Ye Old Disclaimer: Harry Potter and associated milieu, characters, and situations are owned by J.K. Rowling and her licensees. This is a work of fan fiction, produced solely for enjoyment. No infringement of rights is intended. J.K. Rowling owns it all, I am just playing with the Story. No money is being made by me in any way shape or form.

Chapter 7 The First Salvo

Not for the first time she wondered if it was just bad luck this all happened today, or if somehow they had sussed out that she was expecting Harry Potter for dinner. The more probable was neither. At the moment they were spending most of their time searching for her niece, Susan. Who with any luck had made it out of the mansion, though she was not going to hold her breath on that one, they knew far too much to have left that to chance.

Amelia looked around the wreckage of her salon and felt her mind wander. She was very surprised when a few days ago she received a letter from Harry Potter asking for a time to meet to discuss important issues. Amelia was not sure if the Longbottoms were still closely tied to the Potters or if her inquiry would reach him but was pleased that it did and he contacted her. She sent word back with the magnificent owl for the time and place of their informal dinner hoping she would finally get some answers to the things that have been puzzling her about this war. Questions she had in plenty and all evidence pointed to one Harry Potter as being the one with all the answers. The fact the answers she needed were to come from a fifteen year old young man troubled her to no end. However, she never expected for Death Eaters to be calling the same night, which brought her to the present.

At the moment her sister Lucy and she were being held in the salon while Voldemort's Death Eaters searched for Susan. They had attacked a half hour ago with a small horde of Inferari and almost a dozen Death Eaters. Her sister and niece had fought like heroines giving better than they got for the most part. At least until her sister fell from several stunners, one of which she did not recognize. She ordered Susan to make a break for it while she held them off and hoped she managed to get away, but considering the attacking force and how they had been played so far she was not optimistic. She spent too long as an Auror and head of the DMLE to have her hopes to high.

She had only managed to buy Susan a few moments before magical exhaustion over took her and she found herself disarmed holding on to her sister waiting for the end. Surprisingly they did not kill her right away. Instead they were searching the house looking for Susan and she was sure it was not from some need to prevent witnesses. Susan turned of age a few days ago, if she and Lucy were dead they could claim the Bones fortune to fund their war through some kind of farce marriage with one of theirs. It had happened to a few families in the last war.

She surveyed the damage around her; the salon was almost completely wrecked with several breaches in the old mansions walls. They had five Death Eaters standing guard over them while the others roamed the house looking through every closet or hidden way they could find looking for Susan. It was while she was looking around she saw something strange. A hawk sat in the shadows looking at her just out of sight of her guards though one of the breaches. The feathers were steel blue along the top with dark gray in the breast. The older woman shook her head before she looked again but it was gone.

Several minutes later she thought she saw a distortion in the air out of the corner of her eye. Keeping her eyes on her guards she took in they had not noticed it. Death Eaters already controlled the house they did not need to walk about invisible. That left a friend or ally. Keeping her features schooled she waited to see how this would play out. Out of the corner of her eye she tracked it as it made its way closer to her and her sister. After it reached them she heard a soft hiss in her ear and felt someone's hand on her shoulder.

"Hello Madam Bones, quite the reception. Where's Susan?" It was young man's voice. A voice she had heard only once before but one she immediately recognized. Merlin, its Harry Potter!

Being careful to keep her voice low and not move her lips she hissed back, "Hiding upstairs." She felt the hand squeeze her shoulder before it was removed and she felt the handle of a wand pressing into her arm. Being careful to not draw attention to herself she stealthily took it. It wasn't hers but it would do in a pinch. Her current situation certainly qualified as a pinch.

"I'll get Susan. When you get my signal, get out."

"Which is?"

"All hell breaking loose." She felt his hand withdraw from her and tightened her hold on her sister. She would have to trust in the things her niece had told her about him.

xxxxxxx

For his part Harry was cursing his luck. He did not have any of his things for a fight with Death Eaters. I should have bloody known it would work out like this. There is a lot to be said for Mad-Eyes paranoia. At least in my life. I don't have Neville, Tonks, or any of my little surprises. Bollox!

