"Does everyone know their positions?" Albus Dumbledore addressed the members of the Order, who were circled around him. They nodded. "Then good luck to you all."
Collecting their cloaks and wands, they each stepped outside of the Burrow with their respective partners and prepared to Apparate.
As Ron stood there, waiting for Dumbledore's signal to Apparate, a sense of worry washed over him. He looked across the yard at his wife and his sister standing with their arms intertwined, ready to Apparate. He had been ambivalent about Hermione participating in a battle, especially after just giving birth to their second child. But Hermione was persistent. She had insisted that there just wasn't enough Order members for her to skive off. Though Ron understood her argument, his apprehension about her – and his sister – getting involved in a full-fledged battle worried him.
Grunting audibly, he shuffled closer to Hermione and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Hermione," he sighed, attracting the attention of both females. They both turned to look at him with worry etched across their faces.
"Something wrong, Ron?" said Hermione.
Growling, he ran a hand through his hair.
"Hermione, are you sure you want to go through with this?" he inquired, wincing slightly when she scowled. "I mean, there's no harm in staying home . . . if you get my drift."
She rolled her eyes.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, Ron, I'm fine," she said exasperatedly. Ginny simply winked at Ron from behind her back. "Really, I am. We've been through this before. I haven't been feeling nauseous for days now. I'll be fine."
"But – what if you –?"
"Well, that's why we have a Portkey reserved, isn't it?" she explained as she removed a hairband from her bushy hair. "I suggested it to Albus before we left. Each team will be given a Portkey just in case things go bad. But it only activates for members of the Order. No one else is allowed to use it. That way, we don't have to wait for someone else to save us. We can just disappear on the spot just in case anyone gets badly hurt."
But Ron was gobsmacked. Now, he was convinced.
"You're amazing."
She smiled. "Always the tone of surprise."
"Well, there's our signal," Ginny interjected. She had a coin in her hand that seemed to have heated up significantly. Looking back at her brother, she leaned in to embrace him. "You be careful out there, Ronnikins. I don't think Rosè can live without you."
Despite himself, Ron chuckled.
"No one can," he said, pulling on her hair as the two girls laughed. "Not even you, Ginny."
"Arrogant prat," she laughed, shoving him away roughly.
As Hermione, too, embraced him, the two females smiled reassuringly at him before they Apparated away, leaving unduly anxiety behind. Ron then walked back to where he and Tonks were positioned. Tonks had just finished bidding her husband (with Teddy in his grandmother's care) a farewell before she walked back to him with a smile on her face.
"Wotcher, Ron!" she said, her hair fusing into a light brown color, deliberately switching to a dull color. She didn't want to stand out as Auror Tonks while the Ministry was being infiltrated.
"Tonks," Ron returned the greeting with a nod.
"Nervous, are you?" she said, looking at her watch impatiently. "I know I am."
"Yeah. A bit," he admitted. He sighed wearily as the sun cowered behind the horizons. Night was approaching. "I just hope we make it out alive."
"Don't we all?" she whispered. Ron knew that she was thinking about Teddy. "The last time the Ministry was infiltrated, we lost twenty-seven people. I suppose the Death Eaters thought it would be funny to cast a Shrinking charm on one of the rooms in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. Needless to say, the room collapsed on itself and everyone in it was crushed to death," glancing around, she leaned closer and lowered her voice. "But you know what puzzles me? How are they even able to access the Ministry in the first place? It can't be from the outside. There's just too much protection for that sort of thing. It's got to be someone on the inside. And it can't be just anyone. It's got to be someone ripe with power."
Ron's eyes widened.
"The Minister himself, d'you reckon?"
"I don't know," she whispered into the dead of night. Their shadows fanned across the trees and the grass as they pondered this matter. "Maybe someone along that lines. But that's not even the first time something like that's happened. You remember Hepzibah Smi –?"
But they were interrupted by the warmth of the coins in their hands.
"We'll talk about this later," said Ron quietly. Inhaling deeply, he turned to face Tonks directly. "Disillusionment charm. As soon as we arrive at the Ministry. Right?"
But Tonks seemed to have a knack abrupt mood changes. A confident grin formed onto her face.
With a sly wink, she declared.
"Yes, Sir."
