Chapter Three
The morning came around much too fast for Harry. He was young, but a late night on top of no sleep the night before and he was ready for a serious lie in. However, such a concept appeared to be alien to the Weasley household.
"Come on mate! I've been waiting all summer for you to turn up so we can play some Quidditch!" The voice of his best mate Ron said in a demanding manner.
"Oh sod off Ron, it's too early."
Ron chuckled, "Isn't that normally my line?" he asked. "Anyway it's 9am"
"What?" Harry said sitting up suddenly, nearly knocking his mate off the bed in the process.
"Okay, 8.30 then" Ron said with a smirk.
"Bastard" Harry muttered, swinging his legs out of bed and getting up. "Damn I'm knackered."
"Well you did get in kind of late last night."
"I was in the company of a babe if you must know." Harry said with a wry smile.
"You wish mate, come on breakfast is nearly ready." he said and dashed out the door.
"That man is a walking stomach." Harry commented he looked into the mirror with a frown. "Mate you look like shit warmed up," he told his reflection. With a sigh, he went about tidying himself up the best he was able and digging through his trunk for some of the clothes he had created before, though he did pick something slightly less formal than he new normal style. Then he tossed his ever-present jacket over his shoulders and meandered down the rickety stairs to the kitchen.
Breakfast was served just as he arrived and the Weasley's looked up at him.
Ginny let out a low whistle, "Hey there handsome" she said with an impish smile.
"Hey yourself" he replied with a sexy drawl and smile.
Ginny then promptly blushed scarlet at his unexpected retort and ducked her head down to concentrate on her breakfast.
"Ginny!" Ron said scandalized.
"Leave her be Ron, we were just playing." Harry said in a firm voice. Taking a seat by his friend and digging in before he ate everything in sight. "Where's your dad."
"He's spent the night raiding." Mrs. Weasley answered for her otherwise occupied son.
"Nothing serious I hope." Harry said.
"Just the usual dear"
Harry nodded and ate his breakfast, "Oh hell" he said suddenly.
"What?" Ron said with his mouthful.
"Ron, spray that again why don't you? Anyway, I just realized I haven't got a broom and I'm not allowed to fly."
"Oh Professor Dumbledore dropped your broom over last night dear, he had that silly ban lifted."
"Oh thank god," Harry said in relief.
"See we can go flying."
Harry nodded, "Sure Ron, but I also want to stretch my legs a bit, go for a bit of a walk."
"I'm not sure that's a good idea Harry" Molly jumped in and told him.
Harry just looked at her, steadily. "I don't think the king of warts is going to jump me in this village do you?" he asked rhetorically.
"Still, it's as best to be safe. I assured the headmaster that I'd look out for you."
"I appreciate that more than you know Mrs. Weasley, but I am legally an adult. There's not much you can say either way. Though I'd understand if you didn't want me to stay"
"Oh no Harry that's not what I mean at all. Of course, you are free to go for a walk, just stick to the grounds. Can you do that for me?" she pleaded with him.
Harry smiled, "Sure. I've been finding a bit of a solitary walk helps me with my Occlumancy actually."
"The order didn't mention you going for any walks."
"You think they knew" Harry said with a smirk.
"Oh Harry, your guards are no good if you keep giving them the slip."
"Then they shouldn't be wasting the man power on looking after me when I can look after myself. But this isn't something I should lay at your feet Mrs. Weasley. Perhaps I should bring it up with the headmaster." Harry said reasonably.
"Perhaps that would be best dear."
Meanwhile Ron and Ginny were looking at him as if he had grown a second head.
"What?" he asked in an aside.
"What's gotten into you?" Ginny asked.
"Freedom, I've tasted it and I like It." he whispered back at her.
She frowned slightly.
"Don't frown it give you the wrong sort of wrinkles." he said with a wink.
She blushed again, and was derailed quite nicely. Leaving Harry with only Ron to deal with.
"Sure you don't want company mate?" was his surprising question.
"Nah, I'm good." Harry replied, "The solitude really does help me focus." It was true during the first little while, as he had been learning it had indeed helped. These day's it was almost second nature to him. Heck it was almost first nature. Besides being alone meant he could...slip away again.
Once breakfast was finished, Ron grabbed him by the arm, barely letting him get the last mouthful of his meal in his mouth. "Ron we're not all production line eaters you know!" Harry objected.
"Come on, I've been dying to have a play."
"Well Ginny could've done the job; I mean she's quite the seeker you know." Harry said just as they were leaving the door. Causing Ginny to beam with pride as it was quite the compliment from the best seeker since her brother Charlie to grace Hogwarts pitch. In her personal opinion, Harry was in fact better than her dear brother was, but perhaps she was somewhat biased thanks to the huge crush she was still nursing for the dark haired young man.
She shook it off as best she was able and set about her morning chores. It would have been nice to be invited but then her brothers still thought of her as some sort of girly girl, despite the fact she could keep up with them doing most sports pursuits.
-oOo-
Harry had finally managed to extract himself from Ron had gone for his 'walk' which led him into the small copse of trees that bordered the Weasley holdings. They actually had a fair bit of a land for a supposedly poor family. If they just sold off some of the parcels of land they had they could be quite a bit better off. Alternatively, that would have been the case; they had a goodly amount of money now thanks to his godfather. It was not as if he would not look after them but either they were very proud, or in Ron's case a little strange about his money. He would have to offer Mrs. Weasley some money to help with his up keep, after all he was there eating their food and taking up some room. He should at least pay for the privilege.
He quietened his mind and enjoyed the early evening sun filtering down through the trees and hitting his face, the copse itself was very quiet, the only sounds really coming from his egress through it. It was the perfect place to loose himself and hopefully slip away undetected, Just then a cracking noise causing him to whirl around to face the noise.
"Who's there?" he asked in a firm voice his wand already searching around him. When no one answered, he almost let it go as just another sound of the woods. However, he did not as he was not that lucky overall. With a swift movement of his wand, a sphere of purple light appeared around him and spread out; he looked around him until a soft pinging noise told him that there was someone hiding. He immediately turned to face the source of the sound and pointed his wand threateningly.
"Show yourself or I start hexing!" he commanded.
A pink haired head appeared as Tonks took off her hood to her invisibility cloak. "Bloody Hell Harry, you can be kind of scary, do you know that?"
"Oh, it's just my body guard for the day" Harry said relaxing his combative stance slightly. "You know it's not a good idea to creep around with me."
"No kidding." Tonks commented slowly.
"Also if you're going to follow me like that you might want to silence the immediate area that you are in." Harry pointed out.
Tonks laughed, "I'll have to remember that. So Harry what are you doing out here. You're almost at the edge of the wards." She informed him.
He shrugged in reply, "Whatever. I was just getting a moment to myself. I like it here but it can be kind of busy."
She nodded her agreement, "I suppose you're right there Harry."
Harry plunked himself down with his back to a tree and waived her beside him.
She paused for a moment, and then mentally shrugged. She would still be guarding him after all. She sat down beside him and smiled, "Nice here init."
"It's not bad." Harry admitted, and then smirked, "The company is even better though."
"You're flirting again," she pointed out without rancour.
Harry smirked at her, "Is that a problem."
She just smiled back at him and did not answer, instead asking a question of her own. "So is that story about Occlumancy true?"
He shook his head, "Nah, just wanted some alone time really."
"Oh sorry" she said getting to move away.
Harry's hand on her arm stilled her. "No it's okay. Loneliness is overrated anyway."
She smiled softly and sat back down properly. "So..." she said.
Harry cocked his eyebrow at her.
"How's things?" she ended lamely.
