FicWad

AUTHORS NOTE: This is my second chapter (fully rewritten). I couldn’t bear to have Sirius, Remus, and Tonks dead so I brought them back. Forgive me if it is a bit awkward or unbelievable. The lyrics are bits of Ke$ha’s song Take It Off. Please review and let me know what you think of my story. All reviews are welcome.


Chapter Two: The Search

“Draco! Child, what ya doin’ in here t’night?”

Draco sat himself on the barstool and smiled at the barmaid. She welcomed him like a mother, something that he found he actually enjoyed.

“Don’t have much else to do, came for the entertainment,” he told her.

“We have a new group going on tonight, pretty, but not sure they can sing worth a damn. Well what can I start ya off with t’night?”

“Shed-Your-Skin.”

The barmaid looked at him startled, the only time Draco Malfoy drank the hardest drinks in the bar was when he was troubled. She leaned over the bar and took his hand like she’d done so many years ago.

“Draco. Don’t go drownin’ your woes, they’ll come back to bite ya,” She told him.

He looked at the hand resting on his and gave it a quick squeeze before pulling away.

“Thanks for the advice, one Shed-Your-Skin,” He told her.

The barmaid sighed and watched the boy turn to view the rapidly growing crowd. Something was up; she’d known the Malfoys too long to not know it. Whatever it was it was bad.

“Comin’ right up, honey, child,” she said grabbing the most expensive vodka on the shelf.

*

A man hid in the darkness of a tree watching the sleeping form hidden under a large tree. A breeze carried a pungent odor from someone being sick, adding to the strong odor of drying blood. The man cringed and leaped into the tree for a better post.

“Loki, what do we do?” Another man asked unseen in the shadows.

“I stay here and keep watch, you go back and find our lord,” Loki said from the tree.

A dozen or so loud pops echoed through the small forest and the men hissed. Somewhere in the distance lights began to appear and fan out in opposite directions.

“Go, quickly!” Loki ordered.

There was no answer just the sound of the leaves being ripped from branches by an unseen shadow speeding into the night.

*

“What took you guys so long?” Hermione asked from the living room.

Harry kept his arm around Ginny as he led her to the living room. Hermione dropped her new book to the floor and rose to come to Ginny.

“What happened?”

Ron turned from a game of wizard’s chess with Remus. He looked back and forth from Harry to Ginny before getting up himself. Harry sat Ginny in the chair closest to the fire and took the shoes from her hands.

“We’re not sure,” Harry said honestly.

“Whose are these?” Hermione asked taking the shoes and purse, there was a light spattering of blood on them.

“We don’t know,” Ginny said staring at the fire.

“Well, then where did you get them?” Ron asked confused.

“We found them in a deserted alley.”

“What were you doing in a deserted alley? I thought you were coming home?”

Harry related what he had heard and found. Remus kneeled before Ginny’s chair.

“We’ll look into it, Ginny,” Remus told her sensing her dread.

“What if that woman had been screaming for help all along and we ignored it?” Ginny asked.

“You didn’t ignore it, Ginny. From what Harry’s told us only he could hear it. Even then he wasn’t sure he was right.”

“She’s gone, we were too late. There was blood…”

“I’m going to go get mum,” Ron said looking at his sister.

“Get Tonks as well will you?” Remus asked.

“Sure.”

“Well, I’m sure you’re tired. Perhaps you should all head up to bed,” Remus said looking at Harry and Hermione.

“But…”

Hermione nudged Harry in the ribs and tilted her head towards the door.

“Right, well… we’ll see you in the morning, Gin,” Harry said.

Harry wasn’t surprised when Ginny didn’t answer, she seemed to be in shock, he didn’t understand why. Yes, he was worried too, but he didn’t understand why it was affecting her so much. Hermione quickly crossed the room and retrieved her book before following Harry out.

“What’s going on with her?” Harry asked.

“I’m sorry, Harry. It’s not my place to say,” Hermione said avoiding his gaze.

On their way up the stairs they met Mrs. Weasley in a panic. She stopped as she passed.

“Is she speaking?” Mrs. Weasley asked them.

“No, she’s not saying a word now,” Harry told her. “What’s going on?”

