The Thief of Hogwarts
By: Bluminous
A/N: I don't own Harry Potter
Chapter 20: Third year trauma
July 31, Marseilles, France
"How long do you think will he keep this up?"
Harry shrugged and glanced back at Fleur's cousins who were playing around with a fairly large black dog on the surf. The dog chased after the scantily clad veela, its tongue hanging halfway from its mouth.
"WOOF!"
"Your godfather's absolutely shameless." Fleur sniffed.
"Knowing Sirius, he'd keep this up for weeks if he could." Remus added. The three were inside the main house, keeping a close eye on the infamous Sirius Black through the window. Innocent or not, Julian was not sure about the man's state of mind and was adamant that someone keep an eye out for the escaped prisoner of Azkaban.
Sirius' animagus form was spotted earlier that morning. He on his back on the beach, enjoying a belly rub from one of Fleur's cousins who decided to go for an early swim. He sniffed Harry a few times when the boy headed to the beach, and laid down on all fours and tail wagging to gain his godson's attention. He was obviously eager for Harry to pet him, but the young wizard was not a fan of dogs in general and ignored his antics.
At being outright ignored, Sirius attempted to lick Harry's face but it only annoyed the young wizard further.
Padfoot, as Moony informed them earlier of the canine animagus form's name, whined and howled, seeing that Harry obviously ignored him. He kept it up through breakfast as they ate on a table laid out on the beach, hoping to at least gain some form of affection from Harry while he occasionally snapped up the pieces of bacon from the air, tossed by Fleur's more compassionate cousins.
More of Fleur's cousins came out of their cottages and the black dog was gone from Harry's side, thoughts of getting to know more of his godson at the back of his mind. Remus arrived soon after, and stayed inside the main house to prevent Sirius from catching his scent.
WOOF!
One of the veela shrieked as Padfoot tackled her to the sand, licking her face while she laughed and tried to push him off. It was no accident that Padfoot's large paws were pressed on the veela's heaving breasts.
"I'm tired of waiting." Fleur said and turned to her betrothed. "Couldn't you do something Harry?"
Harry shook his head. "Julian said that we should wait for him to approach us, or confront him in a secure location. I think Nicky has a room prepared here for that."
"But knowing you, you already have a back-up plan in place." Fleur replied. She didn't like how her plans for the summer were interrupted by the escaped convict, innocent or not.
The thirteen year old wizard thief observed his godfather's animagus form while he made a coin he found on the beach dance along his fingers. Padfoot showed no signs of tiring as he continually frolicked among his lovely playmates. He looked at Fleur's slight frown and decided to act.
"It looks like time for plan B then." Harry looked at Fleur in the eye while a small smile crossed his face. "Can I get that birthday gift you promised?"
"Of course." Fleur returned the smile, having a slight idea on what Harry was planning.
"Care to tell me what you're planning?" Remus asked.
"You'll see." Harry said. "Could you tell Julian that I'll bring Sirius to the study though?"
Remus merely nodded and he got on his feet and put down his drink. As he reached the door, he glanced back at his best friend's son, the famous boy who lived who was now whispering at an amused Fleur's ear, telling her about his idea. The two teens noticed he was still there and stopped, and Remus knew this was his cue to leave the room.
The werewolf did not blame Harry for his somewhat lukewarm attitude towards him. He only had himself to blame after all, by secluding himself from the wizarding world in grief, forgetting that James and Lily's son was still alive. When he tried to find out where Harry had been sent to, it was too late since Dumbledore had managed to block all access to the boy who lived.
Remus was relieved to be given another chance to be become part of Harry's life. He was not even jealous that Harry paid more attention to the Delacours and the Flamels, though Harry seemed to accept him after he helped Nicholas create an improved version of the Marauder's map. They were even studying how they could duplicate this feat to other large areas, like the Delacour mansion and its vast gardens in Paris and even the French Wizarding Ministry complex.
He realized how incredibly smart James' son was after spending some time with him. He was not the typical book smart genius like his mother was, but he still understood the gist of a topic discussed. His knowledge was normal for an upcoming third year student, but Harry sometimes possessed uncanny concentration if the magic interested him, like when the werewolf explained the complex theory behind the marauder's map. Overall, Remus was satisfied that Harry turned out to be a gifted wizard his parents had hoped for.
Though sometimes, Remus couldn't help but think that Harry, the Delacours and the Flamels were keeping an even bigger secret from him, if that was even possible.
********o0o*********
"Harry."
"Hey Fleur."
Padfoot's ears perked when he heard his godson's voice. He stood up from his spot from between the two tanning veela and slowly moved forward, so that he could hear his godson and his veela girlfriend better over the sound of the surf. He still couldn't believe that James had managed to plan this without him knowing. Did Lily even know? The magnificent bastard.
