You Call This A Holiday?

It was nearly 11:30 in the morning when Dumbledore arrived at Grimmauld Place. The locks on the front door seemed to be unlocking themselves (there were supposed to be three different people unlocking specific locks outside in order for the door to open, unless they were unlocked from the inside). Dumbledore evidently had the master set of keys and so he let himself into the hallway.

Molly Weasley noticed him immediately as he stepped through the door and she hurridly whisked the aging Headmaster toward the kitchen.

'My dear Molly!' Hermione and the other heard Dumbledore greet Mrs Weasley warmly in the hallway before she led him away. Their subsequent chatter echoed down the hall away from listening ears.

They could not have spoken long before they re-emerged from the sanctity of the kitchen. Scattered around the lounge were the five young people, plus one cat, one toad and one owl. Crookshanks slid off Ginny's lap, where he had been enjoying behind-the-ear scratches, and slunk off to the doorway. Momentarily, Dumbledore entered the lounge smiling almost inappropriately as Crookshanks, now cradled in his arms, toyed lazily and contentedly with the Headmaster's long, grey beard.

Making no comment on the fact that the enormous orange feline just got a claw stuck in a tangle of beard-hair, Dumbledore addressed the small group. 'As I understand it, several of you are looking to go to Diagon Alley for a short while, is that correct?'

'Yes, sir, it is,' Hermione replied quickly. 'Luna and myself.'

'And Ms Nymphadora Tonks has agreed to accompany you both?'

'Yes she has, sir.'

Dumbledore's lined face took on a solemn look briefly before he gave a small smile and nod. 'Splendid. Now, I know it hardly needs to be said, but I must impress upon you both the importance of staying together. Do not wander apart or take my warnings lightly. As you know, there is a very real danger present.' He set Crookshanks down on the carpet and peered at the two girls over the top of his half-moon spectacles.

Hermione and Luna quietly nodded their agreement. Perhaps wanting to prevent an overly somber mood, Dumbledore then cheerfully clapped his hands together saying 'Although I doubt Voldemort has any shopping of great importance to do in Diagon Alley today, I feel confident that you should all be safe. However, I will provide Ms Tonks with a small device which can be used to contact one of us if you happen to run into any complications, but I sincerely hope she will have absolutely no use for it.' He paused and smiled kindly at the two girls. 'Now I suppose if the three of you are all ready to go, you may leave. I won't be long here myself; I need to have a few words with Remus, and then perhaps a bite to eat . . .' Dumbledore raised his eyebrows toward Molly Weasley, where she stood beside the doorframe smiling broadly.

'Well of course! Anything you'd like to eat.'

'Bacon, lettuce and tomato?' he inquired seriously.

The smile on Mrs Weasley's plump face grew wider and she chuckled. 'Pickle slices on the side?'

'My dear Molly, you're spoiling me with your hospitality! You think of everything.'

As the lunch arrangements were being cleared up, Tonks re-emerged in the lounge.

'Ah. Our esteemed Auror,' Dumbledore addressed her. He reached into a pocket deep in his robes and extracted a small device, which he placed directly in Tonks's outstretched hand. He spoke very quietly to her, so quietly that Hermione could not make out what it was that he said. Confirming her suspicions that it must have been relatively serious, Hermione watched as Tonks nodded her head gravely before seemingly attaching something to a beltloop of her jeans and slipping the mysterious device into a front pocket.

'All set, ladies?' Tonks asked Luna and Hermione as she slipped a long, black robe on over her clothes. 'I know it's summer and you'd probably rather not wear your robes, but I think we'll look a lot less conspicuous this way,' she explained, omitting the fact that the bright, multicolored patchwork pants Luna was wearing might possibly be the most conspicuous item of clothing ever created. Luna didn't seem to take any exception to the suggestion, and she joined Hermione up the stairs to retrieve their school robes from their respective trunks. Within moments they were leaving, Tonks having changed her hair once more before they left, so that she now had whip-straight shoulder-length ebony tresses.

An old station wagon was put-putting up the street and Luna shot Tonks a look of sheer concern. Hermione interpreted the expression as meaning the same question she had on her mind: what if they see us in our robes?

Tonks touched the sleeves of their robes before they moved off the front step of number 12. 'Just wait,' she whispered softly as the car approached. 'We're still on Unplottable property - they won't be able to see us unless they know we're here.'

