A/N Rated R
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Chapter 10
Tonks did not have a great working relationship with Director Bones. Tonks had inevitably been pigeonholed into the surveillance aspect of being an Auror. She really pictured herself more as the investigative sort. Having inherited, or more accurately having been handed a hundred thousand Galleons had also changed her perspective. In fact, she wouldn't have to work again if she didn't want to. She could pursue a career in modeling or any other field if she chose to.
The loss of so many of her co-workers a week ago had served as a gigantic wake up call reminding her of the serious level of danger that her chosen career contained. When Bones had met Tonks in the hallway fifteen minutes earlier and had asked her to stop in her office, Tonks had been surprised.
She knocked on Bones' door and was asked to enter and close the door behind her. Typically that gesture meant that some sort of disciplinary action was about to take place.
"My Grand-niece Susan wrote me and said that Harry's home looks brilliant. The last time that I was there I didn't recall seeing that obnoxious portrait or that disgusting house elf. What happened to them?"
Tonks decided that there was no harm in telling the truth. "Harry had talked the portrait into unsticking itself from the wall. He and Ginny Weasley were carrying it into the other room when Black's old house elf attempted to kill Ginny. She dropped the portrait, and Harry killed the house elf defending her. The portrait was impaled on that disgusting troll leg umbrella stand that they used to have."
"That's gross. How was the house elf killed?"
"Harry used the same flame curse that Dolohov tried to use on Hermione Granger in the Department of Mysteries. The elf was severed in half. Ginny was really shaken up over him trying to bite her neck off."
Amelia didn't know whether to be concerned over his choice of spells or deeply impressed at its execution. "Was she physically hurt?"
"Not a scratch. The entire event probably didn't take longer than two or three seconds. He has the fastest reflexes of anyone that I have ever met."
"Susan made the same comment. She had been in his defense club last winter. On a different subject, have you had any sightings of Draco Malfoy?"
"No. I haven't been able to find him yet."
"Professor Dumbledore asked that you spend a few days at Grimmauld place. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes Director."
"Please report back to me when you are done there. I will see you in a few days then. Enjoy your day, Auror Tonks. Thank you."
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While Susan, Ginny, and Hermione were practicing apparation, Tonks had collected Harry and they had taken a portkey to Gringotts. Harry thanked Griphook for taking care of the details of the account transfers that he had requested. As they were walking to the apparation testing station, realization of what Harry had done came to her. Twelve gifts of twenty thousand Galleons each. She poked him and said, "Harry, I don't know if you know this or not, but a young witch will be able to start Hogwarts this autumn because of your generosity. Her name is Gretta Wood. Her dad Michael was a good man. You did a really good thing Harry. I know that publicity and recognition aren't your style, but I want you to know that you made the world a better place, and helped right a terrible wrong." She gently squeezed his arm.
Harry didn't say anything. He was thinking that Voldemort had darkened the lives of another dozen families. They got to the apparation testing room and were shown into the waiting room. The testing clerk picked up the paperwork that Harry had placed in the in-basket and was about to call the applicant's name out loud when she read the name. Looking around at the six witches and wizards in the waiting room, she made eye contact with Harry, who nodded and walked over. She was about Tonk's age and stammered out a greeting. "Good morning sir. My name is Katherine Link. I will be your testing examiner. How long have you been practicing Mr. Potter?"
"Just a day. Please call me Harry. Just Harry." He shook her hand and smiled at her for a moment asking, "What would you like me to do?"
Examiner Link seemed to be more at ease. She started Harry with a close apparation. Harry was so quiet at it that she had to look twice to see that he had moved. Next she asked Harry to apparate to the wall behind the Leaky Cauldron. She went first, and Harry projected himself a few seconds later. She asked Harry to project himself back to the examining room. A second later he appeared next to Tonks with only the tiniest of pops. A few seconds later, Examiner Link appeared next to Harry. She was about to sign his license when she noticed his age. Seeing that she was about to say something, Tonks handed her a small authorization card signed by Minister Diggory himself.
Please extend every courtesy possible to Mr. Harry James Potter. He is authorised all of the privileges and responsibilities of an adult wizard within the British Isles.
Amos Diggory
Amelia Bones
Albus Dumbledore
Tonks took the card back. Harry paid the five Galleon examination fee, and Examiner Link handed Harry his signed Apparation license. He thanked her for her help. On the way out, Harry asked Tonks if they could go have lunch someplace. Sensing that it was conversation, rather than food that Harry wanted, Tonks took Harry out to a park where they sat on a bench together.
