Unofficial Portkey Archive

In the blink of an eye Harry Potter was suddenly surrounded by green and yellow sparks. He looked confusedly at the source only to find a modified Filibuster roman candle. Realization hit him and the next moment, he was crouched on the ground pointing his wand behind him. A quiet "stupefy" left his lips and Remus Lupin slumped to the ground.

"Nice move, Harry," Sirius said with his telltale smirk plastered across his face, "but you seem to have been thinking in two-dimensions yet again."

The tip of Sirius' wand prodded the young man in the top of his head as Harry dropped his wand to the ground. "There was nothing in the rules about levitation or flying," Harry mumbled as he looked up at the ebon shaft of his godfather's wand.

"That's the point, expect the unexpect-" Sirius finished his sentence in a yelp of surprise as Harry latched onto his hand and launched him across the clearing. Before the newly reinstated Auror could regain his composure, Harry was gone.

"Lost track of him, did you?" Moody said with a bark of laughter. "Luckily for him, I'm not in on this training session."

Sirius glared at the retired Auror and growled. "If you can't help then leave because you're distracting me..."

"He was helping you, Sirius," Harry whispered in his ear. "You should have looked at his eye, it was following me..." Sirius clutched his wand tighter, preparing to spring on his young charge. "Oh, and stupefy."

Sirius black was engulfed in red light before he fell to the ground unconscious. Mad-eye Moody laughed again as he enervated the fallen wizards and watched as Harry removed his disillusionment charm.

"Some interesting moves you've got going there, Harry," Moody said with a laugh.

"You can thank Hermione for the self-defense lessons," Harry said with a laugh as he helped Sirius to his feet. "I know you're trying to teach me, Sirius, but you should stop talking so much..."

"You seem to have more energy left this morning, we go at it again, different parameters this time," Sirius said with an evil glint to his eyes.

They continued their new morning tradition until lunch and the four men stumbled across the school grounds exhausted. Harry reached the front doors first and shortly thereafter, they slumped into their seats at the Gryffindor table. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were already present and without a word, Hermione slid a plate and goblet in front of Harry.

"How was training today?" she asked with a knowing smirk.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and smirked in return. "Yours starts soon," he said cheekily. "When Ron passes his test tomorrow, you'll be out there with me."

"Ah, but I'm lucky," she said with a swift smile, "because there's only two more days before classes start again."

"And what particular reason should that matter?" Moody asked with his magical eye pointed at her while he looked into his bowl of stew. "Don't think that training will be put off because of classes."

"What?" Ron asked quickly as his head shot up from his current task of shoving a large slice of bread in his mouth. "You mean we're going to have to do this and go to class?"

"Don't be a fool, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said with a snort as she approached the table. "I believe there will be quite a few of you doing precisely that during the last term, some of them working their N.E.W.T.s and O.W.L.s in along with it."

"Don't worry, being in sixth year, we won't have as much homework as we did last year or will have next year," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "It would probably be a good idea to work in as much as you can so that we're ready for next year anyway."

"I certainly won't go lax on your assignments, Miss Granger," the professor said with a slight smile, "and goodness knows these two could use half as much of your enthusiasm for class work."

"I've already finished my assignments for the next two months, Professor," Harry said after downing half a glass of pumpkin juice. "Hermione and I have been going over some of the advanced work before going to bed."

"Did you have to bring that bloody business up again?" Ron asked indignantly. "Honestly, I think her mental state rubbed off on you, mate." Ron winced when Hermione elbowed him and the group of friends laughed slightly.

"When do we go out again?" Harry asked quietly after everyone had settled down. "I still need to work on that new stunning charm you started to show me yesterday, Moody."

"We won't be doing any more today," Remus said with a sly grin. "Sirius and Alastor have appointments with their chief and I have some business I need to attend to so you've got the rest of the day to yourself."

"That's a bonus!" Ron said with a smile. "I'll get my chess-"

"You'll go back to the library with me, Ronald," Hermione said evenly, crushing Ron's enthusiasm. "You've still got quite a bit to cover if you plan on doing well on that test tomorrow."

"Come off it, Hermione," he grumbled back, "all this studying is driving me mad! I need a break!"

