NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 82: Bloodstains
Ted closed the door behind him and approached. Gideon materialized beside them.
Ted lifted his daughter, whispering gently, "Dora, these are our friends. They're here tonight to help us. But you need to be brave, alright? If you hear anything strange, run straight to the basement with your mum."
Tonks' expression turned serious. She nodded, her hair shifting to a deep brown.
"I will protect Mum," she said with a tender yet determined voice.
Andromeda came forward and kissed Tonks' forehead softly.
"All right," Moody cleared his throat. "We need to set up defenses immediately. Gideon, you and Ted check the back doors and windows. Frank, help me set up perimeter wards."
"What about us?" Lily asked, clutching her wand tightly.
"You'll stay with Andromeda and Nymphadora," Moody said. "You're the backup, just in case. This is your first real battle."
Lily bit her lip and nodded, while Snape silently surveyed the room for anything useful.
The Order members sprang into action. Moody and Frank cast Disillusionment Charms on themselves and patrolled the house's perimeter silently, weaving protective and alarm spells.
Inside, Tonks watched the adults intently, her hair constantly shifting colors.
"When do you think they'll come?" Lily whispered.
"Any moment now, I suppose," Snape answered softly. "But don't worry—with Moody and the others here, we just need to do our part."
When Moody and Frank reappeared, Gideon and Ted had finished securing the rear of the house.
Time stretched tense and heavy. Adults took turns standing guard; the rest tried to act normally to avoid frightening little Tonks. Ted read stories to his daughter, though even he seemed distracted. Andromeda had prepared a simple dinner, but barely anyone ate.
Shortly after nightfall, Moody suddenly straightened.
"They're here," he rasped, eyes fixed on the front door. "Three of them, approaching from the east."
Everyone snapped into battle formation. Snape and Lily positioned themselves at the basement entrance, flanking either side.
Andromeda gathered Tonks in her arms and hurried toward the basement, forcing calm despite the storm. Tonks' hair had shifted to gray.
"We'll hold this place," Snape opened the trapdoor gently. "Be brave like your father."
The little girl nodded, lips trembling slightly.
No sooner had the trapdoor closed than a harsh, chilling laugh pierced the night.
"Come out, mudbloods and blood traitors!" a woman shrieked—mad and cruel—"And my dear sister, show yourself, Andromeda!"
"Bellatrix," Snape muttered, summoning several chairs around himself with a flick of his wand. "She's here… trying to be the Black family's bloodhound…"
With a deafening crash, the front door and screen shattered. Three dark figures burst in, wands blazing lethal green curses.
Snape hurled the chairs into the air, transforming them into a shield to block curses aimed at him and Lily.
Chaos erupted. Spellfire streaked through the air, illuminating determined faces or masked shadows under hoods.
"Hand over the mudblood and the half-blood!" Bellatrix Lestrange snarled at the threshold, madness gleaming in her eyes.
Moody attacked from the side; a red curse streaked toward Bellatrix, but she deftly dodged and returned a Cruciatus Curse. Moody barely avoided it, his wooden leg scraping the floor harshly.
Lily spotted another Death Eater trying to flank them and cast an explosive curse, leaving scorch marks on the wall. Snape seized the opening and struck the attacker with a Stunning Spell. The Death Eater collapsed like a marionette with severed strings.
"Ah, Severus," Bellatrix sneered, green light flashing from her wand, "last time you tricked your dear sister so badly!"
Snape narrowly dodged and fired a silent Sectumsempra, leaving a shallow cut on her cheek.
"Snape!" Bellatrix screamed, not in pain, but in rage.
During the fight, Moody and Frank combined forces to stun another Death Eater.
Sensing the tide turning, Bellatrix screamed wildly, retreating toward the door while waving her wand.
"Bella," Snape mocked, "leaving so soon? Not staying to play with your old friends?"
Amid hysterical laughter, Bellatrix abandoned her two companions and vanished outside.
Moody stopped Ted from opening the basement door, cautiously stepping out with Frank to ensure the area was clear before returning inside.
"All clear," Moody opened the trapdoor and called down. "We've driven them off."
Andromeda emerged cautiously from the basement, wand raised, Tonks shielded behind her. She breathed out in relief and asked, "Where's Bellatrix?"
"She fled," Moody said, pointing to a bleeding wound on his arm. "Healed now." He showed the scratch. "But we captured her two allies. Frank's contacting the Auror Office."
Tonks wriggled free from her mother's arms, hair brightening to golden. "Thank you for defeating the bad people!"
Ted approached, fondly touching Tonks' hair as it shifted back to pink.
While they chatted, Snape silently summoned the wands of the two stunned Death Eaters with a Silent Summoning Charm. Holding both wands, one in each hand, he snapped them forcefully in half.
The crisp snap turned every head.
"I was just testing if they were sturdy," Snape said casually. "Accident."
"Aurors aren't supposed to do that," Moody said, tapping his cane on the battered floor. "As for you, I'm used to it—at least you didn't do anything worse this time. We need to clean up and repair the house. Ministry officials will arrive soon."
He turned to Snape and Lily. "You two have passed your Apparition tests, yes? You've had enough for today. Return to where we came from—Dumbledore is waiting there for you."