The air in his lungs were fire and brimstone, the very core of his pain and suffering. He pressed on, breathing in and out the fire in his throat as he plunged onward, swinging the sword of Gryffindor at the heads of the werewolves charging him.
One head … Two heads ... Three heads, four, all rolling away from him with tails of blood behind them. The owners of said heads slump to the ground in bloody fountains, their paws twitching and scratching at the tiled floor as their very life force drains outward from their necks. Their bodies shift, their bones clicking and clacking quietly amongst the screams as they return to their human forms. Harry let out a small angry hiss when he spotted the scarred flesh above their elbows. They were all Fenrir Greyback's dogs, those who could change at will.
Shadows played around him, blurring out the vision that was the nearly destroyed Ministry Atrium. Where was Voldemort? Where was the coward that started this?
"Harry!"
Harry shot up from his prone position on the floor, his teeth bared and his muscles tensed to fight. Screams echoed in his ears, the sounds of falling debris and curses zooming by his head in loud hisses and crashes.
"Harry?" asked Hermione uncertainly, looking as if she was about to start backing away from him.
Harry blinked harshly and shook his head, shaking away the memories of that night that were clinging to him. He gave Hermione a small quaky smile and forced his stiff limbs to move, "Yeah, Hermione? What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, standing and stretching his achy bones.
"I just thought that you'd like some breakfast, and you can't have been comfortable lying there on the floor like that," said Hermione quietly, her brown eyes watching him worriedly as he stretched the bones in his back. "Harry, are you alright?"
"I'm absolutely fine," groaned Harry, listening to the satisfying cracks of the vertebrae in his back. "What time is it?" he asked, sighing in relief as the pressure in his bones and muscles ran away from him.
She looked doubtfully at him, but took his change of subject willingly, as she was almost as awkward when discussing her emotions as he was. "It's seven-thirty," she replied, leaning around him to look at the small clock on the mantelpiece, "well, seven forty-five, if you want to be specific." she said cheekily.
He rolled his eyes mirthfully and walked out of the parlor, gesturing her ahead of him politely and following her to the kitchen, "Was I really there all night?" he asked, cracking his sore neck and rubbing at the tight spots that were sat there. The least anyone could have done was give him a pillow, or a bloody blanket. Even if he was creature, no one knew what he was, so they couldn't exactly think that he was a human heater, now could they?
Hermione looked at him sympathetically and nodded, "Yes, we figured that you'd had a rough few weeks at the Dursley's and deserved a quiet night, you looked so comfortable just lying there in front of the fire, no one wanted to disturb you, least of all Mrs Weasley, so we decided to leave you be." she said, a small pensive frown shaping her lovely face.
Harry cast her a glance, "It wasn't that bad there this summer, I didn't have to do as much as before because of my injuries, and they'd somewhat respected me enough to hold their tongues if I said something odd. I can't really complain about this stay. They fed me and allowed me my things, and in turn, I left them alone and helped around the house," he said firmly.
"It shouldn't have to be like that, they should have done more than that, you shouldn't have had to clean and work when you were injured so badly," said Hermione pressingly, her face drawing a picture of concern and righteous anger on behalf of himself. "How can they be so cruel to their nephew; the last living relative they have on the Evans side of the family?" she asked angrily.
"Calm down 'Mione," said Harry calmly, touching her shoulder gently, "I won't have to go back there for anything other than to collect my remaining possessions, as soon as Moony finds that house I envisioned we can go and live there."
"Then you'll be free of them," exhaled Hermione, nodding and reaching down to pet his hand, before she looked him in the eye with a guarded expression. "I understand now, but I don't particularly agree with it. I think you should take them to court." she said, turning to him determinedly and crossing her arms across her chest.
Harry gawked at her, his eyes bugging out as the image of his sniveling relatives all standing before the 'almighty' Wizengamot came to mind. He shook his head fiercely at the idea immediately, "No," he said firmly, "I'm not doing no such thing Hermione. Have you gone completely bonkers in the last five seconds? If you haven't realized, they're M-U-G-G-L-E-S, they don't know about Wizarding laws and as such, would not survive even facing the Wizarding courts -"
"I'm not talking about the Wizengamot, Harry! I'm talking about the Muggle law! Taking Muggles to the Wizengamot wouldn't help anything, if anything it would merely release to the press and to the high courts that you were abused and neglected as a child. No, I'm saying go to the Muggle police and file them down as child abusers, go through the proper channels and exact revenge on them through the one place they least expect! The Muggle court!" said Hermione rapidly, her lovely face lighting up in determination and excitement, the excitement that was shown when she was in her element.
