Reading Time: 99 Minutes

Title: Magical Intent
Author: Meri
Fandom: Harry Potter
Genre: Drama, Pre-Relationship, Time Travel
Relationship(s): Harry Potter/Bill Weasley, background Ron Weasley/Daphne Greengrass
Content Rating: PG
Warnings: Discussion of child abuse
Beta: Many thanks to SerpentsGarden for their stellar beta of this story. I also used Grammarly and TextAloud.
Word Count: 74,293
Summary: One night, right after the end of third year, Harry has a very vivid dream. Or at least, he thinks it’s a dream. Whatever it is, it changes the trajectory of his life as well as the lives of several other people in his world. He finds out it’s all about getting the correct information at the right time and then finding out who your friends are. Even more importantly, figuring out who your enemies are.
Artist: NotSally

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Chapter 15

Severus looked up as the Weasley twins both appeared in his classroom. Inwardly, he groaned. This was the last thing he needed right now. Even with Molly helping him prepare for the school year, he still had so much to do. However, he could admit that he was not nearly as tense as he usually was at this point. It was likely because he was not under the wards that Dumbledore had set anymore. Until he’d been here for two weeks, he hadn’t noticed that he was thinking more clearly, and the usual annoyances, such as the appearance of both Weasley menaces, didn’t send him into a loop of rage.

Weasley one, whom he thought was Fred, cleared his throat. “Um…Professor Snape,” he said.

“We’d like to talk to you about something important,” George said.

“And what would that be?” Severus asked. Because he could not imagine what they might want. They were not taking his class this term. They didn’t take their Potions OWL.

“We’d like to be admitted to your advanced potions class,” Fred said.

Severus just sneered at them. “Do you know the requirements to be admitted to my advanced Potions class?”

“We do. However, we didn’t take it because we didn’t think we’d need it. Now, we realize that might have been shortsighted of us. We could have passed it easily,” George said.

“Why would you think that you need it now?” Severus asked. He expected this to be entertaining, at least.

George cleared his throat. “We might have found a backer for our store who requires us to have a potions NEWT.”

“Why would I care about this? You were not stellar students when you took my class this past year,” Severus asked. But he was well aware of the twin’s potential. A part of him wanted to see what they could do when properly motivated. However, he could easily ignore that part.

“Because we think you’d like to have students who were dedicated to potions. We could promise you O-level work for the entire year,” Fred said.

“You would need to prove to me that you could actually do O-level work in my class.”

“Test us,” Fred said. “Anything in the sixth or seventh level book.”

Severus raised an eyebrow. “You’ve read ahead?”

“We assumed we wouldn’t be taking the classes, so we’ve worked through both books this summer so that we’d know what was in them and see if something would be helpful with our joke shop.”

Which did make sense to Severus. He thought about what was in both years. “All right, in the sixth-year potions book, there’s a recipe for Draught of Living Death. I want you to brew it, separately. The ingredients, including the sopophorous beans, are in the potion’s stores.”

Fred and George looked at each other and then at Severus. Their identical smiles were disconcerting, but they immediately jumped to start work. Severus had too much work to do to watch them carefully. He did look up when Fred asked George for his silver knife. They both crushed the sopophorous bean with the side of the knife, rather than trying to slice it. Which spoke of having read more than just the book, at least for this potion.

They finished at the same time. And bottled the potion. Given the glimpses Severus had caught of their brewing, he knew they would have a close to perfect potion. Which didn’t surprise him. Their mother was a gifted potioner and would probably get her mastery within the next year or two.

He held up each bottle, looking for clarity and the right color, both of which they had. Fred and George looked at him, waiting.

“I am willing to allow you into my class provisionally. Every potion must be this good. I will accept nothing less than your best efforts. And clearly, I know what you can do,” Severus said, not believing he was going to do this, but it would be stupid not to try and train their talent. Severus was many things, but he was no longer stupid.

“Thank you so much,” both Fred and George said together.

Severus wondered if they practiced it. “I will not hesitate to fail you both should you not meet my expectations.”

