"Alastor, Frank, Gideon," Dumbledore's blue eyes, sharp behind his half-moon spectacles, gleamed. "Later tonight, the three of you are to go to the Tonks's home in East London. The Death Eaters plan to attack Ted and Andromeda Tonks's family this evening."
"Is Mundungus's information reliable?" Gideon Prewett asked with a frown.
Dumbledore nodded slightly, his long beard swaying gently with the movement. "Though Dung can sometimes be overly focused on certain 'business opportunities,' his source this time is trustworthy." He paused, his gaze sweeping over each member of the Order of the Phoenix present. "Andromeda is from the House of Black; she married Ted, a Muggle-born. In the eyes of those pure-blood fanatics, this is an unforgivable betrayal."
"My initial suggestion was for them to move outright," Dumbledore continued, "but Ted believes this could be an opportunity to capture some Death Eaters. After all, passive defense is never the best option."
Snape looked up, a dangerous glint in his dark eyes. He looked inquiringly at Dumbledore, wanting to ask if they could simply eliminate the Death Eaters. But Dumbledore had already noticed his gaze and subtly shook his head, signaling him to remain silent.
Moody suddenly stood up, his wooden leg thudding against the floor. "Then let's not waste time; we need a plan."
Dumbledore waved his wand, and a map materialized in the air, clearly showing the Tonks's neighborhood. "Alastor, you lead the team," he instructed. "You'll arrive early and set up an ambush. Furthermore—this time, you'll take Severus and Lily with you. There's no need for them to participate in the actual fighting, just let them get a feel for real-world operations."
Alice squeezed Frank Longbottom's hand firmly, then released it. "Be careful," she whispered.
Ten minutes later, Moody, Frank, Gideon, along with Snape and Lily, stood before the fireplace, ready to use the Floo Network to the nearest Order of the Phoenix contact point.
"Remember," Dumbledore cautioned finally, his voice cutting through the crackle of the flames, "the primary objective is to protect the Tonks family, especially their four-year-old daughter. Try to avoid casualties."
Green flames erupted, and the five Order members vanished into the fireplace one after another. When they tumbled out of the fireplace at the other end, a light rain had already begun to fall outside. Fine strands of rain formed silver lines under the dim streetlights.
---
"I'll lead the way," Gideon whispered. "I came here once when they got married; it's two blocks from here."
"Hold on," Moody suddenly reached out to stop everyone before they stepped out of the contact point. "We can't just go out like this."
"Everyone but Gideon, cast a Disillusionment Charm on each other," he ordered gruffly, his wand already in hand. "A group of us walking openly isn't a good idea."
Snape and Lily stood facing each other, gently tapping their wands on each other's heads. The air shimmered with ripples, and their figures gradually became transparent, fading into invisibility.
"Now we're ready," Moody's gravelly voice came from thin air. "Gideon, lead the way. Once we arrive, you'll crouch down and pretend to tie your shoelace. We'll go in first, then you continue walking, find a deserted spot to cast the charm on yourself, and then return."
They followed Gideon, moving silently through the light wind and drizzle. The windows of the houses lining the street cast warm lights, a stark contrast to their tense atmosphere.
Near Bethnal Green, a two-story red-brick house came into view. Gideon crouched down as planned, feigning to adjust his shoelace. The house's front garden was filled with blooming geraniums and roses. Among the flowers, a golden-haired, rather portly man was casually pruning branches in the rain, his movements so relaxed it seemed like just an ordinary day of enjoying gardening.
As Moody, still invisible, walked past him, he subtly brushed against him. Ted Tonks immediately understood, put down his shears, turned to step onto the porch, opened the front door, and deliberately called out loudly, "The rain's getting heavier! Rotten weather!"
"Come in quickly," Ted whispered from just inside the door, his eyes alertly scanning the street outside.
"Leave the door ajar for a moment," Moody murmured close to Ted's ear, his voice barely audible. "Gideon isn't in yet."
The Order members swiftly entered the house, moving behind a screen that shielded the doorway, and lifted their Disillusionment Charms. Four figures gradually became visible in the entryway.
In the living room, a woman was kneeling on the rug, looking after a small girl with pink hair. The girl turned her head, her heart-shaped face with large, bright black eyes curiously observing the suddenly appearing strangers. When the woman looked up, despite having prepared himself, Snape couldn't help but gasp, almost believing he was seeing Bellatrix—the same beautiful face, the same high cheekbones and aristocratic jawline.
But a closer look revealed the differences between Andromeda and Bella. Her hair was soft, light brown, her eyes larger and softer than her sister's, and natural smile lines graced the corners of her mouth, making her appear utterly unthreatening.
"Thank you for coming," Andromeda said, her voice trembling slightly. "When we received Professor Dumbledore's message, we could barely believe it."
"You are very brave," Moody growled, his eyes still ceaselessly scanning the windows. "Don't worry, we'll protect you. And teach them a lesson."
Little Tonks toddled towards the strangers, looking up at them curiously. Her hair suddenly changed from pink to bright blue, then to purple.
"Whoa!" Frank exclaimed. "Her hair!"
"Nymphadora's hair has been changing color since the day she was born," Andromeda explained, a proud expression on her face, momentarily forgetting her worries. "She's a natural Metamorphmagus."
"Are you all Aurors?" Tonks asked, her big black eyes wide. "Like the ones in the newspaper, the most powerful wizards?"
"Yes, we are the most powerful wizards," a rare soft smile appeared on Moody's stern face, though it looked a bit strained on him. "Little girl, we will protect you well."
"I want to be an Auror too someday," Tonks said seriously, and then her nose suddenly doubled in size, making her giggle.
"Remarkable," Snape said, kneeling down to be at eye level with the little girl, praising her with a smile. "Tonks, you were born to be an Auror with a talent like that!"
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