A/N: Hey everyone. Shorter chapter here. Next one will be longer, I finally wanna get into this storyline.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from either Harry Potter or Charmed and I am not making a profit from this story.
Chapter Nine: Welcome the Change
Cole was looking around for Harry, thinking that amidst the mass of students coming into the Great hall, he must have missed him, but five minutes of searching yielded no result and Cole was starting to worry.
'Tonks,' Cole spoke inside his mind, 'Harry did not get off the train.'
They had spent the past month, ever since Cole had suggested that she go undercover, learning and practicing telepathy to such a degree that they could communicate with each other within a radius of around a few kilometres.
Cole was unable to sit still during the Sorting, fidgeting and drawing unattractive glances from a number of his colleagues. He was, however, distracted from his worries by one name that McGonagall called out.
"Malfoy," she shouted as a few members of the crowd gasped. Cole looked up immediately. "Dominic."
A small, pale boy with short, spiky blonde hair trampled up to the stool and sat as McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.
"Hmmm, what a marvellous, yet troubled, young mind we have here," the Hat said in his deep, slow voice, "You were born into that house, but you don't belong there."
By this stage, Dominic looked positively frightened.
"But I know just where to put you," the Hat continued as everybody in the Hall, including Cole, held their breath, "RAVENCLAW!"
If it was even possible, Dominic looked more frightened than he was on the stool. But it was Draco Malfoy that looked absolutely murderous. He knew that his master was not going to be pleased.
A few Ravenclaws cheered, Luna Lovegood cheering the loudest, as Dominic sat down at the table.
The crowd died down as McGonagall went on to the next name. Cole went back his worrying about Harry, until he heard the name of the last student.
"Zabini, Connor," McGonagall called out as a small, dark-skinned boy stepped forward. Cole recognised the surname of one of his sixth-year Slytherins. And he was also shocked to hear that the boy was sorted into Ravenclaw.
And so the Sorting ended, quite unexpectedly, with two boys of Slytherin descent shuffled into Ravenclaw. Cole had a feeling that it would cause some rifts in the Death Eater family, especially for Dominic Malfoy.
The Feast continued and still there was no sign of Harry. At last, he appeared as desert was being served. If Cole thought that the unforeseen twist in the Sorting attracted glares from people, it was nothing compared to the looks that Harry got. Not only was he late to the Feast, but his face was plastered with dry blood.
He sat by Ron and Hermione, who did her best to clean him up and the awkward tension soon sifted off.
The Feast ended and slowly the students filed out of the Hall and walked to their dorms. Cole got up from the staff table quickly and sprinted to catch up with Harry.
"Harry!" he called ahead to the group of Gryffindors stampeding up the staircase.
Harry turned around and saw his Galeic Magic professor waving to him over the heads of many loud students eager to go to bed. He bid his friends goodnight and pushed through the crowd and followed his teacher into an empty classroom.
"What happened to you tonight?" Cole asked urgently as soon as they were out of earshot.
Harry had been expecting this question from him and readily had an answer prepared. "I was spying on Malfoy," he admitted, "After what I saw in Knockturn Alley over the holidays, I'm sure that he's planning something. And I think I'm right."
"Well, you may be, but that still doesn't answer my question," Cole replied, clearly frustrated.
"I was under the Cloak, but he still knew I was there. He jumped me and put the Body Bond Curse on me. Then broke my nose and left me there. What was I supposed to do? I suppose you sent Tonks to look for me."
"Yeah."
"Why is she leaving Hogwarts? She told me she was part of the Auror team protecting Hogwarts."
"I have had her temporarily released from her Auror duties so that she may do work for the Order. You don't need to know about it."
"Well, I know that you've been planning something all holidays."
"Look, Harry," Cole said, placing his hand on the young teen's shoulders, "I want you to be careful around here this year. Yes, Malfoy might be planning something and no, it is not my main concern. As you said, I have spent the whole holidays working
on something and it means that I'm not going to be around here a lot this year. You need to be careful."
"I will be," Harry replied forcefully, "I promise. What did I miss?"
"The Sorting was interesting. Did you know that Malfoy has a younger brother?"
"I saw a kid on the train in the SLytherin compartment. Short, blonde hair? He was with Zabini's brother, Connor."
"Yeah, his name is Dominic. They were both sorted into Ravenclaw."
"Are you serious?" Harry questioned, his mouth gaping wide open.
Cole merely nodded. "You should probably go back to your dorm. You don't want to be caught out of the Gryffindor Tower after hours on your first night, do you?"
Harry bid his teacher goodnight and walked up to his dorm contemplating the events of the evening and what his friend and teacher was involved in now.
oOo
"Tonks?" Cole called out walking towards Hogsmeade.
"Cole, is that you?" she answered, coming towards him. They were standing at the entrance to the Hogwarts grounds.
"Yeah, wanna get something to drink at The Hogs Head?"
"I'm off in five, so I'll ask Dawlish if I can take my break early." And she walked away to speak with another Auror.
"Okay, let's go," Tonks said walking back to Cole a minute later.
They walked in silence towards the pub and made their way inside. Cole ordered a Butterbeer for Tonks and a glass Firewhisky for himself. They sat at an empty booth in the back of the pub, anxious not to be overheard.
"So I'm gonna guess that it was you that had me temporarily released from Hogwarts guard duty?" Tonks said as Cole took a sip of his drink.
"Of course," he replied as he swallowed, "Unless you plan on being in two places at once?"
Tonks laughed, Cole noting that it was the first time she had laughed in a long time. He smiled widely.
"What?" she asked, seeing his smile.
"Nothing," he replied quickly as she stared him down, "It's just that I haven't heard that laugh in a long time. It's nice."
"Yeah well, I guess," she answered awkwardly.
"Look," Cole said, changing his tone to soft and caring, "Did you take this case because of what happened with Remus?"
Tonks looked down, afraid to answer.
"I get it, Tonks, I really do," Cole continued, "And I'm worried about you. I don't want you falling off the rail, especially not in the middle of this investigation. Any mistake could be fatal for you."
"I know that, Cole," she replied, rather angrily, "Don't you think that I don't know that?"
He shrugged, but said nothing.
"This is who I am," Tonks continued, "This is why I became an Auror. I'm not going to ignore my job because Remus can't face up to his feelings. And I won't make a mistake."
"Okay," Cole replied calmly, "I'm just worried is all. So much rests on the success of this mission."
"I know," she replied, putting her hand on his, "And I won't let you down."
They finished their drinks and walked back towards the school.
"I'll see you on Monday at the Halliwells, then?" Tonks asked as they arrived at the school's entrance.
Cole nodded and kissed her softly on the cheek. "See you." And he walked back up to the school, leaving Tonks far behind him, touching the spot where his lips touched her skin.
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A/N: Oh, I know some people are not going to like that, but I had to make this interesting. Enjoy.