"Harry, there's something I'd like to give you for your birthday." Fleur said nervously. She took a deep breath and smiled shyly. "I've been saving this for a long time. Would you like to have it now? "
Sirius would have fallen into the sand if he hadn't been in his animagus form. He whined, worried that his godson would get some at such a young age, beating his own first experience by a year. He should be happy, and James' son was learning to become a man, and at the young age of thirteen at that! He felt conflicted though, as the responsible adult inside of the escaped convict warred with the proud, lecherous godfather.
When he thought things wouldn't get any worse, it did when he heard his two delectable and lovely tanning buddies speak out from behind him. He didn't even spared a moment to wonder why they were speaking in English when he had heard Harry speak and understand simple French phrases.
"Oh Harry! We also have a gift for you as well!" The blonde buxom said cheerfully.
"Come by our hut later to... collect it." Blonde buxom number two added.
"Thanks Genevieve, Marie." Harry smiled at the two. He had met most of Fleur's cousins a year before during a reunion, and found them very friendly and even willing to play with him.
If he could, Sirius would have died of jealousy a thousand times over. He was seriously tempted to transform at that moment, proclaim his innocence in front of his godson and then get some veela sympathy sex.
"Why don't we present our gifts to Harry all at the same time." Fleur suggested with a giggle.
Fleur's laugh broke him from his stupor, and noticed that the two teens were already heading towards the house with the two bikini clad veela in tow. He ran after them, kicking up sand from his legs. He needed to speak with Harry and clear his name, immediately.
Sirius ran quickly inside the house, and he ignored the surprised shouts from Fleur's mother and her relatives. He followed his godson's scent and followed him inside a room that was opulently decorated. The animagus skidded to a halt when he suddenly noticed an old man sitting behind a desk staring at him.
He nearly jumped when the door slammed shut and he found himself surrounded by the appearance of Fleur's father and another wizard. He bared his teeth and lowered himself to the ground, ready to attack.
Thoughts of attacking his captors vanished when he realized that the other wizard had a familiar scent. He turned his head and his eyes widened at the familiar figure who had a wand pointed at him.
"You never change even after getting locked up in Azkaban, Sirius."
Sirius instantly transformed and hugged Remus who eagerly returned the hug. "Moony! You're here!"
Julian Delacour slowly slipped his wand back in his holster as he watched the reunion. He glanced at Nicholas and took a seat at the couch. It was now clear Sirius was not as affected as he feared after his imprisonment in Azkaban, though he already suspected it after he observed the wizard in his animagus form playing with Fleur's cousins. He noted that the wizard could use a few rounds of nutrition potions though, and some exercise under the sun.
"How are you here Remus?" Sirius asked.
"I'm here because of you, you idiot." Remus replied with unshed tears on his face. "And Harry, of course."
"Remus, I didn't betray them." Sirius began, but was stopped as he felt the werewolf squeeze his arms.
"I know Sirius. I know that now." Remus said solemnly. The two stared at each other's eyes for a few more moments, as complex emotions flashed across both their faces. There was guilt, sorrow, and most of all, hope.
Their moment was interrupted by a clearing of a throat.
"If you're going to make out, there's a room beside this one." It was obvious that Nicholas was getting impatient, causing the two grown men who were still holding each other's arms jump apart. Sirius looked outraged as he stared at the wizard sitting behind the desk. He only made out with witches!
"I'm Nicholas Flamel." The alchemist leaned forward. "And we, Sirius Black, have a lot to talk about."
It took a minute, but soon everyone in the study settled down, Sirius mostly following Remus' lead. It was very comforting to know Moony was beside him as he spoke to these strangers who were his godson's new guardians. A role, that without his mistake after that horrible night, should have passed on to him.
"I'm assuming you're here to watch out for Harry." Julian began.
"I am. I read the news from the paper about Harry in Azkaban." Sirius replied, unwilling to fully disclose what spurned him from his depression and hopeless state. "It's what motivated me enough to escape the prison. News about my godson gave me hope that all was not lost, that there are things worth living for."
"An admirable sentiment." Nicholas spoke from behind the desk. "What are your plans now?"
"See Harry first of course and get to know him."
"I'm his guardian now, mister Black." Julian reminded the animagus. "Do you want to contest it?"
Sirius shook his head in denial. He had observed Harry's new life among the the French and heartily approved of it seeing how his godson was happy and relaxed in his new surroundings. "Even if I could, I can't and I won't."
"How so?"
"I have seen how my godson is here. He looks healthy, relaxed and most importantly happy." Sirius elaborated. He looked at Julian in the eye and continued. "I just want to be a part of his life again as his godfather, and there are plenty of things I can teach him and of course share stories about his parents. I just want to help him in any way I can to help him grow into the wizard Lily and James wished him to be."
Julian gave him an approving smile and Sirius noticed the old man behind his desk relax. This time it was the old man that broke the solemn silence in the study.
