Ch 21
A/N: It's Victoria's first year of Auror training! Just for reference in the time-line here, it's also Harry's first year. He won't make an appearance for a while and he won't be a big character, but he will be included here and there.
...
It was the first day of training and Victoria couldn't tell if she was more nervous or excited. Her stomach felt like it had been stuffed with a million butterflies all fluttering a different rhythm, while there was an undeniable jolt of excited energy coursing through her body. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking as she pulled the gates for the lift together. Riding down to the second floor seemed to take a lifetime. Finally she heard the words she'd been waiting for from a cool voice, "Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services." Stepping out of the lift she followed the signs indicating the way to the Auror Headquarters. Finding herself in front of the heavy oak double doors, she took a deep, steadying breath, before opening them up.
The sight in front of her made her stop for a moment. The large area was broken into small cubicles, each decorated differently with pictures of wanted wizards or family photos. There was a buzz in the air of talking and an undercurrent of excited energy. As she walked down the row of cubicles she found Moody's almost immediately. Every inch of the walls were covered with dark wizards, some that he'd already put into Azkaban and others yet to be taken in. On the desk sat three items, the first was what looked like a large glass top which she recognized as a sneakoscope. The second a mirror that did not reflect what was in front of it, but the faces of people in shadow, some were merely a haze while others were almost clear. And the third she recognized as a secrecy sensor from the guards at the Academy using them, they looked like a pair of TV antennas but they pick up the vibrations of evil presences. She was even more nervous when she realized that he wasn't in the small office, wondering for a moment if she was supposed to meet him elsewhere, but didn't get the message. Deciding that she was overreacting she took a seat in front of his desk, thinking he'd just gone to get a cup of tea or something.
Studying the mirror while she was waiting she was startled when she heard his familiar growl a few feet away from her, "Victoria, you're early."
"Yes." She smiled, watching as he took a seat behind the desk.
"Just like an American to be early." He grumbled taking a sip of the tea in his hand.
"I just wanted to make sure I was on time for my first day." She answered sheepishly.
He glanced down at the watch on his arm, "30 minutes is early for anyone."
She grinned, "At least I wasn't late."
He grunted in response, looking away from her to the paper that was opened on his desk. Keeping his eyes on the paper he added, "We've got two others to wait for. Keep an eye out."
She nodded, looking around the large area. Everyone seemed to have a task to do, running around with papers, or chatting with one another, no one seemed to be lost. After about 15 minutes she spotted a familiar face. The girl's bubblegum pink hair could be spotted from a mile away; however, it was now shoulder length instead of her normal spiky cut. Victoria stood and waved, the response from Tonks was priceless. She shot across the room, her purple robes flowing behind her, as she wove her way through the people. Once she got to the cubicle she enveloped Victoria in a bear hug. "Vicky! What are you doing here?"
Victoria laughed at the girl's enthusiasm, "I'm training to be an Auror."
"What?! You're training too!" Tonks exclaimed flopping into the chair next to Victoria.
Moody finally looked up from his paper, "Aye, you'll be training together. You must be Nymphadora."
Tonks gave him a dark look, her hair turning a shade or two darker, but she caught herself before losing her temper completely, "It's Tonks."
Moody grunted an unintelligible response sounding something like, "What's the point of having a name if you're not going to use it," but went back to his paper.
Ignoring Moody's grunt Tonks turned her attention back to Victoria, "Why didn't you tell me you were training too?"
Victoria shrugged, "I didn't learn it until the afternoon after you left Hogwarts. I didn't know we were going to train together."
A moment later they heard a throat clearing, announcing a new arrival. Looking to the voice they saw a tall, broad shouldered man in his mid-20's with a square jaw and short dirty blond hair. His voice came out in a deep vibrato, with a hint of an Irish brogue, "I'm looking for Mr. Moody's office, am I in the right place?"
"Who would you be?" Moody asked, eyeing him with caution.
"Caden Dawson, I'm here for training." Caden answered with an air of confidence.
"Aye, you're in the right place. Have a seat with the girls." Moody nodded folding his paper back up, watching as Caden took a seat. Moody sat back in his chair, "Welcome to your new family. Forget everything you know about what family is these people will be more important from now on. Your life depends on trusting each other. If one fails you all fail. Got it?"
