Disclaimer: I still own nothing (although that one dream was really realistic...).

Blood of a werewolf

Chapter 3: The Bleeding Calf

From last chapter: The dragon lowered its head again and opened its jaws, Tonks closed her eyes. This is the end.

Tonks felt the hot breath from the Ironbelly blazing over her face, its shadow darkened the sun and when she peaked through her mostly closed eyelids, she saw the dragon bending down over her, jaws opened, ready to strike.

Suddenly, she heard voices shouting. Tonks opened her eyes to see the dragon getting hit with different spells, mostly stunners. The dragon stood tall again and turned towards its attackers, but the next moment it wavered and started to fall. It's going to fall on me and crush me, just fantastic. Another fire of spells hit the dragon, this time to levitate it and keep it from falling on the woman that was nearly lying under it. While the dragon was levitated away from her, two strong arms grabbed her and helped her stand, while a familiar voice asked, "All right, Tonks?"

Tonks spun around quickly. "Charlie? What are you doing here?" Charlie Weasley stood beside her, holding her up by her arms while she stood only on her right foot.

"Apparently saving your life."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Very funny."

Charlie smiled, a moment later his smile turned into a slight frown. "This Ironbelly escaped out of the Reserve last night and we had some difficulties finding it. This shouldn't have happened."

He tried to let go of Tonks, but when she put down her left foot, she winced and almost fell again. Charlie quickly grabbed her again. Tonks smiled weakly. "Thanks. I think I broke my ankle."

"I'll take you to the Reserve, we have a small hospital and I'm sure one of the healers can fix you up. What are you doing here actually?"

"Hagrid told me Remus should be here, somewhere, at least, that's what he thinks."

"Alright. Come on, I'll take you to the hospital right away and you'll be ready to resume your search in no time."

000

The healers healed her ankle right away, but Tonks had to stay in the hospital for two whole days, to her great dismay. The healers wanted to keep her even longer actually, but after moping around the two days she had been there and threatening the healers on various occasions and in various inventive ways, they let her go the morning of the third day after she arrived.

Charlie had been visiting her twice every day and she was grateful for his support. They had known each other since Hogwarts and had always been good friends and when one is lying in a hospital far away from home, it is really nice to see a familiar face.

When she was finally released, Charlie brought her back to the place where he had found her. He offered to accompany her for the rest of her journey, but Tonks declined the offer, claiming she rather worked alone. The truth was, however, that she wanted to be alone with Remus, if she would ever find him.

When I find him, I can't give up hope now, I've never been closer. But still, I suppose the chances are slim. Even more so since I have only seven days left to bring him back in time to save Harry. Stupid healers wanted to keep me there. For the umpteenth time in the last two and a half days she cursed the healers of the Reserve in a lot of colorful ways.

After Charlie had left and returned to the Reserve, Tonks had resumed her journey, still trying to make some sense of Hagrid's map. During her stay in the Reserve, she had tried to ask directions to a few people working there, but nobody was able to help her. Apparently she wasn't the only one having trouble deciphering Hagrid's map.

During her stay in the Reserve, the weather had changed unfortunately. When she had first arrived in Romania, the sun had been shining all day and no clouds could be seen. Today however, the sun was completely hidden behind dark clouds and although it wasn't raining yet, it probably wouldn't take long before the rain would come.

A few hours later, Tonks found she could barely see where she put her feet. Which means it's extra dangerous for me, seeing how often I place them wrong when I actually can see them. Two hours ago the rain had started steadily falling and eve more clouds had darkened the sky, and although it was too soon for the sun to set, it was already as dark as during the night, even darker because there were no moon or stars visible.

The rain didn't really bother Tonks, she had put a rain-repelling charm on her and at first she didn't really care about the darkness either, her wand gave enough light. But now it was almost too dark for her wand to give enough light and she was getting gradually more tired of walking in the rain.

When she saw a small inn appear a little further down the road she was following, lying in front of a very small village, she decided to rest there for a few hours and eat something. Something hot, I hope they have soup.

