Book 2 begins. Fear the serpent king's return. Too busy to think up a good pre-statement. Back to Chapter 2 editing, and Chapter 3 writing. Please Review

P.S. give a round of applause for Scottken for Beta'ing this chapter.

Book II :: Chapter 1 :: A New Destination

Hogwarts station - platform nine and three quarters - stood proudly as the mid-noon sun hung overhead. The platform, as usual on this particular day of the year, was filled to capacity with the parents of the returning children. Each gathered and waiting to greet their return home. Black wizarding robes of the proudful intermingled with the poorly dressed muggle disguised wizards who entered via the secret entrance at Kings Cross Station. The hot air, heavy and humid with the coming rain made for a pleasant yet uncomfortable wait.

Slowly in the distance, the Hogwarts Express rolled into the station, smoke billowing in its wake. As the students disembarked, they found themselves caught in the arms of their families. A few would be greeted with a stern nod or a silent gesture to fall in line.

Underneath the joyful and pleasant reunions, however, a silent concern of rain lingered as a storm loomed off the shores of England, heading their way. The Tonk's family knew that the poor weather wasn't the only storm they would have to worry themselves over during that summer.

Tonks followed her parents as she dragged her nearly weightless luggage behind her. The thought that today was the end of her school career was overshadowed by the single note she found in the cabin she had shared with Harry.

"See you soon. Just go."

She did as the note said only after extensive searching even as she remained completely baffled. Looking in her luggage she found it was completely empty much to her own confusion. Assuming Harry had done something she simply trusted in his not and brought her luggage with her.

As the Tonks family left the platform and mixed themselves into the sea of muggles at the station, Ted Tonks was surprised to spot an old associate of his limping down the station. His surprise turning quickly into a mixture of shock and worry which he tried to mask with his natural curiosity.

"What is Mad-Eye doing here?" he wondered to himself. No Aurors were present with him and the man himself was out of place there knowing his persona. A fearful thought occurred to him which he didn't want to consider. The thought that he was there for Harry Potter.

"Wasn't that Alastor, dear?" Andromeda asked as if she had spotted an old acquaintance she hadn't expected to see. Years of Black family lineage masking her own emotions far better then he was at present. Tonks was grateful for her question as it helped him mask his own unease.

"Yes, it was. It's odd that he's here though." Ted admitted. His answer passing as unimportant on the surface but for the family in the know, it was a silent order to hurry up with their return home.

Tonks looked back at the gruff elder as he limped aggressively towards the hidden platform's entrance.

Leaving the magical world behind, the family left Kings Cross with a silent worry of whom might be following.

With her trunk quickly placed in a taxi, the family sat quietly in the back of the cab as it drove them to their home, cheerfully named the Starium.

The house sat neatly in between two apartments in the outskirts of London. It, in all honesty, was an apartment complex too, not a house. With cobblestone bricks and a few windows for the inhabitants within, the apartment complex was as muggle as it was old.

That was unless you had the key.

Inserting the key into the first-floor main entrance door of the complex, Andromeda opened the pathway for Tonks and her husband to enter their true home.

The small entrance hallway that would have opened up to a very muggle hallway with doors on either side for apartments, opened instead to a grand three-floor staircase that rose up into the building.

Tonks's bedroom was on the top floor while her parent's bedroom was on the second, along with the library and study. Tonks could easily smell dinner cooking to her right where the kitchen lay even before she reached the stares. It wasn't a mansion by any means, but it was just as large in a case.

"Okay," Ted said closing the door behind him. "Now what?" he asked with no shortage of uncertainty.

His eyes raked over his wife and daughter as they settled into the hallway. Either unaware of not caring Tonks failed to hide the slight irritation at having been cornered into helping smuggle the boy who lived.

On top of having to trust that Harry and Tonks had found a successful means of smuggling him to their home while no sign of them having done was apparent, he was still slightly uncomfortable with the decision he was forced to make.

When it came down to it, it was his wife and Gringotts decisions that made up his mind to go along with this gambit.

There was a great risk in sneaking Harry into his home. One that could see his whole family prosecuted.

That was after all the main reason he was against the idea of sheltering Harry.

Unfortunately, Gringotts unofficially stated that based on the evidence he found for them, that if he didn't take Harry in, they would make his life hell.

His wife similarly put up the argument that they would be acting unethically, leaving him in the hands of those who at least on paper did not seem to have his best interests at heart.

After the threat from Gringotts, Ted simply bit the bullet as it were. With their threat, the concerns no longer outweighed the motives for him.

Logically he was against the decision or rather had plenty of reasons not to go along with it.

In his heart, Ted was in absolute agreement with the decision to shelter Harry. He agreed that the boy needed to be distanced from Dumbledore as much as possible.

If he didn't help, he'd have risked the wrath of the Goblins, his wife, his daughter and his conscious. If he agreed, he'd risk the Ministry finding out, which, if he played it right, they never would.

While the risks essentially balanced out, Gringotts certainly knew how to sweeten the cauldron.

By allowing Harry to stay, Ted would gain access to Harry's knowledge about his and his consent in regards to his work over the Potter Account discrepancies. By having him in his home, under his protection, Harry would be able to help him figure out the case he was working on. As a bonus, aside from the Goblin's threats in not helping, his home was now equipped with the best counter spying runes and protections the Goblins could manage.

