Chapter 10

We popped in to see Tonks but she was thankfully asleep. Her face was a mess of cuts and bruises, though, and an egg-sized lump was clearly visible on her left temple. Whoever attacked her had been brutal.

Outside for a quick smoke, I turned to Ron. “The thing I don't understand is how she escaped. She's got no cuts or scrapes or torn fingernails to suggest she fought back, so it doesn't make sense for her to have gotten away from her attacker and have escaped through the Floo.”

“Yeah, I thought about that too,” he answered thoughtfully. “I'm wondering if maybe the attacker hit her so hard that instead of waking up, she was knocked unconscious, and then when she woke up and realized what had happened, she left then?”

“But is that likely? With injuries like that, to have been unconscious only for such a short time, and then wake up mobile?” I asked.

“Not sure, but we can check with the mediwizards,” he said.

We trudged back inside and met with Healer Lovelace, the mediwizard overseeing Tonks. “Healer Lovelace, we were wondering if you would be able to tell us anything you think that could help us understand how Tonks got here,” Ron asked.

“All we know is that she Flooed here under her own power, severely beaten and barely conscious. She was able to tell us she was attacked while she was asleep, then she called out the name of her son and a Harry before falling unconscious,” Healer Lovelace answered.

“That corroborates what we know, but sir, what we don't understand is what could possibly explain how she got away. Is it possible that the attacker thought she was dead and escaped, only for her to wake up and Floo here?” I pressed.

“It's certainly possible,” the man said. “Or perhaps she knew her attacker, and so she wasn't immediately afraid of him. I'm terribly sorry; I'm late for rounds. If you'll excuse me?”

After he walked away, Ron and I exchanged dark glances, knowing instantly what each other was thinking. This information certainly wouldn't make me look better in Robards's eyes.

“Harry, you know I have to tell him,” Ron said quietly, his eyes holding mine.

“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “I know. You're just doing your job.”

Ron exhaled. “Look, if you need anything … maybe you should take a leave of absence, just for a little while. I know you; you've got tons of vacation days stored up.”

“I can't go anywhere. Not unless this whole thing is solved,” I spat.

“Not saying you have to take a holiday, Harry, just lay low for a while, stay out of Robards' way. I'm sure he doesn't really think it's you, but you know these sorts of things have to be handled properly unless we want the bastard doing this to walk on a technicality,” Ron said.

“No, that we don't,” I said mechanically. “Fine. I'll go back with you and get some stuff from my office.”

I talked to Robards briefly. I thought he seemed relieved to have me gone for a while, and to be honest, I was too. I could do better work if I wasn't under constant supervision. Grabbing a small box, I hastily threw papers and files into it – anything that I thought was related to Tonks's case, Teddy, or the Malfoys. Everything else could bloody well wait. Shrinking it down and putting it in the pocket of my robes, I stopped quickly by Ron's office to tell him I was on official leave. He nodded, lips tightening, and promised to keep me informed. Thank Merlin for small favors.

Once home, though, I sank onto the couch, mind whirling. There was too much information in my head, and none of it pointing me in the right direction. But I swore to myself that leave or no leave, I wouldn't rest until I knew what was going on.

Three days passed by, three days of constant cigarettes and little bathing, of eating cold leftovers from dinners past and half a bottle of Firewhisky, and of absolutely no new ideas. Tonks wasn't awake enough yet to talk, and frankly, I wasn't sure how she would react to me being there. The box from my office sat untouched in the pocket of the robes that I hadn't bothered to hang up. And so, I sat and kindled a fire in the evenings only to watch it burn to ashes, and then I would start it all over again.

But on the fourth morning, I woke up a little more clear-headed. Stretching and yawning, I rubbed my eyes blearily and wondered when I'd last showered – a real shower and not a quick Cleansing Charm – or even brushed my teeth. I trudged upstairs and tried to relax under the warm stream of water, then donned fresh clothes. The downstairs was a mess. Not for the first time, I thanked Molly Weasley silently for her knowledge of household charms and set the place to rights with a few muttered words. Today was Halloween, and it was time to get back to work.

I unearthed the tiny box of papers from my office and took it to my desk. Wand at the ready, I sent papers flying. In one corner went all the files from the Malfoy case, in another everything related to Teddy, and in the center all the information I had on Tonks. Fixing myself a pot of strong tea, I took it and some reheated sausages back to the library, resolving to read everything over yet again. Maybe there was some small detail I had missed. Unlikely, given that I practically had everything memorized, but worth a shot.

Morning turned into afternoon, and afternoon turned into night, and I had taken breaks only to grab another greasy carton of Chinese takeaway and for a quick piss or three. Still, nothing was coming to mind. Nothing seemed new, nothing was showing any promise. Frustrated, I kicked the box that I had brought with me from the office and jumped out of my skin when it rattled.

That's funny, I thought to myself. I thought all I had grabbed were my papers … I bent down and righted the box, startled to see a Muggle pen fall out. Must have been one of those pens Ron and I were using when we were in France investigating Draco's death. I grabbed it to throw it up onto my desk, but with a sickening swirl, I was yanked into myself.