Let's Try That Again Chapter 31 to 40 (Patreon)

Petunia, Dudley, and Vernon stood in the front yard with Harry. His trunk was packed, Hedwig was waiting on her perch, and they were all waiting for Sirius. Since they weren't hooked up to the Floo network they had to come up with alternate means of transportation. Sirius said he had something arranged but wouldn't say what it was.

"Harry." Petunia pulled him into a hug. "You will always be welcome here. This is your home when you want it."

Vernon pulled him into a hug once Petunia let him go. "We expect updates. A letter a month at least. I've asked Dobby to look into getting an owl for ourselves." The stern words were undercut by his red, puffy eyes.

Hedwig ruffled her feathers at the mention of another owl.

"Oh?" Harry looked to her. "You want to deliver their messages too? You'd fly here every morning then back to me?"

She considered him for a long moment before turning away with a huff.

"She'll allow it." Harry chuckled.

Dudley gave him an awkward hug that was reserved for siblings since the dawn of time.

"Put in a good word with some of those birds, eh?" Dudley stepped back.

"Dudley!" Petunia gasped.

"What's your type?" Harry dropped his voice low.

"Harry!" Petunia shifted her attention to him.

Dudley had cleaned up his act a lot this summer. Harry liked to think he had a part in it. Not only was his cousin getting healthier, but he was kinder as well. People around the neighborhood noticed as well. The younger kids in the area didn't run when Dudley approached, and the rumor mill were practically starved for source material. At least the sort originating from Dudley's misadventures.

A horn honking brought their attention to an approaching car. It was a luxury town-car. The only thing that set it apart from the other vehicles were the blacked out rear windows. On the side was a logo for Fry's Executive Taxi Service. It came to a stop in front of the house.

Hugh Fry, dressed in a muggle suit, hopped out and opened the rear door. Sirius stepped out. The months as Rook and his recent freedom had been good to him. He looked healthier than he had ever was last time. There was even a sparkle in his eyes that Harry had only seen in pictures.

Lupin got out a moment behind him.

"Siri, Remus." Petunia wiped her tears away and gave them a smile. "Hello."

Harry watched as Remus crossed over into the wards. The strained, polite smile on his face vanished. His eyes actually flashed yellow for a moment as his expression shifted through confusion, rage, and sorrow.

"That goat fucking bastard!" Remus roared.

Hugh jumped at the sudden shift in the soft-spoken passenger.

"The wards." Petunia shook her head.

"I made sure to strengthen the protections." Harry looked back at her. "I don't want someone coming after you."

"Did he actually fuck goats?" Dudley asked.

"You know…" Harry thought. "I don't know."

"You mean it's not just a common wizard insult?" Vernon asked.

"No." Sirius shook his head.

"Should we do something about him?" Petunia asked motioning to Remus.

"Give him a moment." Sirius waved it away.

"Thank you for the concern, Padfoot." Remus glared at his friend.

"Please." Sirius shook his head. "I've seen you calmly disembowel a moose. When you're worked up like this it's the furniture that pays the price."

"A moose?" Harry asked.

"Prongs, Remus, and I traveled around North America summer of our sixth year." Sirius explained. "Did it the muggle way, for the most part. Hopped a plane, took a train, and rented an automobile. Thought your dad was going to kill us when he got behind the wheel."

"You let my dad drive?" Harry gawked. "An English, Pureblood wizard?"

"It was a good idea at the time." Sirius laughed.

"Harry." Remus walked over to him with purpose. "I owe you so much more than an apology. You as well Sirius."

"No." Harry met the werewolves gaze. "You don't. It wasn't you. Everything that has happened is his fault, not yours." He turned to his family. "He took our lives from us. Family, friends, love. All of it gone for his plans."

"Well." Sirius clapped his hands. "As enlightening as this has been, we do have a schedule to keep."

"Really, Padfoot?" Remus looked to his friend.

"Yes." Sirius nodded with a smile. "There are some people Harry needs to meet before we go."

"Go where?" Harry asked.

"The camp." Sirius answered, his attitude switching to one of nervous excitement.

"The camp? What camp?" Harry looked over to Remus, but the werewolf was still in his own world.

"I've reserved a spot at the World Cup for the week." Sirius was literally bouncing now. "We're going to spend the next seven days surrounded by witches from all over the world!"

Harry smiled so hard his cheeks hurt. "You old dog."

"Sirius." Petunia gave him her best 'mom' voice. "You aren't just going to be chasing women. You're supposed to be spending time with Harry."

"Petunia." Sirius turned his giddy energy to her. "Of course, I'm going to be spending time with Harry. How else is he going to learn how to woo a witch?"

Petunia tried to stay stern. She was almost successful until Vernon let out a loud guffaw.

"Get moving, you lot." Petunia shook her head.

"I'll send for Dobby once we're settled." Harry said.

Hugh slipped by them as they spoke. He loaded the luggage into the trunk and placed Hedwig in the car. The driver made sure to give Remus a wide berth. For his part, Remus was muttering and growling under his breath.

"Is he going to be alright?" Harry asked looking over at Remus.

"A scratch behind his ears and he'll be right as rain." Sirius replied.

Remus glared at him. The expression melted away into a smile. Harry gave his family another quick round of hugs before heading toward the open car door.

"Flea bitten mongrel." Remus snapped.

"Leg humping mutt." Sirius quipped.

"That was one time." Remus glared at him as he got into the car.

"One time?" Harry asked.

"Well, you see, around the full moon-" Sirius started.

"Shut it!" Remus cut in.

Harry slipped into the back of the car. He stopped to take in the surroundings. On the outside it looked nice, on the inside it was akin to a small yacht.

"Nice." Harry nodded appreciatively.

"He mentioned a car service the last time we took the bus." Sirius explained. "I added a bit to his funds to help get things settled. We can't hire him full time, it's dangerous like you said. I've already put in a good word around the Ministry."

"Why would you be at the Ministry?" Harry asked.

"I'm Lord Black." Sirius gave him a cheesy smile. "Do you think I'd let the seats on the 'Mot go to waste?"

"Didn't think you were the type." Harry shrugged.

"Thanks to you and those wards I'm thinking for myself these days." Sirius gave him a genuine smile. "I'm proud of you, pup."

"Enough mushy stuff." Harry cleared his throat. "What is the plan for today?"

"I'm going to introduce you to the good side of my family, then we're off to the camp." Sirius grinned.

"The good side of your family?" Harry asked.

"I'm as shocked as you are." Sirius chuckled.

32.

Sirius led Remus and Harry along the row of tents. Just like last time they were anything but inconspicuous. They passed an auror dealing with the man in charge. The poor muggle running the campground was already looking a bit confused. Harry knew what constant exposure to Obliviate could do to a person.

He stepped up to the auror in charge of the man. "There's a better way to handle that."

The auror, whom Harry didn't recognize, shot him an annoyed look. "Do tell."

"Create a logical fallacy loop." Harry explained.

"What?" The auror scrunched up his face at the words.

"Here." Harry stepped up to the muggle. He waved his wand in front of the man's face, subtly ripping off the Jedi Mind Trick motion. "Fraudulentiae Cogitatio."

The muggle blinked. His eyes scanned the campground around him. He shook his head, then went back to talking to people as they arrived.

"What did you do?" The auror asked.

"Like I said, it's a logical fallacy loop." Harry explained. "When he sees something magical his thoughts remind him that magic isn't real, therefore what he saw wasn't real. He'll remember it as a trick of the light, or that he was sleep deprived, or something like that. It should last for about three days. Cast it again after two, just to be safe."

"Who are you?" The auror asked in awe.

"Harry Potter." Harry winked at the man before rejoining Sirius and Remus.

"Where did you learn that?" Sirius whispered.

"I've done a lot of reading up on mental magics." Harry explained, which wasn't exactly a lie. It just so happened that he learned the spell ten years in the future. "I picked up a bunch of books over the summer to expand my spell work. You'd be amazed at all the things that are overlooked or ignored these days." He looked from Sirius to Remus. "Almost like someone is trying to limit the knowledge that gets out."

"No." Remus muttered. "How could he get away with that?"

"I'm sure that the Purebloods were perfectly happy to restrict the knowledge to others." Harry shrugged. "It's not like they wouldn't know it, what with all the family grimoires and such. All Dumble's would have to do was look the other way and we know how good he is at that when it fits his plans."

Sirius clapped his hands.

"Enough of that." He said loudly. "We are here to relax and have some fun. Harry, this is the World Cup. Over the next few days witches from all over the world will come here. There will be drinking, dancing, singing, and hearts to steal. Shops, restaurants, and buskers will do their best to tempt you to spend your coin."

"Sirius." A female voice said from nearby. "You're nowhere near the tent."

Harry turned to see Andromeda Tonks standing nearby. The smile on her face was brighter than any Harry remembered. A pang of regret hit him. He hadn't spent near as much time with her or Teddy as he should have. Harry latched onto the train of thought and pushed it down. That was not going to happen this time.

"Harry." Sirius hopped between Harry and Andromeda. "This lovely woman is Andromeda Tonks. My favorite cousin."

