"Oh, bloody hell, now I've done it," Tonks chuckled, pretending (unconvincingly) to be disappointed in herself. After Tonks had conjured up several buckets of water to put out Percy's head, and after Percy had told her off thoroughly ("You KNEW I was going to do that, you deliberately PROVOKED me, Nymphadora!" "Of course I did, and its not Nymphadora, it's TONKS, already!") Percy suggested that they go inside. "Don't want to be overheard out here in the street," she said easily. All three of them hurried into Number Four, up the staircase, and into Harry's room. Uncle Vernon, who had been watching them nervously from the front window, barely had time for a sputter of rage before the door slammed in his face. "Now," Tonks said brusquely, "Before I start here, Harry, I want you to understand that this is really sensitive information-" "Of course," Harry cried. What, did they think he was a baby, unable to be trusted with their stupid "top secret" stuff? "You misunderstand us, Harry," Percy told him gently, seeing the look on his face. "We know that you're trustworthy, and we know that you'd never, ever betray us. That's not even an issue. We just wanted you to understand that EVERY SINGLE THING that is said between now and the end of the conversation is totally secret. Even when it seems like it might be something totally obvious or generally known or even when it might seem like a joke, you can't repeat any of this, not even to Ron or Hermione. Yeah, I know," she hurried on, seeing Harry's mouth work furiously, "I know you'll tell them anyway, but.just don't. We'll tell them as soon as we see them, but we gotta make sure that when we DO tell them, we're not where we could possibly be overheard. OK?" Harry nodded, squashing his impatience. "OK, so this is what's been going on," Tonks began, settling herself on Harry's bed while Harry and Percy sat expectantly on the floor. "There's been no killings yet, but a couple of the Ministry's Aurors have had some close calls. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named sent a couple of old Death Eaters to kill Hestia Jones' mum; nobody knows why, exactly, but me 'n' Kingsley both were on the team that had to fend 'em off. We think one of 'em might have been Macnair, but he wasn't as high on the list of Voldemort's favourite Death Eaters as Lucius Malfoy or Peter Pettigrew. Anyways, he Disapparated before we could snag 'im. How about you, Percy?" "Well, the big news at the American Ministry is that we've-well, that is to say, the Minister has- cancelled the World Cup. It was supposed to take place in Montana this year, but our Department of International Magical Cooperation drafted this report for the Minister that said all sorts of things.like how there's a very significant chance that Voldemort (Tonks flinched) might just show up with all his cronies and wipe everyone out. So, ah, the Minister cancelled it, and all the other Ministries are in an uproar. It'll be the first time in many years that the Quidditch Cup's been cancelled. Of course, the American wizarding public isn't all that upset yet, but if the Minister bars the Quodpot Finals all hell will break loose." Tonks rolled her eyes. "Your lot's STILL on about that Quodpot stuff?" "Yep. And I tell you, Tonks, if I'm.if.if we're forced to.to take away Quodpot.there'll be riots. And.and, I'm afraid, Tonks. What if.what if it gets out about.about him.I'll be thrown out for sure." Suddenly Percy looked petrified. "Well, anyways, it won't come to that, I'm positive," Tonks replied bracingly. She seemed to be casting about for something to say that might take Percy's mind off of the impending chaos. "Um, how's that new bloke you've been seeing? Um.William 's his name, right?" "Yeah. William. Right," Percy replied, looking somewhat heartened. "He's wonderful, absolutely great. Actually- and I don't mind telling you this, the both of you- I'm expecting a proposal soon!" Tonks squealed excitedly, bombarding Percy with questions about the possible engagement. Harry felt mildly revolted. Girls ARE all the same, he thought disdainfully. First it was Cho, getting all weepy about Cedric at the most inconvenient times, and now Percy and Tonks were both getting all excited about something which hadn't even happened yet! Suddenly a thought struck Harry, leaving him a bit in awe.would Hermione ever start being all stupid and strange? Or was she just a more sensible girl than most? "Yes, he's very good looking," Percy giggled, jolting Harry out of his thoughts. "He's got this long hair, very long, he's tied it back into a ponytail, and his eyes are lovely, and he's got this long earring like a dangling fang-" Long hair? Ponytail? Fang earring? "Hang on!" shouted