Part Fifty Three

Liberation

Tonks groaned as she blinked open her eyes. She was lying in a small stone room with no window so she assumed it was a cellar of some sort. Her hair turned a shade of green to represent her twinge of fear as memories of what had happened came back into her mind. The Death Eaters had attacked Surrey, as Lucius had predicted, and they had set fire to Arabella Figg's house. Tonks and Kingsley had managed to get Arabella out of the house but, because she was a Squib, she couldn't apparate to safety. Kingsley had no choice but to toss the emergency Portkey, which Albus had keyed to work only for Arabella in spite of her lack of magic, and told her to get out of here. He insisted Tonks go with him but Tonks refused to leave Kingsley alone to fend off several Death Eaters, Bellatrix LeStrange being among them.

After Arabella was clear, Kingsely and Tonks attacked simultaneously but a diffindo caught Kingsley in the chest followed by a Cruciatus from Bellatrix. Tonks managed to hit her in the arm with a bone breaking curse but that enraged her insane aunt and she retaliated by casting several spells at Tonks, most of which the young Auror in training managed to dodge. Tonks had only graduated less than two years earlier and had joined the Auror Academy before joining the Order of the Phoenix. It was unfortunate that she had been forced to train rather quickly to be of some use to the Order.

However, she had not expected to have to face Bellatrix LeStrange.

As it turned out, fighting her insane aunt when she has only been in the Auror Academy for a little over a year and a half was not the wisest thing to do. Bellatrix had managed to land several curses, the Cruciatus included, and then incapacitated her with a petrificus totalus. Tonks still remembered the conversation that had occurred around her after she was petrified.

"What are we going to do with her now?" One of the Death Eaters had asked.

"Since we failed to get that bloody Squib," Bellatrix growled. "We'll take my dear little niece before the Dark Lord." She had been twirling her wand between her fingers as she said those words and there was no mistaking the hatred in her voice.

Tonks had blacked out after that for she only remembered waking up in the room she had been placed in. Unfortunately, as if on cue, the door slide open and Pettigrew and Goyle walked into the room before grabbing her arms roughly and hauling her out of the room.

"Ow, watch it," Tonks snapped but the two Death Eaters ignored her. She was guided down a long corridor and she found herself wondering why the place felt so familiar.

She was tossed into a room and Goyle and Pettigrew knelt down at either of her side. Bellatrix stood in front and slightly to the left of Tonks and Tonks, as she briefly examined the Death Eaters, found Lucius standing a little ways to the right of an ornate throne in the center of the room. She was positive of who was sitting upon the throne.

"Ah, the daughter of the blood traitor and mudblood," Voldemort's voice sneered. "Your niece, I recall Bellatrix."

"She is nothing to me, no better than a mudblood," Bellatrix sneered.

"And you brought her here because you were unsuccessful in capture the filthy Squib Figg, yes?"

"I…Yes my lord."

A snort sounded from Voldemort's right. "It is rather amazing to learn that you couldn't take on two filthy half-bloods and a mere Squib, Bella," Lucius's voice said smoothly.

Tonks had to remind herself that her Uncle, through marriage, was a spy and had to act the way he was acting.

"No one asked you, Lucius," Bellatrix shrieked.

"Enough!" Voldemort hissed angrily. "You two can settle your differences later. Right now, I believe this filthy half-blood will work just as well as that bloody Squib would have."

Tonks was uncertain of what it was Voldemort was going to do with her but she was positive torture was in the top three things. Sure enough, not even a minute later, Voldemort gave Bellatrix free reign to do whatever she wished to Tonks.


Lucius made his way down into the cell where his niece, through marriage, was being kept. He had managed to slip away from the Death Eaters because he currently had no missions to attend to, Bellatrix was on another mission and Voldemort had gone off to find something although he didn't mention what. Lucius knew this might be his only time to speak with his niece without fear of being overheard. He also knew that the wards that had been placed around the cellar well before the dark lord had even been born by Lucius's ancestors would keep anyone from eavesdropping.

He found that a good thing.

Lucius entered the cell before walking over to kneel beside his unconscious niece whose hair was a rusty orange, which he knew, from the times Narcissa babysat Tonks, meant she was feeling near unbearable pain. He didn't want to wake her but he wanted to help her and he knew that he couldn't do that while she was unconscious.

Pointing his wand at Tonks, he murmured "enervate," and the orange haired young woman gasped before lifting her pain filled eyes. Her eyes widened with slight fear, causing her eyes to switch to green before returning to orange, and she crawled backwards.