Harry was astounded. He didn't know where all of this was coming from, sure he'd had a few rants about the Dursley's treatment of him, a very condensed account of what actually happened as he didn't want them to know about their vile treatment of him, though he had blurted out some things, like him living in a cupboard for nearly eleven years, and the teasing that he had had to endure with food. But he had never stated anything about violence in the Dursley home in any of those rants, he'd said nothing and showed them nothing, no bruises and definitely no cuts. He'd accidentally glamoured them or healed them 'without knowing'.
Again, Harry shook his head at his friend and rejected the idea, "No Hermione," he said firmly, not allowing himself to be swayed by even half of the hope and anger rising inside his chest, "there's no point in even trying, there's no records of their treatment and even if I did take them to court, it would all be for nothing but petty anger." he said, rushing into the slightly busy kitchen before Hermione could say anything more on the topic.
"Good morning Harry dear!" cried Molly Weasley, kissing him firmly on the cheek and straightening his shirt single-handedly. "Did you sleep well? I apologize for leaving you there in front of the fire dear, but I just couldn't bring myself to wake you when you looked so angelic and peaceful! Oh, you must have so many cricks in your neck! Here, why don't you sit down and I'll be around in a minute to sort you out!" she said rapidly, pushing him into an empty seat and bustling about the cooking stove again.
Harry sat down with a gentle thump and blinked in surprise when Mrs Weasley immediately slid a few sizzling strips of bacon and hot sausages onto his plate, kissing him on the head and levitating the pumpkin juice to pour him a cup in quick succession. His mouth watered at the delicious sight the meal in front of him made, and he immediately dug in, ignoring how hot it was as it slid down his throat.
"Wotcher Harry!" greeted Tonks merrily as she sat down at the table, fresh faced and ready for some greasy English breakfast, courtesy of Molly Weasley.
"Mornin' Tonks!" replied Harry, after having swallowed what he'd had in his mouth, he didn't say anything else or reply to the cheerful greeting Arthur Weasley made in passing as he'd found himself ravenous. He cleaned off his plate quickly, and smiled at the feeling of good food in his stomach. "How's little Tonks doin' this morning?" he asked when he knew his mouth was empty of food that might accidentally fly out to meet her, a grin on his lips.
Tonks chuckled and waved him off, "Oh, he's fine Harry, he missed you for sure though. Wouldn't stop saying 'Harr!' all night, even when I put him down to sleep!" she said, deeply amused at her sons behavior and deep affection for Harry.
Harry chuckled as well, ignoring how alien it sounded even to his own ears, and sipped on the fresh pumpkin juice in his goblet, "I missed him too, I can't wait to see and hold him properly, I can't believe how long it's been since I've seen him. Last time I saw him, he was barely keeping his eyes open for five minutes," he said fondly, an affectionate smile curling his lips.
"And now he doesn't sleep and won't stop talking," said Tonks in amusement, before shaking her head and ruffling her short hair -which was an awesome kick-ass green today-. "Remus just can't seem to get a handle on calming Teddy like I can, he just makes Teddy talk more when he's supposed to be sleeping. How he can't just make Teddy fall asleep is beyond me!" she said, exaggeratedly groaning.
Harry grinned and sat back in his seat comfortably, "Well there's a reason for it, I can assure you. Teddy finds you most calming because he's a lot like you, but with Remus, it's like he's with someone completely new and adventurous, someone to study and compare to himself," he said.
Tonks' eyebrows raised and her smile widened, "Really? Is that what Teddy thinks of his Daddy?" she asked, her tone light and curious.
Harry shrugged lightly, "Well, I'm no baby expert but ..." he trailed off pointedly, smiling deviously at her slightly pleading look. He rolled his eyes when her lips morphed into a pout, "Teddy's a lot like his mother, stumbling feet, sarcastic humor, intelligence and all. That's all I've got to say." he said, downing the rest of his pumpkin juice in one go so he wouldn't have to answer any questions Tonks would aim his way. But he needn't have had to, as Molly once again saved the day.
