Thanks Seaver as usual!

coolone007: No you didn't miss anything… things will clear up later on that front. I figured Remus would do well with a veela… thanks for reviewing.

TimGold: Yeah sorry about the Ron / Hermione… lol… but that's the way it is in this fic. Hope the Harry and Fleur will make up for it. Thanks.

the munchkinator: Thanks I do my best!

Acacia Jules: They'll get together for real in the end… but it won't be easy.

Thanks for reviewing, it really means a lot to me to know that people are reading!

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Chapter 30 Remus Remembers

Harry stumbled and Fleur almost fell had Harry not caught her when they arrived outside Number 12 Grimmauld place.

"You okay?" Fleur asked when she had steadied herself.

"Mmmm," Harry answered not feeling entirely up to a yes.

"Right," Fleur said knowing fully well how good he felt, "Can you see it yet?"

"Yeah," replied Harry faintly.

"Good, let's go," Fleur said pull him along towards Black Manor.

"You are closer to the bell," Fleur informed him when they had reached the front door.

"Oh… right," Harry said and rung the bell, a few moments later the door opened.

"Hurry inside," Mad Eye Moody said his magical eye looking strait at them through the invisibility cloak.

"Hello Moody, eager to see us?" Fleur said teasingly as they passed him in the doorway.

"If it was up too me you would have all stayed at Hogwarts," Moody growled and closed the door behind them.

"Oh Harry we are so sorry, we didn't mean to. He just disappeared and we have looked all over for him and I think he may have left the house," Hermione said from the stairs when Harry pulled the invisibility cloak off them.

"Who?" Harry asked as Moody limped away towards the kitchens.

"Vertex," said Ron grimly and followed Hermione down the stairs, "We couldn't do anything he just disappeared last night."

"Oh, don't worry about that he just got scared of the fireworks," Fleur explained, "He turned up in Beauxbaton last evening."

"He did?" Hermione said happily and relieved, "That's wonderful I have been so worried… Is he all right? Where is he now?"

"He hasn't splinched himself has he?" Ron asked knowledgably.

"Phoenixes can't splinch themselves, they use natural apparition," said Hermione rolling her eyes.

"He's left in Beauxbaton, Nancy will keep him until he feels ready to apparate back," Harry explained.

"Everything went fine then?" Ron asked seeming relieved.

"Yes, and we got a camera," Fleur answered fishing out the camera from her bag.

"That's good," Ron said.

"Yeah, so how did Vertex behave?" Harry asked as Fleur banished their bags and cloaks to their rooms.

"Just fine, he is a very well behaved phoenix," Hermione said.

"We noticed you've taught him the basics," Fleur said conversationally while they walked towards the drawing room.

"Basics?" Hermione asked blankly.

"Yeah," Harry said, "He is a very affectionate phoenix."

"What are you getting at?" Ron asked, he could tell they were being teased.

At that very moment, there was a bright flash and Vertex appeared singing his phoenix song.

"Hello Vertex," Fleur cooed and handed Harry the camera. Vertex flew happily onto Fleur's shoulder and spread his wings around her head. Several smacking sounds could be heard from Vertex.

"You must have thought him that," said Harry teasingly. Ron and Hermione were frozen in shock for a moment but then they both turned the deepest colour of crimson possible. Harry photographed them.

"Hey," Ron exclaimed forgetting his embarrassment, "That's not fair!"

"Sorry mate couldn't help myself," Harry said grinning mischievously.

"But how can you be sure he didn't learn that from you two?" Hermione asked.

"He's spent more time with you after all," Ron added.

Now it was Harry's turn to blush, "We kind of don't do that very often."

He hated admitting that his relationship with Fleur wasn't what it was expected to be, even though he was happy the way it was.

"Sorry," Hermione muttered still very red, "Must have seen us then."

"Just make sure you don't teach him any more," Fleur said warningly.

"Like what, he already knows…" Ron said but then trailed off. "Oh," he added when realisation dawned on him.

