Harry stood up and followed Tonks out of the room and down the stairs.
They walked in an uncomfortable silence, even Tonks seemed to have nothing
to say for once - she was probably just surprised at how well he was taking
it all. Everything seemed unreal so far. They stopped by a portrait
opposite the Fat Lady, of Wilhelm Wronski, a famous Seeker who was one of
Harry's heroes. He was the renowned player who had invented the Wronski
Feint, the bane of Madam Hooch's life. That wasn't strictly true. It
would be the bane of her life just as soon as Harry learned to do it
properly without knocking himself out too - not a good idea in the middle
of a match, especially with the Weasley twins around to murder him if he
lost them the game. It was one of his main Quidditch ambitions for the
future.
"Well, this is it, cous'" Tonks said cheerfully, gesturing at the portrait. "The password's 'Firebolt' for now, but you can change it if you want. Uncle Sev sorted the room for you this morning, so I hope you like it. I reckon its cool, if you ask me. They asked sent me down to Hogsmead to do the shopping for it."
"Uncle Sev?"
"If he was with my aunt, that makes him my uncle, right? Don't even think about contradicting my logic, because its mostly based on what I want, just as it always has been. It's been my bane ever since I started writing essays - I'd make connections that weren't even there. Anyway, he'll be a picture when I first call him that; so make sure you're around. Oh, one other thing about names - always call Albus 'Gramps', it drives him mad!"
"Okay," Harry said doubtfully, wondering how long it would take for him to be blasted into blissful oblivion by his newly discovered great grandfather. It might be an improvement, considering the number of shocks he'd had so far today.
It was a fair sized room, although, like most Hogwarts rooms, it would probably change size to suit its occupant's needs and wishes. There was a four poster bed over in the far corner just like the one Harry slept in when he was in the Gryffindor dormitory, a desk (a hint, perhaps?) and bookshelves, as well as plenty of floor space. Around the walls were large posters of Viktor Krum, the Chudley Cannons, the Tornados, the Quidditch World Cup and other Quidditch related themes, most of which Harry could identify instantly. It was a bit worrying, the amount of information he'd discovered that he could dredge out of his otherwise reluctant memory.
"Wow! And Snape did all of this? You're really sure it wasn't Remus?"
"I think he was called in to advise, but it was ah Uncle Sev who actually did it. I wonder what he looks like with clean hair. You know, I've never seen him after he's washed it. I don't think he washes it at all during term time."
"Eeuuuww. Tonks, do you know what my mum looked like, because I can't remember her."
"Gramps would forget something important like that, wouldn't he? Yeah, I remember her okay - I was just about to start at Hogwarts when she was killed. I'll show you, if you want, just give me a moment to get a fix on her."
A glazed looked came over her face, as though she was concentrating very hard, then there was a distinct pop and she changed. Harry was, for once, very glad that she was a Metamorphmagus. The woman whose image she was now was stunning, even allowing for a ten-year-old's memory. Her loose, blue- black hair hung, dead straight, just below her shoulders. Every strand was exactly in place. Misty grey eyes looked out at Harry from a face that was pale and smooth, but smiling in a way that Harry was sure Tonks never had.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
"Any time, cous'" Then Harry had a sudden thought, and asked curiously, thinking that now he might get an honest answer,
"Uh, what do you really look like? I mean, you weren't born with pink hair, were you?" Tonks looked at him measuringly. Then she grinned at him and nodded. Harry smirked. He knew for a fact that Ron had been trying to get this out of her since they'd met.
"I don't tell many people, but you're one of the family now."
Immediately, with no thought at all, she shifted. Now in what was surely her true form, Tonks grinned at Harry. Her hair was only a bit duller than her aunt's and was cut just below her ears. Deep blue eyes sparkled above a pert nose that Harry could tell foretold mischief, however unlikely it sounded.
"I'll leave you to settle in," she said at last, changing back to her normal disguise. "Just remember, you're my cousin, and I'm here if you need me."