Mrs. Weasley didn’t answer him as she hurried down the stairs. Ron was filling Tonks in by the time they made it to the first floor. Tonks turned to look at Harry.

“Wotcher, Harry” She greeted him.

“Hey, Tonks.”

“You didn’t see anyone at all?”

“No, by the time we got around the corner all we found was a purse and shoes.”

“Great,” Tonks sighed. “That means I have to contact the ministry about a possible muggle abduction. We’ve had three so far this week.”

“Wizards are kidnapping muggles again?” Hermione asked shocked.

“Death Eaters, the ones that we haven’t been able to get our hands on. Its times like this we miss Mad Eye the most,” Tonks told them. “I’ve gotta get downstairs but you guys have fun…”

The sound of a baby crying echoed into the hall. Tonks sighed and rubbed her face. Hermione patted her on the back.

“I’ve got him, Tonks. You go ahead,” Hermione told her.

“Thanks, Mione. I appreciate it,” Tonks said relieved and headed for the stairs.

“Come on, I’ve got to get Teddy,” Hermione said heading for Remus’s and Tonks’s room.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look before shrugging and following her into the room. They approached Hermione and the baby slowly. Hermione looked at them while rocking the little boy back to sleep and laughed.

“Oh, you two are ridiculous! He’s just sleepy,” Hermione laughed.

“Sleepy? Hey, he whines like you do when you’re tired,” Harry laughed at Ron.

“Shove off, Harry!” Ron grinned.

Hermione summoned little Teddy a bottle and rocked him in a chair near the crib while Ron and Harry watched amazed. After the baby had fallen asleep again she laid him gently back in the crib and led them out.

“How’d you do that?” Ron asked.

“Do what?” Hermione asked confused.

“Every time I try to shut ‘im up he just cries louder!” Ron told her.

Hermione couldn’t help but smile. Harry shook his head and laughed. They both knew exactly why Teddy always cried with Ron, he had a tendency to forget to keep his voice down and wobbled him like a rag doll.

“Perhaps you should try not talking…” Harry suggested.

“Or moving…” Hermione added.

“What…?” Ron asked confused as they burst out laughing.

“I think I’m going to go to bed. Night, Harry. Night, Ron,” Hermione said kissing Ron on the cheek and heading into a door on the right.

“Is Ginny in there? I heard footsteps earlier,” Harry asked.

Hermione walked in and peeked back out and nodded her head. ‘Sleeping’ she mouthed. Both boys nodded and headed into their own room.

“Is Sirius around?” Harry asked changing into pajamas.

“Nah, he was heading for the Leaky Cauldron. Said something about a Maggie,” Ron said winking at Harry.

Harry laughed, he should have known Sirius would be out entertaining women on a Friday night. In the past week he had gone out with four different women. Ron and Harry couldn’t even remember their names. They sat for an hour talking about whatever came to mind before finally relaxing and falling asleep.

*

When the dark of the night comes around
That's the time that the animal comes alive
Looking for something wild

The music was loud inside Slytherin Spirits and Draco was feeling the buzz from his drink already. He felt the bass pounding through his body as the music grew louder. He eyed a couple girls in the corner of the room batting their eyelashes and giggling at him. They were dressed provocatively in miniskirts and tight white t-shirts. They both had long curly dark brown hair. They wiggled their fingers at him and he grinned. Picking up his drink he wandered over and winked at them. Up close he could see they were twins.

“Such lovely ladies to be sitting here all alone.”

“Well, if you were here we wouldn’t be alone now would we?” One twin asked her voice silky and sweet.

The girls grinned like the devil and one of them slid over. She ran her hand up her bare leg and stopped when her fingers reached the bottom of her mini skirt. His eyes following the motion the whole way.

“So? Care to keep us company?” The girl asked licking her bottom lip.

Draco gave them a charming smile and bowed.

“Draco Malfoy, and I’d be honored.” He sat down between them.

“Hmm…” The other twin said uncrossing and recrossing her legs as he sat down with them.

“I’m Roxi,” The first twin said.

“I’m Jaz,” The other said putting her hand on Draco’s thigh.

“Well, Roxi… Jaz… what brings you two to Slytherin Spirits all alone, hmm?” Draco asked his voice full of charm as he sipped his vodka.

