"Jeez, Harry, doesn't that HURT?" Asked the younger of the two.
"Not at all." Harry replied. "Feels very good, actually."
"That can't possibly be good, nonetheless." Andromeda said, rubbing at her own neck slowly.
The trio were sitting at the kitchen table at Number Nine, having just finished a lovely breakfast. Harry and Tonks had been having their post-food-inhalation stretches and such.
"Anyway, what's on tap for today?" Harry asked, looking to Andromeda.
"Nothing. In fact, you've got a couple days of 'nothing' for awhile. Like I said, the Cup isn't until the 25th. You two are free to enjoy the rest of the summer until then. It wouldn't hurt to do your homework, of course." Andromeda said, eyeballing both teens.
"Er... yeah. Homework." Harry said, glancing off at Tonks, who had also glanced away from her mother.
"Can't we get it done after the Cup?" Tonks mumbled.
"...Well, if you honestly think you can get it done between then at the start of term. But it'll be on your own heads if you don't." Andromeda said after thinking it over for a good minute.
"Alright! C'mon, Harry, let's go change and get outta here!" Tonks exclaimed, hopping up from her chair and dashing out of the room.
"...How can she move that fast after eating like that?" Harry asked, starting after the girl. "I'm not going to be moving faster than 'slug' speed until that all digests..."
"She's always been that way." Andromeda said, getting to her feet and spelling the dirty dishes clean once more before floating them back to their proper places. "Go on - she'll drag you outside in your pajamas if you aren't hurry."
"Bleh." Harry muttered, leaving the table as well. Exiting the kitchen, Harry slowly plodded his way upstairs. It was a good thing Tonks liked to match her hair and eyes with her wardrobe, else he'd never even reach the staircase before she'd come bounding out, ready to go.
Once in his room, Harry picked out a pair of jeans - looser than he'd normally choose to
account for his currently-expanded stomach - and a simple, blue shirt. After changing, he
walked over to the bed and tugged the covers back from the pillows. Boris lay, curled up,
on one of them.
"Alright," Harry hissed, gently tapping the snake. "Time to get out and experience the day."
"The day can bugger-off." Muttered the snake sleepily. "Go 'way."
Harry snorted. "Great, possibly the only displaced, miniature inland taipan and it has to be cheeky. Up and at 'em, Boris. If we run into Dudley and his gang, I promise you can eat Piers. Though I'll warn you now, he's not much of a meal."
Boris opened his eyes lazily and turned to look up at Harry. With something that vaguely resembled a scowl, the snake uncoiled and waited for Harry to lower his arm. Once he had, the snake spiralled up it and under his sleeve. From somewhere, the snake hissed, "I can't unhinge my jaws enough for the scrawniest of that gang your cousin has. How many rats do I have left?"
"Just the one. I can think of another I wish you could get your fangs on, though." Harry said.
"It's really eerie when you do that." Came a voice from the doorway.
Harry spun around to see Tonks leaning against it, eyebrow raised. She had on a pair of white jeans and an extremely pale-blue tanktop. Her eyes were slightly darker than the shirt, but her hair was just as white as the jeans, worn short with fairly long bangs.
"Have you no decency, woman?" Harry asked, mock-glaring at the girl. "I coulda been changing!"
"Yes, yes, and I would've had a good laugh at your scrawny body." Tonks said, stepping into the room and grabbing Harry by the arm. "C'mon! The day's passing us by!"
"Can I eat HER?" Boris asked, crankily. Tonks had just missed crushing him.
"If she remains this cheerful, be my guest." Harry hissed back, chuckling.
"What's so funny?" Tonks demanded, turning and staring at Harry.
"Eavesdroppers hoping to catch a glimpse of my body don't get answers." Harry said, walking away from Tonks and crossing his arms behind his head as he made his way back towards the stairs. "Stop lagging behind. After all, 'the day's passing us by!' and all."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"We goin' anywhere in particular?" Asked Tonks.
"Not really." Harry answered.
"Works for me. Wanna head to the park?"
"Sure."
It didn't take long - only a few blocks away from where they were. Harry smiled as it came into view. Everything seemed so much smaller now that he was older. Had it really just been a few years ago that he had met Tonks and started to change? It all seemed silly to him now - running away to the park and crying himself to sleep under one of the larger playground toys.
Harry sat on one of the swings, leaning forward on his knees. "Has it all gotten smaller, or have we just grown that much?"
"Little of both, probably." Tonks said with a grin, taking the swing next to Harry's.
"I wonder what would've happened if you hadn't found me that morning..."