With such protections, the concerns over the ministry seemed insignificant then, until now, when he was actively smuggling the heir Potter into his home.

Despite the risk, it was the better solution in his mind.

At least that was until he realized that Potter wasn't with his daughter, who seemed just as confused as he was. His wife, on the other hand, seemed to have some insight he had missed.

Her smile almost seemed to mock his worries freely as she turned away from him with a sly smile.

"That's easy dear." Andromeda said walking over towards Tonks's trunk. Her steps swayed with a confidence and a smirk of someone in on a joke, she knocked on the lid of Tonks's trunk five times.

Spontaneously, the latches of the trunk sprang to life, turning slightly and released the lid, popping wide open. Harry popped out pushing the lid up. Shyly he grinned to which Andromeda offered a hand to him. "Welcome to our home Mr. Potter."

Andromeda's words were met with Tonks's mouth handing off her face with her Father standing beside her with a look of both relaxation and epiphany

"Thank you Ma'am." Harry said accepting her assistance. "umm... well uh, for having me I guess." he finished with a small amount of uncertainty.

Ted quickly recognized that the trunk must have been expanded, as well as exactly what Harry's plan was and that his wife caught on to his strategy. Tonks was another story.

"What! How?" she stuttered incoherently. "Why are you in my trunk?"

"Dear use your head." Andromeda said. "Though she has a point. We do need Nymphadora's trunk Harry. Can you retrieve it? You did place it inside your own, yes?"

Harry nodded slightly. Reaching into the trunk he disguised as Tonks's, Harry pulled out an identical trunk with much strain, dropping it down on the ground clumsily from its weight. Calling it identical wasn't completely accurate either. Tonks's trunk was a tad smaller than his own but not by much. A fact that surprisingly didn't hinder its retrieval.

Tonks remained dumbfounded as she realized that Harry just pulled her trunk out of his. "How?"

"It took me forever to get my magic to work properly and to make my trunk look like yours." Harry complained, smiling slightly.

"An expanded trunk. Ingenious." Ted said. "Hiding in plain sight. Mad-Eye wouldn't think it out of the ordinary. Even as paranoid as he is. Did you also change its exterior to match our daughters?" Harry nodded to which Ted smiled in respect for the boy's creativity and cleverness.

"I guess you were sorted into Slytherin for a reason." Tonks chuckled aloud.

Harry smiled weakly. Praise was something he still wasn't used too and the mention of Mad-Eye had him slightly worried. He heard a few things about the man and what he heard he didn't like seeing as he wanted to remain hidden for the time being.

"I'll go finish up dinner, Mr. Potter, you and my husband should chat in the study. Nymphadora put your trunk in your room. Dinner will be done soon." Andromeda said leaving Harry's field of view.

"Don't call me that!" Nymphie shouted. Harry could hear the sharp thud as her trunk slammed against each stair as she dragged it angrily to her room.

Ted sighed, "I swear she agitates her on purpose."

"I heard that Ted." Andromeda retorted.

"Maybe we should find someplace quieter to talk." Ted said blushing after being heard by his wife. Harry nodded, following him up the stairs.

When Harry entered the study, he had to stop in amazement as numerous pieces of parchment littered and flew around the room. Enormous stacks of parchment cluttered the large desk in the middle of the room with a few sitting on the floor around it. If it wasn't for the carpets strong contrasting maroon hue, Harry would have thought the floor was made up of parchment as well. Instead, it was quite clear that the floor was almost completely covered in documents with small gaps revealing the carpet beneath.

The large room was surrounded by numerous bookshelves, half of which carried stacks of parchment and left Harry wondering if Mr. Tonks should be introduced to the concept of a filing cabinet,

"Sorry bout the mess. You've caused me quite the hassle this year." Ted explained moving some stacks around so Harry could have a place to sit. Getting a better look at the large guest chair in the room Harry realized there were even more stacks stationed on it which he was working on clearing off.

"I'm sorry I caused you trouble, sir, but I don't know what I did." Harry politely replied now wondering how much of these papers were in regard to himself.

"Don't concern yourself with it Harry. If I'm honest with you, I only agreed to have you over despite the risks because of my wife's words against inaction. Well... her words and because Gringotts 'requested' I do so. If anyone found you're here, our little family could be charged with both bloodline theft and kidnapping. Possibly worse." Ted explained.

Harry nodded slightly having not realized how significant the actions he took to ensure his escape had on Tonks and her family.

Harry knew they could get into serious trouble and Tonks could be forbidden from becoming an Auror if they found out. Truth be told, in hindsight, had he cared or thought deeply enough of the consequences of his wish he would have known. However, like Ted had just explained, the benefits for Harry outweighed the risks in his own mind.

Still, this knowledge only made Harry respect Ted more, as well as hold deeper gratitude for the risks he was willing to endure for his own selfishness.

"Well, I guess that means I need to hurry up my own plans for procuring my own residence so I can avoid troubling you and yours."

Ted simply nodded at this leaving Harry to believe he was really paying attention to him at that moment. "First things first. I would like to begin explaining why in detail my wife and I agreed to 'have you over' for the summer at my daughters' request." Ted began crossing his fingers over his desk as he established himself in his working chair. He gestured for Harry to take a seat.

