Chapter Text
The sitting room at Sirius's house was tense. Around the table, Order members sat with serious expressions. Sirius and Moony sat close together, their faces set like stone as they listened to Dumbledore outline the mission. Their intertwined hands rested on the table.
"The Cerens Amulet," Dumbledore began, his voice grave, "is a relic we cannot afford to let fall into Voldemort's hands. It amplifies offensive magic exponentially but at a great cost to the user. If wielded by one of his Death Eaters... the consequences would be catastrophic."
I leaned forward, my brows knitted in concentration. "Where is it?"
"A remote village in the Scottish Highlands," Dumbledore replied. "The amulet is hidden in an abandoned manor house, heavily warded to deter intruders. Recent reports suggest Death Eaters have begun searching for it. We must act quickly."
"Who's going?" Sirius asked. His hand grasped Moony's tighter.
Dumbledore's gaze settled on me. "Miss Lupin-Black will lead the mission."
"Absolutely not!" Sirius slammed his free hand on the table. "She is not going alone."
"She won't be," Dumbledore assured him. "Tonks will accompany her. However, Alec's Animagus form makes her uniquely suited for this mission. As a wolf, she can scout the area almost undetected and bypass many of the wards the Death Eaters are likely setting up. And Tonks can change her appearance to blend in."
Remus's hand gripped Sirius's hand tightly, though his own jaw was tight with concern. "Dumbledore, she's just recovered from the ordeal at the Ministry."
I cut through the growing argument. "I'm fine," I said firmly. "This isn't up for debate. If I'm the best person for the job, then I'm going."
"Cub..." Remus began, but I held up a hand.
"I'll be with Tonks," I reassured them. "We'll check in when we can, and I'll take every precaution. I promise."
Sirius's matching grey stormy eyes bore into mine, but he knew better than to argue. He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "If anything happens..."
"It won't," I said softly. "I'll come back. I always do."
"I understand you want her on the job because of her Animagus form," Bill said to Dumbledore. "But her white fur will gather attention."
"Oh, William." I sighed with a smile. "Have you met me? I can do anything."
Sirius chuckled. "She sure can."
Before I left for the mission with Tonks, I stopped by the twins' place. The shop was still open, a dozen or so people scanning the contents of the shop. Verity was at the register and waved at me when she saw me.
"They're in the back."
"Thanks." I smiled and headed to the backroom.
I smiled when I saw them at work. George was sitting on the floor, his legs spread out in front of him. He was rubbing some waxy, colourful material in his hands, making tiny balls from it before dropping it in a liquid-filled cauldron.
Fred sat on the windowsill, his legs drawn up. A notepad rested on his knees as he scribbled furiously on it.
I leaned against the doorframe watching them.
"The purple turns rock hard," George said and Fred wrote something down. "Yellow melts down." Another note. "Green, pink and blue looks promising."
"Good," Fred murmured. "That's good."
They were working hard but it was obvious they had a void in them. They can smile and joke again, but they would never be the same.
"What are you working on?" I asked and they both startled.
"Just messing around," George said and stood up, stretching before he came over and gave me a soft kiss. Then Fred did the same.
"You didn't say you were stopping by," Fred said. And that hurt. They never minded me coming over without telling them, they used to love it. The hurt must have crossed over my face because he stepped closer. George glared at his twin. "Alec, that's not what I -"
I stepped back and looked at the wall. "No, that's - I'm sorry, I should have let you know something before popping over."
It's been a month since school started again. And in that month, I'd seen them once in private. They had been busy with the shop. I had been busy with Order meetings and Alexander. But when we saw each other, they were sweet but distant.
"I'm going on a mission for the Order. I'll be gone for a while."
George's finger tips my chin, so I met his eyes. "What's a while?"
"A week, at least."
He swallowed harshly. "Is it about the amulet?" The twins had been in several meetings when they could get away from their work, so they knew the gist.
"Yes, I'm going with Tonks. We leave tonight."
Fred ran a hand through his hair. "You can't go."
"Excuse me?" I asked with a raised brow.
"We already lost Ron, we can't lose you too. I can't lose you."
"We are in a war, Fred. We are all in danger. And if I can stop them, I will." I stepped closer to him, intertwining my fingers with his. "I love you but I have to go." I took George's hand too and placed their hands against my chest, right over the mark. "This right here protects me, protects us. And have you forgotten..." I tilted my head. "I'm quite a duelling master."
