A/N: Sorry for the delay. I could get it typed up in time. But I hope that I make for it, in the fact it's the longest chapter yet.
I tried to make this chapter more upbeat than the last two.
For anyone who remember my first post (not the first chapter, before that) this marks the last of the old storylines. Next week things will be new again!
Oh. And title was stolen from Douglas Adams' The Restaurant at the End of theUnvierse.
And now to the reviews.
Korrd- You're welcome. Always happy to hear suggestions.There'sHonks stuff in this chapter.And thanks for reviewing.
Gregthebunny2005- Thanks for catching that. It helped alot.
Keeper Darius- Glad you like. The h2g2 reference was intentional. There's another one in this chapter. Glad you like it the fic. As for your question, I'm afraid for the moment all I can do is quote Bill Cosby: "I can't tell you! Hahahahahahaha!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Peculiar things, dreams. Since the dawn of man, he has had them. And yet they are not fully understood. There are those who believe they are windows to the soul (or is that eyes? Hmm?) and in some cases prophetic. And then there are those who think they're nothing but nonsense. Me, I say it varies from case to case. But, then again, you're no here to hear my opinions. You want the story.
In his first life, Harry had learned to forget his dreams the instant he woke up, and the ability apparently passed on to his second. So, obviously, it is impossible for me to know if he had had any dreams hid first night after his regeneration. So let us move on to the enlightening dreams of Nymphadora Tonks.
DREAM
Tonks was now sporting flaming red hair. It is a curious thing about metamorphamagi. their hair often changes color to match their emotions. It probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, that Tonks was mad. Did I say mad? I meant furious. Furious at that beastly Harry Potter for losing her her boyfriend.
The thing you need to understand about Tonks is that, with her emotions at least, there is no setting between high and off. I would not want to be Harry Potter when she found him alone in his room the day after Remus left number twelve, Grimmauld Place.
"You son of a bitch," she yelled. What did you think you were doing?"
"What," asked a puzzled Harry, "are you talking about?"
"You know damn well what I'm talking about! Remus left because you told him to!"
"I did no such thing! I told him he had to quit playing games."
"You stuck your nose in where it didn't belong! We were fine!"
"Tonks, don't you see what he was doing to you? I mean, I know he loves you. That much is obvious. But he'd start to move the relationship forward, and then back out because he was afraid his werewolf would hurt you. It was tearing you apart in side. It couldn't go on. Don't you see that?"
Tonks was crying at this point. She knew Harry was right and that it wasn't his fault that Remus left. But in her grief and anger, she said something she shouldn't have. She said, "You just don't want anyone else to be happy! You've been jealous of me and Remus ever since Ginny died!"
Realizing what she had said, Tonks left. Not just Harry's room, but the house, too. If she had said anything else, Harry probably would have gone after her. But at the moment he didn't care what happened to her. It wasn't until after dinner that Harry asked Hermione what had happened to Tonks.
"Oh. Didn't you know? She left. Just like professor Lupin."
Without a word, Harry grabbed his Firebolt and made for the door.
"You're not going to go after her," asked Hermione.
"Somebody's got to, and it had best be me." Harry disillusioned himself and his broom, and left.
Harry knew where he was going and could have easily flooed himself there. But he preferred flying and he needed some time yo think. He flew all night and the sun was just coming over the horizon when he reached Hogwarts. Harry stopped in at a bar called the Hog's Head and bought two bottles of Old Ogden's Fire Whiskey, before continuing on to the old tree next to Hogwarts lake sitting by tree was a crying, mousy brown-haired Tonks.
"How'd you find me," she asked through tears.
"You once told me that you used to come here when you wanted to be alone."
I'm sorry, Harry. I'm sorry for what I said. Cam you forgive me?"
"Of course. And can you forgive me?"
Before we find out if Tonks forgives Harry, I would like to apologize for the cheese dialogue. This is really what they said.
"There's nothing to forgive," Tonks said, before going back to her crying.
"Now, now, enough of that," Harry said, pulling the bottles out and giving one to Tonks. "Here. I brought a peace offering."
"What is it," asked Tonks fumbling with the bottle top.
Harry removed the top for her and said, "it's a drink called loneliness," before opening his own.
Taking a gulp of whiskey, Tonks said, "We're sharing a drink called loneliness, eh?"
"It's better," Harry retorted, "than drinking alone."
For the next several hours, Throughout their conversation, though they were both cheered up considerably, Tonks' hair remained mousy brown. You may wonder why I mention this, but I assure it's important. As you will see in the paragraph after next.
