I own nothing. Except a DVD player without a remote. Harry Potter belongs to JKR, WB, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Raincoast etc.

Guide: Narrative

"Dialogue"

'written'

thoughts

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Chapter 9: Tonks

The next morning Harry was woken up by his freezing watch. As he ran his hands through his returned to black hair, he wondered how long James had been up. That was the biggest problem with the new trunk. Unless Harry was in James's nursery, he wouldn't hear the baby cry. Harry checked the time. It was pretty much when James normally woke up.

Harry quickly made his way into the trunk. By the red look to the babies face, he had been crying for at least a few minutes. Harry felt really guilty but knew that the only solution would be to actually sleep in the trunk too. If it happened again, he decided to set up a cot.

For once James didn't stop crying when Harry picked him up. Harry guilt made him think that James was mad at him, even though the baby books said that a three month old couldn't hold a grudge. Harry started pacing with the baby while the bottle warmed up. Then Harry noticed his feet were wet.

What the? Where did all this water come from?

The entire floor had about a half a centimeter of water covering it. Harry looked for the source. There was a glass on the desk that had water bubbling out of it. It seemed to be slowing down as James calmed down.

I know that glass was half empty last night. I brought it down here when I was setting up the new furniture.

"So I guess your element must be water, huh? It's a good thing all the wizarding books are spelled against water damage. I'll just have to be careful when you are upset." Harry was amazed. His three month old son was capable of causing floods.

Once James got his bottle and had his diaper changed he fell asleep. It seemed that the magic he performed tired him out.

Harry made a conscious decision never to get mad about James's magic, he had too many memories of getting punished for things he had no control over. With the possible damage to his possessions and the trunk in the future, Harry knew there would be emotions in play. So even though he wasn't pleased, he chose to laugh. It was frustrating to have even more of his life out of control. Despair threatening, Harry knew that most of what he felt at the moment was just tiredness. As much as he loved his son, he wanted to go back to how things were two months ago, when Sirius was alive and he had no worries other than OWLs just like every other fifteen year old. He knew it wasn't an option.

Harry spent the next half an hour drying out the trunk with a bucket and towels. Once that was finished he left the trunk. Hedwig had returned, without a reply.Guess Remus is too busy to write. That's fine. Order is probably up to something.

Harry went downstairs to grab something to eat. The Dursleys were out so he had the kitchen to himself. Until there was a knock at the door.

Still holding an apple, Harry opened the door to a girl he didn't recognize. She had blond hair and a heart shaped face. She looked about his age. He assumed she must be here to see Dudley. "Sorry, none of the Dursleys are here right now. Why don't you try back in a couple hours." He made to close the door.

"Wotcher, Harry." The gives nose changed to a pig snout and back again.

"Tonks! What are you doing here? I said I didn't want anyone to come here? Wait a minute, what do you always trip over at headquarters?" Harry said in a rush.

"A troll leg umbrella stand. Remus sent me, he got your letter and figured that I wouldn't be recognized. It's also a little too close to that time of the month for him to be out and about. He thought you could use some time out of the house and an Auror guard would be enough for a Muggle suburb. Also you need some better clothes." She paused there. "Why are all wet?"

"Err, plumbing problem. Just mopping up. So clothes shopping. Just let me change first. Come in, my relatives aren't here. Be back in a minute." Harry sprinted to his room and climbed into the nursery. James was still asleep. "Dobby."

With a crack Dobby appeared. "What is you needing, Harry Potter, sir?"

"An Order member showed up to take me shopping. Can you watch James for a few hours?"

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby is most happy to watch Baby Potter."

"Thanks, Dobby. I'll be back in a few hours."

Harry then went back to his room and changed into his least ratty hand-me-downs. Returning to the living room, where Tonks sat. She handed him an envelope and a box. Harry asked, "What is this?"

"Remus's response and some pictures of you and your parents. He said he didn't realize how few you had, so he copied every picture he could find." Tonks seemed to be okay with waiting for Harry to read the letter so he opened it up.

'Dear Harry,

Sorry for not writing you sooner. I've been on assignment for the Order and just got back. I am as well as I can be this close to the full moon. I hope you are coping well.

As to your questions, I had thought your parents put a power block on you and contacted Dumbledore about it the summer before you started Hogwarts. He replied to let me know that at one point you accidentally apparated yourself and that no child with a power block would be able to do so. Apparently the Obliviators had quite a job covering that one up. They had to alter the memory of the six children who saw you do it. I was positive he was right when you produced a Patronus. Many adult wizards can't do that, so someone with only ten percent of their magic wouldn't be able to.

When did you first do magic? Well, your mother claimed that in the last month of pregnancy things would float around the bed at night. James slept like a log and never noticed and nothing ever happened during the day so we were all pretty skeptical. The first time I saw you do magic was summoning a toy at Christmas time when you were five month old.

