The characters of the Harry Potter universe belong to Ms. Rowlings, and I'm borrowing them for my own imagination.
Chapter 38 - "No!"
When the group from Hogwarts arrived in Hogsmeade, the split into three groups. Severus with Hermione and Ron, Remus with Harry and Neville, and Dumbledore with the remaining DA members.
"Stick close." Severus ordered as they made their way in the direction Kingsley had last seen two of his Auror's head.
Hermione and Ron did just that, watching all around them for possible Death Eater attacks. Then above all the noise of the fighting from down the road, Hermione thought she heard someone cackling and another person screaming.
"Do you hear that?" She asked and put her hand over Ron's mouth before he could speak, so that they could just listen. They heard the screams again.
"This way. Stay behind me and do as I say." Severus ordered and they took off in the direction of the noise.
In the alley, Bellatrix cackled as she watched Fenrir have his fun with her half-blooded niece. Laughing as she heard clothing rip, and Tonks screaming begging him to stop. The girl could scream.
Bellatrix didn't see the trio sneak up on her until she was hit by Severus's hex. Fenrir startled by Bellatrix's scream, didn't see the two hexes aimed his way by Hermione and Ron. Fenrir quickly disapparated first.
"The Dark Lord is going to make you pay for your betrayal." Bellatrix hissed at Severus before disapparating herself.
"Tonks." Hermione said and she ran over to her friend.
Severus checked around for more Death Eaters then he and Ron approached them as well.
Tonks had scooted herself up against the wall hugging her legs to herself. Severus could tell by the blood, torn clothing and scratches what exactly had occurred.
"Dawlish." He heard her whispered.
"Hermione. Ron. Go look around for Tonks's wand and for Auror Dawlish. Stay around here and stick together." Severus ordered. Hermione was reluctant to leave Tonks, but Ron took hold of her arm and pulled her up to do as they were told.
"Tonks, you're safe. I'm not going to hurt you." Severus whispered quietly as he took his cloak off and wrapped it around Tonks's shoulders.
He turned sharply as he heard Hermione's gasp wand at the ready. Ron was kneeling down by a figure while Hermione stood a little back with her hand over her mouth. Ron turned to look at him shaking his head. He could see Hermione was holding two wands in her hand.
"Ron, we need to bring him with us." Severus said.
"I got him." Ron said standing and taking a hold of Hermione's free hand as he pulled her back. "Mobilicorpus."
"Tonks, we need to go and rejoin the others. They are going to be looking for us soon." Severus said putting an arm carefully around her shoulder and drawing her up beside him. She hugged his cloak tightly around her as he kept his arm comfortingly around her shoulder and her close to him.
"Hermione and Ron, we need to keep a watch out as we head back." Severus told them. They nodded in response. "Lets go."
Back at the Hogshead, the others had gathered. There were several injuries, and Katie Bell along with the Auror Savage had been assigned to heal the minor injuries, while the more serious were being sent to St Mungos by the Floo Network. Dean and Neville were the only two from Hogwarts injured, but it was minor for both. While Auror Proudfoot had been one of the first sent to St. Mungos.
Harry stood with Remus, Kingsley and Dumbledore waiting for the return of the others.
"I don't like this. They should have been back by now." Harry said worried about the two people he loved most in this world.
"He's right." Remus agreed. Who though usually calm in a crisis had been pacing circles around the other three.
"We will give them a few minutes more. Severus will take care of Ron and Hermione." Dumbledore stated.
"What about Tonks and Dawlish?" Remus said, his concern much more for the former. "They have been gone even longer."
"Remus, I know you are thinking about the fight at the Ministry." Kinglsey said.
"Damn right, I am. The last time anyone saw her, she was fighting Bellatrix." Remus said. "We all know that Bellatrix would love nothing more then to wipe every, what she would call, abomination off her family tree."
"Remus, calm down." Dumbledore said, "Nymphadora is a strong witch with a very strong will. You know that better then anyone."
A slight smile in acknowledgment crossed Remus's face, but was quickly back to the frown of concern.
"Remus." Severus said as he walked in the door his arm still wrapped around Tonks, with Ron holding tight to Hermione's hand and levitating Dawlish in front of him.
The foursome quickly approached them with Remus in the lead, heading straight for Severus and Tonks. He had not missed the fact that she had Severus's cloak wrapped tightly around her and was keeping her head down and out of view.
"Dawlish is dead." Severus told them, and when Remus was right in front of them said quietly, "Greyback."
Remus felt dizzy for a second, then taking a calming breath, "Did he?"
"I don't know?" Severus said. "She hasn't said much."
"Tonks." Remus said quietly to her, but she kept her head down and close to Severus. Carefully reaching out a hand to her, "Dora. Dora, look at me."
She slowly looked up at him, and he could see the scratches on her cheek, and then when she registered that he was really in front of her a sob broke out of her throat and she quickly stepped into his arms clinging to him as she sobbed into his chest.
"We were in an alley...told Daw-Dawlish . . . bad idea...Bella-Bellatrix killed him...Greyback...he-he grabbed me from behind...tried to fight...tried to stop him...couldn't." She sobbed into his chest.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her. "You're safe now. I've got you and you're safe." Remus said quietly to her. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
Ron had turned Dawlish over to Savage, who would be arranging for his transfer to St. Mungos to be delivered to the coroner. Ron now had his arms wrapped tightly around Hermione, who had her face buried in his chest. Harry stood with them and they were both talking silently, Ron informing Harry what had occurred while they both tried to comfort a shaking Hermione. Seeing this happen to someone else she cared deeply about so soon after her own parents' deaths. They passed a silent look knowing they were going to have to watch her carefully over the next few days until they were sure she was dealing with it okay.
"Severus, what happened?" Kingsley asked.
"Hermione heard screaming, so we went to investigate. We came upon Bellatrix Lestrange watching gleefully while Fenrir Greyback was physically attacking Tonks. We attacked them and the disapparated fairly quickly. Dawlish was already dead when we arrived." Severus informed them quietly, not wanting to share all the details of what happened with the townspeople or the other students.
Remus was standing next to him, and he could see his absolutely hatred of Greyback and Lestrange in Remus's eyes, while he held Tonks closer and whispered to her, as she clung to him for the security that he represented to her.
"Remus and Severus, take the students and Nymphadora back to Hogwarts. They are to all to go see Madame Pomphrey to be checked out. No arguments." Dumbledore directed to last part to the students.
"Come on." Severus stated, and then gestured for Dean, Seamus, Neville and Katie to lead the way. Remus lifting Tonks into his arms and following them with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Severus right behind him.
TBC