A formal warning: This story will contain abuse, non-con/rape, death, dark themes, it will not contain graphic descriptions of such.
*****And I don't own HP, or the excerpts from the book/movie you see below*****
Warning: I'm not a nice writer. This chapter will be... not graphic, but... there's torture and attempted murder.
He had tried to fight it.
Unfortunately, he was weakened by months of imprisonment and torture, and he knew it was only a matter of time before they resorted to it. He had been held down, forced to drink Veritaserum.
"Where's the house?" Bellatrix asked.
Alastor felt himself answering, unable to stop himself.
Bellatrix grinned, raising her own wand. "Imperio."
Again, he tried to fight, this is what he had been trained for, but he couldn't fight. It felt as if someone else had control over his body, which was true. Anything they asked, he would tell. Anything they told him to do, he would do.
"Take us to the house." Bellatrix said, shoving a wand into his hand.
Alastor couldn't help but obey, and he Side-Along Apparated with them.
"Remove the enchantments." Bellatrix demanded, and Alastor obeyed once again. Alastor really hoped that if they stayed there, Kingsley had altered the enchantments so that Alastor was unable to access the house, but he hadn't. Perhaps Kingsley hadn't thought to, maybe Kingsley thought he was dead. The enchantments fell, and the house became visible. "Homenum Revelio."
He knew she could cast all of these spells without saying a word, but she wanted him to hear. Knowing he couldn't fight the Veritaserum and the Imperius Curse, why not make sure he knew exactly what she was doing?
"Two people." Bellatrix said. "Dolohov, take Mad-Eye back to the Manor. He's no use to us anymore. Rabastan, with me."
"Alright, we're leaving." Sirius said, entering the living room. "We'll be back by sundown, I'm sure. We just want to check a few places out. I mean, you two are great company, but..."
"You're an arse." Tonks muttered, not lifting her head from the arm of the couch. Remus laughed quietly.
"We'll be here, as always." Remus said.
"I know it's boring, mate." Sirius said. "But, look at this way, you two get to do whatever you want when we're all gone."
"Yes, because we have such a wide variety of things to do." Tonks remarked. "Should we read the baby books again? Perhaps we organise the kitchen again? Or, perhaps, we have time to do both."
Remus continued rubbing her ankle slowly, smiling slightly.
"Well, we'll be back in a few hours. If we not back tonight, we're dead." Sirius said.
"Good to know." Remus responded as Sirius went back into the kitchen. Kingsley was gone with Bill and the twins, probably doing another Potterwatch broadcast or patrol.
Tonks was tired, and she was debating on going upstairs to take a nap, but couldn't really decide on whether or not she wanted to get up. Remus continued rubbing her ankles and feet slowly, which felt nice. They didn't always talk much, but they didn't need to.
After the events following the December full moon, they somehow had become closer. Perhaps because they had agreed not to hide anything from each other anymore, and Remus had fully admitted that near full moon, the wolf seemed to feel extremely threatened by any small hint she had ever been near anyone else. She had been able to forgive him. Strangely, it hadn't been something difficult to do, even though she had enjoyed using it to her advantage for a few weeks. She understood how he felt around the full moon, and she couldn't even find a reason to be angry. He wasn't even angry at her for hiding the fact they weren't really married, he simply asked if she'd be willing to marry him properly after war. She had said yes immediately. He still wore his ring, choosing to continue referring to her as his wife. She unfortunately had to stop wearing her rings, because her fingers had been swollen the last couple of weeks. She was looking forward to being able to wear them again.
Somehow, the last few weeks had helped their relationship. They were content to sit quietly with each other, just enjoying the other's presence, and it was quiet for another hour or so, she figured, before Remus spoke.
"So, what are you thinking?" Remus asked, breaking through her thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"You're thinking about something."
"You." She said, lifting her head. "And whether or not I want to take a nap."
"Take a nap with me, perhaps?" Remus suggested. "I'm not tired, but I would be a terrible fiance if I didn't rub your back until you fell asleep."
"Well, you'd be a better fiance if you felt like getting me some ice cream."
"I suppose I could do that."
"Maybe vanilla ice cream with chocolate and peanut butter?"
