Chapter One – Testing Times
Nymphadora Tonks had always been clumsy. It was something her mother had despaired at and her father had found amusing. They had thought she'd grow out of it, but alas it got worse with age. Embarrassed, she had tried to hide it with a brash outgoing attitude, loud hair and brightly unique clothes, but there was no denying it. She was undoubtedly very clumsy, and even magic could not conceal it. However this time she couldn't brush it aside, walk on quickly and ignore it. This was her final chance.
The Auror tests.
Again.
Third time lucky she hoped. It was all she had ever wanted to be and to do.
To be an Auror like Alastor Moody, well before he went nuts and without the scars. If only she had passed the damn Stealth and Tracking section of the Tests first time she could be with her classmates tracking down her murderous cousin. She still couldn't quite believe it. Sirius Black! He'd been a favourite of her mother, and his and James Potter's pranks had still been talked about even when she'd been at school six years after they had left. He'd been a Griffindor, not a Slytherin like the rest of the Blacks, and you'd think that that would count for something. but he'd gone bad nevertheless. Her mother still didn't believe it, "Sirius Black," she said, "hated everything to do with his family and the Dark Arts. He loved James like a brother and would never have given him up." Her mother was rarely wrong, but Tonks had seen the reports and there was no denying the facts. Sirius Black was a murderer. Still no trial was a bit rough, but then so had been growing up related to the most vicious family to go over to He Who Must Not Be Named. She was startled out of her reverie by footsteps and someone clearing their throat and she willed herself to concentrate on the task in hand.
"The Practical Tests will commence in two minutes, retakes first. Miss Tonks if you would approach the mark please" said a small dumpy witch with a large hook nose, which made her look like a fat crow. She clutched a clipboard tightly and had a steel glint to her eye.
"Concentrate, concentrate. More haste, less speed. Focus on surroundings. Know where my feet are. Concentrate, more haste, less speed. Focus on surroundings. Know where my feet are." Tonks mumbled under her breath, repeating the mantra over and over again. She bit her lip in concentration and stepped up to the white mark on the floor. She knew she could pass the tests, and the Concealment and Disguise section was in the bag. The joys of being a metamorphmagus. The tricky if not darn impossible test was the Stealth and Tracking. The tracking bit was easy; well the theory part was a doddle, but the practical, that was another matter.
The practical tests passed in quick succession, blending into one another in a blur. There were practical tests on how to repel a mass Dementor attack, the way to free one self from a gang of Grindylows and deal with various other beasts, such as Gians, Vampires and Dragons. The tasks were extremely tough with sophisticated and complex duelling, hexing and jinxes, highly developed potion making and advanced charm work. The Ministry of Magic's Dark Wizard Catchers were known as the best for a reason, and Tonks was determined to join their ranks. It was physically and emotionally draining and the worst was yet to come. She knew she had passed all the tests so far, and aced Concealment and Disguise, but now was the decider, Stealth and Tracking.
"Miss Tonks the section on speed apparition and rapid response is over. I would now like you to track and monitor Mr Jarad here," the dumpy witch held up a photograph, "This task will commence in one hour and will proceed for the next twenty-four hours. Your partner for the task is Mr Manders. He has already been briefed and is waiting for you in the Trainee common room. You must use this upcoming hour to plan your approach to the task. You will be monitored constantly from the outset and marked accordingly. This is your last chance Miss Tonks. Do not let yourself or your team-mates down. Good luck"
Three hours on and Tonks had located Jarad and was to be found trailing him through muggle London. Manders and Tonks had decided that they would operate on a four hours on, four hours off rota. Tonks had the first four hours. Jarad seemed to be out doing some shopping possibly for his muggle relatives, or perhaps he enjoyed the muggle world, many wizards did. Tonks' feet were killing her and her enthusiasm for the task in hand was beginning to wane. She willed Jarad to make a purchase and then perhaps rest or return home, as he stopped yet again and pondered his sixth tea-set. He was obviously having some internal debate over it, but he finally lent down and picked up the boxed set and proceeded to the checkout.
"About time", sighed Tonks, leaning against a display in tired relief. She turned and just managed to catch a china elephant as it fell from the shelf. She placed it back safely and breathed in deeply, steadying herself. She glanced at her watch, gauging the time left until Manders would relieve her.
"I will pass!" she murmured, and clenching her teeth she carefully sidled out of the store, following her subject at a distance.
With two hours left until the twenty-four hours were up and the examination completed, Tonks sat bleary eyed outside of Jarad's house having just relieved Manders an hour earlier than scheduled. She'd said to the thankful Manders that the early hour's shift that he had taken
"…took it out of you, and I couldn't sleep anyway. Might as well go get some rest mate, you've still got Concealment and Disguise later and I'm all done".
Thankfully he'd remembered to ask her a security question to establish her identity, and her to him. It wouldn't do to get failed for something as elementary as polyjuice impersonation. She and Manders had set up apparition, floo and movement detectors some eighteen hours earlier and there had been no sign of movement since.
Tonks consulted the surveillance notes. Jarad had returned from shopping at 17.43 and had prepared and eaten Spaghetti Bolognese for supper followed by apple pie and custard. He had read a book entitled 'Witches and Wizards of Our Time' by his fire and had then gone to bed at 22.17 where he read back issues of the Quibbler for a further hour and 47 minutes. He had then slept until 03.02 when he had briefly gone to the bathroom before returning to bed. Jarad had woken at 05.00 to pay for the Daily Prophet and had gone back to sleep until 08.26. He had risen and showered for precisely nine minutes. He had dressed and cooked his breakfast of two fried eggs and one rasher of bacon, followed by one slice of toast with apricot jam. He read the Daily Prophet and at 09.35 had retired to his study. He had sat at his desk and written four letters. One was to his sister relating to a lunch date, one to his aunt concerning a herbology query and one to the editor of the Quibbler regarding a spelling mistake on page 86 of the September issue. The fourth letter was to a character called Madam Brigit Dagda. Tonks had contacted a colleague and found out that Dagda was a divination expert. It seemed that Jarad had a superstitious mind and had been consulting Dagda for the past seven years. In Tonks opinion Dagda needed investigating, but that was for another day. Today she had to concentrate on the last bit of the final Auror test, and keep preventing her clumsiness from failing her again. So far Tonks had managed to prevent china breaking, had just caught a dustbin before it crashed to the ground and had managed to trip but not fall over four times. She had also managed to not set off Jarad's security measures. She couldn't quite believe her luck but her clumsy nature was being held at bay, for the moment at least.
The minutes crawled by and every breath Tonks made seemed to be as loud as a volcano erupting, and every ounce of her will was focused on creating no noise and no excuse for the examiners to fail her. She was beginning to think she was going to be lucky and Jarad was going to stay put until her test was over, when the floo detector was set off. Jarad was on the move. She had to get into the house and fast.