When no answer came, worry began to fill her. It was never quiet around the Burrow, so the stillness filled her with dread. Pulling out her wand, she entered the kitchen and looked around. Everything was clean and shining, as it usually was when the kids were at school. Despite the order, the lack of noise still put fear into her heart.
Soundlessly, Tonks moved through the kitchen and looked into the sitting room. Things in there seemed to be out of place. The room was dark, except for a ray of sunlight shining through the window. The light illuminated a chair covered in black leather behind a small desk, where a planter of white chrysanthemums sat. The rest of the room was in shadow which wasn’t right. Tonks was used to it being cozy, light and friendly.
The blackness of the room made Tonks even more unnerved. She could see nothing but the desk, so she moved forward to light the fire and oil lamps. Her foot caught on some form lying on the floor, and Tonks found herself falling forward and landing on something cold and unmoving.
“Lumos,” she whispered when she could get her wand out from underneath her.
Her breath caught in her throat as she saw what had tripped her. Molly Weasley lay face down on the sitting room floor. Tonks’ Auror training took over and she did a sweep of the room before trying to turn Molly over to see if she were alright. Her eyes landed on Molly’s amazing clock and she gasped in shock. Molly’s picture had disappeared from it. That could only mean one thing.
Molly was dead.
Tonks couldn’t believe it, and turned Molly over and started shaking her. “Molly, Molly, wake up!” After a minute of getting no response, she had to accept her original thought. Bowing her head into her hands, she allowed a few tears to fall.
It took a few minutes to collect herself, but after a few moments of grief, she once again felt the Auror in her springing to life. The need to figure out what had happened filled her every pore.
Tonks cast a few charms to make sure the scene in the sitting room stayed as it currently was. She then studied Molly’s body to see what could have caused her death. It didn’t take long to figure out that something had pierced her side. After a few more scans with her wand, Tonks realized something very sharp had been shoved up under Molly’s ribs and into her heart. Whatever it was, had been taken by the person who committed the crime. Molly’s face showed surprise, even in death.
Tonks cast another charm to warn her if someone entered the house. It wouldn’t do to have one of the Weasley clan walk in to find Molly dead without some warning. This would also help Tonks keep the room undisturbed so she could find evidence. She would send a message to Arthur after she had a chance to look over the room a bit more. Arthur would be wanting answers in his grief, and she wanted to be able to answer as many of his questions as possible.
Molly didn’t seem to have had time to protect herself. Her wand was in the pocket of her now blood soaked robes.
Tonks gently closed Molly’s shocked eyes and after giving the couch a close examination to determine there was nothing on it, carefully moved her body onto it. It almost seemed as if she were sleeping.
As she went to move away from the couch, she noticed a book lying under the side table. It had a blooming red rose resting on it, and was splattered with blood.
This is odd, thought Tonks. Molly’s blood shouldn’t have splattered like this, especially if she were surprised like it appears. The book is too far away from where I found Molly laying to have been splattered when the weapon was pulled out. It almost seems like this was placed here deliberately.
The book was written in a language that Tonks didn’t know. Reading from the open book, the words had a familiar sound to them when she started to speak some of the lines out loud. German, she guessed, but I’ll have to get an expert on the subject to know for sure.
What a book written in German was doing in the Weasley house was another mystery to be solved. Tonks used her wand to lift the book up with a simple, Wingardium Leviosa, and noticed a blood smear over what appeared to have been a name. It was unreadable because of the blood. She would have to take this back to the Auror office to get some help retrieving the name. Maybe the book was a clue to whoever killed Molly.
Arthur would be heading home soon, and Tonks wanted him to have some warning that things were very wrong at his house. She sent her Patronus off with a message for him to come home as soon as he could and warning him things were bad at his house, but not telling him Molly was dead. That was not a way to find out your wife’s death.
A short time later, Arthur came rushing into the house. “Molly, Tonks, where are you?” he called, worried.
Tonks left the sitting room where she had been examining the book. It hadn’t taken her long to realize that she couldn’t go to the Auror office with any of this information. She had been given petty things to do since Voldemort had taken over the ministry, and because she was a known member of the Order of the Phoenix she was not allowed access to any of the files anymore. She was on her own, unless some of her friends were able to help.
“Arthur, I don’t know how to tell you this, but its Molly, she. . .” Tonks fell down as Arthur pushed his way past her and entered the sitting room.
“Mollywobbles! What’s wrong?” Arthur wailed when he saw his wife.
Tonks pushed herself to her feet and rushed back to where Molly lay. “She won’t answer you, Arthur. . . there’s no easy way to tell you this, but she’s dead. I didn’t want to tell you in any sort of message.” Tonks tried to explain, but knew her words weren’t being comprehended. Even to her, they felt empty.
