Harry Potter Breaking The Chains

Harry wrote a short reply back to Dumbledore, thanking him for his birthday wishes and for telling him about the vault. He very much wanted to call the headmaster out on his scheme but knew doing so would only raise questions that he was not willing to answer. The frustrating part was that the headmaster had not lied in his letter; he had merely molded the truth in a form that best fit his purposes. Harry could not accuse him of being untruthful, only manipulative, and the evidence for it was flimsy at best. He could not prove that Dumbledore had purposely misled him even if he tried.

He sent the unfamiliar owl back out with the signed forms and his reply to Dumbledore. By the time the owl was flying out the window, it was only ten minutes until three. Harry rushed out of his room, down the stairs, and out the front door in a flash. He was hurriedly walking through the streets to the park at the end of Magnolia Road. He paid no mind to anyone that he passed along the way. He was eager to reach his destination.

When he finally walked into the park, he began his turn around the path passing closely to each empty bench, knowing one would hold his former professor. Sure enough, as he was passing the third bench, a voice called out to him.

"Happy birthday, Harry." Remus Lupin appeared before him and drew Harry in for a brief hug.

"Thanks," came his reply, muffled by the man's shoulder.

Remus released Harry and took a long look at him. "So I heard you've been having some fun today," he commented.

Harry cocked an eyebrow. "Been talking to Tonks, have you?"

"She may have mentioned something about a meeting with you this morning," Remus casually replied.

"Oh?" Harry returned. "And what did she have to say?"

"Only that you scared her half to death," his friend replied, cracking a grin.

"She did seem rather jumpy this morning," Harry replied, completely composed.

"The way she tells it, she had plenty reason to be startled," Remus retorted.

"Hmm," Harry shrugged noncommittally.

"Says you jumped her from a shrub and snatched the invisibility cloak right off of her before she even knew what was happening," Remus was smiling widely now.

"I might remember something like that," Harry said, his composure cracking as he snorted a laugh. "The look on her face was priceless," he finally choked out.

Remus joined in his mirth. "I would imagine so. I don't think she ever expected to be attacked by the person she was protecting. I don't think any of them thought you knew you were even being followed."

"After last summer how could I not know?" Harry asked, repeating Remus's words almost verbatim. "If they were guarding me last summer when Voldemort was lying low, I imagine that if anything they would double their efforts this summer now that he's finally out in the open."

"And you aren't too far off base," Remus replied. "You won't find Mundungus on guard duty any more, or any of the less experienced members either. They've got only combat ready members watching over you at all times. The only auror who has completely escaped guard duty is Mad-Eye because he's got experience on everyone else and is too often needed elsewhere."

'And thank Merlin for that,' Harry thought to myself. 'If he were guarding me, he'd notice that I'm not always in the neighborhood, so to speak. I'm lucky he hasn't been guarding or my cover would have been blown a long time ago.' "I see," was all he returned out loud.

"So do you see Tonks often then?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"Every so often," Remus said timorously. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason at all," Harry replied coolly.

"I know that look, Harry James Potter," the werewolf shot back. "Just what do you think you're getting at?"

Harry's grin only grew at his former professor's discomfort. "Whatever do you mean, Remus?" he asked innocently.

....

Join my exclusive P@treon community for 60+ thrilling chapters!

Link: pa*treon.com/MidnightWonder (Remove the *)

If you join now you will get 2 Chapters for free as well.

Don't miss out, join now!