Harry felt his mouth spreading into a smile as a wave of gratitude flowed through him. For almost the first time in his life, he had a sense of completely belonging.
"Why did uh my mum call herself Buzz?" he asked suddenly.
"Its from Dumbledore, which means bumblebee apparently, don't ask me academic stuff, I only just scraped my NEWTs. Gramps calls me it a lot, when no one's around. You can too, if you want, now that you know I'm not really a Tonks. I don't even like being called Tonks that much anyway; it's just so much better than ugh Nymphadora. See you later then." She slipped out, closing the portrait behind her.
Harry sprawled on the bed, closing his eyes while his brain desperately tried to think through everything that had just happened. It was all happening too fast! He knew, intellectually at any rate, that he should be in a state of rebellion at being revealed to be Snape's son, but it didn't seem strange at all. Maybe it was just that it hadn't sunk in, because it surely wasn't something that he'd anticipated. Suddenly, instead of being the tragically orphaned Harry Potter, whose only relatives were as Muggle as they come, he had a father, a cousin and a great grandfather, maybe there were others he didn't know about, but they were all wizards.
Still, however odd it seemed to Harry, Snape at least seemed to be willing to make an effort, and a considerable one if what he could see so far was any indication. He had to admit that the room was cool, and it must have taken absolutely ages, even with Remus helping. He was actually rather pleased to hear this - it just explained so many things. Why he looked so much like James. What had made the Sorting Hat so nearly place him in Slytherin. The strange feeling he'd had about Snape the very first time they'd met. The list seemed to go on and on.
He opened his eyes again. Everything was blurred. Harry shut his eyes again hurriedly - it hurt, as though he badly needed new glasses, although his had been fine that morning. In a moment of inspiration, he removed his glasses and cautiously looked again, remembering that his illusion charms would be wearing off. He couldn't help grinning as everything came immediately into focus - at last he was rid of his hated glasses! Despite them being almost as much of a trademark as his scar, he'd despised them since the first day he'd been given them. If they weren't broken, they were uncomfortable. If they weren't in the way, they'd be misted up or covered in rain so that he couldn't see at all. Checking in a mirror that hung next to his bed, Harry saw that, as he had guessed, his eyes had gone the same mysterious shade as his mother's had been.
"Well, this is it, cous'" Tonks said cheerfully, gesturing at the portrait. "The password's 'Firebolt' for now, but you can change it if you want. Uncle Sev sorted the room for you this morning, so I hope you like it. I reckon its cool, if you ask me. They asked sent me down to Hogsmead to do the shopping for it."
"Uncle Sev?"
"If he was with my aunt, that makes him my uncle, right? Don't even think about contradicting my logic, because its mostly based on what I want, just as it always has been. It's been my bane ever since I started writing essays - I'd make connections that weren't even there. Anyway, he'll be a picture when I first call him that; so make sure you're around. Oh, one other thing about names - always call Albus 'Gramps', it drives him mad!"
"Okay," Harry said doubtfully, wondering how long it would take for him to be blasted into blissful oblivion by his newly discovered great grandfather. It might be an improvement, considering the number of shocks he'd had so far today.
It was a fair sized room, although, like most Hogwarts rooms, it would probably change size to suit its occupant's needs and wishes. There was a four poster bed over in the far corner just like the one Harry slept in when he was in the Gryffindor dormitory, a desk (a hint, perhaps?) and bookshelves, as well as plenty of floor space. Around the walls were large posters of Viktor Krum, the Chudley Cannons, the Tornados, the Quidditch World Cup and other Quidditch related themes, most of which Harry could identify instantly. It was a bit worrying, the amount of information he'd discovered that he could dredge out of his otherwise reluctant memory.
"Wow! And Snape did all of this? You're really sure it wasn't Remus?"
