1987
After Yule, things became more serious in regards to classes. Some of the students were taking the NEWTS and OWLs. They’d asked him to sit for both the OWLS and the NEWTS to gauge the level of understanding.
He’d asked Dora if she’d minded. She told him it was better since he’d have to deal with less classes when he actually came as a student.
Dora had decided against taking care of magical creatures for her third year, instead taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, which meant she didn’t have much time for him.
Kettle burn’s classes became more and more interesting with the study of Doxies and the Giant squid.
The giant squid was actually quite nice, Harry learned. One day he was riding Polo across the grounds just before the sun rose, or so Kreacher told him. He’d been fine until Polo was spooked by something and ended up sinking into the mud at the bottom of the great lake, which meant they were stuck, But before Harry even needed to call for help the squid had carefully pulled him off the horse and lay him on the side of the lake. Next thing he knew Polo was beside him and the squid ruffled his hair with a tentacle, leaving behind a trail of slime.
oOo
Harry was there for each and every class that Kettleburn taught that year. The man was worried that he’d fall behind in regular school work, but Harry would make it up that summer. He’d already finished the school year he was in.
By the end of the year he’d read all of the books on magical creatures. Thank merlin for Newt Scamander, there’d been little writing on the care of magical creatures before him.
oOo
The NEWTs and OWLs were difficult, there was a practical part, which wasn’t actually that bad. For the OWLs he’d needed to work with the Doxies to get them back in a cage. Doxies were unbelievably troublesome creatures, however they had a soft spot for honey. Since Harry did not have a wand he was allowed to ask the professors for help conjuring things, and so he asked Kettleburn to conjure a jar of honey which he then put in the cage with the help of a Hogwarts house elf named Roully. He was not allowed Kreacher or Tinky, since they were loyal to him, and Roully would likely not be allowed to help him again.
The Doxies had all gone into the cage with a trill of happiness when they saw the honey and he easily closed the door. Kettleburn told him that he was impressed, but the board said nothing.
The theoretical part, the next day, was harder. They asked him at least twenty questions, which he had to answer in depth, when he got out it turned out to be three hours later.
The NEWTS were even worse, scheduled for the day after the OWLs, thestrals were involved. Unfortunately since Harry was known to have a bond with the thestral herd from Hogwarts, they took him to a different testing location. Luckily the herd head, who was dubbed “Doom” by his caretaker, though that was not his actual name, took a shining to young Harry. Now thestrals are interesting beings, this herd was smaller than the one at Hogwarts and had slightly different magic, so he’d asked Robert Jones, the caretaker if he could come back.
Once again the theoretical portion was awful, when he’d come out six hours had passed.
He felt bad for the other students. Just the one OWL and NEWT was difficult, he couldn’t imagine five to seven of them at once. Now he just had to wait for his scores.
oOo
The summer led to a new discovery that was sure to change Harry’s life. Apparently, in the muggle world there was an invention called The Pen friend. What you did was you labeled all of your jars of ingredients and when you pointed the pen at the jar it would read out a pre-recorded message, which allowed Harry to more easily choose each jar. He could tell by scent and touch, but this was quicker.
Then there were also talking thermometers, weighing scale, and jugs. Those helped with measuring. The problem was, he would never know the flame level and they couldn’t modify anything muggle because they had ovens. So it was a whole new issue, but the twins were able to take each of the devices and hook them up to a modified hearing aid, bypassing the audio directly to his ear.
In order to makes sure that this would be okay with Snape, Harry insisted that they visit the castle and ask him about it.
oOo
Severus Snape had met Harry Tonks nearly two years ago now. The boy had shown skill in Care of magical creatures and it was said that he would be attending Hogwarts when he reached that age. He was dreading the day, for although Harry was able to easily discern ingredients, he didn’t think the boy would be able to brew, and was anticipating a lot of melted cauldrons.
So it was to his great surprise that in the summer after Tonks’ third year her brother asked for a meeting with him to ask his advice.
Harry was led in by the house elf Kreacher, and another one seemed to be following behind them.
“Professor Snape?” Harry asked.