Remus lifted her feet, setting them on the couch and standing. "I can do that. I assume you'd still prefer it if the chocolate and peanut butter didn't touch?" He asked, and she nodded. "Is Honeydukes chocolate alright?"
She nodded again, smiling. "You're the best." She said. Her ice cream craving had been one of the stranger ones, but he never commented on it.
She watched as Remus walked into the kitchen. "Dora, upstairs now!" She heard Remus yell a second later.
A moment later, she heard the back door slam open. Without thinking, Tonks grabbed her wand and rushed to the kitchen. She froze, eyes wide as she saw Bellatrix and Rabastan standing in the kitchen, Rabastan holding Remus' wand, a spell pinning Remus against the wall.
"Well, look at this." Bellatrix said, her eyes drifting to Tonks' bump. "How... interesting."
Tonks turned, planning to run to the front door and out, but Rabastan was right behind her, his arms wrapping around her, dragging her back to the kitchen. She screamed, trying to get out of his grip, but he was too strong for her. He wrestled her wand from her hand, pushing her to the ground in the kitchen. She caught herself on her hands and knees, and Bellatrix leaned over her.
"Well, Nymphadora, it appears I won't be killing you today after all." Bellatrix said. "Rabastan, tie up the werewolf. We'll kill him after."
Tonks couldn't move, and she felt ashamed. She was an Auror, she should be protecting her baby, but instead she was simply terrified. When Bellatrix grabbed her hair, pulling her to her feet, she didn't fight. Rabastan had restrained Remus in a kitchen chair, ropes appearing from the end of his wand and tying themselves around Remus tightly.
"Your best option is not to lie." Bellatrix said calmly. "How far along are you?"
Tonks was quiet, she couldn't answer.
"Just by looking at you, I'd guess you're in your third trimester." Bellatrix said. "However, you weren't pregnant when I last saw you, or you would have miscarried... and that means I can safely assume you conceived in July. Am I right, Nymphadora? Did you conceive in July? Perhaps... the last couple of days?"
Tonks still couldn't say anything. She felt like she was about to be sick.
"Judging by your silence, I'm right, aren't I?" Bellatrix asked, taking a dagger from her robes. "And do you realise what this means, Rabastan?" Bellatrix asked, as she trailed the dagger slowly down Tonks' neck until the tip of it was resting on her bump. "It means the Lestrange family has an heir after all."
Remus felt terrible as he watched Tonks. She looked terrified, unable to speak, and he was unable to save her. He struggle against the ropes, trying to free his hands, but the ropes seemed to tighten every time he moved.
"Rabastan, hold her down." Bellatrix said. Rabastan obeyed, dragging Tonks to the floor. Tonks tried to fight Rabastan, but he held down her arms while Bellatrix straddled her legs.
The scream was the most horrible sound Remus had ever heard. Remus struggled against the robes binding his wrist, trying to ignore her screams as Bellatrix carved their child from her body. He couldn't look. He could smell the blood, he couldn't see it too. Her screaming was long and drawn out, the agony she was experiencing made Remus want to die. Torture him, just let her go.
The back door burst open, and Remus looked up in time to see four people enter the kitchen. Kingsley immediately went for Bellatrix and Bill followed him, the twins went for Rabastan.
There was a loud crack and Rabastan was gone, apparently he was uninterested in fighting. The twins turned towards Bellatrix, Bill and Kingsley, and Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. She seemed to realise she was outnumbered, and at a severe disadvantage- her arms were wrapped around something that Kingsley was trying to grab. Resorting to something that seemed entirely unlike Bellatrix Lestrange, she kicked at Kingsley, who shoved her with his elbow just as she Apparated.
The silence in the kitchen was deafening. The twins disappeared outside, saying something about enchantments and Bill rushed to Remus.
Was that it? Did they really give up that quickly?
"Remus, for the love of Merlin, stop struggling for two seconds!" Bill snapped. Remus went still, but his eyes were now on Tonks, who had fallen silent as soon as the Order members had arrived. She wasn't moving, and Remus wondered if she was dead.
Kingsley was standing by Tonks' feet, his back to Tonks and Remus, facing the back door. "Bill, go get your mother and then contact Hestia to get her brother." Kingsley said calmly, and Remus was almost infuriated by how calm he was. Kingsley turned around to face Remus, and Remus realised he was holding the baby.
