Harry Potter: Return of the Death Walker

by WhiteDevilMGN

After a thousand Years of death and isolation Harry Potter will perform a ritual on his search of peace and slumber only to return back to when it all began. With knowledge and experience no ten year old should possess and his memories in a jumble Harry must ready himself and the world for the War that is to come. Further plot to be detailed inside. Lemon Multi:Harry

22. Chapter 22 :: Spotting A Dragon's Tail

Hope you enjoy. Not-beta'd but will be soon.

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Book II :: Chapter 2 :: Spotting A Dragon's Tail

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Nymphadora awoke that morning with the closest thing to a hangover one who had not drunk the night before could manage. Odd, considering how her day went the evening before.

Getting up she looked around and stretched out only to knock over a lamp which she managed to catch before it broke upon the ground.

Getting up she moved about sluggishly, still half-drunk from slumber. Slowly the events of the previous day came back to her and brought a sloppy, giddy smile to her face.

Her arguably closest friend was with them. For an entire summer she wouldn't be alone, and the more she thought of that the more excited she felt inside.

No more lonely summer days with just her parents and an empty house. No more boring days of reading, slaking, and rotting upon the couch. No more needed to sneak out of the house and risk being caught because she was becoming stir crazy indoors.

Today marked the first day of her summer adventures with Harry Potter. Today marked the first step of her becoming an Auror. Today was the first step to her winning her freedom and stepping out into the open world without concern.

Even in her drowsy state, Tonks couldn't help but feel excitement burning passionately, excitedly within her.

While she was fully aware that he had several problems to deal with as well as several big plans he wanted to complete that summer before going back to Hogwarts, the fact that at least for a few hours he would be with her made everything more exciting. Plus the fact that he was going to help her prepare for the Auror exams had her beyond excited.

Settling down Tonks reminded herself that first she needed to pass the Auror Recruitment Exams first. Before she could apply herself to being an Auror and enter into their training program to become one, she first had to prep herself for the practical which was her biggest concern. That meant plenty of time challenging herself physically in a practical application.

This meant practical time with Harry, who would help her as her own personal dummy.

Her mind stumbled for a moment as she remembered that Harry was a personal dummy who just so happened to be a natural talent and skilled duelist who could reflect her spell at her as easily as he took a breath.

While she knew that Harry was very different from other kids, she wasn't disillusioned at how talented Harry himself was. This though didn't dishearten her much. Training with Harry, she knew she'd be able to get a decent workout and would definitely be prepared for whatever came next.

After all, Harry was skilled enough for it, plus, if she admitted it to herself, she had yet to successful land so much as a single spell on him.

Hopefully training with him would rub some of that Potter invulnerability off on her.

Stumbling drowsily down the hallway towards the bathroom Tonks looked lazily outside, the rain was pouring heavily on the tattered windows. It hit hard, making a sharp sound with each drop landing on fragmented glass. Each drop hitting as if to break in and shatter slightly warm yet chilled interior.

As a car outside rushed by, the light reflecting off the glass and rain shimmered a vivid green in Tonks eyes for a brief moment. Just long enough for her memory to dislodge another recollection.

One that caused a shiver to pass over her.

While excited to have a practical training buddy, and one that treated her as an equal, there was one other thing she was both excited and fearful to experience. Seeing Harry serious for the first time. Tonks both worried over and wanted to see, a Harry Potter, who pulled out all the stops.

On top of being a quick learner, Tonks knew that if he didn't hold back then, with his help and a bit of proper observation and note taking on her end, she'd be guaranteed to pass the recruitment test. If she could pull off the stunts that he seemed capable of achieving, there was no way she wouldn't pass.

ON the flip side, she feared that seeing another side of him, the side that she had caught glimpse ever now and then, would change their relationship. She knew there was more to him, that she had not seen it yet. The darkness that lingered within Harry Potter. She had seen its shadow, yes, but not the abyss itself.

The thought caused another chill to pass over her as well as a sudden rush of heat as she remembered Harry's eyes that one time. That one time she saw his true face and coldness. The only time she caught a sight of the shadow of his true capabilities. Those eyes she saw only once, the seriousness that held behind them a coldness and practicality that burned away everything.

Those eyes that seemed to burn away and disregard all things. That looked not at pride, honor, glory, or dignity.

The rush of heat became too great and a shiver and rush, flushed through her loins. Tonks stood there shivering and blushing as she let herself go while standing in her own house just thinking about a kid six years her junior.

Continuing her way towards her morning shower Tonks could only hope that a quick shower would clear her mind and maybe even provide cover for her itch. Unfortunately, that meant having to navigate through the hallway at an ungodly hour she would have usually spent in her bed.

To make the journey which required her to be silent, lest she wake the other up, she also had to navigate it in the dark. Apparently, the charms that lit and unlit the halls were also bust and once she reached the bathroom, she found that the charms there too were broken.

A greater unease washed over her which she flatly ignored. To drowsy to care and too excited to take notice, Tonks ignored the fact that the magic of the house wasn't acting properly.

Upon entering she simply figured her mother had already taken a shower and mucked up the lighting at some point. Not the most logical of explanations but it rolled in her mind, aided and supported by the copious amounts of steam lingering in the bathroom.

Still, it was a bloody sauna, and that fact was certainly not helping her mood or her thoughts as the warmth was only making her more uncomfortable and distracted. It was way too early for any of this. The steam and humidity did add to the thin coat of sweat that now began to glisten down her mature form as she stripped down in preparation for her shower.

Taking a step forward Tonks hissed as she cut her foot on a shard of glass that lingered on the ground. She hissed out in pain again as while moving she stepped down on another which this time punctured her vulnerable flesh.

It was at this moment Tonks's mind awakened fully enough to click into place and take notice of the oddities surrounding her.

The oddities that lingered in the back of her mind now stood at the forefront.

She wasn't a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. To her, everyone should just agree to wake up at twelve and be done with it. Stepping on the glass shard had spun up her internal clock to well past four in the afternoon. The combination of shock and sudden pain was enough for her to not only wake up, but also realize that something was wrong.

Very wrong.

The charms on the house were shot. The house had lost its warm homey feeling that was supported by several charms. There were no broom cleaning the hallways and the lights weren't igniting when she walked up to them.

Hell, the most absurd thing was the fact that she woke up herself. She never woke up before the sun rose and especially not during such gloomy weather. On a day like today, Tonks was sure if left alone she would normally sleep through the entire day.

Nothing made sense. Too many normal things were not present, and a rising sense of foreboding was eating away at her. Like she had noticed something but had yet to consciously recognize it.

At first her mind retreated to her previous assessment. That it was her mums doing, but that couldn't be right.

A quick wave of her wand and her spell told Tonks that it was nearly six in the morning. Her mother said they were likely to leave before breakfast. That was usually around eight. Her mum probably wasn't even awake right now. If she was, she'd be trying to go back to sleep like she would have done if not for her excitement bubbling within her.

It was possible that her mother awoke early but her mum was a stickler for the house being kept in order. Aside from usually working from home, Andromeda loved keeping the house's atmosphere in a warm and accepting state, almost obsessively so.

Try as she might Tonks couldn't rationalize her mom going through the house or bathroom without first fixing up the lights and the self cleaning brooms. It just wasn't the women's style.

It was when her mind started to hit full steam and awaken completely that with another step and more glass imbedded itself in her feet did Tonks realize she was an idiot in the dark. Cursing, Tonks realized she should have used her wand for light sooner as the fact glass was present on the floor was dangerous in the first place and should have tripped her mind into lighting up the situation to begin with.

"Merlin, I hate mornings. Lumos" she complained with her wand raised.

The bathroom turned sauna lit up and her eyes were quickly drawn to the shattered mirror on the wall.

"What in Morgana's name–" she quietly yelled out in stunned shock, having not expected the mirror to be completely trashed. However, before the shock could fully take hold, theform reflected in the lower corner of the remaining shards of said mirror caused her heart to stop. Almost literally. The warm fire in her stomach, was quenched and froze over into a lump of lead.

Spinning around she nearly freaked out at the sight of the bloody boy crumpled up in a feadle position behind her. His crimson body backed up against the wall, slouched over.

"HARRY!" she screamed so loudly it nearly woke the whole country.

Rushing forward her wand aloft she frantically went to his aid without even knowing what she should do. His blood was everywhere and panic had taken her mind.