They nodded. “We’ll do our best,” Fred said. “We promise.”

Severus just nodded. “Now, get out of my classroom and bother someone else.”

*****

Harry looked up as Ron came into the common room and sat down beside him. “I didn’t expect it to be like this,” Ron said, sounding surprised.

“What?” Hermione asked, sitting next to Ron. “Is there a problem?”

Ron shook his head. “It’s just so much easier to concentrate now. I can actually read the book and understand it the first time. I didn’t use to be able to do that.”

“You know, I wonder if the ward on our common room did the same thing that the ward on the Burrow did,” Hermione suggested.

“Yes,” Ron said. “Not being able to concentrate at home felt the same way it did here. And it was from the time I was a kid. So, I’m sort of surprised I am not further behind.”

“How far behind are you,” Harry asked. “I mean, do you need help catching up?”

“I don’t think so. I did learn some things each year. Enough to go on to the next year. But it was such a struggle, I didn’t want to do it,” Ron said.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something and then just closed it again.

“What were you going to say?” Harry asked. He’d noticed that she did that now, thought about what she was about to say, and then sometimes didn’t say it.

“I was going to comment about how he didn’t want to do his school work, but that wouldn’t have been nice, and it’s clear, it wasn’t even Ron’s fault.”

Ron smiled at her. “Thanks. Do you feel it’s easier to concentrate now that the curse is gone, both the one you had and the one about the house elves and the one in here?”

“I don’t know. I always worked hard at it and spent a lot of time in the library, which didn’t have any wards like the ones that were here.” She looked thoughtful. “What about you, Harry?”

“Yeah. It’s easier to concentrate this past week. I feel like it’s not overwhelming me. But that could just be having things go well for a change.”

“Well, not that well,” Ron complained. “Still no quidditch this year.”

“I will miss it, yeah,” Harry said. “But another part of me just wants to get everything else done. If you know what I mean.”

Both Ron and Hermione nodded. “What do you know about the tournament?” Ron asked.

“Just that it was discontinued about a hundred years ago and that it’s supposedly about fostering cooperation between the other schools and other wizards and witches in general,” Hermione said. “The tournament was always very competitive, and ultimately, it became very cutthroat. It became less about winning and more about just surviving.”

“I am not going to compete. That is for sure,” Harry said.

“I hope you don’t have to,” Ron said. “It doesn’t sound like a good time.”

*****

After the first week of classes, the staff met for their beginning-of-term meeting. Much to Minerva’s chagrin, Dumbledore decided this would be the year that he showed up rather than just letting her run it.

“What can I do for you, headmaster?” she said, preempting whatever speech he was going to make.

“Where is Ginny Weasley?” Dumbledore asked, his tone demanding an answer.

It only took him a week to notice she wasn’t at the Gryffindor table. “I was informed she would not be joining us this year. Her family made other arrangements.”

“And those were?”

“None of my concern,” Minerva said tartly. “I didn’t ask. Especially since she was no longer a student here.”

“How did the Weasley family afford to send her somewhere else? Which I assume they must have done since she hasn’t lost wand rights,” Dumbledore asked, seemingly very annoyed by this prospect.

Well, whatever plans he had for Ginny Weasley, they weren’t going to happen now. “You should speak to them, not me,” Minerva said. “But I do believe that Bill had something to do with that.”

Dumbledore scowled. “I’ve sent them an owl, and it was refused by their wards.” Clearly, he had no idea why that would be so. Arrogant wizard.

Minerva thought that was just fine. She smiled. “I can’t help you then.”

Dumbledore stood up. “I’ll leave you to your meeting. Do not refund Ginny’s tuition,” he said as he went out.

“Too late,” Minerva said under her breath. “For many things.” She turned back to the rest of the teachers. “So, how are things going so far?”

They went through each of the years. Each of them went through the usual list of complaints and problems that Minerva wrote down and hoped to be able to mitigate as the term went on.

When they reached the fourth years, Filius said, “One last thing. I’m not sure how this happened, but Ron Weasley has suddenly become a decent student. He had his homework ready and had read this week’s assignment. Not only that, but he was also second behind Miss Granger in getting the charm correct.”

