"It's the circle of life, and it moves us all, through despair and hope, through faith and love, 'till we find our place, on the path unwinding." - Elton John
May 11th, 1992
Harry was covered in dust. For the past month the group had pillaged the room of requirement nearly every day. They had decided to comb through the room in a methodical way. Starting from the entrance they would concentrate on the right half of the room then work their way back until every treasure was found. The decision was made after Harry had picked up a tarnished tiara, and for some inexplicable reason, put the thing on his head.
April 21st, 1992
"Oh, look a crown." Harry exclaimed.
Tonks looked up after inspecting a photo album from the early 1600s and cautioned; "Thats a tiara, and Harry be careful just grabbing things. You don't know what could be cursed. Use the detection charm I taught you before picking anything up."
Harry for his part wasn't listening. He felt drawn to the item, it called to him, it told him to put it on. "What could go wrong?" He thought. As it would turn out, a lot could go wrong.
April 22nd, 1992
Harry opened his eyes slowly, then shut them quickly. Letting out a pitiful groan he sat up in his bed. No, not his bed, a hospital bed. The same bed he had been in 2 months previously.
"What happened?" He croaked out.
"You, Mr Potter, have gone and gotten yourself hurt again." The schools Medi-witch replied.
"Huh. How did I manage that?"
"You put a cursed item on your head, and it tried to possess you." Tonks called from the hospital entrance. Walking closer she looked at him worriedly. "Will he be alright madam Pomfrey?"
"He'll survive. His scar is enflamed again though. It had just started to look like it was finally healing again after his last visit." Directing her question to Harry she said, "do you feel any different Mr Potter?"
"No, not really. I feel like I always have. For the last month or so I had been feeling lighter, but I just thought that was from you taking a shard of glass out of my head."
"Well, I'm not sure what happened then. The tiara you found had traces of dark magic, but it showed up as no longer being cursed."
May 11th, 1992
Harry was levitating a money pouch out from a trunk when Tonks came up behind him.
"What did you find?"
"A money pouch. Hopefully this one has actual money in it." he replied.
The last few coin pouches they had found were disappointingly empty. They had collected some 200 galleons, 350 sickles, and a whopping 1270 knuts to date. Opening the pouch and up ending it, 5 galleons and 7 sickles clattered on the ground. "Cool." They said simultaneously.
"How's your scar feeling?"
"It's only given me one headache since April so it's not too bad." Harry answered.
"Well, I'm glad you're okay. That was pretty scarry. When you put the tiara on, your eyes glowed red and then a pained screech echoed around the room. Then you just fainted. We rushed you to the hospital wing and Professor Flitwick took the tiara away to study. I still can't believe we each received 100 house points a day later."
"Oh yeah. It turns out that it was the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. That's why we received all those points. It's also why we don't have a house ghost anymore." Harry's smile turned into a frown.
"I guess she was just stuck here until someone found the diadem. That or cleansed it." Tonks pondered.
"Yeah, I guess. Hey, do you know a guy named Arty Black?"
Tonks took a minute to think then said, "do you mean Arcturus Black?"
"Yeah, that's the guy."
"Then yes, I know who that is. He is the head of the house of Black. My mother's old house. Why do you ask?"
"He sent me a letter last week demanding that I take up my role as the heir to house Black. He also ranted a lot about the stupidity of some guy named Sirius and how he didn't want the house to fall to a half blood or a Malfoy."
"Oh, dear god." Tonks' hair had changed from a curious yellow shade, back to a bright pink, and then to a shade that could only be charitably described as baby shit green. "Did you write him back?"
"Yeah. I might not have been the most eloquent in my response, but I didn't appreciate being called a lowly half-blood. I also took exception to being compared in any way to a Malfoy. For fucks sake the little ponce didn't have eyebrows for 2 months. Even now they are all patchy and sad looking." an involuntary shiver ran up both of their spines.
"Harry." Tonks stopped for a second to gather her thoughts before continuing; "You need to be careful. Lord Black is a powerful man in our society. He could make things very difficult for you."
"Tonks. I'm not afraid to hit an old man. I've done it before, and I'll most likely do it again. The elderly are not to be feared. They have bad bones and stuff. In Little-Whinging there was a guy just down the street from my house who would yell at every kid that walked by. One day he was doing some gardening in his front lawn, and he decided it would be a good idea to yell at me and wave his gardening shears around, so I pushed him into a bush. It was easy. I barely had to slow down during my morning jog."
