A/N
The muse remains strong. At this rate this will be finished in record time.
Enjoy, my friends.
(I really need to come up with a collective name for my followers, suggestions on a virtual postcard if you please)
TBR
Chapter 8: Come the New Year, Come the New Challenges
"Madame Bones will see you now," the secretary informed her.
Tonks stood and straightened her red robes as she approached the office door belonging to her boss. The summons for the meeting had arrived at breakfast and though the festive period was still upon them, she got the impression that she had no choice but to attend.
"Auror Tonks," Amelia Bones greeted her as she entered, her quill scratching away, her eyes firmly on her work.
"Madame Bones," Tonks responded formally, back straight.
The head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement continued with her scribing for a few moments more before she screwed the top back on her inkpot and adjusted her monocle as gazed at her subordinate.
"I would like a progress report of your time at Hogwarts," she requested. "What have you found?"
"Not much," Tonks sighed. "Moody is completely sure that the Goblet was tampered with. Whoever did it, covered their tracks well. I've spent time undercover amongst all three of the competing schools and there's nothing to suggest any involvement from any," she informed the stern woman.
Bones nodded thoughtfully.
"Something is happening," she mused aloud. "I don't know what it is, but I don't like it. Arcturus Black has spent a lot of time here at the Ministry. Do you think that this could have been orchestrated by the Blacks?"
Tonks shook her head firmly.
"No, Madame," she denied. "If given the chance, Harry would leave today. He hates Wizarding Britain."
"Is this your personal or professional opinion, Auror Tonks?" Amelia returned as she placed to editions of The Daily Prophet on her desk.
The first was the article that featured the two of them at the table in The Three Broomsticks, the second, an article dating that very morning. On the cover was a large photograph of herself and Harry dancing at the ball.
"Both," Tonks replied easily, doing her utmost to not waver under the gaze of her superior.
She sighed and shook her head before continuing.
"I know that Harry nor any of the other members of the family have anything to do with this. Despite what you think of them, family always comes first. I don't know who entered his name but I can promise you that they had nothing to do with it," she finished confidently.
Amelia scrutinised her for a moment before sagging in her chair.
"Take a seat, Tonks," she instructed.
The rookie complied knowing that this was not now her boss speaking in an official capacity.
"What happens in your personal life is not my concern unless it impacts what you do in here or out in the field. That being said, do you think that this is the best idea?" she asked as she pointed at the newspapers. "Something bigger is happening here and I don't want to see you caught up in it."
Tonks nodded her understanding and smiled.
"Honestly, I don't know," she conceded, "but I really like him, Madame Bones. In the short time I've known him he's proven to be the most genuine person I have ever met."
Amelia nodded and gave her a smile.
"I'm only looking out for you," she assured the girl. "You've got a good head on your shoulders and I have high hopes for you here. Just, please, stay vigilant. I've got a feeling that things are going to happen soon."
"I will," Tonks answered. "I think you might be right. There's just too many things going on for it to be a coincidence."
"Indeed," Amelia said gravely, "and with the Minister too involved with certain elements, whatever it is, can only be bad for us."
(BREAK)
The Black family and Leo had congregated around the table in their living quarters at the behest of Arcturus. The man had been noticeably absent since their arrival in Britain, only having spent a small amount of time at the school with the rest of them and for him to call a meeting such as this, could only mean he had finished doing what he had set himself.
"As you have probably guessed, I have been looking into how young Harry here was entered into the tournament," he informed them.
"And what have you found?" Sirius asked eagerly.
Arcturus shook his head.
"Not a damn thing," he answered irritably. "There's no trail to follow and none of my contacts have any information. At first, I thought it might have been Dumbledore or one of his cohorts, but the man is I no way responsible for this. I looked into the Potters and all their associates, and again, nothing."
"What about one of the other families?" Cassie broke in.
"My thoughts exactly," Arcturus agreed. "Whoever it is, is either working independently or under the instructions of someone else."
"Voldemort," Sirius deduced immediately.
Arcturus nodded.
"It's the only possibility that makes sense," he concurred.
"But why go to all this trouble?" Leo interjected.
"That, I do not know. I can only guess that he wanted to lure Harry into the open or there is something he needs. If he was in a position of power, I would have found something. I'm working with the assumption that he is either consolidating his power or, based on what Sirius has told me, trying to create a body for himself," he shrugged.
Sirius exhaled deeply.
"So, what do we do?"
"We remain alert," Arcturus instructed. "I will continue with my work. Someone has to know something and he must have help."
"The rat?" Cassie questioned, eliciting a low growl from her nephew and Harry.
"More than likely, but that little shit wouldn't be powerful enough to Confund the Goblet," Sirius seethed.
"There has to be another person," Arcturus huffed.
"Malfoy?" Leo hazarded a guess.
"Unlikely," Arcturus replied. "Lucius wouldn't risk going back unless he could be protected. The man is a complete coward. He does however, present a different problem entirely. His relationship with the Minister will only work in the favour of the Dark Lord when he does make his move."
"Then let me kill him," Leo offered seriously.
Arcturus shook his head.
"Not yet. At the moment, that would just cause more problems," he pointed out.
"It wouldn't be such a bad thing to rid ourselves of a few of his bigger supporters," Cassiopeia mused aloud. "We have enough on them to hang them out to dry through legal channels."
"We do," Arcturus agreed. "But, if we do that, then we no longer know our enemy. We do not want to be in a position where we act prematurely and face the unknown."
"So, what are we going to do?" Harry asked.
Arcturus sighed; his steely eyes resolute.
"We cannot count on the Ministry for any assistance. Malfoy has Fudge and the DMLE is in a deplorable state and not in any position for what may be coming. For now, you focus on getting through the tournament, but keep your eyes and ears open. I will continue with what I am doing and Sirius?"
His grandson sat a little straighter.
"I want you and Cassie to make all available properties as secure as possible. I want every ward and measure in place as though I told you I wanted it done yesterday," he instructed.
Sirius nodded firmly.
"We may not want it but it is coming for us," Arcturus sighed.
"We prepare for war?" Leo questioned.
"We prepare for war," Arcturus confirmed.
(BREAK)
After being dismissed by Arcturus, Harry and Leo exited the room, both needing time to digest what is was they had heard. Harry had suspected the man's involvement from the start. He wouldn't have put it past Dumbledore to employ a similar tactic if he felt it necessary but he wouldn't risk his own reputation so recklessly. Voldemort however, had nothing to lose in his position.
