The first thing Tonks sees after opening her eyes, is a broad back of Walden Macnair.
The man carries her through the Forest, tripping on the tree roots.
Dementors are gone, but their presence has left the girl freezing cold and broken.
She lifts her head slightly. Walden stops, noticing that the girl regains consciousness.
'Finally!' he sighs with a relief. 'You have no idea how lucky you are, girl. Why, by the Dark Lord, have you been so reckless? You were unbelievably close to having your soul sucked out! If I didn't notice this vortex of Dementors just in time...'
'I'm sorry, Mr Macnair.' Tonks whispers in a weak voice.
'Lucius would have killed me if something had happened to you.' Walden goes on ranting. 'Damn, he is still going to kill me, getting you back in such a state.'
'You saved me.' the girl notices quietly.
'You look like a bloody ghost, pale and almost transparent.' Macnair snaps. 'Good that you have regained consciousness though, now we can disapparate from this damned Forest. Do you think you can endure a Side-Along Apparition?'
Tonks nods weakly.
She feels a familiar jerk of Apparition and they find themselves in the entrance hall of the Malfoy Manor.
Tonks is still very weak. She slumps to the ground, slipping through Macnair's arms.
Her vision is blurry, but she sees silhouettes of Uncle and Aunt rushing forward to her and kneeling by her side.
She feels Narcissa's warm hand on her sweaty forehead.
'Forgive me, Auntie, Uncle.' Tonks whispers. 'I have failed you.'
She manages to utter those words before plunging into unconsciousness again.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A loud, obnoxious knocking at the door wakes Tonks up the following day. She is already back in her room at school. Uncle moved the girl just after she had regained consciousness, in order for her to avoid suspicions and uncomfortable questions.
Moody sticks his scarred face into Tonks' room without any invitation.
He raises his eyebrows, seeing pale and sweaty Tonks lying in her bed.
'Girl! I've been looking for you whole morning. What's going on?'
'I'm sick, sir.' Tonks mutters in a weak voice.
In case you are blind enough not to notice, she adds in her mind.
'You should go to the infirmary!' Moody answers harshly.
'It's just a food poisoning, sir. It will go away by itself, if only I take some time to recover.' she whispers.
Moody glances at her hesitantly, but finally nods.
'Alright, stay in bed.' he says and heads towards the door.
'Sir.' Tonks stops him. 'What about Sirius Black?'
Moody frowns and mutters a swearword.
'This case is hopeless.' he snaps. 'Yesterday, Black had been captured at Hogwarts, but he escaped again by some ruddy miracle.'
Tonks lifts her head.
'He...had been captured?' she repeats.
'Yeah.' Moody answers reluctantly. 'Imagine: Black was encircled by hundreds of Dementors at the lake shore next to the Hogwarts common grounds. He was about to have his soul sucked out, when apparently something distracted the Dementors. They retreated, leaving Black alone. Severus Snape was the one to find Black unconscious by the lake, lying there along with one of the Hogwarts students. Two other kids were also there, in the nearby bushes, all unconscious, can you imagine this? Nobody knew that apart from being a Dark Wizard, Black likes children, too.'
A wince of disgust twists Moody's face.
Tonks smirks internally, it is actually quite amusing. She and her mentor were hunting Black down for completely different reasons, but both of them made an assumption about him being a child abuser.
'What did Snape do with Black, then?' the girl asks.
'He locked him up in one of the Hogwarts towers.' Moody explains. 'The bastard was about to be Kissed, but he managed to sneak out and escape somehow.'
Tonks stiffens.
'In a tower?' she asks in disbelief. 'He locked him up in a tower?! Why didn't he lock him in the dungeons? Everybody can escape from a bloody tower!'
Moody nods eagerly.
'That is exactly what I told them.' he says. 'Especially, that the tower wasn't warded, or even properly locked. It could have been opened by a simple Alohomora. '
Tonks rolls her eyes and smirks.
'Let me guess: they are surprised that he escaped, aren't they?'
