Yes
The two wizards stood in the dining room of Grimmauld Place. There were a number of items lying on the table: plate, vial, feather, rock. The older wizard spaced the items apart as he spoke, "I know I promised to teach you the spell I did in Surrey, but if you think about it you'll realize that you already know it. Shrinking and enlarging charms are taught in second year charms."
Harry was surprised he hadn't recognized the spell. "That was a simple shrinking charm?"
Sirius faced his godson. "It was."
"I can do those charms."
"Ah, but can you cast them non-verbally?" Sirius asked his godson with a huge grin.
Harry crossed his arms and snorted, "No. We aren't taught non-verbal spell casting yet. I'm only going into my fifth year this fall."
"Do you want to learn?" Sirius was practically bouncing with excitement - much like a child with a shiny new toy.
"Not sure I can. Isn't that taught in sixth or seventh year?" Harry looked skeptically at the various items that Sirius had placed on the dining table.
"Have a little faith, Harry." Sirius tsked, "Besides you won't know unless you try."
When Harry spoke again, Sirius stilled and looked at his godson expectantly. "That's true." The young wizard grinned at the man and agreed, "Alright, why not. Let's give it a try."
"Excellent!" Sirius beamed with exuberance and promptly quizzed the teen, "Now tell me; what is the theory behind magic?"
"Magical theory… as in what makes magic… magic…" Harry thought tapping his chin for a moment before he gave his answer, "If memory serves, it has to do with intent and will power."
"Precisely!" Sirius practically squealed like a fangirl, "Magic - good, bad, light, dark, defense, offense, creation, or destruction - is always about intent and will power."
"Right, magic is magic." Harry's mind wandered back to the few incidents that he had inadvertently summoned things and they had fit into that theory of intent and will power even if those times had been accidental magic. Only Harry felt that Sirius was drifting into a different area of magical theory than what they were discussing and prompted, "The intent and will of the wizard or witch makes them light or dark, not magic."
Sirius blinked waylaid in his thought process. He gaped, "What?"
"The other day you kept stressing that my father was light. What made him light wasn't the magic he chose; it was the intent of the man himself." Harry pointed out. "There is no dark magic or light magic, simply magic."
"Harry…" Sirius hedged and ran fingers through his hair, "You're not… dark… right?"
Harry huffed and glared at his godfather, "Just because I'm a Slytherin does not make me evil, Black."
At the mention of his surname as opposed to his given, Sirius had the decency to wince, "Sorry, that isn't what I meant."
"Yes, it is." Harry gripped the back of a chair hard enough to make his knuckles white and met Sirius' gaze, "Life isn't black and white; it's shades of grey."
"That hadn't always been the case." Sirius' earlier enthusiasm had fled him as he tried desperately to get his point across to his offended godson. "I grew up in a time of war: good versus evil, light versus dark-"
"People that are called dark can do things that are considered light, just as those that are called light can do things considered dark. Labels such as those don't work," Harry loosened his grip on the chair, "I think it would be safer to say it was Old Voldy and his Death Eaters versus everyone else."
Sirius snorted, but couldn't argue the point. After a few painfully silent moments, the animagus spoke, "I didn't mean to offend you."
"I know," Harry gave his godfather a small nod, "we just look at life differently. So you were saying…"
"Right… intent and will power. Will power is very important; maybe even more so than intent. Intent is what you want accomplished, but it takes will power to ensure it happens." Sirius pointed his wand at the plate on the table and waved the tip in a circular fashion. The plate grew larger without an incantation. "Simple spells are easier to manipulate, but not everyone can do non-verbal spells. Not even the easier ones."
Harry tapped his wand against his thigh as his mind wandered back to Hogwarts' library with Hermione and the kitchen on Privet Drive with Dudley. "Can I tell you something and you won't overreact?"
"You can tell me anything…" Sirius gave a wry grin, "but I don't promise not to overreact."