He shrugged again, "Not bad. You know the normal really. How about you? Got over that wound you picked up at the ministry?"
"Yep, all healed and no scars to show for it. Sometimes being me is good."
"Only sometimes" he asked teasingly. "So who's this other man that has taken you off the market then?"
She looked at him sternly, "What makes you think there's a man in my life."
"You said you were taken last night..."
"Oh... Yeah I suppose I did."
"Not answering the question though are you?" he asked with a smirk. "It's okay, I'll just be insanely jealous on a more broad scale."
She laughed at him, "You are terrible."
"Really, I thought I was getting better at this flirting thing" he said with a laugh.
She gave him a playful shove causing him to fall over which just made her laugh.
"Guarding me; abusing me is more like it!" Harry said playfully.
She snorted at him, "You wish"
Harry winked at her, "It's true, I could go for some abuse right now," he added flirtatiously.
Tonks threw back her head and laughed at him.
Harry righted himself and reached up, grabbing a nearby branch and pulled it off.
"Whatcha doing?" Tonks asked curiously.
He reached into one of his many and almost with out end pockets and pulled out one of his recent purchases. In this, case a finely made pocketknife that he had charmed to be ever sharp and wickedly so at that. Then he whittled off the various offshoots from the main part of the branch and various leaves etc.
"Harry?" she asked.
He shrugged at her and smirked, "This is my new wand. Do you like it?"
She snorted.
"No seriously, look what's a wand. A piece of wood with a magical core of some sort, say you are a magical creature... In more ways than one, grow us a hair..."
Giving a strange look she concentrated and grew some of her bubblegum pink hair until it was about 4 inches long. Then she pulled out a strand and passed it to him.
He carefully drew a long fine line down the length of his wand, and then repeated the process a few times until he could lay the hair into almost the middle of the 'wand'. Then he used his other wand to seal the rift.
"There one wand." he said, giving it a swish and causing some sparks to come out the end.
Tonks shot him a wide-eyed look. "Cor Blimey."
"Wingardium Leviosa" he said over enunciated every syllable. A few twigs wobbled into the air for a moment. Then all of a sudden, the 'wand' exploded into green flames. Which engulfed his arm to the elbow; this caused Tonks to cry out in alarm. Nevertheless, the wand and fire lasted about a second and shortly both had disappeared. She virtually dived on him, grabbed his wand, and inspected it closely.
"It's alright" Harry said soothingly, "I'm not harmed. Honestly." he said, luckily his magic had protected him from the flame and the backlash of magic his dodgy wand had caused. "Look" he said flexing his hand at her.
She did not believe his words and insisted on inspecting him closely. Which was when Harry noticed he had an attractive woman sat astride him, he looked at her worried face with a sexy smile haunting his face.
"How?" she asked, looking up from his hand and promptly getting lost in his emerald regard
The two of them stared at each other for a minute, before Tonks found herself leaning in for a kiss. Her lips just brushed Harry's before she leapt off him as if he was actually on fire. "Oh god!" she said backing away a bit, "I shouldn't have done that!" she said aghast at herself.
"It's okay Tonks, I'm not offended or anything. I quite enjoyed it actually," he said with a charming voice and smile.
"You're my charge, I shouldn't be doing stuff like that it's unprofessional is what it is!" she said horrified at herself more than anything, the spark that had shot between them was actually just fuel for the fire of her self recrimination.
"Tonks, calm down. It's okay." Harry said, getting up and taking a step towards her.
She backed off with a shake of her head. She held up her hand. "Just stay there Harry." she said and pulled up the hood of her cloak disappearing from his site. "That was just so wrong. I'm going to back away a LOT but I'll keep you in sight," she told him. He did not hear anything else from her, so she had apparently taken his advice to heart too.
He smiled slightly, turned to the tree and climbed up it. Taking a seat on one of the higher branches, he then promptly lost himself in his mental construct. He obviously was not going to be slipping away any time soon. Therefore, he might as well make the best of the time he had. To that end, he spent the rest of his 'free' time sorting through Riddle's knowledge and filing it away in the right places. Some of which was quite disturbing so he had to spend some time settling his emotions. Then he just jumped down from his perch and landed with a bend of his knees and a hand to steady himself.
One of the major advantages he had found to organizing his mind in such a way was recall. He could recall just about everything he had ever read, and now what Riddle had read too. Even flick through a book seemed to be enough. Therefore, the things he had picked up from escapes to the library were with him. Including some of the Hand-to-Hand books he had browsed when he had found out he would be fighting on a regular basis. At the time, he did not think them useful for the Wizarding world. Now he was not so sure. That and the fact he pretty much remembered every single move and Kata listed in those books had imprinted it in his mind and strangely enough reactions.
He was not sure how that worked, but he was glad it had. He had also figured out that no wizard truly anticipated a physical attack on his person. Therefore, it could be turned into an advantage for him, especially with Death Eaters. Not so much with the Dork Lord himself, since his 'new' body was of reptilian descent and thus had some blindingly fast reactions as standard. Though if he would know how to use them to his advantage was another thing entirely, but he suspected that Voldemort would not let something like that slip past him.
Harry meandered slowly back towards the Burrow, just thinking and enjoying the fading sunlight. His ears alert for any sign of Tonks. He supposed he should apologize or something. Though to be honest, she had kissed him and not the other way around. However, it would be good form to try as least.
He did not take that long to reach the ramshackle home of the Weasley's.
The kitchen door was open to allow the cooler summer air to drift in to the kitchen/dining area.
He would have to admit, he had been there only a day and he was starting to chafe at being restricted to one place already. He had another two weeks to go as well. He would have to figure out someway to get past his guards and slide away for a while. Hopefully without drawing attention to the fact he was not where he was supposed to be.
He walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the table next to a slightly miffed Ron, curious Ginny and across from the twins. They had apparently hopped back home for a visit. Well there was one thing about having the twins around. Things were rarely boring.
"Alright Harry" George said.
"Alright George" Harry said causing the twin to smile.
"Good guess" he said.
Harry shook his head with a secret smile.
"Any luck?" he asked obliquely.
Fred shook his head, "No, the enchantments are too complex. We can't even crack through the first security layer. Some of the best work we've ever seen, but we DO have an idea, it's just a case of creating a few test models."
"Oh?" Harry asked, interested now.
"Well we were in Muggle London the other day and saw something fascinating."
"What were you two doing there?" their mother asked.
George shrugged, "The Muggles have some interesting Pranking ideas, we occasionally check out what they're up to."
"Cool" Harry commented, "So what did you see."
"This guy was talking into a fellytone, and it didn't have wires or anything. We did some research."
"In other words we asked him what it was." Fred put in.
"Apparently it's called a Mobile." George said tripping over the word a little.
"Loads of muggles have them apparently. So we were thinking, we could just take one and magic proof it. Dad's department would come down like a ton of bricks if we did that."
Harry looked up in alarm, "They would?" he asked worriedly.
"Yeah" Ginny put in, "It's one of the things he does. Check nothing Muggle has been enchanted and all that. Most of the time it is because people are making them do things that put the security of our world at risk. But the rule is blanket to catch everything."
"Shit" Harry said under his breath, "So these mobiles. I have seen them around, Dudley has one in fact. Dead useful I expect."
"That's what we thought" Fred said.
George nodded, "So while we can't just take a Muggle fellytone and change it..."
"Telephone" Harry corrected him.
"Right, well we can't just take a ... Telephone... we could possibly duplicate it using magical means, and they wouldn't need all those thingies all over the place to ... boost? the signal."
