Disclaimer: All rights to the characters of HP belong to J.K. Rowling and the book companies.
Chapter One: Cheeking Dudley 07/02
At 4 Privet Drive, Harry Potter had not left his room except to go to the bathroom for an entire week due to his constant grieving over his godfather Sirius Black. Nor had his Uncle Vernon Dursley yelled at him even once for not doing his choirs around the house. The neighbors closest to 4 Privet Drive found these events strange, that an almost sixteen year old young man would not be playing in the sun, even if he went to Saint Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys. Let alone Vernon Dursley had not had his three daily outbursts at the Potter boy in a week was most abnormal. Not to mention the fact that it had ruined the neighborhood gossip. But then again as far as Vernon Dursley was concerned nothing would ever be normal at 4 Privet Drive as long as his nephew Harry James Potter resided under the roof of his house.
In the smallest room on the second floor sits Harry on his bed wiping his eyes from his most recent nightmare he has had about the night at the Department of Mysteries and Sirius's death. This most recent dream has been the worst since the one he had the first night back, where he was in place of Bellatrix LeStrange casting the stunner that knocked Sirius through the curtain to his very death atop the raised dais. Harry knew deep down that the death of his godfather was not his fault but could not stop blaming himself for it. He had been thinking about his godfather's death ever since he had left Dumbledore's office, knowing that what Dumbledore had said about Sirius going to the ministry to protect him and that no one could stop him from doing it rang as true. If only he could stop hearing Hermione's voice in his head telling him he had a saving people complex constantly reminding him of why Sirius was gone.
Harry was interrupted from his thoughts by his Uncle hollering at him to get his lazy rump downstairs now. Harry knew that the Order's threats would only last for so long before his Uncle would begin to explode at him for every little thing that went wrong in Privet Drive even if he was in his room the entire time. The fact that certain Order members had taken it upon themselves to threaten his Uncle was enough to make Harry feel ecstatic. Uncle Vernon being quiet for an entire week was almost unbelievable to Harry, but he knew that he was about to get a week's worth of degradation from his Uncle to make up for the time that he had missed belittling his nephew. Harry slips off the bed heading down the stairs towards the sound of his Uncle's voice in the living room. Harry does it in a matter of seconds not wanting to make his Uncle wait and cause his anger to build even more. Harry realizes that his quickness was needed when he arrives in the living room to find his Uncle Vernon already a deep puce color in the face.
"Come here boy," growls Uncle Vernon in a menacing tone beckoning Harry towards him. Cautiously Harry walks further into the living room stopping just out of his Uncle's reach, if Vernon makes the decision to try and grab Harry the little distance could make the difference between being caught and escaping from the house. "Marge will be coming here to stay in two weeks time; also I expect the owner of Grunnings and my boss to be over for dinner the Friday after your wretched birthday. You will not blow up my sister or cause any dishes to explode all over the kitchen floor because if you do not even your abnormal friends will be able to save your scrawny hide. Do you understand me boy?"
"I understand as long as you understand that if Aunt Marge chooses not to leave me alone accidents may happen," Harry answers flatly. Vernon leaps forward trying for Harry's shirt front, but Harry steps back spinning on his heel and dashes for the door, escaping out into the brightly sunny evening. Harry runs for it knowing that when he arrives back home his Uncle will punish him later for his remark about using magic in the house. Then again Harry had had enough with being pushed around by the Dursleys due to the fact that he was born a wizard. If it was not for Dumbledore telling him about the prophecy he would never have returned to the family he could not get rid of. Harry heads off down the street in the direction of the park unaware of the fact of someone following him while he is lost in thought about the damnable prophecy and what it means.
Tonks hears the roar of Harry's obnoxious Uncle and discerns that he has finally come out of the stupor he was in from the scare he had received from Mad-Eye Moody. Mr. Dursley's tantrum as Tonks prefers to call it did not last for very long before Harry comes bursting out of the house at a dead run heading down the street. Tonks removes herself from her hiding place and begins to follow Harry keeping a safe enough distance between them to remain discreet. After a number of minutes pass by with Tonks following Harry, she realizes he is heading in the general direction of the local park as Harry takes the shortcut between Wisteria Walk and Magnolia Crescent.
As Harry makes his way down Magnolia Crescent to Magnolia Road, he continues to review the prophecy and the conversation which took place with Dumbledore on their return to Hogwarts from the Ministry of Magic almost two week ago. Harry could not bring himself to believe in Dumbledore's blind trust of Snape or doing nothing about the blatant fact of Kreacher's betrayal leading to the death of Sirius. The prophecy was by far the least of his worries since he was already prepared to fight Voldemort for everything he had done to his parents and the destruction of his life. Harry rouses himself from his thoughts in time to realize that his feet have nearly carried him to one of his favorite haunts of last summer.
