The Journey of the Phoenix

-Chapter 2: Getting closer-

"Think they're gonna treat him well?"

"Not in a million years."

Tonks exchanged looks with George Weasley for a moment, and then her gaze returned to Harry, who was leaving the station accompanied by his uncle, his aunt and his cousin. "Poor boy."

"Well, I guess it's time for us to get going, too," Molly Weasley said, gesturing to her husband and kids. Appropriate goodbyes followed, with Moody, Tonks and Remus promising that they would often pay visits to the Burrow. Mr and Mrs Granger also promised to send Hermione over sometime during the summer.

When the Weasley and Granger families left, Moody, Tonks and Remus headed for the Headquarters. The Order had already gathered there, Bill Weasley representing the Weasley family.

Everyone was seated around, goblets full of various beverages in their hands. Dumbledore rose and spoke.

"You have all heard about the unfortunate death of Sirius Black."

Some heads nodded.

"This, I am afraid, has complicated matters regarding the safety of using this house as our Headquarters. Presently, we do not know to whom it belongs, or if the spells we have placed upon it still work. For those reasons, it is my belief that we should evacuate until we have concrete evidence that it is safe to return."

"Where will we find this evidence?" Emmeline Vance asked calmly.

"It is imperative that we find out who owns this house now. Black family tradition decreed that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next male with the name of 'Black'. Seeing how there are no more male living Blacks, it is very likely that it automatically passes to the eldest living relative of the family, who, according to the tapestry in the drawing room, is Bellatrix Lestrange."

Tonks shuddered.

"However," Dumbledore continued, "I trust Sirius would have foreseen such a case. My guess is that he made a will, probably leaving the house to Harry Potter. If this is indeed what happened, we must find the document and proceed with confirming that it is legitimate where this house is concerned."

"May I?" Remus interjected.

"By all means."

"Sirius and I never discussed the matter in detail, but he once mentioned that, in case he died, everything he owned would pass to Harry. So I think it is certain that there is a will stating this."

"This is very encouraging," Dumbledore said. "So, some of us will have to fit among their priorities the search for this will. Hestia, Kingsley, get in touch with all the lawyers you can find. Bill, search in Gringotts. Minerva, you search in Hogsmeade. Nymphadora, Remus, you search this house - but be very careful, Death Eaters might attack any minute."

Everyone nodded.

"In the meantime, we shall need another meeting place. Any suggestions?"

Several silent moments passed.

"I believe Mother would not mind if we used the Burrow," Bill finally said. "Only for the occasional meeting, though."

"This is a good thought," Dumbledore agreed. "Each of us shall keep a number of documents in their own house. Except for you, Severus."

Snape nodded.

"Meetings between few persons will be held in the house of one of them. In case of an emergency or an important meeting, we contact Burrow. Any disagreements?"

Silence.

"Excellent. Now, let's share out the paperwork."

-----

"Nope, not in here either. I think we can rule out the kitchen... Damn it!"

Tonks was finished with searching in Kreacher's cupboard, but as she rose to her feet, she knocked over a glass and broke it.

"Reparo!" she exclaimed in frustration. The pieces joined together again. "I don't understand why Dumbledore wanted me to help you search in here. I'm the clumsiest person in the Order!"

"Because you used to hang around here a lot, and you know the place," Remus reasoned. "So, not in the kitchen."

"No."

Remus grabbed the piece of parchment where he had listed all the rooms in the house and crossed out the kitchen. "Next?"

"The hallway?"

"OK."

They exited the kitchen and walked in the hallway. Tonks glanced up to the staircases. This house was huge.

"If I were Sirius and I wanted to keep my will somewhere safe, where would I put it?" she mumbled, looking around in search of clues.

Remus walked to the umbrella stand and looked inside. Completely empty.

Tonks walked to the plaques with the house-elf heads. She made a face of disgust and reached inside all the mouths.

"Not there?" Remus asked.

"No, thankfully," she replied. "Ew."

Remus had now proceeded with searching underneath rugs and behind tapestries. She joined him.

"Had you ever been here as a child?" she asked, to begin a conversation.

"Only once, when I was fourteen. Sirius didn't want his friends to see this place; he always found it ugly and depressing. But after he had spent some time with all of us, he thought it was time to return the invitation. And you?"

"No, never. My mother didn't really get along with this side of her family, especially after her marriage. Sirius had visited us once, though, when I was little. I don't remember it, but we have a photo of him and me that's a real mood-lifter."

"Mood-lifter?"

"Yes. I painted his face all over with crayons, and then tried to make myself match him."

Remus chuckled at the idea. "And it worked?"

"No, but the result was rather entertaining nonetheless," she said with a grin and screwed up her eyes in concentration.

Her face started to morph. Her cheeks rounded like a baby's and turned a bright yellow. Her left eye was now big and blue, while the right was narrow and green. The hair in the top of her head became red and curly, and the rest became long, straight and black.

Remus looked at her and burst out laughing. She laughed too.

"I told you it's a mood-lifter!"

She concentrated again and her face changed back, her eyes turned into their natural black colour and her hair into the bubble-gum-pink she loved.

"Doesn't it hurt when you morph?"

"No."

"When I morph, it hurts so much it makes me want to die."

She stared at him. He had a pained expression in his eyes. Tonks, not knowing what to say, reached for his hand.

"It's unnatural, that's why," he continued. "I wasn't born a werewolf. If I were, it wouldn't hurt, it would just be a part of me. But as it is, I'm just a wizard with an incurable disease."

"Don't think of it as a disease."

"Then, as what?"

"You're just different."