Minerva knew exactly how it happened, but she wasn’t going to say anything. “I have noticed an improvement in his attention span.”

“As much as it pains me to admit it,” Severus said. “I have as well. He seems to have read ahead and knew this week’s potion. Not that I expect this to continue, but it was a welcome surprise from him.”

“I thought it might have been just me,” Pomona Spout said. “He had read the assignment for my class as well this week.”

“We can hope this will continue. Anyone else?” Minerva asked.

Filius cleared his throat. “I think Harry Potter is much more sure of himself now that he’s claimed his lordship. He’s also done very well in class this week.”

That was true. Getting out from under Dumbledore’s heavy hand had done Harry a lot of good.

*****

October 30th

At breakfast, Dumbledore announced that the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang would be arriving that night at 6:00 pm. Classes ended half an hour early, and they were all told to put their things in their dorms and come back outside for the arrivals.

Excitement buzzed around them as Harry, Hermione, and Ron waited outside in the cold for the schools to show up. Harry tried to work up some enthusiasm for the event, but his nerves were stretched thin.

“This is exciting,” Hermione said. “I’m looking forward to meeting the students from other schools.”

Ron just shrugged, and clearly, he was looking around for something, or more likely someone. Harry watched him spot Daphne Greengrass and smile at her. To Harry’s surprise, Daphne smiled back at him. Not as bright as Ron’s smile, but definitely not the usual Slytherin scowl.

“Oh, look,” Lavender said, pointing to the sky. “Here comes Beauxbaton’s carriage.”

Harry looked up, and sure enough, a carriage drawn by a dozen huge white horses, came into view.

“Those are Abraxans,” Hermione said. “Aren’t they magnificent?”

Harry had never seen horses that big or with wings before. “They are very cool.”

After the carriage landed, a very tall woman got out. Dumbledore welcomed them and then directed them to the Great Hall to warm up. Harry wished he was inside warming up as well. About five or ten minutes later, a large, creepy-looking ship appeared on the black lake. Clearly, the second school had arrived.

Finally, they sat down to the welcoming feast. Harry was starving and was more than ready for dinner.

After dinner, Dumbledore got up to talk. He introduced Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

Dumbledore went on to talk about the tournament. Each school would get one representative, and they each would be given tasks to perform and would be awarded points for completing the tasks. The champion with the most points would be the winner and would get a thousand galleons. Harry thought that didn’t seem like a lot of money to risk his life.

Maybe Harry would have been excited to watch if he hadn’t been sure he was going to be entered, no matter how many times Dumbledore said that no one underage could enter. That was never how it worked with him.

So, Dumbledore lit the Goblet of Fire, and all of-age students could enter their names for the next twenty-four hours. Then, on Halloween night, the Goblet of Fire would choose the three participants.

*****

Chapter 16

October 31

After the feast, everyone’s attention was on the goblet of fire. The three champions chosen were Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Viktor Krum from Durmstrang Institute, and Cedric Diggory from Hogwarts. Each got a round of applause and were sent off to the antechamber to await further instructions.

There was silence after the last name was read, and for a second, Harry hoped that old Hermione and Ron might have been wrong. As usual, it didn’t work that way.

The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.

Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out —

“Harry Potter.”

And suddenly, everyone was looking at him. Harry stood. He knew this was going to happen but hadn’t wanted to believe it. Had he been caught unaware, this would have been so much worse.

“No.” Harry stood and folded his arms over his chest, and shook his head. “No. I will not compete. I didn’t enter myself.”

“You must,” Dumbledore said. “Your name came out of the Goblet. It’s a binding agreement.”

“It’s binding to the person who put my name in, not to me.” Harry needed to hold firm for the next few minutes. It was going to be hard, but he had to.

“You would risk your magic?” Crouch said. “You have no choice but to compete.”

