Nymphadora's Beau Chapter 2
One of the first things any Auror learned was never to go into a new situation unprepared, or as their most hard-core instructor put it: CONSTANT VIGILANCE!
Therefore Nymphadora Call-Me-That-Again-And-I-Hex-You Tonks made her way to the Black Town Home at Grimauld Place early the next day.
"Wotcher all, it's your favourite –" suddenly the troll-leg umbrella stand, which Nym swore had been standing on the left side of the door only two days before, was in her path, and she tripped over it.
"Oh bollocks!" Nym crashed against the curtain hiding the painting of her evil grandaunt Walburga.
The painting took in Nym, and began screaming: "Filth! Blood traitors! Half-blood scum! Kreacher, take out the trash!"
"Dammit who set her off?" Sirius' voice sounded, as he ran into the hallway. "Hey Nymmie. Go on in, I'll silence the old hag."
"Worthless traitor! Disappointment to the House of Black!" the painting changed its ire to Sirius. Nym glared at her first cousin once removed for use of the name, and walked into the relatively quiet kitchen which doubled as the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
"Wotcher Remus," Nym greeted the werewolf. She looked him over critically... Remus was wearing old and slightly torn clothes, but still very respectable ones.
'No wonder mum has no objections to him, he looks like my dad like that!' Nym reasoned, mentally putting Remus in the 'friend zone'. How had she ever thought she could get into a relationship with someone who dressed like they were fifty – or from the fifties even?
"Oh hello Tonks," Remus looked up from his newspaper. "What brings you here? Don't you have Auror duties before your shift at Privet Drive?"
"I took an unpaid vacation," Nym replied, opening the fridge. "With Fudgy Wudgy pretending the big noseless one is not out there there's little to do for us Aurors anyway so Bonesie didn't mind."
She pulled out a carton of milk, and raised it to drink from it.
"Oh no you don't!" Molly Weasley placed her arm on Nym's, preventing her from actually drinking. "You can take a glass like the rest of us civilized folk, Nymphadora."
Nym glared at the Weasley matriarch. "It's Tonks! How many times do I have to tell you lot?"
"No need to get upset dear," Molly took the milk, and poured a glass for the young Auror. "Here you go. Drink up dear, you can use the vitamins."
Nym glowered at the obnoxious woman, but drank her milk as Molly started berating Remus for leaving an ink smudge from the paper on her table. Meanwhile Sirius came back in.
"Merlin, my mother is even more annoying as a painting than she was in life. So Nympha – Ack!"
Nym interrupted him by sending a wordless stinging hex his way.
"Err... hey Tonksie," Sirius sheepishly amended. "Not that I mind seeing my only sane relatives, but what brings my little cousin here today?"
Nym enlarged her chest, until she had DDs. "Little? I'll show you little," she grinned. "Anyway I'm here to check on the schedule for Harry Watch, and check up on everyone here. Is Molly's brood upstairs?"
"Schedule is on the board," Sirius indicated a cork board next to the fridge. "And yeah, they're upstairs doing god knows what. Hermione is also here – Hermione Granger that is, Ron and Harry's best friend – she's reading in the library."
"Sirius, what were you thinking letting that girl in the library by herself? Don't you realise how dangerous the books in there can be?" Mount Molly exploded over the hapless prison escapee.
Nym decreased her breast size to what it was before – still a nice and full C – and inspected the schedule.
July 10th
midnight to 8am Sturgis P.
8am to 4pm Kingsley S.
4pm to midnight N. Tonks
July 11th
midnight to 8am Mundungus F.
8am to 4pm Remus L.
4pm to midnight Arthur W.
"Hey Remus, do you mind if I take your shift tomorrow?" Nym called over the din of Molly berating Sirius for being irresponsible.
"Harry watch? No I don't mind, why though?" Remus didn't look up from his paper.
"I've got nothing better to do," Nym lied. "Might as well babysit the Chosen One."
"Sure, fine with me," Remus sounded relieved. "It's a full moon on the 12th so I can definitely use the rest. I'll take one of your shifts some other day."
