Sorry this is kind of a filler chapter, but I needed some sort of bridge to the next events.

I also put in a reminder of who Aspen DeChant is. (Lady met at Quidditch game.)

2/21/5

Sirius leaned back against the door, panting heavily. What the bloody hell had he just done? To Tonks, of all people? His upper arm throbbed from the door had slammed against it, due to her stupid little boot trick. Really, the girl had ought to join some proselyting religion. She would do well as a missionary.

But... Tonks? He could barely think. All he could see was her in the horrible little goth outfit parading around the Ministry... what was she doing here? Of all the people he had expected to see...

Well, he was certainly having issues. What had he expected? Compete and total strangers? Wasn't the reason for coming back to actually see everyone again? He took a deep breath, trying to sort out his mind.

Well, it had been sudden. She had practically thrown herself into the room. She was famous for that. Though admittedly she wasn't usually so angry about it. If he reacted like this around people he actually knew well... no, he hadn't behaved so badly. He had been quite calm about the whole thing. Save for the door slamming thing at the end.

He laughed, all worry flooding out of him. Tonks was about to see a side of Fudge she probably didn't expect. Especially now that she was working for him.

"Tonks is working for me." It was strange to say aloud.

He was confused again. Slowly, he made it to the desk. The cushion was very comfy. That was the one thought he let himself have. He ran his fingernails down the length of the desk and took a deep breath. How long had he been dead? How long had the world been going on without him?

Tonks was working for him. As an assistant. But it didn't seem that way. She had been the one bossing him around-and Fudge was supposed to be the leader of the entire magical community of England! Apparently she was worried about Voldemort-and telling the world that he was back.

He took another deep breath. It had been in the papers. The papers had been printing that Voldemort was back. And apparently Fudge knew about it. The Ministry was trying to get everyone to realize that Voldemort was back.

Victory for the Order.

Something must have happened after he fell through the veil.

What else had happened?

"Mr. Weatherby!" he shouted in the gruffest voice he could summon. Ron and Harry had told him that little nickname Crouch had given Percy. Why wouldn't Fudge use it? "Weatherby, get in here!"

There was a long pause before the door opened a crack and Percy's freckled face peaked in. "Yes, Minister?"

"You have failed to brief me this morning."

Percy blinked. "I... Mr. Fudge, that's usually not one of my duties."

This was kind of fun. "Well, it is now. So do it immediately. Oh, and send an owl off to Albus Dumbedore that I need to meet with him as soon as possible." Dumbledore. He could trust Dumbledore, couldn't he?

"Which do you want first?"

"The briefing."

Percy looked very confused. "Well, er, Miss Nymphadora Tonks that the Order sent over would have given you their information, but... nothing major has happened. We still have a large number of Death Eaters in Azkaban..."

"Death Eaters in Azkaban!" Another victory.

"Yes, including Mr. Lucius Malfoy. Though I don't think the man we replaced him with is doing anything..."

It took Sirius a moment to realize that Percy meant Malfoy's job at the Ministry. "Oh, okay. And how are the responses to Voldemort's return doing?"

Percy didn't seem to want to discuss that. "As well as they could be, though..."

"Though?"

"It doesn't concern you, sir."

"Of course it does."

"You're still being mocked for not mentioning this earlier, especially when Harry Potter blabbered it around."

Sirius leaned back in the chair, smiling. "Ah, yes. Harry Potter. We have him to thank for all of us, don't we?"

Percy looked ill. "Uh, yeah. Should I send the owl soon?"

"I'm surprised you're not already on it."

Percy gave him a long stare, then closed the door.

Things were going well, Sirius thought. Very well. The Order had even managed to sneak someone into the Ministry, albeit Tonks. Not a bad choice, though. Not bad at all. He was certain she would prefer the warriro glory all aurors dreamed of, but as a confidant inside the Ministry... she was going to do an excellent job. Of course, that was because he was now here to help.