"Alright, then," he said, holding out an arm to her. "Let's go." She took his arm, and they both disappeared into the night. They were the last ones to leave.
With only the moon beaming knowingly and the stars twinkling ominously from above, the two individuals landed upright from behind the trees of a large courtyard. Swiftly, they looked around for lingering Muggles. They couldn't step out into the open since they were wearing their Wizarding robes and cloaks.
They checked the area for bystanders before stepping into the courtyard. Leaves brushed against the cemented ground while lamplights leaned towards the fierce winds. Weak orange lights illuminated the paths. Warily, they exited the courtyard and walked across the street, checking for cars, before they passed through. They were looking for something that would lead them to the Ministry.
"Where is it, d'you reckon?" Tonks whispered, still holding on to Ron's arm.
Over the years, she had grown most comfortable with Ron. He had been her active partner and a familiar source of security ever since he had become an Auror. Before he and Neville had become Aurors, she had felt fairly lonely in her job, with only Alastor Moody as her partner. But now that her friends had joined her, she had started enjoying her job a lot more.
It was nice to have a familiar face every now and then. Someone around her age. Someone that didn't sulk in corners or frown miserably after every waking day. Not to mention, sometimes, she liked to play the cowardly role and hide behind the boys when a scary situation transpired. Sometimes, she would even claim credit for their courageous acts at the end of the missions. This, however, drove Ron and Neville mad.
"Dunno, do I?" he whispered in return. "I always take use the fireplace to get to the Ministry."
"Same here."
"But we can't use the fireplaces," said Ron, frowning. "Dumbledore said that the whole Ministry is under lockdown. I s'pose that means that the fireplaces are down, too."
"How are the Death Eaters getting in, then?" when Ron gave her a warning glare, she added hastily. "Sorry. How are the Death munchers getting in?"
Ron shook his head.
"That didn't help," he rubbed his eyes wearily. Tonks winced guiltily, her hair a light blue. "And to answer your question, I don't know. That's what we're trying to find out, aren't we?"
Tonks nodded.
"Right."
Together, they glanced around the streets, looking for some sign of an entry. It had to be an unconventional entrance. Something that was less obvious that would not attract the Muggles. But as they passed alleyways, shops, and restaurants, Ron startled when Tonks suddenly elicited a dramatic gasp.
"Tonks?" he asked in concern.
But Tonks ignored him. She simply grabbed his arm and dragged him behind a stack of cardboard boxes next to a shoe shop. Ron, however, felt dread fill him. Surely there were no Death Eaters here. Not in a highly Muggle concentrated place.
"Ron," she breathed, startled. She pointed with a shaking hand at the other end of the street. "Look!"
"What?" he demanded, squinting across the street. "What is it, Tonks?"
But she simply sat there with her jaw wide open. She was practically drooling as she gazed across the street. But Ron could not fathom what she was looking at. He was looking for Death Eaters, but apparently, she was looking at something else.
Suddenly, she flicked her finger lazily over the top of the cardboards. To Ron's surprise, an object zoomed towards her. He had to duck his head to avoid it. When he lifted his head, however, he was gobsmacked. She was admiring herself through a defective lamplight with a floral hat perched onto her head.
He resisted the urge to throttle her.
When she doubled back to look at him, she frowned.
"Oh don't give me that look, Ronnikins!"
Ron was indignant.
"What are you playing at?" he hollered. "You just stole that lady's hat!"
"Oh, come off it! I wasn't stealing. I just blew it out of proportion, geddit?" she rolled her eyes, but Ron continued to scowl. "And besides, just look at her. Someone that revolting doesn't deserve such wholesome beauty."
"You're judging her by appearance?" Ron was outraged. And to think that Hermione thought he had an emotional range of a teaspoon. "And here I thought I was insensitive."
"Well, just look at her," she gestured dramatically to the woman in question. The woman was standing, hand on her hip, hollering at a little boy. "Talking to that boy as if he was made of bubotuber pus. She's got her nose up her backside, that one."
"What d'you mean?" said Ron. "That's her son, isn't it? He probably just did something really stupid."
Tonks looked outraged.
"I don't talk to Teddy like that!"
That was a lie. He had caught Tonks admonishing Teddy the same way. But he wasn't about to tell her.
"Well, he probably never gave you a reason to."
Knowing that she was losing the argument, her hair burned red in indignation.
