It had been more than a week since the meeting with Gringotts and he felt so much better since the Horcrux was taken out of him. His healing had since then also gone well, even better than before. It seemed that without the Horcrux in his head his healing rate sped up. Andromeda had been happy with the latest scan a few days ago. His organs were out of immediate danger and his height was starting to catch up. He still had a long way to go but he was visibly improving.
Unfortunately, he hadn't thought twice about letting Hermione stay while Andromeda did her check up. While he'd told her he was now getting some healing done, he hadn't told here everything in explicit detail. But now she knew everything. About the malnutrition, stunted growth, broken bones, the former threat of organ failure. All of it.
Her imagination ran wild thinking about what his current issues meant. How bad his childhood actually was. Hermione'd been absolutely furious when she heard about all his health problems. He'd to stop her from going to Privet Drive to set Number 4 on fire and that was the least she was planning. She probably wasn't done yet with her revenge plans. Harry wasn't sure yet if he even wanted to stop her.
Hermione.
Laying in his bed in the early morning he thought back to a week ago when he saw her again for the first time since everything happened.
He heard a pop and a shocked, "Harry?" before he turned around and there she was, Hermione.
She looked great, tanned with her curly hair in a messy bun on top of her head. She was wearing shorts and a bright red Gryffindor shirt that looked suspiciously like the one he lost in their third year.
"Harry! What, what happened?!" She said quite loudly in a shocked tone. Hermione kept staring at him and Harry rubbed his neck sheepishly with a slight blush. Her staring made him nervous but he promised to tell her everything as soon as they saw each other in person so tell her he did.
He told her about his realisation while still at the Dursleys, his decision to leave for Grimmauld Place and what he found there. About Kreacher, Dobby and the blood adoption potion and the letters Sirius left him. About the goblins, Horcruxes, his new allies and what happened yesterday.
She was pale when she just about attacked him with a hug. Hermione's hugs were the best, warm and soft. Harry still remembered how it felt like when she hugged him back in first year. The first person to hug him since his parents died.
"Oh Harry, I'm so proud of you! You did this all on your own, without any help and you did it anyway," Hermione spoke in his ear while hugging him, "You are so brave, Harry. Promise that you will let me help you from now on? I want to help too."
He loved her.
Oh Merlin, this wasn't just a crush, was it? He, Harry Potter, was in love with Hermione Granger. He loved her intelligence, her wild curls, her fierceness and her humor. He loved that she stood by him no matter what. He loved that he was just Harry to her, never the Boy-Who-Lived. He loved her.
Shaken by that relavation, Harry kept holding her. She felt good there, in his arms. They stood there for a moment longer before she released him. Taking a step back Hermione looked at him and said quietly, "You look good you know, different but good."
He felt the need to blush again but turned away before she could see it. Just act normal, he told himself, she's your best friend. Act like it. So while trying to keep his face straight, "Thanks, Mione, you look good too. Did you have a nice time in France with your parents?" Normal. That was normal right?
Hermione, at least, didn't seem to notice anything off. She kept talking a mile a minute which Harry found adorable. Soon she stated asking after Hedwig and the eggs which was a good subject to focus on other than his new realisation. Hermione had brought a book with her about owl chick care which he gratefully took. Then looking at the clock in the cornor he saw that they had been talking for way to long. He was supposed to take her to the training room immediately!
Ah well, they would understand they lost time talking. They were best friends and this could surely happen to any pair of friends.
He held out his arm to her for her to hold as Gran taught him, "Amelia is waiting for us in the training room, shall we?"
Her eyes brightend as she took his arm and she said, "Yes, we shall."
He should have expected it but he'd still been surprised at how vicious Hermione had been while dueling. When he told her that she just raised one eyebrow and told him he really shouldn't have been surprised. She could curse somebody just as well as anybody, better even.
She was clearly taking this very seriously. Good, Harry thought.
Hermione and Susan had gotten along well after that first strange moment where they seemed to just stare at each other when Harry and Hermione walked inside arm in arm. Susan seemed to concede defeat and Hermione was visibly smug for a moment. It all took just a moment and Harry was confused. What just happened? Neville shot a amused look in Harry's direction as he clapped him on his back, which confused Harry even more. Girls were weird.