“We were a bit bored…” Roxi said.

“and we thought we’d have much more fun here…”

“But this place gets old…”

“and the people are a bit dim…”

“We wanted something exciting…”

“something bright…”

“someone daring…”

“someone dark.”

There's a place downtown
Where the freaks all come around
It's a hole in the wall
It's a dirty free for all

He listened to them go back and forth but barely heard a word. Jaz’s hand was making lazy circles on his inner thigh, tantalizingly close…

“So, what are you, Draco?” Roxi asked her lips grazing his ear.

He felt the pounding music beat harder as the DJ turned the bass up, the crowd screamed. He surveyed the crowd, dancing body to body, he could see the sweat and glitter shine under the multicolored lights. People swayed in ecstasy as the music pounded and the alcohol hit their systems. Draco downed his vodka like a glass of water.

“Are you dark?” Jaz taunted, her finger’s movement getting ever closer.

“Are you daring?” He could feel Roxi’s hot breath on his neck.

“Are you exciting?” He felt Jaz’s finger brush against his groin.

Draco grinned and pulled both girls out of their seats by their hands. They squealed in shock as he threw them over his shoulders and headed for the fireplace across the room. Oh, yeah, he thought, I’m all three….

*

An owl perched on the railing of the king sized bed clacking its beak in a frustrated attempt to arouse the two people curled up together under the blankets. The owl had flown in through the window twenty minutes earlier and had yet to awaken them. Another owl flew in through the window and landed next to its companion. It dropped a red envelope onto the pillow beside the sleeping woman. Both owls took off out the window leaving the two with their letters and disappearing into the night air.

Tonks was sleeping peacefully nestled in the crook of Remus’s arm when a booming voice echoed through the room startling her half to death as she lurched to her feet.

“NYMPHADORA TONKS! WAKE UP NOW!!”

Remus hit the floor in a tangle of blankets and panic. He grabbed his wand from the bedside table jumping to his feet and aiming in the direction of the voice. The red envelope had folded itself up into an origami mouth and it seemed to be smiling.

“Dammit, Kingsley!” Remus cursed at the letter as the baby began to scream.

Of all the stupidest, low-down, rotten… Tonks thought to herself as she stood there in her nightwear and glared at the envelope taking deep breathes to steady her racing heart. She and Remus jumped again as their bedroom door slammed open and Sirius ran into the room with Harry tailing him. They held their wands out in front of them ready to dual. In baggy pajama bottoms and their hair a gnarly mess they appeared more deranged than intimidating.

Tonks and Remus stared at them before glancing at each other. Sirius noticed the howler and tucked his wand into his waist band, he grinned at his cousin and best friend.

“Well, good morning cousin. Remus. Mind telling me what all the fuss is about?” Sirius chuckled.

Harry glanced back and forth from Remus to Tonks before noticing their state of undress and blushing a deep scarlet comparable to Ron’s. He found a rather interesting water stain on the ceiling to stare at for the time being. Tonks looked down at her bra and panties and quickly snatched up her pillow attempting to cover herself.

Great! Just what I bloody needed, she thought moodily. Half the Weasley family and Hermione charged into the room clutching their wands and night robes.

“Oh, bloody hell!” Tonks yelled stomping over to the howler. “WHAT?”

The howler kicked in on cue with the rest of its message, grinning ruthlessly.

Remus stood there as red as his boxers and stared at Sirius begging him not to say anything. Sirius just grinned and winked at him. Everyone watched Tonks smack at the howler, momentarily forgetting her pillow could only cover her front, and they all got a full back view as well. Sirius raised his eyebrows and chuckled as Mrs. Weasley went to calm the baby.

“There,” the howler replied in Kingsley Shacklebolt’s voice. “Now that I have your attention I expect you to take this seriously...”

“I’ll show you some respect you lousy piece of…” Tonks mumbled whilst listening to the letter.

Sirius’ grin grew wider. Oh, this is good. Double the blackmail, he thought.

