Thicker Than Water: Year Six

Chapter 5 - Excursions

After the late night, Harry had a well-deserved lie-in the next morning. When he awoke, he spent a few minutes looking at his hands, and then staring at his face in the mirror from all sides. His scar was so well concealed, Harry couldn't help but smiling and wondering what sort of fun he could have with his friends when he returned to school as Leo.

As usual, Remus was already up and sitting in the kitchen. He was reviewing the minutes from the last meeting of the Order, making notes in the margins. He looked up blankly at Harry for a moment, before the flicker of recognition of the black boy appeared in his eyes, his mouth broadening into an amused smile.

Harry had just sat down with a cup of juice and some toast, when Tonks blundered in. Because the hour was so late when they finished his transformation, she had slept at the Manor and was now wearing a long black robe.

"Wotcher, Harry! Remus," she said exuberantly, nodding at them both. "I think today we should test your wonderful new persona, Leo. Let's go shopping!"

Harry stared at her, while Remus asked, "Aren't you asking for trouble missing two days of work in a row?"

Tonks smiled, "I told Kingsley I had urgent Order business to attend to, and he's going to cover for me. We all have our priorities, right? And our suave Leo here can't be seen wearing cast-offs and hand-me-downs, can he? So, shopping it is!" She reached over and plucked a piece of toast off of Harry's plate and began to munch at it hungrily.

"Where am I going to get money for clothes?" asked Harry, downcast.

"Not to worry, Harry. The Order has discretionary funds for transformation supplies and the like. For your living expenses, books and clothes, there's money...." She trailed off suddenly and looked at Remus.

Remus put down his papers, and cleared his throat before continuing the sentence. "Sirius left you his money, Harry, and this house too. The house at Grimmauld Place he left to the Order to use. Anyway, we can't get at your money in Gringotts, but it'll sit tight until a next of kin shows up, or the universe collapses. For now, Sirius' money is accessible, and you'll want for nothing." He looked at Harry, then looked away awkwardly.

Tonks pulled a bill-fold from her robe pocket, and handed it to Harry. It contained a couple hundred pounds of muggle money, and he tucked it into his jeans pocket with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

To break the silence in the room, Tonks announced she was going to change into something more appropriate for accompanying Harry into a nearby town. She told him and Remus to turn around and not to look. The ensuing shuffling of robes and comments ("no peeking!" and "I'm almost ready") caused Harry and Remus to throw amused sideway glances at one another as they stood with their backs to Tonks.

She finally let them turn around, and Harry's jaw dropped open while Remus raised an appraising eyebrow. Tonks - a Metamorphmagus- had grown her hair long and wavy blond and - with her skimpy summer garb and heart-shaped face - looked like a teen-aged pixie.

"I'm not sure Harry's going to let you escort him in public like that!" said Remus, eyeing her legs and the skin-tight t-shirt which revealed her midriff and a well-stacked bosom. He muttered, "I've never even seen stiletto sandals! Honestly, you're going to kill yourself..."

"Maybe you want to chaperone us, Lupin?" Tonks asked with a flirtatious smile.

"Shopping?! No, thanks, I was actually planning to... ummm... throw myself in front of stampeding hippogriffs this morning!" He replied, shaking his head at the thought.

Harry and Tonks went into town together. Harry managed to curtail his embarrassment, though it was rather difficult with the young auror hanging off his arm all morning, looking like a run-away from a halfway house for teenage girls. Things got better when she finally gave up on the high heels, and decided to carry her shoes instead.

Tonks immediately steered Harry into a few clothing stores, and saw to it that he bought a good selection of muggle clothes to wear over the summer and under his robes at school. She picked out expensive trainers and black shoes for him. Harry thought he would collapse under the mass of bags, but Tonks took no notice of the quantity of parcels he was carrying, and always found one or two more items which he absolutely needed to have.