On the wall, the floor, red blood poured out of him, painting everything he was touching. Harry was literally sitting in an unreasonable pool of his own blood against the wall of the bathroom.

Tonks was now reasonably freaking out. Her heart and mind were overtaken by a fear that he was already dead. He was bleeding, had bleed far too much blood to be safe. Blood was splattered out everywhere near him as if it had exploded out of him in a violent burst. Yet his form showed no signs of an explosion nor the shock of one. Like he was just asleep when, whatever happened, happened. The scene was like that of a small bomb or blood that after bursting was left to bleed out its crimson remains slowly for what must have been hours.

Even had her mind gotten over the insurmountable amount of blood she was seeing, she would still have gone into shock but what lay under the crimson coat.

Lacerations, cuts, welts, burns, and bruises, littered his person and a very raw and vivid manner. All over his body he was covered in some scar or wound and from each injury on his person out came a steady flow luminous crimson that glistened in Tonks's wand light. The scars that looked aged and long healed, shined fresh at the origin of each wound, unnaturally and forebodingly.

The cherry on this gory and messy cage was that Harry remained unresponsive and unmoving, curled up into his knees and against the wall, his hands crusted with his blood held him in place against his legs painting a very sad sight.

Tonks's mind froze, no longer capable of rational thought.

Andromeda and Ted thankfully arrived shortly after her scream. Both loving and worried parents rushing to their daughter's side fearing the worst, only to have their assumption proven to be further from the truth. Both having been awoken by Tonks's scream and her loud, clumsy, and all-around inactive attempts to do something in her panic had successfully summoned them to the scene.

Andromeda arriving on the scene had expected to have to fight someone to save their daughter was instead introduced to a sight from hell. Training she had long abandoned ages ago reared its head as she took in the scene. Taking control of both herself and the situation, Andromeda braced herself for both the worst and the best outcomes as she set to work.

"Out of the way!" her mother commanded.

Tonks didn't react nor did she respond. Too lost in her own panic and prayer of thanks for her mother's appearance to move. She was so caught in it all that she remained unresponsive even as her mother threw her to the side and out of the way so that she could work on Harry.

The sight of her mom, which normally brought embarrassment, frustration, and dread, brought a sense of relief to Tonks that she very much needed.

Her mother was an ex-healer and had at one time command over the ward for critical injuries at St. Mungo. She had experience with horrifying injuries like this and was sure to patch Harry right up.

Ted seeing the scene felt his heart give at how similar the scene looked to that of one of his oldest nightmares about his daughter.

With wand drawn he left Harry to his wife and guarded the entrance, his own experiences with witnessing how Aurors worked guiding his amateurish actions.

Scanning the halls and floors for any sign of an intruder or lingering threat he stood watch as his wife worked. He was no Auror, but he had worked with and watched enough of their training and practices to have a semblance of what to do and look for as he protected his family.

As the seconds passed Ted could hear his wife's strained and worried breathing calm. Not taking a chance to give an opening he asked to the air, "Well? Is he okay?"

"At the moment he should be fine. Initial inspections show that it is just magic exhaustion. What I can't explain is all of the wounds he has. I was worried they were fresh, but they aren't.

"They're not?" Ted asked.

His wife nodded though he didn't see it. "Yes, all of them… they're all scars. Old and long closed wounds at that. Each and every single one. The most recent looks to be only three, maybe four years old. How they're bleeding…" She trailed off as she worked.

"What about the blood?" Nymphadora asked, regaining some ground underneath her rattled mind.

Andromeda remained silent.

"Dear?" Ted probed uncertainty.

"It's his. All of it. He's lost a lot of blood, yet… he's showing no signs of blood loss or anything. The scan shows he hasn't lost anything more than thimble's capacity."

She raised her wand and tracing over one of the scars healed the bleeding injury. The scars remained but each was closed and no longer bleeding out. Taking her wand to another one she continued to heal him scar by bloody scar.

"Mom?" Tonks asked hesitantly. "Dear?" Ted asked probing the situation again.

"Be quite both of you." She demanded, causing the two to clam up. She needed to focus, these wounds weren't normal and healing them was giving her a strange feeling. She needed to focus to make sure she didn't mess anything up and worsen his condition.

"Nymphadora, please shine your light over here please, and keep it steady." Andromeda requested forcefully and Tonks not so much as registering her names use did as she was told.

After a series of minutes passed and several orders from Andromeda to move Harry around were given so she could reach and tend to all of his wounds, Ted noticed that Andromeda was no longer as tense as she was before. Relief took hold as he was now more confident that Harry was okay. While confused as to how this could have happened without them realizing it sooner, for now he was more relieved than worried. There were no signs of a fight or breaking in. So while he had plenty to fret over he was almost positive the threat was long past.

Tonks also took notice, seeing the color in Harry's skin was returning to a more healthy hue. Similarly, Tonks's own hue took a slightly pinkish tone upon spotting the rather large weapon Harry was carrying on his youthful person, much to his wife's amusement.

A few moments later and Andromeda had found something strange which was reflected on in her sharp breathing. Ted recognized it was the same stressful breathing she had when she had a problem but facts didn't match up.

"What did you find?" he asked.

"He has all the signs of magic exhaustion, with the exception of one." Andromeda stated he tone rife with annoyance.

"And?" Ted pried.

"Magic exhaustion. Results from over exhaustion of using magic. Despite having the signs he has a full tank so to speak. Every sign from strained and contracting blood vessels to the mild fading fever. He shows every sign of magical exhaustion with the exception of the most important one. A lack of magic flow." She explained.

Ted turned around as his confusion peaked. "It isn't... too much magic... right?" he asked cautiously. Thankfully his wife shook her head. "No," she responded, "The boy aside from being unresponsive and the wound on his hands and well, everywhere, is some-what healthy. A mild case of magic exhaustion yes but he isn't short of magic. Even his fever is only a meager half degree high. Barely even worthy of notice."

"Some-what healthy?" Tonks asked confused. "With those wounds?"

Andromeda nodded. "I detected minor signs of malnutrition. If I had to guess he started eating better a year ago, maybe a year and a half. Two tops. There's also something strange about his muscle tissue just under his forearms and hands, but I can't do an invasive scan with him here like this. I need him laying out where I can work." Andromeda concluded.

"So you don't know what's wrong?" Ted asked knowing there was more.

Andromeda knelt there biting her lower lip in concentration. Something was wrong or at least nagging her. "I'm not completely sure. Its like his magic went crazy, exploded then settled down. I can't even begin to explain his injuries yet alone how old some of these scars look. Some of them I don't even recognize as to what could have caused them." She said looking at a cluster of scars that looked identical to each other. Each one, the size of a blueberry with minute signs of burning, most likely by friction or heating charm. At least that's what Andromeda assessed caused the strange wound.

"Can you heal him?" Tonks asked.

"For the most part dear he is healed." Andromeda answered.

"But he's still out." Tonks complained noting Harry was still not awake yet.

"He's fainted dear. Likely from the injuries or blood loss. Which again he's not showing signs of. There is enough blood here for an adult male, yet Harry's blood levels are normal.

"So, is he okay?"

Andromeda scoffed at her daughter's cheek. "Dear, he was found bleeding out and covered in wounds, he's hardly okay." She turned to her daughter and sighed a bit seeing her worry. "But he will be fine. Nothing serious now, I just need to wake him up."

Grabbing firmly onto her wand she pointed it at his chest. "Rennervate."

A red light flashed and slowly Harry started to stir. With heavy eyelids he gazed up at Andromeda. Slowly he blinked and seeing more clearly took in the forms of Ted and Nymphedora behind her.

"What?" he asked, slightly disoriented before he crumpled over and winced at the rush of pain that flooded his body. "Ow. What the hell happened."

"Easy Mr. Potter. What was the last thing you remember?" Andromeda asked as her professional training took over completely.

Blinking oddly at her Harry hesitated, her question taking its sweet time in his own head to make sense. Once it took root he answered, "I.. I woke up, went to take a shower, and then…"

Harry began to say but his eyes shot wide as the image of his worse self flashed before him again. Then he remembered. "I don't know. I got out of the shower then, I just sat down. I saw myself, panicked, and I punched the reflection, ah, I broke your mirror." Harry realized.

"That's fine dear," Andromeda interrupted. "What else?" she insisted.

