Recruitment



Nymphadora Tonks sat rocking her son. She never imagined that she could feel this way about more than one person. When she had fallen in love with Remus, her heart had surprised her and now, little Teddy had her heart just as much.

She eased out of her rocking chair to move cautiously towards the window. Their house was protected, but these days there was too much danger in the world to not be cautious. Remus even made up passwords daily before leaving the house to do work of the Order of the Phoenix. He had begged her to leave that work up to him and concentrate on little Teddy. He knew that when the final battle came, she would be out there with him, but for now she was content to sit at home with her mother and little Teddy.

A flash of light entered the room that was shaped like a goat. The goat stopped in front of her and said in a husky voice “Message coming your way via House Elf.”

Just then a House Elf dressed in mismatched socks and a sweater that looked much like the ones Molly made for her children Apparated in front of her, which startled Tonks.

“Pardon me mistress! I have a letter from Hogwarts. I must return though!” said Dobby as he handed Tonks and envelope and Apparated again.

Dear Nymphadora Tonks,

I have heard Harry, Hermione, and Ron talk about you often at school, and I remember your husband, Professor Lupin from when he taught here. I also remember you from the battle at the Ministry of Magic. Gram informs me that you were once a Hufflepuff here at Hogwarts and I am writing to request your help. With Professor Snape being Headmaster and the Carrows teaching here, life at Hogwarts has become very difficult. There is a student in Hufflepuff who would like to join those of us who are hidden. This student has become the newest target of the Carrows, and I fear that she will not live long if we cannot safely get her out of the Hufflepuff Common Room and here with the rest of us who have fled from the Carrows’ wrath. Since we have no Hufflepuffs among our ranks yet, we do not know the exact location of the common room in order to go rescue this student. Could you please come and assist us with this rescue? The man who warned you about this letter knows how to reach me. Sincerely,

Neville Longbottom

These poor children! Tonks thought. I need to go help them if I can! Mom can watch little Teddy for me while I go assist in this rescue. The things we have had to rely on school children to do!

Tonks moved around the house gathering supplies she may need for this rescue. She would not need a disguise because she could morph herself into anyone she chose, but her wand was necessary, her lock set could come in handy, a few dung bombs may be of assistance, and she looked through her potions collection choosing a few that had come in handy against the Death Eaters in the past, and last she grabbed her Auror bag that had other useful items in it, stowing in her other supplies. She explained to her mother where she was going and why. Tonks realized that it was almost dark and she knew she needed to be at Aberforth’s tavern before sunset or there could be trouble.

Tonks Apparated to just outside Hogsmeade and moved quickly for Aberforth’s tavern. She was disguised in a dark cloak and had distorted her features so that no one would recognize her. Upon entering the tavern she was met by a grumpy bartender who looked her up and down and motioned for her to follow him to a back room. “So you are going to help them, are you? Well, let me send for Neville. The lad has guts I’ve got to admit.”

Tonks watched the dark haired girl on the portrait in front of Aberforth move deeper into the portrait, quickly returning with Neville.

“You came, and just in time,” Neville said. “We were just sitting down to make the final plans for our rescue of Susan Bones. Come and we’ll get this done!”

Tonks followed Neville into the portrait and before she knew it, it was midnight and time to get started on this rescue mission.

The Password

Before leaving the Room of Requirement, which is where Neville told her they were, Tonks set about weaving a net of security about herself. She started with a disillusionment charm so that she could better sneak through the castle without being seen. Then she cast spells upon herself to make her scent disappear, hide her shadow, and placed a defensive shield about herself so that if someone caught her off guard she would have some protection from any spells they would cast. She also took out her magical glasses that would allow her to see in the dark without others seeing her light. After the run in at the Department of Mysteries two years earlier Tonks had worked very hard at learning better and stronger defensive spells so that she would not be injured like she was that day.