Though working in the Ministry couldn't possibly be her cup of tea. He gave a bitter laugh. She should try an life sentence in Azkaban.

He stood up and returned to the fireplace. He could try the Dursleys.. no, they didn't have a fireplace. The Weasleys. The Weasleys could reach him. He opened the jar of floo powder and tossed some into the flames.

"The Burrow!" he shouted, and stuck his head in. Oh, how he loved the tickle of the flames.

The familiar kitchen of the Wealeys appeared before him. Empty, except for a redheaded figure sitting at the table eating a sandwich. Ginny.

Sirius loudly cleared his throat.

Ginny gave a start. "Um... my dad isn't here."

"I'm looking for Harry Potter. I must speak with him."

For a long time Ginny stared at him, frowning. Then, with all the spite a Weasley was capable of, she jumped to her feet and walked to the door. "He doesn't want to speak with you." And then she was gone.

He pulled his head out. Harry? Not wanting to speak to him? That couldn't be.

Unless he was Cornelius Fudge instead of Sirius Black.

There had to be someway to get a hold of him.

He heard a voice behind him. He flipped around just in time to see the door slam, just after the flash of a familiar woman.

Aspen DeChant? That woman he had met with Pratt at the Quidditch game. Just after taking this body.

He stood up and ran to the door, throwing it open. Percy was outside, talking to someone that the real Fudge might have recognized. Both turned to look at him.

"Did Mrs. DeChant just come threw here?"

Percy frowned. "No, sir, there hasn't been anyone demanding to see you."

"But she just came into my office..."

"Mr. Fudge, I would have seen her." Percy stood up, looking very worried. "Are you feeling all right?"

"I feel fine," he lied. "Just get the owl off to Dumbledore." He returned to the office.

Parchment was kept in the desk. He pulled out a sheet and a bottle of ink and quill.

Aspen DeChant, he wrote. Then he scribbled over it. She couldn't have killed Fudge.

Maybe he did need Tonks' help.

SHOUT OUTS!

v-babe24: Death to Fudge! Even though he is already dead!

scared-of-mimes: Sorry. It was an accident we couldn't bare to change.

Phillipa of the Phoenix: Yes... that is foreshadowing...

milky way bar: Yeah, poor Tonks. Technically, she is in there because they really did think she'd be the best for it, but she doesn't see it that way.

meenyrocks: Thanks! I'm going over Order of the Phoenix again for better understand of Tonks' personality. I just hate stereotyping people to the only moods we see.

Lunatic Pandora1: Don't worry; I despise that ending and have something completely different in mind.

Lady Meriadoc: Thanks so much for approving of Tonks!

Lady Kazaana: Whoot!

Jamie McFly: I thought you would appreciate the goth.

hydraspit: Eh, Sirius' temper will get a lot worse.

Dot the Distracted: Maybe Zombie Sirius could change his friends into zombies. No, there really isn't any particular order of update. I usually realize I've ignored a story and update it in a panic.

Chailyn Cole Runewood: He'll be happy about Tonks being there later, I promise.

auburgine: Thanks for being honest. It's hard to do Tonks, I suppose. No one can be chipper all the time, and I hate stereotyping characters when we only see so much of their personality in the books. It's hard to find a happy medium. Actually, Tonks is not in there because she is a klutz and they want to get rid of her. Her assignment with the Ministry is very important, and actually entails a lot more than she knows. She is there because they thought she would be the best one for the job because of her talents and skills. She just doesn't see it that way. So, yeah, she is mistaken. As for the arranged marriage... it was never real, just a very dark family joke among the Blacks that happened before Sirius was imprisoned. And for them being related... it's a long and complicated accident. By the time my cousin realized it, we were all too attached to the story. So bad on my part. And just between you and me, I love Tonks/Lupin.

Arwench: I suppose you're right, but I've always thought of Sirius as kind of... immature. Sorry about the word. I shall spell right next time.

Alavon's Child: Yup, she's annoyed.