Seeing her focus Harry nodded. "I sat down to calm and relax my nerves, and once I did… I think I fell asleep."

Andromeda looked carefully at Harry and he her. Sighing, Andromeda nodded seeing that was all Harry had to offer. Raising her wand she prepared to perform a more indepth diagnosis of him when she noticed him flinch as if to reach for his own wand.

"At ease, Mr. Potter. With your permission I'd like to perform a more detailed spell on you to see if anything else is wrong."

Harry nodded tired and hurting. Looking down Harry spotted a sight he was far too familiar with. He was sitting there in the buff, painted red in his own blood. It was almost a moment of pure nostalgia for him.

"Any chance you can find out what happened to me? Or at least what caused it?" Harry asked.

Andromeda smiled. "I'll see what I can do." She said as she began to sweep her wand around him.

Spotting his discomfort Ted brought his own wand to bare and prepared to vanish the puddle of blood. "Let me take care of the mess around you Harry."

Suspecting and guessing what Ted was about to do Harry spoke up, stopping him from banishing the mess away.

"Mind not vanishing it? Blood might be misused in most magics but in some potions it's a valuable commodity."

Ted raised an eye at this. "You want me to store it away?"

Harry nodded.

"Don't move Harry."

Harry froze in place, not wanting to risk messing up Andromeda's work.

"Harry. I know that you don't know this, but blood magic… well any use of blood in magic is very risky."

"I know." Harry answered. "And while I have and can use it in potions, that's not the only use it has. Exposing an experimental potion to a drop of blood allows me to observe its effects before self-testing my potions on myself personally. Plus if you save it, that saves me the trouble of blood-letting to acquire more."

Ted, although hesitant, noted the tone Harry took. Seeing a stubborn Gryffindor in front of him, and having lived with two stubborn women Ted recognized a losing battle so didn't try to argue.

Ted relented and summoned a large bottle into his hands. With a wand flick the blood vanished from around and on him and reappeared inside of the bottle. Capping it he kept it far from Harry's reach.

"I'll hold on to it for now." Ted said. "For now, lets let my wife see it first in case she needs to run tests on it as well."

Harry smiled. "Sounds reasonable.

Nymphadora stood restlessly behind her parents. No longer in a state of panic she was torn between relief and shame. Relief that Harry was well but ashamed that she had panicked as she did. This self loathing and blaming of her own inaction continued until she spotted something odd about Harry.

Staring at the abnormality for a minute more she could no longer hold back her curiosity.

"Harry? Has your hair always been that long?"

The family of three plus one froze and looked up towards his hairline. Andromeda raised her wand along with her attention and directed them along with her focus to his hair. Harry himself looked up too and raising a hand he pulled down on a strand of his crow's nest.

The ruffled black hairs once pulled reached all the way past his eyes. It was a full inch longer than it was before.

"Wow… it is longer." Harry noted.

"Why did passing out cause your hair to grow?" Tonks asked jokingly, finding the larger nest of hair to be humorous for some reason.

Harry just shrugged while he fiddled with his hair, only stopping when Andromeda pinched him, reminding him he wasn't to move.

Ted shook his head as he gazed in fascination. "I think the answer to that question isn't why did it but rather how did your hair grow out?"

No one had an answer to this. Harry wondered if there was some kind of magic that made hair grow, thinking back to the accidental magic he performed which grew his hair back from being turned into a bold cut.

"This hasn't happened since I was a kid."

Ted looked at Harry the same time his wife glanced up at him. "What hasn't?"

"My hair…. growing out like this." Harry explained.

"When I was a kid my Aunt didn't like my hair since it was a mess. Fed up with it she took a razor to it and shaved it all off. By midnight it grew back completely."

Ted listened with interest, trying to spot or identify anything unusual. Unfortunately the story Harry told could amount to simple accidental magic.

"Mr. Potter." Andromeda said speaking up. "Is there more to that story?"

"Not really," Harry answered. "Why?"

"There's some scar damage here. Damage at the scalp like the skin has been ripped or peeled off?"

"Oh…" Harry muttered, "Yeah. My uncle found out that it grew back and was so fed up with it he ripped it out. Kept going till he tired himself out. Even so my hair kept growing back no matter what he did."

The Tonks families mouths dropped at this. Shelving the sickening story for later both Andromeda and Ted having raised Nyphadora knew what this meant. Accidental magic could cause hair to grow, but it couldn't create new hair, and definitely couldn't regrow skin tissue.

It also explained to Andromeda the strange tissue beneath. Not wanting to assume they had to ask. Well Ted did in any case.

"Harry, when was the last time you needed a haircut?"

"A haircut?" Harry asked. "Since always I guess." Harry answered looking up at the mess that he called a haircut.

"No, I mean a haircut because your hair was too long." Tonks reiterated.

"Oh. Never, why?"

Ted looked amazed. "Because, if I'm not wrong, Harry your-"

"You're not wrong dear." Andromeda said, speaking up and interrupting. "Our dear boy here is a bonafide Metamorphmagus."

oOoOo

Albus had not gotten much sleep that night. None at all honestly. All evening he was desperate to relocate Harry Potter who had disappeared from the Hogwarts express before its arrival at Kings Cross. At least that's what he assumed.

So far all the evidence at his disposal showed that Harry Potter did not make it to Kings Cross.

Albus had been suspicious about the boy's behavior.

Even though he said he would return home something about the boys answered nagged him the wrong way. It was too self assured reminding him of his own youthful rebellious days. Not the kind of answer you'd expect from a boy returning to his family's home to be sheltered for three months.

To calm his own unease, Albus had contacted an old friend to look over the boy's transition from magical hands to his muggle relatives. His aunt, the one in question who was well enough to bring the boy home would be there, waiting and able to bring Harry home.

It was important that Harry be safe. Securing his safety was his foremost concern right now. If anything happened to Harry now, then the magical world would suffer greatly.

Alastor after some persuading on Albus's part, and a bit of prodding the man's paranoia, went on his behest to watch the exchange. To witness Harry depart the train and say goodbye to his friends before leaving with his aunt.

That was not what happened.

Alastor had agreed to make sure the boy made it to his aunt, but apparently the man's paranoia and Petunia's late arrival resulted in Alastor arriving on the station a minute or two after the train's arrival.

When Harry didn't depart, and quick scan with his eye over the entire train revealed that Harry Potter was gone. A few folks spoke up and told him, that Harry Potter hadn't been spotted since he got onto the train. At some point he had disappeared.

When Alastor informed him Harry Potter did not get off the train. Albus knew something had happened. Looking towards his instruments he noticed that something was very, definitely, very wrong.

Pulling out a map and dragging one of the nick-nacks onto it, Albus pressed his wand into it. What should have happened was the wand and the dome shaped three ringed spindle, should have moved toward the spot that Harry was located. His exact location where his blood was.

Trying again, Albus thought more broadly focusing on all blood that belonged to Harry Potter. This time the magic prompted a response. The nick nack, along with wand his wand's tip, was pulled across the displayed map. Moving all the way to just outside London it eventually circled about as if focusing in on the targeted source.

Harry's home, number four Privet Drive.

That couldn't be right. That meant he had already returned to Private Drive.

Albus tried again. It did a few donut runs before stopping again. Again the device an wand tip rested on the point where number four Privet drive should just about be.

Albus looked over and saw the other bobbles functioning, several of which showing evidence that the wards protecting Harry were still alive. Weak but alive. Moving to his fireplace, grabbing a handful of powder, Albus traversed over to number four. He had to make sure.

Within five minutes he confirmed his suspicions.

As he had suspected, Harry wasn't there. While he had hoped, it wasn't to be. Returning back to his office, Albus pulled out a small eyedropper from a bottle that sat along with the rest of his Harry Potter monitoring devices. He paused before he put it back, stopping it just before he used it.

There was a time and place for the use of such magics. This however, was not yet the time to be reckless and resort to blood magic. That time would come later when everything was confirmed to be at risk.

After all, there were risks in using such magic and he wasn't that desperate yet. At least that was what Albus rationalized.

That thought crossed his mind nearly twelve hours ago. For twelve hours Albus had poured over every method of tracking he had prepared for just such a situation as this. None of them worked. Now he was left with two options. Reporting it to Amilia or using his final resorts. No. There was only one option.

The former would raise to many problems and risk everything coming apart. No that was an exaggeration. The former would just be problematic and risk Albus having to take measures he'd rather avoid performing since each carried a greater risk to his plans.

Yes, there was only the one, but Albus was greatly adverse to taking this route.

Blood magic always came with risks, and was viewed as a very dark form of magic. Then again most didn't have a grasp on what was dark or light. But even so, Albus wasn't comfortable enough to believe the public would take to heart his view of what was light.

Sure, using blood magic like he intended would reveal where Harry was no matter what, there would be consequences should anyone learn of it. Again his mind drifted to the other option, to ask for help.

Doing so would in all likelihood involve Lady Bones, of the Bones family. A righteous woman and solidly in the lights side, she was also steadfast ignorant of what constituted light magic.

She wouldn't understand. Most of them never would. Too many were raised in fear of magic in its most primal and native form. No getting them involved would strain to many routes he could use to his ends, there was only one option.

Albus made his decision. Drawing out the same pipet, dropper and bottle from before, Albus used the dropper to bring out two drops of blood. Using the pipette Ablus siphoned one of the drops that lay on the map and reapplied it on his wand, forming a connection between the map, his wand, with blood as its catalyst and focus. Casting the point me spell, Albus performed an altered version of the spell that made use of the blood.

The spell warped the speck of blood across the map. It hovered questioningly over the map as if confused before plopping itself down in the middle of northern England. Slowly it traveled south, along what Albus soon realized was the route the Hogwarts express took. Just as soon as it made it to the three quarters mark, the droplet vanished. More specifically it hovered over the paper confusingly, lost in its ability to follow its origin.

For all of his knowledge, Albus was unsure what to make of this behavior.

It was like Harry simply vanished. Even if he aporated the droplet should have simply slid rapidly to the new location. Instead it left the map and spun about confusingly. More confusingly it suddenly warped across the map to London where it sat stationary before all but vanishing from the whole set up.

The blood was gone.

Albus swerved to his shelf fear gripping his heart as the worst possibility of harry's death took over.

Confirming the trinkets still were active Albus relaxed with the knowledge his fears weren't realized.

Harry Potter was still alive. Yet somehow, he had disappeared. Somewhere in London, he had disappeared and somehow was disconnected from the precautions placed upon him.

Drawing out another two drops. Albus made to trace his location on a local map. Maybe a more detailed map would produce a more reasonable result.

He was grasping at straws now. And just as his rational mind assumed it was as such.

Unfortunately, the spell failed. Backfiring, the spell rebounded and the blood burned his maps and charred a section of his desk. A minor price for a misfiring of blood magic.

Albus was now left to sit quietly as he planned out his next actions. The worst case scenario was that Harry died. Under no circumstance could Albus let Harry die. Not yet. He needed Harry safe and alive. The boy must live until his duty was fulfilled. How he lived until then was fine. So long as he lived well and loved Albus knew everything would be worth the sacrifice.

Fate had already dictated Harry's path, on top of making the most of it, Albus needed to ensure that a worse outcome didn't arrive from trying to break free of her will.

The next realization to hit him was something Albus was dreading. If blood magic could no longer track Harry, then that meant that he had to accept it.

He had lost control over Harry Potter. This made the reality that Albus might very well be forced to have to ask the public for help. It was now official. Harry Potter had disappeared.

Shaking his head Albus went into a flurry of movement. Returning to the shelf, Albus pulled out another trinket and braced himself for another rebound. He hadn't yet used all of his knowledge yet. If he couldn't do it, what good would they be?

One way or another he would find Harry Potter without getting another involved. He had to.

oOoOo

The Tonks family sat around the living room as they looked upon Harry who fidgeted restlessly on the couch. The scars on her person that covered almost all of his body itched and was driving him batty.

The 'Family meeting' to discuss Harry's current condition was already underway with Andromeda gathering herself to explain what she thought she found out.

Letting her shoulders slump loosely, she let out a breath before stiffening her shoulders and sitting back right.

"Well Mr. Potter, aside from your scars I think I know what happened to you, although I don't know the why or how of it."

"Then the scars aside," Harry offered softly suggesting that such a point was a good place to start. Besides, the scars weren't a concern for him. One look at the bullet wounds on his chest told Harry exactly where the scars came from. What he wanted to know was why they appeared.

"While it's nothing conclusive, I have a suspicion which can't be proven as of right now." Andromeda explained wanting no one present to be under the wrong assumption that she had an absolute understanding of what happened.

"Mr. Potter, what do you know about MUK?"

Harry blink blankly at Andromeda.

"Seriously? That's the cause?"

"Yes, though I am surprised that you already know about it." Andromeda admitted.

"Early bloomer," Harry explained flatly. "What does MUK have to do with my condition? As I recall, I didn't have any magic buildup last night or this morning. Plus, doesn't magical buildup take time to build up and require a lot of stress to accumulate? It should be spontaneous or sporadic."

"I see your well informed. Yes, you're right. No, your condition clearly wasn't a magical buildup, rather it shows similarities."

"Similarities?"

Andromeda nodded. "Oddly enough it is contradictory. You show signs of the late stages of untreated magical buildup without the build-up. No stress, or magical stagnation was present. It's like you suddenly came into a large amount of magic all at once and your body ripped itself apart… except it didn't."

Pointing she directed everyone's attention to his scars. "Those scars are just that, scars. They're not fresh. Your magic shows signs of explosive magical growth and what appears to be a more open flow."

"Open flow?"

"Yes, Harry. Tell me, have you ever had trouble managing or using your magic? You said you were an early bloomer too. Did you ever notice that you barely ever needed relief to manage your magic? Or perhaps just need to feel fulfilled or content to alleviate your symptoms?"

"I have." Harry admitted "Ever since I learned I was a wizard I've struggled to cast spells with the exception of very stressful situations."

"Such as?" Andromeda asked.

"Fighting off a mountain troll for example." Harry retorted in a huff.

Andromed stared at him wide eyed, half expecting him to suddenly shout 'April fool's' but he didn't.

"Let's ask about that later dear." Ted stated pointedly, spotting the warning signs of their main topic becoming a side note.

Andromeda looked at him and nodded before returning to Harry. "Yes," she stated more for herself than anyone else. "In any case, while there isn't any evidence to prove otherwise, I think the reason for that is because your magic was bound this entire time."

The whole family looked at her in shock while Harry settled for looking at her in confusion. "Bound? As in restrained or inhibited?"

"Oh right." Andromed said noting his confusion. "You wouldn't know. When a witch or wizard is born to a wizard parent and muggle parent, the newborn usually has their magic bound. This is usually temporary and is removed when they turn seven. It is done to prevent accidental magic from being cast when the muggleborn witch or wizard is growing up. It's a law required by the Stature of Secrecy."

"Any wizard raised by muggles or with muggles also has this binding placed on them then." Harry asked, making his own conclusions.

"Yes." Andromeda replied. Since you were raised by muggles, the law would require your magic to be bound upon before you were handed over to them."

"There isn't a law stating the magic must be removed before the age of seven is there." Harry stated darkly seeing where the conversation was potentially heading.

"No, there isn't since no one would be stupid enough to leave a child's magic bound for so long. If it was, the risk of problems around their magic manifesting increases exponentially."

"Problems like obscurials being born." Harry stated.

"Under harmful family conditions… yes." Andromeda stated sadly seeing Harry's mind piecing his life together.

"Hold on for a moment dear." Ted interrupted. "If Harry's magic was bound for so long, he shouldn't have been able to use his magic. At least not efficiently enough to go to school. The Binding would have caused his magic to stall and made it almost impossible to use unless it was removed."

"I was getting to that, Ted." Andromeda bit back. "Sit down and wait." She commanded turning back to Harry. "Harry, you're a skilled Occlumens right? As a child, you must have practiced meditation or something similar to achieve that."

"I did. Everyday in fact." Harry replied.

"And there lies the reason. Harry, you are a powerful wizard, just like your parents. When you practiced meditation and occlumency you also touched upon your magic stretching and freeing it just a little bit. The practice made it flexible, elastic to yourself. It's just a theory, but when you awoke as an Obcurial, I think the binding on your magic, which you exercised over many years, shattered your bounds but didn't completely undo them. As a result, the foreign magic cluttered and inhibited your use of magic. This morning I think that clutter was finally pushed out and all of your magic rushed out, expanding outward after being compressed for so long. While it doesn't explain your scars it does explain the state of contradicting exhaustion and healthy flow of magic within you."

"Wait, wouldn't that explain his scars too?" Nymphadora pitched in drawing everyone's attention.

"If Harry was abused by his relatives was what caused him to become an obscurus then maybe they didn't just appear." She explained.

"What do you mean?" Andromeda asked her daughter, not following her line of thought.

"If Harry's magic was bound, then wouldn't that inhibit most of his metamorphmagus abilities too. Subconsciously, Harry might have wanted to hide his scars and mimicked a self-image that he wanted."

"Meaning that when his magic regained its natural flow and the binding was removed he lost control over his magic momentarily, reverting him to his natural form." Andromeda realized looking back at Harry. "The sudden change and uncontrolled magic would have reopened old wounds, wounds that likely never fully healed in such an environment."

Andromeda paused, "No… it's backwards. His metamorph abilities likely acted as a tightened and tensed muscle that held his magic together. While his image of himself remained as it was, his magic matched its shape and form. This morning… Harry, did you make up your mind about anything, like a change in how you viewed yourself?"

Harry thought back and nodded.

"When you made that choice, when you recognized it, your magic let go of your self-imposed image and your magic unraveled, like a muscle being relaxed. It all fits." Andromeda concluded.

"Merlin… then these wounds are all from…" Ted realized with grim weight in his stomach.

From limp to leg, neck to foot, Harry was covered in scars. Silence ruled over the family as the full weight of the truth hit them. The magic of the mystery revolving around what happened to Harry was quickly replaced by a sense of morbid grief.

"Please stop."

The family turned to Harry.

"What's done is done. I'm not one to hold grudges but I don't intend to let it drop either. You can't change how I was raised. If you want to do something then please continue to help me as you have been. While I don't mind telling anyone what happened to me, I really don't care, I'm also not eager to shout it out from the tallest towers either." Harry stated. At least not yet he wasn't.

"I think it's safe to assume Albus place and bound my magic. I know that if it was placed on me, this binding, I guarantee that it was never removed. Yes, my uncle injured me and yes, I carry and Obscurus. Now we know that on top all this madness I'm also a metamorphmagus." Harry let out a sigh of relief and mockery. "Now we all know how much of a pandora's box of magical anomalies I am."

Turning to Ted he shifted the goal of the conversation.

"I'm still me. I told myself I'd live my life as a wizard and never go back. Despite the worries made, at least we know I'm now healthier than I was before. If Mrs. Tonks is right, then I should have no trouble using magic now."

"Its illegal for you to use magic outside of school dear." Andromeda pointed out.

"And technically you've already kidnapped me from Albus Dumbledore. I ended up this way because I didn't use my magic. Once I know it's safe to do so I intend to use magic as I wish in secret. And don't tell me that wizard born children don't use magic outside of school. We both know they do."

Ted coughed as he failed to suppress a laugh. "He's not wrong there."

Harry carrying on added, "Besides I promised to help train your daughter in preparation for her entrance exams for Auror training. Not going to be able to do that without magic, am I."

Andromeda sat back and smirked at her daughter. "Oh? You don't say. That's news to me?" she said glaring at her daughter.

"And what could a first year possibly teach my precious Nymphadora?"

"Don't! call me that." Tonks shouted abruptly.

"Occlumency for one thing, apparently." Harry rebucked.

"Ted laughed at this. "Haha, that's true. Considering your mindscape you're already a master in the art. An incredible feat for one so young."

"More like inconceivable" Andromeda mutter recalling her own families lessons.

"That's right." Tonks contributed, adding her support of the idea though having no idea what it was all about.

"Not to mention…"

The family turned to Harry noticing the sour tone his words carried. He gestured to his scars. "I can teach her how to endure, to survive."

His eyes carried a weight, a burden that none of them could comprehend. Andromeda recognized the look he carried. During her medical days during the war she saw many veterans in the fight against You-Know-Who enter her ward with those same eyes as well as upon their departure.

Andromeda went to speak up, but Ted beat her to it. "Lets shelf that for later. As for the use of magic I think it would be wise to let him practice it after having had his magic inhibited for so long."

Andromeda bit her lip, nodding reluctantly. "That is true… but-"

"But we can consider it later." Ted insisted.

"As for you helping my daughter, let's wait until we see her schooling results. Supposedly from what I heard she did quite well. If her letters are true, you helped her with her potions grade. So, let's shelf the topic of you helping her until after my wife and I have seen the results of your teachings."

Harry nodded. "Sounds fair to me sir."

Ted nodded. "Now then, if my wife has no reasons to hold you here, I say we head over to Gringotts now and get that out of the way."

"What!?" Andromeda shouted. "He just recovered."

"And we never know what else can go wrong later. Besides, Gringotts has asked for him, and if I'm not mistaken Harry himself wishes to go-" Harry nodded. "-and sooner or later people are going to be looking for him if they haven't already." Ted countered.

"If we're going to go it's better to do so now. Plus, if we do go, then when we return you can lock Harry up here and look after him without worrying about him leaving for some random appointments."

Andromeda fumed and huffed be nodded. "He can't go dressed only in his britches."

Ted nodded. "true enough." He said turning to Harry. "Feel like you can get changed?"

"Yes." Harry replied completely unaffected at having been nearly completely exposed the entire time.

Getting up Harry turned to Ted. "When did I get 'britches' on anyway?"

"I went and got you something to wear while my wife looked you over. Now go and get dressed, It's only going to get more likely you'll be spotted the longer we dawdle.

Nodding in agreement Harry came upon an idea as he turned to ask, "You wouldn't happen to have and spare suits that I could barrow?"

oOoOo

Albus was pulling out his hair with worry. The gray locks were turning white in mass and liable to fall out. Spell after spell failed, several with contradicting results. Some even showed signs that Harry was dead. An impossibility yes but unnerving all the same for Albus.

Dread was slowly consuming him even as he waited for Snape's arrival. Thankfully he did not have to wait long as the man glided through the door.

"What is it Albus. I happen to be busy with a particularly difficult potion request by Pomfrey by your request as I recall." Snape bitterly reproached.

"I know how you hate to be pulled away from your cauldron Severus." Snape scoffed at this but held his tongue. It was foolish to leave a potion in progress like that and worse he'd have to start over if things went wrong."

"However I wouldn't have called you away if it wasn't important." Albus continued.

"Yes Headmaster… now I am still a busy man, could you please inform me as to the nature of this summons?" Snape drowled out.

"Of course. It appears Mr. Potter has disappeared."

Snape face twitched violently. "Of course. Merlin forbid the boy not go a day without causing some trouble."

"Please Severus. This is indeed a problem."

"Why do you not simply use trinkets that mark him."

Albus sighed. "I am not so old as to not already have tried that Severus. To my greater concern, even the traces I placed on the boy for his protection have failed to locate him."

"And what, Headmaster, do you wish me to do about this?" Snape asked begrudgingly.

Before he could answer one of the trinkets began to spin to life rapidly.

Shooting up from his desk Albus retrieved it and placed it on the large map on his desk. The top spun around and around within a wire frame which rolled over the map. Slowly it settled over London and the top within the wire frame spun around showing a window that revealed Diagon Alley.

"Severus, I need you to head to Diagon Alley. Find Harry and bring him home."

Biting his tongue Severus cursed the boy within his own mind. "Not a week earlier he had unofficially agreed to apprentice the boy in potions and this was how the brat repaid him. The only silver lining was that at the very least, next term he would have no shortage of clean and spotless caldrons after he was through with him.

"Very well Albus," Snape said curtly, his robes rustling as he went over to Albus's fireplace. In a flash of green he was gone and Albus's worries lessened.

His concern would not be gone until Harry was safe at his relative's house, but for now he had a lead. More of a lead than he had previously.

oOoOo

Harry slid out of the emerald flames of the Diagon Alley Floo Fireplace. Covered in soot Ted Tonks couldn't hold back a slight laugh as he helped pick Harry up from the floor.

"You weren't lying. You are awful at floo travel."

"Told you I was." Harry muttered brushed the soot off of the black slacks he wore. Readjusting his brown blazer and light blue undershoot Harry stood up to his full six foot one height.

Looking towards Ted Harry raised an eyebrow as he stared at him with a smile. "What is it?"