"How's your mum and dad, are you brothers still here?" Harry asked forcefully to change the subject.

"No just we and Mad-Eye," Ron said leaping on to the new subject, "Turns our mum has been working for Gringotts off and on for almost a year, she's cooking for them."

"Why don't they hire house elves?" Harry asked settling down in one of the drawing room armchairs.

"Goblins don't get along with house elves and most elves doesn't feel goblins worthy masters," Fleur explained sitting down in his lap. Ron and Hermione gave them a curious glance before they too sat down together.

Harry wanted to ask if Mrs. Weasley were spying on the Goblins but then he thought that she might just work there to earn some extra money. He decided to bring it up with Hermione later since Ron was a bit touchy about money.

"So, what about the rest of them?" Harry asked instead.

"Mr Weasley has been called in to the ministry, they started muggle baiting again," Hermione explained grimly, putting an arm around Ron's neck for comfort. "Charlie and Remus help him performing memory charms and take muggles to St Mungo's"

"Are they authorised to perform memory charms?" Fleur asked.

"Madam Bones authorized them yesterday. They are desperate, more reports are coming in then they can handle," Hermione explained, "Fudge has been taking money from the misuse of muggle artefacts office for years and now they can hardly deal with the situation."

"They worked yesterday?" asked Harry.

"Yeah they haven't been home… here since two days ago that's when everything started, left right after you did," said Ron, "And Dumbledore sent the twins to work at something they wouldn't tell us what… gits!"

"Ron," Hermione scolded, "They are your brothers and Dumbledore probably made them promise to keep quiet."

"With all due respect Hermione, you know a lot but you have no idea what it is like to have brothers," said Ron slightly patronizing, Hermione glared at him.

"You should be happing having brothers," Hermione snapped starting up an argument with Ron.

"Don't fight in front of Vertex!" Fleur interrupted covering the little phoenix vision with her hand. Vertex gave a confused squeak.

Hermione looked taken aback, "Sorry," She mumbled.

"You haven't been arguing in front of him before have you?" Fleur asked looking carefully at them.

"No," Ron said looking confused; he clearly did not expect Fleur to make a point about this.

"Good," Harry stated he agreed with Fleur, Vertex should not have to be exposed to arguments when he just was a couple of days old.

Mrs Weasley arrived later that day in time for dinner though she was exhausted so Harry, Fleur, Hermione and Ron cooked most of the dinner. Arthur, Charlie and Remus didn't return but, to their surprise, Tonks did. She was even more exhausted then Mrs Weasley. The aurors had requested her special talent to follow some suspect and she hadn't slept for twenty four hours. Tonks went to bed at once too tired to even eat.

The rest of the holyday progressed slowly, everyday there was horrible news in the daily prophet and the ministry put out desperate adds for personnel. There was absolute panic and the magical population started to question Fudge's position as minister of magic. Fudge however was not blind to the critics and he made several rearrangements in the ministry.

Arthur Weasley got the authority to employ personnel as he saw fit to his department as well as a new office. Aurors were given rights to use the unforgivables again and the new Auror Voldemort department got new funds even though they didn't do anything that the rest of the aurors didn't.

Fleur had sent a request for an appointment with someone in the department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to register a phoenix but had not yet received a reply since most of the personnel in that department had been transferred to magic law enforcement. When the final day of the holyday arrived and it was time for their trip back to Hogwarts, Remus arrived with a Portkey that would take them to Platform nine and three quarters.

"How was Beauxbaton?" Remus asked when he and Harry happened to stumble in to each other in one of the corridor.

Remus was looking worse then ever he had not taken to wear the robes Harry had given him for Christmas. The fact that he was on duty for Dumbledore all the time had given him huge bags under his eyes and on top of all he didn't look like he had eaten properly for months.

"It was great, and…" Harry trailed off he wondered if he aught to be careful about mentioning Nancy judging by her reaction but then again she was a veela and only used that as a excuse to have her annual fight with Fleur, "and Nancy was really nice."

