Transformations

Remus's thoughts jumped to another girl, one not sitting at the bedside. The thought that Bill would now lose Fleur was the hardest of all. Not because he had believed Bill and Fleur to be soulmates, but he had believed them to really love each other. Fleur had a certain reputation to uphold, but Remus had caught her exchanging glances with Bill when they thought no one was looking, glances that put Remus's initial fears at rest. No, the thought of Bill being deserted was hard because Remus knew exactly what it felt like to lose someone because of a "furry little problem."

***

Tonks sat with Sirius, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley at the long kitchen table of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. There had been a short Order meeting and the four of them had gathered for hot cocoa and discussion. They liked to debate the whereabouts and motives of the Death Eaters.

Tonks yawned. It was half-past nine and she'd had night duty the night before. Nevertheless, she stayed. She was too far away from home to voluntarily leave a gathering before she had to.

Hermione's brow was furrowed. "Well, of course if they thought themselves abandoned, they'd go back to where they came from. The question is how much it would take for them to return."

Sirius was about to reply when there was a pop and Arthur Weasley appeared, spinning in the fireplace. Ginny leaped up eagerly, but her father forestalled her greeting. "Sirius. There's bad news."

"Harry?" Sirius' first fear was always that something had happened to the one remaining person he really cared for. His face was dead white. Tonks reached up to try and calm him, but Arthur's next words froze her in place.

Arthur's face was almost as pale as Sirius'. "He's been attacked by dementors."

There was a ringing silence for about half a second. Arthur hurried on before they could start shouting. "As soon as the report hit the Ministry, Fudge jumped on it. He had Harry expelled."

Ginny shrieked, "He what?" The others jumped in and her father raised his voice to be heard over the clamour. "We were lucky Dumbledore was there. He - reminded -- Fudge that the Ministry isn't allowed to expel students. Harry still has to attend a disciplinary hearing, that's only to be expected with such a piece of magic, but he'll get off fine, he can't be punished for saving his own life. The only worry now is that he might try to leave, though I warned him not to."

Sirius leaped up, rummaging through the drawers lining the kitchen. He found a small piece of parchment and a self-inking quill and scribbled furiously for a few seconds, bending over the table without sitting down. Then he dashed out of the room, for an owl, Tonks guessed, muttering something about reckless teenagers.

Arthur made a hasty exit back to the Ministry, leaving the room in a minor state of shock. After a moment, Tonks stood. "I hope Mad-Eye's still around. I think we'll be paying a visit to the Dursleys' fairly soon."

***

Moody had chosen a small park down the street from Privet Drive as the Apparition point. The nine of them landed almost simultaneously not far from the target house. Moody was already directing them towards one of the large, square houses (it looked to Tonks like all the others), his magical eye spinning insanely.

The house was entirely dark. Moody inspected the lock on the door and tapped it, muttering about inefficient Muggle devices as the door clicked open. He was the first into the hall, darting in all directions, the others pouring in behind. They paused breathlessly; then Tonks jumped as Moody growled, "Spread out, check the ground floor. Make sure there isn't anything that'll attack us."

Tonks slipped into the kitchen, Remus following. Tonks' eyes skipped over the countertops, shining dully even in the dark.

"All clear?"

Tonks yelped - he was right behind her. She jumped, tripped, grabbed at the table for support, and caught hold of a plate instead. There was a startled "Merlin, Tonks!" The plate hit the tiled floor, shattered into the proverbial thousand pieces. Tonks almost followed. Remus caught her, barely, before she hit the floor.

Remus tried to apologize as he set her back up. "Tonks, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump like that..."

"It's okay. Thanks."

"Are you -" The rest of the Order poured into the kitchen before Remus finished.

"What happened?"

"You okay?"

"What in Merlin's name -"

"Tonks, what'd you do?"

"Got to make a dramatic entrance, I see."

Moody, who had relaxed only fractionally, stiffened again. "He's up!" The Order stampeded back into the hallway after him.

Moody was squinting upstairs. "His door's locked." He pointed his wand at it; Tonks heard a faint click as the door swung open.

A moment later, a teenaged boy emerged. Because he was at the head of the stairs, the dull light from the lampposts outside did not quite reach him. Tonks could tell only that he was about regular height, and tensed as if ready to spring. She could not make out his features.

"Lower your wand, boy, before you take someone's eye out," said Moody. Tonks resisted the urge to roll her eyes. A normal greeting wouldn't have hurt.

"Professor Moody?" Harry's voice was rather uncertain, although surprisingly steady for someone whose house had just been invaded.

Moody growled back, "I don't know so much about 'Professor,' never did get around to much teaching, did I? Get down here, we want to see you properly."

Harry didn't move. Tonks had barely time to wonder why before Remus spoke next to her. "It's all right, Harry. We've come to take you away."

"P-Professor Lupin? Is that you?" The boy's voice cracked slightly. This time, Tonks heard both fear and hope. She felt a sudden rush of pity.

"Why are we all standing here in the dark? Lumos."

