Chapter 262 - Snape (1/2)
”Ah, hello Nymphadora and Christina. Honestly, I am very surprised to see you both awake at this hour.”
There in the doorway stood a tall, thin man with waist-length silver hair and beard. Half-moon spectacles were perched on his crooked nose, and he was wearing a long black travelling cloak and a pointed hat.
”Professor!” Tonks and Chris exclaimed together, surprised.
Chris noticed behind Professor Dumbledore, there was a tall, thin boy, with untidy jet black hair and bright green eyes behind a round glasses.
”Harry? But Aurelia said you were coming tomorrow?” said Chris surprised.
”We were lucky,” said Dumbledore, ushering Harry to cross the threshold. ”Slughorn proved much more persuadable than I had expected. Harry's doing, of course.”
”Slughorn?” repeated Tonks. ”As in Professor Horace Slughorn?”
”Yes, well I better be off,” said Dumbledore. ”Take care, Harry. Enjoy your godfather's company, then a few weeks later you can join others in Burrow. I advise you to stay together.”
Dumbledore smiled at Tonks and Chris then unlocked the door again and walked out.
”Wotcher, Harry,” said Tonks.
”Hi, Tonks. Hi, Chris,” grinned Harry.
Chris smiled and hugged him. She just realized how much she missed her friends and seeing Harry's grinning face reminded her the last few days of the last term. Harry was a really nice person.
”How are you?” asked Chris pulling back.
”Good, you?”
”Nice.”
”Do I need to show you the room, Harry?” asked Tonks uncertainly.
”No, thanks,” said Harry. ”I remember which was it.”
”Okay, then —'Night.”
Tonks forced a smile and went upstairs.
”But Tonks, your soup —” Chris began but Tonks was already gone.
”Soup?” repeated Harry.
”We were eating in the kitchen just when you and Dumbledore came,” replied Chris.
”Is there anything left? I am really hungry,” said Harry.
”Yes, I think,” said Chris and walked down to the kitchen.
Harry followed.
Chris quickly cooked some more eggs and gave it to Harry with bread.
”Sorry, everything else will take time to cook,” said Chris sitting down to eat her own food.
”No, it's g'at, 'anks,” said Harry, with a mouth full of bread.
Chris chuckled.
”So how were your two weeks with the Dursleys?”
”Mostly good, actually,” said Harry after gulping some water. ”They didn't bother me, at all. Just left food outside of my door every day. That's it.”
”That's — harsh,” said Chris, surprised to see Harry so happy about it.
”Oh, this is the best thing, for me,” replied Harry. ”Anyway, who else is here?”
”You have seen Tonks and you know about Sirius,” said Chris finishing her food. ”Aurelia and Remus are also here.”
”How is Tonks doing? She didn't look that good.”
”That's because she isn't doing that good,” sighed Chris. ”And today Remus got injured and things got worse.”
”Remus got injured? What happened?” Harry said surprised.
”Malgino's people,” said Chris shortly. ”Remus was following them. He managed to escape before they could kill.”
There was a long pause. Harry didn't eat, just stared.
”The situation is dire,” said Chris, understanding what Harry was feeling. ”But don't worry, Sirius said Remus will be fine in three days.”
”I never thought, someone can win against Lupin,” said Harry. ”He always seemed so —”
”I know what you mean but Aurelia thinks, Remus is being reckless intentionally,” interrupted Chris.
”Why?” Harry looked shocked.
Chris sighed before speaking.
”Er — well — Remus is kind of hoping that he would die one of these missions so that he doesn't have to marry Tonks.”
”What?”
”Yeah, they are in love and Tonks wants to marry him but you know Remus, he is busy pitting himself.”
”I — well — he shouldn't,” said Harry. ”If they love each other then they should be together. Remus is normal, he just has a little problem.”
”Tell him that,” smiled Chris. ”Maybe he will listen to you. Anyway, what's Dumbledore's work you helped him with?”
”Dumbledore took me to meet Professor Horace Slughorn,” said Harry finishing the eggs. ”It wasn't that exciting. Dumbledore just wanted me to help him persuade Slughorn to come out of retirement.”
”How?” Chris leaned forward curiously.
”He — well — he like to collect famous people.”
”He what?”
”He showed some pictures of his old students, including my mom's,” said Harry. ”He likes to take credit for all of his previous students. Dumbledore said he used to make a group of his favourite students. He likes to make connections with famous people and so —”
”He will come back to collect 'The Boy Who Lived',” finished Chris, understanding Dumbledore idea.
”The Chosen One, actually,” said Harry bitterly then quickly smiled. ”Hey, do you know, I am getting special lessons with Dumbledore, this year.”