Suddenly, I fell to the ground. Bellatrix stopped walking, turned around, and snapped, “Get up! And start walking. I’m sick of carrying you.”
“I can’t walk,” I said, hoping I sounded braver than I felt. “My feet are tied up.”
Bellatrix made a hissing noise and cut the ropes on my ankles. I winced as the blade of her knife slide slightly into my skin. The ones on my wrists remained. I stood up, and fell back down, a traditional Nymphadora Tonks action.
“Get up,” she spat. “And walk behind me. If you dare run away, I will kill you instantly.”
I snorted, but didn’t doubt her. However, I decided to fun with my aunt. My mother had implied all throughout my childhood that I was annoying when I wanted to, so I was going to use this to my advantage.
I hurried my walking pace so I was right behind Bellatrix, and stepped on her heels, like an immature boy.
“What?” she barked, whipping her scummy black hair around. I ducked the greasy locks, biting my lip as I hid a giggle and a grin.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, trying to hide a laugh. This was almost too easy, ticking the lunatic off.
Bellatrix sneered and went on with her march. I waited a few moments before doing again, and again, and... again. Mad-Eye had never said that I couldn’t have fun with my job.
Bellatrix whipped her extremely unwashed head around the second time around.
“If you do that one more time,” she snarled, “Then I will-”
But I never got to hear what she would do to me, because suddenly she was flown backwards, her wand shooting out of her hand.
“Never thought she’d go that far,” muttered a voice from behind me, a pant in its tone. “How many bloody miles we walked, I dunno...”
It was Tom. I squealed and gave him a grateful hug. He patted my back awkwardly, looking a bit disheveled.
“You did this to her?” I asked, nodding my head in the direction my aunt had flown.
“If that’s what yeh call it,” Tom shrugged. “I went to go see him when she left wit’ yeh.”
“Who?”
“Dumbledore, ‘course. You know Dumbledore, right?”
“Well duh, who doesn’t?”
“All right. Well, he said for me to give yeh this, and he’ll meet up wit’ yeh later.”
He wordlessly passed me an old boot.
A Portkey.
I took it. “Are you coming with me?”
He shook his head. “Nah. I have to go back to me shop or else that lady will probably come after me and kill me before I have time to spit in ‘er eye.”
“She probably will anyways,” I said darkly. “Especially if you spit on her.”
Tom chuckled. “Ah, well, she’ll be out cold for a couple hours. Mind, she might ‘ave a nasty concussion if yeh run into ‘er.”
I laughed, feeling slightly relieved. I wished Tom could come with me, that way I wouldn’t be so lonely. But apparently I was supposed to meet up with Dumbledore, so I guessed that I wouldn’t be alone for too long. Dumbledore always had nice calming effect on people.
“Better watch out,” Tom warned, shaking me out of my thoughts.
The Portkey had started to glow. I quickly placed a finger on it, and gave Tom a goodbye hug. “Thanks for everything, Tom.”
“No problem,” he said. “Try and visit me sometime, alright?”
“I’ll try,” I smiled, and soon Tom disappeared from view as the Portkey took me to its destination.
* * *
I ended up in the woods. It was very dark; the moonlight reflected off the snow was my only source of light. I quickly whispered, “Lumos,” and held my wand up as I walked through the trees.
My dress bothered me. It was hard to walk through the flurry with it on; my shins were soaked.
I knew your mind plays tricks on you when you’re in the dark, but I seriously (and I don’t mean my cousin) believed that things were popping out at me. Snow crunched under strange footsteps, yellow eyes blinked out from bushed, and strange howling was heard. I wasn’t afraid of werewolves (after all, I was in love with one), but I didn’t feel like meeting any that weren’t named Remus Lupin.
If it was possible, the sky seemed to get even darker. Even my wand beam seemed dull, no matter how many times I said ‘Lumos.’ And, worst of all, I felt lonely. I was never the person who liked to be alone for more than an hour or so. Company made me feel better, but all this darkness wasn’t improving my psyche.
Footsteps crunched on the ground behind me. Paranoid as I wasn’t, fear filled my body. If it was Bellatrix following, I was going to freak out and probably do something stupid.
“Excuse me?”
I screamed, turned around, and punched as hard as I could. I heard someone stumble and fall to the ground, probably from surprise more than force.
I shined my wand at the ground. Lying in the snow was none other than an auburn-haired Albus Dumbledore.
Oh, crap. I had just nailed the greatest wizard in the face.
“Professor!” I squeaked, helping him to his feet. “I’m so, so sorry... I thought you were someone else...”
“Funnily enough,” Dumbledore said, brushing snow off his robes, “I’ve had worse greetings in my lifetime. And who do I owe the pleasure of meeting?”
“Tonks,” I mumbled, still embarrassed.
