Another Dark Star

Chapter 25


“Hey girlies, Scrimgeour wants you to check out a domestic.” shouted Andrew Taylor, an Auror who graduated at the same time as Tonks and Sadie.

“We are not girls, we are women. Not that a little boy like you could tell the difference.” Snapped Sadie; who had been in a foul mood all day for no apparent reason.

“Oh, sorry Mrs Slime, I mean Snape!” he shot childishly.

Luckily for him, at the precise moment Sadira aimed her wand at his chest his partner, James Mason came in.

“Good morning Ladies, domestic disturbance in Matlock, Derbyshire. Looks nasty, here’s the address.” He said, unperturbed at Sadira’s violent behaviour. He was quite fond of her and as a result was getting used to her temper.

“Ok we’re on it.” Tonks said, forcing Sadie’s hand to her side and grabbing the proffered parchment.

When they Apparated there, Sadira went dizzy and dropped to the ground.

“Are you ok mate?” Tonks asked, concerned.

“Fine honest.” she replied.

“You don’t look it. You’ve been in funny moods all week, you’re pale, you’re not eating, and you’re losing weight. Now this dizziness; are you ill or have you and Sevvy had a fight again?” Tonks teased.

“No, we have not had a fight; my marriage is perfectly happy. And don’t call him that, he hates it.” She said snippily.

“I’ve just had a bit of a stomach upset that’s all. Don’t tell anyone. Sev will worry and I don’t want to get sent home sick either. I’ll go mental stuck at home with nothing to do.” Sadira pleaded.

“Ok then but you should get yourself checked out.” Tonks said, dodging a stunner that came from the house as she opened the door.

“Auror squad, put your wands down, we just want to talk.” She shouted.

A mousy haired man and similarly coloured shrewish looking woman stopped and turned to face them.

“Mr and Mrs Hague? We’re Aurors Tonks and Snape; perhaps we could sit down and talk about this?” Sadira said authoritatively.

“That bastard’s been screwing the Muggle bitch next door. I don’t want to calm down, I want to hex his balls off!” the woman screeched.

“I understand you are feeling angry, hurt and betrayed. But really, violence is not the answer. Clearly you still love him; otherwise you wouldn’t be so upset. If you sit down and talk about this, you may still have a future together.” Sadira told her.

“I... how could he do this to me? With a bloody Muggle!” Mrs Hague cried.

“I suggest you ask him that. You will never know unless you remain calm and hear him out. Do you have children?” she asked. The thin woman nodded.

“A boy and a girl.”

“Imagine how they’d feel if you had hurt or killed him; mum in Azkaban, Dad dead or in St Mungo’s. They’d be crushed.” Sadira warned her.

“I’m sorry Love, really I am. She meant nothing to me. I was attracted to her, nothing more. It’s you I love, you and the kids.” Mr Hague pleaded.

“How can I forgive you after this?” Mrs Hague cried.

Sadira sat on the chintzy sofa next to the older woman and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder.

“Once I let a stupid argument get in between me and someone I loved. I stormed out and didn’t speak to him for two years. By happy mistake we met up again and now we’re married. We couldn’t be happier, but sometimes I look back and think of the two years we wasted and how happy we could have been, instead of miserable, missing each other but both too proud to say it. Don’t make that mistake.” She said, sagely.

“Ok, we’ll talk, but I’m not promising to forgive you.” Mrs Hague said.

“No violence? No curses?” Tonks asked.

“No, just talk.” She agreed.

“Thank you so much, both of you.” Mr Hague said.

“No problem, just doing our jobs.” Said Tonks brightly, flooing directly to the Ministry.

When they got there, Tonks turned on her partner with a grin. “Wow, Sadira Snape; Marriage Counsellor. Who knew you’d gone so soft?”

“Shut up Dora, I’m not soft; I defused the situation, got the job done.” Sadira defended.

“So, all that bollocks about pining over your Sev for two years?” Tonks asked.