“Over here, Harry.” Severus said from his desk. “We’ll get you set up at the front so I may be of help.” Severus honestly didn’t know why the boy was here though.
“Thank you professor.” Harry said and Kreacher placed his bag on the table in front of him. “I just had a couple of questions, so that when I attend I don’t disrupt your class.”
Severus raised an eyebrow and then remembered that the boy couldn’t see it. “Alright.”
Kreacher and the other house elf started to pull thing out of the boy’s bag.
“Mr. Tonks, you will need to do that yourself when you get here. Maybe you should start now?” Severus stated.
“Sorry Professor Snape, I hurt myself yesterday” The boy held up a hand with a scratch on it “Mum insisted that Kreacher help me, and when I got here Tinky decided that she was going to keep me safe as well. Roully also wanted to join us, but I thought that was too much.”
Severus raised an eyebrow at that as well. He didn’t even know one of the house elves names that lived in the castle. “Would you like me to get Madam Pomfrey to heal that for you?”
“No” Harry said. “Sorry, she acts weird around me, probably because she’s my main healer.”
“Your main healer?” Severus asked.
“Yes, ever since I was almost four. I took a liking to her, but she’s very strict.” Harry said.
“We is done young master.” Kreacher said.
“Thank you Kreacher.” Harry said. “I’m going to explain what these do and I want you to tell me whether or not they’ll be a bother” He directed it at Severus, slightly to the left but reasonably close.
“Of course Mr. Tonks”
Harry picked up a strange metal thing, with a plastic bit at the end that was larger than the stick part. “This is a talking cooking thermometer, its muggle. It works with potions, I’ve tried it.”
Next was a kind of bowl with a large base. The bowl seemed to be glass and the base was a shiny black. “This is a talking scale, so that I may measure the dry ingredients.”
Another thing that Severus actually recognizes as a liquid measuring cup, but the handle was not the same glass as the cup, instead being made of red plastic “This is a measuring jug for the liquid ingredients.”
Finally a regular muggle pen “This is called the Pen Friend, I have pre-recorded messages on it. Look.”
Harry pointed the pen at a jar that he brought with him “Dung Beetles, dried” the pen read out.
“Well, that will be disruptive.” Severus said aloud.
“It’s not on the correct setting, I just wanted to show you want it did.” Harry took the think and turned the cap. He pointed it again and no noise came from the contraption. “The twins, you may know their brothers, Charlie, and Bill? They bypassed the main audio so it goes to these” Harry took something out of his ear.
Severus stood there gaping at the incredible young man that stood there. “And the flame levels?” He asked.
“Ah, the one thing that we have been unable to figure out, I’m sure it’ll be done in time for me to attend, though if you have any ideas?”
Severus thought for a second. “None as of right now, but I will think on it.” Harry nodded. “None of these things will be disruptive, except for the fact that they take up a little more space than the average students materials. I assume you will be bringing your own ingredients?”
Harry nodded.
“I would like whatever it is you need me to stick on it for the potions cabinet, there may be obscure ingredients that you will not want to buy, yes?” Severus asked.
“Thank you professor Snape.”
“Yes, of course. Now I think it’s time you pack up and head home, I’m sure that Tonks is missing you by now.”
Harry smiled and was quickly gone. Severus was left stunned, amazed by the young boy who was working around such a great problem.
oOo
It was mid-July when Harry got his results from the OWLs and NEWTS back.
“Dora?” He asked.
“Yes, little brother?” Dora said.
“Would you open this and read them to me.”
“Of course. Which first?”
“The OWLs.” Harry stated.
“Harry Tonks, born July 31st, 1980. Tested in Care of Magical Creatures June 5th to June 6th 1987, OWL level. We are pleased to inform Mr. Harry Tonks of an O on his OWL level exams. O stands for Outstanding and is the highest achievable grade. Sincerely, the Board of Directors.” Dora read aloud. “Congratulations Harry! I knew you could do it!”
Harry smiled.
“Okay here’s the NEWTs.” Dora said with a scrunched nose, she was worried this result wouldn’t be as good. “Hey, wait a second, why didn’t you just use babblesworth?”