"Here you are, eat up now, we've got a long day ahead of us!" said Molly Weasley, sliding more food onto Harry and Tonks' empty plates and urging them to eat with a flutter of her hands. "Ronald Weasley! You put down your brother's sausage and eat your own, right this instant young man!" snapped Molly, bustling around the table to where Harry assumed Ron was hiding.
He and Tonks shared large grins at Ron's misfortune, before digging into the piping hot food on their plates.
Even though the food burnt Tonks' tongue, she still continued to eat, fascinated by the graceful yet ravenous way Harry sliced and mangled his food. She wasn't sure if Harry even realized the calculated strokes his knife made in the sausages and eggs, but she was sure that this was an acquired habit. The Harry she'd seen and watched, was clumsy and quiet, if a bit like her personality wise.
But this Harry was different, he was all kinds of graceful and elegant, far more so than many pureblood families that she'd been given the task of watching over on her Auror cases. He didn't stumble, he didn't pretend and he didn't hide. He was beautiful, open, he radiated calm and poise like a tree does air.
"So where are we going today?" asked Harry, his fork halting before his face loaded with a mixture of sausage and eggs, his large green eyes flashed curiously in her direction.
Tonks exhaled lightly, attempting to keep her heart in the beat, "We're going to Diagon Alley, you need to visit Gringott's to gather your inheritances and we need to buy a few things." she said lightly, smiling at the accepting look on his face as his mouth was too full of food to reply.
The only thing that hasn't changed about him, is his honest and trusting nature. And she didn't know if that was a good thing or not.
Diagon Alley was as busy and full as it was before any and all mention of Voldemort and Death Eaters, Harry decided as he was jostled by an elderly wizard with his arms full of small tiny bags. He didn't know if it was a good idea for him to be out here, especially as everyone was still banging on about him being their savior and all, being their almighty 'protector' that could not die. He was still hounded by Rita Skeeter, even after Hermione and Ron had threatened her with the legalities of her being an unregistered Animagus.
So far Harry hadn't been hounded, or recognized, and he put it down to his new clothes and body. He was five foot nine now, which he still found lovely compared to his old height of five foot five, and his designer clothes and robes. He'd been given dark cotton robes that clung to his curvy figure and accentuated his waist, and a pair of dark dragon hide boots that were Sirius' when he was younger. But before he'd been allowed to leave, Mrs Weasley had snagged him and sat him down on a low stool and styled his hair so that it wasn't always in his face.
In fact, he thought it made him look more ... Elfish. Like an Elf from one of those 'Lord of the Rings' movies that Dudley had always liked watching, regardless if some of it was almost like the Wizarding world.
She'd tied back his hair using the sections of hair just in front and above his ears, leaving only two small sections to dangle over his shoulders and onto his front, and tied back the rest of his hair using the first two sections, meeting them at the back of his head and plaiting it. He honestly didn't care what he looked like to someone else, but he'd had to admit that it looked quite good and slightly natural on him. Almost like he himself was an Elf.
"Alright partner, let's head to Gringott's!" said Tonks, sliding her arm into the crook of his left elbow and leading him towards the large building in front of them.
So it turned out that Remus and Sirius hadn't been able to come with them, what with the fact that Sirius was very much still a wanted murderer and Remus was still a 'dangerous' werewolf. So that left Tonks, Molly, Arthur, Ron, Fred and George, Ginny, Hermione, Charlie and Bill to take Harry around Diagon Alley. Though that should have been enough people for Harry, he missed the company of Sirius the most. He couldn't wait for the day where Sirius was exonerated.
Tonks led him into Gringott's with a small grin, tugging him away from the flow of the people and more towards one of the Goblins. Harry still hadn't quite gotten used to the sight of the tiny creatures, seeing as he'd had hardly no need to come here at all, but he took the obligatory glares in his stride and stood tall beside Tonks, his right hand coming to rest on her small elbow comfortingly.
The nasty looking young Goblin they arrived at didn't so much as speak, as outright demand, "What do you want?" in a nasty high pitched voice, glaring at them from over tiny half mooned spectacles that looked small enough to belong to a doll, but long enough to fit around the Goblin's squashed head.
"Harry Potter is here to claim his inheritance and birthright," said Tonks professionally, ignoring the sharp glare turned her way from the tiny creature.