She looked at him. Her eyes were full of hope and love. Last time they hadn't for a few more years. Things were a bit of a whirlwind around then, but he didn't remember her so vibrant. She was beautiful. Andromeda looked quite similar to Bellatrix, except she wasn't half-starved, filthy, nor out of her mind. Her hair was black, rather than blonde, like Narcissa, but Harry could see the resemblance.

"Hello." Harry smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you."

"No. That will not do." Andromeda stepped closer, wrapping him into a hug.

Harry froze for a moment. There was something familiar about her. Not just from his former life. The feel of her arms around him, her smell. It was a distant memory that he couldn't tease into the light. For once it wasn't some sort of memory charm that he had to fight through, but simply the flow of time.

"I." Harry returned the hug. "I've met you before?"

Andromeda put him at arms-length but held onto him. She nodded.

"James and I were friends growing up. Lily was too once they were married." Andromeda stared at him in wonder. "You used to love to play with my hair when I held you."

It was the first time, in either life, that he had heard this. The words rang true though. Something about her felt like family, more than the memories of his other life.

"I'm sorry." Harry spoke softly. "I don't remember."

"You were a year old at most." Andromeda chuckled. "If anyone, you'll remember Nymphadora."

"Oi!" A young woman called from nearby.

Harry turned to see Tonks moving toward them. Her hair shifted from long and black, to curly red, and then short, spiked pink.

"Don't call me Nymphadora." She groaned and rolled her eyes.

"It's your name." Andromeda sighed. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Wotcher, Harry." The young woman turned to face him. "Tonks. Don't call me Nymphadora."

Harry froze. She was here. Logically, he knew he would be meeting her again soon. Tonks was part of Sirius' family, even if she wasn't here today, it would be in the next year. Still. She was here. Alive! Right in front of him.

There was something more to it. A feeling like the one when he had seen Andromeda.

"Nummy?" Harry whispered.

Tonks blushed a bright shade of red. A flash of memories played along his mind. The little girl with rainbow hair, his imaginary friend that he had forgotten. How had he forgotten her?

"You're real?"

"You remember!" Andromeda practically sang.

"Shut it." Tonks grumbled.

"That's no way to talk to your mother, Nymphadora." Sirius chided.

Her wand was out in a flash. Sirius hopped up as a short zap hit his foot.

"That goes for you too." She glared at the older man. Her face softened as she turned her attention to Harry. "Yes. I'm real. Call me Tonks."

"What's wrong with Nymphadora?" Harry asked.

"You get one." Tonks shifted her wand to his feet.

"Can I call you Nym?" Harry asked softly.

"Fine." She huffed. "Come on. The tents are over this way."

"Do you go to Hogwarts?" Harry followed after her. He didn't spend nearly as much time in his old life talking to her. With this new connection, he wasn't going to make that mistake again.

"No." Tonks led him toward a couple of tents. One of which could have passed for a luxury muggle tent, and the other that looked like an inflatable castle but made of actual stone. "Guess which one is Sirius'?"

Harry nodded to the castle.

"Ding. Ding. Ding." Her hair flashed gold as she spoke. "Give the boy a prize."

She opened the tent belonging to her family and motioned for him to come in.

"How long have you been out of school?" Harry asked.

"This will be my… third year?" She wrinkled her nose as she thought. "You're starting your Fourth year?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded.

"Then, yeah, third year out." Tonks stood beside him.

The main entry of the tent was a cozy living room with a small kitchen at the back. Two doors rested on the other walls. Harry didn't say anything as she subtly adjusted her height a bit to be taller than him. Thanks to a healthy diet and exercise Harry wasn't the malnourished runt he had been. Unfortunately, the damage had been done already and he was never going to be the tallest out there. At best he would be lithe and at worst he'd be a stick figure.

"What do you do then?" Harry asked.

"First year as an auror." Tonks answered happily as she crossed to the small kitchen.

"How do you like it?" He followed her.

"There is a lot of paperwork." She sighed. "I'm one of the rookies so we don't get a lot of the exciting cases. I patrol the alleys, do a week of guard duty on the island, and then do it all over again most of the time." She pulled a couple of butter beers from the small fridge and handed him one. "I did get to help with the Azkaban clean-up. That was pretty wicked."

"Read about that in the Prophet." Harry nodded thanks as he took the bottle. "Was it as bad as they made it out to be?"

"Worse." Tonks shook her head. "Never thought I'd see a dementor hiding in fear."

Her hair had shifted from bright pink to an ash gray. The spikes slumped against her scalp.

"Ever thought of changing careers?" Harry asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She snapped at him.

"You sound like you aren't having much fun." Harry shrugged.

"It's not what I thought it would be." Tonks huffed. She took a swig of her drink before looking up at him. "You really remember me?"

"Pointy nose and rainbow hair." Harry smiled softly at her. "Thought you were my imaginary friend."

Her nose sharpened out to a point and her hair began to shift through a myriad of colors. Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"Is that why you never wrote back?" She asked softly.

"I never got any letters." Harry scooted over to her. It felt natural to give her a hug.

"I thought you hated me." Tonks squeezed him. "You didn't even look at me in your first year."

"Nym." Harry held her tight. "Sirius and I need to talk to you, and your parents, about something important. It will explain a lot. I just have to make sure you're safe first."

She scoffed. "I'm supposed to be the one protecting you."

"Is the wedding back on?" Sirius asked as he bounded into the room.

"What?" Harry looked over to his godfather confused.

"Nymphadora." Sirius scolded, as he wisely dodged her curse. "You shouldn't keep secrets from your betrothed."

Harry looked back to Tonks. Her hair was now bright red and spiky. Tonks burst out of the hug. She chased Sirius around the room sending little zaps from her wand after him. A moment later Remus, Andromeda, and Ted entered the tent.

"I'm lost." Harry looked up at Andromeda.

The trio didn't seem surprised by Tonks chasing Sirius. Remus shook his head as he promptly exited the tent. Andromeda and Ted crossed the small space to stand in front of Harry. He hadn't gotten to know Ted much in his last life. At one point he was sure they had to have had a conversation, but it was hard to think of something solid. Ted was a little shorter than Andromeda. He wore the aged smile lines on his face proudly.

"Harry." She smiled at him. "This is my husband, Ted."

"Nice to meet you, sir." Harry held out his hand.

"None of that." Ted pulled Harry into a hug.

Harry awkwardly patted the man on the back.

"Sorry." Ted blushed a bit. "Forgot you don't know me. I can't tell you how many times we had to rescue you from Nymphadora."

"Not you too, dad!" Tonks yelled.

"I'm a little lost." Harry spoke slowly. "Sirius said something about a wedding and being betrothed. Now you're talking about rescuing me."

Andromeda, Sirius, and Ted laughed. Tonks glared at the three while Harry stood getting more confused by the moment. Apparently, there was a lot about his life he still didn't know.

"She was your Nummy, and you were herHarry." Andromeda explained after a moment. "There were a few times where you somehow found yourself tucked in my purse when it was time for us to go home."

"Not to mention all the times our little Dora told us she was going to marry you." Ted added.

"I was six." Tonks huffed.

Harry smiled at her. He took in the moment around him. The feeling of love filled the room. His expression hardened.

"Sirius." His gaze met his godfathers'. "We need to tell them everything."

Sirius let out a long sigh. "I know. Let's get it over with."

33.

Sirius and Harry told them everything. Well, everything except the fact that Harry was a time-traveling soon-to-be avatar of death. Not ever Sirius knew that, and Harry had no intention on ever telling him. Or anyone for that matter.

The evening was willed with raised voices, tears, quite a bit of cursing, and finally settled into an expanded alliance. The Tonks family were going to take extra care to prevent mental manipulation. They didn't have near as much exposure to Dumbledore, but it didn't hurt to be safe. Andi, Ted, and Nym had thoughts on who they could trust. It wasn't until Tonks mentioned Moody that Harry realized how quickly things were moving.

Harry excused himself after a long discussion. The fun night had turned into an impromptu club meeting. He knew that it was just a matter of time before someone came up with a name for the group. Magical folk loved naming things.

As much as Harry wanted to simply pass out after such a tiring day, he found he couldn't sleep. Sirius had shown Harry to his room in the castle tent. The interior was ridiculous, but he expected nothing less from Sirius. There was something else that was bothering. A little idea he had that wasn't quite in focus, but it wouldn't leave him alone.

Tonks had mentioned Moody. This year Barty would capture the old man and take over his life via Polyjuice potion. Doing so would allow him access to setting Harry up for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He could stop all of it simply by killing Barty. It wasn't just that. There was something else. The changes were already making things hard to figure out. Last time around he'd be having the dream about Tom killing the old man about now.

Would they still be at the mansion?

"Death. Do you have a moment?" Harry said.

"What's up?" She asked plopping onto the bed near him.

"Am I interrupting?" Harry asked.

"Nope." Death held out a hand, wiggling her fingers. A few coins she had hung in the air where her hand had been. "We're talking on Dream Time right now."

"Explain please." Harry watched as the coins didn't shift at all.