"After the last exam I gave you, Mr. Weasley, it's a wonder how you got into Advanced Transfiguration to begin with," Professor McGonagall said with a sigh. "You do realize that the exam is going to cover Transfiguration along with Charms, Potions, and History of Magic, don't you?"

Ron's face went white and his anger dissolved into resentment. "I know," he mumbled and looked to his plate. "I'll see you in the library, Hermione," he said as he grabbed a few pieces of fruit and bread on his way out.

"You'd do well to study as well, Harry," Hermione said with a kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you tonight then?"

Harry nodded. "Room of Requirement for weights and studying," he said with a smile. "I think I'll take this extra time and get some fresh air."

"No flying over the forbidden forest," McGonagall said sternly. "The last thing we need is for a Thestral to mistake you for a snack."

Harry nodded his understanding and stood with Hermione. "How about I walk you to the library?" He asked with a grin and offered her his arm.

"I think I'd like that," she said with a smile of her own.

Arm-in-arm, the two left the Great Hall and walked in companionable silence. Harry looked to the girl on his arm and noticed the distant look in her eyes. "A sickle for your thoughts?"

"Hmm?" Hermione blinked and looked to him with a slight smile. "Oh, I was just thinking about Mum, Dad, and Diana," she admitted with a sigh. "I hope they're alright."

"I'm sure they're fine," Harry said with a smile. "Kingsley is with them now and Tonks should be here tonight to let us know how things went."

"I just miss them," she said sadly as they approached the doors to the library. "You go on and get your air; I need to pound more information into Ron's head."

"I heard that!" Ron said loudly from the library.

"Madam Pince must be out," Harry said with a soft chuckle as he hugged his girlfriend. "See you tonight." With a kiss from Hermione, he turned and started on his way to the school grounds once again. As he meandered through the corridors, he began thinking about the training sessions he'd been having since the morning after Sirius' return. They had started off with simple dueling techniques and basic spells in an attempt to gauge his, Hermione's and Ron's abilities. It came as a shock to their new mentors when they found out that Harry had already covered much of this material in their clandestine club.

Training intensified after the D.A. had been uncovered and the hours lengthened until they'd finally stayed out till lunch. Harry was making tremendous progress, especially with the physical training that he and the others did on a daily basis.

Harry almost passed the stairwell to the Astronomy Tower and changed his mind about going out the front door. His animagus form was still not common knowledge and he felt it would be best to keep it quiet for as long as possible. He smirked just as he reached the top of the stairs when he realized that even Hedwig hadn't seen him transform before. As he shifted into the ghostly white owl that had chosen him, he laughed silently, picturing Hedwig's reaction to what he could do.

Harry was now looking at the world through his large, yellow eyes as he surveyed the top of the tower. With a stretch of his semi-translucent wings, a quick downward thrust, and a kick from the ground, he was in the air feeling the rush of the wind as it passed over his feathers.

Every sense was on fire from the sheer amount of information he received when in his animal form. He could see small animals scurrying through the grass below. The air seemed to tell him where the best thermals were by the way it pulled at each minute hair on his feathers. Every muscle worked in harmony as his wings beat and he twisted his body this way and that for balance.

Harry felt even more free and alive than when he was on his Firebolt and he loved every second of his time in the air. He was gliding merrily along, circling the grounds and flitting over the lake just enjoying his unexpected free time when he saw Tonks walking from the gates. His mind wasn't as clear as it was when in his human form, but Tonks was one of the few people who knew of his abilities.

He brought himself into an extraordinarily steep dive, one of many that he'd perfected when he snuck out at night and landed lazily on his friend's outstretched arm.

"Wotcher, Harry?" She asked cheerfully as he nipped at her finger. Tonks laughed and carried him into the school where he could transform in a less visible space. "No training this afternoon?"

"An unexpected afternoon off," Harry replied with a quick hug. "How is everything with Hermione's family?"

"As well as can be expected," Tonks said with a sigh. "One minute they're upset about going into the program and forgetting their first daughter, the next they're tourists on their way back home," she shrugged and shook her head. "I don't agree with the program, it just causes problems."

"Hermione will be happy to know they're ok, but if I know her, she's going to be upset until we can bring them back," Harry said with shrug of his own.

"Something else on your mind?" She asked when he continued to look at her.

