Harry Potter and the New Life
Chapter eighteen – Harry learns some new stuff!
Harry awoke the next day to find Winky cooling his head with a damp cloth and Tonks looking down on him with her bubble gum pink hair sticking up all over.
Harry smiled weekly and sat up gripping the bed trying to remember what he had dreamt. Winky passed him a glass of water then helped him drink it.
"Winky hear is a very good a taking care of you." Tonks explained sitting on a chair watching Harry roll his neck and trying to think.
"That she is. I know I talk in my sleep, can you help me, I need to remember what I dreamt but all I can see is Neville and that's not to helpful. Did I say anything that my prompt me to remember?" She looked thoughtful rather than confused at his request.
"I have only been watching you this last few hours so, you would be better asking Lupin he never left your side all night." Harry wasn't to surprised at this but agreed anyway.
"He wants to replace Sirius, like he wanted to replace my dad and Mrs Weasley wants to replace my mum. But I can't let them my mum and dad are my mum and dad and even if they are dead I can't except replacements for them without feeling guilty." He put his glasses on now and everything came back into focus.
"They care about you Harry, we all do and not just because we were close to your parents. You're a very originally lad turning in to a decent man. You may look like you dad so much, but I believe it's you mother you act like the most. James was rash and made decisions to quickly it was your mother who made him sit down and think things through."
Harry looked at her smiling slightly.
"You're the first person to willingly talk about my mum and dad in such a way. Why?"
"Because I believe that your mum would want you to know about her and want amazing things she did to help people. She would want to make you proud and not leave you hiding in the dark all the time, the more you know the harder it will be to make decisions but you will hopefuly make a better choice in the long run. And not get into so much trouble."
"When I talk to Lupin it's like he's dodging round egg shells. And when I could talk to Sirius he was so messed up in his own head that it was like I was dodging round egg shells, he was so volatile all the time.
'I didn't want to offend him or disappoint him by asking such silly questions about me dad because i could see in his eyes how upset he was about it. I came to terms with my mum and dad been dead a long time ago, the only thing I can remember is them dying, I want happier memories of them."
Harry was feeling much more him self now talking to Tonks and started to pull some clothes on, she averted her eyes but answered him all the same looking at one of the books.
"Sirius wasn't ever offend by you, if you had had more time to get to know him you would of found he was the best replacement for James possible. Sirius loved and cared for James ever since they were boy's and would probably of let you get away with most things because he wanted to love and care for you in the same way.
'He was never disappointed with you, he was so proud when he heard you were teaching other kids how to look after themselves because it reminded him so much of James.
'To learn things in the safety of Hogwarts and then use them when your put in a very dangerous situation is far better then learning on your feet like we have to.
'Moody is lucky to be alive in many ways, he never had a teacher it was trial and error and that's why he looks, well like he does, sharing what you know is the best we can hope for. Well that was your mothers philosophy."
"Tell me about her." Harry asked pulling a jumper on and sitting opposite Tonks.
"Well she was a very magnificent lady and exceptionally good at charms, unlike your farther who always favoured transfiguration. You know he was an Amigius well your mother was just as exceptional, she could control things and cast far better spell's than I ever could.
'She was top of her class in most things and worked very hard to the best she could for her mum and dad but was always so disappointed that they didn't understand her gifts."
"She sounds like Hermione.' Just then Lupin and Dobby came in and Harry felt the discussion had to end.
'Thanks Tonks I very grateful you know."
"Think nothing of it Harry." She answered as she got up to leave.
"No, talking to you has helped me remember, and its okay nothing happened to Neville I was just thinking about something else to do with that letter." Harry took a deep breath then puffed out standing up and walking to the door, he was hungry.
"Harry, good, your awake, we were beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up." Lupin wandered in but Harry didn't know what to say so shrugged a bit to pass time.
"Is there any breakfast going I'm hungry?" Just then Dobby came scampering into the room with a little tray with a plate of cooked breakfast and orange juice.
"I think that answers your question." Lupin smiled seeming to have forgotten about last night for the time been.
"Thanks Dobby." Harry took the tray and sat back down to eat as Dobby pleased with him self scampered back off to where ever he had been working.
"Your really odd round house elves Harry." Tonks commented.
"Well Dobby is a bit of an odd house elf. I finally understood what he was like then realised that there isn't another one like him.' Harry paused to eat some more really tasty tomatoes.
'Hermione's gonna kill me when she finds out I've got him working here though. But to be honest he seems happy enough and the foods great." Harry stopped to finish the rest of his plate then got up to take it down stairs.
He was followed all the way by Tonks and Lupin until he reached the dinning room where Dobby came rushing out with bubbles all over him to take the tray back.
Sitting down on the old couch Harry picked up the new newspaper and started to flick through for a minuet until George came down covered in muck again with Sirius sat on her shoulder and a letter.
"What's he turned up with this time?" Harry asked wondering over taking the letter Sirius flew up to a perch and settled in for a nap.
"Err, don't you have somewhere you're supposed to be, I mean James is clearly fine and well..." George asked Lupin who looked quiet bored to be honest as Tonks had took up the newspaper and Harry had started pretending to read the letter.
"We're supposed to stay and keep an eye on Harry until Mr Weasley comes back." He replied leaning against the side board.
"Why?" Was George's reply and Harry had to pull the letter higher to smirk in private but as he looked over and Tonks was doing the same so winked.
"Just doing as I'm told like you should be."
"Who's going to tell?' George asked blankly, but Lupin couldn't answer and after letting him stew for a moment turned to Harry asking.
'Is that from Ginny?"
"Yep.' Harry quickly read it.
