Chapter 2
Peace and Realisation
Harry had a peaceful night. The first peaceful night since being back at Privet Drive. He awoke to find an arm resting over his stomach. He looked over to find Tonks in bed with him, fast asleep. Harry smiled, held her hand and dropped back off to sleep.
The next week brought much of the same. As time went on, Harry grew quite close to Tonks, and waking up with Tonks next to him was very pleasing as well as relaxing. With Tonks being so close, Harry had a very peaceful night without any nightmares to disturb him.
Harry decided to keep up the running in the mornings as part of his training routine, which also included his Animagus training, which in turn included his meditation exercises.
Harry had another peaceful night. Harry smiled as he laid next to Tonks and dropped back off to sleep again. Harry awoke again an hour later to find himself lying on his back, Tonks, with her arm still lying over his stomach, and her leg over his with her knee dangerously close to a certain delicate part of his anatomy. Harry leaned over and kissed Tonks on the forehead and she smiled, rubbed his chest lightly and said "morning" and kissed his cheek.
Harry found himself very happy and content. He'd had the best nights sleep he'd had since being back at Privet Drive when he was lying in bed with this beautiful young witch next to him. He managed to move around Tonks without disturbing her and went downstairs to the kitchen to put the kettle on. As soon as he'd made the coffee, Tonks had entered the kitchen and sat at the breakfast table.
"Morning Tonks" Harry said, putting down the coffee-pot on the table and a mug in front of her. "Shall I pour?" he asked pleasantly.
"Yes please" she replied, still half asleep.
Harry poured the coffee and sat down opposite Tonks.
"Well, what's the plan of action today?" asked Harry.
"What about going down to Diagon Alley and having a day off from everything?"
"It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day, shall we go to Hogsmeade?"
"Yeah, I've not been to Hogsmeade for a while, it's a date!" exclaimed Tonks, Harry smiled.
The pair finished their coffee and got ready to go out. Tonks went for the door and Harry called out to her "where you going?"
"We have to walk about ½ a mile so we can apparate. There's an anti-apparition ward around here!" exclaimed Tonks.
"Nonsense, don't you know anything about the famous Harry Potter?" Harry asked with a glint in his eye. Harry took hold of Tonks' elbow and with a POP they were in Hogsmeade.
"Harry, that's VERY advanced apparition. Where did you learn to do that?"
"I just did it. I wanted it to happen, so it did" Harry replied shrugging his shoulders.
"Whoa, I can see me learning quite a lot from you!" she said. Harry leant over and kissed her. "Yes Tonks, I'm sure we both can learn a lot from each other" Harry replied with a glint in his eye.
Tonks smiled and put her arm through Harry's as they wandered down the high street past Dervish & Banges, both with a smile on their faces. They made their way down through the high street, window shopping as they went, and ended up in The Three Broomsticks.
When they entered the tavern, Harry noticed the tavern was empty and Madam Rosmerta immediately got out two bottles of butterbeer for them. Harry went to the bar and paid Madam Rosmerta for the butterbeers and sat at a table with Tonks. Moments later, Dumbledore and McGonagall walked through the door. Dumbledore saw Harry and Tonks and came up and sat down at their table, McGonagall followed and also sat down at the table.
"Ah Harry, how's your training coming along?" asked Dumbledore.
"Oh, what training is this?" asked McGonagall.
"Erm… Animagus training professor" whispered Harry.
McGonagall gasped, "and you knew about this Albus?" she asked Dumbledore.
"Minerva, it's Harry's decision" replied Dumbledore.
"It might be Gryffindor's decision" said Tonks.
"Quite" Dumbledore said nodding.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked McGonagall.
"I've been having visions from Godric Gryffindor" replied Harry.
"You never cease to amaze me Mr Potter" replied McGonagall.
"Have you managed it yet Harry?" asked Dumbledore.
Harry smiled and looked at Tonks, "no sir, not yet". Tonks blushed, smiled and looked at her feet. "If I am right about what it is, I would need a bit more room to practice, so I can stretch out my wings"
"Would you like to try in the Great Hall Harry?" asked Dumbledore, sounding eager to see Harry's Animagus form.
"Yes please."
"Then we shall walk back to the school."