The Goblin sneered at him then, his nasty little face scrunching up like a balled up map that Harry couldn't help but want to throw out, "Identification," snapped the Goblin. "and I don't mean a key." he added harshly to Tonks, whom had immediately reached into her coat pocket to pluck out the key.
Harry calmly reached into his robe pocket when Tonks gave him a small worried frown, and deposited the large scroll that contained all of his inheritances on the desk in front of the Goblin. He winked down at Tonks smugly, "I knew you'd be forgetting something," he said teasingly as Tonks turned red in the cheeks. She elbowed him lightly in the waist and stomped on his left foot when the Goblin began examining the parchment, smiling in satisfaction when Harry let out a small exaggerated 'ow', if anything than just to please her.
"Mmmm, yes," said the Goblin suddenly, his face erasing all negative emotions as he skimmed through the inheritance papers. "yes, I see," he said quietly to himself, before laying the last parchment down and looking up at Harry with a somewhat regal nod, "Mister Potter, Ragnok Scull-crusher will be waiting to see you in a short moment, Rulleck will lead you to his office. Congratulations on your inheritance. May your gold be prosperous and your enemies defeated." said the tiny ill-tempered Goblin humbly, bowing at what Harry guessed was his waist and hurriedly rolling up the parchment again.
"Thank you," said Harry immediately, also bowing at the waist, "may your gold be prosperous and your enemies defeated." he said, as if naturally and knew he'd done something good when the Goblin nodded in acceptance. He could feel Tonks eyeing the side of his face curiously as the Goblin handed him his inheritance papers and gestured to the side of his desk, but Harry ignored her in favor of the tiny Goblin beside them.
"Follow me," said the Goblin in a surprisingly deep voice, turning on his tiny feet and waddling down a hallway behind the teller booths. Tonks and he followed at a sedate pace, having realized that the Goblin wasn't in a rush to get them to Ragnok Scull-crusher. Harry grimaced at the name then, knowing it was safe to do so in the dark hallway. He wouldn't ask Tonks about the names just yet, he didn't want to offend any little ears that may be listening in on them.
They turned left when it came to a four way intersection, and Rulleck led them slightly deeper, and upon the room becoming darker, lit a small lantern, much like the lantern Harry had seen the first time he'd come here. "Keep up please," said the Goblin, walking slightly faster down the hallway. Harry felt a small nudge of Deja Vu at that.
Harry knew that something was wrong when he felt Tonks begin to fall behind, it became clear why as she had lost her footing. He slowed down considerably, "You alright Tonks?" he asked.
"No -" she gasped, clutching at her side in a way that made him think that she'd been shot, "got a - got a stitch!" she panted, bending slightly.
Harry glanced ahead to see the Goblin nearly at the end of the hallway. He cursed the little creature inwardly, and pulled Tonks to a gentle halt and let her brace herself against him, her head resting on his shoulder, "Go -" gasped Tonks as she swallowed loudly. "Go ahead - I'll be - fine." she panted, slumping exhaustively against him.
Harry rolled his eyes at her selfless gesture and swung his arm under the backs of her knees, his other arm going behind her back. As if he'd leave her alone in this place. She let out a small shriek when her feet left the ground, but she didn't say anything as Harry had immediately set off at a fast pace, tracking the small and dim light of the long gone Goblin. He didn't need the light, but it was apparently freaking Tonks out the further they went. "It's too dark Harry, we'll trip and fall!" she said, panicking slightly, though thankfully she was only just short of breath now instead of outright panting.
What happened to all that Auror training?
"We're fine Tonks, I can see perfectly, I know where we're going." said Harry soothingly, petting her arm with the hand around her shoulder. He felt and saw her move so that her head rested in the crook of his neck and her arms wrapped around her steadily growing belly protectively. He smiled softly, "I won't let anything happen to you Tonks." he promised.
His reply was a small exhausted grunt, but he still grinned and trekked on. The light from the Goblin's lamp was coming closer, and he realized why when he saw that the Goblin was stopped outside a large grey door and a slightly taller and older Goblin was standing beside him. He was more wrinkled and nastier looking than even the Goblin from the entrance, but Harry merely smiled apologetically and gestured down at Tonks with his head, "I apologize if we got lost, but your young Goblin here walks quite fast for a pregnant woman to match," he said, inwardly apologizing to Tonks for using her as an excuse.
