Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor his magical world. Not even a toe or a sugar quill.

The Collaborator

Chapter VI

Really, how did you reveal the soft, squishy underbelly of an angry teenager who is to be the next great evil in the world? Especially when he only has half a soul. Tonks didn't know, although she had tried a bit. She doubted puppy dogs and other cute furry animals would do a thing. It didn't help her predicament in the least that Karkaroff was playing on the other side and playing dirty to boot.

It was typical. You go on a time traveling trip with a former Death Eater and you run into Mr. Evil Guy and the former Death Eater goes Death Eater again. Isn't that the way the world worked? Temptation rules all and old habits are the hardest to break. Some fine damn combination that was. And what was even more typical was that there is some noble soul who believes that people are basically good. Tonks cursed herself; she was turning into a soap opera. Next thing she knew Voldemort would be pregnant with her baby and Karkaroff would kill her off because of his jealously towards this new relationship.

It was fair to say that Tonks was driving herself mad. There are few that wouldn't in her predicament.

"I believe I can get some Veritaserum," said Voldemort. "It won't be easy, but I will get it."

"Good. Until then there is much to speak about."

"Such as?"

"Such as Harry Potter."

Tonks wanted to smack herself, better yet smack Karkaroff. He was a nitwit and it was horribly irritating to Tonks. He was trying to give the man he was deathly afraid of even more power. To think he had become the Headmaster of a school.

"Who is Harry Potter?" asked Voldemort curiously.

"The only one who may be able to defeat you."

"Then I purpose we find him now and kill him," said Voldemort simply.

"It is not that easy."

"He is already powerful?"

"No, he hasn't been born, neither has his father or mother."

"What?"

"He temporarily defeated you when he was naught but and infant," said Karkaroff. Voldemort looked at him incredulously and Tonks couldn't help but snicker. All eyes turned to her.

"Don't look at me," she said. "I'm not the one who puts the phrase 'like taking candy from a baby' to shame."

"I would bite my tongue, if I were you," said Voldemort. Tonks could tell from his voice that he was not use to getting disobeyed.

"If you were me we wouldn't be in this situation. Right now I don't care that you are Mr. To-be-evil-overlord, you are still a kid and I will not tolerate being ordered around by a pipsqueak, understood?" said Tonks letting her mouth and gut do the talking.

"I am of age!" said Voldemort, pulling his wand.

"You may very well be, but it doesn't mean you know a damn thing," said Tonks.

"Silencio!" said Voldemort angrily. He walked over to the door and started talking to someone on the other side. Tonks took this as an opportunity to quickly get up and kick Karkaroff in the skins. Unfortunately, Karkaroff let out a yell and Voldemort ended up petrifying her again. Damn, double damn.

"Gustav informs me that he will be able to get Veritaserum in the hour," said Voldemort.

"Excellent," said Karkaroff.

Tonks would have replied scathingly, but not being able to talk, nonetheless move, prevented her from doing anything but forming very angry thoughts. Perhaps she could create energy with her angry thoughts and burn them into Karakroff and Voldemort's heads.

She remained such for exactly thirty-eight and a quarter minutes. Voldemort and Karkaroff had been discussing spell and potion development. Finally Gustav returned with a small vial, which upon seeing, Tonks wanted to cringe.

"Alright, Miss Tonks, I would like to make this easy as possible," said Voldemort, taking the spells off her.

"And I would like a new broomstick," said Tonks, attempting to bolt out the door, only to be caught and wrestled down by Gustav. She kicked out and fought hard, but then Karkaroff got involved. Eventually Tonks found herself tied to a chair with Veritaserum being shoved down her throat.

"Now, Miss Tonks, there are things you would like to tell me?" said Voldemort very foolishly.

"Yeah, you are a bastard."

"Direct, specific questions work the best, my Lord," said Karkaroff.

"It would help me if you gave me a clue to what she knows," said Voldemort with irritation.

"Some of her people were searching out your history, trying to find your weaknesses. She may know things that you don't."

"Who was my father?"

"You father was Tom Riddle, I am sure you know that."

"Who was he? Why did he abandon me?"

"He was a Muggle ensnared by your mother. Your mother began to tire of the façade, she let the potion wear off, hoping that he would stay. He didn't."

"My mother was the witch?"

"Yes."

"Why did she die?"

"We believed that she had given up on life. She was cast out by her family for marrying your father. She had no one. It was a difficult birth as well."

"How do you know all this?"

"The research of others."

"Who?"

"Dumbledore."

"Meddling fool. Who was Marvolo, my grandfather? He was a wizard as well?

"Yes and a scoundrel at that. Marvolo Gaunt was his name."

"He was descended from the great Salazar Slytherin."

"No, from the not so great Salazar Slytherin."

"Shut up, girl. It is noble blood that runs in my veins!"

"Blood keeps you alive, but it doesn't make you who you are, boy," said Tonks. "You have choices, blood be damned."

"Crucio!" shouted Voldemort.

Tonks refused to cry out despite the pain that racked her body. Being an Auror taught her to not show pain. It was over quicker than it started. It seemed that Karkaroff had intervened.

"My Lord, you may not want to do that. It can effect the use of Veritaserum."

"Yes, of course," said Voldemort, calming himself.

"No to mention it hurts like hell, but that's beside the point," quipped Tonks.

"Tell me, Miss Tonks, what do you know of this Harry Potter?"

"He's a good kid with a difficult life. You murdered his parents and he was raised by his horrible Muggle aunt and uncle who hated him for being a wizard. They didn't tell him anything. He found out about his parent and Hogwarts when he turned eleven…"

"That's enough! How did he defeat me?"

"First it was because of his mother, she sacrificed herself for him, creating a protection. You underestimated this because you are ignorant of love. Second was a continuance of his mother's protection, but it also took a great deal of determination, intelligence, good friends and bravery. The third time used bravery and the help of a bird and a hat."

"He defeated me three times?" asked Voldemort with fury.

"Yes, and despite you obsession to kill him, he escaped your clutches two other times."

"How?"

"Again, bravery and determination. Also speed and a little of a power you know not."

"This cannot be! I will be invincible. No mere child can bring me down!" roared Voldemort.

"You're a mere child yourself," replied Tonks. "Perhaps if you put your unrelenting anger aside you may see that."

"Is that all the information she holds?" asked Voldemort murderously, touching his wand tenderly. "Because if that is all, I would be delighted to kill her."

"Unfortunately, I don't think that that would be the best action at this point. We can get more out of her if we figure out the right questions to ask," said Karkaroff.

"Or, perhaps I should just volunteer the fact that Mr. Karkaroff was one of your servants, but when caught, he gave names of his fellows to save his own skin. When you returned thirteen years later, he ran away with his tail between his legs," said Tonks menacingly.

"You dare insult me with such allegations, Miss Tonks?" yelled Karkaroff furiously.

"Allegations my arse! I would like to remind you that I am still under the influence of Veritaserum."

Suddenly Tonks felt as if she was going to retch. She looked at Karkaroff and saw that he looked nauseous as well. Tonks fell off her chair, onto the floor. She then heard a thud beside her. The sinking feeling that she had felt the night before returned. She felt herself disappear, not knowing when she would be next.

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A/N: As always, thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing. Chapter seven is going to take a while.

---Perplexity