Chapter 7
As Sirius’ only cousin that still talked to him (well it was hard to get in touch with a still publicly condemned criminal, and not very in vogue to try) Tonks was questioning why she didn’t join the rest of your family in simply abdicating any sort of connection to the mangy mutt. Why was Tonks questioning her relationship with the only male Black left that was worth a damn? Maybe it had something to do with the mischievous and what had to be the most hair brained idea that Sirius had come up with. The logic that while Tonks and Kingsley shadowed Harry at Hogwarts it somehow made sense for Kingsley to act as the Ministry plant, and for Tonks to go, ‘Under cover’ as a fellow transfer student from IIvermorny.
First, it was ridiculous that Tonks was expected to operate in an American accent for nine months (of course she’d already perfected her West coast accent, but still, it’s the principle of the matter). Second, it was somehow degrading to have to step through those bloody halls in a prim and proper schoolgirls skirt when she’d already paid her dues. Third, did Sirius not realize how bloody uncomfortable it was to return to a physical state that brought flash backs to the hormonal imbalances brought on by playing teenager?
Well, that was the mission apparently. Tonks stood in the loo near the Great Hall as she leaned over the porcelain sink and glared at herself in the mirror. Tonks had to choose one hair color lest she give herself away, and so she settled with a wavy shoulder length midnight black with streaks of purple. Her face resembled her truer self-more than she would have liked but given that her physical form was already on edge from reverting a few years younger it was better to play it on the safe side. Tonks uniform was wrinkled as the Gryffindor tie that she’d stolen from Harry felt unnatural around her neck. It was completely rational that the best way to keep an eye on Harry was to remain in the same House as him, but years of Hufflepuff pride couldn’t easily be swayed. Tonks stared down at her legs clad in bloody knee-high black socks, and loafers. If Tonks wasn’t here for a very real and specific mission, she would have called out the Order for their sick fetish of a joke in the whole schoolgirl play.
But before Tonks could go over the edge and allow her frustration to tinge her hair a fiery orangish red her mind flashed a simple memory across her mind’s eye. Harrys vulnerable form at the Quidditch World Cup agitated, afraid, and alone. Tonks sucked in a deep breath as she calmed her mind. If this was the price to ensure that Harry was safe, then she could play the quiet Hogwarts student. And, besides that Harry had agreed to this first by checking with her for her comfort levels how could Tonks say no?
Tonks had already suffered through the appalling back and forth with the Sorting Hat which had put on quite a show, and the leers from some of the male students as she had made her way out of the Hall not quite having the stomach for dinner. Tonks steadied her blue-eyed gaze in the mirror. She could do this.
In the Gryffindor common room.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Tonks sat near one of the fires surrounded by a privacy charm.
Hermione peered at Tonks with confusion as she hadn’t known until the sorting of the plan, “Remind me again how the arrival of a fourth year Witch isn’t supposed to be suspicious?”
Tonks shrugged, “Sometimes Hermione the conspicuous becomes inconspicuous when it’s so outlandish.”
Ron furrowed his brow, “I don’t even know what that means, but I side with Tonks on this.”
Hermione glared at Ron, “We’re not even fighting?”
Tonks now spoke with mirth, “Don’t worry about him Hermione. He’s been eyeing my legs ever since I entered the Great Hall for the sorting ceremony.”
Harry now held back a laugh as Hermione coughed into her arm to stifle a laugh. Rons mouth was hanging open as he replied with a crack in his voice, “I was not staring at your legs!”
Tonks nodded with faux seriousness, “You’re right actually, I do believe you were staring at my arse.”
Rons cheeks now matched his red hair as both Hermione and Harry finally broke into laughter. Before Ron could defend himself, Hermione stood and grasped his arm pulling him away, “I think you broke him Tonks. We’ll leave you two alone to talk. Goodnight!”
Harry and Tonks waved to their departing friends as Tonks sat on the other end of the couch. Harry now spoke with mirth, “I really do think you might have broken him.”