"Yeah," Remus agreed and something sad drifted across his face momentarily, "I suppose she told you of our well… adventures?"

"As a matter of fact yes," Harry said not really knowing how to deal with Remus, "And she told me loads about my mum as well did you know her patronus was the same as mine?"

"No I didn't. Fortunately, in those days dementors were not a threat so most people just learned the patronus charm to see what animal or person they took shape of," Remus explained as the great teacher he should be.

"I didn't know it could take form of humans?" Harry asked.

"Yes, humans are perhaps not as usual as animals and there are rare cases when the patronus takes form of dead object as well."

"Anyway," Harry said returning to the subject of his mother, "Did you know she did this in your sixth year?"

Remus burst out laughing for the first time in what seemed ages, "Oh if James had known… it would have been terrible!"

"Why?" Harry asked eager for every detail.

"You all ready know your father had a tendency of being big headed, and I suspect that if he'd know Lily had feelings for him back then…" Remus left the last words unsaid but they were clear to Harry.

"She kind of hates you," Harry blurted out before he could stop himself but Harry agreed with Nancy on that point, Remus had been a real fool and deserved to know it full out.

Remus looked at Harry as if sizing him up, "I can't blame her, I like the rest of us back then lacked some adult aspects."

"She has thought for all these years that you didn't want a part human," Harry said seriously, hoping that Remus would take it good.

Remus let out a bitter laugh, "I suppose you told her about my condition."

Harry nodded, "Perhaps you should apologize to her I think she would appreciate it."

"She would flame me too ashes," Remus corrected.

"Well yes," Harry agreed, "But you should apologize even if she won't forgive you."

"I suppose I could write her a letter," Remus ventured, "But that's stupid, she wont care it's been too long time."

"I just thought you aught to know," Harry said uncertainly, "She wouldn't have cared about you being a werewolf."

Remus looked hurt and angry, "That is none of your business!"

"Sorry," Harry said but found that he was not and added, "But you deserve it, you hurt her badly."

"Shut up!" Remus snapped.

"No," Harry said his temper flaring, "You are too much! You think my Dad and Sirius would just let you carry on with your werewolf self-pity?"

"Shut UP!" Remus yelled.

"NO!" Harry yelled back, "Why are you not wearing the robes I gave you for Christmas?"

"I like these," Remus said through clenched teeth, "They suit me!"

"They bloody hell does not suit you!" Harry snapped, "You are going to wear proper clothes and eat proper meals and I'm going to ask Dumbledore to shut you out of the order until you do so!"

"Dumbledore is happy the way things are," Remus said trying to calm himself.

"He is just going to have to change his mind then," Harry hissed.

"And when it comes to Nancy, she is getting here this Easter if all goes well and you are going to apologize to her!" Harry commanded with as much authority as he could muster.

"I was a grown man before you was born Potter," Remus spat, "I do as I please!"

"You are nothing but a werewolf," Harry said viciously "A filthy dark creature! And you will be so until you accept the truth and stop this self pitying!"

Remus was momentarily stunned by the fact that Harry called him a werewolf. It was low Harry knew it but Remus deserved it, perhaps he'd wake up.

"What do you think Padfoot and Prongs would say about your behaviour?" Harry asked, "I bet they would get you drunk or something and party, perhaps they would set you up with a girl or something."

Remus didn't reply he looked down on the floor.

"THEY ARE DEAD SO YOU HAVE TO DO IT YOURSELF!" Harry yelled suddenly.

Remus head snapped up to his again.

"Go change into some nice robes and you can come along to the platform and wave us off," Harry commanded and when Remus didn't reply Harry yelled, "NOW!"

Remus turned and walked back into his room, the moment Remus was gone Harry let out a long ragged breath. He had been shaking of fury and was still shivering; he had never done any thing like this in his life. He slumped down to the floor and his emotions overwhelmed him. His throat was hurting slightly because of all his shouting.

