章節 9: The Language of Magic
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Chapter 10 (A Letter from Hogwarts), Chapter 11 (A Nundu Core), Chapter 12 (Talismans and The Sorting Hat), Chapter 13 (First Week, Talisman, and Snakes), Chapter 14 (New Friends and A Troll), Chapter 15 (A Thunder Bird), and Chapter 16 (A Voice in the Magic) are already available for Patrons.
"Harry, why are we here again?" The Professor asked quietly, audibly only for the two of them as the Potter boy pushed the shopping cart, walking through the muggle market.
Harry snickered at the way the old Professor looked around the place; he figured she had never been in a muggle market before in her life. Itisa let out a cute meow from the cart. Since they had gotten hold of the cart, she had jumped on it and let Harry drive her around. Many muggles cooed at the sight of the Nundu, but Itisa got defensive every time one of them tried to scratch her ears.
"To buy food, Professor. If I'm going to live with the Tonks from now on, I want to pay for my own food. They still don't know what I like to eat, so I figured I could come here, and since you happened to be there. You wouldn't mind coming along." Harry answered her question as they finally reached the food section of the supermarket. He made sure to get everything he needed, but he reminded himself to get vegetables, including fruits he liked eating, like oranges and peaches. Even if Aunt Petunia had barely ever taught him anything, she had at least taught him what he needed to eat to be healthy since the vegetables were always cheaper than whatever Dudley ate to become like an elephant.
"I don't mind, Harry, but I have never been in a place like this," The Professor mumbled under her breath as Harry grabbed several jars with something red and dark inside. She didn't know what they were filled with, but she found that she didn't mind this place. It was a little too bright, but that was the only thing she didn't like.
"This is how muggles shop, Professor. They don't have spells or anything to make things fly on their hands." Harry said jokingly while keeping his voice down, now wanting anyone to hear them.
Minerva wanted to retort that things didn't fly in their hands like that without the use of a spell, but she decided to ask something else. "Tonks have enough food for you too. Why are you taking so much?" She asked softly as she followed him around. She got many odd looks from the muggles but ignored them as she noticed that Harry had yet to answer her question; his cart was full, almost overflowing with food.
"Harry," Minerva repeated his name, this time a little louder, but he acted as if he didn't even hear her; when it struck Minerva, she realized why he was trying to buy so much food.
"Harry," she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. The cart started riding away, but the boy quickly grabbed hold of it.
"Tonks will not try to starve you, Harry. They are good people." Minerva tried to reassure him, but the boy quickly shook her hand away from his shoulder before turning to face her, and only now she realized how cold his eyes could sometimes be.
"Professor, I have never met these people, and the only experience I have with them is them trying to kill Itisa," Harry said bitterly and continued when Minerva opened her mouth to defend them. "I know what you want to say, but right now, the only adult I trust to some degree is you."
Minerva didn't know what to say to that. She felt touched to hear that, but she wanted him to know there were many other adults he could trust, including the family he would stay with from now on; she knew Harry had told her that he would stay in that house only for a few months, before moving somewhere else, but she was hoping that he would change his mind eventually, she didn't know all the details of his childhood, but she didn't need to know all of them to know Harry had no friends beside Itisa. With his desire to read books and the way he would sink into them, she knew they were the only things he had to spend time on; it was no wonder the first thing Harry wanted to buy in Diagon Alley were books.
"Harry, I have taught enough students to know that my words will not change your mind, but you will see it for yourself. Tonks can become like a family for you," she reassured him in a sweet voice.
Harry gave her a skeptical look but decided not to spoil her mood. He liked it more when she smiled like that, so he continued what he had been doing before he was interrupted.
Soon enough, after grabbing oranges and peaches. They reached the cashier and waited their turn to pay for everything they had; thankfully, in front of them was a single man with red hair holding a box of cereals. Harry figured he would be done with it very quickly. He placed the box down before staring at the girl working there.
"Hey,"
"Hi."
"I would like to ask a few questions about this breakfast cereal." the man said almost too seriously; Harry wondered why he was asking the girl working on the counter.
"Yeah, a bunch of tricks," the girl said, pointing at the name on the box; from its image, Harry figured it was food bought for little kids.
"I'm lead to understand that the tricks inside the box are exclusively for children. Is that correct?"
The girl seemed a little caught off guard, and Harry even raised an eyebrow, wondering what this ginger man was trying to say.
"They say tricks are for kids in the commercials," the girl said with a slight stutter, pointing at the box's image of a little boy.
"Is that enforced by law?" the man asked in a very serious voice; now Harry was sure this man was probably too far into the deep end.
"Ahh...not to my knowledge. No," the girl answered with a growing irritation in her voice.
"So if I purchased these tricks, there would be no trouble."
"Noo...ahhh...you should be fine," the girl stammered, hoping this was it.
"You do understand that I am not a child," the man said in a grave voice, pointing at himself.
"It was difficult, but I was able to notice that." the girl said, shaking her head at the man, but the man didn't seem to notice the irritation in her voice.
"Okay I'm bringing this to my house, and... I won't be followed. Right?"
"No, that's not in our budget here." the girl said, exasperated.
Minerva, who had been too deep in her thoughts, only now noticed that Harry had yet to pay for the food and quickly saw the reason why it was taking so long. "Mister Weasley, what are you doing here?" Minerva asked with her grumpy voice.
Harry was sure he had heard Minerva mention that name once, but he stepped aside when the man turned around, a smile on his face growing. "Professor McGonagall. What are you doing in a mugg--this supermarket?" The man looked friendly enough, but from the sigh of irritation that escaped Minerva's lips, Harry realized this man wasn't the brightest.
"We can talk later, now. Pay for your food, and let the others pass." The man flushed in embarrassment, like his hair, before quickly handing the girl the money.
Harry sighed in relief and quickly paid for everything he wanted to buy. The girl smiled at him the whole time, and he turned red, especially when she giggled. Harry realized he liked that noise before walking out of the supermarket with Minerva carrying two bags.
As they walked out of the supermarket, a voice interrupted them. "Professor McGonagall. I wasn't expecting to see you here." the man approached them when they walked into the parking lot in front of the market.
"I could say the same for you, Mister Weasley." The old professor turned to face the man, looking at him like she was about to scold him.
Harry didn't pay much attention to what they were saying when he noticed that Itisa was a little tense that this new man, who was clearly a wizard, had approached them. "It's okay, good girl. I will protect you," Harry said sweetly, scratching the back of her ear. She purred from his attention. Harry chuckled when Itisa jumped on his shoulder, and the ginger man turned to look at Harry, with Minerva walking up to him.
"Harry, this is Mister Arthur Weasley, he works in the ministry. This boy is Harry." The man arched an eyebrow when Minerva mentioned nothing of a last name, but he seemed to shrug it off as he gave his hand to Harry, who shook his hand back.
"It's good to meet you, Mister Weasley. Professor McGonagall has said a lot of good things about you," Harry said politely, knowing this man worked in the ministry. He knew better than to be impolite towards him. He didn't know what his role was, but that mattered little when the man flashed a grin, and he seemed a little skeptical.
"Really!" the man said bemusedly, looking at the Professor briefly before looking down at the boy, only now noticing the cat on his shoulder.
"Quite a beautiful cat, you got there." the man said with a smile, but when he tried to pet the cat, Itisa growled, and the man quickly moved his hand away with a slight stutter.
"Quite a fierce one," Arthur said jokingly before noticing the puff of hair on the end of the cat's tail; he found that a little odd but ignored it as he turned to face the Professor.
"Have a good day, Professor." The man said before walking away.
Later
The next day, they all appeared in front of a house. Harry had expected to see a house with floating floors or something similar when he thought of a house that belonged to wizards, but the house in front of them seemed simple. If he didn't know that Wizards lived here, Harry would have never assumed this house was anything special.
The house was built on top of a small hillock overlooking the vast green fields. Behind it was a small garden, and Harry could see a forest far into the distance. The house was a simple two-story building painted white, with a red roof and two chimneys on top, one of which had smoke coming out. Harry noticed there were other houses, but those seemed at least a kilometer away from them.
"You ready, Potter?" Minerva asked softly, looking down at the boy beside him.
Harry looked at Itisa, who sat on his shoulder. She meowed, letting him know that she was ready. "We are ready," he said with a hint of excitement as he carried the trunk with his hands. The trunk was magical, so he could fit everything he needed inside, even the food he had bought for himself.
Upon walking up the stairs, Minerva rang the doorbell. For a few moments, nothing happened until they heard the sound of approaching footsteps. The door opened, revealing a beautiful middle-aged woman with brown hair and kind eyes.
"Professor Minerva, Harry. It's good to have you here." The woman greeted them with a friendly smile. Harry shook her hand, but he noticed the way she eyed Itisa, who was resting on his shoulder.
They passed the threshold and walked into a hallway. A staircase near the door led to the second floor, and the hallway had four doors to the right. Harry noticed the door for the cupboard under the stairs. He swallowed thickly, hoping she wouldn't tell him that he would sleep under the stairs. As they were led through the hallway, the woman exchanged pleasantries with Minerva before walking past them and opening the first door to the right.
Upon entering, Harry's eyes found the man who had attacked Itisa. His name was Ted, he remembered, and the girl standing next to the man. Her pink hair was a dead giveaway. He felt Itisa tense up, quickly jumping from his shoulder, watching them warily, and growing in size just a bit more, almost wanting to intimate them. Harry noticed the woman had her wand between her slender fingers.
"Itisa, calm down, girl. They will not hurt you," Harry said with a playful voice. He knew she relaxed as she walked in between his legs but kept her size to that of a fully grown wolf. The woman put back the wand when the man whispered something in her ear before turning to face Harry.
"Harry Potter, welcome to our house. My name is Ted Tonks." The man greeted him politely. He seemed hesitant to shake his hand until Itisa walked out of his way. The man smiled in gratitude before shaking Harry's hand. "I'm really sorry for what happened that day. I didn't know your friend was tamed. I was only looking out for my daughter."
Harry didn't want to forgive him, but Itisa was fine, and he figured forgiving him would be a good step to gain people he could trust. "You are forgiven, Mister Tonks. Everyone would have done the same." Harry said politely; the man seemed relieved, and at that moment, the pink-haired girl quickly spoke with quiet energy.
"Can I hug your Nundu?" The girl asked excitedly, looking between Harry and Itisa, who let out a loud meow, making it clear she wasn't a fan of the idea. Harry snickered at her expression, but he knew Itisa wasn't friendly towards people she didn't know.
"Itisa, doesn't like hugs from strangers." Harry warned her, scratching her ears as he said it.
"Can I pet her?" Harry opened his mouth to answer when she started bombarding him with questions. "Can she fly? How much can she grow? Can she use the black breath? Did you see her use it?" She would have continued with her questions if she hadn't been interrupted.
"Nymphadora, stop it. This is not the time to play twenty questions." The woman quickly scolded her daughter. Harry noticed the way her hair turned from pink to red when the girl turned to face her mother before shouting.