It didn't sit well with the teen that either men would take an interest in him. Dumbledore was to blame for much of what his life had been after Halloween 1981, Voldemort was his equal in that equation. Had the man not taken it upon himself to attack his home, his life would have been very different.
He remembered the events of the night vividly, and when he did think back, he could still feel the man's presence on his skin. Even at the tender age he was, it had left an impression on him, the magic that had permeated the air both heady and repressive enough that he fought back a shudder even now.
He didn't fear the Dark Lord, though he knew it would be wise to. His father had spoken to him about the years of war and the acts that the Dark Lord and his followers had carried out. Harry wanted nothing to do with it but it seemed that he was unwittingly going to be dragged into something he'd rather avoid.
He wouldn't actively fight against him, this was not his home to fight for after all, but he certainly wouldn't bend to the man nor cower before him like most. He didn't do it in his infancy and he would not do it now.
All he wanted was to go home, to leave Britain behind and let them handle their own problems. He just had to make it to the end of the school year and he could do just that.
There was just one thing above all else he needed to do.
"Come on," he sighed to Leo. "We need to find my brother."
Leo nodded and followed his lead, his own countenance bordering on severe. His own family had been wiped out during the last conflict and he had been robbed of the chance of a normal childhood.
He immediately knew what Harry was thinking. They had discussed the possibility over the past few weeks and both had voiced their reservations. Charlie, though a determined boy, was magically weak but even Leo was willing to invest in him. Had it been anyone else, he would have seen t as a waste of time. In a way, he was family after all.
"Are you sure he will manage?" he asked.
Harry shrugged.
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "Even if we can help him a little, it could save his life."
Leo nodded.
"Aye, I'll do it," he agreed. "If he doesn't take it seriously or doesn't follow my instructions, he's on his own," he warned. "And I will treat him as I did any other new recruit. No exceptions."
Harry snorted.
"I didn't expect anything less," Harry replied with a shake of his head.
With it being lunch time, the two of them entered the Great Hall and towards the Gryffindor table, ignoring the whispers that followed from the three different schools within.
Charlie, as expected was sat with Ron and Hermione, the latter of the two nudging the boy and pointing in their direction as they approached.
"Come on, little brother," Harry addressed him, "we need to have a word."
Charlie nodded and stood.
"Not you two," Leo added to both Ron and Hermione who had also stood. "Family business."
Hermione looked as though she would protest but a hand on her forearm from the Weasley and a shake of his head stopped her. Shooting Katie a warm smile, Leo followed the brothers from the hall.
"What's going on?" Charlie asked nervously.
"Not here," Harry muttered as he led them towards the third floor.
He quickly located an empty classroom and sealed the door behind them with a series of privacy charms and wards. He then approached his younger brother and mumbled under his breath as he waved his wand around him, startling the boy.
"Nothing," Harry confirmed.
Leo nodded.
"Things are happening, Charlie," Harry sighed. "My name coming out of the Goblet was the first thing and everything else just points in one direction."
"What? what is it?" the younger boy questioned worriedly.
"Voldemort," Leo answered.
Charlie flinched at the use of the name and shook his head.
"He's dead," he denied vehemently.
"No, Charlie, he isn't," Harry returned apologetically. "I remember what happened that night and I'm certain he didn't die."
"What do you remember?" Charlie fired back.
Harry shook his head.
"It doesn't matter," he replied dismissively. "What does matter is that you could be in danger and we are going to help you."
"Aye," Leo broke in. "Only if you think you are up to the challenge."
"You know I'm not good at magic," he pointed out.
"Using magic will only be a small part of what we do. We will teach you how to defend yourself without it and how to use that shield I gave you," Leo explained.
Leo frowned.
"Why are you acting so seriously about it?"
"Because it is the most serious thing you will ever do," Leo answered harshly. "There are conditions and there are rules that you will follow."
Charlie nodded.
"What rules?" he asked with a frown.
"You will learn them if you choose to agree," Leo replied.
Charlie looked towards his brother who only gave him a slight nod of encouragement.
"Okay, I agree."
Leo stared into his eyes for a fleeting moment before offering his own nod of approval. He began pacing back and forth, his stare remaining on the boy.
"Starting Monday, you will spend the hours between five and eight am under our supervision. Every other day will begin with an hour of running and the days we don't run, we train physically. Do you understand?" he asked.
"Five am?" Charlie yelped as he looked between the two of them. His older brother nodded and his shoulders sagged. "Understood."
"After physical training, you will undergo a rigorous regimen of defence with and without magic for two hours. You will eat what I say you can eat and during those hours you will follow my orders, do you understand?" Leo explained.
Charlie nodded hesitantly.
"The weekends are your own time but I will give you things to read. You WILL read them and you WILL be able to answer any questions I ask," he commanded.
"Okay," Charlie agreed.
"Rule number one, what happens during training stays in training. You do not discuss anything you learn with anyone and any grudge you have is forgotten as soon as eight am arrives," Leo continued.
Charlie nodded.
"Good," Leo praised. "Any and all equipment you need, will be provided for you. Any questions?"
"Can Ron and Hermione come?" Charlie asked hopefully.
"No," Leo denied.
"Oh," Charlie sighed disappointedly.
"The first month will be the hardest," Leo explained as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "It will get easier and if you don't give up on me then I won't give up on you," he assured him.
Charlie smiled.
"You will be outside your common room at five am on Monday, until then, you are dismissed. Better enjoy the next few days," Leo advised with a grin.
Charlie nodded and almost sprinted from the room.
Harry burst into laughter as the door slammed shut.
"Did you have to be so harsh?" he asked.
Leo nodded.
"If Voldemort is behind all of this, he will be the primary target. I will do whatever I have to to save his life, even if that means he hates me every day," he said with a sad smile.
"Thank you," Harry offered sincerely. "With the tournament going on, I can't focus on him as much as I'd like. I'll be there as much as I can though," he vowed.
Leo nodded.
"I know but he's your brother. You won't push him as much as he needs. You care about him too much," he pointed out.
Harry nodded.
"I do," he confirmed with a huff. "Just, don't break him. He's not like us."
Leo gave him a reassuring smile.
"I won't. He'll probably despise me but he will thank me for it one day."
"I doubt it," Harry chuckled. "Why wait until Monday?"
"New Years party on Saturday night," Leo answered with a grin, "I'll need a day to recover."
Harry laughed.
"Will Katie be at this party?" Harry enquired. "Is Leo hoping to get his first kiss?"
Leo growled as he blushed slightly.