The car stalled out just in front of number 11's front lawn. The engine was cut, then the driver tried the ignition again; there was a bang as if it had backfired, but green and yellow sparks shot out of the grille.

'Okay,' Tonks whispered, 'all clear.' Then, following her lead, Hermione and Luna climbed into the back of the car.

'By the way-' Hermione whispered, nudging Tonks, 'I wouldn't recommend that hairstyle while wearing black robes, Tonks. It reminds me of Snape!'

Luna peered at Tonks curiously, then slightly inclined her head, conceding agreement. Tonks only laughed but said nothing.

'Where to, Miss?' the man in the driver's seat inquired, his face obscured by a mass of hair and beard.

'Diagon Alley, for three passengers, please,' Tonks replied.

'Will do.' The driver punched three buttons on the console where radio controls are generally located and almost immediately Hermione noticed the backseat of the car become blurry and indistinct while her two companions seemed to dissolve before her eyes.

The next moment the three were seated on an old bench in a dimly lit room.

'Car number eight from Grimmauld Place. Arrival. Three passengers,' announced a clear female voice. 'Nine Sickles, three Knuts, please.'

Tonks stood up and approached a pleasant but strict-looking witch behind a counter near their bench. 'This one's taken care of, Hestia.'

'Just part of the job to ask, dear.' She was much older looking than Tonks and she gave Hermione and Luna an unconcealed look of suspicious appraisal.

'They're with me on business from the office,' Tonks said vaguely, although the witch named Hestia seemed to understand the broader meaning.

'How delightful. Oh! Dora, dear, I'm not sure where you plan to take the girls today, but I wouldn't recommend any ice cream. It's almost too warm for such sticky things; you might upset something.'

'We're just popping in a few places, but thanks for the advice. I suspect we'll grab something to eat when we get back to the office.' Waving her hand to the older woman, Tonks ushered Hermione and Luna out the door to a narrow sidestreet off Diagon Alley.

'Hestia Jones,' she explained in a low voice, 'she's with us. Part of the Advance Guard for Harry last year. Guess she's keeping an eye on the traffic. Just remember what she said about ice cream - there must be something suspicious going on over at Florean Fortescue's. We'll steer clear of there this time around.'

'Why did she call you 'Dora', Tonks?' asked Hermione, confused.

Tonks gave a humorously exaggerated sigh. 'The first shift we worked together on I asked her to call me 'Tonks', but she argued that proper ladies weren't referred to by their last names. I tried to argue that I couldn't honestly be considered a very 'proper' lady anyhow, and under no circumstance would I tolerate being called Nymphadora,' she shuddered as she said the name. 'So somehow we compromised - she calls me 'Dora'. Now if only I could convince my mother to do the same.'

The three kept quiet as they emerged onto the street. Diagon Alley appeared to be busy, but not overcrowded. They wove their way through the summer shoppers before discreetly slipping into several shops. It didn't take them long to find what they were looking for. The picture frame Ginny had suggested was quickly located at a tiny boutique adjacent to Obscurus Books print shop, and they managed to get their hands on the last Homework Quill in stock at Scribblus Everchanging Inks, next to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

'Tonks,' Hermione caught the young Auror's attention in a low voice, 'I know there isn't a Honeydukes here on the street, but Ron suggested we get Harry some candy as well. I don't know where my mind was; how are we supposed to get Honeydukes candy from Hogsmeade if we're here?'

They stopped briefly in the street, the crowds milling around farther down the main thoroughfare. 'And I thought you were the brains behind this operation, Hermione,' Tonks tsk-tsked. 'You've ordered things by owl-post, haven't you?' The bushy-haired brunette replied that she had. 'So just order it. I'm sure the owl post office could easily take an order for some Ice Mice or Chocolate Frogs or something. Probably a fee to have the owl make two stops, though,' she mused half to herself. Shaking her mane of shiny black hair, as if to bring her attention around to something else, she resumed. 'Anyway, that's what we can do. The three of us can place the order and get out of here.'

Luna stared at her in foggy marked confusion. 'Didn't you say I could see my father?'

Tonks smacked her forehead. 'Oh right! Sorry, I forgot, Luna. Of course.' Her mind churned around some ideas before coming to a conclusion. 'Well, I know we haven't got an arse-load of time left, but we can do it, I think. Luna, how about if you go to the Quibbler office while Hermione and myself place the owl order. We'll come back across the street for you when we're done.'