"We can never forget, Fae." They kissed my temple.
"Please be careful and come back to us," Fred whispered.
"I will. I will always come back to you."
After days of scoping out the town and the manor the amulet should be in, Tonks and I decided it was time to make a move. Before they could sense trouble and take it to another spot and we needed to start over again.
The wind whipped against my face as I sprinted through the dense forest, my paws silent against the soft earth. My fur had shifted to a dappled grey and green, perfectly mimicking the shadows and leaves around me. The potion I created worked perfectly, Moony had been amazed when he saw my fur change to match the furniture in our house. The potion would wear off in six hours before I needed to drink it again to keep the effects working. It took me a few tries to get the right compound. When there was too much knotgrass, made my skin itch furiously. A drop
Every sense was heightened. I could hear the distant rustle of wind through the trees, and smell the faint scent of wood smoke from the village below.
The village came into view, stone cottages nestled in a valley, surrounded by large trees that were changing colours. Smoke curled from chimneys, but the streets were eerily empty.
I crouched low behind a bush, my sharp wolf eyes picking up any subtle signs of movement. A pair of figures in dark cloaks were near the edge of the village, their wands drawn. Death Eaters.
My hackles rose instinctively, but I forced myself to stay calm. Changing back into my human form, I pressed my enchanted mirror close to my lips and whispered, "Tonks, we've got company."
Her voice crackled through the mirror. "How many?"
"Two, patrolling the outskirts. The village itself looks quiet, but I don't trust it."
"Neither do I. Stay put. I'm on my way."
I slipped silently to the ground, crouching behind a cluster of bushes as I kept an eye on the Death Eaters. My pulse raced as I considered our next move. The artefact wasn't in the village; it was in the manor house beyond the woods. But clearing the path would be crucial.
Tonks appeared moments later, her usual playful demeanour replaced with focused determination. She crouched beside me, her wand at the ready. "What's the plan?"
"We need to take them out quietly," I whispered. "We can't risk them alerting the others."
Tonks nodded, and together we crept closer. I raised my wand, my movements were precise and deliberate. A silent Stunning Spell hit the first Death Eater square in the chest, and he crumpled to the ground. Tonks dispatched the second just as swiftly before he even figured out what had happened to his partner.
"Nice work," Tonks muttered, as we dragged the unconscious bodies into the underbrush. "Let's move."
The manor loomed ahead, its crumbling façade illuminated by the moonlight. We approached cautiously. There was no movement outside as far as I could see.
"Can you sense the entry point?" Tonks asked.
I closed my eyes, letting my Animagus instincts guide me. Or maybe it was remnants of the wolf that attacked me. Whatever it was the heightened connection to magic allowed me to detect the faint gaps in the wards. "There," I said, pointing to a side entrance partially hidden by overgrown ivy.
Tonks grinned. "Lead the way, oh fearless leader."
I chuckled softly as we made our way to the manor.
The wards parted for us as I whispered a series of counter-spells, and we slipped inside. The wards were easy to break through. That could mean two things. First, it might have been a trap. Second, the Death Eaters were stupider than we thought. Let's hope for the latter.
The air inside the manor was cold and damp, smelling faintly of mould and decay. There was no electricity, so we lit up our wands.
"Stay close," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "This place feels... wrong."
As we moved deeper into the house, we found signs of a struggle. Scorch marks from spellfire marred the walls and shattered old furniture littered the floor. The Death Eaters had been here, and recently. But the furniture and decorations looked old and worn.
"The amulet should be in the room ahead," I murmured, glancing at the map Dumbledore had provided.
We turned a corner and froze. Two more Death Eaters stood outside a heavy wooden door, their eyes scanning the corridor. Tonks and I exchanged a quick look, then struck simultaneously. Tonks's Disarming Charm sent one Death Eater's wand clattering to the floor, while my Stunning Spell knocked the other unconscious.
The remaining Death Eater lunged at me, a jet of green light narrowly missing as I dove behind a broken column. Tonks engaged him in a fierce duel, her spells rapid and relentless. I seized the opportunity, shifting briefly into wolf form to dodge another spell, then returned to human form and hit him with a Body-Bind Curse. He collapsed with a thud.
"Nice teamwork," Tonks said, panting slightly.
I grinned. "Let's get this over with."