Tonks' wand lit up. Harry - and most of the Advance Guard - blinked at the sudden flare. The relief on Harry's face...it wasn't as if Tonks hadn't believed what Sirius and the Weasleys had told her about his aunt and uncle, but seeing him so grateful at the sight of a hall full of strangers... She watched as a shaky, but genuine, smile lit his face.

"Oooh, he looks just like I thought he would." Tonks, realizing she had spoken aloud, added quickly, "Wotcher, Harry!"

Kingsley spoke from somewhere behind her. "Yeah, I see what you mean, Remus. He looks exactly like James."

A look that said he'd heard it all too often flashed over Harry's face, came back and stayed as Elphias Doge added, "Except the eyes." Tonks saw Harry's mouth move along with Elphias' next words, "Lily's eyes."

Now that they were here, Moody was evidently having second thoughts. "Are you quite sure it's him, Lupin? It'd be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating him. We ought to ask him something only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone brought any Veritaserum?" Then again, maybe it was Moody's peculiar brand of humor. Tonks was never quite sure.

To his credit, Remus didn't smile as he said, "Harry, what form does your Patronus take?"

"A stag." It was nervous, but sure. Tonks remembered something Sirius had said about James. Interesting.

"That's him, Mad-Eye," Remus said. A few brave souls had begun calling Moody by his nickname after Tonks' slip at Headquarters a few weeks ago. It was spreading quickly, now that they had realized he didn't mind.

Harry finally came down the stairs, looking nervous, and put his wand in his jeans pocket. He started when Moody roared out, "Don't put your wand there, boy! What if it ignited? Better wizards than you have lost buttocks, you know!"

Tonks couldn't resist. "Who d'you know who's lost a buttock?"

"Never you mind, you just keep your wand out of your back pocket! Elementary wand safety, nobody bothers about it anymore." Tonks did roll her eyes this time. "And I saw that!" Moody shot over his shoulder.

Not many of them had followed Moody. Remus was asking how Harry was doing; Harry looked rather shaken. "I'm - you're really lucky the Dursleys are out..."

Tonks laughed. "Lucky, ha! It was me that lured them out of the way. Sent a letter by Muggle post telling them they'd been short-listed for the All-England Best-Kept Suburban Lawn Competition. They're heading off the prize-giving right now... Or they think they are."

A grin flitted across Harry's face. Evidently Tonks had chosen well with her "competition." But the grin faded quickly as Harry looked anxiously at Remus. "We are leaving, aren't we? Soon?"

Surely the boy didn't think they'd show up and leave him here? But to judge from his face, he almost did. Tonks couldn't blame him. A month in a Muggle house...any house this clean would have had her going bonkers in a week.

Remus was calming him. "Almost at once, we're just waiting for the all-clear." They were moving into the kitchen now, and Remus introduced the other eight members of the rescue team.

"This is Alastor Moody, Harry."

"Yeah, I know..." Despite his words, Harry threw a glance at Tonks that reminded her that she wasn't the only one who had worked with a Moody who wasn't a Moody. She shivered, then realized Remus was speaking to her.

"And this is Nymphadora -"

Tonks cut him off quickly. "Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus. It's Tonks."

Remus continued smoothly, " - Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only."

Only very slightly chastened, Tonks muttered, "So would you if your fool of a mother had called you 'Nymphadora.' "

She looked around at the Muggle "technology" on the countertops and snorted in amusement. She knew the names of most of them from visiting her Muggle grandparents, but they never ceased to amuse her. And her grandparents, while loving, did have a tendency to let clutter pile up. "Very clean, aren't they, these Muggles? My dad's Muggle-born and he's a right old slob. I suppose it varies, just like with wizards?"

It was a rhetorical question, but Harry, who appeared rather distracted, answered, "Er - yeah - look, what's going on, I haven't heard anything from anyone, what's Vol -"

Tonks spun around. She had heard various people use the name before, but always from older, respected people. To hear it coming so casually from a teenage boy shocked her.

"Shut up!" Moody snapped.

Harry stood looking mildly stunned. "What?"

"We're not discussing anything here, it's too risky." Moody glared at the boy. Tonks was surprised to see that Harry didn't shiver under the older man's stare. Moody blinked rapidly and swore. "Damn it, it keeps sticking - ever since that scum wore it -"

Tonks winced looked away. She had seen him pull out his magical eye a number of times, but the squelch never failed to make her shudder. "Mad-Eye, you do know that's disgusting, don't you?"

Moody ignored her. "Get me a glass of water, would you, Harry?"

Harry filled a glass from the dishwasher and handed it to Moody, throwing a covert glance around him. With a start, Tonks realized she was staring and wrenched her own eyes away. Remus, that was safe. Remus was checking the window, as cautious as Moody in his own way. Tonks liked that he was not paranoid, but he was careful enough to stay out of trouble. He was talking to Harry again now. "You'd better go and get packed, Harry, we want to be ready to go when the signal comes."