Arthur fell on his knees next to the sofa where Molly lay, and shook her lifeless form. “Molly, wake up! You have to be alright. I need you.”
Tonks put a gentle hand on Arthur’s shoulder, “I’m sorry Arthur. I will find who did this.” Tonks paused to allow Arthur a moment to take the scene in. “But I need your help. I need some information. Was anyone was supposed to be here today? She had seemed shocked by the killing blow, but nothing seemed out of place when I got here. Arthur. . . the sooner I can trace any leads, the more likely we are to find the person responsible.“
Arthur was now sobbing into his wife’s robes. Tonks gave him a few moments, but then pulled him into the kitchen and forced a glass of Firewhiskey into his hand. He threw his head back and swallowed as if in a trance.
When she was about to ask her questions again, Arthur answered without emotion. “No-one was supposed to stop by today. Ginny is at school and the boys are at work, other then Ron. . . we don’t know where Ron, Harry, and Hermione are.” Arthur quickly filled his glass again, and gulped another shot of Firewhiskey.
Tonks walked into the sitting room and brought the blood splattered book back with her. “Do you recognize this book? It seems to be in German, but I don’t know enough German to be sure.”
Arthur glanced at the book and winced at the blood covering it. “It is one that Percy had when he was doing the research on cauldron bottom thickness. I have no idea what it is doing down here. I would have thought he’d have taken it with him when he moved out. He took all his other things.”
“Percy? That is strange. I thought that he was still estranged from you,” Tonks said.
“He is. He won’t even look at me when we meet in the Ministry,” Arthur said, still with no emotion.
Tonks stood looking at Arthur with worry on her face. She didn’t know what to do for him. Maybe she should send for one of his sons.
Just as she thought this, the back door swung open and Bill, Fred, and George ran in.
“Dad sent a message that something was wrong. We got here as soon as we could . . . Dad?” Bill was looking at his pale faced father and the empty glass still clenched in his hand.
“Where’s mum?” Fred asked.
Tonks looked at the three men, and then motioned to the sitting room. “Someone killed Molly. We don’t know what happened, but I’m working on it. I’m sorry.”
George and Fred rushed into the sitting room with yells of shock, fear, and sadness. Bill slumped into a chair next to his father.
Tonks poured a round of Firewhiskey for everyone, and handed them out when the twins came back into the room a while later.
“What do you have so far?” Bill asked after downing his glass.
“This book is the only lead I have so far.” Tonks handed him the book. She had gleaned all the information that she could from it, so didn’t mind handling it now.
Bill’s face went even whiter when he saw the blood covering it. His hand slipped as he took it, and it fell to the floor. A piece of paper fell out as it bounced out. Tonks quickly grabbed it and found it contained an address. Tonks stared at it a moment before showing it to the family. No one seemed to be able to take it in.
Fred and George were sitting the same way Arthur was. They all seemed to be statues, with tears streaming down their faces. Bill seemed to be the only one able to move.
“I want to go check out this address. It is the only lead I have,” Tonks said.
Bill looked over at her, “I want to come too.”
Tonks studied him a moment, “I don’t know if that is a good idea. Your brothers and father need you. They don’t seem to be dealing with this very well.”
“I need to come, please Tonks!” Bill begged.
“Is there anyone you can get to help out here?” Tonks asked. When Bill nodded, she added, “Then if they can arrive in the next half hour, you can come with me.”
Bill raised his wand and cast a Patronus. It took off through the still open back door.
Fleur arrived in minutes through the fireplace. “What ees wrong?” she asked, “What can I do to ‘elp?”
Bill quickly filled her in on what was going on. She started brewing some tea and tending to Arthur, Fred, and George.
Tonks showed Bill the address. He grabbed a black cloak from a cupboard and they walked outside and Disapparated.
Tonks and Bill found themselves just outside a narrow alley. A lamp post stood unlit at the head and tall stone buildings cast shadows in the weak light. Mist filled the air, and Tonks hoped that it wasn’t because Dementors were near by. The feeling of hopelessness wasn’t filling her any more then it was back at the Burrow, but she supposed it was hard to get any worse then the scene back there.
“Bright, cheerful kind of place, isn’t it?” Bill said.
“Oh yeah, a jolly holiday,” Tonks replied.
As they stood wondering what to do next, a loud squeal came from the other end of the dark alleyway.
“What was that?” they whispered together.
Tonks slowly moved down the alleyway and squinted into the darkness. Bill moved quickly so he was right behind her.
“This is ridiculous. Lumos,” Tonks said in irritation.
The lighted wand revealed a narrow walkway, but couldn’t lighten more then a few feet ahead of them. As they moved into the mist, a heavy feeling started to weigh on them. Bill put a hand on Tonks shoulder and stopped her.