Tonks looked at him strangely. "What was he yelling at you for?"
"I don't know." Harry shrugged. "I had my headphones on and was listening to music on my Walkman."
"Harry he was probably just saying good morning and didn't put the shears down while he waved at you. I think you probably just misread the situation."
"Thats not the point of the story. The point of the story is hitting old people is easy."
Deciding that it was better to refocus the conversation to the important bit, Tonks asked; "how rude were you in your reply?"
"I may have suggested that he go bugger a magical dust bunny."
"That's not too bad..."
"I also said that if he wanted me to take up the heirship he would have to come to the school and make me."
"Well now you're just inviting a confrontation."
"I may have mentioned that I knew someone that would burn down his house for me, but that he would have to wait for that privilege because he wasn't important enough to warrant a rush job."
"Harry."
"A job, by the way, that you still have yet to complete."
Tonks closed her eyes and took a few deep calming breaths before focusing on the oblivious boy who was now leaning over a desk in an attempt to snag an old hat. Fed up with the first year's shenanigans, Tonks bent down and lifted his legs up causing Harry to topple over the desk he was laying across.
"Hey!" Harry cried out.
"I swear to Merlin if you drag me into your problems with Lord Black, I will end you."
Rising from his previously crumpled up position on the floor, Harry said; "Don't get your panties in a twist."
"My mother was disowned and tossed out of the house for getting Pregnant with me and marrying my father... my muggleborn father. Damnit Harry. You don't understand. Arcturus Black is old school. My mother was lucky that's all he did. Many dark families would rather kill their own family members rather than deal with the disgrace."
Harry wrapped an arm around the currently, red headed teens shoulder. "Tonks. It's fine. If he does come here, I'll just do what's worked before... I'll lead him to Fluffys' room."
"Harry. Fluffy isn't in the school anymore. After Quirrell lost his arm and the second troll got eaten, the faculty forced Dumbledore to get it out of the castle."
"Wait I don't have a Cerberus at my disposal anymore?"
"No." Tonks gave him an incredulous look.
"Well shit. There goes plans A to C. I guess I'll have to lead him past a bush or something."
May 12th, 1992
Harry was sitting down for breakfast with Tonks when he was approached by Professor Flitwick. "Mr Potter, please follow me to the reception chamber."
"Can Tonks come too?"
Looking up from her freshly filled breakfast plate Tonks asked, "why would I come?"
Exasperated, Harry replied. "You're my partner in crime. How many times do I need to tell you that we may need to actually commit a crime for it to be a fact?"
"Ms Tonks may accompany you. She is 17 and therefore an adult. I will also be staying as your head of house to ensure you have legal representation."
"Legal representation? Am I being sued?"
"Not that I know of. As a minor you cannot make unilateral decisions about your wellbeing without an adult's permission."
"Harry what are you dragging me into?" Tonks asked, looking more concerned with every question Professor Flitwick answered.
"Just remember Tonks, there's no crime if there's no body." Harry chirped.
"Thats not even remotely true. How have you not been sent to jail yet? You don't seem to comprehend even basic laws?
May 12th, 1992
Arcturus Black was pacing Infront of the fireplace. He couldn't believe the gall, the audacity, the utter lack of respect. He was holding a crumpled letter in his hand and cursing under his breath.
"I'll skin the little bastard. I'll feed the little shit to a kneazle." His rant ended when he heard footsteps approaching.
"Right this way Mr Potter." Flitwick entered the chamber and proceeded to hold the door open. There was a shuffling sound accompanied with a quite unintelligible argument. Soon a woman with red hair came stumbling through the open door followed a moment later by a short black-haired male.
The charms professor rolled his eyes and approached Arcturus. "Lord Black, may I present to you Ms Tonks and Mr Potter." He motioned to each with an outstretched hand and said, "Ms Tonks is here at the request of Mr Potter. I trust you have no problem with this?"
Arcturus huffed. "Your Andromeda's girl, aren't you? What business is it of yours to be here?"
Before Tonks could tell the ancient Lord that she, in fact, did not want to be here; Harry spoke up.
"I need her to be present in the event that I find it necessary to threaten you. You should know that I have ways to get around the underage magic laws."
Tonks whose hair was previously an angry red, flashed to white, then back to an even darker shade of red. "Now hold on a minute."