"Right… you're a Gryffindor. Naturally you'll overreact." Harry chuckled when his godfather huffed at him, "I've apparently done… well, I suppose it is wandless and erm… non-verbal spell casting."
Sirius gaped before visibly shaking his head and regaining a sense of decorum. His voice was strangled when he said, "Explain."
"Before finals, I was revising and catching up on homework in the library when Hermione asked me to hand her a book, which I did. Only it was the wrong book, so I reached for another one. I wasn't looking at the books and according to Hermione they were summoned to my hand." Harry gave a small shrug, but continued before Sirius could speak. "Then when I was back at Privet Drive, Dudley dropped a salve and I accidentally summoned it before it could shatter on the kitchen tiles."
Time had ticked by at a snail's pace before Sirius managed to speak a word, but it came out more like a squeak, "Fascinating."
Apparently that was the best that Sirius could manage without overreacting, so Harry accepted it for what it was. At least his godfather hadn't accused him of lying. Harry scuffed the toe of his shoe on the dining room floor unable to look Sirius in the eye, "I haven't summoned anything intentionally yet. Each time had been accidental. It would be great if I could manage it on purpose."
"Then we need to practice. You'll be better than me in no time." Sirius cleared his throat and motioned towards the plate he had already enlarged, "Shrink that. Try it verbally first."
With a flick of his wand in a precise V, Harry spoke the incantation. "Reducio."
"Good," Sirius enlarged the porcelain plate once again, "Now try it non-verbally."
Harry stared at the plate and frowned at it. His wand movement was correct, but nothing happened to the plate. He even tried thinking the incantation very loudly, but to no avail. With brows furrowed, Harry glared at the plate until a thin sheen of sweat beaded across his forehead and Sirius barked out a laugh that broke the young wizard's concentration. With an audible sigh, Harry asked, "Now what? I'm sure you didn't expect me to get this on my first try."
Waving his hands, Sirius tried to rein in his amusement. "Sorry, sorry. You looked just like your father when we were in sixth year. Only difference was that James blew off!" At that point, Sirius lost all control of his amusement and laughed. Loudly.
Shaking his head, Harry couldn't help but grin. "That was a mental image I didn't necessarily need, but the humor is appreciated."
Sirius was still doubled over laughing. Harry wasn't sure he had even heard him speaking as his guffaws echoed in the room. The animagus barked out his laughter between words and phrases, intensely amused at his memory. "He… he was so… so embarrassed. We all had… had been standing… in the defense class." Sirius gripped his side as he continued, his laughter calmed momentarily until he began speaking again. "James had been concentrating so hard. His face… his face was beet red and… and he was lucky he hadn't shat himself! It was hilarious.
"Your mum… Lily was so… so disgusted by James that she… she moved to the other side of the room!" Sirius was practically rolling from laughter at that point and Harry couldn't help but to laugh with him. After all, who couldn't appreciate immature flatulence humor?
"Okay…" Sirius wiped his tears of mirth when he eventually caught his breath and regained control of his amusement. Still smiling the godfather encouraged the younger wizard, "Try visualizing the plate at its normal size and try again."
Harry had to admit to himself that the laughter was a needed tension breaker. Refocusing his mind, the teen did as he was told: imagined the plate as it was. Harry then motioned with his wand and narrowed his eyes as his mind commanded 'reducio'.
The large plate shook. Harry yelped. Sirius pumped his fist in the air and cheered.
While the plate remained enlarged, it had moved. Harry stared mesmerized until Sirius clapped him on the back. "Good start, Harry. Now let's try again."
As he smoothed down his hair, Harry came down from his room clad in proper casual dinner attire: trousers, button down oxford shirt and a tie. The young wizard paused in the foyer long enough to pay his respects, "Evening, Lady Black."
Walburga gave Harry a warm smile and a nod of approval when the young wizard walked by. "Your parents would have been proud, Mr. Potter."
"You're too kind." Harry pressed his right palm to his chest - mindful to not wrinkle his shirt - and gave her a small nod as he made his way to dinner.