One of my favorite memories is when I visited your parents when you were six months old. You were teething, and understandably upset about it. It took over an hour to get you to sleep. After James finally succeeded and came out of the room he looked like he had been in a wind tunnel. His hair was on end and his cloths were very rumpled. I went into your room to check on you and commented that it looked like a cyclone had gone through. James claimed that one had and it had stopped as soon as you fell asleep. I am sure that somebody set up a prank that if you cried very long the room would get messed up.

I also hope we can get together to talk sometime this year. I am very busy with the Order but I should be able to get to Hogsmede a couple times.

Remus Lupin'

That sounds a lot like what just happened with James and the water. Of course, I am an air elemental. I would make cyclones and … inflate things. That's what happened to Aunt Marge three years ago. My element got out of control. James must be a water elemental. Oh, teething is going to be a nightmare. I will have to remember not to leave any kind of water in his room.

Harry told Tonks that he was going to look at the pictures look at the pictures later and asked if she would wait while he put the pictures in his room.

When Harry returned Tonks asked, "Is there anything specifically you would like to buy?"

"No, doesn't really matter. Anything you think I need will be fine." Harry really didn't care. He wore robes most of the year anyway.

At that answer Tonks bounce on her feet, "Oh this is going to be so much fun. Clothes and shoes and maybe a haircut. It's been so long since I did a makeover shopping trip." (A/N. I have the Clone High 'Makeover, Makeover' song in my head here.)

Harry watched her unenthusiastically. "Er, that's great Tonks."

At his tone she looked at him sharply. Then her eyes widened as if she was just seeing him for the first time. "Merlin, Harry, do you ever sleep?"

I must look really terrible. "Some, it's been a little difficult lately." That was no lie. Between nightmares and James he was getting really sleep deprived.

"Come on, lets have some fun. Take your mind off things. And I have instructions from Molly to take you out to dinner and fill you up."

They left the house and went to a downtown department store. Once there Tonks asked Harry, "What colours do you like? Any styles? Anything you want imparticular?"

"I like black. Err, I'm used to baggy and I don't really care very much. I have never really shopped for myself." Tonks got a determined look and started filling his arms with different shirts and pants to try on. She then pushed him into a change room and told him to come out and model every outfit.

Harry was dismayed when he got to a wifebeater shirt. When he left the change room, Tonks gasped. "What did you do to your arm?" She was pointing at his left upperarm, where it had a bandage covering the tattoo.

"Err, I got a tattoo, or three." Harry said cautiously.

"Really, when did you do that? The order guards haven't followed you into town at all."

"I kind of snuck out. I needed to clear my head and didn't want anyone following me." Harry was kind of ashamed. He new it seemed as if he went out frivolously but he couldn't admit why he had gone out.

"What's it of? Wait a minute did you say three?" Tonks was too observant for her own good.

"This one is Padfoot." Harry pulled the bandage away to show her. "I've got Prongs and Lily on my shoulder blades."

"That's fitting. Well expect a howler from Remus for sneaking out. I'm not going to lecture you, as I would have done the same thing. I can give you a spell to make the tattoos move, if you want. Now I am going to find you more cloths to go with the new bad boy look you've got going." Tonks was completely cheerful about all this and did hand him a note with an incantation for the tattoos.

Once Harry had tried on half of the store's clothes with Tonks okaying and ex-naying every item, they left. Harry had drawn the line at modeling the underwear. Harry now had a wide selection of sleeveless shirts, and tornup jeans, along with a collection of more conservative outfits. He really liked the leather jacket that Tonks had insisted on. Harry wore one of the punk outfits out of the store.

"Looking good there, Harry." Tonks said and winked at him.

"Umm, thanks Tonks. But I really don't see you that way. I mean you are really nice and all that but you are like ten years older than me I hope we can still be friends." Harry said all of this with a straight face. It was worth the effort to see Tonks sputter.

"Harry, I didn't. Err, you cute and all but.. You do know that would be illegal right?"

Harry lost it. The situation was too hilarious and Tonks blushed unnaturally brightly.

Tonks said, "I'm going to get you back for that. You're like the little brother I never had. And I'll have you know I am only eight years older than you. Besides, I've got my eye on Remus."

Now Harry was shocked, "Professor Lupin, really? How's that going?"

Tonks's face fell, "Not so well. He insists he is too old for me and with his condition. He mostly avoids me these days."

Harry became thoughtful at that. Remus had had a hard life and deserved all the happiness he could get. "Well, I am going to say that I am rooting for you. Tell Remus I approve as the unofficial little brother and all."

Tonks seemed to cheer up. "Never mind that now, you need shoes."

Harry looked at his feet and wiggled his toes. He could see his pinky toes through holes in the tops of his trainers. "Nah, these still have a few miles in them."

