A/N: I know it has been long in coming for this update and I am sorry. I have been writing a good bit over the months, but I have been jumping a lot between fic ideas that came to me. Lots probably won't ever make it to FFN, but hopefully some will when I feel they are ready.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Adficio

Hermione's death hit Harry hard as was to be expected, but it was worse than any deaths he blamed himself for before. This time he really did believe it was his fault since he knew that the troll would be entering the school. He figured that Ron would still be a blatant ass toward Hermione, but had hoped that he wouldn't cause her as much trouble without Harry there. Also he had hoped that with Dumbledore dead that McGonagall would have the foresight to see Quirrell for what he was, but all of Harry's assumptions were wrong. Hermione was dead and he knew full well that he could of prevented it if he had only went to the school and tried to save her.

November was really bad as Harry slowly sunk further into his depression and started to care less and less about his schooling. He would lock himself away in the library found inside the house, he had found some books about different spells he didn't know and was reading them as quickly as he could. He didn't sleep much and ate less as all he did was read, which made Tonks feel even worse.

"Harry please come eat something" Tonks would say as she tried to pull Harry from the library. However his reply was always the same "I'm not hungry" which she knew wasn't true, but there wasn't much she could do to change his mind.

Tonks had pretty much given up on Harry, because she no longer felt that he cared for her, or that she was even around. So one night while Harry was locked away brooding over a book Tonks with tears in her eyes left the place she wanted to call home. She loved Harry and she knew that, but he had closed himself off from her, and she wasn't sure if she could get through the barrier he had put up.

It had been the third day in December when Harry finally realized that Tonks had left, which she had actually been gone for six days at that point. Harry wasn't sure what happened or why she left him, but he was pretty sure it was because his current state. At this point Harry gave up hope, as he quit attending classes and left his New York home.

He decided that his life wasn't worth much at that point in time and started on a path of depression that he knew would consume him in the end. He knew that he had pushed Tonks away, and he also knew that given the chance he wouldn't make that mistake again. The problem was he didn't know where she had gone or if she would even accept his apologizes.

Harry used the special port key he had to go back to his island home, and was shocked when he found Tonks was at the cottage. He didn't even think she knew how to get there left alone have the ability to do it, but there was no doubt that she was there.

"Tonks" Harry yelled as he ran up to her, but she moved away before he could grab her into a hug "I'm so glad I found you I have been looking for you for days."

Tonks had a hurt look in her eyes, but it softened when she heard his words "I been here."

"I didn't think you knew how to get here, so I didn't even think to look here" Harry said which was the truth, even if he had lied a bit about looking for her for days.

"I went to Gringotts and Griphook was more than happy to help me once he realized that I was the one you had named Heather Jameson. He made me a private port key that couldn't be traced, so I could return here."

Harry grinned and knew that Griphook had to have something to do with her being there since he was the only other one that knew where the island was. "I am so sorry about how I been acting lately, I never intended to drive you away."

It took a lot of apologizing and an oath not to do it again to her before Tonks finally smiled and pulled Harry into a love filled hug.

"Now Mr. Potter" Tonks said with a smile "I assume schooling is out since you left New York, but I have been thinking about another source of education for you."

"Really what's that" Harry asked in bewilderment as he stared into the eyes of the woman he loved.

"The black family estate, Grimmauld Place, should house a rather large library that would contain a lot of useful books for you. However the location of said house had been lost to me, but when Dumbledore died I remembered all about it."

"Yeah he was the secret keeper for it, so with his death the charm failed, and apparently no one put it back up."

"One area we need to focus our hunt on is the mind Harry" Tonks said grinning "we need to perfect your mind to the point that you can retain knowledge even faster and better than you have been."

"Why" Harry asked a bit confused "why didn't you suggest this before?"

"I had days to think while you were brooding and it made perfect sense" Tonks said with a grin "if you could find a way to obtain knowledge faster than you wouldn't have been locked away in a library reading so much and you could spend more time with me."

The next day they both prepared for what they had to do and left the small cottage to go to Number 12 Grimmauld Place where the Black family kept their private library.

"GET OUT" the portrait of the late Mrs. Black bellowed as the duo entered the house "YOUR KIND AREN'T WELCOME!"

Before Harry or Tonks could do anything Kreacher appeared "mistress doesn't want you here, so you will leave now."

"I think not" Harry said with a grin "Reducto!"

Kreacher stepped in front of the curse intended for the portrait and was blown to pieces as it struck him in the chest. The portrait screamed out at the loss of her loyal servant as Harry sent another reductor curse blowing the portrait to pieces.