“...Was true. But if you repeat that to anyone I’ll deny it.” She said, hurrying to the nearest ladies lavatory to lose her lunch.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” Tonks asked from the other side of the cubicle door.

“Yeah, I just need a drink of water.” Sadie said, splashing her face in the sink and patting dry with paper towels.

“You better not pass that on to me. I hate being sick and I’ll recommend Taylor as my replacement!” Tonks threatened.

Two weeks later, Sadira was still feeling ill, but was coping better. She didn’t want Tonks to worry, or tell her Dad. She had a lot more respect in the Ministry and she wasn’t about to give up all she’d worked so hard for over a stupid bloody stomach bug!

“Miss Tonks, Mrs Snape, May I have a word?” asked Kingsley form the door to their office.

“Of course Mr Shacklebolt. Please, come in.”Sadira replied politely. He shut the door firmly and added a silencing charm.

“I have another double assignment for you. People have been going missing from or near a pub in Knockturn Alley; the one Sadira went to before, in August. We believe people are being drawn inside, then vanishing. I need you to investigate this. It is a Ministry assignment, but the Order wants information on this also as it may be related to Death Eater activity.” He told them.

“Very well Kingsley, we’ll check it out.” Sadie said.

Tonks made her hair curly and blonde, her eyes lilac and her nose a tiny button. Sadira put a glamour on to make her hair poker straight and pillar-box red, her eyes a brighter green and gave herself freckles; making her look like her Weasley cousins.


They kept to the shadows, watching the pub. A few people went in, but Sadira could see through the grimy window they were all still there. They waited for hours and were about to leave when one middle aged ginger woman walked in glassy eyed, clearly under the Imperius curse. Sadie signed to Tonks that she was going in. She walked to the bar and sat near enough to the woman to keep eyes and ears on her but not close enough to arouse suspicion.

Suddenly she was knocked from her stool and her wand wrenched from her hand as she tried to defend herself. Two men dragged her out to the back alley, holding her hands and mouth. Then a man punched her and kicked her ribs, then tore her blouse and pants.

Someone muttered ‘Incarcerous’ and her hands were tied.

“I remember you, you bitch. I intend to get what I paid for. You won’t escape this time you whore.” The man growled.

“Midden? Get off me you fat cunt!” she roared back.

“Oh no. I want my goodies now!” he said, pressing his corpulent form against her bound body.

“TONKS!” she screamed.

“No-one’s coming for you now; your little friend is a bit busy with my boys.” He said, squeezing her breasts. She spat in his face.

“Get off me you scum. My husband will kill you slowly and painfully when he finds you, if I don’t first. Do you even know who you’re dealing with?” she growled dangerously. He punched her in the face.

“Your husband will never find your body when I’m done with you.” He sneered, his hand snaking to her waistband as she kicked and fought against him. Suddenly his flabby body was thrown from her by a flash of light.

“Sorry I took so long, I was held up by his goons, you all right?” Tonks asked, undoing her bonds and throwing her ebony wand to her.

“Yeah, I’ll be ok. I just... I want to see Severus.” She said quietly, a little shaken.

She covered herself back up, repairing her clothes and retrieving her black leather duster coat which had been pulled from her in the scuffle, smoothing herself down as the other Aurors appeared on scene.

“St Mungo’s first; standard procedure.” Tonks insisted.

“Fine, let’s Floo from the bar, I’m not in the mood for wandering through Muggle London.” She said.

“What was that all about?” Tonks asked as they arrived at reception.

“Revenge. That was Ben Midden. Obviously he recognised me through the glamour.” She explained.

“Good afternoon ladies, how can I help?” asked the young welcome witch. Clearly she was new as she still had enthusiasm for the job.

“Auror Squad Miss; my partner here got roughed up and she needs the all clear before she can return to duty.” Tonks said.

“Ok, I’ll make sure you’re seen straight away, as we’re quiet.” She said, handing Sadie a clipboard and pen with forms to fill in.

