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Hazy Revelations

AN: I'm posting this chapter mainly to gauge the reaction of readers, so that I know whether or not to continue posting should I be able to keep myself from getting my usual bout of writers block. It's all I've got written, though I have the basic ideas for chapter 3 & 4 ready as well. The title and contents may be subject to change, and before you read any further be aware that this story may not continue; if you feel this is a waste of your time, leave it be. ;)

Ideas and opinions greatly appreciated. Especially concerning how I did with the dialogue (or balance between descriptive storytelling and dialogue) as I feel that's a big weakness of mine. Now, dear reader, enjoy.

Chapter 2 – Cleaning Up

***

Harry good mood had not faltered in the slightest when he arrived at the apartment complex a few miles away from Privet Drive. Bounding up two flights of stairs, he found the door marked 'E. & S. Higgins' and gave it a few firm knocks.

"Hi Harry," Scott's mother greeted, letting him in. "How are you today?"

Evelyn was in her mid to late thirties and quite beautiful for her age, with long dark hair and a curvaceous, near hour-glass figure. Harry had been quite careful not to mention any thoughts of her beauty to Scott, for obvious reasons, but she sometimes made it rather hard not to stare. Like when she opened the door, leaning slightly forwards against the doorpost, in a rather low-cut dress that showed of her cleavage nicely and directed a dazzling smile his way.

Harry forced himself look her in the eyes as he returned the greeting. "Hi, Eve. I'm doing just fine, how about you?"

"Oh, you know, I manage just fine… My holidays stated today." She replied over her shoulder as she turned and walked into the living room, her rear swaying enticingly.

"That's great, you deserve some time off."

Eve was a nurse over at Easy Surrey Hospital and she'd always had to work pretty hard to make ends meet, as Scott's father had left her before Scott was even born. Scott had told him all about it about a week ago when Harry confided to the group why he was living with his much hated aunt and uncle.

"Thank you, Harry. I just wish I had the money left over to go abroad and relax on some Mediterranean beach for a week or so…" Eve answered with a sigh. "Maybe next year, eh? Scott's holed up in his room as usual, go drag him out in the sun for a bit."

Harry chuckled. "I'll see what I can do", he replied with a wink, heading down the hall to Scott's room.

***

As soon as Harry was out of sight, Eve let her guard down a bit and her face flushed.

There was something odd about that young man, something odd about how it felt as if the air in the otherwise fairly breeze-free apartment was suddenly caressing her body whenever he looked at her.

Odd, but definitely not unpleasant.

***

"Hey, dude!" Scott exclaimed, not even looking up from his position hunched over behind his laptop. "Just a sec, got to finish this email before we go meet the girls."

"No problem, mate." Harry busied himself with experimentally bench pressing the barbell of Scott's home training kit a couple of times. He found it had gotten marginally easier than last time. "What's the plan for today?"

"There's a party over at Hailey's house tonight, her parents are out of the country… But that's not 'till around eight, so I guess we'll see what Nikki and Helena wants to do." Scott answered, closing the laptop. "C'mon, you lazy git, let's go."

"Yeah, Scott… I'm the one that always gets us late." Harry countered, smiling as they left.

***

"Hey guys!" Nicole beamed at them, as they met the girls about halfway between Scott's and Helena's apartments. She leaned in and gave Harry a peck on the cheek, and then her eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of his new necklace. "Wicked! Where'd you get the necklace, handsome?"

"Yeah, what is that anyway?" Helena jumped in. "Crocodile tooth?"

Harry blushed ever so slightly as he replied. "Um, yeah! Croc tooth, right in one. I got it this morning, a friend from boarding school sent it."

"Oh, you got a not-so-secret admirer, Harry?" Scott joined in with a grin.

"No!" Harry denied forcefully, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. Nikki had been flirting with him rather shamelessly lately and Harry did not want to mess that up. "It's my birthday today, didn't I tell you guys?"

That earned him a smack in the back of the head from Nicole. "No you bloody well didn't!" she replied with an accusatory mock-glare.

"Ow!" Harry replied, looking hurt. "It doesn't matter much –"

"Yeah it does! Now we'll have to think up presents at an awfully short notice, you prick." Scott teased, interrupting.

Here Helena got a mischievous smile. "Well, considering out little Harry's currently appalling state of dress, it shouldn't be very hard now should it?" She said. "We'll need to take Harry here to get some proper clothes!"