The air of his professionalism weighed heavily in the air as he calmly sized up Harry in his seat across from his desk.

Taking the seat given and recently cleared Harry nodded and waited for Ted to direct their conversation.

"I would like you to confirm some things for me with a simple yes, no, or can't say. Know that your answers will be held with the same confidence you would expect from talking with a goblin in Gringotts." Ted began.

The goblin-like tone and commanding order left Harry perplexed until he realized why the man spoke to him as such. "You're working for Gringotts then?"

Ted hid his surprise and smiled. "Yes, specifically, they hired me as a legal consultant to review your records and accounts. Mind you it's been difficult since they won't allow me access to your accounts summaries, however, that is to be expected."

Harry nodded in agreement. If goblins were one thing, it was stubborn and difficult. No one else was better equipped to guard another's wealth. Even if their motives for doing so wasn't actually in their best interests.

"Let's make this quick so we can join the others for dinner." Ted said. When Harry nodded his agreement, Tonks began without holding back.

"Are you an Obscurial?" Ted asked bluntly. To his surprise, Harry didn't so much as flinch at the very secret and private question being asked.

"Yes."

"Were you placed in the custody of your relative's ten, almost eleven years ago?" Tonks continued with no hesitation at Harry's answer.

"Yes."

"Were you informed of your heritage during your upbringing there?"

"No."

"So, you knew nothing of your wealth, property, or any finances you possessed via your parents passing?"

"Yes."

Ted paused to think a bit before he slowly asked, "Did anyone tell you during that time you were a wizard?"

"No."

"Did you know you were a wizard?"

"I knew I was different"

"When did you learn of your heritage?"

"About the time of my eleventh birthday. After I became an Obscurial."

Ted paused to think about this, Processing the order of events he had just learned. Continuing he asked, "This ties into a previous answer but I want to make sure I understand this right. Have you ever received an account summary from Gringotts?"

"No."

Ted face hardened.

"Have you seen your parents will?"

Harry considered saying yes but paused for a moment which confused Ted. He knew that Harry was shown it during his first visit.

Slowly Harry answered, "I've viewed what was believed to be their will."

"That's not a yes, no, I can't say Mr. Potter."

"It is the answer though." Harry replied.

Ted blinked and replied after some thought, "You don't believe the will shown was real?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm not sure. I have reason to doubt."

"Can you tell me what that reason is?" Ted asked.

Harry shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me if I said it."

Ted looked at Harry before nodding. "In that case please tell me the truth as best you can all the same."

He held up his hand before Harry could object. "Even if the reason is outrageous. If it is the truth there will be evidence supporting it in your explanation. With proper reasoning, anyone can discern truth from a lie."

Harry hesitated and dropped his mental blocks to take in Ted's intentions. To his relief and appreciation, Ted Tonks was honest in his sincerity, desiring nothing other than to know the truth.

Harry continued to contemplate if he should tell him about his encounter with Quirrell? If he did it might reveal too much about his capabilities. His skill in magic as well as his mental prowess in particular. The former he could glaze over pretty easily but the latter might be too telling. Then again this was a prime chance for him. A chance for someone to believe and help him. Harry knew gathering friends and allies was something he'd need to take up eventually, and here was someone that could very well be his first, a prime opportunity. Taking the plunge Harry held his breath. The risk was worth it.

Ted Tonks was already well linked with Gringotts and was already working on helping him and had been working on solving the situation revolving around his account. The risk was well worth taking.

"I encountered the shade of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at Hogwarts who was possessing a Teacher and after I read his mind, I learned my mother might not be dead, or at least she did not die by his hands." Harry said rapidly in a single breath.

Ted blinked blankly for a few minutes, Harry holding in a breath all the while. Ted was wrapping his head around what Harry said.

Ted made to quickly shoot down the statement but held his tongue to calmly rationalize Harry's statement. His mind a flood of questions leading into each other. He read You-know-who's mind? His mother might be alive? He read You-know-who's mind? As in Legilimency? You-know-who's?

Realizing there was a simple means of confirming the validity of his statement Tonks looked back at Harry.

"You're a Legilimens?" Ted asked.

Harry nodded shyly. "A natural... one... I think. The book only explained a little."

"And Occlumency?" Ted asked. Harry nodded again.

"Perfect." Ted muttered. What better way to start believing in the impossible then with something that could be proven?

"Might I test your barriers?" He asked. Harry immediately tensed with uncertainty, unsure if he should allow him to. Seeing his uncertainty Ted explained, "Let me rephrase. If you're skilled enough to overcome You-Know-Who, then you should be able to create a space for me to enter without allowing me to intrude upon your memories. If you can't permit me too then that's fine. We'll simply move to find another solution and we shall forget I asked."

Harry blinked in understanding along with a small nod. The man simply wished to enter the mindscape he created to confirm he wasn't lying. A simple yet effective way of discerning truth from a hint of honesty. Just as a hint of truth can make a lie believable, it is easier to believe the far-fetched if it has a hint of believability within it.

Closing his eyes Harry focused on his mindscape. Inside, the library, Gryffindor's Dormitory, and the seventh floor were locked down. Each, a location where he stored his own memories. Reopening his eyes when he was finished Harry nodded, indicating he was ready.