When Harry walks into the grounds of the park, he notices the slight changes Dudley's gang has made since he last frequented the park. Trash litters the entire park from the battered trash cans strewn across the landscape and no longer can he find a swing that is still intact. Harry knows he should have expected this from Dudley's band of misfits having an entire week to terrorize the neighborhood when Dudley had barely been seen at home. Harry's dismay was still in his Aunt and Uncle believing their little Dudders was having a nice spot of tea everyday at a different member of his gang's house. Then again none of the neighbors ever complained about their children getting pummeled by Dudley or the Dursley's fabricated lies about where he went to school at to hide the fact of him being a wizard. Harry shook his head in dismay at the state of affairs that went on in Little Whinging, the adults avoided conflict at the expense of their children to have a peaceful normal life.
Harry inspects the devastation done to the park by his childhood bullies wishing he could give the cowards a taste of their own medicine, unexpectedly Harry is pulled from his thoughts by the sounds of Dudley and his posse coming into the park dragging a small boy. It takes Harry a moment to recognize the victim as little Mark Evans beyond the upcoming bruise, swelling and blood that is covering the boy's face. Harry moves across the park in a straight line to intercept his cousin, while Tonks follows at a distance close enough to overhear the upcoming fight. Harry positions himself behind Dudley's gang making sure he has an escape route open to him, overhearing the abuse the gang plans on dealing out to Mark, Harry realizes they are still using quite a few of the old punishments that they had attempted to do to him when they all went to the same school. After reassessing the situation and what he wants to do Harry calls out with a broad grin, "Hey Big D!" causing Dudley and his band to jump around in surprise.
Recovering from the unexpected surprise first, Gordon spats, "Potter" as he cracks his knuckles menacingly.
"It's so good to know your brain still functions properly," quips Harry.
"What do you want?" sneers Dudley.
"Straight to the point you are Big D," states Harry pleasantly while maintaining his grin.
"Don't you call him that or we'll," squeaks Piers.
"Oh quiet rat face! You'll do nothing until Dudders tells you to and Dudders won't give you that order. Will you popkin?" asks Harry.
"Why not?" exclaims a bewildered Malcolm.
"Because Dinky Diddydums knows my friends from school are twenty times scarier than you guys. So why don't you quit being gits and let Evans go," responds Harry confidently as he squares his shoulders. Moody sneaks up next to Tonks to check up on what has been happening with Harry, Tonks quickly fills him in on the current situation causing Moody to chuckle lightly.
"But your friends are not here right now and he cheeked me," declares Dudley turning slightly red in the face as he points at Mark Evans.
"Only because you tried to hit my sister for turning you down," croaks Mark defiantly.
"Ah I see," sniggers Harry as he shifts toward Dudley. "So Ashley Evans turned your portly ass down again did she Dinky Diddydums?" chortles Harry openly.
Dudley's face transforms from a light red to a deep magenta color which would make Uncle Vernon proud but what Harry refers to as the Dursley Explosion Point. Dudley balls up his hands into fists and comes at Harry with a meaty left hook, Harry ducks under the punch and rolls away from his Junior Heavyweight Inter-School Boxing Champion of the Southeast cousin. Harry barely notices little Mark Evans escaping as Dudley's gang begins to circle around their newly found prey to help Dudley give a good pounding to Harry. Harry turns his attention back to Dudley to see what his cousin's next move is going to be, he takes in Dudley no longer being a deep magenta but a very pale ghostly white and trembling slightly as he holds onto his overly large bottom. Harry glances over his shoulder to see what has disturbed Dudley; he sees nothing of great importance that would cause his cousins sudden yet strange change in his demeanor.
Harry is momentarily distracted by Dudley's sudden change in attitude, costing him as he scarcely manages to sidestep Gordon's quick jab. Harry unsuspectingly falls right into the outstretched arms of Piers closing in into a reverse bear-hug. Harry curses at himself for not keeping constant vigilance the entire time and falling into such a simple trap. Piers's whoop of triumph snaps Dudley out of his horror-stricken state and back towards the imminent beating he plans on giving to Harry. Dudley begins lumbering towards Harry when he is brought up short by a familiar sounding growl of, "Dursley." Harry recognizes the voice belonging to none other than Mad-Eye Moody but can not see him due to Dudley's size. Harry is unable to stifle the sigh of relief and giggle that escapes his lips from the look of true horror lodged on Dudley's face as he turns around. The giggle becomes pure laughter when Dudley moves to the right giving Harry a clear view of Moody poking Dudley in the stomach with his cane and saying, "woo-hoo."
"Now you let Potter go," orders Moody as he points his cane at Piers.
