Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter
Dora's face was funny. At least, the gobsmacked look she was showing was enough to break Harry out into a quiet laughter that was quickly followed by both Sirius and Ted.
"You've gotta be shitting me."
"No, Tonksey, Harry is not, as you said, 'shitting you',' Sirius said through exhales of humour.
"Do you not want to go?" asked Harry, an audible sadness easily spotted by all present.
Dora was quick to establish the truth, however. "No, no, no, no, not what I meant, its not how it came out. Ugh, crap, I'm bad at this whole big sis thing, aren't I?" She drew him in to her chest, a habit that she had easily formed on the day of their meeting, a cosiness of something Harry now had familiarity with enough to enjoy it. "I'm just shocked is all. I though that the only way I'd be able to watch it is if I picked up extra shifts doing security for it. I've got Holiday Time saved up, plenty that I haven't taken over the last few years. I mean, I was going to do it anyway to spend time with you, but I mean just… wow. I just can't believe it, its mental."
Harry wondered how everyone else was going to take his requests – that morning Harry had sent out many invites to attend the final match that was to be taking place on the following Thursday; it was unfortunate that the Full Moon was hitting not too long after, so Remus was going to be enjoying a relaxing time on his own at Grimmauld and would listen to it on the Wireless instead.
Sirius had just grinned that grin of his, asking only if it would be the VIP box only because he would be relaxing in luxury while the Minister, his new favourite thing to attempt to annoy other than Tonks, would be lower than he. Mr and Mrs elder Tonks were not Quidditch fans but appreciated the offer to go.
"I think we might be a bit beyond the point for large gatherings like that, not that we, I, don't appreciate the gesture, Harry. I just think that I and Ted can still support you from the comfort of our home."
Harry had been more than understanding, simply asking them to enjoy their night in together, to which Harry simply received a motherly kiss to his temple which had him almost go into shock. Luckily, Sirius was in the room when he asked the pair and was easily able to coerce Harry back to the realm of normality.
"Sirius…"
"I know, Pup."
Sirius had sat in a comfortably chair, almost laid out on the floor, for the whole night, right next to Harry's bed. His hand had taken the boy's in his own and Sirius was forced to hold his anger in until Nymphadora Tonks came the next day to see the little Potter. Sometimes he forgot that Harry was, not damaged, but different to most other kids his age. Tonks had sussed it out almost immediately that something was wrong, an instant bond between the two had formed and it came with an overprotectiveness that even Remus was shocked by.
This led to right at that moment when Harry had asked his new big sister if she had wanted to come, and of course her answer was yes.
Harry felt a connection with the girl in a way that had just been right. The only other person that this crazily powerful bond had similarities with, was the one that existed already between Katie and himself. In both he felt secure, cared for, and wanted. That did not diminish the beautiful relationships that had been built of he and his Circle, but this was something unique. Sirius was Sirius, and already Harry was wondering if this would have been how he and his real father would have been together… But what Harry and Tonks, and Harry and Katie had was just so different. Not greater or lesser than he and his Godfather, but different in a way that Harry would awaken with a scream because his dreams of losing them felt so real and painful. It frightened him. But Sirius would always be there to explain things to him and help him understand that these emotions were normal for a boy in his position.
And Sirius… was the greatest thing to happen to Harry in his life. The familial father and son act that they danced around was one thing, but to Harry, Sirius was now his hero. Sirius Black had rescued him, wanted him in his life, tried to be a parent (which was more than he could say about them), and gave him a home. A real, true, home. One that was not a thousand-year-old castle that he dreaded to ever leave. A home that Harry wanted to be in, even with the dust, grime, and saturation of darkness. Sirius, the Tonks', and Remus, along with his constant visits from his friends, drowned out the dark with their light.
"Um, Dora," the girl had not let go of him yet, and he was blushing brightly. "I've got a couple more training sessions left. Sirius is busy with something, so I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come? You-you don't have to, but I'd like it if it was you."
She placed feather light lips on top of his head, with a gentle caress from the bottom of his neck to the top of his ear. "Of course, I will, silly. Just need to ask and Super Tonks will be right there!"
Harry giggled, an action that brought a smile to all in the room.
"So, when is it? This weekend?"
Harry nodded, "Saturday morning. It'll only be for a few hours, so if you get bored it won't be too long."
"Not sure I'll be bored of watching you fly lil bro. I'm definitely gonna enjoy it, just you wait." She perked up, excitement flooding her body once again as the thought of the impending World Cup Final being within reach. "And I'm defo gonna enjoy watching you play, too!"
It was Dora that accompanied Harry to the brand-new stadium, "Fills a thousand, bro, absolutely mental," the evening before the day of the match. She had a tight grip on his hand with her own as they took the Portkey to the entrance to the campsite and would not let go as she pulled him along to where Sirius had reserved their spot.
"I know that you've got lodgings and stuff, but I have a feeling you'd be staying here with us," she was talking a mile a minute, but Harry had had practice with the Weasley twins over three years so could easily keep up. "Sirius apparently got someone to set the tent up, expanded huge inside! Should be fun though, can't really wait, haha!"
In what seemed like no time at all, the duo stopped before an unassuming, generic looking, green tent. It appeared slightly larger than a normal one, but Harry had been told of the magics inside, and with a friendly nod and a grin to Dora who was holding the tent-flap open for him, he stepped inside.