At that time Andromeda walked in and watched her Husband enter Harry's mind. What should have taken a second or five to confirm, lasted three minutes. When Ted returned to his own awareness he was stupefied.

"Dear?" Andromeda asked, causing Ted to snap to. She was still in the doorway staring at the two who were particularly silent.

With a cough Ted regained his footing. "Yes... um dinner. Right." He looked at Harry with astonishment and admiration. "Come Harry. Let's continue this after dinner. Tonks will be throwing a fit if we hold her up for too long." He said with a hint of mirth.

"I will not!" Tonks shouted from down the stairs.

Harry smirked and agreed. Following Ted's lead, they went downstairs. Harry, guided by Ted, made their way to the sitting room where Harry saw Tonks tapping her foot impatiently. "See what I mean?" Ted whispered sparking a smile from Harry. Tonks looked like a house-elf after getting a double workload with praise.

"I'm starving." Tonks complained.

"Settle down." Ted chuckled. Gesturing Harry to sit in on the couch next to Tonks. Harry sat down, which Tonks falling down next to him excitedly. When they did a pork roast with mashed potatoes and pumpkin juice appeared on the coffee table.

"I hope you don't mind dear," Andromeda said, waking into the room with a soft glance towards Harry. "Eating in the sitting room always feels more... homely."

"I don't mind. It's actually really nice. Better than... well... home I guess." Harry got out. The mood fell, dying slightly as it did.

Ted and Andromeda shared a look while Tonks looked at Harry, patting his back as she struggled to swallow a large helping of potatoes.

"Ted, you were staring pretty intently there. Mind telling me what you were doing?" Andromeda said trying to change the mood.

"Oh." Ted muttered putting down his bowl of Pork. He moved it slightly so that the carrots were hidden from view. "Just exploring Mr. Potter's, mindscape."

Andromeda nearly choked on the Pumpkin juice she was drinking. "Mindscape? As in Occlumency? That kind of mindscape?"

Ted grinned proudly like a man who just learned his son was a genius. "Yes. Exactly like that."

Andromeda and Tonks stared at Harry. "You have a mindscape developed Mr. Potter?" Andromeda asked shocked, knowing exactly how much work went into making such a thing.

"Please call me Harry and um... yes I guess?" Harry said with uncertainty. He wasn't sure what they were exactly referring to. He assumed they were referring to the mental image of Hogwarts that he made whenever he meditated but he never recalled it ever being called that. There was a Chinese term for it that Harry never learned but he was wondering if mindscape was the English term for the practice of construction one's mind.

He essentially pulled Tonks into his mindscape but to him, it was just another barrier to protect his mind from intruders. The mindscape that mimicked Hogwarts was in essence just another deference to protect his mind. At least it was to his knowledge.

Andromeda looked at Ted. She doubted Harry was skilled in Occlumency but she had no reason to doubt her husband. "How developed is he for someone self-taught.

Ted laughed a chuckle filled with mirth. "Harry is a natural Occlumens. He could probably give Hogwarts tours within his mind as it is."

"Is that true? You have a fully established mindscape?" Andromeda sputtered disbelievingly.

Harry nodded shyly in acknowledgement of what he assumed was what they were referring too.

Andromeda stared with a mix of awe and intrigue. Glancing at Tonks, Harry was surprised to see a look of ceaselessness on her face. Why did she look so confused? Harry wondered if she didn't know anything about occlumency. It was possible since as far as Harry knew there were no books on occlumency in the library at Hogwarts. The Newt year sections were out of his reach since he was a first-year so Harry just figured it was taught later.

Were there no books present for sixth or seventh-year students either?

Thinking about it, Harry couldn't recall spotting any books on Occlumency even in the forbidden section of the library either. Sure, he hadn't snuck a look at every book but it did lead credence to the question of if any existed in the first place.

Then it hit him like a Bludger. Harry found himself subconsciously grinding his teeth as the answer became almost too obvious.

Dumbledore, why did it always lead back to that man. Snape and Albus were both skilled in Legilimency and Harry knew they were working closely together. And Snape didn't hesitate to try reading his mind during his first class. Legitimacy was useful in gathering information. What better way to gather that info than to remove any knowledge on how to defend oneself from said method? Harry wasn't the only person to notice Tonks's confusion.

"Tonks? Is something wrong?" Ted asked drawing their attention to the graduate.

"Um... yeah. I don't think they touch on it at Hogwarts. What is an Occlumens?" Tonks said causing Andromeda to gasp.

"What do you mean? Don't they teach you about Occlumency and Legilimency in school? They should have started teaching it in your sixth-year DADA classes." Andromeda said.

"I don't think they do." Harry spoke up. "As far as the library is concerned, I couldn't find any information on Occlumency in the library at Hogwarts. I only know what I read up in Guide to Advanced Occlumency which I got in Diagon Alley before school." Harry added in.

"This is the first I've heard of it." Tonks repeated.

Andromeda was growing red in the face. You could almost see the fumes billowing out of her ears. "What do you mean! This is outrageous. How are you meant to defend yourselves from a Legilimency attack if you know nothing about it?" She shouted in outrage.