"No, they don't." Tonks led him into a sports store and made him pick out two pairs.

Shoe shopping complete, Tonks said it was time for lunch. Just as they were sitting down, Harry felt his watch go cold. He started to count. He knew Dobby was watching James but he didn't know how successful the elf would be. Harry only got to thirty before the watch warmed up. It was several minutes later that it went back to a normal temperature.

Tonks had noticed Harry's distraction. "What's up?"

Harry tried to dodge. "Nothing. Just lost in thought. What else do we have to do?"

"Well, you are going to eat everything you order, plus dessert, as per Molly's instructions and then you are going to get a hair cut. Any idea what you would like?" explained Tonks.

"Something shorter. Maybe my hair will look less messy that way. And its time for a change." Harry was actually thinking of what would happen when James got to stage of grabbing things. Longer hair was too big a target.

"You know the girls go wild for messy hair. Looks like you just got out of bed and enjoyed it." Now Harry blushed.

Thankfully the waitress arrived to take their orders, ending that embarrassing line of talk. Harry knew if they got into a contest to make each other blush, he would lose.

"Remus said you wanted to hear some stories from when you were little. I've got one." Tonks informed Harry.

"Did you meet me when I was a baby?"

"Yeah, once. Sirius held a BBQ the spring after you were born and, because of the maturing nature of his friends, he made it a family event. So my mom and I came. They were really good friends back in the day. So I was nine years old and really excited. All little girls love to stare at babies. When we got there, the men and women split up. Your mom had you for a while. I got to see her change your diaper."

Harry blushed here and Tonks laughed. "Anyway, after a while your dad came and took you. I snuck out to see what the men were up to. They had gotten out their brooms and were flying. Well, naturally your dad took you up. He stayed pretty low but the faster he went the louder you squealed. Even then you liked flying. So eventually your mom came out to check on you. Lily just about killed James. That is where I learned to be wary of a red head's temper. So she shouted at him for a couple minutes before he just grabbed her and kissed her until he thought she would have forgotten why she was angry. Didn't work. As soon as he let her go, she slapped him and went inside. But I did see them kissing again later, once he had groveled enough.

Harry was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. That was how he wanted to remember his parents. The happy and passionate couple at a BBQ.

Once Tonks had forced him to eat dessert they left the restaurant.

"So, hairdresser?" Harry didn't know what wanted so he let her pick his style. But he did put his foot down at blue tips on his hair.

Harry ended up with short spiky hair. He was a little upset that his fringe wouldn't cover his scar anymore but he figured it would grow out in a couple months.

Once that was complete Tonks took him home. Harry checked on James and let Dobby go before sitting on his bed to look through the photos from Remus.

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A/N

Sorry it took longer. I have an exam tomorrow so I have been doing more studying than writing. Also I read some heavy angst last night and it put me in the wrong mood to write Tonks and the picnic story.

Thanks for the reviews. I am finally going to do some replying.

Thanks to: enb2004, hpnut1, Crazy-Kiracat39, SiriusBlackLivesOn, JessicaLRobbins, Laura Hisel, xRosePetalx, choirsinger, Wauzi, WannaBeGreen, mina Jacobs, swanpride, PlayKate (I love that name, I didn't get it til I typed it), Chelsey89, Anon Nona, Kapri of the Kanohi Menai, kyubbi-kun, hushpuppy22, moonlight2007, DeliaDee.

Maraudergrl99: The u thing is actually supposed to be a spin off of the American Revolution with the mindset of Americans are going to be different just because they can. I think it will be at least 2 chapters before he leave privet drive. I could be wrong though. This chapter wasn't really intended until I realized Harry never bought anything for himself. And I really like Tonks.

Ibfan: The homonym thing always bugs me. There, their, they're will cause me to do a double take if it's wrong. I might miss one occasionally but I don't have a beta, so it happens.

Panther73110: In my mind his parents did the power block on and you will have to wait to find out about Neville. There is a reason I say that Padfoot will instruct Harry in how to make a fateor

I am going to do another challenge. Again no point just wanna see what people are thinking. So, now that I have finally decided the answer: Where is Harry going after Privet Drive? I will tally where everyone says. You won't find out until he gets there.

Random fic rec of the day: Undead Secrets by Bitter Icing. Its completely different than most of what I have read. Completely AU. A little angsty but so good.

This is the longest chapter yet by about 500 words.

Now for a stats update: almost 17000 words, 9 chapters, 45 reviews, a hair shy of 5000 hits, 2 c2s, 19 favorites, 43 alerts, plus for me 4 favorites and 6 alerts as an author. Since this is my only story, it counts.

I see less than 1 in 100 hits leaves a review. Whatever, I am really more excited for the hit count but if you've got something to say, let me know.