Harry, his mind racing. "Has he got red hair as well?" Percy looked sheepish. "Yeah, he does. Sorry, Harry, I meant to-" "Bill Weasley! You're engaged to Bill?!?!?" "We're not engaged yet," Percy told him, looking ruffled. "I only said that I thought-" "But.but Bill's got to be loads older than you-" "That, I'm afraid, is none of your concern." "But Percy, if he's-" "Let's move on," Tonks called loudly over both of them. "Percy, the next meeting of the Order is coming up, so be ready.Dumbledore'll want a full report from you, and you might need to go in to our Ministry and talk to Fudge." "Oh, daft old Corny can come to my office if wants to talk, the old git," Percy muttered crossly. "If he can manage to run your Ministry without having any courage or sense, he can sure as hell Apparate across the Atlantic." "Have it your way, then. Just make sure you talk to him either way, OK? Harry's under your protection, but he's still the concern of Britain-" "He's the concern of the entire wizarding world, Tonks, as I've already explained to Fudge," Percy retorted, her head looking dangerously flammable. Tonks sighed. "Right. Anyways, I've got to be going, but I'll be back next week. Say hullo to Will- I mean Bill- and make sure you let me know when the engagement is official, OK? If I have to hear it from Kelly Hattersfield in the office you'll be in trouble." And with a loud, sudden crack, Tonks was gone. On the night before his birthday, Harry was sitting on his bed feeling rather low. He hadn't had a birthday card or a package or anything.it wasn't his birthday quite yet, but even so he'd figured that at least someone might have contacted him sooner. Suddenly he realized that he was anticipating cards and presents, even EXPECTING them, for the very first time. "I'm getting soft, I am," he muttered to himself. "Pretty soon I'll start expecting the Dursleys to like me or Voldemort to apologize." Percy was still downstairs talking to her girlfriends from home over the Floo Network. Every once in awhile Harry could hear giggles and exclamations of "He did WHAT?" and "Come now, he's a dolt, don't worry about that creep." Rather than wait for her to return, Harry decided to go to sleep. He could, after all, look after himself, he told himself grumpily as he set his glasses on the nightstand and pulled the sheet rou8nd him. It wasn't as if Voldemort could attack him here; not with that ancient magic thing that Dumbledore had told him about. Ironically, living with the Dursleys was what was keeping him alive.
Slowly Harry drifted off to sleep. His dreams were dark and heavy, only interrupted by the occasional, "She's SUCH a total tramp," and "Oh my God he is so hot!" from Percy's set.
He was sitting in a large, drafty room he'd never seen before. In some ways it reminded him of the courtroom where he'd been tried by the Wizengamot last autumn; the dim lighting and lack of windows suggested a subterranean area, and the air was thin and cold. An old wizard, older than any he'd ever seen, sat at a heavy oak desk on an elevated dais. An American flag stood at the corner; beside it and slightly lower flew a flag Harry was quite unfamiliar with.
The old wizard began to speak in a slow, ponderous tone. "You are accused of passing secret information to supporters and cohorts of Lord- well, of You-Know-Who. You are further charged with deceiving the wizarding public into ignoring you unknown past and therefore misleading them, possibly depriving them of the opportunity to accurately judge your ability to hold your public post. Do you understand the charges brought against you?"
Harry was bewildered. Not again, surely! How could they accuse him of all that! He was only fifteen; he'd never held public office in his life! Was this a prophecy? Would he, Harry, become a Ministry official, only to be thrown out on charges of espionage?
Suddenly a familiar voice answered from beside him, trembling with fright. "Yes sir. I understand the charges as presented today by this court."
Harry turned. Sitting next to him, looking weary and close to tears, was Persephone Peanuckle herself.
Harry awoke with a start. For several minutes he lay in bed panting with shock, barely noticing the sunlight creeping over his windowsill and flooding into his room. What WAS that dream all about? Was it the future? Or was Voldemort simply breaking into his mind like he had last time, forcing him to believe untruths?
Gradually Harry relaxed. Sometimes, dreams were DREAMS. Not portents, not hallucinations, not tricks.just DREAMS. Slowly he sat up, expecting to see the comfort of his room as it usually was.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
A baby Hungarian Horntail was staring him in the face.