"Everyone will be there," he shrugged. "Maybe you should bring Tonks and you can finally get yours," he quipped before ducking from the room as a rather nasty Bludgeoning Hex was sent his way.
(BREAK)
"If there is nothing else to discuss, then we can bring this meeting to a close," Dumbledore announced.
"There is one other thing, Albus," Minerva spoke up. "It has come to my attention that a large gathering of students has arranged their own festivities for the new year, to take place in the castle grounds."
Dumbledore sighed as he nodded.
"I am aware of this. Mr and Mr Weasley have already made arrangements with the kitchens to provide refreshments," he explained with an amused chuckle.
"And you are going to allow this?" his deputy questioned disbelievingly.
"It is my understanding that all three schools will be attending," Dumbledore replied. "It is in the spirit of why the tournament was reinstated."
Minerva shook her head.
"It's a bad idea," Moody growled.
"For once, I agree with him," Snape drawled. "Nothing good can come from this."
"Then it is up to us to ensure nothing untoward happens," Dumbledore returned with a smile. "Surely you are not all so far out of your youth that you don't remember what being young is about?"
He shook his head as he looked upon the unmoving trio.
"Fine, Albus, we will supervise but we retain the right to put an end to it should it get out of hand," Minerva offered.
The headmaster nodded happily.
"Excellent," he declared.
"Might be easier having them all in one place," Moody conceded, "instead of them all sneaking around. But I still don't like it."
(BREAK)
Having sent the pas couple of days adapting a planning regimen for Charlie, Harry was relieved that Saturday had arrived and that he would have some time to unwind this evening. Although the ball had been less than a week ago, he hadn't counted it. He certainly enjoyed the evening with Tonks but it had been an even that he was obligated to attend. Tonight, however, would be something he was willingly going to, festivities where he would not be in the spotlight.
Tonks, much to his delight, had readily agreed to go with him. He had no doubt that Leo would have made plans to spend time with Katie and he had no desire to intrude on their time.
Before any of that, however, he wanted to get some training in and he had promised Tonks that he would take her somewhere for a late lunch. He hadn't seen her as much as he would have liked over the past couple of days, though they always had at least a couple of hours in the evening they spent together.
With his plans made, he exited the quarters and headed to an empty classroom a little way down the corridor. With the possibility of Voldemort being involved with his entry in the tournament, he was taking no chances and had been working tirelessly on his combat magic, specifically, the spells he knew but had no idea of how he acquired such knowledge. In no way were they illegal as far as he was aware but they would certainly be frowned upon and even Aunt Cassie would question the origins of such magic.
Over the next few hours, he worked through them, casting each spell and taking note of the effect they had, not just outwardly but on himself. Most of them were no worse than the magic he had been taught since he first received a wand but a few of them left him feeling very unclean, as was the nature of some of the darker aspects of magic. It served as a warning to the user to not abuse the power they wielded and took a few moments of Occlumency practise to recover from.
Having mentally catalogued his findings, creating some new spell chain and adapting a few he already had in his arsenal, he left the room and headed towards his own for a much-needed shower, the darkness of some of the spells having clung to him rather unpleasantly.
He exited the bathroom some thirty minutes later feeling as fresh as he did before training but did a further check on his magic to ensure nothing was lingering. It was always better to be safe than sorry when delving into the Dark Arts, advice that Voldemort should have heeded when his own journey began.
"Wotcher, Harry," Tonks greeted from where she was lounging on the sofa.
"I didn't hear you come in," Harry chuckled as he took a seat next to her.
"Maybe I should have joined you in there," she returned with a wink.
Harry shook his head. He had seen her vulnerable side but this was the Tonks he had come to know. Her insecurities aside, she could be quite shameless in her flirting, something he quite liked about her. She kept him on his toes and he did the same to her.
"Maybe you should have," he replied challengingly, "It might make showering more interesting."
Tonks narrowed her eyes at him as her cheeks flushed with a tinge of pink.
"I'll remember that," she quipped, "and when I do decide to join you, I'll remind you."
Harry simply raised an eyebrow at her as he pulled her into his arms. This was the only thing that had really changed between them since their talk on Boxing Day. They would spend time together as they usually did but they would often find themselves in the arms of the other, enjoying the close contact. The other thing was that Tonks would always now morph into her natural form when they were alone. When Harry had questioned her about it, she had explained that it just felt right being that way with him.
"So, where would you like to go for lunch?" he questioned.
"We could just stay like this," Tonks replied in a whisper.
Harry grinned.
"I wouldn't complain but you would when you get hungry later and I'll somehow get the blame," he sighed.
Tonks gave him a bright smile.
"Fine," she conceded. "You will just have to make it up to me later," she decided as she stood.
Harry shook his head in mock exasperation.
"Whatever you like," he offered, "but now, I'm hungry."
Tonks huffed, her smile still in place.
"How about we go to the alley? There's always something there and you've never seen it," she pointed out.
Harry nodded his agreement.
"Sounds like a plan, my lady," he answered with a bow, receiving a playful slap on the shoulder in response.
Tonks shook her head as she led them from the room, morphing into her more colourful self. He had taken to addressing her in that way since the waitress in The Three Broomsticks had done it knowing that it would shut her up if she was getting the upper hand in their back and forth.
Being December, the grounds were thick with snow but the Weasley twins, along with dozens of other students from all three schools were working on clearing as much of it as they could for the impending party.
"Do you need me to side along you?" Tonks asked in a mocking tone as they passed through the gates.
Harry grinned in response before disappearing with only the slightest of pops.
Tonks shook her head and followed, her own much more distinct.
"I should be giving you a fine," she chastised. "You don't have a license," she pointed out smugly.
Harry smirked as he produced one given to him by the Swiss Ministry.
"I can legally apparate at sixteen," he explained. "But you can punish me later, Dora," he added before making his way down Diagon Alley.
Tonks growled and followed him, vowing to get the better of him next time.
"Where are you going?" she called. "You don't know where anything is."
Harry paused in his steps and frown, all previous smugness he felt now absent.
"where would you like to go?" he asked.
She tapped her chin as she pondered her choice before nodding happily.
"Florean's," she declared.
Harry shrugged and gestured for her to lead the way.
"They only sell ice cream," he pointed out when they arrived at the small shop.
"The best ice cream," Tonks corrected. "What more could you want?"
Harry shook his head, an amused smile playing on his lips.
"Fair point," he conceded.
Having witnessed Tonks unashamedly consume four bowls of various flavours of dessert in the time it took him to finish one, he was impressed that she had not gone into shock.
"Maybe the fourth one was a bad idea," she groaned as they walked hand in hand down the length of the alley.
Harry snorted. One had been more than enough for him. He could only imagine how poorly she felt.
"That's what you get for being greedy," he quipped causing her to pout as they headed back towards the apparition point where they disappeared and arrived back at the school.
In the time they were away, the Weasley's and those they had drafted in for assistance had cleared a considerable amount of snow from a large area of the grounds and had even erected several large wooden pyres.
"They've been busy," Tonks commented, impressed.
Harry nodded.
"It should make for an interesting evening," he replied with a smile.
The two of them entered the castle and Tonks wrapped her arms around him outside the Great Hall.
"Thank you for lunch," she said contentedly.
"You mean dessert," Harry chuckled.
Tonks frowned at him playfully.
"I like ice cream," she defended.
Harry shook his head amusedly.
"I think everything tonight is starting at seven. Do you want to meet me here?" he asked.
"I'm sure I can manage that," she returned.
"Good," Harry replied before kissing her on the cheek. "I'll see you then and maybe you'll have recovered from your sugar binge."
Tonks simply smiled at him innocently before turning away, her nose in the air as he laughed at her retreating form.
(BREAK)
"Whoever had the idea for the fires is a genius," Leo declared from the log the group were sitting on, basking in the light and heat of one such construct.
"Why thank you our Irish friend," George replied gratefully from the leg to their left.
"We are the geniuses of which you speak," Fred added.
Leo shook his head and mumbled under his breath whilst Katie giggled next to him.
"Aye, alright you fools', you did well," he admitted reluctantly, saluting the duo with his firewhiskey that had been charmed to look like a butterbeer.
The large gathering had evolved into several smaller ones. The fires dotted around the grounds had attracted groups, the December chill proving to be too cold to not be close to one. Some of the groups were more raucous than others and some, like the one Leo found himself in with the twins, their friend Lee, the Gryffindor chasers, Harry and Tonks, were one of the more subdued.
"They are geniuses," Katie whispered as she rested her head on his shoulder. "They just show it in different ways."
"Aye," Leo agreed. They got on his nerves occasionally but they weren't idiots.
"So, are you two together?" Angelina questioned Harry and Tonks.
The two shared a look as the former shrugged.
"I think we are seeing what happens," Harry replied uncertainly.
Tonks nodded as she smiled.
"I never thought I'd see the day. A Black and an Auror," Fred sighed disbelievingly.
"Like mixing chocolate and onion," George agreed.
"A Dungbomb and a Freshening Charm," Fred grinned.
"And which am I in those analogies?" Tonks questioned with a raised eyebrow, her wand slipping into her hands.
"Why the chocolate and Freshening charm, of course," Fred explained.
"So, I'm the other two?" Harry asked.
Leo chuckled as the twins stared at Harry in horror.
"I'd be quiet lads, you're in a no-win situation there," he advised.
The redheads bowed respectfully but yelped as they were hit with Stinging Hexes courtesy of the metamorph.
"We deserved that," George groaned as he rubbed his thighs.
"That we did," Fred agreed amidst the laughter of the others.
Their own gathering continued with the occasional interruption from a student wishing to express their gratitude to Fred and George for the work they'd done or a teacher just checking to ensure they were behaving themselves. Other than this, the teens simply enjoyed the warmth of the fire and conversing amongst themselves, none any the wiser of their alcohol intake.
"Are you ready to sing us a song yet?" Leo questioned Harry who was leaning back, his eyes closed.
Harry shook his head and smirked.
"I'm not that drunk yet," he replied, "and I don't plan to be either."
"He sings when he's drunk?" Alicia asked.
"Aye," Leo answered. "Lovely little voice he's got."
"And when he's in the shower," Tonks added, blushing when the others all turned to look at her, mouths agape. "You can hear him from the living room," she explained with a shake of her head.
"I don't sing that loud," Harry huffed indignantly.
"Aye, you do," Leo pointed out.
"What was I singing then?" he questioned the auror with a raised eyebrow.
"Something about being in a pub and talking to a woman," she shrugged.
"Oh," Harry replied sheepishly.
The others giggled as he stood.
"I think I'm going to check on my brother," he announced as he stepped out of the circle.
"He's shy about it unless you get him drunk enough," Leo explained to the others. "Then you can't stop him if you wanted to."
"You should hear these two when they sing the school song," Angelina sighed. "It's like a couple of banshees have been unleashed."
"Oi," Fred shouted.
"Blessed with the voices of angels," George declared.
"I bloody doubt it," Leo muttered. "It's bad enough just talking to you two."
(BREAK)
He regretted his decision the moment he left the warmth of the fire and the woman that was propped up against him. It was cold, the snow falling heavily, though it seemed to have no impact on the merriment of the people that had ventured outside for the evening.
Having no idea where Charlie would be, he began to wander through the grounds, glancing at each gathered group as he passed them, some waving others pointedly ignoring him, the most obvious being from Beauxbatons, Durmstrang and Slytherin students. He simply shook his head as he continued his search and eventually happened upon his brother surrounded by his classmates from three of the Hogwarts houses. The reason for this became clear as he spotted another group made up of Durmstrang and Slytherin students, led by Igor Karkaroff who was talking to Charlie through the throngs of people.
"Yes, I haff vanted to speak with you for some time," the man declared. "The-boy-who-lived, the one responsible for the fall of the Dark Lord."
He looked the boy up and down before snorting.
"I find myself, unimpressed," he muttered.
Having seen enough and how uncomfortable his younger brother was with the man's presence, Harry stepped between them.
"Is there something I can help you with, Karkaroff?" he questioned, the tension amongst the students rising considerably.
The man roared in laughter and Harry got a whiff of the booze on his breath.
"It is the other one," he announced cheerily. "The one who hid like a coward."
Harry smirked at him whilst the Durmstrang students laughed, though Krum shot him an apologetic look.
"I think you are the last person who should be using that word," Harry replied easily. "Wasn't it you that turned traitor on your friends the second you were caught, begging to be let go if you provided names?"
Karkaroff growled at the accusation but was cut off by Harry.
"And then you ran and hid in your school so the ones that got away with it couldn't get you. Brave man, Karkaroff," he sneered.
The man began swearing under his breath in a language that Harry didn't know. The confrontation had caused a larger crowd to form, neither of them having been particularly quiet during the verbal spar.
"Now, unless you have something else to say, I suggest you piss off," Harry advised, shooting a now arriving Sirius a barely perceptible shake of his head.