"I HATE THAT NAME!!" She shouted, her voice echoing throughout the house.
Harry and Itisa exchanged looks. His Nundu had a funny expression on her face, almost wanting to tell him.
'It's not too late yet; just tell them that you want to live alone. We don't have to live in this house.'
"Not in front of the guest, Nymphadora. Show young Harry his room." The man ordered his daughter, pinning his daughter with a look for acting like that in front of their guest, and on the first day on top of that.
Harry noted not to call her that name, though he didn't understand why; her name was quite beautiful.
The girl's hair turned back to pink before turning to face Harry.
"Come with me Harry. Let's leave the annoying adults and have fun," Harry chuckled slightly as he followed her behind without saying a word, with Itisa quickly following behind.
He was glad to have the books with him; he doubted they would be against him reading them. As they walked through the hallway, he felt dread creeping into his chest when he saw the cupboard door. Thankfully, Nymphadora walked past the door and headed upstairs.
"So, you are in the third year, right?" Harry asked curiously, wanting to know more about Hogwarts, while the girl was not so subtly glancing back at Itisa, who growled back at her every time they made eye contact.
"Yes. Professor McGonagall teaches me Transfiguration--" She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed that Harry was carrying the bag by himself. She quickly grabbed the bag and started carrying it for him.
"No worries, Harry. I can carry this for you," She reassured him when she noticed he was ready to protest.
Harry found himself smiling as they walked upstairs; he could hear the Professor talking something with Miss Andromeda and Ted from the common room.
"Thank you, I don't know this house has such good service, my lady." Harry couldn't help himself, especially when she rolled her eyes at him.
"Well if this is a service, then I expect something in return." she teased back at him.
"You know you are not supposed to take money from little children." Harry fired back at her. She pulled her tongue at him as they stopped before a door.
"You are not a little child, you are the Devil," She teased.
"A cute devil, then." Harry quickly fired back at her, enjoying the way she smiled. This time, she even giggled at his words as she pulled down the bag he had been carrying.
"Whew! Finally, what is this bag filled with, anyway, elephants?" She japed, but suddenly the thoughts weren't as ridiculous; when she remembered that Harry had a Nundu with him, a part of her still couldn't believe that a Nundu. A Freaking Nundu was right beside Harry, the same ones who had enough strength to level entire cities; she really wished Penny was with her right now, to see her face.
"Not elephants this time, but muggle books, and wizarding books." Harry explained as Tonks opened the bag to see the mountain of books he had with him.
"Oh, didn't take you for a nerd." Tonks teased him, looking away from the books just in time to see Harry's flushed face.
"If be nerd, you mean smarter than you, then yeah. I'm a nerd." Harry quickly fired back at her with a smile, trying to get rid of the flush from his cheeks.
Tonks hated to admit that Harry was quite adorable, but that didn't mean she would allow him to say something like that without her saying something back at him. "Girls don't like nerds, Harry. You will never have a girlfriend like this."
"Don't worry, my charm only attracts smart girls, so you are safe from me." Tonks gasped at his words. Since when a child could talk like that, she really wanted to fire back at him somehow, to gain the upper hand, but she quickly realized she was fighting a losing battle with this evil child.
"So, what should I call you if not your name?"
"Tonks, call me Tonks." She quickly answered, happy that at least someone in her house would finally start calling her by the name she wanted to be called.
"Tonks...hmmm...." Oh no, she quickly thought, seeing him looking as if he was thinking deeply about something. Probably something else to embarrass her. She wondered how it was possible that he was able to embarrass her when it was supposed to be the opposite.
"That's not good enough for you."
"Okay, smartass. What would you call me?" She asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Nyma, or Nym. It's simpler, and sounding better." Harry said with a grin. Itisa let out a meow beside him as if agreeing with what he said.
Huh, she thought that was not so bad, but she didn't want him to know she liked the nickname. Instead, she let out a 'huh' from her lips and turned to open the door of his room.
"Welcome, Harry," she said in a comforting tone. Harry stepped inside and was greeted by a sight that made his eyes widen in amazement.
The room was well-lit, and the gentle rays of the sun peeked through the window, casting a warm yellow glow on the walls. As Harry walked further into the room, he noticed the full bathroom on the left, complete with a shower and a bathtub. On the right was a large closet, big enough to fit all his belongings. In the center of the room was a cozy bed with soft sheets and fluffy pillows.
A desk on the opposite wall was perfect for studying or working on his assignments. Nymphadora noticed Harry's excited look and chuckled. "I'm glad you like it, little devil," she said, her voice tinged with satisfaction. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me or my annoying mother," she added, gesturing towards the door. Harry nodded, his bright smile widening as he took in his new surroundings.
"I will, Nyma," Harry said with a slight smile, looking at her over his shoulder.
Harry sat on his new bed, feeling the softness of the fabric under his fingertips. He looked around the room, taking in every detail. The walls were painted a deep shade of blue, with a hint of silver glitter to give them a magical touch. The bed was large and comfortable, with a silk duvet and fluffy pillows.
"It's wonderful, Nym. Trust me. It's much better than my old home." His eyes twinkled with joy as he looked around the cozy living room, taking in the warmth of the fireplace and the loving atmosphere surrounding him.
Nymphadora, too, couldn't help but feel pleased, but a slight tension crept into her body when Harry mentioned his old 'home.'
For a fleeting moment, Nymphadora considered asking Harry about his previous living situation, but she quickly dismissed the thought. She knew from experience that some wounds were best left to heal on their own and that Harry would feel uncomfortable discussing his time with the Dursleys.
"Dinner will be ready shortly, little devil. I'll be sure to give you a holler when everything's set." Nyma left and closed the door of his room leaving Harry alone with Itisa. The Nundu quickly jumped on his bed before jumping on his shoulder.
"Itisa, this is our room now," Harry said with a wink. This room was easily ten times larger than the cupboard.
Knowing it would take time before dinner was ready, he quickly grabbed his books and began reading about the magical creatures.
Four Hours Later
She spent all day in the kitchen, perfecting her recipes and adding a touch of magic to every dish. She had never cooked for Harry before, but she wanted to make sure that he felt welcome and appreciated. The table was set with beautiful dishes and glasses, and the aroma of the food filled the air. Andromeda had even set out a special plate for Harry, adorned with glittering stars and moons. Her husband had left for his job and would return soon. She hoped he would return in time to eat with them. Professor McGonagall had left shortly after Harry was settled in his room. She felt her eyes burn a little when the little boy hugged the old Professor.
'Thank you, Professor, ' Harry said with a bright smile. The old witch, who usually had very cold eyes, looked down at the boy softly. When she kneeled to his level, she almost seemed on the verge of tears.
'You are a sweet boy, Harry. I only wish I could have helped you more and if you ever need to talk about anything. Do you know how to call me?' She said gently, kissing his forehead. '
"I'll call Harry," Tonks said as she walked upstairs.
As Andromeda settled down in the living room, she couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over her as she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.
She turned her head just in time to see Harry Potter stride in.
As he walked into the grand dining hall, the tantalizing aroma of a sumptuous feast wafted through the air, filling his senses with delight. With a grin on his face, Harry approached the head of the table. "It smells delicious, Miss Andromeda," he said genuinely.
"Thank you, dear," she said with a warm smile, her eyes sparkling with joy as she welcomed him. "Come on, let's have dinner. You must be hungry," she declared with a gentle touch on his shoulder.
Harry scooted out of the chair when Nym tried to sit; she smiled at him before telling him he was too young to be her boyfriend. The boy turned red before shaking his head, a little in disbelief. Once they started eating, Harry started bombarding Tonks with questions about Hogwarts. The girl answered each question she could, and Andromeda watched them with a smile, but her eyes would occasionally fall on the Nundu eating with Harry. She knew the Nundu was tamed; anyone could see that, but that still didn't stop her from getting worried that the Nundu might decide to destroy everything, and she knew if that happened, none of them was powerful enough to stop her.
"How did you change your hair? When your mother called you by your other name? Did you use a spell?" Harry asked excitedly after he swallowed what he had been chewing. He knew not to talk with his mouth full. He knew people could get disgusted.
"No. I'm Metamorphmagus." She answered casually, but when she saw his confused face, she quickly remembered that Harry had no idea what she was talking about.
"A Metamorphmagus is someone able to change into anything they want." She demonstrated that by turning her mouth into a beak before turning it back into a human mouth; she giggled when Harry's mouth fell open.
"Wait, can you turn into different people?" Harry quickly asked, amazed by the sight.
"Yes and No. I can't just turn into whoever I want. It takes a lot from me to turn into someone else, and even then, is not a perfect copy, unless I know that someone else very well." Harry nodded in understanding as they continued talking about Hogwarts. Harry couldn't stop asking questions, and Tonks was more than happy to answer all of them.
"Dinner was delicious, Miss Andromeda," Harry said with a small smile. "Let me wash the dishes."
"Oh no, Harry, you're a guest here. I will wash them with magic," Andromeda offered to Harry, her voice filled with concern as she noticed him staring at the pile of dishes in the sink.
While Harry was relieved to hear that, he wanted to cook at least. He found it quite enjoyable and wanted to make a good impression on them.
"Miss Andromeda," he began, his tone carefully respectful, "if you want, I can cook for the house tomorrow morning."
"You know how to cook, Harry?" she questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Harry turned to face Nym, his innocent smile hiding his inner apprehension. "Yes. I...I used to like it, but I haven't cooked in a while. If you let me, I would like to try again," he offered, hoping his words would convince Nym to let him prepare a meal.
"No problem, Harry," Nym answered, flashing a warm smile at him before her mother could even respond.
"Thank you, Nym. I will make the best dish." Andromeda was ready to ask how he learned to clean and prepare food when they both heard a loud whooshing sound coming from the floo network in the corner of the room. The bright green flames suddenly erupted from the fireplace. As the flames subsided, a tall man stepped out of the fireplace, dusting off the soot from his clothes.
"I'm here, Andromeda," Ted declared with a broad smile. He walked over to her and gave her a warm embrace. Andromeda smiled back at him, grateful for his timely arrival. Ted pulled away from his wife to greet the young man.
"I hope my daughter is treating you well, Harry, but be careful. Behind that innocent smile is a devil," Ted almost burst out laughing when his daughter gave him a glare for saying that, while Harry couldn't help but chuckle.
"Oh, and here she was calling me a devil," Harry added wittyly. Angry, she grinded her teeth but couldn't stop the smile of amusement from growing on her face.
*
*
"This is not working," Harry groaned in frustration as he moved his hand around, trying to do wandless magic, but nothing was happening.
Two weeks had passed since he started living with the Tonks, and so far, they were good people; they never showed any signs that his presence was too much, they fed him regularly, and they never seemed annoyed when Harry wanted more food. They only told him to do something in the house if he wanted to. They never complained about his presence in the house, as far as he knew. The only downside was Lady Andromeda sometimes gave Itisa wary looks as if expecting her to attack them at any moment, but Harry tried to ignore that; he was sure that sooner or later, she would realize that Itisa would not harm them.
