Harry Potter and the Strength of the Heart

A/N Harry Sixth Year, after OotP. H/Hr

Chapter 2 – Troubled Minds

It was a beautiful lucid day, the sky was blue with not a solitary cloud in the sky, and it hadn't rained in weeks since Harry had returned from Hogwarts. He spent most of his time walking about the town relishing in the sunshine, staying away from the Dursley's house as much as he could. Since he'd come back, staying at the Dursley's had become, more tolerable was the word for it. The Dursley's ignored him whenever he was there, they didn't even talk to him, which in his opinion was much better since they no longer made him to do all the chores in the house. He had all the time he sought, doing whatever he wished, they couldn't even be bothered if he was out till late, although the one time he had tried, they almost didn't open the door for him when they had locked him out. The only reason they had, was that they were concerned what the neighbours would think of somebody banging on there door late at night causing an uproar in front of there house.

Truth be told he was thankful that he had time alone, where he could have time to think, although he was confident that the order in all probability had someone following him the entire summer so far no doubt. He couldn't be bothered anymore if they watched over him or not, right now all he wanted was time alone to think.

The previous years events had been a significant one for him, he was still upset that because of him Sirius, the closest thing he had to a father let alone a family had died. He had sent his Godfather and his friends right into a trap, he had been so stupid, he had almost gotten everyone killed because he couldn't control himself and that would be the last time anything like that would ever happen again.

He had learnt from his mistakes and would never let anyone die because of him again or at least by Voldermort and his Death Eaters hands. He would be prepared the next time he saw Voldermort, he would stop him, even if the prophecy said that either he or Voldermort would die. He would make sure that it was Voldermort who died; he wouldn't let that man, if he could still be called a man, to take anymore lives, particularly those of his friends.

He'd gained so little but lost so much at his hands and Sirius' death would be the last, he would avenge his parents and Sirius if nothing else he would put an end to Voldermort even if he died himself.

o-o-o-o-

Harry made his way to a mouldy, warn out wooden bench that looked ready to fall apart, he frequently used this particular bench whenever he came to the park, it was concealed by long thick branches of a tall elderly tree that had been left unattended for sometime, nearby, and now hid the bench from view.

"Hi Tonks" Harry said lying down on the wooden bench.

"How'd you know I was here Harry?" Tonks asked obviously surprised as she took of the invisibility cloak she wore, making her way to him.

"I could hear you behind me" Harry said coldly. Tonks knew that of late he didn't like having others around him, it seemed almost as if he refused to have anyone near him, she could only guess it was in fear that he might hurt those around him.

He had spent for the most part of the summer so far alone, away from the company of others, becoming even more distant than ever. What concerned her the most, was that he was most likely keeping away from others, because he blamed himself for Sirius' death and feared he might do the same to others. Although she and everyone else knew it wasn't his fault, and not to mention Sirius would hate being mourned, above all by Harry.

"You don't sound very happy, Harry. What's the matter?" Tonks asked, even if he didn't feel like having anybody around she wasn't going to leave him alone in his state.

"I just want to be alone alright" Harry said aggravated, why couldn't anyone understand that he wanted to be left alone, he didn't want anyone near him, all he could offer them was pain and suffering, as he had done to his friends.

"Sorry can't do that. Besides, how do you feel about getting out of this place, I mean away from the Dursley's for the rest of the summer?" Tonks asked she had hoped that this would get him out of his forlorn disposition. It wasn't right for him to be like this, she had just gotten to know him the prior year and she knew if they left him like this he would only get worse.

Harry's mood picked up at Tonks' words, the prospect of getting away from those hateful Dursley's was almost too good to be true. Even if the Dursley's were ignoring him, it didn't stop them making him feel like he didn't fit in anywhere. Over the years they had refined it into a fine art, without even having to say anything they could make a person feel like they were strange, abnormal and sometimes they could even make you feel like you weren't even human.

In the old days he would have jumped at the chance to get away from them and join his friends, but those days weren't the same anymore. He had learnt the hard way, that it wasn't safe to be around him while Voldermort was out there and he had made a promise to himself, that he wouldn't get anyone involved again and he was going to keep that promise, whatever the cost.