Still, they worked surprisingly well as a team. Amelia had been proud of them. Hermione had stopped by every day that week to come and train with them and it had been amazing. Amelia had them train in pairs and it worked very well even after only a week. They switched often as not to get used to only one partner or opponent yet it was clear Harry worked best with either Hermione or Neville.
Neville'd worked best with either Harry or Susan and Hermione was truly at her best with either Harry or Susan. Amelia had also taken some time to teach Hermione and Susan some extra spells. When Harry asked which spells he just got told that they were spells every girl needed to know. Which on itself wasn't very frightning but the smirks on their faces... Any Black would be proud.
Hermione and Susan together were something to fear but when she stood with Harry, well that was just breathtaking. They worked together like one was an extension of the other. They instinctively moved to protect the other, noticing when the other was in danger faster than when paired with someone else. It felt breathtaking to fight with Hermione at his side.
Harry sat up from his reminiscing with a start when the wards started alerting him about a disturbance in the owlery. Hedwig!
The owl chicks were hatching! Harry shot right out of bed and ran to the owlery in his PJ's and and impressive case of bed head. When he came to the owlery he saw Hedwig standing on the edge of her nest looking intently down at her shaking eggs.
Harry carefully came closer to the nest and looking into it, he could see a tiny hole in one of the eggs. A tiny beak started pecking at the eggshell from the inside out and Hedwig bowed her head over the egg so she could help free her chick from the egg.
It was about a hour or so later that all three of the chicks were free of their eggs. Hedwig looked so very proud of her chicks. Harry could honestly say that he had never seen something so ugly as a newborn baby bird. Thin, bald things with a very big head compared to the rest of their tiny bodies.
Not that he'd ever tell Hedwig that. The proud mother would gleefully kill him. After making sure that the mother and chicks were all healthy he went to cast a warming charm and left the new mother to her newly hatched chicks.
Harry was grateful for the books Hermione had given him about owl care. He hadn't had the chance to read them all but he knew enough to take care of Hedwig and her chicks. She'd do the most of the work raising her chicks anyway so he didn't have to do a lot. Just make sure they had enough food and water and warmth. That he could do.
It was still early in the morning but today was the day that Harry would meet with Tonks for lunch at Longbottom Manor. He was a bit nervous about it to be honest.
Andromeda had her talk with her daughter and Tonks had sworn a vow to never communicate in any way about what'd happen today. And if she agreed with what he had to say, she would promise her loyalty to him as the Head of House Black. She'd become a full member of House Black like her mother already was.
She also promised her mother that she'd stop being a member after the Order after this meeting if they both agreed that it was the best course of action. Harry thought that maybe Tonks already had her own doubts about what the Order was doing. He hoped so.
Harry and Andromeda had sent a few letters to each other in the last week so that they could get to know each other better and so that Harry could ask some questions about his health. She'd also come to Longbottom manor once to check up on his health again.
Harry really liked his new aunt and he was planning to ask her to move in with him. He wanted some human company in the Black Town House and it was a lot safer there than where his aunt lived with her husband and daughter now. After all, her deranged sister was still free. And he felt a bit lonely in the big Black Manor. It was a big house for only one human and two House-Elves.
A temporary solution for all of them, he knew, yet it would offer them safety and company. The manor was big enough that if any of them wanted space, they could easily find it. Even if they each wanted a floor of their own, it was easly done.
This way, if they agreed, he could also get to know Ted Tonks. He had learned from Andromeda that he was a lawyer, Harry had the feeling that he could use a good lawyer in his life. He might be family now, but Harry still hoped the man would agree to work for him or at least advise him.
He left Hedwig to her privacy after a lot of cuddles and compliments on her new chicks. Downstairs he went to the living room after a short talk with Alphard. The man was having the time of his life flirting with the portraits around him. Related to him or not, Alphard just really enjoyed their appalled reactions. Harry could clearly see where Sirius got his love for pranking for.
By the time it was finally time to call for Dobby to bring him to Longbottom Manor he had finished reading the Animagus book, trained a bit in the training room and read some more in the Potter family Grimoire.