Ragnok Scull-crusher inclined his head up at Harry, accepting the apology as he took in the sight of Tonks in his arms, his eyes resting on the arms cradling her slight bump protectively. "Very well, Mister Potter, I shall accept your tardiness for what it was, and leave it be, but know that I do not tolerate impolite company." said Ragnok coldly, his little eyes narrowing into small little beads of ice.
Well isn't he a ball of sunshine and rainbows? Thought Harry.
Harry inclined his head politely and nodded solemnly down at the serious Goblin before him, "I understand sir, I won't make this a habit." he promised.
Ragnok seemed to appreciate this, as he gave Harry a considering look and shooed the other Goblin away with a flick of his wrist. Rulleck left before his senior could become angry, and disappeared back down the hallway. Harry wondered if he'd be back to lead them back to the entrance. "What can I do for you today, Mister Potter?" asked Ragnok, opening the door that led to his office and entering before him. Fickle things, Goblin's, thought Harry as he followed the Goblin inside.
The desk he saw was cluttered with gems of all kinds, the sides encrusted with rubies and the quills sitting in their holders on the desktop gleaming with emeralds in the firelight. There were stacks of organised parchments everywhere, and Harry realized that this office was actually quite large. It was actually bigger than Mr Weasley's office in the Ministry, and that was almost sad.
"I wish to claim my inheritance, sir," said Harry, sinking down carefully into the large jewel encrusted seat in front of Ragnok's desk. Tonks snuffled in her sleep and curled into his body slightly when he sat. He cradled her more firmly against him and smiled apologetically up at the hard faced Goblin behind the desk.
"Identification?" asked Ragnok stiffly, his small beady eyes glinting in the fire light.
Careful not to wake Tonks, Harry pulled out the scroll of inheritances and placed it in front of the Goblin, watching carefully as Ragnok pulled the scroll apart and examined each page carefully, a long fingernail tapping rhythmically on the desktop. Ragnok suddenly looked up at him sharply, "You are a creature?" he asked.
Harry nodded softly, "I am, but I was hoping that you would be able to tell me what kind I am as there is almost no mention on any of those sheets." he said.
Ragnok sat forward in his seat then, the lines in his face becoming more pronounced, "My condolences for your parents, Mister Potter. It is a terrible business, death," he said, surprisingly softly, inclining his head towards a rather large stack of parchment almost hidden in the corner of the room, "especially for one who suffers the deaths of their parents, both of whom had something special to give." he said, a note of deep sorrow in his dark voice.
Harry inhaled deeply to calm down as a familiar itchiness and pressure built up in the back of his throat and eyes, "Thank you, sir," he said quietly, not quite trusting his voice to speak loudly, "did you know them well?" he asked almost soundlessly.
Ragnok watched him struggle to contain himself for a moment, waiting patiently for when Harry was calm enough to listen. At last, he said, "Yes, I knew Lily and James Potter from when they were newly wed, they were respectable and reliable clients who visited quite regularly, often to question me on James' creature blood." he said reminiscently.
"I didn't know my father was a creature," said Harry thoughtfully, grateful that his voice held strong. If his father was a creature, why didn't he tell Remus or Sirius? Was he something far more dangerous than a werewolf? Was he ashamed of what he was?
"I can see you have many questions, Mister Potter, but many of those I cannot answer," said Ragnok, almost apologetically. "however, I can answer your inquiry on what creature blood you took." he said, moving away from the taboo subject of Harry's parents and back into professionalism.
"Could you tell me after all the business with my family is done?" asked Harry politely, unsure whether he actually really did want to know what he was at that moment. What if his father was right to be ashamed of himself?
"Very well," said Ragnok, inclining his head again, he snapped his fingers commandingly and several things happened at once. A large silver box appeared on the desktop in front of the Goblin, a small ring box appeared beside that box and a long parchment adorned in deep blue ink settled itself beside the boxes. "This chest holds every key needed to unlock each house in the Potter and Evans lines, Mister Potter," he said, gesturing to the large silver box that looked near enough the side of a large jewelry box.
"I am assuming that you know what this box contains," said Ragnok in his deep voice, the tip of a fingernail resting lightly on the top of the ring box.
Harry nodded slowly, "The Potter ring," he said unsurely.
