Well here we go with chapter two!
Thanks for hanging in with me, the first few chapters are setting the story and a lot of explanations between characters; it should start picking up next chapter
I'm trying to stay a few chapters ahead with what is written vs. what is posted so that I don't leave you all hanging too long between chapters. That said, if you leave a comment, my answer may be delayed a few chapters.
Thanks for the reviews I already have, you've all been really encouraging!
Damien of the Shadows: Thanks! I like Moody as a mentor and my plan is totally on par with what you wrote, I like Harry as a mature and equal part of Gibbs' team, I'm planning to make Gibbs a friend that Harry can go to, the same way that Tony, Ziva, and McGee can, maybe even on a more mature level as well since their backgrounds are similar with the loss of their families.
I still don't own NCIS (although I would like to own the seasons on DVD!) and I definitely don't own Harry Potter.
Harry Potter was tired. He spent the night after Dumbledore's funeral thinking through Mad-Eye Moody's proposal and wondering what was in store for him this summer. He knew that he needed to find the horcruxes and that he had to kill Voldemort in the end, but that was easier said than done.
He'd been up against Voldemort five times already in his life and he hadn't come anywhere near defeating him. Everyone commended him on his defeat of Voldemort when he was a baby, but that wasn't by any action of his own. Then in his first year, all he did was put his hands on Quirrel's face, he stabbed a book in second year, and had really good timing in fourth year to cast a spell at the same time as his enemy. Fifth year he hadn't even gotten a hit in before Dumbledore came and saved the day. How was he, scrawny little four-eyed Harry Potter, supposed to actually defeat the Dark Lord?
Harry felt the train start to slow down and enter King's Cross Station. Gathering his trunk and Hedwig, and hugging Hermione and saying goodbye to the rest of his friends, he decided to just wait and see what the old auror had in store for him. Whatever it was, Harry would put forth all of his effort to be successful.
Walking off the train, Harry saw Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, but no Moody. He decided to walk toward his surrogate uncle when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Go greet Remus and Tonks and then exit the platform like you are joining your relatives. I will meet you outside in five minutes so nobody suspects that you are not where you are supposed to be, got it?" He heard Moody's voice hiss in his ear.
Giving a subtle nod to acknowledge the instructions, Harry set off to talk to Remus for a few moments.
Remus was smiling when he walked up and immediately pulled Harry into a hug. They hadn't really been close in the past, but both had needed support after Sirius was killed, and they ended up writing letters back and forth through the school year. They were family, as Harry had finally realized that family can be who you choose and not necessarily just those related by blood.
"How was the train ride?" Remus asked out loud, still hugging Harry and whispering "Tonks and I are staying at headquarters with you, I hope you don't mind, thought it might keep you from going insane with only Kreature and Moody for company."
Remus winked at him when he pulled back from the hug and Harry instantly felt more at ease knowing he would at least have Moony's support through whatever Moody had planned.
"Wotcher Harry!" Tonks opened her arms for a hug as well, having written a few letters of her own in the past year and seeing Harry as a friend and little brother.
"Hey guys, train ride was good, long, and I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Unfortunately I think we'll have to catch up with each other a bit later since I believe my relatives are waiting for me outside. Send me an owl?" Harry said to lay down the cover story that Moody was obviously working with.
"Sure thing Harry, we'll talk to you soon." Remus replied and he and Tonks left to go greet the Weasley family while Harry walked toward the exit for Platform 9 and ¾.
Once outside Harry started walking, knowing Moody would make himself known sooner or later. He was just passing an alley next to Kings Cross when he heard a cough and saw Moody waiting for him.
"Come on, let's get you to headquarters and we'll talk about our summer plans, eh?" Moody said, grabbing Harry's arm in order to apparate.
Before Harry could even answer the older man, he felt the sudden tight, squeezing sensation of being apparated and looked up to see the front door of Number 12, Grimmauld Place.
"Ok, we established last summer that Sirius left the house to you, however, I need you to reset the wards to follow your commands. I had a talk with Sirius once and he said that you'd know what to do if this situation ever came up. Wanted me to tell you to put your hand on the door, take out your wand, and think of the map. Whatever that means."
Harry knew exactly what it meant, so after he used Muffliato to make sure Moody couldn't hear, he took his wand out, laid his hand flat on the door, and tapped it while saying "I, Harry, son of Prongs, Godson of Padfoot, and known as Pronglet, do solemnly swear that I am up to no good and claim this house so that mischief may be managed."
Knowing that he had gotten it right, Harry felt the wards change and accept him. He canceled the Muffliato on Moody, who was looking slightly impressed, and said "Well we're in, I'll have to find out how to add people to the wards, maybe Remus will know when he gets here."
Walking inside the house, Harry was immediately assaulted with memories from his summer here before fifth year. He had come to terms with his godfather's death in the past year, but being in the one place that they had ever spent a significant amount of time together was hard to take in.
Moody had moved down the hall while Harry was looking around and letting the memories play out, not hearing the front door open, he was startled to feel a strong hand squeezing his shoulder in support. Moony knew exactly how he was feeling, having felt that way a few times since his best friend's death.