Knowing how clumsy she was she took a bit of an alertness potion that she had from a mission she did as an Auror the previous year. Never could be too alert on nights like tonight. Neville had finished telling her a rhyme that would get her safely to professor Sprout’s office just moments before and she chanted the rhyme over and over as she moved as carefully as she could through the Hogwarts' corridors.

Up one flight and down the next,

Past the stony, one-eyed glare,

Find the painting on the wall

And say “Ursine,” to the bear.

The place you seek is to the right,

But dangerous, past the Carrows’ lair;

If instead, thrice to the left you turn,

Though slower, it will take you there.

A nine paneled door, the second one down,

Knock gently on the center square.

Tonks knew she was pressed for time and hoped that she was not incautious in choosing to try to sneak past the Carrows’ office. She was confident in the spells that protected her, just not in her agility. Her memory told her that there were few things in that particular corridor that she could trip over, but things have a tendency to change at Hogwarts.



Tonks moved up the stairs, tripping only twice and quickly caught herself before falling down the staircase. Then she moved down the next set of stairs. Up ahead she saw movement and hid behind a tapestry as Filch sneaked past. That was close. Good to know he is snooping around here, but means I have to be even more careful.

Once Filch was far enough away, Tonks moved out from behind the tapestry and saw a one-eyed witch statue standing across the hall. Well there is the one-eyed glare. Now I need to find the bear. Tonks carefully moved down the hallway studying the paintings as she went. About 500 meters down the hall she saw a painting with a huge polar bear pacing back and forth. She got as close as she could to it, looking up and down the hallway and whispered “Ursine” as softly as she could to the painting.

A secret passageway opened up and she quickly crept in and down to the right. Her wand was in her hand, ready for anything as she inched past the Carrows’ chambers. It was obviously their chambers as there was a snake carved down one side of the door and a skeleton down the other. If they were put together they would be a Death Mark. It was a great warning to those who would oppose them without directly showing the Death Mark.

About halfway down the hallway she came about the nine paneled door. She gently knocked on the center square of the ninth panel and stepped back as the door opened.

The door clicked open and she looked around to make sure no one else was around to hear the door as it opened. Then, she moved into Professor Sprout’s chamber and made sure that the door was shut tightly behind her. As she moved further into the room that must have been Professor Sprout’s study, she heard the professor softly snoring in the next room.

As good as the glasses she was wearing were for seeing in the dark, they just were not as effective as having light, so Tonks whispered “Lumos” as she started looking around the study. She saw the professor’s desk sitting in the corner next to the fireplace and Tonks imagined that in the winter it would be a very comfortable place to sit and grade her student’s papers. Along the wall closest to her was a comfortable looking couch and across from it a couple of matching armchairs. Around the room there were different types of plants, some of which Tonks recognized from her days at Hogwarts and some that she recognized from her mother’s garden.

Between the armchairs was a side table with plants across the top. Tonks moved closer to inspect as the plants seemed a bit more out of place then the others that seemed to be tucked into the available spaces of the room. These were a bit more organized and the set up seemed to be a bit more planned out then the other plants in the room. On the right side of the table was a sign that said “Passwords” and each plant had a label on it. I should have known that Professor Sprout was still using plants as the password. What else would the Herbology Professor use? I always wondered how she remembered which plant she was using when. Guess this answers that question!

Tonks looked through the plants on the end table and soon found the plant for the current week, but there was no name on the plant. Well, I guess as the Herbology teacher, she would know the names of all these plants. It still makes it more difficult for me! I never was real good at remembering the name of plants! Ok, let’s see if I can figure it out anyway. Ok, it’s small and looks a lot like a green onion. Tonks looked at the plant closer and saw a sign tied around the base of the plant that said “Gulping Plimpies ward.”

Gulping Plimpies…I seem to remember that creature, but why? Oh, now I remember; Luna was talking about them at the Weasley wedding this summer. She said that they were becoming a nuisance to the fishermen in the bay so they were planting something to ward them away. Oh, what were they planting? It was Gurdyroot. I remember thinking that it sounded like planting an old great Aunt to keep the children in line! Tonks thought laughing to herself at the memory. The password must be Gurdyroot.

