A huge thanks as always to Ambush99 for betting this fic, it wouldn't be possible without you.
Chapter 23
'Moody's dead'. The two words continued to reverberate around his head leaving him unable to react any further. But he needed to. With Moody gone he was effectively in charge of intelligence for the Ministry and, given what had just happened, he needed to react.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently, as he led Tonks to the side of the room.
"Is Tom going to be okay?" Tonks asked as she looked up from Sirius' shoulder.
"I think he's going to be fine. Kingsley is with him and they've just got a healer. I'm sure he'll be just fine." Sirius watched his cousin nod slowly. "Tonks are you okay? Have you been hurt?" he asked urgently.
"I'm fine," Tonks said as she wiped her eyes.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it's my fault."
"What?"
"He was protecting me."
"No Tonks, that was…" Sirius paused for a moment. He struggled with the tense of his words; by using 'was' he was accepting Moody was in the past tense, but he couldn't. It wasn't as if didn't believe Tonks, he just couldn't accept it. He shook his head as he tried to clear his thoughts. "No that's what Moody would have wanted, and I seriously doubt it was your fault. I think he saw a stray curse and acted on it, the sly dog. He thought very highly of you."
"He did?"
"Of course, you made it through selection didn't you? How many of your year mates did?"
"I don't think any of them made it to the first stage."
"Ah, you see my point then," Sirius said gently with a warm smile. "Tonks, I hate to do this but I need to know what happened."
"It was supposed to be routine. I know none of our work is without risk but the intelligence indicated it was nothing more than a couple of bored kids. I mean, if it was serious he would've taken you."
Sirius grimaced slightly at the second mention of his name in relation to anything serious. He knew Moody wasn't stupid and he knew when it came to anything serious Moody would, would have, he mentally corrected himself, taken him with him. But he wondered if Moody had allowed his concern influence his decision. "Where did you receive the intelligence from?"
"I'm not sure, I think it was from Hill," Tonks replied, as she pushed the hair from her face.
Sirius nodded slowly. He didn't really know Emily Hill other than that she worked for the Department of International Cooperation. Was it simply bad intel, or was there something far more sinister in play? Had Hill deliberately sent them into an ambush? "What happened when you got there?"
"It was quiet. Like eerily quiet, when you know something isn't right," Tonk started. She looked at her cousin's nod before continuing. "We spread out and started to search the area. It can't have been more than half an hour before I heard Tom scream. I rushed over and I…" Tonks stopped and looked down.
"What happened?"
"I froze."
"What?" Sirius said frowning.
"It was my Aunt Bellatrix."
Sirius nodded sadly. "Of course it was, I wouldn't expect anything less from her."
"I'm not stupid, I knew she was a death eater, but seeing her there in the flesh, I don't know. She shot a killing curse at me. If hadn't been for Moody I wouldn't be here," Tonks said in a choked whisper.
"Did?"
"No," Tonks said shaking her head. "It missed both us. I was so stupid and naïve. I thought, I don't know, that maybe she wouldn't kill her niece."
"No," Sirius said shaking his head. "Tonks, my, our family are well, seriously messed up. I would love to say Bellatrix has been brainwashed, but she's way past that stage."
"She was there, when-"
Sirius nodded. "She's tried to kill me a number of times," he admitted, sparing Tonks the full details. "What happened after she cast the killing curse?"
"All hell let loose. We were seriously outnumbered, maybe fifteen to one, well with Tom down it was more like twenty-five to one. I knew the situation had gone to rat-shit, Moody knew it to, so he signalled me to apparate, but I couldn't."
"You couldn't?"
"I know, I thought it was because, I don't know, I was rattled. I've never been in serious combat like that, but when Moody couldn't either I knew we were in trouble," Tonks explained.
Sirius nodded slowly. "Shut down the Apparation Stations and get them relocated to a secure area," he yelled at the Apparation Station wizards.
"What?" one the wizards asked, confused.
"Do you want whatever happened out there, in here?" Sirius exclaimed. "Just fucking lock them down and fucking relocate them."