“I don’t think so.” Harry stared at them. They didn’t care about him at all. He looked at Dumbledore, who looked very angry. At this point, Harry didn’t care. “Magic is about intent. You’ve said that over and over. I do not intend to risk my life with this. I will not compete.”

“You must,” Dumbledore insisted. “I order you to go into the antechamber with the other champions.”

“No,” Harry said as forcefully as he could. “You can’t force me to do something I don’t want to do. Not without my consent. I do not consent. I will not compete in a tournament that could kill me.”

Ron and Hermione stood up next to him, and Neville joined them. It felt good to have some support. He knew they couldn’t force him. “Hogwarts already has a champion, and it is not me.”

Dumbledore looked apoplectic. So did Moody.

“You will lose your magic,” Crouch said just as forcefully as the others.

“I did not enter this tournament. I will not compete. I do not consent. That is final,” Harry said as firmly and decisively as he could.

After a few more seconds of silence, there was a noise, and the Goblet of Fire shot out angry red sparks. Moody fell to the ground and morphed into someone else. Someone who Harry had never met before, but several people around him gasped.

“Barty Crouch, Jr. ” Amelia Bones said, sounding annoyed as well as surprised. “I thought you were dead.”

He clutched his wand, pointing it at her, and shouted, “Avada Kedavra!” But nothing happened. He tried a second time. And then started to scream. “No. No.”

“How did you manage to get out of Azkaban?” she asked conversationally.

“My father did it. It’s all his fault,” he said, pointing at Crouch.

Crouch senior looked stunned. “He’s lying –”

“My mother is buried in my grave. She was dying, and he brought her to see me one last time. I switched places with her. She is polyjuiced as me,” Crouch Junior laughed hysterically. “Now it won’t matter anymore.”

“Arrest them both,” Madam Bones ordered.

“You can’t arrest me,” Senior said as if saying it would make it true.

“Oh, yes, I most certainly can,” Madam Bones said and pointed her wand at the senior Crouch. “Rufus, take them both away.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Rufus nodded to two Aurors, and they immobilized both Crouchs, then they were dragged away, screaming bloody murder.

“He lost his magic,” Hermione whispered. “He must have been the one to put your name in the cup.

“Serves him right,” Ron said.

“Yeah,” Harry agreed.

Dumbledore looked surprised. “I’m sorry, Harry, but you will still have –”

“I already said I’m not competing, and I’m pretty sure you can’t make me. What with me being underage as well.” Harry looked around the gathered crowd. They all looked surprised at what Dumbledore just said.

“As Headmaster of this school –”

“You don’t have the authority to force a minor to compete in a tournament clearly intended for adults,” Madam Bones said. “And unless you can get permission from his guardians, you won’t.”

“I’m his magical guardian –”

“No, you are not,” Sirius walked into the great hall. “I am. Even if you were, you’d also need permission from the Dursleys.”

“Sirius,” Dumbledore started to say. “Surely –”

“There’s not a chance in hell I am going to let my Godson compete in this farce. It’s done. You have no more control over him,” Sirius said, sneering. “And it’s Lord Black to you.”

That startled Dumbledore.

“You should proceed to the antechamber where the rest of the competitors are,” McGonagall said. “They are waiting for you.”

Dumbledore nodded and swept out without another word.

“Thank you,” Harry whispered to McGonagall. She squeezed his shoulder. “I can’t believe he tried to force me to compete even after Moody, Crouch, whoever was found out.”

Hermione said, “I can’t believe any of this.”

“Yeah, me neither.” Ron nodded.

“Or me, ” Neville added.

“After everything that happened. I’m not surprised that Dumbledore tried to force you,” Fred said. “It’s really about control. And he’s lost it over you.”

“Exactly,” George agreed. “So, what happened to the real Moody?”

“That’s an excellent question,” Madam Bones said, looking at McGonagall.

“Severus, would you please check his quarters,” McGonagall asked. Snape nodded and walked away.

“How did you end up here, ma’am?” Harry asked as Madam Bones started to move away.

“Minerva invited me,” Madam Bones nodded toward McGonagall.

“Very fortuitous,” Hermione said.

