Chapter Three: Riddle Me This

Nymphadora Tonks sat cross legged on Severus Prince's bed. She was watching him pack his gear bag, which she found amusing. The older man only had a few items to wear that would fit the environment they would be hiking in. He did, at least, own a really good pair of hiking boots.

"I forgot you actually looked good in regular clothing," Tonks commented. She looked Severus over. The outfit he had on was relatively simple compared to the many layers he usually piled on. He had on a pair of black cargo pants and a long sleeve thermal dark green shirt. His hair was pulled back away from his face, giving her a very clear veiw of each fascinating expression that passed over it. If she hadn't been wearing the exact same pair of hiking boot he was she would have been jealous.

"This coming from the woman that can't seem to remember what she looks like," he retorted. She stuck her tongue out at him. She looked quite plain in her opinion. She didn't have some ridiculous pink hair color nor did she don outrages colored clothing. Her hair was it's normal color brown but it was cropped short just above her nose. She wore something similar to Severus only the cargo pants she wore were a grass green and her thermal was white.

She thought the way his forehead was wrinkled together in frustration was cute. The brunette giggled when Severus turned and glared at her. She was thoroughly entertained by his constant struggle. Nymphadora wanted to reach out and pet him. He was the most darling thing she'd ever seen.

"You could be of more assistance to me other than staring and laughing," Severus told her.

"I will gladly be of more assistance to you once we're out in the field," Tonks informed him. "But for now I will sit here and get my seven laughs off your arse,"

He ignored her and went back to packing. He would get more mission appropriate clothing when he had time, until then he would suffer with what he had. It wasn't long after that he was ready to leave and once they were, the two set off to Hogsmead, a little town just outside Hogwarts.

The two were far enough away from Hogwarts to use their apparition abilities. Severus wanted to avoid as many people as they possibly could on their way out. The last thing he wanted to do was go to the Headmasters office and have to talk to the old man about anything regarding his life outside Hogwarts.

If it was his choice Albus Dumbledore wouldn't know about anything he did outside of work, but no, someone somewhere had opened up their gigantic mouth and now every five seconds Albus would come slinking into his office to pretend like he had some school matters to discuss when in all actuality he wanted to pry into Severus' world.

They apparated to just outside the ministry of magic and Severus stood near by as Tonks got into the phone booth and spoke to the operator, a moment later they disappeared and were inside. Severus ignored everyone that greeted them. He hadn't been a people person before the war and he most definitely wasn't one now.

Tonks lead them down a few halls he didn't recognize, but he eventually got to a door he knew well. Tonks opened the door and they walked inside. There were port keys lined against the walls. The young woman walked down the rows looking for their intended destination.

"Found you," She exclaimed. The port key she was looking at was a block of Mercia mudstone. She reached out and touched it. Severus shook his head as she disappeared. If he wasn't observant he would have no clue which of the many keys she had touched.

He followed behind her and touched the same stone. He hated port keys almost as much as he hated being outside for long periods of time. Once his world stopped spinning he took a look around. He was standing two feet in snow. The irksome white powder was everywhere. It covered the ground they had to walk on and the trees that hung above them. If he was lucky no more would fall until after they'd found their prey.

Tonks looked around for any signs of which way the irrational lichen went. He had only run away two days prior, so she was hoping his tracks hadn't disappeared.

"I take it in order to get here, he broke into that fun little room and transported here." Severus said. Tonks nodded and kept up her search.

"That way," She said pointing to the west of where they were standing.

"How do you know it wasn't something else?" Severus asked. He wasn't completely comfortable with her in the lead but followed her anyway. He was probably the most frightening thing out here as it was. He had nothing to fear.

"I just know," she answered simply.

Severus huffed. It was the middle of winter and they'd be lucky if they didn't find the little git frozen somewhere. He pictured Remus huddled in the fetal position a frozen block of ice formed around him. The thought made Severus laugh silently.

"Naughty Severus," Tonks scolded. She couldn't help by smile at the image he gave her. It was comical in the least.

The young woman studied the snow around them looking for anything that had been disturbed or out of place. Perhaps a marking the lichen had made to find his way back to civilization.

