Tonks struggled all of the way back to the entrance hall. The loss of blood and her grief at loosing Sirius again weakened her efforts considerably, yet as they reached the entrance hall she still managed to push Percy away.
As she broke free from his hold she fell heavily and struggled to right herself. Percy gave an impatient sigh and reached out to lift her up but she batted his arm away angrily.
"This is your fault" She spat at him as she pulled herself up onto the side of the fountain. "If you'd have told us about this sooner it would have worked!"
"How do you know?" Percy demanded angrily. "Maybe if you'd have waited a little longer and gone through the proper procedures it would have worked. But oh no, you had to go rushing off without thinking about it."
"Sometimes you have to actually get of your arse and do something." Tonks snarled weakley. She felt dizzy as she rose to her feet and swayed slightly. Percy looked slightly concerned as she lurched backwards and reached out to steady her. Again she batted him away defiantly. " HIDING behind paperwork and procedure all the time helps no one!" She growled. Percy looked outraged.
"And that helped did it?" He yelled shrilly "If he'd have thought about what he was doing in the first place maybe your cousin wouldn't…"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Tonks roared so forcefully that she toppled backwards wheezing for breath. "Sirius died saving those he loved." She gasped and spluttered "You're bloody lucky he did to, I'd hate to think what would have happened if you-know-who had've succeeded! Not to mention the fact that Ron and Ginny were there!"
Percy looked as though she'd slapped him, it appeared that he hadn't know that they were both with Harry "Yeah," Tonks smiled, satisfied that she'd rattled him "Sirius saved your brother and sister, what were you doing at the time Perce? A bit of filling? Wow, thank goodness you're n our side." She finished sarcastically.
Percy went bright red but seemed to be biting back his anger. Steam seemed to be rising from his nose giving him the appearance of an angry dragon. As Tonks watched his breath rise she noticed hers do the same and a familiar feeling of dread and unhappiness washed over her.
Shivering as the temperature dropped she reached out for Percy. He pulled her up and held her by his side as the room filled with black hooded figures. Pale and frightened the pair looked desperately around for an escape. There was no way out, the dementers had them trapped in a circle.
"You did remember to warn the others didn't you?" Tonks asked Pecy desperately as the sound of screaming filled her head. To her horror Percy shook his head.
"No," he moaned "I was too busy saving you."
"Thanks for that," Tonks smiled weakly as the circle around them tightened. " you planning on an encore?"
Percy didn't bother to respond. His eyelids began to droop as he clutched his head with his free hand "There's so many of them." He said Weakley. Tonks could feel his breathing becoming faster and felt him trembling. She knew that it was down to her to get them both out. She reached into her cloak pocket ignoring the wailing in her head. There was nothing there. She tried the other..
"Damn!" She swore as her fingers searched the second pocket in vain "Where's my wand?"
Percy seemed to be struggling to think straight. "We must have left it back in the veil room." He gasped, slowly sinking to the floor pulling Tonks with him "What do I do?" He whispered fearfully.
"Keep your wand up" She moaned and grabbed his elbow to help him keep the wand straight. "and try and think of something happy."
Percy shook his head and sank down to the floor. "I can't," he panted "there are too many." And with that he closed his eyes and fainted.
"Percy try!" Tonks cried desperately. She shook him hard but felt herself slipping into unconsciousness as well "Percy?"
there was nothing that she could do. Tonks heard the screams and wails of her dying parents fill her head mixed with her eight year old self's cries. Then came the familiar sound of Sirius casting his patronus… only, it didn't seem to be coming from inside her head.
Unsteadily she opened her eyes and lifted her head as a shining silver blur circled her and Percy, butting the dementers out of the way. 'It couldn't be!'
As the bright lights faded a pale and concerned face bent low over her. It smiled relieved as it saw that she was okay.
"Are you alright?" Sirius whispered softly as he sat her up.
Tonks didn't know what to say. Suddenly all of her pain seemed to have vanished. She felt tears of happiness well up inside her as she broke into a relieved grin. "Yeah" She smiled, whipping her tears away. "you?"
"You wouldn't believe the week that I've had!" He laughed softly. Tonks joined in, at first anyway. After a second or two her laughter died away and she found herself weeping into her cousins shoulder. He stroked her hair and made 'shh-ing' noises as a whole week of grief and worry poured out of her. Eventually she broke away, wiping her tears on her sleeves.
"do you remember.." She muttered "I mean, you were awake in there?"
Sirius nodded sadly but didn't say anything.
"What was it like?" Tonks whispered.
Sirius seemed to give this some thought. "Really, really boring." He said with a grin. His eyes gave him away though. Tonks saw in them the same dead expression that he'd had the first time that she'd seen him after his stay in Azkaban. She decided not to press him though, if he wants to talk about it he will. She didn't want to push it.
