Chapter Seven
Tonks let out a long sigh as she drained the remainder of her coffee into the sink. Last nights meeting hadn't gone well, and she, along with a good number of other members felt rather drained. Molly in particular had been extremely aggressive in her arguments.
As soon as the message Harry had given her had been disclosed to Dumbledore, he had summoned Fawkes and sent him to Privet Drive to see what Harry was up to, undetected of course. A lot of people commented on how shocked Dumbledore looked at reading the contents of the note. It was obvious they had some meaning to him, even if they didn't mean anything to anyone else other than a fancy you-can't-hide-from-me message.
Tonks, who had initially been worried about Harry being much too over his head, was as surprised as everyone else when Fawkes came back, and Dumbledore announced that Harry was in bed, fast asleep, and there was nothing amiss in his room at all, except the twins parchments on his desk. The only thing of interest they had found was that he apparently had one more pair of parchments that they didn't know of marked only with an X.
It had taken an awful lot for Dumbledore to settle the Order. Finally he had caused a magic blast that knocked everyone back in their seats, and to their senses. It was obvious that he was agitated, a mood he was very rarely seen in.
The rest of the reports had come through, being the normal things. The only one that really mattered to Tonks was Snape's report, but even he was almost apologetic with his lack of information. All he knew was that You-Know-Who was apoplectic with rage over losing his inner-circle, and was planning to liberate them from Azkaban as soon as possible. That, and Fudge was making their job much too easy. It had been with that that the discussions had started, and gone long into the early hours of the morning. The topic? Harry of course.
Tonks wondered vaguely if Harry knew just how much he was discussed at their meetings on a regular basis, never mind simply last night. Last night had been...chaotic. While everyone was shocked by how he had spoken to Dumbledore, and his tone being demanding rather than how you would expect a fifteen year old to sound, Dumbledore had quietly said he had every right, and left it at that.
The speculations on how Harry had infiltrated the meetings were Tonks favourite. It went from him being an Animagus of a spider, to him possessing a member. Then how he had actually managed to Apparate...or whatever he did to leave that box was argued over. The anti-apparition charms in the wards made even Dumbledore have to use Floo or walk through the front door. No one could understand how he had done it.
On top of all the speculation there was Molly's anger at not being included in whatever Harry knew, Remus's outrage that something Dumbledore had done had obviously hurt Harry, and Snape's biting comments about how his head was growing to big to be contained. A raging debate had filled the room, stopping only when someone was stunned for one of their comments.
Dumbledore had been absolutely livid at that. Tonks shivered at even the memory. He seemed to shine with a power that forced them all silent and obedient. He had ordered the meeting over, sworn them not to say a word, and said he would speak to Harry in the morning, and get answers. Tonks was worried exactly what he meant when he said he would speak to him - she had never seen an Order meeting so uncivilised before, and all because Harry Potter had trashed it. He certainly knew how to make a bang.
She wasn't really sure what to do this morning. Last night as everyone left, Dumbledore had taken her aside and told her in a tone that allowed no arguments that he was accompanying her to Privet Drive. She really didn't want to have to choose between Harry and Dumbledore.
Of course, she understood how Harry needed to be disciplined. He shouldn't have done what he had last night, and he had caused almost a miniature civil war in the Order. She understood though how he said he had a right to know what was going on. He was the top on Voldemort's hit list for Christ's sake! More people expected him to end the war than expected Dumbledore to. She also had an inkling that she didn't know everything as well. She knew Dumbledore wouldn't concede defeat so easily just because of the same reason Harry had had every other year of his life.
Dumbledore on the other hand was her boss pretty much. He ruled the Order for the good of the wizarding world, no matter how much it seemed to focus on Harry every now and again. She couldn't put priority over the wizarding world for Harry.
"Tonks?" Tonks jumped violently back from where she had been staring out of the window in thought, groaning silently as she saw Dumbledore standing wearily behind her, lines of age covering his face.
"Sir?" Dumbledore gestured to the fire.
"Perhaps we should get going, if you are ready?" She swallowed hard.
"You're not going to be too hard on him sir, are you? I mean you can hardly blame him since..." Dumbledore raised a tired hand as he reached for the Floo powder.