"Err, where are you sleeping, Dora?" he asked as he checked out the much larger inside, noting quite quickly that there was only one bed inside. "Do you want me to sleep on the," he glanced over to his right, a bit bemused by a whole living room including carpets and a burning fireplace, "sofa?"
"Nah, it's cool, bro," she grinned a little mischievously, "Sirius ain't here 'til tomorrow, and he trusted me to look after you." A half-hearted complaint started from Harry, but Tonks shut him up with a wave of his hand. "And before you start off about 'where am I going to sleep?' and so on and so on. You'll be bunking with me for the next couple of nights."
Harry sputtered out an attempt at a response but could not string two words together. Dora simply laughed merrily and pulled him outside. She drew out her wand and within minutes there was a roaring bonfire with long benches formed in a circle around it. The two participated in their own little barbecue, sitting in comfortable silences, warm hugs, and honest, true, conversations that kept on going until Dora and Harry's eyes began to droop and the feeling of tiredness started to consume them.
Harry changed from his now new clothing, that Dora had helped him pick out and buy, into a new set of pyjama shirt and shorts, and got into the comfortable double bed, sighing with satisfaction as he did. His brand new glassed were removed and placed by the side of the bed
"Budge up, it may be summer but it's bloody cold in here."
Harry cracked an eye and froze when he spotted Dora get into bed with him, clad in an ungodly small pair of shorts and a (too) tight top that ended just above her belly button. He shifted slightly to the right and stayed stock-still as he was pulled into her arms.
"Harry, you need to relax, or you won't sleep very well," she whispered (too) close to his ear. "It's okay. It's just you and me, alright? You know I would never hurt you." Harry spotted her out of the corner of his eye as her face turned determined in the dim light. "Never."
It took Harry several minutes, but he started to relax, just as Dora said. The stiffness went away in his muscles, and he tossed and turned a little as he tried to get comfortable. In the end, Dora shifted him on to his side, his back pressed to her front and her arms wrapped across his torso, her breath tickling the back of his neck slightly in an almost comforting way. And Harry felt warm, cradled in this position he could not help the unbidden streams of tears descend. A hard kiss was placed on the back of his head and Dora gripped tighter, making Harry's feeling of being protected grow and grow and grow.
He slept well that night. Better than he had for a long time as the nightmares did not even make a fleeting visit.
The next morning, Harry awoke slowly, yawning cutely (in Dora's honest opinion) with a feeling of being fully well rested. Dora still had a firm hold of him and as Harry turned slightly, spotting a genuinely smiling Sirius waving at him with a finger to his lips, he took a look at an almost unrecognisable girl asleep before him.
She looked almost like a female, healthy, Sirius, with wavy shoulder length black hair, high cheekbones, a thin but aristocratically beautiful face. Harry released a breath he did not know he was holding as he saw the beauty that was holding him ever so tight.
"Harry?" she asked groggily, her voice slurring slightly as she started to wake up. She froze as she stretched backwards, her arms no longer holding on to him. Her head snapped to both he and Sirius, who was now sat eating a bowl of cereal. She took hold of a lock of her hair, and Harry noticed the grey eyes for the first time and could only think one word, 'beautiful.'
"This must be what Tonksey really looks like," said Sirius between mouthfuls of his breakfast. "When I walked in here this morning, wasn't really expecting to see my Godson in bed with an older woman," his trademark grin reappeared as he swallowed the last of his food. "Even more when I saw Nymphadora fully revealed like this."
"You won't tell anyone!" she shouted, and it was not a request.
Sirius simply raised a free hand, a faux look of fear as he rolled his eyes.
"Why don't you use your normal look, Dora?" asked Harry gently. Her eyes locked to his own, a faint spatter of red dusted both their cheeks as she scratched her cheek and tried to look away.
"I don't like it, Harry. Never have."
It may have seemed like a simple enough explanation, but Harry knew exactly what it was to lie to oneself. He simply fell into a hug, quick and simple, and left the bed to get ready for his day.
"He doesn't even know who she is," he heard Sirius say as he walked into a bathroom, which included a large shower that was calling Harry's name. Before the water turned on, drowning out their conversation, Harry heard what he said next. "He won't even know what she looks like, so I don't think you need to-"
The water cascaded down him, waking him up fully as the morning light hit his eyes through an enchanted window at the top of the "room".
Harry tried to put the conversation he was probably not meant to hear out of his mind as he thought back to what was quite possibly the most comfortable night's sleep he had ever had. Yes, Katie and he had slept in the same bed together before, but that was a rarity and the number of times it had occurred he could count on a single hand. The way that it had felt those times were of a strange comfort, something he could not place but tried to understand… With Dora, however, it was as if a long-forgotten memory had resurfaced as she had cradled him in her arms. He could picture the content look on her face, the way her breath and hair sweetly tickled his neck, and the dichotomy of her hard yet tender holding of him.
He breathed a frustrated sigh and finished up his morning shower, brushed his teeth, applied what was apparently a magical version of deodorant, and left the "bathroom".
"Thank Morgana, I've needed to pee for the last 5 minutes," was all he got from the pink haired girl as she sprinted passed him.
