Seo Gerecednis

As summers in Little Whinging go, the summer before Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts was not intolerable. The heat was nowhere near as oppressive as it had been the previous year, the humidity remained low despite frequent rainstorms, and Harry's relatives at number four, Privet Drive, the Dursleys, seemed to be going out of their way to give him a wide berth.

Uncle Vernon, though he could not help muttering under his breath whenever Harry was in the same room, refrained from criticizing his nephew outright. Aunt Petunia went so far as to say "please" whenever she asked Harry to help out with the chores. Even more remarkably, she asked him to help, and didn't threaten to withhold meals if he showed any inclination to refuse. She even, on rare occasions, prepared meals that he liked (though Harry remained convinced this was a coincidence, and not a deliberate effort to placate him).

As for Dudley...well, Dudley was still a fat, loathsome lump, but he never made any attempt to taunt Harry. In fact, after the incident of the summer previous, when Harry had rescued his cousin from the rogue dementors, Dudley seemed to have developed a newfound respect for Harry. He was still terrified that Harry might curse him, of course, but Harry could detect an alteration in Dudley's expression whenever he caught Harry looking at him. What amazed Harry even more was when he overheard Dudley actually defending him to his little gang of play park thugs. Harry was so astonished he banged his head several times against a tree, just to make sure his brain hadn't broken free of its mooring.

All in all, it was the best summer Harry could ever remember having in Little Whinging. Unfortunately, he was more miserable than he had ever been in his life. Not having the Dursleys antagonize him would have been enough to make him unhappy, as that kept his mind from concentrating on everything else that was bothering him this summer. Without that needed distraction, however, he couldn't help letting his mind wander until it fell on the most obvious object of concern: Voldemort.

Despite the showdown at the Ministry of Magic in June, Voldemort and his faithful coterie of Death Eaters--those who hadn't been captured and sent to Azkaban, that is, provided they hadn't already escaped--were still lying low. Harry suspected he knew why. He suspected Voldemort was biding his time until Harry left the protection his aunt provided him, as his mother's sole living relative, and returned to Hogwarts. Then Voldemort would probably try to lure Harry into the open, just as he had done with...

Sirius.

Sirius was the other thing Harry desperately wished to avoid thinking about. He ached at the memory of Sirius' death, and at his own stubborn foolishness--his "saving-people-thing," as Hermione had called it--that contributed to it. Not a day had passed since that awful night when Harry hadn't caught himself wanting to share something with Sirius--a laugh, a butterbeer, a sudden panic, the prophecy--only to be brought crashing back to earth with the realization that he couldn't, that he would never be able to again, and that it was all his fault. Sirius had been his father's best friend, and his own godfather, and Harry had killed him just as surely as if his own wand had cast the spell that sent Sirius careening beyond the veil.

The latest event to send Harry's thoughts into turmoil, however (as if the murderous intent of a powerful dark wizard and the pointless death of his godfather weren't enough), was the letter he had received by owl last night from Hermione. She wasn't coming back to Hogwarts. Still unable to believe the unfairness of it all, Harry unrolled the parchment and re-read it for what must have been the dozenth time.

Dear Harry,

I hope you are enjoying your summer. I have been at the Burrow since mid-July. My parents feel that I am safer here, and Mr. Weasley believes they are less likely to be targeted by Death Eaters if I am not with them. It's very hard to be separated from them like this, since I see so little of them during the school year, but I don't wish any harm to come to them because of me. I am glad to be here amongst friends, even though Luna is here too. I was especially glad to see Tonks night before last, when she came for supper and to tell us--me, rather--about a plan Professor Dumbledore has to unite wizarding communities around the world against Voldemort.

Harry, I don't know an easy way to tell you this, so I'll just come out and say it: I'm going to India for a year. One boy and one girl from each house will represent Hogwarts at different wizarding schools around the world. In exchange, student witches and wizards from other countries will spend the year at Hogwarts. I believe Professor Dumbledore is also hoping to arrange a teacher exchange. Don't hold your breath; I don't think Professor Snape will agree to go.