"Don't worry. We'll be Flooing to Arabella's, and then Apparating straight into his room, alright? I rather think his relatives won't appreciate our presence in the neighbourhood." Tonks narrowed her eyes at the mention of the Dursleys, wondering vaguely if she would be able to sneak them a small hex before they left. A good part of last night had been Molly and Arthur complaining about Harry's relatives, which had opened more than a few eyes. Tonks knew they weren't nice, but a cupboard under the stairs! Even Snape had shown some emotion at that, though his sneer was back in place less than a minute later.
"Please leave the Dursleys alone Tonks. I will deal with them once Harry is out of their care. For now it is necessary they allow him to remain." She grunted a reply and took the offered Floo powder, wondering if she could sneak a curse in when he left them then.
When Tonks appeared in Harry's room with the trademark crack, she was surprised to see Harry staring straight at her calmly. Every other time she had arrived he had reacted amazingly quickly and had a wand pointing at her before she could even open her mouth.
"Hi Tonks." She glanced to her side, but to her surprise found Dumbledore wasn't there.
"Erm..." Harry's face darkened a bit.
"Is someone meant to be with you?" Tonks flushed a bit but nodded, looking around carefully. Perhaps he was invisible; she'd heard he could do that without a cloak. Surely though he would have told her his plans before she Apparated so she wouldn't give him away.
"Erm...Professor Dumbledore was supposed to be but..." Harry's cold chuckle cut her off.
"Oh, don't worry; he shouldn't be able to get in." Tonks frowned.
"What?" He gave her a small smile before picking his wand up and lazily making his bed.
"The wards around the room won't let him through. I specifically tuned them against his intrusion."
"What! You...you what?" Harry sighed quietly, glancing at of the window.
"I didn't want him just popping in whenever he felt like it, or setting up something to keep an eye on me. He can't get into this room unless I specifically give him permission. I expect he's walking here right now." Tonks swallowed, worried. Dumbledore definitely wasn't going to be in a good mood.
"But...why? He's not going to like that!" Harry shrugged.
"He's not going to get any answers from me that I don't want to give, and he's definitely not going to spy on me. I saw Fawkes last night." Tonks paled a bit. Dumbledore had told Fawkes to stay out of sight and phoenixes were very powerful creatures. If they didn't want to be seen, they normally weren't.
"I..." She was interrupted as his bedroom door suddenly glowed blue. Harry's smile disappeared.
"Oh he's here already. You would have thought after all those years he would have learnt to knock." Tonks stared at him. She had no idea what had happened between the two of them, but there was no need to aggravate the man. She didn't care if Harry had beaten her in two duels, Dumbledore would squash him like a bug if he wanted to.
She watched him carelessly wave his wand towards the door, and slowly the blue light shrunk until it was only glowing around the handle. He pocketed his wand just as the door clicked and opened of its own accord. Tonks took a step back, waiting for the roar of power to hit her.
To her surprise, she simply found Dumbledore walking slowly in, looking pained and tired. He glanced slowly at them both before resting his eyes on Harry, who gestured to his desk chair. With a bit of a smile he carefully took the seat, his eyes glancing over the pieces of parchment on the desk sharply before turning back to Harry.
"What have you been doing Harry?" Harry shrugged, calmly sitting against his headboard.
"I just put up some more personal wards." Dumbledore sighed quietly.
"How, and why?" Harry glanced over at him as he brought his legs up and crossed them in front of him.
"I think you know how I did it, and because I preferred you not to simply come in here and be able to disrupt my privacy." There was a small silence.
"How did you put up the wards without using your wand?" Harry didn't budge an inch.
"I've been studying." Tonks looked uneasily between the two. She didn't like this at all.
"Oh sorry Tonks." There was a small pop and she found a simply wooden chair behind her. She stared at him, not having seen him make any gesture of a kind, before gingerly taking a seat. Dumbledore looked interested.
"How did you do that?" Harry didn't pause for breath.
"I've been studying." She watched as Dumbledore's eyes slowly closed, and his breath came slowly.
"Are you going to answer any of my questions Harry?" Harry shrugged gently.
"You already probably know what I will and what I won't answer. You'll ask anyway." Dumbledore shook his head slowly before leaning forward in his seat.