To Harry's relief, they eventually broke for lunch at a small kiosk beside a park. Tonks complained that the fish and chips were clogging her arteries, as she ravenously attacked her food anyway. Harry was fondly reminded of Ron's legendary appetite, and grinned at her.

After lunch, Harry shyly asked Tonks, "Do you think maybe we could get an outfit or two for Remus while we're out?" Remus had lent him some clothes, but he had so few to lend and the things he wore were in pretty rough shape. Harry continued, "His clothes fit me pretty well, they were only a bit big. I thought I could try things on, to get the size about right...."

Tonks had stopped licking her ice cream and was staring at Harry. She finally nodded her approval of the idea, and they retraced their footsteps to a couple of the clothing stores. Harry would have bought the same number of outfits for Remus as he had gotten for himself, but Tonks stopped him, saying, "He's a proud man, Harry, don't overdo it." They finally settled on three pairs of pants, three shirts and a sweater.

When they arrived back at the Manor, Harry called for Dobby in the front hall, and asked the elf to put the packages for Remus in the older man's room. Dobby began lauding the boy's great generosity loudly, until Harry grabbed Tonks' arm and managed to make an escape into the sitting room.

Remus was sitting there talking with Bill, who was just glancing at his watch when Harry and Tonks entered the room. Bill acknowledged Tonks' outfit with a chuckle, and then eyed the black boy beside her suspiciously. "Will Harry be down soon, Tonks?" he asked.

The other three took to smiling and tittering, when Bill's eyes flew open with sudden understanding. In an instant, he pulled out his wand, pointed it at Harry and shouted "Legilimens!" Harry felt the stream of images run through his mind, including some of the day's shopping trip with Tonks. He quickly steeled himself against the attack and, with all his energy, tried to push Bill out of his mind. The two locked into a mental struggle, until Bill suddenly lifted his wand and let out a loud whoop.

"Fantastic! Unbelievable!" he cried excitedly, his eyes never leaving Harry's face. "Did you do that, Tonks? I never would have known him...!"

It took ten minutes of telling Bill all about the transformation and Harry's new name, before they finally left the others and retreated into the library. When they were seated, Bill turned to the boy and said, "By the way, you put up a great resistance in there, Harry - or should I say, Leo?"

Harry maintained similar resistance during that day's occlumency lesson, and got stronger with practice as the week progressed. By Friday, Bill said that he could stop taking the potion to protect his mind. Withdrawal meant a couple days of headaches and some nervous tremors, but Harry felt it was worth it and was glad that he would be able to protect his mind himself.

Remus had been reluctant to keep the new clothing. Harry pointed out that they were just as much from Sirius (having used his money for the purchases) as from Harry, and Remus finally accepted the gift with good grace.

Harry's Nimbus 2001 had arrived, and he spent some time every day flying around the Manor grounds. In addition, Remus began to talk to Harry about Newt-level defensive spells, and showed Harry how to cast a few.

When Harry asked if his underage magic would be detected by the Ministry, Remus reassured him. "Your files have been closed because you're being presumed dead. Kingsley took care of that himself, at Dumbledore's request."

One afternoon, Remus broached the subject of getting Harry away from the Manor and out with his friends for a few days. "In order to conceal your identity, we couldn't take you to the Burrow, and your friends might somehow be tracked if we bring them here. Still, we could probably find a safe public place for a meeting, or perhaps an afternoon at Grimmauld Place."

At the thought of the Black family home in London, Harry immediately shook his head; there were just too many memories of Sirius wrapped up with the place, which Harry was unwilling to face yet. "No, I couldn't go there," he murmured sadly.

He remembered the Weasley family seeing him off when he rejoined the Dursleys at the start of the summer. Images of Ron and Hermione concernedly skirting his feelings and trying to be supportive, or of Ginny, Fred or George attempting to draw him out with their continual pranks, flashed through Harry's head. Or Molly Weasley coddling him, trying to tame his hair or offering him copious amounts of food as consolation for his woes. Slowly, Harry shook his head and said to Remus, "I don't think I want to see them just yet."