"Sirius?"
"Tonks, how did you get past the wards?"
"I-I don't know."
"Tonks, I need you to think, okay. I've shut down the stations, I'm about two seconds from shutting down the floo stations and locking down the whole Ministry. And about five seconds after that I'm going to get the Ministry to raise the threat level. I need you to remember everything you know," Sirius urged.
"I don't know. We managed to find some cover and Moody started with an incantation, it seemed like it was ancient. I didn't recognise the language but if I had to guess, I think it was Latin."
"Latin? You didn't?"
"No, I skipped that part of my family education."
Sirius nodded. "Did Moody perform any form of ritual?"
"The wards must have been extensive, as he worked on them for ages. The attacks on the house we were sheltering in were constant, I was just waiting for our shield to fall but Moody was amazing, he just carried on working on them. Then," Tonks said frowning. "He cut his arm and dropped his blood onto the ward."
Despite the situation Sirius found a small smile. "Of course."
"What?"
"Moody's a pure blood," Sirius said shaking his head, still struggling to refer to the man who had been far more than his boss in the past tense.
"I'm sorry Sirius, I'm not following."
"Well you know Voldemort is a sick bastard. A pure blood blood sacrifice would be right up his street. What happened after Moody had cracked the ward?"
"He told me to take Tom and go. I was just dragging Tom to the exit when I heard Aunt Bellatrix laugh and someone shoved me through the ward. I turned around just in time see her killing curse hit Moody. I tried to get back through the ward but I couldn't."
"You wouldn't, you're not a pure blood."
"I wanted to do more, but I couldn't," Tonks said tearfully. "I apparated back here, and well, you know the rest."
"You did the right thing. If you hadn't you would all be dead and we wouldn't have known what happened. The Ministry wouldn't be secure. As hard as it seems right now, you did the right thing."
"It doesn't feel right."
"I know, but..." Sirius stopped for a moment and rubbed his face as he tried to come up with the right words. But how could he, when he could barely deal with it himself. "Moody, well you know what he's like. It was instinct. He just reacted, like you would have done."
"I don't know, I'm not brave like you are or he was."
Sirius shook his head kindly. "Yes you are. You got back here with your injured colleague." He stopped again and sighed. "There was nothing you could've done for Moody." He hugged Tonks again, as he tried to hide his emotions from her. He needed to be strong for everyone now. He was the one who needed to hold it together. "Kingsley, is everything okay?"
"Yeah, he's unconscious but, apparently, there's no lasting damage."
"Good," Sirius said nodding. "I'm shutting down the floo and apparation network to the Ministry. I'm not sure if it was bad intel or if we are compromised."
"Good call. What do you want me to do?"
"I'm not sure who Tom's emergency contact is, but contact them. Then take Tonks and contact Remus. Believe me, when you've been to hell and back, he's the guy you want by your side."
"They're serious?" Kingsley asked. He watched his friend, and now boss, nod. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to bring Moody home."
"Sirius?"
"Send everyone home. Lock down the Ministry, make it secure."
"Sirius, what the fuck are you about to do?!"
"I'll be fine, just get everyone home," Sirius said as he stepped into the apparation point.
"Sirius!" Kingsley yelled, as he realised what his friend and boss was just about to do. "Oh fuck it! Bloody hell Sirius!" he exclaimed as he watched him disappear.
Sirius' nose wrinkled as the acrid burning smell of a freshly fought battle invaded his senses. He knew he was being foolhardy but he hardly cared right now. Was it shock, honour or loyalty that drove his emotions right now? Or maybe it was all three? He hoped the Apparation Room wizards had locked down the connections before Kingsley had a chance to react. He didn't want the man to be caught up in his foolhardy endeavour. He knew Kingsley had a young family, with another child on the way. He didn't want to render those young children fatherless just because he wanted to fulfill some form of loyalty ritual to his boss. He shook his head as he tried to clear his thoughts. They needed to be clear, or he wouldn't be returning. He knew some thought he had a death wish. He knew some of those people included his greatest friends. They may have dressed it up or disguised it better than Fudge and his followers, the only difference being the reason. Whilst Fudge sought to destroy him, his friends were concerned. Concerned. A notion, despite their best efforts, that still confused him.