Harry nodded, "Okay that sounds like a good idea. Keep me up to date yeah. I reckon I could have a use for something like that," he said with a smirk.
Fred smirked back at him. "We'll do so." he said semi seriously.
"So what was it that they were doing for you in the first place?" Ginny asked.
"Nothing" Harry said waiving it off.
She gave him a look that was clearly disbelieving. He ignored it and turned his attention to the plate placed in front of him. He was also thinking he would have to do something about his new stuff quickly or risk getting into even more trouble with the ministry than was usual. Which sucked, he really liked being able to listen to music... Unless.
"Your eyes just lit up like Christmas came early." Ron noted.
"I've just had an idea. But I'm not sure it'll work yet. I'll have to do some calculations. Anyone got a notepad, sorry daft question... I'll be right back," he said diving away from the table.
"Hey!" Molly said, normally people were not allowed to leave the table until the meal was done. Then Harry always was a law unto himself. She also did not normally allow business talk over the table but it had happened. Though she was curious, she had to admit. She had a sneaking suspicion where the twins had gotten their start up money too. She would have to thank him, after giving him an earful. The twins were turning out to be very successful and it did her heart good to see them so happy doing what they were doing. Even if they had not finished the full 7 years of school in the end though it was her children's happiness that was important to her, even if she was sometimes a little over protective
Harry arrived back at the table with a strange looking sheaf of papers bound at the top with wire, and a stylus type thing. She had no idea what it was though.
Harry caught her looking, clicked the end and showed her. "It's a biro. Much easier to use than a quill, this is a notepad," he said to the twins who were looking at it with interest.
He flicked it open, "Cheaper than parchment and you can easily keep your notes together with it. I have one for each area I'm working on at the moment," he told them paging through the notepad.
"That's some advanced Arithmancy" George commented. "And rune work included too."
Harry shrugged, "Hermione isn't the only one that can learn from books," he said, fobbing them off a little. As he sketched out a few equations
"Hang on, that one there." George said pointing to the previous page. "That could help us out, if it's what I think it is."
"I didn't know you guys knew Arithmancy" Molly said, impressed despite herself.
"It's applicable to our inventions." Fred said. "Also helps with working out the effects ingredients will have when mixed. Though that's mostly just guess work and knowing the ingredients properties."
Molly looked very impressed, causing the twins to blush slightly. "I still say you should return to finish off the year at Hogwarts. I'm sure the Headmaster would be pleased to have you back."
"The other teachers on the other hand..." Ginny said with a smirk.
They all laughed, "No" Fred said, "Maybe at some point we'll do a correspondence course to get our NEWTs but at the moment the business needs our full concentration."
"Well, at least you've thought about it I suppose" Molly said. "Just so you know though, your father and I are proud of what you've done."
They blushed again.
Harry smirked at them, "Oh for a camera, a picture of the infamous Weasley twins blushing could go for a bit I reckon."
"You wouldn't survive..."
"... The pranks we'd pull on you," they said in their eerie way.
Harry laughed and nodded, "True enough I suppose." he said with a smile.
He passed them the notes he had made on the lighter communicator, "They don't work though." he warned them.
Fred shook his head, "Doesn't matter... So you tried to use the Floo then?" he said glancing over the complex equations with a professional air.
Harry nodded, "Blew up in my face. THAT I remember."
"Wish you remembered the one you got to work."
"What are you three on about?" Ron asked.
The twins looked at Harry, who nodded in reply.
"Harry sent us this little doodad he made one night while..." Fred glanced at his mother and back at Harry, "Otherwise disposed mentally. It's basically a communications devices, only trouble was, that he didn't make these" he shook the notes, "Sorts of notes for it, and couldn't remember how the hell he got it to work."
"I thought" Harry said picking up the thread and running with it, "That a portable form of talking to each other would be dead useful."
"You're right it would be." Ginny put in.
"I made ten" Harry said, "Then fell asleep or something. I wake up the next day and have no idea how the buggering things work."
"Language Harry" Molly warned.
He smiled his apology, "So I thought who better than these two to work them out," he said with a nod at the twins.
"Got any left?" Ron asked.
"Sure, want one?" Harry said.
"Too right mate" Ron said with a smile.
"Have to warn you though, unless I figure out the charms used, they'll be limited to who ever I give the rest too."
Ron shrugged, "At least it means we can stay in contact."
"You should give one to the headmaster" Molly put forth.
Harry grimaced but nodded, "You're probably right about that Mrs. Weasley. Was hoping to save them for my friends though"
"You've got ten friends?" Ron asked teasingly.
Harry poked out his tongue in the ultimate come back... if you are four.
"Oh very mature" Ron said wryly.
"Was the only come back I had at the time." Harry said with a chuckle.
"Anyway, if the twins get their idea off the ground, we'll have a method of communication that's portable and easy to use. Not to mention it should bring them in a fair bit of money too."
"Well, we've got the original sale of the ..." Fred said trailing off
"Handset" Harry filled in.
"Right, but we were thinking that they shouldn't be that expensive. You know to get as many people using them as possible." Fred finished.
"Hell no, there's way more you can do than that. Depending on how you achieve this. In muggle run companies, they have two types of mobile. Pre-paid and monthly contract, you own the handset, which can connect to the 'network' that is how they contact each other. But you rent the line that it connects to. This is either done on a monthly basis or using pre-paid cards that pay mostly for the costs of the calls themselves."
George's eyes lit up, "So people pay for the calls made too."
"Yes, which with monthly contracts is billed like making an order would be, part of the bill is the line rental and the rest is the charges for the calls made. They vary in price, for one thing there are different networks and it costs more to contact another one, some lines are... especially expensive, but they are somewhat seedy on the whole." Harry informed them with a growing smirk.
Fred laughed, "This could make us RICH!" he said with a laugh.
George was looking doubtful though, "Thing is, we'd have to have one hell of a support base to do the billing and the maintenance and all that wouldn't we?"
Harry nodded.
"We can't really afford to set that up." George went on to say.
Fred was now looking doubtful too.
"Well I can" Harry said, "Take me on as a partner and I'll put up the start up costs."
The twins looked at each other, "You'd need to be willing to part with a fair bit of cash."
"Fred and George Weasley you cannot take advantage of Harry just because he has some money." Mrs. Weasley thundered over their growing enthusiasm.
"Actually Mrs. Weasley, they wouldn't be taking advantage at all. The return for something like this would be staggering and I would of course have profit share and a say in the direction for the new company aims etc. I would make my money back, hand over foot. Even if we tanked I wouldn't come out of it broke or anything. Fred, George, get inventing then we'll discuss how we should go about this. We'd need to set something up with the Goblins for sure; for direct billing of vaults etc, and I think I could pitch that to them successfully." he said assuredly.
The twins smiled at him and nodded, casting a wary look at their surprised mother. Then things calmed down for a while as they all ate, but Harry continued to work on his magical math.
"Got it!" Harry said excitedly about half an hour later.
"What?"
"Hang on a mo" he said scribbling, "Ginny can I borrow a hair pin?" he asked.
Ginny frowned but reached into her long red locks and retrieved a pin as requested.
Harry pulled out his wand and cast it over the pin several times until it started to shot light out of the end of it. Then he once again ran from the table and thundered up the stairs, quickly returning with a CD.
"What's that?" Ron asked curiously.
Harry just smiled at him and winked. Then he cast another spell and the pin stood on one end the light shooting up to the roof. Then he placed the CD over the light and spun it. Nothing happened other than it continued to spin, "oh bugger, forgot about the speakers." he said and thought for a moment.
"Is it me or is Harry doing some more inventing." Fred asked his brother.