"Wotcher lil bro?"
"I've been best friends with Hermione for a long time. I don't want to throw a spanner in the works there, but she wants it to be more. I fancy Ginny right now and I think she fancies me too. Susan Bones keeps staring at me. Things were simpler when Dudley used to just punch me every day."
Tonks held Harry's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Harry you're a famous wizard. Let's ignore the fact that you're talented, rich, kind, gentle, a good kisser, cute, and have that saving people thing. Witches are going to throw themselves at you and over-interpret any act of kindness on your part. Snape couldn't have gotten eighty pairs of knickers if he'd walked in a Victoria's Secret shop with a wagonload of hundred pound notes. That's just the way it is."
She smiled at Harry, glad that they had righted their relationship. "Let's leave Susan out of the discussion for a moment. The best thing that you can do with Hermione is to tell her that she means the world to you as your friend, and that you would always be there for her, but right now you are trying to see how things might go with Ginny. I'm certain that she will be hurt for a while, but I believe that she'll get over it, and long-term you two will be fine.
"I tried to tell her just that, but I think she only heard what she wanted to. Would you talk with her?"
"OK loverboy, but be careful that you aren't leading them on. The witch in the Examining Department is probably writing in her diary right now saying that you made eyes at her.
"I did no such thing," Harry started indignantly until he saw that Tonks was playing with him, and then he grinned at her. "Thanks Sis. Thank you very much."
"No worries. I need to take you back and give you a private lesson about your body. Go home and take a shower. I need to go buy some massage oil and I'll see you in half an hour. No hanky-panky in the mean time."
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Harry apparated back to the car park. Professor McGonagall was still having the other three go back and forth. He went inside and showered. He got dressed and went into the kitchen to get a butterbeer. Tonks came in carrying a bag that she had just purchased. "Give me five minutes Harry, then meet me in my room." Harry finished his butterbeer and went up to the room across the hall from his. Tonks had moved all of the furniture to the side and conjured several mirrors and a massage table. "Seal the door Harry," asked Tonks. "You don't want someone walking in and getting a very wrong idea." Harry took out his wand and charmed the door shut. "Harry, do you absolutely trust me?"
Harry looked into her crystal blue eyes, nodded and said, "Yes, I really do."
"OK. We're going to examine and explore our bodies. . Please get completely undressed. If you prefer, I will call Dr. Granger in to supervise. I'm not trying to embarrass you, but this is really important if you want to progress with your ability to change your appearance. Harry shook his head. Doctor or not, Hermione's mum was not going to see him undressed!" Harry did as he was told. Surprisingly Tonks did the same. He looked at Tonks who smiled and said, "Calm down Harry. Teenagers get erections thinking about wallpaper. I would have been disappointed if nothing had happened. Stand here in front of the mirror with me. Take a good look at yourself and take a good look at me. Without any make-up or body changes this is what we really look like. I'm happy with the way that I am and you have every reason to be very happy with the way that you are. Go ahead, and have a look." Harry carefully looked at Tonks, noticing the details of her face, arms, neck, breasts, her back and her legs.
"OK Harry, stop looking at my bum and watch my legs." Harry watched as Tonks grew several inches in height, literally stretching her femur and thighs! After a minute, she resized herself.
"OK Harry, Imagine yourself with eyes that are crystal blue like mine. Come on Harry focus on my eyes. You can look at the other bits later. Think of yourself with blue eyes." And blue eyes they were! Harry looked in the mirror and was shocked to see that his eyes were exactly the color of Tonks. "OK now grow your hair without losing your eye color. With a lot of effort, Harry complied with her request.
"OK Harry, imagine yourself as you really are, and change everything back. A few seconds later, Harry's eyes were their usual shade of emerald green. "OK Harry, put on your boxers and lay face down on the table." Tonks put her things back on and got the massage oil out.
She started with his feet, rubbing the oil on his heels, arches, and toes. "Harry, I want you to think of yourself having size twelve feet rather than size ten, think of your toes lengthening slightly." It was easier to focus on a specific area of his body when she was massaging his toes. She worked upward and got to his arms. "OK Harry, add a little muscle mass to your biceps and triceps."
Finally she told him to change everything back to normal. "Excellent Harry. You did fantastic! This never would have worked with Professor McGonagall coaching you. I didn't have anyone to work with. You're lucky."