If it wasn't for the blood protection he shared with the Dursley's that prevented Voldermort from reaching him, he would have left the Dursley's by now. No matter how much he hated the Dursley's, subjecting them to Cruciatus curse or worse no matter how much he detested them, even they didn't deserve to experience such pain and suffering.

"If it's alright I'd rather stay here the rest of the summer" Harry said trying to hide his disappointment of not being able to see his friends.

To say that she wasn't surprised was an understatement; Harry willingly choosing to stay at the Dursley's was something she had never expected to hear, from him of all people.

She could've sworn that he had seemed happy at the news of getting away from the Dursley's, but it had disappeared just as soon as it had appeared. It seemed that leaving him alone after the ministry incident hadn't been a good idea. Harry had changed since the last time she had seen him, he was no longer the same person she remembered, but she was confident that this change wasn't for the better, in particular for him. He needed his friends and staying by himself wasn't what he needed and she hoped that somehow she could show him that.

-o-o-o-o-

"Where is that miserable boy?" Uncle Vernin spat loudly as he sat in his favourite chair in front of the TV.

"I… I think he's gone out again, dear" Aunt Petunia said softly, she didn't want to upset her husband and talking about that boy was the one thing that made him angrier than anything.

Truth is, she really didn't hate the poor boy, in fact she was rather jealous, what, would it be like to be able to do magic, changing things from one to another. Some of the things she had seen had been truly incredible, there was no other word for it, the things they could do so simply, just by waving a little stick such astounding things would happen, but not all were so wondrous.

Her own sister had been killed by one of her own kind, just with a simple wave of his wand she and her husband had both been killed, the thought of what they were capable of with a little piece of wood frightened her tremendously. She didn't hate the boy because he could do magic, it was what the magic was capable of that frightened her and she was glad that so far he hadn't done anything to them.

She didn't like treating him the way she had been his whole life, but Vernin hated the boy for what he was and he was her husband, she had to act that way. She didn't want Vernin to take his hatred and turn it onto her, her life with Vernin was the only life she knew. She didn't have anyway of taking care of herself if anything happened to him, she had to do what he said or else she would have to risk loosing him and then how would she be able to go on with her life.

She was sorry for the poor boy but there was no other way, at least he would be able to leave soon and stay with his friends, they seemed to care about him more than she ever thought anyone would.

"That good for nothing brat, comes home for the summer and eats our food and doesn't do anything around the place. Useless the lot of them!" Vernin growled angrily.

"Yes dear." Petunia said cautiously, so as not to upset her husband anymore than he was already.

'This is the last time he's going to run around here, that freak' Vernin thought angrily. He loathed the boy with all he had, the boy wasn't normal, and so were the lot of his kind. He couldn't grasp how they could possibly be running around doing as they pleased, who knows what things they'd done and how many people they'd hurt.

'They shouldn't be aloud to run around freely; the lot of them should've been gotten rid of or at least locked up, safe and sound.' Vernin mused to himself.

They were too dangerous to be left alone and if no one was going to do anything about it he would, even if it was just the boy. He would be sure to get rid of him one way or another, so that he couldn't go back to that freakish school of his and hopefully that would put an end to all of those friends of his popping up all over the place, he wouldn't have it anymore.

This time was the last!

o-o-o-o-

"Come on Harry, we know your upset about Sirius, but it wasn't your fault. If anyone is to blame its Kretcher, it was him who lied to both you and Sirius. There was nothing you could of done." Tonks said angrily.

"I know Tonks, but it is my fault. Everyone who's near me gets hurt, until Voldermort is gone no one is safe around me." Harry said sadly his arm across his eyes.

"Harry, we all know that there's always a chance that" Tonks took a deep breath before she continued shakily "Voldermort will come after one of us, were your friends and were willing to take that chance. Ron and Hermione have been with you since your first year, even after Voldermort tried to get you and yet they're still with you."