Karkaroff's nostrils flared and he laughed once more.
"You remind me of him, so very much. In his younger days, of course. So charismatic, so sure of himself," he said with a leer at the teen.
The students began whispering amongst themselves and Harry shrugged before he chuckled.
"That may be so," Harry hissed in Parseltongue, causing the man to pale considerably and the students to start backing away, "there is one difference between us," he continued in English. "For some reason, Voldemort found a use for you. To me, you are a pathetic waste of space."
For a moment, everything seemed to freeze as they waited to see how the man would react. Finding himself in a corner, he reached for his wand but Harry was quicker. Within a split second of Karkaroff's fingers twitching, he fired off a very unpleasant Bone Splintering Curse that smashed into the reaching appendage, felling the man instantly.
Karkaroff screamed as he clutched his hand, the bones now protruding through the skin for all to see.
He glanced up towards his attacker who stalked towards him, narrowed eyes an eerie emerald fire.
Those looking on watched in shock as Harry grabbed the man by his hair, his other hand grabbing and squeezing the pulverised remains of Karkaroff's as he leaned in.
"You will not approach my brother again," he commanded. "Charlie Potter does not exist to you. If you do not listen, next time, I will take this," he warned as he gave a final squeeze, eliciting another scream from the Durmstrang headmaster. "Do not make me come for you, Karkaroff."
With a final look of disgust at the man, he released his hold and stood to find a very subdued crowd around him, Leo looking on with his wand drawn ensuring that no one intervened. Lily and James Potter had arrived and stood with Charlie between them, the latter of the two giving him a grateful nod.
"What is going on here?" the voice of Dumbledore broke in as he too approached, wand in hand with Professor's McGonagall and Snape in tow.
"Just giving Karkaroff a fair warning," Harry informed him coldly. "I really do hope he learnt his lesson."
"Mr Black," Dumbledore addressed him gravely, "you have assaulted a headmaster of a prestigious school and a tournament judge."
Harry shrugged carelessly.
"Karkaroff is a shit," Harry replied. "Now, unless you're going to disqualify me or press charges, then get out of my way you old bastard. I want to enjoy the rest of my evening."
Dumbledore appeared to be torn but said nothing as James and Sirius both laughed.
Harry pushed passed the Hogwarts headmaster and headed back towards the fire he had been sat in front of prior, out of the cold.
"Severus, will you help Igor to Madame Pomfrey," Dumbledore sighed.
Snape nodded and pulled the man to his feet before they began walking back towards the castle.
"I think you'll find Karkaroff attempted to draw his wand first," Sirius explained. "If he does choose to press charges, I'm sure there re many here that would be happy to explain exactly what happened."
Many of the students nodded their agreement.
"I'm sure that things escalated unnecessarily," Dumbledore placated. "I will speak with him in the morning but I daresay that it is the end of the matter. Perhaps you ought to have a word with Harry about which spells he uses to defend himself."
"It had better be," Sirius returned severely. "And Karkaroff should consider himself very lucky. What Harry did to him was nothing compared to what he would have wanted to. In the circumstances, he showed a lot of restraint, Dumbledore, best you remember that," he finished as he walked away.
"Now that the unpleasantness has passed, I ask that you all return to your dormitories and lodgings shortly after midnight," the headmaster requested before he too took his leave, deeply unhappy with what had taken place.
"Come on, Charlie," James urged. "I think you've had enough excitement for one night."
Charlie nodded and followed his parents as he mouthed a 'thank you' to his older brother who gave him a nod in return.
"What did Karkaroff want?" Lily questioned him.
Charlie shrugged.
"He just started provoking me about You-Know-who and that's when Harry got there," he explained.
James snorted.
"Bastard got what he deserved. He should bloody well be in Azkaban anyway."
"I want you to stay away from him," Lily instructed.
"Or I could follow him and hope that Harry finishes him off?" Charlie countered, getting a disapproving look from his mother and another laugh from his father.
"You shouldn't encourage that, Charlie," Lily sighed.
Charlie simply shrugged once more, a warmth spreading through his chest. All his friends had defended him in the past but it felt like so much more coming from his brother. That is what he always imagined having an older brother would be. He just wished he could do the same for Harry.
(BREAK)
"I'm sorry you had to see that," harry apologised as the rest of the group joined him by the fire.
"What? That was amazing," Fred declared.
"The scumbag got we he deserved," George echoed the sentiment.
Harry gave the pair a half smile as he turned towards Tonks who merely shrugged.
"I know a lot of people that would want to shake your hand for what you did," she replied. "Professionally speaking, I should be arresting you but I'm not on duty," she added with a grin.
"Mate, I think she just wants to cuff you," George interjected.
"That's enough of you, whichever one you are," Tonks returned.
"I'm Fred," George answered a smirk.
"Oi," Fred shouted as he tackled his brother to the ground.
The others laughed as the tow faced off, neither managing to get the better of the other as they attempted to get the upper hand.
"Alright lads," that's enough Leo declared as he tried to separate the twins, trying to prevent his own amused smile. "You've had a scrap, now have a drink. You're both shite at fighting anyway It's like watching two little girls pulling each other's hair."
Fred and George both turned towards him, smirking.
"I wouldn't," Harry warned as they both leapt towards him, only to find themselves in a tangled heap a moment later with the other boy sat on top, grinning.
"Alright, we give," Fred yelled.
Leo shook his head as he pulled the duo to their feet and dusted them off.
"Drink now?" he offered.
The twins grumbled as they took their seats and accepted a bottle each from Leo who took his own next to Katie.
"Aww, did he hurt you," Alicia cooed at George.
"No," George sighed. "He was lucky he got up when he did," he mumbled.
"Aye, I'm sure you were both about to kick my arse," Leo chuckled as he took a long sip. "I bet even the lass her would slap you both silly."
Katie waved at the pair from her position leaned up against Leo.
"You're probably right," Fred conceded, "Our little Katiekins is quite the handful."
Harry chuckled as he watched the byplay between them. Although he would never admit it, he was certain that Leo was growing fond of the Weasleys. If he really didn't like them, he would have hurt them when they attacked.
For the next couple of hours, the group remained settled around the fire. The Hogwarts students shared some stories of their time at school and Leo did the same.
"Did you really kill a werewolf?" Katie asked him.
"Aye," he sighed. "He was one of Greyback's pack that broke in on the day of the full moon. He would have got me if it wasn't for Rasputin's warning."
"Who the bloody hell is Rasputin?" Fred questioned irritably.
Leo grinned.
"Are you sure you want to meet him?" he asked.
"No," Harry said firmly. "He's bloody dangerous."
"No more dangerous than Mira," Leo countered.
"I have anti-venom for her," Harry pointed out. "There's no cure for decapitation."
"Aye, maybe some other time," Leo conceded. "But then again, if he hates you gingers as much as me, even I won't be able to stop him," he warned.
"Is he that bad?" Tonks whispered in Harry's ear.
"He is," Harry sighed as the countdown began across the grounds and around them.
"Happy New Year, Dora," Harry said warmly.
"You too," she replied before surprising him with a chaste kiss on the lips.
The moment, however, was interrupted as a series of loud explosions sounded. Harry looked up to see Fred and George lighting several fireworks. He watched as Dragons and an array of other creatures lit up the night sky in a myriad of colours.
"Aye, geniuses," Leo sighed before kissing Katie and wrapping his arms around her so they could enjoy the show the twins provided.
It was a short time later that the Professors arrived to put an end to the festivities. Having bid the others farewell, Harry and Tonks entered the castle and headed toward her room hand in hand.
"Thank you for tonight," she sighed as he pulled her into his arms.
"Anytime," Harry replied sincerely, breathing in her scent.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked as she morphed into her natural form.
Harry nodded.
"You can come and see me whenever you like," he offered with a warm smile.
Tonks grinned and kissed him again, deepening it this time.
"If you don't stop, I won't be able to," Harry muttered after a few moments, the closeness between them stirring him.
"What if I don't want you to?" Tonks whispered nervously.
"I don't want you to regret it," he sighed.
Tonks shook her head and kissed him again.
"No matter what, I'd never regret it with you, Harry," she returned sincerely.
"Neither would I," he responded, his mouth drying.
"Then don't think about it," she urged. "Let's just let whatever happens, happen."
Harry nodded and took her hand as she opened the door with the other, the two of them entering the room to spend the next hours familiarising themselves with the other, the only way that two nervous and inexperienced teens could.
(BREAK)
Lord Voldemort fought the need to sleep as he awaited the arrival of Barty, who had insisted on seeing him immediately. The Dark Lord was exhausted, the body he was currently inhabiting unfit for long periods of consciousness. Nevertheless, he obliged knowing the younger man would not disturb his sensitive routine unless it was of the utmost importance. Though, if the words of the man proved to be a waste of his precious time, he could not be certain that he would not punish him, weakness or no.
His irritation only increased the longer he waited and he was just about to lose himself to the darkness when the door opened to reveal the man that had sought his counsel.
"My Lord, you have my apologies for the lateness," Barty greeted as he prostrated before him. "Leaving the castle was no easy task as the students were gathered in the grounds and the Professors were patrolling."
"I care not, Barty," Voldemort sighed. "What is it you want?"
Barty pondered his next words, reticent to voice his concerns.
"My Lord, if you insist on going ahead with the current plan then I would suggest that you treat the older boy with caution. The more I observe him, the more I see the threat he poses to it. Just this evening, he had a confrontation with Karkaroff and bested him as though the man was nothing but an insect," he explained, spitting the name of his former ally.
The Dark Lord was seemingly unmoved for a moment.
"What happened, Barty?" he eventually questioned, his curiosity piqued.
Barty proceeded to give a detail account of what had happened between the man and teen and Voldemort nodded when he was done.
"Igor is no slouch," he conceded. "Very well. If the opportunity arises, then kill the boy but do not get caught. I will be most displeased if you are discovered before I can regain my body. Do it during the second task, but if you fail, we proceed as normal. Your priority is to ensure the younger boy is available when needed. Do not let me down, Barty," he warned.
The man bowed, a twisted grin upturning his lips.
"Of course, My Lord. I will send any relevant updates."
As the man left, the Dark Lord pondered what he had been told of the elder brother. The curse he used was not particularly difficult to come by if one knew where to look and he was well-travelled. However, a sixteen-year-old taken down one of the more adept Death Eaters was not a feat that he could ignore, unless Karkaroff had become lax in his passion and proclivity for violence, which he very much doubted.
He sighed as the ignore of the boy continued to disturb his rest. Something about the older Potter unsettled him. His ability for Parseltongue was quite the concern in it itself but he could not help but notice the resemblance between them.
He shook his head.
He was nothing but a mere boy, who admittedly in his own current state, would not be able to handle. But as soon as he acquired a much more able body, would be nothing more than a rat to be devoured by the serpent.
(BREAK)
It was with an unfamiliar weight of warmth on his chest that Harry awoke, his legs trapped beneath another draped across his thighs. It took but a few seconds for the morning haze to clear and he smiled as he gazed daze the form of the sleeping metamorph, her light snores tickling the surface of his skin as she exhaled.
Had any told him that he would wake in this position the previous day, he would have laughed at them. The two had grown closer as the weeks passed by but he hadn't truly considered how much. He had missed her presence when they had been somewhat at odds, that he could admit. Being here now however, was something else entirely. He had never been so intimate with another and though they had both stopped themselves going all the way, they had both shared things with each other that they never had with anyone else before, as their fumbling hands could attest to.
In truth, he had no idea what to think of the situation.
He liked her, that he was certain of and he cared for her more than he ever thought he could. He had always remained aloof with the opposite sex, mostly because he did not want to be the same way his father was but also, it was something he just did not understand. He'd had several potential suitors throughout his travels and time at different schools.
None of them were like Tonks.
She cared not for his money and the power he would wield or his magical prowess. Somehow, she had gotten under his skin without him realising that it was happening and it was just as terrifying as it was warming. He knew not what it was he was feeling but he knew that he did not want it to end, he did not want her to just one day be gone.
She must have woken whilst he was distracted by his thoughts as he now found himself staring into sleep-filled grey eyes.
"Morning," he whispered.
For a few seconds, the woman seemed to be confused about the situation she found herself but smiled when a spark of recognition shined in her orbs.
"Morning," she sighed contentedly before stretching.
Harry smiled and shook his head.
"As much as I'd like to stay here all day, I'd better get back before people come looking for me," he explained apologetically. "I don't think either of us are ready for those questions."
Tonks nodded her head in understanding, though she didn't seem pleased if the put she wore was anything to go by.
"It's not that I don't want to be here, Dora," he assured. "I want what we have to stay between us as much as possible and Dad and the others will already ask questions."
"Do you care?" she asked.
Harry shook his head firmly as he stood and began dressing.