Remus watched Tonks follow Harry up the stairs, looking around with interest and talking away. Harry was not the boy Remus had seen just over a year ago. That boy had been full of life and adventure. Remus suspected that the events of a month ago had driven all sense of adventure out of him. Perhaps Tonks would be able to talk to him, to show him the sense of wonder at the world that she had somehow managed to retain. Granted, Tonks had never seen death first-hand, but she was an Auror and knew what she worked against. Remus wondered, not for the first time, how she had done it. He pushed that firmly out of his mind to write a note to the Dursleys.

Remus was just sealing the letter when Tonks and Harry came downstairs. "Excellent. We've got about a minute, I think. We should probably get out into the garden so we're ready. Harry, I've left a letter telling your aunt and uncle not to worry -"

"They won't.

"That you're safe -"

"That'll just depress them."

"--and you'll see them next summer."

"Do I have to?"

Remus smiled, but the smile touched his mouth only. He knew about the Dursleys, but knowing that they were this bad - Harry sounded dead serious. Especially with the last question. A flash of pink caught his eye and he looked up at Tonks, who was frowning down at Harry. Apparently she had changed her hair colour while upstairs. Remus could see something similar to his own thoughts crossing her face. The pictures - or lack thereof - on the mantelpiece spoke poignantly of something that disturbed them both.

As Moody tapped Harry on the head with a Disillusionment Charm, the other members of the Order closed around the teenager. This was where the mission really started. This was the point when an attack was most probable - not that it was, of course.

Moody was briefing Harry on the procedure. "--If one of us is killed -"

"Is that likely?" Harry looked rather taken aback.

"--the others keep flying, don't stop, don't break ranks. If they take out all of us and you survive, Harry, the rear guard are standing by to take over; keep flying east and they'll join you."

Tonks shook her bubble-gum pink head. "Stop being so cheerful, Mad-Eye, he'll think we're not taking this seriously."

Moody looked affronted, for him. "I'm just telling the boy the plan. Our job's to deliver him safely to headquarters and if we die in the attempt -"

"No one's going to die." That was Kingsley, his deep voice soothing over Moody's growls. Remus silently blessed the man's timing. Harry was nervous enough already. Then the red sparks flared overhead.

"Mount your brooms, that's the first signal!" That, he knew, was Sirius. Sirius had been allowed to set the signals, but was allowed no more than the flight out and back. The risk of him being seen was too much for anything else.

Green sparks and Sirius would be watching to see them off. Once they were in the air, he was to report back. "Second signal, let's go!"

Harry did as he was told, rising quickly (Sirius had really chosen well with that Firebolt) and following Tonks. She had been a reserve chaser for the Gryffindor quidditch team at Hogwarts. It still showed. She followed Moody's directions easily, less clumsy in the air with fewer things to knock over.

Remus and six others swooped continually around Harry, wands ready. Tonks and Moody stayed just before and behind Harry. They did not plan to die, but the truth was that there was more danger than Harry knew. If one Death Eater had been watching the house and thought now would be a good time to attack the Dark Lord's greatest enemy...

They were almost there. They had been flying for almost an hour, though it seemed twice that with the cold. Remus peered down and saw the last landmark. He opened his mouth to let Moody know it was there, but Moody cut him off.

"We ought to double back for a bit, just to make sure we're not being followed!" Remus shivered. Typical Mad-Eye!

Tonks' broom jerked. "ARE YOU MAD, MAD-EYE? We're all frozen to our brooms! If we keep going off course we're not going to get there until next week! We're nearly there now!"

"Time to start the descent!" Remus jumped in before Moody could shout back. "Follow Tonks, Harry!" Moody glowered, but the glare was somewhat less effective when he was shivering so hard his broom was quivering. It was only a half-hearted glare in any case.

Five more minutes and they were in front of the house. Harry looked around in confusion. "Where are we?"

"In a minute," Remus answered quietly.

Moody pulled Dumbledore's Put-Outer from his cloak and quickly turned off every light on the block. Remus paused to help Tonks grab Harry's trunk. When she fumbled her end, he took Hedwig's cage, too. She glared, but only for a moment. With the others flanking them, they marched across the street.

Harry was already reading the bit of parchment with Dumbledore's thin, loopy handwriting covering it. After a moment, he looked up, concentrating, and Remus watched amazement spread over his face. The others could see the house, but to Harry it must have simply appeared.

Moody sent the little orange lights back to their streetlamps before shutting the door. It was odd - dark, then an orange-y glow, then pitch-black again as the door closed, then light but faintly yellow. Harry had barely time to look around before Molly Weasley hurried out of the door that led to the kitchen, where the Order held meetings. She hugged Harry, muttering something that Remus couldn't hear but strongly suspected had something to do with Harry's resemblance to a stick.

Turning to the others, she whispered, "He's just arrived, the meeting's started..."

"Finally," Moody growled. Kingsley's mouth twisted wryly as they moved towards the door. Tonks grimaced and Remus smiled at her.

"Oh come, he won't eat you."

Tonks paused and screwed up her face, turning her hair long, black, and greasy. "You sure?"

Remus laughed very quietly as she restored it to pink and they moved into the kitchen.