"I know Tonks." Harry said irritated, he was moderately content that she had managed to say Voldermort's name. He knew all of this but that wasn't the point he wouldn't loose anymore people he cared for to Voldermort and he meant no one.

"They might be prepared to be near me, even if that meant running into Voldermort, but I'm not." Harry said sternly "HE'S! Taken every person I could call a family just to get at me. I can't do that anymore, I wish Sirius hadn't died, but he is the last person that Voldermort will ever take from me!"

Tonks was exceptionally surprised at Harry's words; she and the others had thought that he was only upset about Sirius' death, but they had been terribly wrong, they had had it all wrong. It seemed that Sirius death had actually made Harry stronger than he had been, but she had to convince him, it wasn't good to be alone, he needed his friends. He needed some evidence, some proof that he was a person, not just someone destined to get rid of a Dark Lord, he needed to know he had a life of his own to live.

"What are you going to do then, keep to yourself, stay away from everyone, until when, when Voldermort is gone for good. What will you do then, will you just stop being who you are and act like a normal person. That's not who you are Harry, if you run away from us and especially you're friends, you'll just be alone again, and this time you might be alone for good." Tonks shouted angrily.

Harry was quite stunned, he had never expected that anything could ever make Tonks angry, not like this anyway, but he had learnt that he was inexplicably wrong.

He hated to admit it but Tonks was right, if he stayed away from all his friends.

'His family'

Would he ever come back again? What would he do if he survived and beat Voldermort, would he come back happy to see everyone, would they even welcome him back or would he just slink away into the shadows, alone with no one?

No life? was that really what he wanted, he had always wanted a normal life but he knew that would never happen, but he did have a life of sorts, even if some of it he didn't want. He had friends who were almost family, was he willing to give all of that up, was he willing to take the possibility of loosing all of that. Wouldn't it be just as Voldermort had done, more people he cared about would be taken away from him, but this time by his own hands?

Tonks just watched as Harry sat there, he looked like he was deep in thought thinking about something, she could only hope that she had gotten through to him. If anyone deserved to have a life it was him, he barely had one at that but what would happen to him if he lost that too. Like Harry had said, he had lost most of the people he had ever cared about at Voldermort's hands or his followers, but was he willing to do so at his own Hands, leaving himself alone, the complete opposite of what he had longed for, for so long. She could only hope that he didn't run away, they were all there for him, he would never be alone again, if he'd only let them show it, he would see that even though they weren't his real family, they were his family.

"You know, you're kind of scary when you get angry like that." Harry said amused a light smile forming on his face "Thanks Tonks." Harry said dusting himself off as he stood in front of the mouldy old bench he had been lying on.

"I'm glad you've come to your senses or I would have had to drag you back to HQ, although that might be worth it just to see everyone faces, as I walk in with you floating in behind." Tonks said gladly returning his smile "Had me worried there for a minute."

"Yeah, me to." Harry said thoughtfully his mind still coming to ease at what he had nearly done, if it hadn't been for Tonks, where would he be.

"So when am I going to be picked up." Harry asked. "Tomorrow, about three I think, just after Hermione gets there." Tonks said. "Hermione?" Harry asked confused, he thought Hermione would have been there long ago. "HQ's been a bit of a mess with Voldermort back and all. You know it's a lot easier saying his name once you've said it." Tonks said quirking an eyebrow. "Took you long enough though!" Harry said not really angry fighting back a smile as Tonks just looked at him curiously. "Well now, you seem back to normal or do I have to make good on my threat." Tonks said decisively, which didn't help as a small smile kept appearing every now and then.

"Yes, yes I'll go don't worry unless you want to try your luck." Harry said mockingly, Tonks just shook her head looking amused "With my luck I'd be the one floating behind you."

"Alright you going to be okay now, Harry." Tonks asked her concern for him still showing.

Harry just smiled, hoping to alleviate her concern "Yeah I'm okay now, thanks."

"Well see you tomorrow." Tonks said waving as she apparated away.

"Yeah, thanks Tonks." Harry said softly to himself making his way out of the park back towards Pivet Drive.