"Dream time, how time moves in dreams." She snatched the coins as she hopped to her feet. "Death uses a variation of it as well. You know." Her casual clothes swapped out to those of an elaborate classical dress. "To sleep! To dream! No more! And in that sleep of death what dreams may come!"

Her clothes changed back into her previous casual outfit.

"I'm sure that will make sense when I'm not so fucking tired." Harry grumbled.

"Mental fatigue sucks." Death nodded. "What did you need?"

"I need to find Nagini, she's the last horcrux." Harry said. "Last time, she was with Voldermort at the old Riddle Manor. With everything that has changed I don't know if they are still there. There's no guarantee that she's with him right now."

"Then just pop over to where she is." Death shrugged. "Just like you did with Bellatrix."

"Would that work with Nagini?" Harry asked.

"Death isn't limited to humans." She paused. "Or witches. Wizards. Whatever. They're basically still human."

"Thanks." Harry smiled and shook his head at her. "Looks like I've got some work to do."

Harry shifted off his bed and stood. He summoned Excalibur, closed his eyes, and concentrated on Nagini. The world around him shifted in an instant. It was colder, the air had a musty smell to it, and the creaking of wood surrounded him.

He opened his eyes to find that he wasn't in the mansion at all. Harry was standing on the deck of a rickety old boat. One that was sailing along the clouds. Nagini was curled up around a bundle of clothe that tucked against the side of the boat. She appeared to be sleeping. Harry scanned the immediate area. Nothing looked familiar. The only other person was a glassy-eyed witch that was holding onto the rudder. She didn't appear to even know Harry was there.

Harry spun the sword blade down and stabbed it through the top of Nagini's head. She was dead before she knew what had happened. A thin wisp of smoke bubbled in the air before fading away with hardly a scream.

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered.

"Who is there?" A shaky, thin voice spoke from nearby.

Harry felt himself tense. He held Excalibur up at the ready, waiting for an attack. That voice. He knew it well. It was the very same one that the abomination that was Voldermort had used in his dreams.

ŞNagini! Where are you?Ş

Movement near the dead snake caught his attention. The bundle was moving. Harry hooked the edge of the clothe with the blade and tugged it free. The twisted thing that looked up at him was none other than Voldermort.

"Tom." Harry blinked. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"Potter?" Potato-mort hissed. "What are you doing here? Where is Nagini?"

"Funny story." Harry squatted down to get a closer look at the creature. "I've been destroying the horcrux you had created, and she was the last one. Now that she's dead, you are a sad sack of whatever you are."

"Lies!" Riddle cried.

"You know, I've always wanted to ask." Harry uncovered Riddle completely and propped him up so they could see each other. "Are you an idiot?"

"You will not speak to me in such a way. I am Lord Voldermort!"

"You are Tom Riddle. I would say junior, or the second, but we both know that's not true." Harry dismissed Excalibur. "You're what, sixty or seventy years old? You've been chasing immortality since you were a kid and a horcrux was the best you could come up with? A squib could live until they're over a hundred with hardly any effort. A wizard of your supposed caliber should have been able to hit at least one-fifty. That's before potions regimens to improve your health, charms, magical artifacts, and creature magic brought into the picture."

"You know nothing of me and my goals!" The Dark Lord Potato Head screamed.

"It's a shame, really." Harry sighed. "You probably would have inadvertently saved the world if you'd managed to kill Dumbledore."

"What?"

"Old twinkle-eyes has been playing the long game." Harry summoned Excalibur as he stood. "He's set you up to be the next dark lord he vanquishes. I, sadly, die while fighting you. He steps in, saves the day, and once again is the next Merlin. Hell, they might even start calling Merlin the first Dumbledore."

"We can work together to stop him." Voldermort hissed.

"He would never see that coming." Harry nodded. "But there's one problem with that plan."

"What?"

"I really want to kill you." Harry brought the blade down.

Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord Voldermort, had just enough time to understand the words before Excalibur sliced through his warped form. An expression of sheer terror was forever etched into its visage. Harry felt the boat under him lurch. The witch that had been guiding the boat had slumped over. She was dead, he could see that now. The magic that was keeping her animated had stopped once Riddle died. Now, the rickety old boat was rushing toward the ground.

Harry wasn't sure how far, or how long, the fall was going to take. He thought of the room in the tent and appeared there a moment later. Harry dismissed Excalibur. He needed a shower, some fire whiskey, and a couple days of sleep. Not in that order.

He trudged through the hallway in search of the bathroom. It took a couple of tries, but eventually he found a gently lit room with a claw-foot tub. Harry gave a short chuckle as the tub began to fill with water. He stripped off his clothes and settled in.

It was done. The last horcrux had been destroyed. Voldermort was dead. The future life that he had known was completely and utterly gone. There were still a few people that needed to pay for their past-future-current sins, but they were scattered without Voldermort to rally behind.

Fenrir Greyback couldn't be left alive. Not to mention a smattering of Death Eaters. Umbridge. There was no way that he was letting her live.

Harry took a deep breath. He let the hot water loosen his muscles. Killing them wasn't just about revenge. Revenge did play a big part, but there was more to it than that. Removing them from the equation meant that he could focus on Dumbledore. The old man knew how to stack the deck in his favor. If Dumbledore was using Voldermort and the Death Eaters as a way to keep the focus away from him, then it only made sense to get rid of them.

Voldermort was dead.

This was just the beginning.

34.

Harry ran through his evening routine of draining his magical core. He cycled through hair colors, lengths, and styles as he felt his limit quickly approaching. Harry used the last bit of focus to return his hair to its usual style. The next step in the process most of the time was him staggering to bed and passing out.

This time, something was different. He could feel his magic coming back at a much faster pace. The normal fatigue was nowhere near it had been yesterday. He hadn't felt any change once Riddle was dead, so it had to be something else. The only thing he could rationalize was the ambient magic. Privet Drive was practically barren, recharging his core took hours. Here, surrounded by all these witches and wizards, he was filling back up much faster.

Harry slipped out into the seating area. He wasn't tired enough to go to sleep and his thoughts were keeping him too focused to relax. Voldermort was dead. There was no reason to allow Moody to be replaced, he could take care of Barty in the next couple of days. Without a figurehead the remaining Death Eaters were too focused on their own designs than to work together. Even with Voldermort alive there were clearly defined factions.

If Barty didn't replaced Moody, then no one would put Harry's name in the goblet. That meant no tournament. Which most likely meant he wouldn't become friends with Fleur, or Krum. Losing their friendships was more of a blow than he had expected.

Ginny had tried to keep Fleur at a distance, but Bill was her favorite brother and spending time together was unavoidable. He and Fleur had become quick friends once everything had settled down. They were both outsiders surrounded by the Weasley's. Even Hermione fit in better with them. Fleur and Harry were the ones always having to adjust. He had learned French instead of letting their quasi-isolation ruin the family gatherings.

And then there was that kiss under the mistletoe.

Harry jolted upright.

The kiss.

~ Then ~

"I have been waiting for you to that again for so long." Fleur whispered. Her fingers trailed along his lips.

"Again?" Harry held her beautiful, hungry gaze with his own.

They were at the Burrow. It had been rebuilt after the war. Harry had even pitched in a decent amount of gold to get it looking better than ever. He hadn't planned on paying for so much of it, but Ginny had asked him over morning coffee.

"Your birthday." She playfully hit his chest. "I thought I had left more of an impression."

"My birthday this year?" Harry asked.

The smile on her face drained away. "You don't remember."

Harry shook his head. He closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to remember something about his birthday. Something about Fleur being there. He found nothing. Only a vague impression of the day.

"There you two are." Hermione hurried over to the with a broad smile. "Some wine for you Fleur, and Eggnog for you Harry."

"Thank you." Harry took the offered drink. He sipped it while he thought. "Hermione…" The question he wanted to ask drifted away.

His perception of the memory shifted, watching from the outside. Ginny huffed as she found Hermione standing near a dazed Fleur and Harry.

"Again?" Ginny snapped.

"You're getting sloppy Gin." Hermione scolded the younger woman. "Today, Halloween, his birthday. That's three you owe me. The potions aren't lasting as long. It has to be something with her not being human. Her allure must be interfering. Get your brother to stop coming over or convince him to let me up her dosage."

"I've tried." Ginny grumbled. "He won't listen and thinks that mom's potions work just as well as they did when they got together."

"Don't blame me if the next egg she lays comes out with silver hair and green eyes." Hermione twisted the knife. "If that happens, you can kiss the Potter fortune goodbye."

"And I'm sure you have a suggestion?" Ginny glared at Hermione. "I'm not ruining my body and my career by popping out a couple of kids."

"It sounds like you could use a partner." Hermione paused, making sure Harry took another drink.

~ Now ~

Harry gritted his teeth.

"It's not them." Harry repeated the phrase over and over. "They're just kids."

If he could give the Dursley's the benefit of a doubt, then Hermione and Ginny would get one too. He had no clue what Dumbledore had done to them. Not to mention Molly. It sounded like she may have done some work for Bill as well. That made Fleur falling for Bill make so much more sense.

