Getting the Band Back Together, 6/?
Title: Getting the Band Back Together
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Harry Potter
Universe: Seven Characters (Part 2)
Characters/Pairing: Tonks, Sirius, Snape, Luna, Narcissa, Dobby, Bob the Dementor, others
Genre: Humor/Adventure
Summary: Thanks to a string of unlucky events, Tonks finds herself the latest infiltrator into Lord Voldemort's regime. Will she be able to help the Order in their quest to defeat the Dark Lord, or is the young Auror out of her depth?
Chapter Five
After certain revelations in the past week, Tonks was not at all surprised to find herself being summoned to the Dark Lord’s chambers. Not surprised, but terrified was probably a start. She was not unprepared; both Snape and Narcissa had been instruction her on the proper etiquette - subservient, but not too subservient, respectful, but not too respectful and the like. Still, nothing would ever prepare her for a face-to-face meeting with the world’s most infamous villain. She was outside his chambers, not, flattening her robes in an ill-conceived attempt at elegance. No matter how hard she tried, she would always be that little girl that kept tripping over her cauldron during Potions.
‘He will see you now.’ Bellatrix had just exited the chambers, a look on her face. One of those looks that said she thought Tonks didn’t even deserve to be alive, let alone be having audience with the Dark Lord.
Heart pounding a rapid dent into her ribcage, Tonks opened the door carefully. The room was not well-lit, the lack of a fire highlighting just how warm that month had been.
‘My Lord,’ she bent low, keen on making at least a half decent impression.
‘Sit.’ The cold voice reverberated, making Tonks’s spine tingle. She sat.
‘What task would you give me, sir?’
He sneered. Tonks mentally cursed herself. “Sir” was what you called Hogwarts Professors and Ministry Officials, not great masters of malevolence.
‘A follower of mine has recently been revealed as a spineless traitor. She had recently set up a meeting with a useful contact, and I cannot afford to miss this grand opportunity. I require you to take her place.
‘If I might ask, my Lord, who was the traitor?’ She had a sinking feeling that she had this one figured out, and if she did, the treachery was mostly her fault anyway.
‘Narcissa Malfoy.’ Tonks cursed again. She was right. ‘Despite the servility she shows towards her family, she had quite the contact list.’
‘I will do so with honour, master.’ She bowed low again, hoping it wasn’t too much. She thought the “master” bit sounded particularly faux, but Snape had said to use it, and with regularity.
‘You will not be going alone, however.’
‘My Lord?’ She faltered, wondering who exactly she would have to be going to this meeting with. She hoped it was Snape. She had never hoped anything of the sort before in her life.
‘Bellatrix will accompany you.’ He gave a look that almost challenged her to contest the arrangement. It was almost an eyebrow raising, except Voldemort had no real eyebrows to speak of.
‘Of course, master.’
‘And your reward, upon the completion of your task.’ He waved his wand effortlessly. ‘Will be the acceptance of you into my circle.’ The Dark Mark hung ominously in the air, threatening to brand itself upon her forearm.
‘The Ministry...? They would seem rather suspicious if I showed up at work with the mark of the Dark Lord.’ The Ministry had accepted the escape story without too much question. After all, they were at a point in time where every Auror was needed, no matter how corrupt they might be.
‘The Ministry can be persuaded to believe otherwise,’ was all he said. ‘Leave now. I’m sure Narcissa’s presence at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix will be sufficient to explain what needs to be done.’
Tonks looked up at him, somewhat surprised.
‘I do not let traitors simply walk off unharmed,’ he explained. ‘Once we are finished, she truly will be a spineless traitor.’ Tonks gulped, trying to keep her terror under wraps. Traitor or not, Tonks thought, this meeting better well be worth the Order’s while.