Title: The New Tutor

Author: Jedi Buttercup

Disclaimer: The words are mine; the worlds are not. I claim nothing but the plot.

Rating: PG-13.

Summary: B:tVS, Harry Potter. Auror Potter arrives to help Andromeda Tonks conduct an interview. 900 words.

Spoilers: B:tVS post-"Chosen"; "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"

Harry checked his watch, then Apparated to the walk in front of Mrs. Tonks' house. He felt a bit awkward showing up at her place in full Auror gear-- he generally made an effort not to bring his work with him when he visited-- but she'd asked him to on Teddy's behalf, and he'd been glad to grant the favor.

He let the elf announce him, then smiled as Andromeda came to the door to greet him. She'd been a bit wary of him for several months after the Battle of Hogwarts, perhaps afraid he'd try to take her grandson away from her, but they'd come to an equitable arrangement long since. She got to keep Teddy, to be the firm and caring hand in charge of the little boy's daily life, and Harry got to drop by and spoil him whenever he chose. He might have only had his godfather to turn to, but Teddy still had loving family at his disposal, and Harry wasn't about to deny him that.

"Harry! I'm glad you could come," she said with a smile. "The new tutor will arrive in half an hour; there's tea in the parlor, if you'd care to visit in the meantime?"

"I'd love to," he agreed, and followed her into the house.

They made pleasant conversation while they waited; Andromeda filled Harry in on Teddy's latest antics, and Harry talked about the effects the latest Ministry decrees were having on the DMLE in general and the Auror department in specific. Kingsley had finally found enough support to repeal many of the more restrictive regulations on werewolves and other part-humans, and there had been much retraining and upheaval going on among the older Aurors. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had been even more strongly affected, much to Harry's delight. It was too late to help Remus, but other wizards with his affliction would finally have a chance to live like normal people, for once.

"Just in time to help Teddy," Andromeda acknowledged with a satisfied tilt of her lips.

"How so?" Harry asked, curiously. "I know there'll always be idiots out there who have a problem with him because of Remus, but he's not a werewolf himself."

"No," she replied, "but the tutor I've asked here today is, and the old laws would have caused difficulties. He's an American Auror, infected as an adult by his own werewolf-born infant cousin."

Harry's eyebrows rose at that. "I'm surprised they let him keep his job."

"It's not as shocking as you might think," she replied. "The Americans are much more lax about these things, and a metamorphmagus is too valuable to waste in any event. He's especially gifted at altering his apparent age; he spent several years undercover investigating the Curse of the Slayer."

That rang a bell; the recent shift in the Slayer Curse from a strange, perpetual, single-victim phenomenon affecting only Muggles to a more widespread affliction had caught the attention of many European Wizarding governments, and an American had been among the witnesses called before the International Confederation of Wizards to discuss the matter. "I think I've heard of him; bloke name of Osbourne? What's he still doing in Britain?"

"He's on leave, visiting friends in London and Scotland," Andromeda replied, then twisted her mouth in a bitter grimace. "I've made an effort to put the word out, since 'Dora's old instructor turned me down, and so far Mr. Osbourne's been the only to contact me for an interview. It will probably only be a temporary arrangement until he's called back to the United States, but he should at least be able to give Teddy a thorough grounding in the basics."

Harry nodded. "All right, then. So which way do you want me to play this? Auror Potter, wizarding hero and suspicious bastard? Or protective godfather first, Auror second?"

"Protective godfather, I should think," Andromeda grinned. "The rest should be obvious enough, and I don't want to scare him away should he be genuine."

Harry drank the last of his tea, then looked around, finally registering the quiet in the house. They hadn't been interrupted even once in their tête-à-tête. "Where is Teddy today, anyway?"

"Playing with Victoire at Molly's. She misses having little ones about the house, especially since the last of her children married; she doesn't mind babysitting on occasion." Andromeda gave him an arch look at that. "I expect you and Ginny will be hearing from her on the subject soon."

Harry flushed, then opened his mouth to retort, but was saved by the arrival of Andromeda's elf, announcing the arrival of her guest.

Andromeda cleaned up the tea things with a wave of her wand, then rose to greet the young-looking metamorphmagus as the elf ushered him in. He was a bit shorter than Harry was expecting, but that really meant nothing, given his abilities; he was dressed casually, in Muggle jeans with a band tee-shirt, and that said a bit more. His hair was short and spiked, in a deep burgundy color, but as he registered Harry's presence it shifted to emerald green.

"Harry Potter," Harry said, bemused, holding out a hand to shake. "I'm Teddy's godfather."

The other Auror's gaze flicked briefly to Harry's scar, but he displayed neither awe nor terror at the name. "Daniel Osbourne," he replied, calmly. "But you can call me Oz."

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© 2007 Jedi Buttercup.