Remus sat gazing at Harry with a perplexed look, as he went on to explain, "I mean, I understand their concern and all, but I simply don't want to be a specimen on a viewing post right now: Harry the Heart-Sick, at the Weasley Get-Well Spa..."

Remus smiled sympathetically, and Harry continued in a sudden outburst of emotion, "Don't you sometimes wish, Remus, that you had a family of your own to be with?"

The older man got a far-away look in his eye, then leaned forward and said confidentially, "Actually, Harry, there is something I've been meaning to tell you, and I just didn't know how to bring it up.

"A long time ago, during one of my transformations, I... um, well... I came across a most striking specimen." Remus bit his lip before continuing, "I got to see her every month when the moon was full and the chemistry was definitely right. We finally set up a den together and... well, nature being what it is... we... we had a litter..."

Harry began to be disgusted as Remus continued, his face wearing a contorted expression. "Well, that was a while ago, and I still go visit them sometimes.... I thought perhaps, we could... I mean, if you want to, perhaps we could go and see them? What do you think, Harry, would you like to meet my cubs and their families? The grand-pups, I mean?"

He looked up nervously, eagerly at Harry awaiting a response, and Harry felt as if he was going to be sick from his friend's admission. He looked at Remus in shock and abject horror, not at all knowing what to say.

Remus was looking back at him, and all of a sudden, Harry noticed that his lower lip was quivering, and that through his facial contortions, Remus was stifling a very strong emotion.

"You're having me on!" shouted Harry, as Remus collapsed onto the arm of the easy chair, howling with laughter. "You... you prat!! You made that all up, didn't you!!?"

Remus was still doubled over laughing and, after the initial shock, Harry cracked up too until they were both wiping tears from their eyes. After a few minutes, Remus finally began to catch his breath and - still chuckling - gave Harry a delighted grin.

"Now I see why you were one of the Marauders!" snorted Harry, chagrined at being the butt of such a joke.

"I wouldn't have lasted five minutes with your dad and Sirius if I didn't have a sense of humour!" Remus laughed some more at the boy, "You should have seen the look on your face, Harry! Honestly, I thought you were going to get up and bolt out of the house, run off screaming into the woods and never come near me again!"

They began to talk about some of the better pranks the Marauders had gotten off when they were still in school. Remus mentioned how put off some of Sirius' many short-duration girlfriends were, never knowing when they were being romantically courted or set-up for a foolish joke. He never mentioned any girlfriends of his own, though.

Harry suddenly remembered the appreciative look in Remus' eyes when Tonks had dressed up for their shopping trip the other day. Teasingly, he asked the older man, "So what's with you and Tonks? You certainly seemed impressed with her outfit when she took me out!"

"Yup, she's one crazy dresser, that girl!" laughed Remus.

Still trying to maintain a joking tone, Harry asked again, "Why don't you ask her out? You two would be brilliant together!"

Remus turned and leveled him an amused look. "Oh no!" he admonished. "Not on your life! There's more to Tonks than meets the eye, and I'm not in for that kind of adventure at this point in my life! Thanks anyway, Harry, but she's not my type."

"So, Remus, what is your type?"

"Actually, your mother was more my type," said Remus thoughtfully.

"My... my mother?" Harry spluttered. "You didn't... I mean, you two weren't...?"

"No, no," Remus chuckled, "We used to study in the library together, but that's about all. Your dad had been in a twist over Lily since our fourth year - she really had him climbing trees... I wasn't about to get between those two!"

"...climbing trees?" echoed Harry.

"Yes, and falling out of chairs!" Remus smiled fondly at the memories. "Boy, she sure made him work for her affection! Didn't give an inch on anything, Lily, not when it came to James. She had him jumping through hoops for her! I'm sure if he hadn't gone as stupid as a flobberworm every time she came by, she would have returned his affection a good year sooner than she did!"