Nicole mirrored her demeanor and agreed readily. "You're coming shopping!" She cheered.

"Hey, I can get my own clothes! You don't have to –" Harry protested, before Nicole interrupted him.

"Yeah right you can, that t-shirt is the first suitable piece of clothing I've seen you in all summer. A birthday gift, I assume?" At Harry's reluctant nod, she continued. "Let's go check the bus schedule, Harry."

She latched on to Harry's arm and dragged him away towards the nearest bus stop.

Scott laughed at his friend's predicament, but was quickly silenced when Helena copied the move and informed him he was coming with them; leaving little room for arguments.

***

At around 2 o'clock the group exited the bus in downtown London, Harry having given an edited account of the other birthday gifts he had received during the bus ride. All three of his friends had scowled at the fact that the Dursley's had not even acknowledged his birthday, but Harry had just shrugged; his relatives ignoring him was old news by now.

Now, walking down the streets at a leisurely pace, the conversation had turned to lighter topics and the girls were smiling happily at the prospect of playing dress-up with their slightly awkward friend; whilst Harry and Scott looked pretty uneasy with the same impending future.

After walking a few blocks Helena spotted a clothes shop that looked good and the boys were gently but firmly pushed inside.

Harry had to admit it was a nice choice of shop, but then again – compared to what currently resided in his closet road kill would look like fancy clothing. He stared around for a bit at fashionably torn and paint-splashed jeans in different shades and rather neat-looking t-shirts with various prints on them while the Scott and the girls went off to pick out some clothes.

After a minute he snapped out of it and found Nikki and Helena smiling widely at him, holding two pairs of jeans, a jacket and some hoodies.

Harry laughed at their excitement and followed them to the changing rooms for what would become a solid hour of modeling clothes for his two friends turned enthusiastic (and self-appointed) fashion advisors.

***

When they finally left the store it was with their collective pockets about 140 quid lighter, with Harry having paid a little more than half and the others splitting the difference three ways as a birthday present.

Nikki and Helena insisted that Harry wear some of his new clothes from the store; as such he was currently looking quite sharp as he stepped out onto the streets of London in new sneakers, baggy black jeans, the marine blue t-shirt from Mrs. Weasley and an unbuttoned, light blue patterned shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

"My, oh my, Harry – you clean up well…" Nikki teased with a sly grin, simultaneously putting an arm around his waist as they walked. In clothes that actually fit him, Harry was revealed to look quite a lot less scrawny than his previous attire had led observers to believe. He was slim, of course, but athletic thanks to his previous years of quidditch.

"You mean we cleaned him up pretty well," Helena corrected with a wink.

Harry responded by mumbling something about women being nutters under his breath and putting his arm around Nikki's shoulders, but otherwise ignoring them.

"Bloody torture session that was," Scott said. "But at least it's over."

When met with raised eyebrows and a silent stare from Helena, he hesitated. "Eh… Please say it's over?" He begged, seeming near panic, causing the rest of the group to break out in laughter.

"Don't worry, Scotty, we're headin' home." Helena answered, smiling, when she caught her breath.

They spent the bus ride home to Surrey talking and laughing amongst themselves. For a few minutes Harry lost himself in thought while the others continued their conversation. He frowned, a little worried about the amount of muggle money he'd spent.

Then Harry shrugged to himself, deciding there was no use fretting about it, just as a small tingling sensation went up his spine. Unnoticed even to Harry his wallet suddenly thickened slightly in his pocket.

***

They partied pretty hard that night, putting some extra effort into getting shitfaced seeing as it was Harry's birthday. By midnight Harry was hammered, but surprisingly steady on his feet.

Or rather he wasn't steady in the slightest, but he did manage to keep himself upright through the most advanced series of stumbles Scott had ever seen – and amazingly without breaking anything.

"How're you doing, dude?" He asked, just as Harry finished an impressive bit of acrobatics to get himself down the stairs form the second floor.

"I'm feeling well good, mate." Harry answered, grinning. "Bit plastered s'all."

"We could tell that much, babe." Nikki commented, nudging him in the side playfully, and then clinging to his arm to steady her also quite intoxicated self.

"What do you think you're doing, eh?" said an unknown voice from behind them before a forceful shove in Harry's back sent both him and Nikki sprawling to the floor.

