Young Girl

13- Ministry

Tonks's POV-

"Stay here, please Dora." Sirius begged me as I followed him to the door, "You're not even fully recovered yet, you'll get hurt or...or worse. I don't want to nearly lose you again. You being in a coma was bad enough, I wouldn't be able to manage if I knew you wouldn't wake up."

"I'll be fine." I smiled up at him, briefly wrapping my arms around his neck as Molly opened the door for us, "Worry about yourself, I've only just got my favourite cousin back, okay?"

Snape had recently returned with the news of what had happened in detail. Apparently, the kids had lured Umbridge away and told him they thought Voldemort had kidnapped Sirius. They had already left for London when he returned, so we knew we had to act fast before something really bad happened. Only five people had been there when Snape returned and time was to precious to waste gathering more. So that was how me, Kingsley, Sirius, Mad-eye and Remus found ourselves filing out of the door five minutes later. The pain was still in me, but thankfully starting to fade. However, the prospect of a high charged duel didn't seem particularly inviting to my aching bones.

We lined up on the road outside, still within the Fideleus boundaries so we couldn't be seen. I drew my wand, prepared for a fight. I could still see Sirius sending me imploring glances out of the corner of his eye, but I was already twisting away from the street.

It was in complete chaos when I landed. The kids were completely overpowered, surrounded and held back by Death Eaters around a large archway in the centre of the room. Harry froze and looked over, his hand part way to handing the orb like prophecy over to Malfoy. Some of the Death Eaters reeled back in shock, giving me time to hit the tall, pale man with a curse. I grabbed Ginny and a blonde haired girl from Dolohov, ramming into his chest hard to knock him away (and also as payback for the pain he had forced upon me).

I pushed the two ahead of me round the dais, hurriedly telling them to stay hidden while we dealt with it. As I made my way back up onto the raised area and towards Remus who seemed to be a struggling a bit with the Carrows, Bellatrix spotted me. She instantly stopped her duel with Kingsley, casting a strong shield charm as she took a few steps towards me.

I made my way backwards up the stairs by the edge of the room, constantly checking on Remus and Sirius. My cousin was talking with Harry behind the archway and Remus was still duelling the two, squat, piglike Death Eaters.

"Awww." Bellatrix sneered wickedly, "It's ickle Dora. You had a knight in shining armour to help you last time, where is he now? I have you all to myself, and will kill you for ever crossing me." I took a step back with each of her words, moving faster up the steps so as to gain an advantage. I just about made out Remus stunning Alecto Carrow away below me and smiled quickly before turning my attention back to Bellatrix.

I sent a couple of Stunners at her one after the other, but she blocked them and retaliated before I could do anything more. The jet of green light that flew at me was all to recognisable and for a moment I could have sworn my aunt's eyes flashed red. I ducked before the spell could hit me, sending it crashing into the stone behind, spraying me with debris. Both Sirius and Remus cried out, turning to look up at me. I smiled at them briefly, but the relief was short lived as another soon flew past my ear.

It soon became a fight to the death, the steps cracking beneath her feet as she grew angrier each time her curses failed to hit me. Her face was contorted in fury and concentration each time she hurled spell after spell at me. I knew it couldn't go on forever, my back was already aching from the strain and it had become obvious that I wouldn't win. It seemed Remus was much in the same predicament, so in a split second decision, I hurled a hex at the man he was fighting. Not expecting it, he was thrown backwards and Remus quickly bound him, thanking me with a slight blush tinting his cheeks. I grinned back at him, just missing the blood red curse that soared through the air towards me, accompanied with the scream, "Sinadsinarum!"