Harry smiled, too, at the intimate glimpse of his parents when they were his age. He watched Remus, and thought of Ron and Hermione with all their ridiculous quarrels. Then he thought of how it would feel to lose them both, and said to Remus quietly, "You really miss them, don't you?"

The grin disappeared and a tightness crossed Remus' face. A heavy shadow fell upon him, and he sat still and silent as a statue. His eyes were glazed with pain as he stared blankly into the past.

Harry felt a sudden lump rise in his throat. For the first time, he fully appreciated just how keenly Remus felt his losses - of Harry's parents, and of Sirius. There were no words or gestures that Harry could think of to relieve the feelings they both shared. The two of them sat silently in the drawing room in the fading afternoon light, until Dobby came to get them for dinner.

*

The moon was growing round, and Remus announced he would have to leave for a couple of days. Harry came down the next morning to find Tonks near the front door, with a couple of towels in her hands.

"How about starting the day with a swim?" she asked Harry in a perky voice.

"Oh, um, I'm afraid I don't have a swim-suit," he answered. Tonks smiled at him brightly and said, "Neither do I, only that's never stopped me!"

Harry flushed and declined anyway, muttering something about finding Dobby for a bit of breakfast. Tonks flounced out the front door, calling that she'd be back in an hour.

After returning from her swim, Tonks found Harry in the drawing room. She threw herself onto a love-seat and started to read what she called a "trashy" novel. Harry decided to take Dumbledore's advice and give himself a head start on sixth year potions. Picking out a Remus had recommended, Harry folded himself into the corner of the sofa and began to read. It took a while for his brain to switch into school-mode, but

he soon found himself absorbed in an interesting chapter on healing potions.

Dobby showed up at the stroke of noon to announce lunch. Harry got up and was heading to the kitchen when Tonks, standing on her toes with her hands high above in an exaggerated stretch, proclaimed loudly that the Manor was making her drowsy and that she wanted to take lunch outside.

"Dobby is setting up the patio table right away, Miss!" squeaked the house elf, as though excited by the change of plan. But Tonks called out, "No, Dobby, just a picnic basket will be fine!"

Ten minutes later, laden down with a picnic blanket and enough food to feed a dozen hungry teens, Harry and Tonks set off through the woods to an escarpment overlooking the water. Tonks kept tripping over tree roots, until Harry insisted on carrying the basket of food. He also had his broom tucked under one arm.

After a satisfying lunch, Harry couldn't resist furthering his scheme to get Tonks and Remus together. "Remus has been doing some interesting research on corrupting hexes through wand interference. He's got some good ideas about that, you know."

"Mmm," replied Tonks lazily, resting in the shade with her back against a large beech tree. "He is fairly smart, that one."

"I'm sure he'd love some help. Maybe you'd be interested? I know he enjoys your company," continued Harry.

"Oh, I see," Tonks said, shooting Harry an understanding look. "Nice try, Harry. I certainly enjoy Remus' company too, but I think we'd best leave it at that!"

Harry's face reddened, and he tried to redeem himself by mumbling, "I just thought you'd be good together... I mean, with all the banter... I guess he's just not your type..."

"You want to know what my type is?" Tonks asked quizzically, scratching her nose. "Charlie Weasley, now he's pretty funny! I'd love to find someone with Charlie's sense of humour and your friend Hermione Granger's face."

Harry, who had been sipping pumpkin juice, spluttered and began to choke. Tonks let out a gleeful laugh and declared, "Oh, there's nothing like shocking innocent youth!"

She continued to chortle, and Harry felt his face glowing crimson. He wasn't sure if Tonks was joking with him or not, and then decided he'd rather not know. Muttering something about going for a fly, Harry picked up his broom and launched himself into the air. Tonks settled comfortably back for a doze against the tree, a smile still on her lips.