Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything in this story except for Orlando Baragon, Anna Ominous, the Spiritus Apographon, and of course the plot.

Note: In my story Draco doesn't know Tonks is his cousin. After all Andromeda was disowned from the Black family. Such scandal was not to be spoken of to the children. However, Tonks is well aware that Draco is her cousin, but she doesn't know that he doesn't know.

The Filth in Purity

Chapter 9: Cousins

"Okay, first we're going to go over the proper movements for the Spiritus Reverto." Tonks spoke to Draco at the beginning of their first extra instruction session.

"I know the proper moves." Draco huffed.

"Meh. I only taught you the basics. The moves to dispel small spirits and ghosts. In order to send a real Spiritus Apographon back to the wizard that conjured it,you have to give iteverything you got." Tonks sounded like she was captain of a Quidditch team giving the players a pre-game pep-talk.

"Now, you swing your arm around your head as you say 'Spiritus,' then lunge and bring you arm out with your leg as you say 'Reverto.' With this movement you can get a really powerful spell. Now you try." Tonks stepped aside.

Draco copied Tonks' motion.

"Great!" Tonks clapped her hands. "Now if only I could find you a target to practice with. You think Peeves will fall for the same trick twice?"

"You mean the glass box? I think so. He always jumps at the chance to break something. Maybe just try a different breakable thing." Draco smirked.

"Okay." Tonks winked and got a big jar of slug slime.

"Oh no! I wouldn't want someone to break this jar of smelly slug slime, that would be terrible!" Tonks called out in her best melodramatic voice.

Draco chuckled, calling out, "Oh yeah we wouldn't want that!"

Unfortunately, Peeves had learned a few things since the last time they had pulled tricks on him. He silently came through the ceiling and dropped down behind them. At the last second, he let out a cackle and snatched the jar from Tonks' hands.

Draco reacted fast, he thanked his Quidditch training for that.

"Spiritus Reverto!"

Bull's-eye! The spell hit Peeves and he disappeared, unfortunately this also caused the jar of slug slime to fall to the ground and left a big spill on the floor.

"I did it!" For awhile Draco's smile was bright and genuine with excitement, but he quickly regained his composure and smirked. "I knew I would."

"That's excellent! Particularly for a first try. Judging by the size of the spell you put him halfway back to where he started from." Tonks smiled. "Though I don't think we can get him to 'help' us again today."

"Well I've got potions homework to work on anyway."

"I'll let you know when I found a more agreeable target for you to practice on."

"Right." Draco, turned and was about to leave when he turned back.

"Professor thank you not laughing me out of your office when I asked for help." Tonks looked confused for a moment, but then she reminded herself of just who she was talking.

"Well you know, with all the bias and rivalry going on, I like to think of myself as the neutral territory." Tonks chuckled, and an amused smirk crossed Draco's face, "Also, what kind of person would I be if I didn't help my own cousin?"

Tonks realized too late she had said the wrong thing, when she saw Draco's face fall. He narrowed his eyes.

"What did you say?"

Tonks recognized that it was the type of "What did you say?" that meant Draco understood what she said, but couldn't believe it. Did he really not know? They hadn't told him?

Then again her mother Andromeda, Narcissa Malfoy's sister, had been disowned from their family, the most ancient and noble house of Black. It didn't come as any surprise to her that her aunt Narcissa wanted to disconnect herselffrom her sister completely.

"I know you heard me." Tonks said a little more icily than she intended, it stemed from her anger towards Narcissa.

"My cousin?" Draco whispered more to himself than to Tonks, but presently faced her and raised his voice. "Who are you parents?"

"Andromeda and Ted Tonks, but my mother's original surname was Black. Andromeda Black, sister to Narcissa and Bellatrix Black. Disowned for marrying a muggleborn." Tonks said stiffly.

Several expressions flitted across Draco's face until finally he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.

"And just when we were getting along. Go figure my aunt could still manage to ruin things." Tonks muttered to the empty room.

0000

Now that I'm at the beginning of the end of my Harry Potter/Aliens story I'm finally going to get back to Filth in Purity. I know this chapter is short, but I will have the next chapter up as soon as I get it back from my beta reader.

Draco goes home to check his ailing mother, but finds more than he bargained for in one of the basements of Malfoy Manor. An ancient weapon once belonging to Salazar Sytherin.

Till Next Time!

-Vega Sailor

P.S.

Be sure to check out a collaboration story I am working on with some friends of mine. It's called "The Founders Four."

You can find it