Disclaimer: Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she shares the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.

Chapter 16: Detention

"You did what! Why?" Tonks's voice was shrill, hitting notes Harry hadn't experienced since his Aunt Petunia was dive bombed by Hogwarts letters.

"I didn't... Tonks, it was a raid. Pick a Death Eater, watch them. Pick them off when you can. And we found this one standing almost alone in a muggle park. It was rainy, and Snape cheerfully got rid of the snogging teens while Fred and George distracted witnesses. However, our suspect was in a close, friendly conversation with someone. What were we supposed to do? Risk Remus being trigger happy? Risk giving the Death Eater warning that they were about to attack?"

"But..."

"Safety first, before Remus's dignity." Harry sighed. "But since we didn't leave him unconscious in a muggle park, we brought him to the safe-house."

"He's where?"

"He's... Well, we're keeping him restrained until we can tell him stuff. Since he wasn't too happy with you not telling, we're hoping for an Oath of Silence."

Tonks crossed her arms. "You knocked Remus out, and now you're keeping him in a cage until he swears an oath?"

"Well, Snape actually stunned him..." Harry was looking at the ground, and trying to prevent himself from smoothing his fringe down over his eyes, to hide further.

"You're not helping yourself, Harry."

"Umm. Right." Harry took a deep breath and found some resolve. "However, you yelling also isn't helping. We're keeping our secret, because it's a matter of our safety. We need to know that Death Eaters won't know how to exploit our weaknesses. And Remus reports to the order, and the Order shares far too much information with the DMLE, which is riddled with spies. We need that oath. It's your choice to help or not."

"Harry, he's basically your Godfather."

"And Ron, Ginny, Fred and George are practically my siblings. Should I sacrifice them for Remus's peace of mind?"

"I..." Tonks stopped. "You''re serious."

"Our secrets don't leave our group. And since you're fighting us, we'd like an oath from you."

"Harry." Tonks looked shocked. Harry drew his wand on her.

Harry stood still, wand pointing, and gave Tonks a look that spoke of steel and determination. "You said you'd help us. Help us keep our secret."

"Fine."

.o.o.o.

Draco was reading aloud his transfiguration book, to his old professor Remus. He seemed to pause at the end of every paragraph and ask questions.

"This would be so much easier if I could just try it."

"Well, if you weren't in here... Anyway, theory is good for you. Learning all the theory will help. You'll be amazed, when you get your wand back, how quickly you manage these spells, since you've really gone over all the theory."

"If I ever get my wand back."

"I'm sure, when this all is over, they'll be fair."

"Says the man who was thrown in a cage my his own side."

"Yes... well..."

"Wotcher! Remus, we're here to work on that."

"Tonks, dear... " Remus looked surprised. "You're involved in this?"

"A few explanations, I think?" Harry said. He winced when Remus went from staring at Tonks in surprise to looking at Harry in utter shock.

"Welcome to the cells of the Bogeywomen slash Hunter Team. These are not the cells for people we dislike. These are the cells for people who we think are valuable."

"You never did explain your link to her, Potter, did you?" Draco's voice came from behind Tonks, and startled her. "And how am I valuable?"

"You being happy keeps Snape happy. Or rather, Snape would have been even more grumpy then usual if we'd have done to you what we do to the average Death Eater."

"Ah. and what is that. Winter fur..."

"The... nevermind. no reason to answer, and a good reason not to means no information for the Mini Malfoy."

"Fine. I'll just listen in on your family squabble"

"Fine. And do your homework."

"I can't believe you were mean enough to pass along the assignment of '30 minutes practice on human hands to cat paws...' How am I supposed to even try?"

"Umm. I'll forward your complaint to the homework committee. But it's Hermione, she likes complete lists."

"Fine. The Know-it-all will continue to taunt me. Where is she, anyway?"

"I think she's off menacing your god-father's ingredient suppliers as we speak, actually."

Tonks joined in the conversation, trying to take it back from the boy's light verbal sparing. "She's out being little red?"

"Yes."

"But I though we like Snape."

"He's on our team. However, it's not believable to anyone that we wouldn't menace him. And driving him slowly insane by making sure everyone knows we've been mucking about in his ingredients plays that part, and lets him out of having to brew for other people. He was positively giddy with the sudden amount of spare time he had once it got out to both his masters that he was being stalked and his ingredients were iffy."

"Well, isn't that nice for him."