Luna looked dubious about the proposal. 'We shouldn't split up,' she said seriously, all appearance of dreaminess gone from her expression.

'I know, but we'll only be across the street and we can only afford a couple of minutes, anyhow.' Now both Hermione and Luna were wearing identical expressions of doubt and concern.

'But Dumbledore said-'

'I know what he said, Hermione!' pleaded Tonks in an uncharacteristically strained whisper. 'And he also said to not risk being over an hour. Or something like that. Either way, we'd be taking a risk.' She consulted her watch and continued. 'How have we been here for forty minutes already? By the time we send off the owl and make our way back down the street and get Hestia to put us in a priority car, we'll really be cutting it close.'

As a final effort Tonks dug inside her robes and extracted a small metallic device. 'Here,' she said in whispered earnestness, placing the object in Luna's open palm, 'This is similar to what Dumbledore gave me before we left Headquarters. Only reliable over relatively short distances.' She tapped it twice with her wand tip and brushed her thumb across a circular indentation in the polished metal. 'Press your left thumb there in the center if you need us,' Tonks instructed in a hurry. 'I have one, too. That'll alert me, and we can talk to each other.'

'Like a walkie-talkie,' Luna stated.

'How in the name of Merlin do you always know this Muggle-speak?' muttered Tonks incredulously as she ushered the girls across to the left side of the street where the office of the Quibbler was located.

Well known in the British magical community for being an eccentrically non-conformist 'alternative' publication, the entrance to the Quibbler's office was surprisingly nondescript. Tucked away behind the main building of Gambol and Japes, the only evidence that the office was there at all was a small, faded sign over the door stating simply The Quibbler, with Office printed beneath in smaller, peeling gilt letters. Hermione, expecting a more obnoxious or ostentatious presentation did a double-take up and down the alleyway making sure no other door could possibly be there. Being the only one who had been there previously, Luna led the way inside.

The lobby was more like what Tonks and Hermione had expected - a cluttered desk littered with back issues of the magazine greeted them, along with a perch of small, fluffy owl-like birds, approximately the same size and colors of decorated Easter eggs, that would make an officer in the Ban on Experimental Breeding department take a closer look. The notice tacked to the wall behind the perch read Interoffice correspondance. A waiting area, denoted by a cluster of floppy, well-used beanbag chairs arranged around a low Japanese-style wooden table, was off to the left of the main desk. A notice warning patrons of a previous infestation of nargles that is believed to be well under control was affixed to the wall above the beanbags. That figures, thought Hermione as she read it. I guess they really do believe all that stuff they print. Nargles. Honestly.

While she cast her eyes around the office lobby, Hermione noticed a pudgy young woman with tight, rust-colored ringlets enter the rom through a door on the far wall. She trudged unhurriedly towards the cluttered desk, appearing to take no notice of the newcomers. As she took a seat behind the desk she took a wand from inside her ink-smudged robes and gave a quick wave, instantly clearing the desktop of debris. Now a shiny brass plaque inscribed 'Welcome Visitors' was plainly visible.

'Welcome to the Quibbler. What can I do for you?' she chanted automatically, her eyes on Tonks.

Luna stepped forward toward the questionable customer-service witch. She recognized Luna immediately, and her face lit up with pleasure.

'Luna sweetheart! I didn't think I'd get to see you this summer. Your father mentioned that you were gone to stay with some friends for the summer. What a surprise!' She carried on in this vein for a while until she seemed to tire of talking.

The blonde girl responded warmly, but with a slightly reserved smile. 'That's right Maude; I'm staying with my friend Hermione,' she indicated her bushy-haired companion, who waved hello. Maude's mud-colored eyes travelled from Hermione back to Tonks with suspicion.

'Hi, I'm Dora, Hermione's cousin,' Tonks said smoothly without missing a beat, holding out her slender hand in greeting.

Maude reciprocated and caught Tonks's hand in her own fleshy grasp.

'Is Dad busy? Could I see him for a few minutes?' Luna asked, knowing their allotted time was steadily slipping away.

'Sure thing, hon. I'll go fetch him from the office for you.' Maude turned and shuffled towards yet another door, this one nearly obscured by the visitors area.

