CH4: This Life Is Overrated

"The miles just keep rollin'
As the people leave their way to say hello
I've heard this life is overrated
But I hope that this gets better as we go."

Previous Chapter: Harry strolled up Privet Drive, satisfied. He'd had a wonderful day of freedom. He hummed to himself as he opened the front door of Privet Drive.

"You are in big trouble, Harry James Potter."

Harry flinched. "Hullo, Remus," he said brightly.

The werewolf just glared at him. "Don't you 'Hullo, Remus' me! What were you thinking?!? You could have been killed!"

"I'm really sorry, Remus, but – "

"Do you have any idea what it was like to find out you were missing? You had me worried sick! I kept imagining all the horrible things that could be happening to you." His voice broke. "I can't loose you too, Harry, not after ... "

Harry felt a horrible surge of guilt wash over him. "I didn't even think about how you'd react – I swear I'm sorry – I didn't mean to make you worry like that."

Remus pulled him into a hug. "I understand that you just wanted some freedom, but please, don't wander off like that again." He released Harry as studied his face. "Where did you go anyway?"

He had the grace to look sheepish. "Diagon Alley."

"Are you telling me that you snuck out of the house, a place that is suppose to be safe-guarded, managed to trick Dung into taking a – what was it?"

"A Dreamless Sleep Potion in his drink."

"Okay, a Dreamless Sleep Potion, somehow traveled to Diagon Alley, and made it back without being caught?" Remus had a strange look on his face.

"Er, yeah?"

The older man broke out into chuckles. "Oh, Harry, you can't imagine how proud Sirius would be right now."

Harry started laughing, too: the first true and genuine laugh he'd had in a long time. Soon, they were both rolling on the floor in hilarity.

"Thanks, Remus," said Harry, wiping his eyes. "I needed that."

"No problem. Not at all."

July 9, 1996

Two days later found Harry back in the park, sitting on his usual swing. It had been repaired sometime during the last year, but Dudley and his gang had already set about trying to demolish it again. He was contemplating on whether or not to actually get up and do something productive, when a voice behind him interrupted his thoughts.

"Wotcher, Harry. Mind if I join you?"

"Pull up a swing, Tonks."

She smiled at him as she sat down. "I figured I'd just come right out and tell you I was here. I don't fancy waking up in a bush somewhere."

Harry smirked slightly. "How is Dung, by the way?"

"Embarrassed. But you've manage to impress Moody."

"Ah, my life's goal is complete." He regarded her critically. "You're not here to read me the riot act are you? Because I heard it all from Mrs. Weasley via Howler this morning."

"Bet that didn't go over well with your relatives."

"Thankfully, they were out. Some what brings you here for a social visit? I assume you aren't on guard duty since you're lacking the whole Invisibility Cloak and stealth routine."

She blew air through her teeth and seemed to pause before speaking. "How has your summer been going?"

"Slightly less dreadful than one of Binns' lectures. But you're avoiding the subject."

"Look," she began abruptly. "I'm not very good at this. I know that. But I also know you need someone to talk to. And I had hoped I could help."

Harry looked startled. "I – "

"Let me finish." Tonks took a deep breath. "I don't know what it's like to not have family, so I can't understand you. I'm not even going to try. You've had enough of that. What I can do is try to fill the empty spot you have ... to be your family. The Blacks and the Potters are actually distantly related ... most pureblood families are, but ... And Sirius was my mother's cousin. That makes us, like, god-second cousins! So, I just want you to know, I'll be here if you need me."

Harry was silent for a minute. "Thank you."

"Hey, it's no problem, kiddo," she said awkwardly.

"No, it's a big thing. To me, at least. You don't know how many times I wished for family. I used to dream that someone would come for me and I'd find out that I wasn't the only Potter ... I'd have parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents ... So, thank you."

"I always wanted siblings when I was growing up too." She sat up straighter and continued humorously. "So, Harry, would you like to be my little brother?"

"I'd be honored," he chuckled. "But, you know, it's kind of weird for me to call my sister by her last name ..."

"No."

"Why not, my darling Nymph?"

"Brat," she growled.

"Brat?"

"The Brat Who Lived Just To Annoy Me."

"I always hated that name. I mean, seriously, who thought up 'Boy Who Lived'?"