At some point, no one's quite sure how, in the midst of their talking and laughing, their lips met. At first it was a clumsy sort of kiss (as could be expected as Harry had very little experience and Tonks was just plain clumsy), but as they continued and got used to each other, it became more smooth.
It is here that certain things that I told you become important. First I told you that Tonks' emotions were extreme. I should also mention that such people, including Tonks, often change emotions like the rest of us change socks. Before the kiss, Tonks' hair was mousy brown. But as they kissed, her hair quickly became pink again. She was longer depressed.
It is here that things get a bit muddled. We know that Harry and Tonks did not return to number twelve, Grimmauld Place until several hours later. This would not be odd if they flew. But in fact, they flooed. We also know that they were both vulnerable (and probably a little drunk) and that they turned to each other. Anything that happened between two of them between the beginning of the their kiss and the time they returned to Grimmauld Place is unknown. But we can draw our own conclusions.
END DREAM
Whatever Tonks was remembering in her dream, it was obviously not unpleasant. It was with a grin on her face that she awoke in a hotel bed next to Harry.
"Wotcher, Harry," she said, still grinning.
"Good morning, Nymphadora."
Harry Who
Chapter Three: The Café at the End of the Country
The Café at the End of the Country is not a café. Or, at least not anymore. It is a hotel. When it was a café, it had a name. Nobody knew or care about this name; it was simply called the Café at the End of the Country. This was for two reasons. First of all, it is in a costal city in a region that I believe is called the British Proper . It's in northen England, at any rate. Also, if you started in the south and traveled north, it be the last wizarding location you would come across in all of England.
Forty-two years ago, the café was taken out and the hotel put it. From the outside, to wizards and muggles alike, it looks like a shack. But on the inside it looks like a palace. Though it is considered one of the finest hotels in wizarding Europe, it is not a place that he people stay at for long stretches. It's more of a place where people at before going to their ultimate destination.
We last left Harry attempting to commit suicide by calling Tonks "Nymphadora." He earned a pillow in the face for that sin.
"Watch it, wonder boy."
"'Wonder boy', is it," Harry asked in mock anger.
"Yes. If you call me 'Nymphadora', you're going be called 'wonder boy.'"
"Tonks, honey, 'Nymphadora' is funny. 'Wonder boy' is just plain cruel."
"Oh?"
"Yes. And you know what I'm going to do?"
"What?"
"I'm going to tickle you."
He had said this so casually, that it surprised Tonks when he made good on his threat. After some tickling and a short make out session, the couple got up and changed their clothes. They had been to tired to undress the night before, though Harry had been alert enough to grab some brochures from the lobby. After getting dressed, they decided to eat in and go over the brochures. They went over to the table. And found on it gold plates and cups and menus.
Anyone who is familiar with the six-part biographical novel series about Harry, will have probably read "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." Those who have read this book, will remember the Yule Ball. The plates featured in that scene are the same as the ones used in the hotel room.
Through the magic of the plates, Harry ordered scrambled eggs, bacon, buttered toast, hash browns, milk and orange juice. Tonks, on the other hand, ordered pancakes and syrup, sausages, cold cereal (the exact brand has been lost to history) and black coffee.
After having had their fill, Harry and Tonks discussed their plans. They had a slight disagreement. Harry didn't really want to plan he just wanted to hop on the motorcycle and go. Tonks wanted to have a plan.
"Look, all I'm saying is that we need to know where we're going."
"Why?"
"If don't we know where we're heading, we'll end up somewhere and never leave."
"Fair point. Where do you want to go?"
"Well," she said coyly and smiling seductively, "I seem to remember some young wizard promises to take me to Barcelona."
Harry's second incarnation apparently could be just as coy. He smirked and said, "Barcelona it is. And I happen to know that the Quidditch world cup is going to be held at Andorra this year. That's not to far from Barcelona. We could try and get there in time."
"Alright."
After a lot of boring planning Harry and Tonks decided to take a cruise to take a cruise The cruise would take them south between Britain and Ireland, then swing north and take them to Norway. They planned to swing around the Baltic sea. If all went well, they would get to Andorra just in time for the Quidditch world cup.
"Well," Harry said cheerfully, "I'll go get our tickets. And Tonks?"
"Yeah?"
"They have a great dinning hall here. Why don't have dinner there tonight?"
"Sounds like a plan."
Nothing important happened on Harry's trip to get the tickets. Nothing really exciting, either, so I won't give you any details. But I will tell you this: Harry was beginning to get used to his new body. I imagine it's the kind of thing that takes some adjusting to.
"Seven years," Harry mused. "I've aged seven years."