It was in that Grimoire that he found out that the Potter Family Manor still existed. Potter Manor. Harry had thought that all Potter family houses were destroyed, sold or made in a memorial. But the book said that it's in an unplottable location somewhere in Scotland.
Harry immediately knew that he'd have go there as soon as possible. The ancestral Potter Manor would have been the house were his father grew up in and all the Potters before him. Once again he wondered why no one had told him the manor still existed. Surely Sirius and Remus had both known about it?
The only thing he would have to do is call the Potter Family Elf noted in the Grimoire and ask her to bring him home. Her name was Effy, he'd read and Harry would call for her as soon as possible but first he really needed to go to Longbottom Manor. Gran would not be happy if he was late to the meeting.
Hermione had sent a note earlier today that she'd stay with her parents today. They had planned a surprise day trip to a museum for her as a family outing so he'd see her again tomorrow. Harry was the first one to arrive of the guests and after greeting Gran and Neville he went to sit down at the dining table. It was only a few minutes later that Andromeda and Tonks were escorted in by Tessy.
Harry knew from Dobby that his friend was busy courting the female House-Elf but it was slow going. Tessy was clearly a female who knew what she wanted and Dobby was trying very hard to be what she wanted. Harry wasn't sure if that was right but he didn't know how to bring it up with his friend. Dobby was crazy about Tessy yet Harry didn't think it right that Dobby had to change himself to win her favor.
Hopefully it would all be alright.
But back to the actual meeting. Harry, Neville and Gran stood up to greet the new guests and after Tonks said, "Wotcher, Harry! You do know that you have the whole Order searching for you?"
Tonks was looking as she usually did with her pink hair and punk clothes. Althought her happiness did seem a bit more forced than what he was used to from her and she looked a bit pale. Even her pink hair was less bright than when he saw he last summer. She looked stressed.
Harry answered with, "You do realise that the Order had no legal right to make me stay at my magic-hating muggle relatives house?" He was still a bit angry about that and he was a bit glad to see that his answer had shocked Tonks into silence.
It seemed that she never thought about what she did for the Order in a legal or moral sense at least when Harry was involved. He really hoped she'd think things through a bit more often after he told her his life story. Especially since her boss, Amelia Bones, would not be happy with Tonks being a member of the Order of the Phoenix.
And Harry did tell her most his life story. He told her some about the Dursley's and his years at Hogwarts. He told her about what the goblins discovered and about the Prophecy. He also told her about what he thought about the Order and what he overheard Dumbledore and Remus talking about when they tried to enter Number 12, Grimmauld Place.
Through his story, Tonks turned paler and paler and she looked angry when she heard about what Remus and Dumbledore talked about on his front porch. Her hair started to get red highlights as she got even angrier. Something more was going on there, Harry thought.
When Harry was done with talking, Tonks stood up and raised her wand and stated formally, "I, Nymphadora Libra Tonks, swear on my magic to my Lord Black to keep your secrets and always help you to the best of my ability. This is my vow, so mote it be." There flashed a light to signal the acceptance of the vow and Harry nodded gratefully at Tonks.
He was relieved that she believed him. It'd have been very difficult for him and Andromeda if he had to expel Tonks from the Family again. Now that he had met her as the Lord of House Black he could feel her as clearly as Andromeda. She felt like family.
Gran cleared her throat and their lunch appeared on the table. It looked delicious as usual. There was some fresh bread, fruit and some smoked fish which looked great. Harry had been able to try a lot more different thing since leaving the Dursleys and he had discovered that he really liked smoked eal. It's was so buttery soft and smokey to the taste. Delicious.
But Tonks seemed to have a problem when the fish appeared in front of her on the table. She went from pale to a sickly green and quickly ran out of the room with her hand in front of her mouth. Maybe Tonks had eaten something bad before coming here?
Harry and Neville looked at each other, confused, but Andromeda looked worried at first and then steadingly more like she had a realisation she didn't like.
Since it seemed that Tonks would be a while the others started eating the delicious meal that the Elves prepared for them. Meanwhile, Gran told Neville and Harry the news she had about Dumbledore. Gran was keeping a eye on him with her spies in Hogwarts. Yes, their Gran had spies. No, Harry didn't know who. Gran just smiled at him when he'd asked.