Sirius gave a bark and poured himself another bowl of cereal, to which brightened up Harry's confused mind. He had been trying to get Sirius to eat more since he moved in; the Healers had informed both Harry and Remus that he needed to put on some significant weight. He had become severely emaciated after his stint in Azkaban, followed by the year on the run. Harry had helped with his consistent feeding of him in his dog form, however one of the side effects of the Animagus transformation, according to McGonagall at least, was a massive burning of fat and energy as the body coats every part of itself with magic. That is not even considering the extreme alteration in mass.
"What're you thinking then, Pup?"
Harry's countenance turned sad as Sirius' face flashed a melancholic haze, before quickly turning to confused, then back to his coherent, 'normal' self. "I was talking with Dora, and we were going to explore a bit. Do you want to come along? I, um, would rather not do it later. I need to be with the team a bit before the match starts, and, well, there's a lot of people."
Sirius nodded, understanding the words that were not said. "If it's okay with you, I'll just stick to the tent." He shuffled a little uneasily, and Harry could have slapped himself when he realised that Sirius had only been in a crowd once since his freedom and published innocence. His eyes closed at Sirius' lost look. Remus had told him that Sirius had been so excited at being able to take Harry home that the whole world had become invisible to him, and only Harry was his focus.
'Invisible.' Harry definitely could have hit himself then, as he internally berated himself for not bringing his Invisibility Cloak. 'Sirius could have used it. Or I could.'
"But it's alright," Sirius shrugged. "You two go have fun. Arthur has invited me to spend time with him until the match starts, so me and Tonksey won't be alone when you've gone off."
Harry felt some relief at that, and a few hours later, he and Dora were wandering the camp site together, her excitement catching as they leisurely walked hand in hand through the pop-up stalls, some blatantly obvious displays of magic, and a crowd of people mingling with the weird and wonderful variety of tents. Harry could have laughed at some of the ones that were more outlandish and were in reality closer to actual houses.
"There's people from everywhere!" said Dora. "Must be from every country in the world."
"It seats over a hundred thousand apparently," he said, referring to the stadium. "And probably there is. I never knew how many magical people there are in the world. And not just Witches and Wizards either."
"Harry!" He knew that voice and could feel the warmth in his heart reach a crescendo of almost unbearable levels. He turned a little to his left and was hit by a black-haired cannonball in the form of Katie Bell. "How are you? You look so well! Sirius treating you good? My mum and dad say thank you for the tickets by the way, was a bit of a shock to get them while we were away." She finally paused for breath, noticing a bemused looking Tonks staring at her with a raised eyebrow. "Um, you must be Dora?"
"It's Tonks, actually." An arm came around Harry's shoulders, pulling him into her side as her eyes narrowed and teeth became slightly clenched. "And you must be Katie."
Harry noticed the electricity in the air, an unease spreading through him. "Come on, lets explore a bit." When neither began to move, Harry grabbed both of their hands and started pulling them with him, which was a feat for him as shown by his straining muscles and ragged breathing.
The two gave in and matched his steps, Tonks giving the younger girl a superior look, while Katie turned her nose up slightly and pulled herself closer to Harry. The three walked together, sharing conversation as they went. Tonks was at least attempting to get to know the other girl, but Katie was fighting most of it, which was difficult to accomplish on her part as she was slowly warming to her charisma.
They came first to Alicia, who was sat talking to three German girls animatedly. "Harry, Katie, come here! Come meet these three!" It turned out that Alicia's mother was half German, something that Harry had fleeting knowledge of, and spoke it well enough to enjoy talking with the visiting Quidditch fans.
Harry had turned the three speechless, recognising him for who he was almost immediately, while he talked spiritedly with his friend. She had visited a couple of times, and had already met Tonks, and looked between the older girl and Katie with a knowing look in her eye.
She had greeted the Auror with a light hug, finding a friendliness in her in the times she had met her, though she had to leave them shortly after seeing them as she was in the middle of running an errand for her parents.
"Good luck, Harry!" she shouted after him as he turned a corner, narrowly missing knocking over what appeared to be a small child who on closer inspection turned out to be a slightly irate Goblin.
They greeted the Weasley family heartedly as they stumbled upon them next, Arthur shaking his hand after Harry had extended his arm, respecting his option to initiate it. He asked after Fred and George but was rebutted with good-natured rolling eyes.
"Who knows with those two, they've been driving Molly up the walls this summer. Something about finding silly trinkets about the house." Harry kept his mouth shut but had an inkling of what the Weasley Patriarch was talking about. Arthur kept a genial smile, poorly masking the humour he was feeling. "But these are my two eldest, who I don't think you have met."
Bill Weasley was rebellious looking and handsome, chatting with Harry as if he had known him for years. He seemed like a good enough sort for Harry to take an instant liking to him, which was enough for Katie to like him too. She trusted his judgement implicitly as she knew his incredibly talent for observing people from first impressions and 99 percent of the time it coming out accurate.
However, it was in Charlie that Harry was drawn to the most. Dora was an old friend of the second Weasley child, and that would have been enough for Harry to have liked him. Yet he knew of the one fragment of information that dew him in even more.
"Hahaha! I've been told of your penchant towards the creatures of the world, Harry. Hagrid and I keep in touch sometimes, and he's told me all about how much you love the class."
Harry was unable to keep the matched smile off his face even through the burning redness of his cheeks as Dora was unable to hide her grin. "Hagrid loves Dragons."