"How did you interrupt our meeting yesterday evening?" Harry blinked once.
"I've been studying." Tonks gave him a stern glare, but only got a small smile in response.
"Why are you doing this Harry?" Harry blanched for the briefest moment.
"Because I'm tired of waiting for answers. If you won't tell me, I'll just have to find out myself won't I?" Dumbledore sighed quietly.
"You haven't given me chance to tell you anything Harry...since the end of term. Last night was the first Order meeting since then." Harry nodded.
"I know. Had to make an impression though didn't I? Seems to have worked as well." Tonks shuffled.
"Do you know you caused a fight last night?" Harry looked surprised for the briefest instance.
"Unless it contained Snape, I can't guess why." Tonks bit down her smile at that.
"They were arguing about just how you managed to get into the room." Harry frowned a bit.
"Who said I was in the room?" Dumbledore looked up at that for a brief instant, before glancing down again as if in thought. She had suspicion it definitely wasn't just that though. Harry leaned forward as well.
"Yes sir, you've noticed. It's potions residue. Take some to Snape if you want. It was only a healing potion." Dumbledore sighed again and looked up.
"Why would you want to make a healing potion Harry? You don't look hurt." Harry looked at him calmly.
"I'm stocking up." Dumbledore glanced sideways at Tonks.
"Where's your wand Harry?" Harry gestured to his bedside table. Dumbledore nodded.
"Would you object to me experimenting with it?" Harry shook his head, a small smile playing on his lip.
"By all means professor, try and summon a second wand. I don't know how you suppose I'd have one though." Dumbledore's face shone in surprise for a moment before fading away to a small twinkle.
"Very well. Accio wands!" Tonks felt her wand wrenched from her robes as Harry's flew from the bedside table. There were no other wands summoned though to her surprise.
"Satisfied?" Dumbledore frowned but nodded, tossing their respective wands back.
"Very well Harry. Could you tell me how you managed to bypass my wards I put up last night?" Harry smiled.
"Not to hard to figure out sir. You should do that yourself." There was a small groan but an uncomfortable silence was all that followed.
"BOY! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!" Tonks felt herself begin to rise with her wand, but Harry coughed, stopping her in her tracks.
"What Uncle Vernon?" There was a long silence.
"I said GET DOWN HERE!" Harry shrugged.
"No, do it yourself!" There was a roar of rage.
"YOU'LL EARN YOUR KEEP BOY!" Harry scowled.
"Get Dudley to do it, he eats all the food in the house anyhow!" There was an audible splutter, and then the unmistakable stampede of someone heavy climbing the stairs. Tonks saw Dumbledore slowly turn towards the door, his eyes alight.
"This is going to get interesting..." Harry gave her a small smile before turning back to the door. It suddenly glowed a violent purple, and there was a muffled shriek of pain on the other side. Tonks looked at Harry in surprise.
"What?" She gave him a quick grin.
"Great wards." Dumbledore glanced over, looking slightly amused himself.
"Yes, but could you let him in Harry?" Harry sighed but nodded, and a second later the door clicked open and Vernon Dursley stumbled in.
"YOU LITTLE UNGRATEFUL BA..." He cut off short when he realized that Harry wasn't alone. His eyes seemed to retreat even furthur into his skull before his purple face began to hint black.
"How dare you invite people into my house! Get out! OUT I SAY!" Dumbledore looked amazed at the man's audacity.
"Uncle Vernon, meet Albus Dumbledore, most powerful wizard alive, and Nymphadora Tonks, one of our version of the police force." Tonks noticed with a cold chill that the moment 'police' was mentioned, Dursley backed away.
"What...what do you want?" Dumbledore looked the man up and down in disgust.
"I want you to leave Harry alone and let him live how he so wishes." Vernon's face began to darken again in anger, but a quick glance at Dumbledore's wand seemed to allow him to cut off his anger.
"As long as the brat keeps out of my way and earns his keep."
"Earn my keep? I haven't taken any food or clothes from you since I got back! If anything the only thing I owe you is rent for the room!" Dumbledore's head whipped back to Vernon.
"You haven't been feeding him!" Vernon took several steps back and began to stutter violently.
"I...he...he...he hasn't come down for food." Harry chuckled.