Harry was creeping through the broken house listening to the sounds of Death Eaters running about looking for his friend. With over a dozen of them, and one of him the odds were good he was not getting out of this one, but maybe he could get Susan out before they caught him. It would be worth it to just save a couple of them. When he first arrived and took stock of the situation he stunned one of them outside with his wand. He'd been gone for over a month and with the tracking charm he was almost POSITIVE the old goat put on his wand, the cavalry should be here within ten minutes. The chaos of the Order and Death Eaters going at it should buy Madam Bones some time, and hopefully give him some time to rescue Susan and then get out himself.

Okay, I can do this, just like at Hogwarts. Yeah, they're just teachers, and I am past curfew in an unfamiliar area. That's it; just keep it simple, just looking to get back to the common room. Harry moved down the long hallway for a few moments keeping half his mind on the fluttering of his cloak so it did not give him away, and the other half on what he was seeing or hearing. In the alley his dark detector rune scape he installed into the jade stud in his ear worked for Jessica, so he knew he had a small warning system in place. Granted it was only effective within fifteen feet but it was more warning than he otherwise would get. Besides, it's not like he had a lot of other things going for him at the moment.

When he saw someone walking down the hallway he was traversing he ducked through the open door to his right. Once inside the new room he realized it that led into the kitchens. As soon as he walked in he noticed another Death Eater on the far side and despite being invisible he ducked down. Harry almost jumped out of his skin and gave himself away when he looked into the cabinet he was hiding behind into a pair of glassy gray orbs which were looking right into his as if their owner could see him knelling there.

Said orbs belonged to a shaking and frightened house elf. Harry leaned forward immediately after the half formed idea hit him. In a low voice he whispered to the frightened creature.

"Hey, Could I get you to do me a favor? I am trying to rescue your family, but I could use some help." Harry's eyes tracked the other man in the room who was heading through the door into the dining room.

A very quiet squeaky voice replied. "Wh…wh…wha can, can be doing…sir…"

Harry tried to keep his voice calm and reassuring but was failing miserably and was sure it came out as more of a command. His body was pumping adrenalin though him and he needed this to work. He was pretty sure this came through his voice when he spoke. "Go to Hogwarts, in the kitchens you will find a free-elf named Dobby. Tell him Harry Potter needs him. Bring him here but warn him that bad men are about and to find me quickly, quietly, and to not be seen. Then grab Madam Bones and the woman she is holding and get them out of here to somewhere safe."

Once the little elf nodded her understanding Harry immediately moved away while the coast was clear. There was a 'crack' of the house Elf leavening behind him as he made his way to the grand stair way that rested at the end of the hall. Continuing to move carefully but as quickly as he could he navigated past the Death Eaters in the house making his way up the stairs walking along the edges to avoid any squeaky steps, just in case. It worked at Privet Drive and he did NOT need to get stupid now.

So far things were going well, he hadn't been caught yet and since he happened on this scene that was the most he could hope for. As he reached the top to the second floor he saw one of the Death Eaters below rush from somewhere to the area where Madam Bones was at. It was the first time Harry noticed the bodies of her guards littering the floor and it left him with a queasy feeling. Slip up Potter, and your next. You know these guys don't play fair. Turning his head he stood for a moment listening for any noise. He didn't immediately hear anything but as he made his way down the hallway he thought he heard someone talking a few doors down.

With his heart wildly thumping in his chest and ears Harry continued to make his way down the hallway to a partially opened door where he heard the voices. He could hear a female voice whimpering and the gruff sounds of an older man. It wasn't until he was just outside the door that he could hear them clearly. "Don't worry love, this may be your first time, but it won't be the last…" His chuckling made Harry's stomach turn. Looking around the hallway Harry took note it was clear. With the door ajar he eased himself inside hoping to not find what he feared he was about to find.

Inside appeared to be a bedroom that lay in shambles like most of the house. Harry felt his sight turn red when he saw a Death Eater kneeling between the bare legs of a red haired young woman who was struggling for all she was worth. The man in question was chuckling at her antics apparently enjoying it. Hot white knives began stabbing into him as he fought to control his breathing. Rage unlike anything he had ever felt before in his life took root blooming instantly into a cataclysmic inferno that quickly consumed his reason allowing only the most primitive of thoughts. Pain. This man needed to hurt. Harry needed to hurt him. He needed to hurt him more than he was hurting his friend. Pain. Harry forgot all about his wand and the need to be sneaky and charged allowing the burning rage within him out by screaming his bloodlust into the room.