Ted placed a calming hand on hers. "Inside voice dear." he said before directing himself to Harry, "And what made you buy such a book?"

"I picked it up because I knew nothing about it. I didn't know anything about magic so I just bought it so I could learn more." Harry answered honestly. In truth, he wanted to know if there was a difference between Occlumency and the Chinese meditation methods he already knew. Unfortunately, the book was a wasted purchase. The two were identical in function. Turned out he already knew Occlumency completely just not what it was called.

"So, what is it?" Tonks asked insistence dripping off her demanding tone.

"Occlumency is one of the mind arts, the field of magic revolving around the mind.

It is the act of closing off one's mind against Legilimency. An Occlumens can reject the invasion of another from entering their mind. A master, however, can make protections that can lure, even trap an attacker in their mind by manifesting an image or place of great power. Such images are called mindscapes and are very rare." Andromeda explained.

Ted nodded. "Harry here, when tested with a probe, already had a very potent defense and left me under the assumption that he was very skilled. Based on what he claimed I was of the belief he already had an image for his own mindscape."

He turned to stare promisingly at Harry. "And Harry here has created a very realistic mindscape which means he is indeed very skilled at Occlumency." Ted added providing greater context.

Harry blushed in embarrassment as Tonks looked at him both impressed and like he was a new chew toy. "So Harry can give tours of Hogwarts in his head?" she said grinning evilly.

"Only if you ask nicely." Harry said causing Ted to laugh and Andromeda to smack Tonks disapprovingly.

Tonks was confused by why her mother did this but didn't raise a fuss seeing the laughter behind Harry's blank look.

The rest of dinner went by chaotically. Most of it involved the loving relationship of Andromeda fighting with Tonks to behave.

Afterwards Harry, as he did with Ted, pulled and guided Andromeda and Tonks into his mind. The two ladies were in awe of the accuracy of his image of Hogwarts within his mind. The school, while empty having little of his mind placed within it, was even more radiant because of his own image. Its true image. A topic that was of great interest for both Tonks and Andromeda.

After their merry tour, Andromeda took her daughter to teach her about the mind arts personally, leaving Ted and Harry to return to business.

While they traveled up the stairs Ted pulled Harry back to his study and looked at him with a professional gaze. Once again Harry was sitting under the eye of scrutiny but this time it was for his benefit.

He sat there quietly as he thought. Making up his mind having viewed the facts. Ted asked Harry, "So, you believe your mother is alive, after surviving You-Know-Who's attack. From which you were picked up by Dumbledore. Taken under his care and placed with your relatives for ten years of your life. Am I correct in this?" Ted asked.

Harry nodded, "For the most part. I don't know if my mother is alive, only that Voldyshorts didn't kill her."

Ted chuckled, "Voldyshorts... that's a good name for him. I should remember that one." He leaned forward focusing on Harry. "Tell me Harry, what do you want to do?" he asked in a more serious tone.

Harry hesitated but slowly collected his thoughts. He wasn't sure what the man was seeking to learn but Harry knew his answer regardless. "I want to live. I want to live my life freely, not being manipulated by someone else or under the threat of someone trying to harm me or my friends. I want to learn about magic, about myself and my parents. And if they are alive, why I've had to suffer for the last ten years with my relatives."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Ted asked.

"First I'm hoping to establish myself in secret. I already have a stable income set up and I planned to get working further by selling a few potions I've made and additional investments. Afterwards I'd procure a place of residence, get it unplotted, and ensure it can't be found. And for the remainder of the summer I would fulfill my agreement to help Tonks prepare for the Auror exams."

Ted just stared blankly at Harry.

Harry's answer was far more mature than Ted was expecting. How much suffering did this child endure to make him like this. However, Harry's answer was just what he needed. "In that case Harry would you join me at Gringotts this weekend? Secretly of course." Ted asked. "If I'm right the answers you want lays there, hidden from us. With your permission and your trust, we might be able to peel away the lies that are concealing the truth."

"Lies?" Harry asked.

Ted nodded. "There is evidence that suggests that something is amiss. As much as I would like to believe Albus Dumbledore is doing the right thing, he is the only one capable of producing the inconsistencies within your account." Ted started pulling forth a folder consisting of all the abnormalities he found in Harry's account summarized and organized. "This is just a summary but have a look."

Harry agreed and began reading. Ted sat on edge ready to answer Harry's thinking, thinking he wouldn't understand the importance of what he had found. The implications of what he possibly found.

Silently he sat and was surprised when Harry didn't ask a single question instead simply placing the folder of parchment down. "Is Dumbledore looking for something?" Harry asked.

Ted, although surprised, hid his shock well. "That is what I think." Ted said. "It is unusual behavior if nothing else. Aside from pulling out funds for your relatives to raise you, there are multiple withdrawals that were immediately returned. The longest withdrawal lasted only three days before all the gallons drawn were returned."

"Any chance the money place back is faked?" Harry asked.

"Not possible," Ted responded. "What's more Gringotts has informed me that the money returned was the very same gallons withdrawn. It is odd however since that average time between withdrawals is two hours."

"So, the three days one was an outlier." Harry acknowledged to himself.

Ted nodded in confirmation. "Banking wise nothing is wrong with it, but the Goblins are in agreement that something is off in regard to all of this. I've been in charge of trying to figure out what Albus is up too and for the life of me I can't even begin to figure it out."