“There are Dementors ahead, can you feel them?” Bill asked.
“I was hoping it was my imagination,” Tonks answered. “Think we should dare cast a Patronus, or should we wait until we can actually see them?”
The squeal came again, but this time sounded more like the cry of a young child. Tonks gasped and started running down the slick rocks, only to find herself face first on the ground.
“Here, let me,” Bill said as he offered his hand to her. “Expecto Patronum!”
The silvery figure of a lion raced ahead of them down the dark passage. As they neared the end of it, they saw the Patronus chase three hooded figures away from a small cowering figure. Her small head was tilted up and it looked like they had come just in time, or the girl would have lost her soul to the horrible creatures floating away.
Bill raced to the little brown headed child, and took her in his arms. It only took a minute for the glassiness of her gaze to become focused, and she started kicking and screaming in fear.
“It’s alright, we are here to help!” cried Bill as he placed her back on the ground, and rubbed at his bruised ribs.
The girl scurried behind a trash can and peeked out at them.
Tonks held her lighted wand out in front of her, “Are your parents somewhere near by? Is there any way we can help you get back to them?”
The child stared, fascinated between the lighted wand and the silver lion, pacing behind them. “Is that magic?” she asked in a small voice.
Tonks and Bill looked at each other. The child was obviously a Muggle.
“As a matter of fact, it is. Let us take you back to your parents, and we will show you some other tricks,” Tonks said. “I promise we won’t hurt you. We came when we heard your cries to help you. My name is Tonks, and this is Bill. What is your name and how old are you?”
The little girl looked them over again before answering, “My name is Caylee. I’m this many.” She held up four fingers.
Tonks held her hand out to the little girl again, and this time she tentatively took it. She led them out into a wide street and down the block. “My grandparents live over here. I snuck out to try and find mommy. Then I felt funny and got scared.”
“The lion there will keep the bad feelings away, Caylee,” Bill said.
Caylee looked up with a smile, “I like that lion. He isn’t scary like the lions at the zoo.”
They arrived outside a gate and Caylee indicated it was where her grandparents were.
“Want to see one more bit of magic, Caylee?” Tonks asked. Caylee nodded with a big grin and Tonks smiled back. “Then take a look at this.”
Tonks held her hand out in front of her. Yellow smoke seemed to rise out of it. Slowly, the smoke worked its way around her palm, then out around the small girls face. A vacant smile played across her lips and her eyes became unfocused.
“You will go back inside and not leave without an adult unless given permission,” instructed Tonks. “You will remember the lion as a dream and believe in magic, but not remember anything else that happened here today.”
The child dreamily headed towards the door. Tonks pulled Bill around the corner of the house and put her wand beneath her robes. She watched to make sure Caylee entered the house. Tonks then heard her grandparents exclaim in dismay as they realized she had been outside, but it changed to happiness as soon as they realized she was alright.
Tonks turned to face Bill, but instead gazed in amazement past him. He turned quickly at her shock. Percy was walking down the street and entering a flat near the alley they had just come through. He had obviously not seen them.
“Percy can’t be the one that killed mum! He can be a prat sometimes, but he isn’t a murderer!” Bill exclaimed with shock evident in his voice.
“Bill, I’m not saying he is, but things are looking very suspicious at the moment.” Tonks looked up at the flat Percy had just entered. “Your father said he had taken all his possessions with him when he left home. Finding that book splattered with your mum’s blood when we know it had gone with him. . .”
Bill looked at Tonks with tears forming in his eyes, “None of my brothers would have been able to kill mum. I don’t care how much they were feuding with the family. There has to be some other explanation.”
Tonks looked at Bill with understanding in her eyes, “Well, there is only one way to find out. . .”
Tonks set her course on the flat Percy had entered. Bill hesitated a moment, and then followed closely behind her.
A brown haired stranger answered the door to Tonks’ sharp rap. “Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked with suspicion.
“We’re sorry to bother you, but I was led to believe my brother, Percy, was to be found here. My name is Bill Weasley, and this is my friend Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin.” Bill pushed up next to Tonks and held out his hand.
The man’s face relaxed and became very friendly as he took Bill’s hand, “I’m sorry to question you, but times are dangerous. My name is Ed, Edward Brown. I’m Percy’s roommate.” He stepped back and allowed Tonks and Bill to enter, before closing the door quickly behind them.
“I wouldn’t expect anything different,” Bill said with a smile,“but you might want to be more careful next time. I could just be claiming to be Percy’s brother.”
Ed studied Bill a moment before responding, “With that red hair, the picture I’ve seen Percy hiding of his family, and the good natured look in your eyes, I think I’ll be okay.” He winked at the knowing look on Bill’s face. “People can change looks, but they can’t make the eyes tell a lie. Percy is in his room at this moment, and I know I can’t disturb him when he is in there, but he should be out in just a few minutes to get something for dinner.”