The man, surprised by the intrusion, half turned to yell but found himself lifted off of the young woman and thrown against the wall be for he could utter a single sound. Stunned from the impact he did not have much of a chance to right himself before Harry leaped onto his prone disoriented form. Straddling the Death Eater below him Harry rained down one fist before the other. As if it was happening to someone else he felt a sharp pain bloom within his right hand. His vision clouded by the depraved act he interrupted he continued to repeatedly strike into the face of the man below him ignoring the small rational part of his mind that was valiantly trying to inform him he most likely broke his hand. His only concession to this knowledge came when he fisted the front of the man's robes with his right hand to hold him in place while he continued to scream curses into his bloody face while raining blows upon him. Shards of the bone white mask that once rested on the beaten man's face rested all about them after one of his strikes shattered it. Stopping was not on Harry's mind, not until this monster stopped struggling, stopped breathing. Until he just stopped.

"Harr…Harry?" came a small feminine voice behind him.

Bloody and broken fist raised for another strike he jerked his head up to who spoke. Immediately he rose from the pummeled man and strode to his friend Susan Bones. Harry took off his robe without thinking to drape around her since that monster had pretty much shredded her evening clothes in their struggles.

"Hey, its okay, I got you." He kept his voice soft and soothing, or at least he thought he did. His rage sang within his veins burning through him and it was hard for him to tell. She clutched at him in desperation and began sobbing into his chest. Susan was a sweet girl, one of his favorites from the DA crowd, hardworking, eager to learn new spells and prove she could do them no matter how difficult, and loyal beyond any others bar Hermione. Not as magically proficient as some of the others but that never stopped her from trying. He remembered when her mother confronted her about the DA during Christmas. She told Harry that she refused to rat them out, not that her mother asked her too. Susan exemplified Hufflepuff house.

Harry looked around thinking. His mind was becoming his own again and the noise they caused had to have been noticed by someone. Time was shorter than his odds of getting out of here in one piece. "I know you're hurting but we got to go. Can you walk?" Susan nodded after a moment into his chest. Harry rose taking her with him to their feet. Susan's face was hard and broken all at once but he watched her as she moved over to the large bedroom stain glass window to retrieve her wand. It must have landed there sometime in her struggle with the Death Eater.

"What about Auntie and Mum Harry? Are they okay?" Susan asked as she picked up her wand while clutching the front of his robes that draped her shoulders.

Harry opened his mouth to reply when all hell broke loose.

They could hear shouts down stairs and the sounds of battle. Something powerful shook the houses foundations causing them to wobble a bit while dust fell from the ceilings. Harry took a single unsteady step toward her when someone burst in through the door. The Death Eater took one look at his fallen compatriot before he turned and fired off a killing curse at him. Still high on adrenilin Harry dove to the side easily avoiding the curse. His dive carried him closer to Susan but no closer to the way out.

"ADVERA KADAVRA!"

To Harry all time slowed to a crawl, as it normally did whenever he found himself in these situations. A small part of him thought it was sad he was familiar with this sensation but ignored it. He could see the killing curse inching toward the red haired Hufflepuff, see her fearful stupefied expression. He could feel the slow blink in his eyes and made his decision. I can save one. Fair exchange.

Putting action to the thought Harry took a step and slid himself in the path of the curse throwing his arms wide to protect his friend. A grim set to his features. Behind him he could hear Susan's startled gasp, see the maniac gleam in the Death Eaters eye, and the horrid sickly green of death rushing toward was the longest second he had ever experienced. Goodbye everyone. Then it all rushed by and Harry knew no more.

xxxxxx

Her ears were ringing from the exposition of magic's from a moment ago. She shook her head looking around blearily, trying to focus her doubled vision. Several long moments pass while she groggily took stock of where she was and what had happened. From where she lay she could see a broken window dancing two floors above them. Susan blinked trying to clear her mind. The killing curse somehow exploded when it hit Harry. She shook her head to hopefully clear the ringing that was still buzzing in her ears. Her body ached fiercely as she looked about her. Broken glass, splinters of wood, and remnants of her bedroom furniture lay all about her. Time seemed to pass incredibly slowly for her while she dispassionately lay where she was. By the time she was able to see clearly again and her mind cleared enough to think somewhat clearly she noticed the one thing she didn't notice before. The body of Harry Potter lay broken mere feet from where she landed, rag doll twisted and crumpled. She felt a sob break from her as her emotions seemed to have awoken from their punch drunk stupor. Susan rolled over attempting to crawl to him unwilling to believe that it was true. After everything he had been through, all the rumors, all the things he's done, he died protecting her.

