Chapter One
"Sirius!" Harry yelled, "NO!!" Lupin held Harry as he struggled to follow Sirius.
"It's too late, he's gone," whispered Lupin.
"No, he can't be."
"He is, Harry," sobbed Tonks. She bowed her head as the tears fell uncontrollably; the death eater that she had been fighting had escaped as soon as Dumbledore had entered the room. "My dear, sweet cousin, gone, forever." Anger made her voice tremble, and she looked up, fury kindling a strange fire in her eyes. Their gaze fell upon someone across the room. Lucius Malfoy.
He looked up and they made eye contact. It felt like he was falling into an endless pit of flames, and the rage flaring in the depths struck a felling inside of him. She was about to avenge Sirius, he realized. He looked around the room, her gaze stayed, immobile, locked on him. He stood in a stance, wand poised, waiting for the oncoming attack.
It didn't happen. Tonks collected herself together, turned, then uttered the death spell, her voice reserved but commanding. A flash of green light erupted from her wand, aimed at, not Lucius, but Bellatrix Lestrange. She fell with a strangled cry, the look of triumph at having vanquished Sirius remnant on her still face. Tonks grabbed Harry, shouted a counter jynx for Neville, who stopped dancing, and ran out of the room. Lucius followed, the rest of the death eaters close behind him. Tonks pushed Harry and Neville into the spinning room.
"Be quick Harry, don't stop for anyone, and get to the atrium. Professor Dumbledore will join you soon. The fountain will help you if you need it."
"The fountain?" Harry muttered blankly.
"Just go Harry!" Tonks yelled in exasperation, ushering him and Neville through, "and lock the doors behind you." She turned to face Lucius, her wand raised ready.
"Go quickly," he said quietly, "before they catch up."
"What are you doing? Why are you helping me?"
"I'm saving your life and you'll probably find out why sooner or later, I wouldn't worry about it too much," he whispered, gently pushing her through the door.
*
That night, lying in bed, Tonks couldn't stop thinking about Lucius. If he really was that bad a person why did he save her? It certainly wasn't the family ties, because they didn't acknowledge each other as being related.
She opened her eyes, staring in the direction of the ceiling. The room was in darkness. She remembered Lucius' eyes looking at her so intently: as if she was the most interesting, important person in the world. Their beautiful clear-green colour filled her mind, and she couldn't bring herself to think of anything else.
The next few days were spent preparing for the return to school. The atmosphere in Grimmauld Place was extremely subdued. The Weasleys' felt awkward because their words were inadequate. Harry was inconsolable and spent the week locked in his room.
It was a relief when Monday arrived, Hermione could lose herself in her studies, Ron could practice quidditch, and Ginny had Draco to keep her company, thankfully though Ron hadn't discovered they were dating. Only Harry had no one: No Cho, no Dumbledore, who still hadn't made an appearance, and now no Sirius. He boarded the purple Knight bus with a heavy heart.
Lupin's trilby hat and trailing tailcoat had gained a few half- hearted laughs from the Weasleys', but glancing at Harry made them stop straight away. Harry walked to the back of the bus and flopped next to Tonks, who was disguised as a smart businesswoman with neat blonde hair.
"You ok Harry?" She asked discreetly.
"Sure." He answered tersely, turning towards the window.
Tonks wasn't put off. "I know you're not. I'm not trying to be interfering or cruel, but you need to try and let it go, just a little bit. At least try to be a bit happier for their sakes, even if it is just a front." She nodded her head, indicating the Weasleys' who were all sitting in silence, looking dejected.
"It's hard," muttered Harry, a lump forming in his throat. He was about to cry. Great.
"I know," she replied gently, " but your strong and you will stop grieving eventually. It just takes time." Harry nodded as she patted his hand and walked to the front of the bus, where she began to talk to Stan Shunpike. A few minutes later she returned grinning.
"Ah, the power of flirtation and extra money! The next stop is Hogwarts," she announced in a hostess voice, pinching her nose, "so we should be there soon." A loud bang ensued as she finished her sentence.
