TheWickedTruth89 gets the virtual Christmas socks designed by Dobby for the 700th review. And I apologize for the long delays between updates. I sit idle almost all day, and yet the words don't flow. It's frustrating, really.
29. Truth
She sighed in frustration. These two seriously needed to come clear. Unfortunately, Susan didn't know how to approach Tonks about her feelings regarding Harry without feeling nosey and possibly over smart. Tonks was her friend, no doubt, but they had an age difference which meant she couldn't possibly pry the older girl about her love life, though Tonks had given her pointers for her new boyfriend Dean.
"Didn't she ever tell you anything about her past flings?" Harry asked with the tone of someone trying to grasp at straws. Susan grimaced.
"She did, but they were not good things, Harry. She only told me them to warn me about what type of boys to avoid and what type of boys to spray pepper or hex. Her experience in dating wasn't very pleasant, Harry. And she never told me about her feelings towards any guys. You have to do it yourself, it seems." She finished with an apologetic look.
"Don't worry Sue. I'll manage. I guess I already knew that if I wanted to I would have to do it myself, I was just trying for an easier way." Harry said sadly. He could imagine Dora's reaction if he actually did proclaim his undying love for her. She would say that she was too older for him, and that she didn't mean anything with their kisses and that he should look for someone who was better suited for him. She wouldn't want to hurt his feelings and say that he was just too young and that she wasn't interested and that she saw him just as a really good friend.
"Don't worry too much over it Harry. I know she means a lot to you, which is why I won't say that if she doesn't return your feelings you can try other girls. But it is true. If I know her, she will at least give you a chance, but if it doesn't work out you can still have her as a friend though it would be a bit awkward-"
"Susan you are rambling."
Susan blushed a bit and looked sheepish at an amused Harry.
"Sorry, it's just that I can't help you and I feel bad for that-"
"Don't feel bad. Actually you did help me. Now I know that I should do this myself if I have to. Don't worry about it."
Susan smiled.
...
"Are you sure we should do that?"
"What do you mean? You want to disobey an order?" the other asked irritably.
"No, of course not, but let's face it, what are the possibilities that we can actually pull it off?" the first one asked worriedly.
The other's face hardened in determination. He believed he could do it, whatever the other pathetic loser thought or said.
"You should've stayed home."
"Maybe I should have." He said worriedly as the other one threw him a look of disgust.
Silently, they entered the creepy cave and searched for a chain that would summon a boat. And they would then ride that boat to get to the middle of the green lake. Just like they were instructed to do.
...
"Can't say I'm surprised." Commented Sirius. "The way Voldemort is hell bent over catching you, I actually expected something like this. That doesn't give me any comfort, though."
Andromeda looked like she had a terrible headache and Tonks had a steely look. The only person who remained expressionless was Harry. Like Sirius, he expected this too. But unlike Sirius, he had inkling on what to do. The only sad thing was that he could not do magic outside school. And since the ministry wouldn't believe him, he had to tell everything to Sirius and Andromeda like he told Dora. He had to see if they were willing to do him some favours.
"We should destroy it." Andromeda suddenly said.
"Why? Destroying it wouldn't change anything." Sirius said regretfully.
"Not that. Voldemort would want it. From what we know, he doesn't know the full content of it, and we must not lose this advantage."
Considering his favourite cousin's words for a few seconds, Sirius nodded and pointed his wand at the crystal ball.
"REDUCTO!"
...
"Headmaster!"
Albus Dumbledore turned around at the panting man.
"Good evening, Arthur. Lemon Drops?" he offered a bowl to the redheaded man. He shook his head.
"No thanks. Listen, I was on guard duty from this afternoon and out of curiosity I went towards the you-know-what, and... it's gone!"
The old man's face changed from interest to worry in an instant.
"What? But... when did you realize this?" he asked urgently.
"A few minutes back."
"Who was on guard before you?"
"It was unguarded before that, Headmaster. The Unspeakables are there at that time. You told us that it wasn't necessary to guard it at that time."
"Yes yes, I do remember that. Thank you for notifying me right away. You can go home now." Albus politely waved at his door and Arthur Weasley excused himself from the room.
Closing the door behind Arthur, he sent a patronus to the Potions Master, telling him to meet him as soon as possible.
After a few moments, the displeased face of Severus Snape appeared in the room.
"I hope there is a very good reason why you called me here Headmaster as I was-"
"Severus, the prophecy is gone."
There was an awkward silence where Snape went from being indignant at being interrupted in his rant to being shocked. The Dark Lord would not leave his current residence to retrieve the Prophecy, as he clearly expressed that he planned to operate quietly for some time while the Ministry leads the people to a false sense of security. Then he would attack when they were most vulnerable. Just like the true heir of Slytherin.
"The Dark Lord wouldn't do that."
"But you said he wants it badly." Dumbledore tried to reason with him.
"Yes I said that. Through Potter, not by himself. He discovered that he shares a connection with that brat and he plans to use it to his advantage. Though he did mention that he was having troubles to find that connection recently."