To the Rendezvous

Tonks stood there a minute, happy that she was able to remember the plant’s name. Now she had the password to get into the Hufflepuff common room. She just had to get there.

Tonks extinguished her wand and replaced the night glasses on her nose. She moved back into the hallway making sure that the door closed behind her. She moved cautiously back towards the hidden panel that hid the Professor’s wing from the rest of the school. As she was preparing to move extra cautiously past the Carrows’ door, she heard a “meow” come from the corner up ahead. I knew they were nearby, but why are they hanging around the professor’s chambers? Now I have to hide so that Filch doesn’t accidentally run into me. There was a door to her right, across from the Carrows’ door that she moved quickly to open and hide inside. She was happy to see that it was a dusty broom closet and not the chambers of another professor. She heard a rustle from the other side of the closet but did not see anything over there with her night glasses, so she whispered, “Lumos,” as she pushed the glasses up onto the top of her head as she often saw Muggles do with sunglasses.

Her wand at the ready, she looked ahead and saw Remus. He was crouched over a small bloody form. He looked up at Tonks. Pain and torment were writ upon his face, horror at what he had done. Tonks saw sorrow in the tears that streamed down his face, but Remus appeared angry. He stood up accusingly and said, “I told you I would do this! I told you I would kill Teddy. I need to go! I will never be any good for you. I never loved you anyway. I just stayed with you because you loved me. No one had ever loved me before.” Then Remus turned his back on her again and knelt mourning his young son.

Tonks just stood there in shock at the words that were coming from Remus’s mouth. She felt sorrow and pain. Her shape shifted back to those days before Remus had admitted that he loved her. Her hair faded to mousy brown and fell limply down onto her shoulders. A sob escaped her as she saw her infant son covered in blood and ravaged by a werewolf. Her husband stood there denying his love again and turning his back on her. As she looked over at him, despair consumed her for a minute. Her hands clasped and she felt the ring around her left ring finger.

Then she realized that it couldn’t be real. Remus was not as Hogwarts. He was out helping the Order look for Harry. They knew Harry was not at Hogwarts; therefore, Remus would not be at Hogwarts. He loved her and their son and he would never harm the boy. This had to be a Boggart hiding in the shadows of the closet. Tonks raised her wand and whispered, “Riddikulus.” The man standing before her with the bloody dead infant across his arms disappeared.

Tonks took a deep breath and tried to pull herself together. She sank to the floor a moment and let her tears consume her as relief that the vision she just had was not real started to sink in. It was not long until she was able to pull herself together. She wiped her face with a handkerchief so that she would not have tear stains down her face if she ran into anyone else. Then she slowly stood up. She pushed her night vision glasses back down onto her face and extinguished her wand.

She listened at the door to see if Filch was still outside and heard him mumbling down to Mrs. Norris. She sighed. Tonks was not in the mood to deal with those two. She looked around the broom closet more. As she looked around she realized that behind where she had seen the vision of Remus there was a passageway. This must be one of the many hidden passageways through Hogwarts. I’ve never heard of one through this section of the castle. I’m not sure Fred and George had opportunity to explore this section of the castle though. They may have tried to come here or to figure out where the professors’ chambers were but this is not a section of the castle to which students would have an excuse to come. I wonder where this passageway leads. Guess I’m about to find out. Tonks wandered forward to take a closer look at the passageway.

The passageway was smooth and the walls were bare. Tonks walked forward with her wand in hand. She came to a staircase that led down as if towards the dungeon. After going down the flight of stairs she continued forward and came to a fork in the passage. I never heard of a passage having a fork in it before. Ok, one leads left and one right, I know Hufflepuff tower is to the right, so I’ll go that way. Tonks took the right passage where she soon found a flight of stairs leading up. It was a long set of stairs that had Tonks breathing a bit hard before reaching the top. I guess having Teddy has gotten me a bit out of shape. I need to start exercising again. What would I do if Death Eaters found our home and attacked? I wouldn’t be able to protect Teddy or Mom that well being this out of shape. I will start remedying that tomorrow.