Entering the dining room, Harry took note of the guests gathered to one side of the room. Sirius spoke animatedly with Remus and three people Harry hadn't met yet: a petite young woman with bright pink hair that looked vaguely familiar, a woman with dark brunette nearly black hair, a man with sandy brown hair.
Remus was leaning against a curio cabinet nearly pressed into the corner of the room. His hair was still rather long, but clean and styled and his clothes were no longer patched and worn as they had been when he taught at Hogwarts. The lanky werewolf grinned when he spotted the teen and called out to him. "Harry, it's good to see you again."
"You look well." Harry made his way into the room and stood with shoulders back and his chin in an upward slant, carrying himself as he was trained to by Maddalena. The young man glanced expectantly at the three strangers who were now facing the teen, waiting for Sirius to do the introductions. Harry managed not to sneer at the pink haired woman or the man when their eyes immediately shot towards his forehead. He smiled genuinely at the brunette whose decorum prohibited her from being so boorish. Seeing how no introductions were forthcoming from his ill-mannered godfather, Harry prompted, "Good evening, I am Harry Potter."
The woman's eyes were dark brown and danced with amusement. If Harry had to wager, he'd swear that she was somehow related to Sirius. She looked rather similar to Walburga, but there was something more to her. She carried herself with the poise and grace of a pureblood. Her voice was soft and lilting, breeding was clear in her choice of words. "Good evening, seeing how my cousin has forgotten his manners, please allow me to continue the introductions. We are the Tonks family. This is my husband, Ted, my daughter, Nymphadora and I am Andromeda."
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances, Lady Tonks." Harry took Andromeda's extended hand and bowed over it as he was taught, gently brushing his lips across her knuckles. He then shook Ted's hand with a polite nod. Last Harry repeated the action of bowing over Nymphadora's hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles causing the girl to giggle nervously. Harry refrained from throwing a questioning glance at Andromeda as Nymphadora's upbringing was none of his business. The pink haired witch's reaction to Harry was enough evidence that Andromeda didn't bother to continue the pureblood training with her daughter. "I believe you were with the other Aurors when the Crouches were arrested. Please, call me Harry."
"I'll call you anything you like as long as you don't call me Nymphadora." Nymphadora threw a glare at her mother and added, "Just call me Tonks."
"I would do as you requested, but calling you Tonks while your family is present would prove to be a tad confusing. Is there any other name I could call you that won't raise your ire?" Harry asked.
Nymphadora giggled again, "Call me Nym."
Sirius snorted, "Down, Nymph. He's under-aged."
Ted coughed and turned his head to hide his amusement. Remus frowned at his crass friend and pushed away from the curio cabinet. Nymphadora huffed, "Don't be so vulgar, Sirius."
Harry ignored the cousins and offered Andromeda his hand. "May I have the honor of escorting you to dinner, Lady Tonks?"
Andromeda gave Harry an enigmatic smile that lit up her dancing amused eyes and gently placed her hand over his. "I would be delighted."
The two walked to the dining table where Harry pulled a chair for Andromeda to take a seat. Harry frowned at Remus and Sirius as the others moved to take their seats. "Remus we both know my godfather lacks the manners his mother tried desperately to instill in him. Please see to Nym's chair."
Remus stiffened momentarily before he gave a sharp nod. Harry was pleased to see the werewolf pull a chair for Nymphadora, who blushed a shade of red that clashed with her bright pink hair. Sirius huffed and ran over to Ted, pulling his chair out for the man and then sticking his tongue out at Harry. Ted laughed good-naturedly and took the offered seat.
The youngest wizard refrained from rolling his eyes at his godfather's antics and scoffed, "You are merely proving my point, Sirius."
No longer holding back her amusement, Andromeda laughed softly and shook her head, "It's a losing battle, Harry. You may as well give him up as a lost cause."