"Shh, I'm not going to harm you," Lucius whispered to his niece removing the silver mask he had put on to get past his niece's guards. He pulled out the vial of the anti-Cruciatus potion Severus had given to him to take should he ever need it; he felt Tonks deserved it now.

"Uncle Lucius?" Tonks murmured weakly.

Lucius would never get used to that. He barely got used to being called 'uncle' by Harry but he figured he should have expected it. Narcissa did spend some time with Tonks when she had been a baby. The only reason Lucius had avoided Tonks was because she was the offspring of a muggleborn wizard.

"Here," Lucius murmured placing the vial into Tonks's hand before helping her to sit up slightly so she could uncork the vial. She didn't at first, gazing at it suspiciously. "If I had wanted to harm you then I would have done it already," he added with a sigh.

"Well I can't really trust you even if you are my uncle," Tonks muttered. She left the and supposedly a spy unsaid but Lucius knew that was only to prevent her from breaking his cover, even if she didn't trust it.

"Severus brewed it, Tonks," Lucius said finally.

Tonks looked a little less suspicious and finally uncorked the vial before swallowing it in one gulp shuddering. "Why must potions always taste so nasty?" she complained.

Lucius shrugged taking the vial back. "How should I know? Either way, at least it made you feel a bit better."

Tonks narrowed her eyes.

"I may not have liked your father, Tonks, but that doesn't mean I condone what the bitch Bellatrix is doing to you."

"I thought you hated half-bloods and muggleborns," Tonks sneered.

"How could I? My best friend is a half-blood, Tonks, and the girl my son has a crush on is a muggleborn and I don't hate them. That's beside the point."

"Wait a minute, isn't it a bad thing to talk so freely down here?" Tonks asked confused.

"No, there are many ancient spells placed around the cellar created by my ancestors. Not even the dark lord can hear anything that goes on down here," Lucius explained. "Even I am not stupid enough to speak so freely like this without taking precautions." He added the last part curtly.

"Sorry, didn't know," Tonks admitted. "Well, thank you and thank Severus for me too."

"When I see him next. There isn't much I can do for you, Tonks," Lucius admitted a tinge of regret entering his smooth, cultured voice. "I wish I could though. Bloody hell, how did Severus do this for ten bloody months?" Lucius was frustrated because he hated to see needless bloodshed and people killed; not only was it wasting precious magical blood but it was just wrong. Lucius was positive he would not have said the same thing during the first wizarding world but things have changed since then. Not only that but he certainly didn't have Severus's experience when it came to spying; he only wished he could have had more time to learn from his friend before the dark lord returned.

Lucius pursed his lips together in thought before a sudden thought came to him and his eyes went wide. "I think I might have a way," he whispered. "But you're going to have to trust me on this."

Tonks again narrowed her eyes. "What is the way?" she asked warily.

"I might be able to create a portkey to give to you," Lucius whispered. The wards around Malfoy Manor were anti-apparition wards but, since Tonks had been thoroughly searched when she was brought in, the dark lord didn't think to install anti-portkey wards either. Lucius was sure he could come up with a convincing lie stating that the people who searched her didn't do such a good job and she forgot she had it.

It was worth a shot anyway.

"I might be able to create a portkey for you," Lucius said softly. "But I'll need something that the Death Eaters wouldn't have bothered checking when they brought you here. I'm afraid I won't be able to get you your wand anytime soon without looking suspicious but at least I can get you out of here before the dark lord completes his plan."

"What plan is that?"

Lucius grimaced knowing the Order knew about the horcruxes. "A fifth horcrux," he murmured softly.

"Another one?" Tonks exclaimed.

"Yes."

Tonks was silent for a long moment before she lifted her hand and pulled out a hair clip that had been keeping her bangs out of her eyes. "Will this do?" she asked.

Lucius nodded before taking the clip. He then pointed his wand at it. "Portus," he whispered before whispering something else quietly and the clip glowed before the light faded. Then he handed the clip back. "The activation word is haven. Don't forget it," he said when Tonks took the clip back and quickly put it back into her hair when a knock came at the door.

Lucius stood up swiftly and gracefully. "I apologize for this," he said quietly pointing his wand at Tonks. "Crucio!"

Tonks screamed in pain and writhed on the ground until Bellatrix let out an insane laugh. "Glad to see you taking an interest in the filthy half-blood," she sneered coming to Lucius's side with her wand in her hand before she added her own Cruciatus to the mix.

Their marks burned at that moment and Bellatirx pouted before she turned around and walked out of the cellar, her stiletto heels clicking against the stone floor. Lucius tossed another apologetic glance at Tonks, he really didn't like torturing witches and wizards just because they were half-blood; as he told Tonks, his best friend was a half-blood as was his godson.