Tonks rolled her blue eyes, “Oh Ron will be fine, and besides he wasn’t half as bad as some of those blokes in the Great Hall.”
Harry frowned, “Is it really that bad then?”
Tonks folded her arms as she shrugged, “It makes sense that you’d never really pay attention because you’re not a Witch. But, yeah even as a first year there are some blokes that try and sneak a peek.”
Harry furrowed a brow, “That’s disgusting.”
Tonks nodded with thin lips, “It can be, but especially when they go out of their way. It’s just weird to be reliving these insecurities.”
Harry’s frown deepened, “I didn’t even think about any of those Tonks, or really put much thought into how it must have felt for you coming back in this manner. I’m s…”
Tonks now inched forward with narrowed eyes, “We talked about this Harry. There’s no need to apologize, and your safety is worth whatever bit of discomfort I might feel.”
Harry nodded slightly as his frown lessened, “Right. Well thank you Tonks.”
Tonks sat back now, but closer to Harry with a foot between then as she shrugged, “Besides this pales in comparison to the time that I had to work in the strip club outside of Essex.”
Harrys eyes widened, “Wait… you had to…”
The dings of the school bell denoting it was after hour echoed through the common room. Tonks shot Harry a cheeky smirk and scrunch of her nose, “Would you look at that, saved by the bell.”
Harry was about to counter, but Tonks stood. Tonks walked around the couch as Harry was surprised when her arms came around his shoulder for a hug. Tonks mouth was now situated right by Harry’s ear as she spoke with a low tone, “If you’re a good Wizard this term I might just have to show you some pictures this Christmas then.”
Tonks felt Harry stiffen, and if he could have only seen the cheeky grin on her lips. Harry’s cheeks reddened before he felt Tonks laugh heartily behind him, “I’m only taking the piss Harry… besides there’s only a video.”
Harry now jumped from her arms grasp as he turned around, but Tonks was already retreating to her dorm, “G’night Harry, sleep tight.”
Harry felt as though he was going to shut down completely. Tonks usually joke around with him, but that was bloody diabolical Harry thought. Once Tonks was finally in her bed in the same room as Hermione, she allowed herself to transform back into her usual self. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she released a sigh. Transforming back to her normal form was like stretching after a nice night’s sleep; it hit all of the right spots. Tonks smirked to herself as she fell asleep. Something about being back in these halls brought out something cheekier in her. And was it really Tonks fault when Harry’s responses were absolutely innocent and cute and demanded that she toy with him in such a manner? Did Tonks get a small thrill messing with her mate?
Tonks could neither confirm nor deny.
A week later sitting in an empty classroom with Harry.
If Tonks ever needed incontrovertible proof that Harry was telling the truth when he simply stated that horrible things befell him tonight was undeniably eerie. Between Moody’s sudden appearance after weeks of radio silence (which was unusual for the ex-auror since he’d retired from the Ministry), the announcement of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and finally the reason that Tonks couldn’t ever doubt Harrys innocence was the reason that half of the classroom was destroyed and Harry hadn’t uttered a word to her presence. Harry sat on the couch that she’d conjured on the other end with his hands clasped so tightly that the knuckles of his fists were white due to the lack of blood flow.
Tonks couldn’t blame him now, could she? Somehow Harrys name had been entered into the bloody cup, and between the very real danger he faced it seemed as though half the school (and even one of his best friends) didn’t believe that Harry hadn’t put his name in. For Tonks it was easy enough to garner that Harry couldn’t have placed his name into the competition. Only a Witch or Wizard with advanced understanding of charmed objects could hope to best Dumbledore and the Ministry’s enchantements. And, if there was another feather in Sirius’ now not so insane idea to steal Harry away and go on the run Tonks couldn’t very well judge too harshly now, could she?
