Fred and George and the Toilers of Trouble (Year 1) ✔

Chapter 19:5

News of Marcus Flint's brainless attack spread promptly. The twins savored every moment, and chose to embellish the story when others asked for their personal account.

"Yes, he was weeping," they recalled with fondness. "Pleading for his mummy."

"McGonagall tore his scalp clean off when she removed the helmet. Madam Pomfrey just pasted the hair back on," they recounted to someone else. "That's why it looks so homely."

Fred, George, Lee, and Angelina were absolutely teeming with joy as they approached the Ancient Runes classroom, where their second Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson was soon to commence.

"And what could be so funny, I wonder?" came a familiar voice. "Is your brother devising more ridiculous team formations like last year?"

Nymphadora Tonks was standing across the hall from the classroom door, leaning against a statue with her knee raised. Her hands were stuffed firmly into the pockets of her robe. Lee and Angelina looked her over curiously, recognizing the girl at once as the Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.

"Why...could my eyes be deceiving me, George? It's the fabled Puffskein slayer!"

"Oh, I didn't mind that, much. It did taste delicious."

Tonks moved away from the wall and came toward them with an easy step. "Don't worry, one day you'll be smart enough to transfigure a raspberry tart into any number of complex items," she said haughtily. "Or you won't."

The twins looked to one another with a perfect expression of mild astonishment.

"Are you saying there was a tart in there somewhere?" said Fred.

"We assumed it was a delicacy from your part of the world...wherever it is you're from," said George.

"Still delicious, though."

"Quite lovely...yes. Once it was de-boned, of course."

"And de-fluffed."

Tonks glared back at the twins, not knowing how to respond and wholly unaccustomed to their absurdity. Eventually, she thought it best to part ways in silence.

"What was that all about?" asked Angelina blankly, as they watched her walk swiftly down the corridor.

"You weren't the only one sending nasty gifts to the Weasleys this Christmas," said George.

"Oh, for Charlie," Angelina considered, while entering the classroom. "I think she secretly fancies him."

"Tonks? Hardly!" Fred argued with a laugh. "In fact, she might be the one girl in this school who doesn't fancy our fabulously famous brother."

"You're probably right."

The twins waited by the door as their classmates streamed in.

"What was Tonks even doing here, anyway?" George wondered.

"I heard she's waiting to talk to him," said Cedric Diggory, sidling up between the boys and pointing to someone at the far end of the classroom.

There was a peculiar man chatting with Professor Parsimonae. He had quite an inexplicable air to him. From what they could see around the enormous runic stone, he had stringy, dark gray hair and was dressed in a black cloak that looked more tattered than anything the Weasleys owned. As he limped unevenly around Parsimonae's desk, the man rested his weight on a long staff.

"Who is he?" asked Fred, mesmerized.

"They called him Mad-Eye," said Diggory. "Auror from back in the day. The seventh years were talking about him during Quidditch practice. He's here to teach them what it's like out there...fighting evil, and that. Tonks is a sixth year, so she's missing out. I reckon she's angling for a career as an Auror, once her time at Hogwarts has come and gone."