The sounds of battle inside the house were but a distant thing compared to the sounds of her heart hammering within her breast. The few feet she had to crawl took ages, but she made the distance. Looking around she noticed they lay in a field of rotting dead bodies and only one thought accrued to her. They were NOT getting his body. Those sick bastards were not going to do this to him. Not as long as she drew breath. Knowing she had to do something she tried to gather her feet but fell down almost immediately as her wobbly legs seemed to be unable to support her. She realized she had fallen on top of Harry and succumbed to the tears that threatened to overtake her until she heard a noise that made her look up. Standing before her like some kind of cartoon comic was the strange house elf that had warned them last year when Umbridge had found them in the Room of Requirement.

The strange little elf was still wearing a stack of tea cozies on his head. His eyes were as wide as saucers as he stood there lightly trembling. "Please, don't let them get his body…" She barley was cognizant of saying the words to him.

Nodding his little head while the tea cozy's wobbled as only a drunk man could, Dobby opened one of Harry's eyelids looking strangely at him for a moment. He then took her hand with before taking Harrys. The little elfs voice was barley a whisper when he said, "Harry Potter sir is alive…" Both of them were gone with a loud 'Crack!'

When they had appeared they were laying outside a simple canvas one man tent in the middle of what looked like a young woodland. She could hear the sound of a stream babbling somewhere close but her eyes were defeated by the pitch black of night here. It was terrifyingly silent here after the violence and noise the hell they just came from. The elf snapped his fingers causing Harry's body to slowly lift into the air before trailing behind him as he entered the tent. Susan not knowing what else to do struggled to follow.

Inside she found the strangest apartment she had ever seen, a mix of muggle and wizarding furnishings decorated the scene, complete with moving paintings. Before she could take in the new environment one of the paintings directly across from her in a dusty old tavern scene caught her eye. In it was a young woman with long dark auburn hair similar to hers trying to drag a man who appeared to be sleeping. The sleeping man looked a lot like Harry but obviously drunk and snoring. The woman was cursing him.

"Stupid husband, I told you, I told you but do you listen to me, no." She apparently gave up on the man and stomped one of her feet as she straitened. "You may not remember this but you had better, you are NOT sleeping in my frame tonight. You're lucky Harry isn't around because I am sure he could think of a prank that would put you in your place after what you and Sirius did."

Susan looked over and noticed that the elf had laid Harry out full on the chesterfield that rested in what looked like a small common room. He was taking off Harry's shirt allowing her to see a few of his injuries. Susan had a little healer training from last summer she interred with her one of her uncles but had no idea if Harry kept any healing supplies around or even if basic medical aid would do any good for what they had gone through. How do you treat someone who can survive the Killing Curse?

Susan decided she would treat the things she could with what she knew but first she needed to know where, if there was anything, the healing supplies were. She walked up to the painting were the woman had yet to notice her thinking it might know.

"I should hang you from the Quidditch hoops by your feet. Or in the pig pen over in the town house painting…serves you right for getting sauced when I told you not to." She grumbled.

Hesitantly Susan cleared her throat and said, "Excuse me…" The painting shrieked in surprise before looking down at Susan.

"Who are you!" her eyes darted over to the couch and the picture drew her wand pointing it at Susan. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HARRY!" Susan had never seen a painting with a wand before and was a bit uncomfortable. She did not think the painting could hurt her, but she sure looked like she was going to. This look in the animated picture was enough for her to decide to play it safe and raise her hands, just in case. This was Harry's place after all. No telling what was in here. If she was to believe half of the crazy rumors about him it could be anything from a basilisk to stockpile of weapons.