"Sirius!" Harry yelled, "NO!!" Lupin held Harry as he struggled to follow Sirius.
"It's too late, he's gone," whispered Lupin.
"No, he can't be."
"He is, Harry," sobbed Tonks. She bowed her head as the tears fell uncontrollably; the death eater that she had been fighting had escaped as soon as Dumbledore had entered the room. "My dear, sweet cousin, gone, forever." Anger made her voice tremble, and she looked up, fury kindling a strange fire in her eyes. Their gaze fell upon someone across the room. Lucius Malfoy.
He looked up and they made eye contact. It felt like he was falling into an endless pit of flames, and the rage flaring in the depths struck a felling inside of him. She was about to avenge Sirius, he realized. He looked around the room, her gaze stayed, immobile, locked on him. He stood in a stance, wand poised, waiting for the oncoming attack.
It didn't happen. Tonks collected herself together, turned, then uttered the death spell, her voice reserved but commanding. A flash of green light erupted from her wand, aimed at, not Lucius, but Bellatrix Lestrange. She fell with a strangled cry, the look of triumph at having vanquished Sirius remnant on her still face. Tonks grabbed Harry, shouted a counter jynx for Neville, who stopped dancing, and ran out of the room. Lucius followed, the rest of the death eaters close behind him. Tonks pushed Harry and Neville into the spinning room.
"Be quick Harry, don't stop for anyone, and get to the atrium. Professor Dumbledore will join you soon. The fountain will help you if you need it."
"The fountain?" Harry muttered blankly.
"Just go Harry!" Tonks yelled in exasperation, ushering him and Neville through, "and lock the doors behind you." She turned to face Lucius, her wand raised ready.
"Go quickly," he said quietly, "before they catch up."
"What are you doing? Why are you helping me?"
"I'm saving your life and you'll probably find out why sooner or later, I wouldn't worry about it too much," he whispered, gently pushing her through the door.
*
That night, lying in bed, Tonks couldn't stop thinking about Lucius. If he really was that bad a person why did he save her? It certainly wasn't the family ties, because they didn't acknowledge each other as being related.
She opened her eyes, staring in the direction of the ceiling. The room was in darkness. She remembered Lucius' eyes looking at her so intently: as if she was the most interesting, important person in the world. Their beautiful clear-green colour filled her mind, and she couldn't bring herself to think of anything else.
The next few days were spent preparing for the return to school. The atmosphere in Grimmauld Place was extremely subdued. The Weasleys' felt awkward because their words were inadequate. Harry was inconsolable and spent the week locked in his room.
It was a relief when Monday arrived, Hermione could lose herself in her studies, Ron could practice quidditch, and Ginny had Draco to keep her company, thankfully though Ron hadn't discovered they were dating. Only Harry had no one: No Cho, no Dumbledore, who still hadn't made an appearance, and now no Sirius. He boarded the purple Knight bus with a heavy heart.
Lupin's trilby hat and trailing tailcoat had gained a few half- hearted laughs from the Weasleys', but glancing at Harry made them stop straight away. Harry walked to the back of the bus and flopped next to Tonks, who was disguised as a smart businesswoman with neat blonde hair.
"You ok Harry?" She asked discreetly.
"Sure." He answered tersely, turning towards the window.
Tonks wasn't put off. "I know you're not. I'm not trying to be interfering or cruel, but you need to try and let it go, just a little bit. At least try to be a bit happier for their sakes, even if it is just a front." She nodded her head, indicating the Weasleys' who were all sitting in silence, looking dejected.
"It's hard," muttered Harry, a lump forming in his throat. He was about to cry. Great.
"I know," she replied gently, " but your strong and you will stop grieving eventually. It just takes time." Harry nodded as she patted his hand and walked to the front of the bus, where she began to talk to Stan Shunpike. A few minutes later she returned grinning.
"Ah, the power of flirtation and extra money! The next stop is Hogwarts," she announced in a hostess voice, pinching her nose, "so we should be there soon." A loud bang ensued as she finished her sentence.