"Oh, you're such a letter downer," she hissed. "Ten years with Hermione really rubs off on you, eh?"
Ron was taken aback.
"Ten years with – what?" he shook his head when he realized how childish their argument was. "Oh, we haven't got time for this. Let's get going."
But as they returned to the street, Tonks stepped in front of him and started walking backwards with a smirk on her face.
"Tonks one. Ron zero."
Ron simply raised an eyebrow.
"Don't get your hopes up just yet," he threatened.
"Is that a challenge, Weasley?"
"You be–"
But as they teased each other, they halted suddenly when a shadow enveloped them. Looking up, they found the source of the shadow. A black-clothed figure stood atop one of the shops peering down curiously at the Aurors in the alley. When he caught their eyes, his eyes widened behind his mask. Stepping back, they caught the swish of his robes before he struggled to scramble away. But Tonks and Ron met each other's eyes quickly before they, too, climbed up to the roofs in an effort to catch the man.
It was definitely a Death Eater.
"Oi," Ron shouted at the man. "Get back here, you cowardly rat!"
Using their wands to levitate themselves across rooftops, they fired consecutive curses at the man, but he was too quick for them. He, too, had attempted to defend himself as he ducked behind pillars and boxes, returning the curses back to them. But as they approached the end of the rooftops, he made a quick dive towards the ground. Ron, however, growled before an idea came to him.
"Oh, no, you don't," he threatened through clenched teeth.
Using the ropes that the Muggles had used to dry their clothes, he fashioned a giant net for the man to fall in. To his relief, the man fell in and Tonks immediately flicked her wand to bind the robes around the frame of the Death Eater, trapping him from head to ankle. Breathing heavily, the two Aurors approached the tightly wound man.
As he approached, however, Ron hesitated in taking off the man's mask. He wasn't ready to face what he had missed for ten years. But as he removed the mask, a faint rush of relief greeted him.
It wasn't Harry.
It was just a regular Death Eater.
"Damn," he breathed quietly, his mood suddenly solemn. "For a moment, I thought . . . I thought–"
"I know," said Tonks quietly.
She then approached the now glaring man and pointedly plucked the wand out of his grip. He wrestled defiantly against his bonds, especially against the ones wrapped around his mouth. But Tonks simply waggled his wand with a sweet smile.
"Did your mother ever teach you how to be civil?" she mocked. His glare simply intensified. "I guess not. But don't fret. A few years in Askaban will straighten you out just right." With a flick of her wand, she sent the man off to the Ministry Detention Area.
As she banished the Death Eater, Ron endeavored to collect his wits and emotions. He then glanced around the rooftops, thinking hard. Illuminating his wand, he traced the man's footprints back to the place that they had originally found him.
"If there are Death Eaters here," he explained. "then the entrance to the Ministry must be close. Hopefully, there aren't too many of them lying about."
"Constant vigilance," Tonks stated seriously. She had her wand drawn out. Now that the Ministry had closed, there was no reason to hide from Muggles anymore.
Though the man had left partial footprints since he had been running quite quickly, Ron quickly traced his movements. He then stopped at a narrow rooftop, which had something akin to a balcony perched on the top. It was tall enough to fit an average sized human being. Ron thought that it was rather unusual that it was placed in such a narrow rooftop. None of the other rooftops shared this characteristics. The room was draped with green curtains and a small wooden door that reached Ron's waist. As Ron approached it, however, he sensed a familiar vibration echoing from the room.
"Aha!" he exclaimed, sounding quite proud of himself for figuring out the riddle.
"You found it?" said Tonks, genuinely surprised. She then approached the room with a slight furrow in her brow. "What exactly is this supposed to be, then?"
"No idea," Ron replied. "But who cares, anyway? At least we know where it leads." As he prepared to enter the room, he was immediately stopped by Tonks.
Glancing at her in bemusement, he said.
"What's up?"
"Don't you think we should mark this place?" she asked. "In case we might need it for the future?"
Ron nodded.
Tonks then drew her wand from her pocket and traced a large 'X' into the air before flicking her wand again to stamp the letter onto the wood. They watched as the letter sank into the wood and disappeared from view. The letter was only visible to them.
"Right, then," she nodded, turning back towards Ron. "Shall we?"
