Harry Potter and the Paradigm Shift
Chapter 9
By Kinsfire
The four of them walked downstairs the next morning, smiling. Harry was wearing boxers at this point, but the girls simply wore smiles. "What about Sirius?" Harry asked.
"Let him look," Tonks laughed. "We’re yours and that’s that." She pulled him in for a quick kiss, and then they continued the walk to the kitchen, where they discovered Sirius, Moira and Ron sitting behind cups of coffee and with cinnamon rolls in front of them.
Ron’s eyebrows rose slightly at the way the girls were dressed, so to speak, and he said, "Just for my own knowledge guys, answer me a question — any of you have any idea what a silencing charm is?" His voice sounded stern, but his eyes were sparkling madly.
Tonks snorted. "Yeah, but a well placed Finite deals with it no problem." Ron blinked and then laughed, followed quickly by Sirius’s bellowed laugh.
"You guys sounded like you enjoyed yourselves," Sirius added when he could breathe again. "Which one of you is the howler? To an old dog like me, that’s a mating call!" He put a lecherous grin on his face.
"You couldn’t handle me," Hermione replied saucily, even though she was blushing furiously.
Ron cleared his throat. "Uh, guys? I think we’ve officially hit TMI territory here. I do not need to know which one of the other two is the squealer and which one yells, since one of those two is my sister."
"I’m the squealer," Ginny replied sweetly, sticking her tongue out at Ron, who began to chuckle.
"My God, I’ve missed being able to sit around a table and be relaxed," he said. "Life just hasn’t been the same without you, Harry. This is the most … well, I think ‘mellow’ is the best word for it … the most mellow that any of us have been in four years."
"Being shagged into insensibility helps too," Ginny purred.
"That it does," Ron said with a smile, looking quickly at Sirius.
Harry’s eyes passed between the two of them, and then shot to Moira quickly. "Why do you think I left last night?" she asked. "I knew what the girls had planned, and I also knew that either Ron or I would be a third wheel."
Harry shook his head, suddenly putting two and two together. "Remus was your lover, wasn’t he?" Harry asked quietly, receiving a nod from Sirius. "I owe him a massive apology. I only lost a father figure I sort of knew — he’d lost a beloved."
Sirius nodded again, soberly. "For the second time, yet. I have no idea whether he’s weathered this one better than when I went to Azkaban. And I have no idea how he’ll take the knowledge that I’ve been back all this time and couldn’t get in contact with him. Not without exposing you."
Tonks looked up from her coffee cup. "I think he’ll take it better than you think. Remus understands how these things work."
"I hope so. It’s not like either of us had promised each other anything, anyway. Not with things being so uncertain."
Harry cleared his throat to get back into the conversation. "Anyway …" He looked to Moira again. "Thank you. In my rush to get laid for the first time, I forgot about my other best friend."
"Oh no you don’t, Harry," Ron barked. "After a night like that, you don’t get to get all depressed. For Merlin’s sake, you haven’t seen us in years, and you’ve been in love with the three of them for all that time, if not more! I understand, and even though there’s nothing to forgive, if you think you need it, then I forgive you." He directed a mock glare at Padfoot. "You, too. No moping!"
Harry nodded at Ron, and then stood and pulled his friend into a hug. "I love you, Ron," he murmured. "You’re the first friend my age and the best friend I have ever had."
They embraced for a while before Tonks cleared her throat and said, "As touching as this is, I’m hungry, and I think you worked up something of an appetite, Harry — at least, if we did our job right, you did." She grinned at him. "And since the breakfast rolls have all mysteriously disappeared" — the plate was indeed empty now and Ron was wearing a look of total innocence — "I think we should eat a bit of real breakfast, and then you can start to show us some of what you’ve learned while you’ve been out here."
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"Harry, you’re a bastard," Ron grumbled after he’d landed on the padded floor of Harry’s basement workout area for the fifth time in twenty minutes. They’d all dressed in loose clothes and Harry was demonstrating the unarmed combat techniques he’d learned.
"I’ll have you know that my parents were married before I was conceived, although Sirius has suggested a few times that it was probably a near thing," Harry laughed as he helped Ron to his feet.
"Where did you learn to fight like that, Harry?" Tonks asked. "Trust me when I say that you could teach the Aurors a few things." At his wiggled eyebrows, she added, "Oh no, they’re going to get their own teachers for that. I’m not sharing you with anyone but those two girls."
"Remember how I mentioned Charlie Watson? He’s a member of Department Question Mark. That’s basically the American Auror division. Ever run across those comments about Men In Black in some of those conspiracy theories? That’s Department Question Mark. Mind you, it’s spelled, so to speak, with the symbol, but how in hell do you pronounce that?"
"‘That,’" Ginny replied impudently before sticking out her tongue at him.
"Smart-arse," he mumbled, grinning.
