Tonks had just received a letter telling her where to go and to come alone. She stood now, waiting, where the letter instructed. The meeting place was beside an old road, dense forest grew on both sides. There were no buildings to be seen and it was completely deserted.

Tonks felt very uneasy and for good reason. God I hope he's ok. The letter had said Severus was found to be a spy. There was no way of telling what they would do to him or had already done. She had to show regardless of the risk to her own safety.

I'll do anything for him. The thought startled her. Where did that come from?

A rustling sound interrupted her thoughts. Drawing her wand she stepped away from the moving branches as a masked man stepped out of the trees.

"Give me your wand." The faceless man demanded holding out a beefy hand.

"No." she snapped.

Even though his face was hidden she could tell he was confused. "You are surrendering?"

"Not until I see Severus is alright."She stood defiant but the man wasn't relenting.

"Your wand Miss. Tonks or you'll never see him again." Reluctantly she handed it over. Never before could she remember feeling so exposed and vulnerable.

He directed her into the woods but walked behind so as not to lose sight of her. Clumsy as she could sometimes be on smooth ground, the forest floor, littered with undergrowth and tree roots proved especially difficult for her.

The Death Eater followed closely behind, telling her where to go and giving her a shove if she moved too slowly, which only helped her to stumble more. When they reached a clearing he shoved her to the ground where she stayed feeling sick from worry and the pain in her head caused by her fall onto the heard earth.

Looking up she saw Snape sitting in the dirt at the edge of the clearing. He was tied to a tree and appeared to be unharmed but she could see clearly the fear in his eyes.

Her captor placed his foot on her back holding her down. She watched as Bellatrix waved her wand and the ropes binding Snape fell away. He rose, straightening his robes and dusting himself off as he strode over to her smirking. He signaled to the man who let her up. All wands were trained on her.

Snape stepped up close to her, careful to keep his wand subtly within her reach. It would kill him if she died thinking he'd planned this.

He whispered in her ear, "It was a trap. I knew nothing of it."

His voice broke with emotion. "You shouldn't have come and with no backup." He couldn't believe she had risked her life on his behalf, had handed over her wand.

She leaned in closer to him and whispered back, "What makes you think I don't have backup?"

Before he could fully appreciate the meaning of her words, Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped from behind a tree and sent red sparks shooting from his wand through the overhanging branches and into the sky. A large bang accompanied the glow and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix Apparated, surrounding the clearing.

There were few Death Eaters included in the plan to begin with and two upon Dumbledore's arrival Dissapparated instantly. They were vastly outnumbered but began throwing cruses regardless of the odds and the Order returned fire.

With the Death Eaters being taken by surprise the battle didn't last long. Lucius called it, "Retreat, the Dark Lord needs us alive!"

Those who physically could Dissapparated though a few remained, injured. Bellatrix seemed especially upset at the suggested retreat but knew her fellow Death Eater was right, they were needed alive.

Besides she had a punishment to look forward to.

She left the clearing last with a demented smile, one that Snape was certain would end up in his next nightmare.