“We looked into tonight’s abduction but aside from the items you brought in and the blood on the sidewalk we have no other clues. We may have a possible lead though. Not long after your letter reached me this evening we received a distress call from Mrs. Rispah Turner. She has reported seeing a person run into woods followed by a spark charm signaling for help fifteen minutes later. I have sent four teams of trackers into the location to search already... In the past two hours we have been incapable of finding many clues. I am calling in more teams, which include you, and hope to find something by dawn. You should have another letter including the area you will cover and precautions you should take. Bring only those you trust in the search. I apologize for the late hour and wish you luck. Kingsley Shacklebolt, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement,” The red mouth curled up on itself into a ball and burst into flames. They all took a moment to turn the letter over in their heads.

Sirius was more than eager to go. The last exciting adventure he’d had was a few years ago when Voldemort had lured Harry and his friends to the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. He and others from the Order of the Phoenix had arrived in time to help the teenagers but he had just narrowly missed the killing curse cast by his own deranged cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, as they dueled.

Sirius had known better than to tempt his cousin. Sirius had always been good in duels and he had allowed himself to get cocky. It was a mistake he would regret his entire life. Not only was the situation they’d been in dangerous but it was deadly. Sirius had become distracted numerous times trying to keep his eye on Harry throughout the battle.

Bellatrix had been as equally distracted as he was, for her own reasons. Lucius was dueling with Harry for the prophecy and she had opened her mouth to curse Harry when Sirius screamed at her. He cast an illusion charm and jumped behind a large column. He watched as Bellatrix cursed his illusionary copy. He then watched himself stumble and fall backwards into the veil. Sirius had barely been able to comprehend the next set of events as they happened so quickly.

Bellatrix had cackled with joy racing through an exit and trying to escape. Sirius made to run after her when he heard Harry scream his name. When he had turned to find Harry he watched as Remus barely caught him in time to stop him from chasing his illusionary copy into the veil. In that split second he felt a curse strike him in the head. Shooting pains spread throughout his body as he spun on his heels and dropped to the floor.

Sirius opened his mouth to call out to Harry but found he could make no sound. He watched in horror through blurry eyes as Harry chased after Bellatrix. The death eaters began to shoot curses without care in order to cover their own escape and Tonks stumbled across his body on the floor. She had just revived him when everything went chill. Sirius felt bile rise in his throat and panic flooded his mind. He had felt this way before and the thought had him scrambling to find Harry.

When James and Lily had been murdered that night so many years ago, he had felt this way. The idea that he was feeling it again made the feeling much worse, much more painful. By the time Sirius had made it to Harry the feeling had passed. He looked up startled to find Albus Dumbledore holding an unconscious Harry in his arms. Ministry officials hovered above them. It had been hours before Harry had woken up in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts and Sirius, with the help of Remus, had been able to quell Harry’s fears and explain what had happened.

Sirius looked at Harry and then back to Tonks who had turned around facing them, still clutching her pillow to her front. Someone could be in serious danger. With no sun to guide their movements they’d need to rely on their magic to light the way. He had spent weeks here in Grimmauld with no excitement or action. Since Lord Voldemort’s fall life had become slow and peaceful and he craved the adrenaline rush of danger.

“I’ll get dressed,” Remus said walking across the room and pulling open drawers.

He began to pull out clothes and get dressed. Arthur Weasley tapped his daughter’s shoulder indicating they were to leave the room. Ginny glanced at Harry and followed her father out. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius all exchanged looks.

“I’m going,” Sirius stated. “I have a keen sense of smell. I may be able to help.”

Sirius looked at Tonks daring her to try and dissuade him. She didn’t, she just reached down and picked up her clothes off the floor. I’m tired, she thought. I’ll need the help; I just hope he doesn’t get himself into trouble or us for that matter. She pulled her jeans on and looked up into Mrs. Weasley’s face.

“Molly? Thanks for taking care of Teddy. Could you get some coffee started? I have a feeling this is going to be a long night. I could use something to get my body moving.”

Molly looked at her sympathetically as she placed the sleeping baby back into the crib.

“Of course dear. Okay you three, you can go back to bed.”

Molly turned and looked at them when she noticed no one made to follow her. She frowned at her son and then left the room without saying a word. Harry stared at Tonks deep in thought; Ron and Hermione watched him carefully refusing to move until he did so. Hermione glanced at Tonks and waited for the boys to leave first.