"Harry, Tonks, someone, explain?" Remus was tired of being patient. The bed in his cell was not that comfy.

"Oh, right. Um, so the guy you were talking to in the park yesterday..."

"Gibbons, yes, I was talking to him about getting a job packing brooms."

"Umm, well, odd spot for an interview. Anyway, he's a marked Death Eater, and that was the first time he'd been out of wards in a week..."

"And I was in the wrong spot..."

"Yes, you were. Anyway, Gibbons got Hunted. And now, unfortunately, you know things."

"Ah, hence the cage."

"Yes. well, and I told Snape we weren't to leave you unconscious in a park. You'd wake up in a muggle hospital all confused, and... well, we need to talk."

"As your girlfriend, can I just say that I did yell at Harry before we got down here about the whole cage thing."

"Thanks, Dear." Remus smiled at Tonks.

She shifted her hair from pink to bright purple for a second, before she continued. "However, since they know you were so upset with me for not telling things when I knew them, you are now a security risk. Sorry."

"Dammit. Why, risk of what?"

"Umm... What do you remember from the park?"

"I saw fireworks. I turned, and then back behind me, I saw a... I saw a red cloak.. and then I was stunned."

"That's about right. They didn't want to give you a chance to realize you were under attack or get a shield up in muggle area. And Remus, we weren't sure why you were talking to him. If you didn't know he was a Death Eater, we assumed you would defend him out of instinct if he was attacked while you were there."

"And you're sure he's a Death Eater?"

"Yup. He's being asked questions in the other room. Well he was, before that team went on to mucking with Snape's supplies."

"And he was marked?"

"Branded, yes, and called by name by Voldemort at meetings. That's how he first got on he list."

"He could be a spy... for the Aurors or someone."

"We asked. They didn't choose to reveal any spies to us, even at the risk of hem being taken by the bogeywomen."

"Harry, who's the bogeywomen?"

"Hermione."

"WHAT? !" Draco's shout came from behind Harry, and surprised him.

"Hermione took Avery, MacNair, and Malfoy? How?" Remus was surprised.

"Hermione got MY FATHER?"

Harry was rubbing his temples again.

.o.o.o.

Lupin knew the only way out of the cell was an oath of silence. He, eventually, took the oath. Harry even offered to ask Snape to come by, so Remus could have company swearing and curing Harry's existence.

"What were you doing in that field with a death Eater, anyway." Harry asked. "Since we're telling the whole truth about things."

"That field is a nice, public park, like where one would go to meet a potential enemy, not a job interview site..." Tonks added, looking hard at Remus.

"I'd already done the interview. Their packing and shipping department is mostly squibs. I can use a wand, therefore they wanted me. And Gibbons got me in as a part timer, with a very flexible schedule. He knew, I wanted to know how he knew."

"Could he have been recruiting for the Dark lord. Offering werewolves good jobs that are wizarding approved would be a huge step up for most lycanthropes, and would get their loyalty, at least for the length of the recruiting spiel."

"He could have been. I... I had no idea he was marked."

"And if there had been stunners from no where, would you have defended him?"

"Most likely."

'"What if it had visibly been the bogeywomen. Would you have been willing to assume that he was a valid target based solely on the fact that she was attacking him?"

Harry was genuinely curious on this front. How strong was the public's perception of their quest. Would people stand aide and let them take their prey?"

" I... No, but, he was helping... Ok.. I see what you mean. I'll calm down and stop being so peeved with you lot. There was no good way to take that situation."

"No, no there wasn't. And since you saw the bogeywomen shooting stunners.."

There was an interrupting cough, and Tonks looked pointedly at Draco.

Harry smirked. "He's OK to be in the know. All the Death Eaters in the other cages know, and let me tell you, when we pull them up to check their health and make sure they're sane, they're not at all happy at being outsmarted. Besides, Draco knows his life expectancy, on all fronts, is longer on the inside of his bars then out with the Dark lord. If Voldie doesn't kill him, we'll have to."

"I though the whole mouse thing was to prevent killing people."

"The mouse thing was to instill terror and have a weapon that wasn't reversed by a simple enervate spell. Have we shown you our dead beetles in jars, Tonks?"

"No. "

"They're from your raid. You got them, before we got there."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So we have mice in the Mousery, and beetles on the Beetle Shelf. Ron want to call the nice cells down here the Ferret House."

"Hey!"

"Named after our first prisoner to rate it, of course."