Tonks, in witnessing it all, could only imagine how alienating and terrifying all of this was for Harry. Tonks had searched high and low for the Wizard, and when she found him alone in the middle of the furniture that he’d taken his frustration out on she hadn’t crossed the threshold to initiate contact. Instead, she just sat on the couch as stared ahead at the wall as Harry’s erratic breathing calmed.
Tonks ears perked up as Harry finally broke the silence, “Why do I bother even hoping that my life won’t be put into danger?”
Tonks turned to Harry with a frown, “Because you’re allowed to have hope Harry.”
Harrys turned to Tonks, and the sadness and fear in his eyes caused her heart to ache, “I’m tired of hoping Tonks when all it ever does is lead to this.” Harry motioned to nothing in particular.
Tonks, “Harry I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling. At this point all you should have to worry about is getting decent grades and snogging some Witch in a broom closet.”
This elicited a small laugh in contempt from Harry, but Tonks would take it.
Harry, “I’m just tired of it all Tonks.”
Tonks nodded, “I can imagine.”
Harry dropped his head, “I don’t… I don’t want to die.”
Tonks heart now felt as though it were shattered. Tonks scooted over as she drew Harry into her arms. Harry rested his face in the crook of her neck as he wrapped his arms around her and held on tightly as if to anchor himself to something real. Tonks stroked Harry’s shoulder with her thumb as she held him.
Tonks spoke with a resolute voice, “We’re going to get through this together, okay? You’re not going to do this alone Harry. You’ve got Sirius, Remus, and everyone else; and you know what you’ve got that’s going to synch your survival?”
Harry released a huff of a laugh, “What?”
Tonks nuzzled her nose into Harry’s hair as she spoke with a cocky tone that actually made him relax into her embrace, “You’ve got the world’s toughest, craftiest, and scrappiest Auror to back you up.”
Harry smiled into her neck as Tonks felt him relax completely into her embrace, “Well when you put it like that it does seem less terrifying.”
Tonks nodded, “Don’t you worry Harry, I’ve got your back.”
Harry sighed into Tonks, “I wish we could just go back to your apartment, lock the door, and watching crappy sci fi movies all night and eat Chinese takeout.”
Tonks groaned, “Oh don’t remind me. Merlin what I would do to just be curled up on my couch with you and eating some popcorn.”
Harry pulled back with a hopeful expression, “Next Summer?”
Tonks felt something heavy in his words; seemingly suffused with a hope that he would live through the tournament to see that.
Tonks raked her hand through the back of Harrys hair as she played with his raven locks causing his eyes to flutter closed, “Of course, and by then you’ll be the one paying for takeout with your winnings and such.”
Harry chuckled darkly, “Lets focus on me surviving Tonks.”
Tonks rolled her eyes as she pulled Harry in close, “Yeah, yeah…”
Tonks took in a deep breath, “Thank you Tonks… for coming to find me and all.”
Tonks smile fell as her eyes grew serious, “I’ll always come for you Harry. We’ll figure this out, okay?”
Harry nodded and closed his eyes allowing himself to bask in Tonks embrace, scent, and warmth, “Okay.”
Harry didn’t know how long he dozed off for, but after all that had happened in the past day, he let himself have this bit of selfishness. Tonks didn’t only seem to not mind if he’d only looked up Harry would have seen the warmth and care emanating from the Auror. Tonks inwardly seethed at the injustice and danger that Harry was facing, and also felt a deep protectiveness growing for the Wizard in her arms. Tonks as an Auror signed up to face danger in the name of doing good in the world. But, as capable as Harry was, he didn’t choose to face these dangers. No, it was thrust upon him, and Tonks couldn’t help but feel anger for Harry. But they would figure this out, and Harry wasn’t alone. If at the bare minimum he had Tonks by his side, and she’d summon every ounce of strength that she could to protect him. Tonks was about to wake Harry, but as she peered down to his relaxed face, she decided to give him a few more moments of quiet given what was coming.