Ragnok inclined his head -something Harry had noticed him doing a lot, and wondered if the little Goblin was capable of even nodding at all-, "Correct, Mister Potter. It is the Potter ring, and it is something to be worn with pride and honor, something I think you have a lot of. But be warned, this is not something of the norm, Mister Potter," said Ragnok, a sudden frown taking up his face. "a family such as this has the heir wait until their majority, which is their seventeenth birthday, but as you have tasted the ash of death and met its very core, you have been allowed the chance to take up your fathers position as the Head of the Potter line.
"I am merely concerned, for there is a reason for that age restriction. Should you be foolish enough to squander the money your father and mother have passed on to you, I will take back the inheritance until it is fulfilled in all rights. I will not have your parents' money wasted by a foolish child who has caused death for one so evil, not even the law that has been upheld since its birth will ensnare their champion." sneered Ragnok, his face turning as ugly and dark as the shadows in the corner of the room.
Harry was tensed in his seat, his muscles coiled tight should the little Goblin attack him, before he inhaled deeply and relaxed forcefully in the seat. Ragnok would no sooner attack him than Tonks. He wiped away the look of outrage on his face and inclined his head respectfully, "With all due respect sir, I am no foolish child, I understand your protectiveness over my parents possessions, and I can assure you that no squandering and no hurt will come to anything that they had once possessed." he promised, his right hand coming to rest above his heart.
Ragnok merely inclined his head and pushed the long parchment forward, an emerald quill already atop it where he needed to sign. Before he signed it, he read through it and asked for a copy to keep for anyone he wished for to read it, which Ragnok then provided and left him to read. The contract before him merely stated that should he be unfit for carrying the ring of Potter, it would be stripped from him and locked away until he was ready to receive it again. It stated that for all intents and purposes, he was the Head of the Potter House.
Harry took up the quill with hardly any hesitance, and scrawled his signature on the bottom. It actually came out quite beautiful now that he looked at it, it must be another change from the creature inheritance though, because he knew that his old writing was far worse and looked more like chicken scratches than anything.
It flashed briefly, letting him know that it worked, and Ragnok slid the Potter ring box towards him. Inside the silver box, was a large ring encrusted with amethyst and emeralds all surrounding a large familiar crest that emblazoned a large sword, the hilt of the sword at the bottom of the ring. It was large and silver and sparkled whenever the shadows from the fire played over it.
"It will re-size itself to fit your finger when you put it on," said Ragnok assuredly when he caught Harry glancing from his slender fingers to the large ring.
Harry nodded and smiled his thanks and picked it up slowly and carefully. He frowned slightly, "Which finger does it go on?" he asked quietly.
"The ring finger on your right hand," answered Ragnok, gesturing to his right hand with a sort of amused look.
Harry nodded and smiled thankfully again, "Ah, thanks sir." he said, before carefully sliding the ring onto the slender ring finger on his right hand. A burst of magic filled him, all coming from the ring, and washed him in a sea of peace and content, filling him with its glow. It reminded him of many things all at once; a burst of cool air on a hot summers day, the feeling of cool rain dripping softly onto his heated skin, the feeling of floating on a lake of water, feeling the bubbles from down below tingle the skin on his arms and back as they rose.
"That would be the ring adjusting itself to fit you and your magic," said Ragnok, seeing Harry's look of pure shock and dazed questions on his face. The Goblin grinned when Harry nodded respectfully, yet again.
Ragnok didn't know why, but he could see a lot of Lily in the boy, perhaps it was the eyes that convinced him that Lily ruled him, or maybe it was the way he was always so courteous and showed proper decorum even when faced with an opponent he knew next to nothing about. He knew Lily would be proud of her son, and of what he's achieved.
"Would you like to know what you are now, Mister Potter?" asked Ragnok, an unsettling smile crossing the elderly Goblin's face.
"Oh my -! Did something happen?" asked Molly Weasley frantically upon seeing Harry carrying a slightly snoring Tonks.
Harry shook his head softly so that he wouldn't wake Tonks with the movement and nodded to Arthur Weasley, who was holding the Portkey that would take them back to Grimmauld Place. Arthur nodded back and held the slip of paper out, "Alright everyone, grab a hold of the Portkey or someone who is holding the Portkey." he said.
