"Ugh" Harry groaned, as he flung 13 Ways to Harness a Horntail, at Remus's retreating back. He sure whished he would have had that book a year ago. Harry had only been at Grimmauld place a little more than a day and it seemed to be a never ending procession of people stopping in to explain to Harry the errors in his thinking process. Little did Harry know but supposedly the Wizarding world was the only place that he could live a fulfilling life, at least that was what the constant procession of people thought.
Harry was just interested in a couple of days of laying low as he tried to figure out what his next move was. He knew that the ability to stay in Grimmauld place unmolested was rapidly coming to an end. If nothing else the time between interruptions had been interesting. The list of spells to remove tracking charms from Healer Tutesville had shown him that in only a day most of Harry and his things had been hit with a variety of tracking charms. He could only figure that everyone expected him to make a runner at anytime, he thought this was remarkably insightful considering the logic used by most wizards. Thanks to the instructions that he was given by the Healer he was able to easily transfer the tracking charms to the bed. At least most would think that he was stationary.
The most interesting revelation was that he could do magic outside of school. After Sirius woke Harry up, with a bucket of cold water, Harry fired off a tripping jinx out of reflex. Realizing his mistake Sirius let Harry know how the underage magic detectors actually worked. Monitors were set up around the homes of muggleborns at the first reported incident of accidental magic or when Hogwarts reviled there name as a candidate to the school. Wizard parents are "encouraged" to not let their kids use a wand outside of school unsupervised but there is no real way to account for who is doing magic in any given area. Just another way that the wizarding world was biased against muggle born kids. If magic was detected in an area it was just assumed that the local muggleborn was the culprit. Sirius did say that the Ministry had ways to detect magic across the country but it was often unpractical since everything from a wizard to a house elf to a post owl could set off the magic detectors.
When Harry asked about why over the summer they had to clean the house without wands Sirius replied that Molly did not want her kids to know that they could do magic outside of school. She felt that the twins were bad enough as it was and she was concerned about Ron hurting himself.
The rest of his time Harry tried to spend in his room to avoid all of the order members that stopped by to "just have a talk" with him. At meals most just sat and gawked at his scar, a few told him how bad the muggle world was and yet the only thing they knew about it was to watch out for lorries.
A knock on the door let him know that his next visitor of the day was here to convince him of the great things about the wizarding world. He wondered how long he could wait until they just walked in. Giving up he called "Come in."
The door open to reveal a stunningly beautiful blond woman, dressed in a tee shirt that looked to be a size or two too small, the jeans that she wore looked as if they were painted on. The shirt was stretched across her chest exposing a bare midriff. Now this is the type of Order member that Harry could see talking too.
"ello 'arry I was wondering if I could ave a word?" The woman asked in a very heavy French accent.
"Sure…come on in." Harry stuttered as he tried to sit up and straighten out his shirt.
"You dropped something yesterday and I just wanted to return it." The woman said as she walked over to Harry and set her purse on the bed. Bending at the waist in front of Harry giving him a view of two of her better assets. She started to dig in her bag that was obviously much bigger on the inside then the outside. The women's long blond hair fell in front of her face making the view less accessible. With a quick "there it is" the women pulled out a green shirt. As her head lifted up her hair rapidly turned a blood red color and her face morphed into that of a devil horns and all.
"ahh" was all Harry could get out as his attention was pulled up by the change in hair color. The devil faced creature hit him in the head with the shirt. He quickly tried to back away from the devil women but she grabbed his legs and pounced on him, straddling his legs pinning him to the bed. The devil opened her mouth and started hissing "I go out of my way to buy you nice things and you repay me by sneaking away and leaving a shirt behind." A wand appeared in her hand and the devil cast a rictusempra point blank at Harry.
Harry couldn't help laughing as the spell connected. He wiggled around the bed helplessly as the devil morphed into the more common face of Auror Don't-say-my-first-name Tonks.
As Harry gasped for breath he managed to get out "I am sorry Tonks. Really" as she held the spell on him.
As he wiggled and squirmed underneath her Tonks could tell that Harry was not the little boy he was just a few short weeks ago. Harry traded in a boy's body for that of a man and a handsome one at that. She lifted the tickling jinx but continued to straddle him. Harry looked up at her with a gleam in his eye. "Tonks, have you ever seen someone wear that color green, it's awful. Maybe not so bad around wizards since they have no fashion sense at all but I was raised muggle."