-o-o-o-o-

"I understand your concern Nymphodora, but this is something that Harry must deal with himself. If we were to interfere it would only make the situation even worse than it already is."

"I know, but you should have seen him today, he was willing to stay at the Dursley's, of all people, willingly." Tonks said concerned

"And I thank you for that, it is not appropriate for him to be alone, especially at these precarious times, but we must respect his wishes."

"I know but... He's not the same anymore; it's as if Sirius death changed him somehow, only. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad…" Tonks said, it was clear that she was exceptionally apprehensive about Harry as was everyone else.

"Do not concern yourself Nymphodora, I and the rest of the teachers will be watching over him this year. I assure you he will be fine and from what you tell me he is already doing better. He will return to normal in due course, but, right now he just needs time to himself, but it is apparent that he can not be left alone anymore. That is why I have agreed to allow him to return to Grimwuald Place, although I can not say what affect that will have on him." Dumbledore said his concern for Harry clearly showing "As for this change, only time will tell if it is for the better, or I fear for the worst."

Tonks just sat there watching the old headmaster, she truly hoped he was right, that he would be alright but she still had her fears and until they disappeared she would do what she could for him.

Dumbledore had his own fears about Harry, which were only worsened the longer he waited for any news of Voldermort. He only hoped the poor boy could overcome these terrible trials as he had in the past. Harry was a truly remarkable young man, but so had Tom Riddle, although not many new of it, they both had lived similar lives.

They both had had no parents and were forced to live with people they both wished they could leave forever. Harry had to live with his aunt and uncle who despised him for who he was, where as Tom lived in an orphanage where he was also despised by those around him. They were both so alike yet so different, but one thing was different about them. Tom hadn't had Harry's strength and the devotion that Harry had shown on a few occasions, to his friends. That alone might have saved Harry from following in Tom's footsteps, but for now he could only hope with all that had happened that Harry didn't turn out like Tom.

He truly hoped that Harry would overcome this crossroad in his life as he had so many before him, hopefully for the better. It was hard to tell, every year would put Harry to the test, and it was almost as if each year was preparing him for the final confrontation with Voldermort, but how long could he last. Although each year brought new trials for him to overcome, Harry was just a young man still, eventually even he would crack, and the only question that remained was would he be able to overcome it as he had in the past or would it destroy him.

So much trouble on one so young's shoulders, more so than any one wizard would have to deal with in there entire lifetime, but it was extraordinarily beyond belief how he still managed to be who he was. If he survived his final test he would beyond doubt be a great wizard one day, more so than anyone else in existence.

He would be greater than any of them ever imagined.

"Any news of Voldermort yet." Tonks asked.

Dumbledore was clearly surprised at hearing Voldermort's name, he had hoped that people would stop being fearful of his name and yet to all his avail he hadn't managed to, but yet Harry already had managed to convince numerous people not to fear his name, which in itself was a remarkable feat.

"It is good to hear that you are using his name, Nymphodora. I am afraid there as been no new news since the attack at the ministry, although it should be a welcome relief, I fear that he may be planning something and this silence is only worrying." Dumbledore said he was fearful that Voldermort was planning something, something terrible, but all they could do was wait and see when it happened, if they couldn't stop it.

"I thought it was the only way I could get Harry to listen to me, although it is a lot easier to say once you have." Tonks said smiling

"But what could he be planning, especially now that everyone knows that he's back?" Tonks asked confused, it was understandable why he was worried "He can't be planning to come after Harry again, can he?" Tonks asked her concern only growing.

"As long as he is at Hogwarts I believe he will be safe, but Voldermort has tried on a few occasions but I doubt he would try anything while I and the entire staff are here." Dumbledore said reassuringly.

"But what if he does try while Harry's is at Hogsmeade?" Tonks asked

"I assure you we will watch over him and we make extra certain he is safe while in Hogsmeade. Do not trouble yourself while he is here Nymphodora, I promise you that he will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said smiling reassuringly to her.

-o-o-o-o-