Severus got a whiff off a sweet smelling scent in the air. It was one he'd come across before but couldn't quite put his finger on it. Severus' sudden movements brought him to Tonks attention.

"What is it?" she asked. She watched as he sniffed the air and then preceded to do the same. The metamorphmagus sneezed.

"A sphinx," Severus told her. "It's somewhere nearby."

"Severus there are no hairless cats out here," Tonks replied and moved on.

"Not a hairless cat you moron," Severus told her.

"The riddlers," Tonks thought allowed. "I knew there was at least one use for you,"

"Very funny," Severus said with a scowl. "Just tread carefully."

The two continued their journey. Severus's looking off into the distance and into the tree's for the mythical creature that could be lurking in the wake. He heard her mutter something to herself.

Nymphadora frowned. The tracks stopped. There were no prints, no broken branches or scratch marks on any of the tree's.

"Have you ever played Marco Polo?"

"Once or twice,"

"Good, wait here." She said and lightly jogged away from him before he could dispute her order.

She glanced around the spaces as she passed them, noticing nothing to their benefit. The smell Severus had pulled her attention got stronger and she stopped her haste. She got low on her hands and knees and continued forward, her auror senses told her she was entering what could be the lions den, she passed underneath some snow covered bushes and dug her way through the other side. She made a hole small enough to see through on the other side.

She held back a grown when she spotted Remus huddled up, his feet pulled in tight to his body trying to keep warm. The Sphinx from earlier watched him, and grinned wide every time the skinny man shivered.

"Don't worry my sweet your misery will end soon." The creature told him.

Nymphadora backed out of her hole and ran back in the general direction of Severus.

"Marco!" She whispered.

"Polo," Severus said in his usual monotone voice.

"You were great at that game weren't you?" Tonks asked. When she emerged from the tree's.

"Terribly so," He said sarcastically.

"I found him,"

"Well where is he?" Severus said. His eyebrow rose as he expected to see the idiot come limping out any second. He took in the uneasy look she had on her face and decide to do some investigating.

"Stop that," She told him, forcing the older man out of her mind.

"Cooperate,"

"Usually it's the dog that catches the feline," Nymphadora huffed. "It seems our mutt is a lousy hound."

"You've got to be joking,"

"I'm in no position to be screwing with you."

"Well it's time we go back," Severus said, half serious. "he ran into a Sphinx and well…"

"Not funny," Tonks told him. "With or without you I'm going back. I can't in good conscious leave him there."

Severus huffed and began to follow her, because he of course in good conscious couldn't let her go alone. After all how good would it look on his part if he came back without either of his most prevalent annoyances.

They eventually made it back over to the hole Nymphadora dug.

"Please tell me that isn't the only way to the other side," Severus said with a scowl on his face. He was in no mood to lay down in the snow.

She met him with a scowl of her own.

"Click your heels Dorothy," She remarked sarcastically.

"I've got one better," He said. He disappeared with a pop.

She shook her head at him and went back through her hole.

"Now what have we got here?" The magnificent creature asked as Severus appeared.

"I've come for the dolt," Severus said pointing toward the shivering male twelve feet away from him.

"I don't need your help," Remus muttered.

"Silence captive," The Sphinx growled. She was in no mood to hear anything from her seemingly useless charge.

"I can't let you have my meal," She told Severus as she turned her attention back to him. "But if either or you can't answer my riddles you sure can expand on it."

"What if I answer his?"

"His price has doubled. You take two and so will the female." The winged creature said laying down next to Remus. She stretched out her paws, freeing each claw separately. He snake tail wrapped around the older male.

Tonks wiggled out from her hole. It seemed she would have to stand on her own two feet for this one.

"I thought you had gotten away from me the first time," The Sphinx told her. "But I figured you'd come back for him."

"We never leave a man behind," Nymphadora answered.

"Good…" The beast replied. It grinned bearing all of it's sharpened teeth at the girl. "Someone at a party introduces you to your mother's only sister's husband's sister in law. He has no brothers. What do you call this lady?"

"Mother," Severus answered after only a moment's thought.