"Dunno. Life would be a lot more boring. Voldemort would've had a couple chances to take down Hogwarts. I'd be a lot lonlier." Tonks murmured.
"I'd still be holed up at Number Four, getting beat up by Dudley and his friends. I'd still be alone." Harry said, lazily swinging. "I wonder how long it would've taken to lose myself if that had happened."
"What do you mean?"
"I lived a bad life for over ten years. I try not to let it show, but I've got a lot of darkness left in my heart. Lashing out like I did at Aunt Petunia? Nearly killing Aunt Marge? I haven't even fully trained myself to handle magic... I'd hate to think of what could happen if I just gave in and let the darkness take me. I mean... would I become like Voldemort?" Harry asked, glancing over at Tonks.
"I don't think you would. You may explode every once in awhile, but... everyone does at one point or another. I don't think you have what it takes to become a dark wizard, Harry." Tonks said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. It'd take something really awful happening for you to just let go like that, yeah..." Tonks offered.
"I know what it would take." Harry said, eyes narrowing as he sighed.
"What?"
"Losing you." Harry said simply. "If something happened and I lost you... I dunno what would happen. I'd probably fly off the handle and just go insane. You're the one who saved me and... you really do help keep me in line. Without you there..."
Tonks tilted her head for a moment, then gave herself a sharp push sideways, causing her swing to bump into Harry's. Harry nearly toppled forward out of his, turning to glare at the girl, who smiled in return and said, "Stop being so gloomy. It's a beautiful day, I'm not going anywhere, and you're not gonna be some Dark Prince."
"Oh god, that title alone would keep me from going dark. 'Harry Potter - Dark Prince Who Lived' - Ugh." Harry said, scrunching up his face.
Tonks snickered. "You'd dress in long, pitch black robes with a hood to hide your face, which'd be permanently screwed up in a grimace or something."
"I don't wanna look like Filch." Harry said, jutting his lower lip out.
Tonks cracked up. "Ohh... oh, jeez, Harry. Did you have to give me that mental image?"
"Did you have to pull the term 'Dark Prince' out of nowhere?" Harry replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. Yes I did." Said Tonks, nodding vigorously.
"I can't wait until the Cup." Harry said, pushing himself and swinging more properly. "I can only imagine how long it's gonna last."
"Ergh. I wonder if they'll have to postpone opening Hogwarts if it runs too long." Tonks wondered aloud.
"I hope it doesn't run too long. After a certain period, it'd have to get tedious." Harry said.
"Uh-oh."
"Uh-oh?"
"Uh-oh."
"Tonks, define 'uh-oh'." Harry said, rolling his eyes.
"Idiot Squad at nine sharp." Tonks said, pointing.
Harry groaned. He didn't want to turn his head to look, even though he knew he had to. "How many?" He asked.
"Six, including your cousin."
"Damn." Harry said, getting to his feet. "Can't they let me have one nice day outside?"
"Apparently not. We gonna take off?" Tonks asked.
Harry began to open his mouth, then sighed and shook his head. "No. I'm tired of running, Tonks."
"But we can't use magic here! Not only would we get expelled from school, we'd get in all sorts of trouble. Not to mention--"
"I'm not going to use magic. Not really." Harry said. "Am I a Seeker or aren't I? The Ministry can't detect Metamorphmagi transformations, can they?"
"Not that I know. We're so few and far between, they've never really thought of making a department solely to deal with us. Besides, what're we gonna do? Turn into thieves and start robbing wizarding folk in disguise?"
"Interesting thought. Anyway, I have an idea. Just follow my lead if things get too heated. If all else fails, we use the second shortcut through Mr. Bryer's back yard to get to your place faster." Harry said.
"I hate thorn bushes." Tonks said, grumpily.
Sure enough, one of Dudley's lackeys caught sight of Harry and Tonks and was quick to point them out to his boss. Dudley, looking like he had eaten a few whales and a clown, smiled darkly and started his slow waddle into the park.
"Hullo, Big D." Harry said, swinging once more.
"Having a date with your girlfriend?" Dudley asked, sneering.
"'Course I am. This is where we met, after all." Harry said.
"You're gonna pay for what you said, y'know. Dad's gonna beat you bloody when you come back." Dudley said, chortling.
"That hippo can do whatever he bloody well wants, as I have no intention to return. I'm gonna have a long talk with the headmaster this year, see." Harry explained.
"Don't you call him a hippo." Dudley growled, balling one hand into a fist and waving the rest of his gang over.
"Or you'll do what? Fall on me and choke me with your fat?"
