Who: Leanne and Tonks
What: Talking
Where: Somewhere in the muggle world
When: Dinner
Rating: PG
Status: Complete




Leanne felt that she was past her breaking point when it came to doing her job. It was extremely difficult going in everyday and pretending that everything was fine, when clearly, it wasn't. No one looked at her, save for the quick glances whenever others spoke in hushed tones. Obviously, they were talking about her. And clearly to them, Leanne must be the greatest actress in the world to pretend that she was completely innocent and didn't think the law should effect her. Leanne knew that this was the truth. No one can help to whom they are the child of and she, although by looks and personality she was a Yaxley, was different from her parents. How else would the sorting hat have placed her in Gryffindor if she wasn't going to benefit from the friends she had made there? Now, Leanne was feeling extremely hopeless and she had no idea what she could do to just keep going in day after day and getting it done.

Tonks was glad the day was nearly over. She had taken to going in after her classes to get things done, but since those were over, she had more time to spend there much as she loathed the Ministry's atmosphere. She had become an Auror to do good, not subject innocents to hell. Thus, she didn't spare them a moment longer than necessary when she finished her assignments for the day. Yet, as she signed out, she couldn't help noticing Leanne looked dejected. "Hey, you!" She called. "You are done. Let's go."

Since people rarely talked to her at the Ministry anymore, it took Leanne more than a few seconds to notice that someone was talking to her. "Huh, what?" Leanne focused her attention towards where Tonks was and immediately, it clicked what she had said to her. "Oh hey. Um, yes. Okay." Leanne couldn't believe that she had spoken those very words. The monotony was really starting to settle in herself. She walked over to Tonks. "Where are we going?" Leanne asked.

Tonks chuckled at Leanne's dazed expression, but she did notice the girl seemed genuinely shocked that someone was chatting her up. Moreover, the older woman's blood boiled at the thought. No one should feel so ill at ease where she worked. "Hmmm, good question." Tonks turned around, searching out a clock, but managed to bang her hip into the edge of a desk in the process. "Oh, wotcher!" She rolled her eyes at herself, finally laughing. "Sorry, love." Finally spotting that clock she wanted, Tonks turned back to Leanne. "Dinner and some drinks? My treat!" She smiled and leaned her face into Leanne's shoulder. "Please?"

She was almost to the point of pointing out the desk to Tonks before she ran into it, but was too late. "I guess desk was out to get you," Leanne managed to say, chuckling a little. Dinner and drinks? She wasn't too sure that she wanted to go out, not that she hadn't already implied that she'd do something with Tonks, whatever it was. Besides, spontaneity usually took a backseat with Leanne and her current predicament, mostly because she never seemed to be in the mood to do such a thing. But how could anyone resist Tonks who just seemed so convincing. "Sure, why not? And you don't have to pay. I can pay for my own meal."

Tonks waved her hand dismissively. "My invitation, my paying. You can get next time." She looped her arm through Leanne's. "Where to? Muggle cafe where no one knows us or the Leaky?"

The thought of going to the Leaky Cauldron was a bit of a terrifying thought to Leanne. Not that she really knew how others would react there, but she didn't want to find out. "Oh okay," Leanne told Tonks. She felt a smile starting to appear on her face. "I'm partial to the going to a Muggle cafe rather than the Leaky."

"Then that's where we go," Tonks agreed immediately. She had a hunch the younger woman would want that which was why she suggested it at all. Besides, she loved the cafe she had in mind. "Mind doing side-along then? I know a quiet place to land."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Leanne admitted. "No, I don't mind at all. Lead the way."

"Okay then, hold on." Tonks gripped Leanne's arms, focused, and soon they were in a small clearing just outside of London. "Just a few blocks," she promised. "A bit of a walk, but worth not being seen aye?" She chuckled. "I like not having muggles after me," she kidded.

Leanne held on tight to Tonks and soon found herself in a small clearing. "A few blocks is better than a few miles. Although anything is better than being caught by a muggle," Leanne laughed.

Or a Ministry official. Tonks barely held back that thought, but managed to filter it at the last second. For once. She didn't want to remind Leanne of their world. That was the point of taking her to the muggle one. "Here we are," Tonks announced with a flourish. It was a tiny pub named Duke's, but it served good food and even better alcohol. Tonks grabbed the door. "After you, my dear."

The smell of food made Leanne realize how hungry she was and it did smell really good. The best part, not one bit of it reminded her of the wizarding world and that was fine with Leanne. "Thanks," Leanne said as she walked in ahead of Tonks. "Do you have any preference to where we sit?"