Then he became terrified what if he had just pushed Remus away from him, what if Remus wouldn't forgive him for yelling at him. He had been very rude and he had put his nose in Remus private business. He knew that Remus condition was a touchy subject and he had steamed rolled that subject thoroughly. A few moments later Remus's door opened and he stepped out dressed in the robes that Harry had given him for Christmas.

"Good," Harry said with more confidence then he felt and stood up. He had prepared an apology but since Remus seemed to follow his directions he felt that an apology would sound stupid and even worse Remus might go back to wearing his old robes, "You look good."

"I don't feel too good," Remus said faintly, "You are right, Prongs wouldn't let me wear those robes and Sirius wouldn't either normally but he never put much value into robes after Azkaban."

Harry smiled he took a deep breath of relief, "You are going to eat properly again?"

"I won't skip any meals," Remus said still faintly, "But I can't promise I will be hungry."

"Right," Harry said and then added, "If you feel like coming up to Hogwarts for Easter and apologizing to Nancy you better fill out a bit."

"I doubt it will matter how I look," Remus said.

"No you misunderstood," Harry said, "If you weight too little you won't burn for a long enough time and that may make matters even worse."

Remus chuckled, "You are too much like your mother for your own good."

"Funny," Harry stated, "Nancy said those exact words as well… but that was right before the argument broke out."

Remus suddenly looked angry again, "I hope you are not trying to set us up?"

"No," Harry said though he though it would be great if they fell for each other again, "But you do owe her an apology."

"And you are sure she doesn't hate me for being a werewolf?" Remus inquired.

"Her exact words were Oh no poor Remi," Harry said smiling gently, "And then she asked when you were bitten."

"How did you end up talking about me anyway?" Remus asked suspiciously.

"It was kind of hard not to when she told me about her time at Hogwarts and my mum," Harry explained.

"That's right I almost forgot your mother knew them," Remus said his eyes drifting far away as if remembering a long forgotten memory.

"Knew them?" Harry asked.

"Yes didn't Nancy tell you? Well I guess there is a chance she didn't know. No one told anyone much back then," Remus said. "Your mother ran into the Delacour's in London when you were just born. I remember it because James complained about being flamed for some reason. I haven't thought of those days for ages, it was a happy time we were invincible back then at least we thought so and we probably would have been too had it not been for Wormtail."

"So there is a chance I met Fleur when I was a baby?" Harry asked, mildly surprised.

"Yeah I think you might have… now that I think of it you probably must have because James got burned in your home," Remus said thoughtfully.

"Hope I made a good impression," Harry joked.

A few minutes later, they were all gathered in the drawing room. Tonks and Fleur would go with them on the Hogwarts express and Mrs Weasley and Remus to the platform. Mad-eye moody would remain at Black Manor; there was always somebody there in case of an emergency.

After a bit of acrobatics the seven of them touched an old hat that was the Portkey. When the clock turned ten forty-five, Harry felt the familiar tug behind his navel and they were off towards the Platform nine and three-quarters. After several hugs from Mrs Weasley and loads of promises to behave, they were off towards Hogwarts.

"So did you freeze the bathroom?" Fleur asked once, she, Tonks, Harry, Hermione and Ron had settled down in a compartment.

"Yeah," Tonks said, "Dumbledore help conjuring ice-skates, apparently he knew we were going skating and wanted to join us."

"I told him right before we got Vertex," Harry admitted.

"Uh huh," Tonks said, "So what was all that yelling about?"

"Yeah," Ron added, "What did you and Remus argue about?"

"Nothing," Harry said quickly, "But he told me something interesting… well funny anyway."

"What?" Fleur asked.

"Apparently we saw each other when you were in London when we were small," Harry said smiling slightly.

"We did?" Fleur asked, "How come?"

"I have no idea, but anyway you were over at my parent's house and Remus said that he only remembers because my dad complained about being flamed."

"Well if he looks like you…" Fleur teased and they all laughed. "So our parents knew each other well?"

