𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘹𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳

10. Your secrets

"No, you have to kill me first!" Harry declared, trying not to be scared.

"Then you left us no choice", he said, "Avada-"

"BOMBARDO!" someone cried, followed by a huge explosion. It was Tonks, she had blood all over her face.

"Ahh, Nymphadora, " Lucius sneered, "What a pleasant meeting, Narcissa must be happy to see you, I recall she wanted to kill you herself, I'm afraid that I can't grant her wish."

Before Lucius had time to react, she screamed, "Confundo!"

"Lucius?" the three Death Eaters loosened their grip on Susan.

Harry used the opportunity to fire more curses, "Diffindo, Immobulus, Oppugno!"

Some of them got hit, by the time, Roldolphus Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, and Amycus Carrow completely released Susan. 

"Impedimenta!" she yelled, slowing Mr. Malfoy's wand movement.

"Nice one Susan!" Harry shouted between curses.

A huge fight broke out...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The breakfast table in the Great Hall was crowded on January 20, 1997, all the students were reading the Daily prophet:

Attack at Hogsmeade

Last day(January 19, 1997) Hogsmeade had faced a tremendous attack. Our reporter sighted the collapse of Madam Puddifoot's Tea shop. A Hufflepuff student Megan Jones said to us" Before it happened, I saw a very bright flash of yellow light, I had a feeling something bad was going to happen, so I ran. I saw Death Eaters from a far distance, then I found out that light is an explosion, it kept the Death Eaters away, I don't know if it's by magic." We asked her more questions but she wished not to answer.

Harry turned the paper to the next page:

Another break-out from Azkaban

He-who-mush-not-be-named's highest-ranked Death Eaters broke out from Azkaban yesterday. It's presumed that they did it in order to kill Mr. Harry Potter. Their attempt, however, was unsuccessful, it resulted in Mr. Potter and his friend Susan Bones escaping. The Ministry is trying our best to capture You-know who's Death Eaters, we hope that you will provide us support and trust our ability. A Slytherin student who would like to remain anonymous spoke to us as a witness, "It was so scary! They were chasing me, and unleashing deadly curses, thank goodness they didn't recognize me, or I'll be dead. And I'm happy to say that Mr. Potter isn't in trouble."  

"Wonder who is that Slytherin student?" said Hermione, seating herself right across Harry.

"I dunno, Sryzerns ar sneaky, who know if zey're teing de trus, s yu wwetter mot trust 'em." Ron mumbled, mouth full of food.

"Sorry, I didn't that, can you repeat it?"

"I said Slytherins are sneaky, who knows if they're saying the truth, so we better not trust them." 

"Excuse me?" said a familiar voice, " My mum is a Slytherin, professor Slughorn is a Slytherin, and don't forget Merlin, he's in Slytherin too!"

"Oh," Ron's cheeks burned, "Sorry Tonks, I didn't-"

She cut him off, "No, those stereotypes must be stopped. Sure, Voldemort, Bellatrix, Lucius, and Narcissa are in Slytherins, that doesn't mean all Slytherins are like them."

"I-"

"Name 5 good Slytherin traits."

He thought for a while, "Ambition...Cleverness...resourcefulness...leadership...and...and..." 

"And what?"

Ron was saved by a loud voice from the window, "Ron, Hermione, I need help with something, can you come with me for a while?" Susan. She was still scared by what happened yesterday, but she does have a smirk on her lips. Harry groaned, she must be plotting something. Ron raced towards Susan, soon Hermione followed him.

Harry had never seen Tonks act like this before, she was always kind, clumsy, and funny, he never thought there was a serious and no-nonsense side of her, except the time they took the Knight Bus to go to Hogwarts last year.

January 1996

"Come on, the quicker we get on the bus the better," said Tonks, and Harry thought there was nervousness in the glance she threw around the square. Lupin flung out his right arm. 

BANG. 

A violently purple, triple-decker bus had appeared out of thin air in front of them, narrowly avoiding the nearest lamppost, which jumped backward out of its way. 

A thin, pimply, jug-eared youth in a purple uniform leaped down onto the pavement and said, "Welcome to the —" 

"Yes, yes, we know, thank you," said Tonks swiftly. "On, on, get on —"

 And she shoved Harry forward toward the steps, past the conductor, who goggled at Harry as he passed. 

" 'Ere — it's 'Arry — !"

"If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion," muttered Tonks menacingly, now shunting Ginny and Hermione forward. 

"Dora?"

"Hmm?"

"Why don't you show more of the Auror side of you?"

She twirled her hair, "Do you me to show that side?"

"I don't know, I mean, no matter what you're showing, you are always attractive," said Harry, but quickly sensing the awkwardness, as he decided to change his last word"Uhh No, not attractive, maybe nice and funny?"

She giggled, "I may seem pretty and all that but it's the way I fool everyone."

"WHAT?" Harry became alerted by her words.

"Only joking, haha!" she began to laugh, "Oh, and by the way, my mum will be visiting us this afternoon."

"If it has anything to do with me-"

"It's all about you! She waited for years to see you again! And another reason is that mum is not happy with the fact I didn't keep you safe." 

"I'm sorry I didn't listen when you told us to leave..." Harry apologized to her, hoping he will be forgiven.

"There is nothing to forgive, speaking of which, here's the diary you wanted." She took out the notebook, "The last page is covered with mud, I can't fix it."

"Diaries has its own magic," said Luna, at the Ravenclaw table. "I'll come over." She ran to where Harry and Tonks sat, her dirty-blond hair flew high with the wind.

Luna started to explain in her usual dreamy voice, "When a diary is owned by someone else, it's gifted with a special power: a protection."

"I don't understand-"

"Me either," said Luna, "You have to figure out the rest by yourself." She went back to the Ravenclaws.

"What are the protections Luna said?" Tonks asked.

"No idea."

"Last question, you and Susan aren't really dating, are you?" she said in a very quiet voice, in all of a sudden, Harry didn't know what to say. Why would he ask questions like that? Was it possible she already knew everything? 

"Don't answer if you don't want." Tonks went on, "You have secrets too."

Recommendation: This time I want to recommend a story that honors her, please go read It's A Hard Life written by ash_hsww. I'm currently reading a Narcissa/Reader story, I may recommend it in the next chapter.