The Nightmare Man

Chapter Fifteen Part Two

"What?"

"People are starting to hear about the village too. Someone at the Ministry is sharing too many damn details."

"Arseholes!"

"Watch it, you're an Auror. Could be a fellow."

"You're also an Auror."

"Retired," Moody replied.

"Yeah? Minister Fudge didn't treat you as such."

"Less chatter, more guarding."

"We're at St Mungo's. There are guards as you enter. What's the worst things that can happen? I mean, Skeeter's pretty bad but we can deal with her."

Moody didn't answer, and then a healer opened the door to the girl's room.

"Lucy is tired," she said, "and she's had a long day and night. So how about you come inside, but don't excite her?"

Moody ushered Tonks in, and closed the doors. Lucy was in the lone bed, lying with her back towards them. Tonks leaned back against the wall next to the door. Someone was arguing down the hall.

"How long do we have to stay here?" she asked Moody.

"As long as we need to," Moody replied. "Don't go rushing out to meet your own death without reason."

They spoke quietly to not disturb Lucy.

"You knew Kingsley," Tonks whispered. "You saw what was done to him. What the Nightmare Lord ordered them to do."

"Yes. We avenged him, and look where that led us. We need to be more careful about that Nightmare Lord. Voldemort was bad enough before the other came along."

The arguing outside grew louder, and a bit closer. There was an edge of panic in one of the voices, and Tonks tightened her grip on her wand. But before she could leave, Moody put a hand on her arm.

"I'll see what's going on out there," he said. "You have people to protect in here."

Tonks relented, and nodded, stepping back and putting herself between the room and the door, shielding the healers and Lucy. Moody opened the door, stepped out, and then reached for his wand. Tonks moved her hand, showing her wand.

"No fighting inside of the hospital!" one of the healers said.

"Listen here—" Tonks began.

But she didn't get to finish before magic pulled at them all. She and the healers were dragged out of the room and slammed up against the wall, Moody following shortly after them. Their wands clattered onto the floor.

Lucy came out of the room as they struggled against the invisible force. The arguing had stopped.

"Who was it?!" Tonks said.

"Nothing, there was nothing! More… a decoy!" Moody fought against the grip. "Why is no one sounding any alarms?!"

Why indeed. The hospital was quiet, aside from them. Lucy tilted her head and said: