Hi again, in a recent email I received it raised some good questions so I have included my response in the foot note to answer some of your questions (really good ones I might add)
ok this story continues on from where the half blood prince ends, this is a Harry / Tonks story so if you're a big Harry / Ginny fan please ether turn back now or at least don't criticize and scorn my hard work over it.
Nearly all characters are owned by J.K Rowling, and no money is, has or will be allowed to be made from or through this book.
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Chapter 5
Harry tried to piece together the evidence as Tonks had and come to the same conclusion but he still found it hard to believe,
"I can't be a Metamorphmagus Tonks… I would have noticed by now, I mean the number of times I tried to hide my scar or even tidy my hair…"
"Harry, believe me I know, you are a Metamorphmagus just like me. It can be hard to discover your abilities, and many people never discover their true abilities, most like yourself just don't know what to look for" Tonks tried to explain
"But how can I be a Metamorphmagus? I haven't done anything similar since"
"Harry… you haven't needed a hair cut in over 7 years… that would only occur if a Metamorphmagus subconsciously wanted to look the way they do…"
"Then what about this dame scar you think I subconsciously wanted that too?" Harry nearly shouted angrily
"Yes I do Harry" before Harry could interrupt Tonks continued "you accepted that scar at a very young age, it's a part of who you are. You only started hating it because of the attention it draws in the wizarding world but deep down you accepted it as who you are, it's the same with your hair, you've always felt happiest with your hair as it is, just as how your father always liked it this way, you inherited his tastes, and so even though you've once in a while wanted a change, deep down your happy as who you are" Tonks explain calmly, in an almost a perfect Hermione explanation
"I dunno Tonks, maybe you're right… I just find it hard to believe I've had the power to disguise this scar and be 'normal' all these years and just not wanted it enough…"
"Your thinking too much on it Harry, just except that you can now learn how to do these things with a thought and be happy about it, Auror training is going to get a lot easier for you once you've mastered it"
"So what do you mean I'm your protégé Tonks?" Harry asked curiously
"Well Harry, a protégé is a person who's influenced strongly by a single person who helps further their career, now you're a Metamorphmagus, after you've passed the Auror training we can be partners!"
"But don't you already have a partner Tonks?"
"Currently no, my previous partner was Kingsley Shacklebolt I was his apprentice but after I completed the Auror training he was asked to train a new apprentice, so technically after you've completed Auror training we can be partners, if you're able to keep up with me that is" Tonks teased merrily
"You sure you don't just want my company Tonks?" Harry teased back
"You can only dream Harry; I only work with the best so you can't disappoint me"
Harry and Tonks continued to tease back and forth for a while before heading off for another day of training. It wasn't till later that evening when Harry and Tonks sat down in the library for Harry's first Occlumency lesson.
"Now Harry, I presume you've read through the book I gave you and should by now know how to clear your mind" Harry nodded his affirmative "now the first thing you must remember about Occlumency is it isn't just about keeping intrusions out, it can also be used to distract or confuse your attacker long enough to gain entry to their own thoughts"
"How can that help Tonks?"
"well a perfect example would be if your being interrogated by a suspected dark wizard, if they gain entry past your defences you can redirect them to the wrong information so they are none the wiser, or you could confuse them gaining entry to their own mind and learning why they want that information"
"it also helps in duels if the person you're against is proficient in Legilimency then you can stop them learning what attacks you're about to do or make them believe you will be doing something else to trick them are you with me so far Harry?"
"I think so Tonks"
"Ok now I want you to clear you mind Harry, when I enter your mind I want you to just try to feel my presents, don't try to do anything yet just look for my magic in your mind and let me know when you're ready" Harry did as he was told
"I'm ready Tonks"
"Ok, 'Legimens!'"
Inside Harry's mind he felt a slight tickling towards to back as Tonks entered his subconscious, after a few minuets Harry could separate Tonks magic from his own.
"I can clearly see and feel where you are now Tonks, now what"
"Now Harry I will start looking through your memories, I want you to determine where I'm searching and give me a different memory instead ok?" Harry just nodded
With that Tonks started searching through his memories starting with their first meeting, Harry soon found where she was heading and gave her the memory of when he was first looking over the Hogwarts express on platform nine and three quarters.