Ed moved towards a kitchen fire and pulled a cauldron from off the flames. He scooped a few measures of the caramel colored liquid into a beaker. “I have always wondered why Percy’s family never came to visit.” Ed studied Bill a moment before continueing, “He seems to have some regrets about the tension between you, but doesn’t seem able to admit mistakes to himself, let alone to you. What brings you by now?”
“There have been some happenings back at his home that we thought he should be informed about, and it isn’t the type we wanted to send by post or other magical means.” Tonks finally spoke up as she watched Ed add a few potion ingredients to a narrow lipped vial.
Ed looked up in concern at the tone of her voice. “I hope that it isn’t anything too bad. Percy seems much stressed lately, and not his normal self. I don’t know how much more he can take. I guess things have changed at the Ministry and they don’t seem to be in Percy’s best interest.”
Ed carefully added a few more drops of potion to his vial and then picked up the beaker and added some of it also. “I would be careful if I were you. I know that Percy mentioned all of his family is being watched because of supporting Undesirable #1. I don’t like the new stuff coming from the Ministry. My father was Muggleborn, and has had to go into hiding. I think he ran to some family in France, but I can’t confirm that as it could direct attention to where he is. I’m still for Harry Potter, and I hope he comes out of hiding sometime soon.”
Tonks watched Ed closely, and finally couldn’t keep quiet anymore, “What are you brewing? I’ve never seen a potion like that before.”
Ed looked up and laughed. “It is something I have been working on for a while. It is supposed to make any food appetizing to whoever is eating it.” He pulled a bowl of peas from the icebox, “I can’t stand peas, but when I put a few drops of this on it, they taste like honey-glazed carrots, which are my favorite.”
“My brothers would love to get their hands on something like that!” Bill said with a smile, “They own Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes in Diagon Alley. I bet they could find some amazing way to market something like that.”
“I might have to keep that in mind once I get it perfect. Right now there is a slight aftertaste that still reminds me of peas. I always have to drink something quickly to wash the taste away.” Ed smiled back.
The door to Percy’s room rattled and then opened. Percy walked out and stopped in surprise. He looked horrible. His robes were wrinkled and stained, dark circles surrounded his eyes and he looked as though he hadn’t slept well in weeks. .
“Percy, what has happened to you? Are you alright?” Bill rushed over to his brother’s side.
“Get away from me Bill. I don’t need help from anyone. I have just been busy at work and changed into some older robes when I got home because I haven’t had time to do laundry.” Percy pulled back from his brother and stepped behind a chair, so no one could get close to him. “What brings you here?” Percy asked with accusation in his voice.
“What a great way to greet your brother, Percy,” Tonks said with sarcasm. “There was something that happened at the Burrow we thought you should know. If you aren’t interested in hearing what we have to say, we can just leave.”
Tonks headed for the door, with Bill right behind her.
“Wait, don’t leave yet,” Percy said with some desperation in his voice.
Bill turned quickly and studied his brother. Mixed emotions and conflicting expressions seemed to be flashing across Percy’s face. Something was definitely wrong.
“What is wrong Percy? I’m here to talk and help, if I can. I would never turn my back on my brother, no matter what has been going on with the family.” Bill looked at Percy with compassion on his face.
Ed seemed to think he should leave the others to talk. He grabbed his cloak and opened the front door. Before he could slip out, a hair rising scream came from out on the streets.
Tonks raced to the door with her wand in her hand, but found her self falling down the stairs a moment later. Cursing, she waved her wand and landed on ground softened by a pillowing spell.
Bill helped her up and they ran together towards where the shriek had come from. Percy and Ed were right behind them.
All four of them stopped when they found a woman laying face down on the pavement. A street lamp showed her in stark contrast to the darkness and mist around her.
Tonks walked up slowly and bent down to feel for a pulse. After a few seconds she looked up and said, “She’s still alive. I think she’s a Muggle, so we can’t take her back to your apartment, unless absolutely necessary. Where else can we take her to get help?”
Ed walked past Percy and Bill, saw the girl more clearly and bent down beside Tonks, “Melissa? Melissa! What’s wrong with her? She has to be alright, please!”
Tonks looked at Bill a moment before casting a few charms to make sure they could move the still girl. “It appears that she has no broken bones or external injuries. We should be able to move her, if there is somewhere you know we can take her.”
“She lives two streets away. I have a key to her apartment,” Ed said as he scooped the still figure up in his arms. Bill, Percy and Tonks followed right behind him, but didn’t put their wands away.
As Ed tried to settle Melissa into her bed, while Tonks, Bill and Percy sat in her small sitting room and stared at each other.