“Because I wanted to hear it from you, and I wanted you to hear at the same time as me.”
Dora smiled, “Alright. Harry Tonks, born July 31st, 1980. Tested in Care of Magical Creatures, June 7th to June 8th, 1987, NEWT level. We are pleased to inform Mr. Harry Tonks of an O on his NEWT level exams. O stands for Outstanding and is the highest achievable grade. Sincerely, the Board of Directors.” Dora looked at the paper for a second before a huge grin broke out across her face. “My brother is a genius! A genius I tell you!” She said as she got up, picked Harry off the couch and spun him in a circle.
“It’s probably just luck Dora. I was completely immersed in the subject” Harry said.
“No, little brother, you have a talent. Wait till mum and dad hear about it!” Dora said.
She went to go off and grab them, but the floo rang. “Hello?” She said into the flames. “McGonagall!”
“May I step through my dear?” Minerva asked.
“Of course”
Minerva stepped through the floo and looked around. Her sight landed on Harry “Harry!” She went over to the boy and swung him around. “You are amazing. O’s on both tests! We should all go to Fortescue’s to celebrate!”
“What’s all this commotion” Ted asked as he and Andy came out from their room, it was only seven on a Saturday.
“My grandson got O’s on both his OWLs and NEWTs” Minerva said.
“Maimeo, how did you know? I’ve only shared with Dora.” Harry said.
“The headmistress gets the scores from all of her students, even you.” Minerva said. “So, a day in Diagon to celebrate?” Minerva asked.
“Sounds like a plan, but how about breakfast first” Andy said.
“Can we visit Bogrod?” Harry asked.
“Of course” Ted answered.
“Oh! And Gerrick! I have a whole bag full of wands that I need him to make for me.” Harry said. “Still haven’t found Ginny’s, which is rather unfortunate.”
oOo
The first place they went was Gringotts, Andy nearly had a heart attack when she saw her sister there with her son, but luckily the Tonks family was taken to a private room pretty quickly and avoided a rather explosive meeting.
Bogrod was very glad to see Harry and was ecstatic to learn that Harry did wear the compass every day, though he had yet to get lost.
Harry asked Bogrod something rather special, which took Brumeck to approve. He wanted to see if he could see the magic of Gringotts. He’d been there multiple times, but had never dared to touch the walls.
Brumeck and Bogrod were astounded when Harry was able to tell them the exact number of vaults, levels, and even carts within Gringotts, though they asked him not to share the information.
“Bogrod?” Harry asked.
“Yes?” Bogrod replied.
“Whatever is in Vault 713 does not feel right…I don’t think that it should be here…I don’t know what it is, but…” Harry stopped talking. “Sorry for intruding, there seems to be an allure to that object, I don’t like it…”
Harry looked extremely drained after that confession and the Goblins had shared a look, but said nothing. Deciding that sugar may help his energy level Minerva led the way to Fortescue’s.
After a little Ice cream, chocolate of course, Harry seemed a lot better and so they moved on to Ollivander’s.
“Mr. Ollivander!” Dora called out as they stepped into the stop.
“Ah! The Tonks Family, and Minerva McGonagall, it has been a while.” Garrick said. “What do you have this time my boy.” He asked Harry.
“Can we go back to my workshop?” Harry asked. Minerva shot Andy a look but the woman just shrugged. “Come Maimeo, Garrick gave me my own space so that I can leave things here and he knows what spells to cast on which piece of wood.” The boy dragged her through the shop, easily avoiding fallen wand boxes.
The room she was led to did not belong in a shop of Ollivander’s, the walls were lined with shelves and drawings. One drawing per piece of wood along with a wand core written on the drawing. It was immaculate, with a table in the center, she assumed that was where Garrick cast the spells to form the wand. There was one shelving unit labeled “Cores” and each box had a label on it, including abraxen fathers, thestral hairs, and even a doxy hair.
“This is beautiful Harry!” Minerva said.
“Thank you Maimeo. Dora?” Harry said.
“Yes, I’ll help, just lay them out and I’ll put them away” Dora said and Harry and her began to work in sync, he would put a drawing with a piece of wood down on the table, Dora would take both tacking the drawing to the wall and then placing the piece of wood in front of it. Over and over again until the bag was empty.