"And what did he do to deserve such good accommodations?"

"He's the carrot we're using on Professor Snape."

"Ah, and the stick?"

"Um, that we lose, get caught, and take him down with us? Either to Dumbledore, should we be informed on, or we just fail and he ends up spending his life being a boot licking Death Eater."

"Neither good."

"We're working on him. I think he admires our sneakiness, while deploring our charging tactics. Also, Chocolate Biscuits work as a stopgap measure. Toast does not."

Tonks looked lost.

.o.o.o.

Luna once again published a photo, via the Quibbler. It was Gibbons, in his Nimbus employee robes, with his arm showing, and the Dark Mark centered. She even sent a copy to the Prophet, but she made sure it would get there twenty minute too late for their publishing deadline.

The Quibbler article was about hidden Death Eaters, and those who employ them. It even asked if Nimbus employed any other Death Eaters. Mr. Lovegod had gone through the effort of getting a statement from a company executive, saying they did not employ Death Eaters. The Quibbler finished he piece by asking "But how can they know that they don't employ death eaters. Have the checked the rest of their staff for marks or glamors? And before you mock them for the picture of the latest Bogeywoman victim wearing their corporate robes, think about this... Hove you checked your employees? Has the Ministry?"

Harry read the article in the Great Hall, and joined the general applause when Luna entered the room. If people picked up on that advise, it would help the long term goal of preventing Voldemort from recruiting. No one would join an organization that made them get a bad tattoo that would prohibit them from holding a job. And if it was only the Order versus the existing Death Eaters, well, they'd be winning eventually.

.o.o.o.

The next 'mondey' was on a Saturday afternoon, when the boys wanted nothing more then to be out on their broom enjoying the first warm spell of the spring.

"So, are we going to talk Remus into helping us?"

"Remus is confused as all Hell."

"Language, potter. Five points from Gryffindor."

"Can you do that in a secret meeting? Won't someone notice that you were near me to take points?"

"Your Head of House will be glad I only took five. And watch yourself."

"Yes, Sir. Although, I still think you'd be less cranky since I let you stun Remus."

"The Dark Lord is angry. My arm is twitchy. You haven't killed him yet. I reserve the right to take of points for reasonable things,"

"Right. Um. Remus is confused. His oath will hold, but if we press him, he'll go to Dumbledore, who will figure out that he's been sworn to silence on something."

"I don't want to force anyone into fighting. We rely far too heavily on each other when we're out to have a reluctant party out there. It's like taking Luna out. We know from practice that she's worse then leaving her behind. It's not that she doesn't add anything, she just complicates too much."

Hermione nodded. "So we have him out there, and knowing, and we just leave him be?"

Ron nodded. "We ward him out of the basement, so he can only get in with two of us. We tell Tonks that, so she doesn't try to bring him down for a snog. We're secure. We leave it. Don't pick at scabs. Don't tickle dragons."

Hermione made a face. "Scabs, really? That's pleasant, Ron."

"It's metaphoric."

It's gross."

"Saint's preserve my Sanity. Do we have anything to talk about?" Snape was rubbing his temples, and possible growling.

"We're picking a new target, and we're talking about Tonks getting her own red cloak, as well as Ginny getting more training in one."

"The Carrows." Snape's tone was not to be argued with.

Hermione pulled out a file from a file folder far too small to have held it. "The Carrows, brother and sister, never jailed. Should we still be going after the secret ones, or should we be watching on order of likeliness to re-offend?"

"All of them are Death Eaters. They are all likely to re-offend. Their Lord thinks torture is a fun way to get attention."

"But..."

"Muggle bridges. Muggles verses dementors, which they can't even see."

"Right. We'll watch for the Carrows. Are they on the map, Harry."

"Searching. We need to add a search feature."

Neville was looking over Harry's shoulder. "What do we know about them? Where do they live?"

"I'll do that search, again."

"You'd think the Magical world could think of a simple phone book, or a who's who."

"A floo book, you mean? We're not a logical society, Hermione. Muggle logic doesn't help you find your keys when they can be in a shrunken box hidden by a kneazel. Accio does."

"Ur, right."

"So, search spell on the map." Harry wrote down in his notes.

"Highlighting spell, to light up the word Carrow? Possible?" Neville thought aloud.

"That might work. Ask a Ravenclaw." Snape stereotyped.

"We can ask Professor Flitwick."