He needed to check in on her soon. Just to make sure she wasn't causing trouble. She didn't like Fleur, so it made Harry think that it was Bill who was to blame for that. Harry sat back, thinking about all he knew about Bill.

Bill Weasley was a curse breaker for Gringotts. He married Fleur and they eventually had a child. They had setup something of a safe house for people on the run during the war. Beyond that, he didn't know much about him. Even the holidays they spent together over the years that weren't tinted with memory altering didn't bring up much.

Fleur though. He could see her in his memories over the years, fading. Their eyes would meet and there would be so much hope behind them. A soul deep sorrow always replaced it.

Another life stolen.

Harry wouldn't let his selfish desire to have her in his life ruin hers. He would miss her, but Fleur deserved better than to get pulled into this mess.

He hopped to his feet. A brief moment concentrating on Barty Crouch Jr had his vanish from the sitting room. Harry found himself standing near a thin wizard. The man was well-groomed, wore nice clothing, and seemed to be healthy. Barty was lounging on his plush bed, reading a book that was brand new. All in all, the Death Eater was living in a golden cage.

The locked eyes. Barty sprang forward, throwing the book at Harry. It sailed harmlessly off to the side. The Death Eater pulled into a roll, dashing to the other side of the room before tumbling over an old writing desk.

"The butcher of Azkaban comes for me, eh?" His made voice had a Scottish lilt to it.

"My reputation proceeds me." Harry followed the mad dash with his eyes but stayed in place. "You were a Ravenclaw, right?"

"Ooh." Barty laughed. "Someone's done their homework."

"Do you like puzzles?" Harry asked.

"I'm a Ravenclaw therefore I must like puzzles?" Barty snapped in reply. "You like to hear yourself talk, does that make you a Slytherin?"

Harry sighed. "In my old life I was an auror. I worked a lot of high-profile cases. They like to hand them to me because it looked good in the papers when Harry Potter solved a case."

"Harry Potter?" Barty popped his head up to look at him. "Eh, the chosen one himself. Killed all my mates on the island and now you've come for me. What's this about being an auror? You're a bit young, ain't ya?"

"In another life." Harry waved the question away. "I get the standard ones. Leftover Death Eaters trying to become the next Dark Lord. Some wizard who thought they were the first one to ever try to take over the world. The random murder. That sort of thing."

"You're as batty as I am." Barty stood. When Harry didn't move to attack, he hopped up onto the desk and sat with his feet hanging off.

"If you knew what I knew, you'd be so much crazier." Harry laughed. "There was this one case, that I had that was causing a panic. A magical serial killer. Not some dark lord, but an actual serial killer."

Barty crossed his legs and listened. "This is the most entertainment I've had in years. Last time was when ol' Trixie remembered a full song from the Weird Sisters and belted it out for three days."

"I cut her head off." Harry shrugged.

"Go on ya' mate." Barty chuckled. "The story?"

"Right." Harry nodded. "The thing was the killer wasn't using any The Killing Curse. The curse specifically made to kill people. They would leave the remains of their victims in two piles. One for the bones and the other for everything else."

"Ohhh." Barty bounced in his spot. "How did you catch him?"

"Her." Harry corrected. "A witch. Third daughter of a Pureblood that didn't have any future once she got out of school. They didn't have the money to set her up with an apprenticeship, so she did… independent study of sorts."

"A Ravenclaw after my own heart." Barty beamed with pride.

"Exactly." Harry smiled at the Death Eater.

Their eyes met for a brief moment as they shared a smile. Barty froze as he realized that the young man in front of him was much more dangerous that he had ever experienced before.

"She would remove the bones completely from her victim." Harry continued. "No cuts, claw marks, or burns. Every single one intact. Just outside of the body."

Barty watched as Harry raised his hand, pointing a finger at him. "Do you know what she was doing?"

The Death Eater shook his head.

"Accio Hyoid." Harry spoke clearly.

A splash of blood erupted from Barty's throat as a small bone flew over to Harry's waiting hand.

"She learned the common latin names for the bones of the human body." Harry explained. "Piece by piece, starting with the Hyoid. That way her victims could cast spells, call for help, and were too panicked to think straight."

Barty held his hands up to his throat, trying to keep the blood in.

"We would have never caught her except she had to go to Muggle London to buy the books she needed." Harry watched as the Death Eater continued to struggle. "They don't have the same sort of books in Diagon Alley. Blocking the summoning spell is possible, you just have to know the counter charm, and what they are summoning."

Barty struggled to his feet. He stumbled over to Harry, one hand against his bleeding throat and the other reaching out for the bone.

"She came peacefully once I caught her." Harry stepped to the side, just out of reach. "She told me that she'd do the hands next. The bigger bones took more power and focus. They were easier to get once the person was dead. Otherwise, their struggling would cause the bones to break."

Harry watched Barty collapse on the bed.

"I never understood her fascination with keeping the bones intact." Harry shrugged.

Barty stopped struggling. Harry flicked his wrist, decapitating the corpse. That would hopefully disguise what had really killed the Death Eater. Harry dropped the bone near the loose head. He disappeared before it hit the ground.

Harry walked back to the bathroom and washed his hands. He took extra care to make sure that he hadn't missed any blood. Then, just to be sure, he used a cleaning charm to give himself a once over. He was going to need to plan better if he wanted to continue his nighttime excursions.

Riddle and Barty were dead. It had been a productive day.

35.

It had been a busy summer. Harry had inadvertently saved Arthur Weasley, destroyed all of the horcruxes, killed quite a few Death Eaters, stopped Barty from replacing Moody, and killed Voldermort. He deserved a couple of days off.

The fact that he was now surrounded by witches from all over the world had nothing to do with it. For that matter, the fact that he was now a raging ball of hormones was not a factor at all.

His old life was starting to fade into memory. With all the changes he had made his past experiences were practically useless now. There was no one to enter him into the Tournament, Voldermort was dead, and there were only a few scattered Death Eaters that he had to clean up. The thought of not being in the Tri-Wizard was a little bitter-sweet. He wasn't sure how to approach Fleur without the champion connection. Would she dismiss him as just another hapless suitor? Would her life be better without his involvement? Without the Tournament and the Weasleys, there wasn't a reason for them to cross paths.

Deep thoughts like that were not going to help his mood. He needed some fun and there were plenty of options right outside the tent.

"Come on Harry!" Tonks was bouncing with energy. Her hair was flashing between bubblegum pink and neon blue. "There are two games later and I've got a month of pay burning a hole in my pocket."

Tonks burst into his room and froze. Harry stood, completely nude, beside his bed. Her eyes roamed over his body taking in his lithe form, the various scars, and his… other features. Harry chuckled as her hair went from pink to bright red.

"Are the Blacks that sort of Pureblood family?" Harry asked.

Her eyes snapped up to look him in the face. She chuckled, visibly relaxing at his joke. Her hair shifted back to the standard pink.

"Give a girl a little notice next time." Tonks fanned herself. "My innocent eyes are not prepared."

"I doubt that." Harry rolled his eyes.

"You dare question my innocence?" Tonks scoffed.

Harry turned to face her, giving her a taste of full-frontal. "Nym, I will be severely disappointed in the wizarding community if you haven't been shagged yet."

"I think that's a compliment." Tonks did her level best not to look down.

"It was." Harry nodded. "Casual?"

"Yeah, haven't had an actual boyfriend in a while." Tonks sighed.

"Clothes, Nym." Harry laughed. "I don't want to look like a moron on my first real outing."

"Oh." Tonks blushed. "Right. Yeah." She waved a hand at her outfit. "Something like this works."

Harry checked out her outfit now that he wasn't concentrating on teasing her. She wore a pair of Muggle jeans, a T-shirt for a band he didn't know, and had on a pair of boots. Tonks noticed him checking out her footwear.

"Boots are for the best." Tonks explained. "We're going to be doing a lot of walking in crowded areas. You'll need something to protect your toes."

"Noted." Harry gave her a mock-salute. "Are you going to watch me get dressed?"

"Don't mind if I do." Tonks strolled over to his bed. She hopped into it, landing on her back and spreading out her arms. "This isn't fair. My bed sucks."

"It's big enough for two." Harry said.

The words just rolled out of his mouth. He turned, trying to appear casual as he hurried over to his wardrobe. Harry busied himself getting dressed.

"Mister Potter." Tonks said in a scandalized voice. "Do you always invite strange women into you bed?"

"Not as strange as you." Harry looked over his shoulder and shot her a sly grin.

Tonks huffed in faux outrage. She hopped out of his bed once he was dressed. He held out his hands to give her a look at his outfit. It wasn't too different from hers. Muggle jeans, boots, and a simple light blue T-shirt.

She tapped her chin as she studied him. Tonks nodded.

"Acceptable." She stepped closer, running a hand through his hair. "You should grow your hair out a bit. That slightly-wild look you've got would look better with some length."

"Give me a moment." Harry closed his eyes.

He concentrated, focusing his magic, guiding it to his hair. A slight sheen of sweat covered his brow. Tonks gasped as his hair grew a couple of inches.

"You're a metamorphmagus?" Tonks gaped at him.

"No." Harry shook his head. "It takes a lot of focus to do something like that."