"Well, some part of her has to be," Ron said, jumping backwards into a roll as she came at him, laughing.
"That’s was impressive," Harry said. "Looks like you guys have gotten some training of your own out on the East Coast."
"Of course, Harry," Hermione said simply. "We wanted to be as ready as possible when we went back with you to kill Voldemort."
He blinked, and then smiled. "The Harry Potter from four years ago would have thrown a hissy fit and been stupid about how he can’t put any of the ones he loves in danger, not remembering that they would do this anyway, because they love him in return and want him to survive. The Harry Potter of today says thank you, and is trying to teach you a few other things."
"Yes!" Ron exclaimed, pumping his arm in the air. "He can be taught!" This made everyone laugh.
Harry grinned. "Anyone up for a little magical duelling? Got something I can teach you there as well — something that I think will surprise any Death Eaters I run across. Get your wands." While they retrieved their wands from the corner where they had left them along with their shoes for safety’s sake, Harry opened a tall, narrow wall cabinet. When they returned to the mat, he was leaning on a beautifully detailed quarterstaff, copper-shod at the ends. They looked at him with interest, and he grinned at them. He pointed one end at Ginny and said "Tarantallegra." She began to dance uncontrollably, but quickly cast the Finite upon herself.
"How did you do that?" Hermione asked with interest.
"Catch," he said, tossing her the quarterstaff. "Seventy-two inches, holly, phoenix feather core. Stiffer than usual, for use as a hand-to-hand weapon."
She caught it and hefted it carefully. "Lumos. Wow," she said as the end of the staff lit up. "I’d love to meet the person you got this from. The craftsmanship is magnificent, and it’s a powerful wand … uh, staff."
"You’d know how powerful my wand can be," he smirked.
"Oh, trust me, it’s a staff," she purred at him.
"Oh, please,"Ron said, faking a serious case of gagging.
"As for the craftsman of that staff, remind me later and I’ll take you to his workshop."
Sirius snorted over in the corner. "Why torture them, Harry? Take ‘em now. You know they won’t be able to concentrate until they know the new wand maker in town. Besides, you know you want them to meet the guy."
"You’re right," Harry said, taking back his staff. "We can duel anytime." He led them out of the basement workout area and upstairs. When they left the house, they were surprised to see Harry head not for the sidewalk, but for the garage at the rear of the property. He threw the doors open to show off the wood-working shop that was housed therein.
"Harry Potter, wand maker. I was trained by one of the teachers at Norton, who decided that I had a real talent for working with my hands."
"I’ll say," murmured Tonks with a secret smile.
He snorted at her and continued. "A small part of this is also my electronics workshop, where I work on some of my other things that I play with. But as for the wands and staves, well, I started playing around with wood as a stress-reliever, but I think I’ve gotten good enough to consider wand-making as a career. Give me another three to five years and I might be able to consider opening a shop to compete with Ollivander. I’m not in his league yet, though I have qualified as a journeyman. When I don’t need the tools to shape the wood anymore, then I’ll be a Master."
"I do have one advantage over Ollivander, though," Harry said, gesturing at shelves holding neatly labelled boxes. "He works with a limited selection of cores, and makes mostly general purpose wands. I make specialty wands, and I use a wide variety of core materials for these babies. Sasquatch hair, quetzal feathers; I actually befriended a dryad, so she gives me the occasional lock of hair; I use kelpie sinew, and I even use jackalope horn and hide. I have one, count it, one, hair from the tail of a White Buffalo. I’m saving that one for something special," Harry said, caressing the top of a carved stone box which obviously contained the precious hair. "Diricawl feathers are good too." He shrugged. "Same with thunderbird and passenger pigeon feathers."
"Um, isn’t the passenger pigeon extinct?" Hermione asked.
"So’s the dodo," Harry grinned. "Thing is, we know the dodo as the diricawl. Same with that breed of pigeon. Magical breed, and they had to hide them." He snorted, and then whistled. A pigeon flew into the yard and landed on his arm.
"Harry, that’s just a pigeon," she said. Harry looked at it. It bobbed its head twice and then shimmered slightly.
"Most people don’t realize that the passenger pigeon still exists, and that it’s magical and intelligent. Ever notice in a city that they seem to be the only birds that allow you close; that don’t take off the second that a car comes anywhere near? These things are some of the best mathematicians on the planet; they can measure exactly how close you are or how fast the car is moving and know whether it’s a threat or not. Wands with these feathers are perfect for people like you, Hermione." He looked at the bird, which bobbed its head again and flew into the workshop. It swooped down, picked up a wand and flew over to Hermione. She caught the wand it dropped in her hands and they watched as a localized wind whipped her hair, and she gasped at the wand. "These babies hide in plain sight. Everyone thinks that they’re just regular pigeons. They cast the spells to hide themselves. I befriended a colony. They check in on me occasionally." He grinned. "By the way, Hermione — Chloe here provided the feather in that wand."