"Thanks wolfie," Nym grinned, thinking to herself: 'Score! That gives me a full day to work on Harry!"
"If anyone needs me, I'm gonna chat with the kiddos a bit okay?"
"Fine with me," Remus nodded. Molly and Sirius didn't seem to hear her over their fight.
–-
Nym entered the Black Library, and immediately saw her target sitting there. Hermione Granger sat curled up on a large chaise longue, her legs wrapped below her and a pile of old musty books on the adjacent coffee table.
"Wotcher Hermione," Nym greeted her, taking a seat in one of the sofas.
"Mmm mmm," Hermione answered, not stopping her reading.
"Whatcha' reading there?" Nym bent closer to see the title. "'Invoking Eros: Sex-based Rituals Through the Ages'?"
"Whaaaat?" Hermione squeaked, her face rushing to a full blush, as she dropped the book. "No! It's... it's just for study!"
"That's all good," Nym grinned. Wow was the girl easily flustered! "Hey now that I've got your attention, I wanted to ask you some things about Harry."
"Harry? Why?" Hermione was still blushing.
"Oh, just out of interest. I'm stuck on Harry watch in a few hours, so maybe you can tell me a bit about what kind of boy he really is?"
"Tonks, you know Professor Dumbledore said we're not to contact him. He needs time to cope with Cedric's death," Hermione chastised the older girl.
Nym frowned in distaste. And this was supposed to be his best friend? 'Let him cope with death all by himself, oh yes that's what every boy who got into a traumatic event needs, brilliant decision Granger.'
Plastering on a fake smile, she interrupted Hermione's mini-lecture: "No worries Hermione, I know what the Headmaster's orders are. But you can still tell me about Harry right? What kind of things is he in to?"
"Erm... Quidditch I guess," Hermione mused. "Oh and chess, but that's only with Ron. Really, other than flying he doesn't seem to do much outside of school."
"I see," Nym frowned again. This was his best friend? "And what girls is Harry in to?"
"Girls?" Hermione looked baffled for a moment. "Oh... er... I guess... Asian ones?"
"Asian?" Nym was genuinely confused. "How that?"
"Well, he had a little crush on Cho – Cho Chang, Cedric's girlfriend, she's Chinese – before the ball, and he eventually asked out Parvati Patil, and she's Indian. Can't think of anyone else really."
"Thanks Hermione, you've been a big help," Nym put on a fake smile. "I'll let you get back to your smut."
Hermione blushed again, and hid behind the book. Nym left the library.
–-
"Wotcher Ron, Ginny," she greeted the younger Weasleys. Ron was beating Ginny in a chess match, which neither seemed to pay much attention to. Ginny was reading a copy of Witch's Weekly at the same time, and Ron was eating a sandwich.
"Hi Tonks," Ginny smiled at the Auror. Nym smiled back. She liked the young ginger, the girl had spirit.
"Hey I've got Harry Watch in a few, can you tell me a bit about him?"
"Mmmhwa mmmwhw mmmwhw?" Ron spoke with his mouth full. Both Ginny and Nym looked away in disgust.
"Chew before you speak you Neanderthal," Ginny bit at him. To Nym: "If you want to get to know Harry, first thing to remember is that he's nothing like the Boy-Who-Lived legend. And don't buy into the crap in the papers either. Harry's selflessly brave, determined, and loyal to the end, but at the same time can be a bit of a moody git," Ginny said with a smile. "It took me until the ball to get over my crush on him, but I now realise we really have little in common except for Quidditch."
"He's rich," Ron added. "And he hates Slytherins. And Potions. Oh, and Snape."
"Thank you Ron," Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm giving up, you've won this game," she turned over her king. As Ron beamed at his victory, Ginny stood up. "Tonks, can you come with me for a sec?"
Nym followed Ginny out of Ron's bedroom, and into the girl's room. Ginny closed the door, then pulled out a letter from her trunk. "Can you give this to Harry please? I know the Headmaster has ordered us not to write back to him, but you should see the letters he sent us! He's going crazy there, and thinks we've all forgotten him!" Pleadingly, she held it out to Tonks.
