Transformations by Starmaiden
Chapter Notes: Chapter Two is now in its final, highly improved state!
Disclaimer, disclaimer, disclaimer.
All quotes are from OotP, p. 27 â“ 62, American hardcover.
*****
Remusâ thoughts jumped to another girl, one not sitting at the bedside. The thought that Bill would now lose Fleur was the hardest of all. Despite the girlâs airs, Remus had caught her exchanging glances with Bill when they thought no one was looking, glances that put Remusâ initial fears at rest. No, the thought of Bill being deserted was hard because Remus knew exactly what it felt like to lose someone because of a âfurry little problem.â
***
Tonks sat with Sirius, Remus, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley at the long kitchen table of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. There had been a short Order meeting and the five of them had gathered for a companionable chat. Right now, they were talking about Hogwarts.
âI almost wish I could go back, you know,â Tonks confided, and took a sip of hot chocolate. âIt was home for a really long time.â
At the mention of home, Ginny glanced almost involuntarily at the clock on the wall. Seven hands rested on âhome,â but Arthur Weasleyâs still pointed to âwork.â She sighed.
Tonks followed her gaze. âDumbledore had some things he needed help on. He did say it might take a while.â Dumbledore had made only the briefest of appearances at the meeting before leaving again.
Remus was about to say something when there was a pop and Arthur Weasley appeared, spinning in the fireplace. Ginny leaped up eagerly, but her father forestalled her greeting. âSirius. Thereâs bad news.â
Siriusâ face went white. âHarry?â His first fear was always that something had happened to the one remaining person he really cared for. Tonks reached up in a placating motion, but Arthurâs next words froze her in place.
Arthurâs face was almost as pale as Siriusâ. âHeâs been attacked by dementors.â
There was a momentâs ringing silence, which Arthur took advantage of. He hurried on before they could start shouting. âAs soon as the report hit the Ministry, Fudge jumped on it. He had Harry expelled.â
Ginny shrieked, âHe what?â The others jumped in and her father raised his voice to be heard over the clamour. âWe were lucky Dumbledore was there. He â“ reminded â“ Fudge that the Ministry isnât allowed to expel students. Harry still has to attend a disciplinary hearing, thatâs only to be expected with such a piece of magic, but heâll get off fine, he canât be punished for saving his own life. The only worry now is that he might try to leave, though I warned him not to.â
Sirius leaped up, rummaging through the drawers lining the kitchen. He found a small piece of parchment and a self-inking quill and scribbled furiously for a few seconds, bent over the table. Then he dashed out of the room, for an owl, Tonks guessed, muttering something about reckless teenagers.
Arthur made a hasty exit back to the Ministry, leaving the room in a minor state of shock. After a moment, Remus stood. âI hope Mad-Eyeâs still around. I think weâll be paying a visit to the Dursleysâ fairly soon.â Tonks nodded, the shock on her face already fading into determination. The two left, leaving the teenagers silent.
***
Moody chose a small park down the street from Privet Drive as the Apparition point. The nine of them landed almost simultaneously, each holding tightly to a broomstick. Moody was already directing them towards one of the large, square houses (though it looked to Tonks like all the others), his magical eye spinning insanely.
The windows were dark. Moody inspected the lock on the door and tapped it, muttering about inefficient Muggle devices as the door clicked open. He was the first into the hall, darting in all directions, the others pouring in behind. They paused breathlessly; then Tonks jumped as Moody growled, âSpread out, check the ground floor. Make sure there isnât anything thatâll attack us.â
Tonks slipped into the kitchen, Remus following. Tonksâ eyes skipped over the countertops, shining dully even in the dark.
âAll clear?â
His voice came from immediately behind her right ear. Tonks yelped, jumped, tripped, grabbed at the table for support, and caught hold of a dinner plate instead. She heard a startled âSorry!â before the plate hit the tiled floor and shattered into the proverbial thousand pieces. Tonks almost followed. Remus caught her, barely, before she hit the floor.