"Couldn't have cared less could have you? You're just lucky I had my own food. If you're that fussed about the rent, I'll pay you for it." His uncle's eyes widened.
"You! Pay! HA! You don't have a dime..." Dumbledore's eyes narrowed a bit.
"I left you rather a substantial sum Vernon Dursley to make sure this boy was catered for well." Vernon stared at him for moment in pure confusion.
"What are you talking about you old codger..." Harry grinned evilly at his uncle.
"If you had shown just a teeny bit of interest in the wizarding world, you would have found a quarter of a million pounds put aside for my living costs." Tonks felt her eyes widen along with Vernon's, but hers ran without the maniac greed.
"That's it is it? Well you can get me that money and..." Harry chuckled.
"Uncle Vernon, please give me one reason why I should give you it, since I am the only person able to withdraw it?"
"I took you in boy! I put a roof over your head and clothes on your back..."
"You put me in the cupboard under the stairs and gave me Dudley's leftovers. You didn't take me in, Aunt Petunia did." There was a very dark silence in the room.
"I put food on your plate..."
"After I cooked it!"
"You didn't cook all the time!" Harry scowled.
"Oh yes, before the age of four I couldn't hold the pan could I?" Vernon went very red when two wands turned sharply on him.
"Fine! Keep your money, but you're not coming back next summer!" Harry looked infinitely calm considering.
"I'd move out now more than happily."
"THEN DO IT! Get out! I'd have lived a happy life if I'd never heard of you! You and your freaky..."
"That is quite enough Dursley. Harry is staying here until I chose otherwise!"
"I will not have that ungrateful..." Suddenly Vernon was flying backwards. He crashed into the wall and slumped to the floor, his many chins wobbling violently as he went unconscious. Both Tonks and Dumbledore looked to Harry who was calmly getting up from his bed, no wand in sight.
"Perhaps we should go for a walk?" Without getting an answer he opened his trunk with a murmured word and pulled out his cloak, keeping it open and the hood down though, giving it a resemblance to the school cloaks.
"Harry, did you use your wand?" Harry shook his head, pocketing his wand from the bedside table.
"No. The Ministry can't detect it, don't worry...well, that, and I did put up some useful wards around my room." Dumbledore frowned a bit but slowly shook his head and stepped over the colossal form of Vernon Dursley.
"You should really attempt to control you magic." Harry glanced at him as he ushered Tonks forward.
"My magic was completely under my control." A shiver ran through the air. Tonks gave him a weak grin.
"Be thankful he only knocked him out. I was about to curse him silly." Dumbledore gave her a stern look before turning to leave again.
"Be thankful you didn't, I had something much more spectacular planned." Tonks laughed as she skipped over him, quietly adding a boils curse as Dumbledore began descending the stairs. Harry gave her a little grin before pushing her gently forward, waving his hand to lock his door, and then quickly following the headmaster out of the house.
"Where to Harry?" Harry shrugged, glancing around.
"The park I suppose. Shouldn't you put up something to distract the muggles? You're in robes and I'm in a cloak." Dumbledore nodded and waved his wand over them, mumbling a quiet charm before doing the same to himself. Tonks glanced at Harry who gave her a small wink before pointing over his shoulder and sending a blue beam at Number Four. She had absolutely no idea what he'd done, but she had an idea she didn't want to be around for the aftermath.
"It seems you're correct, there has been no owl. How did you work around that?" Harry shrugged a bit.
"A version of what you did last night. Ministry can't detect anything in my bedroom." Dumbledore seemed to chew on that for a moment.
"You do understand how dangerous that is if you are caught? You could be expelled...well, it is common practice for the wand to be immediately snapped if you are caught." Harry's face darkened a bit.
"I won't get caught. No one can get in my room without my express permission." Dumbledore inclined a bit before looking around.
"Where is..."
"Left sir." Tonks glanced around quietly, a bit unnerved the streets were empty and quiet.
"Where were your aunt and cousin Harry?" Harry scowled a bit, kicking up some dirt.
"She took him out to buy a new computer." There was an uncomfortable silence until they came upon the park, which was empty as well. Tonks really didn't like this. Sure, it was early, but there were kids around this time last year...
"Sir?" Dumbledore paused and looked down at Harry.