Soon Tonks came to the end of the passageway and prepared herself for whatever lay on the other side of the door.

Tonks approached the end of the passage, her wand at the ready. She pushed on the wall, but it would not budge, so she pushed harder. Suddenly the door screeched open and Tonks found herself falling forward towards a suit of armor that had fallen over in the hallway. Tonks tried to steer herself away from the metal so that she would not make a lot of noise by crashing into it. She found herself instead in a heap at the base of a tapestry. Glad that she had a softer landing then it looked like she was going to originally have, Tonks slowly let her breath out, looking around caution. She was afraid that she'd alerted someone to her presence.

As she sat listening she heard some whimpering coming from the direction of the fallen armor. She cautiously climbed to her feet and slipped closer to the tumble of metal across the hallway. This is the direction I need to go anyway. I'm also almost in the kitchen, so close to the Hufflepuff Common room. Guess I made the right choice in the tunnel getting here.

As she inched closer to the suit of armor she saw that someone was trapped under the body of the armor. She moved a little closer still and saw the person's head move; as if he was searching for where the earlier screeching had come from. He turned his head again and she saw that the person trapped was none other than Draco Malfoy.

What is he doing up this time of night, especially down by the kitchen? I wonder if this is a trap. He surely works closely with the Carrows as he is a Death Eater now. As she stood there trying to decide if she should help the boy or not she heard footsteps echoing down the hall behind her. She slipped back to the tapestry that had caught her when exiting the tunnel and hid behind it. It would take a powerful spell to see me right now but someone could easily run into me.

Just when she got settled behind the tapestry she saw a dark shadow approach Draco. "Has anyone come yet? I know for a fact tonight is the night, they should have been here by now!" the coarse voice whispered. "I'm tired of all the students disappearing into the night and countering all our hard work here at Hogwarts. We need to stop these impudent children from foiling our plans! They need to learn to fear us more," Alecto Carrow whispered to the younger Death Eater.

"I think I just heard someone, but your steps frightened them away! I told you I had this taken care of Alecto! Now leave me to this!" Draco demanded of the older man.

"You have failed before Malfoy. Don't forget your father's punishment. It'll be worse for you." Alecto murmured as he slunk off towards the faculty wing.

Tonks waited a few minutes before emerging from behind the tapestry. Well, that answered a lot for me. Tonks pulled out her wand. As she approached Draco again, she heard that he had started his moaning again. Let me give you something real to moan about Malfoy she thought as she pointed her wand at the armor's helmet that was sitting on a shelf behind Draco. Wingardium Leviosa! she thought as the helmet swung into the air above Draco and she released it. She let gravity do the rest as it landed flat on Draco's head. A well deserved headache for that arrogant prat.

Tonks walked around the armor carefully so that she didn't make any noise and hurried to the door of the Hufflepuff Common Room.

So many memories behind this door! Tears entered Tonks eyes as she stared at the beautiful mountain scene on the portrait that hid the Hufflepuff Common Room. So much has occurred since my school days yet it seems like yesterday I was entering this door for the first time. I'm here on business; the memories can wait until I'm home again. Quietly she whispered, "Gurdyroot."

The portrait swung open to reveal the round opening behind. Tonks climbed into the short tunnel that led to the Hufflepuff Common room. Tonks stood up in the bright yellow room that reflected the multitudes of candles that sat in every corner of the room to shed light and welcome all who entered. In that wonderfully cheerful, bright room it was difficult to feel sad or lonely. The fluffed up chairs that were every shade of yellow imaginable lent comfort to every Hufflepuff. The circular doors that lead to the dormitories looked like badger burrows, reminding all the Puffs of their mascot.