"Well, I was wondering, when did you find out you were a Metamorphmagus? I mean, did you just know or did you read about it and try?"

"Nobody's really asked me that before," Tonks said with a laugh as she mulled the question over in her mind. "Well, when I was younger, before I got my Hogwarts letter, my Mum punished me for using her makeup without her permission," she explained as they walked into the Great Hall and took a seat at the Gryffindor table. "The problem was, I always watched her when she put her face on and I wanted to feel grown up. I wished really hard that I could look as beautiful as she did and the next thing I knew, I was being punished. It wasn't until after I entered Hogwarts that I'd found out I had the abilities. Why do you ask?"

Harry looked around to make sure nobody was listening then looked directly into her eyes. "Can a witch or wizard be both an Animagus and a Metamorphmagus?"

"I don't see why not, they're related, in a way, but are two different branches of self-transfiguration," Tonks replied matter-of-factly. "Do you think you might have the abilities?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted, "but when I was younger, my aunt cut my hair out of frustration and I was afraid everyone would make fun of me at school." He looked around again then leaned towards his friend. "I wished and wished all night that I had my hair back to normal and when I woke up the next day, it was. I've never needed a haircut either and my hair has always been like this..." He pointed to his messy raven locks and shrugged again.

"Have you mentioned this to any of your professors?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Actually, it hadn't occurred to me until recently," Harry admitted. "I thought it might be something that you could help me with, if you're willing, so I could keep it a secret. That is, if I am actually one."

"I think the possibility is high if what you told me really happened, and I believe it did," Tonks said in a whisper. "When do you want to start?"

"Any time you're willing," Harry said with a smile. "Is there a test or anything I have to take?"

"Not really, I can help you start, but it's going to take a lot of concentration and practice. There are still facial features and body types that I can't even produce," she said seriously. "There are also limitations to the height, weight, and other physical attributes that you can produce."

"Like what?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Well, you can't give yourself extra arms or legs. Nor can you grow tails, wings or horns," she explained with a smile. "Most of those features are covered by Animagi transformations. Weight and height can be tricky if you're not careful, you have to pay attention to the mass as well as the shape or you'll end up being a three hundred kilo three year old that's thinner than a pencil..."

Harry laughed at the mental image the description brought to him. "Has that happened?"

"I accidentally changed into a two hundred kilo five-year-old once..." Tonks said with an embarrassed grin. "My partner wasn't too happy when he picked me up and he nearly threw out his back."

Harry grinned and shook his head. "When can we see if I have the gift?"

"Anytime, really," she said with a shrug. "Well, anytime after I finish my debriefing and talk to Hermione." Tonks looked at her watch and smiled apologetically. "That means I have to leave now or I'll be late. How does sometime after tea sound?"

"That'll be good," Harry said with a smile as they both stood to leave. "I do a lot of thinking and reading at the top of the Astronomy Tower if you want to talk then. Hermione will be with me and she's the only one, other than you, that I want to know about this."

"Your secret's safe with me, Harry," Tonks said with a clap to his shoulder. "I'll see you then. Does eight sound ok with you?"

"That's fine and I think I'll go finish flying around a bit," Harry announced with a smile.

He headed to the Astronomy Tower once again after Tonks waved and disappeared up the stairs to the headmaster's office. Harry had gotten halfway to his destination when he was stopped by his head of house just outside her office.

"There you are, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said with a sigh. "I looked for you outside but you obviously weren't there."

"I was talking with Tonks, Professor, is everything ok?" Harry asked with concern.

"Everything's fine," she replied. "We normally send letters out concerning this and since you were here, I felt it best to talk to you in person. It also doesn't help that your current guardians could care less about your education."

She invited him into her office and he took the offered seat in front of her desk. Harry waited patiently as she shuffled through a few folders she'd laid out previously then nodded as she retrieved a rather thick one.

"Is this another career counseling?" Harry asked inquisitively.

"Yes it is, Mr. Potter," McGonagall affirmed as she looked through his paperwork. "It seems you did very well on your O.W.L.s, except for Astronomy, but we'll overlook that due to the situation," she explained with a slight grin. "I think Umbridge wasn't too pleased when the Ministry gave you an O for both your practical and theory portions of your exam." She chuckled for a moment as she pulled out a chart. "This is your current timetable," she explained as she turned it around for him to see. "I've marked the classes that you need for Auror training here, here, and here."

