Note: For Kuroida, because the words summer and school should be found on opposite sides of a magnet. And also because she updated her fic when I wasn't expecting it, which was a nice surprise when I got home this evening! =)

Thank you to my faithful reviewers for your time and kind words!

Oh and when I said this one was longer...well...I might have lied a bit...sorry!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor am I making any profit from this piece of writing.

12: Don't Move

If one were to make a list of the attributes that could be applied to Lysander Rowle, subtly would certainly not be at the top of said list. In fact it would be a near certainty that such a trait would be absent from the list entirely.

As she and the rest of the rescue party stood in the clearing, staring at the clear track that lead deeper into the woods, Tonks couldn't help but feel more than a little glad of this fact.

She felt rather less glad when she heard somebody behind her mumble to another:

"Merlin, to drag him along all this way! He's a dead man, surely..."

Either side of her, both Kingsley and Harry flinched in anticipation, and Tonks spun round to glare accusingly at whoever had spoken.

It was a moron from Magical Law Enforcement, the Head of Aurors discovered, a rather feeble looking man in his twenties who she knew to be named Lucas Jackson.

"You applied for the Auror program, didn't you Jackson?" she asked, and the wizard gave a little jump at the sound of her voice.

"I...yes, I did." was the slightly abashed response.

"Yeah, I remember." Tonks recalled, despite Kingsley choosing that moment to clear his throat rather loudly. "It's people with attitudes like yours, Jackson, that get turned down and end up as pen pushers down in the Law Enforcement offices. Listen, I'm dead grateful that you decided to tag along on this little outing, but really! We didn't win a war with an outlook like that, and I'm pretty damn sure it's not going to help us now, either. It's over when it's over, and not a moment before."

And with that she turned and began to stalk off through the trees, the others exchanged brief glances before striding off after her.

They followed the track for some half a mile until it came to an abrupt end and, unsure of where exactly to go next, they split into pairs and set off in varying directions. Despite how irritating she found him, Tonks paired herself with Jackson, she felt a little guilty for singling him out earlier, for his had not been the first despairing remark to be uttered. Besides, she thought as they walked side by side away from the others, he ought not have come. She was sure that Lysander Rowle would eat him for breakfast, and for some reason Tonks felt a sense of responsibility for him.

"You know," she told him after a few minutes of awkward silence. "I really do appreciate you coming out here to help. I know I was being blunt earlier, but really, it does mean a lot to me."

Lucas Jackson offered her a small smile, reaching to brush a strand of blonde hair from his eyes.

"What made you want to come?" she wondered, squinting through the trees ahead.

"Professor Lupin taught me Defense at Hogwarts when I was a first year." he explained, glancing behind them to find that the rest of the party were nowhere to be seen. "Of course he left at the end of the year, but I always thought he was the best teacher I'd had." he quickened his pace a little as he vowed: "My daughter's only five years old, she won't be at Hogwarts for another six years. Now he's back at the school I can't possibly have him die! I was glad to think he'd teach Leah in a few years time."

"Merlin," Tonks murmured as they approached another clearing. "That'll make him feel old..." she trailed off into silence when something upon the ground some feet away caught her eye. The Auror came to a halt and eyed the object with a sudden sense of dread.

"Look!" Jackson exclaimed, hurrying forward to snatch up the bundle of scarlet material. "They're Auror robes." he announced, turning to hold them up so that she could see.

"Yeah..." Tonks felt her stomach clench as he gave them a shake, unfolding the material like some sort of grotesque flag. "Those would belong to me."

Jackson's face contorted at the sight of countless patches of thick, black bile and dark splatters of blood. When he opened his mouth to comment, Tonks turned away from him, raising her wand.

"And that would belong to Remus." she told him, and as a huge silvery figure burst from her wand and soared off, carrying news of their findings through the trees, he swallowed any comments that he had thought to make.

They continued to walk for some ten minutes in silence, and as time ebbed away Tonks began to feel desperation seizing her again, She tried best to keep calm, to keep her mind free from panic. This is just another day at work, she told herself firmly, just do your job...

She had just been repeating this instruction silently to herself for the fifth time when Jackson suddenly stopped, raising an arm to point through the trees to their left.

"Look!"

Tonks halted and turned to look to where her companion was pointing, and her eyes came to rest upon a small, shed-like structure that was nestled between the trees. It was in poor shape, indeed the nearest wall was entirely missing, exposing the inside to the elements.

And there, lying sprawled upon the bare, rotting floorboards, was Remus.

Tonks' heart gave a leap at the sight of him and it took every ounce of her self control not to abandon all caution and run to his side, to gather him up in her arms and beg him to be alive...

Don't move, a firm voice demanded, and for the briefest moment Tonks wanted to glance behind her to see who was talking, but she knew there was nobody there.

When confronted with a similar scene some years ago, crouched in some bushes, staring at an unconscious Hestia Jones, Tonks had scowled and muttered:

"Shit!"

And he had been right behind her, lips mere inches from her ear as he had hissed:

"Don't move!"

She had scowled and retorted:

"Don't move? For the love of Merlin, Remus, I'm not an idiot! I don't wear this uniform for fun, you know!"

He'd gone rather quiet after that and she'd felt bad for snapping at him.

As she stood in the forest, staring at his limp figure lying motionlessly amongst the damp and mould, Tonks felt positively grateful for his warning, too.

Don't move. She could hear him clear as day, and she needed to listen, she needed him. Because he was the only one who could keep her sane, stop her charging through the trees towards him, stop her shrieking his name at the top of her lungs...

Don't move, Dora...

Tonks drew in a deep, steadying breath.

Don't move...

It was just then that she heard sudden movement, and she glanced sideways just in time to see Jackson break into a sprint, heading straight for the ramshackle building.

"Jackson!" she bellowed, hesitating only briefly before dashing after him. "Stop!"

As Jackson neared the building, pace faltering at the sound of her shouting, a flash of green light lit up the little clearing. The brightness stung her eyes and Tonks stumbled to a halt, wand raised...

But Jackson had already crumpled to the forest floor with a heavy thud.