"This is why you agreed to let Tonks smuggling me out of Kings Cross?" Harry asked.

Harry looked over the sheets and noticed what Tonks already had. There was a pattern in the withdrawals but it was limited to the method. Time wise they appeared at random.

Harry concluded, "Anything I can do to help… I want to know what Albus is up too." Looking down at the parchment Harry firmly gaze at the numbers. "Albus abandoned me to the fate of my relatives. Now I learn he's doing something with the legacy my parents left me. I want to know what he's up to Mr. Tonks. Anything I can do to help, I'll do it."

Ted nodded. "Fraud, theft, manipulation of authority, abuse of authority, line theft, neglect, and several other acts disregarding the protection and support of a political minor. I'm not sure what Albus is doing but this behavior is abnormal to say the least and very suspicious. Hopefully I'm overthinking it, but it is possible we could get him on all of those charges and perhaps even more, though theft and fraud are more speculator at the moment then concrete."

"Political minor?" Harry asked, not familiar with the term.

"Oh..." Ted stumbled out. "A political minor is what an individual is called when they are a potential heir to a lost family. It holds a great deal of significance both for the Ministry and Gringotts."

"Because heirs to lost bloodlines means the return of a noble bloodline and the wealth that comes with it? Economic and magical right?" Harry confirmed.

"Yes. You catch on quickly." Ted said chuckling lightly. "Right now, legally, we kidnapped you from your guardians. Having you here puts us in a lot of risk. However, there are three reasons why my wife and I believed it was worth the risk."

Lifting his fingers, he listed them out. "First, in our culture, it is our responsibility to ensure Obscurials are not born, and in good conscious my wife and I couldn't leave you in the hands of those that would do such harm after we learned about it from our daughter. In a way it is our moral duty to give you shelter from them. Second, I was hired to sort out the evidence of illegal activity in your account and as such by extension makes me your employer by proxy. By having you here and having your permission we can hopefully gain enough access to finally understand the odd nature of your account. "

Harry held up his hand gesturing for Ted to stop. "What do you suspect is going on?" Based on his wording Harry was sure Ted had a theory as to what was going on between his account and Dumbledore who he knew was in charge of it. The old manipulative bastard couldn't possibly keep his hands to himself, not with what likely still lay in the vaults of his family.

"I don't wish to proclaim false suspicions, but I am of the belief that Dumbledore is trying to gain access to your family vault. For what reason I can't say, nor can I prove it." Ted stated. Harry nodded in understanding. It was the reason he hadn't simply shouted it to the world, 'Dumbledore is a bastard'. Nothing was ever concrete, and the man was a political nightmare to work against.

The man was a puppeteer. He manipulated others to act for him willingly so nothing could be traced back to himself. It was how he operated back then too and made it difficult to pin anything on the man. As the Bright Lord the bastard was hard to find and pin down. Harry was beginning to pick up that it was more his nature rather than something he gained after his rise to power.

"You said there were three things." Harry said to which Ted flushed slightly as he scratched his head.

"It has to do with Lily, your Mother." Ted said a morbid and sad look in his eye. "We... I feel guilty for letting you suffer as you have all these years. I don't know how much you have suffered but I know that if I did nothing now and didn't offer you my support, I would never be able to look Lily in the eyes when I see her again. That and my wife would leave me on the couch indefinitely." He said adding a joke to lighten the mood.

"You knew my Mum?" Harry asked surprised to which raised Ted's thin lips into a slight smirk.

"I did. She was an odd one. Charming, graceful, loud. Talented beyond words and stubborn. God, she was stubborn." Ted said reminiscing with a wistful look on his face. Harry and Ted's attention was drawn to the door as Andromeda laughed lightly at Ted. "Care to elaborate on that dear?"

Ted flush red and worry glazed over his eyes slightly. "Umm... well I... I mean she was, wasn't she. Magically talented in both Charms and Potions. If there was a spell to be used, she used it creatively."

Andromeda merely chuckled. "You forget I was friends with her too, long before we got married." she said knowingly. She focused on her husband gleefully as he shuffled uncomfortably under her scrutiny. "But talking about Harry's mothers love life is giving away a bit much don't you think, regardless of how wonderfully the woman was."

Ted only managed to sputter out his retort as he flushed a deep red. "T-that's not what I meant at all."

Harry went pink as well which drew Andromeda into a fit of laughter.

Andromeda continued chuckling at her husband's distress as she turned her attention to Harry. "All the same, your mother was a wonderful woman. Smart, Bright, and was kind to everyone who showed kindness. And yes, she was quite stubborn."

A sly smile grew on her face, "Or perhaps rather then stubborn, persistent is more accurate." She added. An embarrassed blush crossing Ted's face followed by Harry's own at the implications of what Andromeda said.

Harry nodded as he tried not to think about the hinted shenanigans his Mother might have been up to in the past. A slight evil grin flourished inside him as he thought of all the fun he could do teasing her about her supposed talent.

Assuming she was alive at least.

Andromeda must have seen something because she shook her head at him. "You're just like my daughter. She gets that same look in her eye when she's plotting something too."

Before Harry could say anything, he was drawn into Andromeda's smile. The warmth and kindness it conveyed were both familiar and totally foreign to him. Something he wished he had but knew not what it was. "Head to your room and get some sleep. We'll be very busy tomorrow. I'll want to give you a physical just to be safe side before we head out and then we need to get you to Gringotts quietly and unnoticed which means early in the morning." she said. "Now go on, get to bed."

With gentle shoves and kind hands on his shoulders, Harry was directed out of the room. "Go on dear, it's at the end of the hall on the left." With a smile and nod in response, Andromeda accepted his quiet understanding and closed the door. Behind her eyes, Harry swore he saw a look of unease. It made her smile seemed forced like she was trying to mask a deeply etched regret.

Once out of the room Harry made his way to the guest room where his trunk resided. The room was well furnished and lined with tapestries of dark green with gold embroidering. Flowers and druidic markings were etched in elaborate patterns. Most of which were incorrectly made or out of order. Several letters in the patterns also were either out of place or fake. Collapsing on the four-poster bed Harry distanced himself from these observations. Silently he curled up into a ball on the bed as he tried to settle his nerves.

Slowly he drifted into a silent slumber, but it was anything but sound. The room was too unfamiliar and large as he felt himself drift hopelessly in the vastness of his surroundings.

As he visited the world of dreams, Harry drifted into memories. The manipulations of Albus Dumbledore. The warped world he failed to die in. The death of Ginny, cursed and shot on the podium. Hermione crumbling in his arms. The realization and awakening of his self after becoming an Obscurial. Learning that his mother might be alive.

Yes, in the hazy drifting of sleep, Harry recalled the memories of his mother. Harry watched again and again as his mother was brutally attacked and cursed, Voldemort standing over her. Writhing on the ground she lay, alive, defiant, braking. Finally, she collapsed, and Harry saw a flash of green and fell into the darkness crashing into a woodworking bench he was very familiar and intimate with. It was still covered with his own paint and still smelled of iron.

A massive shadow of fat loomed ahead of him. An assortment of tools lay on the leg of the bench. A crowbar, a hammer, a clamp press. He couldn't move. A crate of green as grass china shattered to bits showed Harry what he would be reliving. It was this dream again. He could handle this one he told himself as the shadow's arm fell down out of his view with a shuddering smash.

Forehand, left hand, three bones. Fingers mostly.

Harry stayed silent. Harry didn't move. A mirror lay before him and Harry saw his mother's defiant eyes.

Backhand, left hand two bones, light haemorrhage.

Harry wondered if he had those same eyes once upon a time.

Forehand, left forearm, a bruise. Internal bleeding? Possible fracture. Harry did know. He didn't care. He would be fine come morning.

Harry looked into the mirror. It no longer showed his mother. It showed his eyes. Dim green emerald eyes bland and empty, passive. Nothing was to be gained from fighting it. He was always patient, he could wait it out. That's right he had waited for death for so long. This was nothing.

Backhand, left forearm again. He felt sprinkles of pricking. Comminuted fracture?

His mother had returned and she looked at him painfully. Emerald eyes glazed wet with tears. His chest felt tight, he couldn't breathe.

Forehand, right hand.

His chest was convulsing in silent cries. The image of his mother suffering in his place.

Backhand, right forearm.

The shadows words of insult born of his failure to handle the plates soundless on the still air. Harry's eyes blinked close. He couldn't look at his Mother's image.

Forehand. Backhand. Forehand. Backhand.

Harry opened his eyes. Amber and chestnut brown eyes stared at him. A face stared at him slit in half. Ember burning fiery red hair fell loosely on the left and bush brown chestnut on the right. The eyes staring in kind on their respective sides.

The cold touch of the clamp press felt nice on his numb pointer finger.

His chest was crushing his lungs and his blood ran burning cold. He couldn't tell if his blood was boiling or it had gone cold. His tongue felt dry.

He couldn't feel his pointer finger, his ring finger rested coldly between metal. Amber and chestnut together stared at him. He watched helplessly as they took lay were he did. He wasn't in the mirror. He wasn't in pain. They were. His hand burned painfully for the first time.

His right hand was now numb.

Ginny first. Fiery red dripped a single stream of tears from painless hollow eyes before the life vanished.

His left hand soon followed.

Hermione followed. Chestnut brown started at him, not to blame himself. They too went hollow and lifeless.

Harry's eyes grew. Shot wide open the eyes no longer hollow appeared defiant, lively as they stared at the hulking mass of flesh, cast in shadows. Lily's eyes staring defiantly at the man from a broken and beaten body. The eyes stared at him as the world crumbled to dust, shattering apart as if made of shattered stained-glass panels.

A single thought resonating in his mind, No more.

Harry was sweating. He could feel his body swimming adrift, weightless. His body wasn't responding. It hurt. This wasn't like before. It didn't bother him before. His arms were now burning. The sensation traveling up his arms from the tips of broken fingers. It encroached upon every inch of his body. First his shoulders, up his neck and down his chest, along his cheeks and waist, all the way down to his toes and the crown of his head. Sweat permeated profusely, his breathing choked on within his throat.

"Harry!"

Harry shot up fully awake in his bed. It was quiet and Harry, aside from his uncomfortable state, was confused.