Dumbledore was acting strangely according to the spy. He was leaving the castle often without telling anyone where he was going. The spy wasn't able to follow the Headmaster yet but there wasn't much hope for that anyway. The man knew how to cover his tracks. There was however one more noticable thing that the spy reported this morning to Gran, Dumbledore had a black hand. Black as in the flesh of his hand was dead.
What was he doing? They couldn't come up with an explaination. It had to be dark magic what caused his hand but what?
It was a half hour later that Tonks came back in the room looking pale and shaky. She took one look at her mothers face and burst out in tears. It was when her mother was comforting her that the whole story came out.
Apparently Tonks had been seeing Remus for a week or so some time ago. She had been persuing him for some time but at first he wanted nothing to do with her. Only after Sirius died he needed comforting and she'd wanted to be there for him because she cared for him. As a friend if he needed only friendship from her. She wasn't about to hit on a grieving man after all. They had both been so sad that day.
Yet one thing let to another and they slept together. They kept seeing each other some few days after that first night together and Tonks had been so happy but then came the day that Remus didn't show up. Tonks went looking for him after a few days with no contact because she was worried. What if the Death-Eaters had gotten to him? But no, she found him drinking himself stupid at a seedy muggle bar. She took him away from there and confronted him.
Apparently Tonks thinking they were in a relationship after those romantic days together and Remus finally admitting that he liked her in a romantic way was the wrong interpretation. It seemed that Remus had meant something different when they talked about their feelings or their future together. He claimed that she's just a distraction after Sirius his death and it could never be anything more because he was way to old for her and a werewolf. That he was wrong for her.
To Tonks it sounded like a repeated mantra or something so she was ready to fight, to fight for them. But it soon became clear that Remus didn't want her to fight for them. Didn't want her.
Tonks was heartbroken that she misunderstood so much about the days they had spent together, that Remus'd do this to her when she had at least thought that they were friends. That they respected one another. So to hide her tears, she quickly left.
He didn't deserve to know he'd hurt her.
It was some weeks later that Tonks discovered that she was pregnant. She wanted to tell Remus first since he's the father and she felt like he should know about the baby even if he wanted nothing to do with her anymore. Surely he wanted to know he was about to become a father?
Only, she couldn't find him since he kept avoiding her like the coward she'd started to see him as. It was like he thought she was an obsessed stalker or something. It wasn't like he was that good, Tonks had thought with an eyeroll.
Harry and Neville both blushed bright red at that part. That was more than they wanted to know about their former teacher!
Any crush she may have had disappeared after the way he treated her after their few days together. Tonks'd have been done with him if this hadn't happened. She only got ahold of him this morning when she had to corner him after an Order meeting to tell him she was pregnant.
At this point of the story she started to angrily cry again when she told them that at first Remus refused to believe the baby was his since apparently werewolves didn't get to have children. That it was unnatural and thus impossible. It. He called their baby an it.
Harry was really angry with the way Remus's self-destructive tendencies and low self esteem hurt the people around him. The worst part of it was that the wolf didn't even seem to realise he was doing it. Selfish and dumb arse that he was. How could he do this to a nice woman like Tonks?
When she had finally convinced him that the baby was in fact his, he only seemed to want to run away from her again and go talk to Dumbledore about the baby. That seemed like a very strange reaction to Tonks and she started to realise that she didn't know Remus at all. What in Merlin's name did Dumbledore have to do with theirbaby?
Remus wasn't the loyal, compassionate, mature and strong man she'd thought he was. Or at least he wasn't acting like it lately. Why had she ever liked this man?
She'd just promised her mother to keep away from Dumbledore so she refused to go and talk to him about her baby. Yes, her baby. That promise was the reason she skipped this Order meeting to wait for Remus outside the new meeting place. That made Remus angry and since he didn't understand why she wouldn't go with him to see Dumbledore. He seemed betrayed that she wouldn't go to Dumbledore with him. He was feeling betrayed?!
Seeing this, the young Auror apparated away before he could try and make the situation worse than it already was. She was so disappointed in everything.
When Tonks stopped talking it was silent for a while. Harry was so angry at Remus. How could he get a 22 year old pregnant and then walk away from her? Remus was more than a decade and a half older than her! More even!
