- CHAPTER FOUR -
The Cauldron & The Alley
'Are you sure you're okay?' Tonks asked, as she and Harry walked through London. Harry nodded. For the first time in an awfully long time, he actually was okay. 'Tonks, I'm fine. Really.' Harry said, smiling. They had talked for a good portion of the journey, and the conversation hadn't died down and reached an end, nor was there an uncomfortable silence. These facts surprised both of them.
'You don't need to keep checking.' Harry said. 'That's where you're wrong, Harry, and it's also where the Order went wrong: we didn't check up on you enough - mainly due to Dumbledore giving us strict orders to stay away from you, starting the summer after this year at Hogwarts and not ending until something truly horrific happens near the end of your fifth year.' Tonks said, fast-paced. 'Why would he give you strict orders to stay away from me? Surely after what happens at the end of this year, he'd want protection around me.' Harry said.
Tonks chuckled darkly. 'You'd think wouldn't you? But you would be wrong. He did want protection, and he did order it.' Tonks said, stopping herself. Right now didn't feel like the right time to tell Harry everything. 'So what then?' Harry asked. 'Tell you later, Potter. For now, though…' Tonks said as they stepped inside the Leakey Cauldron. 'For now, let's just focusing on getting our new school stuff.' Tonks said, grinning. 'Our?' Harry asked, earning a signature tongue-tied grin from Tonks, which, although he wouldn't admit, made Harry feel something.
'Again. Tell you later.' Tonks said. 'But how? You don't exactly look like someone going into their fourth year at Hogwarts.' Harry said. Tonks said nothing, instead flashing Harry yet another tongue-tied grin as her features changed before his eyes. She went from Nymphadora Tonks to a brunette girl his age with big brown doe eyes, long brown hair, fair skin (think Emma Mackey). 'Still the matter of your clothes.' Harry said. 'Usually, I'd just transfigure them as well, but I can't be arsed, so…' Tonks said, as she dug through her bag, which Harry noted was like Hermione's, and pulled out a set of new clothing. 'Ta da! Give me a minute, and I'll be back with you.' Tonks said, as she entered a room off to the side, closing the door.
As Harry waited in the corridor, he smiled to himself. Here he was, back in the Wizarding World, and the best part was he never had to leave ever again. He could finally stay here forever.
True to her word, Tonks was back with him in a minute. She noticed his grin, but couldn't help admire him for a moment. The way his emerald eyes sparkled when he smiled was something she particularly enjoyed. Although she had known him in the future she was now sure no longer existed, she wasn't used to seeing Harry smile, because where she came from he never smiled. The weight of the world forever rested on his shoulders, and with it, the fate of everyone in it.
'What's got you so happy?' Tonks asked. 'I'm home. And I never have to leave ever again.' Harry said. 'As if I'd even let you.' Tonks said. 'As if I'd ever leave.' Harry said, as Tonks leaned in close. 'I'd never let you, Potter. Wherever those emeralds go, I go.' Tonks said. 'Bit declaration-y that. Someone got a crush?' Harry said, as Tonks playfully shoved him. 'You wish,' she started. 'anyway, what's first on the school list?' She said, as they walked through the main tavern and headed out the back door out to the alley.
Harry looked down at the list, and then back up. 'New robes.' He said. Tonks pulled out her wand and tapped on the wall. She stepped back as the wall began to open up. 'It's so weird.' Tonks said, as they stepped through into Diagon Alley. 'Yeah, I'd imagine going from twenty-odd to fourteen and having to be a teenager again would be pretty weird.' Harry said, laughing. 'Technically I'm still twenty-three, I just don't look it.' She said, her eyes twinkling as she grinned. 'No, you look fourteen.' Harry said. 'Awh, you're such a sweetheart, Harry.' Tonks said, joking. 'Before we head in, you'll need a name to give everyone, seeing as how you can't go around calling yourself Tonks.' Harry said, as they walked down the street. 'Already got that covered, Harry. Theadora Lily Kirk, ready to go!' Tonks said. Harry nodded, liking the name. 'Cute name for a cute girl, not that I think you're cute, I mean not that I don't think you're not…now I know how Ron feels when talking to girls that aren't Hermione.' Harry said, kicking himself, as Tonks laughed her arse off. 'I think that was one of the funniest things I've ever seen!' She said.