No one spoke, but they all nodded with terrified looks on their faces.
"Good, now no time for introductions you can do that on our way. We need to move." Moody said getting out of his chair.
The three followed Moody out of the cubicle and down through the main room. Tonks was the first to speak, "Oi, Caden. I'm Tonks."
He smiled at her, showing perfectly white teeth, "Pleasure," turning to Victoria he asked, "and you are?"
Victoria stuck her hand out to shake his, "Victoria, nice to meet you."
He took hers, giving her a firm handshake, "You as well."
"I said you could meet on the way," Moody growled, "that doesn't mean you don't move!"
They all picked up speed for a moment, not saying anything. Following Moody down a different hallway until he suddenly stopped, "Take an arm." He said impatiently as they all looked expectantly at him. Doing as he said the three each grabbed onto his arms and were suddenly apparated away. Opening her eyes a moment later Victoria found herself in front of what looked like a small, rundown house. Looking up at Moody she asked, "Um, where are we?"
"The first training ground. It's unplottable and no you are not allowed to know where it is. This is where we'll be meeting every morning until further notice." Moody answered gruffly turning towards them. "This is your first test. You will have to work together to get through. You have one hour," he looked down at his watch quickly. "Your time starts now."
Tonks gaped at him, "That's it? No instructions?"
"If you learned everything in school you shouldn't be worried," Moody answered coolly. "And now you've lost two minutes."
Victoria chuckled while Tonks shook her head. Caden, trying to play tough, took off ahead of the girls. Tonks turned to Victoria as they followed him, "I expected at least some kind of introduction to this!"
Victoria shook her head pulling her wand out of her pocket, "You obviously don't know Moody. This is your introduction."
Caden stopped at the stairs leading to the house, "He's got a funny way of introducing himself."
Victoria chuckled slightly, "That's Moody. He'll grow on you."
Tonks looked at her curiously as they stepped into the dank interior of the house, "How do you know him?"
"Dumbledore introduced us," she answered quickly. "Come on, we've only got an hour remember." Tonks and Caden shared a confused look.
The feeling inside the small one story house was even more foreboding. A sense of hopelessness seemed to crush down upon them as they continued through what looked, at least at one time, to be a living room. What was left of the furniture was in pieces, ripped and torn from years of abuse. The paper covering the wall was tearing away giving the illusion that the walls were melting, while the windows were caked in dust casting shadows across the room. The door on the opposite side of the room was hanging lopsidedly on its hinges. Tonks looked to the others, "Does anyone else feel that?"
"It's not pleasant in here is it?" Caden answered continuing on with his wand in the air.
Turning around Victoria saw what looked like a gray rock in the pathway just behind them. She didn't remember stepping over one, but it was there. Shaking it off, she continued on with the others. They only made it a few more steps before Tonks fell to the ground crying uncontrollably. "What is it?" Victoria asked quickly running over to her.
"I… I can't do it. I can't go on." Tonks sobbed.
Caden rushed to them, "Tonks come on. We need to keep moving."
"I can't." She said still weeping.
Victoria noticed again just behind them was the rock. This time she knew it hadn't been there before. Stepping towards it she noticed that this rock was furry. "What is that?" Caden asked catching Tonks as she lost consciousness.
"I'm not sure, but I have an idea." Victoria answered. As she pointed her wand at it, the stone turned into what looked like a little round pixie with huge razor sharp teeth. It rushed not at Victoria, but at Tonks. Without thinking Victoria sent out a spell and the little creature exploded. Turning back to Caden she smiled, the hopeless feeling now gone, "A Porgebin, it's what caused that hopelessness. If we wouldn't have been here Tonks probably would have been devoured by now."
"Devoured?" Caden asked, still holding onto Tonks who was now coming around.
"That's what they do. They infuse you with hopelessness until you collapse and then devour you." Victoria said helping Tonks to her feet, handing her a piece of chocolate from inside her robes.
"Why were you carrying chocolate?" Tonks asked weakly accepting it from her.
