Ted closed the door and walked over. Gideon also appeared by their side. Ted picked up his daughter and whispered to her, "Dora, these are our friends. They're here to help us tonight. But you need to be a brave girl, alright? If you hear any strange noises, hide in the basement with Mummy immediately."
Tonks's expression suddenly turned serious. She nodded, her hair changing to a deep brown. "I'll protect Mummy," she said in a childish but firm voice.
Andromeda walked over and gently kissed Tonks's forehead.
"Alright," Moody cleared his throat. "We need to set up defenses immediately. Gideon, you take Ted and check the back door and windows. Frank, come with me to set up the perimeter warding spells."
"What about us?" Lily couldn't help but ask, clutching her wand tightly.
"You'll guard Andromeda and Nymphadora," Moody said. "As backup, just in case. This is your first real combat."
Lily bit her lip and nodded, while Snape quietly observed the usable objects in the room.
The Order members immediately sprang into action. Moody and Frank made themselves invisible again and walked along the perimeter of the house, silently casting various protective and alarm spells. Inside the house, Tonks watched the adults busy themselves, and Snape noticed her hair constantly changing color.
"When do you think they'll come?" Lily whispered.
"Any moment now, won't they?" Snape replied softly. "But don't worry, with Moody and the others here, we just need to do our part."
When Moody and the others reappeared, Gideon and Ted had also finished securing the back. Time ticked by in tense silence, and the atmosphere inside the house grew heavier.
The adults took turns standing guard, while the rest tried to act as normally as possible so as not to frighten young Tonks. Ted tried to distract his daughter with storybooks, but even he found it hard to concentrate; Andromeda prepared a simple dinner, but hardly anyone touched it.
Shortly after darkness completely fell, Moody suddenly straightened. "They're here," he said hoarsely, staring intently towards the front door. "Three of them, approaching from the east."
Everyone immediately took up their battle positions. Snape and Lily went to the basement entrance, guarding it from either side. Andromeda picked up Tonks, forcing herself to be calm, and quickly walked towards the basement. Tonks's hair had turned gray in her arms.
"We'll hold this place," Snape said gently to the little girl as he pulled open the trapdoor to the basement. "Be brave like your father." The little girl nodded at him, though her lips were trembling slightly.
Soon after closing the trapdoor, a shrill laugh pierced the night sky. "Come out, Mudbloods and blood traitors!" a female voice shrieked, insane and cruel. "And my dear sister, come out and see your sister, Andromeda!"
"Bellatrix," Snape whispered, quickly summoning several chairs with a flick of his wand and arranging them around himself. "She actually came. Is she trying to be the Black family's blood killer—"
The next second, the front door and screen exploded inwards with a loud bang. Three dark figures rushed in, wands shooting deadly green light. Snape swiftly flung the chairs into the air with his wand, transfiguring them into a shield to block the Killing Curses aimed at him and Lily.
The battle erupted instantly. Flashes of spells crisscrossed the air, illuminating determined faces or masked hoods. "Hand over the Mudblood and the half-breed!" Bellatrix Lestrange stood at the doorway, madness glinting in her eyes.
Moody launched an attack from the side, a red beam heading straight for Bellatrix, but she dodged nimbly, retaliating with a Cruciatus Curse. Moody barely dodged, his wooden leg scraping loudly on the floor.
Lily saw another Death Eater trying to circle around from the side and immediately cast a Blasting Curse at him, leaving scorched marks on the wall. Snape seized the opportunity afforded by the Death Eater's dodge and hit him with a Stunning Spell; the Death Eater fell like a puppet with cut strings.
"Ah, Sev," Bellatrix sneered, a green light shooting from her wand. "My sister was so thoroughly deceived by you last time!"
Snape narrowly ducked, shooting a silent Sectumsempra at Bellatrix, leaving a shallow bloodstain on her face.
"Snape!" Bellatrix shrieked, not from pain, but from fury.
During the battle, Moody and Frank worked together to stun another Death Eater. Bellatrix, seeing the tide turn, shrieked and waved her wand while retreating towards the door.
"Bella," Snape taunted her, "Are you leaving so soon after we've just met? Won't you stay and play with your old friends a little longer?"
With a hysterical laugh, Bellatrix abandoned her two companions and vanished out the door.
Moody stopped Ted from opening the basement. After he and Frank cautiously went outside to confirm it was safe, they returned to the house. "It's safe," Moody called down to the basement, pulling open the trapdoor. "We've driven them off."
Andromeda emerged cautiously from the basement, wand raised, shielding Tonks behind her. Seeing everyone safe, she let out a long breath and asked, "Where's Bellatrix?"
"She escaped," Moody said, pointing his wand at his arm. "Episkey." He had a bleeding wound on his arm. "But we captured her two accomplices. Frank is contacting the Auror Office now."
Tonks wriggled free from her mother's embrace, turning to the Order members, her hair turning a bright gold. "Thank you for beating the bad guys!"
Ted walked over, affectionately ruffling young Tonks's hair, which was now changing from gold to pink.
While they were chatting, Snape silently summoned the wands of the two stunned Death Eaters. He placed the two wands together, gripping both ends with his hands, and snapped downwards with force.
CRACK! Everyone turned to look at him.
"I was just testing how sturdy they were," Snape said nonchalantly. "An accident."
"Alright, Aurors can't do things like that, but as for you, I'm used to it. At least this time you didn't do anything more outrageous." Moody tapped his walking stick on the damaged floor. "We need to clear the scene and repair the house. The Ministry people will be here soon."
He turned to Snape and Lily. "You two, as far as I know, have already passed your Apparition test. You've been through enough today. Return to where we came from; Dumbledore is waiting for you there."