"Erm… sir… if everyone touches my arm I can take everyone there a little quicker" said Harry.
"Ah, yes" Dumbledore said standing up with a look of understanding on his face.
Harry stood up and held his arm out. Tonks touched his arm as did Dumbledore.
"Minerva" Dumbledore said and motioned to Harry's arm. McGonagall reluctantly touched Harry's arm. The moment they did, they all disapparated with a POP.
They all apparated in the Great Hall. "Harry, would you mind explaining how you did that?" asked McGonagall.
"I've already asked that" said Tonks.
"Actually it was Professor Dumbledore who gave me the confidence I needed to try that. He always said that I can do anything if I put my mind to it." replied Harry with a smile.
"Well," said McGonagall, "let's see it then."
"Just concentrate Harry" Tonks said holding Harry's hands and staring straight in his eyes.
Harry backed up from everyone, still staring into Tonks' eyes, paused for a few seconds and changed. Harry landed on all fours and walked up to Tonks and brushed up against her making her cry out in joy as this big beast nearly pushed her over. She got down next to Harry and flung her arms around him crying.
Harry gently pushed her away and walked away a few paces and turned around. He looked up at Dumbledore and then at McGonagall, let out a little roar, and stretched out his wings. Everyone gasped. Harry bounded over a couple of steps and lifted himself up in the air with a few beats of his wings and glided around the room and then back down and changing back just has he landed as though he'd been a Golden Griffin Animagus all his life.
Dumbledore clapped his hands together excitedly and for the first time hugged Harry just like a proud grandfather would. McGonagall just stood there gob smacked and Tonks ran up to him and gave him a big kiss on the lips. As Harry was holding Tonks, he turned to his headmaster "thanks for everything, see you soon" and apparated back to Privet Drive.
"Thanks Tonks, without you I wouldn't have managed that."
Just then Harry heard a knocking on the kitchen window. It was another owl. He let it in through the back door and it flew straight up to Tonks. It was today's Daily Prophet; Tonks paid the owl and it left. Harry was just about to close the door again when another owl swooped down in through the kitchen and landed on Tonks' shoulder. She took the parchment off its leg and the owl flew off back out the door.
Tonks read the parchment and told Harry that she had to go back to work. She gave Harry a quick kiss on the lips and left.
Harry, downhearted by Tonks' departure, decided to go back up to his room and read some more. After hours of reading Harry fell asleep.
The day after Tonks left to return to her job with the Ministry, he went back to the routine of waking up from quite vivid nightmares of his godfather, running to the park, and then returning back to Privet Drive for more studying with his new books.
Harry had learned a lot from these books and rather than practicing the various charms and curses he'd learned with his wand, he started practicing some of them without his wand. He found it quite hard at first but soon got the hang of it and started amusing himself with elemental magic, creating fire demons and water demons and getting them to fight with each other. He still had to use his wand for the more advanced charms and curses though.
On the day of his birthday, he got an owl from the Weasley's with a package containing his birthday presents. Some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from Ron and the book Harry saw Hermione get for him on his visit to Diagon Alley. He received a parchment from Ron's parent's saying he'd get his gift from them later when they next meet up. Harry thought this was rather strange as he'd always got something from Mrs Weasley but never thought anything more about it and carried on with his daily training routine.
"Here I go again" he said as he woke up from yet another nightmare, a few days after his birthday. He picked up his favourite book, Quidditch Through The Ages, and then suddenly, he through the book down on his bed without even opening it and held his head in his hands. Tears dripped slowly down his face as he thought about Sirius in the Ministry Of Magic, falling down the steps in the dais and through the veil. The look of fear and surprise on his godfather's face will always be with him; the thought of getting revenge on Bellatrix Lestrange plagued Harry's mind as well.
He wiped the tears from his eyes and face and stood up. 'I've got to do something to take my mind of this' he said to himself. He looked through the window to the outside world; it was just getting light outside. 'I'll go for a run' he decided.
Harry pulled on some tracksuit bottoms and put on a t-shirt and opened the door to his room very gently so he wouldn't wake up the rest of the household, as they arrived back from their holiday the day before. The last thing he wanted was to face the wrath of Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon. He knew he wouldn't disturb Dudley! Harry tiptoed down the stairs, opened the front door, stepped out and closed the door behind him. He looked around for a minute and set off down the road toward the park.
