Who: Remus & Tonks When: evening, 2 December Where: their flat Rating: G What: tea and a mission
Remus was fretting, and as was his habit, his worry resulted in large amounts of tea. How could he expect people to report to him when he didn't use the information that was right in front of him? He could have told Tonks ages ago, but it hadn't occurred to him, and wasn't that his bloody job? Another cup of tea, another round of pacing about the small kitchen. He'd missed something important, and he didn't know whether that could be remedied.
Apparating directly outside the flat, Tonks balanced precariously in the hall while she attempted to open the door. A crash of limbs and scattered files, and her face was pressed where a welcome mat might've been.
Remus jumped at the crash, then hurried to the door to make certain she hadn't hurt herself. On the other hand, tea was good for comforting the wounded, and he did need help drinking it up before it got cold. "Need a hand?"
Brushing wild locks from her face, Tonks grinned. "A third would definitely set me permanently off balance." Despite her joke, she accepted his aid from the floor, nudging the escaped papers into a pile with her boot, and helping the mess along with her wand once she was properly righted. "Do I smell tea?" Tonks grinned brightly.
"Tea and tea and tea again. Come drink it with me, I've been stupid and I needed something to keep me busy until I could tell you about it."
Gamboling into the kitchen, Tonks rummaged about for her favourite teacup before speaking. "Should I worry?" Her question was pointed, a trace of something dark passing across her features before vanishing again.
"Not just yet. It's more, I may have let an opportunity pass. But I have a little mission for you, if you would like to help me find out." Remus refilled the same cup he'd been using for the past hour, then hers as well.
Tonks peered over the rim of her teacup, steam rising and blurring her features. "Could I say no to you?" She considered. "I suppose it would be crude of me to plead that it involves permanently silencing the mad lovers Lestrange?"
"Mm. Unfortunately, not this time." He spooned sugar into his cup and stirred it idly. "To get straight to the point, I have suspicion that Delores Umbridge has leaked information to the other side, and may still be doing so. I didn't know what more could be done at the time--I had the original information from Percy Weasley, who is of course not obligated to tell me anything, and I couldn't very well set patrols on her at the Ministry. But if you could...hm. I don't suppose she's easy to befriend. Get on her good side, at least? You might be able to keep an eye on her."
"Just one?" Tonks right eye darkened, widening, wrinkles tucked softly in the corners. With a wink the other transformed as well, a sharp, elderly face settling against her own until no semblance of the younger woman remained. When she spoke, her voice was pitched low, a moist warble. "Maybe we'll become fast friends, and I'll be granted the rare privelege of polishing her plate collection."
He could not help but laugh, stressed though he was. "You may have to begin wearing a bow."
Shaking her head, Tonks' own smile returned, followed by her nose and eyes. "There are some lines I am unwilling to cross." She took a sip of her tea, the drink soothing cleansing. "It will be good to be doing, though, even if it means the destestable Umbridge as company. What did Percy have to go on, anyhow? Is it possible she's under the Imperious Curse?"
"It is possible, and in fact, not improbable. I should have thought of that....Percy said, in fact, that she had been acting strangely since the attacks on the Minister's secret meeting, months ago." He made a face. "I'm afraid I let my distaste for the woman cloud my thinking. At any rate, the meeting was what gave him the suspicion--only those present knew it was happening, so one of them must have been the leak. That, and she was apparently exchanging memos with Davis--the portkey bloke--with regards to the Minister's travel. Nothing incriminating, but...suspicious." [00:20] blondetonks: Tonks nodded thoughtfully, settling against the counter. "It might be slow going, as I've the pretense of Auror related investigations in the office. I'll see if Kingsley can cover for me a bit. He'll be dead jealous."
"If only he knew your 'exciting mission' involved dealing with Umbridge, he'd be glad for paperwork, I'm sure." Remus smiled wryly and offered her the remainder of the tea.
She took the hand but not the kettle it offered. "I'll try not to disappoint." A broad grin, mischievous, but pleased.