They were in Madam Malkin's for about half an hour, procuring their robes for their fourth year and such. It was when Tonks came out in her default Hogwarts robes - she had no colour due to not having a house yet - that Harry was immediately taken with how good and beautiful she looked in them, then again he had been taken aback with how beautiful she looked in her actual form and then in this form when she first transfigured herself into it. It was as if he had to take a moment whenever he saw her in a new outfit, because she always looked that good in it. 'What?' Tonks asked, as Harry stared. Harry said nothing until… 'Imagine if the hat puts you in Slytherin.' Came out. Harry sniggered, trying to take his mind off the attraction he hoped wasn't obvious. 'Then there would go my chances of becoming friends with Ron. The boy has an immediate hatred for anything Slytherin - not that I blame him.' Tonks said. Harry eased up a bit now, but he knew internally that she had caught on to the weird expression he had on when she came out.
'Blame Snape and Malfoy for that.' Harry said. 'Hence why I don't blame Ron, not when he has to live with those two for an entire school year - anyway, how do I look.' Tonks asked. She looked hopeful, and yet, like she was trying to hide it a bit, Harry noted. 'You look… beautiful.' He said. Tonks realised she was beginning to blush and fought hard to make it stop, or at least calm down. 'Your turn, specs.' Tonks said, as she went back into the dressing area to get undressed and put the robes neatly into her arm as she came out.
It was when she came out that she saw Harry in his school uniform, complete with red accents for Gryffindor. Now she was the one having to take a moment, because she couldn't get over how good and beautiful she thought he looked and how appealing she found him, but, as she finally admitted to herself, she'd thought he was cute from the second she first met him when he was fifteen and had just been brought to 12 Grimmauld Place for the first time, when she was all wrapped up in Remus. It was over the course of 1995 and 1996 that things changed and now here she was trying to make things better for him.
'You look beautiful, Potter.' Tonks said. They were back in their regular clothes and out of Malkin's with their robes bagged, and back on the street in no time. Harry looked down at the list once more, but came back up almost immediately. 'You need a wand. A new one, I mean.' Harry said. 'I have a wand.' Tonks replied. 'Yeah, but that's Tonks' wand, and you're not Tonks anymore. Not unless you want people to start asking questions.' Harry said. Harry was right. Tonks took her original wand, and stowed it deep in her bag. 'We'll get your wand, get our new school books, then I say we get a room for the night at the Cauldron and then tomorrow we set out for the Weasley's.' Harry said. 'Check you out with the plans, Mr. Potter.' Tonks said, laughing, as they made their way down to Ollivander's. 'You would not believe the amount of those I've had to put together over the last couple of the years.' Harry said, as they entered the old wand shop.
'Ah, Mr. Potter, I wondered if I would ever be seeing you in my shop once more.' Garrick Ollivander, the owner and proprietor of Ollivander's. 'No, no. My wand's fine. I'm here to help this one get a new wand.' Harry said, nudging Tonks. 'Theadora Kirk, sir. Nice to meet you.' Tonks said. Ollivander took her hand in his, warm and nurturing. 'Yes, yes very lovely to meet you as well, Ms Kirk. I think I have a few wands housed here in my shop that we can try out, yes.' Ollivander said, as he toddled off deeper in the shop.
'I can't really remember, was he always that spooky?' Tonks said. Harry shrugged. 'If it helps, he was like this when I got my wand - in fact he told me about my wand's connection to Voldemort's.' Harry said, just as Ollivander came back with a wand box, opening the box and passing the wand to Tonks. 'Willow, dragon heartstring, 10 inches, very springy. Well, Ms Kirk, give it a wave.' Ollivander said, expectantly. Tonks gave the wand a wave, and it was most definitely not a match. 'No, no, absolutely not.' Ollivander said.
They tried several different wands including a Yew wand, a Vine wand, a Birch wand, an Ivy wand, before he finally brought out a Holly wand. 'This wand, I believe, is made from the same wood as yours Mr. Potter.' Ollivander said, as he handed the wand to Tonks. 'Holly, sir?' Harry said. Ollivander nodded. 'Indeed, and, oh, now that is most strange. Yes, most strange indeed.' Ollivander said, staring peculiarly at Tonks and the wand.
'What's most strange, sir?' Harry said. 'It appears the wand has most definitely chosen Ms. Kirk here.' Ollivander said. 'And that's strange is it?' Tonks said, just as confused and perturbed as Harry. 'No, no. It is strange that it's core is familiar with you, Ms. Kirk, like it already knows you and trusts you. That wand's core is a Phoenix feather, the same as Mr. Potter's. A feather procured from the same Phoenix owned by Albus Dumbledore, your head teacher at Hogwarts - which makes it only the more curious, as that bird gave the same feather that now resides in your wand Mr. Potter. So I wonder, Ms. Kirk, what the core was in your original wand?' Ollivander said. 'Unicorn Tail hair, sir. But, why?' Tonks said. 'Well then, it seems something incredibly rare has occurred here.' Ollivander said. 'I'm sorry, but what's occurred here, sir?' Harry asked.