"I reckon you're right my good twin."
"What do you think that silver disk thingy is?"
"No idea second twin, but knowing Harry it'll be good." George responded with a smirk.
"Wasn't I the first out?" Fred asked.
"No it was me."
"No it wasn't it was me."
"Boys!" Molly said, before they really got going.
"Huh" Harry said suddenly and cast another spell, the needle, CD lifted off the table, and suddenly the house filled with the banging beat of techno music.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Mrs. Weasley demanded at the top of her voice, mostly so she was heard over the noise.
"HEY I LIKE THAT!" Ginny said with a wild-eyed look.
The twins were nodding their heads in sink as Ron tried in vain to cover his ears.
"SORRY" Harry shouted and flicked his wand; the volume went down to a more reasonable level.
"That's better dear, whatever is that noise though?" Molly asked.
"Techno music" Harry said with a pleased smile, "I got into it during the summer. It's good yeah?"
Molly smiled slightly, "If you say so dear."
"I like it" Ginny said tapping her foot. "Very..."
"Tribal" Harry finished for her.
"Yeah" Fred and George agreed.
"Ahh make it stop." Ron said.
"Don't worry mate, I've got loads of CD's I might even have something you like."
"Where'd you get the CD-thing's from anyway?" Ginny asked, "And can you make me one of those"
"Well since you gave me the main ingredient, I think I can." Harry said, not noticing the wince from Mrs. Weasley.
"You have to get the CD's from the muggle world though. Perhaps we can get a trip out sometime?" he asked Mrs. Weasley
She looked thoughtful for a minute, "I'm not sure that's safe dear."
"No one in the muggle world has the faintest idea who I am Mrs. Weasley. It's actually safer out there than it is in Diagon Alley."
She had to concede that point, "I'll ask the headmaster."
Harry rolled his eyes, "I don't need permission Mrs. Weasley, and I was asking your permission to take Ginny along, Ron too if he wants."
Ron looked slightly dubious but nodded, "Yeah I could go for that."
"Professor Dumbledore would still have to provide a guard for you Harry."
"Well from memory only Tonks would be able to fit in anyway." Harry replied. Most wizards stood out like a sore thumb in the muggle world.
"I'll see what I can do Harry dear." she said walking off towards the fireplace.
"Do you think he'll go for it?" Ginny asked.
"If he doesn't I'm bloody going anyway and they can just follow me" Harry said forcefully.
"Harry mate..." Ron began.
"No mate, it's got to stop. I'm legally an adult now and I'm fed up with being caged in like some precious vase they can't afford to loose. I'm my own person now and I'm damn well going to act like it."
"Wise words Harry" came the voice of Professor Dumbledore, "But are you ready for the responsibility that is inherent with taking your place in the world."
"I'm not about to be reckless with my life professor." Harry said reasonably, "Or anyone else's for that matter. I'm just fed up with being so... Restricted all the time. There is a world out there that I have yet to even begin to explore..." Harry trailed off incredulously, "Are you dancing sir?" he asked with a smile quirking his lips.
"Oh, sorry Harry I was just enjoying your musical selection. It is truly a magic beyond that we do. Reminds me of some of the music I heard while travelling in Africa." The younger generation shared an amused look.
"You are, however, correct Harry, perhaps it is time I loosed the chains a bit. Though I do insist you take this," he said handing over a small square object. "It's an emergency port key that will take you to Headquarters. At the first sign of trouble, I insist you use it. That is my only condition."
"Will it take anyone I have with me also?" Harry asked.
"They merely have to be in contact with either yourself or the key. It's small enough to fit on your person is it not?"
"Actually not really, can you make it into something like say... a necklace or something I can keep on me at all times?"
"That's a very good idea Harry, if you would pass it back to me. I will make it work to turn your entire body into the port key so you bring anyone along holding you. If any, shall we say, nay-do-wells have a hold of you the defences at the HQ will deal with them, I have had rather a lot of fun lately putting them all in. Bill has been kind enough to install some of his most... inventive wards as well."
"Thanks Professor." Harry said, "So whatcha reckon then, trip to London tomorrow."
"I have to ask though Harry," Dumbledore said interrupting any answer that would be made. "What is that, and how did you come to own it?"
"Oh, this is a CD" Harry said pointing with his wand, "and I had to kind of... make a spell to play it."
The aged professor's eyebrows rose, "Impressive. May I ask how you learned to do such a thing?"
"Picked it up here and there. Did a LOT of reading over the summer, found one of Hermione's advanced textbooks she'd lent me at some point, that sort of thing."
"I'm really most impressed. So you are not enchanting the ... CD was it? Itself then?"
"No I've learned today that is illegal." Harry said with an impudent smirk.
"So just the pin itself contains the spell then?"
Harry nodded, "It's actually got a few on it. One for the light and feedback, you see CD's have these tiny holes that hold the music and a light beam known as a laser reads them and normally a chip turns that back into sound. I just cut a few corners and had the magic do the reading and conversion. The air underneath the pin acts as a speaker."
"A speaker?"
"Like the horn on a mega phone, sort of."
By this point, most of the Weasley's had gone a little boss-eyed. However, Dumbledore and Harry were into the science behind magic and technology now. They were both quite enjoying the conversation. "Basically movement in the air creates sound waves which are dictated by the CD."
"So it is not too dissimilar to a phonograph then?" Dumbledore asked drawing up a chair. Literally, he drew it with his wand and sat on it.
"Sort of, but that's analogue, and this is digital. A series of one's and zeros."
"One's and Zero's do all that, fascinating."
"Pretty much. I learned about this stuff back in Muggle science class."
"Your retention is rather good then." Dumbledore commented.
Harry paused, this was possibly getting onto dodgy ground, "Occlumancy has helped me organize my mind quite a bit sir," he admitted. After all, there was nothing that strange about what he had done. He had merely combined the science of shielding the mind and organizing thoughts with memory techniques from the muggle world. "I may have also added some techniques for memory retention and organizing thoughts from a muggle source as well sir," he admitted. Better to have it out in the open now rather than it coming up later.
"Really, what sources?"
Harry rattled them off, noticing that Dumbledore was fishing around for some parchment. He smirked; jotted down the names of the books he had read and passed the paper over to the man.
"Thank you, I'll get copies forthwith." The professor said, "Now back to the other reason I am here. I'm wondering if you might do me a favour Harry."
"Shoot"
Dumbledore cocked his head at Harry.
"Ask away sir"
"Oh, really what a quaint expression that is. Very well I require your assistance to convince someone to join my staff this year."
"Who?" Harry asked.
"Professor Horace Slughorn."
"Never heard of him, why would you need me sir? How can I help convince someone I've never met to help you?"
"That is actually terribly simple Harry. I just wish you to join me and look like your mother."
Harry glanced down at himself, "I don't really have the figure for it sir," he said with a smirk.
Dumbledore laughed, "You're becoming quite the scamp Harry, and just be yourself in point of fact. You indeed have your mother's eyes that will help here."
Harry snorted, "You're seriously saying you want me to come and bat my eyes at someone?"
The aged professor laughed again, "Not quite, but close. Horace was very found of your mother, I believe he said she was one of his best students in the time he had been teaching. He has been reticent to return to the noble art of instruction though. I think a little emotional blackmail is in order."
Harry laughed everyone did in fact. He nodded his agreement, Then reached out and grabbed the needle for his CD Player. In addition, promptly dropped it, "FUCK!" he swore.
"HARRY!" Molly admonished him.