Harry could imagine being shocked after hearing that kind of news but to treat someone that way? Basically accusing her of sleeping around? Tonks was family now to Harry and he'd protect her as family. Remus better look out the next time Harry saw him. Nobody messed with his family.
Andromeda looked increasingly angry at Remus and even Augusta who didn't even know Tonks looked ready to start cursing the wolf.
Harry decided that it was time to stop acting like a sixteen year old boy and start acting like the Lord of her House that he was. And so he asked gently, "Tonks, know that you have my support either way but do you want this baby?"
Tonks looked shocked at that question coming from him of all people but immediately answered with a sure sounding, "Of course I will keep my baby!"
Harry nodded, it was her decision. He could see that she already loved her baby. She would make a good mother and he'd help her every step on the way. Harry was sure that Andromeda would feel the same way as soon as she got over the shock.
Andromeda looked a bit worried when she asked, "Are you sure, Nymphadora? It is a very big responsibility to raise a baby and you're only twenty-two years old. You only just got to be an Auror! Are you really sure you want to do this?" Andromeda asked her daugther. Not that she wouldn't help her daughter either way, but she needed her daughter to be sure.
Tonks looked a bit offended at her mother questioning her choice but she also understood her worries. She had the same ones after all.
Tonks looked at her mother and said, "I know that I'm young and that I'm alone. I won't be able to count on Remus, I see that now. But I want this baby, mom. Will you help me?"
Andromeda looked emotional at her daughters words and Harry started to feel a bit awkward at witnessing this emotional moment between mother and daughter.
Andromeda told her daughter that she would always support her and Harry suddenly had an idea. He had been planning to ask Andromeda to move into Black Manor with him but perhaps he'd also ask Tonks? It was a very big Manor and since no one knew that someone was living there, it should be safe for them all. Especially with the wards.
So after a moment Harry asked the mother and daughter duo, "Tonks? Andromeda? I was planning to ask you something after this meeting but it seems that it might help you out now. So, would you like to move into Black Manor with me? And your husband will be welcome too of course."
Harry continued when both woman looked unsure, "I know that we don't really know each other but we are family now. But the fact remains that you, Tonks, need a safe place to live. I am also concerned that Death Eaters will come after you guys. My house is the safest place for you, I think. And I've got a few House-Elves who would like the extra work. But it is your decission."
Tonks looked like she agreed and she said, "I think you're right. Can you imagine what Bellatrix would do if she finds out I'm carrying a werewolf's baby?"
Andromeda nodded and looked at Harry and said, "Yes, the both of you are right. But I will need to discuss it first with my husband. It is not a decision made lightly and without his consent."
His aunt continued with, "Is that alright, Harry? I will sent a message to Longbottom tomorrow with our decission."
Harry nodded in agreement. He understood that it was not a choice she could make alone. He hoped that Ted would agree to move to Black Manor. He'd like to get to know the man his aunt talked so much about.
Tonks had decided that she would move in immediately. So Harry called for Dobby and Kreacher to tell them the news. Both Elves were exatic to have more people in the Manor and they went to Tonks her place to get all her stuff packed up to take back with them.
Dobby also told Harry that he would discreetly tell Winky the good news that soon there would be a baby in their family to take care of. Harry hoped it would cheer her up. She needed all the happiness and help she could get to get sober again. Though according to Dobby, Winky hadn't even touched a butterbeer since she heard Dobby's offer to join their family.
Tonks would go home with Harry after his lesson with Gran was done. Andromeda would go home after she did another check up on Harry and after that she would do a check on Tonks. Tonks hadn't been able to go to a healer yet since she didn't trust it would be safe. Death-Eaters could be everywhere.
This would be the second scan in just a few days but Harry was still curious if the potions had helped with strengtning his bones some more and if he'd gained some more weight and height. Harry felt healtier then ever. He was also curious what the scan would say about his scar now that the Horcrux was gone for more than a week now. His scar had almost gone invisible for which he was grateful. No more people staring at his scar would be wonderful.
Tonks said she would take a walk around the grounds of Longbottom Manor to clear her head so she left to give her mother and Harry some privacy. Augusta and Neville went to find Amelia for the same reason.