“This way please. I’m Healer Bancroft.” A tall thin man with a friendly face and salt-and-pepper hair said.

“I’ll owl Snape and let him now you’re here.” Tonks said while Sadira followed him.


“Lie on the bed Mrs Snape.” he said checking the forms she had given him. “What exactly happened?”

“I was jumped while on duty. These guys kicked me in the ribs, punched me in the face and I think scraped my back as they dragged me along. One of them touched me up but he didn’t get far.” She told him. He passed his wand over her, scanning for breaks and healing her minor cuts.

“Do you have any other injuries or illnesses we should know about?”

“Well, a few months ago another work related incident left me in a coma for three days with swelling of the brain. I was treated by the Hogwarts Nurse, as I was stationed there and she didn’t want to risk moving me. Also, lately I’ve been having dizzy spells and throwing up, and backache.” She confessed, hoping it wouldn’t stand against her returning to duty.

“Ok. I’ll get a nurse to run diagnostics and check your bloods.” He said, taking a small sample and healing the cut with a flick of his wand.



Professor McGonagall knocked loudly on the dungeon door, striding in to the classroom without waiting for an answer, rushing past the puzzled students. Snape was about to make a remark about disrupting his lesson but it died in his throat when he saw her ashen face.

“Severus, I have just received an owl; it’s Sadira. She’s in St Mungo’s.” She said quickly.

The class was agape when Snape ran full tilt out of the classroom.


He burst into the DADA classroom, which was thankfully empty, and rapped sharply on Umbridge’s door.

“Yes Professor Snape, how can I help you?” she asked in a cloyingly sweet voice.

“Madam Umbridge, I need to use the Floo, may I have the use of your fire?” he asked, trying to remain calm despite his concern.

“Why ever would you need to use the Floo?” she giggled, a shrewd glint in her eye.

“A family situation, I need to get to St Mungo’s immediately.” He said, not wishing to give too much information away.

“Very well Professor, I suppose you were most helpful in providing the Veritaserum after all.” She conceded grudgingly, stepping aside to allow him access to the hearth to Floo straight to the reception area.


“Where is Mrs Snape?” he demanded of the welcome witch.

“W...Ward 9 Sir.” She stammered, pointing the way. She had left Hogwarts not quite two years ago and still had a healthy fear of him. She stared agape as he hurried off down the corridor in search of his wife.

“Sadie? Are you alright?” he asked quietly, entering the curtained area of the general ward and sitting on the side of her bed.

“Yes, fine. All the better for seeing you Love. I’m just waiting for the all clear. I got a bit of a beating but I’m fine now.” She said brightly.

“Who was it?” he asked darkly, running a mental inventory of slow acting poisons and painful curses in his repertoire.

“Midden, it seems he recognised me and wanted revenge.”

“I’ll kill him.” He snarled.

“No you won’t. You can’t. He’s already in custody I’m afraid Love.” She told him.

He looked her over properly now and froze, stunned. She still had the glamour on; red hair and emerald eyes. His heart stopped and he reached out to touch her hair in disbelief.

“Oh, glamour! Sorry.” She said. “Do you like it?”

“I... it is attractive, but I prefer the real you.” He replied and she removed the glamour with a simple ‘Finite’.

“How long till you can leave?” he asked impatiently.

“I don’t know. They had to do a series of tests. They even took blood and urine, gods know why. I only got a bump to the noggin!” she said.

“Excuse me; what’s taking so long, my wife is waiting for these tests so she can leave.” He said as politely as possible to the frazzled looking young healer passing by.

“Let me see. Hello, my name is Healer Lampwick.” The young woman said in a friendly tone to Sadira as she scanned her bed notes.

“I’ll chase these up for you, but the lab is quite busy, it may be up to an hour, sorry.” She said. Sadira thanked her and she rushed off.

“I suppose all we can do now is wait.” She sighed, lying back on the bed and encouraging him to lie next to her.