Chapter 5: Bloodline Affinities

"Alright, that should be the last shot you need," Mrs. Tonks declared as she closed up the medical kit she brought with her. "Now drink this up." she ordered as she poured Harry a flask of the potion she brewed.

Taking the offered potion, Harry copied Sirius's action and swallowed the azure-colored brew in one motion. As the liquid went down his throat Harry felt like vomiting it back up, the older wizard used the perfect comparison as the brew did taste like a wet old, smelly sock.

"Here, drink this one." Mrs. Tonks said as she put into his hand another potion.

"What is this one?" Harry asked as he gazed down at the green-colored brew.

"This one is a rejuvenation potion," the older witch answered, "It will give a bit of vitality which you desperately need." Then pointing towards the azure liquid, the mediwitch added, "And if you are wondering, this potion revs up your system and accelerates your natural healing."

"Okay I get it, I need these potions, but do they have to be so nasty?" Harry asked in a desperate tone.

Sighing out loud, the older witch muttered under her breath, "Children," with a shake of her head, but nevertheless she took out a few ingredients and sprinkled them into the potions.

"Here," Mrs. Tonks said as she offered him a new batch, "I changed the taste."

This time gladly taking the potion, Harry drank it up in one gulp, and this time instead of having a disgusting after taste, the potion was that of a fresh picked strawberry flavor which went down a lot smoother.

"Wow, that is a lot better" Harry announced as he turned to face the dishonored House of Black woman.

"Well, I hope it was worth it dear since the potion lost 2% of its potency."

Harry didn't say anything, but in his books it was a worthy bargain indeed.

Packing up her belongings, the mediwitch uttered, "Now, make sure you take three portions of these brews for a month then I will put you on the same remedy as your godfather-- strengthening, fatting, and the rest of the other potions."

"Okay," Harry uttered as he nodded along with what the older witch stated.

"Good," Mrs. Tonks said as she slung her bag onto her shoulder, "tell your godfather I will be heading back, and if he needs anything he knows how to contact me."

"Alright, bye Mrs. Tonks and take care." Harry waved towards the woman as she walked into the fireplace.

"You too dear," the older witch nodded her head, "And please, call me Aunt Dromeda or Tonks, I would very much love that."

"Okay Aunt Dromeda," Harry said with a grin as the older witch disappeared into the flames.

Watching as the flames settled down, Harry turned around and was about to head back to the library so that he could meet up with Sirius, but from the dark recess of the hall, his godfather slowly walked into the light.

"Is she gone?" the older wizard asked in a vigilant tone.

Nodding his head in acquiescence, Sirius let out a breath of relief then made his way into the kitchen. "So what are we going to be doing?" Harry asked once the man was seated on the table.

"If I recall correctly, weren't you the one who said you needed to be caught up on Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Well, that is what we will be doing all summer; trying to cram as much knowledge into your noggin plus some other stuff I think will be of good use," Sirius added with a wink. "Also we can't forget the Mind Arts--you will need to study those two subjects in your own free time. If you have any questions, you can ask me, I am an adequate practitioner of the arts."

Then jumping off his seat, Sirius clapped his hands together and said, "Now let's get started!"

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"Now try to fix that matrix right there," Sirius pointed to a section of his Rune cluster that he drew. Harry did as he was told and rearranged the matrix as Sirius showed then suddenly the circular diagram that he drew-- lit up like it was Christmas in a soft golden brilliance.

Slapping him on the back, Sirius declared in a jubilant tone, "Would you look at that pup, your first Rune Matrix!"

Harry smiled up at the man, even though the Rune he built was a simple Lumos it was his first step into the world of Enchanting. From the tomes he read on Enchanting from the Black Family's library, Harry knew that there would be a lot more awesome stuff in store for him as he continues down this path. He was already keen on making some flaming swords, comet bows, invisibility cloaks, poison daggers, mokeskin pouch, and so many more items.

Closing the book on Ancient Runes, Sirius declared, "I think we are far ahead in this subject, you are already doing what you will be coving during the 4th year, so I think we are good enough."

"So what's next?" Harry asked, over the past two weeks that Sirius has been tutoring him, he found that he quite enjoyed studying. Growing up with the Dursley' who hated it when he did better than Dudley, he tried to limit himself at school. Then when he went to Hogwarts he had Hermione at his side who helped him and Ron with all his classes. He will be honest with himself-- he did slack off with Ron when an easier path had been presented to him.

"We already finished up covering all of last year's and this upcoming year Arithmancy content," Harry said.

"Yeah," Sirius uttered, "And I still can't believe muggles teach their children Arithmancy at such a young age."

"It is called Math to the muggles," Harry clarified to the man. "And yea, for muggle children, school starts when they are 6 years old."