Harry took a seat at the opposite end of the table from Sirius and gave Andromeda an amused grin, "I'm much too stubborn to simply give up. I believe I received that gene from my parents. It seems to be a Gryffindor trait."
Sirius ignored the conversation on the other end of the dining table between the two Slytherins and called out for Kreacher. He tapped his fingers on the table awaiting the missing house elf.
"Ah, yes. Sirius mentioned you've been sorted into Slytherin." Andromeda took her napkin and set it across her lap. "That evens the table rather nicely. We only need two Ravenclaws and we'd have a full set."
"A Slytherin married to a Hufflepuff?" Harry's eyebrows shot up to his hairline despite his usual mask of cool indifference.
"Indeed," Andromeda looked scandalized only to break down with another laugh, "then our daughter shames the Black name further by being a Hufflepuff like her father."
"The indignation," Harry mock scoffed and shared a smile with the woman. "Kreacher," Harry mumbled as Sirius called out for the house elf once again. The small pop came immediately as the old elf bowed to Harry. "Along with dinner, I want a nice elven wine served."
"Right away, Young Master Potter." And the elf popped away with a snap. Dinner appeared shortly afterwards as well as a bottle of elven wine.
All heads looked down the table at Sirius who huffed at Harry. The young man simply gave a shrug and spoke to those around the table, "I have tried to tell Sirius that he's simply a bad master. Kreacher has no problem carrying out his duties, but for reasons he won't tell, the elf only listens to me and Lady Black."
"He'll even listen to the portrait of his dead mistress over his master?" Andromeda laughed, "Kreacher has always hated Sirius."
"That hasn't changed and the feeling is mutual." Sirius groused and began pouring the wine.
Remus dished out his mixed vegetables and passed the bowl to his left, "Then why do you keep him?"
Sirius blinked at his long time friend. "I don't know. He's just always been here."
"It will be okay," Remus broke through the young man's reverie. Harry had been pacing back and forth in the library - even though Sirius had yet to completely clear it of all dark objects, it was his favorite room of the house - the teen's hands were deep in his pockets as his thoughts rivaled each other in his mind. Upon hearing the werewolf's words, the teen stopped in his tracks and met the man's steady gaze. "No one is going to judge you, Harry."
"He'll think I'm mental, Remus. How can anyone take this remotely serious?"
"You just have to trust us."
Harry scoffed, "I trusted Sirius, Remus. That's what got me into this mess to begin with." Harry ran his finger through his hair and sighed heavily when Remus flinched. Harry hadn't initially told Remus about the nightmares or the dream, but Sirius had and the pair took it upon themselves to inform the headmaster. "And why am I meeting with Professor Dumbledore? He's the headmaster of Hogwarts, why bring him into this? It doesn't affect my school work. It is summer time. I just don't understand why he needs to be involved."
"I took an oath or I'd tell you why." Remus finally admitted, but instead of appeasing the teen it lent to yet another tirade of more colorful language.
A sudden pop and the appearance of Kreacher wringing his hands stopped Harry mid-rant. The house elf looked upset prompting Harry to ask, "What is it, Kreacher?"
"The old-bearded-one has come." Kreacher shot a glance at Remus before he continued, "The traitor is angry with Kreacher for not coming when called. He is yelling that he is wanting the wolf and young Master in drawing room."
"Thank you, we'll be down shortly." Harry straightened his ruffled hair and clothing before taking a calming breath, "Be sure to bring tea and biscuits into the drawing room, Kreacher."
Kreacher grunted and popped away. Remus gave Harry's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Please, Harry. Trust us."
Harry peered at the man and gave a sharp nod before exiting the room and making his way down the stairs. He gave a startled glance at Walburga who was not pleased. She had her arms crossed and a scowl across her features. "Something vexes you, M'Lady?"
"The filth that boy brings into my house." Her glare cut towards Remus as the man joined the teen in the foyer.