"Sorry that was ... REALLY hot. I wasn't expecting that," he said, touching the table he noticed it too was suffering from warmth. "Looks like I have a few bugs to work out. Sorry Ginny, but we will still take our trip. I'm sure it won't take long."
"A simple cooling charm added to the matrix perhaps," Dumbledore suggested.
"Might muffle the sound a bit, but I could perhaps amplify the signal?"
"That would be wise I think. Now, shall we be off or do you require medical attention?"
Harry shook his head, thinking it strange that his Magic had not saved him that time. He would have to watch it; there were obviously limitations to what it could protect him from, apparently. Which in itself was worthy of note, perhaps his power was not as all encompassing as he had thought. Which only made sense really, there was no such thing as absolute power. "No I'm okay sir. Let's be off shall we?"
Dumbledore brought forth a port key for Harry to hold. "I hope this sock is clean," Harry grumbled with a chuckle.
Dumbledore chuckled and activated the port key. Another tug behind his navel and they arrived at a small cottage by the ocean. "Just follow my lead Harry."
Harry nodded and they set off towards the entranceway.
-oOo-
"Wow, wicked" Ron said as they stepped into Muggle London.
Harry smirked, "You ain't seen nothing yet."
He looked at his partners in crime for the day trip. They were both dressed in muggle clothing that did not stand out too much. Luckily, the clothing of the younger generation was not that bad by muggle standards, a little dated perhaps. The adults appeared to be stuck in the eighteen hundreds.
The night before had been... strange to say the least but the mission had been accomplished much to Dumbledore's delight. It had left Harry feeling the loss of his mother once again though. This often happened when compared to his mother or father, just another reason he did not much like it.
"There's more?" Ginny asked excitedly.
"Much more, follow me and... try not to stand out too much." Harry said.
Ron looked at his friend who was dressed in his now familiar leather coat, silk shirt and dark trousers that also looked to be leather. He would love to know where the hell he had got those. He was exuding an air of confidence that simply had not been there before and was standing proud in the street. Adverse to his words of caution Harry was indeed standing out and was taking it all in his stride. As they walked along the street and towards the busier parts of London proper, some girls were giving him the eye and he was generally drawing attention to himself. So Ron thought it a bit off for him to be saying for them not to draw attention when he was.
"How far do we have to walk, I'm hungry." Ron said after a few minutes.
Harry and Ginny shared an amused look, "Not far Ron then we'll catch a taxi into Knightsbridge and I'll take you to Harrods. Everyone has to at least check it out once." Harry said, "I'll buy you something to eat there if you like?"
"I've got money!" Ron said indignantly.
"Of course you have, but why spend it on food when I'm happy to splash out some dosh?"
"Splash, dosh?" Ginny asked curiously.
"Muggle expressions."
"You didn't used to be so up with muggle stuff Harry," Ron said.
Harry shrugged, "You've never seen me outside of the Magic world really," he said accurately.
"True enough I suppose, just it's a surprise is all" Ron commented.
Harry shrugged again, "I was brought up here, and it's likely that I know it isn't it now."
"Yeah, fair enough." Ron said.
Harry walked up to the Taxi rank, opened the door for Ginny, and let Ron go before him too. "Harrods please mate." he said to the driver.
"Right you are guv."
"Guv?" Ginny asked.
"East end London expression." Harry said in a whisper.
"New to London?" the taxi driver said, obviously noticing their conversation.
"Not me, but my friends are from down in the south."
"Ahh, gotcha." the cabbie said nodding, and then made short work of the traffic.
In no time, they were let out at the famous store and Harry paid, and tipped, the driver.
"You have to pay?" Ron said surprised.
"Through the nose generally but buses are a nightmare and walking is virtually impossible. The tube is too crowded and stuffy and frankly it's quicker to catch a cab."
"You just said a lot of stuff I don't understand a word of." Ron admitted. "Blimey big place init?"
"One of the largest and most expensive stores in England." Harry informed him. "I'd look and not touch too much if I were you."
"Hey Sirius left us some money you know."
"They don't take Galleons here Ron." Ginny said sharply. A bit fed up with her brother's attitude of late when it came to money.
"Whatever mate, I'm just saying this is a place for tourists and the financially secure. A box of Christmas crackers will set you back a hundred quid in here. Even the plastic bags cost a mint. However, if anything takes your fancy just let me know. Luckily this place won't but much of a dent in my limit."
Ron scowled at Harry, who totally missed the expression. Harry was after all just trying to be nice.
Which Ginny knew and related to her brother, in a stern whisper. "Stop being a git" was the general gist of it.
Ron then scowled at his sister instead. This Harry did catch. "Come on, we're supposed to be having fun today."
"Oh yeah Muggle stuff is fun" Ron commented.
Harry frowned at him, "You could've bloody stayed at home you know."
"Someone has to look after Ginny."
"Git" Ginny shot back.
It was Harry's turn to scowl, and then he just let it slide away and instead smiled charmingly at the aristocratic blonde-haired woman that was trying to get past them. "Terribly sorry" he said smoothly stepping to one side and beating the door attendant to the door.
She blessed him with a sexy smile, running her finger across his chest as she past, "Thank you good sir" she said in a cut class accent.
"My pleasure I assure you," Harry virtually purred.
She winked at him and walked away with Harry's eyes glued to her form as she did so.
Ginny walloped him in the shoulder, "Ow, all that time with your brothers has given you one hell of a thump girl."
She smirked superiorly at him, then frowned at him, "Since when did you turn into such a flirt?"
"I was always a flirt I just hid it behind a pathetic loser," Harry said wryly.
"We've never thought of you as a loser Harry," Ginny said softly.
"All that matters in ones self is ones self image and mine sucked. I've learned a bit of confidence this summer. I decided to stop being a doormat and take control of my life. Flirting is just a side affect of that," he said, holding the door for her and her brother to pass.
The sheer splendour that is Harrods cut off any response.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron said looking around at the amazing shop.
"Ohh pretty" Ginny said immediately moving off to look at one of the mannequins with a 'posh frock' on.
Harry smirked, "Want to see if it's in your size?" he asked in barely a whisper that sent a thrill through her. Which she just barely suppressed.
"I'd never have the occasion to wear it."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't girls aloud to just own some clothes because they fancy them?" Harry said, "Besides I recon I could take you all somewhere that could require the use of it."
"You're too free with your money Harry, we don't need to be brought!" she said with some asperity.
Harry frowned, "I'm not trying to buy anyone. I am bloody rich and I intend to share it with my friends in the best ways I can. Going out to swanky places is just one of them." Harry shot back forcefully, "Hell I might even buy a place on the coast and go sailing after this school year. Come on I'll show you the leaflet they've got upstairs!" he said, now with a smile on his face.
"You can buy boats here." Ron said shocked.
"You can buy just about anything here. You should check out some of the kid's toys. Cars with actual engines and everything." Harry said with a light behind his eyes.
"Wicked!" Ron said, though he was not sure why that was quite so exciting.
"First though" Harry said when Ron's stomach made its views known, "The food court" he said with a smile.
In the end it was three quite exhausted Teenagers that finally found their way back into Diagon Alley and then to the Burrow. Thanks to Harry, insisting on splurging on them they all had various bags and Ginny had a few CD's for her new collection. She had had to ask to try each one out though so she could find what she liked. It had taken a while, but the shop assistant had been the same that had helped Harry before and more importantly remembered his spending power. Therefore, their service had been exemplary to say the least. Of course, it helped that neither Ginny nor Ron really knew just how much Harry had just spent on them. Muggle money was mostly alien to them after all. Harry was not about to couch them on exchange rates either otherwise they never would have let him buy it all. As it was, he had become happy by making them happy. So all was good in the land of Harry.
