Warning Signs

Up until now nothing suspicious had happened. The Ministry was aware that Voldemort was rallying more Death Eater’s, but there wasn’t much that could be done about that. He was going to obtain more followers’ whether we wanted him to or not. With Snape spying continually on Voldemort we were one step ahead of him. But, unbeknownst to all, that was soon going to change.

I passed Harry Potter in the hallway headed in the opposite direction as I exited the Castle. Harry had been especially suspicious of Hermione needing to borrow his map and cloak just about every night, so we had been taking a break from our Room of Requirement make-out sessions, and settled to studying with one another in the library every night instead. It was far less fun, but we were satisfied with just finding time to spend with one another.

Today was a warm summer day and I wanted to go for a walk. As I neared the castle I noticed Hermione walking with a tall, skinny looking boy with unmistakable messy black hair. And that’s when I realized that something was very wrong. I had just seen one Harry Potter headed into the Castle not even a moment ago and now I was seeing one walking away from it. One of them had to be an imposter, but who could it be?

Lagging behind, I noticed ‘Harry’ and Hermione heading towards Hagrid’s hut. Hagrid was a rugged looking half-giant that was twice the size of an average man. He had long flowing black hair and a shaggy full beard that he never shaved. He was the Gamekeeper of Hogwarts and also taught Care of Magical Creatures, which were the greatest lessons I’d attended so far. I liked to see the different types of magical species that Hagrid would present to the class each year, and learn everything about them.

I expected ‘Harry’ and Hermione to stop to say hello to Hagrid, but they kept going towards the Forbidden Forest. I could hear Hermione vaguely asking ‘Harry’ where they were going and why. It was clear to me that this was the imposter and they were leading Hermione into a trap of sorts. I knew I had to act fast if I was going to save her, but I needed to expose myself at the right moment.

I sighed, knowing this situation could easily blow my cover. The forest was a dangerous place to be and the two of them could easily get killed if this were the real Harry, whom I knew would never endanger his best friend in any way, especially not after losing his Godfather so recently. What in the hell was happening?

They went deep into the forest and I found it suspicious that we hadn’t seen any life-threatening species as of yet. Supposedly the centaurs were getting very restless about having humans wander in ‘their’ woods, which I felt was a pile of rubbish. They were peeved because Firenze had decided to leave them and assist Dumbledore at Hogwarts teaching Divination.

I could hear Hermione’s protests and questions as I lagged behind, occasionally ducking behind trees when ‘Harry’ would look over his shoulder to see if they were being pursued by anyone. I was one hundred percent positive that whoever was with Hermione did not have good intentions on their minds. It had to be one of Voldemort’s Death Eaters, it was the only logical conclusion I could come to, but how on Earth did they disguise themselves as Harry Potter? Voldemort couldn’t have a metamorphmagus working for him… Could he?

After what seemed like several hours, but was only minutes, they stopped in a large clearing surrounded by thick foliage. By then I had cuts and scrapes from the bushes with thorns we had stormed through all over my hands, arms, and legs. I wiped at the blood on my check and realized that Hermione and the impersonator of Harry looked just as scratched and dirty as I felt. Why go through all this trouble to get her this far into the woods? I wondered if Voldemort had a hideout nearby and if this fool of a Death Eater would lead me right to it. They certainly weren’t good at detecting if they were being followed or not.

I watched in shock as Harry’s face began to change becoming gaunt and hollow. Bellatrix Lestrange’s withered features came into view and I felt a surge of energy coupled with the need for revenge hit me right in the gut. Now was the chance to redeem Sirius’ death, to finish what I had started in the Department of Mysteries. Now was the time to avenge, and how sweet it would be to make her scream. Bellatrix would not leave this clearing alive if I had anything to do with it.

She looked even emptier then when I had last seen her, but her face was full of deep determination. Harry’s clothes turned into dark, flowing black robes that all Death Eaters wore and a vicious snarl erupted from Bellatrix’s mouth as she held onto Hermione’s arm with a death-grip. Her heavy-lidded eyes narrowed as she took out her wand, pointing it to Hermione’s surprised throat.

“Let her go!” I shouted, stepping out of the trees to face Bellatrix, my eyes wide with white-hot anger, my wand pointed directly at her. I was going to make this woman pay.

Bellatrix gasped with shock stunned that she had been followed so easily. With a stern look in my direction, she took in the little girl that I hardly was and threw her head back, laughing loudly. “What is this? An itty bitty baby has come to stop me?!” She bellowed, throwing her head back again and cackling like the witch she was. I growled, I’d wipe that smirk right off of her ugly face.