“Well, Tonks,” Dumbledore said, “I’ve been told that you were being followed. You are in need of some protection, am I correct?”
“Yes, sir,” I said. “I have somewhere I need to be, and I need to get there without... her.”
Dumbledore nodded. “Then I shall accompany you on your journey,” he promised.
I grinned. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Where to?” asked Dumbledore, brushing some hair from his extraordinarily blue eyes.
“I’ll take you,” I said.
Dumbledore gripped my arm, and I turned on the spot, back to the old Muggle town. I felt good right now- I was finally back on my mission.
“Fascinating place,” Dumbledore remarked as we strolled through the village. “I don’t think I’ve ever been here.”
“It’s a Muggle town,” I told him. “I need to go to the orphanage.”
“Adopting a child?”
“Er, no. I’m saving someone’s life.”
“Ah. Well, let’s speed things up, shall we?”
Dumbledore took my arm and whispered, “Might as well try to blend in.”
I nodded, feeling awkward. As long as I didn’t trip or punch him in the face again, I was okay.
We reached the orphanage after a baker’s instruction and several mix-ups. I didn’t like the orphanage- it was dark and ugly and the sharp fence looked like it could stab you to death.
“Does the orphanage know you’re coming?” Dumbledore asked as we walked up the steep steps.
“No,” I said honestly. “Guess we’ll have to improvise.”
Dumbledore smiled and knocked on the door. It was opened by a tall girl around ten or so.
“Yes?” she said, eyeing my tomato-red hair and Dumbledore’s dark robes.
“Hello,” Dumbledore said pleasantly. I had no idea what he was going to say. “I am the doctor for a town away, and I have received news that a woman is dying?”
The girl looked confused for a moment, but then nodded. “This way,” she called, turning around with the swish of an apron.
The girl led us down a gloomy-looking hallway into another room.
“Mrs. Cole!” the girl said. “A doctor’s come to see the mother.”
Mrs. Cole, a strong but sad-looking lady, looked up at us from her sharp-rimmed glasses. “What? Marsha, no one sent for a doctor. The girl wants to be left alone.”
She stared at Dumbledore and me, her eyes narrowed.
Dumbledore bowed. “With all due respect, dear lady, I had heard of a dying mother. Is it a crime to want to save a life, as it is my career?”
Mrs. Cole stood up. “No one knows of the girl!” she snapped. “And if she did want saving, we have our own doctor to talk to. Good day!”
She beckoned for the girl to shoo us out.
Oh, no. Nymphadora Tonks wasn’t going to give up that easily.
Dumbledore sensed my emotions and grabbed my arm. “Thank you, Mrs. Cole. My wife and I can find the door ourselves.”
He half-led, half-dragged me out of the office, talking about the weather.
“What’re you doing?” I hissed.
“Improvising,” he replied. “I do recall that’s what I was instructed to do.”
I rolled my eyes. Dumbledore glanced down the hallway, and finding it deserted, turned to face me again.
“Now,” he said. “I’m going to put a little spell on you.”
“Really?” I said. So much for wise words from dear Dumbledore.
“Yes. It’s sort of like Apparition, except I don’t know where I’m sending you. I know it’ll be in the orphanage, but I don’t know which room. We’ll have to keep doing this until we find the woman. I’m very sorry, but it’s the only option without sneaking around the place like thieves.”
I stared. “Um... okay.”
Dumbledore beamed. “Good. Now, you may feel some intestinal discomfort, but it’s only temporary. Okay? One, two, three... go!”
Some intestinal discomfort... oh dear lord, that little ride through the building had my body aching.
I ended up in a room. It was all dark and chilly, and I was sitting on the floor. Deciding to shine things up, I whispered, “Lumos,” but no light appeared. I tried again, but still no luck. Frustrated, I kicked the wall, which probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do.
I started shouting other spells, but nothing worked. Angry now, I crawled around, feeling for a door. I finally hit a doorknob, and eagerly turned it. It was stuck. No spell seemed to work on it, either.
I sat back, annoyed. I did have enough tact, however, to refrain from using some of Sirius’s favorite curse words.
“Hey,” said a weak voice form the opposite side of the room. “Can I have some water?”
I inched down the room and found a glass. Squinting n the darkness, I saw a young woman’s face, a few years younger than I was. I tipped the glass and poured the liquid into the girl’s mouth.
“Thanks,” she said weakly.
“Who are you?” I whispered.
“I’m Merope Gaunt,” she said tiredly. “I just gave birth to my baby. His name is Tom. But I can’t take care of him. I’m dying.”
The Trouble With Being Trusted by PadfootnPeeves
Chapter Notes: Ditto to the last chapter's notes. Thanks to Emily (Amber 0_o) for making this chapter smoother! Enjoy as some of the plot picks up!