When they were alone together Andromeda turned to Harry and exclaimed, "I'm going to be a grandmother!" The giant smile on her face reassured Harry that everything would be alright. Tonks had a supportive family that would help her. He hugged her in congratulations and went to sit down so she could start her check up.
Andromeda performed the spell to check his health and she seemed approving of what she could see.
"Alright, Harry. Your bones and weight are slowly improving and it seems that the dark magic in your scar is truly gone. The goblins did good work. I assume that you've kept up with your diet and training shedule?" Andromeda asked with a raised eyebrow.
Harry nodded quickly.
She told him to keep taking the potions and that she'd do another check up in a week. Then she quickly left to find her daughter with the promise to contact him with their decision tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Harry went to find Amelia for their combat lesson.
He found Amelia, Susan and Neville already in the training room. His friends were shooting spells at a dummie while Amelia watched and sometimes corrected them. It was unfortunate that Hermione couldn't be here with them today but they were all glad that she still had parents to go on trips with. The rest of them were all orphans who wished they could do the same.
Amelia looked up when Harry walked in and mentioned for him to take the other dummie to practise his spells.
Only when Harry joined the others in shooting spells at the dummies, the dummies suddenly started moving and multiplying.
He looked over at Amelia and saw that she was standing by a panel just like the one in the Black Manor training room. So that was what the Runes did!
Harry, Neville and Susan had to work together and be very fast so that they could keep up with the dummies and take them down. It felt very strange to battle with faceless humanoid objects but needs must. The change was good.
The dummies kept coming at them and one by one the teenagers stopped casting because of exaustion. Only Harry could keep going after the other two had to stop. Still, it was clear that Susan, Neville and he made a good team. They guarded each others backs and helped each other with the dummies for as long as they could as they had trained for. And add Hermione and they would be even better.
Amelia stopped the dummies when even Harry started slowing down. She gave each of them a glas of water and started the usual post-training talk.
She looked proud at the improvements they made in only a week but still asked them what they did wrong as she did after every combat lesson.
This time it was Susan who answered her aunt and Amelia looked proud at her nieces conclusion. They still lacked the spell knowledge of a fully trained adult Witch or Wizard but they still did very well for their age. Especially Harry seemed to take after his combat specialists Black family members.
They also needed to work on their stamina so Amelia adviced them to start running more laps. They groaned at that but still agreed. It was for their own good after all.
They each cast a refreshning spell on themselves and went to leave the training room together. In the last week they had gone into the habit to take a walk together after training. It was nice to talk to each other in that time since that when they were training there wasn't much time for talking.
It was on one of these talks that Susan really became friends with Harry, Hermione and Neville. They'd discovered that Neville, Susan and Harry were all basically orphans. All three of them had lonely childhoods even thought the other two did have a trusted adult in their lives who cared for them.
And so it was this on this walk Susan confinded in them that her best friend Hannah would not come back to Hogwarts. Hannah's mother was killed in a recent attack and her father wanted to keep her close. Susan told them that this was also why Hannah hadn't come to train with them yet. Her father was overprotective in his grief and didn't want Hannah to leave their house.
Susan was heartbroken for her friend and also very sad that she wouldn't come back to Hogwarts with her.
Susan was a kind girl but she didn't have a lot of female friends in Hogwarts. So if Hannah stayed home this year that would mean that Susan would be without her best friend this year.
Both Harry and Neville quickly reassured her that she'd have two friends in them. Hermione liked her too so that would be at least one female friend, right? They all really liked her and did she not want to train with them anymore when they were in Hogwarts?
Susan had to laugh at that and she visibly cheered up. She hooked her arms with Harry's and Neville's and they walked further in a better mood.
Harry was a bit startled to find her arm in his but he had to smile at her good mood, he was getting used to more physical contact from others. Susan was a physical person they quickly learned. She liked walking arm in arm, hugging or punching her friends jokingly on the shoulder. Her happiness made him and Neville smile too. It was a beautiful day on these wonderful grounds and the sunny weather with his friends.
Harry couldn't wait to see Hermione, tomorrow she'd join them again. Perhaps she'd like to take a walk alone with him here on these grounds?