“I’m going,” Harry told his friends. “It might be the woman that went missing. You guys go on ahead and get some sleep; I’ll see you in the morning.”

Hermione glared at him as Ron shook his head with a thoughtful smile.

“You are not going without us; sometimes you can be real thick. After eight years you should have been able to figure out that if you go, we go!” Hermione told him.

Hermione had long since become fed up with his ‘I want to be alone’ attitude and she had become quite short with him when he tried to start up again. Tonks looked at them. She didn’t have the energy to dissuade them either. She knew that after that final battle at Hogwarts she had no right to tell them no. They were adults and they could make their own decisions. If it weren’t for Ron and Hermione she and Remus would have been left amongst the dead that night.

Tonks didn’t know exactly what happened that night except that Bellatrix and her husband Rudolphus had cursed them with something dark. It left them in a dreamless state, lowering their heart rate drastically, and in all appearance, dead. It had taken two months to find the proper counter curse to revive them again. She shuddered thinking of what would have happened to Teddy had they had been buried alive.

“If you’re going you had better go get dressed fast. I’m not waiting around for you guys. Dress warmly, we’ll be down in the kitchen.”

She watched them all leave and sighed sitting down on the bed. Remus crossed the room sitting down next to her. He rubbed her shoulders and she leaned back into his arms. He kissed her forehead.

“What are you thinking, love?” he asked her. She sighed again and looked up into his face.

“What if they had buried us alive...”

“But they didn’t…”

“Yes, but where would Teddy be? Our son, our beautiful boy would never have known us…”

“Stop that. You’re feeling sorry for yourself,” Remus scolded her.

“Do you always have to be the big bad wolf of reason?” She asked.

“Only when it’s needed. Now, if you’re going to go topless that’s fine with me…” Remus said running his hand up her bare back.

“Oh, god. They all saw me…!” She moaned embarrassed.

He chuckled behind her. “Harry and Ron were the only ones that seemed shocked…” he teased her. She swatted his arm and blushed.

“Jeez, Remus. I’d have thought you the dominant and jealous type. What with all those people staring at my…” She was cut off with a gentle shove off the bed.

She landed on her butt on the floor and laughed. “Alright, point taken. Let’s go down and feed my addiction. Otherwise I fear I may kill someone before day break.”

Remus chuckled lacing up his shoes. “Alright, I’ll meet you downstairs,” He told her.

He shut the bedroom door behind him on his way out. Tonks stared after him as a light smile played on her face. I love that man, she thought as she threw a shirt on and reached down and dragged her shoes on.

*

Loki jumped from the tree and landed beside Kallison without making a sound. He checked for a pulse and found her heart beating steadily. He worried about her body temperature; it had gotten chill with the late hours and he had nothing to cover her with.

He wondered what was taking his father so long. He knew that witches were hunting every inch of the forest, he also knew that they couldn’t be seen or heard if they wanted this to go smoothly. They were a half hour away from their city hidden in the trees.

“Uhhhhn…” Kallison moaned in pain.

“Shhh, Kalli,” Loki whispered stroking her hair. “Help is coming.”

*

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran for their separate rooms. Hermione ran into her room across the hall from them and slammed the door behind her. They stared after her a minute before slamming their own to change. They dragged their clothes out of their dressers and began wrestling their pajamas off.

“Did you get a good look at Tonks? I didn’t know she looked like that!” Ron said throwing a shirt over his head. Harry turned scarlet again thinking about it and turned away from Ron as he put his own on.

“Well, you know. She is an auror. All the fitness training and work they do I’d suppose they’d have to be in that shape. We will when we start training too,” Harry told him cooling his features and facing him.

Ron zipped his pants and went for his shoes. “Yeah, but who’d have known she had a six pack! Even with having Teddy... I mean, I never really noticed before but… she’s really…”

Harry pictured her tight abs and her perky breasts and he blushed again. Really hot. Remus is lucky… real lucky, he thought enviously. Remus and Tonks had bought a house recently; they were staying with Sirius until all the final arrangements were made for the property. They appeared to be doing well… Ron was going out with Hermione still and they were talking about renting a flat above Diagon Alley until then they were keeping him company. Ron and Hermione had been looking for someplace cheap to rent for a couple months now, but so far they’d had no luck. Their past fighting had died down to nearly once a month and they were always together. He wondered if he was ever going to find someone like that.