That was all it took. Dudley threw back one porky arm and threw it forward at a speed a boy of his size had no business having. Harry had been expecting one of his cousin's telegraphed punches and dug his feet sharply into the ground on the way forward. Dudley's punch missed and he toppled over, his many chins bouncing off the dirt at Harry's feet.
"Don't forget about Boris, Big D." Harry said.
"I don't care abouuUAAHHHH!" Dudley screamed. Boris had poked his head out of the bottom of Harry's jeans and hissed loudly at the boy, causing him to scramble backwards. As Harry reached down to pick Boris up, Dudley tried saving face by hopping to his feet as fast as his bulk would allow.
"See, Dudley..." Harry began slowly, lightly petting Boris as he glanced up. "I've grown more than a bit tired of you and your parasites coming after me. You know I can sneak into the house without waking me up. If you even think about coming after me again, I'll slip in and let Boris kill you while you sleep. Or I could always let him get your parents. That way, you'll either end up in an orphanage or with Aunt Marge. And wouldn't that be lovely?"
"You wouldn't dare." Dudley growled. "You don't have the balls!"
"Oh?"
Harry smiled and, using his powers, made his eyes quickly jump from their usual emerald green color to a bright, seering red. Half of the gang currently with Dudley yelped, one of them took off running, and the rest hid behind Dudley. Dudley himself looked like he wanted to go running after the one who escaped, but had to act tough in front of the rest of them.
"Yeah, tubby. Stop bugging me and Harry." Tonks piped in, stepping up beside Harry and sending her own eyes through a rainbow of colors, all in rapidfire succession. "We've taken out worse than you."
"Yes. I'd hate to spill any blood here, you know. It's such a nice little park. But if you don't turn and run off right now, I'll show you what I'm really made of." Harry said, his voice growling out the words. And just to add a bit of added threat to them, he shifted to Parseltongue and spat, "No matter what I say right now, you're going to squeal and flee, aren't you?"
Despite not understanding a word of what Harry had said at the end, the gang did indeed do just that. Dudley was first to yell and take off running. The others were quick to follow. As they rounded the nearest corner, both Harry and Tonks let their eyes slip back to normal.
"That was fun!" Harry said, smiling.
"What'd you say in Parseltongue?" Asked Tonks.
When Harry told her, all she could do was dissolve into giggles again.
"You know, I'm kinda sad we couldn't get to the hair-changing part of the plan." Harry said, looking around before using his powers to grow his hair out further.
"Ack, you look kinda like Leon." Tonks said.
"Do I? ...Maybe I made it a bit too long." Harry said, shortening it to somewhere just below his neck. "That better?"
"I dunno. I think the short-and-messy look is best on you." Tonks said. "Grow your bangs out a little more, though."
Harry did as he told, though he frowned and had to brush his hair over his ears to see properly. "I don't think this is gonna work."
"Not that long, silly." Tonks said, rolling her eyes. "C'mon, let's go back home and we'll see if we can't pick a hairstyle that works for you."
"What did I get myself into?" Harry lamented as Tonks grabbed one of his hands and began tugging him off towards Number Nine.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Does your head still hurt?"
"Yeah. Still sore."
"What do you think it meant?"
"Dunno. I wish I did. It isn't the first time I've had strange dreams, but..."
"Should you contact that headmaster of yours?"
"I was thinking about it. Seemed the best course of action at the moment."
Harry was sitting in the kitchen of Number Nine, nursing an awful headache. It spawned at some point during the nightmare that had awakened him just an hour prior. He had gone downstairs to get something to drink in hopes of it somehow helping. He had brought Boris along for company and someone to talk to - he hadn't been screaming when he woke up, so the Tonks women were still fast asleep in their beds.
Or, at least, that's where Harry assumed they were.
"Don't I keep telling you how strange that is?" Came a half-yawning voice from the doorway.
"Sorry." Harry said, in English this time, smiling as he looked over. "I didn't wake you up, I hope."
"Naw." Tonks said, padding into the room and heading for the fridge. "Woke up and my stomach was grumbling. Need...cake."
Harry chuckled.
"What're you doin' up? You don't look so hot." Tonks said, peeking over the fridge door.
"Trying to figure out what's going on with my dreams. Been having strangely realistic nightmares this summer. I've already written to Dumbledore once, but... I think I may need to write him again. I can't be positive, since everything's faded since I woke up, but... I think someone's been killed." Harry said, sighing as he stared at his half-empty glass of water.
"Killed?" Tonks repeated, walking over to the table and sitting after she had gotten herself a slice of cake. "Whatcha mean? Who was killed?"
