Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor can I dance the Flarry Motter.

Chapter 20: A Melodramatic Evil Overlord

Grit was digging into her face, but she had not the strength to move. Her head was burning; fire raged within. She could not forget what she had seen. The dreams had been terrible; the images haunted her. It was sick, vile beyond all belief. Not even a Dementor could provoke such thoughts.

It had to be morning; this she knew for sure. They would come for her soon, strutting down the hall with utmost arrogance. They would once again taunt her, but it made no difference anymore. She had submitted, her pride, no her dignity, was lost, replaced by the stink rotting corpses. Her death would be quick and swift. She would leave the world, body dead on the floor, eyes frozen open, but she would leave it in chaos.

She struggled to sit up. It took her several minutes, but she managed. They had taken her dignity, but they could not take her determination. She would keep that to her end. Perhaps, in this small act of defiance, she could regain a tiny amount of her dignity. Perhaps, she laughed bitterly, perhaps was for fools and idiots.

She immediately sobered and defiance rose up in her. Yes, she had see horrible sights, and yes, they may haunt her for the rest of her life. She had submitted so that they would stop, but that did not mean she had to live dwelling on those facts. She still had some control over herself. She would remember that what she saw was not real, that she was still alive and therefore, could carry on as a person, not a slave to Voldemort's will. If not in action, then in mind.

They came, just like she predicted, reeking of smug superiority. She laughed right out loud as they approached her cell. Smirking weakly at them she said, "Come on, I know you can do better. You have to strut like you mean it, Severus."

She wished she had not said it, but since her dignity was gone, she did. She refused to outright beg for mercy. She hoped that this small comment would suffice, that Snape understood what she was saying, that he had some compassion in his heart.

Tonks knew that this was futile. If Snape had a heart at all, it was probably shriveled and black. Her thoughts that just maybe he did give a damn were just a dream pool of unwanted feelings and desires. They meant nothing and never would. Snape was an evil bastard and no wanting on her behalf could change that.

"It is time, Nymphadora. Your fate awaits you," said Voldemort. "Severus, the potion."

Snape removed a glass vile from his robes. It was bigger than the one he had had the night before. It was filled with a red liquid; it looked like blood. Snape advanced towards her, the potion ready to tip down her throat. Tonks attempted to fight it, turning her head, but he just sternly grabbed her face, forcing her mouth open. Down it went.

Tonks did not even sputter at the rancid taste, she just stared Snape square in the eyes. Her eyes did not plead; instead, they were a mixture of contempt, curiosity and pity. He did not react; his dark eyes remained cold and emotionless.

Imperius, or at least close enough to it. It restored her strength, but left her entirely under Voldemort's control. Tonks' mind released a sigh. This was how it was going to be. She couldn't even fight to her death. Sirius would be very disappointed.

"Now, Severus, I have tweaked the plans slightly. You will have some back up. Helen Rogers of the Department of Magical Waste and Containment is going to bring down the anti-apparation wards when you get there. I will have Macnair and Alecto come in as well, just for precautionary assistance.

"Nymphadora, you are to change into the form of Harry Potter and enter the Ministry of Magic using the Muggle London entrance. Walk in and ask to see the Minister. Act normally, but with urgency. Under no circumstances give yourself away or do anything other than what I have told you. Is that clear?"

Tonks felt his grip on her tighten as he willed her to answer. She nodded and Voldemort moved on.

"Draco, you failed me last time. This is your last chance. When the Minister comes out, kill him, preferably slowly. Is that clear?"

Draco nodded as well, but Tonks saw that he looked pale and was gripping his wand so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.

"Miss Tonks, if you will?" finally commanded Voldemort. Tonks fought, but she knew it wouldn't work. Slowly, she was forced into taking the form of Harry Potter. Snickers sounded from Draco, but he was silenced by a glare from Snape, who clearly found it amusing as well, although his face didn't show it. Tonks could tell, though, that he was struggling to keep his face straight.

Tonks felt a bit bad for Harry at that moment. Not only because the wizarding world was going to think he was dead, but because now, his three worst enemies knew what he looked like in a frilly yellow and pink dress. It had been bad enough for her, but she couldn't imagine how Harry would feel if he saw her, 'him,' like this. Although, she thought with a quirk of her lips, she would probably be snickering as well if she could see herself.

"Perhaps we should dress you in something a little more fitting," said Voldemort, curling his lip in amusement. He then transfigured the dress into Muggle clothes fitting for a teenage boy. "Severus," he continued, "How long until the potion wears off?"

"Approximately six hours, my Lord," said Snape.

"Good, plenty of time. Soon the wizarding world will break. Death and destruction will sweep across the land. It will be purged of the unworthy…"

Tonks felt to urge to cry, become angry and laugh all at once. Cry because she knew what was coming, she knew of the horrors that waited the world. Anger because of what Voldemort was doing, how she was helpless to stop him, how so many ignored all that was happening. Laughter, because it sounded so pathetic that one of Voldemort's main goals was to kill a seventeen year old boy and he had failed, not just once, but five times. Laughter at the fact that people followed Voldemort, who was nothing more than a disgruntled shadow of a being.

"… and we shall build from those ashes a society of elite, of those who are worthy of this world. It will be an empire above all before it…"

Tonks snickered, well, at least she snickered in spirit. He really was melodramatic. He probably would have been a better drag queen than evil overlord. Tonks snickered again, picturing him in drag.

"…the remaining will worship the very ground we walk on…"

Tonks thought that Snape must have been thinking the same thing (minus the drag part). He looked mildly disgusted, which made Tonks snicker again.

"…for we shall be as gods…"

--------------------

A/N: All my stories may be slightly delayed for a couple months, but I will try to get as much as I can done before that point. I did write responses to reviews, but my computer froze and I lost them. I am tired now, but I will respond next time. As always, thank you to everyone for reading with an extra special thank you to everyone for reviewing.

---Perplexity