They had gotten the baby out, and the baby wasn't crying or moving.
Panic surged through Remus, terrified that he had just lost Tonks and the baby. Blood was still spreading along the floor, and Remus felt ill, trying to get to Tonks before Bill even got through the charmed bonds.
There was so much blood. Was it all hers? Was it the baby's too? She couldn't be alive, there was no way she was still alive.
Remus realised his hands were freed and jumped to his feet, rushing to Tonks as Bill left through the back door. Kingsley walked around Remus, disappearing from the kitchen. A few moments later, Remus heard the baby begin to cry, and the sound faded- Kingsley must have headed upstairs.
"Dora, stay awake." Remus said, pushing Tonks' hair away from her face. The knees of his pants were soaked with blood in seconds, but he ignored it. "We'll heal you, we will-"
"The baby...?" She asked weakly.
"Kingsley has him."
"Him...?"
"Yes, Dora, we have a son. Bellatrix and Rabastan are gone." Remus said. "Dora, I don't have my wand, I can't- I can't do anything."
Remus heard footsteps behind him, and stood quickly. The baby was now wrapped in a blanket, but Remus could still see there was blood on the baby's skin and Kingsley's shirt. "Remus, take him." Kingsley instructed. Remus listened, because Kingsley had a wand and Remus didn't- Kingsley was the best option for Tonks.
He took the baby and moved out of the way. He looked down at the baby who was staring at him with wide, dark eyes. Remus felt his heart flutter as he looked down at the baby, his baby. Remus noticed the baby had Tonks' nose and chin- he had seen a few pictures of her courtesy of Kingsley. However, Remus noticed, the baby also resembled his own pictures.
Perhaps it was just his hopeful wishing, or perhaps it was real- he felt like the baby was a perfect mix of Tonks and himself, he couldn't see any resemblance to Rodolphus Lestrange.
"It's alright, Dora. I promise, you'll be alright." Kingsley was saying, and he began to mutter healing spells. "Just stay with us. Dora, just look at me. Focus on me. Stay with me."
They could hear someone in the yard, and assumed it was just the twins. However, a moment later, Sirius appeared at the back door. "What- Dora." Sirius whispered, and then his eyes wandered to Remus, landing on the baby. "Holy shit. Who-?"
"Bellatrix." Remus said.
"Bellatrix did this?" Sirius asked, looking horrified.
"Yes." Kingsley said. "Dora, stay with me. Please stay awake, focus on me."
Sirius turned towards the yard again. "Hermione, Dittany!" He yelled, and then entered the kitchen.
"It's not healing, the spells aren't working." Kingsley said, and Remus was beginning to feel discouraged by the fact Kingsley was starting to sound a little panicked. "Where's the knife?"
"The knife?" Remus asked.
"Yes, the knife!" Kingsley snapped. "She didn't have it when I grabbed the baby!"
Sirius looked around, and then headed for the table. Under one of the chairs, the knife lay. Kingsley stood, grabbing it from Sirius as soon as Sirius retrieved it.
"Oh, my God."
Remus looked up to see Hermione frozen at the back door, her eyes wide. She was holding the Dittany, but seemed unable to move and unable to tear her eyes away from Tonks. Remus looked down at Tonks, whose eyes were half closed now. She didn't have long left, not at this rate.
"Sirius, try the Dittany." Kingsley said, heading for the sink. Sirius moved immediately, taking the Dittany from Hermione and gesturing for Hermione to go back outside. Kingsley grabbed a towel, wiping blood from the blade. "Green."
"Green?" Remus asked, and Kingsley turned away from the sink. He held up the knife, showing them the green blade.
"The Dittany won't work. This green blade, and the amount of blood... it'll be Sanguis Poison. The blood won't clot naturally, and spells won't heal the wound. We can't do anything without an antidote."
"What's the antidote?" Remus demanded.
"It's nearly impossible to brew." Kingsley said, dropping the knife onto the counter. "If Leo can't get any, she won't survive."
Remus could tell Kingsley was losing hope. He walked back to Tonks, waving his wand to remove as much blood as he could. He knelt by her head, lifting her upper body into his lap. Her eyes opened a little bit more, but then drifted partially shut again.