"You will find that Harry is extremely independent and it was I that first met him in this room when he was just about to go to Hogwarts." Nicholas shared a heavily edited narration of his first meeting with Harry in Diagon Alley.
"The first thing you have to understand is that Harry practically grew up in the streets, since his previous muggle guardians were incapable of giving a poor orphan boy the environment he needed to grown into a decent human being." The alchemist stated.
"Muggle?" Sirius asked in confusion. His eyes suddenly sharpened and looked at the werewolf beside him. "Petunia?"
"I'm afraid so, Sirius." Remus said, guilt clearly written in his face. "While I've been wallowing in grief in the first month since they died, Dumbledore made Petunia his guardian and placed him there."
"But Lily said his muggle sister hated magic!" Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was his godson treated poorly by his aunt? He'd kill her if she did. "Did she mistreat my godson?"
"Thankfully it didn't come to that, but it was close." Nicholas answered after he noticed Sirius' body language and worked to calm him down. "Your godson saved himself from that detestable environment. By learning and living in the street and only coming back to his aunt's house to sleep, your Godson practically raised himself and learned on his own. That's the reason for his independent nature."
"Naturally I try to give a caring and nurturing environment he was supposed to have growing up when he became my ward." Julian added. "But of course I don't try to change what he already was, but to give him the guidance and support he needs."
"So what do you plan to teach him then after speaking with him?" Remus asked.
"He's in his third year right?" Sirius mused. Suddenly a grinned formed in his face. It was dangerous, completely irresponsible but still an impressive feat of magic if Harry accomplished it. "How about teaching him to be an animagus like myself?"
Instead of the reaction he was expecting, he barely noticed Julian and Nicholas share quick glances and it was from Remus that came the expected response.
"Are you crazy Sirius?" Remus stood up from his chair and rounded on his friend. "You know how dangerous that is? And completely illegal at that! You could get Harry hurt and in trouble!"
Sirius meanwhile frowned in confusion as he stared at the other two wizards and ignored his friends rant.
"Remus" He began, causing the werewolf to pause in his tirade. "I think they're already teaching Harry to be an animagus."
"What?" Remus asked. He turned to his hosts. "Is it true?"
"I am the world's best alchemist." Nicholas replied calmly. "A simple animagus potion that bypasses the usual preparations is child's play for me. Of course the wizard and witch that can fully utilize my creation needed the required magical power and talent to succeed. I made the entire process quite safe for Harry, so don't worry you two."
"What did he say his animagus form will be?" Sirius asked after he calmed down. He couldn't believe his godson was studying to be an animagus! He hoped his godson would succeed with this new super potion that this apparently ancient and famous alchemist devised.
Perhaps this will form a bond between them as fellow animagi, like he did with James. A prongs junior will certainly make him happy, Sirius mused as he imagined another stag, smaller but faster than his father but with Lily's unearthly green eyes.
"That is not my secret to tell." Nicholas calmly replied with a smile while Julian hid his when he took a sip of wine.
********o0o*********
After a lengthy conversation that included a couple of vows, Sirius was finally allowed to see his godson. The moment he spotted the boy, he struggled not to hug him since he was warned by the boy's current guardians.
"Harry!" Sirius stepped forward and reached out a hand. "I'm your godfather, Sirius Black. I can't tell you how much you look like James…"
"But with my mother's eyes." Harry calmly accepted the handshake. "You look healthy, but I guess prison food isn't the best."
He looked at the escaped fugitive and was grudgingly impressed with his feat. Breaking free from a supermax prison when you're innocent of the crime you're accused of was the stuff of movies. Sirius's actions reminded the young thief of a recent movie he watched with Tonks, about a certain doctor falsely accused of killing his wife.
"It isn't, but it's the dementors that will eventually turn you to skin and bones." Sirius shivered at the memory of the soul sucking creatures. He kept staring at Harry, and the boy allowed his godfather a few more moments of silence. "I'm glad that you already know the truth about me. I did not betray your parents."
"Yeah, it was the one armed man." Harry continued. He already knew of the whole story and was now mostly focused on their plan to legally free Sirius from the ministry.
"What one armed man?" Remus told him that his godson was a bit eccentric and he didn't realize until now.
"We were already planning to get you a trial you know?" Harry ignored the question and looked around. He grabbed the special mirror framed in thick, ornate silver and tossed it to his godfather. "Say Wormtail."
"Wormtail." Sirius nearly cracked the small mirror on his hands as he unconsciously tightened his grip. He stared at the image of the traitor on a bed, as still as a corpse. It was just as Remus explained, Wormtail was really alive. He thought the traitor died in the explosion he caused. "Is he…."
"He's not dead." Harry sat on the desk and rummaged through Nichola's things while he let the older deal with what he was seeing.
