A.N.: Time skips in this chapter, hopefully it's all still clear.

Chapter 9

"Ted, how do you feel about a little payback for our dear Nymphadora?" Andromeda asked as she was preparing the table for tea.

Ted looked over at his wife. With her current expression it was easy to see the resemblance to the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange, and he mentally sighed with regret that his sister-in-law had gone insane. "What do you have planned Droma?"

"Nymphadora probably thinks she is so clever in doing the 'opposite of what I want', but I think Harry is good for her. Do you realise this is the first time she's not contacted either of us in over two weeks over some minor problem?"

Ted thought back. Previously, their daughter would come around at least once a week, usually complaining about a bad date, or the lack of any dates, or the fact that the man she had been infatuated with only a few days earlier turned out to be not right, or worse, that he had asked her to take on a specific appearance for him...
"You're right love," Ted agreed. "Can it be little Nymphadora is finally growing up?"

"Hah! It'd be about time," his wife said with a laugh. "So here's what I think we should do..."

–-

"Harry stop fidgeting, you look fine!" Nym was getting impatient. Who ever heard of a man taking longer to dress than his date?

"They're going to hate me," Harry muttered. He pulled on his collar again. The new clothes he now had were nice, but he was used to clothes that were several sizes too large, so to him they felt constricting.

"Relax hero, mum and dad will love you," Nym bent her head down and gave him a heated kiss. "If you do well... I've a special reward in mind. Something we've not done before."

"Oh?" Harry perked up. "What is it?"

"Wait and see lover, wait and see," Nym's smile was present on her entire face. "Ready then?"

"Erm, Nym, are you going with your hair like that?" Harry hesitatingly asked. His girlfriend-slash-trainer had her hair in a bright green pixie cut. "Notthatthereisanythingwrongwiththatyoualwayslookgreat!" he quickly added as she frowned.

"Oh I guess you're right... Mum always wants me to look natural," Nym frowned. Her hair lengthened, and turned jet black, and got curled as it turned frizzy, much like Hermione's hair tended to do, Harry noticed.

"I won't mind it you wear it like that more often," he offered. "It looks good on you."

"Thanks lover," Nym answered. "But there's a reason I don't go out like this... I look too much like my mad auntie, you see."

"I only see the most beautiful woman in the world," Harry said.

"Smooth mister, keep that up and you'll get your reward for sure," Nym said with a little laugh. "Okay, no more delaying... ready to face the parents of the girl you've been shagging?"

Nym have him no more chances to reply, grabbed his arm, and apparated them away.

They re-appeared in a small yet formal room with a loud crack, facing two people with stern expressions on their faces.
"Err... hi? Mr Tonks, Mrs Tonks..." Harry hesitatingly said.

"Oh Nymphadora dear, he is simply adorable!" Andromeda Tonks exclaimed. She rushed closer, and pinched Harry's cheek. "Look Ted, isn't he a cute one?"

"Oi!" Harry complained, overlapped with Nym's loud complaining: "Mum!"

"Sorry dear, I just weren't expecting such a cute young boy," Andromeda 'apologized' to Harry. "I must have words with that Elf of yours Nymphadora dear, quite a prank he played on us. Here I was expecting you to bring your latest conquest over, and instead it turns out you're simply babysitting young Harry there!"

"Babysit? What... what?!" Harry spluttered.

"Mum! Stop embarrassing Harry like that!" Nym cried out.

"Nymphadora, watch your tone young lady," Ted answered her. "Hi there Harry, don't mind the wife," he held out his hand. Tentatively, Harry shook it.
"Good to meet you lad. So my daughter is watching over you this summer?"

"Errr, yessir," Harry answered. He looked to Nym for support, but she didn't catch his eye, she was too busy glaring at her mother.

"Oh, where are my manners," Andromeda broke the tension between her and her daughter. "Welcome to our humble home Harry, as hopefully Nymphadora has told you, I'm Andromeda, and my husband is Theodore. You may call us aunt Droma and uncle Ted."

"Hi," Harry simply said.

"Shall we adjourn to the kitchen then? Droma has prepared some sandwiches," Ted suggested. Hesitatingly Harry and Nym followed.