"Dunno. Some old man." Harry said. "Wormtail was there. Wormtail and someone in a chair."
"Wormtail? Now what're you dreamin' about that creepy little rat for?"
"I wish I knew." Harry muttered. "I also wish I knew who was in the chair. I... have my suspicions, but none of them make any sense. Because the only person I could think of Wormtail bowing to is Voldemort."
"Think he's found another form to return in?" Asked Tonks, frowning.
"Could very well be. Wish I could've seen him, dammit. If he's jumped into another possible Defense professor, and I told Dumbledore, I might be able to save us all some trouble." Harry said, letting out a long breath.
"Yeah, I'd say write Dumbledore. He may be a jerk, but he's still a powerful wizard."
"Yeah."
"Think you'll be able to get back to sleep?"
"I doubt it. I've been down here a good hour and this headache's only dulled a little. I don't think I'd be able to go back to sleep as long as it's there. It's like my scar's burning up." Harry said.
"Ouch. Well... do you want some company?" Asked Tonks.
"You don't have to stay up on my account." Harry replied, waving a hand dismissively. "Besides, I brought Boris along."
"Yeah, well, I'm still hanging around 'til I get sleepy again, at least." Tonks said. "Not good leaving you with your thoughts."
"Oi."
"Well, it's true! You always get all 'Ohh, things are awful' or like... 'I don't like FOOD anymore!' and stuff!" Tonks exclaimed.
"I have never said either of those!" Harry protested, glaring at the girl.
"Want some cake?" Offered Tonks.
"Nah."
"SEE!"
"What? Hey, that doesn't prove anything! I've never said that!" Harry argued, scowling.
"You may as well have!" Tonks said in a singsong voice, grinning.
"Oh lord. I may have to retreat to my room just to escape you. I can't deal with Tonks Madness at 3 in the morning." Harry said, shaking his head slowly.
"Tonks Madness?"
"Tonks Madness."
"I take offense to that." Said the girl.
"So do something about it." Replied Harry in a dry voice.
A minute later and Harry was on the ground, laughing like an idiot as Tonks, who had pinned him down, was tickling him mercilessly. "You asked for it!" She cried.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
"I can't believe you're keeping your hair grown longer." Hissed Boris an hour later, when Harry was back in his room. He had just finished his letter to Dumbledore and had sent Hedwig off into the night.
"She's very persuasive." Harry said, shrugging as he sat on the edge of the bed. His hair was now down to his shoulders again, with his bangs just short enough that Harry could see well. When Harry complained that Tonks wanted him to have a mullet, she told him he was supposed to grow it out on the sides, too.
"Feeling better now?"
"Much, though that dream still worries me." Harry said, sighing. "I dunno. Something about it stood out too much. Dunno how to explain it any better than that."
"It is strange..." Boris said, curled up on a pillow. "But try not to think about it again. Your headmaster is sure to know something, surely."
"I hope so." Harry said, flopping back and staring up at the ceiling. "Hey, Boris?"
"Yes?"
"I know this is an odd question, especially given that you're a snake and we're fairly new as far as knowing each other goes, but..." Harry began, pausing to think about what he wanted to say. "It's... about Tonks. Do you think that... I dunno... the two of us... maybe..."
"Are you asking if I think she would be a good choice as your mate?" Asked the snake.
"Well... um... that kinda depends on what form of 'mate' you're using." Harry said, glancing aside. "There's a couple and...um..."
"The form is entirely dependant on what you feel it should be." Said Boris. "Do you care about her?"
"Of course."
"Does she care about you?"
"I...think she does. She haskissed me a couple times. Nothing serious or anything, but... yeah." Harry said.
"I don't see the problem, then."
"It's just... I seem to be a magnet for trouble. I don't know why. I don't wantto be. But I seem to have a think for saving people. It would be nice if no more dangers found their way to Hogwarts, I could finish my schooling in peace, and then Tonks and I could..."
"Tonks and you could... what?"
Harry sighed. "I dunno. Seems silly to think that far into the future. Every year at that school seems to age me at least three times as much as I should. It takes a lot out of me, the stuff that happens. You know those stories I told you about, yeah? Each of those has forced me to leave more and more of my childhood behind. I know I should be looking forward to becoming an adult, but... I don't want to do it before it's time, you know? I want to enjoywhat's left of my childhood. It was nice just swinging in the park earlier..."
"Perhaps you'll luck out this year." Boris said.