"I am Susan Bones, Harry's hurt. Does he have any healing things around? Essence of Ditty, bandages or some burn salve? Skelegrow?" Her voice was uncertain quavering a bit as she was still riding the emotional shock of the night.

The painting seemed to take her in for a moment before she lowered the wand. She took off running through one frame to the next until she stood in one next to a large landscape painting of a sea cliff next to a cabinet in the small kitchen area. "Here, he keeps special blood replenishing potions in here along with things he's nicked from potions in school. At least that is what he told me. I know he keeps clean bandages and such in here as well."

Nodding thankfully Susan hurried to the cabinet finding everything she needed and more. She grabbed a bit of everything and rushed to him hoping she could do some good. With the guidance of the portrait of the red hair woman she gave him what she called his special blood replenishing potion and not the regular one she found. The painting was very clear he could only take those but Susan was at a loss to understand why.

It was a long night between her uninvited guests and her escape with Harry. Both of which she felt as she slowly returned to consciousness. She didn't even remember crawling into the bed after she did everything she could think of to treat her rescuer. She vaguely remembered that after she had cleaned and wrapped Harry's wounds the painting of the woman had directed her in here to sleep. Not that she slept much, her dreams were night terrors of the night before. Susan definitely remembered crying most of the night. She was very thankful to be alive but worried about the fates of her Aunt and Mother.

The bed was very comfortable and as the world returned to her she found herself wrapped tightly in several blankets. It took her a few moments to extract herself from her cocoon to greet the new day. The first thing she noticed as she climbed out of the comfortable bed was that the painting of the woman was sitting in a rickety rocking chair watching her in a small farm painting.

"Good Morning Miss Bones. Or, Afternoon I think. It's difficult to get an idea of the time in here aside from fathers clock." Her voice was soft and welcoming.

Susan gave her a small smile. "Is Harry awake yet?" She did not think he would be but wanted to know. Her own voice was rough and raw sounding she noticed.

The painting shook her head looking a bit down cast. "Not yet, but Dobby is looking after him." They stared at each other for a moment before the painting spoke again. "You can't walk around dressed like you are. You can call me Lily. You look about Jessica's size; her dresser is the one in front of you. Take what you need, I know she won't mind." Susan nodded, not sure who Jessica was but thankful that there was something to change into. Her own dinner things where torn up when that animal attacked her and Harry's robe was torn up pretty badly when they were blown out of the second floor onto the grounds. At the moment she was stalkers aside from one of Harry's Quidditch robes, which she was not sure she was going to give back. It was better than her sleeping gown. Rising slowly she took a few steps and opened a few of the drawers.

This Jessica had decent taste, for muggle wear. She found knickers which fit a bit snug and a bra which was a bit loose. Jeans took her a moment to find one that was not too snug but the shirts where not a problem. Whoever she was she knew how to match her clothes decently. At least she did not have to worry about looking like an idiot. As she finished dressing she wondered again who the woman living with Harry was and decided to ask the painting called Lily.

"I am sorry, but we are bound to Harry and cannot reveal his secrets, I don't know if she is a secret but I do know you are the first real person I have seen other than Harry. It's up to him to give us permission otherwise we cant. Though understand, I most likely wouldn't anyways unless he asked me, we may not be alive but we are very protective of him."

"Our paintings are the same way so I understand." Finished dressing she left the bedroom and moved into the living room to see two other portraits watching Harry. One looked just like him though a bit older, the other looked a lot like Sirius Black and made her pause in the doorway. Both men had not noticed her yet.

Lily's voice sounded from a small painting next to the door. "The first one with the glasses is my fool husband James Potter. The other is his best friend and Harry's Godfather, Sirius Black." At Susan's panicked look Lily explained. "He was never guilty of the crimes they held him for. Harry explained it to us. He died a few months ago according to Harry. James and I only woke up a few days ago ourselves so we're all sort of playing catch up with current events, though Sirius seemed to be fairly well informed when he joined us, minus how he died."

Susan shook her head. Only Harry Potter would live in a tent with paintings of his parents and the one who supposable murdered them. She strode over to check his bandages. He was breathing all right and as best as she could tell he seemed fine aside from the fact he was alive when he shouldn't be. Again, only Harry Potter could get away with being hit with a killing curse and live. She felt numb, emotionless at the moment, I must still be in shock. She shook it off while she went about changing his bandages and applying fresh salve to his wounds. The broken bones in his hands seemed to be healing okay, though she was far from an expert.