–-

"I know what we can do, time for pictures!" Andromeda exclaimed. They had just finished the bread and tea, with only idle chatter going on. Neither of Nym's parents was bringing up their relationship, and Harry and Nym definitely weren't volunteering.

"Pictures?" Nym paled. "No... Harry doesn't want to see that mum!"

"Nonsense dear, he'll love them," Andromeda quickly walked off to the other room.

"I think we should go now," Nym said in clipped tones to her father.

"But you only just got here, Nymba," Ted replied.

"Daaaad! Don't call me that," Nym whined.

"She used to have problems saying her full name, so from the time she was five to about seven she said her name was Nymba or Nymfa," Ted clarified for Harry. "She was adorable back then."

"Here, look Harry, little Nymphadora aged two," Andromeda had re-appeared, and dropped a photo album on the table in front of him.

Harry looked, and saw a magical picture of a naked little girl running through grass. He looked to his side, and saw Nym sitting there with a mortified face.

"She used to hate keeping her clothes on!" Andromeda said with a laugh. "Here, this was her at three, painting." The next picture showed the same naked girl covered in paint smears sitting on a sheet equally covered in paint, proudly working on some abstract painting, or child's drawing (same difference).

"Mummy! Why are you showing him those?" Nym whined.

"Don't complain dear, it's simply family photos. You've nothing to be embarrassed about," Andromeda said.

"I can't believe you, you've never shown those to anyone before," Nym complained some more.

"Oh, but you've only ever brought your boyfriends over," Andromeda said in an elated tone. "Look through it Harry, lots of cute pictures of young Nymphadora," she added in an aside to Harry, then back to her daughter: "You should have told me you were babysitting Harry here, I would have gotten some toys."

"Oi! I am nearly fifteen you know?" Harry raised his voice.

"I know sweetie," Andromeda padded his head. "You just keep looking at the photos while the grown-ups have a chat, all right?"

Nym saw Harry getting worked up. "Mum, I really should go," she tried again.

"Oh, such a short visit? Well if you must..." Andromeda theatrically sighed.

"Nymphadora, I'm proud of you," Ted spoke up. "Setting aside your busy social life to be a bodyguard to young Mr Potter here, I'm glad you're not doing, well, your usual things." He offered her a smile.

"Yes, thanks dad," Nym glared at her parents. "Come on Harry, we have to go."

"Erm, bye Mr Tonks, Mrs Tonks," Harry said. He couldn't deny being glad to leave.

"Aunt Droma and Uncle Ted Harry," Andromeda corrected him. "Nymphadora dear, if you need a different babysitter some time soon so you can go on a date with someone like that good Lupin fellow, we'll watch over little Harry for you," she offered, a smile on her face.

"I'll keep that in mind," Nym spoke through her teeth, then roughly grabbed Harry's arm and they apparated out.

"You, my dear, are evil," Ted put his arms around his wife. "She and Harry absolutely hate you now."

"You were really good yourself," Droma said, then laughed shortly. "Knowing our daughter, Harry is in for a long, hard time now. Hope he has Pepper-Up Potion!"

"I'd rather discuss our own sex life than our daughter's," Ted breathed in his wife's ear. "Get thee upstairs, wench!" He gave her bum a soft slap.

Giggling, Droma ran to the master bedroom.

–-

Nym and Harry re-appeared in her flat. "Dobby!" Nym yelled.

"Great Master Harry Potter Sir's Just-Call-Me-Tonks is callings?" Dobby asked as he appeared out of nowhere.

"Dobby, you have the day off. Harry and I will be... busy and don't want to be interrupted, got it?" Nym heatedly spoke.

"Dobby understands," the Elf nodded, then popped out.

"Thinks she can make fun of me does she? Well I'll show her," Nym grumbled. She turned around and walked determinedly towards Harry. "Oh I'll show her indeed," she licked her lips as she watched her boyfriend.

"Nym? What do you have planned?" Harry wondered. Then she pushed him back against the living room table, and began fumbling with his belt.

"You just stand back hero, and thank the Founders your hot girlfriend is not going to let her stupid parents change her mind," Nym said as she freed him from his pants. "I don't normally do this... and certainly not with just anyone... so tell me if I'm doing it right okay?"

"Do what?" Harry stupidly asked... then her mouth engulfed him. "Ooooh..."