Hermione bowed before the pigeon. "I appreciate this, Miss Chloe," she said quite seriously. Chloe bobbed her head twice and then cooed before taking off.
"She likes you, Hermione," Harry said. "If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this country, it’s not to limit my options. I’ve been looking at everything and thinking whether it would make a good wand core. For example, Tonks, would you consider letting me have some of you hair for a core?"
"Me? But I’m not …"
"You’re a metamorphmagus. You count as a magical being, and your hair would probably make a wand that would do wonderful transformations. I’m thinking of experimenting with werewolf hair when I get back to England, assuming I can talk Remus into donating some. Bet his hair would make a great combat wand, good for curses and hexes and the like. What? What are you all looking at me like that for?"
"Just amazed to see you so enthusiastic about something besides Quidditch," said Ron with a grin. "You’re beginning to sound like Hermione when she goes off on one of her crazes."
Hermione sent Ron a look of outrage and Harry seemed slightly embarrassed. "Shall we head back inside, then?" They headed back in, and Harry led them to the kitchen for something to drink. "You know, I just got sort of a synopsis of the treatment of the précis on how you came to move to America. Anyone actually want to fill in a few of the blanks? You were detailed enough as far as what you did, Tonks, but then you sort of jumped through the grabbing of these three."
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Hermione was surprised to see Tonks at her door, looking normal, as far as Muggles were concerned. "Tonks! What’s happening? Why are you here?"
"I’m here because Dumbledore did something really stupid, causing Harry to blow out the office wall and escape. I think that Fawkes agreed with Harry, because … well, Harry’s been to Gringott’s and gone already, before Dumbledore ever got there. I literally can not tell you what I found out, until you come to Gringott’s with me and read the letter Harry left for you. Let’s put it this way — he’s given me full access to his vaults. I have reason to believe that my name isn’t the only one with that same access granted. Can you come to Gringott’s with me?"
"Might I ask what it was that Headmaster Dumbledore did that has you so worried, Miss Tonks?" Dorothy Granger asked.
Tonks looked to Hermione and said, "I know your feelings for him, and I know that they are reciprocated. But he’s also … well, I didn’t like the way he looked, so I got Amelia Bones to put me on permanent detail guarding him so that he’d have someone to cry on, if necessary, and to start giving him some of the training that he really needs. It … uh … well, it didn’t go that far, but we certainly share an interest in each other." She sighed. "Which, of course, gives him problems, because he cares for you and Ginny as well, and he … you know what he’s like, Hermione."
Hermione sat back in her chair and thought. I want to be angry at Tonks, but I … I have to admit to myself that I might have been tempted in Harry’s position. She’s a beautiful woman. But why does he fancy me? She’s right, though. He’s kicking himself over the fact that he fancies three girls. "So Harry was all conflicted about us?"
Tonks nodded. "Not so conflicted that he could turn off his interest in any one of us, though, and I was the one in proximity, so I benefited. And so did he. Honestly, the difference it made in him was amazing. And then Dumbledore found out. We’d gone to him to report another matter entirely, about something that happened the summer before, but when he found out about us, all of a sudden the meeting was all about that and the other thing was pushed aside."
"What did the headmaster do?" Hermione asked.
"Told us, in no uncertain terms, that the relationship would end, or he’d end it for us." Hermione’s eyebrows rose at that.
"He’d never … but he cares for … why would he do that to Harry when he’d just found happiness?" she nearly wailed.
"Ostensibly for my protection, and for Harry’s peace of mind, but I’m not buying that. There was something else going on. I must have been right, because they’ll be repairing that wall for a little while now. The hole Harry blasted was big."
Dorothy narrowed her eyes. "Hermione, you go to Gringott’s and find out what Harry left you. I need to think for a while." She looked up at Tonks. "Am I correct in assuming that there’s a Weasley you need to collect as well?"
"Two, actually."
"Molly won’t be happy," Dorothy said. "When you have the information you need, come back here and we’ll talk."
She nodded, and Hermione rose to join her. They walked to the Apparition point and were outside the Burrow moments later. Molly came to the door in a major tizzy. "Harry’s missing! Albus just contacted me to tell me! Have you seen him?"
"Not since we both went to Dumbledore’s office. Something got said, and then a wall disappeared, and Harry left. May I speak to Ron and Ginny, please? It may involve Harry’s vanishing act."
A minute later Tonks was under a tree with the three of them, explaining the situation to them, and watching Ron’s expression as she told Ginny the same thing that she’d told Hermione.
"What the hell does he think he’s doing?" Ron exploded. "Three? I’ll not have him hurting Ginny like that!"
"Isn’t that my choice, Ron?" Ginny asked softly. "As if it’s important, with Dumbledore having chased him off to Merlin alone knows where."
"I need to take the three of you to Gringott’s because he left messages for each of you. That will tell you as much as I know. I think you have an idea who we can and can’t tell."
