Chapter 10: Progress at the Lady Sybil; Vimes questions the Roundworlders
Summary:
Tonks improves; Vimes has questions. The italicized quotes are from Deathly Hallows, ch.30, slightly paraphrased.
Chapter Text
"Queen Magrat. Mistress Weatherwax. My esteemed colleague suggested trepanning, is that right?"
"I didn't just suggest it, Lawn, I intend to do it. It's the obvious answer." The surgeon scowled. "You're the one who called me, and I believe I am more qualified to judge the necessity for the saw than you are."
"I thought you used a drill for trepanning. Smaller point, easier to get through, not so hard on the scalp? Didn't you write a paper on this last year? I read it but didn't get all the details. Why don't you come to my office where we could discuss it?"
The surgeon gave an unimpressed look. "Saw, drill, knife, you know what I mean. Do you wish to join me? I thought these rural healers would appreciate seeing a modern procedure, but as they don't, I'd prefer not to be interrupted."
Tonks struggled against pain to comprehend the arguments around her. Her head hurt, and her face, shoulder, and chest burned.
A pompous man said something about using a saw or a knife to relieve pressure on her head. A saw? She didn't know much Muggle medicine, but she thought their healers didn't use saws. She knew from other Aurors that they'd been occasionally been picked up at the scenes of accidents and taken to hospitals. The Muggle healers wouldn't have any idea what to do about curses and magical injuries, but had always been able to give infusions of water, clean and bandage wounds, and set fractures. She'd even heard that some Aurors had undergone surgery in Muggle hospitals, and it hadn't killed them. The injured Auror would be retrieved and Apparated to St. Mungo's as soon as possible, of course, and the doctors obliviated, but no one had ever said anything about saws.
Another man spoke in a placating voice, and then the first man said something about rural healers not interrupting and a woman's voice retorted quickly.
"You won't be interrupted at all." She sounded just like Minerva McGonagall, calm and utterly terrifying.
Another woman threatened the Muggle healer, saying that he'd be dead if he tried to use the saw. Tonks agreed with this. Why couldn't she wake up? She needed to wake up and stop them, but all she could do was moan. No one was listening to her. Another bit of the argument and the pompous doctor was saying that the women couldn't - what? That the women couldn't turn him into frogs?
She could, though. She could turn the man into a frog just fine; she had excellent skills in transfiguration – at least as good as Barty Crouch, Jr., who'd turned her young cousin into a ferret. Even though Draco (damn Narcissa and Lucius for infecting him with their nonsense) had joined the wrong side, he was still her cousin, and just a student when Crouch attacked him. If Crouch hadn't been Kissed, she'd have been happy to transfigure him – wait! These were witches! Wherever she was, witches were helping her, and some Muggle doctor was trying to cut her. Pain surged all through her as she struggled up through the fog. She had to stop them, make them wait –
"Wait!"
The voice was huskier and more raw than even after full moons, but she would always recognize the man she loved.
"Wait," Remus said hoarsely, "I don't consent to this barbaric procedure!"
"Yes?" the utter bastard of a Muggle healer sneered. "And who are you?"
He's my husband, she thought, my husband, and he will AK you before you can touch me, don't test him.
"I'm her husband, you idiot Muggle!"
Her eyes flew open. He was wrapped in bandages from head to foot, and was sitting in a wheeled wooden chair while people crowded around him. What had happened to him? No matter, he was here, and they could battle their way out.
"Remus," she breathed.
After Remus made the Muggle who wanted to cut her leave, he sagged against the wheeled chair. The witches – the one with the McGonagall voice, another one who looked like she'd enjoy a long pipe and firewhiskey at the Leaky, and a young intense woman with messy hair and fierce eyes – moved a bed next to hers and helped Remus lie down. She wondered why they did it all by hand with no wands, but it didn't matter. He lay down on her right side, the uninjured one, and she slept again. When she awoke the next time, more aware now, she felt his comforting presence. She reached for his hand and and interlaced his fingers with hers, squeezing hard. But he surprised her by shuddering a bit.
"Easy, Tonks, it still hurts a little," he whispered.
She was shocked. This was Remus, who did not complain about the effects after the full moon even with his new bites and clawmarks. It hadn't even been –
"But it wasn't the full," she said. It hadn't been the full, no, but – the battle – Voldemort –she remembered. He'd gone off and left her.
There was a great roar and a surge toward the foot of the stairs; Harry was pressed back against the wall of the Room of Requirement as they ran past him, the mingled members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and Harry's old Quidditch team, all with their wands drawn, heading up into the main castle.
"Come on Luna," Dean called as he passed, holding out his free hand; she took it and followed him back up the stairs.
The crowd was thinning: Only a little knot of people remained below in the room, and Harry joined them. Mrs. Weasley was struggling with Ginny. Around them stood Lupin, Fred, George, Bill, and Fleur.