Harry nodded as she pointed to the classes. "After what we went through last year, I'm assuming that homework will increase over the next year and a half..."

"Good observation," McGonagall said with a nod. "N.E.W.T.s exams are difficult and the amount of work you'll need to put into the classes that lead to your desired profession will increase if you wish to succeed."

"I know your opinion of Divination, Professor," Harry said slowly, "but I'm sure that I don't have the sight that Professor Trelawney has."

Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes and nodded sagely. "Divination is a branch of magic that is dubious to say the least. There are no definitive ways to conjure a true seeing and most of it is a slow, boring waste of time," she said evenly. "Though, even I have to admit that it is a viable field when one does possess the aptitude."

"Is it too late to change to something else like, say, Arithmancy or Ancient Runes?" Harry asked cautiously.

"If you knew the material, we could place you in the advanced classes, but you'll need to take the O.W.L.s for that subject and pass them with an Outstanding in both the theoretical and practical portions of the class," the professor explained. "The red tape we'd have to jump through to get them to you this early would be enormous. Though, if we waited until next term, you could take the O.W.L.s at the end of the year and we could find out then if you passed. Why do you ask?"

"Aside from the two prophecies that Professor Trelawney has actually made, and what I've seen in the Department of Mysteries, you really need a special gift to use what I've been taught," he explained thoughtfully, weighing each word as he spoke. "To tell you the truth, I've spent more time in the class asleep than listening to her lectures and at this point, I'd rather have something to occupy my mind."

"Is Miss Granger rubbing off on you?" McGonagall asked with a soft chuckle.

"She might be," Harry replied with a smile and a shrug. "How many exams at this year's O.W.L.s can I sit for?"

"You can sit for any that you like, actually," she replied with mild surprise. "As long as you complete the exams for the classes you choose to continue in over the next term."

"If I were to sit for the Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies, would they interfere with my other exams?" He asked as he looked over his timetable again.

"That would be almost every class!" She said with wide eyes. "Your exams wouldn't conflict, but why?"

"Hermione once told Ron and I that she took all those classes because something might be of use," Harry explained absently, setting the parchment back on the professor's desk. "If I'm going to be facing Voldemort, it might be a good idea to have as much knowledge on my side as possible. Hermione is wonderfully gifted and I can only dream of reaching her level of knowledge, but the more I know, the better off I'll be in the long run."

"You're thinking ahead already?" She asked quietly.

"It's been on my mind since I'd heard the prophecy last year," Harry admitted. "I seem to be doing better in classes and I really want to know more. I feel so unprepared, even with all the training."

"I'll talk to the headmaster concerning this," she said after a few minutes of thought. "There are other ways to prepare yourself... I don't know if you'll be able to study two years worth of material in one term on top of your normal class load."

"I can try, can't I?" He asked hopefully. "It'll be a lot of work, but I think I'll be able to manage with Hermione's help, I just hope she doesn't feel like I'm invading her territory or anything. You should see her when I finish my homework before she does."

"You're not telling me that essay you turned in last month was written before Miss Granger's?" Professor McGonagall said with wide eyes as Harry nodded.

"I think my merging with a Spirit Owl has helped me a bit," he said with a sheepish grin. "Studying has become easier and I really understand what I'm reading now."

"That paper was the same length, if not longer, than hers," McGonagall said as she looked Harry over. "Are you serious about the extra classes?"

Harry nodded, not letting his eyes leave hers. "I need the extra knowledge and Hermione and I have been spending time in the Room of Requirement studying as much as we can during our weight training. I need every ounce of help I can get if I want to live through my next fight with Voldemort and I have a feeling that the next time will be the last time."

"Instead of dropping classes, you want to add classes," the professor said with a shake of her head. "You sound just like Miss Granger."

"That's a good thing, I should have listened to her ages ago," Harry said with a smile. "Is there a way to fit all the advanced classes into one timetable?"

"Without the use of a Time-Turner, I'm afraid not," Professor McGonagall said after a moment. "However, I will speak with the other professors and Headmaster Dumbledore about taking extra time in the evenings to instruct you."