"Actually..." Tonks shot another goofy smile while dragging Leanne toward a small booth in the back. "You can see the band best here. Of course I can't go home with any..." She winked. "Remus might not like that, see. But...what about you?" She scooted into the booth, plopping her chin into two hands as she waited on the gossip.

Leanne couldn't help but laugh as Tonks drug her toward the back. "Oh there's a band?" Leanne had not been to a muggle pub before and didn't know they had a band come and play. "Oh, poor you, not being able to, but yes, he might not like that." Thanks to Tonks, she was laughing and smiling and almost all of the bad stuff went away from her mind. "Me? If any of the members of the band are good looking enough for me, I'd consider asking one home."

"Not as good as the Weird Sisters now, but, yep, a band!" Tonks smiled and waved at a waitress who recognized Tonks immediately. "The usual!" Tonks called. "And what do you want, love?"

"Who can top the Weird Sisters, muggle or wizard?" Leanne asked. "Hmm. I'll have whatever. I'm not picky, especially when I'm hungry and I'm quite hungry right now."

"Two usuals then!" Tonks grinned at the waitress. "Thanks!" Turning back to Leanne, her expression grew a bit more serious. "You sure it's okay I dragged you out here, yeah?"

Leanne nodded her head. "Yes, it's perfectly fine. Truthfully, I think it is the best thing to happen to me in weeks. Why do you ask?"

Tonks grabbed a sugar packet, tossing it from one hand to another. "I don't know. Just didn't want you here against your will or anything. Of course...probably should have asked you that before dragging you here, hm?" Tonks laughed. She couldn't have helped herself though. Leanne had seemed so miserable.

"Everything is freedom compared to the Ministry." That was how Leanne felt. She didn't mind the fact that she had to carry that stupid badge because it could be hidden easily and she only ever had it when she was physically at the Ministry. What she really wanted to do was leave the country... without permission. "You wouldn't have had to ask. It doesn't take that much to drag me anywhere."

At that moment, the waitress placed Reuben sandwiches, chips, and pop between the two young women. After making small talk, the server left, giving Tonks a chance to focus again. "It's time to really do something," she announced without preamble. "I want to have a meeting. I bet McGonagall will be game."

Leanne was glad to see the food come because she was hungry and it looked very delicious. She started with the chips. "Um, okay," Leanne said between bites. "I'd like to do something. And it would be nice if McGonagall could help with whatever."

Tonks followed Leanne's lead in digging into her food though she took a great big bite of her sandwich first. "Do you like?" She asked, indicating the sandwich. She placed it back on its plate, a determined look appearing in her eyes. "Did you know about the Order of the Phoenix? Besides the rumors I mean?"

"Yes, its very good," she answered. Leanne shook her head. She hadn't heard of the Order of the Phoenix, except in the rumors that went around. "No, I haven't. What is the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Well, the rumors are true." Tonks licked some ketchup from her thumb. "Professor Dumbledore founded it to fight against the Death Eaters during the first war, but I don't see why we can't use it to fight unfairness completely. You can't tell anyone, Leanne, alright?" Not that she thought Leanne would, but just in case.

"Oh." Leanne hadn't expected the rumors to be true at all. "But how would that work, exactly, since its not strictly Death Eaters and the Order but everyone?" She shook her head. "No, I won't tell anyone." Leanne did not feel that this something that was going to be discussed with anyone besides Tonks, or whomever else was in the Order.

"What do you mean how would it work? There are no Death Eaters anymore. The dangerous people are in Azkaban. This is for everyone. Once and for all." Without thinking, she slammed her fist into the table. Oh, she was determined alright.

"Well, I suppose what I mean is what would we do? Just try and convince as many people as we can that this is all wrong?" Leanne wondered. "But not everyone is willing to look at it differently. It seems very much wanted by a lot of people, or else I wouldn't have to deal with it." Though, she probably would still have had to deal with it since the majority of her inheritance had gone to paying her father's fines.

"I think we need to figure out what has gotten into Kingsley's head." Tonks took a big gulp of her drink before setting it down. She wiped the frost from her upper lip, pondering on the man she had trusted so much. "It's clearly not a popular opinion so...what's his aim, you know?"

"He was in the Order, wasn't he? Why do you think he would do such a thing?" Leanne asked. "It sure is popular in my department and a few others," She had first hand experience with that. "Revenge? Maybe a Death Eater cursed him and this is the payback for that?" she suggested.

"No...I don't think so. Kingsley was never like that. Ever." A pained expression crossed Tonks' face. She missed her friend and mentor. It would have only been worse if Moody was making such laws. "There has to be more."

"Oh." Leanne ate a few more chips, thinking of something to say. "I guess we'll just have to find out somehow. If he wasn't like this, I'd like to know where it came from."