When Harry got to the park he sat himself on the bench overlooking the park grounds, where he'd sat the past couple of weeks, thinking about meeting up with his best friends Ron & Hermione and thinking about celebrating his birthday properly instead of on his own. He pondered over the owl he'd received on his birthday with a gift from both Ron and Hermione, and the parchment he'd received from Mrs Weasley saying she'd save his presents until they all met up again. He started wondering when he was going to meet up and just then a small ball of fluff hit Harry in the back of the head. "Pig, bloody hell!" he explained, "haven't you learnt to fly yet!". Harry bent down, picked up the small owl and removed a parchment from its leg; Pigwidgeon flew off erratically again. He read the letter:
Harry,
Hope you're ok. Dad's going to send a car from the Ministry for you tomorrow to take you to the Leaky Cauldron at 9 o'clock. We'll meet you in Fred & George's shop in Diagon Alley at 12. Fred & George can show you round the shop until we get there. Hermione is meeting us there as well.
See you soon.
Ron.
"We, us" Harry thought, "oh, Ginny of course".
Harry slumped back onto the bench and closed his eyes. "Ginny" he thought. It was a comforting thought that was unexpected to Harry. Ron's little sister, although not so little now. He thought back to when he was in Flourish & Blotts when Ginny stood up to Lucius Malfoy, he smiled and thought how she'd grown up since then, especially with the training she'd been getting in the DA meetings; then he thought how sad & upset he was when he found her lying in the chamber of secrets after Lucius Malfoy had given her Tom Riddle's diary. They all had to grow up rather quickly after starting school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Harry found himself dosing off with happy thoughts of his friends, which soon turned into thoughts of the night he was at the Ministry Of Magic and thoughts of his godfather falling down the steps and through the veil. An overwhelming emotion of anger and guilt hit Harry hard which shook himself awake. He sighed with the sadness of loosing his godfather, got up and set off to return back to number 4 Privet Drive for his last menial duty of cooking breakfast for the Dursley's. It wasn't that he wanted to do this of course, but he did have one more day to live under the same roof as them. He got up and ran back to the house as he'd done the previous mornings.
He got back to the house in no time and wasn't even out of breath from the running anymore. As he did a few exercises to warm down, he thought 'maybe I should take up running in the mornings regularly when I get back to school'.
Harry could feel his legs were a lot stronger than they used to be and knew he ought to get himself fit over the next year, ready for his seventh year when he would have to take his N.E.W.T's (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests). He'd heard that the practical side of the Care Of Magical Creatures N.E.W.T was particularly 'physical', especially if Hagrid had anything to do with it! He suddenly thought about Hermione, 'I'm turning into a male version of Hermione', and sniggered at himself. His N.E.W.T's weren't for another 22 months but knew he would have to start preparing himself if he was to have any chance at becoming an Auror, following in his parent's footsteps.
When Harry got back to Privet Drive, no one was up yet, so he took the opportunity for a quick shower before his first task of the day, cooking breakfast for the Dursley's. He'd almost wished he was back taking part in the Triwizard Tournament rather than being around the Dursley's. No sooner had Harry dried himself off when he heard his uncle's bellowing voice coming up the stairs.
"Boy, where are you? Where's my breakfast? Get down here and do your job!"
'Job?' Harry thought, 'I'm treated worse than a house elf'.
Harry got dressed quickly, ran down the stairs and straight into the kitchen where his uncle was glaring at him over the top of his newspaper. It's times like this when he wished he could just charm all the utensils and pots to prepare and cook everything the way Mrs Weasley does. He smiled with the thought of his aunt and uncle cowering under the breakfast table with all the pots and pans flying around the kitchen. Magic of any kind, even mentioning the 'm' word, was strictly forbidden in the Dursley's household, when they were in the house anyway.
Harry finished serving the breakfast and Uncle Vernon put down his newspaper and tucked in. Dudley was scowling at Harry over his half of a grapefruit as he had been put on a diet so he wouldn't keep outgrowing his school uniform.
Aunt Petunia gave Harry his orders for the day, "you're to finish off the weeding in the garden today, no excuses!"