"How did you figure that out?" She asked.

"I can't use my wand over the summer." Harry shrugged. "I didn't want to lose touch with my magic, so I was experimenting. Changing my appearance wears me out, but it's like working a muscle."

"Most people can't do any sort of human transfiguration without a lot of training and a wand." Tonks shook her head. "You do make things interesting."

Harry chuckled. "You have no idea." He offered her his arm. "Ready?"

The next hour was spent wandering around the campgrounds. They bought breakfast from a passing cart selling some sort of pastry that looked like the lovechild of a cinnamon roll and a croissant. It was one of the best things Harry had ever tasted. The vendor was happy to provide a card for future orders.

Sirius joined them once they hit the international section. He introduced Harry to the ladies at the Salem League of Witches. Two of which blushed constantly being around Sirius. The ladies giggled like schoolgirls when the old dog smiled at them.

"Story for another time." Was all Sirius said.

His godfather looked torn between going with Harry and staying with the witches.

"We've got a few more days here." Harry laughed at the man. "Have fun. Nym is showing me around."

The crowd got thicker as they moved into the Merchandise area. Teams from all over the world had set out booths to sell jerseys, posters, banners, and all sorts of things. The players on the National Teams were recruited from the domestic teams similar to the Muggle Olympics.

"Harry!" A female voice called.

Tonks stepped closer to him. He scanned the crowd as a girl with short black hair jogged over to them. It wasn't until she got closer that he recognized her. She wore a Kestrels jersey and there was the slight tan line along her face in the shape of goggles.

She pulled up short as she saw how close Tonks was to him.

"Alyn Lind." Harry motioned to the approaching young woman. "This is… Tonks."

"Girlfriend?" Alyn asked.

Harry looked at Tonks. "Family slash bodyguard."

"About time!" She laughed turning to Tonks. "You'll have your work cut out keeping him safe. Did he show you the basilisk scar?"

"Basilisk?" Tonks turned to Harry.

"I'll tell you later." Harry blushed. "What are you doing here?"

Alyn pointed to her jersey, she turned to show him her name on the back. "They've got us doing autographs and peddling goods. We're not a top tier team like the Harpies so we don't have all that many sponsors. Any money earned today goes to upgrading the teams brooms. Firebolts are not cheap."

Harry smiled at her.

"I've started the last three games of the season!" Alyn hugged him. She sighed. "I know it's because they recruited Lynch and wanted him fresh for the tournament. Still! Three games as a rookie!"

"That's awesome!" Harry smiled at her. "I should get an autograph now so I can brag about it when you're out there next year."

Alyn blushed. "Did you want to see my tent? Our tent. The teams tent."

Harry looked to Tonks. She gave him a wink.

"I'd love to." Harry smiled at Alyn.

36.

Alyn led Harry passed the merch table to a bright green tent with the Kestrel logo on it. The thing could have actually been a muggle tent, one used for outdoor events rather than recreational camping. It wasn't until they stepped inside that the magical aspect were revealed. The entry way was a large lobby with boxes of merch stacked in rows.

"Alyn!" A young man called.

Harry saw her shoulders droop. The guy hurried over. He wore a jersey like Alyn. The guy had long blonde hair pulled back into a tail and had an athletic build that was on the bulkier side. The guy smiled brightly as he hurried over. If he had to guess, Harry would have placed him as a Beater. A Keeper needed to be able to move quickly in a small space, a larger frame wasn't the most suitable.

"Jenner." Alyn said flatly.

"Who's this?" The guy, Jenner, asked.

"A friend from school." Alyn replied. "I'm showing him around."

Jenner looked at Harry. His face scrunched up for a moment.

"Second year?" He asked.

"Sure." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Jenner." The guy held out his hand. "Reserve Beater. I've been showing Alyn the ropes since she's a rookie. I'd be happy to join you. Probably know more about the place too."

Harry looked to Alyn. She had a thinly veiled annoyed expression on her face. He shifted back to Jenner, his eyes dropping to the extended hand.

"No thanks." Harry shook his head. "Ready?"

Alyn smiled. "Ready."

She led him out of the lobby, leaving Jenner standing there with his hand still out. Alyn quickly stepped through a door to the side. The two stood in a short hallway.

"I hate that guy." She muttered once the door closed behind them. "He has one year on me and thinks he knows everything. Hasn't even played in a real match but gave me 'tips' after all three of mine. He's constantly trying to push in on interviews too."

Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. Her eyes went wide as he kissed her deeply. Alyn giggled as they broke apart.

"You were going to show me where your room was?" Harry asked.

"Yes, yes I was." She smiled as she grabbed his hand.

Alyn quickly pulled him along. "That's the showers." She said at the first door. "Managers office." She pointed out the second door. "Ladies Bunks. The guys are on the other side. Fraternization between teammates is looked down upon."

She opened the door to show him a room with six beds, three on each wall. They were separated by a three-quarters wall. Alyn led him to one of the beds in the middle. The wall had a couple of pictures that from Hogwarts as well as some newspaper clippings.

"We'll be alone for a bit." Alyn sat on her bed.

"Are you okay with someone discovering us?" Harry asked as he joined her.

"They've seen me naked in the showers." She leaned in, nibbling on his ear. "I'm fine with it if you are."

"That is a nice visual."

She gasped as Harry pushed her onto her back. He kissed her neck and his hands slipped under her jersey. His fingertips traced the outline of her abs as they traveled upwards.

"Mister Potter." Alyn breathed. "What type of girl do you take me for?"

"One that I'm going to give a limp and a smile." Harry replied.

"Prove it." She grabbed the bottom of her jersey, pulling it off in one fast motion.

Harry paused, taking in her body. Her athletic stomach had the ghost of abs. She wore a sports bra that held her breasts tightly. Harry kissed her flat stomach, nibbling on her bellybutton. Alyn let out a sharp moan as his teeth brushed against her skin.

"That's new." She whispered.

His hands stayed in motion, slipping her bra up to expose her breasts. He sat back up to appreciate the view. Her chest was larger than he expected. Her pert, button sized nipples made them look even bigger. He didn't have a catalogue of bra sizes readily available to compare her measurements. It didn't matter, they were gorgeous.

"Freezing up?" Alyn teased.

"Works of art deserve to be admired." Harry smiled at her.

She chuckled. "Take that shirt off. I want to feel your skin against mine."

Harry was happy to fulfil her request. He tossed his shirt off near hers.

"Sweet Morgana." She whispered as her eyes traveled along his chest.

He looked down to see her tracing the various scars on his skin.

"Stories can wait." Harry kissed her. "I have a promise to keep."

Harry kissed her cute, little nipples. His hands traveled down her sides, hooking along her pants, and sliding to the front. He began to work on her buttons, adding a bit of suction to his kisses. The only thing she wore now was the wrist-brace that contained her wand.

He needed to remember to pick one of those up for himself.

"There are spells to get the clothes off faster." Alyn giggled.

"I know." Harry finished with her buttons. He grabbed her pants and yanked them down. "I like doing it this way."

Harry shifted lower, placing his head between her legs, setting them atop his shoulders. He smiled when he saw her panties had an embroidered snitch on them. Looking up, he locked eyes with her. Harry placed mouth against the thin fabric over her pussy.

"Those are in the way if you're going to do what I think you're planning." Alyn held his gaze.

He adjusted his mouth, finding the top of her slit, and began to hum. Her legs shot out straight, her muscles tensing, as the vibrations traveled through her body.

"By Maeve's clit, what was that?" Alyn moaned.

"Resonance." Harry grinned wickedly up at her.

"Whatever it is, do it again." She breathed.

Harry repeated the process. This time moving his mouth up and down in small motions. Alyn gripped the sheets, her mouth open in a silent scream.

"Where did you learn that?" She managed to say as Harry paused to take a breath.

"A girl hums during a blowjob and it feels amazing." He explained. "Figured it would work the other way too."

Alyn drew her wand. A flick of her wrist vanished their remaining clothes. He had no idea where they went. At the moment he didn't really care.

"Fuck me." She growled.

Harry kept her legs on his shoulders as he raised up. Her hand reached down, grabbing his shaft, and guiding him to her wet lower lips.

"You've earned the smile." She locked eyes with him as she slid the crown of his cock along the length of her pussy. "What about that limp?"

Harry gave her a wry smile as he pushed forward. Alyn moaned as he steadily pressed inch by inch into her warm, wet pussy.

"Oh Merlin, you're huge." She moaned.

Harry leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her lips. She shuddered as he bottomed out in her. They locked eyes. Harry stayed hilted inside of her, letting her adjust to his size. Alyn leaned forward, placing her forward against his. She nodded. He began to pull back, stopping once only the head of his cock was still inside. They moaned in sync as Harry began to press forward once more.

He grabbed onto her hips, picking up the pace. His steady, hard thrusts rocked her body. Harry pulled her hips to mean him, clapping their bodies together. Alyn pulled his closer, pressing her forehead against hers and running her fingers through his hair. Harry groaned as her tits bounced against his chest, dragging her hard nipples along his skin. Her pussy desperately tried to pull him back in with every thrust. He slammed into her faster and harder, his mind set on getting her to orgasm first.