"Mhm," Sirius said, taking it all in. Moving on then, Sirius spoke, "So how is your Occlumency and Legilimency coming along?"

"Pretty good," Harry replied, "Right now I am building my Mind Palace, so that is taking a lot of my time. After that, I want to do something interesting that the book mentioned, a false second Mind Palace."

"Ohh, I see someone is advancing pretty well," Sirius commented with a beaming grin, "I think we have a genius on hand!"

Laughing awkwardly, Harry cleared his throat and clarified, "I just want our enemies to remain unsuspecting, that is all! They will think I am still pure and innocent little Potter while we plot their downfall behind their back."

"I know what you are doing pup," Sirius uttered as he messed around with Harry's hair. "And let me be the first to congratulate you for the devilishness! You truly are on your way to become a Marauder."

"Thanks." Harry said as he once again faked coughed to hide his red tinted blush.

"If that is well and good, then there is some stuff I do not want to bore you with, but if you want to take over the House of Potter when you reach the age of Majority then you will need to know certain things."

"Like what?" Harry queried.

Not answering his question immediately, Sirius ran into the stacks to most likely retrieve some books. Before long the older wizard was back and Harry was right on point, the older wizard came back with a full mound of books heaped onto his hands.

"Wow, what is all this?" Harry asked as he picked up the first four books in the pile once Sirius set them down.

Reading out loud the titles, Harry rattled off, "Wizarding Culture, Pureblood Traditions, the Wizengamot, History of the Great Houses!" Glancing at the other titles heaped on the table Harry's face fell when he saw that they too were dry subjects as well.

Sirius must have noticed the young wizard's crestfallen looks because he immediately came to a compromise, "I know this is a lot to take in but if you do well in coving them all, I promise that I will start teaching you how to become a animagus!"

"No way," Harry said, as the bargain came out of a left field. Like any wizard his age, he always did want to have a animagus form, and now to have that dangled in front of him, there was no way he wasn't going to say yes.

"Yep," Sirius said as he picked up on the young wizard's excitement, "And our animagus form isn't just going to be a mundane animal, no it is going to be a magical creature!"

"What!" Harry cried out, pure shock written all over his face. "But how is that possible, is that even possible?"

"Yea, it is," Sirius stated, "Your father and I found about that process way back before you were born. It was already too late for us to have a magical creature animagus form since we already went through the process in our Hogwarts years, but we set it aside for progeny."

"So I am going to be the first person to have a magical creature animagus form!" Harry shouted in his excitement.

"I do not know about that," Sirius said with shrug. "The old ruin of that long passed away wizard we found that small tidbit, he must have had a magical creature animagus form. There are tales that Salazar could transform into a Basilisk, Merlin could turn into a Dragon at will, and so many other powerful wizards and witches throughout the ages."

"Okay, okay, I get it," Harry voiced, "But that only just means that I am as great as the most powerful wizards and witches throughout the ages," Harry added cheekily with a grin.

Smiling down at his godson, Sirius replied, "I have no doubt in my heart that you will catch up to them one day and surpass them all, look at all you have accomplished in only two weeks. Now do you want to hear the second portion of my deal."

"Of course," Harry stated, "My time and energy do not come cheaply at all!"

"Sure, sure, your excellency!" Sirius answered back with faked respect and a curt bow from his neck. "Battle Magic is what I shall teach you in the afternoons as you progress well in your studies."

"Battle Magic? What is that?" Harry asked, as he latched on to that interesting new title. He did not know why, but when Sirius said those two words, it was like his blood started boiling and excitement started bubbling up to the surface.

"Nothing but the best subject ever," Sirius stated with false modesty.

"Oh, come on tell me what it is," Harry whined as he rocked Sirius's elbow.

"Battle Magic is basically Defense Against the Dark Arts but with the offensive spells taught. It is a much pure and ancient study that has been highly valued and well recognized all around," a voice that wasn't Sirius answered.

Turning to face the speaker to which Harry had an idea who it was already, face to face with Mrs. Tonks. "Cousin," Sirius called out in greeting, "Came to grace us with your presence!"

Scoffing loudly, the older witch replied, "Why would I come to see your flea bitten hide? My dear nephew is the only one of concern here in my eyes."

Placing his hand on to his heart, and putting on a hurt expression, Sirius uttered, "You wound me deeply, dear cousin with your barred words!

Cutting off Sirius before he went on a endless tirade, Harry called out, "Hello, Aunt Dromeda, how are you doing!"

Stepping right up to Harry, the former lady of House Black rubbed his head affectionately and greeted him back, "I am doing well dear, thanks for asking." Then giving Sirius a pointed look, she added, "And I can see that someone knows how to properly greet a person."