For the past two weeks, Nyma has tried to hug Itisa at any opportunity she can find, which results in Itisa growling at the girl for daring to approach her. Mister Ted scolded his daughter, telling her that Itisa wasn't her pet and that she should stop trying to hug Harry's pet, but that did little to stop the pink-haired witch; she still tried to do that. Thankfully, Itisa didn't try to attack the girl and simply ran away from her.
On his first day here, Harry wasted no time starting to study everything he could. He started reading the books he had bought. However, he still made sure to learn a few things from the muggle books he had, like Geography and biology, a few things about the human body, and how to speak new languages, like French, Italian, German, and probably Russian.
When Tonks had caught him learning new languages, she had called him a 'Super Nerd' and had quickly run out of the room before Harry could say something back to her, but that didn't mean he left her off the hook; he would get his revenge.
On the fifth day, Harry decided to start learning wandless magic. Since he was still too young to have his own wand, he figured he could start using spells with wandless magic. One day, he had expressed his desire to have a wand so he could start learning spells, but Tonks had crushed his hopes by telling him.
' "It's forbidden to use any sort of magic outside of school when you are still an underage wizard, Harry. I'm afraid even when you go to Hogwarts, you can practice your spells only while you are there." '
That was the dumbest rule Harry had ever heard. He couldn't fathom why that would be a rule in the first place. Sure, he understood why an underage wizard couldn't do that when they were in the muggle world, the whole thing about secrecy. Still, he didn't understand why he couldn't do that when he was in his own house or when he was clearly living in a piece of land where only magical families lived.
But Harry quickly reminded himself that just because a rule said he couldn't do something, that didn't mean he needed to follow that rule, and since it was a dumbass rule, that gave him even more reasons not to follow that rule, and since he was doing wandless magic, he was sure they wouldn't be able to track him, and know he had been using magic.
So, Harry had started reading everything he could about wandless magic, and he followed the instructions to the t, but despite his best efforts, all his tries had been fruitless so far, but that didn't mean he was giving up, no, he would never give up.
And now, he found himself trying to use the Aqua charm. According to the books he read, the charm was supposed to shoot a jet of water from the wand's tip; it was a charm used to put out a fire. But since he had no wand, the book described that the water would form on his hand. But so far, no matter how hard he tried, his hand remained as dry as a desert.
After a few more tries, he huffed loudly. "Any idea, girl?" Harry asked hopefully, looking up at Itisa, who was busy climbing the walls without a care in the world. The nundu turned her head to face him before letting out a meow sound. Harry was sure she was trying to help him, but he couldn't understand a word she said.
"Very helpful, girl," Harry said dryly as he tried once again to use wandless magic, but once again, his hand remained dry. The book mentioned something about needing to focus on what he wanted, that he needed to imagine the water on his hand. He closed his eyes firmly and imagined a ball of water floating above his palm, and he made the movement needed for the spell. Much to his disappointment, despite trying ten times, it wasn't working.
"Come On..." Harry said, exasperated; he grabbed the book and flipped through the pages, trying to see if he had perhaps missed something, when he heard a much louder Meow.
"What is it, girl?" Harry quickly asked, looking up at her with a hint of concern, but the nundu didn't answer him. Instead, she jumped down from the ceiling and landed without making noise. She opened her mouth, and Harry expected to hear meowing, but instead, she let out a strange growling sound, almost like she was struggling to breathe, and then closed her mouth. Harry didn't understand what she was trying to say when he remembered how he had talked when Dumbledore told him to use Parseltongue; he still didn't understand what had happened that day.
"Are you saying I should speak my...other language before performing the spell?" Harry asked with a tilt of his head, and the Nundu nodded her head, her golden eyes looking back at his emerald eyes. He didn't know why, but sometimes he felt that he had seen those sets of eyes before like he had known Itisa even before he met her in the park, but he knew that wasn't possible, and instead focused on his wandless magic.
He closed his eyes and imagined that a snake was in front of him—the same snake he had seen at the park.
"Aqua." He drawled, but nothing happened. He took a deep breath and tried to use a different one.
"Aaaquuaaa!!" The moment he hissed those words, his hand got soaked in water. He gasped and opened his eyes, only to see his hand dripping with water and a small orb of water floating above it. But the moment his focus was broken, the orb fell down on his palm, losing form, the droplets falling on the carpet below, but Harry was far too excited to care.
"YES!!" Harry shouted in excitement, jumping on his tiptoes. He quickly grabbed Itisa and hugged her tightly.
"We did it, girl. Thanks to you." Harry shouted in excitement before pulling her away; when she landed on his bed, she gave him a smug look as if to say.
'What is this 'we' you are speaking of? I did everything. Without me, you will still be banging your head against the wall, trying to figure it out.'
Harry laughed, scratching the back of her head; she purred from the attention; he knew just where to scratch her. "Don't worry, just for this. I will cook you your favorite meal. How does that sound?" Harry asked with a grin and chuckled when Itisa's face brightened up as if Christmas had come early before licking his nose, making it clear that she liked the thought of eating her favorite meal.
Harry quickly started trying again; he knew this spell needed to be done better.
For the next five hours, he kept trying to make the water float in an orb form above his palm, but so far. The orb would keep its form for a few seconds before losing it. Harry wondered if the spells he was trying to do were a little too advanced for him right now. After all, this spell was a third-year spell.
"Huh, I wonder if Nyma still has her school books from the first year," Harry mumbled before leaving the room.
At this point, he was so used to Itisa jumping on his shoulder that he didn't even notice that she did as he was leaving the room; his hand quickly reached up, scratching her nose, and she purred delightfully as he walked up to her room.
He knocked on her door and heard her shout for him to enter. Opening the door, he found Tonks lying on her stomach on her bed, scrambling something on a parchment. She was surrounded by books and notebooks. She looked away from the parchment, and her face brightened up when she saw him.
"Oh, Harry. Did you miss me? Is that why you are here?" He turned a bit red from her teasing smile but quickly regained his composure when he reminded himself why he was here in the first place.
"Nyma, do you still have your books from the first year?" Harry asked; she arched an eyebrow before chuckling.
"Nerddddddd." She dragged the letter 'd' with a growing smile before sitting up on her bed when Harry rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, Nymphad—" He stopped just before he was finished when she gave him a warning look, a look that promised pain if he finished saying that name, but he simply flashed her an innocent grin.
"Do you still have them?" Harry asked again, wanting to return back to studying as fast as possible.
"Luckily for you, I still have them, but what do I get in return?" Tonks asked with a greedy smile.
"You know they should have sorted you into the Slytherins where you belong." Harry retorted half-heartedly; she giggled slightly before standing up from her bed.
"You should work on your flattery, Harry. Girls like compliments." She teased him more when she approached him.
"I have plenty of flattery, Tonks. Is not my fault that all my compliments fly over your head."
"Whatever, what do I get in return?" Tonks asked with an eye roll, especially when Harry chuckled.
"Well, if you give me the books. I won't tell your parents that you sneaked out of the house two nights ago." If possible, the smugness on his face grew beyond human comprehension, especially when Tonks's face fell.
"How!" she almost screamed before quickly closing the door behind Harry and pinning him with what she assumed was an intimidating look. However, from the way he chuckled, she figured she wasn't doing a good job. "How do you know about that?" She whisper shouted at him.
"Nyma. I like you, but you are as stealthy as a brick." Harry said a little dryly before adding. "It's a miracle your parents don't know about your late-night dates."
"I'm not dating anyone, Harry. I just went out with my friends, Penny, and a few others, but why haven't you told my parents?" She asked, genuinely curious as she folded her arms.
"Nyma, I know what is like to have your every move watched, and everyone needs to have a bit of fun in their life." Harry answered, suddenly sounding much more mature than he looked.
Nym was a little taken aback by his tone and words. She wondered how bad his life with the Dursleys had been, but she knew better than to ask. She had asked her parents about it, but they had strictly told her never to ask Harry about his childhood and not to bring it up unless he brought it up himself.
"Oh, thank you, Harry." She noticed that he was about to say something along the lines of 'think nothing of it,' but she quickly stopped it. "I mean it, Harry. My parents, well. I love them, but they wouldn't let me go out at such a late hour, so Thank you. I really mean it."
Harry felt his heart swell with joy, especially when she hugged him; for a moment, he was stuck there, not knowing what to do, his arms limply swaying, before returning the hug.
Pulling away, Tonks walked up to a shelf, opened a drawer, and grabbed the books one after the other. Eight books in total, she handed them into his stretched arms.
"Here, I hope you enjoy them more than I did. I can already see the faces they will make when you finally enter Hogwarts." Tonks said as she helped him to carry half of the books to his room. Once they carried all the books, Tonks gave him a light kiss on the cheeks.
"Huh, that was interesting." Harry said cheekily, looking at her with a grin.
"Oh, shut up." she rolled her eyes before returning back to her chamber.
Two Weeks Later
"Do you think they will let me keep Itisa?" Harry asked as he used a knife to butter his toast. Itisa let out a meow, knowing they were talking about her, as she ate what Harry had given her.
Andromeda eyed the Nundu suspiciously. A whole month has passed since Harry started living with them, and despite that, she found it difficult to relax knowing a Nundu was sleeping under their roof.
Tonks sitting beside Harry perked up at the question. "Dumbdoor will probably-"
"Nymphadora. Show some respect." Andromeda interrupted her daughter with a scolding look; Nym glared back at her for using the name she hated.
Knowing this could escalate into another match of shouting between the two, with his daughter yelling that she hated that name, he put down the newspaper and looked at his family.
"What my daughter is trying to say is that Dumbledore hasn't told anyone yet about your little friend. From the Professors, Hagrid might be the most welcoming of your little friend."
Harry had heard that name from McGonagall, and she said he loved magical animals and might take a liking to Itisa.
"What is he like?" Harry asked before taking a bite from the toast, not wanting to talk while he ate.
"He's eleven feet tall, Harry. He lives in a small house in the grounds of Hogwarts." Nym answered and looked back at the boy; Harry's eyes widened as he swallowed the piece of toast.
"How is he so tall?" Harry asked incredulously as Itisa jumped on his head, using his hair like a pillow for her to rest. She, too, seemed to be paying attention to their conversation.
"He's a half-giant, Harry," Andromeda answered softly, but a certain energetic pink-haired girl interrupted before he could ask another question.
"Wait, he's half Giant!" The surprise in her tone caused Ted to snicker.
"Yes. Did you think he became like that by drinking too much milk?" Mister Ted teased, causing Nym to blush adorably, and that only got worse when Harry snickered before looking up at Andromeda.
"How is he a half-giant?"
"His mother was a giant, and his father was a normal wizard," Andromeda answered airly.
