An Auror's Work is Never Done

Chapter 6 A New Assignment

"Morning, Aurora, Draco."

"Morning, Sirius. Where's Tonks?"

"She'll be here in a minute. Mad-Eye needed to discuss something with her."

The three of us talked about the day's activities Sirius had planned for a few minutes before Tonks barged into the office she and Sirius shared.

"You're never going to believe what happened! Lucius Malfoy escaped."

"What?!" the three of us yelled.

"Bloody effing hell!" Draco added. "How?"

"It's our job to find out. Moody figures us four would want in on this."

"Absolutely," I agreed for my partner and me.

"We'll use the Floo Network. Apparation isn't allowed at the prison," the pink haired Witch explained.

"What are we waiting for?" Sirius barked. "Let's get going."

The Dementors may have been long gone but the lingering effects of their presence could still be felt at the Wizard's prison. The damp, cold air could almost be seen it felt so thick. Its heaviness threatened to choke me. The stone walls were thick with slimy mold and moss. Tonks was interviewing the night guard while Sirius looked for clues in Lucius's cell.

"And you're sure you didn't hear or see anything?" Tonks asked the guard.

"Nothing."

Draco was standing a few feet away with a thoughtful look on his face. "Tonks? Could I speak with you a moment?" He opened his connection with me so I could hear and cast a silencing spell around Tonks and him. "I think he had something to do with it."

"Why?"

"Just a hunch. Father can be very persuasive at times. I'd wager he bribed him."

"Do you have any Veritaserum?"

'I do.'

"Aurora does."

"Is she listening?"

"Yes."

"Tell her to go get Sirius."

I found Padfoot prowling through Lucius's cell sniffing for anything that would tell us how he'd escaped. I filled him in and we went to interrogate the guard.

Sirius administered the truth serum while Draco and I watched. Tonks would question him.

"Please state your name."

"Leroy Paul Pervey."

"Occupation?"

"Azkaban guard."

"Was Lucius Malfoy one of your charges?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how he escaped last night?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Sirius whispered to us. "You have to lead your suspect very carefully through questioning. If you word it wrongly they can tell half truths."

"He bribed a guard."

"Which guard?"

"Me."

"How did he leave the premises?"

"By Floo."

"Who authorized his use of the system?"

"Warden Gamblin."

"Why?"

"Malfoy made him."

"How did he do that?"

"He stole my wand and used the Imperious Curse on him."

"What happened after that?"

"He stunned the Warden and I guess me."

"Do you have any idea where he went?"

"No."

An emergency meeting of the Order of the Phoenix was called that evening. Mad-Eye Moody wanted Draco and me on the case full-time under Sirius and Tonks's supervision. He said if Lucius came after his son, he'd be better off with the three of us, and Draco knew how his father thought. Harry would be placed in a safe house until the convict was recaptured. He would still be able to continue his studies. Professor Dumbledore informed us we would be leaving for Sweden as soon as we could pack. He had a very reliable tip Lucius had a hideaway in Visby.

After I'd promised to keep Dad updated I told everyone goodbye. Tonks and I walked outside so we could apparate to my apartment. Harry was waiting. "Tonks, do you mind?" he asked.

"I'll be over there but we need to hurry."

I looked at him expectantly.

"I just wanted to tell you to be careful."

"You too." I turned to leave.

"Dancer?"

"Yes?"

"I am sorry. You know, for everything. For things not working out between us."

"I know, Harry." 'That's why I can't seem to get over you.'

We spent three months traveling the European continent. From Sweden we'd gone to Germany, to Rome, and on to Ireland. Each time we were only days behind the Death Eater. I gained invaluable knowledge watching Sirius and Tonks in action. All the training clicked into place. I could see how each aspect of the program contributed to the hunt for Dark Wizards. Draco and I were in our element. The two cousins insisted we do the detective work while they followed any leads. We stayed at Ministry approved hotels if other lodging was unavailable.

Tonks provided to be an interesting roommate. Before bed each night she would morph into several different forms before settling on lavender hair and a face that could only belong to a member of the Black family. She had the same piercing grey eyes and cheekbones as Sirius.

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Following a reliable lead we'd received, we traveled on to Romania where Lucius had reportedly last been spotted. A day after our arrival Tonks and Sirius went to investigate the possible sighting while Draco and I were sent to the local Ministry of Magic. Draco went to check in with their Magical Law Enforcement Office and I headed straight for the library.

I stated my business to the librarian and signed the guest book as requested. Pensively I looked around. It was much larger than I would have surmised from the small exterior view. I wandered the aisles awed by the sheer volume of knowledge displayed upon the shelves. The dim lighting cast a romantic glow on the tomes.

"Impressive, is it not?" a husky voice inquired.

I jumped.

"I did not mean to startle you. Please forgive me."

I turned towards him and barely contained a sigh. Standing before me was a study in male perfection. Even Michelangelo's David would have been jealous. The man's hair was long, falling over his shoulders in a deep russet wave. He wore a dark grey suit, and black cloak lined with silk, that accentuated his fine physique. But it was his eyes that held me. They were the palest shade of Chinese jade, a color I saw every day in the mirror.

Blushing, I realized he expected an answer. "I'm fine. I just didn't notice you there."

"I am not surprised. Our library can be most distracting at times." He chuckled softly, the sound of it filling the vast room. "I am Nick Leskly."

I shook his offered hand. "Hi. I'm Aurora Weasley."

"A beautiful name. If you do not mind how did you come about it?"

"You know, everyone asks that. The morning after I was born I'd woken up at 5 a.m. screaming bloody murder, or so my dad says. He didn't want me to wake my mother so he took me outside on the porch. When the sun came up he says my eyes lit up and I fell asleep minutes later. So he named me Aurora Dawn."

"And do you still watch the sunrise?"

"Every chance I get. Listen to me rattle on. I'm really sorry but I should get to my research."

"I understand. It was a pleasure meeting you, Aurora."

"You too."

He left me alone in the dusty aisle with only the books for company. A smile teased my lips. Shaking my head when I became conscious I was daydreaming about a man I'd just met I trudged to the section on local geography.

Hours later Draco called me. 'Aurora, where are you?'

'Still in the library.'

'Hungry? There's supposed to be a great place right outside the building.'

'Meet you at the front entrance!'

Draco and I both ordered the house specialty when our waitress came.

"So what happened at the library?"

"There's a ton of books to sort through. I counted twenty on this town alone. It might take another day to find everything we need."

"That wasn't what I was referring to," he smirked. "Who's Nick?"

"Some guy I met in the library."

"Some guy?"

"Okay, okay. A really gorgeous man I met in the library."

He quirked his eyebrow and grinned.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just happy you're finally taking notice of the male population again."

"Ha ha. Very funny. Anyway what did you dig up?"

"Not much. No one seems concerned about Father's escape."

"Hmm. I thought our Ministry had put out a worldwide alert."

"They did. They just don't want to be bothered. Odd isn't it?"

"Very. Sirius and Tonks will be very interested in this."

I returned to the Ministry, Draco to owl our team members. I poured through the information, diligently using coping spells for anything I deemed valuable to the hunt. Feeling pinpricks of awareness on the back of my neck I looked up and let my gaze carry over the area. No one. The feeling persisted. I got up and searched the room. Finding nothing I convinced myself it was probably a ghost that declined to reveal itself. I concentrated on the parchments in front of me and tried to ignore the prickles.