Victoria laughed, "Old habit I guess. Never know when it'll come in handy."
"Come on, let's keep going." Caden said once they'd all eaten a piece.
Stepping into another room, this seemed to be a conservatory. The glass that had once been there to protect the plants was now smashed and hanging jaggedly in place. Potted plants covered the only way out of the room. Caden took a step towards the plants, "Looks like geraniums," he answered studying the red, pink, and purple flowered plants.
"I don't remember that much about Herbology." Victoria stated honestly.
"Doesn't look very scary." Tonks said stepping closer to the plants.
Caden pulled her back suddenly as the closest plant started towards her, teeth forming where its flower had been. "It's a Biting Geranium. It will bite any human that comes near it."
"How are we supposed to get out of here then?" Tonks asked folding her arms in front of her chest.
"Are you sure they'll only attack humans?" Victoria asked.
"Yeah, anything else is safe." Caden answered watching her curiously. "Why?"
Victoria smiled, "I think I got it." Closing her eyes, she cleared her mind, feeling her body shrink down. Opening them back up, she was level with the pots. Stepping warily closer, the plants stayed stationary. Pussyfooting around them she reached the door, pushing it open with a paw. As she opened it a dark figure flew out in front of her, causing her to crash back into the pot, smashing it all over the floor and receiving a loud shriek from the plant that now fell lifeless. The room was suddenly freezing cold around them.
Behind her she heard Tonks shout, "Expecto Patronum!" The dark figure vanished immediately.
Victoria looked back at them turning back into her regular form. Smiling at Tonks, "Great work!"
Tonks beamed back, "Had a good teacher."
Caden shook his head, "Let's get out of here."
Tonks and Caden stepped over the now dead geranium and out the door with Victoria. Moody stood on the other side of the door. Glancing at his watch he nodded, "35 minutes, good. Now let's get to work."
Tonks looked at him incredulously, "That wasn't work?"
"That was a starter. Now the work begins." He growled turning away from them.
Tonks groaned as they followed.
…
It was the middle of October before they got their first break. Two whole days without training and Victoria couldn't have been happier. She was sitting at the Three Broomsticks with a butterbeer in front of her waiting on Minerva who she was meeting. After about 15 minutes she was joined by the older witch, "Victoria, it's nice to see you again." Minerva gave a rare smile, and an even rarer hug.
"It's great to see you too." Victoria smiled pulling back.
"How is training?" Minerva asked taking a seat across from her.
"Hard. I knew it would be, but I wasn't counting on this." Victoria answered honestly, taking a sip from her mug.
Minerva nodded to Madam Rosmerta who came over almost immediately with a Gillywater, "It's challenging, but it's meant to be. They must make certain you can handle what is to come."
Victoria sighed, "I guess. So, how's Hogwarts? Tell me everything."
Minerva smirked, "Hogwarts has not changed. The Weasley twins are still up to their old antics."
Victoria laughed, "I can only imagine. How are the new first years?"
"I assume you've heard Harry Potter is with us this year." Minerva said nonchalantly.
"Is he Lily and James Potter's son?" Victoria asked still feeling a pang of guilt over their deaths. She knew she wasn't solely responsible, but she felt she could have stopped Pettigrew if she would have been there in time.
"Yes. He has recently made the house Quidditch team." Minerva said, trying to sound casual, but Victoria saw a sparkle of joy in her eyes.
"He's pretty young for that isn't he?"
Minerva nodded, "Youngest seeker in a century. A natural flier though, you should see him on a broom."
An idea popped into Victoria's head at the mention of a broom, "Is it true that first years aren't allowed a broom?"
"Usually yes, however, we are making exceptions in this case." Minerva smiled.
Victoria laughed, "I take it then you've talked it over with Dumbledore?"
"I have indeed. He said that being as he is now on the Quidditch team he will be allowed a broom."
Victoria remained silent for a moment. She knew what she wanted to offer, but she didn't know how to explain her reasoning. Finally she said sheepishly, "Would you mind if I got him one?"
Minerva shot her an inquisitive glance, "Why?"