Scott, narrowing his eyes, stepped to the side to assess the situation as Harry quickly picked himself up from the floor and glared at the perpetrator, who he thought looked vaguely familiar. "I was talking to my friends, what's it to you arsehole?"

The room quieted as people started to notice the confrontation.

"Nikki's my girl, Potter; I won't have your dirty hands pawing all over her." Piers Polkiss replied in a nasty tone of voice, scowling at Harry.

"Oh, give it up Piers; we made out once when I was smashed out of my mind!" Nikki replied as she was helped to her feet by Helena, sending an apologetic look Harry's way. "And I've ignored you ever since!"

"Oh, so you think this freak's better than me, huh?" Piers questioned incredulously.

Harry snorted at that, "I've always been better than you, Polkiss, you bloody wannabe. Always hanging around with my retard of a cousin trying to get yourself some tiny measure of undeserved respect." He answered in Nikki's stead, and then ducked without thinking as Piers took a swing at his head and nearly fell over.

Helena, Nikki and a couple of others gasped and shouted angrily for him to stop as Piers continued to rain blows toward the drunk raven haired teen. Scott advanced on the two calmly.

Piers let another fist fly toward Harry's stomach, but Harry slid to the side and he hit nothing but air. He looked more like a marionette tugged about by an unseen set of strings than a fighter avoiding blows and his body tingled with magic. "Really beating the crap out of that empty space around me, eh?" Harry taunted in between laughing fits as he narrowly evaded the next couple of attempts to pummel him to a bloody pulp.

Then, accompanied by a sound of shattering glass, Piers fell to the floor in an unconscious heap as Scott thumped him in the back of the head with an empty vodka bottle – and it was all over.

"Always hated that wanker." He said casually as he dropped the remaining bottleneck on said wanker. "You want us to drop this garbage off on the curb on our way out, Hailey?" He kicked Piers leg to indicate what he meant.

***

Having stuffed Polkiss upside down in the nearest trash can, the foursome walked towards Scott's neighborhood in a more jovial mood.

"That was bloody brilliant, Scott! Thanks for helping me out back there." Harry congratulated him with a grin.

"Don't mention it, mate." Scott just laughed and shrugged. "I could say the same to you, though! I've never seen someone move like that, I couldn't believe my eyes there for a while." He shook his head.

"You been studying drunken-style kungfu or something, Harry?" Helena questioned curiously.

"No, it just kind of happened, I don't know what to tell you. Guess I'm a natural."

"It was weird. Looked pretty unnatural to me!"

'Kind of like magic…' Harry thought to himself and chuckled. "Yeah, felt weird too." He agreed.

"Weird or not, the important thing is that Harry didn't get hurt." Nikki said, hugging him tightly against her as they walked. "I've made it through worse, Nikki, don't you worry." He whispered, his hot breath on her ear making her shiver slightly. She kissed him lightly. When Harry's hand then caressed down her back to squeeze her bum she couldn't help but respond.

They had been playing this game for weeks now; the friendly flirting, cuddling and falling asleep together after parties… the occasional kiss that left her wanting so much more.

Nikki pushed Harry up against a building and Scott and Helena stumbled off ahead of them, sniggering. She licked her lips suggestively, grazing her fingernails from the back of his head down the side of his neck, she pressed her full-figured body against his and leaned in and moaned in his ear as he kissed her neck. Harry's lips found hers heatedly and her hands curled into fists in his black hair as he stroked her sides and back.

"How about you stay with me tonight and I give you a real birthday present?" She whispered against his mouth, almost breathless.

***

Harry awoke the next morning to the feel of a naked female body pressed against his own. It felt exquisite. 'I could really get used to this.' He mused.

He knew it was Nicole, of course. He remembered the night before quite vividly, despite his inebriated state. 'And what a night it was… How could I forget?' He chuckled. Nikki nuzzled against him in semi-consciousness, smiling contentedly, but didn't seem ready to face the waking world (or her burgeoning hangover) just quite yet.

Harry had been half-convinced that this attraction between him and Nikki was all in his head until last night, she was quite a flirt after all, but now… He glanced down at the wonderful, if slightly blurry, view and felt like a million bucks.

Annoyed that he couldn't see her clearly now that he had her in all her glory, Harry wondered where his glasses had gotten to last night. With nigh more than a thought, they were in his hand and he put them on.

'Handy, handy magic.'