"Mum, for one, we can’t," Ginny said. "She’d go to Dumbledore in a heartbeat, and have him dragged back to Here from whatever There he went to, for his own good, of course." She shook her head. "I love Mum, but she’s too smothering, and doesn’t want us to grow up, and Harry’s included in that ‘us’."
"Much as I hate to, I agree with you on that, Gin," Ron grumbled. "I always thought the old bugger was mental. This just proves it."
"Especially when you eventually discover something that Harry knows now that apparently only Albus, Harry, and I know. I will tell you when I feel a bit safer about doing so, but for now, I want to kidnap you three to Gringott's. Let's tell Molly." They headed into the Burrow, where Molly was bustling about, trying to disguise her nervousness.
"Molly?" Tonks said. "I need to grab these two and take them to Gringott’s. I headed there after Harry disappeared, and was hinted at by the goblins that he left messages for some people. If I know Harry, then the messages are for Hermione and at least Ron, but I know that he’s at least friendly with Ginny, if not actually sweet on the girl. I’ll take these three to Gringott’s while you wait for further messages. You might want to Floo Arthur and let him know he’s not seeing things if someone sees Ron and Ginny in Diagon Alley."
"I’d prefer to come with you. The faster that we know where he is, the faster Albus can get him back."
"Honestly, Molly, I’d prefer you stay here. That way we have another line of communication. As soon as we know, we’ll come back here, and pass on whatever we’ve learned. If you take off with us, you’ll have to tell people where you’re going." Tonks paused, and changed her verbal tack. Suddenly she wasn’t Nymphadora Tonks, lovable but clumsy friend, but Auror Tonks, with all the authority of her position. "We’re wasting time here. If it weren’t for not wanting to scare you, I’d have gone already. We’re going, and we’ll be back. You stay here and wait for any new messages to be delivered." She grabbed the three teens and Apparated before Molly could complain.
As they appeared before the doors to Gringott’s, Ginny murmured, "Thought she was going to come with us for a second."
"She was," Tonks said. "That’s why I left her there holding the bag the way I did. She’ll be annoyed at me, but when I point out that she would have taken several minutes that we don’t have, as far as everyone thinks, she’ll relent."
They walked into the bank, and as soon as Tonks showed the token, they were ushered in to see Rackspit. Hermione’s eyes widened when she was introduced, and she bowed deeply to him. "No need, Miss Granger, but I appreciate the sentiment. You are here for Harry’s letters for you, am I correct?" The three students nodded. "There is a magically binding contract that will actively prevent you from telling anyone the information contained within these letters, except for another who has signed one of these four contracts. You must sign before you will be given the letter. Do you agree?"
"Once we’ve read them, can a Legilimens read the information from us?" Hermione asked.
"Possibly, but there would be a great deal of power involved in the process, and it would likely harm both the Legilimens and the one being read. Given that Dumbledore is the only known Legilimens of such power, I do not believe he will place himself at such risk."
Hermione nodded and reached for the contract with her name on it. As she signed, a key appeared in the middle of the sheet. The same happened when Ron and Ginny signed, after being told to do so with their full names. It did not escape Hermione’s notice that the keys were identical.
She took her letter and opened it with some trepidation.
Hermione,
By now, Tonks has figured out how to drag you here to get this letter, which means you also now have that key.
Gods, I have so many regrets, Hermione. I'll probably never see you again, which is something I'm going to lay at the feet of my EX-Headmaster. At least in a letter I can admit some of the things I was too cowardly to admit in person. Some Gryffindor, huh? Too scared to tell a girl that he fancies her until it's too damned late.
Problem is, Hermione, I also fancy Tonks, and Ginny. I guess it's best that I'm running away from my problems — at least now I won't run the risk of breaking Tonks's heart by pining for you and Ginny around her. I can pine for all three of you in the United States.
Yes — I'm going to the U.S. to get away from Dumbledore. All I'll tell you is that I'm stopping in A Hell Of A Town — and that if I gave that clue to Ron and Ginny they'd never get it. (Or you could talk to Tonks — I told her flat out where I'm heading. Note: I'm trying to laugh here, but it hurts to leave everyone you love behind you.)
Be careful around Dumbledore, Hermione. Do Not Trust Him. I can't stress that enough. Since I expect that Ron will finally get the courage to ask you out (he'd better — I pretty much told him he'd lose you if he didn't get off his arse and tell you how he feels — I'm pretty sure he fancies you), be careful for Dumbledore deciding that your relationship Must be a distant second to preparing for your part in defeating Voldemort. Which will probably be as a hostage to get me back, knowing that bastard.
Damn that man's soul to hell.
I'll sign off now, telling you that you, Ginny, Ron, and Tonks have full and complete access to all my moneys.
I'll miss you, Hermione, and the lost chances.
