Chapter Twenty-Five – Changing Faces

Tonks walked slowly back into the Auror office in the Ministry, not quite knowing what to expect after her suspension. Her goal was to get to her cubicle as quickly as possible, do her paperwork, and get back to Hogwarts.

To her surprise, several Aurors started clapping when she stepped off of the elevator.

"Good show, Tonks!" on cried.

"You tell 'im!" another said, slapping her on the back.

Tonks gave everyone crowding around her an elaborate bow and headed to her desk.

She groaned as she saw the paperwork that had piled up in her In-box the week she was suspended. Grimacing, she took the top sheet and got to work.

Close to an hour later, a knock was heard on her cubicle. Tonks spun around on her chair and saw Emmeline Vance standing there. Tonks nodded towards the small folding chair she kept in her cube for visitors.

"Welcome back," Emmeline Vance said softly.

"Thanks," Tonks grinned. "I wouldn't mind getting suspended like that once a month."

"We need you here, Tonks," Emmeline said seriously.

Tonks waved her hand. "I know, I know. A girl can dream, can't she?"

Emmeline's face suddenly turned serious. "During the Diagon Alley attack, I heard Death Eaters talking about finding you," she said in hushed tones.

Tonks half stood up, to check to see if anyone was listening. The coast looked clear. "I'm not worried," Tonks said truthfully. "I'm going to start changing my face again. The Death Eaters will never find me."

"That's good," Emmeline said quietly.

"I'm just glad they think I'm the only one," Tonks whispered. "I'm working with a fifth year. She just discovered she was a metamorph a year ago."

Emmeline's eyes quickly darted around. "If she's young, she's probably not that powerful."

"Well, not as powerful as me yet," Tonks admitted.

A noise a few cubicles away cause Emmeline to jump up quickly. Instead of causing suspicion by sitting down again, she nodded and went back to her own cubicle.

Three hours later, Tonks was finally finished with her paperwork. She stepped onto the London street and felt the crisp November air on her cheeks. "Almost dark out," Tonks muttered to herself. She screwed up her face in concentration and changed her hair from violet spikes to light brown curls that fell around her shoulders. She didn't have a hat, and the extra protection around her ears would be nice.

Without another thought, Tonks disapparated and found herself in Hogsmeade. She made the journey back to the castle as quickly as possible due to the cold.

She could hear loud noises coming from the Great Hall; she supposed it must be dinner time already. Finally she let herself into Severus' bedchamber. Tonks noticed something lying on the bed. Curious, she walked over and started laughing and quite possibly crying at the same time.

Her favorite pants were lying on the bed with a note attached saying, "I feel much better now, thank you." Tonks lifted the pants up for inspection and found that the rip was indeed gone.

Tonks hugged her pants to her chest and breathed in Severus' smell. "Just when you think you know someone…" Tonks trailed off.

Very carefully, Tonks placed her pants into the dresser they shared. Then she settled herself on the couch, waiting for Severus to come back from dinner.

Close to an hour later, Severus let himself in. Tonks sprung up from the couch and threw her arms around him. "Thank you for my pants," she whispered into his neck.

She heard Severus give a slight chuckle. "You're very welcome," he said, stroking her back.

Tonks led Severus to the couch, and leaned against his chest. "How's Draco?" she asked.

"I'm not sure to be honest. I saw him speaking to Potter and Granger on his own free will. I don't think Draco's ever done that before," Severus said seriously.

"Are you sure they weren't threatening each other softly?" Tonks joked.

"They were speaking. I'm not quite sure what to make of it," Severus said.

"Well…Draco needs friends," Tonks said.

"But Potter? Granger? He's called her mud-blood more times than I can count," Severus said, sounding completely bewildered.

Tonks patted Severus' knee. "Maybe it's just a phase," Tonks giggled.

A comfortable silence fell between them. After a few minutes, Severus cleared his throat. "I haven't asked at all, Dora, because of everything that happened," Severus said. "Are you able to tell me where you were for the week you were gone?"

Sitting up quickly, Tonks crossed her legs, Indian style on the couch and grinned at Severus. Then she started laughing.

An eyebrow shot up. "I'm being amusing?" Severus asked.

"I'm picturing your reaction," Tonks said giggling.

"I can hardly wait," Severus said dryly.

"Care to guess where I was?" Tonks teased.

"I don't like guessing games, Dora," Severus said, wrapping his arms around her.

"You're no fun," Tonks pouted. "Well, I was in Hogwarts the entire time…"

"Were you posing as a teacher?" Severus said. "I didn't notice anything odd with any of the professors."

"Student," Tonks said.

"I taught you for a class, didn't I?" Severus groaned.

"Two classes, actually," Tonks giggled.

Severus' arms dropped. He put his head in his hands. "Tell me you weren't Potter last week. I thought he was acting odd."

Tonks dropped her playful manner immediately. "I was Harry last week, Severus," Tonks said gently. "Didn't Professor McGonagall tell you that Harry had been beaten up?"

"Minerva said that he had been picked on and that I needed to pay special attention to Crabbe and Goyle. She didn't bloody say that you were taking his place for a week!" Severus exclaimed.

"No one could know, especially you," Tonks said. "Everyone knows you have it out for Harry. If you had known I was to be Harry for a week, don't you think you might change your attitude around him?"

"I don't know," Severus sighed.

"Why are you so upset by this?" Tonks asked simply.