"I have no idea, apparently my mum ran into you in London. I don't know if they knew each other before that or if they just had Nancy in common and my mum recognized your mum," Harry said.

"We'll never know," Fleur said sadly.

"No we wont," Harry agreed and as if sensing their sadness Vertex apparated into the compartment with a flash. They had left him at Grimmauld Place, as they still were not to sure about bringing him along on Portkeys.

"Hello sweetie," Fleur cooed and hugged the phoenix, "You know when mummy is sad."

"You know you two really act as if Vertex is your baby," Tonks stated, "You are all parental and stuff."

"Yeah," Ron agreed eagerly as if he had wanted to point that out but never had the guts to do it himself.

Harry wanted to deny every such thing but Fleur opened her mouth first, "Of course we are! We made him and that makes us parents in a way besides it's not like he got a mum and dad phoenix somewhere to be better parents then us."

Harry smiled guiltily, he loved Vertex as much as Fleur did of course but the thought of being called a parent was embarrassing.

"Aren't we?" Fleur asked Harry.

Harry swallowed his pride. "Of course," He said truthfully even though he blushed brick red.

Fleur smiled triumphantly and straitened Vertex fluffy feathers lovingly. This made her seem ten times more a mother since Vertex didn't like to get his feathers straitened or pruned, it made him look smaller but his protest didn't stop Fleur the slightest. Perhaps Fleur still had some bird instinct to care for bird feathers.

"Do you think Dumbledore forged his phoenix alone or with somebody?" Tonks asked abruptly.

"I don't think so," Hermione said, "And if he did… well they must be gone by now since Fawkes is always with Dumbledore and nobody else."

"Time for patrol," Hermione stated glancing down on her watch.

"Right" Ron agreed and got up from his seat gingerly and stretched. Ron was tall by now several inches taller then Harry and he was about six foot tall. Hermione watched him lovingly.

"There is another happy couple," Tonks said sadly, "Why can't I ever just fall in love like that and why can't any one fall in love with me like that?"

"What about Charlie?" Fleur asked, "He's nice and good looking and he got red hair too."

"Charlie is nice," Tonks stated gloomily.

"What about Snape then?" Fleur asked.

They all burst out laughing.

"What kind of men do you like then?" Fleur asked giggly.

"I don't know…" Tonks said sadly.

"Is there a student?" Fleur asked grinning like mad.

"No, they are all too young I don't know if you have noticed but I am six years older then the oldest students," Tonks said.

"They wouldn't mind," Fleur said.

"I do," Tonks said flatly, "Perhaps in a few years but right now it would only feel awkward besides it's not really allowed to flirt with students."

"Come on there has to be someone? What about the aurors?" Fleur asked, "Bet there is loads of strong men there?"

"Like mad-eye?" Tonks asked.

"Well any death eaters then?" Fleur joked.

"Married all of them," Tonks retorted.

"This won't do you'll have to figure out someone who you could at least consider going out with," Fleur said shaking her head disapprovingly.

"I did yesterday there was this muggle who was being bated and got stuck to a door handle," Tonks said dryly.

"Oh, a muggle was he cute?" Fleur asked eagerly.

"He was," Tonks continued without emotion, "But then when the… who ever it was who was going to get him free arrived the door handle poisoned him and he died a minute later still stuck to the handle."

"Oh darling," Fleur burst out and hugged Tonks tightly. Tonks sobbed desperately into Fleur shoulder.

"I can't handle it! It's too much it's awful and I had to use the killing curse yesterday… it was just a warning but it was so horrible," Tonks wailed and broke down completely. She muttered all kinds of nonsense, Fleur agreed with whatever she said and held her tightly.

Harry sat opposite Fleur and felt very awkward, he wanted to make Tonks feel better but he couldn't think of anything to do that Fleur didn't already. Instead, he just sat there and stroked Vertex feathers absentmindedly. He heard the food trolley approach their compartment and decided to go out in the corridor rather then to have the sales witch pop into their compartment.

