Storms of Fate

Part 2: Storm Clouds Fly Tattered and Swift

Ginny sighed as she kicked off her shoes upon entering her rental. It had been a long, exhausting day at the Burrow and she was for once eternally thankful that the Ministry had misread the intentions of the Dark Wizarding League. There hadn't been any activities during the Christmas holiday like expected. Tonks felt that since the Aurors were on Amber Alert that the DWL wouldn't make their move, they'd wait until the holidays were over and the Ministry got back to its semi-normal routine. So far she'd been proven correct.

She flicked her wand and watched as the fireplace roared to life lending the small room a warm glow. As much as she loved her family and the time they all got together at the Burrow, it was nice to come back to the peace and quiet of her own home.

Absently humming the latest hit by Oberon's Children, Ginny fixed a glass of wine and grabbed a few blank scrolls to finish her long neglected Auror paper work. That was one task that she truly hated about her job. She had tried to persuade Kingsley Shakelbolt that scroll reports were old fashioned and that the use of recording pensives were the best method for keeping record of Auror cases. Kingsley had just smiled and handed her an empty scroll.

The sound of her name being called snapped Ginny's head up. Tonks' face peered back at her through the flames.

"Wotcher, Tonks."

"Sorry, Ginny I really didn't think we'd have to floo the on-call Aurors 'til after the hols."

Ginny immediately snapped to attention. "The Dark Wizarding League?"

"We believe so. There's been a failed breakout attempt at Azkaban but unofficially it wasn't so failed. Mad-Eye believes that Bellatrix made her escape. So far she is unaccounted for."

"Has anyone told Neville yet?" It had been Neville that had finally captured Bellatrix. The scene flashed in the back of Ginny's mind of Bellatrix pointing her wand at her before Neville saved her life.

"He's already been informed and should be on his way to headquarters. Get here as soon as you can. Okay, Gin?"

Before Ginny could answer, Tonks was gone. All thoughts of her nice relaxing evening evaporated as she grabbed what Ron called her Auror arsenal and apparated to the Ministry.

~~~~

"Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services."

Ginny stepped out of the lift and made her way toward headquarters. She could hear the buzz of excited conversation as she pushed open the double oak doors leading into the offices. The redhead dodged a zooming memo that whizzed past her head on its way to the Chief Auror's office.

Neville absently rubbed the scar on his wrist as he leaned against the cubicle entrance into Kingsley's office. He'd kept the scar, though some of his friends tried to talk him out of it, as a visible reminder of his battle with Bellatrix. Not that the look of pure hatred that Bellatrix had on her face when he'd faced her on the battlefield would ever be erased, but he wanted a physical reminder for others when they looked at him. Kind of like Harry's lightening-shaped scar, a physical reminder of the horrors of war.

"The longer we wait the harder it'll be to track her." Neville had resisted the urge to skive off checking in and track Bellatrix on his own. If he didn't have a family that was depending on him he would have even if his dismissal were the consequence.

Kingsley briefly spared a glance at Neville. "You know the Hit Wizards are already on the case, Longbottom. OUR main concern will be the Dark Wizarding League."

Ginny gently laid a hand on Neville's arm as she slipped into the empty spot next to him. "Has their been any news from Malfoy yet?"

Draco Malfoy had followed Snape's path and had been the Auror's mole in the Death Eaters and now the Dark Wizarding League.

"Not yet. There was a cryptic message sent over the red floo network that came from an operative but Miller hasn't verified the sender's identity yet."

Ginny knew better than to ask what the message said. Aurors were told only what they needed to know and the Ministry didn't think Aurors needed to know much. It was one of the reasons that she had put in to be trained as a hit wizard. That and the fact that they operated outside the system. Ever since her possession by Tom in her first year at Hogwarts she had been determined to stop Voldemort and his followers no matter how long it took and by any means necessary.

"Was Lestrange the only one unaccounted for?" Blaise asked as he joined the small group huddled around Kingsley's door.

Before Kingsley answered a breathless Tonks appeared. "Sorry to break it up but McFadden wants to see Ginny and Blaise in his office."

Ginny's brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at Tonks. Why would McFadden want to see her and Zabini?

Tonks gave a slight shrug in answer to Ginny's unspoken question. "I'm just the messenger. Best not to keep him waiting."

A rare smile tilted Kingsley's lips as he watched the pair wind their way through the cubicles toward the Head Hit Wizard's office. "What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall at that meeting."

Neville's eyes bounced between Tonks and Kingsley watching their silent communication. "Okay, obviously you're not just the messenger. What's going on?"

"You know the old adage 'be careful for what you wish for'? Well, Blaise and Ginny just got their wish but I don't think it's exactly what they had hoped." Tonks snickered as she unfolded a memo that had landed on Kingsley's desk.

Kingsley and Neville snapped to attention when Tonks stiffened as she read the memo. "Mad-Eye has been in contact with Draco. We're to meet him at the safe house. Neville, you're temporarily assigned to Kingsley and myself since your partner will be otherwise occupied."

With a longing look at the newest 'Wanted' poster that had been posted under the 10 most wanted Dark Wizards list, Neville resigned himself to going after the Dark Wizarding League and leaving the capture of Lestrange for the Hit Wizards. "What about Ginny's partner?"

"He's being reassigned to Dagilyn and Wolfe." Kingsley answered as he strapped his battle wand to his sleeve holster.

Tonks' hair morphed from black to grey, her shoulders stooped and the fine laugh lines around her eyes and mouth became deeper.

"You know I don't think I'll ever get used to the ease with which you can change your appearance." Neville smiled at Tonks as he strapped on his battle wand.

"See you at Digsnip." Tonks winked before disapparating.

~~~~

Blaise glanced at Ginny as they made their way to McFadden's office. Her pert little nose was stuck up in the air and her chin was thrust out just begging to be tweaked. He had no idea what had twisted her knickers where he was concerned. At first, he'd put it down to the Slytherin/Gryffindor rivalry but she seemed to at least be civil with Malfoy. He gave a mental shrug and resolved himself that he would never understand Weasley. Blaise rapped his knuckles sharply on the office door and waited for McFadden to invite them in.

"Come!" A muffled voice sounded.

With a smirk and a flourish, Blaise opened the door and indicated that Ginny should enter first.

Ginny rolled her eyes and tried her best to ignore him as she stepped over the threshold.

McFadden kept his back to the door as he was concentrating on a wall map with glowing red dots. A flash of white in the corner caught Ginny's eye and she noticed he wasn't alone. A pale blond woman and a male brunette sat in the only available chairs. They wore the insignia of the Hit Wizard Squad.

Blaise shifted his weight from foot to foot uncomfortably waiting for McFadden to acknowledge their presence.

Before the silence stretched to almost an unbearable level McFadden asked, "Do you know what these dots indicate?"

Ginny cocked an eyebrow at Blaise before turning to McFadden, "No, sir."

"These are your fellow Hit Wizards."

Before Ginny could protest that she wasn't a Hit Wizard, McFadden pointed to a cluster of five red dots. "Myself, Cassiopeia, Malcolm, Ginny and Blaise." His lips twitched at the shocked expressions the two new Hit Wizards were wearing. "Welcome to the Hit Wizards Squad