Satisfied with Harry's condition she moved about the tent checking the rooms. It appeared that Harry was pretty well established here in this tent, the fireplace was set up for potion making, the library, though small, had all the indications he was doing something, and the kitchen looked fairly well used, and stocked with a variety of muggle foodstuffs. The room that surprised her the most was the last room.

Inside she found a worktable that took her back to the days she would visit her Grandpa whom as an Unspeakable. It was littered with bits of dust and chips of stone, rock, and different crystals. Shelves where lined with various cut and uncut stones in various states of pre-enchantment. There also sat several flasks, knife sheaves, and other odds and ends typical of a traveler or someone who like to keep a bit of everything on them. Having never taken Ancient runes or Arithmancy she had no idea what any of the designs meant but it looked like he had many projects in the works doing a variety of things. It was like a builder's workshop, but she had no idea what he was making. She did not see any of the jewelers tools her grandmother used when she cut stones so assumed he was experimenting with both types. None of them looked particularly valuable, which supported her belief. Some of the things she could read indicated he was working on wards and detectors of various types. A variety of different types of parchments and other components like quills from birds not owls littered the available spaces.

One thing captured her attention though as she walked about the room, and that was two suits of armor and a great hooded cloak. One was easily identifiable as a heavy leather back and breast plate mail minus the skirt. The chest was embossed with the Potter House symbol, a sword crossed with a wand in the heart of a shield. The other was a bit strange, though just as interesting. It consisted of leather leggings clinched at the waist by a wide chain metal belt. It also consisted of a thick leather sleeve for the left arm with straps that traveled from the shoulder to the belt across the chest holding it firm in place. The sleeve was solid except for at the elbow were there was some overlap that would allow the wearer to bend his arm some. The materials used were also strange. It appeared to be a mix of Dragon, Mantacore, basilisk, and Gryphon. All three looked to be very old, like something you would find in a show room from the days of their forefathers. There were several pictures and diagrams on the walls around it detailing…something was planned for them all. What she had no clue but one thing struck her as she looked around this room; it looked like Harry was preparing for a war.

She walked back into the sitting room and took up her own vigil watching Harry. It was how she passed the day away. Her, three paintings, an elf watching the rising and falling of the wounded young man sprawled on the couch before her. She must have fallen asleep at some point because when he moaned she found herself slumped in the chair she was resting in with her eyes closed. Quickly she wiped the sleep from her eyes before she knelt next to him ignoring everything else but his face watching to see if he would open his eyes. Her efforts were quickly rewarded a moment later.

"If this is the next great adventure Dumbledore preaches, it leaves a lot to be desired." His voice was groggy and low but to her it was music. She felt her eyes began to tear hearing him awake, thankful as his eyes opened slightly. "At least the angles are pretty." She felt a half laugh half sob escape her as she smoothed his hair back.

"Flatter. Save your strength you've been out for a while." Dobby hurried to them handing her a cool washcloth, which she used to clean his face. "Stay still Harry, I don't know what happened but I know a lot of your chest was burned by it." Harry grunted as he ignored her and tried to sit up but settled down again with a pain filled expression.

"I'd wager I cracked a few ribs or worse too by how that felt. Thanks for patching me up Susan."

She shook her head still silently crying. "No Harry, thank you, if you hadn't showed up…that animal…I would…would have…been…" Harry's eyes where still pretty glassy but they sharpened up a bit.

"He didn't…I was afraid I was too late. Are you sure you're okay…" Susan shook her head.

"No, but I hope to be." Her own voice was getting choked now that he was awake everything came crashing down on her again. Harry opened his arms letting her cry into his shoulder.

"It will be alright Sue. I have a friend who can help. We can go see her in a few hours alright? Shhhh, I got you, everything will be alright."

xxxxxx

Nymphadora Tonks apperated into her flat completely exhausted from the last day and a half. So exhausted her trademark bubblegum pink hair was dull and lifeless. She stumbled through her sitting room to her bedroom never noticing two pairs of eyes flowing her from the dark interior or hear the snicker from that direction. All she knew was that she was dead on her feet. Harry was still missing, and no one knew if he had Sue Bones or if the Death Eaters did. As she fell unconscious after stripping down and throwing on some sleep wear she only thought it had been a hell of a couple of days.