Of course he then had to hedge a fair bit with Mrs. Weasley and assure her that 'He had not spent much really do not worry'. He was actually getting used to this lying through his teeth thing. Was that a bad thing he wondered? Then he decided that it was not in that case. However, he would have to watch himself and not to let it become habit.
The next week went by slowly with not a whole heck of a lot happening, it was not until the last Friday before school that anything really occurred.
Harry dug into his breakfast with gusto; he had spent an early morning doing his general regime of a bit of running and some working out. It was not much, certainly not as good as using Dudley's weights but it was something. When he got to Hogwarts, he would have the Room Of Requirement come up with a suitable training room for him.
He looked up as an owl swept into the room and landed in front of him. It was the first owl he had received in the entire time he had been at the Weasley's. Looking around the room, he noticed that only he, Ron and Ginny attended so he unrolled the parchment and read it with a slowly growing smirk.
"Who's that from Harry?" Ron asked.
"Oh... No one" he said casually, "Just some information I've been waiting for." He hedged.
He scribbled a note on some paper and sent the owl on its way.
"Come on Harry what is it?" Ron said making a lunge for the parchment.
It burst into flames and it became ash before he made it halfway across the table.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron exclaimed.
"Wow" Ginny agreed, "What happened"
"Dunno" Harry said, "Must've been charmed or something" he added almost as an after thought.
"You're being sneaky again aren't you," Ginny said accusingly.
He smiled at her in reply.
"I don't know what's got into you lately mate" Ron complained. "Usually you tell me everything."
"Some secrets aren't mine to tell" he replied.
"Ohh, gossip" Ginny added with a grin.
Harry rolled his eyes, "What is it with Girls and Gossip?"
"It's an important part of our psychology," she told him primly.
Harry laughed.
-oOo-
Harry stood up silently from his bed and checked the watch he had picked up on his latest visit to London. 11.30 and not a noise in the house. While the Weasley's were not quite as bad as the Dursley's they were not known to be up all that late either. Rather than worrying about dressing properly, he just grabbed his coat and in a swirl of magic was dressed to the nines. He took off his glasses and laid them on the bedside table, with a flick of his wrist he created glamour of him in bed fast asleep. It would not stand up to much scrutiny but it would allow someone to check up on him without being immediately obvious he was not at home.
Then with another quite bright swirl of magical energy, he was away from the Burrow and appearing in his favourite London back alley. Two people making out very heavily occupied it.
"'Ere, what you doing pervert" the man demanded to know, pushing off his Girlfriend, or whatever she was, and making a threatening move towards the interloper. Or Harry as he was known to his friends.
Rather than take the man up on his threatening stance Harry realized that he also would not be happy at an interruption. He held up his hand, "Obliviate" he said, catching both lovers in a single spell.
"You never saw me; you are having fantastic sex and enjoying each other immensely, in five minutes you will pickup where you left off. Never the wiser, okay."
They nodded dumbly.
Harry cast a contraception charm on the girl, just so they could have sex with out any nasty surprises and left with a swirl of his coat.
Five minutes later, the two leapt at each other passionately.
In the meantime, Harry walked to a cash machine, drew out some cash, and stalked through the London night towards his meeting.
He finally found her waiting for him adjacent to the queue outside the swanky club.
"Hey you, I was starting to worry you'd been held up."
"I was, or something like that." he replied with a smirk. "But I'm here now." he told her and gave her a lingering look over. "You are even sexier than I remembered." he said with a charming smile.
"Flattery will get you anywhere you want" Lavender replied with a sexy smile.
He bobbed his eyebrows at her and took her hand, "Let's Queue shall we?"
"If you want, I'm in the mood for some fun."
"Where's Parvati?" Harry asked, after all, the note had said it would be them both.
"Couldn't get away from her parents tonight, but I slipped away unnoticed." she said with a chuckle. "Mine aren't quite so suspicious about having a teenager in the house."
Harry chuckled, "So I get you all to myself."
"I could say the same. Not disappointed Parvati's not here?" she asked, with a curious note to her voice.
"A little, she's fun. But if it means I have you to myself I'd gladly walk on hot coals." Harry said gaining a beaming smile so he suspected he had said the right thing.
After Queuing up for half an hour, they finally got into the warmth of the club and checked Lavender's coat and bag.
"Fancy a drink?" Harry asked.
She nodded at him, "Surprise me."
"I'll likely surprise myself, I've no idea what's good or not."
"That stuff we were having before was good." she said pensively, "Can't remember what it's called though".
"Alco-pops or something aren't they. I kind of like the lemonade one myself. Buggered if I can remember its name though." he said with a grin, "I'll just point and smile," he decided aloud, gaining a chuckle.
"Be right back, don't go away," he said with a wink.
She watched him leave and gave herself a shake, "Come on Lav you can't just jump him on sight." she told herself. Of course Parv, had no idea she was out tonight and she was not about to tell her either. Hopefully Harry would not either. The truth was she had thought a lot about a certain black haired, green-eyed man since that night. The kisses they had shared and the burn of his touch all affixed in her sense memory. She REALLY wanted to add to those memories tonight if she could. She was just hoping he would agree. Therefore, she had dressed in her sexiest Muggle clothes, highest heels and left a few things out of her usual dressing regime. Hopefully she could get his hands to wander a bit tonight. She still did not want him as a boyfriend, but boy playing around with him sure was fun.
"Here you go," he said handing her an ice-cold bottle of drink. She took a large swig and looked him in the eye.
"It's great thanks," she told him.
"A dance or would you like to do something else?" Harry asked.
"Wow, a boy that's willing to dance."
"I don't mind looking a prat if I get to see you dance up close and personal." Harry told her, smiling into her eyes.
'Or we could just snog till the morning' Lavender commented mentally. "A quick dance and find a seat." she decided.
Harry led her to the Dance floor and they spent a good half an hour writhing against each other, Lavender purposefully trying to drive his temperature up.
It was working quite well as Harry felt himself grow hot despite his climate controlled coat.
"I'm hot, can I cuddle in to cool off" she said into his ear. Not waiting for an answer, she slid in very close and stuck her arms into his coat, pulling it around herself in the process. "Hmm that's better. How much is it for a coat like this?"
Harry blinked, "Sorry what?"
Lavender smiled to herself. "How much is it for a coat like this?"
"You can have it," Harry said moving to take it off.
"No, no, this one's yours. It creates a great image. Wouldn't mind having one of mine charmed like it though," she said semi seriously."
"I can do that for you. Just pick a jacket, coat or whatever."
She smiled up at him, their gazes caught for a moment, and then she tiptoed slightly and kissed him. His hands slid around her body to rest at her lower back and they lost themselves for a good while on the dance floor.
"Harry" she said once they had finally broken apart, "Can we go somewhere... else."
"Don't like this club?" he said totally missing the point.
She rolled her eyes, "I was thinking of somewhere... Private," she purred into his ear.
Harry smiled, "I think that could be arranged." he told her, "Any preference to where."
She shook her head, "Just away from people, so it is just the two of us."
Harry nodded, and took her hand he led her to the coat check.
-oOo-
Harry's hand glided up her bare leg, to her thigh and caressed the toned muscle there causing her to moan into his mouth.
She broke away with a wild lust filled look to her eyes. "Higher" she told him, "Let them wander a bit darling"
He blinked a bit at the endearment, and the request. He was sure that generally girls were supposed to refuse that sort of access. At least that is what he was led to believe from his fellow boys in his year. Who were all, apparently, more experienced than he. However, what did he know? Cho did not care about hands she was too busy trying to resurrect Cedric through kissing him.