"I never did like that portrait or that elf" Harry said as he cast a few spells to clean up the mess and repair the wall where the portrait once hung.

"Now to check out the library" Tonks said in an uncaring manner as she held no love for anything that was related to her Black ancestors.

They went to the library and started their search of the materials in there and Harry wasn't shocked by what the found either.

"I can't believe you suggest I look here" Harry said with a smirk "a light witch suggesting I look at books on dark magic."

Tonks laughed and grinned at Harry "what you expect a library full of light magic for the Black family? Honestly Harry I know this isn't the best idea, but I do think if you want to beat this you might have to fight fire with fire."

"That could be true since Voldemort has no issues with using dark rituals to get what he wants, but I would rather not turn out to be like him."

Tonks wrapped her arms around him and kissed him "that would never happen you're too good for that. At the most you might become gray, a sort of mix between him and Dumbledore."

Harry laughed "Dumbledore wasn't as light as most believe I assure you of that, but I guess you're right I could do with a little more knowledge into the darker arts, just to help me over come what they already know."

Harry and Tonks both started to sift through the endless volumes that were contained inside the library. The Black family might have supported the dark lord, they also liked their dark arts a great deal, but what was shocking was the meticulous organization that went into the library. Each section had all the books that pertained to a specific subject and each book in on the subject was also organized in alphabetical order.

"Harry there's a whole section here on just the powers of the mind" Tonks said as she pulled out one of the books as if she knew exactly what she was looking for, yet had no idea why she felt compelled to pick it.

"What ya got there" Harry asked as he looked at the book "Brain Powers by Segos Magnus?"

"Looks promising" Tonks said as she flipped through it "there is a spell in here that sounds interesting."

She handed the book to Harry and pointed to the section on the spell that she was talking about.

The Adficio curse can be used by any who seek to gain knowledge from an intended victim. It is like mind reading except that you are able to drain the knowledge from the target and absorb it into your own mind. The spell can be used to withdraw a specific fact or it can be used to drain all information from the target for the caster's use. Be warned a full draining of a person will render that person brain dead if too much is taken out. This spell should only be used to acquire specific information from a source since the knowledge drained is permanently lost.

"You can't honestly believe I would willingly drain knowledge from someone like that" Harry said as he looked at Tonks in disbelief.

"No I didn't think you would, but it would accelerate your ability to gain knowledge, and also if you happened to use it on Death Eaters…"

"Ah I see where you're going with this" Harry said with a smirk "their better off dead anyway and no doubt I would kill them, so why not get what knowledge I can before ending their lives?"

"Exactly, just think about what you could have learned from Dumbledore before you decided to bring an end to his retched life."

"Tonks you don't seem like yourself" Harry said a bit concerned by how much she was turning into a true Black.

"Maybe you don't know me all that well Harry, but I swore to help you, and I want you to be the best you can be."

Harry kissed her deeply with great passion and then grinned as he pulled away "now all we need is a Death Eater to test this out on."

"I could think of a few" Tonks said with a grin "maybe we should start with the greasy haired one first."

"Snape" Harry said with a laugh "well that would help me with my potions now wouldn't it."

Tonks laughed "yeah it would at that, just think about it, you having the knowledge of a Potions Master at your disposal."

"That would be great, but I think I have a better one to test it on first" Harry said with a grin "Ronal!"

Ronal appeared in front of Harry and bowed his head "you found her Master Jameson that is great news, how can I help you sir?"

"I need you to go to Malfoy manor and bring me Lucius Malfoy" Harry said as he looked at his elf "and do try to be quiet about it, I would hate for Narcissa to know he was missing."

"As you wish master" Ronal said though he didn't like the idea of kidnapping someone, but he couldn't disobey his master either.

"Harry that is brilliant" Tonks said with a grin "though I doubt you will learn much from the pompass arse."

"I doubt it too, but it is a good person to practice on to ensure I get it right."

It didn't take long for Ronal to come back with Lucius and Harry was pleased to find that the elder Malfoy had been stunned, it would make containing him that much easier. Harry dismissed Ronal after he secured Lucius to a chair and then he revived him.

"Who, where" Lucius said as he looked around in confusion "you will suffer for this mark my words on that."

Harry laughed as he looked at Lucius "I doubt that Malfoy, as I have already done enough suffering for many life times."

"Potter" Lucius said with a grin "what is a little firsty like you going to do to a fully trained wizard like me."

"Not too much" Harry said as he aimed the Elder wand at him "Adficio!"