"Just hold on a little longer, Dora." Kingsley whispered in her ear. "Leo will help you, I promise."
Tonks' eyes opened enough to look up at Kingsley. "Thank you." She whispered.
"For what?" Kingsley asked.
"For never letting me feel like anything but your daughter."
Kingsley pressed a kiss to her hair, which was losing the blue rapidly- her strength was fading fast. "You are my daughter. I was there for your first steps, and your first words. And you're going to be there for all of those moments with your son, too. I promise, Dora."
"Remus, let her see the baby." Sirius said quietly. Remus walked over to Kingsley and Tonks, kneeling down as well. She wouldn't have the strength to hold the baby, but she'd at least meet him.
"Is there anything we can do?" Hermione asked, tears on her cheeks. Remus wasn't sure when they had all come back inside.
"No." Sirius said. "Not until Leo gets here."
Tonks lifted her head away from Kingsley's chest, and slowly reached one hand to brush a finger over the baby's cheek. She lowered her hand, tracing her finger down the baby's tiny arm, to his hand, which closed into a small fist around her finger.
A very brief smile passed over Tonks' lips, and then her eyes closed, her head falling back against Kingsley's chest, her hand falling onto the floor next to her.
"Is she..?" Sirius began to ask.
"She's breathing." Kingsley said quietly. "Just unconscious."
"Oh, God, finally!" One of the twins said. "Leo's here."
They could hear someone heading up the back steps, and looked up to see Molly and Leo enter the kitchen. Remus stood, moving out of the way, and Molly approached him. Leo approached Kingsley, kneeling.
"We found the knife, it's tinted green. She won't stop bleeding, healing spells have done nothing." Kingsley said.
"Sanguis Poison, perhaps." Leo said, feeling for Tonks' neck. "She still has a pulse, she's still breathing. Do you have any blood replenishing potions?"
"Yes, a few." Sirius said, walking over to the cupboard.
"Bring me two. Kingsley, help me get her upstairs. Somewhere more comfortable." Leo said. "I'll go to St Mungo's, we have a lot of antidotes on hand. We'll give her a blood replenishing potion now, and again in half an hour. We can't stop the bleeding without an antidote, but it will stop her from bleeding to death."
"And if St Mungo's doesn't have it?"
"If they don't, I'll bring more blood replenishing potions. They'll keep her alive for a while longer. I'll make a report saying I need the antidote, it'll be brewed in a few days at most." Leo explained, taking the potions from Sirius as Kingsley lifted Tonks. Remus felt like he was going to vomit when he saw blood actually dripping from Tonks' body.
Molly was examining the baby in Remus' arms. "He seems alert, and that's good. Was he injured?" Molly asked, and Remus finally tore his eyes away from Tonks.
"I don't know, I don't think so." Remus said. Molly took the baby from Remus, setting him on the table, spreading the blanket out. She summoned a towel, dampening it, and began cleaning the baby's skin. Remus watched as Molly cleaned the baby, watching her talk quietly to the baby the entire time. Remus felt his heart constrict as the baby's dark hair shifted to a shade similar to Molly's.
Truly his mother's son.
Leo entered the kitchen again. "Kingsley's going to stay with her until I get back." Leo explained to Remus. "I've dealt with the placenta, done every postpartum thing I can do right now. I'll be back within the hour. Molly, how's the baby?"
"Oh, he's lovely. Not as small as one would expect a premature baby to be, but perhaps that's good." Molly said, wrapping the blanket around the baby again. "Alert, everything seems normal. He'll be due for his first feeding soon, though."
"St Mungo's generally has a supply of breast milk from our wet nurses for when a mother can't feed the baby right away. I'll bring a bottle back, we'll discuss the options when I return." Leo said.
"What can we do?" Hermione asked.
"Fred, George, Bill, keep watch by the boundaries." Remus said. "In case the Death Eaters try to return. Harry, Ron, join them. Hermione, perhaps you, Molly and Sirius can..." His eyes drifted to the blood that had pooled in the short time since Kingsley had cleaned it.
"We'll clean up." Sirius said. "There's nothing else to do anyway. Take the baby upstairs, Remus. You should be with her, just in case."