He and Ginny had started going out in Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts but after the battle nearly a year ago he and Ginny had drifted apart. The relationships excitement and fire died quickly and they both realized that neither actually liked each other in that way. That was why a couple weeks ago they had decided to go separate ways, though neither had had the guts to tell anyone they had done so.

Harry thought he’d be upset about losing Ginny but he found himself relieved. I really love Ginny, but it’s more as a sister than anything, he thought. She was more than attractive and dozens of times she had been a sexual frustration to Harry but when he thought about it, it felt wrong. Most other girls were attracted to him for his money and fame. He didn’t want a relationship that meant nothing like Sirius’s constant flings. He wanted what Remus and Tonks had, what Ron and Hermione had…

Harry sighed and shook his head to clear out these depressing thoughts. He smiled at Ron.

“I wouldn’t let Hermione hear you say that!” he joked. Just then Hermione walked into the room.

“Hear him say what?” She asked Harry, crossing her arms over her chest.

She had thrown on one of her new black hooded sweatshirts decorated with little skulls all over it. Her new black skinny jeans were skin tight as if they had been painted on. She looked oddly different, darker. Her long hair was silky and smooth, she’d recently found a book of spells that she’d been experimenting with non-stop. One of the spells straightened her hair brilliantly. Harry had to admit that Hermione looked good, real good. She was different from the school girl they had grown up with, but if there was one thing that stayed the same it was her obsession with books and knowledge. They still had to pry her out of libraries most the time, and chances were if you couldn’t find her she’d be nose first in a book eight inches thick.

Ron stared at her and Harry laughed while tying his last trainer. She stared back at him and gave a nervous smile.

“You look…” Ron stumbled out.

“Hey, Ron, you’re drooling,” Harry teased him.

Hermione blushed and smiled.

“What am I not supposed to hear you say again?”

Ron quickly thought of something “That tight pants should be banned… but seeing you in them I’ve changed my mind.”

“Honestly Ron, is this about Gin? She’s seventeen now, you can’t coddle her like your mother. You saw her in the ministry! And in the battle…” Hermione stopped short and looked at Harry. He looked up and smiled to let her know he was fine. She didn’t look convinced.

“Honestly, Hermione. I’m fine. We won. Nothing to worry about,” he assured her. She let that go too. I am fine, just about as fine as you and Ron, he thought sadly.

Harry had lost numerous friends in the battle, everyone had, but Harry had been forced to live through death itself. He tried not to think about that meeting with his old headmaster in death. His sorrow of losing so many people struck him deep and he was still trying to move past it. He missed Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, Fred… Harry looked at Ron. Ron was now arguing ‘slut-wear’ with Hermione and he sighed. Fred Weasley had died in that battle and Ron refused to discuss it. Ron had gotten better lately, but it was still a touchy subject.

“Let’s head downstairs, we have a missing girl to find,” Hermione said walking out, slamming the door shut on Ron’s argument.

Ron followed along behind her grumbling and Harry heard them walk down the stairs together. He looked at the clock and sighed. It was 12:36am, who knew how long the person had been out there hurt, or if they even were out there. If they were seriously injured he hoped they weren’t too late. He got up and walked down the stairs to join everyone else.

*

Hermione came down the stairs with Ron at her heels just as Tonks was sending off an owl to tell Kingsley they were on their way.

“Harry is on his way down,” She told Tonks.

She just nodded and downed another cup of coffee. She had guzzled down five large mugs so far and was finally feeling the life coming back to her. Thank god for coffee, she silently prayed. Sirius and Remus leaned against the wall drinking cups of their own. Harry wandered in and looked at them all. Tonks stood up; here we go, time to get to work.

“Alright, we’re headed to a small forest in London; it’s been spelled to keep muggles out of it for their own safety. It’s a forest governed by the vampires, and most people don’t even know it’s there. So try to lay low. Should anything happen use your wands. Don’t defend, attack. Vampires are blood thirsty creatures and don’t give a damn who, what, or where they get their next meal. They should stay out of our way, but just in case stay alert. Keep an eye on the ground; look for any tracks that may lead us to whoever is in trouble. If you find something, or someone, holler. Don’t approach until an auror is able to scout the situation. If you’re in trouble scream you’re head off and we’ll get to you in a seconds time. Okay, let’s go. We apparate,” she informed them and left the room.