He found a nice silver and modern pen with the word cross carved on its surface and pocketed it, deciding to use it instead of the quills when he returned to Hogwarts. He continued to leaf through the cabinets and happily pulled out the hidden snack. "Ahah!"
"Why isn't he moving then?" Sirius refused to remove his gaze from the mirror and spoke through clenched teeth. Only the presence of his godson prevented him from demanding the location of Wormtail so he could kill the traitor. They had promised their aid earlier and he in turn promised to follow their strategy.
"He's dosed with the draught of living death." Harry explained as he popped one piece of the round chocolate into his mouth. These maltesers were really a nice snack, but they were rare to find in Surrey. He wondered where Nicky's source was. He carefully folded the red packaging and inserted it inside his pockets. "We were waiting to get everything ready to present him to the ministry and get a confession."
"What happens now?" Sirius took a deep breath, trying to control his temper and with reluctance finally gave back the mirror. He needed to think and not to act based on anger, and moved to the large window to stare at the view of beach. "What happens now?"
"We wait for the right time to move our plans forward." Harry moved to the door. "Do you think you can stay here for a few more months and recover your strength?"
"I'd love to." Sirius replied, eyes glued to the dozens of Veela sunbathing at the beach. He had all the patience in the world. There will be plenty of time sharing stories with his godson, and giving additional tips to become an animagus. He can't wait to run on the sand as padfoot, surrounded by veela while a stag pranced beside him with a veela riding on the it's back.
********o0o*********
"It will be easy. Don't be scared."
He really didn't want to do this, but he was conflicted. He shivered when the waves reached his toes and looked at the source of his conflict.
Fleur stood in the waist deep water in a blue bikini, not too scandalous but it showed plenty of skin. Beside her Tonks was wearing a more daring black bikini, holding out her arms towards him, as if encouraging him to jump.
"C'mon Kit! The water feels great!" Tonks jumped up and down, causing his eyes to focus on another pair of the source of conflict. He took a step forward, and then another. He relaxed for a moment and he studied the feeling of waves crashing to his knees as white foam spread out along the surface of the water. The water receded and he felt his feet sink slightly into the white sand. Realizing that he was still safe, he continued towards the two women. Annoyingly they seemed to be moving backwards as he stepped closer to them. Fed up with his slow pace he tried running through the water to catch them.
The water already reached his neck when he reached their position. He was about to speak when the water swelled and his body was forcefully lifted up by the water. Panicking, Harry grabbed Tonks' shoulders as she laughed at his actions.
"Relax Harry." Fleur said as she moved behind him and he felt an arm on his back. "The water is your friend. You already floated earlier when the wave passed."
"I'm not too sure about that." Harry tried to keep his composure. He suddenly realized he was deeper in the water than he was comfortable with and actually felt a current slowly pushing his body farther out to sea. He dug his feet firmly into the sand to prevent that. "Why don't we head back to the beach?"
"You'll be fine." Tonks assured her familiar. She really loved these impromptu vacations with Harry. She had woken up this morning eager to enjoy the weekend and relax, when her familiar appeared, offering a trip to the famous beaches in southern France. A quick note to her mother and they were soon playing in the sand with the Delacours, and surprisingly Sirius Black. "I have you. I won't let you drown Harry."
"It's easy, Harry!" Gabrielle said as she casually passed by, adding to the hilarity of the situation. The young veela then used the current and allowed herself to be propelled to the direction of the beach, expertly kicking the water while her hands swung around her shoulders in perfect coordination. Soon enough she was at the beach, being served a cool fruity drink by one of the staff. It looked delicious and perfect with the hot sun.
"I think I want to back to the beach, I'll have what Gabrielle's drinking." Harry replied. Another swell passed them and the three were momentarily lifted up by the water. His grip on Tonks' shoulders tightened and the metamorphmagus felt the very real emotion of fear that Harry was experiencing. She slowly guided Harry closer to the beach where the water only reached them by their armpits, causing the boy to relax. He didn't have to stand on his toes anymore to keep his head over the water.
"There much better." Fleur smiled at seeing Harry calm down a bit. She moved closer while her hands hugged around his waist from behind.
"Is this more comfortable for you?" She whispered in his ear.
"A little bit."
"You just need to get used to the water first." Tonks instructed and stepped back from Harry. "Later when you're more comfortable I'll teach you how to float. So just play around first, and try to dunk your head underwarer. You don't have to open your eyes."
"Why can't we practice in a pool?" Harry asked.
"You float easier on saltwater." Tonks explained as she showed off a few moves. She suddenly leaned back and floated on the surface, arms and legs spread out as she focused on keeping her head and upper body afloat. "See? You just need to relax and control your breathing."
"You'll learn to swim faster this way. You told me that was one of your goals before you head back to Hogwarts." Fleur reminded him.