'LOVEGOOD!' she bellowed as she went through the door and up a flight of stairs. 'HEY! LOVEGOOD!'

Luna turned to the bewildered faces of her companions. 'I wouldn't say anything to Maude. She's a bit strange,' she stated matter-of-factly. Tonks and Hermione only goggled in amazement at the door through which Maude had disappeared.

Checking her watch quickly, Tonks cringed. 'C'mon, Hermione, we've only got a few minutes. Sorry we won't get to meet your father, Luna. Say 'hi' to him for us, will you? We'll be back faster than a Niffler in a jewelers shop,' They moved quickly and were out the door as swift footfalls and happy whistling could be heard coming down the staircase.

*****

Tonks and Hermione jogged across the street to the Owl Post Office, leaving the Quibbler office behind. A bell tinkled overhead as they entered the building. A greying, middle-aged wizard greeted them immediately. Tonks inquired about the Honeydukes order and he agreed that it would be no trouble at all. Since they were sending packages as well, he wouldn't even charge them extra for the owl's detour to Hogsmeade.

'You will be able to get it to Surrey by tomorrow, won't you?' Hermione inquired anxiously to the clerk.

'Certainly,' he answered agreeably.

Hermione scribbled a quick note with a borrowed quill to Harry, wishing him a happy birthday and thier hopes to see him soon. She signed her name on behalf of everyone staying at number 12 Grimmauld Place.

They thanked the wizard who took their packages, promising to gift-wrap them, sensing his customers were in a hurry by the way they were almost bouncing on the balls of their feet.

'I think we'll be just on time,' Tonks commented as they hurried back across the street for Luna.

The words were hardly out of her mouth before they were temporarily blinded by a sudden flash of bright light. Throwing their arms up to cover their eyes, Hermione and Tonks fell to their knees, inexplicably unable to stand. There had been no noise, no warning. Also suspicious was the lack of sound on the street. Hermione attempted to open her eyes, but was met with darts of paralyzing pain stabbing at her eyes when she tried. Her tear ducts reacted to the pain, sending thin streams of tears down her face as she flailed blindly with her arms to locate Tonks. 'TONKS!' she screeched in panic. 'TONKS!' But there was no reply. Hermione's ears were ringing with the absolute silence all around her. Before she realized what was happening, her body crumpled under her, causing her to slump over on the street when she lost consciousness.

*****

Luna's face broke into an ecstatic grin when she saw her father emerge from the staircase.

He had prematurely grey hair and his body hinted of a life of hard work and sleepless nights. Nevertheless, the instant he caught sight of his only child, his face shone with new life.

'Oh my baby!' He hugged her close as she buried her face in the folds of his tattered and coffee-stained work robes.

'I don't have much time, Dad,' Luna said softly around a rising lump in her throat. 'Tonks and Hermione will be back in no time, but I just had to come see you.'

Mr Lovegood released his daughter and looked straight into her silvery-grey eyes. 'Are you doing okay?'

'We're all fine. We're staying with Ronald Weasley's family and a few others. Everyone's safe.'

'Arthur and Molly are good people,' he said, reassured. 'I'm just so glad everyone's alright. What about the Longbottom boy?'

She blushed almost imperceptibly. 'Neville's okay, too.'

'I'm so glad,' Mr Lovegood repeated, drawing Luna close again, lightly kissing her pale forehead. 'I love you, Luna.'

'I love you too, Dad,' she whispered back softly.

Then, anticipating Tonks and Hermione to burst through the door any moment, Luna turned to look towards the tiny window in the door. As if a bolt of lightening had struck outside the office, the whole room lit up with a flash of light from the street. Luna ran for the door while her father tried to hold her back. She pushed open the door and started to step outside. The light wasn't as bright in the alleyway as it had been at the initial flash, but it was harsh on the eyes, and Luna suddenly felt too weak to move beyond the doorframe. Looking toward the street where Hermione and Tonks should have been coming from, Luna saw a huge glowing dome of light, several meters in diameter, giving off electric-like sparks. The air was dry and hot, and Luna found it difficult to breathe. Still clinging to the doorframe she saw movement inside the dome. Training her eye, she made out one person standing over two bodies lying in heaps on the street. The standing figure moved their arms in a wide arc and the three figures, as well as the glowing dome of light, disappeared as if they had never been there.

Luna slid to the ground and struggled to catch her breath and process what she had just witnessed.