Dean, Justin, Hannah, Terry, Padma, Blaise and Pansy (my favorite!) will also be away this year. Ron is pretty upset that he wasn't given the chance to go (between you and me, though, I think he's more upset that I get to go and he doesn't), but Tonks said you will probably need at least one good friend at school this year, especially after everything that happened in June. And, since you and Ron are much closer than you and I have ever been (except when you and Ron weren't speaking to each other during fourth year), I agree that this is the best solution.

I am so excited to have this opportunity to represent Hogwarts and our fight against Voldemort! I've already started teaching myself Bengali and Sanskrit. Of course I will miss you terribly, and Ron too, and Ginny and Neville and maybe even Luna, but I will owl you as often as possible, and maybe even keep in touch by Floo (if they even have fireplaces in India), and hope you will do the same.

Be careful, Harry. I don't understand why Voldemort is so determined to kill you, but after what happened in June I don't doubt that he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. Don't do anything rash. Trust Dumbledore. Don't blame yourself for what happened to Sirius. Don't shut out your friends--especially Ron. Above all else, see if Snape will agree to resume your Occlumency lessons. I fear you'll need them now more than ever.

Love from,

Hermione

Harry sighed as he rolled the letter and stuffed it into his pocket. How was he going to get through the year without Hermione to keep him on the straight and narrow? He'd be a goner in History of Magic for sure, and his work in Transfiguration would probably suffer as well--provided he'd even be taking Transfiguration this year. He still hadn't got his O.W.L. results. He sighed again, scuffing his toe into the wood chips strewn beneath the swing set.

"Wotcher, Harry," came a gentle female voice from behind him.

Startled, Harry yelled, fell off the swing, and drew his wand all at the same time. "T-Tonks?" he stuttered, once he'd regained his senses.

A young woman with waist-length blonde hair, a T-shirt reading "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Diagon Alley, Estab. MCMXCVI", a plaid miniskirt and white go-go boots grinned down at him. "Haven't you paid any attention to Mad-Eye?" she asked, chuckling, as Harry scrambled to his feet and stuffed his wand back into his pocket. "If you really want to be an Auror..."

"I know, I know: constant vigilance," Harry muttered, glad to see Tonks despite everything--or maybe because of it.

"No, no, not that," she said. "I mean about stashing your wand in your back pocket. A young chap like you's going to have a hard time chatting up a girl he fancies with a missing buttock."

Harry couldn't help grinning. Even though he didn't fancy any girls at the moment--ever since his disastrously short-lived attempt to romance Cho Chang, he wasn't keen on making such a dolt of himself again anytime soon--the absurdity of the images Tonks' comment implanted in his imagination was enough to lift the dark cloud that had been hovering over him for weeks. "Checking up on me?" he asked. "Do Moody and Lupin want you to make sure the Dursleys are feeding me properly?"

She smiled and took the swing next to him. Harry couldn't help noticing how much further up her thighs the skirt crept as she sat. "Not really. Mad-Eye prefers to do his work undercover, so we've been keeping tabs on you all summer." Harry gulped, hoping he hadn't been observed doing anything embarrassing. "Actually," Tonks continued, "I'm here on business from Dumbledore."

Harry's improved mood evaporated. After his violent outburst in Dumbledore's office at the end of the school year, even the mention of his mentor's name put Harry on edge. "You mean about Hermione going away? I got a letter from her last night."

"I reckoned she wouldn't waste a second telling you. The exchange is part of the reason Dumbledore sent me --"

"He's not sending me away, is he?" As envious as he was of Hermione, Harry couldn't imagine going anywhere else to learn how to be a wizard. Not with the prophecy looming over his head...

"Relax, Harry. You'll be back at Hogwarts in September, just like Ron and Ginny." She tugged at the hem of her skirt. "I've got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

Bad news? he wondered. What could be worse than Hermione not coming back to Hogwarts? He sighed. "Give me the bad news. Might as well get it over with."