“I wish I knew of someone we could contact to help Melissa out. I think that something magical attached her, but it is hard to say who is safe to get near a Muggle these days,” Bill said to break the silence.
Tonks looked thoughtful for a moment. “I think I know a Healer we can trust. He is a close friend of someone I would trust explicitly. His name is Corby Burr. The hard part is getting a message to him so that it isn’t intercepted by the Ministry, no offense Percy.”
Percy had stood up and seemed to be edging towards the door. He stopped and pretended to be looking at some pictures on a shelf by the door.
“Where do you think you are going? We still haven’t had a chance to talk to you yet,” Bill said with a hint of suspicion in his voice.
“Uh, nowhere. Where would I be going,” Percy said with some strain in his voice. There was a manic expression in his eyes that hadn’t been there previously.
“Are you sure you’re alright? You really don’t seem to be acting like yourself today. I’m here for you, even if Fred, George, and Dad would give you problems right now.” Bill studied his brother. Percy started running for the door, but Bill lunged for him.
“Lemme go! You have no right to hold me! I know nothing about what happened to mum,” Percy shouted and struggled to get Bill off of him.
“What?” Tonks jumped to her feet and aimed her wand at Percy. “How do you know that something happened to your mum? We havn’t even mentioned why we were here yet! Incarcerous.” Ropes flew out of her wand and tied Percy tightly.
Percy struggled and cried as he tried to get away. Bill worked Percy’s wand out of his hand where he had been clenching it as if it were a lifeline, but Percy had never moved to use it. It was as if it were forgotten.
How does a wizard forget to use his wand? Tonks thought. Something is not right here.
Slowly, Tonks moved over to where Percy was and looked deep into his eyes. They were rolling around as if he were mad. Suddenly an idea formed in Tonks head, “Percy? Have you had any forgetfulness lately? Are there periods of time that you don’t know what you have been doing?”
Fear filled every part of Percy’s body. Tears were streaming down his face. Then as Tonks finished asking her questions, he started thrashing about as if in great pain.
Bill jumped over to his brother and quickly cut the cords that were binding him. He fell to the ground and seemed to be having some sort of seizure. Tonks joined him and started casting spells to soften the floor under him and trying to find some way to stop his thrashing.
Finally, Percy stopped moving, and seemed to be in a very dazed and exhausted state. Bill and Tonks looked at each other seeming to ask the other what to do.
“Mum,” Percy whispered.
“Mum isn’t here,” Bill said gently.
Percy shook his head, “I came back to myself and saw Mum lying on the floor. A blade covered in blood was in my hands. I have no idea how I had come to be at the Burrow. I didn’t dare check to see if mum was alive. I dropped a book that was in my hands and ran.” Tears were streaming down his cheeks as he continued in a whisper, “Just now when I tried to recall what happened, I blacked out again and the next thing I knew was I was here on the floor. What is happening to me Bill? I’m scared I’m losing my mind.”
Bill looked down at Percy’s begging eyes, “I don’t know, bro, but I’m going to find out.” Bill looked up at Tonks, “Do you have any idea what is going on here?”
Tonks looked at the two brothers, fear in her heart. “I think that a bad Imperius Curse has been put on Percy. It had to have been combined with something else though, to cause such a bad reaction when he started to tell us what was going on.”
Sighing, Tonks sat in thought for a moment. “I sure wish Mad Eye were still here. He would have had a better idea then I do. Percy, when did all the black outs start to happen for you? Can you tell us a place you could have visited or been? The biggest problem is that some of the most notorious criminal are running the Ministry, so any one of them could have cornered you at work.”
Percy slowly tried to sit up. He was holding his head now, as if to keep it from falling apart. After a few moments, he looked up at Bill. “I think it started on a day I was sent to an old abandoned house. They told me that an important meeting was happening at the address, but when I arrived it was an old house falling into disrepair. I can’t remember anything that happened after I walked through the gate.”
“I’m sorry to ask you this, but is there any way you could take us there? We need to figure out who might be behind this, and our best lead is to figure out what is going on with you.” Tonks offered Percy a hand to stand up.
Percy took Tonks’ offered hand, but almost fell as he tried to stand. Bill helped Tonks lift him onto a nearby chair. “I will take you there, but I need to rest before I even try. We will have to Apparate, and I’m not sure I could do that right now.”
Ed entered the room at this time and looked at the tense faces of his companions. “I still can’t get her to wake up. Have you figured out anyone who could help Melissa?”
Tonks took a few moments to update him on her thoughts, but didn’t tell him anything about what had happened to Percy. She thought it best to find some answers to questions before they had someone asking any more.
Ed took Corby Burr’s address and headed off to find him. Percy was helped into a spare bedroom so he could rest while Tonks and Bill kept watch and put some protective spells around the house.
