Harry Potter and the Last Goodnight

Chapter Sixteen: An Illusion Revealed

Harry dropped his fork. It clattered on the porcelain plate. All along Tonks had been in disguise as Professor Leurre? Harry had almost forgotten she was a Metamorphmagus.

"But then... that means..." His voice trailed off.

That meant that Tonks, not some McGonagall look-alike, had Remus's Moon Guide before Harry. Had she and Remus been an item before? Was she that woman he was so bitter about?

Come to think of it, this past summer Tonks had been very angry with Remus. Perhaps there was more to the story than he realized.

"That means she's been holding out on you," Remus replied. "She's probably been having a good laugh these past couple months." But somehow, Harry didn't find that in her nature.

"How's her lessons coming?" Moody questioned. "She'd better be talking about constant vigilance. I tell you, there's no better lesson than that."

Harry tried to hide his grin by wiping his mouth with his napkin. "We just started learning about ancient magic." He went back to his dinner, trying to recall what he'd learned earlier. "That reminds me, have any of you heard of a group of freed house-elves in London?" he asked casually.

This time, it was Remus who stopped eating. "Where did you hear that?"

Harry realized that every single pair of eyes at the table was staring at him. Apparently, this was classified information. Now he was going to get Dobby in trouble. "Er, well, Dobby happened to mention to me what he did over his summer vacation."

"I'm going to split that house-elf's ears off!" Mundungus Fletcher cried from the other end of the table. "I knew he couldn't keep his mouth shut."

"Oh, but it's not like that," Harry interrupted. "Dobby and I... we're friends."

"You forget that Harry was the one who freed him, Dung. Indirectly, of course," Mr. Weasley said. "That house-elf knows what's at stake."

"What is at stake?" Harry questioned.

No one answered.

* * *

Once everyone was through eating and the empty dishes were cleared, the Order returned to the table. Harry felt like he was under a great amount of scrutiny. He wasn't quite sure what they expected of him.

"Harry, do you know why we've called this meeting with you?" Remus asked.

Harry nodded. "Because of the vision."

"And there are a few other things that we need to discuss with you." Remus looked slightly uncomfortable. He looked like someone was forcing him into something he didn't want to do. "The first order of business has to do with your actions at the Ministry the night when... when Sirius died."

Confused, Harry turned to look at the other members. They, too, wouldn't meet him in the eye.

"I know I am in absolutely no position to lecture you," he mumbled. "However, we feel - I feel - that we should talk about what happened after he died. Do you remember?"

Now it was Harry who wouldn't meet anyone's eyes. What a stupid question. He had been trying so hard to forget that night, but he'd relived it over and over so many times in his mind that he knew he could never simply not remember.

His insides still churned when he thought of Bellatrix. Her icy laugh, her mocking voice.

"Yes, I remember," he replied coldly.

"Do you remember what you did right after? Right after Sirius had... Had slipped into the veil?"

"Slipped?!" Harry cried. "You know that Bellatrix..."

"When you chased her out into the atrium, do you recall what you did?"

"Yes, of course I do," he snapped. "I wanted her to suffer. I wanted her dead. I pointed my wand at her and..."

And now he realized what this whole lecture was about. He'd used one of the unforgivable curses. Unforgivable. Dumbledore had said that anyone caught using Dark Magic would be suspended immediately and taken away to the authorities

"I'm not going to be expelled and thrown in Azkaban, am I?" he demanded angrily.

Remus seemed to take his anger as a good sign. "No, no, of course not. It's just, well, it's our duty to warn you - to tell you. Harry, this is very important. I need you to understand this. We," he gestured around the table, "need to make sure that you understand."

"Understand what?"

"Under no circumstances can you ever, ever use dark magic." Remus turned to him, his dark eyes looking as fierce as Harry had ever seen them. "No matter who is killed, who is suffering. You cannot use an Unforgivable Curse against anyone in battle."

"It brings you down to their level," Mad-Eye spoke up. "Dark Magic is what we are fighting against. It is not a tool at our disposal. We do not use it for offensive purposes. Ever."

"Do you understand, Harry?"

Ashamed, Harry sunk lower into his seat. His face was burning. He could feel everyone staring at him. He had to show them that he grasped what they were saying. "I understand," he replied. "I get it. No Dark Magic. Ever," he added.

He had to admit that it had been a moment of weakness on his part. However, there was no doubt in his mind that if he had to relive that horrible night over again, he would do the same thing. There was such a rage inside of him - such utter hatred - that he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back.

But if there was one thing Harry had to learn this year, besides all of his studies as a student at Hogwarts, it was to control his emotions.

Besides, he thought bitterly, it didn't work.

"It didn't work then, boy," Mad-Eye said suddenly. "But that doesn't mean it never will."

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. "Now that we've got that out of the way, we'd like to discuss your dreams."