Harry
She noticed, as she finished reading it, that there appeared to be some tear stains on the parchment, and she was dangerously close to adding her own. She looked over at the others, each of whom also seemed to be having their own problems with their letters. She nodded and handed her letter to Ginny, who handed hers back to Hermione, and each read the others' letter.
Ginny,
I said some stuff to Hermione, and I'm repeating it to you. It's a real bitch, doing what I am, but I have to, in order to save the lives of the ones that I love.
Yeah. I didn't use that term wrongly, Ginny. Problem for me is that I'm a greedy little idiot, and fell in love with all three of you ladies — you, Hermione, and Tonks. Since I can only have one of you, in some small way this is better that I'm gone. This way, you three can develop a proper hatred for me, as you should.
I know your family trusts Dumbledore with their lives, and after what happened today, I'm worried that it may cost them exactly that, in order to get what Dumbledore wants. The old bastard tried to perform some rather vile manipulation, which led to my remodelling his office today.
I was with Tonks until he did what he did, and for that alone, I'll never forgive him. I'm not returning to the British Isles until the current headmaster of Hogwarts is dead.
I know I said that I love you, and I'm sorry for saying that, in a way, because I know you moved on, and there's this part of you that may be screaming at the paper 'Why now?' Use that anger to hate me, Ginny — you don't want Dumbledore using you as a means to get me back. Hate with all your being. Hate me for waiting until it was too late to learn that I love you. Hate me for loving Hermione and Tonks as well.
And spend away with that key. You, Ron, Hermione and Tonks have unlimited access to the vault. And it's not charity. If I can't have you as my love, I can at least give my sister something. (And I'll work hard on not considering the dreams I've had of you incest. (With luck I've at least got a smile from you.))
You can now talk with everyone else of the four of you about the letters. Ask Hermione and Tonks where I've gone — at least for my first stop.
Until some far future time (probably never), this must be, by necessity —
Goodbye.
Harry
Again, more tear stains, some fresh from Ginny, even more from herself, and dried ones from Harry. They handed them to Tonks to read, and then read Ron's as he handed it to Ginny.
Ron,
I need you to understand this from the start. That key I've given you is not charity. You're the brother I never had the chance to have. You Are Family — the only family I have. I would give every last Knut of the money I've just given you, Tonks, Ginny and Hermione full access to — I'd give it all to have James and Lily Potter back, with you guys as those friends from childhood. But that’s not the way it works. This is the only way I have, now that I have to flee the country, to show you that I care, Ron — how to show you that you mean everything in the world to me as the very first friend my age that I ever had. If makes you happy, feel free to put a sizeable dent in that money you have access to. I will not complain one whit.
On to a couple other things. Now that I'm gone, do the smart thing and ask Hermione, before it gets too late. I don't think I've misread things, seeing all that URST (UnResolved Sexual Tension — we talk sometimes in the Tower when you guys were on patrol) between you two. Resolve it. I may fancy Hermione a lot, but I also fancy Tonks. Now I show the wisdom behind telling you this in a letter when I'm long gone — I also happen to fancy Ginny, and have had some thoughts you'd make me do a proctologic self examination over, head-first. I really do love all three of them, but now, because of Dumbledore and his need to rule my life, I can't have any of them. Talk to Tonks about the reasons why I left. Even she doesn't have the whole story, but it's enough. She also knows the place I've run to, which is actually likely to merely be my first stop.
I'm sorry, Ron, for doing this. Because Dumbledore can't stop meddling in my happiness, I've been forced to take things into my own hands and leave everyone I care for behind.
I set this letter up so that you can't tell because, no matter how much I love your Mum, she'd run straight to Dumbledore with the information about where I am. Again, I'm sorry.
I'll miss you just as I'll miss the others. (Although I won't be watching the way you fill out your clothes in my memories.)
Harry
"So, what do we do now?" Ron asked, after he’d finished reading the girls’ letters.
"Florean Fortescue's, I think," Tonks said. "We need to think a little bit, and chocolate really does help in situations like this."
Rackspit spoke before they could leave. "Since Harry is now considered a goblin-friend, I took the liberty of doing something that he might not approve of, but that will eventually be appreciated." He slid four bags toward the four people. Hermione picked hers up and gasped. Inside was wizard space, and a large sum of money. A very large sum of money — some in wizarding money, some in British Muggle cash, and a surprising amount in American money.
She looked up at him, and could swear she could hear him singing under his breath (in a rather impressive baritone, from what she could hear) "…the Bronx is up and the Battery's down …" Despite her mood about Harry being gone, a momentary giggle escaped her lips, and she actually received a twinkle from the goblin. "Harry chose his beloved ones well, I see."
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"So the letters were melodramatic," Harry shrugged. "I really thought I’d probably never see you again. I love you all."