Lifting up his wand, he nodded.
"Disillusionment charms up," declared Ron.
They entered into the cramped space and shouted "Ministry of Magic." Suddenly, the room tilted and shifted, as if struggling to break loose. As the wood scratched against the tilted floors, unexpectedly, the ground disappeared as a slide appeared instead. The usually composed Aurors screamed like deranged hyenas as they slid through a dark tunnel. Suddenly, the tunnel ended, and they were tossed rather rudely on a hard surface with Tonks smashing hard against Ron.
"Sorry," she whispered.
Ron merely grunted in pain. He had received the most pain since he had softened the landing of Tonks with his body. But as their adrenaline effaced, they noticed that they had landed in a room that was dreadfully cold. In fact, they could even see their breaths flowing out in front of them. This fact startled them, however. Why would the Ministry keep a freezing cold room?
"W-what i-is this p-place?" stammered Tonks, inevitably rubbing warmth into her arms.
"Dunno," Ron breathed, bringing a hand towards his breath. "Probably a room in the Ministry?"
The room was asymmetric, with jagged blocks of ice poking out of the walls. Icicles bloomed from the ceilings while snow blanketed the floor. They could hear droplets of water raining down from melted ice and down into the solid ground. A fresh water lake was placed in the center with a large boulder of ice in the center. The room was very unusual, indeed.
"D-d'you r-reckon," Tonks shivered. "t-that we're i-in t-the Dep-partment of M-mysteries?" At her shivering frame, Ron cast a warming charm on her for which she was grateful for.
"I think so," Ron frowned. "That would explain why it looks so out of place from the rest of the Ministry."
"But how is that possible?" Tonks inquired. "No one's allowed in the Department of Mysteries. No one except the Unspeakables. Why would they leave a direct entrance to it?"
"Maybe they didn't expect anyone to find it?"
"I suppose."
"We only found out that entrance after we followed that Death Eater down here," Ron hummed in concentration. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have known about it. That could explain why the Death Eaters have been getting in. I mean, think about it. They're barred from the Floo and the underground lavatory stations. So, the only way to get in is through this path. I mean, who would think to look here?" suddenly, he gasped. "Tonks, I think there might be a traitor in the Department of Mysteries."
"An Unspeakable, d'you reckon?"
"Yeah. They might be helping the Death Eaters get inside," he then started pacing. "That explains why that Death Eater was standing beside the entrance. He was probably waiting for the others to join him."
But Tonks paled, her hair grey.
"You mean . . .?" she stumbled, glancing warily back at the entrance. "They're coming now?"
Suddenly, a loud blast shook the room. Icicles collapsed on their heads as they ducked behind a large white boulder, though they were invisible. Their eyes were wide with horror as they peered at the still closed door.
"I think they're already here," Ron breathed.
"We should've sealed the entrance," Tonks whispered. "I bet you anything there's more of them coming."
But Ron cursed profusely.
"That was our task, remember?" he hissed in frustration. "Dumbledore told us to bar the entrance."
"But what if the others are hurt?"
"More of them will be hurt if we don't shut the entrance."
"Right," she said seriously.
Then, Ron and Tonks proceeded to look for ways which they could bar the entrance. But they were limited on ideas. All they had were large chunks of ice, some snow, a boat load of water, and small wooden sticks to shut the entrance. Ron had suggested that they stack the ice, but Tonks immediately refuted him by stating that the ice can simply be blasted into a million pieces by a mere flick of a wand. He then suggested snow, but snow was too soft to bar an entrance. Suddenly, an idea struck Tonks as she looked at the room. What did the room have in common?
Water.
"Aha!" she exclaimed. To emphasize her point, she flicked her fingers and a drape of fire was emitted from her hand. "I've got it! Let's melt the room."
Ron, however, was taken aback.
"You're joking, right?"
"Nope," she stated seriously. "I'm dead serious."
"Now you're really barking," he said, waving a hand in front of her face. She frowned. "You'll drown us in here, d'you know?"
"I didn't say we should stay here, Ronald," she said in a biting tone. "We'll light it up and leave it. So if you'll excuse me, I've got my reputation to burn." With a loud hmph, she went to collect all of the wooden sticks in the room to prepare the fire.
Ron merely huffed.
Bloody women!