"Apparently so do you, if the things he's told me are true."
"It's more than that. I just wonder sometimes if I'm dreaming. I used to read stories about Dragons and Knights. Sometimes I would think that the Dragons are just lonely and need a friend."
Charlie laughed once more, his eyes sparkling as he looked intently at him. "Give me a write in a few years, Harry. Maybe we'll have a place for you with us. Can't promise you anything, but if you ever get tired of chasing after a Snitch and want to chase after a stampeding Fire Drake, then think of me, will you?"
Harry did not spot Fred and George, but he could tell that Dora was getting bored, so he said his goodbyes and headed off with his new big sister. They had not gone far when Katie had turned to them and apologised with an almost pained look.
"I promised mum that I wouldn't be too long, and I think she might be getting worried." Harry's mood began to drop, but Katie tapped him on the nose gently, bringing a smile to his face. She leaned in, kissing his forehead quickly. "Don't look so down. I'll be watching you fly. It'll be strange to watch you and not be with you up there, but remember, I'll be cheering the loudest."
"I know you will." He removed his hand from Dora's briefly as he wrapped his arms around Katie's slim frame. His arms tightened as her hands gently scraped his scalp. That warmth that he woke up with returning full force as he felt Katie's heat envelop his body.
No more words were said as she turned away and started walking. She would keep looking over her shoulder, smiling widely with glistening eyes as he waved at her back.
"C'mon, bro. There's still loads of the place left to see."
Harry and Dora saw many others around the camp. Many that Dora knew, of which a majority were grumbling in their red Auror robes at the unfairness of her being able to enjoy the event. A sobbing Wood ran up to him, thanking him profusely once more for the gifted tickets. Harry simply laughed as he patted the older boy on the back as Oliver squeezed him tightly.
There were many others that Harry had only fleeting knowledge of who attended Hogwarts, and some who he knew a lot better. Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot, as well as Seamus and Dean. They ran in to Ginny along their walk as well, Dora grinning ear to ear at the blushing and stuttering girl encountering him whilst on her own.
Cedric was encountered too, the boy wishing him good luck with the upcoming match, bright smile, and friendly attitude enough to even get Dora to find the boy likeable.
Harry looked constantly for his best friends, but the large, growing crowds and jittery nervousness Harry was starting to feel, even with Dora's constant reassurance and support, was enough to deter him from spotting them.
"I thought you didn't get worried before a match?"
"I think, maybe… there's a lot of people, Dora. Far, far more than I'm used to." He was shivering as the nameless faces began to recognise him, stopping, staring, and pointing at him. Each person was a threat. Each face a potential sneer that could have driven him away. "I- can we go back now?"
Dora smiled kindly at her new brother. "Of course." Her tender touch making his body feel lighter. Her fingers interlacing with his own as a feather kiss pressed against his brow. Her face shone serene, and her body shifted to a smaller form, hair shooting down to her knees, becoming as black as any Potter's as her eyes turned a vivid green that mirrored his own. It was as though the image of a physical representation of what a true blooded elder sister of his could look like.
Her laughter was fairy-like, soothing him as all he could focus on was the pure joy of forgetting that he was not truly alone. All he could focus on was Dora who pulled him along.
Angelina and Tracey became blurs passed his vision – he stopped briefly to greet both of them, but their time together was momentary, much to the amusement of one and the annoyance of the other.
As though guided through the throngs of people and maze of tents, within minutes they had made it to their tent, only a few hours to go until the match's start.
Sirius was no where to be seen when they arrived; the tent had appeared to have barely used.
"Sirius?" Harry called out; his hand still entwined within Dora's soft grip.
"Oi, Siri!" No sound came in response. "I guess he must still be out somewhere."
Harry simply nodded his agreement, his mouth going dry suddenly with no explanation to it. A strange heaviness pressed down upon him as he took in the imagery of a potential twin who was idly playing his fingers.
He really did wonder where she came from, to drop so easily into his life. Dora was flirty, bubbly, quick to anger, slightly annoying, clumsy, airheaded at times, overly clingy, a little arrogant, and fond of getting her own way. But she was also caring. She had taken one look at him and saw not the boy-who-lived, instead all that filled her sight was a child who needed her affection, and Harry would always be thankful for that. At no point since their meeting had he felt even an ounce of deceit come from her. To he and his heart, she was naught but genuine.
If only she would stop teasing him, he would end up a much less stressed Harry Potter. 'But', with a small smile as the pressure upon his body rescinded, 'I really am thankful she's come into my life.'
"So, you think I should keep the look?" Dora asked with a wink and an overly innocent looking smugness that had Harry feeling uncomfortable once again. "Haha, now we could actually pass for brother and sister."
Harry had to admit that her excitement was infectious. The dark, probing thoughts that would infringe at the edges of his mind were getting bolder of late, a dark dream surfacing into a waking world with no memory of the acts that took place within. Only the shadow of a forgotten horror that was becoming more and more prevalent as the days went on. Yet Dora was like a balm to soothe the worrisome emotions that threatened to almost drown him. Not for the first time since meeting her had he wondered why he had never been able to meet her sooner.
"Yeah," Harry whispered. Dora was close enough to hear it however, and her face softened as she locked eyes with her brother. She let go of his hand, eliciting a whine from the boy that she was positive he did not mean to make. She had shortened herself so that she stood a few inches taller than Harry and was easily able to rest her cheek to his own as one hand pulled him to her through the small of his back, while the other began running through his hair in soft, gently motions.
