Disclaimer: everything belongs to J. K. Rowling of course.
Blood of a werewolf
Chapter 1: Hagrid's Tale
Nymphadora Tonks was sitting in her chair in her office, or actually, she was partially hanging in her chair and partially hanging on the table before her, while she was looking in the mirror before her and changing her appearances over and over to find one that sufficiently reflected her mood for today.
It still sounds great, she thought to herself, Wizarding Private Detective Tonks.
She had started her office a few years ago, when she had resigned her job at the Ministry in protest to the inhuman laws of Umbridge. At first it was just a job to have a bit of money until she could return to the Ministry, but things had changed a great deal since then.
They have practically begged me to return as an Auror, with the great lack of Aurors they have since the end of the war, but this job pays a lot better, I can decide to take a day off or a vacation whenever I want and I can chose which job I take.
After the war against Voldemort had ended, she had received many requests of people searching for lost family members, lovers or friends or lost family heirlooms that were taken by Death Eaters. She was one of the few real wizarding privet detectives and she was definitely the only one with such good contacts inside the Ministry. Which is not that hard, seeing as I'm friends with the Minister himself. This had earned her a lot of clients and a lot of experience. She had made herself a name.
A knock sounded on the door of her office before it opened quickly and the Minister of Magic entered.
"Wotcher, Kingsley, what brings you here?"
"We need your help, Tonks, and we may have a clue about Remus Lupin's whereabouts."
Kingsley knew this would be the best way to catch her full attention and it had obviously worked. When he had entered, she kept hanging in her chair and she let her gaze wandering between his face, her desk and her mirror, but upon hearing that one name, Tonks instantly sat upright in her chair and focused her gaze on the minister's face.
Kingsley explained to her what had happened to Harry, why they needed Remus and their suspicions about Hagrid. Tonks had instantly jumped out of her chair and closed her office for the rest of the day: she wanted to go to Hogwarts immediately.
The Minister left her to her activities after assuring her that if she needed any help, she only had to ask for it, but she probably hadn't heard him saying that anyway, busy as she was with running around her office getting her things together and meanwhile toppling over several objects scattered across the floor.
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A few hours later, Tonks apparated just outside the gates of Hogwarts and headed straight for Hagrid's hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, replaying what Kingsley had told her over in her head and cursing Hagrid all the while.
All this time he might have had an idea where Remus is and he never told me. He knew I was searching for Remus but he didn't say a word, he simply ignored it. How could he do that, bastard. I will make him pay. Unless he agrees to help me right away, then I might spare him.
Tonks was still seething when she knocked, or rather banged on Hagrid's door. The half-giant was perplexed upon finding a very angry looking Nymphadora Tonks on his doorstep.
"Hello Tonks, what's bringin' yeh here?"
"Wotcher Hagrid. There's something important I need to talk about with you."
Hagrid stepped aside and allowed her into the hut, offering her a seat and tea, Tonks took the time to calm down a bit before confronting him. When they had settled down, Tonks came straight to the point.
"Hagrid, do you know where I can find Remus Lupin?"
Hagrid stared at her for a moment before answering. "Wha' makes yeh think that?"
"It doesn't matter, but let me tell you what does matter, if we don't find him soon, Harry Potter will die."
The half-giant looked thoroughly shocked by this revelation and the only answer he was able to formulate was "How?" Tonks proceeded to relate to him what had happened to Harry, when she was finished, Hagrid was almost in tears.
Tonks repeated her question about the whereabouts of Remus but it took some time before Hagrid had collected himself enough to formulate a coherent answer and it wasn't the answer Tonks had hoped for.
"I don't know where Remus is, but I might know someone who does."
"Who?"
"Firenze."
"And where can I find him?"
"'m not sure, last time I've seen 'im was in Romania."
Now it was Tonks who was staring at Hagrid. "In Romania? Please tell me what is going on Hagrid, 'cause I don't understand anything of this."
"It's a long story actually, 't all started five years ago. I know you were busy with startin' yer own business an' worryin' about Remus, but he wasn't the only one who was affected by Umbridge's laws. I had to go too an' I also had to bring my little bother in safety. Firenze came with me, poor feller couldn't go back to ter other centaurs in the Forest an' he couldn't stay 'ere at Hogwarts either. We first travelled to Romania to find a place for Grawp, we planned to go to Greece after that, yeh can find there ter biggest population of centaurs and Firenze hoped to start over there. But we stayed longer in Romania than we thought, the end of the war was comin' an' Dumbledore called me back 'ere. Thought Firenze had gone to Greece after I left 'im, but when I went to search for 'im there he never arrived. Last time I went to visit Grawp, Firenze came by to say hello, he told me he had seen Remus a few weeks earlier, but that was two years ago. Haven't heard anythin' since then, but I figure it's possible they're both still there."
When Hagrid had finished his story, Tonks was shocked and embarrassed at the same time. She hadn't thought about the fact Hagrid had been in danger too back then and she felt slightly guilty for not thinking about him. It's like Hagrid said, I was too caught up with my worries about Remus to think about Umbridge's other victims.
But more than that, she was shocked about what Hagrid had told her. Romania? Remus had gone to Romania? What the hell did he think to find there? Why couldn't he stay a little more close to home? Silently she cursed herself for not thinking about the possibility that he might have sought refuge somewhere further away where Umbridge's laws couldn't strike him. Some detective I am, I've been far and wide for my clients, but in my personal search I managed to forget there's a whole world outside of Britain.
Needless to say, Tonks took some time to collect herself and speak again. Finally she said, "Hagrid, I'm really sorry, I hadn't thought about what that toad and her crap did to you and your brother."
"'s a'right Tonks, I'm back at Hogwarts an' Grawp has 'is own little cave in Romania now."
"Well then, I still need to find Remus. Do you think you can help me?"
"Don't know, I can bring yeh near Grawps cave, seems a good place to start lookin' to me."
Tonks frowned slightly. "I suppose that's a start then. But I prefer to go on my own, if you don't mind, I have my ways to work and travel fast. Having another person with me would slow me down and we don't have too much time left. Could you just tell me where I can find your brother's cave?"
Hagrid gave her a detailed description of the surroundings of the cave and how to find it, he also provided her with a map of the area in Romania where she would go and he gave his opinion as to where and how she could possibly find Firenze. It was not much, less than she had hoped for, but more than she did have the past two years. I only hope I can find Firenze fairly quick and even more importantly, that he knows where Remus can be found.
A little time later, Tonks said her goodbyes to Hagrid and returned to her flat to prepare herself, she would leave for Romania the next morning.
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Please Review…
Thanks to everyone who reviewed this and the prequel.
A/N: I'm sorry if the accent of Hagrid is horribly done, I'm very bad at accents.
A/N2:In the next chapter things finally start happening.