Remus tried to apologise as he set her back up. âTonks, Iâm so sorry, I didnât mean to make you jump like thatâ”â
âItâs okay. Thanks.â
The rest of the Order poured into the kitchen, cutting short further expressions of regret.
âAre you â“â
âWhat happened?â
âYou okay?â
âWhat in Merlinâs name â“â
âTonks, whatâd you do?â
âGot to make a dramatic entrance, I see.â
âOf course,â Tonks retorted. âNo ultra-secret vital mission is complete until I fall flat on my â“ â
âHeâs up!â barked Moody. The Order stampeded back into the hallway after him.
Tonks got stuck in the shuffle and didnât see Harry emerge. When she finally got out of the door into the unlit hallway, she promptly fell over her own feet. âWhy are we all standing here in the dark? Lumos.â
Tonksâ wand lit up. Harry â“ and most of the Advance Guard â“ blinked at the sudden flare. Tonks watched as a shaky, but genuine, smile lit the boyâs face.
âOooh, he looks just like I thought he would.â Tonks, realizing she had spoken aloud, added quickly, âWotcher, Harry!â
Now that they were here, Moody was evidently having second thoughts. âAre you quite sure itâs him, Lupin? Itâd be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating him. We ought to ask him something only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone brought any Veritaserum?â Then again, maybe it was Moodyâs peculiar brand of humour. Tonks was never entirely sure.
To his credit, Remus didnât smile as he said, âHarry, what form does your Patronus take?â
âA stag.â It was nervous, but sure. Tonks remembered something Sirius had said about James. Interesting.
âThatâs him, Mad-Eye,â Remus said. A few brave souls had begun calling Moody by his nickname after Tonksâ slip at Headquarters a few weeks ago. It was spreading quickly, now that they had realized he didnât mind.
Harry finally came down the stairs, looking nervous, and put his wand in the back pocket of his jeans. He started when Moody roared out, âDonât put your wand there, boy! What if it ignited? Better wizards than you have lost buttocks, you know!â
Tonks couldnât resist. âWho dâyou know whoâs lost a buttock?â
As the group moved into the kitchen, Remus patiently answered Harryâs questions and explained the next steps of the plan.
Harry asked anxiously, âWe are leaving, arenât we? Soon?â
Remus replied calmly, âAlmost at once, weâre just waiting for the all-clear.â They were moving into the kitchen now, and Remus introduced the other eight members of the rescue team.
âAnd this is Nymphadora â“â
Tonks cut him off quickly. âDonât call me Nymphadora, Remus. Itâs Tonks.â Remus, so proper â“ he always insisted on introducing her by her full name. It was polite, to be sure, but it always led to so much confusion when she didnât really like the name anyway. Remus had old-fashioned ideas about propriety. Sweet, to be sure, but old-fashioned.
Remus continued smoothly, ââ“ Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only.â There was the barest hint of amusement in his voice.
âSo would you if your fool of a mother had called you âNymphadoraâ, â Tonks retorted. She looked around at the various bits of machinery, marvelling at the utter helplessness of Muggles. Harry threw a covert glance around himself as he handed Moody a glass of water. With a start, Tonks realized she was staring and wrenched her gaze away, searching for something to keep her from gawking at Harry. She watched Remus, who was checking the window, instead. He was as cautious as Moody in his own way â“ not paranoid, but careful. Tonks reflected that she much preferred that to Moodyâs twitchiness.
Remus watched as Tonks followed Harry up the stairs, looking around with interest and talking a mile a minute. Harry was not the boy Remus had met two years ago. That boy had been full of life and adventure. Remus suspected that the events of a month past had driven that sense of adventure out of him. Perhaps Tonks would be able to talk to him, to show him the sense of wonder at the world that she had somehow managed to retain. Granted, Tonks had never seen death first-hand, but she was an Auror and knew what she worked against. Remus wondered, not for the first time, how she had done it. He pushed that firmly out of his mind to write a note to the Dursleys.
Remus was just sealing the letter when Tonks and Harry came downstairs. âExcellent. Weâve got about a minute, I think. We should probably get out into the garden so weâre ready. Harry, Iâve left a letter telling your aunt and uncle not to worry â“â
âThey wonât.
