Harry Potter and the Year of Surprises by erinpotter

Catching Up

‘Remus? Tonks? Anyone? Hello?’ Harry called, his head stuck in the fireplace in his common room. He heard someone come down the stairs. For a second he hoped it would be Sirius, but of course it couldn’t be. Then he thought it might be Kreacher, but Remus had killed him after the department of mysteries. 

‘Hi there laddie.’

‘Hi Mad-Eye. Remus about?’ Harry smiled.

‘Yeah, he’s just helping Tonks up the stairs. She’s so big she can barely walk on her own, let alone get up a flight of stairs like that! Honestly, it’s certainly made me lose a few pounds going up and down them every day.’

Harry laughed. Mad-Eye was a changed person ever since he joined the Order. Dumbledore frequently said that he was getting his young spirit back. He still had a strong hatred for all the deatheaters and for Voldemort but he had calmed down a little and wasn’t as paranoid anymore.

‘Well hello, young Harry.’ said a familiar voice.

‘Hey Moony. How are you?’ Harry said as Remus sat down on the couch.

‘I'm great. The full moon is two weeks away so I'm at my best.’

‘And what about your missus?’ Harry joked.

‘She’s massive Harry. I wouldn’t be surprised if a fully grown werewolf popped out!’ Remus exclaimed.

‘When is she due?’ Harry asked.

‘Not until the twentieth of December. It’s crazy. I've read up on these things and she’s way too big to be normal, but the healer says she’s perfectly fine so I might just be overreacting. How’s Ginny?’

‘She’s great.’ Harry said with a grin. ‘Really great.’

‘Good, good. And I trust alls well with those two?’

‘Yep, they’re fine. They haven’t had one fight all year. It’s getting really quiet.’

Remus laughed. ‘And what about you Harry? I've heard about the glowing…’

‘Oh yeah, that. Well, all of us are able to block the glow so we still look normal. Well, normal as can be for us four. Dumbledore told me that the same thing happened to you, my dad and Sirius.’

‘Yeah it did. It was really great. James and Sirius took full advantage of course. Cursing everyone our age. They hadn’t grown up by that stage. In fact, I don't think they ever grew up.’

‘Sirius certainly didn’t! Heh heh. Listen, I was wondering why the bond thingy didn’t work with Peter. Do you know?’

Remus sighed. He looked really old again, as if he had just came out of a transformation. He always looked like that when Peter was mentioned. 

‘See Harry, when I came into my powers, it was at an awkward time. Voldemort was at full power and he was looking for you. Peter had been acting a little off and I guess we kind of drifted apart. He was never really as close as us three, and I was never really as close and your dad and Sirius. But they included me in everything, except the secret keeper swap. Anyway, we never really noticed Peter being away more often than he was with us because we were so busy with the Order and trying to keep you and your mum safe.’

‘That’s kinda good though. At least he wasn’t all that powerful. Did you see what he did to those people in that muggle street? It was awful. Voldemort must’ve taught him some things none of us will ever know. It would have been worse if he was at his full potential.’

‘I know what you mean. But can we change the subject; I'm getting a bit pissed of with Peter again. When I find him I won't kill him. I'll torture him.’

‘Remus, I normally wouldn’t agree with that but what he did to my mum, dad and Sirius… He deserves all he gets…and more.’

‘Yeah, anyway. How’s school? What do you think of the new DADA teacher?’

‘School’s fine. I'm a bit busy with head boy stuff but Hermione is doing most of it. I would help more but she doesn’t really trust me. I think Erin's great! She’s almost as good as you were.’

‘Oh, are you on first name basis already, Harry?’ Remus mocked.

‘She asked us to call her that. It’s not MY fault. Anyway, you should have seen her face when she tried to teach us a Patronus! They all knew them already because I taught them it in the DA. She almost had a shit-fit!’

‘Mind your language, Harry! If you teach any of that to my little sprog, I will not be responsible for my own actions.’

‘Sorry, boss.’

‘Yeah alright. Do you wanna transfer up and have a chat with Tonks. She’ll be so happy to see you.’

‘Yeah, er…how do I do that, exactly?’

‘You just say into the fire. Room number seven, Grimmauld Place.’

‘Okay, thanks for the chat, Moony. Talk soon, eh?’

‘Yeah Harry, boy. I'll see you soon.’

‘ROOM NUMBER SEVEN, GRIMMAULD PLACE!’

Harry found his head spinning around and around for the second time that day. It stopped inside another fire…

‘Arrgh! Harry, don't do that!’ Tonks yelled!

‘Do what?’ Harry quizzed.

‘Pop in like that! What if I was naked?’

‘I’d have to close my eyes. How are you?’

‘I'm good. You?’

‘Same how’s the bump?’

‘Look at it Harry! How much bigger can it possibly get? I've still got two months to go and if it keeps growing the way it is, I'll not be able to get to St .Mungo’s!’

Harry laughed. He loved Tonks’, even if she was a bit forgetful, and clumsy. She would be a great mum, and Remus would be a great dad.

‘Remus has the same worries. He’s been researching and everything!’ Harry told his godmother.

‘I know. Typical Remus. If there’s a doubt, go to a book!’

‘Yeah I know. He also says I'm not allowed to teach the little sprog curse words. Heh heh, I might do it on purpose.’

‘Don't worry Harry. It’ll know more than you know by the time it’s two! Remus doesn’t do much cursing but I make up for it.’

‘Nymphadora Tonks. You should be ashamed of yourself!’ Harry joked with her.

‘And you should be ashamed to mention my first name!’ she laughed. ‘I've missed you Harry. I do hope you are all coming here for Christmas. It wouldn’t be the same without all four of you.’

‘Of course we’ll be here. Hogwarts is nice, but once you’ve tasted Molly’s Christmas dinner, nothing else will do.’

‘So you’re coming for the food?’

‘Yeah, nothing else to come for.’ Harry shrugged, knowing it would trigger her temper.

‘HARRY POTTER! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF! HAVE YOU TOTALLY FORGOTTEN THAT I’M GOING TO BE GIVING BIRTH AROUND CHRISTMAS! YOU REALLY ARE JUST LIKE SIRIUS!’ she yelled.

‘Wow! Calm down, I was only messing.’

‘Sorry Harry. But you should know not to set me off. And I'm twice as sensitive now that I'm pregnant.’

Remus came rushing in the door, panting. ‘What… happened…? I…. heard… screaming… came… nothing…wrong…Harry?’

‘Mr Potter here thought it would be funny to piss me off. He said he was only coming for Christmas for the food. Not for the little baby. I just got a bit upset.’

‘Harry you should know not to. I think it’s time you took your head back to school. It’ll take me forever to get her blood pressure down!’

Harry laughed. ‘Yeah, alright. I'll see you both soon. Christmas maybe. I'll see how I'm feeling.’

‘HARRY!’