Blinking out of his smirk Ted chuckled. "Sorry. It's nothing." He said as he looked Harry up and down again. "Just letting it sink in that you really are a Potions prodigy. How old would you be now?"

Harry looked away from Ted as he stood in thought like a proud marble chiseled replica of Michelangelo's David. All of his muscles ripped yet not overly so. Beneath his suave suite that clashed slightly, he looked like a tall slender man with broad shoulders. His hair was also longer, by about two three inches, easily covering his most defining feature beneath said locks. His baby fat was completely gone which only exemplified the scars that peeked out from beneath his clothing.

"Twenty-one, pushing twenty two. Did the box get through okay?"

Turning around toward the desk Ted lifted a small wooden crate that he passed to Harry who cradled it carefully under his arm.

"This is everything we need right?" Harry asked.

Ted nodded, "It will have to do. Most of it is a summary. All we can do is hope this covers enough to satisfy the goblins."

Harry smirked. "Can they really be satisfied?"

Ted laughed again as he quickly took note of the nature of goblins. "No, but it doesn't hurt to try. Especially when you work for them." Looking slightly up at Harry he asked more seriously, "Did your potions come through safely?"

Looking down, Harry retrieved a small leather bag and glancing a peek inside Harry nodded as four vials of varying shapes sat snuggly inside. "All good," Harry replied. "Are you sure I should have brought them with me?"

Ted nodded. "It would be a good idea to get those patented. And while you should get them legalized with the ministry you can get patents for them with Gringotts without having to give your identity up at the Ministry."

"That's good." Harry grumbled. "Especially since I want to remain anonymous for the time being."

"Either way, getting one or the other will ensure no one can take credit for your creation." Ted stated. "Do you have any plans to sell those potions?"

"Yes."

"Then it's a good thing you brought your potions with us. The ministry won't allow the sale of any potions that lack a registry or patent and you can't get either without presenting the completed product.."

Harry glanced at Ted as they walked down the busy street and in between the few shoppers that littered the alley. "What's the difference?"

"Between what?"

"Registry and Patent."

"Honestly there really isn't one. A Patent functions as a Registry does. It says your own ownership of the potions creation, methods, and profits. The Registry sort of does the same but allows the ministry to influence and withdraw some profits."

"Why would anyone register over getting a patent then?"

Ted shrugged. "If a potion is registered it is at least publicly seen as being more pure. It's just a social distinction. If a potion is patented, its seen as being of goblin influenced and controlled since a portion of the profits are sent to them based on the nature of the patent."

"And on the other hand, a Registry would cost money which I'm guessing would go to the ministry and would be seen as support to wizard purity right?"

"You catch on quick Harry."

"Please Mr. Tonks. While I'm like this, call me Returner." Harry quickly corrected while glancing to make sure no one heard him.

"Returner?"

Harry shrugged. "The Goblins made an account for me under the alias Return Returner."

"Quite the odd name that, even by wizarding standards."

"It's honestly just a pun."

Ted looked at Harry with a bit of confusion. "A pun?"

Harry just smiled. "Don't overthink it. The return of a boy who returned from the brink of death. I think it's a bit of Goblin humor added onto my joke of how I came back."

Ted nodded quietly in thought. "I see." He stated emptily with a heavy voice.

Walking into Gringotts nothing was said between them as Harry followed at Ted's side while cradling their luggage.

Upon entering the white marble construct a goblin to the side spotted Ted and hurriedly shuffled to him. "You're late wizard. Where is the other? You were supposed to bring him."

"He will be joining Mr. Tonks in his guise after you bring us to our appointment. Can you hurry this up, time is money sir goblin." Harry interjected drawing the goblins cruel gaze onto himself.

"I don't care who you are wizard. But unless you have an appointment I don't care who you think you are." The goblin stated angrily.

Not wanting to deal with this any further Harry just glared back at the goblin. "Take us to Goblin Ragnuk for our appointment, now goblin."

The compulsion spell glowed in his eyes and the goblin went blank for a moment before turning around and walking off. "This way." It said in a bit of a drifting tone.

Ted looked at Harry with both confusion and intrigue. "What did you do?" he whispered as they went off, following the green midget.

"Wandless, compulsion and confundus spell via legilimency."

Ted stared blankly at him before he began to chuckle. "First a natural legilimens, then I find out you're a potions prodigy, now you can cast magic wandlessly? Is there anything else I should know about you?"

"A few things…" Harry retorted with a smirk.

"Like what?"

"Well I'm a natural in fighting and surviving magic attacks." Harry said thinking upon his own experiences on the battlefield. Ted meanwhile nodded morbidly as he interpreted Harrys words as him commenting on his experiences that year and from the time of his birth.

"Be silent." The goblin guiding them stated curtly. "We're here."

Opening the door the goblin gestured for them to enter Ragnuk's office.

Said goblin looked up and with a stern face glanced over Ted and then hardened his gaze at Harry who he didn't recognize.

"Wizard, I thought I told you to escort my client. Instead you bring this wizard here, give me one good reason I should terminate your contract right now?" Ragnuk demanded.

Harry chuckled. "Perhaps because he did as you told but with greater precautions considering the situation. Not to mention kicking me out now would be seen as your failure to adhere to appointments Sir Ragnuk." Harry said with nearly flawless gobbledegook.

Ted looked at him gobsmacked while Ragnuk, initially caught flatfooted began to laugh as Harry took a pill and poofed into his more natural appearance of nearing twelve.

Breaking into a fit of harsh laughter Ragnuk sounded like he was split between choking and screaming. "Lord Potter. As always you surpass my expectations." He sneared with a toothy grin. "By what method did you pass Gringotts without our knowledge that it was you?"

"That is actuarial a topic I wished to discuss," Harry explained as he placed the wooden box on the goblins desk. Pulling out a jar the three looked at it and more precisely the red and blue pills inside of it.

"In addition to the purpose for this meeting, I wish to patent a few potions of my own make. It would be quite nice to turn a profit from them without Ministry interference."

The goblin looked at the jaw and gazed at its contents with intrigue. "Most interesting. What is it exactly."

"Aging pills. Take a red pill and you'll take the form of yourself ten years from now. Take a blue one and you regress to what you appeared as five years ago. The effects die off after a few hours or until you take the opposing pill."

"So that appearance was you as an adult?" Ragnuk asked with interest.

"Yes. Specifically me at the age of nearly twenty two to be precise."

"I would like to see to it that this could be warded against Mr. Potter. At the very least detected so as to prevent thefts. With such a potion it would be easy to breach our protections." Ragnuk said with growing harshness.

"Have at it. May I suggest using blood methods. Since the potion doesn't change the body's nature or blood just its age and growth it can't be used to fool blood measures and since changing my form is needed I'd rather not have its effects undone where people can locate me."

Ragnuk nodded but other then that made no motion to confer agreement to Harry's request.

"So then." Ragnuk carried on his gaze tearing into Mr. Tonks. "What did you find out, wizard?"

Gulping Ted informed Ragnuk of their status. How the withdrawals showed no signs of foul play yet hinted at some form of abnormality in their being there. How they showed no rhyme or reason behind their existence other than their average undoing.

Harry stood to the side and Ted reported his unsuccessful and evidence lacking findings to Ragnuk.

"So simply put," Ragnuk said with a calm demeanor, "Legally speaking the only one who you believe could be responsible for these withdrawals is Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter's legal magical guardian for whom is responsible for the safe keeping and management of the Potter vault. A man who's withdrawals of money can literally be summarized as either one, moving his wealth from one vault to another, and b, withdrawing a completely legal amount in compensation for Mr. Potter's relatives to use for his care? Relatives who while not committing to his absolute well being did keep Mr. Potter under their roof and alive for eleven years. Is this correct?"

Ted nodded. "Yes."

"And just as we goblins believe, you believe there to be foul intent behind to inter vault withdrawals that are shared, owned, and locked to all but a singularly living Mr. Potter of seventeen years of age but have yet to find any sign or evidence of illegal activities nor any signs constituting a breach of Gringotts law and contract, is that correct?"

"That is also correct." Ted confirmed.

"So while the actions are questionable in their intent, what we can confirm is that no money has been stolen, only moved about. Summarize your statements."

"Well there are also actions taken during periods of time where the ministry passed laws that while active for a momentary legal period-" Tonks stated before a rough scoffing cough cut him off.