Harry nodded and watched Tonks demonstrate the common swimming strokes and soon the auror moved further away on her back, legs kicking the water in a lazy fashion. He started to move back to the beach when Fleur refused prevented him, tightening her embrace on his waist.
"Fleur, let's head back to the beach."
"No, it's as Tonks said, you need to get used to the water first." The veela replied. "How about an incentive to remain here with me?"
"What's incentive?" Harry asked. If it was kissing he didn't know if it was worth it. Water was freaky, and he couldn't control his body while he was submerged. There were so many variables to consider.
"You have to remain quiet though." Fleur whispered from behind him. She lowered her arms from his waist and felt a tug as the strings of his shorts came undone. He suddenly stiffened as he felt her right hand reach under the garter of his shorts and slowly grabbed him. "So do you think you can hang around here with me, Harry?"
Harry closed his eyes for a moment as he felt himself get hard, Fleur's actions encouraging the reaction. He looked around and observed as some of Fleur's family continue their fun on the beach, while Tonks drifted farther from their position.
"I think we can stay here for a while" Harry finally replied and leaned back, feeling Fleur's chin settle on his shoulder, her breasts pressed on his back.
"I knew you would say that." Fleur replied, and Harry didn't have to look into her face to see her smug look.
********o0o*********
September 1, Hogwarts Express
"Did you see him?"
Padma Patil shook her head and sat down across her friend and wiped the sweat on her brow. "I don't think he's on the train Hermione. I checked the last four cars, and you said he wasn't at the other four."
Hermione nodded and continued her search of her classmate, though in all honesty she knew she wouldn't be able to find Harry. The boy was as slippery as an eel, and his nonchalant way of finding hidden nooks and crannies to nap on continued to amaze her.
Even after two years together in school, Hermione admitted to herself the she hasn't fully figured out her friend. At first she thought that he was one of those aloof and lazy students who only used minimum effort to get by in their academics. His consistent high grades proved Hermione's assumption wrong.
Then she formed another theory, and suspected that Harry was trying to hide his studying habits and didn't want to share his studying habits with the rest of the house. It answered the question of where he kept disappearing between classes and during the weekends. That suspicion was shattered when she found the boy sleeping on top of a tree.
Hermione later realized as she continued to observe her friend that he just simply didn't care what the other students thought of him. That the other students bored the young wizard, and she feared that Harry might have included her in that part of the group in his mind despite being his friend.
And with his betrothed's pictures surfacing, she started to doubt her worth. Wasn't she good enough for Harry Potter if he had an exotic older French witch to hang out with? The latest article depicting Harry's new life in France further cast feelings of doubt and jealousy in Hermione. As she read the interview and observed the pictures of Harry and the veela on a beach attached, she felt herself worthless compared to these women.
The brunette shook her head and tried to clear her head thoughts of inadequacy. She was Hermione Granger! She continued to her prowl along the corridors of the train to look for her friend.
********o0o*********
If Hermione knew where Harry was, she would have screamed in frustration. The wizard in question was happily sitting beside the train engineer, eating a bacon sandwich that the engineer generously shared with him.
The engineer was busy with his checklists as he made the preparations for the trip to Hogwarts, when he heard the news from the conductor that his fellow engineer got injured in a potions accident hours before.
It meant that he would have to handle all the preparations and operation of the Hogwarts express, causing his mood to sour further. He was already muttering angry words under his breath as he stomped towards the locomotive when he heard a familiar tune, though the words were unfamiliar. It sounded French.
… Le jolies locomotives.
Rouge, et verte, marron, et bleue.
Toute l'equipe brille de mille feux!
Chacune a son role a jouer.
Toujours partantes pour nous aider.
Avec Thomas et ses amis.
La vie nous sourit…
Confused at what he was hearing, he rushed to his cabin and stood dumbfounded at the sight a boy happily singing the strangely familiar tune in French while he played with the controls of the engine. The boy wore a striped engineer hat almost similar to what he wore, complete with striped overalls. The engineer grudgingly admitted that the boy's uniform was more complete since he had a red scarf tied around his neck.
"What do you think you're doing here?" He demanded. The boy stopped singing at once and jumped back, though he noticed that the boy quickly regained his composure and offered a simple smile in turn.
"Well?" The engineer crossed his massive arms and stared at the intruder. "What are you doing in the front? Trying to prank me like those twins before? You know it's against the rules to be here."
"Not at all." The boy replied. "I just love trains. That's all mister, couldn't resist playing once I saw her this morning."
The boy dutifully returned the levers and switches back to where he found them.
"I can clearly see that." Despite the engineer's current mood, he was amused by the boy's antics. His sharp eye looked around and noticed nothing was amiss or damaged. He looked at his watch and noticed there were still a few hours before departure, and noticed the boy had a nicer watch than his. Grumbling beneath his beard, the engineer nodded at the boy. "What's with the outfit, then? And the weird singing?"