'In Snape's defense, I must admit that he has done way more than Dumbledore or any other Hogwarts' faculty member.' Moody says. 'Moreover, Snape was badly injured. After all, he also had been exposed to the presence of multiple Dementors. I suppose he just acted on impulse, tossing Black into the first place available.'
Tonks nods.
'Are you going to keep on searching for Black, sir?' she asks.
'I will be waiting for the decision of the Aurors Office concerning this case. However, I'm almost sure that they will abandon it. They won't be eager to admit they spectacular failure to the whole Wizarding population of this country.'
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A highly anticipated day of Tonks' graduation finally comes.
All the senior year students are gathered outside, on the dueling pitch, along with their mentors.
Commotion and chaos reign. Tonks rolls her eyes at the lack of discipline. Even during their own graduation ceremony, the future Aurors are unable to show any dignity.
A reporter paces around the pitch, taking souvenir photographs.
The girl exposes her teeth in a fake smile, posing to a photo with Moody. She looks forward for all of this to be finally over.
At last, Rufus Scrimgeour, leader of the Aurors Office, arrives to hand over the Auror licenses.
All of the nineteen-year-olds are excited and anxious.
Tonks, on the other hand, feels out of the place.
She awkwardly shakes Scrimgeour's hand. He hands her over the "important" piece of parchment, which is the Auror's license.
In Tonks' eyes, this piece of parchment is valuable for one reason only: it confirms the girl's dismissal from the garrisoned school . No longer does she need a furlough to legally leave the school grounds. No longer does she have to sneak out under a guise.
'I'll be in my room, packing.' she says shortly to Moody, as they walk away from the commotion at the pitch.
Moody lifts his eyebrows.
'Packing?' he repeats, surprised. 'I thought you didn't intend to return to Andromeda after your graduation.'
Tonks cannot help but burst into sincere laughter.
'Of course I don't.' she answers, catching her breath. 'I want to live anywhere but with her. I will find another place for myself.'
'The Ministry provides government accommodation for its employees, if you're interested.' Moody notices.
'Thank you for your concern, sir, but I think I already have a place to stay.' Tonks answers politely.
Moody rolls his healthy eye.
'Whatever, but I don't want you to be late tomorrow for your first day at work. You will wait for me at eight in the morning by the Ministry entrance. I'll introduce you within the Aurors Office.'
Tonks nods.
She enters her tiny room at school barracks for the last time in her life, delighted at the prospect of spending the following night in a king-sized, ultra-soft bed in the Malfoy Manor.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tonks already knows most of the Aurors from the Ministry, because the majority of them are involved in the school as instructors.
Shacklebolt, Williamson and Dawlish are some of them.
Tonks doesn't feel comfortable at the Ministry. School was school, but this place is no children's sandbox anymore. Dangerous people work here, and she can be exposed by any incautious move.
She feels like a snake in lion's den.
She is cunning and courageous, and possesses extraordinary skills. However, she is the only Dark Witch amongst dozens of skilled, well-trained Aurors.
She wouldn't have accepted the job at the Ministry at all, if not for Uncle Lucius' words.
Nymphie, soon, a spy within the Aurors Office- especially a spy with your skills- is going to be a truly priceless weapon.
The most important is the way he uttered those words.
He said this with this special face expression. In this special tone of his voice. The same as during his lectures about Blood Purity.
Uncle's face is usually blank. He refrains from showing any emotions.
However, on certain special occasions twinkles in his silver eyes can be seen. Drops of sweat on his forehead appear. Tone of his voice gets passionate.
All of this indicates, that Lucius speaks about an issue especially dear to his heart.
Back then, Nymphie decided not to inquire further, why a spy in the Auror ranks is going to be so valuable. She decided to trust her Uncle in that matter and start working at the Ministry.
Fortunately, at least Moody had recommended her to Scrimgeur as an outdoor ground worker. Tonks is positive, that a paperwork job at the ministry is dead boring.
Tonks' inauguration at the Office is short and brief. She receives some instructions concerning work from Scrimegeur.
All of the instructions go down to the same thing: Tonks still has to obey Moody. The paranoid Auror is going to be her supervisor until she gains some experience.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
'Oi, no fair.'