"No, but what we have and what we do is our business. It has nothing to do with anyone else and I don't want anyone to think of you badly. Not that I regret anything, I just want it to be ours for a while," he finished firmly.
Tonks smiled as she sighed.
"Fine, but you better come back here tonight," she demanded, "I could get use to having you as my pillow," she added softly.
Harry grinned.
"I'll be here," he promised before kissing her gently. "I do have an early start tomorrow so I'll try not to wake you."
"Good," she declared. "Now go away so I can sleep a little more."
Harry chuckled before kissing her once more and leaving, placing a Disillusionment Charm on himself to avoid any early morning encounters in the corridors, which proved to be devoid of people.
"Good Morning, son," Sirius greeted him jovially as he entered their quarters. "If I didn't know any better, which I don't, I would say that you were returning from an illicit encounter, but I'm sure you wouldn't do a thing like that, would you?" the man finished with a lecherous smirk.
Harry shook his head disapprovingly.
"I stayed out, and no, that didn't happen," he corrected the man.
"Well, that lovely red mark on your neck tells a different story," Sirius replied before taking a large sip of his coffee. "If you're going to hide it, you might want to do a better job next time."
Harry frowned as he conjured a mirror and cursed under his breath at the prominent red and purple bite just above his collar bone.
"No," he denied to his snickering father. "I'm not going into details but that did not happen."
Sirius held his hands up innocently.
"I believe you, Harry," he replied. "Other people will not. I'm happy for you, for both of you but you have to understand the position you are both in. She works for the Ministry and here, you are technically still underage until July," he explained.
Harry sighed as he nodded.
"Just be careful," Sirius advised.
"I will," Harry assured him solemnly.
Sirius stood and pulled him into a hug.
"Really, Harry, I couldn't be happier for you and for Tonks," he reiterated. "I do have to ask though, are you serious about her?"
"I think so," Harry answered. "We're just getting to know each other properly but I do like her a lot."
Sirius nodded.
"I know, I can see that," he chuckled. "Anyway, your love life aside, Dumbledore has requested a meeting with us and the other judges this morning to discuss what happened last night."
"Bastard goat," Harry groaned.
"I know but we have to humour him," Sirius pointed out. "I can have grandfather come if you want?"
Harry shook his head.
"No, but I think it's about time he's put in his place. I need him and the rest of them to respect me. I will be the Lord Black one day and they need to understand that I am no one's man. They are not my allies and I'm going to show them that," he declared as he entered the bathroom, angry and determined to get his point across.
He exited around fifteen minutes later and entered his room to don his most business-like robes before checking his reflection. He was grateful the grey shirt he had chosen covered up any marks left by his encounter with Tonks; he would have been reluctant to remove it.
"Where's Leo?" he questioned when he re-entered the living area to find Sirius dressed in a similar fashion.
"Still asleep," he informed him with a chuckle. "He got in at around one with a stupid grin on his face. Do you want me to wake him?"
Harry shook his head.
"Leave him be," he decided. "Shall we get this over with?"
Sirius nodded and followed Harry as he exited his room. Although the boy never mentioned it, he was much higher up in the family hierarchy than himself, so it was his duty to follow Harry, as strange as it felt to the older man.
"Open up," Harry growled when they arrived at the gargoyle guarding the office.
Surprisingly, the construct complied and sprung aside to allow them entry to the spiral staircase that led to the office. With a gesture for his father to follow, he ascended the staircase and knocked sharply.
"Come in, Mr Black," the voice of the Headmaster sounded from the other side.
Harry entered to be greeted by a significantly larger gathering than he expected. Nonetheless, he took it in his stride as he swept into the room scrutinising each person through his silvery eyes.
"This had better be important, Dumbledore," he warned. "I've got better things to be doing than spending my morning in your company."
The majority of those gathered seemed displeased with the way he had addressed the man but he shrugged it off. He cared not for any of them, his brother being the only exception.
The judges, as expected were in attendance as were the three Potters. He had not expected the Deputy Headmistress nor the potions master and certainly not the three Aurors. The addition of Lucius Malfoy served only to irritate him further.
"Take a seat, Mr Black," a middle-aged redheaded auror wearing a monocle commanded.
Harry raised an eyebrow in her direction, his countenance unflinching.
"I'd much rather stand," he replied coldly. "If anyone has any objections, then you could always try to make me," he offered, his eyes sweeping across the group challengingly, his wand only a split second away from being in his hand if needed.
The two aurors accompanying the woman looked as though they would oblige but were stopped by Dumbledore.
"That won't be necessary," he sighed as he looked at Harry disappointedly. "There has been enough unpleasantness."
"And more will come if you don't bloody get the point. You know what happened last night, so why am I here?" Harry returned.
"We are here to discuss the use of the Dark Magic you used on one of the judges, Black," Crouch answered angrily.
"Karkaroff should consider himself lucky," Harry shrugged, "I don't take kindly to anyone attempting to draw their wand on me, especially a former Death Eater. Something that you would know all about, Crouch. Didn't you condemn your own son for being one?"
The sound of sharp breaths being taken was the response he received and the man trembled with rage.
"That is neither here nor there, Mr Black," Ludo Bagman broke in.
"Oh, shut up you bloated broom jockey," Harry sighed causing Charlie, James Potter and Sirius to snicker. "If I wanted to discuss washed up Quidditch players then believe me, you would be the first person I look for."
"Is this level of hostility necessary, Harry?" Dumbledore questioned hotly.
"I believe so," Harry responded flatly. "Is the scumbag pressing charges?" he asked as he nodded to a very pale Igor Karkaroff.
"No," Dumbledore replied and Harry clapped his hands with finality.
"Excellent, then there is nothing to discuss. He attempted to draw his wand on me and paid a very light price. I would have been within my rights to kill him where he stood but I refrained from doing so out of respect for the students nearby, but my warning stands and goes for anyone who takes an unhealthy interest in myself or my little brother," he finished firmly.
"Is there anything else to be discussed?" Sirius piped up.
"I believe that is everything," the redheaded auror answered curtly.
Sirius nodded.
"It was nice seeing you, Amelia," he said with smile.
"You too, Sirius," the woman replied with an amused roll of her eyes.
Both Harry and his father turned to leave and the younger paused at the door to address the room a final time.
"The next time I am summoned here had better be to receive a damn good explanation from you, Dumbledore. I certainly have no desire to be in your company but you will answer the questions I have. I will know if you're lying to me," he warned.
The headmaster nodded as the door was slammed shut.