"I was awful to him. I'm always awful to him. I don't want you seeing that," Severus said honestly.

Tonks placed her hand in his and interlaced their fingers. "I had you as a teacher for seven years, remember? It's not like you were very nice to me back then," Tonks said softly.

"True."

She cleared her throat. "Is there another reason why you are so hard on him?" Tonks asked gently.

"He needs a place to focus his anger," Severus said.

The answer completely took Tonks off guard. "His anger?" Tonks asked.

"Harry is a very angry young man, Dora. He absolutely despises me. It's good that he's channeling his anger towards one specific object or person rather than letting it go all over the place," Severus said seriously.

"That is not the answer I expected," Tonks said. "So you berate him on purpose?"

Severus nodded and leaned back on the couch. "I did feel hatred for him his first few years, because of Lily," Severus said. "But now…"

Tonks took a quick breath. Last year, before they were together, Severus had admitted that he had been in love with Harry's mother while they had been in school. Seeing Harry made him think of a different life he could have had, and he hated Harry for that. Tonks had hoped that over the past year, some of that hatred might be erased since he and Tonks would be starting their own family some day.

"You don't hate him anymore?" Tonks asked.

Severus stroked her hair. "I don't need to covet an imaginary family anymore," he whispered. "I have you, Dora."

Tonks' smile lit up her entire face. "That is, quite possibly, the nicest, the most romantic thing you've ever said to me," she said happily.

He cleared his throat and looked away. "I know I probably don't say things like that enough…" he stared.

"Please," Tonks said. "If you started being romantic like that all of the time I'd think you were under the Imperius Curse!"

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November turned into December faster than Tonks thought possible. True to her word, Tonks started wearing a different face to work everyday.

The Death Eaters had been quiet, which made the entire Order feel uneasy. Severus told them all that they were taking more time planning attacks due to the disastrous Diagon Alley attack.

There was word of a few muggle attacks, but nothing on the scale of the attack at Halloween.

Even though Voldemort had not made any attacks in public, his Death Eaters were beginning to feel his wrath. Severus reported that several Death Eaters were being tortured on a consistent basis. He didn't mention to the Order that he was one of them.

Voldemort was determined to get to Tonks. Apparently, word had gone out that Tonks was working at Hogwarts. In Voldemort's mind, that put Severus in a perfect position to take her prisoner.

Professor Dumbledore came up with a plan to help, and Madam Bones of the Dept. of Magical Law Enforcement was more than willing to contribute. It was announced loudly that Tonks was no longer assigned at Hogwarts, and would be working on a special assignment. At the same time, a young witch named Juliet Livingston passed her tests and was assigned to Hogwarts.

Juliet Livingston only existed on paper. It was decided that Tonks would take the place of Juliet Livingston. It was very good plan. Tonks looked the same everyday, so a select few at Hogwarts would recognize her. And since Severus could report that Tonks had essentially disappeared, he hopefully wouldn't be tortured anymore.

Only in their bedchamber and at Headquarters, would she be in her natural state. The majority of her other waking hours she had mousy brown curly hair that fell around her shoulders. Her eyes were brown, and she wore a pair of rectangular wire glasses. Overall, Tonks aimed to look forgettable.

Which was incredibly hard for a young woman who had stood out her entire life. For some reason, she felt like she was slowly losing her own identity. She was in her natural state less than half the day. Tonks sometimes felt that she would never be herself again.

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"Wotcher, Nata," Tonks said quietly.

"Hi, Juliette," Nata smiled, knowing full well who she was speaking to. "I'm ready. I have some really good body types to show you."

"Good, good," Tonks said distractingly. "Professor Snape said we could use the dungeons to practice today."

They walked down to the dungeon quickly. The lesson was less than an hour, as Nata had a study group to go to. It was her O.W.L. year and she wanted to get an early start.

"You would like a practice session over Christmas break?" Tonks asked suddenly.

Nata's eyes lit up. "Yes, please!"

"Tell you what. A couple days after Christmas I'll take you to Diagon Alley. I want you morphed as a completely different person, and we'll see how long you can hold it," Tonks said. She was eager to see how Nata's endurance had improved over the last year.

Nata left the dungeons happily. Tonks was glad that idea came to her. She had neglected Nata over the past two months or so. She would remember to spend more time with her.

Tonks walked slowly towards the Great Hall where it was time for dinner. She sat down at the small table provided for the Aurors guarding Hogwarts and loaded her plate with food. Tonks cast a quick glance down at what she was wearing and shuddered. A pair of tailored khaki pants and a white blouse. It was an outfit Tonks would never choose herself in a million years.

She glanced over to the Ravenclaw table and saw that Draco was eating by himself, a book propped in front of him. Tonks finished her food and went over to him.

"I have a message from my Mum and Dad," Tonks told him.

"What is it?" Draco asked. He was one of the few people that knew that Juliette was Tonks.

Tonks nodded. "They want to invite you to their home for Christmas break," she said.

"Really?" Draco said excitedly. "I really didn't want to stay in this place for Christmas."

"Well, this is good news. Mum didn't think you'd want to come," Tonks laughed.

"Will you be there?" Draco asked suddenly.

Tonks was taken back. She hadn't really thought ahead to Christmas, even though it was only two weeks away. Then a brilliant thought came to her. She would invite Severus to spend Christmas day with them.

"You know, I do believe I will be," Tonks said with a smile on her face.