Their limping steps were the only sound in the corridors, blue-ish candles lighting their way. An exhausted and bleeding Tonks was still holding onto Medea. The younger one was tense, knowing that she indirectly had power over a life right now.

A woman's voice chimed and let them know about their arrival in the atrium of the Ministry. Moody, no matter his injuries, stepped forward and led the way.

"Constant vigilance!" he exclaimed, his voice dragging and raucous. When the three walked into the giant atrium, it took no genius to understand they hadn't gotten themselves out of trouble. They had limped right into it. The giant statue was broken and stones lay around everywhere while the curly-haired freak was caught beneath the statue of a witch and Harry was standing helplessly on the side. A struggling Voldemort and a chatty Dumbledore duelled right in front of them. One moment, the Dark Wizard was caught in a rope of fire and a blink of an eye later, he had transformed into a snake and escaped. The powerful magic happening there was not just visible, but you could feel it. Medea's fingers itched to perform magic, though knowing it would never be as powerful.

Still, the sight of a battle must have woken Mad-Eye's instincts, because the adept Auror and dueller was about to charge into the fight and his own probable death when Tonks made him stay with a flick of her wand. Her mentor turned and glared at her but she just smilingly replied, "You really think I'd let you go? There's a lot more to learn for me and I couldn't think of a better mentor."

It turned out that Tonks was right to do so because Voldemort aimed a Killing Curse at Dumbledore just seconds later. A phoenix swallowed it though and turned into ash. Hogwarts' headmaster then trapped his opponent in a giant ball of water from out of the fountain. Voldemort apparently could not easily free himself and was forced to apparate. His next action seemed to be his final tries to win something in this losing battle.

Medea could not see nor understand properly what was happening but Harry seemed to be possessed by the dark sorcerer. It was not until the Minister's arrival, that Voldemort let go off her friend. The snake-like man looked angrily at the arriving Ministry workers, the few present members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix.

His gaze stopped, laying on Medea. He examined the young girl, eventually looking in her eyes. His red, slit-pupils' intense gaze gave her goosebumps and she unwillingly clutched Tonks harder. The longer his eyes rested on her, the queasier she felt. Her whole body started to prickle uncomfortably but she could not look away. His gaze held her captive, forcing the girl to let the wizard study her.

Suddenly, he moved and action overcame all of the atrium. Ministry workers shouted in surprise, anger and for security. The Minister for Magic pushed to the front, his eyes widening more and more, he let his briefcase fall when Voldemort just so much as glanced at him. Until the Ministry had managed to organize some security, and Dumbledore busy with the unconscious Harry, the sorcerer came to Medea.

He grabbed her face, his long fingers pinched her cheeks. With the other hand, he held his wand, letting it slide upon her skin slowly. In that moment, Medea felt nothing. She was not afraid, she wasn't rebellious, she just felt nothing. She looked in the furious but interested eyes of the wizard and felt nothing.

"What power can I feel here? What is special about you, girl? It's not your magic," he whispered. Then he closed his eyes, the shadow of his eyebrows furled, he looked very concentrated, "It's ancient. Very, very old. And powerful. So powerful. WHAT IS IT WITH YOU GIRL!"

Rage overtook him and his wand emitted sparks.. A burn formed on her cheek. When she saw this, the by shock paralysed Tonks grabbed her wand and aimed at the powerful man with her left hand.

"Leave her! - She's just a girl, leave her!" The hair surrounding her heart-shaped face coloured red but at the back it was blue. She was afraid, assuming the dark wizard would harm her. But he didn't. Moody stepped on the other side of Medea, who looked up to him hopefully. He produced his wand as well. Two wand tips were directed at the man's heart now. Voldemort looked at her one last time and then disapparated.

There was no trace left of him when she realized what had happened. Her whole body started shaking and a ran tears flew down her cheeks. She couldn't believe this. She could have died. So could have Tonks. Or Moody. Voldemort had stood right in front of her, he had touched her. She felt very dirty after that. It was all too much for her, she sat down, a worried Tonks by her side.

"It's alright, Medea. He's gone, he's left. Hey, everything's fine, he's not coming back." Tonks' soothing words were the last thing she heard before the pain came back. Like a sharp and pointy lance, it shot through her head, coming back several times after dying away, stronger and stronger. Dumbledore came by, wonder written all over his face. He and Tonks leaning over her was everything she saw before she fainted.

She woke up in whiteness after that. Her body was wrapped in a blank white blanket, her head resting on a snow-white pillow and her eyes laying on the pearl white opposite wall. Medea realized she must have been brought to the Hospital Wing and looked around, finding herself as the only patient.

However, she was not the only person in the room. From behind a curtain, which was drawn to give her some privacy (it didn't work well), she could hear whispers. The shadow of a tall, lanky man and a woman with a pointy witch-hat were visible thanks to the silver light the moon gave off.

"Yes, headmaster, that is what young Ms Tonks said," a woman's voice said, reminding Medea of Professor McGonagall.

"Well, in that case, Minerva, we must prepare for trouble."

***

I know, I know, I let you wait. I'm sorry.

However, I hope this chapter pleased you anyway. If so, why not consider leaving a vote? - You'd make me really happy.

I'd also love to hear feedback from you because I'm getting really anxious about my more recent chapters. The whole stuff is going down now, I want my writing to fit the circumstances.

Lots of love,

-Tonks