Rolling his eyes, Sirius gave no response and wisely choose to remain silent, carrying on with the conversation Harry asked about the phenomenon that just overtook him. "Aunt Dromeda, why is it that when Sirius said those two words, Battle Magic, my blood started boiling with excitement?"

"Ahh," the older woman said as if understanding stuck her at that very moment. "I see that you have started awakening your Bloodline affinities?"

"Bloodline affinities?" Harry repeated, tasting the words in his mouth, "What are Bloodline affinities?" he asked.

"Well you see," the older witch started to explain, "Great Houses have long bloodlines that trace all the way back to distant pasts, and over those long years that they remained-- they each started to develop a major and minor affinity for a certain school of magic. For example, our family; the House of Black has a major affinity to Dark Magic-- hexes, jinxes, curses, and all the other likes. We also developed a minor affinity for astronomy which is denoted by our like to name our children after stars and constellations."

"What about my family, House Potter?" Harry asked, curious to know about his own affinities.

"If I recall correctly, your House should have a major affinity to Battle Magic which explains why you inversely got excitement when Sirius promised you that he will teach you Battle Magic plus as Sirius has told me you are very good at Defense Against the Dark Arts even though you never had a proper teacher besides Lupin. Your bloodline would explain that since like I said Defense Against the Dark Arts is basically the defense aspect of Battle Magic."

"So what is my family's minor affinity?" Harry continued with his inquiry once the older woman came to a pause.

"I do not know," the older witch replied with a shake of her head, "You must know that Houses like to keep their secrets to themselves." Then pausing for a moment, the mediwitch turning to face Sirius and asked, "Do you know any subject that James was really good in at school?"

"Mhm," Sirius said as he started to mull it over, "If I had to pick a subject then I think it would be transfiguration-- that did come to him naturally and he was the best of it among us."

"Well, then I think you have your answer dear," the older witch stated as she once again rubbed Harry's head. Then she added as if it was in a afterthought, "Oh, and keep in mind that there is a lot that comes to being a member of a most noble and ancient house, so I would take up Sirius's advise and read up."

Nodding his head in agreement, Harry planned to do exactly that. He would be doing wrong by his House if he didn't at least put in an effort to learn more about them. This small tidbit of knowledge that Mrs. Tonks offered to him showed how little he knew about the Wizarding world and its history. There is so much here to learn, and he is at the best place to do it; at the Black family's library, one of the largest repository of knowledge so he is going to take advantage of his opportunity by the scruff and learn as much as he can.

Suddenly from a corner at the bend, a book loudly dropped on to the wooden floorboards and the noise of it echoed throughout the whole silent stacks.

"How is that?" Sirius inquired as he slowly took out his wand from the holster at his side.

"Don't worry about that," Mrs. Tonks said waving off the older wizard's concern, "It is just my daughter." Then taking in an audible gulp of air, the older witch shouted at the top of her lungs, "Nymphadora Tonks come out this instant and greet your hosts!"

From out the stacks on the left side out strolled a young woman with short bubbly blue hair, the same steel grey eyes as Sirius with mischief hidden deep within it, a round face with high cheekbones, full red lips, a straight nose, and arching eyebrows. She stood at 6 feet just like he did, with a lithe and well-toned figure, long delicate hands, slender legs, a well ample bust, smooth white skin, and an ear-piercing on her left ear.

Harry took in all her sights and quickly noticed that he was staring, averting his gaze towards a bookshelf on the right, Harry tried to make himself look inconspicuous. He did not realize when he started noticing, but he sure as hell was now.

"Mom," the young adult witch whined, "I told you to stop calling me that name! Why can't you just say Dora or Tonks when you call out to me?"

"Your name is perfectly fine, I am not calling you something so unbecoming."

"Dad calls me Dora all the time, I can't see what the problem is." the blue-haired witch said as she crossed her hands together below her chest causing her bust to pop out a bit, and to which Harry became aware of.

"Your father is a nitwit, I am not going to follow in his example, now go greet our hosts and be polite."

Grumbling under her breath, the young witch turned to face both wizards sticking out her hand she first greeted Sirius. "I guess you heard my mom, the name is Nymphadora Tonks."

Shaking her hand, Sirius pleasantly replied, "I do not mind calling you Dora, Nymphadora sure sounds like a mouthful."

Grinning up at the older wizard, the blue haired witch remarked, "Yea, that is what I keep telling my mom but does she listen?"

"Don't egg her on cousin." Mrs. Tonks stated in a dangerous tone.

Giving the older witch a wink then turned a deaf ear to her warning, Sirius continued, "You can call me Uncle Sirius, and I promise you I will become your most fun and favorite uncle ever!"

Giggling with laughter in a lilting tone to which Harry found music to his ears, the young witch remarked, "I look forward to that."