'Mr. Potter, it seems that Ms. Kirk's wand core has remoulded itself from a Unicorn tail hair into a Phoenix feather. A core can only do this when it's owner forms an unbreakably strong attachment and attraction to another wizard. The wand will then form the same attachment and attraction to the other wizard's wand. Ms. Kirk's wand core achieved the change by quite literally removing itself from her original wand and placing itself within the feather inside her new wand, you see cores live inside the feather or the tail hair for example. So, it seems that Ms. Kirk's core ripped itself from the tail hair, and again, as I say, placed itself inside the feather - thus becoming a perfect match to another's wand. Most likely because Ms. Kirk seeks to be with someone she has fallen in love with, but I will say this,' Ollivander said. 'This phenomenon occurs so rarely, there are so few of us who study wand lore that know of it. It is said that the phenomenon can only occur when the love between the wizards is eternal and un-breaking and unchanging. So I suspect that Ms. Kirk may have someone residing in her heart. And for Ms. Kirk's wand core to be able to achieve the change into a Phoenix feather can only mean the love is extraordinarily powerful.' Ollivander said.
They paid for the wand and exited the shop. 'That was…odd.' Harry said. 'Yeah. All of it was odd.' Tonks said. 'Yeah, especially the part where he said it could only have happened because you found your soulmate.' Harry said. 'Have you?' He said. 'There was…someone back in the 1996 I came from. God knows what he's thinking, or if that version of him even still exists.' She said. Harry thought this sounded odd, but didn't question it, seeing as how she did travel back in time from 1996. 'Remember what he said about your wand core jumping from your original wand into your new wand?' Harry said, as they walked to Flourish and Blotts.
'Yeah, what about it?' Tonks said. 'D'you think it means that your original wand is dead?' Harry said. 'Only one way to find out.' Tonks said, digging her old wand out and waving it discreetly.
And nothing happened. No magic came from the wand. 'So that's that, then. The wand's dead.' Harry said. Tonks nodded. 'It's just a cool looking stick now.' She said. 'What do you want to do with it?' Harry said. 'I'll keep it. It's the first wand I ever got, and until all this, I thought it would be my only wand.' She said, burying the wand back in the bag, as they entered Flourish and Blotts.
'Hermione never stops talking about Hogwarts: A History, or trying to get Ron and me to read it.' Harry said, letting a little chuckle escape. 'Maybe you should listen to her, and read it then.' Tonks said, laughing a little. 'Tell that to Ron and see what happens.' Harry said, laughing with her. They spent about ten minutes in Flourish and Blotts gathering up their Hogwarts textbooks.
'Next stop?' Tonks said, as they exited Flourish and Blotts. Harry looked at the list and they went to their next stop. It was another hour before they were finished with back-to-school shopping. Harry made to head back towards the Cauldron as Tonks grabbed his arm and stopped him. 'Erm, where'd you think you're going, mister?' She said.
'..to the Leakey Cauldron?' Harry said, sounding a little confused. 'Nope. Still one more thing I want to do before we sit down, Mr. Potter.' Tonks said. 'And that would be?' Harry asked. Tonks looked him up and down, clearly giving his hand-me-downs from Dudley an odd look. 'Well first thing, no offence, but your clothes look like hand-me-downs from Dudley. And second, we're getting you some new clothes.' Tonks said, grinning. Harry shook his head quickly. 'No. No, I don't need new clothes. The ones I got from Dudley do me just fine.' Harry said.
'Oh, so they are from Dudley? Then it's decided, Mr. Potter. You're getting new clothes.' Tonks said, as she moved in tight to Harry. 'You deserve so much better than hand-me-downs Dudley had to be coerced into giving you.' Tonks said, placing her hand gently on his cheek and rubbing it tenderly. 'How did you -' Harry said, as Tonks interjected. 'From the future, remember?' She said, her eyes twinkling. Harry felt his heart skip a beat in that moment, and he wasn't sure that he could keep himself from kissing her.
What he didn't realise was that Tonks felt absolutely the same as she stared into his emerald eyes. Somehow she managed to take his hand and they headed upwards out of Diagon Alley.
They soon found their way to the high street in London, where all the best clothing shops Tonks said. 'Erm Tonks.' Harry said, as they entered one particular shop. 'Yeah?' She replied. 'I don't have any muggle money.' He said. She grinned. 'Don't worry about it. Just give me your bag of galleons and I'll take care of the financials. For now, let's get you a new wardrobe.' Tonks said. It took them a few hours, but they successfully procured Harry a new wardrobe - one of his favourite items being a Levi's red check sherpa jacket.