As Tonks pouted she asked, "So how did you like my devil face? I have been working on it for some time now. I figure I could wear it on Halloween to scare the kiddies that come looking for treats."
"The Devil face is nice but your blond, French girl had my attention pretty fast." Harry said with a smirk.
"Typical man, see a set of tits and forget everything else. At least you noticed my hair was blond that's better than most." Tonks said as she stuck out her chest and began inflating it.
As Harry stared at her expanding chest he noticed that it was starting to lift the shirt again. "Doesn't that hurt to change your body around that much? It looks like the fabric is about to rip."
"Only you would worry about ripping a shirt when I am making my chest bigger. Most men would be more interested in how big I could make them or even in me making them so big that the shirt does rip. And no for the most part I can shift my body to anything I want. Some people and faces are easier than others but for the most part I can look like anyone."
Noticing parts of Harry starting to inflate Tonks got off of him thinking that the teasing might be going a little far. Tonks crawled up to the headboard to sit next to him. "So, what are you reading?" She asked nonchalantly as she grabbed the book that Harry had set down.
"Memory charming Muggles the Ministry way. Planning to wipe a memory or two are you? I think this is a restricted book." Tonks said as she started to flip through the book.
"No, Sirius was hiding a lot of the Black library in here trying to keep the books away from Mrs. Weasley. It looks like he put most of the dealing with muggle section in here. I get the impression that the Black family wasn't the best when it came to how they treated muggles. I almost wonder if all of the things that Kreacher mumbles about are true, you know the chains and such in the basement." Harry Said.
"My mom says that the Blacks were pretty dark bunch and that she was happy to be kicked out of the family. Though most of the time I think she is just saying that, I am not sure anyone would want to be kicked out of their family. You know."
"I don't know. I am planning on kicking myself out." Harry said. "I really just want to get away. I am tired of it all. The people in the wizarding world just all do what they want to anyone. It is like since they can do something it is ok. Look at even what happened to me since I left school. Granted, I am happy to have this new body, but I never asked for it and even told the Healer that I wanted to leave as she was getting going. And look at how that Auror that you were working with just stunned me in mid sentence. Not to mention how Dumbledore pulls the strings in the background so much." Standing up and walking to the window, Harry looked out. "It is like they do with the muggles; every time something happens the Ministry just shows up and starts wiping memories. I have seen what happens when that spell goes wrong, granted Lockhart deserved it but still the man lost all of his memories. It makes me wonder if I have been memory charmed or messed with in some other way."
The room was quiet for a minute before Tonks started to talk. "Harry being a wizard, having this kind of power can tempt a person. As an Auror one of my jobs is to try to protect people, muggle and wizard, from the actions of others. There are so many ways that a wizard could hurt a person that it is often difficult to even determine if something has happened. Between memory charms and the imperious a wizard could wipe out an entire family and leave no witnesses. As for you I would say that you are fine, if you can shrug off an Imperious curse than I would think that an obliviate would have no chance of sticking. So what is the real problem Harry, is it just a matter of having no control in your life? You know that most people feel the same way?"
Walking back and sitting on the edge of the bed Harry said "I think so. It seems like every year something else happens. All that I wanted was a nice quiet year last year and the whole thing blows up. First the tournament then Cedric dying and Voldemort coming back. Then the Minister and the profit coming after me. I think the detention with Umbridge was just the straw that broke the camel's back. At the time I was so mad I just wanted to get away and I didn't care where I was going. Of course Voldemort had to send Wormtail after me."
"Harry what are you going to do are you really going to leave, quit Hogwarts and everything? Do you have any plans?" Tonks asked.
"I love learning and doing magic but I am not sure the price I have to pay at Hogwarts is worth it. Besides most of what I have to learn at Hogwarts doesn't really help me. When dueling Voldemort about the only spell that I could think to use was expelliarmus. He is throwing AK's and all that I can think of is to disarm him. Most of what I need to learn I will never learn at Hogwarts. As for where I am going I am not really sure. I know that I have to get out of here. Between Dumbledore and the rest of the Order I will never get a moments peace, no offence. I know I shouldn't have come here but I really didn't have anywhere else to go. I don't think it is safe for me to stay in the Magical world. So that leaves the muggle world and really other than with my Aunt and Uncle's I have only ever been to …." Harry trailed off as he got an evil look on his face.