"I am the center of gravity, hold a capital situation in Vienna, and as I am foremost in every victory, am allowed by all to be invaluable. Though I am invisible, I am clearly seen in the midst of a river. I could name three who are in love with me and have three associates in vice. It is vain that you seek me for I have long been in heaven yet even now lie embalmed in the grave. What am I?"

Tonks shifted her weight from one foot to another, glad that this Sphinx seemed to be patient.

"What the hell is the center of gravity?" Tonks thought to herself. "Gravity doesn't have a center."

Severus watched as expression after expression passed over the young woman's features. He of course had already figured it out but he'd always been exceptional at riddles. Nymphadora Tonks, not so much.

"V,"

"If you turn me sideways, I am everything. If you cut my head off, I am nothing." She told Severus.

"Eight," He answered. He wondered if the sphinx was letting them off easy.

"Here on earth it is true, yesterday is always before today; but there is a place where yesterday always follows today. Where?"

Tonks sighed why did she get the complicated ones? Luckily the answer struck her quickly there was only one place in the universe today comes before yesterday.

"The Dictionary,"

"What never gets any wetter no matter how hard it rains?" She asked, not looking at either one in particular.

"The ocean," Tonks blurted out without thinking.

The creature shoved Remus away from her as if he offended her in someway.

"Take him and go before I change my mind," She told them. "I didn't have the heart to kill him," She yawned. "he wouldn't give me the fight I wanted out of him,"

"Thank you!" Tonks told it, she rushed forward to help Remus to his feet. He was weak. The weather tearing at him and lack of food.

Using magic was out of the question, they were too near the Sphinx for it to be effective.

Severus scowled and moved forward. He easily picked up the runaway and slung him over his shoulder. The three left in relative silence. Remus stayed quiet, he felt useless enough as the younger male carried him as if he weighed nothing.

They traveled for over an hour before they came to a small river.

"I don't get it," Tonks said breaking their silence. "You're smart enough Remus, why didn't you get it."

Remus scrunched his features up in thought. He wasn't really sure if he wanted to answer that question in his current predicament.

"I said the first thing that came to mind," Remus answered. "Which I know was a stupid thing and couldn't have possibly been the answer that the sphinx was seeking but I couldn't help myself."

"And that was?" She asked. His riddle has to be some outlandish one any person would have gotten wrong.

"Severus Snape,"

Severus' attention was finally pulled to the conversation when he heard his name pass from the werewolf's mouth. He hadn't spoken to this misguided man in a very long time, so for his name to have been the answer to his question spark his curiosity.

"What was the question?" Severus asked suspiciously.

"I am the loneliest thing in the universe, what am I?"

"Can I just drop him?" Severus asked Tonks seriously.

"No," She answered and just as she did Severus "accidentally" clipped Remus with the nearest tree.

"Bloody hell, man," Remus growled, and again he was slammed into another tree.

"This snow is hard to walk in," Severus replied.

"As soon as we stop to set up camp you two will be rid of each other," Tonks answered. "I could always carry him the last mile."

Severus shook his head. There was no use in both of them being worn out from carrying the retrieved lichen. Another half a mile later and Severus found himself very irritated. He was by no means out of shape but he was feeling the need to complain.

Tonks sensed his impatience. She decided she would take his mind off of his burden and tease him.

"Awe," She started off. "What's the matter with Severus?"

"I'm uncomfortable, I'm outside, I'm carrying the flea bag, and I'm stuck miles from civilization with you," Severus answered. He watched Tonks frown at his words.

"He doesn't have fleas," She said finally. She already knew his real feelings about being out here with her so there was no need, in her opinion, to take any offense to it.

"You don't know that," Severus argued.

The two spent the next half mile bickering back and forth about things that weren't very important but made time pass by much more quickly. Tonks even managed to amuse him by walking over what appeared the be two feet of snow and ended up sinking so far through it that he had to help her out.

"How about we camp here?" Tonks asked. There was a clear enough patch for them to set up their camping gear and a river next to them provided them with a bathing space. She wasn't one to get cold very easily but the sooner she peeled off her wet clothes the better she'd feel.

Severus took in her shivering form and pictured her in his mind just as he had pictured Remus earlier that day.

"Jerk," She told him with a shove. It wasn't the brightest idea as Severus lost balance in the snow and toppled over while carrying the older man.

