Fic: Unmasked
Jan. 17th, 2016 06:45 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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rt_moreloveAuthor/Artist: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
arctic_comet
Title: Unmasked
Rating & Warnings: PG-13 to be safe, angst, some violence
Word Count: 980
Prompt(s):
#2 Almost
#24 ‘“This is....not the moment to discuss it,” said Lupin, avoiding everybody’s eyes as he looked around distractedly. “Dumbledore is dead....”
‘“Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world,” said Professor McGonagall curtly...’
―J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Summary: End of HBP. Tonks realizes that sometimes you need to give up even when you know you're right. When that happens, it's up to Remus to pick up the pieces.
Notes: I've barely had time to read a single fic posted for this event, but I promise I'll get to them asap <3
Smoke and dust were everywhere around Tonks, who could barely see who she was duelling. She heard a scream that sounded a lot like Bill, but couldn't spot him.
The Death Eater she was battling went down unconscious and she moved on, trying to scan her surroundings for her friends as well as any remaining enemies. Suddenly her foot caught on a piece of debris, and she went down, losing the grip on her wand. Before she could relocate it, she smelled rotten flesh and a heavy, sweaty figure pinned her hand to her side and planted himself on top of her.
Greyback. She told herself not to show any fear to this animal, who had killed and tormented so many, including Remus. She would not become another one of his victims.
The werewolf sniffed her and let out a raspy laugh.
"You're that traitor Lupin's little Auror. I'm going to enjoy ripping your throat, but first I think we have a bit of time to play," sneered Greyback, his face barely an inch from hers.
The stench was nauseating and she felt bile rising into her throat. Taking in a deep breath, she spat straight into Greyback's eyes. He growled, releasing one of her arms momentarily to rub his eyes. She sank her fist into his abdomen, making him shrink away from her a bit, but it wasn't enough.
Greyback recovered fast and slapped her across the face, before taking hold of both her arms again. She gasped at the impact, trying to stay conscious. If she could only get him to move a bit more, she could knee him in the groin, giving her a chance to scramble for her wand.
Next she may have heard someone yelling and as well as an angry growl, but she had no idea what was really happening until a figure had launched itself onto Greyback's back. The werewolf didn't budge at first, but then she heard the sound of a fist hitting bone, and Greyback slumped forward. She made an attempt to push the limp body off her, but only succeeded when someone else pulled him off of her and she could scramble back onto her feet.
She was at the same time both stunned and not at all surprised to see Remus picking up her wand from the ground and holding it out to her. He was white as a sheet and shaking his bruised fist, but his eyes were burning and he was panting. She took the wand, feeling much more confident.
"Are you all right?" He asked, his shaking hands landing on her shoulders.
"Yeah," she replied, still stunned that Remus had attacked Greyback without a wand. Her knees nearly buckled, the exhaustion of the last year threatening to overcome her. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms and forget anything else existed, but the battle was still raging on and they had a job to do. There would be time for her to break down later.
"Is your hand all right?" She asked with a disbelieving laugh, nodding at his right fist.
He smiled at her for what had to be the first time since the previous summer.
"It was worth it," he answered quietly, daring to meet her eyes for barely a second.
***
Maybe Remus had a point, that this wasn't the right time. Even so, she knew it wasn't only Dumbledore's death- devastating as it was- that had made him say it, but the fact that she'd brought it up in front of everyone, especially Harry. Somehow he was so ashamed of himself that he didn't want Harry to know about them. Knowing how important the boy was to him, the realisation broke her heart.
Taking a side-ward glance at Remus standing next to her against the wall of the Hospital Wing, she sighed. Dumbledore's death did change things. They were both needed by the Order now more than ever, they had to be able to work together again. The arguments had to stop. She still knew she was right, even more so after tonight, but she'd have to let go, at least temporarily. All her life she had always looked at the positives rather than the negatives, but if her involvement with Remus had taught her anything, it was that not everyone could accept the good things in their life.
Of course there was no guarantee that they'd be alive after the war, but as far as she could see, their best chance was to work together and hope for the best. Nevertheless, she had to accept that maybe her and Remus would end up being one of those things that almost happened. A wasted chance of something good, perhaps the only one they'd ever get.
Remus had saved her earlier that night, and she had only almost been killed by Greyback. Next time she might not be so lucky.
When Bill at last began to stir and asked for Fleur, she knew it was her time to go. She should find Dawlish, Savage and Proudfoot and ask if there was something she could do, even without her powers. The loss of her abilities still stung after all these months, as they had always been a part of her, but what was else could she do but adjust? At least now she no longer had to worry about Remus endangering himself with the other werewolves, and maybe her powers would even come back. She could almost believe it.
After saying goodnight to the Weasleys and Fleur, she strode out into the dimly lit corridor. Suddenly a hand closed over her arm, gentle but firm. She turned around to find a nervous-looking Remus.