Placing his thoughts and emotions to one side, he carefully scanned the area. It appeared deserted, but he knew looks could be deceiving. He knew the death eaters were probably waiting for someone to return. The muggles called it a second wave attack, but that would indicate Moody was alive when he knew he wasn't. He knew it wasn't a rescue mission, it was a recovery mission, but for whom?
"Ah, little cousin, finally come out to play?"
Sirius mentally winced at the sound of his cousin's voice. He slowly wheeled around to face her. He could feel the anger, like he'd never felt before, building in his chest. "This isn't a fucking game, Bellatrix you deranged bitch," he spat.
"Oh but it is little cousin," Bellatrix giggled, as she twirled a strand of hair around her fingers.
"Just let me have him and I'll be on my way," Sirius growled, knowing his request would fall on deaf ears.
"Did he mean a lot to you?" Bellatrix replied in a shrill, girly voice.
"Fuck off."
"You know, I don't think I will. Once I've had a game with you, you remember those don't you little cousin? Well, then I think I'll have a game with him."
"Fuck off you crazy, evil bitch," Sirius spat.
"No! Crucio," Bellatrix yelled, shooting a curse.
Sirius just managed to dive behind a low wall before the curse hit. "Fuck," he swore. Why did he have to let his emotions get the better of him? If Bellatrix was here, then the others would be here. Tonks said she and Moody had been outnumbered twenty five to one, so he, assuming the death eaters had all stuck around, which he knew they would have, would be outnumbered fifty to one. Great, fucking fantastic idea Sirius, he thought to himself.
"Oh baby Sirius doesn't want to play," Bellatrix giggled. "Come on, it'll be like when we were children."
"I was nine you deranged bitch," Sirius swore, as he wildly looked around. "Fuck," he swore again as he saw more death eaters emerge from the shadows. He noted their typical column formation, but as one single person he could hardly pull off the pincer attack he'd mentioned to Moody only hours ago. He ducked low and covered his head as the wall exploded over him. Time was running out, he knew he wouldn't last much longer out here, alone and utterly exposed.
"Crucio!"
Sirius rolled behind another wall, just missing the incoming curse. "Rod, you know she's only with you so she can get closer to Lord Vomit," Sirius yelled, his lips curling to a small smile as he thought of James' nickname for Voldemort.
"Screw you, you little shit," Rodolphus Lestrange yelled, as he shot another curse in Sirius' direction. "You realise the only reason you are not dead is because the Dark Lord wants to do it personally."
Well that confirms my suspicions, Sirius thought, wincing as debris from a wild curse hit the wall behind him. "So, I hit a nerve then Rod? What's it like to be married to someone who is only using you so she can sleep with Lord Vomit?"
"Don't you dare insult the Dark Lord, he is far purer than you will ever be, you nasty little blood traitor," Rodolphus bit back.
"Ha!" Sirius laughed. "The irony! You do realise he's a bloody half-blood right? Surely your slutty little wife educated you in the ways of our family's pure-blood mania? You do know our family motto, right? 'Toujours Pur', that's French for always pure for your uneducated mind by the way."
"You've been disowned! The most honourable Walburga Black, your own mother, blasted you off the family tree!"
Sirius blinked his eyes several times as the acrid smoke began to burn his eyes. He needed to act quickly. With the increasing smoke, it was only going to decrease his visibility and he doubted he could hold his position much longer. "Indeed she did, although I question the mother bit. Yes, sure in the biological sense she was my mother, but that's where it stops. Then again, I am the head of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, so, ah shit, I guess you lose there as well." Sirius stopped, as he continued to scan the area. Where the fuck was he? He wanted to bring Moody's body back but if he waited much longer, there would be two bodies.
"You are a disgrace to the House of Black," Bellatrix spat.