"Wait, so how did they-how did they..." Nym's words trailed off as she pressed the tip of her fingers together, making it clear what she was insinuating.
"With a ladder and a lot of determination," Harry mumbled audibly before he could stop himself, earning a burst of laughter from Ted and Nym, while Andromeda didn't seem quite as amused as she glared at her daughter.
"No talking during eating." Harry chuckled as he gave Itisa another piece of bread.
During the last two weeks, Harry kept practicing his magic. He didn't know what it was exactly, but somehow, he was able to use spells when he spoke that language that Dumbledore mentioned. The only thing that annoyed him was that none of the books he had mentioned anything about this language, something Dumbledore had warned him about.
With the first-year spells, it was much easier; the first spell he had successfully performed with his voice was Alohamora. It took a few tries, but after imagining doing the spell and speaking the spell in the other language, he was able to do the charm as if he had a wand; for a moment, he had thought that he was doing wandless magic, but the book mentioned nothing of one being able to cast the spell without the move of hands. Harry still needed to use his hands a little, but it was nothing compared to what the book described, so he concluded that whatever language he was speaking allowed him to cast spells.
The second spell he had successfully used was Lumos. A ball of light had formed on his hand; the orb was smaller than a penny but bright enough to lighten up the entire room during the night, but Harry wasn't done there; he wanted to see if he could change the spells with just his voice. At first, nothing happened, but after two days of trying, he was able to make the orb grow in size and even heat up in temperature. Harry figured out that somehow his voice was using magic, and by focusing more on what he wanted, he was able to add a few changes to the spells he was using.
Right now, he was stuck with turning a matchbox into a needle. No matter how hard he tried, all he accomplished was making the matchbox shrink on itself, but it never even came close to turning into a needle.
Night
"What am I doing wrong?" Harry asked himself with growing irritation as he closed his eyes once again. He imagined the matchbox turning into a needle and said the spell using the unknown language. When he opened his eyes, the matchbox had once again shrunk on itself, but this time, it had formed a tiny ball, smaller than a penny.
As he sank into his bed with a huff, he felt Itisa walking up to his neck. "What do you think, girl? What am I doing wrong?" He asked, but Itisa did not answer. Instead, she opened her mouth and released purple breath.
Harry wondered why she kept doing this every night when he suddenly felt...sleepy. His eyes felt heavy like rocks, and the desire to sleep became too much. He tried to keep his eyes open, but he just couldn't.
What is happening...
*
*
Harry opened his eyes, but instead of the ceiling, he was staring at a yellow sky, the yellow clouds letting him know he was outside; he could feel the rough surface of the ground on his back.
Wait, outside! Harry quickly stood up, looking around in confusion and bewilderment. As he stood back on his feet, he realized he was standing in the middle of a flower field. All the flowers were purple and white, and each one was half a meter tall. The smell felt heavenly. He couldn't remember ever smelling something like this, and his eyes searched around for anything familiar. He noticed a hill in the distance, with a castle built on top and walls around it.
"How did I get here?!" Harry wondered out loud when he heard faint footsteps from behind. He spun around, and in front of him stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His face turned red when she smiled sweetly at him, flashing her beautiful white teeth.
She had a heart-shaped face and thick and curly silver-gold hair that she wore long, half of which fell freely on her front, covering a little of her face. She wore a white gown with a strange symbol stitched into her chest area and a Riviere necklace around her neck, holding three gemstones: green, red, and blue. She had mismatched eyes, one emerald and one red like blood. She had long, beautiful legs, but her feet were bare, yet no dirt was in them.
Harry was ready to ask who she was and what this place was when a creature walked from behind the woman. A gasp escaped his mouth at the sight of this magical creature.
"A Nundu!" He gasped, but this one was a little different from Itisa. This one's fur was all red, and his head was similar to that of a tiger. Unlike Itisa, this one had horns growing from behind his head like a dragon. He could even see snake-like scales around its body. The tip of his tail was engulfed in purple flames.
Harry looked at the Nundu closely when his attention turned back to the woman.
"It's a pleasure to meet thee. I have waited centuries for thy return, young wizard." The woman's voice was like a song to his soul. He felt relaxed, sleepy, and comfortable; he felt like he could trust her every word, and he felt a growing warmth on his chest.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Loretta Emrys. As my succesor. I will help thee to learn the tongue of Magic and Creation. Maageia's Tongue."
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章節 10: A Letter from Hogwarts
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Chapter 11 (A Nundu Core), Chapter 12 (Talismans and The Sorting Hat), Chapter 13 (First Week, Talisman, and Snakes), Chapter 14 (New Friends and A Troll), Chapter 15 (A Thunder Bird), Chapter 16 (A Voice in the Magic), and Chapter 17 (Can A Man still be brave if he's Afraid?) are already available for Patrons.
"It's a pleasure to meet thee. I have waited centuries for thy return, young Wizard." The woman's voice was like a song to his soul. He felt relaxed, sleepy, and comfortable; he felt like he could trust her every word, and he felt a growing warmth on his chest.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Loretta Emrys. Merlin's sister. As my succesor. I will help thee to learn the tongue of Magic and Creation. Maageia's Tongue." The woman said with a kind smile.
Harry wondered if she was talking about the language he had spoken when Dumbledore had instructed him to speak Parseltongue. "Maageia's Tongue? What is that?" Harry asked excitedly. The woman giggled beautifully before curling her finger and motioning for him to get closer to her.
Seeing no reason not to trust her, he scurried towards her. She kneeled to his level before opening her mouth. The sound coming from her mouth was strange, but Harry understood her.
'Come here, Azash, my loyal friend.' The Nundu, who was named Azash, let out a low growl before approaching her, acknowledging Loretta. His red eyes never left Harry, who swallowed thickly. He wasn't afraid of him. He had heard from everyone that Nundus were dangerous, and despite this one not being Itisa, he found himself not fearing him.
The woman's hand stroked his red fur before stroking his dragon-like horns. Harry had read about the Nundus from The Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them, but the book never mentioned anything about them growing horns like dragons. Harry wondered if that happened to every Nundu or if this Azash was unique from the others.
"This is the tongue that thee have, young Wizard. The Tongue of Magic, as my brother called it centuries ago." The woman said melodically. Harry felt his heart beating faster every time she said a word. Her beautiful voice sounded calming and soothing, and he felt like he could fall asleep.
"What is this language you speak of? Where are we here? How did I get here? Who is your brother? How do you have a Nundu?" Harry would have continued with his hundreds of questions when Loretta giggled cutely before ruffling his black hair, which he found pleasant.
"One at a time, young Wizard. I will answer thy questions. Now, which one should I answer first?" She asked as she sat down on the flower field, yet she seemed not to mind it, using her beautiful white dress as a carpet of some sort. Harry was about to sit beside her when she spoke again; the ground below him rippled like water. Harry gave her a look, asking what she just did, but she gave him an innocent smile before gesturing for him to sit. He did, and the softness below was better than everything he had felt; it felt like he was floating like he was sitting in a cloud. Harry touched the ground, but the grass and the dirt felt soft like silk, almost like touching water, warm water; he looked back at Loretta, who giggled at his reaction.
"How did you do this?" Harry finally asked with growing excitement, wanting to know as much as possible about this. His mind couldn't help but compare it to what he himself had done with his voice when he used the spells from the first year.
"Before I explain. I would like to know the name of the young Wizard before me."
"Ohh," Suddenly, he felt dumb that he hadn't introduced himself yet. My name is Harry Potter, my Lady." He quickly added with a small bow of his head. The woman giggled once again, her hand stroking Azash's head, who was resting his head on her lap, but his eyes remained focused on the boy.
"Harry Potter. Quite a beautiful name, young Wizard. Now, for thy first question. I used my voice to cast the spell." She answered, leaning her back against the body of Azash, whose middle body was resting behind her, with his head on her lap.
"How can you cast a spell with your voice? Is that wandless magic?" Harry asked more. He still didn't know where he was and had no idea how to even get back. For all he knew, all of this was a bizarre dream that felt too real, but if this was a dream, this meant he would wake up eventually, and if that was the case, he wanted to learn as much as possible.
"No, Harry. My brother uses wandless magic, him and his inner circle. Tell me, can thee speak with serpents?"
Harry quickly told her about the first time he spoke with a snake and the second time when he spoke to the snake in the park before finding Itisa.
"How do they call it, young wizard?" Loretta asked, her voice soothing, with a beautiful smile.
"...Parseltongue..." Harry berated himself for stammering like a fool, but the woman didn't seem to mind.
"Have thee read about Parseltongue?"
"I'm afraid I don't know much about it, the book I read only describes it as the power to speak with snakes, and is seen as a bad omen." Harry explained, and Loretta's lips twitched downwards, almost scowling.
"Typical foolish behavior. The ability to speak with animals is a blessing, yet foolish people think that is a sign of evil, only because someone decided to use it for evil." She spoke with a shake of her head before turning to look at Harry.
"Maageia's Tongue is the mother of all magical abilities that involve speaking with creatures. The ability to speak with serpents came from my own, but I see that it lacks the ability to speak with all magical creatures, and to perform Voice Magic, it only grants thee the ability to speak with serpents and any creature of their family like the Basilisks, to earn their loyalty, and to enhance thy magical core." Loretta answered, and Harry was a little confused.
"Wait, Parseltongue came from Maageia's Tongue?"
"Centuries ago, when I still walked this earth, I knew a little girl who could speak with dragons, but only dragons, another one who could speak with water creatures. Parseltongue, Floagotongue, Neróstongue, and many others came from me, but I waited for centuries for someone else to speak my tongue. The wizards and witches that were born with my abilities got fewer and fewer. And now there's barely anyone out there. The Magic in Voice has been reduced to the bare minimum that wizards and witches use every day." Loretta explained with a look of sadness.
Harry wondered if he could somehow comfort her, perhaps try and play a game, but his mind quickly picked up on something she said.
"To the bare minimum? What do you mean?" Harry asked, but he already had an idea what she meant.
"I think thee already have the answer to that question, young Wizard." Loretta pointed out. The sadness disappeared from her features, and now she was smiling beautifully again, something that made Harry turn red.
"When we speak the name of the spells. We use the magic in our voice, right?" Loretta looked impressed, cocking her head to the side, now using her palm to rest her head and her elbow against the 'soft' ground.
"Thee are bright, young Wizard. Every Wizard and witch has magic in their voice, but I'm afraid what they have is only a very small fraction of what I used to have... and what thee have, young Wizard." She added, now looking at him strangely.
Harry couldn't quite understand the look she was giving him, but he felt warm by her look alone. "So this Maageia's Tongue is what allows me to use spells with just my voice?" Harry questioned, remembering how he had been able to use Aqua and Lumos with just his voice.