Harry understood the rarity of the lesson that he had just received. "Thanks Sis. I would have been totally embarrassed doing this with anyone else. I really appreciate your help."
"No problem Harry. For both of our sakes, let's leave this lesson just between us. It would be difficult to explain to people."
"I understand. Thanks again."
"No worries. Go take a shower and get cleaned up for dinner."
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After Dinner they watched a DVD that Harry had brought, Tin Cup. Dan asked, "So what's with all of the golf videos Harry?"
"Nothing really. I own an interest in some old golf course. I'm just trying to learn a little bit about the game. I've never even seen a golf course."
"Remus laughed. "Harry that isn't some old course, it's The old course. It's the hotel at St. Andrews."
Remus' words meant nothing to Harry, but Dan was about ready to bow down at Harry's feet. The conversation may have been fascinating to the men, but Hermione and Ginny were completely indifferent and excused themselves to go upstairs.
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Ginny looked around her room. The clean walls looked great and the windows sparkled. The new sheets that Winky put on that morning had never been slept in. Harry had been so good to her. His entire outlook was focused on helping people. He'd never even mentioned setting up the trust fund or sending thousands of Galleons to the families of the men and women that had died protecting Hermione's home. She was so proud of him. Most people wouldn't even consider doing such a thing. Fewer still would do so and not let anyone know who was behind the good deeds.
In the next room, Hermione was having identical thoughts. She realized that she'd been best friends with Harry for nearly a third of her life. He'd saved her family, taken them in, fed, clothed, and protected them just like that. She knew that she wanted the relationship to grow, but realized that Harry would have to be ready. The prophecy could not be ignored. She walked over to Ginny's room and softly knocked on the door. Ginny was brushing her Auburn hair.
"Hi Hermione. Come in."
Hermione sat down on the bed next to her friend. "Hi Ginny. I like your new outfits. They look good on you."
"Thanks. I like yours too. Maybe we can trade them sometimes."
"OK. So how's it going with Harry?"
Ginny thought about her answer for a moment. "I don't know. Tonks was after him for a while. She was trying to get a physical relationship going, but I think something happened, and she got sent away for a while. I wasn't ready for anything like that. Do you think Harry expects…?
"No." I'm sure of it. So is the couch comfortable?"
Ginny turned red. "Did he tell you?"
Hermione smiled at her friend and shook her head. "Not in any detail. Is there anything to tell?"
"No. He never tried anything." She began brushing Hermione's shoulder length hair.
"You're right. I don't think he would ever take advantage of anyone. Did he talk with you about Umbridge?"
"I was there the night that he had the vision. It was awful. He was shaking and he was so cold."
Hermione looked slyly at the redhead. "You should have tried the couch."
Ginny shook her head, slightly embarrassed. "We were all in sleeping bags in the study at the time. There was no furniture. I was so scared for him. Hermione, I'm still so scared for him – all of the things that he has to do."
Hermione nodded. "I know about the prophecy. He told me the night that we went out for pizza." She had thought about what they had talked about, re-analyzing every word and gesture that he'd said or given her. She knew that she was deeply in love with him. Sadly she realized that he needed a best friend right now and not a complex love triangle.
Ginny knew what her best friend was thinking. She knew that Hermione was also in love with Harry, but had too much respect for her to act on it. She leaned over and hugged her friend. "Thanks Hermione. Let's go tuck him in."
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On Saturday Harry woke up at 5:30 and decided to use the exercise equipment. After showering, he walked up the stairs to the training room and was surprised to see Hermione, Susan, Emma, Tonks, and Ginny working out at the different stations. Rather than bother them, he quietly turned around and went down to the library to study the Charms book that Professor Flitwick had left for him to read. After an hour he carefully unrolled the manuscript that Professor Dumbledore had given him. Defending against Mind Attacks – Prepared for Mr. Albus Dumbledore by Sir Nicolas Flamel – 1858.
Harry read about the concept of developing a memory palace – An organizational system where different memories are stored in different rooms within the mind. The concept was originally developed in the 1580s by a wizard named Matteo Ricci to help aid in remembering facts and details, but was easily adoptable for use in protecting those same memories and details.
Flamel developed the idea of building shields around the core locations of the mind. The manuscript also provided information on sensing intrusions and finished with techniques for developing false memories.
Harry went back to his room and was surprised to notice two pairs of girl's trainers on either side of his sofa along with two sleeping bags! Thinking it strange that they would be there, he set the shoes in the hallway between Ginny and Hermione's rooms, and went downstairs for breakfast.
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