Lucius hoped Tonks would think to use the portkey before too long.


Tonks, once she was positive Lucius and Bellatrix were gone, removed the hair clip from her hair before gazing at it. She took a deep breath and, hoping Lucius wouldn't get into trouble for all he did to help her, gripped the portkey tightly. "Albus Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts. Haven." The portkey glowed before and Tonks found herself whisked away from the cellar to land with a thump in the office.

"Nymphadora!" Albus's voice exclaimed.

"Don't call me that," Tonks said weakly barely managing to push herself into a sitting position. Albus immediately went to her side before kneeling down beside her even as he cast the Patronus charm and, after whispering something to the phoenix patronus, sent it flying away.

"How…?" he began.

Tonks held up the hair clip. "Lucius," she said quietly.

Albus took the clip before examining it and casting a few spells to make sure it wasn't tracked, just to be on the safe side even though Tonks was sure Albus knew Lucius knew Tonks would come to Hogwarts.

The door to the office opened and Poppy hurried into it. "Oh dear, what happened?" she asked kneeling beside Tonks.

"I'm glad I caught you before you left, Poppy," Albus said. "Will you take care of Tonks while I place a floo call?"

Poppy nodded before kneeling down beside Tonks and began waving a diagnostic spell over Tonks. "Looks like the Cruciatus Curse but it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would be. I'll need Severus to floo over some of his Anti-Cruciatus potion; you'll only need a small dose though."

Albus retracted his head from the green flames in the floo. "Is Tonks well enough to floo, Poppy?" he asked.

"Yes she is." Poppy helped Tonks to her feet before guiding her over to join Albus. Albus gently put an arm around Tonks's shoulders before guiding her into the flames. He tossed the floo powder that was in his hands down as he called, "Prince Manor!"
The green flames enveloped the two of them and they disappeared from Hogwarts to reappear in Severus's earth-toned living room. Albus stepped out of the floo and Tonks staggered after him. Severus, who was standing in the living room, stretched out a hand to help Tonks before guiding her to the couch. He then placed a familiar blue potion into Tonks' hand and she uncorked it before swallowing it grimacing at the taste.

"Still tastes nasty," she admitted handing the empty vial back.

Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Lucius gave me one before he made me a portkey that got me out of Malfoy Manor."

"Idiot," Severus growled. "While I understand why he gave it to you, that means he won't be able to counteract the pain Voldemort will no doubt inflict once he learns you're gone and I can't very well give him another one."

Tonks gazed around. "Why'd I come here though?" she asked curiously.

"We thought you could tell us why Voldemort captured you," Albus said. "And I think the entire Order should know."

As if on cue, the floo flared to life and Remus stepped out of the flames followed by Sirius, Hermione and Harry. Remus stopped. "Tonks? Albus? What are you doing here?" he asked confused.

Tonks smiled shyly at the light brown haired werewolf wizard. She liked him but she wasn't about to admit it out loud. "Well…"

"She decided to visit," Albus said. "Now if you'll excuse me, there are some people I'd like to call." He walked over to the floo before floo traveling away.

"Harry, why don't you and Hermione go put your stuff in your rooms?" Severus said.

"All right dad," said Harry before he and Hermione jogged toward the staircase and walked up it. Once they were gone and Albus rejoined them, Albus briefly explained what happened.

Remus's eyes went wide and he moved to sit down beside Tonks and gently put an arm around her shoulders. "Are you all right now?" he asked gently.

"I think so," Tonks said.

"The rest of the Order of the Phoenix are going to arrive soon. Let's go to the library and wait for them," Albus said.

The other nodded in agreement.


A/n what do you think?

Blaze: and that was part fifty three

Darth: that's cool

Blaze: how many of you (reviewers) want to see Aurora in the next chapter? If I get enough people who review they want to see her then I'll include her

Anakin: I do

Obi-Wan: you don't count

Anakin: why not? I'm her favorite character

Obi-Wan: you're boasting again, Anakin

Anakin: I'm not boasting, I'm pointing out the truth. I really am her all time favorite character. She said so herself

Blaze: yup. Speaking of that, Star Wars in 3D WAS AWESOME!

Anakin: yay. SW in 3D!

Obi-Wan: yay!

Harry: ah what the heck, yay!

Voldy and Palpypie: boo!

Harry: Leave me the bloody blazes alone! (Stabs Voldy and Palpypie with lightasber and stalks off)

Voldy and Palpypie: ow!

Obi-Wan: (takes lightsaber back and stabs Voldy and Palpypie before stalking off)

Blaze: (laughs) I don't own Star Wars. Please review and I will post part fifty four as soon as I possibly can but I doubt it'll be anytime soon