–-

There had been no Pepper-Up Potion in Nym's medicine cabinets earlier that day, but Dobby sneaked back in and placed several bottles he had bought in Diagon Alley.
Harry was grateful for them as even teenage stamina runs out after a few hours...

–-

Later that week Hedwig flew into Number 12 Grimmauld Place, and landed on the breakfast table in front of the Weasleys and Hermione.

Ginny was closest, and took a bit of bacon to give Hedwig, as she took the letter of the owl's leg.

"Oh look, Harry sent a letter," she needlessly informed them, then read out:

Hi Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and twins (yes I know you're reading this),

Summer's been okay so far. I wish you guys would tell me a little more, for some reason I'm only getting the Daily Prophet every few days here and obviously the television isn't showing news from our world. Not that the Dursleys would let me watch it.

I've done all my homework, yes Hermione even my essays, and am really getting bored. What's going on with you guys? Are you still all at the same place? Can you tell me where it is now?

Maybe I shouldn't complain, but I'm really, really, really getting bored here. Ron, I'd even prefer de-gnoming the Burrow garden with you over just sitting here, at least that way I'd get some fresh air and we could fly. You know Quidditch is starting up again this year right? We're going to need a new Keeper, maybe you could try out? You're pretty good mate.

Write me back okay guys?

PS: Ginny, have the twins ever told you the map password?

"See Ronald? Even Harry did his homework," Hermione commented to her other male friend.

"Wown Swee waw's whe wmig wealw," Ron blurted out with a full mouth, bits of food and spittle flying out.

"Eew! Swallow before you speak, you Neanderthal!" Hermione punched his shoulder.

"Ouch! What're you hitting me for, you mental?!" Ron cried out after he swallowed. "All I said was, 'Don't see what's the big deal', we have like a month and half left before the train comes don't we?"

"Ron, Hermione, we should really ask Dumbledore if we can't write back in more detail," Ginny tried to stop them from fighting. Hermione was starting to get worked up again.

"We should do what the Headmaster says Ginny, you should know better," Hermione actually wagged her finger as she chastised the younger girl.

"Whyeh Wiwwy, whliwthen two whew," Ron agreed with Hermione, again with a full mouth. Nobody had even seen him stuff in another piece of bread.

"Ronald Billius Weasley, you disgusting slob!" Hermione rounded on Ron again.

Ginny took Harry's letter and stood up. She shared a look with her older twin brothers and left the kitchen for a more quiet room.
"Okay Fred, George, what's the map password Harry mentions at the end here?"

"I think that"
"Young Harrykins"
"Is trying to tell our baby sister"
"something he does not want the others to know," the twins said in their tandem speak.

Ginny stamped her feet. "Tell me, or do I need to see if I can hit two people with the bat bogey hex at once?" she glared at her older brothers.

"Easy there firefly!" the left one quickly said.
"If Harry did what we think he did, hold your wand to the paper and say 'I solemnly swear I'm up to no good'," twin two added.
"And say 'Mischief managed' to blank it again," the first one concluded.

Ginny held her wand against the letter, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."
More text started to appear:

Hey Gin-Gin!

If the twin terrors are still there, thank them for their help and ask them how the store plans are going okay? The rest of this letter is for you only, but you can tell Gred and Forge and Sirius about it in private if you want.

.

.

.

Okay, they gone yet?

I wasn't lying, I really do miss you and the others a bit. But of course I'm not with the bloody Dursleys... I'm being worked to death by an evil Auror.

The handwriting suddenly changed:

Hey Ginny, this is Tonks. Harry's unable to keep writing on account of being tied up and plastered to the ceiling. Evil Auror indeed... someone needs to learn another lesson!
Anyway as Harry should have told you, we're going on a small holiday starting today. Can you believe his relatives never even took him to the sea? We had a favour to ask you. Can you watch over Hedwig, and send her back to us with a warning if the whiskered one suddenly decides to get Harry from Durskaban?

The handwriting changed back to Harry's chicken scrawl:

Oi Gin, you heard yet that Tonks is going to be our DADA teacher? Well let me warn you now... don't piss her off! Anyway we're off for now. I just wanted to thank you again for being a real friend... your brother and Hermione really let me down. I hope I'll get to see you in person this summer, if not, let's chat on the train okay?