Alyn moaned loudly with every as she grabbed a handful of his hair, gripping it tightly as she began to buck underneath him. He took that as a good sign. His whole body hammered away with everything he could. Every thrust was met with a resounding slap.

"Cumming." She muttered before trailing off into gibberish.

Harry tried to hold on, but the feeling of her pussy milk his cock pushed him over the edge. Their lips found each other, kissing each other deeply as they rode out their climaxes.

Alyn rolled to the side, taking him down to the bed. She breathed in short gasps. True to his word, a smile played across her lips. Harry pulled out of her, laying on his back. He pulled her close against his side. Without a thought she tucked his arm under her head to use as a pillow. She draped a leg over him as they basked in the afterglow together.

After a moment she let out a little giggle.

"What?" He asked.

"I just fucked Harry Potter." She continued to giggle. "I would be in so much trouble if I was still at Hogwarts. I can picture the look on Snape's face."

"He is the last person I want to think of right now." Harry said. The image of an outraged Snape flashed in his mind. He started to chuckle. "Okay, that would be pretty funny."

"Too bad I don't have a camera." Alyn sighed. "No one is going to believe me." She held up a hand, miming taking a picture. "Harry and Me. With an arrow pointing between my legs. Harry's cum."

Harry shook his head. He froze. "Uh, I forgot to ask. Are you on the potion?"

"A bit too late for that." Alyn laughed. "I'm on contract with the Kestrels." She said after a moment, as though that explained everything.

"What does that have to do with things?" Harry asked slowly.

"The first three years I have a No Pregnancy Claus in my contract." She explained. "It doesn't make sense for a team to sign a rookie just for them to get knocked up halfway through the first season. All the teams do it these years. Think about it, have you heard of one of the Harpies having kids before they retired?"

An intense anger began to build in his chest. Ginny had never mentioned that. She knew he wanted a family. He was upfront about that. Ginny asked for his support in her quidditch career, saying that they could keep trying and she'd take time off once she was pregnant.

It was just another lie. She never planned on having kids while she in the pros.

"Are you alright?" Alyn interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah." Harry looked over to her, giving her a smile. "Had to tap down that moment of blind panic."

She laughed. "We should get dressed. Someone is going to start looking for me, probably already have."

Alyn slipped out of the bed. She scanned the area for her clothes. Harry grinned as she shuffled over and started to get dressed.

"Smile and a limp?" He asked.

"You didn't disappoint." She nodded. "Next time I'll be ready."

"Next time?" Harry got out of bed to find his clothes as well. "I like the sound of that."

Once they were both dressed Alyn led him back outside. She winked at him as they split off. Tonks was waiting nearby. She looked incredibly bored and annoyed. Harry saw the reason as he got closer. Jenner stood beside chatting away.

"You ready?" Harry asked stepping up in front of her.

"Yes." She practically yelled.

"But…" Jenner said.

"Why were you talking to that guy?" Harry asked as they walked away.

"He asked if I was a Kestrels fan." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "I said they were better than the Cannons but not my team. Then he started to 'explain' the game of Quidditch to me."

"Should I hex him?" Harry asked.

"Already did." Tonks shot him a sly grin. "Just something small."

"Oh?" Harry waited for her to continue.

"I turned his socks into bread." She said happily. "He didn't seem to notice."

Harry smiled broadly at her. "Where to now?"

"I don't know." She chucked bumping her shoulder against his. "Any other professional quidditch players you plan to bed?"

"I wouldn't say no if the Harpies have a station."

37.

Tonks and Harry spent the rest of the day exploring. Sirius popped back up a little after lunch looking properly disheveled and sporting a silly grin. Lupin was with him. Harry had to hold back a laugh when he realized the werewolf was making a concentrated effort to stay upwind.

Sirius showed them to his favorite international cuisine among the many food stalls. Harry had expected something simple, maybe a steak with a bone in it. It turned out that Sirius loved Thai food, the spicier the better. Lupin, on the other hand, wouldn't even come close to one of the stalls and constantly shot Sirius glares.

After that they split back up. Harry was happy to see Sirius so alive. He didn't know if it was the time as Rook, the wards, or a steady string of casual encounters, but his godfather looked better than he ever had the last time through.

"I need a nap." Tonks groaned as they headed back to their tents.

Harry gave her a tired smile. "That sounds wonderful. Can I join you?"

"If we're sleeping together, we're doing it in your bed." Tonks froze once she spoke.

"Nym!" Harry gasped.

"Cuddling!" She said a little too loud. "I meant cuddle."

"Auror Tonks, is there a reason you're yelling about cuddling?" A stern, yet amused female voice spoke from nearby.

The duo looked toward the source to see a statuesque red-headed woman nearby. She had an amazing body, and her large breasts were the sort that people wrote poetry about. Her outfit was well put together, classy, and still showed off just a bit of her figure. More than anything, it was the ghost of a smile that made Harry ravish her.

"Madam Bones." Tonks stiffed, snapping to attention. "I… uh…"

"Relax, Nymphadora." Amelia Bones spoke casually. "We're both off duty."

Harry noticed the brief flush of bright red that ran through Tonks' pink spikes.

"Harry Potter, I presume?" Amelia asked turning her attention to him.

The way she said his name sent a shock right to his cock. Damn hormones.

"Yes, ma'am." Harry bowed slightly.

"Amelia Bones." She replied with a nod. "My niece Susan is in your year."

"Hufflepuff." Harry replied with a smile. "Is she here?"

"Somewhere." Amelia gave him a rare warm smile.

"We haven't spoken beyond working together in Herbology. This year I want to start making friends beyond Gryffindor." Harry said. "Would you tell her I said hello when you see her?"

"Of course." Amelia replied. "She'll be sorry she missed you."

"His tent is just over there." Tonks chimed in. "The castle across from the discreet green one."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I didn't pick it."

"Sirius?" Amelia asked Tonks.

There was something the way that she said it that made Harry want to know more. Tonks not-so-subtly elbowed him before he could speak.

"Ready for that nap?" Tonks asked.

"Yes." Harry let out a heavy sigh. "It was nice to meet you Madam Bones. Please excuse us."

"It was nice to meet you as well, Mister Potter." Amelia inclined her head.

Tonks pulled him away.

"Don't flirt with my boss." She grumbled.

"I make no promises." Harry said with a sly smile.

"You're worse than Sirius." Tonks shook her head.

"Please." Harry scoffed. "Like she'd go for me."

"What about that Kestrel girl?" Tonks asked.

"Like you said, Nym. A girl." Harry shook his head. "I doubt my considerable charms would work on a woman."

"And that makes me?" Tonks stepped in front of him, blocking entry to the tent.

"My Nym." Harry wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Her pink hair went a bright shade of red. She shook her head.

"Come on, lover boy." Tonks stepped into the tent. "I wasn't kidding about that nap. Or the cuddling."

Harry followed after her. Even in his tired state he had to admit she had a nice bum. Tonks looked over her shoulder, catching him looking. Harry blushed but managed to make eye contact.

Tonks shucked off her coat once they were in the room. Harry closed the door, by the time he turned back around she had stripped down to her T-shirt. Harry's eyes traveled up her lovely legs. He could see a flash of blue of panties.

"Enjoying the view?" Tonks asked.

"Very much so." Harry let out a slow sigh.

He crossed the space between them, setting his hands on her hips. Tonks laughed and placed the flat of her palms on his chest.

"I can't sleep in pants." Tonks shook her head.

Harry took a breath. It came out shaky. "Understood."

He casually stripped down to his boxers. Tonks giggled.

"What?" Harry arced an eyebrow at her.

"Looks like she was a biter." Tonks motioned to his shoulder.

Harry walked over to the mirror. Sure enough, there was a couple of hickeys along his neck and collar bone. He trailed a finger over them.

"I didn't even notice." Harry shrugged.

"You should get rid of those if you're planning on hooking up with anyone else." Tonks slipped into the bed. "It's fine with a steady girlfriend, but not so much when you're single."

"Good point." Harry nodded.

He made sure she wasn't looking when he windlessly and silently healed them. Harry joined her in bed. He slid behind her, pulling her close, and resting his arm over her side.

"I think you're too short to be the big spoon." Tonks mumbled as they settled into each other.

"In that case, I'm your backpack not the big spoon." Harry nuzzled the back of her neck.

Tonks shuddered.

"Sleep well, Nym." Harry whispered.

"Mmhm." She replied.

Harry felt her go limp. He smiled as her breath slowed. Now, in the quiet, his mind started to roll heavier thoughts. Alyn had mentioned Snape. There wasn't a reason to keep him alive with Voldermort dead. Harry would have never named one of his kids after the bastard if he hadn't been compelled.

That had Hermione written all over it. His 'tragic backstory' was being an asshole to the girl he was obsessed with then taking it out on everyone when she didn't fall at his feel and profess her love. Harry hated to admit it, but Snape was a Potions Master and a good duelist. The slimy bastard would be a pain to deal with once Dumbledore turned his sights on Harry.