She didn't mince words. "The Order's been evicted."

His jaw dropped. "Evicted? F-From Grimmauld Place? How is that possible? I thought --"

She shook her head. "Sirius never had a chance to make out a will before he died."

"But the Fidelius Charm..."

"Dear Auntie Narcissa was able to break through it, with Kreacher's help. She's been living there for about three weeks now."

Harry's insides roiled with anger and frustration. Lucius Malfoy's wife--Draco's mother--living in his godfather's house. It was almost too much to bear. "Isn't there anything you can do to stop her?"

"Not legally. Without a will naming an heir, her claim is legitimate."

"But her husband is Voldemort's biggest supporter! And he's in Azkaban!"

"Doesn't matter, as far as wizarding law is concerned." She shrugged. "My mum could've tried to claim it, but she wants nothing to do with that dodgy place. Can't say I blame her, to be honest. So that left aunties Narcissa and Bellatrix as Sirius' last remaining relatives, and since Auntie Bellatrix is in hiding, I guess Auntie Narcissa decided to stake a claim for herself."

"I hope she feels right at home," Harry groused, thinking about all the nasty creatures he'd spent last summer removing from the house.

Tonks laughed. "Knowing Auntie Narcissa like I do, she's miserable. She doesn't mind dark magic, but she hates a mess."

"Good."

She laughed again, and tried again to pull her skirt further down her thighs. "So, are you ready for some good news?"

Harry sighed, trying not to stare too much at Tonks' legs. "Might as well."

"Chin up, Harry," she said. "You'll like this. Now, I know you've heard from Hermione that there are some changes in store for Hogwarts this year, right?"

Intrigued in spite of himself, Harry asked, "What sort of changes?"

"Well, for starters, you'll have a few new professors to contend with."

He suspected there was a hidden meaning in what she'd said, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Didn't he have at least one new professor each year? What made this year so special? "Do you mean the exchange? Hermione mentioned there was a possibility..."

She dismissed his question with a wave of her hand. "Yeah, there'll be a couple of visiting lecturers. Some American witch will be taking Professor Sprout's place, and an Iranian wizard will be teaching Arithmancy." When Tonks paused, Harry looked up at her and saw the corners of her eyes crinkle in merriment. "And Kingsley and I will be co-teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts..."

Harry yelped in delight. "Tonks, that's brilliant! I can't think of anyone better--well, except maybe Professor Lupin."

She grinned. "Can't argue with you there. And thank you. I'm right keen to start, myself."

"But," Harry wondered, his thoughts whirling almost faster than he could give voice to them, "how are you going to teach together? What about the Ministry? What about the Order? Won't they need you to help hunt for Voldemort?"

"It's okay," she said, motioning him to sit back down. "The Ministry's finally seen fit to post Aurors at Hogwarts this year, and Dumbledore made sure Kingsley and I made the cut. Preparing you to face You-Know-Who will be our assignment for the Order. As for teaching, well, all I can tell you right now is that your Defense Against the Dark Arts classes are going to be a lot more practical than you've had in the past." She paused again, but this time the merriment was gone from her expression. "There's one other thing you should know."

Somewhat apprehensive, Harry asked, "Yeah? What's that?"

"Dumbledore wants you to continue with the DA group."

Harry hadn't expected this, though he was secretly pleased. "He does?"

Tonks nodded. "He's granting you 'official' status as a school club. You'll be able to have meetings wherever and whenever you want."

"We won't have to meet in secret?" He didn't like the direction this was going. "But that means --"

"-- you'll have to let in anyone who wants to join, as long as they're in fourth year or above."

Harry's stomach clenched. "Including Slytherins?"

"Including Slytherins."

"Is Dumbledore daft?" he said. "Half of Slytherin's got parents in the Death Eaters! Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott..."

"What about the half that don't?" Tonks asked, studying him. "Don't they deserve a chance to prepare themselves to fight You-Know-Who?"

