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.
The Hufflepuff Rescue by Cwiddy
Chapter Notes: This was written for the Hufflepuff House December 2007 Gauntlet. Inspiration for a few of the spells Tonks casts on herself for defense come from Snape's Talon. Gotta give credit where it is due!