In this place of just the two of them, Harry was able to relax. A feeling, not a thought, embraced him too, contemplating if this was what a mother's hug felt like. He made no sound, though his tears dampened Dora's shirt.
"Shh, don't worry now," she whispered soothingly. "You will always have me. Maybe not next to you, but I will never not be here for you." She pulled back slightly, her hands coming to rest on his arms as she gave a hardened stare directly at him. "Understand?" She smiled when a cracked giggle came from the boy. "Good."
She pulled him to the bed, dragging him down with her and letting him rest his head upon her chest as she gently stroked his scalp.
"You have a couple of hours, just sleep for a while. I'll set and alarm to wake us, if I fall asleep too, so don't worry."
She still looked like him. Harry knew that he had no right to enjoy the sight of this, as Dora had explained that she hated it when people demanded her to look like someone or alter her appearance to suit their needs. But she had done this without him asking, or even thinking, about it.
His eyes drooped as the gentle ministrations caused a tiredness to overwhelm him. He could feel Morpheus slipped into his mind and overtook him.
A few hours later, he had slipped into his Quidditch uniform and was making his way silently to the players part of the stadium. Sirius had been the one to awaken them both, a fond look tinted with sadness as he stared at them. Dora had opted to escort him there, still clad in her Potter-esque look though returning to appear her true age.
Harry almost forgot the clumsy Witch was an Auror, as she took him secretly and unnoticed to his destination, though her stealth tactic almost imploded when she and Harry caught sight of the Malfoy family walking down the main pathway to get to their seats.
She had hissed loudly at the diatribe of filth coming from the young Malfoy's mouth, his words floating in the breeze to where they were, most of them being angry gripes at her little brother and his Circle of friends. Harry simply tugged her hand with a neutral smile. He felt almost nothing for the boy now – it had been thumped into his brain that some people just are not worth it. It did not mean that he hated the boy, such a word was almost invisible to Harry's vocabulary, but he knew enough now to realise for himself that such people are simply not worthy of his attention.
"Dora, they're just words."
"But Harry…"
"No, Dora. Words shouldn't mean anything. Alicia said something to me once: 'His bark is worse than his bite.' And she's right. He could do, anyone could do, so much worse now. What are some words from Draco Malfoy, when I have you, and Sirius, and Katie, and the rest?"
Dora was silent for a moment. A sigh escaping her as they continued on, the thought of the Malfoy family behind them. "You know, I think you might be too smart for your own good."
Dora had left him with a soft kiss upon the cheek and a soft embrace, wishing him luck in the coming match. Harry had entered the English players door with quiet trepidation. He followed the path to the changing locker room where the team was already waiting.
"Ah, Harry my boy, the final piece of the puzzle is here."
Harry greeted the Coach, who had spoken, and the rest of the people there, politely. Harry sat next to a stoic Leila who nodded at him once in greeting. A far cry greater than what the others had received, Harry was sure.
A klaxon went off in the room, a signal that the mascots were preparing to be displayed for the crowd to see. Harry was unsure what the Bulgarian team had brought but knew that the English one would be a sight to behold.
He could almost imagine the roaring and the heat of 7 Golden-White Wyverns circling the stadium. Wyverns, he knew, were a lot more docile than their Dragon cousins, and much more easily trainable. Though these would burn hot, they would not be able to spew fire. Many would not recognise or understand that these would not be true Dragons, but Harry did not care.
The strategic team came forward, as did the Captain, Helene.
"Right, we've trained for this. Beyond what we could have ever anticipated in our wildest dreams. We've got here off our own back, our own skill… and a healthy dose of luck. But it is not now that we get lax. You know the plan. You all know the plan. Bulgaria's team is average, but the variety of skill is incredibly up and down. Beater-wise, ours are leagues better. Chaser and Keeper… well that could be up to debate. However, Krum, their Seeker, is incredibly skilled." She turned to Harry with determination in her eyes. "You know the score. Bulgaria is a Sprinter team. They brutalise their opponents in the first leg and overwhelm anyone who gets in their way. The match could go either way in the beginning, and that means that the discrepancy in points could lead to a Bulgarian victory early on. Harry, you need to keep Krum away from the Snitch. From what I have heard, he's every last bit good a player as you." She surveyed her team, gesturing them to stand with her as they prepared to leave. "This will be a long one. Prepare yourselves. And fight to win."
They were silent as they walked. Harry's mind was settling into the zone, away from all distractions away from the normalities of life. The door opened and they were released like wasps from a nest. Harry flew up to mirror the position of his opposite. Viktor Krum gave him a long look, then dipped his head respectfully, to which Harry responded in kind.
Harry uttered a good luck but was unsure if the other boy heard him.
His head span slightly at the sheer number of people, leaving him unable to pick out the bodies of anyone he knew, but his heart swelled as he knew they were there watching him.
A golden, winged ball was released, the whistle blew, and the game began.
The world went grey. Harry's focus became on two things, the Snitch, and his direct opposition. This would be the most challenging event of his Quidditch career so far, and the whole magical world was watching and listening with a roar in their hearts.