"Great!" Harry said with a smile. "At least this way, I might have enough knowledge to do something besides Auror work after I graduate. On the side or instead of becoming one, that is," he added as he stood from his chair.

"I do have one question," Harry said before he turned for the door. "I noticed that owls are able to track people down when a message is sent to them, do you think that same instinct applies to my Spirit Owl form?"

She looked at him for a moment with pursed lips then stood from her desk. "I suppose it's possible," McGonagall said slowly, mulling over the idea in her mind. "I'll prepare a test tomorrow and we'll see if it works. Did you have something in mind?"

"Well, if we have to take the war to Voldemort, why not have someone on the inside send a message with me and I can take him by surprise, not to mention following where I'm going..." Harry answered as if he'd rehearsed the words hours beforehand.

"That could be very dangerous and I think the headmaster will need to know about that proposition," she retorted. "Now you've given me more work than I was anticipating, could you please send Mr. Weasley in? I've already spoken with Miss Granger."

Harry nodded and quickly made his way to the library where he found his girlfriend and best friend arguing again. He shook his head and smiled as he walked up to them.

"Ron, you've got it all wrong, the Wizard Downfall of eight seventy-four happened because of the House-Elf rebellions, not the Centaur Skirmishes of twelve fifteen!" Hermione said exasperatedly. "Why do you continue making things up?"

"If I bloody cared about this stuff I would pay attention in the first place!" Ron snapped in reply. "Who cares about that? It happened before I was born, before my parents were born or my grandparents for that matter!"

"Those who don't study the past are doomed to repeat it," Harry said with a smirk. "Just think what would have happened if S.P.E.W. had caused the House-Elves to rebel again?"

Hermione's face went redder than it had been before and her glare swiftly moved from Ron to Harry. "S.P.E.W. wasn't created to cause a rebellion, Harry," she said in a very business-like manner.

"I know it wasn't," Harry said with a reassuring smile. "You knew about the House-Elf rebellions when you worked on the initial charter..."

"How was your flight?" Hermione asked after a moment of thought, still looking at Harry with a mock look of irritation.

"It was fine," Harry replied with a shrug as he sat at the table and rubbed Hermione's back. "Tonks is here and she wants to talk to you after her briefings are done. Oh, Professor McGonagall wants to talk to you about your classes and career counseling, Ron."

"Again? She already knows I want to go into professional Quidditch..." Ron sighed as he packed his books and rose to leave. "I guess I'll see you tonight in the Room of Requirement," he said dejectedly before trudging off to talk with his professor.

"I assume you're dropping Divination?" Hermione asked as she went to work on her books as well.

"Actually," Harry started nervously, "I asked if I could add a few classes for next year."

"What?" She asked with a stunned look on her face. "With all the additional training you're going through?"

"I'm not saying it won't be easy, but you were right, I need all the knowledge I can if I'm going to win this thing," Harry explained with a wave of his hand. "I'm going to need help because I have to pass the O.W.L.s for the classes I haven't taken..."

"You want to cram two years of class work into one term, in your spare time?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"I thought if I could read your notes for the classes you've taken, I might be able to pass the O.W.L.s," Harry answered quickly. "I'll have to read the textbooks for those two years and get some practical experience as well..."

"You really think you can handle the load?" She asked skeptically.

"I can try, the worst that happens is I burn out and don't pass the O.W.L.s, right?"

Hermione sat in silence for a few moments, examining Harry's face and finally gazing intently into his eyes. "Well, the advanced classes you're taking now aren't suffering at all," she admitted quietly. "Actually, you've excelled since you've merged with your Animagi spirit..."

"Will you help me then?" He asked hopefully, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently.

"Of course I'll help you, Harry," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I just don't want you to overload yourself..."

"Then we'll take breaks," he returned with a smile. "There's just one more thing that I need to tell you." Harry looked around the room in case there was someone about and nodded to himself when he found the place empty. "Tonks is going to see if I have Metamorphmagus powers tonight. I'd like it if you were with me." He went on to explain what they'd talked about and Hermione nodded she understood.

"After tea then?" She asked.

"After tea, we're going to meet in the Astronomy Tower before we have to go to the Room of Requirement," Harry said with a calculating grin.