Before I could think of the consequences of my actions my features began to change as white-hot pain flew through every nerve ending in my body. One drawback about being a metamorphmagus was that the process was quite painful. My long hair became short and spiky, my lips thinner, my face forming its natural heart-shape.

“Not so itty bitty after all!” I snarled, gripping my wand so tight I thought it might break beneath my grip.

“TONKS!” Hermione cried out, shocked. She gasped with pain as Bellatrix’s fingernails dug into her arm and she struggled against her, but Bellatrix was relentless and wrapped her arms around Hermione’s lithe waist, pulling her tighter against her so she could not escape.

My cover had been blown, but it was too risky not to reveal myself. It would be a wonder that such a young student like Shannon Valentine knew such advanced wizardry, and I am sure Hermione was intelligent enough to put two and two together.

Bellatrix smiled, pursing her lips together. “Such anger in the wittle Tonksy-Wonksy. I should have known it was you,” she murmured, in that increasingly annoying baby voice that made me want to perform an illegal curse on her to make her feel pain beyond the wildest imagination. But I needed to keep my head on straight if I wanted to win this battle, it wouldn’t be like last time where I let my guard down.

“Let Hermione go,” I ordered, raising my wand higher. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into this time, Bellatrix. I won’t lose to you again.”

Bellatrix smirked. “I’m sowwy, Tonksy, but I can not let her go. Master wants her and Master shall have her!” she squealed, breathing heavily. “And as for losing… you won’t be the victor this time either! Your powers are no match for that of Lord Voldemort’s greatest Death Eater!”

“What’s he want with her?” I asked, stepping a bit closer, but I stopped when Bellatrix twitched her wand hand threateningly. I didn’t want her to make any brash moves, which she was so known for, but I also didn’t want her to take Hermione with her. She’d surely bring her straight to where Voldemort was hidden and she would be raped, tortured, and then killed. I would not let that happen, there was no way. Hermione and I were getting out of this sticky mess alive. I couldn’t bear losing another person I cared deeply about one had been enough.

Bellatrix sneered. “Since you are not going to live for longer than five or ten minutes, I suppose I could tell you,” she murmured, a smile playing across her ghost-like face. I twitched with anticipation, waiting for her to continue.

“The Dark Lord knows that Harry Potter could not have gotten this far without his itty bitty fwiends at his side. It is luck that Harry has beside him when facing Master’s challenges. Luck and the two pathetic excuses of human beings that he calls friends. Without this one‘s intelligence and the other‘s bravado Potter would be dead by now, you mark my words!”

“You plan to kill Hermione and Ron?” I asked, stepping forward and then stopping when she raised her wand again.

“Oh, yes. But we’ll have our fun with them first,” Bellatrix said, trailing the tip of her wand between Hermione’s breasts, causing her to whimper. “But now I am done with you. You know too much and therefore you must die. Goodbye, Tonksy-Wonksy. Expelliarmus!”

My wand flew out of my hand, but I was quick. “Accio wand!” As soon as it left my hand it came back flying back into it fast as lightning.

“CRUC-”

I interrupted Bellatrix with a charm of my own, my words hurried. I knew I didn’t have more than a second to beat her at her own game. “Stupefy!”

A jet of red light flew out of my wand and hit Bellatrix in the head. She released Hermione and then suddenly went rigid and fell to the ground in a bed of leaves. Hermione immediately ran over to me and wrapped her arms around me, clinging to me like a scared, lost kitten. I held her close for a brief moment, thoroughly enjoying the close contact, and then pulled back to look into her eyes. At this point I would do anything to save her, even if it meant my life being taken. I managed to smile, but it was quite easy when looking into those beautiful mocha colored eyes. “Stay close to me. I won‘t let her hurt you,” I promised, my eyes showing that I meant it.

“You were Shane… all this time?” She asked, reaching up and touching my cheek.

I leaned into the touch, smiling. “Yeah. But we’ll talk about that later. First, we’ve got to get out of here alive.”

She nodded and placed one hand on my free arm, and I felt her other hand slide into mine and squeeze. My other arm was still up in the air with my wand pointed directly at Bellatrix‘s still body. I could tell that Hermione was scared and she tugged on my arm as I approached Bellatrix, who was still quite stunned, but I knew she would recover quickly and I wanted to finish her when she did.

“Tonks, no… Let’s get out of here,” she murmured, attempting to pull me back. Like a fool I ignored her and stood directly over the fallen Bellatrix. At this very moment I wanted to stun her a thousand times, over and over, until I stopped her heart. I hated her, every fiber of my being wanted to strangle this woman where she lie.