Annoyance once again overcame his smugness, though, when he noticed that he saw only slightly better with the glasses on, but shrugged it off.

***

Harry was no longer as naïve and simpleminded he had once been. This burning thing that he and Nikki shared was not love, not yet anyway. It something else entirely; a friendship filled with wondrous sexual tension, attraction, the likes of which he'd never previously known. It was raw, mutual desire – teenage hormones at their very best.

***

When Nikki woke half an hour later, Harry kissed her softly, slipping his tongue between her lips to graze her own. He wouldn't want to give Nikki the idea that last night was strictly a one-time occurrence, now would he?

Things progressed from there to the slow, sensual lovemaking of the distinctly hung over kind and another half hour later they ate breakfast.

There was really no awkwardness between them, as Harry had feared might happen, instead Nikki couldn't keep a smile off her face every time Harry looked her way. Harry wasn't her first, nor was he her second, but he was definitely… something else. When he touched her, when he kissed her, it was with such intensity it was intoxicating. They made light conversation and all was right with the world; it's full weight for once not on Harry's shoulders.

Conversing casually, entwined almost to the point of stumbling, they walked together over to Scott's apartment. Harry only stayed a while, laughing and talking about last night's party; with copious amounts of teasing being shot Harry's way. Picking up his purchases and presents from the day before, he then said his goodbyes and made his way back to Privet Drive.

***

Once inside Number 4 Harry made to walk up the stairs but was cut short as soon as he sat foot on the first step.

"What is it you've got there, boy?" Uncle Vernon grumbled and wrenched his shopping bags from his hand.

"Where'd you get this, huh?" He continued angrily. "Been stealing money from us, have you?"

Harry was about to snap back and lose his temper, but caught himself in time to reconsider.

"You know what, Vern? I'd rather not let you ruin an otherwise excellent morning." Harry replied with an indifferent look at his uncle, who was turning puce.

"Now see here –"

"No." Harry continued more firmly. "I got those clothes in London yesterday. Yesterday was my birthday, something you might've noticed if you hadn't been a gigantic arse."

Vernon looked like he was about to explode.

"They're presents – so that I wouldn't have to look like a bloody street urchin wearing Dudley's old castoffs. Now piss off."

With that he snatched the bags back and started up the stairs.

Vernon exploded. "You ungrateful little freak," he shouted grabbing hold Harry's shoulder roughly. "I should beat –"

'Too far, Uncle Dearest.'

Harry sent a death glare over the same shoulder his uncle had grasped and Vernon fell down on his arse from the surge of magic that resulted.

"You should do what, Vernon?" Harry growled dangerously, all loose objects within 15 feet starting to shake from his anger. Vernon's face drained of color and he was suddenly mute, his throat too dry from fright, to answer. The rush of power in the room was enormous, not even Vernon could mistake it for anything else.

"That's right. You should do NOTHING. Because if you even fucking touch me again I'll beat you to a bloody pulp." Harry walked with slow, thunderous steps that were dreadfully disproportionate to his weight as he walked the rest of the way to his bedroom, his mind set on effectively intimidating the tub of lard behind him.

As Harry slammed his door closed behind him the loose objects that had just stopped shaking – including a couple of paintings, a few pens, a phonebook and a fair number of shoes – blasted from their various places of rest and hit Vernon Dursley as hard as possible. At that moment the door burst open to allow a very anxious Nymphadora Tonks entry.

***

Once in his room Harry calmed considerably. He was intending to assist that process with the help of some premium marijuana when his door, too, burst open.

"Harry!" Tonks shouted worriedly. "What's going on, what happened?"

Harry stealthily slid the loose floorboard back into place with his foot as he made a calming gesture and replied. "Nothing really Tonks, calm down. My uncle was just being rude and made me mad – it's okay, calm down!"

Tonks felt calmness wash over her at once and slumped with relief, shedding her battle-ready stance. "Oh thank god." She sighed out. "I have only been in combat two times outside of Auror training. But then -… what was that magic I sensed? And how come I couldn't open the front door?"

"You… You felt that?" Harry replied uncertainly.

"Of course I felt that! It hit me like a wall of bricks! What was it?"

"Eh, yeah… That was me, I guess." Harry replied.

"What do you mean that was you?" Tonks asked, eyes wide. "How could you..?"

