Mad-Eye Moody is in his fucking element.
Tonks watches with a bored expression her former mentor standing in a middle of a fourteen-people-group, and ordering them around.
He has already explained his plan to the fourteen volunteers. Tonks expected them all to laugh it off - just like the Death Eaters had. Much to her amusement, the Order's members took the ridiculousplan very seriously.
At the moment, Moody is handing some baggy clothes, round glasses and vials of Polyjuice potion over to the Potter's impersonators.
He's even precautious enough to bring six birdcages with stuffed snowy owls inside, which makes the whole endeavor look even more like a pre-school drama.
Winces of disgust twist the impersonators' faces, as they drink Polyjuice. Tonks smirks internally; she considers herself very lucky, never having to drink the disgusting potion.
Six fake Potters get undressed and Tonks finally has some fun: she watches the original Harry, staring in disgust at his almost naked copies. He seems really grossed out, like if he never had seen his own body in the mirror. Tonks has to make an effort not to burst into a laughter observing his winced face.
When the usurpers are finally changed and ready, Moody divides them into pairs. Tonks already knows, that she is destined to travel with the dumbest and most obnoxious of all Weasley scions.
She sticks a wide, fake smile to her face, looking at Ronald Weasley (now under Potter's guise). The boy doesn't seem to like the idea of being paired up with Tonks, either. They reluctantly walk outside following with the rest of the group.
The half-giant oaf takes the real Potter to his enchanted motorcycle and makes him squeeze into the small sidecar together with all his belongings. Now, only Potter's head sticks out of the sidecar, what makes him look like a baby in a stroller.
This time, Tonks cannot help herself and bursts into laughter. Ron Weasley, seeing her amusement, turns his head towards Potter and starts laughing as well.
'All right then.' says Moody. 'Everyone ready, please; I want us all to leave at exactly the same time or the whole point of the diversion's lost.'
Tonks catches a glance of Lupin staring at her, and decides to piss him off.
'Hold tight now, Ron.' she says and places both of Weasley's hands on her waist, making sure that Lupin sees it.
"Relationship" with Remus, established only for the sake of her spying mission, was sentenced in advance to be mentally exhausting, unpleasant and extremely annoying. However, even having that in mind, Lupin's behavior towards the girl has been crossing all the boundaries of good taste and decency.
He seems to be obsessed with Tonks- or rather, with the pheromones she uses. Tonks is sometimes forced to resort to literally running away from his obtrusive presence.
Lupin's existence is a taint on her happiness, which is brought to her by her amazing relationship with Fenrir. Tonks wishes she could show herself with her mate to Lupin, to make him fuck off for good. She plans on doing exactly that when the war is finally over.
At this point, as long as starstruck Lupin is still useful by making spying on the Order easier for Tonks, all she can do is to annoy him a little, just like now.
'Good luck, everyone.' Moody yells. 'See you all in about an hour at the Burrow. On the count of three. One... two...THREE.'
Tonks pushes off the ground with her feet, and starts ascending on her broom with Weasley brat clung to her.
They raise through the air pretty fast. Tonks doesn't take her eyes off the motorbike with the original Potter inside, ascending on her left. It should be attacked right about...
...now. A group of masked Death Eaters on brooms in long, black cloaks, encircle the bike. Knowing in advance which Harry is real, they don't even bother chasing the others. Tonks doesn't look forward, focusing entirely on the battle on her left side. Green and red curses shatter the night sky. She feels Weasley's fingers squeezing her waist painfully.
After a couple of seconds of the fire exchange, the motorcycle rolls over. Potter almost falls down; Tonks hears Weasley's fearful squeak behind her. However, Harry manages to climb up, as soon as the oaf regains control of the machine.
'Tonks!' Wesley screams in a high-pitched voice. 'Shouldn't we help them?!'
As soon as he utters these words, something unexpected happens: a brick wall shoots out of the bike's exhaust pipe, creating an obstacle for the Death Eaters.
'What the fuck is that?!' Tonks snaps in shock.
'My Father's tampered with this bike!' Ron answers with pride in his voice. 'That's one of the upgrades he made!'
'WALDEN!' Tonks yells, her eyes widening, as she sees one of the Death Eaters- Macnair- crashing into the wall. His broomsticks smashes into tiny wooden splinters, he falls down like a rock...
'W-what...?' Weasley stutters, confused.
'LEVICOPUS!' Tonks screams, pointing her wand towards Macnair. His unconscious body stops falling and hangs mid-air.
Tonks turns sharply left and catches Walden, placing his weightless body on her lap.
'TONKS, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!' Ron Weasley tears his throat behind her.
'Shut the fuck up.' Tonks snaps, clenching her teeth.
Just amazing. Now, she has a barely-alive Macnair to look after and an enemy sitting behind her on her broomstick to deal with- and, she must keep following the motorbike at the same time.