"Maybe Andromeda is teaching him Occlumency." Dumbledore said hopefully.
"Oh please, the boy doesn't have any focus of mind to learn the art of Occlumency, much less to stop the Dark Lord." Snape said with a sneer.
"Severus, from what I have witnessed about Harry, if he is determined to do something, he will move mountains to achieve it. But unfortunately, the only time he is determined is when he feels threatened."
"Why don't we hold a few of his little friends hostage and get things done, then?" Snape asked with sarcasm.
"I am not willing to take that risk with someone who scares off dragons and sets fire to the wand of Lord Voldemort. If you want to try, be my guest."
Snape sneered.
...
The boy in question was having a hard time concentrating in the conversations. Tonks was filling Susan in with the information about the prophecy and the horcruxes. Getting a nod from Harry, she told her about Harry's 'first death', too. Harry trusted Susan with his life and he felt like he shouldn't hide something this important from his sister in all but blood.
But right now, Harry had other things in his mind. Tonks was wearing her tight leather jacket, which complimented her well developed breasts infuriatingly well. He was trying so hard to not let his eyes wander and he was sure that Susan threw him a knowing smirk or two.
"-but he didn't tell me how. Care to explain, Harry?" Tonks was asking him. Quickly, he pulled himself together and managed an eloquent "huh?"
Tonks rolled her eyes at him. "You can stare at my breasts later, Harry. I'm not going anywhere."
"Wha- I'm not... why on... your.." Harry spluttered, crimson in face. Susan giggled madly and he tried to glare indignantly at her.
"Yeah sure you weren't. You were just appreciating the fabric of my jacket. Now tell us how exactly do you know about the other horcruxes and their positions. Then you can go back to appreciating my jacket or whatever it is you were doing." She added the last part with a wink.
Ignoring it, Harry went into an explanation, glad for the subject change. "You know that Voldemort was bodiless from the night he attempted to kill me. Mum thinks that it is not possible for a mere spirit to create a horcrux. So I was the last horcrux he made up to that night at the graveyard.
"Now, every horcrux was once a piece of him. Which means the horcrux inside me knew everything he knew until he tried to kill me. Mum extracted information on the whereabouts and protections on the other horcruxes, and together with dad, they left some nasty surprises for old Tom if he goes on to check his horcruxes. And the best part is he can't create more horcruxes, as he already reached seven. Making more of them would literally tear him apart."
They sat in silence for a few moments as the girls thought through everything.
"Wow. You weren't kidding when you said this was dark stuff." Susan commented and Harry smiled dryly.
Later that day, after Susan was gone, an unexpected visitor came. Albus Dumbledore, in Harry's opinion, looked quite tensed. For once, he didn't go through his usual 'lemon drops, nice weather, greater good, I want the best for everyone, etc' crap. After quick greetings with everyone, he asked Harry if his scar hurt at all. When he replied negative, he asked if he was taking Occlumency lessons from Andromeda. Before he could reply, however, Andromeda told him that she was indeed giving him the lessons. Satisfied, Dumbledore requested Harry and Tonks for some privacy and talked with Sirius and Andromeda with some privacy charms on.
"Why do you think Andromeda lied about the lessons?" he asked Tonks once they were in his room. She shrugged.
"Beats me. There is probably a good reason, though."
Harry nodded absentmindedly. While he finally learnt restraint from staring at Tonks, he still was confused about his feelings towards the older girl. The Gryffindor in him urged him to go forward and proclaim his strong love towards her, but the other, rational part wanted to curl up and die in some remote place before he admitted that to her. Out of the corner of his eyes he watched as she twirled a few strands of violet hair in her fingers with a distracted look, her eyes out of focus. She looked so adorable like that!
A knock on the door shook them out of their thoughts, as Andromeda entered the room with a scowling Sirius trailing behind.
"What did he want?" Tonks asked her mother.
"He wanted to know if Harry knows anything about the Prophecy, because apparently the Order has been guarding it and they realized it isn't there."
"What's the order?" Harry asked and this time Sirius answered.
"The Order of the Phoenix is a secret group of wizards and witches led by Dumbledore whose motive is to fight Voldemort and his forces while the ministry is busy messing things up."
"Oh. Sounds cool. Who's in it?"
"I was, last time, along with your and Neville's parents. Many other people were there too. You already know Mad-Eye." He replied.
"Was mum there?" Tonks asked. Andromeda shook her head.
"No. I was invited, but I didn't join."
Thankfully, no one asked her why.
"Dumbledore wants my house." Sirius said, scowling again.
"He wants your house?" Tonks asked incredulously. Whatever the Headmaster was, he didn't look like a-
"Not like that! He asked me if he could use it as the Headquarter of the Order. That means it will be practically occupied all the time by someone of the Order. Jennifer wouldn't complain, but I know she won't be very happy about it either. Come to think of it, even I would be pissed if some strange bloke wanders around my house at odd times."
"Then say no." Harry said it like it was the most obvious answer and Andromeda nodded in agreement. Sirius sighed.