'And what exactly isn't fair, Draco? That I'm way better than you at this game?'
'You are winning for the eighth time in a row!'
Tonks smiles. She may be nineteen and Draco may be fourteen, but the age gap doesn't bother them to get along perfectly.
They are like siblings. Each of them is an only child, who had always longed for a brother or a sister.
Moving in to the Malfoy Manor made Tonks immedietly inseparable with Draco .
The girl is happy to have the entire Easter break ahead to spend with her cousin.
Currently, they spend their evening sitting on a fluffy Persian carpet in the living room, playing gobstones.
Narcissa and Lucius sit next to them on a leather couch, enjoying some red wine.
The evening is hot and stuffy. Everybody is wearing short-sleeved robes or tanktops. Narcissa and Lucius keep their bottle of wine covered in ice cubes; Draco and Tonks have some ice-cold pumpkin juice.
Tonks picks her marble up and rolls it on the board, positive that she is about to beat Draco for the ninth time in a row, but... she lowers her stone, hearing a muffled groan of pain.
She turns around. Uncle Lucius sits with his eyes closed and his head tilted back.
Tonks gasps.
The Dark Mark on Uncle's left forearm.
It's clear, intensively black and convex.
It pulsates.
Narcissa puts hand on her husband's shoulder.
'Is this happening again, Lucius?' she whispers.
Lucius opens his eyes.
Their silver depth glitters with hundreds of shades, like a blazing fire.
'Yes, Narcissa.' he answers silently. His forehead is covered in tiny drops of sweat. 'He is about to return.'
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It's been several weeks since the episode from the Easter break.
Lucius, Narcissa and Tonks sit together in the living room, just like back then. Only Draco is missing, since he is already back at school.
Lucius is extremely pale and visibly crushed.
Tonks had always considered her Uncle to be one of the mentally strongest individuals she knew. She sees him in such a vulnerable state for the first time since she met him.
Lucius has just returned from the graveyard.
Apparently, he had witnessed something shocking and harrowing. Something, that left him speechless and shattered.
Lucius looks absently forward. His hands are shaking.
Tonks is too confused and intimidated to utter a word.
Narcissa calmly strokes Lucius' blonde hair.
'So, did he called you out for...?' she starts in a soft, gentle voice.
'Yes.' Lucius answers quickly. 'I haven't expected anything else, Narcissa. I have been aware for thirteen years, that someday I will be held accountable for what I had done.'
'He knows, that you regret...'
'Yes, he knows!' Lucius exclaims. 'I let him inside my mind, Narcissa. I lowered my shields for him. He saw everything. He knows that my false testimony in front of Wizengamot had been a source of my remorse for all those years. He knows that I've done it for you and for Draco. But... still...'
'Lucius.' Narcissa's voice is soft like a lullaby. 'It was just deceiving the Wizengamot. Our enemies. You have not renounced our Lord. You have not renounced the Old Ways. You have not renounced your beliefs. You have only lied in front of a bunch of Blood Traitors. And what you've done saved the lives of me and Draco, because we wouldn't have survived without you.'
Lucius' hands finally stop trembling.
'You lowered your shields for him.' Auntie goes on, repeating Lucius' words in a soothing voice. 'He saw everything. He knows that you are not to blame.'
Lucius takes a deep breath and lets the air out with a whistle.
'Now, tell me everything that happened at the graveyard.' Narcissa says, noticing that Lucius apparently managed to calm down. 'Tell me everything you saw.'
'Blood Ritual.' Lucius explains briefly. 'Blood Magic, ancient one. Unbelievably powerful ritual, which requires three sources of sacrifice.'
Tonks leans forward to hear better. She doesn't know much about Blood Magic; just the basic information she had learned during her Dark Arts lessons with Lucius.
'The Ritual enabled our Lord to restore his powerful, corporal form.' Lucius goes on. 'He summoned us. Then... something unfortunate happened.'
Two women wait patiently for Lucius to elaborate. In his vulnerable state, they don't want to rush him off.
