A/N: Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers (a grand total of 3 as of Feb. 9)!

I especially want to thank Crazy Hyper Lady for helping me post this chapter. Without her help you would still be waiting to know who the lady was at the end of the chapter (although I have no doubt that most people knew, right off the bat, who she was!).

Disclaimer: What! You actually think I own this material? (If you do, it would be a mighty fine compliment!)

Ha! I didn't even know how to post another chapter to my story!

Chapter 2: Of Birds and Books

Minerva McGonagall arrived at a deserted street. She started to walk down it when an old, ragged beggar woman approached her.

"Could you spare some change?" she inquired with a shaky and cracking voice. "It is for my cats. I only have twenty. Their names are Mr. Tibbles, Snowy…" She cackled.

"Tonks, don't poke fun at Arabella! She has only four cats, now that she gave some away last year," Minerva frowned and said disapprovingly. "Besides, I have grave information to report to Dumbledore. Which reminds me, shouldn't you be doing your job?"

"I am, professor," Tonks replied, still in the old lady's voice. "Mad-Eye sent me out here to wait for you. I guess it's my punishment because he said I made enough noise to wake people up on the other side of town."

Minerva sighed. "What did you do this time, Tonks?" she said wearily.

"Well, you know that talking mirror on the 3rd floor?" started Tonks. "I kind of broke it. But it wasn't my fault! Someone left some books scattered around on the floor and I tried to avoid them, I really did, but I tripped over this monstrously thick book on Goblin Wars. I grabbed the mirror to keep from falling; only, the mirror wasn't securely attached to the wall, so it crashed to the floor with me. It only broke in to two pieces. I could easily fix that. After that, it started shouting swear words at me, joined in by Mad-Eye, who found me sprawled on the floor two minutes later," explained Tonks earnestly, but still in the beggar woman's screechy tone. Then she added, "They made a right old chorus. I reckon they could sing in a duet if they wanted to."

"Tonks, you really shouldn't talk like that all the time. It will drive people around you mad, including me," said Minerva.

Tonks replied, as the two women walked down the road, "Sorry, professor, but I'm just doin' my job. I've got to blend in, you know."

After walking a while, Tonks said, "So, what are you going to report to Dumbledore, professor?"

Minerva stiffened and replied, "We'll tell you at the next meeting, Tonks."

"What! Why? You don't think I'm responsible enough with important information? I'm not mature enough, huh? Is that it?" Tonks asked defensively. "Is this a face that is not responsible?" she asked.

Minerva turned to answer her young, annoying friend but found she was looking into a mirror image of her face.

If looks could kill, Tonks would be a pile of dust.

"What? I'm only joking," Tonks said earnestly. "Just a bit of fun."

"Life is not fun, Tonks. Especially now that Lord Voldemort is around," said Minerva, with a stone cold face. "We must take our jobs seriously now. We've already lost two members: Sirius Black and Sturgis Podmore. We very nearly lost Arthur Weasley. The Order doesn't want to lose you or anyone else."

"Alright, professor," Tonks said seriously. But then she resumed her normal bouncy-self, saying, "But I didn't know you cared so much about little old me!" She changed her face into that of a little girl's.

Minerva, unable to resist Tonks's charm, finally gave in, saying, "If you must know, someone very important was killed tonight by Voldemort."

"Oh no!" Tonks exclaimed, concerned and shocked. "Who was it?"

"Ragnok, the influential goblin at Gringotts Bill Weasley was trying to convince to join our side," explained Minerva. "And I have everything that happened written down on this piece of parchment, thanks to the Weasley twins."

When she noticed Tonks's confused expression, she added, "It's a modification of the Quick Quotes Quill called the Omniscrib."

"Oh, shoot!" muttered Tonks under her breath. "I hoped it was Fudge."

"I heard that," said Minerva. "Even though he and the Ministry of Magic do not respect us, we still have to respect them because they can harm us. It's common courtesy."

"'Common courtesy' my bum," mumbled Tonks to herself.

"Speaking of them," – Tonks started to say, but was interrupted by her former professor announcing that they had arrived at their destination.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a grubby-looking house appeared. The two women walked up to it as if they hardly noticed anything strange at all.

Minerva watched Tonks warily when the approached the door, upon which a snake shaped knocker hung, and beside which a green doorbell was placed.

Sure enough, the young witch reached out to ring the doorbell and succeeded.

Minerva immediately slapped her wrist.

"Hey!" Tonks protested angrily. "What was that for!"

Minerva sternly said, "You know no one is supposed to ring the doorbell!"

"Well I've been getting better about it," Tonks said. "I only did it this time because I want to spite Mad-Eye. He's probably going to come stomping down the stairs, thinking up horrible curses to curse me with."

Tonk's prediction was half true, and they soon heard Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody thundering down the stairs yelling swear words with every step he took. He tore open the door, took one good, long look at the two women, and promptly turned Tonks into a budgerigar.

For a rare moment, Minerva was shocked and stood with her mouth agape. But she composed herself quickly and exclaimed, "ALASTOR!"

The named man didn't look perturbed at all and said flatly, "She was getting on my nerves. And I'm not going to return her to her original state till she shuts her mouth."

'Well, that's not very wise,' Minerva thought. For she knew that one of the most annoying traits of budgies was that they never stopped chattering.

Tonks gave an offended chirp beside her.

"I must ask: why? Why did you not put a Silencing Charm on her?" Minerva asked curiously.

"Because," the magical-eyed man growled. "Because even if she shuts her trap she won't stop making a mess everywhere she goes. Plus, an animal like that is easy to carry." Mad-Eye conjured up a bird cage.

Tonks, the budgerigar, voiced a frightened peep to her former professor. Apparently she did not like the idea of spending all day with her malevolent boss in bird form, most likely so in human form, too.

"Alastor, I'll keep an eye on her", Minerva told the mistrustful man. Then, seeing his wary glare, added, "And I promise I will not change her back to her human self till you deem her punishment over."

Mad-Eye Moody seemed satisfied with her statement. He said, "Right. Well, I'm going to be clearing out Mrs. Black's bedroom if you need me." And with that, he turned and stomped up the decaying stairs of the creepy house.

Minerva sighed. Alastor Moody was so infuriating at times. On second thought, he was always infuriating.

"Come, Tonks," Minerva said as the bird flew to her shoulder. "Let's go to bed."

A/N: So what do you think? This chapter is brighter and happier than the last, I must say.

I have so much experience with incessant chattering budgies it is not even funny.

Please read and review and I'll put up another chapter as soon as possible. (I've already written Chapter 3, so it won't be much longer to wait!)