âThat youâre safe â“â
âThatâll just depress them.â
ââ”and youâll see them next summer.â
âDo I have to?â
Remus smiled, but the smile touched his mouth only. Harry sounded dead serious, especially with the last question. A flash of pink caught his eye and he looked up at Tonks, who was frowning at Harry. Remus could see something similar to his own thoughts crossing her face. The pictures â“ or lack thereof â“ on the mantelpiece spoke poignantly of something that disturbed them both.
Moody was briefing Harry on the procedure. ââ”If one of us is killed â“â
âIs that likely?â Harry looked rather taken aback.
Tonks shook her bubble-gum pink head. âStop being so cheerful, Mad-Eye, heâll think weâre not taking this seriously.â
âNo oneâs going to die.â That was Kingsley, his deep voice soothing over Moodyâs growls. Remus silently blessed the manâs timing. Harry was nervous enough already. Then the red sparks flared overhead.
âMount your brooms, thatâs the first signal!â That, he knew, was Sirius. Sirius had been allowed to set the signals, but was allowed no more than the flight out and back. The risk of him being seen was too much for anything else.
Green sparks. Sirius would be watching to see them off. Once they were in the air, he was to report back. âSecond signal, letâs go!â
Harry did as he was told, rising quickly (Sirius had really chosen well with that Firebolt) and following Tonks. She had been a reserve chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team at Hogwarts and it still showed. She followed Moodyâs directions easily, less clumsy in the airâ”possibly because there were fewer things to knock over.
Remus and six others swooped continually around Harry, wands ready. Tonks and Moody stayed just before and behind Harry. They did not plan to die, but the truth was that there was more danger than Harry knew. If one Death Eater had been watching the house and thought now would be a good time to attack the Dark Lordâs greatest enemyâŚ
*
They were almost there. They had been flying for almost an hour, though it seemed twice that with the cold. Remus peered down and saw the last landmark. He opened his mouth to let Moody know it was there, but Moody cut him off.
âWe ought to double back for a bit, just to make sure weâre not being followed!â Remus shivered. Typical Mad-Eye!
Tonksâ broom jumped. âARE YOU MAD, MAD-EYE? Weâre all frozen to our brooms! If we keep going off course weâre not going to get there until next week! Weâre nearly there now!â
âTime to start the descent!â Remus jumped in before Moody could shout back. âFollow Tonks, Harry!â Moody glowered, but the glare was somewhat less effective when he was shivering so hard his broom was quivering. It was only a half-hearted glare in any case.
Five more minutes and they were in front of the house. Moody pulled Dumbledoreâs deluminator from his cloak and quickly turned off every light on the block. Remus paused to help Tonks grab Harryâs trunk. When she fumbled her end, he took Hedwigâs cage, too. She glared, but only for a moment. With the others flanking them, they marched across the street.
Harry was already reading the bit of parchment with Dumbledoreâs thin, loopy handwriting covering it. After a moment, he looked up, concentrating, and Remus watched amazement spread over his face. The others, already in the know, could see the house, but to Harry it had simply appeared.
Moody sent the little orange lights back to their streetlamps before shutting the door and lighting the gas lamps. Harry had barely time to look around before Molly Weasley hurried out of the door that led to the kitchen, where the Order held meetings. She hugged Harry hard, murmuring quietly; Remus distinctly heard something about âfeeding upâ.
Turning to the others, she whispered, âHeâs just arrived, the meetingâs startedâŚâ
âFinally,â Moody growled. Kingsleyâs mouth twisted wryly as they moved towards the door. Tonks grimaced. Remus smiled at her.
âOh come, he wonât eat you.â
Tonks paused and screwed up her face, turning her hair long, black, and greasy. âYou sure?â
Remus laughed very quietly as she restored it to pink and they moved into the kitchen together.
*****
A/N: This chapter has been edited into its final state. Thanks to: Alison-Scribbly for pointing out mistakes and helping me patch plotholes; rita_skeeter, who Brit-picked this chapter for me; and to the many lovely readers who keep me writing!