With eyebrows furrowed, he looked at the small flame that she had conjured. But he could not fathom how the hell she was going to burn the whole room with such a small flame.
"That fire won't burn a centipede," he said with a prominent scowl. She simply rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"It will if you light it up at just the right places."
"I don't understand."
"Then observe, Ronnikins," she flicked her wand at the fire.
A rush of wind seemed to have rushed from her wand to the fire, which caused the fire to expand slightly. She continued to blow wind at the flame. It appears as though she was guiding the fire through a certain path until it encased the bottom of a rather large and dry boulder in the center of the room. The rush of wind kept the fire burning. After almost a quarter of an hour, the boulder collapsed, which caused the whole room to shake. The two immediately knew that they had to leave before the room collapsed. As they exited the room, however, Ron peered back and cast a final blasting charm at the room, ensuring its demolishment. When he exhaled and shut the door, he turned to find the smug look of Tonks smirking at him with crossed arms.
"Alright, alright," he admitted irritatingly. "I never should have doubted you. Happy?"
But she raised a brow.
"And?"
He sighed and pinched his nose.
"You were right."
"Of course I was. Or my name isn't Tonks."
"Well, it isn't Tonks," he retorted smugly. "It's Nympha-Ouch!" He puffed when she elbowed him roughly. Her hair was as red as a Weasley's.
"Don't call me by that vile name!" she shouted. "I don't understand why my mother insists on me keeping it."
"Maybe because you look –" he said dryly before he exclaimed. "Ow! That bloody hurt!" but she simply glared. "You vile creature!"
"Foul menace!"
"Wicked demon!"
But they were interrupted by another large blast. They ducked near the corners of the corridor as rubble sprinkled on the top of their heads. Their Disillusionment charms had worn off because of their lack of attention to the spell. Thus, they glanced at each other quickly, lifted their wands, and walked across the corridor. They looked at the round at the various rooms. Some doors stood ajar while other rooms were concealed from view. To their bewilderment, the Department of Mysteries remained largely untouched.
"There's no one here," breathed Tonks, peering into a room with steaming colorful pots arranged in an intricate pattern.
"I wouldn't write it off just yet," Ron replied, jerking his thumb at the end of the corridor.
They ducked under a steaming green table and watched the two figures conversing across the room. From their positions, it was impossible to distinguish whether the two were Death Eaters or Unspeakables since they couldn't distinguish the color of their robes. The corridor was dark and eerie. Instead, they watched as the two figures nodded before they swept out with their cloaks billowing behind them.
"Death Eaters, d'you reckon?" whispered Tonks.
"Dunno," he said. "But I bet they know what's up."
"You mean about the Ministry?"
"Yeah."
"Reckon we should introduce ourselves?"
"Ladies, first," Ron smirked.
Tonks, in turn, glared at him before tiptoeing down the corridor. Her hair shortened and fused into a dim grey color. She forced a bushy beard onto her chin and attempted to clear her throat quietly before she approached one of the men.
"Oi!" she shouted in a slightly masculine voice. "You there!"
The hooded man looked back, startled by the sudden loud tone in what was usually a silent corridor. But Tonks, taking advantage of his stillness, marched up to him.
She didn't really know how to play it subtle.
"Didn't think you'd get caught, did you?" she snapped, "Don't give me that look. I know what you did. Standing here, fouling the place up with that dreadful smell. How many Dungbombs you got in there, mate?"
"D-dungbombs?" the man stammered, confused. His hand then reached for his arm ever-so-subtly. "I don't know what you're talking about. Perhaps you should reevaluate your evidence before you accuse me," he then smirked behind his mask. "Sir."
But Tonks had caught the slip of his hand.
"Stupefy!" she cried, sending the man crashing against the hard wall.
"Maybe a bit quieter next time, don't you think?" said a voice behind her. Ron returned with a rather annoyed look about him.
"A simple 'thank you' would be nice, you know," she grumbled.
"Thanks?" Ron looked outraged. "For what? For selling us out?" he then shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was an entire stampede waiting for us outside."
Tonks burned red in indignation.
"If you think you would've done it better," she hissed. "Why didn't you do it, then?"
"Oh, I don't think I would've done better. I know I would."
But as Tonks opened her mouth to retort, soft footsteps from behind her silenced her. Suddenly, a quiet whisper emerged from the shadows.