"Tonks, can I have that book back for a minute." Taking the offered book Harry started to flip through the book looking for the section on memory charms. After practicing the wand movements a few times Harry tried out the spell. "Obliviate" he called out while using the correct wand movement. The nearly invisible spell impacted the wall of the house having no effect.
"There is a little more to it than that Harry. When you are performing the spell the trick is to concentrate on the memory or sequence of events that you want the person to forget." Tonks said. "You should also flick your wand when you are thinking about what you want the person to forget." Standing up she walked around to stand beside Harry and demonstrated on the wall. "Really as far as casting the spell it is very easy. The difficult part is concentrating on the event you want the person to forget. Also for a wizard you have to use more power than you would on a muggle. This should all be taught in your 5th year charms class. But with you leaving and all I guess you will never learn it."
"Can you show me the confunds charm also. It looks like that would come in handy."
The next few minutes were spent with Tonks teaching Harry how to do the confundus charm. The charm was almost too easy to learn considering the amount of damage that could be done with it.
"I hope that I don't regret showing those to you." Tonks said as she went back to sit on the bed with Harry taking a seat at the writing desk next to the bed.
"I promise not to over use them Tonks." Harry said with a lopsided grin.
"Harry I did come here for more than to yell at you about the shirt. Madam Bones really wants to talk to you; she was a little grumpy that you skipped out without talking to her. She has more questions about all of the things that Healer Tuteville told her about. She also wanted to talk to you about the investigations about the rebirth of you-know-who and also about getting a real trial for Sirius. She would like you to go to the Ministry as soon as possible."
"I don't know Tonks do you think that it would really help. It seems that the Ministry just does whatever it likes."
"Madam Bones is a good woman Harry I am sure she will help."
"If you think it's a good idea I will go but I have to get out of here first, if you help me make my escape I will go with you to the DMLE. Think about it Tonks I am leaving one way or another wouldn't it be safer if I was with an Auror on my own? Besides I am sure it will be fun, at least for me."
Tonks thought about it for a minute. He was right it would be safer if she was with him but she also knew that the Order would not be happy with her for helping him leave.
By this point Harry was packing his trunk with all of his clothes and most of the books that were lying around the room, he figured Sirius wouldn't mind too much. A soft tapping from the window let him know that an owl wanted in. Going to the window Harry could see Hedwig Tapping on the frame. Opening the window Hedwig flew in and landed on his shoulder. Cawing and chirping at Harry, the owl seemed to be checking the boy over to make sure that he was alright. "I'm fine girl. All better really. You have good timing I was just getting ready to leave." At this the owl made a mad squeak and took off, batting Harry in the head a few times with her wing, to land on the writing desk.
"I was going to wait for you, honest. It's not like you couldn't find me where ever I go." He said as he tried to pet the owl while dodging her beak. Tonks just sat on the bed giggling.
Harry turned to Tonks "well giggles are you going to help or not?"
"Yes I'll help. So what's your plan?" At this Sirius walked into the room.
"Plan did I hear plan, I just can't tell you how disappointed I am in you Harry, if anything haven't I taught you to fly by the seat of your pants who needs a plan." Sirius said as he walked in and leaned against a wall.
"I told you yesterday Padfoot that I wasn't going to stay long. I figured that this was as good a time as any to go. And you don't have to worry Tonks said that she will help."
"So you have an Auror escort. I guess that will be ok. In all seriousness Harry where are you going?"
"I can tell you are serious Sirius so let me tell you. First I need a distraction and that is where your part comes." Whipping out his wand Harry pointed it at Sirius and cast the Confundus Charm at the man. Doing as Tonks taught him he concentrated on what he wanted Sirius to think. Sirius became a little glassy eyed and said he had to run as he turned to the door and moved quickly down stairs.
"Come on Tonks we won't have much time." Harry said as he shrunk his trunk and put it in his pocket. Opening up the window he said to Hedwig, "ok girl you can stay here for a bit to rest or start following us. I think we will be settled in a few hours and you can follow then, whatever you want." The owl flew out the window as Harry grabbed his trunk shrinking it and putting it in his pocket.