After clearing away everything after breakfast, Harry set about weeding in the garden as per Aunt Petunia's orders. He was happy to do this, as he was out in the open, it was a nice summer's day, and he didn't have to put up with Dudley, who hated being outside when there was a perfectly good television set in the living room and one in his bedroom.
Harry had just finished the weeding when Aunt Petunia stepped out into the garden. "If you're not finished by tomorrow you can forget about meeting your so called 'friends'."
Aunt Petunia said 'friends' with a hint of sarcasm that made Harry wince. He said "I have finished" knowing full well that even if he hadn't finished Aunt Petunia wouldn't stop him from going to see Ron and Hermione, and Ginny. She would be as glad to get rid of him as he would be glad to leave.
"Oh", she said "well… well trim the hedges then". She stormed off and Harry tidied up the weeding tools and got the sheers out. It was a pity Harry wasn't 'of age' in the wizarding world. One flick of his wand and the right sort of charm to enchant the sheers and the job would sort itself out. He thought he'd better not try out his wandless magic on a pair of sheers, he hadn't quite perfected that yet.
He looked at the sheers, and then at the hedges and decided to take a rest for some lunch. He went back into the kitchen and made himself a sandwich, poured himself a drink of fresh orange and went back out to the garden picking up the newspaper his uncle had been reading on the way.
As Harry sat in the garden, and while he ate his sandwich, he glanced through the newspaper for any evidence of any attacks from Lord Voldemort. Muggle newspapers wouldn't mention Voldemort or magic of course, but Harry was reading between the lines for anything strange enough to suggest Voldemort was up to no good. All was quiet. Harry hadn't felt anything from his scar for a while either. He surmised that Voldemort had gone underground for a while, perhaps even left the country, after the failed attempt to get the prophecy, his prophecy, from the Ministry Of Magic. He laid back and thought about the prophecy that Professor Trelawney had made:
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."
'What did it all mean? When is the dark lord supposed to be vanquished?' he asked himself. Harry generally ignored things Professor Trelawney 'predicted' as she was always predicting Harry's untimely demise. She had been right about one thing though, Peter Pettigrew, aka Wormtail, aka Scabbers who was Ron's pet rat for thirteen years. He had returned to his master, Lord Voldemort.
Happy that Voldemort seemed to be lying low for the time being, Harry set about trimming the hedges.
By mid afternoon, Harry had finished all his gardening duties and decided to escape the Dursley's household before he had any more jobs thrown at him. He went up into his room and changed into a pair of shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt and went back outside for a run around the park.
Harry didn't know why, but he felt as though he was being watched wherever he went. He decided to sit down on 'his' bench in the park and watch out for anyone acting suspiciously. You could almost always tell wizards who were 'trying' to blend into muggle society. He had a bit of a giggle when he thought about the wizards he saw at the Quidditch World Cup.
Harry decided to get up and run round the park once more and head off back to Privet Drive to pack up his school things ready for tomorrow.
Harry woke up the next morning all alert. He put on his glasses and looked at the clock on his bedside table, it said 06:23. He suddenly realised that this was the first night since Tonks had been at Privet Drive he actually had a good nights sleep. He could vaguely remember dreaming about Sirius but it hadn't been the nightmare that he'd been dreaming over and over as usual since he got back. It was of happier times, although, it wasn't quite right. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but he knew it wasn't quite right.
He got up and got dressed for running and slipped out the front door and ran to the park where he sat in his usual spot and thought about the dreams he had that night. He'd been back at 12 Grimmauld Place with Sirius, but no one else was there. Even Sirius' mother's portrait wasn't there. He tried to remember when Sirius had managed to get rid of his mother's portrait but couldn't. One other thing Harry had remembered from the dream was Kreacher, Sirius' house elf. He wasn't calling Sirius master anymore. He was calling someone else master ... Harry! 'Eh, that can't be right' thought Harry.
He made his way back to the house, but just as he got a couple of streets away, a dark, mysterious figure stepped out into Harry's path. "Bloody hell" thought Harry, 'where's my wand when I need it?'. Then Harry thought, wandless magic; Harry raised his hand and just had he did so the dark, mysterious figure removed his hood. It was Snape. Harry sighed.
"What do you think you're doing… er… sir?" Harry trailed off.
