Sweet Hermione Hi readers! Chapter 6! I actually didn't expected it to grew out to story of format... :) I'm busy with a lot of stories at the time... I can't post very often, as you will have seen. I hope you have fun reading it, and keep on sending me PB's, even if it's about one chapter or so...! Chapter 6 ‘O...no. O no. That wasn’t nice.’ Tonks was trembeling and murmering to herself. ‘That was…’ Her eyes became big and she sighed. They were back at the hospital, into the room of the stored Pensieves. ‘Believe me, Remus,’ she said, looking at Lupin and clearly trying to calm herself down. ‘I have seen worse. Much worse. It’s… As an Auror…’ She seemed to look for words. Lupin only nodded earnistly and said: ‘I think I understand.’ Tears were dropping down from the corner of Tonks’s eyes. ‘O, Remus!’ she sobbed suddenly. Lupin embraced her and patted her on the back. But quickly, she pulled him away. ‘No… no… sorry, but… no...’ She grabbed his shoulders and looked him straight into the eye. ‘I am an Auror,’ she said soloumny, as though she was doing an important speech. Lupin did not knew what to say, and only gazed at her, frowning. ‘I should have been used to this...’ she murmered, looking miserable. She let go of him and started to walk through the room, caught by her thoughts. ‘But...’ she slowely continioud, ‘that ‘Instrument’... What is it? And how does it work? It sounded pretty important to the Death Eathers.’ Lupin nodded slowely. ‘Yes, I have been thinking about that, too,’ he said. He looked at her. ‘Don’t you...?’ ‘I don’t know,’ she sighed, and stood still by the Pensieve. She let her fingertops glide over the edge of the Pensieve bowl. ‘The Minister told me to do this, with you.’ She smiled joyless, while she was staring in the Pensieve. ‘To be honest, Remus, I think he just doesn’t trust me to do the real work. Because I’m in the Order, because I know Harry, mabye because I’m young, I guess...’ ‘He’s not Fudge,’ said Lupin. ‘He might be neurotic, but he’s also anything but naieve.’ Tonks shrugged and began to walk again, without a purpose. ‘Remus, I think that Instrument is really important. Too important. I must tell the Aurors.’ ‘Of course,’ said Lupin. ‘But it can be difficult... Tonks, Bellatrix said everybody forgot about it. It can be old, very old, acient and forgotten. We just don’t know.’ The doors opened and they turned around. The small, female Healer stood in the beginning of the room. There was some blood on her robe, but her eyes were bright. ‘You have seen it?’ said the Healer tentively. Lupin nodded.‘Yes...’ said the Healer vaguely. ‘You’ve seen what happened... It was a lot of work to heal all those wounds, and-’ ‘What is the Instrument?’ interruped Tonks suddenly. The Healer blinked. ‘You have heard the Death Eathers, haven’t you?’ continioud Lupin. There were a few moments of silence.‘Yes, I have,’ said the Healer finally. ‘But I’m as suprised about that Instrument as you are... I really haven’t heard anything about it.’ ‘But you have told the Aurors about it already?’ asked Tonks impatiently. ‘No, that isn’t-’ began the Healer. ‘Allright,’ said Tonks quickly, ‘than we just have a little trip to the Ministry, won’t we, Remus?’ They walked back to the room of Stella and David. The Healer began to talk very quickly: ‘I really don’t know about that Instrument, and I doubt if anyone else knows. I have talked to serveral people who should have known about it, if it exists. But I hope you would find out.’ She stopped for the door of the bitten children. ‘There are some things you should know about David and Stella,’ she said, on normal voice, and lent against the door. ‘Stella can be paranoide. I think she is tramatised because of what happened to her. She also has horrible dreams. About werewolves, of course, but also strange things… burning houses, blue lightning, snakes... She wakes up, terrified, screaming and sweating…’ ‘And, what does Freud says about it?’asked Tonks lightly. The Healer looked irritated. ‘Anyway, don’t underestimate Stella. She’s a bright girl. I know she lookes young... but she’s nine years old.’ Lupin frowned. He didn’t expected that she was that old already. ‘David,’ continioud the Healer,‘is a bit of a dreamer. He loves books and can be absent-minded. He goes to Hogwarts this year. If Minerva opens the school, of course. And I heard that he has got a lot of magical talent. He could let plates soar in the air, completely under controle, when he was just six years old. He can do a lot of things without wand. He hasn’t got a wand, he has to buy it yet. And...’ Her voice became a wisper, so Tonks and Lupin bend forwards. ‘And I think he is an empath.’ Tonks looked impressed. ‘He sounds like a real wizard already! Incredible!’ The Healer looked worried.‘Yes... but I’m afraid… with so much power already... Things can get wrong, you know. Especially-’ ‘Dark wizards,’ completed Tonks. ‘Yes. But who expects a child werewolve to have so much talent? Who would want to get David on the other side when he is just 11 years old?’ *** ‘We are almost there,’ said Tonks. She was staring out of the window. They were sitting in a train. Stella and David sat beside each other, Lupin and Tonks in front of them. David was frowning for no clearly reason, his hand under his chin, looking out of the window. Stella had been examining Lupin and Tonks, with curiousity, as well as suspiciously. ‘I’m looking forward,’said Stella with enthousiasm. David didn’t said anything. The train stopped and they walked out of it, Lupin carrying the suitcases and Tonks holding the hands of the children, preventing to lose them in the multitude. ‘Why is it so crowded?’ asked Stella. It was the first thing she said. Tonks looked suprised, and turned around to look at her. ‘We don’t know exactly,’ she said honestly. They walked through the long street, took another street, and another. The great, modern buildings became more old and dirty while they walked. The mass of people slowely disapperead and replaced for a few, separated man and woman in torn and old clothes. But when they took the last street, police cars were driving fast, their alarm-signal yelling. People in wizard- of witchrobes were running and screaming, out of the street. They heard children and babies cry, and the breaking of glass. David gasped and Stella trembled. Lupin was dazed of what he saw. In front of them, there was a bunch of Muggles, wizards and witches, and Death Eathers. Most of the Muggles hang upside down in the air, their faces red and terrified. Some of them were flying through the air, smacking to the walls of the old buildings, their body’s bleading. Lupin saw one woman screaming and yelling, when her arms flown into fire. The Death Eathers were laughing, their wands graceful and lightly moving in their hands, making the Muggles cry and suffer. They had the usual white masks upon their face. The wizards and witches were trying to curse the Dark wizards, but they were quickly dived away, laughing. The curses flashed and hit the walls of the buildings. They slowely walked towards the bunch of people. (No one noticed them, they were to busy attacking each other.) But David stopped walking. ‘I’m not crazy,’ he said calmly, although the was clearly terrified. Tonks looked at Lupin. ‘What do we got to do, Remus?’ she said. ‘I’ve got to-’ ‘Work, yeah,’ said Lupin. ‘I go with you.’ Tonks looked suprised. ‘I don’t think so. You stay with David and Stella. You go to their house and stay there.’ Stella looked at Lupin. ‘I think that’ll work best, although I understand you prefer fighting.’ ‘I do not prefer fighting,’ he said, a little angry. He looked at Tonks. ‘I just don’t want you-’ ‘You don’t have to protect me, Remus,’ she said calmly, her eyes gliding over his face. They fell silent for a while, both caught in their own thoughts. ‘We can stay here,’ said David.‘You can both fight. I don’t mind.’ ‘David,’ began Stella. ‘Think, we-’ But then, a Death Eather turned, and saw the four of them. He looked irritated and raised his wand. He said slowely: ‘Para-’ They all froze for half a second, and then Tonks screamed: ‘GO! I handel this!’ The other Death Eaters had noticed them too, and grabbed their wands, angry and irritated, to curse them... Lupin, Stella and David run out of the street, diving away for Death Eather’s spells. The suitcases were heavy, but Lupin didn’t had time to make it himself easier. After a while, they were back again at the train station. The Death Eaters didn’t followed them. Lupin felt really worried about Tonks. What if she didn’t made it? They didn’t even said goodbye... He was caught by his worried thoughts, as the next train already arrived. ‘C’mon, children,’ he said, looking at Stella and David. ‘Back into the train.’ -----------------------------------