"Very good Harry, in time you will be able to create false memories to look how you want so you won't have to change to a different memory and your attacker won't realize you have found them out"
"Thanks Tonks, you make this seem a lot easier then my lessons with Snape"
"I'd be surprised if you learnt anything from him, anyway I think we'd best call it a night here Harry we'll continue this tomorrow"
"Ok Tonks"
"Remember to keep studying that book"
"Will do, night Tonks"
"Good night Harry"
Harry's training continued on in this fashion for the next few days, with both Harry and Tonks continuing their daily exercise routines and Tonks gradually raising the power of the training dummies, there was now just 2 days till bill and Fleur's wedding and Tonks was working Harry harder then normal to make up for the few days of rest they would both be needing as they would be moving to the Weasley's in the morning for the wedding
"Speed up Harry! Pick up the pace!" shouted Tonks, from today onwards Tonks decided Harry would now need to complete double the normal workout before the assault course and lunch, and Harry was exhausted, However they both noticed that the training was paying off, between the three large meals Dobby and Winky were only too happy to provide and the training Tonks seemed to enjoy forcing Harry to endure with a sadistic glee, Harry was slowly growing physically.
Harry was now approaching the final obstacle the net, the previous few times he had completed the course with little problems however this new level was very tiring on his magic, there was now 15 high powered dummies, Harry's training had pushed him past that of a trainee Auror, however he was still not quiet up to Tonks level yet,
'Harry is doing amazingly well, most trainees practice for years to get to this level; here is Harry doing it easily after a week…' "Come on Harry, just the net then we can get something to eat before your Occlumency practice"
Harry had just finished knocking the last dummy unconscious when his concentration lowered and he failed to see the first dummy recover and heal the others until it was too late, having just enough time to raise a quick shield a huge purple collected ball of spells flew towards Harry.
The spells connected with his shield and smashed straight through it, badly injuring Harry and sending him flying across the course.
"HARRY!" shouted Tonks, worried sick about whether he was ok, Tonks was just about to shut off the training dummies when Harry got up, however something was wrong… he was covered in blood and surrounded by a grey aura, that was when she noticed his eyes had changed, they were now blood red.
It was like looking into the eyes of Voldemolt himself, Tonks was frozen with fear.
"GRAVITOUS LUGIS" Harry shouted, a huge black spell flew from his wand towards the training dummies, as soon as it hit the first dummy the black ball of magic proceeded to suck everything into it like a miniature black hole.
Hanging on for dear life to anything that was bolted down Tonks noticed the spell had no effect on Harry. When the spell had finished both the dummies and most of the assault course were gone, and Harry was kneeling down panting heavily on the floor.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT?" demanded Tonks;
"I'm sorry Tonks, I didn't mean to do that, something just came over me, I… I don't know what it was I just couldn't help myself, it just happened"
"Do you even know what spell you used Harry?"
"No Tonks, I can't remember what I did it's all a blur"
Tonks just stood there absorbing all of what just happened, for all accounts this is absurd the dummies acting the way they did, the huge black spell, Harry's lapse of memory, could Voldemolt have just been possessing Harry?
"Get showered quickly Harry you need to practice Occlumency now as much as you can" Tonks said, holding her wand hidden but ready in case Harry snaped again, Harry just did as he was told not wanting to cause any more trouble for Tonks.
Skipping dinner Harry and Tonks were once again in the library practicing Occlumency.
"Well after looking inside your mind Harry I couldn't find any trace of what happened just now, it couldn't have been you know who… could it?"
"No Tonks, I know when he's up to something as my scar aches both before and after the attacks, I dunno what that was…"
"Hmm, ok well just in case tonight we will just test your Occlumency shields, and remember to keep them raised tonight ok?"
"Ok Tonks" Harry complied as he raised his shields full strength"
"Ok, here we go 'Legimens'" Harry's shields were very impressive, they even gave Tonks a little difficulty getting in,
"Your shield is looking better Harry, I'll just use a little force to try to enter to determine its strength, ok Harry" at his nod Tonks processed her legilimency attack, just as she's about to ram his defences his shield was dropped, everything in his mind went black and Tonks could feel incredible pain everywhere, all she could hear was Harry's screams and from afar a horrid hissing before she was frown forcefully from Harry's mind.