"I do realize you aren't pleased, Lady Black, but I must ask you to be polite or at the very least hold your tongue when it comes to those you disapprove of. This is no longer your house and we both know your son has threatened to remove you from your prominent position. I would miss your sage advice if that were to happen." The woman in the portrait huffed at Harry, but kept her opinions about the current guests to herself. "Thank you."
The two wizards moved to join the others in the drawing room. Remus put his hand back on Harry's shoulder when he noted the teen's pace slowing. The werewolf lowered his voice, "I'm right here with you. You'll be fine."
Harry straightened and marginally raised his chin putting forth a brave front, "Naturally."
His steps quickened and the two men entered the room. Harry noted that Dumbledore already had a cup of tea, but Sirius was standing near the fireplace fidgeting, shifting his weight from foot to foot. The youngest wizard nodded his head at the elderly man and spoke distinctly, "Good evening, Headmaster."
"Ah, Mr. Potter, Remus," Dumbledore waved them in as if he were the host and not a guest. "Please forgive an old man his lack of manners. My knees aren't what they used to be. Come, come, have a seat."
Harry gave Remus a meaningful glance and offered him tea before he settled down with a cup of his own. He wasn't exactly thirsty, but the drink offered a form of distraction. The ploy didn't work for long, naturally. Dumbledore was watching the student over his half-moon glasses, blue eyes piercing emerald before the elderly man spoke, "Now, Harry… may I call you Harry?" The old man didn't pause long enough for a response, "Sirius has told me about your visions and nightmares."
The room was quiet as the adults turned their undivided attention to the teen. Harry set the cup onto the saucer before placing it on the table before him. He sat back in the overstuffed chair, crossed one leg over the other and folded his hands on his lap, taking on a relaxed appearance. "What my godfather spoke with you about was told to him in confidence. While I respect your position as headmaster of Hogwarts, I honestly do not see why my nightmares are any of your concern when it obviously doesn't affect my schooling." Harry raised a hand to ward off the sputtering that Sirius had already started. The young wizard folded his hands again and continued, "I have been asked by Remus to trust him which - for good or bad - I do. I'm still confused about your involvement. Would you care to enlighten me?"
Dumbledore's blue eyes sparkled with amusement and he set his own cup of tea on the table before patting his pockets searching for something, "You are your mother's child. Very well, if you'll indulge this old man, I will give you a bit of background." Finally finding what it was he was looking for, Dumbledore pulled out a small wrinkled bag and offered, "Lemon drop?"
"No. Thank you." Harry swallowed his amusement and kept his Slytherin mask in place.
The eccentric man flicked the candies until he found one to his liking. Dumbledore popped the sweet into his mouth and set the bag down beside his tea, "Back before you were born, our world - the wizarding world - was at war with Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters." The headmaster rested his elbows on the arms of the chair and steepled his fingers. "The Aurors did their best, but were sorely outnumbered. A group of concerned citizens gathered and joined the array. This group was called The Order of the Phoenix. Your parents, your godfather and Remus were all a part of the Order."
"And you were their leader." It wasn't a question, but the elderly man nodded all the same.
"Yes. And if what I understand from your visions and nightmares, the Order may once again be needed." The twinkle of amusement faded from Dumbledore's gaze and he met Harry's with all the seriousness that the topic required. The moment Harry's eyes focused on the headmaster's, the teen was filled with a sudden burst of inexplicable anger. Harry gripped the arm of the chair and focused on the elderly man's words, "So I ask you. One concerned wizard to another: Do you believe your scar is connected to Voldemort?"
"Yes."
AN: I noticed that this summer is a bunch of scenes into Harry's life as they're shown to me. It does tie in together; at least I believe they do!
Sunand - Um... no, the chapter I put in at the end of SDDJ & SDDJ Auld Lang Syne was technically the preview and last chapter was chapter 1 ... the preview chapter had Harry and Dudley in Surrey with Sirius coming to get him and last chapter had Harry and Sirius showing up at Grimmauld Place. Sorry if that was confusing!