All that was meaningless as the two Seekers circled lazily around each other. Their heightened senses naturally responding to the Bludgers and Quaffle as they propelled through the air. The commentator, a Ludo Bagman, had no part of his voice reach their ears. Their eyes were locked, and an understanding began to form around them.
Harry remembered a quote that Professor Flitwick once told him after a discussion of Wizards Duels came about one evening. 'When two Duellists of equal strength come together, their thoughts, their feelings… they come together with their magics. With how their wands react. You have a kindness, Harry, of the likes which I have never seen before. Not even your mother… not even Lily. And now, I see this kindness within Miss Bell. Maybe that is why…'
Krum smirked, but it was not one of smugness or superiority. His eyes lit up to a degree that Harry could see it so clearly. He was excited, thrumming with some sort of electric charge that became mirrored within Harry. The world was going to see something unique.
The two drifted, coming closer to one another as the minutes ticked on. No words were spoken between them, but their intentions were clear as day to one another. Viktor Krum was meant to be a once in a century prodigy on the broom, an opinion that many shared in view of Harry's whirlwind career. One eye was kept of his opponent. The other was travelling throughout the stadium, hunting for the winged ball.
Harry tried to look out for his friends and family, but even with knowledge of where they could be, he struggled to find them. His hair was rising, and his muscles were tensing as he prepared himself for what was to come, so subconsciously he dragged his attention back to the game whenever his mind wandered to catch a glimpse of Katie, Sirius, Dora, or the rest.
With almost no warning, Krum shot forward. Harry started at the sight, pushing his small frame into the broom as tight as he could to create as aerodynamic a form as possible, and shot off after him. His focus was on where Krum's eyes were locked, and their twists and turns hurtling at near-breakneck speed through players and fans alike could have easily killed a lesser flyer.
The world was grey, but Krum glowed with a fiery red that almost blinded Harry. Yet there was no gold, no flicker of victory in this chase. Krum was feinting him and now Harry knew it. From the way that Krum's body appeared to lose its tension, he had realised that Harry realised. But the chase was on now. Harry knew that if he left Krum to his own devices, there was a possibility that, while speeding from one point to another, that the Snitch could fall into his grasp. If Harry remained where he was, the speed in which Krum was moving at would be more than enough to get to the Snitch before anyone. So Harry followed, a little behind in order to have a wider field of view as well as to conserve his magic and stamina.
The whole time, both boys had the brightest grins on their faces. Harry did not realise what he was doing, but the way, the skilfulness and speed and technique, he was flying then and there was leagues above what he had revealed in the past. If Harry were to look at himself from an outside perspective, he could have seen how he intentionally restricted his ability. A small, hidden part of him, did not want to make others feel bad by he outshining them, and so, he would bury that potential deep, deep, in the dungeons of his being. Yet the audience could only stare, wide-eyed and jaws dropped, at the godlike level in which Harry and Krum were flying at.
Neither of them had ever had true competition before, and as minutes became an hour, their display still appeared so natural, and still only joy could be seen on the two.
Krum dived so sharply that Harry had less than a second to respond. This was a new move that had Harry concerned that maybe he had become too lackadaisical, and maybe his opponent had finally spotted the Snitch.
Harry dived after him, sweat pouring down him and teeth bared, gritting down hard as the increase of gravity's pull placed pressure upon his body. What felt like so long to him was in reality only a few seconds, so Harry could easily and clearly see Krum pull his broom up and skirt the cut-short grass. He may have hoped Harry were to hit the ground, but his hopes were dashed when Harry performed the same suicidal move. A stream of Bulgarian came from the other Seeker, followed by joyous laughter. This was infectious enough for Harry to respond, though quieter than his equal. Viktor Krum was looking at him, stopped on his broom by the stadium wall, a proud look on his face, and a natural smile aimed directly at him.
Harry flew over to the older boy, his broom pointing toward the centre of the pitch, waiting at a moments notice to shoot to wherever he would need to be.
A disturbance was forming on the field that drew their attention.
The incredibly beautiful mascots that the Bulgarians had brought with them were sending the crowd into a frenzy. Harry could see thousands of men, and though a lot less, some women too, raise out of their seats in a daze as they began to do some very strange flexing movements in the direction of the women. Harry looked down. He and Krum were right above them and a few were directing some very strange gazes right at him.
Krum's eyes appeared to glaze over briefly, but his body started to shake, his face reddened, and his knuckles went white. Blood appeared over his lips as Harry watched him bite at his tongue to draw blood and pain out. Harry watched as Krum began to appear normal once more, a glare directed at a sheepish looking Veela, because that was definitely what they were, Harry realised.
He wondered though, why they were not affecting him, but quickly realised that, in the end, it did not really matter.
He simply turned his head and flew slowly over to Krum's broom. Neither boy said anything, simply watching the ballet of flying that either team was doing.
And so, another hour passed, and the players were staring to tire. Harry and Krum had periods of fighting each other in almost staged races. The Snitch was spotted several times, but the duels they had with each other over the grounds of a hastily darkening English countryside were beginning to take their toll.
Neither knew what the score was, and Harry, at this point, did not even care. Never before had anyone ever challenged him so strongly in such a way, and no one and nothing in the world could remove the smile that lit up his face so powerfully.
But there it was, as exhaustion was beginning to settle into his muscles and mind and magic. They accelerated simultaneously. Both possessed Firebolts, strong, deep reserves of magic, and both had extreme skill in the air on the backs of their brooms.