Harry left his trunk in the hallway and let Hedwig out of her cage before he joined Moody, Tonks, and Remus in the kitchen. Pulling up a chair and reaching for the butterbeer that was obviously set out for him, he sat down and waited for instructions on what he'd be doing this summer.
Moody looked at his companions and decided to lay his plan out on the table.
"Alright Potter, I know you're wondering what you've gotten yourself into, so here is the plan. You'll spend the next two months working through the seventh year curriculum for Hogwarts with myself, Tonks, and Remus. We'd like to get you up to speed since you most likely won't be returning to school for your seventh year. The month of September you'll spend going through basic auror training with me and Tonks, after you've passed your NEWTS.
Normally it takes a year to study for the darn things, but nobody said this would be easy. Full auror training takes three years, but without competing with a class and also with your background, I think you'll have the basics down in a month. Next, you'll spend time with Bill Weasley learning about wards while continuing on with your auror training.
I hope to put you through an auror level test by the end of October, at which point an old friend of mine should be able to join us for some muggle type training. He's a military man and will be able to teach you how to use a gun and some other techniques you'll need to win this war.
After that, I'd like you to consider a proposal. You'll be closer to the strength you'll need to defeat Voldemort by the end of the year, but I'd like you to consider joining up with the British military. MI6 is one of the most prestigious military branches in the world and training with them will only help you.
I know Albus gave you a mission, and he wanted to keep it a secret, but if there is a way we can help you out, the three of us and Bill are willing to take any oath of secrecy you need. I don't know what Dumbledore was thinking having you only share information with Granger and Weasley. Granger is smart, yes, but has no real life experience and books can only get you so far. Weasley has no motivation and has been sheltered his whole life by his mother. They're good kids but have no real hope of helping you if this mission is anywhere as complex as I think it is."
Harry sat in silence for a few moments; trying to absorb the information he'd been given. Getting his NEWTS out of the way would be good, auror training is what he'd been expecting, warding would be interesting and a good skill to have, using a gun, well, he'd never considered that option, but who's to say Voldemort couldn't be shot and killed or at least injured enough. He could be far away for that too, which was a bonus.
As for Moody's offer to join MI6, he'd never considered it before but had always admired the men he saw in uniform when he was wandering around during summers and when he was younger. He'd think on that some more later since he had months before it was even an issue.
As for sharing his mission, he saw the wisdom in what Moody was saying and couldn't help but agree. Dumbledore had wanted only himself, Ron, and Hermione to know the mission, but Dumbledore was dead due to his own misguided trust. Harry didn't want to end up like Dumbledore in any way, so at that moment he made the decision to start taking responsibility for his own life. He trusted Moody, Tonks, Remus, and Bill completely so decided to get help.
"Can we get Bill over here and then I'll explain the mission?" Harry asked, only wanting to go through this story once, knowing he'd have to relive his trip with Dumbledore to the cave, and most likely what happened afterwards.
Moody looked at Remus and nodded toward the fireplace. Understanding the auror's request, Remus floo called Bill and a few moments later he was stepping out of the fire.
After hugs were exchanged with Tonks and Harry, Bill sat down at the table and looked at each person, waiting for someone to explain what was going on.
"We've briefed Potter on his training schedule and he has decided to let us in on his mission from Dumbledore."
Harry watched Bill's eyes widen in surprise at this news, but then he nodded and waited for Harry to begin.
"Ok I guess I'll start with the lessons I had with the Headmaster this year. They weren't what I was expecting but hopefully they'll be helpful now that I understand what he wanted to achieve. Basically he showed me memories of people that had come in contact with Tom Riddle, or Voldemort if you didn't know that was his name. I can get into specifics later but basically a lot of it just showed how Tom liked to collect things and was a bully.
I didn't understand why Dumbledore would want me to learn this, until I got a specific memory from Professor Slughorn. Tom Riddle, as a student, tricked Slughorn into telling him what a horcrux was. Before I continue, do you guys know what a horcrux is?"
Harry looked at them, surprised that all four seemed to know exactly what he was talking about and while a bit disturbed, none of them showed a large reaction.
He looked quizzically at them; Dumbledore had said that horcruxes weren't very well known, how did all of them know?
Reading the question in his eyes, they all answered the unspoken thought.
"Aurors have to know how to identify dark objects like horcruxes, they aren't very common, but you wouldn't want to accidentally find yourself being possessed by one. There was actually one here in Grimmauld Place at one point that Sirius found and handed over to us for destruction." Tonks answered for herself and Moody.
"I have done a lot of research on defense against the dark arts, and for that, I also had to learn to identify different types of dark arts and be able to combat them." Remus added.
"I'm a curse breaker, we find a lot of…questionable items in tombs, and I've had run ins with more than one horcrux in my day. Although, the fact that Voldemort created one is a bit disconcerting. Explains how he came back though." Bill said and motioned for Harry to continue.