The Rescue

Memories flashed through Tonks mind, but she remembered to hold her wand in front of herself. She did not see anyone present in the room. She glanced at the clock on the wall and realized that even with all the challenges of getting into the room, she was early to meet Susan. So that it was easier for her to keep her disguise, she moved towards the back corner to wait for Susan to come to the common room. As she crossed the common room she kicked at some crumpled papers that must have been a student's smudged up assignment that needed re-copied lying next to a table she passed. Where the papers had been lying she caught a glimpse of a faint gold sparkle...and she paused a minute and reached down to touch it.

The next thing Tonks knew, the world was flipping upside down. Confusion filled her mind as she found herself falling towards the ceiling. She slammed onto the roof and shook her head to clear it. I should have known better she berated herself. Every Auror knows about Reversal Dust. It was used by Death Eaters during He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's first reign of terror. It confused and bewildered the victims long enough to give Death Eaters a chance to capture them. Tonks just hoped that her preparations were enough to keep her hidden from Amycus Carrow, who had to be the one that left the dust hidden in the room. Quickly Tonks gripped her wand, while reaching into her trusty bag and sprinkling herself with a dab of pixie dust before thinking Reversus Totalus to turn the world right side up again while she floated down to the floor again. Then she quickly moved behind the far wall of fluffed up chairs.

Just when she was hid behind the first chair Amycus Carrow entered the room. "I have you now Longbottom! I know you are here somewhere!" Amycus yelled as she bustled around the room...searching for the boy who was not there. When she approached the chair that Tonks was hidden behind, Tonks reached out her leg and tripped the rampaging woman...who never knew what she stumbled over. Awakened by the ruckus that Amycus was making in the common room many of the residents of the Hufflepuff House came to inspect what the noise was all about, which only enraged Amycus more since she could not seem to find the intruder. Tonks stayed behind the chairs, even when she spotted Susan Bones enter from the girls’ dormitory.

"What seems to be the matter Professor Carrow," asked a young man who was wearing a prefect badge.

Brave young man. Hopefully he'll survive this year at Hogwarts. Tonks moved closer to Susan as Amycus started to scream about hidden intruders in the night and how she would find them. When Tonks was close enough she pulled out an invisibility cloak. She moved as close to Susan as she could before whispering, "Susan," the younger girl jumped slightly as the quiet voice at her ear. "Don't look this way; you probably can't see me as more than a mild disturbance in the air. Hopefully no one else sees me, either. Neville sent me to bring you to join the rest of the students who are in hiding. My name is Tonks and I need you to come with me. Just nod slightly if you understand and will come."

Amycus was still screaming as Tonks slowly guided Susan towards the common room front door. Just when they were about to reach the door, it flung open and Professor Sprout rushed into the room, "Professor Carrow, what in the world do you think you are doing? Disturbing the entire Hufflepuff House like this and waking all the students here?" the professor inquired of the enraged Amycus. As quickly as she could Tonks flung the invisibility cloak that was in the hand not guiding Susan over the girl and pulled her quickly out the door before it shut behind Professor Sprout.

Once in the hallway Tonks pulled the frightened girl gently back the hallway, past unconscious Malfoy who was still sprawled in the hallway. Susan flinched and almost rushed to the fool, but Tonks was able to keep a firm grasp on Susan's arm as she guided her to a secret passage Tonks had used frequently as a student at Hogwarts, one that Filch most likely was aware of, but with the commotion going on in the Hufflepuff House, Tonks was certain that they would run into no one, plus they were both invisible for the most part to anyone they came across. The stone musician that guarded the entrance looked normal enough, but a simple strum of his lute opened the passageway's door.

Mission Complete

Once safely in the passage, with the door closed firmly behind them Tonks finally turned to face Susan. "Sorry to pull you away like that," Tonks apologized to girl who was shaking in fear next to her. "I'm well aware that Draco Malfoy is lying unconscious in that hallway, but he was attempting to capture me for the Carrows. I only made his disguise a reality. The foolish boy would be excited to capture us both. I was sent to you by Neville Longbottom, to bring you to join the rest of the students who are in hiding here at the school. You did want to join them?" Tonks inquired of the startled girl.