"How much does he know, by the way."

"He thinks we're working with adults."

Snape growled. "So what happens when he compliments Dumbledore on his new radio system, or the map."

"Harry, Hermione, I can't believe you're coming down so hard on Remus while telling things randomly to Flitwick..."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then at the group.

Harry looked sheepish. "Um. We could recruit him?"

Hermione shook her head. "He was so proud of us for finding a SAFE way to participate. I don't think he'll like the truth."

"We could send Tonks to thank him for his silence?"

"Ahhh, sic another adult n him. But thanking him for not telling Dumbledore will just get him curious."

"We could claim we're using cell structure, like Muggle resistance, so no one can give up to many people if questioned."

"But Dumbledore would know..."

Harry once again interrupted his Professor. "Let's do that. Have Tonks come and ask him for silence. We can apologize for putting him in that position, and say we should have left him in the hall longer."

"Potter, if you insist on talking over me... you can talk all this evening."

Harry winced. "Detention?"

"Tutoring remedial first years."

"Worse." Harry's reaction was quiet and under his breath, but not quiet enough.

"You could have both."

"Sorry sir."

"Seven Fifteen. Every P or T essay from that group means you do it again."

Hermione waited a moment, to make sure Snape and Harry were done, and hopefully wait until Snape was done handing out punishments.

"Speaking of Tonks... We can get her out here to talk to Professor Flitwick, hat's not a problem. I still think, and I think it's even clearer after this last mission, that we need another trained Bogeywoman. Either I want to talk you around to training Tonks, or training up Ginny."

"Hermione, are you going to bring this up every time until we agree?" Harry looked at her, emotions mixed on his face.

"Yes Harry. " she sighed. "I think all of out plans are currently too dependent on one person, me. And I want to know that whatever happens, this keeps on going, and keeps on working. We're doing good work, and it's having a great effect, but if we stop suddenly, it can all be lost." Hermione looked around the table.

"What if Ron crashes into the stands next Quidditch match, and breaks both may arms. Do you all keep going, and keep up or death eater of the week schedule? You could, but I'd feel better about it if we had back up."

"Hermione, Madam Pomfrey could fix that in an instant..."

"Ron, she was being polite, and giving an example that doesn't make me want to cry..." Ginny corrected her brother.

Harry looked at Hermione, then at Ginny. "Ginny, would you prefer to be the Primary backup, or should we call on Tonks's Auror experience to help combat the forces of evil?"

"I thinking I'm OK with helping out as a second person when we're trying to confuse people, but as a backup... I wasn't really comfortable on that last mission. Let's ask Tonks."

Harry looked around the whole table, meeting everyone's eyes. "Anyone want to voice an objection?"

They stayed silent.. Hermione voicing her fears made other worries, like a clumsy Tonks finding a way to trip over a knee length cloak, seem silly.

Harry nodded. "Right then, we're agreed. Let's train and eat biscuits, so I can study up on potions before dinner."

.o.o.o.

Tonks put the red cloak on, and looked in the mirror. Her face, hands and legs were covered in unnatural shadows. The cloak itself was bright red, unnaturally bright, with it's artistic tears and stains highlighted. Her arm showed the same style of counter as Hermione's robe. Tonks, told to pick a number between one and 13, had picked 8. Her counter would start from the random number, and work its way up as she got more experience.

They'd debated on keeping the two looking exactly the same, but they wanted their team to be able to tell the difference if they were to run into each other during a mission, or even just during training in the Chamber. It wouldn't do for Remus to try to kiss the wrong little red ridding hood.

Tonks twisted and turned. Hermione stood behind her, looking at the reflection. "It won't come off unless they have the password. Our healers have it. I'll give it to Remus. We decided that will help us keep our identity secret. Even an unconscious Hunter in St. Mungo's... they could heal, since diagnostics can get through the shield clock, and they could do rough healing, but it's bad idea. Still, I think keeping the hood stuck down when facing, say the Lestranges is more important. Just... try not to get injured and left behind."

"Right. Also, this is Wicked. And it's already all tattered and stained..."

"Luna dud that. She wore it out while visiting the thestrals, and feeding them."

"That would explain the blood splatter."

Hermione smiled at Tonks, and offered her a chocolate biscuit. "Welcome to the team."

AN I'm sorry. This looks like a chapter, and quacks like a chapter, but as much as I try, i'm not sure of it. Sigh

Thanks for reading.