"Magic hands baby, magic hands" she whispered planting feather light faces around his jaw line and finally a hot kiss on his mouth, her tongue delving deep and playing with his.
Harry went with the flow and the request, reaching her backside and griping a cheek in his hand. She moaned into him and arched her back, pressing her ample breasts against his chest. She broke off again, "Touch me here," she said taking one hand and placing it on her breast.
Internally Harry was leaping around going, 'I've got a tit in my hand, I've got a tit in my hand!' but he realized wisely that it would not be cool to do that aloud while dancing like a spaz. He was not quite sure what to do next actually, but he did notice something very important. She was not wearing a bra, oh and Christ that was a hard nipple in his palm too. He cupped it and gently squeezed, still unsure what do next.
"Oh fuck, magic hands," she breathed, squirming in his lap. Which by itself was causing him some blood flow problems; in fact, he was sure he was going to lose it if she kept doing that. Suddenly she was moving, a leg both side of his body as she pressed against him and gave him the hottest kiss yet. It was his turn to moan somewhat. Which he was sure would be considered uncool. He took his hand off her breast to her annoyance, but then slid it up her top, slowly. Giving her every chance to tell him to stop, or slap him, whatever.
Instead, she just looked down at him with hooded eyes, almost willing him to continue. He did so; finally, soft rounded flesh was in his hands with her conversely hard nipple between his fingers. Oh, boy was he thanking god at that moment. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes as he gently tweaked said nipple. Still unsure if he was about to be slapped or not. Though from the reaction he was getting he was fairly sure, he was not. "Oh god Harry, that feels SO good. You've got magic in your hands I swear to Merlin."
That brought him up a little short. He internally checked himself and sure enough, there was actually a slight drain on his power, virtually nothing. He certainly would not have noticed if she had not of said anything. He was not about to turn it off though. Instead, he kissed her neck causing her to sigh in pleasure and move against him again.
He started running Arithmancy puzzles through his head so he didn't... loose himself in the moment, while still cataloguing every moment for permanent inclusion into his 'best ever' memories file. He was after all 16, touching a great looking girl, equally fantastic breast and so far no slapping. This was just the best day ever.
"I can touch you if you like?" she purred in a voice a clear octave lower than normal.
He blinked, for a second missing her meaning, but it was not that hard to guess. "Erh… actually I think that would be a VERY bad idea."
She chuckled in a throaty way he was sure should be illegal. "Am I making it hard for you Harry?" she asked.
"Very" he shot back, kissing her breathless.
She leaned back and he removed his hand, looking at her curiously, "So what do you prefer Harry, leg's or breast?"
"Either are amazing, I really haven't a preference at this point."
She turned to one side and put her leg out straight, her skirt riding up at the same time. "I think Parvati has better legs," she said thoughtfully.
Harry shook his head, "I like yours better, they're defined, god and long." he breathed, his mind not really thinking too much. He was pretty much going on automatic at this point.
She made things worse by running a hand down her leg, "Really?"
He nodded a lot.
She smiled at him, and then began popping buttons on her blouse.
"Whatcha doing?"
She finished and let her blouse hang, just covering her breasts, "Would you like to see them Harry?"
He was nodding by 'Like'.
"Go on then" she said huskily.
He looked into her eyes, filled with sin, then reached out. Horrified to see his hands shaking like crazy. He slid his hands across her chest moving the silk of her blouse to either side, and gulped.
"What do you think?" she asked.
A loaded question if ever he heard one.
"Perfection" he breathed.
She giggled at him, causing her chest to move before his entranced gaze. "Oh shit," she said suddenly, "The suns already up. I had better go. What time is it.?" she said redoing her buttons.
'NO!' Harry thought, but held his cool for a bit longer. "Urm..." he glanced at his watch, "Oh fuck... It's 7am."
"Bugger" Lavender said getting up quickly. "Wish I could Apparate."
"Can you keep a secret and I mean REALLY secret?"
"I give you my oath as a Witch," she told him, and despite not having a wand on her, she briefly glowed.
"Thank you, are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
Harry grabbed her into a hug. He did not think he NEEDED to, but what the heck she felt good against him.
One swirl of magic later they were outside her parent's home. He had grabbed the address from her mind just before doing his thing.
"That felt... good" she said looking a little shaky.
"This is it right."
"Do I even want to know how you know where I live?"
He smirked at her and said nothing.
She leaned forward and kissed him passionately, then broke off and virtually skipped away, "See you at school Harry. Remember, all this is just between us ok."
"Sure thing Lavender." he said with a nod, watching her until she reached her door. Hoping she could slip in unnoticed.
Now he just had to get back to the burrow, likewise unnoticed.
He swirled himself to the copse near the house and ran like hell to the house. Hoping he could make out he had just been out for a run, while he ran, he changed his clothes into something sensible for running.
He got back to an empty kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief he made his way silently up the stairs. Going invisible in the process. If he was lucky he could get into the room he shared with Ron unnoticed. Apparently, they were not getting up too early today, but he was sure Mrs. Weasley would be up soon.
As he entered his room, he stopped dead. Ron was nowhere to be found, instead he found Tonks sat on his bed, dressed in her normal attire that just begged... well he was a teenager and it begged a lot. He was fairly sure she had on a particularly short skirt that day too, there certainly seemed to be a lot of leg on display. Not as long as Lavender's were perhaps but very nice just the same.
"I heard you come in you know." Tonks said in a very pissed off sounding voice.
Harry allowed himself to become visible and winced at the glare she was shooting him. "Erm... Hi" he tried.
"WHERE THE FUCK Have you been!" she said leaping off the bed to confront him.
"Around the grounds, doing a bit of late night thinking."
"So how did you miss the wards being tripped at about 4am this morning?"
"I fell asleep out there." he told her, "Up a tree."
"You fell asleep up a tree. Moron!" she said poking him in the chest. Then she sniffed, "So this tree wore perfume did it?" she said with a redoubled glare.
Harry sniffed himself, "What are you on about Tonks" he said, thinking, 'Shit, Shit oh Fuck oh Shit'
"Perfume, You reek of it" she tapped her nose, "Not just for display you know!"
Okay he was screwed and so could not think of a thing to say, he groped wildly, "Ginny, must be hers."
She cocked an eyebrow at him, "Ginny wears vanilla her mum makes it for her."
"Actually I brought her some in Harrods the other day. I expect I picked up a secondary dose after she hugged me for buying it."
"Harry, mate, you REEK. You don't get that from a hug. You get that from some serious body on body action. If you've been that 'close' to Ginny you better update your will." Tonks said angrily.
Okay so he was caught out here, but she seemed excessively angry after all, he had declared independence from his guards somewhat. In fact she seemed more worried about the smell of perfume on him than the fact he was... not around when he should have been.
"Where is everyone anyway?"
"Transported to HQ, which would've been you too, if you hadn't been off with some tramp!" Tonks spat.
"Not that I have been, but I've got to ask... Jealous Tonks?" he asked with a smirk.
WHACK
Harry turned back to face her with emerald fire in his eyes.
"Hit me again and you'll loose the hand that touches me.," he said in nothing above a whisper that still sent a thrill of fear through Tonks.
She was, however, too angry to let it deter her. "That's out of line boy," she growled at him.
"Don't. Call. Me. Boy!" he said looking over her.
"Merlin you stink; man whore!" she gritted out.
"What does it smell like to you Tonks?" Harry said backing off, but his eyes still sparking.
Tonks could have sworn she saw lightning spark around his iris for a moment, but shook it off as a weird effect of the light. "What?" she asked dumbly.
