Chapter Four: Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters

Tonks looked out the window to the crowd of fighters below. The Death Eaters, it had seemed, had breached the battlements and were entering the castle. "Reducto!" she cried, aiming her wand at a chunk of the castle battlements. A large piece of rubble fell into a crowd of Death Eaters. More footsteps came down the corridor, and Ginny Weasley's figure emerged. "Tonks!" she cried, but the noise was lost when an explosion erupted from behind her. Out of the dust came Aberforth, leading a small group of students. "Have you seen Remus?" Tonks asked him.

"He was dueling Dolohov, haven't seen him since!" shouted Aberforth back.

"Tonks, Tonks, he's alright, he's-" shouted Ginny.

But she had sped down the hall after Aberforth.

"Where did you see him?" she asked him.

"Back near the Room of Requirement-" Tonks turned to go.

"But be careful! I hear Bellatrix Lestrange is around, and she's looking for you."

Tonks nodded and sped down the hall. She reached a corner and stopped, flattening herself against the wall. Her aunt's low voice could be heard from around the corner.

Please don't come, please don't come, I almost failed on Stealth and Tracking…

She knew she was bound to do something that would give her position away. Quickly, she tapped the back of her hand with her wand and felt the oozing feeling of invisibility wash over her as she watched her body slowly disappear.

"Rudolpho, you were with Dolohov, weren't you?" her aunt's voice was vicious. Tonks gave a start at the name. Remus..

"He was fighting that werewolf, Lupin, wasn't he?"

"Yes, milady."

"Is the werewolf dead?" Bellatrix asked. There was a pause, then an answer.

"Yes, milady, very much so."

Tonks's feet gave way beneath her, and she crashed into a suit of armor, sending pieces of metal clanging through the corridor. Her eyes were blinded with tears.

Not dead, not dead, he can't be, no!

"Good, I couldn't stand the thought of him and my niece, disgrace upon the family she is!" Bellatrix rounded the corner, "Stupefy!" She looked around.

"I know you're here, little Nymphadora, come out and say hello to Auntie Bella… Crucio!" Tonks gasped and brought her knees to her chest, the fiery pain spreading through her.

"Expelliarmus!" cried a new voice, and the pain stopped. Luna Lovegood faced Bellatrix, her expression unflinching.

"You dare," whispered Bellatrix, "You dare to disarm me, girlie?"

But Luna was looking behind her, "Tonks, run! Lupin's okay!" Bellatrix turned around and flung curses wildly at the corridor behind her.

"I'll get you! You and your scummy werewolf husband!" she screamed.

Nothing mattered to Tonks now, now that she knew that Lupin was alive. The relief spurred through her like adrenalin as she ran through the corridors leading to the Room of Requirement. She stopped, panting hard and feeling slightly sick, when she saw the remains of the corridor. The bodies, the scorched Death Eater… None of them looked familiar.

A sound further up the corridor drew her attention. Someone was coming towards her, running, shouting curses at whoever was following them…

She had found him at last.