"Ron? Tonks?"
As if a veil was lifted, Hermione and Ginny appeared from thin air, their expressions torn between bewilderment and relief.
"Hermione!" Ron breathed. "Ginny! What are you two doing here? I thought you were at the Atrium."
"We were," said Ginny, looking slightly troubled. "But – Ron, there's no sign of any Death Eaters. We've searched the entire Ministry. We even asked the workers if there were any masked men around the building, but they all denied it. I don't know what they're playing at. Hermione reckons that they're hiding behind Disillusionment charms themselves, but that's not right. None of us have been hurt. We even checked up with others. They haven't been touched."
"You reckon it's a trap?" Ron asked.
"I don't know, Ron," said Hermione, trepidation in her tone. "Whatever it is, I don't like it. We can't even identify the source of the blasts. All of the rooms in the Ministry are intact. It's almost as if there weren't any blasts in the first place."
"Hermione," Tonks interjected, her tone suddenly serious. "You don't happen to have any Vertiserium in that purse of yours, have you?"
Hermione looked startled.
"Yes, Tonks," she said, hesitating. "But that's – that's illegal."
But the rest glanced at each other in exasperation.
"Hermione," said Ron. "This isn't exactly the best time to worry about legal matters. Give us the Vertiserium." He held out his hand demandingly.
Still, she hesitated.
"Hermione," said Ginny softly. "If this really is a trap, then we need to know now. Otherwise, everyone else is in trouble."
Slowly, Hermione reached into her purse and rummaged through it until she found the vial. Then, she handed it to Tonks who forced the liquid down the Death Eater's throat and pointed a wand directly at his head.
"Enervate," she whispered.
The man grumbled inaudibly before squinting open unfocused eyes.
"Who do you work for?" demanded Ron.
"The Dark Lord."
"How did you get here?" asked Ginny, glancing cautiously at Ron.
"Through the tunnel in the Department of Mysteries."
Hermione and Ginny looked confused, but the other two mouthed "later" before they continued to interrogate the Death Eater.
"How many Death Eaters are here tonight?"
"A whole army," he said flatly.
"Where are they?" asked Hermione, growing pale by the minute.
"At the Atrium."
The four each furrowed their eyebrows; Hermione and Ginny looked simply startled. They had checked the Atrium, but there were no sign of any Death Eaters.
"This has got to be a trap," muttered Tonks as she ran beside the others to the Atrium.
She had just finished stunning the Death Eater, tied him up, and left him in a Potion's cupboard. They all struggled to remain composed at the bizarre situation. If there were Death Eaters present at the Atrium, why haven't they cast any spells yet? The Order members had been running to and fro for hours. Why haven't hurt one of them?
And more importantly, where were they hiding? Dumbledore wasn't set to arrive for another thirty minutes. What if it was a trap? Then, the Order would be trapped without their leader. Shaking her head out of her anxious thoughts, she halted behind Ron as soon as they arrived at the Atrium. To her surprise, however, all of the Order members were present, looking just as bewildered and confused as she did.
"You haven't found anything, either?" asked Bill, frowning at Ginny.
Ginny, in turn, shook her head with a worried look about her. Their Disillusionment charms that they had all used to conceal themselves were abandoned.
"It's strange," muttered Remus. "Dumbledore told us to split up, but now we're all here together . . . Something isn't right."
But their blood stilled when a cold voice interjected.
"Well, now that I have your attention," said the smirking Dark Lord, who had seemingly appeared out of thin air in the center of the room, his hood concealing his snake-like features. "Let the celebrations begin."
He then flicked his wand curtly, which caused the doors to slam shut. The curtains from above the doors descended above the entrance and were abruptly transformed into steel. Then, suddenly, as if a veil was lifted, almost fifty hooded Death Eaters appeared from behind Lord Voldemort, their faces concealed from view. Two pairs of red eyes glared at them coldly. And the Order members had one thought . . .
They were trapped.
A/N: So . . . I was going to make the battle one whole chapter, but I like to keep the updating consistent. So I cut it short. Anyway . . . I hope I got Ron and Tonks right. Harry will be slightly different, but that's because of what happened to him during his ten years with Voldemort. I'll go into details next chapter. Hope you liked it!
Please R&R!