"Thee are right, young Wizard, but is not as simple. When someone casts a spell, the focus their magic through their wand to cast that specific spell, almost all the job is already done, and the words are needed to complete the little bit left for the spell to be casted. The difference between casing a spell with only thy voice, and not with a wand is the power behind it. The spells are enhanced, and more powerful, including spells that can only be performed through Voice Magic."
"But. I have been trying the whole day to use spells with only my voice. I still need to use my hands to make it easier to focus my magic. I'm still struggling to change a matchbox into a needle." Harry said with a hint of exasperation in his voice; his head slumped down, almost in shame, when he felt her hand on his shoulder, pulling him closer to her. Harry's face turned bright red. He didn't know why, but he had never felt more flustered from being close to someone else.
"That's because thee must clear mind, young Wizard. Clear Mind, that's what thee need first. Master it first, young Wizard. Then thee shall see the power behind Voice Magic." Loretta said smoothly from behind him, her hands playing with his dark hair, causing him to shudder, but he didn't feel uncomfortable; being this close to her felt calming.
Harry found that he liked how her fingers felt on his hair. "A clear mind. How do I do that?" He asked curiously, looking at her over his shoulder.
"My brother called it Occlumency, Harry. I'm afraid I cannot teach thee that here. Thee cannot stay here forever." She said with a tone of growing sadness, stroking his hair as if trying to fix it.
Harry didn't know what Occlumency was, but he was sure Tonks would know. Even if she didn't know, he could always ask Lady Andromeda or Ted. If the two didn't know that either, he could ask Professor McGonagall. He was certain that she would know. From her words, it sounded like it involved something with his mind, but Harry wasn't quite sure yet. Was he supposed to control his emotions?
"What do you mean I cannot stay here forever? What even is this place?" Harry asked as he stood up, looking at the vast golden fields; the petals of the flowers seemed to be made of gold, and the castle was far away in the distance. Harry felt like he had seen that castle before.
"This place existed a long time ago, Harry. The place where The Night of The Dark Moon happened centuries ago." Loretta mumbled to herself, but Harry still heard her words; as she rose to her feet, only now standing closer to her, he realized she was taller than Mister Ted.
A look of anger appeared in her beautiful features for the first time since meeting her, but it quickly disappeared; she looked down at Harry with a gentle smile. The boy felt like she wasn't telling him everything, but he knew it was rude to ask personal questions to someone he had just met. He hoped that, eventually, she would answer his questions. He wondered what the Black Moon was, but he decided that he could ask later.
"This place is a memory, Harry. How it used to look." She answered, her hands going through the golden flowers around them; she picked up a bloomed flower between her fingers, and he watched as the petals slowly crumbled to golden dust that flew away with the wind.
Harry watched as the Nundu let out a golden breath from his mouth, causing the flower to bloom once more.
"How do you have a Nundu? Everyone told me they are violent creatures." Harry questioned, but he knew that wasn't the case. If they were all violent monsters, why was Itisa so kind and gentle with him? Why was this Azash friendly with the woman?
Azash growled at him, baring his large teeth. He took a step forward, but Loretta quickly placed her hand on his head, stopping the Nundu.
"I'm afraid Nundus are dangerous, their strength is extraordinary. The Nundus can detect magic, even the Traces of Magic."
"Traces?"
"Yes. Upon the use of magic to cast a spell, activate a rune. Every activity that involves magic leaves behind a trace of magic, is like the footprints in the snow. Tell me, have thee ever seen something strange when someone casts a spell near thee?"
Harry remembered the floating orb that was left behind when Professor McGonagall showed him that she was a witch by making the leaf have wings and fly off. He had seen the orbs many times; every time someone did something with their magic, a floating orb would be left behind, its size changed quite often, and sometimes it was smaller than a coin. Harry had tried to understand what they were and interact with them, but eventually, he decided to ignore them until he could find answers.
"The floating orbs, they are traces of magic!" Harry exclaimed, with Loretta giggling at his reaction.
"But can someone do something with them. I have tried to touch them, but is like touching smoke, my hand just goes through them, and within seconds they disappear." Harry questioned excitedly, wondering if there was anything he could do, but much to his disappointment, Loretta shook her head.
"The traces of magic disappear with time, young Wizard. The more powerful the magic released is, the longer it will take for the trace to disappear." She answered before speaking in the strange language. A flower formed on her hand; she walked up to him, placing it above his ear, on the tight space between the upper ear and the head.
"I'm afraid I don't have all the answers, young Wizards, but thee should know not everything leaves behind a trace of magic. Some powerful wizards and witches are capable of using magic without leaving behind any trace of their magic. For now, it's better for thee to ignore them."
Harry didn't agree with her; he wanted to know more and would find out on his own. There were many other questions left that he wanted answers to, but one he wanted to know right now.
"I have a Nundu, her name is Itisa. I was at a park, and a cloaked figure left her behind. He apparated away, and I found Itisa. Do you know who could have left her there?" Harry asked a little anxiously, remembering the figure wearing a black cloak. Whoever they were, he wanted to know why they left Itisa there, as if knowing he would be there to find her.
"Thee choose a beautiful name for thy companion. Whoever left her there. I'm sure it was painful for them. When a Nundu forms a bond with someone, that bond is not so easily broken. I don't know who they could have been, but it takes someone powerful to break their own bond with a Nundu so the same Nundu can form a new bond with someone else." Harry looked at her; he felt like she wasn't telling him the whole truth, but he knew if she didn't want to tell him everything, he needed to find the truth himself.
"Why do I have Maageia's Tongue? Are you somehow my ancestor?" Harry asked, wondering if blood played a role, but Loretta shook her head.
"I'm afraid I don't know the answer, young Wizard. My brother promised me that one day, one shall walk on this land with me. He created this place for me. He promised me that I needed to wait, and I have waited. Thee are finally here, but this meeting has to be cut short. Thee have to return before thee lose yourself." Loretta spoke with a hint of warning as she strode towards him before kneeling to his level, her face right next to his, but Harry didn't want to leave; he wanted more answers.
"Wait, how are you even here?...Are you still alive?" Harry prompted.
"...In a way. I'm still alive." She answered somewhat reluctantly.
"How?" Harry prompted, but Loretta's look on her face made it clear this wasn't something to discuss right now.
"We will see each other again, young Wizard. Take care of thy companion." The moment she spoke those words, her lips pressed against his forehead where his scar was, and everything went dark. '
*
*
"Harry, you alright?" Tonks asked, concerned, when the boy walked downstairs, followed closely by Itisa, who didn't seem to want to leave his side. His face was a little white, and from his heavy breathing, it seemed like he had run for hours.
But Harry didn't answer her. Instead, he scooted out a chair right as Lady Andromeda filled his plate with a sandwich, boiled eggs, and sausages, his stomach growled in hunger like never before. Even when the Dursleys had locked his cupboard and had fed him only once a day for a whole month, not even then had he felt as hungry as he was right now.
"Thank you for the food, Lady Andromeda." He said in a hurry with a cute smile before digging.
Tonks started eating her own food. She figured that Harry was just tired, but soon, she stopped munching on her sausage when Harry ate his food as if he was starving. She watched transfixed as he ate food like he was drinking water. She looked at her parents across the table and could see they were just as surprised as her. Tonks wondered what was happening.
After he swallowed the last bit of food in front of him, Tonks was ready to ask if he was all right, but instead, the boy turned to face her mother. "Lady Andromeda, can I have more?" He asked with puppy eyes, his voice reeking of courtesy. Tonks wondered why Harry was talking like that when her mother did as Harry told her and quickly filled his plate again, but this time, he was eating at a normal speed instead of inhaling the food as if the food would suddenly disappear at any second.
"Harry, you okay?" Tonks asked with more concern now.
Harry made sure to swallow the bite of food before answering. Thankfully, the hunger he had felt was gone. "I'm fine. I Spent the night trying to do wandless magic; that must have gotten me tired." Harry answered casually as he took a bite of bread and boiled eggs.
Ted arched an eyebrow. It wasn't every day that someone of Harry's age would try to use wandless magic. The only one he knew who could use it was Dumbledore, and some had said that You-Know-Who also had that ability, but he didn't really believe that rumor.
"Wandless Magic! Isn't that too much for you, Harry? I like it that you want to study more, if only our Nymphadora wanted to study half as much as you do-" The girl in question gave her mother an angry look, her hair turning red, but Andromeda ignored her daughter. "-But Wandless Magic. I think it would be better if you tried something else."
The boy drank the whole glass of cold water, washing away the taste left in his mouth, using a napkin to clean his lips before turning to address the lady. "In one of the books I bought. There was mention of Occlumency and Legilimency. What are they?" Harry asked, and from the looks he got, he knew at least Ted seemed to want to know where he heard about these two magic abilities.
"Where did you hear that Harry?" Lady Andromeda asked before Ted could.
"When I was in Diagon Alley with Professor McGonagall, I bought many books, and one of them mentions the study of mind and body. One of the things they mentioned was Occlumency and Legilimency." Harry wasn't exactly lying; one of the books he had bought did mention Occlumency and Legilimency but not how to learn them, but he still wasn't sure how they would react if he told them that he had met a woman who was supposed to have died centuries ago.
"Oh, well. I'm afraid I can't help you, Harry. I'm not that good with either of them." Lady Andromeda apologized, but Harry quickly dismissed her worries.
"No need, Lady Andromeda. I'm sure I can try to learn it on my own. After all I have three years until I receive my letter from Hogwarts." Harry said with a hint of enthusiasm.
After eating breakfast, Harry wanted to wash the dishes, but once again. Andromeda told him he was a guest in their house and wouldn't wash any dishes while here, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to cook something for them. Thankfully, Andromeda allowed him to cook whatever he wanted, as long as she was there to watch him and make sure he wouldn't accidentally burn down the entire house.
Once he ate breakfast, Harry ran back to his room and dove into the books about Occlumency. Soon, he learned the difference between the two.
Occlumency was training someone's mind from outside attacks, like trying to read minds, see memories, and see your emotions. Harry shuddered at the thought of someone entering and seeing his mind.
Legilimency was the ability to pierce into someone's mind and read their thoughts. Something perfect to have if you think someone is lying to you or hiding something from you. Harry thought that Legilimency was an excellent ability to have, perhaps one day he would need to use it.
But between the two, he wanted to learn Occlumency before starting with the other one. From what Loretta told him, he needed to be good at calming his mind to use Maageia's Tongue.
Harry still didn't know just how much one could do with that ability, but if one of those abilities allowed him to speak with Itisa, then all that would be worth it. But from what she explained, he could cast spells with just his voice, without needing a wand. Harry wondered how far one would need to go to reach that level of strength. The idea of using spells with just his voice sounded incredible.
Harry still had many questions burning on his head. How was Loretta there? How did he end up there? Was the reason only because he had the same ability as her? How did that place exist? She said that place was a memory of hers, so how could he get into her memory, into the memory of someone he had never met before? Though Harry was sure he had seen that place before, he didn't know how that was possible, but the golden flowers felt like something he had seen.
