104 Chapter 104: "Tutoring a Metamorphmagus"

As the second day of school began, everything at Hogwarts looked as if nothing unusual had happened the night before. The Great Hall was spotless, thanks to the hard work of the house elves who had cleaned up all the golden paint from the opening feast's prank.

Fred and George Weasley, who were now famous for their prank on the first day, found themselves in trouble. They had nightly detentions with Professor Snape, who made them clean old potion cauldrons that had been ignored for a long time. This punishment meant they had no time to think about or plan any more pranks. Additionally, many students were annoyed with them now, which made it hard for them to find allies for any prank war they might want to start with Harry. Despite this, Harry stayed on alert, careful to avoid any leftover pranks they might have set up.

Classes started again for Harry and his classmates. The schedule was much like last year's, but with one big improvement: they were doing more practical spellwork. This was a change that everyone liked because it meant they could practice casting spells more, which was more fun and interesting than just reading about them.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was turning out just as troublesome as Harry had expected. The new teacher, Mr. Cross, was proving to be even less capable than the last one. His lessons were a tedious repeat of last year's ineffective methods, consisting mainly of having students read aloud from the textbook while the rest took notes. True to form, Professor Cross found every excuse to cancel classes or avoid any real teaching, particularly any practical use of magic. Harry doubted anyone would learn anything new in DADA this year.

Despite these issues, Harry wasn't too bothered by the poor quality of the DADA classes. He used this time to practice Legilimency on Mr. Cross. During class, Harry would perform wandless Legilimency, carefully exploring the professor's thoughts when he looked around at the students. After practicing on Professor Fletcher the previous year, Harry was skilled enough to navigate someone's mind without harming them.

Harry had no trouble practicing Legilimency on Mr. Cross because the professor didn't have any mental shields, so Harry remained undetected. He also used this opportunity to check if this DADA teacher had any hidden agendas at Hogwarts. After a brief look into Cross's thoughts, Harry found out that the professor was only at Hogwarts for the high salary.

Dumbledore had increased the DADA professor's salary to attract more candidates because it was so hard to find a DADA professor this year after the unfortunate fate of Professor Fletcher last year. Even though Cross was not very qualified, he was the best among the few who applied, so Dumbledore had no choice but to hire him.

However, having Professor Cross as the DADA teacher was bad news for the students, especially those facing important exams like the OWLs and NEWTs. These exams required good practical instruction in defense spells, and Mr. Cross's lack of effective teaching left many students struggling. Among them was Nymphadora Tonks, a seventh-year student aiming to become an Auror, for whom excellent DADA grades were essential.

One day, Tonks came looking for help and found Harry:

"Hey, my dear cousin, could you lend me a hand with something?" Tonks inquired, her tone light but earnest.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why are you, a seventh-year, asking a second-year like me for help?"

Tonks sighed, a bit exasperated. "You know I'm aiming to be an Auror, and for that, I really need to excel in DADA. Could you help me out with the subject?" she explained earnestly.

Harry was puzzled. "Why would a seventh-year need help from a second-year like me?"

Tonks chuckled awkwardly. "Well, word in the family is that Lord Black has been coaching you in dueling. Maybe you could pass some tips my way?"

Harry considered her request carefully. "Even if I can help, why should I? My schedule's already a nightmare," he said, half-joking.

"Please, cousin. I really need your help. It won't take up much of your time—just once a week?" Tonks pleaded, her eyes conveying her desperation.

Feeling a mix of sympathy and familial duty—after all, Sirius thought highly of Tonks's mum—Harry decided to help, but on his terms.

"Alright, I'll help. But on two conditions," Harry stated, ready to negotiate. "First, our lessons stay just between us. I don't need everyone lining up for tips. If you want to help your friends, you'll have to pass on what I teach you yourself."

"Fair enough," Tonks agreed quickly.

"And second," Harry continued, a playful smirk forming, "I get to call you Nymphadora during our sessions. No fuss about it."

"No way! No one calls me that name," Tonks protested, her face twisting in annoyance.

"That's my offer. Take it or leave it," Harry stated flatly.

After a moment of consideration, Tonks relented. "Fine, but only during our lessons. And if you tease me too much, I'm complaining to Sirius!"

"Deal," Harry concluded with a grin. "So, when do we start, Nymphadora?"

Tonks tried to hide her irritation at the name but managed a grin. "Anytime you're ready, Harry."

"Let's make it today then, Nymphadora. I'll scout out a classroom for us," Harry replied, already thinking ahead.

From then on, Harry dedicated three hours every Saturday to helping Tonks with DADA studies. They didn't just focus on seventh-year material; Harry also helped fill in gaps from previous years. Due to the inconsistent quality of DADA teachers at Hogwarts, many students, including Tonks, had incomplete knowledge of the subject. While Harry wasn't concerned about the other students' knowledge gaps, he was happy to help Tonks and, by extension, his own friends.

Their sessions were highly effective. Tonks was exceptionally gifted in magic. She could pick up spells quickly after just watching Harry demonstrate a few times. Harry suspected her talent had something to do with her being a Metamorphmagus, which might make her more attuned to magic. Despite the serious nature of their study, Harry couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her by calling her Nymphadora, much to her annoyance—a detail that always amused Sirius when Harry shared stories from their sessions.

Harry also took it upon himself to help improve Tonks's natural clumsiness, incorporating weight training and balance exercises into their classes, enhancing her skills for her future career as an Auror. Despite the initial reluctance, Tonks appreciated the comprehensive training, recognizing its value in her pursuit of joining the Aurors, and fulfilling the aspirations of her family and Sirius.

Given Tonks's unique Metamorphmagus abilities, Harry knew she would likely be assigned undercover roles once she became an Auror. It was essential, then, that she was well-prepared to defend herself in potentially dangerous situations. Harry was determined to equip her with all the skills necessary for her success and safety.