"I wish I could believe that. But between the track record and these weird dreams I've been having, I just have this feeling that something dark is going to happen. I don't like the feeling one little bit, either. But back to the point... I don't want Tonks to keep getting tangled up in these stupid adventures I seem to keep having. I don't want her getting hurt. Or worse. I meant what I said earlier. If I lost Tonks... I dunno if I could keep on the so-called 'light' side of things." Harry explained.
"Would you kill?" Asked the snake.
"I already have." Harry replied, darkly.
"A man possessed, a basilisk, and a memory?"
"The man counts, even if he was little more than a husk for Voldemort."
"But you don't remember killing him?"
"I blacked out before it happened. But my hands were doing a number on his face. It was sizzling pretty badly." Harry said.
"I see. Have you actually seen a real person die, then?"
"Not technically." Harry muttered. "There always seems to be some way around that. But... if someone killed Tonks? Yes. I would kill. I would kill without any hesitation. She means everything to me. Losing her means losing myself, Boris. The darkness would win."
"You don't think you would eventually move on? That a time would exist when the grieving would stop? Would you be able to love again?"
"No. For all intents and purposes, going dark means giving my heart and my soul over to the darkness. I don't want that to happen." Harry said, his eyes slipping shut.
"Then fight for her. Keep her safe at all costs. Get stronger, Harry. Strong enough so that you won't have to worry. Keep her at your side and teach her as you progress. You've mentioned to me that you don't think that magic should be classified as 'light' and 'dark' which makes me wonder why you've spoken of it so much today."
"It's hard to explain. I just know that if I lost myself like that, any helpful methods of using magic would go out the window. And believe me... I've thought of plenty of ways simple, seemingly innocent spells could be harnessed to bring pain and suffering. I have a lot of time to think. And I haven't had much reason to think of happy things lately. I'm glad I'm out of Number Four and all, but I know I'll have to return. I know that Voldemort will probably come after me again somehow. I just hope I can stay on the narrow ledge that I seem to've been put on. Sometimes it's hard." Harry said.
"Choices often are." Agreed the snake. "But that is what seperates you from the so-called 'bad guys,' Harry. You worry about these things. You may have thought of hurtful uses for your magic spells... but how would you feel, under normal circumstances, if you were to use a spell in such a manner?"
"Like I was no better than Wormtail." Harry said.
"Then there you go. As long as you are true to yourself, you won't be able to let the darkness win. As long as you continue to love, and as long as those around you continue to love you, you'll be safe."
"You've got a bad habit of getting philosophical, you know that?"
"You started it." Boris pointed out.
"What? I did not!" Harry exclaimed.
"Did so."
"Did NOT."
"Did so."
"Did n-- Dammit, has Tonks been teaching you how to argue?" Harry grumbled, switching back to English.
"Not as all."
"Can you even understand English?"
"Of course I can. You haven't been paying much attention, have you?" Asked Boris.
"Wh... Okay, I guess I haven't. I blame the lack of sleep, though. Normally I wouldn't be asking stupid questions like that." Harry said.
"So try and get more rest. Is your headache gone now?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sleepy?"
"Kinda."
"At the very least," Hissed Boris, moving from one pillow to another as Harry spun a quarter turn so his head could rest on one, as well, "Close your eyes as we talk. Even if you don't drift off, it's better than staring at the ceiling all night."
"I guess you're right." Harry said. "I think I'm gonna try and get back to sleep though, if that's alright with you. We can talk when I wake up."
"If that is what you wish." Boris replied. "Goodnight, Harry."
"Night. And... thanks."
"You're quite welcome."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Author's Notes: I didn't figure I'd crank this out on time. I've NOT had a good week, and Easter Weekend here seems to be looking no better. Note - never be an atheist in the bible belt of North America. It's a pain in the ass.
So yeah. Not a lot happened this chapter, save for some plot advancement. Harry seems to be thinking about a proper confession to Tonks.
Next chapter, things start to unravel, since the Tonkses and Harry will be making their way to the Cup grounds. I think the first major departure from the chapter guide will happen there. As it stands, I have their BEING there for three chapters total. I may have to shorten it to two. It all depends on how well I get into writing things, I suppose.
Next update will come on April 30th. Or around thereof. I'll try being better with the end-of-month update.
Post-edit notes: I may just have Harry speaking in English with Boris unless he's around other people or just WANTS to slip into Parseltongue. That was a lot of italicized text and it just doesn't look good. I'll make sure to note when it happens and such. Besidse, continuing it this way would get really old really quick in books 5 and 6. Not saying anything beyond that. Also, sorry if some typos made it through. I'm still feeling kinda bleh and I've got a George Carlin album on as background noise. And if you've ever tried typing when someone's TALKING, you know what I mean. Until next time, folks!
