down the side of Tonks' face. She tried to quell her rising panic.

"I don't see why that's any of your business. Why does it matter?"

"Well, it could be a possible cause of your situation," the Healer replied. "Miscarriages this early are oftentimes the result of fetal abnormalities. Who knows what might result when you mix the genes of a werewolf and normal witch together…"

Oh this is a bunch of bullshit.

"I'm an Auror and I just got in a fight with a Death Eater, who broke my arm!" Tonks half-shouted, gesturing towards her injured arm. "Genetic abnormality, hell, the test should have found that!"

The Healer shook her head.

"Miss Tonks, stop making a scene. If this is being caused by a genetic abnormality, there's nothing we can do about it. I don't know why you'd want a half-werewolf baby, anyway. It'll probably be born with fur and…"

Anger blasted away the fear and growing panic in Tonks' brain.

She is not insulting our son!

"He will not be born with fur!" Tonks half-shouted. "He won't be born at all if we keep wasting time here and…"

Keira was turning away just like James did before her.

"Angela," she said to the receptionist, "Don't waste any more Healers' time with this one."

"Keira," Angela said. "She could be having a miscarriage…"

"It's not the clinic's job to midwife more freaks into the world."

Tonks narrowed her eyes. Her hand dropped to her wand.

I could use Imperio if I wanted.

The notion of using an Unforgivable Curse on a civilian made her slightly queasy, but allowing her unborn child to die inside her was just as much murder as any deed done beneath the Dark Mark.

All I've been trained in is the dueling applications of the spell. The Death Eaters and some of the older Aurors can use Imperius to keep someone under control for months, to serve as spies or saboteurs.

She decided on something a bit less chancy.

"Keira," Tonks began, a murderous edge creeping into her voice. "I'm an Auror. Do you know what I can do to you if you won't help me?"

Angela began to look rather frightened. Keira snorted.

"I don't think you'll be an Auror for much longer, if you threaten the taxpaying public like that."

Damn it!

"The Ministry has fallen under Death Eater control," Tonks growled. "And I'd be willing to hex your bloody face off even if it wasn't! My son could be dying!"

Pain stabbed in her back, followed by pain in her stomach.

No!

She barely repressed a groan. A single tear nosed out of her eye. Angela looked frightened.

"Keira, please, if you could just check her out…"

Keira shook her head.

"I'm not going to reward the temper tantrum of a woman foolish enough to marry a bloody werewolf."

She began walking away. Tonks bared her teeth and raised her wand.

I think I'll start with Imperio. At least I can stop her from walking away. Imp…

The doors of the clinic slammed open behind her, interrupting her train of thought.

"All right," the harsh voice of Bellatrix Lestrange demanded. "We're looking for Nymphadora Tonks. Is she here?"

When it rains it bloody pours.

She attempted to Disapparate and found she could not.

They laid anti-Disapparition wards prior to coming in. Clever.

Keira opened her mouth, but Tonks gestured threateningly with her wand. Keira nodded and disappeared into the rear of the clinic.

Good. She knows I'd get her before she can finish the sentence.

Tonks resisted the urge to turn around and face her mad aunt. She didn't know how she managed to track her to the clinic in Inverness, but if James had sold her out, he'd have told her what she looked like this time and her showing her face to the Death Eaters would give her presence away.

She gestured at the wall with her wand, performing a series of hand movements that would create a mirror that would reflect everything in its gaze except her.

A portion of the beige wall behind the receptionist swirled and transformed into a silvery mirror. Tonks could see just how many Death Eaters her wicked aunt had brought to the party.

Three Death Eaters fanned out through the waiting room. Bellatrix, tall and regal, stood in the center of the waiting room and swept the room with her terrible gaze.

"She's a Metamorphmagus," she called out. "She could be any of the women here. Hell, she could be any of the men."

"How're we supposed to tell, then?" one of the Death Eaters asked.

Bellatrix grinned.

"Simple. Use the Cruciatus Curse on everyone until she shows herself."

The Death Eater fell silent.

"Ma'am, what if she isn't here? We'd be hurting these people…"

Bellatrix stabbed with her wand and the man fell screaming.

"Do not question my orders! I speak for the Dark Lord in these matters!"

Their eyes will be on her. Now!

Tonks spun, her movements causing a tearing pain to erupt through her injured arm. It took all her Auror training to keep her mind off the pain and on the gaggle of terrorists standing between her and the door.

Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra! Stupefy!

The Death Eater who had questioned Bellatrix was less hardened than the others and was probably redeemable.

Two of Tonks' curses struck home, killing two of the Death Eaters. Screams erupted as the other clinic patrons dashed for the door, some carrying those too severely wounded to walk.

Bellatrix dodged the jet of green light, which slammed into the ground perilously close to a wounded man.

"So predictable," Bellatrix laughed. "Such a goody-goody. You'd have made a poor Slytherin."

You talk too damn much.

Tonks weaved a pattern with her wand, using the spell Lupin had taught her that served him well in the First and the Second War.

The ground opened up beneath Bellatrix and the Death Eater she had punished. Bellatrix spread her legs and neatly caught herself on the lips of the pit while the lesser Death Eater tumbled inside.

"Looks like the dog has taught its mistress some tricks!" Bellatrix called out, hurling the Killing Curse at Tonks.

Tonks dodged and the jet of green light exploded against the counter. Tonks cast another Killing Curse back and considered her options.

Every moment I waste here is a moment my son isn't getting help.

Tonks cast another spell, this one she learned from Mad-Eye Moody. Bellatrix was good at dodging curses, but dodging this would take much more skill.

The floor of the clinic shook and began rising beneath Bellatrix.

"What?"

Bellatrix tried to drop down from her perch, only to find the ground where she landed rising up as well.

Tonks didn't stick around to watch. She ran. Her spell blocked the easy path to the front door, but there was a window in the women's loo big enough to climb out of.

"Get back here, you trollop!" Bellatrix shrieked behind her. Tonks jumped sideways instinctively, barely avoiding another Killing Curse. She rushed into the women's bathroom, the slammed the door behind her and spelled it shut. Then she blew open the window — and the entire wall that contained it — with a Blasting Curse.

Another pain lanced through her abdomen, so intense she doubled over.

"Not now, damn it!" she screamed.

She barely had time to stand again when something exploded outside the door.

Damn it, the bitch is loose.

She laid multiple Shield Charms around the door and ran. She was ten yards away from the clinic when the Shields exploded.

"You blood traitor!" Bellatrix screamed behind her.

Tonks took that as her cue to Disapparate.

August 1st, 1997

8:52 PM

Tonks materialized in a wooded area. She quickly felt herself over.

Good. No missing limbs.

Another stabbing pain lanced through her abdomen into her hips.

Oh no. They're coming more frequently now.

In the distance, Tonks could hear the sound of Muggle automobiles.

I'm in a Muggle area. Perhaps the Muggles can help me.

Her father had insisted she be as familiar with the Muggle world as he was, insisted that she not close herself off from the world her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins lived in.

Good idea, Dad.

She Disillusioned her wand and magically attached it to her leg. Then she walked forward, out of the trees.

In front of her lay a busy Muggle street, their headlights forming a river of light against the darkness. She stepped onto the sidewalk and then another, more terrible pain slashed through her hips, forcing her to her knees. The sidewalk bit her skin, drawing blood.

"No!" she screamed.

She felt someone rushing over towards her.

"You all right?" someone — it sounded like a man — asked.

"No," Tonks gasped. "I…I was in an accident. I'm pregnant. I…I think I might be losing my baby!"

The man swore.

"There's a hospital right there," the man said. "C'mon, I'll take you there."

He reached down, grabbing for her left arm to pull her to her feet. His touch sent a river of pain flowing into her torso.

"No," Tonks gasped. "Other arm. That one's broken."

"Sorry," the man said. He stepped over and pulled her to her feet by her other arm. The pain lanced through her body again, but the man was able to keep her from falling.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

Tonks nodded. She let the man guide her down the sidewalk and into what looked like a hospital waiting room.

Oh thank God.

"Oi!" the man shouted. "This woman's been in an accident!"

A woman came out from behind the receptionist's desk.

"What are her injuries?" she asked.

"She said her arm was broken…"

"I'm pregnant," Tonks gasped, her exertions beginning to get to her. "And I'm bleeding."

The woman paled and rushed away. A moment later, two orderlies arrived with a gurney.

"Careful," the receptionist said. "She said her arm's broken."

The orderlies helped Tonks onto the gurney. Almost as soon as she was on her back, darkness claimed her…