We pushed open the heavy door, revealing a small chamber with only one piece of furniture in the room. The Cerens Amulet rested on a pedestal at the centre, its surface pulsing with dark magic. My stomach churned as I felt the artefact's power.
"We need to contain it," I said, pulling a specially enchanted bag from my pack. "Don't touch it directly."
As I approached the pedestal the amulet's magic pressed against my mind, trying to draw me in. I took a deep breath, focusing on the bag's protective spells, and carefully lowered it over the talisman. The glow dimmed as the artefact was sealed inside.
"Got it," I said, my voice shaky. "Let's get the hell out of here."
"Can't agree more," Tonks said hurriedly and after one last check, we slipped out of the house.
Tonks and I moved quickly but cautiously, our senses on high alert for any sign of pursuit. I could feel the weight of the artefact in the bag. I tried to ignore the dark aura radiating from the bag and focused on my surroundings. Every crack of a twig made my attention shift. When we were at the edge of the village, Tonks apparated us to our safe house.
The firehouse wasn't much to look at—a small, nondescript stone building nestled deep in the Highlands, abandoned a long time ago. Inside, it was sparse but functional. A single table sat in the centre of the room, surrounded by mismatched chairs, and a few battered cots were pushed up against the walls. Some old fire hoses were on a heap in the corner.
Tonks and I materialized with a sharp crack, both of us immediately scanning the dimly lit room. Satisfied that we were alone, we exhaled in unison.
"That," Tonks muttered, brushing her purple hair out of her face, "went well."
I nodded, setting the sealed bag on the table with care. It did end well. We managed to subdue the Death Eaters rather quickly. The artefact's presence was oppressive, even through the layers of protective spells.
Tonks eyed the bag warily. "I don't like it."
"Yeah. Me neither," I admitted, sitting down. "But at least it's not in the Death Eaters' hands."
She sat across from me, her usually cheerful face drawn with exhaustion. "We'll keep watch until morning, then report to the Order."
I nodded, my fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the table. The quiet between us stretched for a moment. Finally, Tonks broke the silence.
"What do you think it actually does?" she asked, nodding toward the bag.
"Amplifies offensive magic, supposedly," I replied. "But at a cost to the user. Dumbledore said it drains something... life force, maybe. Sounds like the kind of thing Voldemort would salivate over."
Tonks shivered slightly. "I'd rather not find out first-hand." She leaned back in her chair, stretching her legs. "Let's talk about something less doom-and-gloom, yeah? Like... how are you holding up? With everything that's happened."
I blinked at her, surprised by the question. "I'm fine," I said automatically.
She snorted. "Yeah, sure. And I'm the Minister of Magic." Her tone was light, but her eyes were serious. "I know Ron's death hit everyone hard. I wasn't close to him, but... seeing the Weasleys like that, Harry, Hermione, even you—"
"Changed everyone," I finished for her, my voice quieter. "Yeah. It did."
She nodded, her gaze softening. "And the twins? How are they holding up?"
I hesitated, staring at my hands. "They've thrown themselves into the shop. It's... easier for them to keep busy, I guess. They've been distant, though. From me. I haven't seen them much. They join most Order meetings but they don't go on mission. I think it changed after Ron. You remember how Molly was the first few months. I can't imagine what she would do if she lost another child."
"Yeah, I get that." She said quietly. After a while Tonks tilted her head, studying me. "And how are you handling that?"
"I miss them," I admitted, my throat tightening. "But I get it. Everyone grieves differently, and they've always had each other. I just... I don't want to push. I don't want to make it worse."
She was quiet for a moment, then reached across the table to squeeze my hand. "You're good for them, you know. And they're good for you. They'll come back around when they're ready."
I nodded, grateful for her words, though they didn't completely ease the ache in my chest. "What about you?" I asked, shifting the focus. "How are you holding up?"
Tonks let out a dry laugh. "I keep busy. That's my coping mechanism. Missions, training, paperwork—whatever keeps me moving." She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "But it's hard, you know? Watching people you care about go through hell and not being able to fix it."
I gave her a small smile. "You're better at fixing things than you think."
She smiled back, though it was tinged with sadness. "Thanks, Alec."
The topic changed to lighter things. Like how Tonks had spent her time at Hogwarts, and how her Auror training went. She asked me about how it was becoming an Animagus so young and the move from France to the UK.
We didn't sleep. The hours stretched into the early morning as we talked about the smallest and silliest thing before we apparated back to meet with the Order.