"Probably the Ministry."

"Figures," he sighed dramatically. "Well, Nymphie, tell me something about yourself."

"Pardon?"

"You're going to be my big sister and I know nothing about you. Spill."

"Okay. My parents are Ted Tonks and Andromeda Black-Tonks. I was born on October 14th, 1970. I was a Ravenclaw, class of 1988. Now, I work as an Auror, in a squad under Kingsley Shacklebolt. My favorite color is pink and I hate it when people call me Nymphadora. Or Nymph."

"Why can't I?"

"Just - just - just because!"

"Please?" He gave Nymph his best puppy-dog eyes and she relented.

"Oh, alright, fine. But only you. If you start a trend with this - if anyone else calls me Nymph - I will not hesitate to hex you."

"Hasn't anyone ever called you Nymph?"

"Just one."

"Well?" Harry prompted.

"It was my best friend when I was six. But, after we stopped talking, nobody else did. I've been Tonks ever since."

"Why'd you two stop talking?"

"We got into a fight and I ... well, I kind of turned her back legs into ... goat legs."

"Goat legs?!?"

"My accidental magic is nothing to laugh at."

"I know ... I've done things like that."

"Really? Do tell."

He looked slightly uncomfortable. "Er ... when I was ten, shortly before I was accepted into Hogwarts, I was ... well, I was talking to a Boa Constrictor in the zoo and Dudley came up and pushed me out of the way, so I 'accidentally' melted the glass on the cage."

"You set a snake on him?"

"I didn't set the snake on him. The Boa told me he had never seen Brazil and I was just helping him get there."

"That's way better than my goat-girl. Did you do anything else?"

"When I was seven I was running and the next second later, I was on the roof."

"You Apparated? Cool!"

"And my aunt gave me a really haircut once and, the next day, it had all grown back."

"Wait a second, you grew your hair out?" Tonks gave him an intent look at this statement.

"Mmmhmm."

"Could you try something for me?" Harry nodded. "Close your eyes and imagine yourself with long hair. You got it? Now imagine that is how you really look."

Harry concentrated hard and his head felt tingly.

"You did it!" she exclaimed. "Open your eyes!"

"Did what, Nymph?"

"Touch your hair, brat." Harry reached out and patted his now shoulder length hair.

"Oh, Merlin."

"This explains everything! I should have realized ... your hair ... your growth spurt ... young Metamorphmagus always grow when they come into their powers ... I got mine when I had just turned fifteen and I shot up four whole inches!"

"Hold on, you're telling me that I'm a - a - Metamorphmagus?"

"Yup."

"Whoa."

Later that day, Harry sat on his bed, playing with his once again short hair. 'Me, a Metamorphmagus. Who would have thought ...'

As he listed all the things he could do with his new found talent, not all of which were entirely moral or legal, an owl arrived at the window. Harry slowly got up and paid it, glancing at the Daily Prophet. Only he didn't get too far into it.

The front cover of the paper showed a picture of him chatting with Tom at the bar. In large letters, there was this headline above it:

HARRY POTTER: SECRETS REVEALED!

'Uhoh, this cannot be good.'

Twenty minutes later had Harry glaring angrily at the newspaper.

'Harry Potter is a man of mystery, writes Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet correspondent ' the article began. 'For years, enquiring minds have wanted to know at least a piece of the her, trying to pick out his life from the rumors and shadows that surround him. And now, thanks to an interview with a source close to the subject of our adoration, we have the truth. The real story of Harry Potter.'

And they did. They had his life in black and white. From 'growing up unwanted and unloved with his Muggle relatives' to his 'many brave and reckless feats at Hogwarts to save the school'. From 'the terrible battles against evil dark wizards and You-Know-Who himself' to the 'tumulus relationship with a fellow student, Cho Chang, while trying to prove the Dark Lord's return to the world'. It was all there.

'While the Boy Who Lived has not been able to be reached for comment, the source of these facts is a reliable one, although wishes to remain anonymous.

Harry stared at the article clenched in his fists once again. 'How did they ...'

'There is only one way the Daily Prophet could have found out about all that,' he thought, wishing that it wasn't true. 'I haven't told many people about most of those things. That means ...'

One of his friends was a traitorous snitch.

But who?