T is for Tonks

Chapter 14 - Horror at the Workplace.

This chapter is quite graphic, with descriptions of blood. I apologize in advance! H x

Slight deviation from the plot of the books, but I feel like Charlie should have come over from Romania after his dad was attacked.

Every member of the Order could tell you exactly where they were when they found out about the tragedy of the attack on Arthur Weasley, on that fateful night in the Department of Mysteries. Sirius had been awake in the kitchen of Grimmauld place. The hour had been unimportant to him, as his days tended to bleed into nights, being in permanent household isolation. Bill Weasley was spending the night with Fleur at her London apartment. She smelt of butter and of the delicate orchid flowers that she kept by the window sill. Tonks had been sat at her desk at The Ministry, knee deep in paperwork and nursing her 5th coffee of the shift. Something bright had flashed past her eyes, and disappeared into Kingsley's office. 

At first Tonks had thought that it was her eyes that were playing tricks on her. She rubbed them tiredly in an attempt to get them to focus, before she realized that it a dog-like Patronus that had just disappeared into the office. Tonks swore liberally and clambered into Kingsley's office tripping over her own bag, which she had carelessly thrown on the floor when she arrived, in the process. Worry fell heavily on her shoulders, recognizing that it was Sirius's patronus.

 Admittedly, her first thought was of Remus, but she realized that it could have been any member of The Order that was in danger. She hurtled into Kingsley's office and threw the door shut behind her. 

Kingsley's office was much different than Mad-Eye's. It was tidy and organised, with an alphabetized shelf of folders and papers suspended from each wall. Tonks was always scared to come into her boss's office, in fear she might cause a minor disaster.  The man in question was sat at his own desk in silence, with his hat in his hands. He looked panicked, shocked even. Tonks could almost see her own reflection in his bald head. 

"Whats going on? Is it something to do with the Order? That was Sirius's Patronus. Is someone hurt?" She rambled at her boss. 

Her heart was racing so loudly, Tonks was sure that it was making the ground between her feet vibrate. Kingsley looked up at her with round, kind eyes. He replaced his hat on his head and stood up from his desk chair. "We have to go Nymphadora. I'll explain on the way." 

Tonks followed the man calmly, as they walked out of his personal office space and into the communal office space, where staff members usually socialized and took their breaks. There were only 2 or 3 other people burning the midnight oil. Passing through the doors into the outside corridors, Kingsley seemed to be making his way to the central elevators. 

"Arthur Weasley was on Duty in the Department of Mysteries this evening. Dumbledore has sent word that there has been an attack on him. Harry had a dream about it. There are already people down there, some of the portraits managed to rouse some staff." Kingsley said in a quiet voice so that they weren't heard.

Tonks felt her heart travel up to her throat. "Shit. Attacked by who?" She asked, but a cautious finger was placed onto her lips by Kingsley as they entered an elevator with another Ministry official. 

Standing in silence, waiting for the elevator to arrive at the desired floor was painful. Her patience wore incredibly thin, and journey that would have taken no more than 30 seconds seemed to take 3 hours. The elevator dinged and the metal gate was drawn back, allowing Tonks and Kingsley to step out. They both instinctively drew out their wands as they got closer to the spot that Arthur was supposed to be guarding. Tonks swallowed, not knowing what to expect, and turned the corridor so that the door came into view. 

Hidden by the people standing around him, was the shredded body of Arthur Weasley. There were pools of crimson all over the black marble tiles that were impossible to avoid stepping in. The smell of torn flesh was vile, but there was no escaping it. Fighting back her sickness, Tonks shooed away the officials that were cloaking his body from view. If she was forced to make a guess, she would have said that Arthur had been attacked by a Dog or a wolf, judging by the deep incisions that seemed to be allover his body.