"That is irrelevant. At the time those laws were made they were legal and the withdrawals made were also legal. Regardless of how you Wizard's wish to manage and organize your money, Gringotts only cares about any thefts made in attempt by your wizards. As such your politics are irrelevant since as you said, at that time it was legal and said legal withdrawal was made by the legal representative of Mr. H. .

Crunching his teeth Ragnuk spat out, "Tell me wizard. When I gave you this task a year ago, did you think you could write it off with excuses and such and not present a single solitary speck of evidence that I asked you to find!?"

Ted stood his ground well but Harry could hear the internal screaming of his thoughts.

"The only reason I haven't fired you and demanded compensation for this failure of a job yet is because you did as you were told and brought my client into this abode. IS WHAT YOU THOUGHT I'D SAY!? Gringotts has compensated you for that risk. Eight-hundred galleons and fourteen sickles worth of runes and protections for your house Mr. Tonks! This is a failure and a waste of gold on you wizard! I told you to investigate and all you've presented is what ifs and maybes!" Ragnuk practically screeched out.

Ted despite this held out fairly well as he remained stoic and professional under the verbal yelling.

Ragnuk sat back into his chair feeling surprisingly calmer now, then a second ago. Silence drifted between the room's inhabitants.

Pausing to think of what to say in response to save his hide Ted was taken aback as Ragnuk spoke again.

"At the very least something very wrong is indeed going on with Mr. Potters account." He stated.

Jumping in Harry asked his own question, "Would it help if I gave Mr. Tonks permission to do a more thorough investigation?"

Turning to Harry Ragnuk scoft at the notion.

"No since it isn't yours to open Mr. Potter. As of this moment your vaults are sealed and no one but yourself of seventeen years of age can open them. This means no money can leave your families vaults until you open them at the age of seventeen."

Harry nodded in understanding. "So if nothing can be added or retrieved from my vaults, why would Albus attempt to make withdrawals?"

"Wizards." Ragnuk said in annoyance. "Try to keep up. When money is taken from a vault and moved to another location it is written down as a withdrawal. While your families vaults can't have money withdrawn out of the bank, it can be withdrawn to other vaults identified as vaults of your family, those that we sum together as your family vault.

Ragnuk sat back down more annoyed than before. "So as you hopefully can see Mr. Potter your efforts to find out the cause of this odd behavior was fruitless from the very beginning."

Not paying any attention to him, Harry wondered. "Mr. Ragnuk."

The frustrated goblin glared down at him but undisturbed Harry asked his question without concern.

"You said I had a family vault. Back then was that an umbrella term or an identifying one?"

Raising an eyebrow the stout goblin grumbled out, "damn Wizards. I just explained it, Mr. Potter. Your Family Vault is not a vault but a collection of vaults."

"Do all these vaults have gold in them?" Harry asked, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Ted.

"They do." Ragnuk said curtly.

"Just gold." Harry asked with a questioning eyebrow.

"No." Ragnuk stated. "Some of your vaults would have relic, heirlooms, furniture within."

"That's surprisingly vague for you." Harry commented.

"Well it is what is known." Ragnuk stated.

"Wait so you strictly record how much gold but not what else is contained within a vault?" Harry asked confused.

"If I may, Ragnuk." Ted interjected drawing Harry's attention and a nod from Ragnuk. "Gringotts has charms that count the amount of gold within a vault. Material goods stored are given an estimate in value by Gringotts and that value is written down and recorded. Do you understand Harry."

Harry nodded. "I think so. I'm guessing there are charms that allow form gold to be moved between vaults then since that's the only way they can remain sealed, right?"

"That is how it goes." Ragnuk said with a dull bored voice.

"So heirlooms and magic books and such can be moved that way as well."

"Actually that's where you're wrong Harry." Ted answered. "Gringotts vaults can only shift gold between faults. Coins only. Any heirlooms and the like have to be physically transferred by hand which can't… be done… by… hand…." Ted trailed off.

Harry looked at Ted's face torn between realization and confusion.

"Mr. Tonks?" Harry asked.

"Gold can be transferred… it couldn't be."

Ragnuk looked up at Ted Tonks with a modicum of interest as the man began to pace back several times before moving towards the desk that held all the records they had brought to the office. Shifting through the pages he lifted a few up and compared some values between them.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

Ted frowned but tried to smile as he looked at Harry. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. I never would have considered it before unless you brought it up."

"Brought what up?" Harry asked.

"Gringotts vaults can transfer gold from vault to vault even if they are closed. And withdrawals can only be made if money exists in the vault."

Suddenly Ragnuk shot out of his chair his eyes wide with fury and interest. Summoning the papers before him his eyes raced across the pages. A cruel smile crossed his face as he laughed maddeningly.

"I'll be a dragons dung bucket on a spatula," He laughed out before hissing violently with a blood curtailing growl, "That damned goat soaked traitorous upstart wizarding bureaucrat."

"Will someone tell me what it is I'm missing?" Harry complained.

"Motive Mr. Potter." Ranguk said. "Motive. Albus Dumbledore your guardian is planning to steal from you."

Ted and Harry looked at him with wide eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"No." Ragnuk said. "However this case is now strikingly similar to a thief who nearly a hundred years ago stole from Gringotts, rather attempted to steal from us. "He broke into another's vault and tried to steal a magic tomb from this vault. Back then Gringotts only managed gold within vaults. Since no gold was stolen we only punished him for invading goblin territory. However prior to the supposed theft, this wizard used the weight of each vault to determine which vault held the tomb by shifting the money from one to the other. When the vault had emptied its contents of gold to another, the only weight remaining was the book he sought."

"So Albus has been moving gold around, in small amounts…" Harry began to say as he pieced together his understanding.

"To not raise suspicions so as to find something in your vault that isn't gold." Ted replied.

"We might not have evidence of theft," Ragnuk said aloud, "But this is speculation enough to raise concern over the contents of your vaults.

"Hold on." Harry muttered. "If the vaults are locked down. What good is it finding out where something is if you can't retrieve it? Why bother looking for it if only I can retrieve it upon turning seventeen?"

Ted and Ragnuk turned toward one another and nodded. IT was a fair and reasonable question.

"I don't know." Ted admitted. Ragnuk simply huffed out, "It doesn't really matter does it. One way or another he intends to steal from us."

"We don't know that for sure." Harry said knowing full well that such an act would be too brazen, even for himself. Albus worked in the shadows and only worked in the light when it suited and benefited him. He was a man that kept his skeletons well hidden in his closet.

"While it warrants investigation and consideration, it's too soon to propose his objectives without first knowing what he intends." Harry rationalized. Turning to Ragnuk he asked, "Is this suspicion enough to completely lock down my vaults?"

"No." Ragnuk said. "Even with this it won't be enough. So long as he is your legal Guardian he holds control over your vaults management until you're of age. While he can't open them he is within wizarding rights to do with it as he wishes as per the treaty's allow.

Harry nodded in understanding. "In that case, I think it best to bring out the next object of interest I wish to investigate." Harry stated.

Turning to Ragnuk he asked firmly. "I want to view my Family's will once more."

Ragnuk snapped his hands lazily and brought it forth. There in his hands was his parents' will. Harry looked at it and carefully looked it over.

Slowly Harry gazed over the parchment. Inch by inch Harry looked it over but found it to be normal.

Harry cursed. There must have been something, anything. A hint, a clue, a line that didn't make sense. Anything that could explain why his parents will was enacted even though or rather should his mother still be alive. There must have been something out of place.

Ted looked over his shoulder, viewing the document himself. Curiously Ragnuk oddly seemed bored as they looked at it. Similarly Ted grew bored of it himself. Yet for the life of him Harry was sure that something was there, out of sight. Maybe he was missing something. There was nothing.

No, he saw his mother vanish before his eyes.

But it was Voldemort's memory.

All the more reason, Harry rationalized.

That didn't mean she was alive.

It wasn't proof she was alive either.

Harry froze at this thought. Why was he arguing with himself. He knew why he was reading the will, questioning it. When his parents died it should have been read. Instead it wasn't.

That was because they hadn't died, rather his mother disappeared into thin air.

So it should have remained sealed.

That's why they are dead.