Many other questions echoed in his head—questions about her Nundu, too. Why did he have horns like a dragon? How did she tame him? Harry didn't know, but one thing that burned in his mind was her words about her being still alive in a way. How is it possible for someone to still be alive without a body?
Harry started reading about Occlumency. The first part of the book was all about the ability itself, but when it got to how one could learn it, the first thing it said was that the best way to learn is to have someone else, someone they trust, try to enter their mind and gradually strengthen their mind through many trials. Harry was out of luck on this one.
He knew no one who could use Legilimency, and even if he did, he didn't feel comfortable sharing his thoughts with anyone else, not even McGonagall. He was sure the old Professor Dumbledore, with how old he was, perhaps knew how to use Legilimency, but Harry wasn't in a hurry to show everything to him.
So, instead, Harry started reading the third part, which talked more about how one could learn Occulency without involving a second party.
The book talked about meditation, clearing the mind, not thinking of anything, and reaching what the book called Occlumency State.
*
*
The weeks passed and turned into months. After four months of practice, Harry made the first real improvement in his Occlumency while meditating. All the sounds around him faded away as if he were the only person left in the world. He could hear nothing but the sound of his breathing. After he came back, he gasped, feeling a little exhausted, but he felt good—too Good.
In the second part, Harry needed to reach the same step while someone would try to distract them, and he was sure Tonks and Itisa being in the same room would be the ultimate test.
*
*
"Okay, so you want me to just do what I always do, make noise, while you try to reach your empty head state. Can I hug your pet?" Tonks summarised while Itisa was giving her a look as if telling her.
'Try it bitch. I will claw your eyes out.'
"Occlumency State." Harry quickly corrected her with a small chuckle when Itisa jumped away from the bed and on his shoulder while giving Tonks a warning look not to get closer.
"Same thing, really, but why do you need to reach the empty head state? Your head is already empty." Tonks teased with a smile as she walked on her tiptoes towards Itisa, who decided to jump from his shoulder and land on the mattress before growing in size, now the size of a fully grown dog.
"Funny Tonks. Now will you help me?"
"Sure, but what do I get in return?" Tonks asked with the same greedy smile as the last time. This time, she was sure she would get what she wanted, but all dreams were crushed to bits when Harry grew the same smile as her, except his smile looked terrifying.
"If you help me, I won't tell your parents you watched an illegal dueling with wands." Harry's smug smirk grew even more, if possible, but this time, even Itisa smiled like her owner, while Tonks looked shocked.
"H-How the hell do you know that?" Tonks shouted-screamed at him, pinning him with a deadly glare, but Harry wasn't bothered by her glare.
"That would be telling, Tonks, and a wizard never reveals his secrets." Harry teased, and Tonks pouted adorably, trying to use her own puppy eyes, but those didn't work on him, and she seemed to have noticed that, her voice changing from teasing to pleading.
"Please don't tell me parents."
"Don't worry, Nym. I wasn't going to tell your parents anyway, but I don't think you should go there again. It doesn't sound like the kind of place you should go." Harry said, this time with genuine warmth and concern for the older witch.
Tonks knew she had been stupid to watch that match, but her friends had begged her to come, saying the fights there were the best, and she would learn a lot there, how a real fight with wands goes, especially since she had mentioned that she wanted to become an Auror in the future. Her friends had told her that the illegal Wand fights would be a good opportunity to see how real fights are fought. While watching the fight, she had learned just how fast one could lose a limb. It had been terrifying for her, and she had regretted going there.
"Thank you, Harry. For having my back," Tonks said with a tender look, smiling beautifully at the boy who turned a little red, which made her giggle.
"...You are welcome, Tonks." Harry stammered a little, looking away, trying to get rid of the flush from his cheeks, but the flush turned tenfold when suddenly, out of nowhere. Tonks walked up to him, and before he could even ask what she wanted, she kissed his cheek quite eagerly. His face turned as red as a tomato, much to the amusement of the older girl, who burst out laughing, and since what she did wasn't exactly threatening towards Harry, Itisa didn't think it was necessary to stop the older witch.
"You look adorable when you fluster." Tonks exclaimed, pointing a finger at him. Harry tried to hide his face with his hands.
Thankfully, after one more minute of pure torture, Harry regained back his composure and decided to take this seriously. As he was about to close his eyes, Tonks spoke once again.
"Hey, Harry. Thank you again... Now let's make some Noise, My Dear Itisa!!" Tonks shouted, spreading her arms in a welcoming way, before running after the Nundu, who started running away while roaring at her to stay away from her.
"I Just want to Hug you, you are adorable."
Harry heard Tonks shout, his eyes still closed. He tried to concentrate, but he couldn't stop the smile of amusement from forming on his lips as he heard Itisa crawl on the ceiling before roaring at Tonks to stay away from her.
Meditating with all the noise around him proved to be much more difficult than Harry expected. After two hours, he decided to try again tomorrow since Tonks had stopped chasing after Itisa, and his Nundu was currently busy walking on the ceiling upside down while giving Tonks dirty looks, warning her not to get closer.
*
*
Reaching the same state with noise proved much more difficult than Harry expected. After three months of trying, he finally reached the state again, where he couldn't hear any noise. He knew the job wasn't done yet. Not hearing any noise while meditating was only the first step of Occlumency.
The second step involved him being in a state where he couldn't hear and couldn't feel when someone touched him. So far, whenever someone made contact with him, like Itisa jumping on his shoulder or just Tonks shaking him and telling him that he needed to eat, the meditation would end immediately.
However, Harry could already see the results despite only completing the first step. The night he completed the first step. After saying good night to everyone, he closed the door, and once he was alone with Itisa, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
His eyes changed once again, turning slit like that of a snake, a green hue enveloped his eyes, and Harry could hear everything around him, but this time, it wasn't chaotic like the first time when he was bombarded with too many noises all at once.
Itisa's heartbeat, Tonks's snoring, Mister and Miss Tonks in their bedroom sleeping quietly, he could hear a group of ants walking outside. Harry could hear and feel everything; he closed his eyes and deeply breathed. From Itisa's breathing, he could tell she was calm and didn't sound afraid or uncomfortable by Harry getting snake-like eyes.
"Itisa, climb the wall." He instructed her. The Nundu meowed gently before jumping from his shoulder and into the wall. Despite having his eyes closed, he could feel the small noise made by her footsteps on the wall. His face followed her movement despite not seeing anything.
"Itisa, make no noise." The Nundu jumped down from the side of the wall and landed. Harry couldn't tell this time. He expected to hear the sound, but it never came. Harry heard nothing. There was no sound whatsoever. Opening his eyes, he looked around until his eyes were met with her golden eyes. She was resting on his shoulder as always.
Harry's eyes widened; he was sure he should have heard her landing on his shoulder, yet he had felt nothing. "You are incredible, Itisa." Harry complimented her tenderly, before kissing the top of her head. She let out a purr, enjoying the attention of her owner.
Harry turned his attention back to the matchbox on top of the table. The time has come to see if he can finally change a matchbox into a needle. "Allagí Morfís: Metallikó." He hissed the words, making sure he was using Maageia's Tongue.
Harry slowly opened his eyes, and the metallic needle glittered under the moonlight. "YES!!" Harry shouted in joy, jumping on tiptoes like a little kid. Itisa quickly joined in his celebration. Both were happy that Harry was finally able to change a matchbox into a needle by only using his voice.
Months Later
Months passed, and eventually, almost a whole year passed since he started living with the Tonks. Professor McGonagall had made sure to visit him every now and then. However, when she realized that Harry was happy living with the Tonks, her visits were less frequent, but the young Wizard still enjoyed all of them.
Harry had slowly become friends with Nymphadora, or as he called her, Nym. She was still trying to get a hug from Itisa, but the Nundu still didn't want contact with her. She only allowed Tonks to pet her head and nothing else. Everything else was something only Harry was allowed to do.
Harry had made sure to train with his Voice Magic, as he called it, and made progress with his Occlumency, but he wasn't done yet with it. He knew he needed a few more years before he could consider himself an expert on Occlumency. But he had made a lot of progress with spells of the first and second years.
Right now, his attention would often go to the Runes that Tonks often complained about, saying they were the most difficult thing in the world. Harry had yet to try to learn about Runes, but he had already decided that he could try to 'borrow' Tonks's Runes Book every now and then; he was sure she wouldn't mind it. If anything, she would use it as an excuse for having bad grades on Runes because she didn't know where the books were.
Harry had grown a little closer to the Mister and Miss Tonks. He would often talk with them about his parents, but one thing he noticed was how they often changed the subject when it came to his father's friends, particularly two of them.
Sirius Black
Peter Pettigrew
They would change the subject whenever these two names were mentioned, and Harry could tell they didn't feel comfortable talking about them. So Harry tried to ask Tonks for information, but the pink-haired witch only told him that Sirius was her Uncle through her mother's side, but not much else. Harry was sure she was hiding something from him, but again, he didn't try to force her into telling him; he had other ways to learn the truth. But not today. Today was a different day for Harry Potter.
A Special Day.
"Good Morning, Itisa." Harry greeted her with a bright smile the moment his eyes opened. He let out a yawn as the nundu jumped on his bed, nuzzling her head against his neck before licking his cheek.
"Okay, enough—" Harry said amidst giggles as he pulled her away. He sat up on his bed. He wondered if the others knew what day today was, but he was sure she didn't really remember it.
Tonks had asked him about it a month ago, but he was sure it had slipped her mind by now, after all, to the wizards and witches of the United Kingdom. The 31st of October was the day that the Dark Lord fell, so why would anyone pay attention to the 31st of July?
Harry threw away the blanket and jumped from the bed. After washing his face and cleaning his teeth, he decided to walk down to the common room. Usually, he would stay in his room and study until either Nym or Lady Andromeda called for him to come and eat breakfast with them, but today was different. Harry wasn't in the mood to study. So, no studying for today.
Even if Tonks didn't remember, Harry wouldn't mind it as long as she would accept to go out with him and drink somewhere for fun; it wasn't a date; at least Harry was sure it wasn't one. As he reached the last two steps, he jumped down, reaching the foot of the staircase. He turned around and walked into the common room and as he expected. Mister Ted was busy reading the newspaper and sitting on his favorite couch. Lady Andromeda was preparing breakfast at the back of the kitchen, and Nym was scrambling something in her notebook.
"Good Morning." Harry shared the pleasantries with them before walking up and sitting near Nym, who hadn't looked away from her notebook.
"Nym, can I ask you something?" Harry asked with a tiny voice, hoping no one else could hear them. Only then did Nym look up at him, waiting for him to continue, setting down the quill near her notebook.
"I was wondering if you want to go out today, maybe go to stores, drink lemonade somewhere." Harry asked hopefully, not fully looking at her eyes, still keeping his voice down.
A teasing smile grew on her face as she closed the notebook, glancing furtively around the room to make sure her parents weren't paying attention to them. She scooted closer to him before looking back at Harry, who seemed a little anxious. "Are you asking me to go on a date with you, mister Potter?" she asked teasingly, showing her beautiful white teeth.