"But..."

"Tosh, Harry. The only way we can defeat You-Know-Who is by standing together. Excluding Slytherin from your DA group just because of a few bad eggs goes against everything Dumbledore stands for. It goes against what your parents died for. And when the time comes to face You-Know-Who, we'll be weaker if we don't give the Slytherins a chance to make the right choice."

He remained unconvinced. "I just don't trust any of them."

"What about Snape?" Tonks asked. "He's a Slytherin, and he works for the Order."

"I trust Snape least of all!" Harry shouted. "If it weren't for him, Sirius might still be alive!" He felt sick the moment the instant the words left his mouth.

Tonks' eyes narrowed. "Glad to see you're not blaming yourself anymore." Harry hung his head between his knees, fighting off the wave of nausea and shame. He heard the clink of chain links rubbing against each other, then saw Tonks' feet approach and felt the weight of her hand rest on his shoulder. "If it weren't for Snape, you and your friends would all be dead, and You-Know-Who would have the prophecy," she said quietly.

Harry groaned, shaking his head. "I don't care," he mumbled. "I still don't trust him."

"Don't be so thick." The Auror in her tone was unmistakable, and suddenly Harry realized why she'd been the first person in years to survive the three-year training course. He wondered if he'd ever be able to summon that kind of authoritativeness with just a few short words. "Stop channeling my ruddy cousin," she said. He looked up and glared at her. She gave him a lopsided grin and patted him on the shoulder. "Good, glad to see that get a rise out of you."

"Sod off."

"Right back at you, you cheeky little prat." She stood up, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "I've got to go. These boots hurt like hell, and they make my feet sweat."

As she bent down to pull her wand from a boot, Harry reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Tonks, wait." She straightened to look at him. "I-I'm sorry," he stammered, unable to look her in the eye but unwilling to let her leave.

"Sorry?" she asked, puzzled. "About what? What are you on about?"

"About-About Sirius. About wha-what happened. In June. At the Ministry." He felt his self-control eroding, and fought to keep his chin still. "About what happened to you. About Grimmauld Place. It should be your ho-home now." He couldn't go on, not with her looking at him like that.

Crouching before him again, Tonks took both of his hands in hers. "Harry, you have nothing to apologize to me about."

He shook his head violently. "No, y-you don't--"

"I do, Harry, I do," she said. "I understand. I understand everything. And it's okay. We all do what we have to, to keep wizards like You-Know-Who from destroying everything that's good in life. You had no choice but to go to the Ministry when you thought Sirius was in trouble. He had no choice but to do the same when he heard what Kreacher'd done. I'm an Auror. It's my job to do battle with dark wizards. I know the risks. So did Sirius. And we accept those risks." She sighed. "And, judging from everything I've seen and heard about you, you've come to accept those risks as well. But you assume that you have take responsibility for us all. Don't do that, Harry. Don't try to bear the burden of the entire wizarding world on your shoulders."

He thought of the prophecy. "I have to."

"Codswallop." She stood again, but did not release his hands. "I know what you're thinking. I know the gist of the prophecy, if not what it said exactly. It doesn't have to be a death sentence for you. It's a terrible burden, I know, but it's not yours to bear alone. That's why Dumbledore's bringing in witches and wizards from all over the world to Hogwarts. That's why Kingsley and I will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. That's why you're to continue with the DA group. Your burden is not just yours to bear, Harry, it's all of ours. And until you let us share it with you, you'll never have a chance against You-Know-Who."

Harry stared at his feet, willing himself back to calmness, but he couldn't avoid a sniff or two, lest his nose drip all over Tonks' boots. He was grateful she made no comment about his ridiculous state. He felt like such a dolt, like a ruddy little boy.

"All right, Harry?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'll be fine," he mumbled. He sniffed again. "Y'know something?"

"What's that?"

"I think you'll make a brilliant professor."

He could still see the radiant smile on her face long after she'd Disapparated.