"Yes, take it easy, missy," the middle – aged witch said. "Igor tells me that he had every bone in his body broken."
"Three times," said the intense young woman. "Whatever caused it, his bones were each shattered in three places. What happened to the two of you?"
Remus tapped twice against her middle finger, softly. It was an Order of the Phoenix code. Don't tell them.
"I'm not sure," she said truthfully. "Where are we?"
Remus said, "I've been so in and out of this that I'm not sure either," (which was a bit of a lie, Tonks could tell from his voice.) "Explain this to me again."
A new voice, deep and commanding, said, "Yes, let's get some explanation here. You two are in Ankh – Morpork, and, madam, your husband didn't know where that was. Do you know where that is?"
"No," she whispered, "I have no idea. I'm so dry. My mouth is so dry." She tapped back against Remus finger. I won't tell them. Listen.
The deep voice said, "I'm Commander Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork watch. The two of you arrived outside the city – appeared from nowhere, it seems, last night. You had severe injuries. As Queen Magrat said, Mr. Lupin had every bone in his body broken several times. Igor tells me his organs were very damaged as well. You, madam – and can you tell me your name, please?"
"Tonks," she said faintly, and she heard him snort. "Remus is my husband."
"Mrs. Lupin, then. You have been injured in a way which looks as though you've been cut with a burning sword. Do you know what happened to you?"
What had happened? The battle pulled into focus a bit. She'd run straight through the castle looking for Remus – she couldn't remember fighting anyone until she'd run into Bellatrix. Maybe she had joined others, but the only thing she remembered was dueling her mocking black-haired aunt. Bella had parried every hex and curse she'd thrown.
"Madam?" The voice continued placidly.
Remus pressed his fourth finger against . Stall. "I need some water. Please."
She hadn't the faintest idea what Remus had told – whoever this was. From what the commander had said, Bella must have used the fire rope spell. Tonks had seen Albus try it at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, a whip of fire which wrapped around Voldemort, but he changed the flame into a serpent. It was just the sort of thing Bellatrix would love to add to her repertoire.
A girl appeared beside Tonks with a wet rag and dripped clean water into her mouth. She licked it, and opened her mouth for more. The room was silent for a few minutes while they let her have a few mouthfuls.
"Your husband told me you were fighting with students, in a school in Scotland, against evil wizards and witches. He said that you were a trained fighter and better than he was. He said that he saw you dueling with a woman he thought was your aunt."
"Are we prisoners?" She forced as much power into her voice as she could, hearing that it was still weak. She didn't think they were; Death Eaters wouldn't have tried to heal them. Unless somehow they were wanted awake and aware enough to answer questions. That was a risk Remus had taken on every undercover assignment with the werewolves. She was always terrified that he'd be discovered and killed, but even more so that he'd be tortured first to give up Order secrets.
Remus tapped her index finger twice. No. Not prisoners.
"Because if we're not prisoners, I'm –I'm too tired to talk. Everything hurts so much."
"Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, you are not prisoners. If you were, we wouldn't be trying to heal you. I'm trying (and Tonks could hear the anger) to find out where you were so that I can get you back home. I'd preferred to have as much information as possible to tell the wizards at Unseen University so that I can keep them from pestering you. One of my officers is taking notes of everything, and will send it all over to the university. I'd like to know as precisely as possible what happened and where you were so that we can send you back."
Wizards, thought Tonks. They had wizards, too. Were they Death Eaters? The witches clearly weren't, but she hadn't seen any of their wizards yet.
"It's been more than a day," said Remus. "I think the battle may be over by now." He sounded utterly done in, very hoarse and exhausted. She stroked his little finger, as gently as possible. I love you.
"You'd be surprised." A pause. Tonks blinked her eyes open again and looked at the man who'd spoken. He was wearing old – fashioned armor, not a full suit of armor, but something with a breastplate, and a heavy leather kilt below it, and heavy trousers below that. He might have been older than Remus. He had about the same amount of brown-gray hair, but more wrinkles. His eyes were not threatening, even though his voice had been angry.
"A few years ago, and even the wizards don't know why, I travelled back through time. I spent four days in the past, and when I returned it had been barely an hour." He continued more quietly, possibly to himself. "Of course, I don't think we could use the Time Monks here. I don't know if they even have Time Monks on Roundworld."
He spoke at a normal volume again, "Anyway, if we can get you back at all, you might be in time to help fight your war. Mr. Lupin, do you know what happened to your wife?"
"No." It was the standard for interrogations. If you did have to answer, say as little as possible.
"Sergeant Angua told me that you had been fighting wizards, and that you came from Scotland. I think that's in Roundworld. One of our wizards told me that he once met a young woman who was a witch from Roundworld. Luna Lovegood. Do you know her?"
"Yes."
"And how do you know her, Mr. Lupin?"
"I was her teacher."
This caused a moment's pause. "You're a teacher? What do you teach when you're not fighting for your life?"