"I'm too different. The werewolves see me as a wizard. The wizards call me a werewolf. I don't fit anywhere. The law classifies me as a half-breed, despite the fact that I was born a normal wizard."

"This is unfair."

"But true."

"Don't let it affect you. Maybe you turn hairy and wild for a few hours every month. But the rest of the time, you're good, brave, sensible... and good-looking..."

They both laughed at that last comment, but Remus noticed that her cheeks had turned slightly pink.

"We were supposed to be searching for the will," he changed the subject.

"That's true." She rose. "I'll go check those shelves."

-----

"Here you go." Molly served some coffee to Tonks, then poured some in her own mug.

"Thanks, Molly."

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Oh..." Tonks looked uneasy. "Nothing in particular. Just felt like talking to someone. How have you been?"

"All right. Getting the house cleaned up and everything, we'll be having loads of visits this summer. Harry, and Hermione, and..." She grimaced. "...Fleur..."

"Bill's girlfriend?"

"Fiancée," Molly corrected her, rather unenthusiastically. "They got engaged."

"Oh, that's great!"

"Yeah, I guess."

Tonks shot a strange look at Molly. "You don't like her?"

"Not particularly, but... I hope Bill knows what he's doing."

"Don't worry, Molly, he's a big and smart boy."

Molly shrugged. "And what about you? Nothing going on?"

Tonks flushed. "No... not really."

Molly raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"No, really... Nothing."

"Tonks, you've been dying to tell me since you got here."

"No! It's nothing, really."

Molly grinned.

"I was just... thinking... wondering... Do you think I'd look good with brown hair?"

"Don't change the subject," Molly warned playfully.

"No, really!" Tonks put on a strained expression. Her hair changed to shoulder-length brown. "How's that?"

"Less cheerful, more natural."

Tonks sipped some coffee, her gaze resting on Molly, who was staring at her as if she were trying to read her mind. Finally, she spoke, slowly and deliberately.

"I'm thinking about someone, lately. But I don't know what it means, or what to do about it."

Molly took a sip of coffee. "When you think about him... what is it that you think?"

"I just..." Tonks avoided Molly's eyes. "He's interesting. A good person. And..." Her cheeks reddened. "Well... That's all."

Molly chuckled. "Any idea how he feels?"

Tonks shook her head.

"Maybe you should just tell him."

"I don't have the nerve."

Molly sighed. "I'd offer to help, but having third parties interfere usually makes matters worse. You should find the nerve to talk to him on your own."

"All right," Tonks replied, wishing Molly could have given her a more concrete piece of advice.

Several silent moments passed.

"You didn't ask me who it is," Tonks observed.

"I think I have a pretty good idea." Molly's eyes sparkled.

"You do?"

"Yes. But don't ask me who I think it is. If you're not ready to tell me on your own, I'd better not know."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Molly..."

"Yeah, I know," she interjected. "I'm not complaining. I understand."

"Thanks."

"So, would you like to stay for lunch?"

Tonks smiled. "I'd love to."

-----

"Holgen, the Gurg of the Iceland giants, is in the country," Voldemort announced to his listeners. "He has settled down near a Muggle town in the west." He pointed with his wand on a red dot on the map hanging behind him. "We shall attack it tomorrow noon. I want you all there, and I want the town destroyed."

As everyone cheered, Voldemort approached Snape slowly. Snape had not been cheering and did not look particularly pleased with the news.

"Severus," he said, "you understand that you will not be joining them."

Snape said nothing.

"You will be waiting with Holgen. As soon as the attack begins, you lead him to the town. You should be able to do it on your own; the smell of fear will be sure to attract him easily."

"Yes, Master."

Voldemort shot him a severe look. "You look very displeased for my liking, Severus."

"I apologise, Master. I just miss the action."

"You are my only spy inside the Order of the Phoenix," Voldemort reminded him sternly. "I cannot afford to lose you. I hope that you will not forget that."

"I won't, Master." As soon as he said that, a silver, phoenix-shaped Patronus materialised inside the room, attracting many curious glances from the Death Eaters. "I have a message from the Order of the Phoenix," Snape explained to Voldemort. "Would you mind if I went to receive it?"

"Of course not, Severus. Go receive it and come back to tell me what it is."

"Certainly, Master."

Snape went to the other room and the phoenix followed him there. Bellatrix Lestrange's eyes were fixed upon him as he walked. By the time he was back, she was standing near Voldemort.

"Bellatrix, I have news for the Dark Lord," he sneered. "News that do not concern you."

"Anything that concerns the Dark Lord concerns me too," she spat.

"Bella," Voldemort said, "be silent. Severus, speak. She can listen, this time."

"The Order will meet tonight at eight," Snape said severely. "My guess is that there is news on the old Headquarters issue."

"Very well, Severus. You may go."

"Master," Bellatrix protested, "this is not any help!"

"It is more than you could ever provide, Bellatrix," Snape said coldly.

She turned to Voldemort. "He has told you neither where the old or the new Headquarters are, nor what this issue is about!"

"I have explained," Snape said, not losing his cool, "that Albus Dumbledore is Secret Keeper for the locations of both the Headquarters, and that the issue of the old Headquarters closely concerns their location."

"If you stayed with us while you received their messages -"

"I have also explained that the messages sent by Patronuses cannot be delivered in presence of people who are not members of the Order."

"Master, you believe him...?"

"Yes, Bella, I do," Voldemort said, very strictly. She cowered. "Severus, I will be expecting an update with anything you can tell me about that meeting as soon as it is over."

"I will do my best, Master."

-End of chapter 2-