Tonks joins the three other Death Eaters, who chase the original Potter, and flies with them in an extended line. She holds Walden's midsection with her left hand, and casts a shielding spell with her right.
'Tonks...! Why are we... What are you...'
Tonks smirks quietly; she is unbelievably lucky to be paired up with Ronald. He is undoubtedly the dumbest person in the entire Order of the Phoenix.
Suddenly, a bluish flame bursts from the exhaust pipe. The bike shoots forward like a rocket, and quickly vanishes from Tonks' eyes.
'What the...? WEASLEY...? IS THAT ALSO ONE OF YOUR FATHER'S FUCKING UPGRADES?!' the girl yells, infuriated, looking back at Ron.
The terrified boy only nods his head.
Tonks glances at the closest Death Eater; he wears a silver mask, but, judging by his physique, it's Rowle.
'Thorfinn!' Tonks yells, drawing his attention to himself.
Rowle turns his head towards her, and she extends her chin, indicating the vanishing motorbike. He nods his head, and they simultaneously shoot forward, bringing their brooms to their limits.
Ron Weasley stars yelling and crying, clinging to Tonks with his entire body to keep himself from falling.
Tonks and Thorfinn overtake Potter and the oaf in couple of seconds; apparently, the pair has some trouble with their machine. Tonks catches a glimpse of the sidecar detaching from the motorbike and exploding in the air. Then, she watches the oaf pulling the boy on the bike's backseat.
Disregarding Ron Weasley constant screams, questions and pleads, Tonks keeps on following the motorbike; she notices Thorfinn extending his wand towards it, but she stops him with a gesture.
Potter belongs to the Dark Lord, and only to him.
It takes a few seconds more, but the girl finally spots Lord Voldemort, floating through the air surrounded by a cloud of a black smoke.
Thorfinn and Tonks raise their hands at the same time, indicating Potter's exact location.
The Dark Lord increases his pace and quickly overtakes the two Death Eaters. He almost pounces on the motorbike, shooting a series of green light streams towards Potter.
Potter blindly casts stunners in random directions, while the oaf does something unexpected- he steers the motorbike into a vertical dive.
Thorfinn flies forward to the machine and casts Confringo straight at the engine, which immedietly goes up in flames. The motorbike starts spiraling downwards in an uncontrolled way.
The oaf's behavior takes Tonks aback again; he jumps off the motorcycle and launches himself at Thorfinn. His huge body knocks Rowle off his broom and they start falling together.
Tonks curses quietly, and -still holding unconscious Macnair on her lap - nosedives to catch her falling comrade.
'Levicorpus!'
The Dark Lord casts the spell, making both Thorfinn and the oaf hang mid-air.
Then, Voldemort casts a non-verbal curse, stunning the oaf, who finally lets go of the Death Eater and falls down like a rock.
'HAGRID! HARRY!' Wesley tears his throat behind Tonks' back.
'My Lord!' ignoring Ron, Tonks flies forward to Voldemort. 'They crushed! Potter fell down, along with the motorcycle!'
'YOUR LORD?!' Ron yells straight into her ear. 'WHAT DOES THAT MEAN: YOUR LORD?! TONKS, WHAT THE FUCK?!'
Tonks swings her elbow backwards and hits Weasley straight in the face. A crunch of breaking nose and a cry of pain can be heard.
'My Lord, it's Macnair!' Tonks adds, indicating the unconscious man on her lap. 'He crushed into a wall, it seems that he's broken plenty of bones...'
Voldemort extends his arms towards the girl.
'I shall carry him.' he says. 'Both him, and Rowle.'
Tonks hands the weightless body of Walden Macnair over to the Dark Lord. Voldemort grabs him with one hand, and the injured Rowle with the other.
'My Lord, what about Potter?!' Tonks asks. 'It seems that he couldn't have survived this crush, but...'
'Nymphdora.' Voldemort cuts her off. 'Do you recognize this place?'
Tonks gasps in confusion, but leans over to take a good look on the surroundings.
Her eyes widen.
'My Mother's house!' she exclaims in disbelief.
'Warded safehouse.' Voldemort adds.
'I'll go there, my Lord!' Tonks offers immedietly. 'I can cross the protective wards!'
Voldemort nods.
'Be cautious, and keep in mind, that Potter must be captured alive.'
'Yes, my Lord!'
Voldemort disapparates, carrying along two unconscious Death Eaters.
Tonks starts descending towards her Parents' home, which she hasn't visited in eight years.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On the frontyard, next the small pond where little Tonks used to play, metal remains of the crushed motorcycle shine in the moonlight.
The traces of Potter's or the oaf's corpses are nowhere to be found, though.
Tonks jumps off her broom and looks back at Weasley.
'You're staying here, or going with me?' she snaps obnoxiously.
Ron stares at her with his mouth opened, like a retard.
Tonks rolls her eyes and sprints to the house.
'DEPULSO!' she yells, aiming her wand towards the door.
It opens vigorously, and Tonks storms into the small living room.