Quickly recovering from her forced eviction of Harry's mind, and quickly casting a feather light charm Tonks picked up the now unconscious Harry and rushed through the floo-network to the headquarters of the order of the phoenix, as luck would have it the house was empty save for the lone two occupants in the kitchen connected to the floo.
"Nymphadora what happened" asked a very concerned Albus Dumbledore
"I'm not sure, we had a problem during training so we started practising his Occlumency just in case to keep you know who out of Harry's mind, and then whilst we were testing his shields strength the shield suddenly dropped and everything went dark"
"Minerva, go get poppy and quickly!" "Do you remember anything else Miss Tonks? Could you see or hear anything?" Albus asked as he took Harry in his arms and ran to the temporary healing room for the order of the phoenix
"All I could hear was Harry's screaming and some strange hissing… will he be ok Albus?" ask a distressed Tonks
"I don't know Tonks, I really don't know"
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Ok now the q and a.
1. When will we see Albus again?
Well just now? (lol Just kidding) Albus will be in every now and again like with all HP books he's there just not seen for awhile unless its something big, but don't worry he'll be back.
2. How will he be involved with Harry's training?
This one is harder to answer with out revealing too much but actual magical training from Albus is very difficult due to his limitation on magic use, he will mostly be the one locating Horcruxes because he knows how tom thinks best.
3. Will Harry's rapid progress continue all summer?
again this is hard to answer, most of Harry's training is physical, so far actual magic training is lessons covering his newts and self study, on the assault course I deliberately made Harry use only basic shields stunners and small charms that he learned in school (during O.O.T.P for the shield and stunner to help the D.A) he will learn new spells and kick a lot of D.E ass but not right away without training (SPOILER "but with Harry Potter accidents happen")
4. When will Harry's relationship with Ginny implode?
This is one chapter I have been planning ever since H.B.P first hit the shelf's (I wasted three days reading that crap) all I can say is it will happen soon and you'll love it
5. When will Tonks seduce wee baby Potter? Or will it be the other way around?
Who are you Bellatrix Black? Lol ok its hard to say, with Tonks still liking Remus after H.B.P and the H.P/G.W thing J.K.R started it will take time to get them together (it most likely wont be her seducing Harry but more both discover how they feel and work from there, it will also be a major event so can't spoil it)
Finally just a little more feed back for the last few chaps.
Chapter 1
In a review was written "It's sad that Dumbledore is so stupid that he would hope Harry would forgive him after he is still manipulating him. Most people learn from their mistake but not Dumbledore he keep on making them."
I agree with you that Dumbledore is very manipulative of Harry and never learns from his mistakes till its too late but I feel he does them because he cares too much for Harry to see the bigger picture like while he's safe from Deatheaters his uncle is more likely to kill him during his 17 years at number 4 then any Deatheaters attack on say the Weasley's if they had of taken him in(before G.O.F anyway) and at 160 years old I'm surprised he can walk let alone think straight ;)
Chapter 2
Later I received "This is an interesting chapter. It leaves with the idea that can Harry really trust Dumbledore? I would say no he already prove that he is a liar, but then again I knew he would be back he still have manipulate Harry's life. To Dumbledore he is a weapon or a tool for a job and that all"
while I agree that it can be hard to trust Dumbledore all the time (to follow blind is foolish) in this fic I hope to portray Albus as the kindly grand father he wants to be more then an evil manipulator, Harry's more than a weapon to him but at times its hard to tell Harry the whole truth. Don't worry there will still be some scenes where Harry doesn't trust Albus and some big arguments build between them as well, it just wont be another "Albus the puppet master" story
Chapter 3
For every one whom thought I was doing well with Harry and Tonks relationship so far I would like to say thank you. I prefer a long term relationship, over one night stands so I'm hoping to build the relationship between Harry and Tonks to last and I will be taking my time putting them together, I hope it doesn't come out too slow or to much like Harry / Tonks just having a one nighter (there are a lot of very good ones like that but come-on happily married after one date?)
Chapter 4
See above questions.
Thanks again
Dan.