Harry felt his cheeks burning up. That wasn't exactly what he was asking, but he knew the kind of girl Tonks was; he needed to fire back at her; instead of blushing, a smirk grew on his face. "Well, you are pretty, Tonks. You can call it a date if you want."
Tonks's smile grew even more. Checking again, she saw that her parents weren't paying attention to them. "Sure. I accept your date, mister Potter." She teased before returning to her notebook.
Harry's heart swelled with joy. This day was already ten times better than it used to be with the Dursleys.
Later
"So, where do you want to go?" Tonks asked with a wide grin as they walked through a small town that Harry didn't remember seeing before; he saw wizards and witches walking around them; one opened a basement bulkhead door before walking down to the basement of the back of a sweet shop.
"Nym, I have never been here before," He quickly reminded her with a look of embarrassment as he looked around the place. He was sure he saw a broomstick shop nearby, it was easy to notice it, several broomsticks were placed outside, called test brooms, and through the window shop, he had seen several good looking broomsticks, one of them had a big tag with the name written in gold paint Nimbus 1900.
He saw a shop for clothes and quite a large inn nearby, a two-story building. Harry wore black jeans and a forest green jumper; it was summer, so not many students could be seen around this place.
Tonks chuckled before pointing at the nearby inn. "That's where all the first dates go, Harry. Remember that."
The boy blushed slightly but made sure to remember that, while he was still young to think about girls and dates, he always made sure to store useful knowledge in his head for later use.
"Ohh, first dates. You must be privileged to date with the Great Harry Potter, the slayer of Dragons." Harry teased with a wide grin, looking up at the pink-haired witch.
Tonks giggled at his words. He usually never liked boasting about his fame, after all, he had done nothing that night. His parents were the ones who deserved all the credit, not him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't use his fame to tease his second best friend, and if needed, he was sure he could use the same fame to get a few things done if he ever needed.
Harry still didn't know how politics and the Ministry worked, but he was sure the name Harry Potter held a lot of strength and influence, and he was sure he could use that influence sometimes if he ever needed it.
Harry walked forward and opened the door for Tonks; she smiled cutely at him before thanking him. "Such a gentleman."
He chuckled slightly when he turned to look at his shoulder but quickly remembered that Itisa wasn't with him right now. Mister and Miss Tonks had made it clear how dangerous it was for her to come with him, so, quite reluctantly, Harry had left her at home. That only fueled his desire to get stronger. He knew, sooner or later, people would learn the truth, and he would protect Itisa with his life when that day came. He just needed to be stronger.
As they walked into the inn, Harry was glad he wasn't using the 'Focus State' as he had decided to call it when he could hear everything around him, he could already imagine the headache he would get by using that in such a crowded place.
His messy hair covered most of his forehead, so he was sure they wouldn't be able to see the scar. The last thing he needed was for everyone in the inn to start paying attention to him as if he was some god.
Harry and Tonks found a good seat on the corner of the inn right next to the window. They could see everyone outside, but the windows were bewitched, so people outside wouldn't see them. Instead, they would see the inn inside rather than the people sitting.
Harry sat down and quickly noticed the many funny looks the people were giving them, but he decided to ignore them. When he looked at Tonks and saw that she was shifting uncomfortably on her seat, he wondered if going out like this wasn't the best idea. "Tonks, are you alright?" he asked, dreading that she would say that she wanted to return home.
"I'm alright, Harry. I have just...nevermind. Is silly." Tonks said with a dismissive hand as she stopped shifting around the chair.
"You can tell me if you want?" Harry reminded her.
"Trust me, Harry, it's nothing important. Is just me being a stupid girl sometimes. I'm sure you can understand."
"Not really. If you haven't noticed, I'm not a girl." Harry said witty with a grin. This made Tonks giggle, and all the nervousness from her face melted away like snow.
"I have noticed that, mister. I'm sure so will many girls after four to five years." Tonks teased before winking at him. Harry turned a bit red, which only added to her amusement.
"What is this place?" Harry asked as he looked around the inn. A double staircase on the back of the inn led to the second floor, and the staircase split into two directions once it reached the second floor.
"It's called Hogsmeade. It's near Hogwarts, actually. This is the place where the third years and older come here sometimes during the school year. It's a cozy place, and there's plenty of things to buy here." Tonks explained as a waitress walked up to them.
"Tonks, what are you doing here? And who is this gentleman with you?" the woman asked with a smile. Harry looked up at her and was a little awestruck by her beauty. She wasn't as pretty as Loretta, but she was a beauty on her own.
"Rosmerta, this is my friend...Harry." Tonks introduced him somewhat reluctantly, knowing what would most likely happen if she just shouted out his full name in public.
Rosmerta was an attractive woman with long, wavy blonde hair and green eyes. She was wearing glittery, open-toed high heels.
"Hi." Harry greeted her, not fully looking at her eyes when he heard a quiet gasp coming from the woman.
Shit, Harry cursed under his breath when her face looked at the scar on his forehead. Her mouth opened, and Harry was ready for her to make a scene, but instead, she closed her mouth, and the welcoming smile returned to her face.
"Good to meet you, Mister Harry. I see you know, Tonks. She's a friend of mine--" Suddenly, she leaned her head downwards, closer to Harry. "But don't trust her sweet little lies, Harry. She's not good for you." She teased with a wide grin before pulling away from him, with Tonks rolling her eyes.
"What do you two want?"
"Butterbear."
"A Lemonade."
That said, the woman walked away, talking with another woman behind the counter.
Harry sighed in relief, knowing his identity wasn't blown; it wasn't just people in this inn knowing his identity. Tonks had told him how fast rumors could spread around in the Wizarding World and if she was half correct. That meant people would soon learn that Nymphadora Tonks was seen with Harry Potter in the Three Broomsticks. Harry could already imagine the barrage of questions Tonks would get during her Fourth School Year. He didn't want that for her, so he was grateful this woman didn't just shout his name for everyone to hear, despite knowing that doing so would most likely increase the number of people coming to her inn, which could have earned her a lot of money, but instead, she chose to stay quiet. Harry already liked that woman.
"How do you know Rosmerta?"
"Oh. On my first year. I used my Metamorphmagus to disguise myself as one of the older students to go to Hogsmade."
"I thought you said you couldn't make a perfect disguise." Harry points out, interrupting her with a small apologetic look.
"It was a good enough disguise." Tonks answered with a small clear of her throat before continuing. "Anyway, after I looked around for two hours. I ended up on this inn, but I didn't know the carriages had already left for Hogwarts, so I was left here all alone, and disgusted as someone else. Needless to say, Rosmerta saw right through me, and walked me back to Hogwarts's gates. Professor Sprout wasn't happy with me, but I became friends with Rosmerta."
"I take it this wasn't the only time you pulled this little stunt?" Harry asked, but he already knew the answer.
Tonks burst out laughing. "You should have seen the look...hahaha... on Professor Sprout's face. She was so...hahaha... done with me on the third time. Eventually, she stopped trying to prevent me from sneaking into the Hogsmade Carriages." She explained amidst the laughter.
"Didn't she tell your parents?" Harry questioned. From what he had seen, he was sure her parents would try to stop her from causing such havoc on Hogwarts.
"Ohh, she tried, but ultimately, she had proof only for the first time I disguised myself as someone else, but not for the others, so Professor Dumbledore gave me a slap in the wrist and told me to not do it again. My mother trusted Professor Sprout's claims that the first time wasn't the only time, but my father protected me from her wrath." Tonks said with a giggle.
Harry smiled in amusement. They continued their conversation about her misdeeds until he decided to turn the conversation to a bit more serious topic.
"Tonks. Can I ask you something?" She fell quiet when she noticed the seriousness in his voice.
"Anything, Harry." She answered right away, leaning her head over the table, wanting to hear his words.
"Do you think I can keep Itisa at Hogwarts without the Professors noticing about who she is?"
The pink-haired girl bit her lower lip, seemingly wanting to say something that would make the young Wizard feel better, but she knew he had asked her specifically, knowing she would not try to lie to him or tell him that everything would be alright. She glanced around furtively before speaking in a hushed tone.
"I will be honest with you, Harry. Hagrid might see right through her on the first day, it all depends if he ever bothered learning anything about Nundus. As for the other professors, they might get more and more suspicious of who she truly is as time goes on. If Itisa can manage to control herself and doesn't cause a scene that involves her using any of her powers, then you might actually be safe, but one show of power, and people will know right away she's not a normal cat, and since you haven't gotten your Hogwarts letter yet, only frogs, owls and cats are allowed at Hogwarts. So, in the moment, they learn she's not a cat. Someone like Professor Snape might try everything he can to force you to get rid of her.
A growl escaped from deep within his throat, his nostrils flaring up. He had noticed that whenever this 'Professor Snape' was brought up, it wasn't brought up for a good reason. He was sure he had once heard Tonks mention that Snape had once forced a Hufflepuff student to drink from the cauldron and didn't care whether the student would be injured or not, and upon drinking it, the student had been sent to the medical room and had stayed there for three weeks due to severe burns on his throat.
"What do you think I should do about this? Or is there any chance the Ministry of Magic won't try to have her killed the moment they know what she is." Harry asked hopefully, but he knew deep down that it was foolish even to think that.
For the past months, he has checked as much as possible how Nundus are viewed in the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe. All of them were seen as national threats that needed to be put down right away. For Dragons, they were supposed to be locked and killed only if it's necessary. For Nundus, well...
Name: Nundu
Danger Level: XXXXXXX or National Threat
Orders to the Aurors if they see one: Extermination on sight. It's adviced to inform the Ministry of Magic immediately. They will send an army to kill the Nundu. Everything valuable will be taken from the body, and it will belong to the Ministry; the rest of the body will be burned with Fiendfyre.
Upon reading that, Harry had realized how much Nundus are feared in the Wizarding World. Every other magical animal had a chance they would be spared if the magical animal in question did not cause trouble, but not for Nundus. It mattered little to many countries if they were harmless. They would be killed on sight with no second thoughts.
There wasn't even a law about owning one since it had never happened before, as far as anyone was concerned. Although there were laws that forbade the ownership of Dragons and other dangerous magical creatures, for Nundus, no law was written about owning one because it had never happened. Harry wasn't sure if that was a bad or a good thing.
"Harry, I think you already know the answer to that," Tonks told him with a sigh; she leaned back against the back of the chair when the waitress arrived to give them what they ordered.
"I hope you enjoy it," Rosmerta said cheerfully, winking at Harry before walking away. He turned a bit red, but he was sure she did that to let him know his secret was safe with her.