"Yes Harry?" Harry glanced up briefly.
"Any particular reason the wards are being brought down?" Dumbledore stopped so suddenly Tonks nearly walked into him.
"What?" Harry stopped as well, sliding his wand into his hand.
"The wards are beginning to fail." Dumbledore frowned and pulled out a watch from inside his robes. He seemed to let out a great breath.
"They're fine Harry, perfectly intact. Whatever makes you say that?" Harry glared at Dumbledore for a moment.
"The fact their collapsing around us." Dumbledore stared and glanced back down at his watch, shaking his head again.
"Harry, they're perfectly..." Harry grunted.
"Oh yes, believe the watch over me. Give it five seconds." Tonks already had her wand in hand and was glancing around. Dumbledore stared at Harry, and then she felt it, just as she heard it. A loud crackle, and a shiver of magical resonance, and she knew Harry had been right. Dumbledore's eyes widen and his wand was in hand in a second. His other hand reached for Harry and pulled him behind him.
"We need to get you back to Number Four..."
"Stupefy!" Dumbledore was cut off as Harry hit a wizard who had just Apparated right between the eyes with his stunner.
"I think we should all get out of here sir." With that he suddenly pulled Dumbledore down, just in time for a killing curse to miss him. Dumbledore landed sprawled on the floor with a small oomph. Tonks ducked a curse and looked wildly around for a target, finding none.
"Sir!" Dumbledore looked up bring up his wand and firing a stunner directly at a tree. There was a yell and a Death Eater went flying backwards.
"Invisibility..."
"Accio invisibility cloaks!" There were yells of outrage as Harry suddenly summoned all of the cloaks, and massive numbers of Death Eater's appeared from all corners. Dumbledore got quickly to his feet, stunning another two in the process while Tonks petrified three and blew away a fourth.
"We need backup." Dumbledore nodded and after stunning another Death Eater and sidestepping a hex quickly reached into his robes and pulled out a tail feather...a phoenix tail feather. With a quick whisper it disappeared in flames.
"Protego! Nenimias!" Tonks gasped as she stunned another. Harry's wand seemed to be charging a black light and his face was screwed up in concentration. Dumbledore yelled an unfamiliar curse and blew up three Death Eaters' before shoving Harry to a side and cursing another, but Harry's concentration never broke. She stunned while watching a bead of perspiration run down his forehead, and felt the tingling of magic beginning to build up. The Death Eater's obviously felt it was well, because they paused unsure. That was opportunity enough for them to stun a few more, and for Harry to finish building up his spell it seemed. With a triumphant yell he let loose the black light.
The curse was amazing. The light spiralled out like a vortex of power, with a speed almost unfollowable. It reached the nearest group of Death Eaters, and suddenly seemed to implode. The whole street rocked at the impact. While Tonks found her balance on Harry's shoulder, she watched as her vision settled on where the explosion originated, only to find all the Death Eater's staring at each other in surprise. They seemed to check each other over before growling and raising their wands to curse them.
Those who cast the killing curse were worst off, no doubt, but the other hexes were still extremely nasty. Tonks watched in horror as the curses charged, but double backed on their owners rather than at them, watching the whole group of Death Eater's fall with screams or silence to the road. The only silent ones were the dead ones.
"Sir, perhaps we should..." There was a yell and suddenly Tonks cried out as a curse impacted with her side. She screamed in pain as she felt her skin beginning to eat away under whatever curse was on her, and collapsed to the floor. Before she could draw her breath for a second scream Harry was already at her side, muttering quickly under his breath and casting healing charms before stunning the three wizards approaching with amazing accuracy. He pulled a vial from his robes while Dumbledore began to draw the attention of the street, shining with power as he began to set a rhythm to his curses and bring down the Death Eater's quickly and efficiently. They had taken him by surprise; it was obvious the surprise was over.
Tonks cried out as she felt the cold potion run over her burning skin, feeling distinctly dizzy. She heard Harry say something, and then there was a sudden wrench in her side and the pain stopped. She groaned quietly in relief and felt Harry's hand squeeze her shoulder as he sent another stunner off.