Remus gave such a small sigh Tonks could barely hear him. Was it better to drag this out? He was some kind of Muggle. Even though there were witches here, did they take classes in Defense Against the Dark Arts? The pompous surgeon had called them "rural healers," as though he thought they were hedge witches. Maybe they hadn't gone to school at all. Wait. Don't answer unless forced, and she and Remus had both had an abundant amount of training in resisting pain. A lifetime's worth for Remus. Having Confringo applied for training purposes had been a surprise part of learning to be an Auror. Apparently it didn't hurt quite as much a Crucio, from those who'd experienced both, small mercy. The worst part was having to apply it to another trainee, to help them withstand pain. If they'd told her about this before she had applied to training – no, it was a dirty secret the DLME hid until you were actually accepted. She'd had to accept a geas before entering training. It was part of her oath.
"I'm sorry?" Remus was still stalling for time. The commander frowned. He'd noticed Remus avoid the question, but when none came, he went on.
"You and your wife were nearly killed, by wizards, and these – wands – were found near you. Queen Magrat uses her wand to heal, and neither Mistress Weatherwax nor Mistress Ogg use wands. I know you were in a battle, in that school in Scotland. Who were you fighting?"
"I don't think the answer would help you at all. And I told Angua – Sergeant Angua— that we were fighting evil wizards who want to kill everyone who opposes them, whether they have magic to defend themselves or have no magic at all."
Tonks could see the watchman's face grow angrier, and Remus took another breath.
"Is it that you don't wish to return us to our home because you think we are evil? You don't have any way to check our answers. Even if you separate Dora and myself, we're both going to swear we're innocent."
Tonks saw the commander fume, and abruptly decided. They were calling Earth Roundworld as though they were on another planet. Was that even possible? Were there other planets humans could live on? No matter. He'd said he was the commander of the watch. Was that something like an Auror? His presence and manner of questioning suggested some type of law enforcement, surely. She'd interrogated more Death Eaters than Remus had, and these people weren't. She ran her thumb across Remus' palm.
Trust. Tell.
Remus rubbed her palm and said tightly. "Their leader was killed fifteen years ago, we thought, when I fought him the first time, and was resurrected to full force four years ago. He personally killed two of my best friends, and his second in command killed another of my best friends."
"My horrible aunt," said Tonks. "She tried to kill me; could have tried to do it painlessly, there's this curse – never mind." She tried to take a deep breath, but couldn't because of the pain. "That's who these people are. They don't just fight wizards and witches who have some training and could try to fight back. They torture Mug – non-magical people for fun. For sport. I'm an Auror, from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and I can give you bushels of statistics. The last I heard, the Death Eaters attacked a school in Surrey, killed fifteen children under age six. They've blown up bridges, attacked ferries, and sent giants against people who have no protection at all. Trolls too, evil things, they have trolls with them."
"Not all trolls are evil." The mild voice was back again, and Tonks looked at the watchman suspiciously.
"If you know trolls who are not evil, I'm happy for you. All the ones I've ever heard of are monsters who attack on command."
%%%%%%%%
There was a scuffling and a great thump: Someone else had clambered out of the tunnel, overbalanced slightly and fallen.
"Am I too late? Has it started? I only just found out so I –I "
Percy spluttered into silence. Evidently he had not expected to run into most of his family. There was a long moment of astonishment, broken by Fleur turning to Lupin and saying, in a wildly transparent attempt to break the tension, "So –'how eez leetle Teddy?"
Lupin blinked at her startled. "I—oh yes—he's fine!" Lupin said loudly. "Yes, Tonks is with him –at her mother's –"
Percy and the other Weasleys were staring at one another, frozen.
"Here, I've got a picture!" Lupin shouted, pulling a photograph from inside his jacket and showing it to Fleur and Harry, who saw a tiny baby with a tuft of bright turquoise hair, waving fat fists at the camera.
Remus said, "I didn't tell Sergeant Angua before, but they have werewolves with them, and when they don't kill outright, the pack bites to Change, for terror. Fenrir Greyback and his gang lived with the Malfoys, at Malfoy Manor, when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was there."
"Who's –"
"The leader of the Death Eaters, the head monster. We don't say his name, it's been Tabooed, and if you say it, you can call his followers to you. I won't repeat it here."
"So some of these followers, they live in mansions?"
"Yes, the rich purebloods. The Malfoys have twenty generations of wealth behind them, and they're not alone. Old families – the Notts, the Goyles, the Browns, and others, pour their money into supporting the Death Eaters."
"You're fighting nobs, then! Why didn't you say so?" The commander snorted. "You could have lead with that."
Tonks heard several suppressed laughs. The commander grinned wickedly at his staff and continued. "Say no more; if you've got magic nobs with inherited power and wealth, who support Dead Eaters killing children, we'll try to get you back to those evil bastards fast."