"I grew up muggle." The boy replied without any hint of shame. "I was familiar with the show, and when I was in France this summer, I saw on the telly the French version. It's been stuck inside my head since then, and when I saw your engine… well this happened." The boy finished with a gesture to his current outfit.
Now trying to fight a smile, the engineer offered his arm. "The name's Barlow, engineer Barlow to you."
The boy without hesitation quickly shook the man's hand. "The name's Harry, the boy-who-lived to you."
Barlow immediately laughed at that. He never realized he would meet someone famous this way? An idea formed inside his head. Who knew the famous boy-who-lived was an engine nut like him? He couldn't wait to share this to his mates if he pulled this off. "So Mr. Potter, want to learn more about trains eh?"
"Sure, and please, just call me Harry." The boy replied with an easy grin.
"Since you're already wearing the outfit, how do you think about being my assistant for the trip to Hogwarts?" Barlow asked, returning the grin. "I promise you that you will learn more about trains and engines on this trip than in any book."
Harry found the idea intriguing and after a moment he agreed. It would be like he was in the show himself! It was a pity that there wasn't a fat controller and wondered how Hagrid would look like in a suit and a top hat. The fat controller usually appeared at the very end of the show anyway and Hagrid was the first person they always see whenever they arrive on Hogsmeade. He needed to trim his bushy beard to fit the look though. "Why not? Thank you for giving me the opportunity, mister Barlow."
"Glad you agreed." Barlow headed further inside while Harry stepped back to let the man start his work. One of the few things he learned early in his career as an acquisitions specialist was to know when to step back when someone more knowledgeable was showing you how things were done. One of his acquaintances absolutely hated speaking while on the job and preferred Harry to simply watch and observe while he picked locks and cracked safes.
"Now, why don't you help me with the engine's fire. The difference with the muggle ones isn't that great, and coal is also used to control the heat, which in turn boils the water…"
********o0o*********
"Harry! Is that you? Where were you? What happened?" Hermioned rubbed her eyes to confirm it was indeed her friend. He looked like he just escaped a burning house. Though his clothes looked pristine, there was a smell of smoke around him and there traces of soot in his skin.
The two had met when they reached Hogsmeade and were now patiently waiting for the carriages to arrive while the first years were led away by Hagrid. They were currently in a queue surrounded by students from all houses patiently waiting their turn.
Harry, tired from shoveling magical coal since they do not react well with spells, fished out the remains of the his sandwich and began to eat. He enjoyed the experience though, and he learned many things from the engineer.
He really couldn't tell Hermione since he knew students were definitely not allowed at the train engine. "Oh you know, I fell asleep." Harry didn't even try to act tired as he yawned.
"You fell asleep looking like that?" Hermione looked again at his appearance.
"Fleur was in a mood before I left, and you know veela when they're annoyed." Harry replied, remembering Fleur's sour mood at the thought of the end of their summer. She had unintentionally burned some of her clothes as they packed their belonging in their trunks, both preparing to head for their respective schools.
"Fleur did that?" Michael Corner asked from beside them, while the males of Hogwarts leaned closer to hear more. The latest article featuring their school mate flamed the fantasies of many wizards.
"The fire thing?" Harry remembered how she quickly tried to put out the fire with her foot in panic, until Harry reminded her of vanishing charms. There had been a lot of teasing after that from Harry with him asking if she was a witch or a muggle. She chased him around for a few minutes, while he laughed, but it made Fleur feel better after. "Oh yeah, you have to be careful with veela. Thankfully I managed to calm her down."
"You calmed her?" One of the Ravenclaw seventh years asked. Harry Potter was really making all of them look like first years. The bloody idiot should really write a book or give a seminar on how to land and keep satisfied top quality birds.
"Fleur calmed down after a bit of teasing." Harry replied absently. He finished his snack and crumpled the wrapper it contained and stuffed it inside his pocket. He still felt hungry and he wondered what was on the menu for the feast later. He hoped there was smoked turkey again. "It took a few minutes, though, there was a bit of rough and tumbling around."
Fleur was really embarrassed when Harry shared the story to her parents and family, and she launched herself at him over the couch in a bid to silence him.
"How rough?" Michael asked, as the boys of Ravenclaw and some of the other houses moved closer to Harry, unintentionally pushing Hermione out of the circle that surrounded the famous wizard. She huffed and tried to move closer again but she was pushed back.
"She can be pretty intense. You wouldn't believe how strong that girl is." Harry rubbed his head when he remembered her giving him a noogie after she tackled him on the carpeted floor. "Good thing for thick carpets, or I'd have bruises on my bum."
"You get bruises?" Michael Corner asked, wide eyed.
"Of course." Harry looked around the group of males that surrounded him. "You don't get to the real fun part without the occasional bruise or two. That's normal."