He had no doubt that Dumbledore would target him. The old man had been suspicious since last year. Once Dumbledore found out that Voldermort was dead the only person who could rival his power was Harry. As it stood, Harry couldn't publicly oppose Dumbledore just yet and he wasn't close to being able to take him on in a fight.

Harry needed to gather allies in the political arena and private sector. He also needed to focus on growing his magical power. Kicking down the door and blasting the old goat wasn't a viable plan, even if when he was stronger. Harry couldn't deny that a part of him wanted to duel Dumbledore, just to see how he stacked up to someone touted as the Second Coming of Merlin.

He shook his head gently as to not wake up Tonks. Back on to the original train of thought. Snape. There didn't seem to be a downside to killing him. He was a Death Eater, hopefully, whoever investigated it would count it with the Azkaban Massacre. Harry would just need to make it obvious that Snape had been killed because of it.

Harry chuckled darkly. After a lifetime as a Auror he was now a serial killer. He was going to need to put some thought into things if he wanted to keep the appearance up. Popping all over the world to take down Death Eaters wouldn't make sense. International travel required documentation, having them turn up dead all over the world would raise too many questions. He'd stick to the remaining locals, which meant Malfoy was safe for now.

Umbridge didn't have the dark mark. She was worse than a Death Eater. Chopping off her head was too good for her. It also wouldn't fit the theme. Serial killers really loved their themes. Not so much as to be cartoony but they all had some sort of requirements.

Tonks moaned in her sleep, pressing her wonderful ass against him. Harry smiled. These were thoughts for another time. He was on vacation.

38.

"Wake up, lovebirds." Sirius called from the doorway.

Harry sat up, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. Tonks had rolled over at some point and draped a leg across his waist.

"What?" Harry swayed in his spot.

"It's dinner time." Sirius clarified. "We're going to have a family meal."

"Ok." Harry slumped back into bed.

"Nope." Sirius laughed.

A moment later both of them were splashed with ice cold water. Tonks shot up, her wand-hand moving like crazy as she cast spell in every direction. Her wand was safely tucked on the bedside table. In reality she was flailing around spouting off half-slurred spells. Sirius retreated from the doorway, cackling like a madman.

"Sometimes I really hate that guy." Tonks grumbled.

Harry rolled out of his now drenched bed.

"Thanks for the nap, Nym." Harry yawned. "I don't think I've slept that well ever."

"You're a pretty good cuddler yourself." Tonks smiled at him. "Hold still, I'll dry us off."

She plucked her wand from the nearby table. A swish and flick dried their clothes and the bed. Now that they weren't drench the two found their clothes. Harry hugged her, placing a soft kiss on her shoulder. Tonks looked away, focusing on getting her belt settled and hiding the blush on her cheeks.

"What was that?" She asked.

"Just felt right." Harry shrugged.

"Let's see what's for dinner." Tonks paused at the doorway. She scanned the area beyond, then cast a couple of detection charms before stepping out. "You can never be too careful around Sirius."

"I'll try to remember that."

Harry waited until she was out of the room. He held out his hand, summoning his wand. It sailed through the air, landing perfectly in his palm. Harry sighed and tucked it into his pocket. He needed to pick up a forearm holster. Having his wand in his pocket felt sloppy.

They entered the dining room to find Sirius, Andromeda, Ted, and Lupin waiting for them as well as two others. Harry smiled as they turned to face him. Neville gave a shy smile. His grandmother simply glared at him.

"About time, sleepyheads." Andi chuckled. "You almost missed dinner."

"I blame Harry." Tonks said as she took an open seat. "He's just too damn cuddly."

"Language Nymphadora." Her mother scoffed.

Tonks grumbled something under her breath.

"Neville, Madam Longbottom, it's nice to see you." Harry gave both a nod. "What are you doing here? Sirius said this was a family dinner."

"The houses of Longbottom and Potter have been allies for many generations." Augusta replied in a polite tone that was bordering on snide. "Since you are the last remaining Potter, House Black is arranging a meeting to renew those bonds."

"Dumbledore." Sirius said in explanation.

"Ah." Harry nodded.

"What's wrong with Professor Dumbledore?" Neville asked.

"He's the bad guy, Neville." Harry said as he took his seat. "Practically everything after Grindelwald leading up to the war was due to his machinations."

"That's quite the accusation, Lord Potter." Augusta studied him.

"He had a direct hand in creating Voldermort, through deliberate in-action and agitation." Harry continued. "He uses considerable amounts of mental magic to manipulate those around him and turns a blind eye when it suits his plans." He took a breath. "He had layers of charms and spells placed on my person altering my personality, how people perceived me, and limiting my magic. On a more personal level, he arranged himself to be my magical guiding and has sealed my parents will. He crafted wards around my relatives house to increase aggression, obscure those who were inquisitive, and set it so my own magic was feeding into it."

"We've done some digging." Sirius added. "The times when Dumbledore is absent from the 'Mot coincide with times that the Dark faction has pressed through laws that limit the exposure muggle-born have to the magical world."

"As well as those steadily turning half-breeds and non-humans into criminals for simply existing." Lupin added. "Hagrid found this out previously when he was thrown into Azkaban on hearsay alone."

Augusta nodded. "And your plan for dealing with him? Storm Hogwarts and drag him out by his beard?"

Harry laughed. "Tempting."

"We don't have a plan yet." Sirius said flatly. "We're collecting proof, gathering allies, and preparing for the future. As it stands, he has too much power to oppose outright. There are too many who follow him without question."

"He's focused on Voldermort right now." Harry added. "We can use that."

"Why aren't you worried about him?" Augusta asked.

"Someone is going around hunting Death Eaters." Tonks answered. "The ministry downplayed the assault on Azkaban. There wasn't a single Death Eater left alive. A few that managed to avoid getting locked away have turned up dead as well."

"Who else have you gathered as allies?" Madam Longbottom asked.

"We'll tell you that once you sign a contract." Ted spoke up.

"If I refuse?" She asked staring at the man.

"You'll find it hard to remember anything that happened after your stepped foot inside." Sirius gave her a feral smile.

The severe old woman nodded. "I'll sign, as will Neville."

Neville nodded quickly.

"You'll know our allies, as they will know you, but you will be unable to reveal them." Ted explained.

Madam Longbottom signed the parchment before passing it to Neville. Her eyes flashed as the knowledge settled into her mind. She made an approving noise. Harry snagged the parchment and added his signature. A neatly place list faded into view with his name sliding into the last spot.

He recognized a couple of names. Amelia Bones and Griselda Marchbanks being the ones that stood out the most. Harry stopped as he went along the list. He had to read one name a couple of times before it sank in. Professor Filius Flitwick. Harry smiled. That man was a sneaky one.

"I will approach some other parties who are less than pleased with Dumbledore." Madam Longbottom seemed to relax by the slightest margin.

"And now for dinner." Sirius clapped his hands.

The food appeared on the table before them.

"So." He smiled broadly. "Who do you think is going to make it to the Cup?"

39.

Neville didn't care about quidditch, and his gran wasn't keen on being around so many people. They had left after dinner.

Harry hadn't seen the Weasleys at all during the time leading up to the match. The spot where their tents had been last time were taken by an enterprising group that had turned it into a small café.

It made sense with their life going crazy so recently. Still, he would have liked to see the twins. Harry had planned to lose a bet on who would win the game. That way he could make sure they had enough money to start their shop without his winning at the end of the year.

The big game was just as exciting as Harry remembered. They had almost same seats. Being there with Sirius and not having to deal with Malfoy just made it all the better. Fudge almost approached Harry but decided against it once he saw Sirius was with him. Winky was missing as well. Sirius held out better than Harry expected against the Veela allure, but he still grinned like a drunk pervert.

Harry was tense afterwards, just waiting for the Death Eater attack. It didn't come. Apparently, they were hesitant to show when someone was going around killing marked members. It made him wonder who was attacking last time.

Regardless, it was the perfect night to do some more cleaning. Plenty of people had seen him at the game. Tonks had made it clear she intended to cuddle with him all night. After that nap she had stayed over for the rest of the trip. Sirius had booked a portkey in the afternoon, so they had plenty of time to get ready.

Harry snuggled up to Tonks, waiting for her to go to sleep. Once she was out, he slipped out of bed. She grumbled a little but stayed asleep. Harry shuffled quietly to the bathroom. Getting dressed would have caused too many questions, so he stayed in his sleep clothes. Tonight, he had opted for pajama bottoms rather than just his underwear. He closed the door and locked it out of habit. If Tonks woke up, then it would make sense that he had needed to heed the call of nature.

A moment later he stood in the cramped reading room of Severus Snape. The man in question froze, a glass of amber liquid just short of touching his lips. Harry flicked his wand, clearing the nearby chair of debris and sat.

Severus put the glass on the small, scratched table beside him.

"Potter." The man sneered at him. "What are you doing in my home?"

Harry didn't fail to notice that Snape was carefully drawing his wand.

"I wanted to speak with you." Harry looked around the room.

"This is outside of my office hours." Snape locked eyes with him.

Harry could feel the man trying to invade his mind. He didn't flinch, truth be told, he was curious what would happen. Snape maintained eye-contact. Sweat began to gather on his brow.

