Chapter dedicated to Blahmiester, my 1600th reviewer!!
In Every Darkness
Chapter Forty Three: Good News, Bad News
16.9.1996
Harry sat, wanting to fidget, but not wanting to show this sign of nervousness. What did Dumbledore want to talk to him about?
"I'm sorry that I've had to interrupt your time twice today," Dumbledore began. "I just word from a friend of a mine, a squib who works as a judge in the Surrey area."
Harry sat up straight. Was this something to do with the Dursley's deaths then?
"He said that Marge is still trying to claim the things that are supposed to be yours, and now a date's been set for a hearing of the two of you," Dumbledore continued. Harry's heart was beating faster. "That date is Wednesday this week, two days time."
"That's not much warning," Harry said, surprised.
"You don't need much. You won't have to speak, I don't think. I'll be speaking for you – I think I told once before, but in addition to my other talents, I am also a lawyer. All you have to do is be there, since you are legally under aged anyway. You may be called upon to speak of the day that the Dursley's died. It's possible that Marge will try and say that you killed your aunt, uncle and cousin to get their things. You mustn't lose your temper, if this is the case…"
Dumbledore had a lot of advice for Harry, which the boy knew he would have to remember for the court case in two days time. The old man went on and on and on. Finally Dumbledore blinked at stopped. "I'm sorry – I can get a little carried away sometimes," he said. "You must have had other things planned for this evening, so please, go and attend to them."
Harry nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow sir," he replied, and left.
The next day came to fast in Harry's opinion – they had defence with Tonks. She was going to be fighting him today. He wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.
When the class filed into the defence classroom, Tonks was already waiting inside. "Everyone, go to the same seats as last lesson," she told them.
Slowly the students arranged themselves in the proper order, and the next person, Dean Thomas, was called forward. Now it was just Harry, Ron and Hermione left sitting who hadn't duelled with her yet.
Dean Thomas did not last long, and it was Hermione who stood up next. Hermione walked quickly to the front of the class, and bowed slightly to Tonks, who bowed in return.
Hermione shot a disarming spell, threw up a shield and stepped left in almost a single movement. Tonks dodged, and shot a stunning spell at the place where Hermione had been.
This duel went on for some time, as Hermione had learnt a lot from Harry about duelling, and Harry enjoyed watching it – it was good to see how his friends did against a full-grown witch, who was an Auror at that.
But, eventually, as with the rest, Hermione was disarmed and returned back to her seat. "Very well done! Another of Harry's students, I suppose?" Tonks said.
Hermione nodded. "Yup," she replied, as Ron took her place on the 'stage'. Ron, too, lasted some time, though not as long as Hermione.
Then it was Harry's turn. "Well Harry, let's see what you can do!" Tonks said, smiling dangerously.
Harry returned the smile and bowed, watching her bow in return. Immediately he threw himself to the ground and rolled, as two spells shot over his head.
Even as he completed his roll, before he stood up, he'd shot a spell at Tonks, on his feet, he shot two more, springing quickly three steps to the left.
Tonks was confused for a moment with the amount of spells and Harry's constant movement. Slowly though, she adjusted, as the pair of them moved and tried spells, testing each other.
In a dim part of his mind, Harry noted that the class watched with intense interest.
Harry dropped quickly to avoid two spells and cursed himself quietly; he should have entered his centre long ago. He quickly did this, and time seemed to slow down, he watched Tonks with interest, but not as a threat. Sirius was a better dueller, he thought, distantly.
He had all of time to consider his movements, he could almost sense what Tonks was going to do next, and he could see the calculating look in her eyes as she searched for a weak spot.
He shot spell after spell, faster than any other student. Dancing over the floor, he hardly to had to pause to aim – the practice over the summer had been good.
He could tell that Tonks was tiring slightly – she's fought three duels before she reached him, two of them being difficult ones.
Her tiring was obviously to his advantage. Her reactions were becoming sluggish, he noted quickly, and continued teasing her with a couple of spells at once, even as he moved.
When he judged that her reactions were slow enough, he cast three curses almost at once, at the same time stepping dangerously close to her.
She was surprised by his sudden closeness, the three spells were too much for her to deal with, and the expelliarmus charm worked.
He offered her wand to her with a bow, which she returned, as she accepted the wand. "Very well done Harry! Twenty points to Gryffindor!" she said.
Harry just smiled his thanks in reply and returned to his seat. "Well, most of you have a lot of work to do. Those of you who were in Harry's defence group last year, could you raise you hands?" Tonks asked.
Several of the Gryffindors raised their hands. "I'm not surprised to see that you were the ones that did better than most – that would be because you learnt spells last year, and a few of you had practice against Death Eaters. You'll not get as much work for a while at least, because the rest of the class has to catch up with you a little. You'll probably be left to your own devices.
