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Auriga wasn't happy about having to go to work on the first of September, but the Order had been lucky to get so many Aurors off work for Harry's escort, so here she was at eight-thirty, bidding goodbye to her brother. "For Merlin's sake, don't do anything stupid," she told him as he packed his trunk. "And I want you to focus on your NEWTs, obviously, but don't neglect quidditch."
"Quidditch?" Draco said, standing up with a frown.
"It'll be a good way for you to wind down," Auriga told him. "And I think you need something like that."
"You need to stop worrying," Draco said as he collected all his textbooks up. "I'll write to you, and I've got Harry, and I've given up my aspirations of murdering Dumbledore." They chuckled to themselves a little.
"Is everything alright with you and Harry?" Auriga asked.
"Yes, actually," Draco said, sounding surprised. "I mean, we're both a bit worried about school, and we won't see as much of each other, but we'll figure it out."
Auriga nodded. "And Harry's friends?"
"Getting there," said Draco. "I'm not sure they like me at the best of times, but Granger seems to be dragging Weasley to his senses."
Auriga laughed. "Well, enjoy yourself. You only get to do your sixth year once."
"I know, I know," said Draco as he wrapped his arms around her. "But maybe I'll get to see you - I've heard there'll be Aurors at the school gates."
"That's top secret!" Auriga exclaimed. "I was going to surprise you!"
"Then maybe you should hide your paperwork when you bring it home?" Draco suggested with a grin.
*****
"JACOBS!" yelled Auriga, "Get down!" A jet of green shot over the auror's head as he dropped to the floor, and she swore his hair skimmed it.
"That was..." he stammered, wide eyed as Auriga joined him behind the turned over table, "That was-"
"The killing curse," Auriga finished for him. "And I didn't see where it came from either." The sound of glass shattering from a few rooms over made them both jump.
"Backup," sighed Jacobs, relief sweeping his face, "Thank Merlin."
"I'm going upstairs," Auriga decided, and before Jacobs could do much as stammer, she'd darted out from their hiding place and was heading up the staircase that the inhabitants had escaped up.
She and Jacobs were only supposed to be doing a routine inspection of one of the estates Auriga had listed. This one in particular Auriga knew well, because it was the Avery Manor that she'd been held at. It should have been simple: show up, ask a few questions, have a poke around, and if they have a Dark Mark, report them to have a tail placed on them.
Except it had quickly turned from a routine inspection to a raid, when none other than Aunt Bella had poked her head around the corner to see who was at the door. Jacobs had disarmed Marina Avery, the woman at the door, while Auriga had sent her patronus off for backup. What happened next was a duel between herself and Avery and Jacobs and Bellatrix, which led them through the house. But the both of them were now somewhere upstairs.
The house was unnaturally quiet now as Auriga crept through the familiar hallways, remembering every creaky floorboard from startlingly similar situations when Auriga and her Aunt had tried killing each other for fun. She thought she heard a footstep behind her and whirled around, staring into the long shadows that were being cast by the door frames. By one door in particular there was a shadow moving rhythmically, the curves of it rising and falling with silent breaths.
Auriga steadied herself and cast one last check around. Her heart beat quickly, readying itself for the fight. The hairs on the back of her neck pricked up, and her hands became sweaty. Auriga gripped her wand tighter, the incantation on the very top of her tongue.
She leaped from her position in the corridor, aiming her wand through the doorway. "STUPEFY!"
The woman gasped and dived to the side just in time, the spell hitting the wall behind her. She retaliated with a silent disarming spell, which Auriga blocked before attacking once more, "Duro!" said Auriga, aiming for the space just to her left.
It was a risk, as the woman could just as easily jumped to the right, but Auriga had been correct, the woman stepped into the space, and the spell hit her knee, turning her to stone where she stood. Auriga allowed herself to grin a little, but her smile faded when she saw it was Marina Avery, and not her Aunt.
As if on cue, a cackle echoed down the corridor, followed by a shout and a series of thuds. A crack filled the air as someone disapparated. Auriga poked her head round the corner to see an auror stood there, frowning at an empty space. He jumped when Auriga emerged, but relaxed when he saw who it was.
"I'm fine, Jacobs," came the voice of Nymphadora Tonks, "I just fell."
"You fell down the stairs?" teased Auriga, as the violet-haired witch emerged up the steps, shortly followed by a far greater worse-for-wear Jacobs.
Tonks grinned, "Shut up," she said playfully. "Bellatrix disapparated. Fired something at me as she did."
"She's got it in for you, she has," said the other auror that Auriga didn't know the name of. Tonks attempted to look at Auriga, but she looked away. An exchanged look wouldn't go unnoticed. "I'm sure of it."
"What happened to the other one?" Jacobs asked Auriga, joining her side as he mopped at his bloody nose.
"I've got her immobilised in here," said Auriga, indicating the room she'd come from. "No Dark Mark, but she definitely attacked."
"And was harbouring a fugitive," Jacobs pointed out.
"Very true," said Auriga as she led the way.
"A-very true," said Tonks, earning a chuckle from the other auror and Jacobs. Auriga just rolled her eyes with a grin.