They soon found themselves back at the Cauldron just as it started to get dark. Their bags stored safely up in their shared room, the two sat down on a couch in front of the fire, large mugs of hot chocolate on the coffee table in front of them. It was perfect, Tonks thought to herself, it was the perfect night - her and Harry, a warm fire, delicious hot chocolate and there was nobody here but them.
'You're going to the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasley's aren't you?' Tonk said. Harry nodded, as she sidled up closer to him, sitting shoulder to shoulder with him, he noted the hint of sadness in her voice when she spoke. 'You're coming too.' Harry said, smiling at her as the fire blazed. 'Okay, well then, how do you plan on sneaking me in?' Tonks asked. 'There isn't going to be any "sneaking" anyone in, Dora, I already bought your ticket - did it while you were getting your uniform sorted.' He said, smiling proudly. 'Look at Harry Potter being all proud of himself for being sneaky!' She said. 'Well, I don't usually get to be the sneaky one, do I? Course I'm going to lap it up.' Harry said, laughing.
She rested her head on his shoulder, as they watched the fire burn. 'Tell me more about the future. About what I'm going to go through that you want to at least make easier for me.' He said. 'Heavy subject, but alright, you asked for it.' She said, laughing. He laughed too. 'I came back here, cos this is where it all starts for you - all the sad and traumatic stuff. It starts this year, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but it only gets worse next year.' She said.
'Whatever happens, I can handle it. Especially with you now by my side. I feel a lot stronger cos of that.' He said, squeezing her hand, having no idea how much that made her heart leap. 'You seem to be forming quite the attachment to me, Harry.' Tonks said, grinning. 'You don't exactly make it hard.' He said. There he was again, she thought, making her heart leap like hell.
'Tell me about the future. What do I go through that was so bad you had to travel back here to try and change it.' Harry said. 'Well, I don't know that I can change it, but I'm going to do my best to make it easier for you. I promise.' She said, looking deeply into his eyes as she did. 'But, like I said, it's going to get worse, and it starts this year. For some moronic reason, the Ministry decides to bring back the Triwizard Tournament, a barbaric wizarding competition that puts it competitors through hell. They stopped it a hundred odd years ago because surprise, surprise - students kept dying.' Tonks said. Harry nodded, taking it in, accepting it.
'Okay, then what?' Harry said. 'You're going to compete in it. The age limit is set to 17, but someone sneaks your name into the Goblet of Fire and gets you into the tournament. There's a dragon task, a task in the Black Lake, and finally, the Maze Task - which is where it ends. You and Cedric Diggory get the cup and you get transported to a graveyard where Voldemort uses your blood to bring himself back. He and Peter Pettigrew kill Cedric right in front of you.' She said, sighing hard. She could feel Harry tensing up.
'Okay, then what?' He said again. She turned to him. 'Harry, we can stop, if you like. Take a breather.' She said. He shook his head. 'No. If I'm going to get through this, and protect you and Ron and Hermione, then I need to know this.' He said. She smiled at his nobility and caring. She had never known anyone like him.
'Okay. Next year, Dolores Umbridge will take over Hogwarts as part of a smear campaign the Ministry will start against you and Dumbledore after what happens this year. Harry, that woman will do everything she can to break you, and I mean it. She might actually be worse than Voldemort, which is entirely weird to say.' Tonks said, almost laughing at herself.
'She's going to torture you, physically and psychologically. You're going to get visions, insights into Voldemort's mind and it's going to lead you to the Ministry, to the Department of Mysteries - where Sirius will die fighting, protecting you - because Voldemort figures out you two can communicate telepathically by way of visions, so he puts a fake one in your head, making you think Sirius is at the Ministry when he isn't.' She said, taking a deep breath afterward.
'Then in your Sixth Year, Draco Malfoy will become a death eater - one of Voldemort's followers. At least, you heavily suspect he did. And Dumbledore will start giving you these lessons, about memories and Voldemort. I never learned much about that before I traveled back here.' She said. She had laid everything out for him, except for one thing - her biggest, deepest secret. She wasn't sure he was ready to know, nor was she sure she was ready to tell him.
He was speechless for a few moments, and for those few moments she waited with bated breath for a response. 'I…alright, then. It doesn't matter what it is, whatever comes my way, I'll take it on and I'll handle it, but I want to do it with you. I don't know what it is about you, but I know there's something about you that just feels… right.' Harry said. He didn't realise this, but he just gave Tonks hope.
'Harry, of course I'll be there with you. Every step of the way. I won't ever leave you.' She said, looking deep into his eyes, straight into his soul. They sat there, staring into each other's eyes, both wanting to make a move but neither having the courage. Eventually they went up to their room with the one bed and went to sleep, ready for what tomorrow will bring.