"Bloody hell Potter."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"C'mon, tell us more inside the carriage." The seventh year prefect of Ravenclaw pushed Harry to a newly arrived carriage, and he was quickly followed by his other housemates, all fighting for an empty spot in the carriage. "Wait, where's Hermione?"
Harry pushed past the group of Ravenclaws and grabbed Hermione's wrist and pulled her with him inside the carriage. The witch flushed red as many of the wizards noticed his actions and heard the comments while her friend stared at the window towards the castle, his head filled with the thought of a lavish feast waiting for him.
"Who is that?"
"Looks like he's not satisfied with just one."
"Lucky bloke."
********o0o*********
Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Director Amelia Bones stared at her latest batch of aurors with a smile. Unlike the past group, this current batch contained a few rough gems that given time can be easily turned into another Moody, Dawlish or a Shacklebolt.
She waited until the aurors settled down on her seats and she cleared her throat to gain their attention. "Congratulations on passing the exams and the assessment." Amelia began. She paused as a cheer began and raised her arms to settle them once more. "Soon you will be assigned your tasks based on the assessment your senior auror gave you."
She looked around, meeting the proud eyes around the room. "However, there are a select few that will be given priority training in the coming months. Please take note that all of you will eventually receive this, but this three stood out among the crowd."
There were some muted grumblings from the back of the room but most remained calm at her statement. "We partner with different law enforcement agencies every year, and this year we will have a joint training program with MACUSA."
At this several aurors sat straighter. Usually the training programs were conducted in Germany or France. This was the first time in decades that it would be across the pond and many wizards and witches exchanged glances with excitement evident in their expressions.
"Aurors Hill, Vance and Tonks, stand up." Amelia ordered. She stared at the two witches and the lone wizard and gave the three a proud smile. "Pack your trunks, you're the first batch to participate in this training program."
The three aurors exchanged wide, surprised and happy smiles with one another. They will be going across the pond!
"When are we leaving, boss?" Auror Hill asked.
"And for how long?" Vance added.
"Three months." Amelia replied. She glanced at the document in front of her and reviewed the information. "You'll be assigned to the state of Nevada, in the MACUSA branch office in the city of Las Vegas."
"Vegas?" Tonks eyes gleamed with excitement. She always wanted to visit the city! She knew her mom would be jealous when she hears this. Suddenly a thought came to her and she looked up at her boss standing on the podium. "Boss, can we bring our familiars with us?"
A round of laughter echoed across the briefing room. They were all somewhat familiar with the black cat with a temper, and the possessive auror who refused to let just anyone carry her pet.
"Of course Auror Tonks, heavens forbid you getting separated from Kit." Amelia rolled her eyes. She looked around, expecting the black cat to be hiding in some corner. "Where is he anyway?"
The metamorphmagus simply shrugged her shoulders. "He should be sleeping somewhere nearby. He usually knows when I'm ready to apparate back home."
Amelia shook her head at the thought of a cat sleeping in her department. She was nevertheless impressed with the strong familiar bond between the master and familiar. She had never seen a cat so well behaved and intelligent before in her life, but the official registry confirmed Tonks and Kit's status to the ministry.
"Very well." Amelia returned to her notes for the briefing. "You three will depart by portkey at the end of the week. Further briefing will continue, with Shacklebolt accompanying you."
"Make sure all your belongings are properly packed, international portkeys are expensive." Amelia stared at the three. "Auror Tonks, make sure to bring the necessary documents for your familiar. MACUSA is strict with magical beasts."
"Yes boss!" Tonks replied with excitement. She had great news to share with Harry!
********o0o*********
Ravenclaw tower
Harry had a lot of expectations for his third year of schooling at Hogwarts. In truth the young wizard, with his talent in magic and the advanced tutoring he was receiving from Nicky and Julian made him bored at the education he received at Hogwarts.
He didn't care for the points he received for his house, something that his classmates were proud for the aloof Ravenclaw as they easily made a commanding lead in house points so early in the term. He was looking forward to this year, where the electives were finally offered, and maybe, maybe something would gain his interest and give him some motivation. He had selected Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies as his electives and had high expectations for one of them.
The other elective he picked just to see the reaction of those around him, mostly the muggleborns. They knew he was muggle raised and were aghast at his choice. Hermione's reaction was the most amusing.
"What?" Hermione asked as she stared at his time table during their first morning. She was unusually late to breakfast after a meeting with the deputy headmistress and their own head of house. She turned her sharp gaze at him and he merely raised an eyebrow in turn.
"Why did you pick Muggle Studies?" Hermione asked. "You grew up muggle! And I heard from the upper years, that class is practically worthless!"
"I heard the teacher is amusing, and I'm bored." Harry replied. The muggle professor was called Gerard Hopkins, and was a pureblood that pretended to be an expert. Harry heard from the rumors that the professor was utterly clueless about muggle technology and modern society that he continually invented theories about his observations. Many witches and wizards selected the elective because of the easy grade, and the lax attendance, something that greatly appealed to the young thief.