The crowd was screaming, Wyverns were howling, Veela were cheering, players were shouting. But Harry heard none of it. All he could hear was the blood pumping in his ears, the rumble of the wind as his broom cut through the sky, and his laboured breaths as he tried to exert every last drop of himself into his actions.
The dove and weaved through the labyrinth of players. Beater bats swung and knocked Bludgers straight at them, yet, synchronised, the duo moved as though they were united. They ascended to the clouds as one, spinning in the same, then alternating, directions.
Then, they dived.
Millimetres from the ground, their knees and brushing the tips of the blades of grass they pulled themselves up. Their elbows slid against the other's; arms extended as the Snitch was within grasp. Seconds. Minutes. Time was pointless. Never had Harry wanted to win as much as he did at that moment.
Everything slowed. Time became nothing more than a simple observation to an outsider. Everything became blocked from senses. Only the gentle beating of the Snitch's wings could be known.
With a shrill whistle, the match came to an end.
And there, in the near middle of the pitch, Harry Potter sat upon his broom. His eyes closing as he fought his drowsiness, yet his face was set in pure happiness. He started to slide off when an arm came around his middle to prop him up. Harry looked at who it was, only to see an equally joyful Viktor Krum looking back.
"Dat waz a good match, Potter. Ve would fly again? Hopefully?"
Harry could only laugh. "Yes, of course." The two descended, landing amid their teammates. "I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life. You earned this, Krum."
"My friends call me Viktor."
"My friends call me Harry."
"It waz close." The Snitch was revealed. "But maybe next time?"
The golden snitch was weakly straining against Viktor Krum's fingers. For the first time, Harry had lost.
It did not matter. In a whirlwind of movement, the English team crashed into him, yelling, and screaming. He would learn in quick fashion that his constant delaying of Krum's catch over the course of more than 2 hours was enough for the Bulgarians to begin to tire, and the score difference to increase drastically on the side of the English. Victory had come to the English side by 40 points, enough for the Snitch's catch to not matter.
Faces swam before him, excitement as their looks. Sirius was there before him, and Katie, and all those he needed. And Dora, his sister, who cradled him close to her.
The 7 players formed a semi-circle, the flashes of camera bulbs blasting in front of them. There was a hush, and a thundering roar as the huge trophy was grasped by them all. Harry's face could have split in two as the others placed both cup handles into his hands. They took hold of him, raising his form above them to the din of the crowd.
The partying would go on throughout the evening to the early hours of the morning. Sirius was acting like a young man, enjoying something that he never had a chance to, drinking and acting like a fool.
Harry was fine with rest, and Dora was happy to oblige. She left him in bed, going out briefly to enjoy some time with the others, revelling in the moment. Harry had briefly met with his Circle, but his tiredness was all-encompassing.
He was drifting in and out of the waking world when Dora slipped into the bed in front of him, her hair still black and eyes a green matching his own. She pulled him close to her, his head resting in the crook of her neck as he settled there, peaceful and content.
He felt the heat first. The screams came second. The pained, aggrieved shouts of terror, fear, and rage permeated the silence of the night after the celebrations had winded down.
Dora jumped awake, rolling out of the bed with her arms still firmly holding on to her brother. She ended up in a crouch on the canvas floor, Harry's form curled up beneath her. Harry looked up through bleary eyes at the alertness in her gaze. Her head was swivelling left and right as she swiftly reached for her wand upon the nearby table, gripping it tightly in her hand while her breathing became sharp and quick.
"Tonks!"
The two turned to see a slightly drunk Sirius sober up quicker than a cheetah's sprint. "They need you!"
She did not hesitate. So quick were her movements that she did not deign to dress, simply giving Harry a quick peck upon his brow, soft, gentle eyes boring into his own.
"Be careful, Dora," he uttered quietly. His own wand was pressed into his hands by his big sister. She smiled at him lovingly, hidden concern upon her face. "Please," he said with some desperation.
"I'm always careful, Harry." She turned to Sirius. "Look after him."
"You don't even have to ask me; you know I will." She looked unconvinced, and as she rose, her hand pulled Harry up with her, a death grip upon him. He looked down through blurred vision as he noticed the paleness creep up her skin mix with the sweat that was beginning to drive down to his palm.
"I know, Sirius. But please… Make sure he's safe."
She did not look back as she sprinted out of the tent. As she exited, Harry could hear the spellfire and magic blasting around the campsite.
"What's happening?"
Sirius looked hollow. He snapped his attention towards his Godson. "Come! We're leaving. Leave your things here and bring only your wand. I'm going to find Arthur and his kids and then I have some payback to give."
Harry noted the look of rage on his face and a fear enveloped him. "Sirius, what's going on?"
"Death Eaters. Or fools playing at them," he snarled causing Harry to flinch.
Harry shook his head. "Sirius, no! What happened the last time you did this?" Quieter he said, "Don't leave me. Not now. Not now I've got you." It was a childish response, but Harry's insecurities of abandonment were flaring up.
Sirius, at least, looked sheepish. "R-right. Yeah." His shaggy locks bounced in the firelight. A different sort of man had been shown before, but now he was returning to the Sirius that Harry was starting to know. "Let's not waste any more time then. Let's go."