"Yes, my dear mother used to say that a lot. But what are you going to do Bella? Lord Vomit still won't touch you, will he? How does that make you feel? You're a Black after all and therefore 'always pure', and he, a half-blood, won't even look at you," Sirius bit back. His breath hitched as he saw something at the far side of the square. He needed to apparate there, then simultaneously apparate out and into safety, but to where? The Ministry network was closed down, or so he hoped. He found himself nodding as mentally he mapped his idea. Once he apparated out of this hell hole, if he did multi apparations, then hopefully they wouldn't be able to follow him. It was difficult in 'classroom' settings but in a full-on combat situation, whilst dragging a dead body, was it even possible?
"Sectumsempra!"
Sirius bit back a cry as he felt the curse slash his upper arm. He was vaguely aware of a warm, wet, sticky substance running down his arm. "I guess that makes you, well, you're not 'always pure', are you 'old' cousin!" he baited.
"You fucking little shit. I knew you were always a good for nothing blood traitor," Bellatrix spat. "Crucio!"
Just concentrate, come Sirius, you can do this, he told himself. You just need to apparate behind your fucked up cousin, grab Moody and then get the hell of here. Then apparate every few seconds for at least thirty minutes, and you should lose all trace of them. "You keep on telling yourself when Voldemort walks past you without even a single look," Sirius retorted. He picked up a rock, and lightly tossed it in his hand. It was now or never. "So, Bella, what are you going to do? Let him have that muggle?"
"Never! He does not look at any muggles. He thinks they are scum!"
Sirius nodded. "True, he probably…, well, that poor snake." Without a further word, he lobbed the rock as far as he could away from Moody. He smiled slightly as the death eaters seemed to follow his plan, the air becoming thick with curses as they tried to blast the rock from the air. Using the planned distraction, he cleared his mind from any unnecessary thoughts apart from the task in hand. He needed to apparate, grab Moody then apparate out of here. But he couldn't think of the secondary location yet. He knew he would have a split second to think about it, and that's if his luck held. Concentrating hard, he felt the familiar sensation of being forced through a narrow tube as he landed behind Bellatrix. It took every part of him not to curse her, but what good would it do? He was outnumbered, outflanked and surrounded. It would just get him killed, for what? Another foolhardy notion of revenge? He stayed almost a moment too long, enough to see his cousin turn and shoot a curse in his direction. He felt it ripple past his head before he was sucked through a tube.
He landed hard on cold, wet grass, the force of it sending him onto his knees. He closed his eyes for a moment, just wanting to escape from the hell. His hand still gripped tightly around Moody's cold, limp one. His boss, mentor, friend and father figure was dead. He knew he had been stupid, he knew Moody would've yelled at him for what he had done but he couldn't leave him there. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked around. A windswept hilltop in Wales, the Brecon Beacons if he wasn't mistaken. He remembered walking here one school summer holidays when they had stayed with Remus. A time when they were carefree and innocent. It had been raining then as well, he thought. Come on Sirius, pull yourself together, he thought to himself. You need to get out of here and keep going. He closed his eyes and concentrated on another location. A beach with white cliffs top towering above him. Dover, he thought vaguely. Another thought, another location. A wild moorland in Scotland. He did this time after time, hoping he could throw any death eaters off his trail. Each apparation became harder and harder as he felt his eyes droop. He tried to pull his jacket closer to his body as he shivered, but his left arm didn't seem to want to work as well it should. Just one more apparation, he thought to himself sluggishly. Another thought and he found himself landing back inside the Ministry. He threw his arm out and caught the wall, vaguely steadying himself. Merlin it was cold, didn't the Ministry heat the damn place anymore?!
"Mr. Black?"
"What?" Sirius managed, closing one eye as it seemed easier to focus that way.
"Are you okay, do you need anything?"
Sirius blinked a couple of times as he tried to comprehend the question. "Err, no, yeah. I think I lost them but you need to re-establish the wards in case." He took a breath as he tried to steady himself but his mind was far too sluggish for his liking. Would they mind if he fell asleep on the floor, he wondered vaguely.
