A/N: Well, what do you know? I did managed to come up with a shorter chapter. This interlude is bridge between two chapters.
Spedclass- Always a pleasure to hear from you!
Ranger Dragen- Do you really think either Harry or Tonks would like to spend the rest of their life in the public eye?
Maxmilian- The last chapter was similar to "Lady Potter", only this time the Wizards were telling their fans what they remembered, but we got to see what really happened. It's not they were lying, the just remember things differently.
Speaking of which, the last to flash backs (with Hermione and Harry telling the truth) take place between "Hang On To Yourself" and this chapter.
Enjoy!
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The Rise and Fall of Harry Potter and the Wizards From Mars
Chapter X: Suffering City
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"Pair of sevens, knave high."
Having successfully escaped the audience, Ron, Seamus and Neville took Harry the only place they could think of: his flat in London. Harry, between Tonks leaving and Hermione's revelation, was suffering from a mental break down. So he did what he always did when he couldn't handle his life: he took a milk float and went to bed.
The rest, not wanting to leave their friend, warded the house against the aurors they knew would be coming soon and sent an urgent owl to Tonks. The best they could do after that was wait, so they found a deck of muggle playing cards, and played poker until Tonks arrived.
They didn't know where Tonks was, but she couldn't have been very far, because she came bursting through the door.
"I came as soon as I got your owl. Where is he?"
"In your room," Seamus replied. "But it won't do any good trying to talk to him. He's out of it."
"I don't care. I need to see him."
Tonks went to the room she and Harry shared, but she was gone long. No more than fifteen minutes later, she came back to the living room, tears in her eyes.
"This is my fault. If only I'd said something sooner-"
"It's not your fault, Tonks," Seamus argued, getting up to hold her. "If anything, it's my fault. I'm the one who started him on the bloody things. I should have known."
It was several minutes before anyone spoke. They sat there in silence, hoping they'd wake up and find it was just a terrible nightmare.
"Tonks," Neville finally said, "I know this is hard for you, but we need to know. Will the aurors be able to get us before morning?"
Holding back more tears, she asked, "Have you put anyone wards up?"
"Yes. Anti-apparition, anti-portkey and the Fidelius charm."
It never occurred to Tonks to ask them how they had learned any of those spells. It all she could do to focus on the question.
"It will keep them out for a day at most. The Fidelius will keep them from finding us, but they'll approximately I live in and a curse breaker will be able to break the Fidelius eventually. I'd say we have until tomorrow night."
"That shouldn't be a problem. We're planning on getting him out of the country in the morning. It's not a great chance, since he just told the entire world about magic-"
"WHAT?!"
"You hadn't heard?"
"No."
"It'd be pretty funny, if it wasn't really happening. Bugger went of the deep end and turned Seamus' keyboard into a pig in front twenty thousand screaming fans. By the way, will the oblivators be able to cover this up?"
"Considering the press and the cameras, not a chance."
"Well," the still shell-shocked Ron said, "that's one thing about him we can say, he's changing the world. No more hiding."
Despite the shock of recent events, the group managed to smile.
"Go," Seamus said to Tonks. "Be with him. 'Cause if we can't get him out tomorrow, you won't have much time with left. He'll get the kiss for sure."
Tonks nodded and went to Harry, leaving others to try and find a comfortable spot to sleep.
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Harry wasn't dead. But he looked. He lying on his back under the covers, and Tonks couldn't tell if he was asleep or just stoned. She climbed into bed next him and held him.
At least he's breathing.
Asleep or otherwise, Harry didn't seem to notice Tonks beside him. So, she just held him and sobbed.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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A/N: Please read and review!