"I'll hand it to him, promise," Nym assured the younger girl. "Hey Gin... are you really over your crush on him?"
"Oh, definitely," Ginny nodded. "Harry's nice and all, but I don't think he's the one for me... don't let mum hear that though. She has it in her mind that I'm to marry Harry one day, and Ron marry Hermione, so we can be one big family..."
"Ron and Hermione? Wow... talk about your bad matches," Nym said, surprised.
"No kidding. Anyway I'm sure Harry can find a nice girl other than me."
"So what kind of girl is Harry in to then?"
Ginny sat on her bed, and thought. "I think... Harry just wants someone he can relate to. That's why he wanted to ask out Cho to the Ball last Christmas, since they're both Quidditch Seekers."
Nym's face dropped a bit. Not seeing this, Ginny went on: "And I guess why he ended up asking Parvati. They're both Gryffs... although I doubt she'll give him another chance after the way he ignored her at the ball. I told you he can be a mopy git," she added without venom.
"So you think he could go for any girl then, if he got to know her?"
"Probably," Ginny shrugged. "As long as they remember to think of him as Harry, and not some fairy tale prince Boy-Who-Lived. That's a lesson I learned a little late I guess.
"I think the most important thing is that you never should lie to him. Harry will forgive a lot of things, but he doesn't forget... Ron is too dense to see it, but Harry was really hurt when Ron abandoned him last year, and I doubt they'll ever be as close again as they were before."
"Thanks Gin, you've been a huge help," Nym hugged the younger girl. A little surprised, Ginny hugged back.
As Nym got up to leave, Ginny spoke up: "Make him happy for me okay?"
Nym froze, and turned back, wondering how much of her plans the younger girl guessed, but Ginny had started reading her magazine again.
–-
At a quarter to four, Nym apparated to a back alley near Privet drive, and imitated a bird call. Two minutes later the big black bald head of her colleague and fellow Order Member Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared from under the hood of an Invisibility Cloak.
"Password," he asked her. Nym didn't need to see his body to know he'd have his wand trained on her.
"Rebirth," she gave the correct one for the day, and Kingsley relaxed.
"You're early. Not much going on, the Dursleys are on holiday with Vernon's sister apparently."
"Harry isn't here?!"
"Oh no, they left him behind alone," Kingsley said with a frown. "Not that the kid's been doing much, he hasn't come downstairs all day. I've seen that owl of his fly in and out the window though so he's probably up there."
Kingsley took off the rest of the cloak, and handed it to Nym.
"You set for the night? Doubt the kid will be trouble, but you never know."
"I'm good Shack, thanks," Nym said, concern in her voice. That didn't sound like a normal teen to her, brooding or not. "I'll head on over there now, you go home to the missus."
"Hah! The kneazle you mean," Kingsley let out a small laugh. "Take care Tonks, see you later." He apparated away, and Nym disguised herself with the cloak, then went to the Dursley home.
It was as quiet as Kingsley had said, nothing going on in the sleepy street except for the usual nosey neighbours. Nym cast a 'Homenum Revelio' on the house, which indicated a single presence in one of the upstairs rooms.
'Harry, what have you been doing?'
Nym sneaked in the back door with a silent unlocking charm, then crept up the stairs. She took off the cloak in front of the door to Harry's room. 'So many locks, and a cat flap? Weird. I thought Hedwig was the only pet in the home?'
Slowly, she knocked on the door. "Harry? Can I come in?"
Quick as lightning, the door was pushed open, nearly hitting her. Nym took a quick step back to avoid getting the door in her face, but was bowled over from the impact of someone jumping on her. Next thing she knew, she had a boxer-clad Harry Potter sitting on top of her chest, his wand nearly pushed against her head.
"Wo... wotcher Harry," Nym stammered. "I... I'm from the Order."
"What Order? How did you get in here?" Harry looked dangerous, she thought. 'Very hot as well,' a part of her added.
"Or... Order of the Phoenix. I'm with Dumbledore!" she squeaked out, as Harry's wand tip seemed to be glowing.