Harry should have been grateful for the change of subject, but the knots in his stomach only continued to grow. "Right... Well, they're not all dreams. I mean, I can tell when it's a dream - just a regular dream." He paused. "And I can tell when I'm looking through Voldemort's eyes." No one flinched at the Dark Lord's name. "Of course, it's not until it's too late. He knows when I'm there. I don't even realize that I'm him - I mean, that I'm looking through his eyes - until my scar starts hurting."

He knew that this was old news to them. He'd written about the distinguishing the difference between a vision and dream in the diary. However, they nodded as though it was the first time they'd heard it.

"And there were those times last year when I had visions even when I wasn't asleep," Harry added. "But I haven't had any of those in a long time."

The Order still sat in silence, as if mulling over what Harry had just said. He was feeling guilty because he hadn't written down the dream about Sirius. He continued speaking in spite of himself; the silence was too much. "And the only vision I've had since... since that night... was of Bellatrix." He hated saying her name. He hated the way it rolled off his tongue, the way it lingered in the air like the stench of something dead that had already been removed.

"You needn't worry about that," Remus said finally. "The information you provided us with was right on target. It has been taken care of."

Harry didn't press the details, for he knew he would get none.

However, he knew that she would get out. She would be free again. Azkaban was no obstacle for Voldemort. Especially if his heart burned for her the way Harry remembered.

He hoped it wasn't a trap.

* * *

It was after midnight when Harry finally made it back to the common room after his meeting with the Order. Ron and Hermione were asleep together on a couch in front of the fireplace. Ron had his arm around Hermione's shoulders, and her head was snuggled against his chest. There was a blanket in their laps, but Harry doubted that Ron had any trouble keeping her warm.

Harry grinned and cleared his throat. "I'm back."

Ron both awoke with a start. Once he saw what position they were in, and he quickly pulled his arm away, smacking Hermione in the back of the head. "Ouch!" she cried groggily. Ron tried to get up on his feet, but his legs were twisted on the blanket and he fell flat on his back on the floor.

Both Harry and Hermione burst out laughing. Ron quickly recovered and stood up. "And where have you been?" he demanded, his cheeks red with embarrassment.

"Didn't Dumbledore tell you?" Harry questioned.

Hermione shook her head. "He only told us that we had to cancel any sort of plans we had for tonight because you were gone. Gone where?"

If Dumbledore hadn't told them, then perhaps Harry wasn't either. But Ron and Hermione were the two people who he trusted the most in the world. He had learned long ago that he couldn't hide things from them. Maybe Dumbledore just thought it would be Harry's place to tell them.

"I was at the Burrow."

"What? Why?" Ron asked. "How did you end up there?"

"It's a long story." Harry ran a hand through his unruly dark hair. "When your dad had that Muggle emergency today, well, I sort of knew who the Muggle was."

Hermione and Ron exchanged confused glances.

"She's Nora's sister," he explained. "And I wasn't sure if Dumbledore knew. So I got out of class and went straight to Dumbledore's office. Of course, Nora was already there. She was going to go to St. Mungo's to see her sister and she needed an escort. Dumbledore said that I would bring to St. Mungo's, meet up with your dad, and then I'd go to the Burrow to meet with the Order."

"Oh, so that's what this is about," Hermione replied. "To talk about your dreams?"

"Visions," Harry corrected her. "And the only one I've had was about Bellatrix. They said that they've taken care of it."

"How?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. "That's all they'd tell me. But I did learn something very interesting. I think that Professor Leurre and Remus were a couple and that she did have the Moon Guide at one time."

"Poor Remus," Ron muttered.

"Not exactly," Harry replied. "Because Professor Leurre isn't who we think she is."

Ron just looked more confused, but Hermione suddenly jumped out of her seat. "Something's been bothering me about her name. If I remember correctly, Leurre means illusion in French."

"It fits. Professor Leurre is an illusion." Both of them were staring at Harry as though he'd lost his mind. He grinned broadly. "Don't you see? She's Tonks!"

Hermione pounded her fist into her opposite hand. "Of course! Professor Leurre is always knocking things over. She's a tad clumsy, just like Tonks!"

"But why has she tried to disguise herself as McGonagall?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure. But you realize what this means?" He didn't want for anyone to answer him. "Tonks and Remus had a... a thing. A relationship."

"Ooh," Hermione cooed. "That's so sweet. And a little unconventional. I wonder what happened between them? I suppose it's not any of our business."

"We should ask," Ron suggested.

Hermione smacked him on the shoulder. "That's incredibly rude. It's their private affair."

"And Tonks doesn't know that we know who she is yet," Harry said.

"We should tell her," Hermione said. "It'd be the right thing to do."

"If you ask me," Ron said, "it would have been the right thing for her to tell us."

* * *

The next day Harry stumbled mindlessly through his classes. He was so worn out that he didn't think he'd dreamt at all for the few hours' sleep he'd had the morning before. He had taken a quick nap after his afternoon class but woke up hours later after dinner had already started.