"Why should I," answers Piers defiantly. He tells his friends, "We can take this guy. He is just an old cripple."
"Old cripple am I rat face," growls Moody as he lifts his green bowler hat revealing his disfigured face and electric blue eye spinning out of control. Harry perceives moody gets the effect he desires as Piers lets go of him and runs for his life with Dudley a good distance in front of him squealing like a baby pig. Gordon and Malcolm are standing stock still in utter horror, but both of them have acquired a rather noticeable wet spot that is gradually traveling down their respective leg. Moody comes up next to Harry and places his gnarled hand on Harry's shoulder as Tonks comes out from behind a tree holding her sides from laughing too hard for an extended period of time.
"You were doing good Potter until the very end. Remember constant vigilance," howls Moody grinning widely.
"I know sir but my cousin's sudden change in his actions threw me off my guard. I was trying to figure out what had caused it when I fell into their simple trap," says Harry a little perplexed with himself.
"Sorry Potter that was my fault. I thought I should remind the little Dursley pig not to mess with you, so I transfigured a can over there to look like Hagrid for a couple of seconds," apologizes Moody.
"It was a good idea, but are you doing here anyway?" asks Harry in a suspicious tone.
"Just checking in on you to make sure you are all right since your last letter had dried tears on it," answers Moody gruffly.
"Thank you sir and for your assistance," replies Harry rather sheepishly as he is feeling quite embarrassed by the mention of the tears in front of Tonks.
"I don't know why you two are apologizing to each other since this is the best laugh that I have had in a very long time," utters Tonks between fits of giggles. Harry and Moody look over at her and notice Gordon and Malcolm are still standing in the same spot in pure shock with wet spots on their pants causing Harry and Moody to give a light chuckle. After everyone finishes giggling, mainly Tonks, Moody makes sure he is fully satisfied that Harry is doing fine at the Dursley's and no punishments have been handed out recently to Harry. Giving Harry a rough handshake Moody excuses himself to attend to other business matters. Tonks decides to escort Harry back to his house so she can talk to him on the way about topics concerning Sirius, what they each like, and the upcoming year at Hogwarts.
Harry makes sure the topics they discuss are not in any way remotely embarrassing even though Tonks keeps stirring the conversation towards who he might like in school or what qualities he likes in a female companion. Tonks knows Harry is dodging her questions about girls by changing the subject or pretending not to hear her question, but she doesn't really care. She feels it should be Remus asking these questions since it was his idea to make sure Harry was into girls but she acquiesced to his request due to the current situation. She knows Remus is just trying to make sure Harry can have as normal a teenage life as James and Sirius had while in school before Voldemort's reign of terror. She knows Harry's decision to dodge this line of questioning just means he is either uncomfortable discussing it with a girl or maybe he has a crush on her and does not want her to know, but she dismisses this thought immediately since there is six years between them and Harry would probably prefer someone his own age.
"So what are you going to study this year at Hogwarts Harry?" inquires Tonks conversationally.
"I was thinking about not returning and doing self study," responds Harry relieved at her change in her questions.
"An option open to you, but let me warn you that unless you decide to open your own shop like Fred and George Weasley not many people will hire you," states Tonks with much concern in her voice.
"I know I just have not decided if I wish to return to Hogwarts yet," declares Harry.
"I would at least wait for your OWLs to show up before making your decision and if you choose self study I would be happy to tutor you if you like," remarks Tonks blushing slightly.
"That would be nice," mumbles Harry.
After Tonks feels she has thoroughly embarrassed Harry and herself, she is happy to find that they have arrived at 4 Privet Drive. She gives Harry a hug and a promise to visit him again soon. As she releases him she decides to give him a small kiss on the cheek as a parting goodbye gift. Harry turns a deep crimson when Tonks's lips brush up against his cheek causing him to feel like his heart would explode out of his chest from the sudden increase in beats. Harry mumbles an unintelligible goodbye to Tonks before he turns and walks towards the front door. Tonks blushes slightly as she watches Harry stumble toward the front door like an old drunk coming home after a long night at the bar.
When Harry gets to the door he looks back and grins impishly at Tonks causing her blush to deepen in color before he goes into the house. Tonks turns to leave as she hears Harry's Uncle roar, of boy come here, making her decide to investigate the situation. Harry does not even get the front door closed before Uncle Vernon yells at him to get into the living room now. Harry moves down the hall to find out what his Uncle wants while still thinking about the kiss from Tonks. He forgets to stay out of his Uncle's reach as Vernon snatches Harry of his feet by the front of Harry's shirt. Harry curses at himself for daydreaming and not noticing the extremely dangerous color of red his Uncle's face has become until he is already in Vernon's grip.