Severus glared up at her with a look that made her gulp and put up her hands in defensiveness.

The pack he carried was on the ground in seconds. The brunette shrieked as he charged after her. The two completely forgot about Remus as they headed for the river. Tonks ducked under a few trees and slid a few feet before gaining her balance back. Severus was close behind her every time she looked back. The two finally made it to the river and Tonks' fearless nature enabled her to charge right through it. It was deeper than she had anticipated it being and mid way through, the water was above her head. A hand grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and she tugged Severus underneath the water with her. The two wrestled until they needed air and Tonks quickly swam to the other side. She pulled herself from the water and the older man grabbed her foot and pulled.

Tonks, quite used to being off balance, used this to her advantage. She feel onto the dark haired man pushing him back into the deep portion of the river. The two were like children once they were both out of the water. Each of them ignoring the extreme cold they were exposing their bodies too.

After forty five minutes of trying to get away for her counterpart she found the nearest tree and with the speed of a squirrel, climbed it. Severus wasn't a fan of climbing trees especially snow covered ones.

"Get down here and take your beating like a man," he told her. He glared up at her threateningly.

Tonks shook her head feverishly. This action made cold water drops rain down on the aggravated man. She would stay up there for as long as he stayed angry with her. He crossed his arms over his chest and attempted to look menacing.

They locked stares and prepared to see who would last the longest. Tonks wrapped her arms around her freezing form. She wasn't coming out of the tree willingly until Severus left her alone.

The raven haired man began feeling the chill himself as he cooled down and watching her catch her death in the tree wasn't helping their situation better. So he did what any man who cared about his companion would do. He began to climb the tree.

Tree climbing wasn't something he'd ever been very good at and Tonks had to hold in her laughter as she watched the athletic man climb the tree. If he was this bad getting into them she wondered what he looked like while he was attempting to climb down. The snow wasn't exactly helping the circumstances. He finally made it up the tree with five feet between them which was more than enough space for Tonks. She was an expert tree climber but she had a feeling Severus would get out of the tree the hard way.

"Will you stop being difficult and get out of the tree?" he asked.

"Promise you won't do anything to me?"

"I can't make any promises," he told her. "But I can assure you that I won't harm you in any way,"

"Bullshit," Tonks told him. "You're going to hex me the minute I turn my back,"

"Bullshit," Severus tossed back. "I am no bloody coward,"

Tonks considered her position and decided freezing to death wasn't how she aspired to die.

She studied the tree closely, trying to figure out which would be the safest way out of the snow covered tree. She spotted a few semi easy routes but opted on one that would not only get her out of the tree but would also allow her to show off on of the many athletic attributes she had over the man.

"I'll race you down," Tonks said. "First one that makes it back to the campsite without using magic gets the tent and the other has to be their own personal slave,"

"I'm in," Severus said.

The two looked down and then made eye contact. Severus was the first to shoot down the tree. He needed all the extra time he could grasp onto. Tonks watched his start and giggled a little. The usually graceful man was two tree limbs short of killing himself. Tonks shook her head and decided that was enough time. She nimbly swung from branch to branch like a chimpanzee. She landed on the ground at the same time as Severus.

The long strides Severus made while running made Tonks jealous, but just because he was taller didn't mean it was an advantage. If there was one thing Tonks learned in auror training it was to always let your opponent lead in competition. If something unforeseen just happened to arise, the mishap wouldn't be your own.

She was glad that piece of advice had been rammed into her skull along with her mentor's coin adage of "constant vigilance".

The raven haired man slipped on a covered patch of ice and Tonks took the lead from him again bounding fearlessly into the water.

Severus was far too behind to catch up to the brunette and smirked. He'd give it to her, being outside was her element. He got up and quickly made his way back to camp and by the time he got there, their tent had been set up and Tonks was inside. There was a fire going in the middle of their campsite, but he wasted no time with it. He peeled off his wet shirts.

"If you're going to strip you could at least be a gentleman and get in here and give a lass a show," Tonks teased. She poked her head out of the tent flaps.

Her shoulders appeared to be bare, an indication of the lack of her own shirt. Severus stared at her and shrugged. He was the loser after all. He was at her mercy.