"I’ll say," Moira laughed. "When I met this young man, he was the first one of my students I’d come across that noticed my appearance, but didn’t start acting like all the others. Like this maniac, for example," she said, wrapping an arm tenderly around Sirius’s shoulders. "Obviously didn’t fancy boys, but he seemed to be comparing all the girls to someone, and they all came up far short."
Tonks looked at him in wonder. "She fell short? Compared to me — to us?"
He leaned over and took her hands into his. "Yes, Tonks. She may have a body to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window and chew through the altar, but I didn’t know her real beauty yet. I don’t deny, now that I know her, that I think she’s dead sexy and that Sirius should thank whatever deities may exist that she’s chosen to grace his life …"
"I do, Harry. I do," Sirius said quietly, more serious than anyone could ever remember hearing him be.
"I knew you were an intelligent man," Harry grinned. "But — sorry Moira — she doesn’t hold a candle to any one of you three ladies, in my opinion. And I’ll take that opinion to my grave a score of decades from now."
Everyone’s eyes widened at the comment he had passed off so easily. Wide grins split everyone’s faces, and Tonks threw herself at him, almost managing to knock him to the floor. "You expect to live past Voldemort now!"
"Yes." The simple sentiment made Hermione sniff.
"How long have you felt this way?" Ginny asked, voice throbbing with unshed tears of happiness.
He looked at the clock and saw that it was just past noon. "About ten to twelve hours," he replied. "If you three worked so hard to find me, and gave me something … well, it’s TMI territory for Ron, but you know what I mean — you make me want to live to a ripe old age with as many of you three as you’ll allow. And Ron, even if it can’t be that way between us, I hope you’ll be with me, too. I miss hearing you snore." He grinned. "Maybe we’ll even share a house — still — with these two. Gives me more chances to catch a glimpse of her naked on her way to and from the shower."
"That’s my fi — my girlfriend you’re putting the moves on, Harry," Sirius growled good-naturedly.
"I like watching sexy girls, Sirius — not unlike my godfather. Doesn’t mean I’d ever touch as anything more than a friend." He grinned. "You need to talk to her later. We could even add Remus into the mix if things work out. Enough. I want to know how they managed to convince the Weasleys and the Grangers to let their kids to move across the ocean without them."
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Ginny smiled as they appeared at the Apparation point near the Granger home. Hermione was in quite a state. She was happy that Harry loved her, sad that he was gone, excited that they were going to try to get to the United States, and terrified that her parents were going to cause a major problem.
They approached the front door, which was opened by Hermione’s father. "Dorothy’s told me what you could say. Any new information?"
"No, Mister Granger," Tonks said. "We’re still unable to pass along the information as to where he went. I, on the other hand, can make plans to follow him." She wiped her eyes quickly, as if wiping away dust. "I just found what I think could be a real love, and I’m not going to let that bastard steal him from me. Pardon my language."
"It’s Keith, Miss Tonks, and no excuses are necessary. Part of me wants to strangle the man for what he’s done to Harry, and by extension, Hermione. Instead, I’ll follow my wife’s advice and begin the process of selling the practice in preparation to move my family away from the threat of Voldemort." His eyes twinkled. "Of course, it might make it easier if a trusted family friend who we knew was going in that direction anyway took our daughter ahead of us, so that she wouldn’t miss any schooling."
Hermione gulped. "Daddy? Mummy? You’d … you’d do that? Just move, dismantling the practice you spent so long building?"
"For you, dear," Dorothy said with a smile, "anything. It’s obvious that you love this young man who left in such a tearing hurry. Miss Tonks tells us that it was with good reason. You are in danger, and so are you two, apparently. I don’t know how you’re going to work this one out. I’d let you live with us if I thought we could kidnap you to the States." She shrugged and returned her attention to her daughter. "Besides, we’re in danger as well, given that you are known to be one of Harry’s friends. Kidnap and kill us, and it will affect you, which will affect Harry. I value our lives, and yours, over a dental practice, darling." She looked back at Tonks. "How long before you need to disappear to wherever he’s gone to?"
"I’d like to do it within the week. I’ve already resigned from the Aurors, so I won’t be able to use those connections. I wouldn’t dare to use them anyway, because I don’t know who is in Albus’s back pocket. I’ll have something before the week is done, though."
"Just remember to come by and get Hermione before you leave," Dorothy said with a smile.
"Of course," Tonks said with a laugh. "Now we just need to figure out what to do about the Weasleys here."
Ginny noticed Hermione biting her lower lip and looking at her. As Tonks and the adult Grangers talked, Hermione walked over to her. Ginny was intrigued by the fact that Hermione seemed scared of something, but excited at the same time. Well, yeah, she chided herself. She is planning a big move right now, to find Harry.
"Ginny?" she asked in a quavering voice. "I hope you won’t hate me too much, but I really need to say this. Harry disappearing like this drove home to me how you might never be able to say the things you want to." She leaned in suddenly and pressed her lips against Ginny’s kissing her with no little passion, making Ginny’s heart rate skyrocket. As she felt Hermione start to disengage, she put her hand behind the bushy-haired girl’s neck and returned the kiss.