"He's completely clueless!" Hermione protested her friend's choice. "I'm happy we're together at Runes, but I saw the old notes of Muggle Studies from Penelope. Harry, professor Hopkins doesn't even know about modern muggle technology! He treats it as one giant experiment and even conducts field trip to muggle places!"
"Field trip?" Harry perked up upon hearing the "F" word. He was never given permission to join by the Dursleys during his years at St. Grogory's, and was forced to watch his classmates board the bus year after year while he remained inside the classroom. "It looks like I made the right choice then!"
The only thing that bothered him was that he was forced to sit on a classroom with a teacher, with the adult using the time to create lesson plans or mark other papers. Harry meanwhile was given assignments that he was expected to complete when his classmates arrived back from their educational field trips. He hated that experience the most, being stuck with a teacher alone for the rest of the day.
"You're excited for that?" Hermione looked confused at her friend's reactions.
"I never experienced a field trip before, the Dursleys never let me attend one." Harry explained as he studied the muggle studies curriculum, missing the horrified look in Hermione's face. He finally found the section where Professor Hopkins indicated they would visit. "Look Hermione, by the end of September we will visit a muggle mall! And there's a field trip every month! I really lucked out on this one."
Harry glanced at his suddenly quiet friend and tilted his head in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Hermione replied as she held back tears in her eyes. She realized now, how stupid she was. Stupid! She looked up and searched for her other friend. She needed to speak with someone with what she learned. "I'm going to look for Padma."
"Sure." Harry replied absently as he stared at the list of places his class would visit, wondering what it would be like. There were a couple of malls, an amusement park, museums and a park with a playground and even a cinema! The young thief couldn't wait to tell Tonks about his future trips, he knew she would be jealous!
*******o0o********
Dumbledore had a problem. He many problems, but this time he felt conflicted about this particular matter. On one hand, the proper procedure would ensure the safety of his student. On the other hand, it may rekindle his students' passion and sense of adventure. When he finally made a decision, he was sure that his student will happily accept the offer.
He never imagined an outright refusal. Harry Potter really didn't have an adventurous bone in his body. And he had never met a student who didn't want to go to Hogsmeade with a free pass. Ever.
He was sure Tom Riddle would gratefully accept his offer of a Headmaster signed, permission slip to visit Hogsmeade when he was a student. Apparently Harry Potter was different.
"I'm not interested." The boy politely repeated his answer again. The boy's mind was full of note regarding his muggle studies elective.
"But Mr. Potter, I assure you that you will be completely safe, even with Sirius Black on the loose. A couple of Aurors will be assigned to accompany you…"Albus continued. "Hogsmeade as the only wizarding village in the Britain, has a certain charm that Diagon Alley lacks. You can freely practice your magic there. It's even more incredible in winter with the Yule decorations."
Behind the Albus, the other heads of houses were giving each other resigned looks. While they were initially surprised by Harry Potter decision to refuse the offer, they accepted it at that and moved on. The boy didn't want to go? Simple. Dumbledore didn't agree.
"Like I said, I'm not interested Headmaster." Harry was tempted to roll his eyes. "I'm more concerned with my academics, and I find muggle studies fascinating."
"But what about your friends…"
"They understand. They even offered to buy things for me, so I get to experience Hogsmeade in part as well." Harry replied. They had been in this meeting for five minutes now and stared at his head of house, silently hoping he will get the hint.
"All right Mr. Potter, you can go." Filius interrupted before Dumbledore can think of another excuse. "I commend you for taking your electives as seriously as our core subjects. Five points to Ravenclaw. Off you go now."
The third year gave his head of house a thankful smile and quickly left the Headmaster's office. As soon the door closed, the Ravenclaw head gave the Headmaster a tired look. "Really Albus?"
"You really can't force a person out of his own nature." Minerva gave a mild glare to Dumbledore.
"Just as I belong in a potions laboratory, that boy belongs to the library or classroom." Severus uncharacteristically added.
"Let him grow into his own, Headmaster." Pomona agreed and the four heads of house turned to their boss.
Albus sighed and leaned back into his chair. He raised an elbow to his head and massaged his temple.
"Fine." He would find other ways to force young Harry to rekindle his inner Gryffindor. The Dursley's callous treatment of the boy clearly affected him to have a personality of a librarian.
*******o0o********
A/N: Hi! I revised chapter 20. I noted many problems when I read it live, and moves some scenes from chapter 21 to this chapter. It's been a looooooooooooong break and I'm happy to be back writing again. Thank you for the very warm welcome.
I'll be editing the earlier chapters as well. Please check Chapter 19 as I made some changes. Also, I opened an account to ao3, and webnovel looks interesting, I'm still puzzled and lost with it.