Molly gripped his forearm with a cheeky grin, and fastened her hold on a slightly disgusted Ginny, whom held onto Hermione, whom then was holding onto a red Ron and so on and so forth. Fred grinned mischievously at Harry and held out a hand to connect Harry and Tonks into the circle, whom didn't so much as snuffle in her sleep as her foot was grabbed onto by George.
"Ready, Forge?" asked Fred with a grin.
"Ready, Gred!" agreed George, whom nodded at his father and ducked his head.
Harry spread his legs slightly and bent his knees to cushion the fall, all the while tightening his arms around Tonks protectively just in case he fell when they landed. He really hadn't missed the feeling of going through a Portkey, the feeling of a hook pulling his navel, it really did tend to make him dizzy. Oh I hate Portkeys! Thought Harry miserably as they were all tugged through the Portkey and out into the parlor room of Grimmauld Place. Many landed on their bums though. Hermione, Ron, the twins, Ginny and Charlie all groaned from their places on the floor, while Arthur, Molly and Bill shook themselves of the experience.
Harry had landed -surprisingly- on his feet with Tonks barely stirring in his arms, and was met with a loud animalistic snarl. His eyes shot up to meet Remus' furious gold eyes and he immediately tensed into a protective stance, his arms turning Tonks away from Remus out of instinct.
"Remus, calm yourself!" snapped Harry, hissing and jumping back when Remus swiped at him with clawed hands. He hissed loudly again and vaulted himself over one of the settees, whirling around to bare his teeth and roar at Remus, who had begun to stalk him. Remus pulled up short when Harry roared again and arched his back, making himself as large and threatening as he could be.
Which was apparently threatening, as the wolf in Remus' eyes retreated and he inhaled and exhaled deeply with practiced ease. Everyone was silent in the room as Harry brought himself back to Earth with inhaling and exhaling every ten seconds. He relaxed and slumped back into comfort, bringing a still snoring Tonks to rest in front of him.
"Tonks is fine," said Harry calmly, ignoring the gobsmacked looks of his friends, "she was exhausted from having to chase after a fickle Goblin, and fell asleep on me after having let her catch her breath." he said pointedly to Remus, whom looked slightly ashamed and flushed.
Harry didn't bother with trying to tease him or push him any further, and laid Tonks down gently onto the settee in front of him, withdrawing immediately as Remus rushed to sniff and assure himself that Tonks was fine.
"What the bloody hell was that, Harry?" asked a pale faced Ron, his eyes wide as he took in Harry's still slightly huffy form.
Echoes of what Ron said came to him as well, and Harry shrugged carelessly, waving off what had just happened as if batting away a fly, "That was merely instinct, I'm fine, Tonks' fine and Remus is fine, that's all that matters." he said tiredly, taking himself to the fireplace and slumping down onto the floor with a small sigh of relief. A large crash of what sounded like money in a metal box brought everyone to look at Harry curiously and warily, even Remus and a slowly awakening Tonks.
"Damn keys," Harry cursed, burying his face into his hands.
"Harry?" asked Hermione, but Harry was too far gone to realize what she'd said as it came out as a warbled murmur, and he slowly drifted out into an exhausted sleep, his muscles and bones weary from having to sit so still in the Goblin's chair and to keep Tonks asleep, and then to be shot through what felt like a tiny worm hole, and then to jump about and around trying to protect himself and Tonks from a half wolf Remus. He was absolutely dead on his feet and too far gone to do anything about it.
However, instead of just leaving him there to sleep in front of the fire on a cold hard floor, Sirius levitated him with his wand as Harry was too big for him to support, and took him upstairs into what was assumed as Harry's room. After lowering Harry down into the soft welcoming bed, Sirius lit a fire in the large fireplace before the bed and kissed his Godson's forehead.
Sirius paused before leaving the room, his gaze going back to his beautiful Godson, "Sleep tight, pup." he said softly, charming the bed to alert him as to when Harry awoken and to remain warm, as he'd recently found out that Harry was drawn to everything warm.
He slid the door closed behind him with a small click, smiling slightly when he heard a muffled, "Night Padfoot." behind him.
Even though his Godson was a creature, he would treasure every moment he had with him forever. Harry was his everything, and he was sure that he was also Harry's everything. And that was good, because he was going to challenge Remus for the guardianship over Harry very soon, and he hoped that Harry would at least be on board with him.
He couldn't let Harry go, not again.