"This year I have to go a little bit by the curriculum, unfortunately. I dislike rules, but oh well. I'm going to give you three weeks to do an assignment on one of the people who aided greatly in the war against Voldemort last time.
"I'll choose your subjects for you, with a random selection spell. You may be a little surprised to see the people that you get to study, but there is a reason for it," she said.
Harry was interested. He wondered who he would get. Suddenly a piece of paper appeared on everyone's desk.
Harry lifted it up to read what was written on it – when he did, he chocked in surprise. He hardly noticed that he wasn't the only one in the room to do so, because he was staring too hard at the words written on his own piece of paper: Tatsu Kendo.
"Professor!" Blaise Zabani called out. "I think there must have been a mistake – I got Sirius Black, but how could he have helped in the war? I mean, against Voldemort, that is."
"Sirius Black was not always bad. There are a few who believe that he never was bad, but the only one that knows the truth is Sirius himself, unless there are those who have discovered it from him since his escape," Tonks replied.
"Oh," Blaise said. "I didn't know that he was on the light side once."
"Not many do," was the reply. "You'll be working on those assignments outside of class," Tonks added. "I've got too many spells to teach you to give you time in class."
Just then, the bell rang. That duel with Harry had gone on longer than most people realised.
"Who did you get, Harry?" Hermione asked him.
"Some guy called Tatsu Kendo," Harry replied, remembering at the last second that he wasn't supposed to know Tatsu.
Ron goggled, and Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. Ron glared at her, about to open his mouth, then remembered that no one was supposed to know Tatsu.
"What about you guys?" Harry asked, to forestall any arguments.
"I got Dumbledore," Ron replied cheerily.
"I got Alastor Moody," Hermione added.
"Guess who Malfoy got," Ron said.
"Who?" Both of his friends where interested.
"You!" Ron said, pointing at Harry. "I heard him complaining to one of us friends," he added, as the group dissolved in laughter.
"What's so funny?" Tonks appeared beside them, demanding they share the joke.
"Malfoy got Harry as the subject for his assignment," Ron chortled, which reduced Tonks to laughter as well.
"Oh, that's going to be fun to read," she grinned. "And no, I can't give it to you three to read after me."
"Aww," Ron protested.
"Come on," Harry said. "Lets get started on these assignments."
"Shall we go to the Room of Requirement for the moment?" Hermione asked as they parted ways with Tonks. "We all know something about our subjects already, so we can get started without books."
"Sounds good to me," Harry agreed. This way they'd be able to talk without fear of being overheard.
The three of them headed off, glad that defence was the last class of the day.
When they reached the room they were after, Harry requested that it didn't let anyone in until after he and his friends had made sure it was 'all clear.'
"Wish we'd known about that last year," Ron remarked darkly – Dumbledore had told Harry of this feature over the summer holidays.
"Would have been useful," Harry agreed. "What happened to Umbridge, by the way? I never felt concerned enough to ask."
"Oh, she got sacked from the Ministry," Hermione said. "After it came out that sent those Dementors after you, and that she was going to attempt to use an Unforgivable on you. She would have gotten arrested, only she didn't actually use the curse."
"Would have served her right though," Ron muttered darkly.
"Definitely," Harry agreed. "And what's been happening with Fudge? I haven't been paying attention to him either, the annoying git."
"Oh, him," Ron said, rolling his eyes in disgust. "Well, he's been going on about you being so brave and righteous, and how we must prepare for Voldemorts coming," sometime over the holidays, Harry and Hermione had convinced Ron to call the Dark Lord by his name. "But then whenever someone comes to him asking what they should do, he shoulders them off to someone else, saying its not his job."
"Idiot," Harry muttered. "Why doesn't he just create a 'Preparing for War' office or something? And put one of the Order in charge?"
"I doubt that would occur to him," Ron said with a snort of disgust.
"Probably not," Hermione agreed, surprising both boys a little. "What?" She asked in response to the boys looks of astonishment. "I don't like Fudge any more than you do. Sure, I don't think that we should speak irrespectively of someone like the Minister, but he's basically proved that he can't do the job any way."
"You really are lightening up this year," Ron remarked.
Hermione glared at him, but, to Harry's relief, a fight did not break out, as the three of them settled over their assignments.
Soon enough it was time for Harry and Ron to meet Ginny and go to the Quidditch Pitch. A notice had been posted in the Gryffindor common room three nights before, so that people who where interested would come to the pitch after lunch today.
As neither Harry nor Ron had been particularly hungry, they'd eaten a little in the Room of Requirement rather than go to the Great Hall for lunch. It also got them started on their homework, which would mean Hermione wouldn't keep nattering at them to do it later.
Meeting up with Ginny, the three of them raced for the Quidditch Pitch, chatting and laughing together.
When they reached the Pitch, the three of them looked the try-outs over. "There's a few oddballs and unexpecteds here," Harry muttered to his friends.
***
I think I'll leave it there! *Grins*
~WolfMoon~