Harry followed him out to the warm night. He was tired still from the day, but adrenaline flooded his body, driving him forward out of desperation. There was evidence of some sort of fight around him, but no combatants were there. Bodies were placed awkwardly every now and then, with wounds that looked vicious and painful, but there were Healers and Medimagicals about tending to them, ushering them to a safe zone that had been established within the woods.
Sirius was alert as they travelled, the sounds of battle we dissipating as they went.
"Harry!"
Out of nowhere, Katie and Fay blasted from between some trees, hundreds, if not thousands, of magicals milling about in a heavily guarded area leading towards the Quidditch Stadium. Harry smiled as they fussed over him, the Circle coming to fuss over him. Sirius nodded at him, and a feeling of relief fell over the two as they recognised that they would be safe there for the night.
Harry watched as Sirius went to talk to some of the official security, offering his services like so many had done so already. "I will be just over there, guarding the border." He glanced over at the group who had come to see his Godson. "I'm sure that between you lot you will be able to look after each other." He left a lingering gaze on a few of the group, who nodded seriously back at him with an unspoken agreement as the closed ranks with their little friend.
The Weasley twins pulled him along jovially, already attempting to make him more comfortable. They brought him over to their brother, Charlie, who was deep in conversation with some other men who he apparently knew.
"Well, I was going to help with patrolling, but I guess I could stay here with you guys."
He entertained the group with tales of his time in Hogwarts, distracting them with stories of when he and Dora used to cause havoc in school, or the times when he and Hagrid would discuss creatures until the sun rose, exploring the Forbidden Forest in search of the beauty of their world's fauna.
Many people began to get closer to them, wands drawn as they focused upon Harry in particular. Charlie would lock eyes with them, noticing their determination, but Harry was not as oblivious as people may have thought in this situation. He realised that they were protecting him. Death Eaters were Voldemort's followers, and he was Public Enemy Number 1. They were protecting him, and in his fear and tiredness, he did not even think to complain.
As dawn broke hours later, a ruffled and scratched Dora stumbled out into the safe area, a large, but sleepy, grin lighting up her face.
Harry ran over to her, concern filling him as Sirius joined them. "Dora, you're bleeding."
"Hah, you should see the other guy… but then again, I don't think many will. Bastard ran away, but I definitely got 'em good."
Sirius sighed in relief. "Andi would've killed me if you didn't come back okay. And don't get me started on how Harry'd've been."
Harry simply smiled. A hectic night had passed quickly, and he had come out the other end of it unscathed. For once, the situation had not been involving him, and no one he cared for had come out the other end in once piece.
Yet… as Dora put her left arm around his shoulders, and Katie's right hand slipped gently into his own, he could only wince in pain as his lightning bolt scar burned with a white-hot fire that threatened to crush his head with such force to cause sweat to drip down his face.
Something was wrong.
Harry could feel the winds of change begin to blow, and this night was only the start. The start of everything.
Author's Notes:
And here we go, book 4 on the way! The introduction of Tonks has not been on the cards since the beginning, only really becoming a thought when I started writing again after my hiatus. I wanted Harry to have an elder sibling relationship that was deeper than that of, Fred and George, for example. One of the key points within this story is that sometimes the family we create can be greater than the family we are born with and it's Katie and Tonks that are filling that role for him at the moment, along with Sirius. Tonks, in this at least, is simply just a little flirty with most people, and as she has practically adopted Harry she sees no issue with sleeping in the same bed as him. I like to think that she's quite switched on to how abused children can seem and act due to her Auror training, especially if a connection is made between the Auror's and real-world police, they would at least have some sort of input on the matter.
This chapter kind of ran away from me. I originally just wanted to have an introductory chapter for Book 4, but then things… sort of happened. Tonks had evolved so much now that I may have to rethink some of my notes for future chapters in order to fit her in to the overall story in a way that reflects how she is being portrayed.
I've gone with the stereotypical trope of 'Harry is unaffected by Veela allure' here, but there is a valid reason for this. Well… there's more than one. There's 3, in fact. I cannot explain 2 of them because though they may not be seriously important to the overarching story, if I reveal why now, then some incredibly important plots later on down the line will be ruined. But the third is really, really simple. Harry is at this point in time, asexual. He simply doesn't understand the concepts of love and sex on a natural level enough to have that sort of chemical attraction to a magical, romantic, allure. A lot of this is due to his upbringing, but also, some people just don't have that drive in their lives to respond to such attractions. Of course, that is to say that Harry will have it in the future, but right now, in such a high stress environment, whilst having the most fun he's ever had? Yeah, not a chance. Quite simple really, but not a method that I've ever seen before in fanfiction.
Oh, and I suppose I'll put this here, buried in this Author's Note… will Harry have a romantic relationship in this tale? Yes. The answer is yes. But not right now. The seeds are being planted for Harry, but he is not in the right mental state to even think such things are possible for him. He's lived a life of self-loathing and belief that he is worthless, so he's going to have help along the way to prepare him for when he can be ready for love. And, like in real life, things will not always be as smooth as you would like them to be. I have said this before and I will say it again – there will be bumps in the road. Not everything is bright and sunny in life. Sometimes it is, but there will always be at least one hardship. What Harry's experiencing with a lot of these girls now is simply puberty, and is just embarrassment with how his body and mind are reacting, especially with how handsy Tonks can be.
Next chapter: A Brand New Year