The next day Tonks found herself come fully awake, which was odd. It wasn't so much the coming awake fully from a deep sleep as much as it was the hour from which she awoke. In other words before noon. Her mind spun a bit trying to reason why she was awake at such a god awful early hour like ten in the morning. The last two nights had been rough with the disappearance Susan, her bosses niece and the appearance and then disappearance of Harry Potter. She wished he would have told her he was going to visit Amelia that night she would have gone to be his wing woman. It was then she realized what had waked her. She smelled food, which made her frown. It was a foreign smell in her flat. Picking up her wand from the rickety nightstand she disentangled herself from the warmth of her blankets and strode into the main room.

He had made no more than one step into the room before Tonks froze. She blinked a few times as the morning light assaulted her eyes. It came streaming through the clear clean windows illuminating the spotless condition of her dwelling. Food smelling in her flat was momentarily forgotten while she tried to assimilate what she was seeing. Their wasn't a dirty sock, a pair of used pants or a bra hanging from any of the surfaces anywhere in site. As a matter of fact everything seemed to be ordered in some fashion.

She had of course heard of such things, at Hogwarts she had even experienced it a few times. The flat was clean, and that was not normal. She turned to the windows and noticed the years of caked dust and dirt from the chimneys of her neighbors had been washed clean and that was what had allowed the sunlight to enter her place so unfiltered showing the unnatural cleanliness surrounding her. Her frown deepened and she was assaulted by the smell of food again. Curiosity reawakened she followed her nose to the small kitchen she never entered unless she was too drunk to realize it wasn't her bedroom.

Cautiously she opened the door to the biggest of surprises waited for her. A young auburn haired girl sat at a table she did not know she owned in a chair she was pretty sure was not there the other week she woke up in here, laughing. Following her eyes she spotted the person making her laugh which was none other than her missing Harry in an apron cooking on her range making a spectacle of flipping an omelet in the skillet. She blinked. The range works?

Said dark haired young man turned and looked at her. "I wondered where that robe went. Every year I have to replace my Quidditch robes at least once or twice. Susan stole my last one last night." Tonks found herself blinking rapidly in what she assumed was a stupid manner considering the laughter dancing in Harry's eyes. Harry moved over and slid the omelet he had finished making into a plate making three full plates on the table. "You know, you're a right slop Tonks. Dobby did say though that you know how to make a house-elf feel needed. Breakfast?"

"Harry? Who is that? What are you doing here? What's food doing in my kitchen?" She paused a moment to draw a quick breath. "Where's my Porn?" Fresh embarrassed giggles broke from the young girl at the table but Harry took her questions in stride.

"Yes I am Harry, that is Susan Bones. Susan, Nymphadora Tonks." Harry pointed at her with the cooling frying pan before setting it in the sink and running water over it sending steam free while Tonks growled behind her frown. "But don't call her Nymphadora, unless you want to get Hexed. We are here to eat breakfast and to let you know Sue is alive and well and so she can get home. Food is in your kitchen because that is traditionally where a person cooks it." He gave her a cheeky smile, "Your porn, which Dobby said was disgusting by the way, has been alphabetized by title, graphic content, and type on a bookshelf in your bedroom. He wanted to build a restricted section but I warned him we would never get you out of it if he did."

"You're a cheeky bugger today."

Harry smiled wider handing her a plate. "Hungry?" Tonks felt a smile on her face looking at the plate with her mouth watering. Never once had she refused his cooking once she realized what a great cook he was. He made the takeaway places she normally ordered from seem like garbage in comparison. Still smiling she took the plate. "If you aren't careful I am going to keep you around for a sex slave/cook."

Harry laughed, "It's always good to know I have options."

Authors Note:

Thank you all for reading and Please Review. I am very honored by all the reviews and responses to the story. Hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as you have enjoyed the others. Updated: 4/17/2011

Updates include some fleshing of the chapter, some grammar and term corrections, and a few other small things. If there are any interested Beta's out there, I really could use one to help out with this story. Thanks.