He was sitting in a pool of sweat. His skin stuck to him with a pasty resiliency, both dry and clammy. Beneath that his nerves ached, firing off sporadically.

Still reeling from his dream Harry was left sitting alone in the silence as he wondered what had happened. Pulling himself together and out of his bed. Harry contemplated that fact that for the first time ever, he hadn't just awakened from his nightmare. He completely conquered it and he had no idea how he did it.

Pushing the realization aside Harry collected a shirt and pair of pants and briefs. Something simple for a basic workout. Still sweating he needed some fresh air to work of his heightened state, his pulse still pounding in his ears.

As he put them on, Harry stopped to think about his situation. Taking the no long clean cloth off and putting them back Harry cursed as he pulled out a new set of clean socks, pants, shirts and knickers.

So long as he was hiding, he couldn't risk leaving the house for a jog and he couldn't work out in the private home of another without disrupting the others inside the house. Settling for clean clothes and a shower. Harry hoped the Tonks family wouldn't mind him using theirs without asking first.

He certainly needed one.

It didn't take him long to find the shower and Harry let the hot water flow over him. The droplets, cold to the touch on his body, stung comfortingly upon contact with his skin. Harry could barely open his eyes, but this wasn't strange. He always had trouble opening his eyes after nightmares like that.

Especially after reliving memories revolving his uncle. The only difference this time was that his chest still felt tight. Oxygen burned his throat but aside from that everything else was as he had come to expect.

As Harry ended his shower, fully drenched, Harry couldn't see the steam emanating off of him as it mixed in with the humid air from the hot shower.

It was only then that he realized that something else was very different this morning.

His limbs burned him from within, feeling hot to the touch and scorchingly painful with each step.

Concerned, Harry started another shower in hopes he was just overheating. Harry set the water to be colder and stepped back in, his mind just as foggy as the bathroom itself.

The droplets burned upon his skin, but his muscles danced under it. The tense and pain easing ever so slightly with each passing minute. Even as his limbs burned worse, overall Harry felt refreshed. Liberated.

His body trembled slightly as scars and ancient wounds made themselves apparent.

Turning the knob off, Harry stepped out of the shower again.

Harry wiped the mirror free of the concealing dew to reveal hollow green eyes looked back into his.

His old eyes.

Harry blinked for a moment his arm responding on instinct. The lights flickered and faded as a wind surged from Harry. Panic and pain, fresh in his mind coursed through his hand. Looking down Harry retracted his hand. Splinters of glass fell out of his clenched fingers as blood flowed out of his exposed knuckles. The pain was minimal, something he was used too. Harry's hand flexed open causing some glass to fall out of his flesh while others dug deeper into his skin.

Harry looked up at the mirror. It was gone, completely shattered. The remaining fragments reflected his emerald eyes back at him, haunted but full of life. Harry caught up with his breath, his chest heaving and taking in huge lungfuls of air. The fragments slowly lost their sheen and the polish as the misty air coated the remaining mirror once more.

Calming down and unsure of what was happening to him Harry took an easy breath to settle himself.

Harry pulled the few fragments of mirror from his hand. Now that his eyes had fully adjusted to the darkness. The light that was on above him burning out by the sudden wave of magic that followed his punch on the mirror.

With each fragment plucked, another fragment of glass would bounce off of the floor as it fell from his hand. Once his hand was free of glass Harry distancing himself from the mirror his back thumping against the wall. He fell, his back glided down softening the landing as he pulled his legs in his hands clench tight and resting against his face. His blood was still warm but was quickly hardening.

His sudden panic attack was slowly settling as he rationalized that he hadn't turned.

"I'm not him. Not yet. I'm still me. I'm still here. I came back... I-I have a reason to live. They're alive. Both of them. Everyone's alive. I haven't lost anything yet. Not yet. I... yet? Yet?" Harry chanted to himself, reassuring himself. However, that looming thought haunted him. They weren't dead yet, but someday they would be. That he would lose them again.

"Damn," Harry grumbled out. "Why am I falling to pieces now? I've had nightmares before, why is this one hitting me so hard?" Harry complained. Was it the thought of his parents? The chance that she was still alive? No, that wasn't it. If it was then he would have suffered shortly after he encountered Voldemort.

No, Harry thought. He wasn't struggling with his suffering. He had endured and ignored it many times before. The reason he was struggling now was because in the back of his mind he had embraced hope. Hope that his mother was alive. Hope for a reunited family with those he had lost. Hope that one day his mask of pain, his indifference could finally be abandoned.

Little did he know, that very mask was already being replaced by an inkling of hope. And somewhere in his mind, Harry had accepted it. In his act of defiance Harry accepted himself and in turn, broke one of the fragments within himself. His subconscious reluctance to free himself was now banished by hope. And with it, the limiters that masked his person.

Harry sat there quietly in reflection. Hidden in the steam from his shower Harry quietly trembled fearing his own return. His limbs still ached and burned, his chest still tight. However, the pain of his hand and heart stung more. So much so that when he finally fell asleep sitting there, Harry hadn't noticed that as the pained died down, scars and wounds healed by time slowly began to appear as if fresh and new upon his skin.

Chapter 2 is on its way. May get sidelined as momentum steamrolls me through 3 though. I'm on a serious roll right now.