Groggy and yawning, he made his way to the Great Hall. By the time he got there, most of his friends were already done eating. He settled down at edge of the table and stared at his own reflection in his minestrone soup.

"Hi Harry!"

Harry felt someone sit down on the bench next to him. He turned to find Nora, looking happier than usual, at his side. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You don't look so good."

He smiled sheepishly. "I'm okay."

"Well, I hope that this will cheer you up!" she exclaimed, then handed him a folded piece of parchment. His name was written neatly on the outside. "It's from Eva."

Harry felt a flutter somewhere in the region of his heart. "She wrote me a letter?"

Nora nodded. "I think it's a thank you. And she said that I should thank you again too. So, thanks," she added. "You know, you should write back to Eva. She's lonely all the time. She doesn't have any friends her age."

That seemed to be a trend in her family. "What about you?" Harry asked, hiding a yawn with his hand. "You know Nora, you should branch out a little too. I only see you around with your cat. You should get some friends your own age."

"But I like the friends I have now." Nora frowned. "You don't want to be friends anymore?"

"Of course I still want to be friends," Harry replied. "I just think that you might have more fun with people your own age. You'll have the same interests and..."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Harry Potter the Cradle Robber."

Draco Malfoy slithered over to the Gryffindor table, his face set in his familiar smirk. His pale hair was slicked back, his gray eyes sparkling. "Got a first-year for a girlfriend, Potter?"

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry spat. Besides him, Nora sucked in her breath. Harry supposed that he could be a little intimidating to a first-year.

"Heard you didn't make captain," Malfoy replied. "I hope my mother's complaint to Dumbledore didn't have anything to do with it. Don't want them bending the rules for you again, Potter."

"Now you're having your mother fight your battles for you?" Harry retorted.

He sneered. "At least I've got one."

Harry locked his jaw. He knew that if he opened his mouth the fifth that would have come out of it would have offended the girl next to him. Honestly, he would have wanted nothing more than to jump out of his seat and tackle Malfoy. But he had to control himself. He had to feel nothing. He had to be numb. He couldn't say anything.

Malfoy seemed surprise at his sudden self-control. "See you around, Potter."

Harry took a deep breath and went back his soup. "That bastard," he muttered. "Sorry," he apologized, turning to Nora. She was sitting in her seat, her face pale. As he studied her closer, Harry realized that she was shaking. "Nora, are you all right?" She wouldn't look at him. She was staring down at the table top. "I'm sorry about what I said. It's okay if you don't have friends your own age."

She turned to him, staring deep into his eyes. "Are you my friend, Harry?"

"Of course," he replied. Where was she going with this? And why did she look so frightened all of a sudden?

"And friends do things for each other. They protect each other, right?"

"Right," he answered, confused. He knew that if it weren't for his friends, Harry wouldn't be alive.

"So you'll protect me?"

"What's this all about?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Will you protect me?"

"Yes," he said finally. But he didn't understand why she needed protecting in the first place. But as Harry thought about it, he knew that his relationship with Nora had changed from their excursion to St. Mungo's. He felt very protective towards her - though maybe it was because when he looked into her eyes he saw her sister. He felt like an older brother more than a friend. He imagined that Ron had the same feelings about Ginny.

"I've got to go," Nora announced, standing up. "Read the letter. And write back!" Looking slightly more back to normal, she turned around and left the Great Hall.

Harry sighed and stared at the letter in his hands. He pushed away his soup, having lost his appetite, and opened the parchment up.

Dear Harry,

I can't thank you enough for looking over Nora. Knowing that you're at Hogwarts makes me feel better about her going to school there. You have so much patience. You were warm and kind - a true gentleman. I wish there was some way for me to repay you. If you ever need a favor from a Muggle, don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks again,

Eva Finnigan

P.S. I hope to see you again sometime.

Harry's smile stretched from ear to ear. He was glad that none of his friends were around to see him. He tucked the letter away in his robes, but his mind was still reading it.

She said he was a gentleman. That he was kind. He was warm. She wanted to see him again.

He suddenly felt more awake than he'd felt all day. He had his appetite back and dug into his soup until there wasn't a drop in the bowl. After he finished eating, he pulled the letter back out to make sure it was still there.

Warm. Kind. A gentleman.

Why did these words have such an effect on him?

No girl had ever really complimented him before - at least not in writing. So many were just enamored by his fame. As for Cho Chang, he didn't understand her at all. Now it appeared that she'd only seen him as a conquest. As though she wanted to try him out like a new broom.

But Eva didn't know about his fame. She didn't know that he had a vault full of gold in Gringotts, or that he was the best seeker in a century on the Gryffindor house team. She didn't care that he had Remedial Potions twice a week or that he'd gotten a poor grade in Divination.

She was removed from it all. And that appealed to Harry.

But how was he ever going to see her again if she was a Muggle?