"Ok, well, in that case, you'll be horrified to know that Dumbledore suspected Voldemort of creating six horcruxes." Pausing to look at their shocked faces, Harry continued "We had a good idea of what some of the items were, but I'm not sure where they would be. I destroyed one horcrux my second year, a diary that I stabbed with a basilisk fang. Dumbledore destroyed a second horcrux that was a ring, that's what caused his hand to shrivel up although I never really got the story on how it did that. We were out retrieving another one the night he died." Harry paused to compose himself before continuing,
"We went to this cave and he had to cut his hand to get us through the wall. Then we walked around a lake until he sensed where the boat was. We finally ended up on a little island with a basin full of potion that you had to drink. You couldn't just pour it out but you also couldn't conjure water. Dumbledore insisted that he be the one to drink the potion and made me promise to make him finish it. I had to pour it into his mouth while he cried and relived his worst nightmare. He finally finished and I grabbed the horcrux, a locket, from the basin. Then I had to get him some water and found out the hard way that the lake was full of inferi.
They attacked but Dumbledore did a flame whip around our boat, we got back to the cave entrance and I apparated both of us back to Hogsmead where we saw the dark mark above the astronomy tower. We got brooms from Madame Rosmerta and flew up there, we didn't see anyone so he told me to go get Snape. I was about to leave when we heard a noise and he jinxed me. I was under my invisibility cloak and couldn't move or speak. I just watched as Malfoy chickened out and then Dumbledore pleaded with Snape, and then Snape killed him. You guys know the rest." Reliving that, Harry was trying to hold back his emotions.
Remus, wanting his cub to feel better, leaned over and tugged Harry into a warm hug to help him regain his composure. Instantly feeling his surrogate nephew relax into his arms and take a few deep breaths before squeezing him and pulling away.
Moody, meanwhile was thinking about one detail in Harry's story that stood out.
"Potter, did you say you had a horcrux with you?" He asked, wanting to make sure it was destroyed as quickly as possible.
"No, after all that the horcrux was a fake. It's right here actually, with a note from whoever figured out the secret first."
Harry pulled the locket from his pocket and opened it up, pulling out the note and reading it to the group.
"That locket looks exactly like the horcux Sirius found that we already destroyed." Moody said, wishing he had proof that the locket he had destroyed last year was Voldemort's.
"Sirius had a brother named Regulus Arcturus Black. RAB. And that goes with what Moody just said too. Looks like we've got 3 out of 6 horcruxes accounted for. That's a start. Any ideas what the others might be Harry?" Remus said, remembering the many times his friend had lamented that his brother was going the dark route.
"Yeah, Dumbledore seemed to think that Riddle was using important objects and places with some significance to him to hide them. He knew where Hufflepuff's cup was, and we both agreed that the snake was a good possibility. The last one we thought was maybe something of Ravenclaw's but the only thing she had was her lost diadem… which is lost obviously."
Everyone looked thoughtful for a few minutes before Bill broke the silence.
"Well Harry, I know Dumbledore gave you this task to have my little brother and Hermione help you, but honestly, the goblins are pros at this stuff. Tracking down artifacts that are goblin made, like the lost diadem and the cup is right up their alley because they believe that goblin-made items are to be returned to the goblins after the initial purchaser dies. They can also destroy the horcruxes with their own type of magic. I honestly think this is your best bet to find the damn things, but you'll have to go through the process of asking the goblins for help. I may be a respected employee, but for this type of thing it'll look better coming from a high profile customer like the heir to the Potter and Black lines."
"What do you mean I'm a high profile customer? I know Sirius had some money, but I only just have my one vault and I don't even know if there's much left in it." Harry said, confused.
Remus decided to fill in the gaps that everyone had assumed Dumbledore had taken care of.
"Harry, the Potter's were a fairly wealthy old family. You know that the Blacks are an Ancient and Noble House, the Potters are too. Basically since Sirius named you his heir, you will have seats on the Wizengamot if you so choose when you are of age, and you have more than just your trust vault. I knew your parents very well and know that they would have left something much more personal in your vault than just money. You can talk to the goblins about access to the family vault while you're talking about the horcruxes. I wouldn't suggest going to the Black family vault unless you have Bill with you to run interference with any cursed objects."
"Wow, ok, well I guess we can go to the bank tomorrow then. What's our training schedule Professor?" Harry asked, looking at Moody.
"No 'Professor' just call me Mad-Eye or Moody. I want you up and ready by six, including breakfast. You can't really run outside, so we've set up a whole training center down in the basement. You'll run laps and then we'll duel so I can see your levels. Some conditioning and exercise and then you'll get to clean up and eat lunch. After that, you'll go talk to the goblins and then go to the eye healer. My personal healer will be coming to visit you tomorrow night to see if there's any way we can reverse some of the damage the Dursleys did to you. After dinner you'll meet with Remus and then do some more exercises before bed. Sleep, wake up, repeat." Moody said, watching for Harry's reaction.
Harry was a bit overwhelmed but knew most of the stuff would help in the long run.
"Well then, it's getting late and I need to get to bed. Bill, will you be going to Gringott's with me tomorrow?" At the nod from his friend he continued, "Alright then, I will see you all tomorrow."
He hugged Tonks once more, and headed up the stairs to his room, already wondering what the heck he had gotten himself into.