"Yes, your threat of releasing flaming magical dust bunnies into my home to set it ablaze was a new one to me. I think you would find it rather difficult to find my house in the first place, however, in the event you did find my home you would find that I have very good fire suppression wards."
Harry looked at the old man with a gimlet eye. He had a hard face, high cheek bones, grey hair, grey eyes, and a trimmed beard. He looked to be in his late 60's, early 70's. He held an upright posture with squared shoulders and his face held a stern expression. Harry answered, "touché."
Not wanting to waste any more time Arcturus got to the point. "I need an heir. Your dumbass of a godfather named you his heir just before getting himself locked away, therefor, you are now my heir."
"I didn't know I had a godfather, let alone who it is. I've been warned about old men offering me candy. My uncle always said that if offered I should take it. I usually do the opposite of what ever he tells me to do so no, stranger danger and all that."
"Listen here boy. I will not have my house fall into the hands of the Malfoys."
"Then kill them and give it to the next in line."
"Thats why you would make the perfect Lord Black!"
"Because I suggested murder?"
"No, but the fact you even floated the idea means that you aren't a pussy."
"Look. You would have to pay me a shit tonne of money to even consider it. I'm 11. I don't give a fuck about politics and I'm more likely to run your house into the ground then save it."
"I'm not dead yet. You would be learning how to run the family businesses not actually run them. You would also inherit a fortune..."
Harry was looking increasingly bored by the conversation, that is until he heard that there was a fortune. "I'm listening."
"The Blacks are among the richest families in England. You could inherit that wealth."
"What's the catch? There's always a catch."
"The Potter family would be folded into the Blacks, and you would be known as a Black from then on."
"No deal. I doubt my murdered parents would be happy with me forsaking the family name for a bit of gold. Why don't you use Tonks? Your related, aren't you? It would make a hell of a lot more sense than having me change my name."
"Shut up Harry." Tonks who had taken a seat next to the Professor spoke up. "My mother was disowned because she fell in love with someone the family didn't approve of."
Arcturus cut in. "Your mother was disowned for getting pregnant before she was married and running away from, and breaking, a betrothal contract that her parents had signed on behalf of the house of Black. The fact that she married someone so far beneath her station was just the public reason we went with."
Rolling her eyes Tonks said, "right because that makes it better. She totally should have married her second cousin all so her shitty parents could get some money."
"Point!" Harry chirped.
"Shut up boy." Arcturus stared him down. After ensuring compliance, he turned his head back to Tonks "You've got a smart mouth just like your mother and a metamorphmagus hasn't been seen in the family for generations... Okay, that will have to do. I will go speak to your mother and bring you both back into the family. Merlin only knows it's getting smaller by the year." With those parting words and an errant goodbye wave to the professor, he went to the fireplace and floo'd away.
"Harry..."
"Yes Tonks?"
"What the actual fuck did you drag me into?"
"Language Ms Tonks... or I suppose it will be Ms Black" The professor chuckled.
"Well, I just got you a bunch of money and a title. I think my work here is done. You can pay me back by doing that thing we talked about. You're running out of time before the school year ends and I don't wish to have a home by the time the train arrives."
"Harry?"
Harry smirked. "Yes Ms Black?"
Harry didn't receive a verbal reply. He did, however, receive a punch to his forehead.
May 12th, 1992
A dark forest, somewhere in Albania.
The Albanian water frog. Pelophylax shqipericus, as it's known in scientific circles, was like many other frogs; it was waiting for its prey. This frog, however, was a little different. It had red eyes and a slight look of menace. It was watching a fly buzzing around the carcase of some animal that had died a few days previous. The fly, although it was unaware it was being watched, stayed just out of the frogs reach. That is until the wind picked up just enough to alter its intended flight path. The frog, sensing this was its chance, opened its mouth and got ready to launch its tongue. Waiting for the perfect moment, it shot.
It shot forward off the log it was sitting on, over the animal carcase, and landed in front of the vulture that was picking at the carcase. Within a matter of seconds, the frog was being eaten.
Just before the last flipper disappeared down the vulture's gullet a thick black smoke oozed from the dying creature. Coalescing into a spherical shape, the angry misty cloud hijacked the closest and easiest life form it could.
The common Horse fly. Tabanidae, as it's known in scientific circles, was like any other fly. This particular fly, however, was a little different. It had angry red eyes and a slight 'buzz' of menace.
Note: Yeah so...Harry's a horcrux again...