When they finally broke, both girls were breathing fast, and conversation had completely stopped. Dorothy and Keith were looking at the girls with some amusement, and Tonks was applauding. "Damn! That was some kiss!" Tonks murmured.
"Mum? Dad?" Hermione asked, the rest of the question unasked.
"Do you love her?"
She nodded. "I wouldn’t have kissed her otherwise. I just … well, I don’t know if they’ll be able to work something out, so I wanted … I just couldn’t stand her being in the same boat as Harry is. Harry doesn’t know how I feel about him, and I wanted Ginny to know."
"Damn, all those nights at the Burrow we wasted sleeping when we could have been snogging," Ginny laughed, which brought the conversation back to a normal level.
#####
"That must have been a bit of a surprise," Harry said.
"What was difficult was trying not to push her to the floor and tear all her clothes off," Ginny said.
Harry looked at Hermione for a moment. "Yeah, I had that desire a few times in the Gryffindor common room. I was often thankful for loose robes." Hermione blushed clear to her breasts. Grinning, Harry intentionally changed the subject. "So, how did you get Molly to allow Ron and Ginny to move to America with you?"
#####
Tonks Apparated to the Burrow with Ginny and Ron, where they were met by Molly and Albus. "Well," she said, "Harry’s a smart one. Three letters — one each for Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, and apparently they were magical contracts such that Occlumency can’t be used without burning out the brain of the person with the memory, since it would take a hideous amount of power."
"How do you know this?" Albus asked, burning with curiosity.
"First off, you were the reason that Harry ran, Albus, and you know it. Whatever you said set him off."
"He insists on being treated as an adult, and then he does something like this," Molly huffed.
"He has been under quite a lot of strain recently, Molly," Albus replied. "After all, his godfather died less than two months ago."
"That, living with a family that actively hates him and has a son that, well, that’s not my story, but Harry’s been his whipping boy. And let’s not forget threatening Harry’s girlfriend while we’re at it, Albus." Tonks’s mouth set in a thin line.
"Nymphadora Tonks!" Molly exclaimed. "Mind your manners! You may be an Auror, but I think Albus has just a sight more integrity than to do what you just accused him of doing."
"It could be taken that way, I suppose," Albus said. "I had stated that I thought the relationship was dangerous, and that if necessary, steps might be taken to protect Harry. It is quite possible that my phrasing was such that it could be taken as a threat to his girlfriend." He locked eyes with Tonks for a moment, and she could read his thought without benefit of Legilimency — Give it up; you’re going to lose this one.
Maybe, old man, but I’m going down fighting, she thought back at him. "Given that the girlfriend had her job threatened if she didn’t break off the relationship? And those were your words, Albus, that you were going to craft a missive to Amelia Bones, to see to it that punishment was meted out for intimacy with an underage wizard. Mind you, at the time, there hadn’t been any proof that such intimacy had taken place — you were working under suspicions, and threatened someone’s employment based upon suppositions, not facts."
"You avoided my questions twice, Nymphadora," he responded quietly. "Your very reactions led me to believe that you had been intimate with him."
"Note, Albus, that I was informing you of the truth. The information you were asking had no bearing on the situation as it had developed. In answer to that question, however — the most intimate we got was that he knows what I look like without clothing. One bathroom in that place, Albus. It was going to be seen, even if by accident. We had stated that the attraction was mutual, and he informed me — note that carefully, Albus — he informed me that nothing was going to happen until after he turned sixteen. And this was while he was reacting somewhat obviously to the nude woman in front of him, who had stated an attraction to him." He can twist the facts, so can I. "Boy’s got a hell of a stronger will than you give him credit for."
"Why did you simply not tell me this information two hours ago?" Dumbledore asked, aghast.
"It was really none of your bloody business!" she bellowed at him. "It had no bearing on the fact that his cousin had been … you had best deal with that whale, or I will, Albus. And the little scum on guard duty that let it happen."
"Punishment will be meted out as necessary, Nymphadora, and the severity will be proper for the crime. Have no fear of that."
"Your record is somewhat spottier than Trelawney’s prediction record thus far," Tonks said dryly. Ginny snorted at this.
Molly turned to her children. "There are chores to be done. Go do them. Leave the adults to finding Harry." Ron’s face turned red at his mother’s condescending tone, and she added, "Don’t even think it, Ronald Bilius Weasley. I am still your mother, and there are still some uses for strong soaps. I will not have you even thinking that sort of language at me." Ron’s face purpled for a moment, and then shut down.
"Now that was a mistake," Tonks murmured as a silent Ron and fuming Ginny stalked away.
"Oh? And how many children have you raised?" Molly asked Tonks snidely.