Love, Harry.

PS: remember, Mischief Managed

Ginny hid the text with the Marauder's closing words, and smiled. She'd have preferred it if Harry could be there with them all, but at least he was having fun – a whole lot of it – with Tonks.

–-

Blackpool may not have been a tropical holiday spot, it was still Britain's domestic favourite holiday resort. Nym had booked a room in the Imperial Hotel on the North Promenade, which had a whole secret floor only visible for and accessible to wizards. The staff had several Muggleborn wizards and squibs on it, and all the wizarding rooms were sound proofed by default... which the two lovers took full advantage of.

Besides soaking in the sun, and teaching Harry to properly swim without Gillyweed, they learned several things that week:

Harry learnt to cast the Muggle repelling charm, which allowed them to have a private beach section;
Nym learnt how not to scrape him with her teeth, and suppress her gag reflex;
Sex on the beach was a great cocktail, but a horrible idea, as sand literally got everywhere...;
and that they could simply enjoy walking hand in hand over the promenade, enjoying each other's company.

All too soon the week ended and they had to go back. Harry's training regimen under Nym's guidance continued, and he really was getting into good shape.

He sent a few more letters to Headquarters holding no info about what he really was doing, Ron and Hermione sent nothing back.
Ginny wrote a few short notes, but couldn't write much as her mother or Dumbledore inspected all outgoing mail.

Before they knew it, July too was drawing to a close. Nym had worked out lesson plans for the upcoming school year with Remus's help and sent them off to Hogwarts, and it was one week to Harry's birthday when they got a summons from Madam Bones. Tuesday, the 25th of July, the two apparated to the Ministry just after 9 in the morning and went up to the DMLE Head's office.

"Harry, Nymphadora, thank you for coming so quickly," Madam Bones greeted them. "Take a seat."

"I was wondering when we'd hear from you boss," Nym said.

"It's been a busy month Auror," Madam Bones let out a sigh. "I am being stonewalled at every point. I tried to build a case against the Death Eaters, I really did... but it turns out that former Minister Bagnold actually gave them all a full amnesty for any crimes committed, not just a pardon!"

"What does that mean exactly ma'am?" Harry took Nym's hand in his as he asked this, it didn't sound good.

"Unfortunately Harry, it means that even with your memory as evidence that people like Malfoy and Macnair are still active Death Eaters, until they are caught actually committing a crime, I cannot do anything against them." She looked guiltily at him.

"But they were there! With Voldemort! You can see their Dark Marks!" Harry cried out.

"Harry... please don't take this the wrong way, but there is no actual evidence that the person you saw was the Dark Lord," Madam Bones carefully said.

"I was bloody there for the bleedin' ritual! I fought him!" Harry would have stood up, but for Nym's arm holding him in place.

"Harry, I know that," Madam Bones stood up, placing both her hands on her desk in an imposing picture. "But you know what would happen if I take this before the judicial court? They'd claim that yes, you did see a ritual, and yes, the person in question claims to be You-Know-Who, but there is no factual proof. It could be someone under polyjuice or a glamour."
Madam Bones sat back down, and took out her monocle to clean it, stalling. "I am annoyed with this as well Harry, but this is not just speculation. I asked an old friend of mine, Tiberius Ogden, who is one of the most senior members of the Wizengamot and someone I trust to be perfectly honest in all cases, to give me an oath of secrecy. After he agreed, I let him look over your memories and discussed the possibility of a trial with him. He was the one to bring up the possibility that they'd dismiss it all, and I'm afraid that's exactly how it would go."

"Fine!" Harry looked as annoyed as he sounded. "So what's next? We know the Dark Wanker is skulking around, but you won't do anything about it?"

"Hold your tongue young man!" Madam Bones calmly, but loudly answered him, then continued in a softer tone: "I am doing what I can Harry. You have to understand, the law is the law... even if it doesn't work in our favour. All my Aurors are under orders to watch the confirmed Death Eaters like a hawk, and the first time any one of them steps out of line, we're on them.
"As for You-Know-Who himself... my most trusted Aurors know he is back now. I cannot tell everyone, as I have reasons to believe some of them are affiliated with the Death Eaters... or too loyal to Dumbledore..." she looked at Nym, who winced a bit.
"Harry, the truth will come out. We are lucky that the Dark Lord has not made a single move so far. We're watching the werewolf packs, the vampire covens, and I have asked our friends on the Continent to watch for people going to the Giant tribes, but nothing seems to be happening. Whatever You-Know-Who is doing, it's not recruiting from outside."