Remus and Sirius set down their glasses following her out, the trio not far behind. Once they were all outdoors and on the steps Tonks turned to them again.

“Ron, I want you to go with Sirius and Remus. Harry, Hermione, you’re with me. Stay close and hold on.” she instructed them. Ron grabbed a hold of Sirius’s jacket before disappearing with a pop. Harry and Hermione held hands with Tonks and then they too disappeared with a loud pop.

Harry, Hermione, and Tonks arrived in the center of a thickly treed forest. It was pitch black in here and lights could be seen hovering over the trees, spells cast by other aurors and search parties to light their path.

“Lumos Solem!” Tonks incanted, casting the spell herself. A bright burst of light shot into the sky illuminating the area.

“There. That should do it for this area. We’ll split up here, but stay close. If you can’t see the area lit up anymore you’re not in hearing range and therefore have gone too far. Keep this place in sight and remember; if you find, see, or hear anything, anything at all. You holler! Do not approach anyone. Keep your wands at the ready….and guys? Be careful,” She told them taking off to the North.

“You too!” She heard them call out to her. She waved back at them and disappeared into the darkness. Lord, let this be over soon, she prayed.

“Lumos” she whispered and began her search.

*

They watched Tonks disappear into the darkness and then saw her wand light up before continuing further into the dark. Hermione turned towards Harry, she was a little nervous. She wasn’t sure she wanted to go out there alone.

“Are you okay?” He asked her sensing her discomfort.

“Yes, fine,” She lied. “I’ll meet you back here when I’m done with my area.”

She gave him a brave smile and headed southeast. She heard Harry turn around and head west but blocked him from her thoughts. There was probably someone out here in trouble right now and it was up to them to find them. Stay strong, she silently encouraged whoever was lost out here right now.

*

Loki heard the echoing crack of more witches arriving and watched closely. He could hear voices in the close distance. Somehow he’d managed to be lucky enough not to have this area searched. He didn’t want to have to attack if it wasn’t necessary. Then again, he was in a bad mood, maybe biting someone would make him feel better.

A light caught his attention and he narrowed his eyes in the darkness of the forest. There, on the other side of the bushes, a witch. He watched the girl come around the bushes using her wand to look over the ground for tracks. Her long brown hair fluttered behind her as a breeze blew through the trees. The gentle scent of her perfume danced around him.

This was bad, she was too close. He needed to scare her off. She couldn’t find Kallison. He panicked as she scanned the area with her wand, coming closer. Shit, he thought as he saw Kallison’s feet illuminate in the beam of the girl’s wand. He had to act fast. With a running leap off the branches of the tree he hissed.

*

Hermione felt a cool breeze lift her hair off her back. She rounded a thick group of bushes when she got a whiff of something nasty on the air. It smelled sweet and acidic; her senses recoiled as it registered the smell. She waved her wand around the area and sure enough a patch of vomit covered leaves and twigs were a few feet away.

She walked a bit closer and looked around with her wand again. She spun in a circle and caught a glimpse of what looked like feet in the corner of her eye and whipped around. There was. A pair of bare feet covered in blood and mud was peeking out of a thick growth of trees. Suddenly the trees above her rustled and she heard a hiss. Something dropped from the trees above separating her from the person in the trees. It hissed as it snatched the wand out of her hand with great speed.

“HARRY!!!” She screamed as fear made her hair stand on end and chills ran up her spine.

The vampire approached her as it tossed her wand to the forest floor. She scrambled for her wand but the thing kicked it out of reach. Hermione shuddered and looked up at it.

“Shouldn’t walk alone at night” The vampire said stepping towards her, its voice smooth like velvet and deadly.

Hermione thought of the feet protruding from the trees and began to cry. Unarmed and without her wand she was useless. Stop it, what’s wrong with you, she scolded herself. She knew it had attacked once already tonight, she was sure of it, and she was next on its list. Without her wand she could do nothing, and it was her fault. I’m going to die, she thought. They’ll come looking for me, us, and they’ll find us both dead.