Carved table, brown leather coach, fireplace and a couple of portraits- just like Tonks remembered it.
Andromeda and Ted are both sitting there; they eyes widen in disbelief when they see their daughter.
'Nymphadora!' Andromeda exclaims. 'What...'
'Where the fuck are they?!' Tonks snaps.
'Who?' Ted raises his eyebrows.
'Potter boy and the half-giant!' Tonks yells. 'They were here, weren't they?!'
'Yes, they were!' Andromeda replies. 'I've asked Potter about you, he promised to pass our message on to you...'
'...What?! Mother, were is he!? WHERE'S HARRY POTTER?!' the girl yells, extending her wand, aiming at Andromeda.
The older woman's face pales rapidly.
'He's already gone! He used a Portkey!' she says.
'WHAT THE FUCK DID HE DO?!' Tonks screams and presses her wand against her Mother's throat.
'H-haven't you guys any procedures to follow?' Andromeda asks in confusion, trying to keep a calm voice. 'Why are you so upset about Potter using a Portkey? Wasn't he supposed to do that?! '
Tonks is infuriated; if she has just arrived a couple of minutes earlier...
'Where did he go?' she asks in a sickeningly sweet voice.
Andromeda swallows and looks her daughter in the eyes, not understanding what's going on.
Ted slowly approaches Tonks and softly touches her extended arm, trying to lower it.
'What's going on, Nymphadora? Why're you acting like this...?' he asks.
Tonks pushes her Father aside, and points her wand back towards Andromeda.
'Where. Did. He. Go?' she repeats, ominously emphasizing each word.
'To the Burrow!' Andromeda squeaks.
So, they haven't changed his final destination, Tonks thinks.
She lowers her wand and shoots her Mother a final, disgusted look, before she turns back to walk away.
'Wait, Nymphadora!' Andromeda returns to her usual, obnoxious voice.
Tonks turns her head towards her.
'I don't have time for you right now!'
'Nymphadora, don't you think that we deserved some explanations? You... storm into our house like that, you threaten your Mother, and now you walk away like nothing happened?!' Ted snarls.
'If you are so concerned about Potter's safety, Nymphadora, you don't have to be.' Andromeda adds. 'He's in the Burrow now, and it's the safest house out there. You and your friends have done an excellent job, protecting him throughout the journey.'
Tonks pops her eyes out at her Mother, and starts laughing.
It's a loud, cold, unpleasant laughter.
Tonks and Andromeda look at each other in confusion.
Tonks laughs, and cannot stop.
'Nymphadora...' Ted starts.
Laughter.
'Cut it out!' Andromeda yells.
'Dearest Mother, dearest Father, since you are asking me for an explanation yourselves, why not provide you with an explanation?' she says in an innocent voice. 'My cover is going to be blown anyways in the nearest future, so why not tell you right now? Listen carefully, because I'm not going to repeat twice: I. Am. Not. Protecting. Harry. Potter.'
Andromeda's eyes widen.
'Of course you are!' she snaps. 'Nymphadora, are you sure you weren't hit by a Confundus charm on the way? Ted, could you check it?'
Tonks' Father extends his arms, trying to grab the girl by her shoulders to check her eyes' pupils for a sign of being confunded.
Tonks pushes his hands away, jumping back.
'DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU FILTHIEST MUDBLOOD!' she yells, losing the remainings of her patience.
Her Parents freeze for a couple of seconds.
'E-excuse me?!' Ted asks finally.
'Who...who taught you such vocabulary? Just...what...who are you?' Andromeda stutters.
Tonks stands upright in front of her and tears her outer tunic apart on her chest.
Andromeda gasps in apparent shock, seeing a Black family badge Toujours Pur, pinned to her daughter's udershirt.
Then, Tonks rolls up her left sleeve, exposing her convex and intensively black Dark Mark.
This time, Andromeda downright screams in fury and disbelief. Ted's face gets progressively paler.
Tonks feels a huge weight being lifted off her shoulders.
'You can owl me if you'll ever want a lesson on Blood Purity Science, Mother.' she says in an unaffectionate voice. 'Of all people I know, you're the one in the greatest need for it.'
Having said these words, Tonks turns towards the door and walks away.
'STUPEFY!'
Two stunners, casted by Mother and Father at the same time, fly past Tonks' ears, missing her by a couple of inches.
The girl curses quietly and jumps forward, stepping out of the house.
As soon as she gets outside, she points her wand towards the house.
'INCENDIO!' she yells. The building immedietly stands in flames.
'Accio broom!' she summons her broomstick; as soon as it reaches her extended hand, she notices the Weasley scion, who runs towards her.
The boy stares at the burning house with an open mouth, unable to comprehend anything.
Tonks' lips curl up in a smile.
'I'm quite lucky you're such a dim-wit.' she says.
Weasley frowns and turns his head towards her, but all he sees is a pointed end of her wand.
'Obliviate.'