Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I dream of Larry the otter.

Chapter 14: Reeking Rats and Broken Windows

Loud noises issued from the living room at Spinner's End. To a passer by, although no one ever passed by, it would have been apparent that the house contained several rambunctious children. It was not, however, children that were making all the noise, in spite of what one might think.

"Ouch! She kicked me!"

"Oh, that's right Wormtail, go cry to Mother Snape, you big baby!"

"When the Dark Lord hears about this—"

"Hiding behind him already? When he hears about this he is probably going to smack himself upside the head for appointing such childish, whiny Death Eaters!"

"I am not! Your just jealous!"

"Of what? That I am not a big fat baby, with dung for brains, who worships a pallid snake?"

"You'll pay for that! I will make sure of it. I will make your death so painful you beg me just to finish you off!"

"Sure, right after Snape turns into a drag queen. You don't have the guts…"

"ENOUGH!"

Tonks was furious with Snape for putting Wormtail into the living room with her. He could have tied him up in another room, but, instead, he decided to torture her. After two days of childish squabbling, Tonks was sure that Snape had had enough. She knew that Draco had, seeing that he avoided the living room as much as possible, even going as far as summoning breakfast from upstairs.

"If you two do not shut up, I will sew your mouths shut!"

Wormtail winced. Tonks remained straight faced, although she did not fancy having her mouth sewn closed either. She was quite sure that Snape would go through with it, so she remained quite for the rest of the day.

By evening, she could not stand the silence. Furthermore, Wormtail was sending off a repugnant odor that was reminiscent of old fish and blobberpuss. Frankly, it made Tonks nauseous. She could not stand it anymore. She knew Snape was in the kitchen, but she also knew that if she asked him to come, he would ignore her. Yelling fire probably would not work. Neither would screaming. She could insult him, but she really would rather not have her mouth sewn up…but then again, if that was the only way…

"Oh, Lord of Grease, your mother is a mongoose and your father smells of a Cornish Pixie's pancreatic fluids!"

Tonks cringed. That was not exactly what she had had in mind. She damned herself for her fondness of Muggle movies, her habit of quoting them and her tendency of quoting them wrong. Horribly wrong. In any case, this particular insult did not do a thing besides earn her a very odd look from Wormtail and his terribly horrid giggle.

Tonks cringed once more. Wormtail's giggle was possibly one of the most horrid sounds in the world. The only good thing was that Snape didn't come to sew her mouth closed, something that she certainly might have been tempted to do if the roles were reversed, although, she would sew up Wormtail's first.

Tonks had to risk it again. Anything to get rid of the damn smell. She was even willing to beg.

"Snape?" she yelled sheepishly. "I know we have never quite gotten along and have had some quite awkward moments together, but please, have a heart. I only ask a small favor. Just please, move Wormtail. He is emitting an odor so horrible that Voldemort himself would puke. Please!"

While Wormtail look quite affronted, there was no response from Snape. Tonks was not too happy about that. She hated being ignored.

"Severus Snape! If you don't get in here right now I will be forced to divulge the time during an Order meeting where—"

Tonks did not get to finish her statement. Snape had flown into the room, silencing her with a look of fury upon his face.

"Miss Tonks, I know it is horribly difficult for you to keep you mouth shut, but do not disgrace yourself enough that you force me into using desperate measures. Luckily, for me, you will not be here much longer. Take some time to ponder that while I make preparations for tomorrow tonight and the next day," said Snape coldly. He started to leave the room, but then he turned back. "You are quite right, Miss Tonks. Wormtail, your stench in nauseating. I know it is a lot to ask, but for everyone's sake, you are to bathe before tomorrow tonight. I am sure the Dark Lord would not appreciate it if you came only to incapacitate all his servant with you smell."

Tonks became nervous as Snape left the room. She figured from what he said that she had little time left and no plan on how to escape. If she tried now, Wormtail would yell for Snape. If she tried later, it would probably be too late. She had no choice but to risk it now, even if her chances were none to zero.

Tonks started to wiggle, but the ropes were tight as always. She leaned forward, trying to get good footing on the floor. She got it! She managed to start waddling forward while still stuck in the chair. Wormtail's eyes got round.

"What are you doing? Sna—"

Wormtail was cut off by Tonks running into his chair, knocking him over so that he hit his head on the floor, rendering him unconscious. Now, if she could make it to the door. That would be relatively easy enough, but opening the door was going to be difficult.

She waddled slowly, hoping to be fairly quiet. It took her quite some time to make it to the front door. When she got there, she realized her mistake. She had stupidly forgot that, after last time, the door would be locked.

She was just about to give up when she realized that there was a low window right next to the door. She had no other way. She waddled over and positioned herself. Gritting her teeth and closing her eyes, she did her best to fling herself into the window. Tonks was lucky; the glass was thin and old. It broke with a shatter, leaving Tonks to fall out the window.

Tonks landed roughly, her facing stinging. It had been a bit of a drop and the glass, however weak, had cut her all over.

Snape was sure to have heard that. Tonks had to get away. She tried to right herself to find that the chair had broken in the fall. Tonks smirked and tried to lift herself off the ground (her hands were still tied behind her back). She faltered though, realizing that she had fallen harder and had been cut deeper than she had thought.

She attempted to run, staggering with each pound of her foot on the hard ground.

"Stupefy!"

She heard Snape's voice behind her as she fled. She dared not look back. A shot of red light streaked past, barely missing her. She tried to lose him by running into the forest. Unfortunately, with all the tree roots and shrubs, it made it harder for Tonks to run.

Finally, her clumsiness caught up with her. Tonks tripped over a tree root, sending her flying towards the ground just as a stunner shot towards her. She was unconscious before she hit the ground.

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A/N: As always, thank you to everyone for reading and an extra special thank you to everyone for reviewing! I am not sure when I will get to the next chapter, so if it takes a while, I apologize in advance.

P.S.

xtotallyatpeacex: I also support Tonks/Lupin, I just like to have a little fun with strange pairings. Perhaps one day I will write a Tonks/Lupin story, but I don't think I will yet since I have about six other stories I am working on.

Red-Devil15: Yep, Wormtail is horrible scum. I don't know about ol' Voldie killing him though.

Shameless piece of self-promotion: If you enjoy strange stories, I have two other Tonks related stories that I have posted the first chapter of: The Benighted and the Oblivious which is Lockhart/Tonks of the romance ilk and The Collaborator, which is intended to not be of the romance ilk, surrounding Tonks and Karkaroff. Thank you.