But it wasn't. He had to ask for it. If she was dead the seal would have been broken. The Will would have been read as per Gringotts policy. If she was alive, the will would have remained untouchable until her death. If she died sometime during his life the will would have been read. Yet he asked for it and received it himself, read it himself as if it wasn't locked away. Gringotts was nothing else but rigid in their own rules and methods… wait.

Harry's head shot up from the paper. It was staring him in the face. Ragnuk's lackluster interest. He wasn't even paying attention to him or the document. Turning he saw Ted similarly interested in everything but the will.

"A compulsion charm." Harry whispered. Ragnuk and Ted looked at him. "There's a damned compulsion placed on this paper to disinterest any inquisitive eyes." Harry growled out.

Ragnuk's eyes shot wider than ever before and snatched the paper and probed it. Instantly he spotted the charm with a quick wave and snarled.

"This will is contamination. Who dared defile Gringotts documentation."

"I don't think anyone did." Harry answered. Everyone in the room looked at him. "I might be wrong but I think it's a fake."

Ranguk glared angrily and shouted. "Muttpaw! Muttpaw get your wrinkly ass in here!"

The doors burst open and a small goblin waddled in with a quickening pace, even as he tripped over himself in fear.

"Sir?" the small bastard asked with a biting hesitation.

"Shut it your worthless piece of space." Ragnuk growled out. "Take this to the contractors and curse breakers. Tell them I want every single test one of this document. A wizard's magic was found on this and I want to know what else is on it as well as exactly what it is."

"Y-yes sir."

The will was sent and the goblin took it with great haste.

"Anything else Mr. Potter?" Ragnuk asked.

"Be warned I don't like finding out wizards have meddled in goblin law more than twice in a single day, Mr. Potter."

Harry smiled.

"How about business then?"

Ragnuk smiled and nodded. Taking a red pill out Harry popped it into his mouth and crushed it in his mouth. A second later Harry Potter of twenty two years old appeared from a plume of smoke.

"In that case," He said in his mature tones, "I'd like to withdraw eight hundred galleons from my, Return Returners, vault. As well as purchase the goblins aid in procuring a place of residence."

"Easily done. Do you have an idea of what residence you wish to purchase?" Ragnuk asked.

Harry smiled. "I have an idea. First tell me if this is possible?"

Harry handed him a note and looking it over he nodded. "It is easily done. If time isn't an issue we can buy the services of capable enchanters who can get it done without being spotted or discovered. Do you have any ideas as to where you would like it?"

"Yes." Harry replied. "Either the South Bank Tower or Shangri-la here in London would work nicely."

"It will cost you quite a but to work on those two places." Ragnuk stated.

"Just give me the price if I can afford it and the time necessary to finish constructing it."

"You can afford it. If either location is fine with you, we'll establish it in the Penthouse of the Shangri-la building. So long as furnishings aren't requested the total warding and establishment of the structure will be roughly fifty-three thousand galleons."

"How many galleons have my recent ventures pulled in?"

"sixty-eight thousand nine-hundred and forty seven. Not including your initial investment."

"That's pushing a little more than I wanted but..." Harry muttered to himself. "Okay, sold. When can I expect Gringotts to be finished."

"A month's time I wager. A letter will be sent to you… or perhaps it is better sent to your current residence upon the time it is finished." Ragnuk informed Harry.

"Have it sent to Mr. Tonks under his name with the mention of Returner somewhere upon it." Harry requested.

"That will cost extra Wizard."

"Seventy Sickles."

"Eighty-nine Sickles and not a sickle less."

Harry chuckled. "Guess I can't use the same trick from last time huh."

"You will find wizard that goblins learn quickly upon losing money." Ragnuk said with a vicious looking grin.

"Eighty-nine Sickles it is then. Finally, what would it take to establish a patent for these potions?" Harry asked.

"Fill out these forms and present the potion for testing." Harry pulled out the last four objects from the wooden crate from which all of the papers pertaining to Harry's vault accounts had been retrieved form.

The four vials included a jar with a clear white liquid, a black and blue, lava lamp like liquid, a miniaturized wine bottle with a tapering purple liquid, and a small vial filled with a blood red liquid. Putting the last one down harry left his hands on the red vial.

"This one is the most important and may not be suitable for Goblins." Harry stated.

"We don't care Mr. Potter." Ragnuk said with a toothy grin. "I'll have these tested and if they meet Gringotts approval I will handle filing your patents myself."

"Harry nodded as Ragnuk himself carried the three vials as Harry began filling out the paperwork."

Ted stood in the background unsure as to exactly what happened. That had to be one of the smoothest and fastest business transactions he had ever seen between a wizard and goblin that wasn't a simply 'give me my money' request.

"I must say Harry. I'm impressed. I barely have an idea as to what you two were referring to and knowing the Goblins I expected some form or resistance or hesitation in their decisions before making a decision regarding money."

Harry smiled. "Yeah, but I built a small amount of trust with him. Like I told him, trust is the most important currency in a bank."

"Trust huh…" Ted thought aloud.

"Yup. That and I already sent a letter pertaining to my plans this summer months ago, so he kinda already had an idea as to what I wanted."

"Gringotts is a bank thought. How did you get them to do… whatever it was you wanted them to do?"

"Simple," Harry replied. "They are likely to gain money from this investment. Plus I give them something they want more than anything."

"What might that be?" Ted asked.

"Respect." Harry stated flatly. "I respect their talents and what they can do. I know my limits and that they can do what I can't. Ragnuk understands this, I understand it. We respect each other and as a result, we both profit. He makes more coin, and I get a residence that is both untraceable and will allow me to move forward in life without suffering the presence of my relatives."

"I know I complained but you are welcome to stay at our home for the duration of the summer Harry." Ted said with a bit of regret in his voice.

"I know sir, but I also know that I am a major problem that could harm yours if we aren't careful."

"I can't exactly argue with that." Ted acknowledged.

Harry smirked as he filled out one of the forms for a single potion. Eighteen pages in total, to file for a single potion patent. But despite the paperwork, Harry smiled. With each one he filled he was closing in on a solid conclusion to one of his goals, as well as completing the foundation for his desire.

By the time Harry was done Ragnuk had returned.

Seeing the files filled he levitated them into a folder and nodded.

"If the tests reveal a minimal or acceptable amount of negative results, Gringotts will back your potions, and you will receive a notice confirming your ownership of three additional potions." Ragnuk stated.

"Three?" Ted muttered. There were four sent.

"And the fourth?" Harry asked.

"Finalized and confirmed as… acceptable. If you can find someone to sell it, it will be protected."

"Good. Thank you for your business."

"Very well Mr. Potter."

Standing up Harry joined Ted at the door. Pausing at the door Harry turned to look upon Ragnuk who sat back down in his chair.

"Ragnuk. In regard to my parents' will."

"Gringotts will keep you informed. Should anything be discovered Gringotts will act accordingly." Ragnuk said with a murderous undertone.

"I see." Harry turned to look at him. "Try not to respond too aggressively."

The temperature dropped in the room a few degrees to which those present felt the most harshly. "We just caught sight of the tail of the dragon. It would be detrimental should we come face to face with it, without proper preparations."

"Gringotts will take that under advisement Wizard. Try not to tell me how to do my job."

"As it were then. I'll leave the banking to you." Harry accepted.

Ted looked slightly up at Harry and felt a shiver rush down his spine. For the first time he had seen many sides of Harry that morning.

He saw the scars of his past, witnessed him endure that pain, learned of his skill in potions and witnessed his prowess in the art too. He heard him speak flawless gobbledegook, manage his Goblin accountant and purchased some kind of building project that would cost any other wizard two years salary with only a years' worth of economic gains.

Yet it was here at the eve of high noon, that he felt it for the first time. Cold power that Harry processed and the calmness that unnerved him. Ted knew this feeling well. Alastor Moody gave off the same feeling with his own magic. The feeling of experience, the feeling that they were veterans of survival.

Before when Harry mentioned his promise to help his daughter train for her exams he thought it was amusing. However at every turn he saw Harry surpass and even surprise his very own expectations to the point that Ted wondered if Harry was even a child at all.

Now, he had to wonder. If he did let Harry practice with his daughter… who would be teaching who really? While they both had, as Harry put it, caught sight of the dragons tail, ted couldn't help but feel like he was just now seeing the tail of the dragon named Harry Potter.

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Chapter 23 is already written out, once edited it should be posted early Monday morning. Want to give myself time to get ahead of a few chapters.