“Garrick said that I should make my own boxes, but I don’t really have an eye for design. So I asked Dora, I think she has a couple prototypes” Harry said. Minerva noticed that Ted and Andy were sitting in two chairs by a window, probably there specifically for them.
Dora smiled “Here McGonagall” she said as she put three boxes in front of her. “I figured we would have them boxed by core."
“Abraxan feather core” She said as she pointed to a box, amber in color, with a light beige feather on the top, and H&D Tonks written in script along the side of the box.
“Unicorn Hair” She pointed to an iridescent white box with a matte white line that curled along the top of the box, the same H&D Tonks on the side.
“Phoenix feather” The box was matte grey at one end, and went to a beautiful red and orange fire at the other, a black feather overlaying the top, and the H&D Tonks that Minerva now knew represented their brand.
“Dragon Heartstring, we haven’t quite figured out yet, does the breed matter? We don’t know. Garrick doesn’t think so but we’d like to represent the breeds in our boxes.” Dora said.
“Brilliant” Minerva said. “Simply brilliant.”
“Thank you” Dora said with a slight blush.
“Yes thank you Maimeo, I have no clue what they look like, of course. But I trust Dora” Harry said.
oOo
Mum and Dad had invited Maimeo to dinner that night, an entire day of family was just what Harry needed.
“Harry” Maimeo said while they were eating.
“Yes Maimeo?”
“I would like for you to take another elective next year. Of course you can continue to help Kettleburn when you aren’t in that one class.”
“Dora?” Harry asked, he needed her help.
“I think you’d enjoy ancient runes. I certainly did. There would likely be enough magical information for you to succeed, however they may have to take you to the ministry to see the actual objects. I’m sure the other students wouldn’t mind a field trip” Dora said.
“You’re alright with me taking another one?” Harry asked, he didn’t want to ruin Hogwarts for his sister.
“Of course not, little brother. You still have to take potions, defense against the dark arts, herbology, transfiguration, charms, astronomy, and history of magic for your base courses. And then in first year you’ll have to learn to fly, unless of course McGonagall can get you out of it.” Dora said.
“I hadn’t even thought of flying yet.” Maimeo admitted. “I will think on it, Harry.”
Harry smiled.
oOo
That year, since Ginny was six, she was allowed to have her first birthday at the Burrow. Molly had believed her too young before then and so she invited her entire class from elementary. Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Dora had gone off somewhere and Harry was introduced to an entire gaggle of new people.
The rest of the kids were off playing a game while Harry sat with some sticks that Ginny had gathered for him.
“Hello” He heard from a dreamy voice beside him.
“Hi, I’m Harry.” He said.
“I’m Luna, did you realize that you have a nest of Blibbering Humdingers in your hair?”
“No I didn’t, are they of the magical variety?”
“Yes, of course”
“I don’t know why I can’t feel them then…” Harry heard no answer and ran a hand through his hair carefully, but he did not feel even one Blibbering Humdinger. He figured the girl had left, but was intrigued by her knowledge. It frustrated him deeply that the girl could see such creatures and he could not.
oOo
Harry, because he would be attending a course as a student, had to buy robes. Maimeo refused to sort him yet, stating that since he was only taking electives he didn’t need a house, and so his robes were fitted with the Hogwarts crest. He didn’t have to wear them while working with Kettleburn, which was good because they were itchy. Unfortunately, he did have to brave the moving staircases this year.
Now this year was rather exciting, Percy would be joining them at Hogwarts, so instead of sitting with Dora and the Hufflepuffs on the train, he instead sat with Percy.
“Are you nervous?” Harry asked the boy.
“Slightly”
“Because of the sorting.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sure your parents will be just as proud of you if you end up in Ravenclaw as if you ended up in Gryffindor.”
“Thank you Harry.”
They were interrupted by the door opening. “Sorry, all of the other compartments are full, mind if I join you?” a male voice with a heavy Scottish brogue asked.
Percy spoke up. “Of course not. I’m Percy Weasley, and that’s Harry Tonks.”