"Sorry for my outburst," Harry said after a pause. "Okay... so I guess the Voldemort business is on hold. What about my godfather though?"

Madam Bones looked annoyed again. "Fudge," she simply said. "That... imbecile has it in his head that Sirius Black is You-Know-Who's right hand man, and is behind the trouble you had last year. I have raised the issue that he never had a trial, and that there may be evidence he is innocent, but Fudge refuses to allow me to call back the Kiss-on-Sight order."

"Just bloody great," Harry grumbled. "So even though you know he's innocent you're still going to murder him."

Madam Bones winced a bit. "Mister Potter, if any of my Aurors capture your godfather, I will do all I can to keep him safe in a Ministry Holding cell until he can be brought before the Wizengamot court... but you have to understand, Minister Fudge could demand him to be brought before a Dementor at any time."

Harry looked pensive a bit. "I'm not impressed by what passes for justice in the Ministry. So basically you're telling me that Sirius is best off trying to stay hidden?"

"Under this Minister, yes," Madam Bones admitted. "Harry, I am so sorry but there's nothing I can do about it. Minister Fudge is a corrupt bastard, but he is immensely popular with the Wizengamot... and unless he is caught with his pants down, so to speak, there is no chance we can get rid of him now."

"Yeah yeah," Harry let out a deep sigh. "Thanks for trying at least ma'am, and for being honest with me. That's more than I get from Dumbledore."

Harry was still annoyed when Nym took him home, at least until she managed to cheer him up like only she could.

–-

Minister Fudge read over the latest report from his Undersecretary. A frown appeared on his face and he called her in. "Dolores, what's this about Hogwarts? Don't you understand how important it is we get that school under control?" He demanded of her.

"Minister, I wasn't expecting Dumbledore to find someone this late in the year," Umbridge said in a sweet tone. "You know Hogwarts is not under obligation to report to us, so I only found out this week when I applied."

"But without you keeping an eye on the Headmaster, he can continue his foolish campaign against me!" Fudge looked worried. "Even with the Prophet reporting on that Potter boy being a liar prone to bouts of fantasy and Dumbledore losing his marbles, people are asking questions!"

"Don't worry Minister, I did not go in without a backup plan," Umbridge smiled. Flowers would have wilted, if Fudge had had any on his desk.
"Under Educational Decree Number Seven, dating back to the 1700s, the Ministry preserves the right to replace any teacher who is not qualified to teach," she continued.

"That won't help," Fudge muttered. "That's the province of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, and even though Binns has been dead for several years now, he still manages to get his students to pass with an Acceptable on Average."

"Oh, but he's not the worst teacher at that school," Umbridge really looked disgusting now as her smile went wider. "Dumbledore actually employs someone who has not even passed his own NEWTs, and therefore is fully disqualified to teach! And that's not even going into the fact the position is held by a demi-human creature..."

Fudge looked up pleased. "He made a simple mistake like that? Perfect... then that means..."

"That means I will simply show up at Hogwarts on September 1st, and demand to take the position of Professor of Care of Magical Creatures, as it has not been filled since 1993," Umbridge beamed.

"Dolores, I could kiss you!" Fudge exclaimed. Umbridge nearly swooned.
"I see just one problem," Fudge said after a pause. "Care is an optional class, so there is a chance that Potter brat could simply drop it."

"I've thought about Potter," Umbridge's smile turned more sinister. "Tell me Minister, how... troublesome would it be if Potter had... an accident before Hogwarts?"

A/N 2: I've been thinking about the rating for this story. I started it as a 'T', but I've been skirting the line to 'M' almost from the start. Maybe I should just raise it. Making it a proper 'M' would mean I could write the lemons in Harry and Nym's relationship some more instead of just alluding to them as I have so far. I've put a poll on my profile, if you've got an opinion on this subject please vote there.

Update: well that is obvious... at just over 100 votes 96% thinks it should be M. Rating changed! I'll see about how detailed I feel comfortable getting in writing...