"I do have a condition Harry; you must wear the green shirt or no deal." Harry and Tonks both turned to the door. They could hear a mixture of laughing and yells from the kitchen.
"Come on Tonks we don't have much time."
"Green shirt or no deal." Harry knew that he had to get out quick or Sirius would have his revenge. Whipping off the shirt he had on, Harry put the green shirt on. "Ok can we go now?"
"Where too?" Tonks Asked.
"The park in Little Whinging to start, I need to get an address." Harry Said. He could hear Sirius yelling and making his way up the stairs.
"Faster Tonks, we have to go." Tonks seemed to be taking her time knowing it was making Harry nervous. Just as she grabbed him and started to spin into her apparition Sirius came into the room with a red hand print on his face. The last thing Sirius saw was Tonks holding a laughing Harry as she spun away.
Landing in the park in Little Whinging both Tonks and Harry fell to the ground. "Well that was a little better at least we didn't land on each other this time. I think that I like apparition a little better than the port keys." Harry said as he stood up and reached out to help Tonks up.
"I heard about your floo allergy. That might actually work out for you. You can apply for you apparition license early if you have a real allergy." Tons said as she stood up dusting herself off. "So what did you do to Sirius?"
"I made him think that he had to kiss Mrs. Weasley. I hope someone was in there so we can find out what happened. Based on the hand print I am guessing that Mrs. Weasley didn't take it too well." Harry said with a grin.
"If I was you I would stay away from him for a bit, you know that he will retaliate." Tonks said. "So what are we doing here?"
"I know the perfect place to hide out for a bit. It is a nice country home, quiet and lots of room. No neighbors nearby and only one person lives there but I am pretty sure that she is going to go on a trip today. Do you want to wait here while I go get the address or go with me?"
"You aren't getting out of my sight anytime soon mister." Tonks said back.
Harry pulled out his trunk to grab his invisibility cloak. Grabbing the cloak and shrinking the trunk Harry held out the cloak and ushered her under. "I have had to do this with Ron and Hermione a few times. It's easier if we put an arm around each other's waist."
Tonks climbed under the cloak and the two of them had to stand pretty close to each other to be able to walk and keep the cloak around there feet at the same time. "So Harry how many times have you had Hermione under this cloak?" She said saucily.
"It was never like that Tonks. We were just friends. I am not sure what we are now. I am not sure if we ever were friends."
"Don't be so dramatic, of course they are your friends. So they listened to Albus Dumbledore and didn't write. You do know that the whole time I was at Hogwarts the Headmaster never once talked to me until he handed me my diploma. There are very few people in the world that would not do anything that the man asked. He is so well respected that even with the hack job that the Ministry and the Prophet have been doing lately many would still do as he asked."
"I wouldn't really know. He has been talking to me since first year and honestly the man seems senile most of the time."
Harry and Tonks walked around to the back of number 4, Harry reached out to try the door which opened. It looked like the Dursleys were all in the sitting room watching the TV. The duo shuffled over to the cupboard and Harry reached out to grab a folder inside that had a long list of names and addresses. Scanning his finger down the list he found what he was after. Marge Dursley, committing the address to memory. Harry replaced the folder that Tonks and Harry left the same way they had come in.
Once they were back in the park Tonks asked, "What is it you are planning to do Harry?"
"I was going to have you apparate us to Aunt Marge's house. I am going to make her think it is a good time to maybe go to the continent for a little or long vacation. It will be the perfect place to stay since no one knows about her.
"I don't really like doing this Harry it just doesn't seem right."
"Tonks have I told you about how this old bat treats me. The women used to set her dogs on me when I was little. The summer before 3rd year she had me so mad I used accidental magic on her. Really we won't be doing anyone any harm by sending her to France for a few months. Well the muggles might start a war trying to get her to leave but that is about it."
After a few more stories Tonks reluctantly agreed and Harry told her the address. "It is time that I gave you your first lesion in apparition. The Ministry person that taught us would go on and on about the three D's in performing Apparition: destination, determination, and deliberation."
Tonks took a few minutes to explain the whole experience to Harry and told him to try to feel the magic during apparition. She grabbed Harry around the waist and popped the two of them away.
AN: Thanks for the reviews if you like it or not.