“You look a little young to be attending Hogwarts mate.” The boy said. “Oh sorry. I’m Oliver, Oliver Wood.”
“Nice to meet you Oliver” Harry said. “I am too young, but I’m apprenticing with one of the professors and I’m going to be taking a course called Ancient Runes.”
“Well then, it’s nice to meet you Harry, Percy. I’ll be sure to come to you both should I need help.”
Harry smiled and they were once again interrupted by the door opening.
“Hello” a soft female voice said. “I was wondering if I could sit in here. I was sitting in a compartment by myself but an overexcited group of boys came in and sort of distracted me.”
“Of course, though I don’t know if we’ll be much better” Oliver said. “I’ve just met these two rather smart blokes and I’d like to learn more from them.”
“I’m Harry Tonks” Harry said.
“Percy Weasley”
“Oliver Wood”
“I’m Penelope Clearwater. It’s nice to meet you all. So, how are you smart?”
“I’m not the smart one.” Percy said. “That would be Harry.”
Harry blushed. “I’m not all that smart either.” Percy scoffed. “But I’m pretty good with Magical creatures.”
“Will you be taking the boats with us?” Penelope asked.
“No, I take the carriages with my older sister. You’ll know her as Tonks.” Harry said. “I better go find her, it seems we’re almost there.”
“The compass?” Percy asked.
“Yes, it’s also good at converting latitude and longitude, you should change if you haven’t already. Percy would you mind?”
“Of course not.” Percy got up and took Harry’s arm. “He’s blind” Harry assumed that was addressed to the other two kids in the compartment. “I’ll be back.”
They easily found Dora and Charlie in another carriage, and Percy left them.
“Did you make new friends?” Charlie asked.
“I think I might’ve” Harry said.
oOo
At the sorting there were some interesting developments, considering Harry knew three of the kids.
First was Penelope Clearwater, who was sorted into Ravenclaw. Next was Percy Weasley, who surprise of surprises was also sorted into Ravenclaw. Finally Oliver Wood, who was sorted into Gryffindor.
The welcoming speech was much the same, explaining Harry’s position and that he would be taking one class, Ancient runes. That he did not live at the castle but had free reign over the grounds. That he was not in a house, and he had an older sister.
oOo
Professor Bathsheda Babbling taught Ancient Runes, and it was trickier than one may think. First off, all of the runes were copied into books which held none of the original magic that went into the stone. Second, Harry was not allowed to use babblesworth as it theoretically translate the work for him. Unfortunately babblesworth did no such thing as the twins had no knowledge of ancient runes and had not programmed the device to have any either.
That led to Harry attempting to see the ink in the books with his magic, but it was normal ink. So they had gone onto a field trip rather early in the school year to the ministry, where his dad and Arthur had met them and brought them to the lower levels of the ministry where they kept the original wizarding artifacts. Harry was easily able to see the intent of the writing on these pieces and was over joyed with the magic in them.
They’d yet to figure out how to teach him colors, but the magic in this was able to show him the different ones. Of course he did not know the names of such colors, but being able to see the difference, the intent, the meaning it was overwhelming. He knew he could not continue with ancient runes and how it was taught in Hogwarts, and he told Maimeo as much. Dora was distressed to realize that she had recommended the wrong subject to her little brother which he answered with “IF I had not tried, I would never have known.” And so he went back to Care of Magical creatures, and helping Kettleburn, intent on trying a different subject the next year, and learning about ancient runes in his own time.
He was even able to get Robert Jones, who turned out to be the COMC instructor at Ilvermorny, the school in America, to let him visit his thestrals.
oOo
It was Yule when he handed the picture of the American thestrals to Carlyle.
“What’s this?” Carlyle asked.
“What does it look like?”
Carlyle turned the paper this way in that, amusing Dora to no end as Harry had no clue what he was doing. “A thestral? But the coloring isn’t right”
“It’s an American thestral. He’s called Doom. I thought they looked different but…no one else could see it.”
“It does look different, though I can’t pinpoint why” Carlyle said. “Do you think you could take me to the actual things?”
Harry smiled. “I think Robert would allow that.”