"Tonks, I… It was accidental magic, I got angry and it just sort of happened. It's happened before, summer before my third year." Harry suggested. He knew that what his magic had been doing lately was on a whole other scale, but he'd prefer if every one else didn't know just yet.

"Oh…" Tonks said, almost in awe. "That's some bizarre stuff you've got going on, Harry. I'm just glad you're okay." She hugged him for a minute and Harry accepted it gladly.

"You… You holding up alright, Harry?" She asked finally, releasing him. They both sat down on the bed.

"Yeah. I'm doing okay. I can't say I'm over it… But I've got it under control." Harry answered, thinking it over.

"You know it wasn't your fault, right?"

"I do, but I should've known better. I'm sorry you got hurt. You healing okay?"

Tonks snorted. "Of course I am. Magical healing is pretty amazing Harry, but I thought you'd know that by now, considering all the time I've heard you spent in the hospital wing." She replied with a wink. "Still, it hurts a bit sometimes and it left quite a scar… That can't be removed with my metamorphic skills." Tonks lifted her t-shirt to show a large blotch of concentrated scar tissue along the right side of her ribcage. Harry couldn't help but notice that she seemed otherwise flawless, but pushed the thought away.

Harry smiled at her. "Doesn't look so bad." He said. She snorted in response.

"Yeah, right. And that lightning bolt on your forehead isn't noticeable at all." She replied, raising an arched eyebrow. He laughed and they spoke for a while longer, treading lightly around the topic of their mutual loss. It was clear that Tonks mourned Sirius as well, it needed not be spoken. They took what comfort they needed in each others company and instead focused on the good things in life; friends, Quidditch, life at Hogwarts.

Tonks left an hour later, with a promise to come by again some time.

***

The Hogwarts owl arrived just minutes after Tonks had left. Harry allowed it entrance through the window he had effectively been blocking, about to light up a joint. He removed its envelope swiftly, but the owl stuck around, apparently awaiting reply.

After a few deep drags on the spliff he opened the envelope, reading:

Mr. Potter,

As your last year of schooling saw your completion of the O.W.L exams, you are now required to select your N.E.W.T level courses and your elective courses for your continued schooling to a total of no less than 6 courses of which no less than 4 has to be N.E.W.T level.

You may choose among all subjects in which you have gained the grade of Acceptable or higher, with the only exception being N.E.W.T Potions where the grade Outstanding is required for admission due to special request from Potions Master Severus Snape.

Sincerely,

Prof. Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

Looking over the attached booklist for all available subjects as well as the reply parchment with the subject list, Harry got out a quill and some ink to indicate his selected courses.

N.E.W.T Courses

[ ] Ancient Runes

[ ] Arithmancy

[ ] Astronomy

[X] Care of Magical Creatures

[X] Charms

[X] Defense Against the Dark Arts

[ ] Divination

[ ] Herbology

[ ] History of Magic

[ ] Muggle Studies

[ ] Potions

[X] Transfiguration

Elective Subjects

[X] Apparition

[X] Introduction to Healing

[X] Introduction to the Mind Arts

[X] Introduction to Warding & Curse-Breaking

Harry had changed his mind about Herbology over the last week. He didn't really see the use for an intimate knowledge about the care of plant life during wartime. Herbs are used in Potions, which are used for Healing and other useful purposes; but since he couldn't take Potions that became a moot point. It would be better to skip it in favor of more independent studies and training.

The elective healing course on the other hand only assumed an O.W.L level Potions and Herbology understanding and ability, and would surely be very useful if not necessary for his survival in the ongoing war.

Apparition, to be able to travel freely, was a given and the Mind Arts – Occlumency, Legilimency and Obliviation – would definitely be necessary for intelligence gathering and protecting purposes. Considering the Ministry incident there was no doubt about that.

Harry had his doubts about Warding & Curse-Breaking, but supposed it wouldn't hurt to check it out seeing as it could probably be useful when hiding a friendly safehouse or infiltrating a hostile one.

Slipping the subject selection form in the same envelope and resealing it, he sent the school owl back, and then he went over the book list again. Occlumency for Beginners, which he already had, was one of the Mind Arts books he'd need along with another book on the basics of the 'offensive' mind arts. He would also need to pick up two books on practical healing, three on different kinds of wards and location-specific curses, the book on apparition theory and a more exhaustive creature's compendium.

This was getting damn expensive, Harry thought to himself.

***

AN: There you have it, folks. Purr-lease... review. ^_~