'She wants to come and stay but her mum's not in much of a good mood, so she's trying to convince Ron to come too so he can 'look after her'. You'll have to look at the picture yourself to understand what she thinks."
Ginny had drawn a crude picture of clearly her mum waving an old broom around and Ron running away from her.
"Best send something back then. Err, what you planning to do today?"
"I don't know what you want me to do?"
"Depends if they go soon." George replied totally ignoring Lupin who happened to be stood next to her.
"Me and Lupin have got plenty of jobs to do, haven't we." Tonks added pointedly.
"Might read up on stuff for a bit if it's going to be quiet.' Harry explained randomly, walking over to George.
'Think I best work on me lesson plans at some point." He added quietly in George's ear before standing by the door hoping they would leave. Lupin was watching closely trying to guess what Harry was saying.
"Well I think it be time we were going Lupin, lots to do and all. Harry's looking fine now so no need for us to be here. He can hardly get in much trouble between now and when Arthur gets here after work."
Tonks was standing up now and swinging the cloak around herself she motioned for Lupin to reluctantly do the same. After much consideration he did and before long George and Harry were almost alone again.
"Glad they've gone, honestly you'd think I didn't know anything about looking after you. You were just tired and needed a good long rest and he kept fussing around like it was your death bed." George complained leading Harry upstairs.
Harry helped George all day doing lots of little jobs and at five Dobby had prepared a large meal for them all to eat with only two courses but the tastiest trifle Harry had ever tasted.
Afterwards Harry sat on the sofa reading a book he had recently brought on mediation that he was comparing to what he knew about Occlumency from his brief lessons with Snape. As much as he hated it the slimeball had taught him a lot about closing his mind. Not wanting another time like last night he was determined to find a way to beat his head.
Two hours passed as he studied away and George had already tried to get him to stop and come have a drink with her but sadly Harry had declined, eventually she gave up and sat with Dobby trying to figure him out.
"What's he reading any way that looks like a muggle book on his knee but it's definitely a wizard one in his hand, the pictures are moving?" George asked sitting with Dobby and Winky each with a glass. Winky however was struggling to get used to the idea of almost been equal to George and Harry in there conversations like Dobby.
"Mr Potter is studying muggle and wizard meditation and was saying earlier how it seamed simular to his Occumentery-something." Dobby squeaked.
"Well what ever it is he seems very determined, I'm beginning to wonder is he stops at all tonight. Or if he remembers that Mr Weasley is coming later but I don't know when."
It was half past eight and Harry suddenly got up and closed his books coming over to George and Dobby.
"Err I want to have a go at this before I get tired and forget. Err do you mind, it might take all night and well, that's not much company for you."
George could see Harry really wanted to have a go at whatever it was he had been up to so didn't mind at all thinking it must be important for him to ask.
"Course me and Dobby have been discussing kitchens, I think Mr Weasley will be here in a bit you didn't forget did you?" Harry had as a matter of fact.
"Err oh, forgot about that, he's probably going to want to talk to me isn't he. But I really wanted to do this as I don't know how well it's going to work." George stroked his face.
"You go and sit in a room by yourself and have a go at that, whatever it is and I will see to Mr Weasley if he gets here and your still up there. Okay." Harry smiled, what would he do without her.
"Okay but if it's important come get me okay." She nodded and he kissed her cheek before running upstairs.
Harry had be wanting to practise this sort of meditation idea ever since he saw the book in Flurish and Blotts a few days ago but hadn't had chance. He was attempting to reach an unconscious state of mediation where he could sleep and yet be totally aware of what was happening wither around him or him side.
In theory if he could pull this off he need never have night mares again but in practise it was going to be hard by himself. Three hours later he had been sat on the floor looking at a candle and was feeling no closer to been tired or sleepy, if anything he just felt dumb and wide awake.
He heard a voice downstairs and figured it must be Ron's dad, he just wanted to have one last try though before giving up.
Clearing his mind he tried to empty his emotions and think only of the candle, relaxing his muscles he felt the breath on his lips float in and out at a steady place. Eventually he closed his eyes and started to let his mind wander into a more unconscious state.
Not thinking about weather he was doing it or not for the first time he felt his body get really heavy and sink down into the floor, then down even further before he felt like he was sat at the centre of the earth.
The air around him was warm and his breath merely added to the heat and he could feel every beat of his heart and the blood running around his body. Each beat seemed to take and age to finish heavily inhis chest.
Each breath got slower and each heart beat got further and further apart, once he felt he could not get any slower he sat and tried to maintain this place for as long as he could.
However as soon as he thought about trying to stay there his body suddenly felt wide awake and he had lost his tranquil state of mind to the harsh cold of the room he was sat kneeling in.
His legs felt stiff like they had been sat there for hours and hours, he stood up and giving up for today he started to wonder down stairs in the almost darkness.
He was just thinking about what he could possible say to Mr Weasley when stepping into the living room to find no-one there, the fire in the fire place was still glowing but had burnt down to nothing and Harry was beginning to wonder just how long he had been sat up there.
The grandfather clock in the corner chimed two bells. Two o'clock in the morning, it can't be that late can it, he looked at his watch and yes it was two o'clock in the morning and he felt quiet normal hardly tierd at all.
Thinking George must be in bed Harry walked back up stairs and pulling most his clothes off climbed into bed next to George who immediately cuddled up next to him sleepily saying.
"Not time to get up yet James, it's to early I'm asleep." And then she really was fast to sleep.
Closing his eyes Harry laid there thinking about how his meditation thing had gone and was impatient to try again, but not now he thought and sat stroking George's hair for what seemed like hours before going to sleep.