"How?" Severus slumped back in his chair, breathless.

"If you promise to listen to what I have to say, I will tell you." Harry offered.

"Fine." The man snapped.

"Ever since you first saw me you cast me as some evil thing in your mind." Harry relaxed into the chair. "I was just another reminder of the love that was stolen from you. Everything had been handed to me. I acted like I was so much better than everyone. I demanded the rules bend to me."

"Get to the point, Potter." Snape spoke through gritted teeth.

"The truth of the matter is that there was no love to steal." Harry sighed. "At one point, Lily may have thought of you as friend. I don't understand why that's such a bad thing. I would die for my friends. I have died for my friends."

Snape didn't speak. The rage radiated off of him.

"Imagine that like, Severus." Harry continued. " Imagine that smile never fading. That love she would have felt for you, her best friend. The family she chose. Lily as your lifelong friend. She would have invited you to her wedding, probably as a guest of honor. Your kids would have grown up together."

Harry watched the words sink in. Snape reached for his drink. He downed in it one go.

"What does this have to do with anything?" Severus asked.

"You were wrong about everything." Harry stood. "Except for one thing."

"And what is that?" The glare returned.

"I am better than you." Harry sliced his hand horizontally in front of Snape.

Severus blinked. His mind trying to catch up. He opened his mouth to speak only to find his voice wasn't working. His head fell into his lap. The light faded from his eyes.

Harry reached down, ripping Snape's sleeve to expose the Dark Mark. With that done he disappeared and reappeared in the bathroom back at the camp. Harry washed his hands. Then checked himself over to make sure there weren't any stray strands of blood.

Tonks scooted over as he slipped back into bed.

"My Harry." Tonks mumbled as she wrapped draped her arm and leg over him.

Harry kissed her forehead.

One more Death Eater claimed by the Butcher of Azkaban. The name needed work. Not that he'd need it once this mess was done. There weren't many more Death Eaters left in Magical Britain. Aside from them the only other people he planned to kill was Dumbledore and Umbridge. Harry hoped that he wouldn't have to kill any of the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice each and every single member if he thought it would further his plans.

Tonks, Lupin, and Sirius weren't attached to them this time around. He wasn't sure about Arthur. Fred and George would stand with him if Harry asked. Hopefully there wouldn't be a reason for Fleur to even join this time around. Hestia was an unknown, as was Moody and Shacklebolt.

Harry really didn't want to have to have to face down McGonagall or Hagrid. They were faithful to Dumbledore. He'd probably have to kill Molly. No great loss there. Mundingus too.

His thoughts were interrupted as Tonks shifted in bed. Her leg hooked his own, pulling him closer to him. She lifted her arm then began to gently stroke his chest.

"Shh, shh." She whispered. "It's okay. You're safe."

Harry wasn't sure if she was dreaming, or if she felt his muscles tensing up. Either way, he settled into her touch and was fast asleep.

40.

"I'll miss you, pup." Sirius hugged Harry tightly. "Do you have everything? Trunk, wand, sword?"

"Funny." Harry rolled his eyes. "I'll miss you too. Don't get in too much trouble while I'm gone."

"I would never." Sirius clutched his chest in shock. "At least, I won't get caught."

The two looked very much like father and son. They were both dressed a muggle style with slacks, dress shirts, and oxfords. The shoes were made of dragonhide, and their clothes were made from acromantula silk. Sirius was dressed all in black, save for a pair of red cufflinks. Harry had a bit more color going with slate gray slates, brown dragonhide shoes, and a sky-blue shirt. Sirius had taught him the wonders of high-quality clothing during their time together.

"Are you going to show up for the tasks?" Harry asked.

"And miss a chance to see you?" Sirius scoffed. "Of course, I'll be there. Shame they aren't doing quidditch this year."

"You'd think they'd do something about that." Harry shook his head. "How many seventh years are going to lose out thanks to this stupid tournament?"

"I can pull some strings and get something for this summer arranged." Sirius rubbed his chin. "Merlin's nipples, we could make it a weeklong tournament for the House Teams. Like the world cup, but for the amateur division. People could use some fun these days."

"Remind me to introduce you to Fred and George Weasley." Harry said.

Sirius looked interested. A rush of students passed by.

"No time to talk." Harry sighed. "I need to find a cabin."

Harry gave Sirius one last hug before he got onto the train. His trunk was the size of a matchbox in his pocket. It was sealed there until he activated a rune for extra security. He didn't think someone would try to actively steal it, more that he didn't want to lose it.

He slipped on the back of the train and slowly made his way forward. A mixture of first and second years were scattered through the first car he explored. The next was mostly third years with a few second years mingled in as well.

Harry found Luna sharing a cabin with Ginny, which was shocking because the Weasleys usually were one of the last students to arrive. There was a slight twinge of sorrow when he saw the look on Ginny's face. He had to fight the urge to comfort her. Luna met his gaze. His hand hovered over the latch to open the cabin. She shook her head. Luna raised a small hand, pointed the direction he was going then held up two fingers. She shot him a wink as she shooed him away.

He shrugged and moved down two doors. The shade was down. He knocked and opened it to find Hermione. She looked up at him, her eyes going wide.

"Harry." She squeaked.

Harry closed his eyes. Luna had set him up.

"Please." Hermione's voice was high and desperate. "Please. Don't leave."

Harry sighed. He stepped in, closing the door behind him.

"Please, talk to me." She scooted over, trying to give him as much space as possible. "I know you were upset last year, but you haven't talked to me in a year. I tried to send you letters."

Harry settled into the seat. He stared at the floor.

"Look at me." She was crying now.

"Why would you do it?" He finally looked up at her. "Why?"

"What did I do?" Hermione pleaded. "I'm sorry, please tell me."

Harry stared her down. His magic flared with as his emotions raged.

Hermione froze. "Are you really Harry?"

He chuckled. "I'm Harry."

"I don't understand what is going on." Hermione tried to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Harry's hand sliced through the air, fingers pointing at the door. A bolt of magic vanished the seams, making it a stretch of wall rather than a door. Hermione gawked at the display of wandless magic.

"You betrayed me. Played with my memories for years." Harry took a deep breath. "You helped her steal my life."

"How did you know?" Hermione whispered.

Harry tilted his head to the side. "How did I know what?"

"Misses Weasley, she asked me to give you potions during school when she couldn't." Hermione began to cry again. "She said Dumbledore told her to do it. That he knew what was for the best."

Harry leaned back. He chuckled. It turned into a mad laugh that could rival any dark lord. His eyes welled with tears as he continued. Hermione stared at him like a cow looks at an oncoming train.

"I didn't know that." He wiped the tears from his eyes. "I was talking about my old life."

"You're not making sense." Hermione said. "I'm sorry. I was just doing what I was told."

Harry took a deep breath then let it out. He had to concentrate on holding in more laughter. Seeing Hermione staring at him like he was crazy. Hearing about how she had already began to warp his mind even before working with Ginny. He pulled his magic back, setting it carefully in place to continue his charade.

"I killed him." Harry said after a moment.

"Who?" Hermione tucked her legs up onto the seat.

"Voldermort." Harry smiled at her. "Cut him in half with a sword. I killed a lot of Death Eaters too."

"You attacked Azkaban." She whispered.

"And Snape." Harry added. "Can't forget about him. Cut his head off right in his living room."

"Why are you telling me this?" Hermione didn't bother reaching for her wand. "Are you going to kill me next?"

Every single ounce of emotion drained from his face. He locked eyes with her. Staring so deep through her that the primal part of her brain was screaming.

"That would be too quick." His voice was cold, calculated. "Anything I torture I could think of wouldn't be enough." The Elder Wand appeared in his hand as he pointed it at her forehead. "I'll let you ruin your own life."

Three drops of clear liquid emerged from the end of the wand. They pooled together before stretching out in a thin line. Hermione watched in horror as it extended toward her. The liquid touched her the side of her brow, sliding through her skull, and coming out as a massive, swirling tangle of silver.

The terror on her face faded, replaced by wonder.

"Memories." Harry said. "Three drops for three years."

Harry flicked the wand, sending the silver liquid out the window and scattering it to the wind. The few droplets that remained were taken back to an ant nest. For years afterwards the colony had perfect recollection of the time Ron vomited slugs.

The Elder Wand made returning the door even easier. With that done he banished it to wherever it went when he wasn't using it. Hermione stared out the window. She blinked slowly for a few seconds. Harry watched as she shook her head.

"Harry, right?" She asked with an eyeroll.

Harry nodded.

Hermione sighed. "I'm trying to read. There should be plenty of open cabins elsewhere."

Three years of memories. Every moment they spent together as friends. Gone. She was the Hermione before the troll again. Harry was impressed by the Elder Wand. It had taken the moments that made their friendship but left everything else. To her, Harry was just another member of Gryffindor.

He stepped out into the hall. The lock clicked the moment it closed behind him. Harry moved to the next car. He found an open cabin and dropped down onto the seat. Harry pressed his forehead against the glass, closing his eyes. He didn't want to cry.

That didn't stop the tears.