Ed returned a few hours later with a middle aged Healer in tow. Corby looked tired, but was very willing to help anyone he could. He nodded at Tonks as he passed, and seemed to want to talk. Tonks waved him on, promising him answers later with a look.
Corby reentered the room about half an hour later. “Someone had used some nasty spells on that young lady. It is a good thing you were there to help her, and thought to get me. She wouldn’t have lived through the night without a Healer’s aid.”
Corby looked at Tonks with some concern, “You should be resting. What brings you out to a place like this in the middle of the night? Someone in your condition should really be resting and taking it easy. Few humans have carried the child of a werewolf, and we don’t know what complications it could bring.”
Bill looked stricken as he looked at Tonks, “I had totally forgotten you were expecting. You shouldn’t be out running around trying to solve any murder mysteries right now! You should be at home with Remus.”
Tears filled Tonks eyes at the mention of Remus. “Remus isn’t at home, and I don’t know where he is. I have been staying at my mom’s house since dad had to go into hiding. I’m not the first Auror to be expecting, and I won’t be the last,” Tonks’ voice gained passion as she talked. “I’m not sick, my child is a HUMAN thank you very much. Plenty of women work while they are pregnant, so don’t treat me like a child, please.” Tonks composed herself and looked back at Corby, “I found Molly Weasley murdered at home earlier this evening. I’m trying to figure out what happened before the trail gets cold.”
“You should at least get some rest. It is very late, and it isn’t evening anymore, it is morning. Things should be able to wait until you get at least a few hours of sleep, and something to eat!” Corby said in a very clinical manner.
“Yes, Healer Burr,” Tonks said with some sarcasm in her voice.
“We can’t head out until Percy is feeling better. I can keep watch while you get some sleep. I’ll try to scrounge up some breakfast while you sleep and we can head out first thing in the morning.” Bill looked like he was going to insist and smiled at Tonks sigh. “Healer Burr, could you please take a look at my brother. We think he has been under the Imperius Curse, but there seems to be a few other things going on with him. He suffered something like a seizure when he started to tell us about it.”
“Please call me Corby, and I agree, your brother should be looked over. I have a few potions on me that might help him out.” Corby followed Bill to the spare room that Percy was sleeping in.
After everyone had gotten some sleep and ate a big breakfast cooked up by Bill, Tonks, and Percy headed out. Bill and Tonks held onto Percy as they all Apparated, so they could be guided to where the house was.
When they looked around after Apparating, Bill and Tonks found a very run down house in front of them. There was a circular tower with windows blown out; either from wind or age, it was hard to tell. The grass was over grown and a huge tree covered most of the house, so they couldn’t see the front door. Hopefully some of their answers lay inside.
Tonks pulled the hood of her cloak further over her face and looked over at Bill, “Ready to go inside? We can’t find any answers out here. . .”
“Sure, ready Percy?” Bill turned to find Percy white and shaking.
Percy’s knees gave way and he ended up sitting on the ground, hugging his knees and hiding his face. “I can’t do it. I can’t go back in there.”
“What is it? What happened to you in there?” Bill asked in surprise. “What are we going into?”
“I…ah… I can’t really remember.” Percy looked up with pleading on his face, “All I know is that something horrible happened to me in there.”
Tonks looked pityingly at Percy and then glanced back up at the house, “I have to go in. Hopefully there will be answers in there as to what is going on.”
“You can’t go in there by yourself. You shouldn’t be going in there at all. I’ll go in, and let you know what I find,” Bill stepped forward before Tonks could argue.
Tonks moved right behind him. “Your faith in me is amazing. No-one is going in there alone. I’m going, and because I’m an adult, there is nothing you can do to stop me.”
Bill sighed with resignation and led the way into the house.
Cobwebs filled every corner of the dark room. Bats were hanging on the rafters. Dust covered the floor, but there seemed to be a path cleared by walking that led towards the tower room. Bill moved carefully and quietly through the room. As he entered the doorway, he stopped and gasped.
Tonks hurried up behind him and looked over his shoulder. “Oh my,” was all she could say.
A curving staircase went up the tower walls and blood was splattered all over the sides of the stairs.
“Something horrible happened in here,” Bill said, stating the obvious.
Tonks took a deep breath, and started towards the stairs. Bill’s hand stopped her two steps later. “I think we need to take a few precautionary measures. I learned a few tricks when I was exploring in the pyramids. Let me go first, after I put a few protective charms on us.
Tonks watched as Bill circled around her a few times, waving his wand and chanting. She felt a cool spell fall over her and shivered. Watching while he turned in a circle and cast the same spell on himself, Tonks thought it was great that she had a tomb explorer with her. They needed all the advantages they could get in such a place.