"Let's just say… I feel responsible for something and want to make amends for it." Victoria answered looking down into her butterbeer, doing everything she could to avoid Minerva's stare.
Minerva continued to fix her with the intense gaze, but Victoria wouldn't back down. "Please Professor," Victoria pleaded, "don't make me answer anymore. I just want to do this for him."
After a minute Minerva nodded. "If you wish. He will need it in a few days if he is to practice on it."
Victoria smiled, "Want to go broom shopping?"
Minerva's eyes lit up again at the prospect, "Lead the way."
…
By March Victoria thought that they couldn't possibly have many more tests to go through. It was her birthday yet again, but to her it was merely another day of training. Finally halfway through the day she stopped, looking at Moody she demanded, "Seriously! How much more of this are you going to put us through?"
Moody stepped over to her, glaring in her face, "Are you questioning me?"
Standing her ground she glared back, "Yes! If we haven't proven ourselves yet we're never going to!"
Tonks and Caden looked at her in shock. They'd never heard anyone go back at Moody. Victoria wondered for a moment if she was going to be thrown out of the program, or if he was just going to hex her. Suddenly he smiled, "I've been waiting for one of you to have the sense to ask." He backed a few steps away from her, "Go home. All of you. Tomorrow we start spells. I suggest you study." Turning he apparated away without another word.
Tonks and Caden still stood with incredulous looks on their faces. Caden finally was the first to speak, "Did you really just yell at Moody?"
Victoria shrugged, "I wanted to see what he'd do. It could only have ended badly."
Tonks laughed, "You just wanted your birthday off."
It was Victoria's turn to look at her in shock, "You remembered that?"
Tonks nodded, "March 17th. Same as Dad's."
Caden turned to Victoria, "It's your birthday?"
"Yep, the big 30." Victoria smiled back.
"Come on ladies." Caden smiled throwing an arm around each of them. "This is cause for celebration."
A moment later they arrived in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Victoria couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. Caden looked at her curiously, "What?"
"I used to work here." Victoria said opening the door.
"No better place then." Caden answered following her inside.
A few hours, and many drinks later they sat at a booth laughing. Tonks finally caught her breath saying, "I never thought I'd be training to be an Auror with one of my Professors."
Realization dawned in Caden's eyes, "That's how you two know each other."
Victoria nodded, "I was Tonks's DADA last year."
"Yeah, she's the one who taught me how to do a Patronus." Tonks beamed, taking another drink of her firewhisky.
"So in the first test…" Caden trailed off.
"Yep." Tonks smiled, "She's the teacher."
"I had a good student." Victoria smiled back.
"Enough you two. This isn't an admiration society." Caden slurred slightly taking another drink.
Tonks shot him a pointed look, "So Caden, tell me, what is it you're trying to hide?"
He stopped, his glass an inch from his mouth, lowering it slowly he asked, "What are you talking about?"
Victoria nodded, looking him up and down, "Come on, a body like that."
Tonks agreed, "You're obviously compensating for something. What is it?"
Caden's grey eyes were glued to his glass, refusing to meet their gaze, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Victoria shot him a glare, looking almost the image of McGonagall, "Caden, come on. You don't have to lie to us."
Caden nodded, "You can't tell anyone. If they know I'll get kicked out of training. I can't handle that."
"I knew it!" Tonks shouted.
They both shushed her. "I told you if anyone else knew I'll be kicked out." Caden said looking quickly around the room.
Tonks looked him over, "No one can look that good and not bat for the other team."
Victoria nodded, "It is sad. We can never get the good ones."
Tonks laughed, "Life's unfair."
Caden blushed, "Thank you ladies. I'll be taking my leave now. Happy Birthday Victoria."
"See you in the morning." She smiled watching him apparate away.
Tonks let out another laugh, "I knew there was something about him."
"He was too good to be true."
"Always the case isn't it."
"Sadly yes. Oh well, at least we have each other." Victoria joked.
"Speak for yourself. I gotta get home. Mum will be waiting. Dad's party you know."
"Have a good night Tonks."
"Night Vicky, happy birthday." Tonks smiled before apparating away.
Victoria sighed throwing back the last sip of her drink, "Happy birthday to me."
…