"None. You, on the other hand, have raised children who do what they damned well please when they get out from under your thumb. The one who was closest to what you wanted a son to be like turned traitor on the entire family. The only two left are them, and you just informed your youngest son that he is not permitted to think without your permission. You smothered Harry all last summer, informing him that he was too young to know certain things. You argued with his godfather, in front of Harry, informing Sirius what a lousy role model he was." She shook her head. "Keep this up, Molly, and those two are just going to up and leave one of these days without looking back."
"This coming from the girl seducing a fifteen year old boy," Molly said, almost in a snarl.
"Because I am friends with your two youngest children, Mrs. Weasley," Tonks barked in her Auror voice, "I will refrain from delivering the thrashing you so richly deserve."
"As if you could, child. I am twice your age, and I think I know a thing or two," Molly replied in equally as cold a voice.
"You need to learn how to detect the truth, Mrs. Weasley. If you don’t, someday you will wake up cursing your bad choices."
"I see one of them right now. I am revoking your permissions to step upon the Weasley lands unless it is on Order business. You are no longer welcome at this household, Nymphadora Tonks, and I will be quite glad to keep you from attempting to lead my Ronald astray, as you tried with Harry, undoubtedly."
"Certainly, Mrs. Weasley. You and I will speak again only on Order business. The only times I will set foot on this Weasley property again is either under Order business or under emergency circumstances. This will not change until you give me the heartfelt apology you will someday know that I deserve." A flare of magic burst from her and impacted with Molly Weasley, staggering her. "Now, I need to say something to your children before I leave, and then I will take my leave of this property."
She stalked around the house and located the two youngest Weasleys by the screaming coming from the garden. They were degnoming, and putting quite a bit of force behind their throws. Ron let loose an inarticulate howl before letting one loose that flew a good fifty metres. "Nice throw, Ron," Tonks said conversationally. Getting closer, she said, "I will owl you the day we’re going to leave. It’s going to be tricky, since I’ve just had my permission to be on your property rescinded by your mother. Remember to remind them that it was a magical contract, and that you can’t tell anyone. Dumbledore is going to try to weasel it out of you, and don’t be surprised if he comes up with something from talking to you. I have a sneaking suspicion it’ll be harder to find Harry than he thinks. I just hope we can." She turned to face Molly Weasley, who was standing at the corner of the house, fingering her wand. Waving her fingers at the woman, she Apparated to her flat.
#####
"So what happened?" Sirius asked. "What kind of escape did you make?"
Tonks snorted. "Actually, I went to the goblins to work out a method of getting to New York City, since they knew that I was one of the ones that their goblin-friend loves. They didn’t let us use the same transportation that you took, but they certainly bent over backwards to help us get Muggle transportation. Four visas, four one way first class tickets to New York City, and we were ready. I sent an owl the night before, to Ginny, telling her when to be ready. Ten a.m. the next day I Apparated into the living room, Grabbed the two of them, and Apparated to Heathrow before Molly had even registered what had happened."
"But … you’d had your permission rescinded." Harry was momentarily puzzled.
"Except in Order business or an emergency. Whether Dumbledore likes it or not, making sure you — and the ones you loved — were safe falls under both headings, and so I was able to get in and out."
"Mum and Dumbledore questioned us," Ginny said, "but we didn’t really give anything up. All he really got was that we knew you weren’t in Britain anymore. He didn’t find out anything about where you were until we got sighted in New York City, and decided to settle there."
"They’d gotten word to us about when the ‘escape’ was," Hermione picked up the story, "and Mum and Dad got me to the airport, where I waited for them. We landed here in the U.S., realized that Dumbledore would probably send Aurors to bring Harry back, and decided not to come after you immediately, but to set up false trails for Dumbledore to follow. Reggie and company were a great help in working out the problems that threatened to arise from my ‘kidnapping’ Ron and Ginny."
"And that, as they say, is that," Ron said with a laugh. "We finished up our last couple of years of school in New York. Our schooling wasn’t quite as … um, filled with interesting things as yours was. That really does bring us pretty well to today."
The others nodded. "Wow," was all Harry could say for a while. "I need to digest this for a little. I’m going to disappear into the study to think and tinker for a while."
As he left the room, Sirius said, "Don’t worry about him. He doesn’t get those deeply moody depressions anymore. I think this is literally what he said — he needs to assimilate and work on his electronics for a bit. I expect that we’ll see him ready to enjoy his birthday sometime in the middle of the afternoon. In the meantime, let’s get out of these sweats, into decent clothes, and brainstorm. He needs a party."
The girls headed upstairs, and Moira chuckled as Sirius’ gaze followed them. "They’re with him, studly."
"A guy can look at the menu, can’t he?" Sirius asked. "I’m just shocked that I think my cousin has a nice arse." Tonks turned around and winked at him, and then added a little wiggle as she stepped out of sight. "Minx!" he called after her, laughing.