THE WEREWOLF UNDER MY SKIN
To Grimauld Place - Where Kingsley is briefing a young Auror
July 1995
-You're sure you want to join us, Tonks? This is gonna be quite dangerous, and of course, totally illegal…
-Come on, Kingsley, interrupted the young witch. Course I'm sure…I don't give a damn if our stupid Minister – sorry, I should have said our dear employer- chooses to be deaf, dumb and blind while there's a war outside!
Kingsley Shaklebolt burst out laughing, his deep voice echoing in the night. They were flying fast, the bright stars glittering far above their heads, their cloaks billowing in the wind. Any Muggle who would have looked in the sky with a telescope at this moment would probably have thought he was dreaming: two people, a tall black man and a short woman, mounting brooms and speeding in the night, wearing black cloaks and pointed hats! Adding the fact that the young witch's pale, heart- shaped face looked even paler comparing with the mane of tomato red hair falling on her shoulders, it is more likely to think that any Muggle would have thought himself mad.
Looking at her still laughing companion, Tonks had to suppress a giggle at the sight of his bare skull shining as brightly as the crescent-shaped moon above them. But she managed to behave herself for once –after all, he was a much more qualified Auror than her. She was barely 22, and with only twelve months of experience as an Auror, still had a lot to learn.
-So, she resumed, who am I to meet at those Headquarters?
-Well, of course, Dumbledore will be here- he's always here for newcomers, even if he's very busy at the moment… Kingsley frowned slightly, and Tonks knew she was thinking about the Wizengamot affair. She felt her temper rise at the idea that she was forced to work for people so desperately coward.
-Anyway, continued Kingsley, he's the leader of the Or -our leader, I mean. And there will be Sirius, as I told you. The House is his.
Tonks glanced at him, smiling distractedly. Of course, she knew the truth now, but this was still quite weird to be about to meet someone considered as the most dangerous Death-eater alive by almost the entire wizarding community… and a man, incidentally, who happened to be a cousin of hers! But after all, she had never believed him guilty. She could remember how nice and funny he was when she used to see him as a little girl, and her mother had told the whole family a thousand time how much he hated the Darks Arts and that he would NEVER have joined You-Know-Who ("This is dragon dung, Honey!"). The young witch suppressed a grin. Her mother could be annoying sometimes, but she had always had a good feeling about people.
- How is he? She asked eagerly. She hadn't seen him in years, and he had faced Azkaban. She knew he must be about 36 now, but apart from that…
-He's a funny guy, Sirius, smiled Kingsley. You can't blame him for being a bit…on edge sometimes. He's always been so, even when he was young, I remember. But he's really nice, you'll like him. He's a bit like you, actually…very, very stubborn.
She laughed, feeling quite euphoric. She liked the description…breathing deeply and savouring the pleasure of flying freely in the night, she let her mind wander. Finally, she was about to act – in spite of the apathy of her superiors, she could do something to help prevent murders of Muggles and wizards. A second war had begun – but now there was hope. Harry Potter - wasn't it worth facing danger for that boy?
-So, Dumbledore and Black. Who else?
Kingsley shrugged.
-It depends. Many people are only dropping in. There might be Remus Lupin…
- The Potter's friend, uh? One of the Marauders?
- Yep, said Kingsley. Former Gryffindor, same year as James, Lilly and Sirius. Very smart guy, very calm, quite unlike Sirius, but quite similar too…he's very liked among the Order. No doubt you'll like him too. But you never know, he might be away on a mission…
- Yeah? What kind of things is he up to? She asked eagerly.
- Erm, maybe you can ask him once…I don't fell like telling you at his place, answered Kingsley, looking grave and somewhat ill-at-ease.
- No problem, replied Tonks cheerfully. Whatever the missions for the Order could be, she would soon know, she thought, smiling, as they began to go down, reaching London, where thousands of lights were like a giant cobweb glittering in the dark.