“We should now be protected from most traps that could have been put down on the house. I still want to go first incase something comes flying at us. I know a few spells that will help with that.” Bill started up the stairs.
“I know a few things about quick thinking and protective spells my self, you know,” Tonks said with annoyance in her voice.
Bill glanced back at her while pausing for a moment, “I know you do, but I’m not carrying a baby too. I plan on getting you both out of here with no damage done. I can’t even think what Remus would say if he knew I was even allowing you enter a place like this.”
The annoyance faded from Tonks voice, replaced by sadness as she said, “I wish he did know. Maybe then he’d come home and quit trying to say it is better for all of us with him gone.”
Bill slowed for a minute, but didn’t say anything. He held out his hand as he reached the top of the stairs. A dark room waited for them.
“Lumos, ” Bill said because in the darkness was too dark to see anything.
They both gasped at the blood drenched room. A table stood in the center of various torture devices. On the table were straps to hold potential victims in place. Bill slowly went forward to exam the table more closely.
“There are spells on this to make sure whoever is on it doesn’t get off until the one who strapped them down is ready. I have seen some gruesome things in tombs, but this beats all of them.” Bill sounded like he was going to be ill.
Tonks was working her way slowly around the room looking at the other devices, “This is worst then most medieval dungeons I’ve seen.” Tonks shuddered, “My father has always been fascinated with old castles, so I’ve seen a few.”
“Only someone doing dark magic would have this type of set up,” Bill said as he looked at a cabinet full of potions. “ Tonks, look out! ”
Tonks turned around quickly as a set of chains started to wind around her. Bill shot a few spells that made the chains fall to the ground in many pieces.
“Thanks Bill. I didn’t even see those.” Tonks said with relief in her voice. She squatted down to examine what was left of the chains, “These smell weird. There must be some potion on them.”
Bill pulled Tonks back as she started to waver on her feet. “It smells like a potion used in Egypt to knock out tomb raiders. It can have very bad effects on people and are considered fairly dark magic over there.”
“This case is getting weirder and weirder,” Tonks looked over and saw a door that was closed. “I wonder what is in there.”
“I hope that it is not more torture devices.” Bill walked over and tried the knob, “Whatever it is, it is locked. Alohomora. ”
The door opened with a loud screech. Bill entered with his lighted wand held out in front of him. Inside, the room was as different to the other room as it could be. Lace and frills covered everything. A few ugly kittens played in paintings above a desk. A delicate tea set sat on the corner of the desk and seemed to be waiting for someone to play with it. A small wooden box with bright paint sat in the center of the desk. A fancy chair was pushed back against the wall and a silver key with what appeared to be a diamond in it dangled from a hook on the wall between the pictures.
“This was definitely not what I was expecting when I opened the door,” Bill said with a frown.
“Me neither.” Tonks sounded dazed.
“I wonder who would have an office like this in such a place,” Tonks said as she walked around the office. “It is definitely someone with a very sick personality.”
Bill walked around the desk and stood staring at some envelopes scatter across the desk. “This is interesting. They seem to have intercepted a bunch of letters to someone named Rich Lee in the United States. There are almost ten envelops here addressed to him. Nothing here adds up!”
Tonks and Bill turned as the door flew all the way open and slammed against the wall. Both of them gasped as Percy walked into the room, but paled when they saw the expression on his face. Behind Percy stood a short squat figure, shadow playing across their frame, so it was impossible for them to tell who it was.
“Put your wands down, or Percy will be forced to help out again. Just like he did with his mother,” said a girly, high-pitched voice.
Tonks finally knew whose office this was. “Umbridge, I would know your voice anywhere.”
Percy walked further into the room, moving as if he were a puppet. Fear and pain flashed across his face as he stood in the center of the room. Not a sound came from his mouth, but his eyes seemed to be screaming in pain. Dolores Umbridge stepped into the doorway and once again motioned for them to lower their wands.
“What have you done to my brother?” Bill said, without moving.
Tonks stood her ground also, until Percy fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Tonks rushed to his side, but drew back in horror as she saw a magical field surround him, keeping all the screams he was obviously making from reaching their ears.
“Percy here was my way to catch Undesirable #1. I knew his connection to your family, and thought to use your brother here to gain access to them. He outright refused, even when I threatened his job. There was no one else I could trust to get the information I needed, so I used the Imperius Curse on him. The only problem is that he was fighting it. I couldn’t chance that he would overcome the curse, so I took a few other measures to insure that he would stay under my control.” Umbridge laughed as Bill and Tonks finally lowered their wands, but didn’t lower their guard. “I had heard about the writings of one Rich Lee who is a Healer in the United States. He has studied ways to keep the powers of mentally challenged people in check. I pretended to have interest in helping his cause and managed to learn his ways. Now I can control people, and it doesn’t matter if they can over throw the Imperius Curse. Using what he taught me, I have been able to ensure that those I control only feel pain and terror if the curse is overthrown.” Umbridge laughed at the looks on their faces.