Before she reached the building, she quickly released the charms to keep her dry and extinguished her wand. It's probably a Muggle place and I better not make myself suspicious by entering completely dry in the middle of a rainstorm.

Tonks finally reached the inn, thoroughly wet now, and quickly entered it, but not without catching a glimpse of the name of the inn. The Bleeding Calf, what kind of name is that? As she entered,a wave of warmth engulfed her.

She seated herself at a small table in the corner from where she could oversee the whole place. There weren't much other people and the few other people present were eyeing her suspiciously. I suppose they don't have many strangers visiting here, it's the only village in the vicinity.

The bartender approached her and Tonks asked him if she could get some soup, while thinking at the same time he probably didn't even speak English, but to her surprise he did, although with a heavy accent. "We don't have soup." When asked for food he answered he didn't serve food now, and he didn't have hot cocoa, tea or coffee either, so Tonks settled on hot milk with honey.

After the bartender had served her, she let her surroundings sink in. On the other side of the room she could see a few men sitting, talking quietly among themselves and glancing towards her from time to time, Tonks tried to ignore them, although they made her feel slightly unsettled. Closer to her were two older men sitting at a table, they too were eyeing her a bit suspiciously, but the glances they were giving her were at least less menacing. A younger man, around her age, was sitting at the bar, talking quietly to the bartender, but after a short time he got up, approached Tonks and joined her at her table. He too spoke English with a heavy accent.

"I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but we'd like to know what you are doing here, miss."

Tonks lifted her eyebrows. "I don't see why that would be any of your business and joining someone uninvited is considered rude."

The man seemed unfazed by her response. "I'm sorry, miss, but I just wanted to warn you. This is Transylvania, awful things can happen here to people who don't know how to protect themselves, dangerous creatures considered legendary live here. You shouldn't stay."

Tonks didn't know if she should laugh or be offended, but decided against both, considering this guy was a Muggle and those Muggles would probably be suspicious if she had the wrong reaction.

If they only knew I'm a witch, looking for a werewolf, a centaur and a giant, I wonder what they would say.

Tonks eyed the man before her carefully, before finally formulating an answer. "I can take care of myself, but thanks for the advice." It occurred suddenly to her that everyone else in the inn was listening to their conversation. What's going on here?

"It's getting late, miss, I think you should go," the man, still sitting at her table, was talking again. Tonks had to force herself to not roll her eyes.

"Actually, I was hoping I could stay the night here." She did no effort to keep her voice low and the other occupants didn't try to hide the fact they had been listening in on the conversation, because now the bartender answered.

"I'm sorry miss, but we have no free rooms, I suggest you return to were you come from."

Tonks was getting angry now. How dare they tell me where to go to. "I'm not going back sir, I have a reason for being in Transylvania, but if I can't stay the night here, I suppose I'll have to go camp somewhere outside."

A silence fell in the inn, the other occupants seemed to be waiting for her to leave, Tonks decided she could just as well do that. Not the most hospitable people here, the opposite from the Reserve, it seems like I'm falling in extremes here. She stood up and made to leave, when one of the older men, sitting at the table nearby spoke.

"We can't let her stay outside, it's too dangerous."

"We warned her," came the answer of the bartender.

Tonks headed for the door, inwardly shaking her head. Never met such a bunch of lunatics at one place, not counting Death Eaters of course.

Just as she reached the door, the old men spoke to her. "Wherever you're going, don't leave the road and don't enter the forest, girl." His companion supplied, "it's a full moon in three days, beware the moon, miss."

Tonks rolled her eyes and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Yes, I know that's almost the full moon, I'm actually looking for a werewolf. She quickly exited the inn and walked out of the lights shining through the windows, far enough for her to use magic without being noticed. There she re-established the rain-repelling spell and dried herself, before continuing her journey.

As she walked away from the inn, however, she didn't see a small group exit the inn, nor did she notice them following her.

000

A/N: For the inn 'The Bleeding Calf' and the scene in the inn I was inspired by the movie 'An American Werewolf in London' and the pub 'The Slaughtered Lamb.'

Thanks to all my reviewers...

Please review...