"I think he was called in to advise, but it was ah Uncle Sev who actually did it. I wonder what he looks like with clean hair. You know, I've never seen him after he's washed it. I don't think he washes it at all during term time."
"Eeuuuww. Tonks, do you know what my mum looked like, because I can't remember her."
"Gramps would forget something important like that, wouldn't he? Yeah, I remember her okay - I was just about to start at Hogwarts when she was killed. I'll show you, if you want, just give me a moment to get a fix on her."
A glazed looked came over her face, as though she was concentrating very hard, then there was a distinct pop and she changed. Harry was, for once, very glad that she was a Metamorphmagus. The woman whose image she was now was stunning, even allowing for a ten-year-old's memory. Her loose, blue- black hair hung, dead straight, just below her shoulders. Every strand was exactly in place. Misty grey eyes looked out at Harry from a face that was pale and smooth, but smiling in a way that Harry was sure Tonks never had.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
"Any time, cous'" Then Harry had a sudden thought, and asked curiously, thinking that now he might get an honest answer,
"Uh, what do you really look like? I mean, you weren't born with pink hair, were you?" Tonks looked at him measuringly. Then she grinned at him and nodded. Harry smirked. He knew for a fact that Ron had been trying to get this out of her since they'd met.
"I don't tell many people, but you're one of the family now."
Immediately, with no thought at all, she shifted. Now in what was surely her true form, Tonks grinned at Harry. Her hair was only a bit duller than her aunt's and was cut just below her ears. Deep blue eyes sparkled above a pert nose that Harry could tell foretold mischief, however unlikely it sounded.
"I'll leave you to settle in," she said at last, changing back to her normal disguise. "Just remember, you're my cousin, and I'm here if you need me."
Harry felt his mouth spreading into a smile as a wave of gratitude flowed through him. For almost the first time in his life, he had a sense of completely belonging.
"Why did uh my mum call herself Buzz?" he asked suddenly.
"Its from Dumbledore, which means bumblebee apparently, don't ask me academic stuff, I only just scraped my NEWTs. Gramps calls me it a lot, when no one's around. You can too, if you want, now that you know I'm not really a Tonks. I don't even like being called Tonks that much anyway; it's just so much better than ugh Nymphadora. See you later then." She slipped out, closing the portrait behind her.
Harry sprawled on the bed, closing his eyes while his brain desperately tried to think through everything that had just happened. It was all happening too fast! He knew, intellectually at any rate, that he should be in a state of rebellion at being revealed to be Snape's son, but it didn't seem strange at all. Maybe it was just that it hadn't sunk in, because it surely wasn't something that he'd anticipated. Suddenly, instead of being the tragically orphaned Harry Potter, whose only relatives were as Muggle as they come, he had a father, a cousin and a great grandfather, maybe there were others he didn't know about, but they were all wizards.
Still, however odd it seemed to Harry, Snape at least seemed to be willing to make an effort, and a considerable one if what he could see so far was any indication. He had to admit that the room was cool, and it must have taken absolutely ages, even with Remus helping. He was actually rather pleased to hear this - it just explained so many things. Why he looked so much like James. What had made the Sorting Hat so nearly place him in Slytherin. The strange feeling he'd had about Snape the very first time they'd met. The list seemed to go on and on.
He opened his eyes again. Everything was blurred. Harry shut his eyes again hurriedly - it hurt, as though he badly needed new glasses, although his had been fine that morning. In a moment of inspiration, he removed his glasses and cautiously looked again, remembering that his illusion charms would be wearing off. He couldn't help grinning as everything came immediately into focus - at last he was rid of his hated glasses! Despite them being almost as much of a trademark as his scar, he'd despised them since the first day he'd been given them. If they weren't broken, they were uncomfortable. If they weren't in the way, they'd be misted up or covered in rain so that he couldn't see at all. Checking in a mirror that hung next to his bed, Harry saw that, as he had guessed, his eyes had gone the same mysterious shade as his mother's had been.