"Do you want us to do anything…"
He looked down at his feet, suddenly remembering why he was here. Moody, yes, he needed to do something with the body, but he couldn't figure out what. The overriding feeling he had right now was tiredness, and he was sodding cold. "Umm, yes, if you could. Thank you," he finally managed. He knew he should take care of the body himself, but he couldn't. He didn't know what to do. It seemed even the simplest of tasks, such as forming a sentence and putting one foot in front of the other was beyond him now.
"Sirius! There you are, I've been looking all over for you!"
A familiar voice, a familiar face. "Hi James," Sirius instinctively said.
"What the hell happened?"
"Death eater attack. They tried to gain access to Ministry," Sirius replied in a distant voice. He blinked his eyes several times, as they grew heavy.
"What?! How the fuck did that happen?"
"They're death eaters mate, it was only a matter of time," Sirius replied in a monotone voice. Sleep, he needed sleep. He wondered if he could get away with sleeping under his desk tonight. The Ministry was in lock down, so he should be able to sleep, get back to his house for a change of clothes, and no one would be the wiser.
"Are you okay mate?"
"Yeah, just tired that's all," he replied as he pulled his jacket closer. His vision blurred again.
"Tell me about it. Seeing as the Ministry has gone into lock down and we've all been sent home, why don't you head back to mine? We can have a couple of pints at the Red Dragon before Lilly gets home," James replied grinning.
"Sure, sounds good."
James frowned. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine, just tired that's all," Sirius managed, not really conscious of what he was saying anymore. Just go back to James', he thought. Maybe he could crash out on the sofa for a few minutes before James dragged him off to the pub. That's all he needed, a few minutes shut eye and a thicker coat, he thought as he shivered.
"Cool, shall we head off? Do you reckon you can get them to let us use the apparation points? I know it sounds lazy but I can't be arsed with pissing around with public apparation in central London right now. I mean, you are Moody's second in command."
Sirius winced at James' last comment. "Sure," he said, wandering forward. "No problem at all," he said, forcing one foot in front of the other. Just one more apparation, then you can sleep he told himself.
"Woah, are you sure you're alright?" James said as he caught his friend under the elbow as he staggered forward when they landed outside his house.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired," Sirius repeated. Ten paces until I'm in the house, then another ten I can collapse on the sofa, he mentally calculated.
"How about you catch a couple of hours before we head to the pub then," James said, eyeing his friend with concern.
"That would be good," Sirius replied, almost completely unaware of what he was saying now. It took every part of his energy just to keep putting one foot in front of the other. As he got to the sofa, his legs gave way. He was only vaguely aware of James standing over him, shaking him and calling his name. He was too tired to care. Why wouldn't he just let him bloody sleep?! Didn't he realise how fucking tired he was? And for that matter, why the hell did James like his house so bloody cold, surely it wasn't healthy.
"Sirius! For fuck's sake Padfoot, stop pissing around!" James said as he shook his best friend. He withdrew his hand when it touched something warm and wet, and stared at it in horror. Blood covered his whole hand and wrist. "Fuck, fuck, Merlin fuck," he swore as he began to put his friend's distant reactions and answers together. The overwhelming tiredness, the shivering. Shit, why the hell hadn't he put it together before?! His best friend was in shock.
"Sirius! Mate, I know you're tired mate, but you've got to stay awake for a bit longer, okay. Then you can sleep as much as you like, I promise you," James said he pulled his friend upright. Carefully and with great difficulty, he peeled his friend's jacket off. "Fuck," he swore again. Sirius' whole arm and chest were covered in blood, with the wound on his arm still oozing blood. "Padfoot, mate listen to me, you've got to stay awake. I know it's hard and you're really tired, but you have to stay awake."
He watched in horror as his friend's eyes rolled back and he slumped sideways. "No Sirius! Don't do this to me mate, please don't do this to me again. Okay, just hang in there mate, please just hang in there."