"Believe it or not Potter, I have brought some good news ... about your inheritance." said Snape.
"My inheritance? At Gringotts?"
"No. Your godfather left his entire estate to you."
Harry didn't know how to take this news. He wasn't happy because he still wanted to believe Sirius could somehow be still alive.
Snape went on, "I have been entrusted to take you to a wizarding solicitor in Diagon Alley so that you may sign the necessary papers to transfer the estate over to yourself. You will need a witness, which will be me."
"But I'm already due to go down to Diagon Alley today to meet Ron and Hermione. A ministry car is picking me up at 9."
"Good, I will accompany you ..."
"But", Harry interrupted, "that's not for two hours yet. You can't come back to the Dursley's, they'll go mad!" he explained.
"I will take the opportunity to explain to your aunt and uncle that you will no longer be staying with them, unless you still want to live with them?"
"What? No, but ..." Harry was confused.
"Sirius' house now belongs to you.". Snape looked around, "It is also the headquarters of the Order. You will be able to stay there from now on as someone from the Order will be there on hand to keep an eye on you.", Snape's mouth curled up as he said this.
'Well' Harry thought, 'at least this explains why Kreacher called me master'.
"Ok", Harry said simply. They both started walking back to Privet Drive. All sorts of thoughts were rushing into Harry's mind as he pondered over what Snape had told him, especially with the dream he'd had that night.
When they got back to the Dursley's house, they both went into the kitchen and sat down waiting for the Dursley's to descend the stairs.
Aunt Petunia came downstairs a moment later and stopped. Snape rose up off his chair and extended his arm out towards Aunt Petunia and said "Severus Sna ...".
Aunt Petunia cut him off, "who are you, what are you doing in my house?"
"As I was saying, my name is Severus Snape. I'm here to discuss Harry's leaving home."
Harry thought 'home', this has never been my home.
Snape continued, "An unfortunate accident occurred to Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, resulting in his death. Mr Black has left Harry his entire estate and he will be moving in today."
Harry never thought he'd hear 12 Grimmauld Place being described as 'an estate'.
Aunt Petunia's mouth opened to form a perfect O, then it closed and a smile crept up on her face, she turned slightly and shouted "Vernon, Vernon!". Large rushed footsteps were heard bounding down the stairs and Vernon Dursley burst in.
"What is it my ...", he stopped, "who the hell are you, what are you doing in my house?"
Snape rolled his eye's. Before Snape had chance to answer, Aunt Petunia bounced up to Harry's uncle with a spring in her step and said "Harry's leaving! Today!"
Uncle Vernon's mouth dropped open, then changed to a smile.
"What time are you leaving? Are you packed? Do you need any help packing?", he asked enthusiastically, then shouted "Dudley! Dudley!" No answer.
Snape turned to Harry and told him that he'd leave him to pack and meet up with him outside Gringott's Wizarding Bank at 11:00. Harry nodded and Snape left.
Vernon said "at least we won't have freaks like that turning up on our doorstep anymore!"
"He's not a fre ...", Harry stopped, realised what he was about to say and then changed his mind. He went upstairs without saying any more.
Harry decided to write Ron a note about what just happened:
Ron,
I've got some news. I don't want to say much now because I want to wait and tell you in person.
Basically, how would you like to stay with me in Sirius' old house for the rest of the summer, if your Mum will let you?
If you see Hermione before me can you ask her as well?
See you later.
Harry.
PS. I've written a note to your Mum asking if she can look after Hedwig for a few days.
He thought this would also make it easier to move all his belongings as he didn't want to keep Hedwig locked up in her cage all day. He wrote his letter and sent Hedwig off to The Burrow to find Ron. He also sent the note off to Mrs Weasley along with Ron's note to ask her to look after Hedwig for a few days while he settled into his new home. As he explained in the letter, he didn't give Ron all the details because he wanted to save some news for when they met up later.
He looked around his room. He didn't have many possessions but what he did have he couldn't fit it all in his trunk. He used his knowledge from his Advanced Transfiguration book and without using his wand he transfigured all his things into smaller versions of each item and packed everything away, including Hedwig's cage.
By the time he'd packed everything, a black car had pulled up outside. It was time to leave number 4 Privet Drive forever.