"Please wait, Tonks," he pleaded, his weary eyes full of regret, as well as something else. She had almost forgotten what hope looked like, but only almost.
arctic_cometTitle: Unmasked
Rating & Warnings: PG-13 to be safe, angst, some violence
Word Count: 980
Prompt(s):
#2 Almost
#24 ‘“This is....not the moment to discuss it,” said Lupin, avoiding everybody’s eyes as he looked around distractedly. “Dumbledore is dead....”
‘“Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world,” said Professor McGonagall curtly...’
―J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Summary: End of HBP. Tonks realizes that sometimes you need to give up even when you know you're right. When that happens, it's up to Remus to pick up the pieces.
Notes: I've barely had time to read a single fic posted for this event, but I promise I'll get to them asap <3
Smoke and dust were everywhere around Tonks, who could barely see who she was duelling. She heard a scream that sounded a lot like Bill, but couldn't spot him.
The Death Eater she was battling went down unconscious and she moved on, trying to scan her surroundings for her friends as well as any remaining enemies. Suddenly her foot caught on a piece of debris, and she went down, losing the grip on her wand. Before she could relocate it, she smelled rotten flesh and a heavy, sweaty figure pinned her hand to her side and planted himself on top of her.
Greyback. She told herself not to show any fear to this animal, who had killed and tormented so many, including Remus. She would not become another one of his victims.
The werewolf sniffed her and let out a raspy laugh.
"You're that traitor Lupin's little Auror. I'm going to enjoy ripping your throat, but first I think we have a bit of time to play," sneered Greyback, his face barely an inch from hers.
The stench was nauseating and she felt bile rising into her throat. Taking in a deep breath, she spat straight into Greyback's eyes. He growled, releasing one of her arms momentarily to rub his eyes. She sank her fist into his abdomen, making him shrink away from her a bit, but it wasn't enough.
Greyback recovered fast and slapped her across the face, before taking hold of both her arms again. She gasped at the impact, trying to stay conscious. If she could only get him to move a bit more, she could knee him in the groin, giving her a chance to scramble for her wand.
Next she may have heard someone yelling and as well as an angry growl, but she had no idea what was really happening until a figure had launched itself onto Greyback's back. The werewolf didn't budge at first, but then she heard the sound of a fist hitting bone, and Greyback slumped forward. She made an attempt to push the limp body off her, but only succeeded when someone else pulled him off of her and she could scramble back onto her feet.
She was at the same time both stunned and not at all surprised to see Remus picking up her wand from the ground and holding it out to her. He was white as a sheet and shaking his bruised fist, but his eyes were burning and he was panting. She took the wand, feeling much more confident.
"Are you all right?" He asked, his shaking hands landing on her shoulders.
"Yeah," she replied, still stunned that Remus had attacked Greyback without a wand. Her knees nearly buckled, the exhaustion of the last year threatening to overcome her. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms and forget anything else existed, but the battle was still raging on and they had a job to do. There would be time for her to break down later.
"Is your hand all right?" She asked with a disbelieving laugh, nodding at his right fist.
He smiled at her for what had to be the first time since the previous summer.
"It was worth it," he answered quietly, daring to meet her eyes for barely a second.
***
Maybe Remus had a point, that this wasn't the right time. Even so, she knew it wasn't only Dumbledore's death- devastating as it was- that had made him say it, but the fact that she'd brought it up in front of everyone, especially Harry. Somehow he was so ashamed of himself that he didn't want Harry to know about them. Knowing how important the boy was to him, the realisation broke her heart.
Taking a side-ward glance at Remus standing next to her against the wall of the Hospital Wing, she sighed. Dumbledore's death did change things. They were both needed by the Order now more than ever, they had to be able to work together again. The arguments had to stop. She still knew she was right, even more so after tonight, but she'd have to let go, at least temporarily. All her life she had always looked at the positives rather than the negatives, but if her involvement with Remus had taught her anything, it was that not everyone could accept the good things in their life.
Of course there was no guarantee that they'd be alive after the war, but as far as she could see, their best chance was to work together and hope for the best. Nevertheless, she had to accept that maybe her and Remus would end up being one of those things that almost happened. A wasted chance of something good, perhaps the only one they'd ever get.
Remus had saved her earlier that night, and she had only almost been killed by Greyback. Next time she might not be so lucky.
When Bill at last began to stir and asked for Fleur, she knew it was her time to go. She should find Dawlish, Savage and Proudfoot and ask if there was something she could do, even without her powers. The loss of her abilities still stung after all these months, as they had always been a part of her, but what was else could she do but adjust? At least now she no longer had to worry about Remus endangering himself with the other werewolves, and maybe her powers would even come back. She could almost believe it.
After saying goodnight to the Weasleys and Fleur, she strode out into the dimly lit corridor. Suddenly a hand closed over her arm, gentle but firm. She turned around to find a nervous-looking Remus.
"Please wait, Tonks," he pleaded, his weary eyes full of regret, as well as something else. She had almost forgotten what hope looked like, but only almost.
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