Still she couldn't help reaching out and patting his arm reassuringly. As she moved her arm she felt the sharp pain from the cut again and winced.
Sirius rolled back the sleeve of her robe and examined the wound
"You're hurt?" He whispered, his eyebrows knotting in concern.
"Yeah," Tonks smiled "massive blood loss, torture and being strangled by my aunt, and you think you've had a rough week."
Sirius didn't seem to find this very amusing. He rested his head in his hands with a despairing sigh before looking up angrily at his young cousin "How could you even consider…?"
Tonks cut across "I'm sorry." She whispered sincerely taking his hand. "But it all worked out okay didn't it?"
Sirius looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding his head "I suppose so," He relented " Though not for this poor bloke." He said sadly, indicating the unconscious young man next to her.
"Percy? he's just fainted."
"Ah, the Weasley's black sheep." Sirius laughed handing Tonks her wand. She shook her head.
"He's alright really." She said fairly. As she spoke the fires lining the walls suddenly blazed and several startled looking wizards emerged. A small group raced over Dumbledore, Lupin, Mad-eye, Kingsley and Arthur in the lead. Even Dumbledore looked surprised to see Sirius, though only slightly.
Lupin seemed beside himself. "Sirius?" He breathed, rushing forward "It can't be!"
"It is." Sirius grinned, pulling him tight into a brotherly hug. "And I have these two to thank for it."
He stepped aside and indicated Tonks and the unconscious Percy Weasley.
"Percy!" Arthur cried and knelt desperately by his son.
"It's okay Arthur" Tonks assured him in a soothing tone "he just passed out when the dementers attacked."
"Dementers?" Kingsley asked sharply, raising his wand.
"They're gone" Tonks explained from the floor
. As the others breathed a sigh of relief Dumbledore moved closer and crouched down by her. "It sounds like you've had quite a day Nyphadora." He beamed at her "Perhaps you'd care to explain how all of this came to be?" He finished waving his hand to indicate Sirius and Percy.
Tonks took a deep breath and explained everything in as much detail as she could. Her audience stood rapt as she informed them of Fudges death and how the ministry had been keeping information hidden. She brushed over her attempted sacrifice as casually as she could, avoiding Sirius' angry glare.
They were all most interested that Bellatrix had been after the file but seemed satisfied that, as she was dead and Sirius was back, no harm had come from any of it.. When she finished Dumbledore rose to his feet with a sad sigh.
"I had a feeling that Cornelius was concealing something from me," He said shaking his head "poor fellow. I shall have to inform his wife, and of course there are so many things to be dealt with around here" He said indicating the ministry with a large sweep of his hand. "But first Sirius, perhaps you would be so kind as to take miss Tonks to St Mungos."
"But I can't…."
Lupin cut across him with a reassuring smile "You're free now Padfoot," He whispered softly "everyone knows that you were innocent."
Sirius smiled as the reality of this sank in. Tonks thought that she noticed a relieved tear in his eyes as he helped her to her feet.
"Perhaps Young Mr Weasley should go to." Dumbledore said as Arthur helped Percy up as well. He had regained consciousness as Tonks had retold the days events to the others.
"I'm alright thank you Professor." He said shaking his head. He looked downcast for a moment and mumbled to his feet: "I'm sorry that I doubted you."
Dumbledore spoke softly and kindly to Percy as the young man shook his hand "You apologies are not necessary Percy," He smiled "misplaced maybe, wouldn't you say?"
Slowly Percy nodded his head in understanding and turned to his father "I.. I never meant .." He stammered as tears formed in both of their eyes "I was just ..I'm SO sorry dad."
"It's okay" Arthur sniffed fighting back his tears. He reached his arms out to embrace his son, not noticing the dark figure slinking down the steps of the golden staircase. It was Troy!
They all stood aghast as he fired the avada kedavera curse all except Percy who dived forward knocking his father backwards.
"PERCY!" Arthur screamed form the floor as the green light smashed int his sons chest." NO!"
The young man fell back to the floor, eyes open and glassy as the other wizards bombarded the Troy with stunning curses. As he to fell the remaining wizards all gathered around as the weeping Arthur Weasley pulled his dead son to his chest and screamed desperately.
While Dumbledore and Lupin rushed to help him Tonks felt her legs give way. Overwhelmed she sank backwards and was caught by Sirius.
"Tonks?" He called desperately, lying her down flat. He called again but she didn't hear. The room had darkened and everything became distant…
A/n I'd just like to say a big thanks to Miss Piratess, MrsAliciaWeasley, Deadly-Viper-Assasin, Jen and DarthRoden for their wonderful and encouraging reviews ;-)