“Get away from me!” She screamed tripping over a fallen branch whilst trying to find her wand in the darkness.

She scooted across the ground trying to get as far away from the vampire as possible. A split in the trees let the moon shine through and she saw the vampire’s teeth gleaming in a wicked grin. She screamed with all her might. It was an ear piercing sound and the vampire covered its ears. Suddenly a flash of white light shot by taking the vampire with it. It appeared to be a stag and it was holding the vampire off shining with a burning white intensity. The vampire shielded its eyes and raced off with incredible speed, the stag in full pursuit.

“Hermione! Hermione!!” Harry bellowed as he slammed into the ground beside her. They heard stomping and heavy breathing as Tonks raced over, wand held high, shining brightly. Harry put his hands on either side of Hermione’s face and looked into her eyes; tears were streaming hot down her cheeks as he pulled her into a hug.

“Gods, Hermione. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Harry,” She pleaded trying to get his attention. He wasn’t listening; he was too busy cursing the blood-sucking, filthy vampires. “Harry!” She yelled at him as Tonks checked her over to be sure she wasn’t harmed.

Harry, startled, jumped back. He looked at Hermione as tears seemed to flow faster; she was taking deep breaths, trying to slow her pounding heart. She pointed behind him. He turned around and saw nothing.

“What? What’s the matter? I don’t see anything,” He told her clearly confused.

“Harry, you’re wand!” She quietly demanded her tears slowed as he handed her his wand. “Lumos maxima!”

She coughed as a strong beam of light illuminated the area behind him, and in the center of the beam, a pair of feet stuck out from behind a tree. Suddenly the wand went out as Hermione passed out from shock.

“Holy shit,” Tonks said standing up. “Harry, I want you to stand right there! Hermione will be fine. She’s just had too much excitement.”

Harry did as he was told and held his wand out in front of him as she slowly walked closer to the large trees hiding the body from sight. He moved sideways until he could get a full body analysis. When they both had a whole view of the person behind the tree they immediately noticed it was a girl, she was wearing a battered blue dress and was covered in dry blood and mud. Her legs and knees had bad cuts and scratches. Her bare feet were a mixture of brown and red. Grass and leaves were stuck in her blond hair and she had fresh blood dripping from her mouth. Rich black and purple bruises covered her face and arms. Harry wasn’t going to wait for Tonks. This girl needed help. Now.

“Harry!” Tonks yelled as he raced from behind her and threw himself down beside the girl’s body. He immediately checked for her pulse. Stupid idiot! What a moron! Why the hell would…

Tonks’ thoughts were interrupted when he hollered “She’s alive!” and slowly lifted her into his lap like a small child. He turned her head either direction to look at her neck, no holes. “She wasn’t bitten.”

Tonks raced over and immediately opened the girl’s eyelids flashing the wand into her eyes. Her pupils dilated but she didn’t stir. She noticed the blood dripping down her mouth was coming from her swollen split lip. Both of her eyes were growing purple and swollen.

“She’s unconscious.”

He stroked the hair away from her face and tried to pull some leaves from it. Tonks analyzed her arms and legs, taking in the various large bruises and cuts. She set to healing the worst of the cuts, but she could only do so much. She was an auror, not a healer.

Jesus, what happened? She wondered. She had been an auror long enough to know all the possibilities. She could only imagine what had been done to her here in this forest. She shuddered visibly but conjured a patronus ignoring the chills spreading through her body. She sent a verbal message to Remus with her patronus. It raced from sight, blazing brightly through the forest. Get here soon, Remus, she called silently.

Tonks took off her cloak and transfigured it into a blanket. She wrapped the girl up in it as she watched Harry. He was silent and that worried her. Harry was only silent when something was really upsetting him or he was about to do something stupid. She knew he had to be upset but she hoped he would not being doing anything rash tonight. She sat down next to Harry keeping a firm grip on her wand and listening for any sounds. Hermione lay a few feet away from them. Tonks watched over them all, but something was bothering her. Chills ran up her spine and her hair stood on end. She looked into the darkness and gasped.

“We want the girl!”