"Quite a prickly fellow," one of the aurors commented.
"You should be grateful you didn't manage to draw your wand, Dawlish," Charlie replied scathingly. "He would have made you look a prick," he snorted.
"Charlie," Lily chastised as James snorted, having no love for his colleague.
Charlie shrugged.
"It's true," he muttered as he stood. "I'm going to catch up with him quickly."
"I'm coming too," James announced. "I just want to thank him. I won't say anything else," he assured the boy.
Charlie nodded as he exited the room with his parents in tow. He managed to catch up with his older brother a few corridors away and tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.
"I just wanted to say thank you, for last night," he clarified.
Harry shook his head as he ruffled the boys' hair.
"It's alright, Charlie," he replied with a chuckle, his posture stiffening as James and Lily appeared.
"Thank you, Harry," James said sincerely. "For being there for him."
Lily smiled weakly and Harry gave them a stiff nod before walking away, that particular conversation being one he was not quite ready for.
After making his way into their living quarters, he removed his robe and hung it on the back of one of the chairs before sinking into the sofa, frowning as Sirius locked the door and begun casting a series of wards.
"What are you doing?" he questioned.
Sirius shook his head and continued his work before sitting down.
"I cast a Homenum Revelio charm when we went in the office to make sure no one was hiding, just in case things got bad," he explained.
Harry cursed under his breath for the oversight on his part.
"I found an extra person, well something that registered as one crawling up your back," he informed him as he removed a phial from his pocket.
Within, Harry could see a frantically moving, large beetle, nothing like he had ever seen before.
"An animagus?" he whispered.
Sirius nodded.
"I think so," he sighed.
"Useful form," Harry observed. "not one on the register though."
"Exactly," Sirius replied gravely. "Shall we find out who our mystery guest is?"
Harry drew his wand and cast the counter. The phial shattered as the beetle began to shift and a few moments later, a terrified and dishevelled woman with large spectacles was cowering on the rug before them.
"Isn't that the reporter?" Harry questioned, shocked by her appearance.
"Rita Skeeter," Sirius growled. "Now, give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you or turn you in?"
"Please," Rita begged, "don't hurt me. I have some information that would be useful for you."
Sirius snorted.
"You'd better start talking and quickly," he advised. "We do not take kindly to snooping."
"I wasn't snooping on you," she retorted. "I was watching Malfoy."
"Malfoy?" Harry questioned.
Rita nodded.
"He's been spending more time with the Minister than usual and I was curious."
"Fudge is in his pocket," Sirius pointed out. "So, what have you learnt, Rita? It had better be good."
Rita nodded.
"Lucius is trying to find a way to remove Harry as the Heir," she explained desperately.
"Impossible," Sirius grumbled.
Rita shook her head.
"Him and Fudge are working on forcing a law through about inheritance so that only the closest male relative on the family tree can inherit the title," she said.
"So that Draco will inherit over Harry," Sirius muttered.
Rita nodded.
"Could they do it?" Harry asked.
Sirius shrugged.
"Possibly," he conceded. "Malfoy carries a lot of weight on the Wizengamot."
"Then we remove him," Harry suggested.
Sirius shook his head.
"He's too well connected for that," he sighed. "I think we need grandfather here."
Harry nodded and fired off a Patronus for the old man.
"That's not all," Rita squeaked. "He's planning on having your friend killed," she added.
Harry's nostrils flared and he began pacing back and forth, hissing in Parseltongue.
"What exactly did he say?" he spat eventually.
Rita cowered under his glare.
"He s-said he wanted him dead. He didn't go into specifics," she stuttered.
A loud knock resounded throughout the room and Sirius unlocked the door to admit Arcturus. After Rita explained everything to the man, he was seething.
"He has to die," he grumbled. "We need to find a way to do it without raising suspicion towards ourselves."
"Why not let Leo kill him," Harry offered.
Arcturus frowned thoughtfully and a grin appeared on his face.
"We can work with that, so long as it can be made to look legitimate. A duel maybe," he mused aloud. "Let me have a think and I will discuss it with him. Now, Miss Skeeter, the question is, what do we do with you?" he asked as he turned his steely gaze towards her.
"She'd make a useful spy," Harry interjected. "With her ability, we have a unique way of gathering information," he shrugged.
He turned his attention to the woman.
"How about you continue what you are doing and you report directly to us? In return, we will keep your secret and offer you a generous monthly stipend," he offered.
"What's to stop you killing me when you decide I'm not needed anymore?" she asked.
"We could just kill you now," Harry pointed out. "But you are more useful to us alive. We could both give an oath," he shrugged, "I will not kill you unless you betray us in any way and in turn, mine will secure your secret unless you break the oath you have given."
Rita frowned before nodding.
"I don't really have much of a choice, do I?" she sighed.
"No," Harry confirmed, "but this way, you will benefit from what you and have our protection to an extent. If you are caught, then you will face the consequences and our agreement will remain unknown. That will be part of the oath," he warned.
"Very well," Rita agreed reluctantly.
They spent close to an hour deciding on the wording of the vow before each were comfortable giving it and sent the woman on her way to carry out her new duties.
"Very well done, Harry," Arcturus praised, "I couldn't have done it better myself."
"You should see how he handled Dumbledore this morning," Sirius broke in. "Actually, you should probably see the memory from last night too," he sighed as he went to his room to retrieve the pensieve.
"What happened last night?" Arcturus growled.
Harry shook his head.
"It would be better if you watched it," he sighed.
Arcturus narrowed his eyes at the boy and submerged himself in the silvery substance when Sirius had finished depositing it into the device. He emerged a few moments later, grinning in glee.
"You handled both situations admirably," he praised. "You will make a fine successor."
"Only if Malfoy doesn't get his way," Sirius reminded him.
Arcturus growled.
"His spawn will get the Lordship over my dead body," he announced. "And I have just the way to deal with it and get rid of the bastard at the same time," he mumbled.
"What are you going to do?" Harry enquired.
"All will be revealed when necessary," Arcturus replied. "For now, you concern yourself with this bloody tournament and let me deal with Malfoy. With a bit of luck, the bastard will be dealt with before we leave."
A/N
The second task will be up next and we will see more Harry and Charlie and Harry/Tonks.
Please do follow, favourite and review and follow me on Twitter if you'd like regular updates on what I am working on.
Peace and Love to you all,
TBR
PS: For anyone wondering what song I was alluding to that Tonks heard Harry singing, It's I hope that I don't fall in love with you – By Tom Waits