Bellatrix blinked her eyes and let out a groan, starting to sit up. Just as she did four or five Death Eaters emerged from the trees, all pointing wands threateningly at me. I backed away with Hermione as Bellatrix stood up, shaking her head to clear it. Hermione was right, we should have run when we had the chance and now we were outnumbered with nowhere to run.

“Well, Tonksy. That was quite an effective stunning charm. But, not good enough…” Her voice trailed off and she cleared her throat, pointing her wand at my heart. “You are quite overwhelmed. Now, give us the girl and I will debate on letting you live again.”

I shook my head no and felt Hermione press tighter against me. “The girl is coming with me, one way or another,” I threatened, squeezing Hermione‘s hand, who immediately gave me a short squeeze back. I was shaking like a leaf despite myself. I was anxious, angry, and terrified all at the same time and adrenaline was coursing through my veins like crazy giving me the confidence I needed to stand up to Bellatrix.

Bellatrix threw her head back and laughed. “You think you can defeat us?! You’re just itty bitty Tonksy-Wonksy who couldn’t even take out one of us during the fight at Department of Mysteries! I will crush you like a bug!” She bellowed, and the four Death Eaters standing behind her loomed closer, all glaring menacingly at the two of us from beneath their darkened hoods. I couldn’t see their faces, but I knew none of them was Voldemort, for none of their eyes were glowing an eerie red that was a trademark of his. Though I’d never seen him face-to-face, I knew one day I might.

I leaned in close to Hermione, pressing my lips to her ear. “Close your eyes…”

She looked at me. “What?” she said, automatically before she could prevent herself. I could feel her shiver as my breath caressed her ear and despite the dangers that lie ahead of us, I was grinning like the lovesick fool I was.

“Just do it!“ I whispered, only turning away when I was satisfied that she would keep her eyes closed.

“Well, Tonksy? Do you have a plan?” Bellatrix asked, a sneer across her ugly face.

“Wotcher, Bellatrix! Nymphadora Tonks always has a plan,” I said, closing my eyes and willing this to work. Please, Merlin, please, please, please let this work! “LUMOS MAXIMA!”

A blinding light shot out of my wand. Just as I suspected, the light acted as if it was a flash grenade. The Death Eaters frantically covered their eyes and I could hear Bellatrix cursing loudly, but I did not waste any time. Grabbing Hermione’s hand as Voldemort’s followers scrambled to get their eyes back into focus, I opened my eyes and took off in the direction we had come from to get back to the Castle.

Hermione ran with me at top-speed and mere seconds after we had started running I could hear our enemies pursuing us. Stunning spells whooshed past our ears but that didn’t stop me. I knew there was no way either of them would be able to hit their mark, if they did it would be out of luck only.

I was aware they were going to catch up to us soon so it was clear we had no choice but to hide. I spotted a large tree up ahead and pulled Hermione towards it, quickly moving behind it and out of view from the Death Eaters that were crashing through the forest behind us. Hermione clung to me, burying her face in my shoulder and closing her eyes, swallowing hard.

I heard the Death Eaters and Bellatrix (who was still cursing her ugly head off, literally) run past us, heading back towards the Castle where they thought we had gone. I knew the forest quite well and was aware of an alternate route we could take so as not to meet up with them again.

We didn’t, we reached the Castle safely. Hermione looked a mess, but she was still just as beautiful as I had ever seen her. Her chestnut hair was full of twigs and fallen leaves, and her hooded zip-up sweatshirt was covered with dirt, as well as her tight, hip-hugging jeans.

Unable to help myself, I reached out and brushed my thumb along her cheek to wipe off some dirt. “You still look beautiful,” I murmured, I just couldn’t help myself. Hermione always looked like that to me, no matter what the situation. I imagined that I looked as if I had seen better days, too.

“Tonks…” Hermione murmured, leaning into the tender touch with a smile on her face. “I can’t believe that it’s been you this whole time, you that I’ve been with…” She sighed, looking me in the eyes. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

She turned her face so she could kiss my palm with the soft, sensual lips that I so ached to feel pressed against my own in my real body.

I sighed, lowering my eyes. “I know. Can we do it over a cup of tea at least?”

She laughed, nodding her head. “Let’s go, before they come back.”

I nodded, taking her hand and heading towards the castle, knowing a sleepless night was ahead of me. Despite my efforts, Bellatrix had once again gotten away from me scott-free. But there was always next time… And I knew there would be a next time.