For those of you playing at home, Tonks was twenty-three, six years older than Harry, prior to his regeneration. Now technically, Harry was still only seventeen, but Harry is what we call an old soul. So it only made sense that he would age. Perhaps there is some science to regenerating. Maybe bodies change to match their personalities. Either way, Harry was, for all extensive purposes, twenty-four.
When Harry got back to the hotel, it was getting close to dinner time. Tonks had already taken a shower and was about to get dressed for dinner. So Harry decided to take his shower. When he was done, he put on his dress robes (which he had brought into the bathroom with), magically cleaned his old clothes and left the bathroom.
I have always regretted that I could not have seen the look on Harry's face. I think that his jaw must have dropped. He probably stared, too.
What you need to understand is that Harry had only ever seen Tonks in holey blue jeans, tight t-shirts and he rarely saw her with out spiked, pink hair. So it must have been a shock when he saw Tonks standing before him. She was wearing a silhouette dress. Black, of course, and there was a long cut in the dress by her left leg. Her hair, instead of pink and spiked, was mousy brown and bobbed.
"Well," Tonks asked, "what do you think?"
Harry didn't answer. He just stood there, gaping like and idiot.
"Shall I take your dazed silence approval, then?"
"You look beautiful," he managed to say. And the two went down to dinner.
The café's dining hall is very similar to Hogwarts' great hall. But instead of long wooden tables, there were small, round ones with white table cloths. There were no windows or ceilings enchanted to look like the sky outside. The light came from great chandeliers. Truth be told a muggle might have wondered into the hall and thought it was nothing more than a fancy restaurant filled with strange people. It kind of was, at that.
When Harry and Tonks entered the hall and found an empty table, they found more of those plates that you ordered food from. They ordered their food and made light conversation.
At some point, Harry must have gotten quiet be Tonks asked, "what's wrong?"
Harry, brought back to the real world, answered, "Oh. Just thinking."
"'bout what?"
"Tonks, you never me about what happened at the battle."
Tonks shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "No."
"Why not?"
"I'm frightened. Frightened of the full story. I've heard that sometimes, when something very traumatic happens to a person, they'll forget it. Is that what happened to me?"
"I suspect so," Harry answered. But he didn't quite meet her eye.
Trying to change the subject, Tonks asked, "I take it you don't want people to know where we are?"
"Well, there are people you need to tell. If you don't tell the ministry that you're taking a leave of absence, you'll lose your job. If you don't tell your parents, they'll kill you when they see again. But, yes, that is the general idea."
Tonks smiled. "One step ahead of you." Then she added, "You think we'll ne able to do it?"
"Do what?"
"Hide from the entire wizarding world?"
"Why not? I'm mean, I know I'm still 'the boy who lived', but I look a little different. And you. You're a metamorphamagus."
Tonks stopped smiling. She look at the table and muttered, "metamorphamagus, eh? I can change whenever I want."
I'll interrupt briefly to explain. It is a great gift to be a metamorphamagus, but it is also a great curse, especially for women. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for the lovers of metamorphamagi to ask their partners to change for them. This happened to Tonks quite a bit when she was in school.
Harry knew all this and couldn't believe he had been so stupid. "Only to hide. You know I wouldn't ask you for any other reason."
"I know. It's just-"
"I know. I know. But always remember: I fell in love with you for you. And the only Tonks I want is the one she wants to be."
They smiled at each other for a moment, pushing bad memories out of their minds.
"Come on," Harry suggested, "let's get out of here."
The couple went upstairs to their room, and fell kissing on to the bed. Nothing else happened. Well, nothing I can tell you about and still hope to keep my "T" rating, at any rate.
The next morning, Tonks awoke to find Harry watching the wizarding news on a tv he had apparently conjured. The news anchor said, "It has been confirmed by a member of the Order of the Phoenix that you-know-who is finally dead!"The screen switched and showed a reporter interviewing none other than Mad-Eye Moody.
"Yeah, he's dead."
"How did he die," the reporter asked.
"Don't know. S'pose the only one who knows, ain't telling."
"And who is that."
"That Potter boy. Disapeared not to long after the battle."
"Do you have any idea of his whereabouts?"
"No," Moody yelled, "I don't! And it's none of your business where he is, or who he's with! But I would like to give them a message: CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
The screen switched back to the anchor. "And in other news, the body of Circe Warbeck has been found-"
Harry vanished the tv and Tonks laughed. "Good ol' Moody," she said.
Harry looked at the clock on the wall and said, " We'd better be going. We don't want to be late." They quickly threw on muggle clothes, packed and shrank their things. Then they ran downstairs, paid their bill and checked out. Outside, they hoped on the bike and left for the ship.
TO BE CONTINUED...