"You're with Dumbledore? You're a witch?" Harry raised his wand a bit, and looked at her critically.
"Y– yeah... I'm a friend. You wouldn't hurt a little girl like me would you?" Nym morphed her face so she had cat-like features, causing Harry to startle.
"Oh... sorry," he sheepishly said. "I... I wasn't expecting company you see. At least, not this kind. How... how did you change your face like that?"
"I'll gladly tell you, as soon as you stop squishing my tits," Nym dead-panned, changing her face back to normal. "Unless you like that kind of thing, in which case I'd prefer it if we made it into your bedroom first."
This time Harry yelped, and he got off her quickly, then sheepishly gave her a hand to get back up to her feet. "Sorry, I... I wasn't thinking," he tried to look anywhere but at her. Nym took advantage of his avoiding her by increasing her bust size a little more.
"No need to apologize Harry, it's good you're trying to protect yourself. Might be more intimidating if you put on some clothes first though," she sniggered.
Harry looked down, and paled as he realised he was only wearing oversized boxers. "Eep!" He darted back in his bedroom, and disappeared out of sight.
"I'll be right outside! Err... wait please?" Not waiting for an answer, he closed the door on her.
"Okay Harry," Nym secretly cast a spell that replicated the effects of Moody's eye, and the wall became semi-transparent, giving her a clear view of the Boy-Who-Lived as he stood there, breathing hard.
Nym dropped her gaze down a bit, and realised that not just his breath was hard... 'Impressive for his age,' she licked her lips as Harry got out of the boxers he was apparently using as sleeping clothes, and dressed in fresh underwear, and other clothes.
'Tonks, you hit the jackpot this time,' Nym mentally congratulated herself, admiring his toned Quidditch-muscled torso. The various scars on his back worried her though, those looked awfully much like belt straps.
A little later, the door opened, and she quickly cast the counter-spell. Using her metamorphmagic abilities to hide the blush from her face, she stretched just as Harry opened the door, making him come face-to-face with her chest.
"Woah..." Harry mumbled, but Nym picked it up.
"Hey again Harry. So, since I was so rudely interrupted before," she shot him a grin to make it clear she was not serious, "I'm Tonks, and I'm with the Order of the Phoenix. I'm here for you."
"Errr..." Harry shook his head to clear his senses. "Err... hi Tonks. You're here for me?" His voice cracked a bit at the last word.
"Maybe we can go into your room to talk?" Nym suggested. "Unless you like standing in the hallway, I can be flexible." 'Score! He was staring at my chest at that,' she congratulated herself once more.
"Err... okay... it's a bit of a mess though," Harry stammered. Nym pushed past him, and took in the room for real this time.
"Oh, that won't do," she frowned. She waved her wand, and the desk was repaired, and the bed changed to something that looked closer to one of the beds in the Hogwarts dorms.
"You can't use magic here! I'll get a warning!" Harry yelled out as he saw her cast spells.
"Don't be silly Harry, that's not how the trace works," Nym corrected him... only to stare in amazement as a screech owl flew in the window and dropped a roll of parchment on the newly expanded bed.
"Huh?" Nym picked up the letter, which read:
Dear Mr Potter,
We have received intelligence that you performed a Reparo spell as well as performed advanced transfiguration at sixteen minutes past four this day in a Muggle-inhabited area.
This is a breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery as per Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlock's Statute of Secrecy. As this is your second official warning, your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 a.m. on the fourteenth of July.
Hoping you are well,
Yours sincerely,
Mafalda Hopkirk
Improper Use of Magic Office
Ministry of Magic
Harry had been reading over her shoulder, and paled.
A/N: Thanks for the great response on the first chapter in my short story collection! This will not be a too long story, the total will be about ten chapters I think.
I can't promise weekly updates as my primary focus will remain on "Misfire" (if my muse cooperates).
But since I was a bit evil and ended on a small cliffy here, you'll get the third chapter no later than this weekend. That much I can guarantee, it's mostly written :)
Additional disclaimer for the chapter: Harry's letter freely after 'The Order of the Phoenix'.