"I would have, but then he would give me these disappointed looks that I can't stand. He won't say it, but he has a way of making me feel that I am not taking the responsibility-"
"Well I think he did not carry out his own responsibility when you were thrown to Azkaban." Tonks interrupted loudly. "He didn't check if his precious Order member was actually guilty when he saw you in that hellhole. Why would you care if he is disappointed in you? You should be disappointed in him." She finished forcefully and Sirius looked thoughtful.
"Your daughter has a point, actually." He finally told Andromeda, who rolled her eyes.
"I've been trying to tell that to you for the last two years. Now my daughter has a point?"
Sirius had the manners to look sheepish. "Er... I guess I had to hear it from another mouth."
As Andromeda shook her head in amused exasperation, Harry asked her the question he had in mind.
"Andromeda, why did you say that you were giving me Occlumency lessons?"
"Oh that. Did you tell Dumbledore about your meeting with James and Lily?" she asked and he shook his head, indicating that he did not. "I think he suspects something. If you said your scar stopped hurting without any reason, he would get even more suspicious. And I don't trust the man to take that risk. You never know what he would do to make things go according to his plan."
"And what did you tell him about the Prophecy?" Tonks asked.
"Sirius tried to rub it in his crooked nose that we took it from the ministry without his Order having any clue." Andromeda said with a fond grin.
"Well, we did." Winked Sirius.
...
"What do you have to say, Lucius?" Voldemort asked the frail looking man in a high, cold voice.
"My Lord, the two Death Eaters that you sent was supposed to report back yesterday. None of them has returned yet and the surroundings are deserted as before."
"Very well." Replied Voldemort. He wasn't sure what that meant. Were the worthless recruits dragged under the lake by the inferi? Were there any other incidents? Or did they simply flee?
Lucius became hopeful at the absence of fury in his master's voice. Maybe the two new Death Eaters weren't meant to come back, which meant the mission was successful/ which meant that the Lord might be feeling merciful today-
"Crucio!"
Or maybe not.
...
It was almost painful. There she was, humming a tune that sounded familiar, looking at the dark sky through the open window, fingers strumming lightly on the chair she sat on. She looked carefree, content, and beautiful, he decided, watching her over the book he was supposed to be reading.
Go tell her!
But she will laugh at me.
No she won't. Worst of all, she will politely reject.
Not much of a comforting thought.
The voices in his head were battling endlessly. He couldn't decide if he wanted to put their friendship at stake and tell her everything, or to stay satisfied with what he had and try to bury his feelings deep inside. It was a big and risky gamble.
She looks cute when she bites her lips like that, he observed.
It tastes wonderful, too. He smiled, thinking of the time she kissed him.
Maybe she is waiting for you to take the first step. Maybe she likes you.
She came from the Auror Academy and she likes a four- fifteen year old schoolboy?
You mean a lot to her.
Yeah, as a friend.
Grow a pair!
Grow a brain!
He was having a headache with the voices arguing back and forth in his head and forced himself to look at the Arithmancy book he was holding.
William's Law states that if a caster puts strong, appropriate emotions behind a spell, the spell will be stronger. The Hulg Rune describes the relation between the effects of a spell and the emotion behind it. If the emotion is stronger...
My emotion is definitely stronger. Just look at her!
Exactly, look at her! Take your chance!
But she is older than me.
And your point is?
"Hey Dora." He called out, unable to bear it any longer. She was a bit startled.
"Hmph- yeah?"
Now what?
Tell her!
Are you mental?
Just do it.
But I am scared.
It is alright to be scared.
But I am a Gryffindor. Why am I scared?
Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is knowing that something else is more important than fear.
Oh great. My own brain is feeding me cheesy quotes.
"Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"You want so say something?" she asked him curiously, watching his panicked expression.
"Um..." he wasn't sure what to do, so he went closer to her. He didn't want to have this conversation in a loud volume.
"Harry are you alright?" she sounded worried.
Oh God she cares about me. What if this destroys our friendship?
It won't. Just say it.
He cleared his throat before speaking. It was very dry.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thing is... I want to tell you something. Can you promise not to laugh?" he blurted, and mentally kicked himself.
Real smooth.
"Okay. But if it is very funny, I just might." She said with a grin.
Oh Merlin she is beautiful.
"Your hair looks nice today."
Awkward silence followed.
"Um... thanks. But why would I want to laugh at that?" she asked, confused.
"Er... that's not what I wanted to say. What I actually want to say is that I think you are beautiful and I... I think I am in love with you."
There you go. End of the world.
Not yet.
She looked like someone petrified her. After twenty agonizing seconds, she let out a weak laugh.
"You... you are kidding, right?"
Harry managed not to wince. There you go, she actually laughed. He had half a mind to say he was actually kidding.
"No. I'm sorry Dora, I shouldn't have said it. You probably- hmmph!"
He was cut off mid sentence as he was tackled down with a ferocious kiss that took his breath away.
A/N: Review please?