"Ye--yes!" softly stuttered the girl who stood next to her. "The horrible things that keep occurring here, I know that Aunt Amelia would have wanted me to join them. We need to fight back against the Death Eaters as best we can. The best place for me is with the other students who are taking a stand here at Hogwarts!" the girl stated with a firm determination that grew as she spoke.

"Ok, be quiet now. We are not to safety yet. It should not take me long to lead you to the Room of Requirement where the other students are hiding. Take my hand and keep that cloak in place so that we can stay concealed to roaming eyes," Tonks instructed softly as she took the girl's hand and guided her down the passageway.

When they were almost to the passage's exit, Tonks quickly pulled the terrified girl back against the wall. The end had opened and in rushed the newest Headmaster, Severus Snape who paused but a moment upon entering the passageway. He then briskly rushed past where the young women were pressed against the wall. Tonks could have sworn that he looked directly at her a moment before passing her, and knew that he brushed against the bag that was dangling on her shoulder. He never paused though and continued quickly down the passage.

Once Snape had disappeared, Tonks squeezed Susan's hand and pulled her to the end of the passage. She cautiously inched the door open and once she was certain the hallway was empty she quickly led Susan the rest of the way to the Room of Requirement.

"Susan! Tonks! You both made it here safely," Neville exclaimed when the two entered the room and Susan threw off the invisibility cloak. Tonks also stopped the disillusionment charm. Tonks noted that upon their entrance a Hufflepuff banner joined the Gryffindor banner hanging on the wall. Susan rushed over to Neville and gave her friend a hug.

"Thank you for sending Tonks to get me Neville! What a relief it is to be here with all the other students fighting back against the Death Eaters," Susan said to her friend.

Neville turned to face Tonks. "Thank you so much for your help. I don't know how we would have safely gotten Susan here tonight without your help."

Tonks shook the young man's hand and then reached into her bag. On top there was a piece of parchment that she did not recognize. Startled she unfolded it and read the scribbled markings upon it.

Life has thrown me a few curve balls. I am sorry for what I was forced to do, but I remain true to the cause.

Tonks gasped as she realized that Severus must have put the parchment into her bag when he rushed past her. Tears rolled down her cheek as she thought about Dumbledore's death again. So many senseless deaths have been caused by that man. How much innocence has been lost because of him? I wondered why Severus betrayed Dumbledore, but maybe they both saw something the rest of us could not. I'll have to ask him about this when all is over.

"What is wrong Tonks?" Neville inquired.

"Nothing, it's nothing. I need to be getting back to little Teddy. He is probably missing his mother," Tonks stated.

"Sure, get back home to your son. We will be fine here. Hopefully Harry will return soon and we'll be able to end this terrible war. We are ready to fight," Neville replied.

"Here are a few things that may help you keep other students safe. Keep the invisibility cloak. It may help you with another rescue. In this bag are a few defensive potions. It looks like you have the resources to look up each of them. Good luck Neville. I also hope that this war is over soon. Then we can say goodbye to fear," Tonks said as she handed Neville her bag. Giving Neville and Susan a hug she exited the way she entered Hogwarts, through the portrait that led to Aberforth's tavern.

The tavern was empty when Tonks entered. Tonks quickly apparated home. At home she found her mother asleep on the couch, little Teddy asleep in her arms. When she took the infant in her arms she hummed a lullaby to keep him asleep. She moved towards his room. Just before she turned to put him to bed, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and Remus embraced his wife and child. "What are you still doing up, my love? I thought I'd find you asleep," Remus inquired of his wife.

"I was out assisting the cause tonight, but I'm too tired to explain more tonight. Just come with me to put our son to bed, then wrap me in your loving arms and let us dream the rest of the night about the rest of our lives together," Tonks said as she kissed her husband and led him upstairs to their room.