"Harry, let's talk about something else. I'm sure Dumbledore will try to help you-" Harry gave her a look for bringing up the old Professor, but she raised her hand before he could insult the old man. "-I know what you will say, but you can't say that he's not in the position to help you. He knows about Itisa, and I don't see Aurors patrolling our house, do you?" Harry still felt bitter about what the old man had done, and he wouldn't forgive him, but he had to admit that the man had kept the secret for almost a year now.
"No. I haven't seen anyone."
"Exactly, Dumbledore can help you with Itisa. I'm not saying you should forgive him for what he did, but you should try to use the power he has and the position he has for your own benefit, Harry. A friend of mine always told me that to be a good player in the game. You should use all cards handed to you, and not try to throw half of them because of personal feelings."
Harry could see the logic in that. He knew she was right. He just needed to be careful around the old man. He wasn't sure what his end goal was.
"Okay, let's talk about something else. What do you think about broomsticks?" Tonks asked over the rim of the butterbeer glass.
"Broomsticks?!" Harry questioned, a little caught off guard. "I haven't really thought much of them. I have never really flown with one." He answered airily as he took a sip from the lemonade, the taste was sweet and bitter at the same time, and ice cubs on top of the drink made it much more enjoyable.
"You know your father was a chaser in Quidditch. Do you think you would want to play the game?"
It wasn't the first time that Quidditch was brought up to Harry. When the rules were explained to him, the first thought in Harry's head was that it sounded too dangerous. A bunch of kids flying around with broomsticks and trying to score a goal while two other kids chased after a golden snitch; way too many things could go wrong.
"I don't think I'm in the mood to break an arm or a leg, Tonks. But if I ever change my mind, punch me in the face." Harry answered dryly. He understood that his father must have been a good chaser, but that didn't mean he had to be just like his father. Tonks giggled at his words, and soon the conversation turned into more Quidditch, and Tonks complained a little about how she needed to sleep in the same room as four other girls during the School Year. Eventually, the conversation led to the Four Houses of Hogwarts.
"Which House do you think you will be sorted into?" Tonks asked as she drank the last bit of Butterbeer left.
Harry looked deep in thought for a few moments before answering. "I'm not really sure, but from what I gathered, those that go in Gryffindor are brave, but brave can also mean stupid. Those who charge into things without thinking. Hufflepuff seems like a good place to have kind friends, but from what I have seen, those in Hufflepuff are not the brightest." Harry said with a teasing smile, looking straight at Tonks, who groaned.
"You are lucky you are cute. I would have left you here for that comment alone mister. This is not how you treat your date, Harry."
"Ohh, I didn't know this was a date, Miss Tonks. I should have brought flowers and a note that said 'Not for you.'"
Tonks gave him a pointed look for being so annoying but decided to turn the conversation back to the Hogwarts houses. "What about Ravenclaw and Slytherin? You say that you want to be surrounded by smart kids. Well, what about these two?"
"I'm not sure, Tonks. Whichever house the sorting hat chooses for me. I will accept it."
After thirty more minutes, they left the Three Broomstick and decided to head home. He wanted to pay for everything, but Tonks wouldn't listen and paid for her own Butterbeer.
Once they arrived home, Harry called for Itisa right away, but his Nundu didn't come out to greet him.
"Itisa," Harry called out her name, this time much louder and with growing concern, as he took off running up the stairs to the front door. Their house was built on top of a hillock, and a set of stairs leading from the front door to the bottom where the street started.
"She's probably sleeping, Harry." He heard her say, but he ignored her as he quickly opened the door with his voice magic and ran inside.
"ITISA--" Upon entering the common room, he stopped dead on track...
"SURPRISE!!"
Harry's mouth almost fell to the floor from the sight before him. Mister and Miss Tonks had prepared a whole banquet for him, including a cake that was half of Harry's size, with nine candles on top of it, but that wasn't all. Laying on the foot of the table were four wrapped boxes. Gifts, Harry quickly realized, remembering the mountain of gifts that Dudley used to get. Professor McGonagall was standing beside the couple, and Itisa jumped into his arms the moment he entered inside.
"I missed you, good girl," Harry exclaimed as he hugged her close. She licked his cheek tenderly before climbing on his shoulder as always, and he returned his attention to the others.
"You knew about my birthday?" Harry asked with a growing smile.
"Of course, my dear. Tonks told us a month ago, and Professor McGonagall informed us a week ago, telling us that she wanted you to have a memorable birthday." Andromeda said softly, almost sounding like a mother.
Harry felt a lump in his throat, his heart swelling with joy, and his eyes burned, but not because of sadness this time. He wanted to thank them that they didn't need to go through all this trouble for him, but as he slowly approached the table, he said something else entirely.
"Are you sure this is for me?" Harry berated himself for saying that, but it felt like a dream—a wonderful dream—one that he feared he would wake up from.
"Yes, my dear, it's for you. Happy Birthday, Harry." With that said. Andromeda and Ted walked to his side of the round table and hugged the boy, who finally let his tears spill, tears of joy.
"Thank you... Thank you so Much," Harry exclaimed with bursting joy; his heart felt a hundred times larger. This was the first time he had shared a hug with them, and Itisa had a smile on her face. Seeing Harry like this, one could even see a small tear rolling down her cheek, but only McGonagall noticed that little detail.
As they pulled away, Harry quickly tried to wipe away the tears with a nearby napkin despite the tears. This was the second happiest moment of his life.
Harry shared a hug with Tonks, who kissed his cheeks, and he soon turned to McGonagall, who gave him a smile that one could describe as the grandmother's smile before hugging the young Wizard.
"Just because I'm hugging you right now, that doesn't mean I will show you mercy during Hogwarts if you decide to make trouble," McGonagall warned him with a half-hearted voice; Harry chuckled. The joke only lightened his mood more.
Harry wanted to see what was inside the gifts right away, but somehow, he restrained himself from just opening them. Instead, he decided to cut the cake first.
"Happy Birthday—" They sang the song together as Harry cut the first piece of his birthday cake.
"Happy Birthday to You!!" They all clapped as Andromeda took the knife from his hands and started cutting a piece of cake for everyone else. The taste was sweet, but not too sweet. Harry enjoyed every single bite.
"Harry. I have never seen you smile like that." Tonks teased him, but Harry wasn't bothered; the smile wasn't going away, and he didn't want to; the feeling he had right now was amazing. He felt like crying again but didn't want to do that again. How many times he had heard Aunt Petunia and Vernon singing 'Happy Birthday' to Dudley, and he was locked in the Cupboard. They never sang that song to him; they never even acknowledged that it was his birthday that day. And now, having people sing that song for him felt wonderful.
"Thank you for the cake, Lady Andromeda. It's perfect." Harry praised her cooking as he ate the last bit of the cake left on his plate.
After that was done, Harry picked a box at random. The tag on it said that it was McGonagall's gift. "Thank you, Professor," Harry said with a genuine smile, looking up at the old woman, who smiled back at him.
"Knowing the professor, she probably gave you detention." Tonks joked before laughing at her own joke.
"Well, since you are missing my detention so much, I might just give you one right now. It will be a good start for your fourth year," McGonagall said with a tight lip, her tone turning back to the 'Professor' tone she used with her students.
Upon opening it. It was a book with a silver cover, with a gold outline with golden threads; the image in the book was of an old upside down 'U' door with runes written on each block that made that door, and on top of the image was written in small beautiful golden letters.
'The Runes of Magic and Their Secrets, For the Third Years.'
"Nymphadora told me that you wanted to study runes, so I decided to give you this book, and in that box, you should find a useful tool kit to make your own runes when you feel ready, but try to do that after you read that book first," McGonagall instructed him. Just as she said, there was a second box under the book. Upon opening it, Harry found the tool kit for Runes.
"Thank you, Professor." Harry didn't know what else to say as he hugged her once again.
McGonagall wasn't one to break down easily, but she felt her eyes burn a little, but she would never shed a tear in front of a student, especially in front of Nymphadora, of all people.
"You deserve it, and more. Mister Potter, now open your other gifts."
Ted Tonks had gifted him quite a few new clothes, all in his size, including socks and a pair of clothes for Itisa too, but she didn't seem to want to try them when she grew the size of a dog, showing that she wasn't in the mood to wear clothes.
Andromeda had gifted him the tools needed to clean Itisa if she ever got dirty, but Harry was sure Itisa wouldn't speak to him for a whole week if he tried to clean her since she loved cleaning herself, and a box with chocolate for him.
"Go ahead, open it." Tonks prompted him as he finally reached the final box and upon opening it. Inside, he found a necklace, but what caught his eye was the round golden pendant with a small line across the middle of it.
"Anoixe." Tonks spoke in a hushed tone.
The pendant opened, revealing a moving photo of himself with Itisa on his shoulder, his hand caressing the part under her neck, with her purring in delight.
"Thank you, Nyma. You are the best," Harry said wholeheartedly, hugging the pink-haired girl, who giggled before hugging him back.
"Did you hear that Professor McGonagall. I'm the best." She quickly boasted with a triumphant smile on her face while the old Professor rolled her eyes at her antics.
"You know you are fourteen young women. You should act like one, instead of what, six, three... minus seven."
Eventually, after a few more hours of celebrating. McGonagall left but not without receiving another hug from Harry before leaving.
That night, after everyone had gone to sleep. Harry hugged Itisa against his chest. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me, Itisa. I love you." Harry said with tenderness, eventually letting go of her as she lay near his head, but he was sure he heard her say.
'.....I will protect you, Harry. I promised you that.....'
And he fell into a slumber, dreaming of a land he had never seen before...
Two Years Later
The sun rose into the horizon, illuminating the room of one boy. Harry Potter.
The boy groaned slightly as he put his glasses on. Seeing clearly, he took a look around, his eyes finding his clothes resting against the back of the chair, with Itisa sleeping on her own small bed that Harry had brought for her birthday. Since he had no idea when she was actually born, he decided the day he found her at the park would be her birthday from now on.
The Nundu had enjoyed the gift, but she would still often sleep beside Harry.
The young Wizard had grown quite a bit in the last two years and wasn't as thin as he used to be. Muscles had started developing on his chest, legs, and arms since he liked going for a run every morning; Tonks would occasionally join him to tease him. Not that Harry minded to get teased by her.
Nymphadora had grown, too, and he knew she was growing more beautiful as the years passed.
Harry was thrown out of his thoughts when he heard an owl outside, its wings flapping against the wind.
Suddenly, his legs had a mind of their own, and Harry ran downstairs like a man possessed. He jumped down, landing on the foot of the staircase, opening the door with his voice magic just in time for the owl to land on the wood railings around the porch outside.
The owl's dark eyes met Harry's as Harry closed the door behind him. The owl, with its beak, was holding an envelope.
"Thank you, beautiful." After grabbing the envelope from his beak, Harry thanked the owl and gave him a few treats that he enjoyed quite a lot.
"Thank you." Harry thanked the owl as he flew away before looking down at the envelope, his heart beating fast in excitement.
A yellowish envelope with words written on top, words that made his heart beat faster, and a smile growing on his face.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme
Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all
necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress.
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