"WHAT. DOES. IT. SMELL. LIKE?" he ground out.
Tonks gave him an angry but puzzled look. "Erh… Jasmine." she said, anger still tainting her tone.
Harry's hands shot up "Are you blind! The stuff is all over the place around here!"
Tonks still looked doubtful.
He grabbed her hand and tried to drag her to the window.
She pulled it angrily back; she did not want him to touch her right then. She REALLY needed to get her rampaging hormones under control here. Damn bastard was right she WAS jealous. She really could not get like that over a 16 year old; she was 21 for Merlin's sake. She followed him to the window anyway and looked out with a sinking heart. Jasmine was indeed all over the place. "Ah" she whispered.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He had not lied but misdirected her considerably.
"Harry... I'm... shit"
"Yes, well never mind" Harry said quickly, he did not want her to apologize. He was just lucky Lavender wore Jasmine perfume. He was likewise lucky that Jasmine could be magical grown anywhere.
Tonks shot him a slightly suspicious look, "Look..." she said after taking a breath, "I'm to take you to HQ." she told him, "But I'd have a shower just in case, it's just a pain to explain else and some people have a much better sense of smell than mine if you know what I mean."
Harry nodded and tossed off his coat, grabbing some clothes and his wash kit he stalked off to the bathroom, still pissed as hell. He hated been hit after spending so much time in the Dursley's tender care. He had sworn to himself he would not allow it to happen again, but it had. Though his anger was actually also being fed by guilt. Guilt for lying to her and guilt for stepping out of line with Tonks. He would be cursed if he was going to apologize though. As far as he was concerned, being hit was plenty of payment for the crime and then some.
Therefore, it was a still plenty pissed Harry that stalked back into his bedroom and glared at Tonks. He picked up his coat and tossed it on. "Well?" he snapped.
Tonks glared back at him, "Look there's something else I've got to tell you. I am going to be at Hogwarts this year and I'm going to be keeping a bloody close eye on you. If you think, I'm totally sold on where you were last night you have another thing coming Harry. So watch it."
"How are you coming to Hogwarts?"
"I'll be filling in for someone, while they get... private tutoring for the year."
"Who?" Harry asked, Lavender had not mentioned anything so he was fairly sure she would say something if it were her. 'God that would be tricky if it was her wouldn't it?' He did not think Tonks would handle him... handling her quite as well as Lav.
"If I told you that you'd be ready wouldn't you." Tonks shot back. "I just thought you should know that you have back up if you need it."
"How would I ask for help if I don't know who you are?"
"I'll be watching you won't have to ask."
Harry took careful note of her Aura of magical power and her... mental presence for the lack of a better term. He was sure to a good degree of accuracy he would be able to spot her no matter what.
"Here" she said passing him a length of rope, cutting off any further conversation on the topic.
The port key triggered and they were away to Grimmauld Place.
They arrived to virtual pandemonium. This only increased when Tonks arrived with Harry in tow steaming gently.
"Ahh, you have found our wayward soul." Dumbledore said over the noise and calming it down in the process.
"Where might I ask where you were Harry?" Dumbledore went on to ask.
"He said he was on the grounds, asleep in a tree." Tonks filled in for him.
Dumbledore looked dubious, but without further proof, he could hardly say otherwise.
"What tripped the wards anyway?" Harry asked, trying to keep his tone level. Then he felt a tickle on his shields. His eyes snapped to the source and he snarled. Anger fuelled him, dislike prompted him and he did as he had done to Voldemort. Putting the transgressor in a memory of Lord Voldemorts own, personal Cruatious curse. "GET OUT OF MY MIND!" he growled.
Snape dropped to the floor with a cry of pain, which did not stop as he was trapped.
Following the thread of Legimens to its source Harry mind dumped the potions professor's knowledge. As far as he was concerned it was a fee for attempting to mess in his head. This time he felt just fine as he dumped the new knowledge in a room to be sorted out later, instead focusing his inner walls to make Snape suffer. The truth be told he probably would have let him go if he was not so damn angry.
"Let him go Harry" Dumbledore said softly.
Harry looked at the man, "Why the fuck should I?" he demanded, "That bastard is always attacking me anyway he can; now it's mental and I had enough of that with his good for shit lessons."
"You know you're language is quite coarse when you're angry."
"I FUCKING KNOW!" Harry shouted, causing Snape to whimper.
"Let him go Harry you're anger is feeding whatever it is you're doing to Severus." Dumbledore said in a soft tone, trying not to anger the young man whose aura was just beginning to become visible. Something only a select few VERY powerful wizards could do, him included.
Harry turned to look at Snape, who was by this point bleeding from his ears, eyes and nose. "Oh shit." he said immediately letting him go.
Snape opened his eyes and looked at Harry hatefully, then turned to Tonks, "Arrest him then!" he spat.
"What for?" Tonks wanted to know.
"He just held me under the Cruatious curse and you have to ask, you feeble minded girl."
"No he didn't" Tonks shot back, "He didn't cast anything."
Snape actually looked confused. "I'm well versed with being on the end of that curse."
"It was a memory," Harry said softly, going down on his knees and pulling out a handkerchief from his coat. He passed it to his professor, "I'm sorry I was going to give you a shock and let you go, then was distracted."
Snape glared at him balefully.
"On my honour I didn't mean to hurt you like this" Harry said sorrowfully.
"I did warn you that Harry was now well versed in the mind arts Severus. I did not know he had such... fierce defences. But I warned you that you wouldn't be able to get through."
"You tried?" Harry asked surprised.
Dumbledore shook his head, "Merely looked at your mental shielding without trying to breech it. You wouldn't feel that."
Snape cleared his throat. "I took the Dark Lord some post Crucio potion a couple of weeks ago, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?"
Harry smirked, "He underestimated me," he said simply.
"You should've informed me Harry," Dumbledore said.
Harry shrugged, "Do you need any?" he asked Snape.
The gloomy man shook his head, reached into his pocket, and withdrew some. "It was a memory you say?" after he had taken a swig.
"Yeah, from the Dork himself." Harry said.
Snape snorted a soft laugh. "Impressive." was all he said before he rose and swept out of the room.
"I do believe you actually managed to impress Severus." Dumbledore noted, "Such a shame it had to be via such a painful method."
"I feel pretty bad about doing that actually. I really didn't mean to hold him in there so long."
"Alas, I feel I should take some blame also. It was after all I that distracted you. Now young Harry I know that the others would like to see you are fit and well, they are waiting in the kitchen."
Harry nodded and walked out of the entranceway. Leaving the adult members of the order to look after him in shock.
"Is there anything else to report Nymphadora?"
Tonks winced, "Nothing sir"
"Harry was unusually... angry on his arrival. I am sure he wouldn't have reacted quite so forcefully otherwise."
"He is SCARY when he's mad." Tonks admitted, "I may have read him the riot act when he walked in."
Dumbledore nodded. "I see. I take it that did not go well?"
Tonks snorted a laugh, "You could say that. Scared the shit out of me."
"He can be quite intense; something that I believe has only increased since his change in attitude. He is however not as quick to anger as he was. The methods he has been using tend to keep him calm where he may not have been before," he said leadingly.
Tonks shifted her feet.
"Is there anything else to report?" Dumbledore pressed.
Tonks shock her head, "Nothing germane to the Order."
"A personal clash then."
"We may have meandered off the point somewhat." Tonks admitted.
"Very well, I'm sure it'll work out in the end." Dumbledore said closing the door on that discussion, for which Tonks was grateful.
"On to other business then, since we now have Harry among us."