Lucius screamed out like he was suffering under the Cruciatus Curse only the pain was directly inside his mind and not his entire body. Harry was able to see all the memories that Malfoy had, and they weren't all that organized. The pain he was feeling was caused by the fact that the spell ripped all the shielding out of his mind that his Occlumency training had allowed him to build up. Harry started to randomly pull knowledge of spells out of his prisoners mind, and soon found that he was fully remembering all that he was taking. Harry ripped all the magical knowledge out of Lucius that he could and left him with less knowledge of magic than that of a first year student.

He then found all the knowledge that he had for politics and business and drained him of all useful knowledge of the wizarding world. He didn't have much that would help in the muggle world, but then what could be expected from a Pureblood that was prejudice of the muggle world.

Lucius wasn't rendered brain dead, but all his vast knowledge was gone, he was like a child when it came to what he knew. He had all his memories of his life, but couldn't remember anything about magic spells or any other business that he did in the world.

"You should kill him" Tonks said with a glint in her eyes "he is a Death Eater after all."

"Ah but this is worse than killing him Tonks" Harry said with a grin when he was done "he is a wizard no more, he is less than a squib, he has the knowledge less than a normal muggle."

Tonks laughed as she looked at her 'uncle' "good he deserves all that he gets after all the hell he has caused my mother and my aunts." Tonks walked over and smacked Lucius across the face "that's for my mother you son of a bitch."

Harry knew something bad must have happened to bring that attitude out of Tonks, but he wasn't sure what it was. He sat down to sort through all the information he obtained while Tonks had fun beating on a helpless Lucius Malfoy.

When he was done Harry looked at Tonks "man he knew a good bit of the dark arts, even a few wards that might be useful. There is also a rune that I found in his spell vault that could be used to drain a person's magical core into an object."

"Cool then he would be a muggle" Tonks said with a smirk "he would be just the thing that he despises most, but could you use it to expand a person's magical core?"

"It might be possible, but it would take a good bit of research for it to work like that" Harry said as he walked over to a small lamp. He started to craft the rune on the lamp while he looked at Lucius and grinned "soon you'll be a muggle Malfoy."

Harry was about to put the lamp down, but then came up with an alternative that he believed would do better at first. "Malfoy before I allow you to suffer a life as a muggle I have a few things I would like you to do first."

"Never" Lucius said as he came to realize what all had happened "I would never help you Potter."

"Ah see that's where you have no choice in the matter really Malfoy" Harry said with a grin "but first I will need you to remember a few spells mainly how to Apparate."

Malfoy grinned slightly at that thought, at least then he could try to escape from this hell, he could always start over learning all that was lost to him.

"Escape won't be an option" Harry said even without reading the man's mind he could tell by the smirk what he was thinking. "No I have wards in place so you won't be able to Apparate at first even if you tried, which I am sure you would."

"Harry are you sure you just don't want to end this now, so we can maybe eat or something more important?"

"Sorry Tonks, but once you see what I have planned you'll know why it is best we do this."

"Ok" Tonks said with a slight hint of disappointment in her voice.

"No worries we will eat soon I promise" Harry said then pulled out Lucius' memory of how to Apparate, since he already had his own anyway it didn't matter. He then implanted it back into Lucius' mind "see I can take and return what I choose, but soon it won't matter."

"Whatever you're up to Potter it won't work" Lucius said in a smug way to made Harry want to hit him.

"Yeah I think it will now that your mind is shit, and your will is less than acceptable" Harry said with a smirk to match the one Lucius gave "Imperio!"

Harry used Malfoy's memory of the curse to ensure that he was doing it right and with the added power he had plus the Elder Wand he knew that Lucius Malfoy wouldn't be able to shake it off any time soon. "Malfoy you are to Apparate home when I drop the wards. Once there you will collect all the dark artifacts you have collected, including Tom Riddle's diary. You will also collect all the books you have in your private library and any thing of value to you. You will not touch anything belonging to Narcissa unless it is something dark then take it. You will also collect all your clothes and place everything into a trunk. You are to then shrink the trunk and return here with it to give it all to me. If Narcissa is home you will tell her to go shopping and give her whatever money you have on you, if she isn't then just do all I have instructed of you. You will not try to contact anyone and you will not discuss anything of what you are to do. When you have finished you will return straight here with all that I have asked for."

"Yes milord" Lucius said and then waited for the wards to lower before he Apparated to his manor where he still knew it was since the memories of that kind were not bothered.

"Now we can go eat while we await his return" Harry said with a smirk as him and Tonks left to get some dinner in the kitchen.