'The third source of sacrifice.' Lucius speaks finally. 'Blood of the Enemy. Harry Potter was the source of this blood. The Dark Lord wanted him dead. Potter managed to escape.'
Narcissa gasps.
'Is the Dark Lord enraged?' she asks quietly.
'Not anymore.' Lucius answers.
Tonks feels an ice-cold cramp in her stomach. The Dark Lord may not be enraged at the moment, but judging by Uncle's state, he must have been furious back at the graveyard.
'The most important thing was restoring his body.' Lucius adds. 'Getting rid of Potter is not an urgent priority. Nevertheless, he was very close, and yet... Potter escaped by some indescribable miracle. Their wands. During their duel, their wands behaved ... oddly. They seemed to repel each other's spells.'
'Things like this happen, Lucius.' Narcissa says softly. 'If two wands have identical cores. It's not our Lord's fault. It's not anyone's fault.'
Tonks watches Lucius' eyes glittering with understand.
He must have been aware of such a reason of this occurrence, because even Tonks knows what sometimes happens when two wands are "twins". However, unlike Narcissa, he is still under a strong impact of the fresh events he has just witnessed. His ability to think rationally is still somewhat blunt.
Tonks once more cannot help but genuinely admire Aunt Narcissa's comforting and soothing abilities.
Lucius visibly relaxes and leans against an arm of the couch.
'Do you know anything about our Lord's further plans, Lucius?' Auntie asks quietly.
'Gathering strength. ' Uncle answers. 'Reaching out to all of the former supporters. Infiltrating Ministry and Aurors ranks. And later, when all the things settle down a little bit, we will go to Azkaban.'
Tonks watches her Uncle eyes glittering.
'Your sister is not going to be there much Longer, Cissy.' he promises.
Narcissa's face lights up.
'Does he plan to release the prisoners... in a legal manner?' Narcissa asks.
'No.'
Lucius finally recovers his spirit. He even lets out a small smile.
'It will be a full-blown Raid. First one in over thirteen years.'
Tonks hears her heart pounding like crazy.
She finally braces herself and approaches her Uncle. She lays her hand on his shoulder.
'Uncle Lucius, I want to take part in this mission. I want to help to release my Aunt Bellatrix and the others.'
Lucius looks at her in a surprise.
'Nymphie...' he says quietly.
'That's not all.' she adds. 'Until the time we are ready to strike, I want to make myself useful. I will gather information about the Aurors Office's actions and pass it on to you. Now, when the Dark Lord is back, they are going to organize themselves. Moreover, having Moody and many other like-minded individuals, they may want to reactivate Order of The Phoenix. I will apply for a membership. I want to work as a spy.'
Lucius and Narcissa seem to be stunned by this bold and unexpected declaration.
'Uncle, you have told me yourself, that a person on my position in the Ministry working for our side is a valuable weapon.' the girl reminds.
'Yes, Nymphie, but you may take it slow. Don't toss yourself in the deep end so soon.' Lucius says softly.
'You are still so young, sweetheart. You don't have to get involved just yet.' Narcissa adds.
Tonks stands upright in front of them.
Silver eyes of Lucius. Light-blue eyes of Narcissa.
Tonks feels drops of sweat on her forehead. She has to convince them.
'My Mother had poisoned a branch of a priceless tree, preventing it from bearing fruit.' she says calmly. 'My Mother had spoiled an undefined amount of Pure Blood, tainting it. Blood, which would have otherwise flown also in my veins. My Mother had taken this privilege from me with her betrayal, just like she had taken it from my future children and grandchildren. Who knows how many fruit would have this branch born? We will never know, because my Mother denied it the chance to grow and develop. My children and grandchildren will not be Pure-Blooded and this cannot be reversed. However, there is something I can do. How else can I fix the damage my Mother had done, if not by standing to fight for the Pure-Blooded cause when I have the opportunity? I don't want to wait any longer, Aunt Narcissa, Uncle Lucius. I want to join you. I'm ready and able to fight.'
Lucius and Narcissa exchange looks.
Lucius lets out a smile.
'Welcome on the board, Nymphie.' he says.