“You are one sick woman, but then I knew that after the measures you have been trying to pass against Muggles and what you have done in the past to Werewolves,” Tonks said.
“Why are you telling us this? Knowing what you have done, we can stop you!” Bill started to move across the room to stop Umbridge.
Percy jumped up and grabbed Bill. He pulled Bill’s wand away and threw it across the room.
Tonks saw looks of pain flash across Percy’s face and knew he was powerless to stop his actions. Umbridge killed Molly, but used Percy to wield the weapon. Tonks moved before Umbridge was even aware of it. A shield went up between Percy and Bill, forcing them apart. The shield also protected them from most spells Umbridge could send their way. Tonks forced Percy behind the desk with another spell, and focused her attention back to Umbridge.
Bill held his hand out towards his wand, and it flew right into it. He then joined Tonks as she marched towards Umbridge.
Umbridge turned and ran.
Tonks moved to follow her, but fell over a fluffy pillow on the floor. Bill kept on going and disappeared into the tower of terror. It took Tonks a second to catch her breath, but then she was out of the door too. Bill and Umbridge had run down the stairs. Tonks raced after them, but moved a little slower then she usually would. She couldn’t chance a fall down the stairs.
Tonks ran into Bill’s back at the bottom of the stairs. Umbridge was halfway across the room, brandishing a long knife at them, “This is the knife that killed your mother, and it will be the one that kills you!”
With a flourish of her wand, Umbridge sent the knife hurling straight for Bill’s chest. Bill gave his wand a wave, and the knife turned to fly back. Tonks watched as the knife seemed to stop in the air as Bill and Umbridge fought for control of it. She didn’t dare intervene incase her interference took Bill’s concentration. She felt helpless as she stood there only able to watch.
Suddenly the front door banged open, and Remus Lupin rushed in, along with Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Their entrance was enough to distract Umbridge, and her knife hit her in the chest as Bill’s spell finally won. The sharp blade slid right between her ribs. Blood speckled her lips as she fell to her knees. “Harry Potter will be found, and then he will get his due.”
“Harry Potter will lead us in the fight against He Who Must Not Be Named and the Ministry will be returned a place of law and order again, not a sham under the Death Eater’s rule.” Remus said as Umbridge fell forward.
He then ran over to Tonks and took her in his arms, “Are you alright? I stopped by the Burrow to see Arthur and found out you were investigating Molly’s death. Kingsley stopped by as I was about to follow you. We found your friend Ed and Kingsley tracked your Apparation. What are you doing out of your mom’s house? You could have been injured!”
Kingsley walked over and kicked Umbridge onto her back, “She isn’t going to be hurting anyone else.”
“She has done enough to my family,” said Bill. “She caused Percy to murder my mom, and now he is under some unknown spells to still follow her will.” He turned back towards the tower, “We need to get him back to Healer Burr to try and break whatever spells she put on him.”
Kingsley, Tonks, and Remus followed him back up the tower to try and save Percy.
Tonks looked across the kitchen to Arthur and Remus. As many members of the Order as they could safely get together stood around the table. They were all remembering Molly Weasley, and the impact she had had on all of their lives.
Ginny had tears rolling down her face. Bill patted her arm with one hand and held Fleur’s hand with the other. George and Fred’s usual laughter had been replaced by tears and Remus was more solemn then ever. Ron stood white faced in the corner, as if trying to hide in the cabinets. None of them had been able to find Harry and Hermione to invite them, but Ron had turned up at Shell Cottage a few days after Molly’s death.
Percy came down the stairs slowly, holding onto the wall. Healer Burr had heard of Rich Lee’s research and had been able to undo the spells Umbridge had cast on him. His work had taken a toll on Percy though. He was pale and weak and it would be many weeks until he was back to his normal health. He would never be back to the same mental status he had known before this experience; he would have to live with the fact his hand had killed his mother. Corby had promised to come by every couple days to help him come to terms with what he had gone through.
A man with salt and pepper hair stood at the head of the table. Tonks felt reassured just by the presence of Declan Hurst, who worked in the Department of Mysteries behind the locked door. A feeling of peace and quietude emanated from Declan and seemed to ease the pain Molly’s family and friends were feeling. Years of studying love had left its mark, and Declan was the perfect representative from the Department of Mysteries to help remember Molly’s life. Declan had become a close friend to her and Remus over the years, and they had introduced Arthur to him a few days ago. He had seemed the perfect person to lead a memorial service for Molly.
Declan let Percy take his place on the table before he began to speak, “We are here today to remember Molly Weasley, wife, mother, and friend. . .”