"Can you fight?" Tonks grunted once as her vision began to become much clearer and her right hand side had feeling returned to it. She saw Harry give her a smile before shouting something she didn't recognize at a Death Eater, who suddenly found himself being strangled by his own robes. She felt him pulling her to her feet and then suddenly behind a fence to avoid a Reductor curse. She gasped and looked wildly around for her wand, realizing it wasn't in her hand anymore. She almost collapsed when Harry placed it in her hand.
"They're beginning to concentrate on Dumbledore. He's just been caught with a Crucio." Tonks winced painfully and grabbed his arm as he made to go back round the corner, wrenching him back.
"No, you're top priority, Apparate back to your room." Harry stared at her as if she was mad.
"But they've got him cornered!" Tonks winced.
"Apparate back! You're top priority! That means we make you safe, then Dumbledore." Harry growled and wrenched his arm free.
"I'm not leaving him...he's dropped his wand!" Tonks stared at him. She could just barely hear the curses coming from around the corner.
"Apparate to your room before I force you!" Harry stared at her before his expression suddenly closed off completely. Tonks felt a horrible pain in her gut as he suddenly raised his wand. She raised a shield but to her surprise he began muttering something long and fast. She felt her eyes widen in realisation before she gave a yell of anger as with a loud crack she was forced out of the area.
"Tonks? Nice of you to drop...what's wrong dear?" Tonks growled in frustration as tears began to run. She stared around her quickly, wiping her eyes furiously. She was at the Burrow.
"Molly! Where's Arthur?"
"I'm here, what's wrong?" She gasped in relief.
"Little Whinging, by the park. The wards are down. They got Dumbledore, Harry's gone after him!" Arthur paled and ran to the door, shouting his eldest.
"WHAT? You left him..." Tonks shook her head, readying herself for apparition.
"No, he forced me here...get some help Molly for Christ's sake!"
Harry took a breath when he was sure Tonks was gone and wouldn't be able to come back any time soon. He quickly wrapped his cloak around him and pulled up his hood, clenching his wand tightly before quickly striding towards where the laughter was coming from.
"Look at him lads! Ain't so great now is..." The Death Eater cursing Dumbledore suddenly looked up at Harry's approach. His mouth opened in question but Harry had his wand pointed at his heart already.
"Flipendo!" The man cried out as he flew backwards through the crowd gathered behind him, knocking them down rather like bowling pins. Harry didn't pause for breath and set a Reductor to the feet of the group on the right, sending them flying backwards into those behind them as well. His advantage lost, he quickly summoned his watch's shield and braced himself, breaking into full sprint while summoning his own shield. He felt his magic merging with that of his robes and watch, and felt curses colliding with it as one, almost knocking him off of his feet. He grunted as he leaned to a side, avoiding the main barrage enough to continue on his way forward. He shouted out a fog jinx, pushing it forward with all of his might and groaning painfully at the effort of combining his shield and jinx. He stumbled, and just as well, for he inadvertently dodged a killing curse.
"Erigo!" He dove to the right as the green beam left his wand, slamming into the group in front of him with such force they flew backwards as if the Hammer of Thor itself had stuck them. Rolling to his feet he risked bringing down his shield and gathered his focus.
"Accio Dumbledore!" The moment he felt the summoning spell work, he knew he didn't have enough strength to Apparate himself, never mind Dumbledore as well. He grabbed the old man's arm as he barrelled towards him and pushed them both behind a fence hard, crying out as he felt a stray curse impact with his calf. He collapsed, but just managed to do so behind the cover of the stone fence he had found. Ignoring the burning sensation in his leg he hoisted himself over to Dumbledore, who was bleeding from a wound on the head, and looked sickeningly fragile. He lifted his arm weakly with his wand and gasped out a stunner. Harry head someone collapse behind him and someone else round the corner. He reached as much as he could and managed to grab the hem of Dumbledore's robe before feeling his watches shield shatter containing a Reductor curse. He cried out in pain as he felt the aftermath of the curse and desperately clamoured for his watch as he heard the killing curse being screamed by more than one voice. He felt the sparking utterly unnatural power of the dark beams and then a heart rendering wrench as the green glow filled Dumbledore's glasses.
A/N: For regular story updates and notifications, please join my Yahoo Group which can be found on my profile
[#]Beta needed[#]