"Hello dear," The sales witch said, "Anything from the trolley?"

"Buy some chocolate frogs and warm Butterbeer," Ron said from behind him. He and Hermione were just back from their patrol.

"Right," Harry replied, "Perhaps you shouldn't enter the compartment just now."

"How come?" Hermione asked.

"Tonks is a little bit upset about auror stuff," Harry explained.

"Let's cheer her up then," said Ron.

"Well the thing is, she is not just a little upset," Harry clarified and stepped between Ron and the compartment door.

"Have you made up your mind yet?" The sales witch asked.

"Six Butterbeers a pumpkin juice and a big box of chocolate frogs and cauldron cakes," Harry said, he had gotten quite used to ordering things of the trolley by now.

"I'll put it in a bag for you," The witch said, "That will be two galleons and four knuts… let's say two galleons even."

Harry paid the sales witch and a few minutes later, when Tonks sobs had subsided from inside the compartment they entered. Tonks had pulled herself together and dried her tears but it was not hard to tell how bad she felt.

"Here," Harry said and handed her an opened Butterbeer bottle, "Its warm so don't burn yourself."

"Oh Vertex," Hermione gasped. Vertex who had been left inside the compartment on the little table when Harry bought their food was crying huge clear phoenix tears.

"Oh Vertex it's all right," Fleur said and pulled the phoenix close to her.

"I think he thinks you have hurt your shoulder," Harry said when Vertex tried to put his head on Fleur shoulder where Tonks had cried moments earlier.

"Oh," Tonks said she didn't seem too depressed anymore.

"It's all right," Fleur said again and quickly bared her shoulder to show him that she was not wounded, "See it is fine."

Vertex stopped crying and gave Fleur a searching look.

"I'm fine it was Tonks who was hurt," Fleur said softly so that only Vertex and Harry could hear, "But she is okay now."

Vertex kissed Fleur on the mouth and settled down in her knee like a swan. Fleur transfigured the pumpkin juice bottle to a bowl so that Vertex could drink from it.

The start of term feasts was great. Beauxbaton could never compete with Hogwarts when it came to feasts. Vertex had dinner at the staff table with Fleur since neither Fleur nor Harry had heart to leave him behind in her office. Vertex seemed to mirror Fleur's mood at the staff table and was very well behaved. When the house elves made all the food appear, there was a plate with herbs for Vertex and a bowl of water.

"There is no need to rush, Hermione," said Ron, Hermione was practically throwing down the food, "The library isn't open now you will have to wait until tomorrow."

Hermione took a huge gulp of pumpkin juice to clear her mouth, "I know it isn't," She managed before swallowing another mouthful with the help of even more pumpkin juice.

"So you are back to throwing up as a protest?" Ron asked teasingly.

"Of course I'm not," Hermione said after she had swallowed even more food.

"Yeah, well anyhow you are going to throw up as a protest or not," Ron stated when she stuffed down another mouthful.

"I'm off to the library," Hermione said when her plate was empty a few seconds later.

"Hey it's closed, remember?" Ron asked very clearly.

"Yes, but I got special permission to 'encourage my further studies' one of the best parts of getting the best grades in fifty years," Hermione said quickly as she stood up and left the great hall at a sprint.

"Oh I see," Ron said sarcastically to Hermione's empty place, "So what are you going study? … That is very interesting. You know I remember those old days when you had the horrible habit of just disappear to the library with out telling anyone why."

Harry chuckled, "When you two move together you are going to have to combine the dining room and library."

"Yeah," Ron agreed darkly but Harry knew he loved Hermione just the way she was.

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So what do you think? I let Harry get angry in this chapter as well. I think Harry will need it if he is going to stand up to Voldemort.

Please note that I never let Hermione speak with her mouth full, she is a very well behaved girl and wouldn't do that… she just ate very quickly.

Now I am going to hold my breath until I get many wonderful reviews……..!