“Indeed,” McGonagall agreed. “Almost like I knew something might happen.”

Harry laughed. It was great to have someone who not only could he trust but also who could actually help him.

“If I might have a moment of your time before I go,” Madam Bones requested.

“Of course, ma’am,” Harry said and looked around.

“Perhaps you can just walk me to the apparition point beyond the gates,” she said.

Harry nodded and glanced at McGonagall, and she nodded. If she trusted Madam Bones, then he could too. He moved to follow her out of the Great Hall.

*****

“Thank you again for being here,” Harry said as he and Madam Bones went down the steps to the path that led out of Hogwarts’ gate.

“I would say it’s my job, but there are those who don’t think that’s true. Professor McGonagall asked, and I was happy to be here. I have been investigating the allegations you’ve given me, and almost nothing will be actionable against Dumbledore. As I’ve suspected, he has stayed just within the law,” Madam Bones said.

Harry opened his mouth to dispute her, but she held up her hand.

“Almost nothing. If we can prove he put the aggression wards on your Muggle relative’s home, that would be illegal and actionable.”

“How do we prove that,” Harry asked. Because he would help in any way he could to see Dumbledore punished for what he’d done to everyone that Harry cared about.

“We’d need permission from your relatives to examine the wards and the mitigations on their house,” Madam Bones said.

“But then they would have to know what was done to them. And what they had been forced to do to me. I think that would hurt them.” He remembered what the older Hermione and Ron had said about their fate.

“It’s the only way,” she said. But she sounded sympathetic. “Maybe you could write to your aunt.”

“I might go see them at Yule. I want them to know that I understand that what happened, even if it hurt me, wasn’t their fault. They have been hurt by it as well.”

She stopped walking. “How have they been hurt?”

Harry explained that Dudley was unable to concentrate and was almost expelled from school. And how Vernon had been working so hard but couldn’t make headway with work for the same reason that Dudley couldn’t. “It’s not fair to them.”

“Then we need to bring Dumbledore to justice,” Madam Bones said. “We don’t want him to get away with this.”

“I don’t. But I also don’t want them hurt any more than they already have been.” Harry sighed. “I’ll send my aunt a note that I’m going to spend a few days with them at Yule. And I’ll try and explain.”

Madam Bones nodded and gave him a small smile. “It will have to be enough. Please let me know after the first of the year what they’ve decided.”

“Thanks. I do want him to pay for what he’s done to everyone.”

“You are in a unique position to help with that. You can use your influence to help people who have been hurt by him. And when you’re a little older, you can take your seat in the Wizengamot and make laws to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

“I will do that,” Harry promised as they reached the gate. “Thank you. I appreciate the work you’re doing.”

*****

November 24th

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville were in the stands, waiting for the first task to start. Harry was so relieved to be in the stands rather than participating in whatever the task was.

“The first task requires each of the participants to take the golden egg from the dragon that now has it,” Ludo Bagman shouted to the audience gathered in the stands. “The task is timed. The least amount of time wins.”

He continued, “The champion’s order will be Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, and finally, Viktor Krum.”

Harry watched in horror as each of them tried to subdue or otherwise get by the dragon to get the golden egg. “I can’t believe that Dumbledore wanted me to do this. As if I could get past one of those creatures without it killing me.”

“Maybe that was what he was going for,” Ron suggested, not taking his eyes off Fleur as she tried to put the dragon to sleep. Which more or less worked since she managed to dart in and get the egg.

“It might be,” Harry said. He still had no real idea of what Dumbledore’s motivations were for trying to control him. Maybe it was just the Potter fortune.

“Krum is next,” Ron said a second later.

“Oh, Krum is trying a Conjunctivitis Curse,” Hermione said. “I don’t think it’s supposed to work like that.”

“She smashed her own egg,” Ron said. “I wonder how that’s going to work with the points.”

Harry actually didn’t care about the tournament at all. It was just one more thing to worry about.

*****

The weeks went on, and Harry tried to concentrate on school. He liked Ancient Runes a lot. It was fascinating to him. And he was just as glad to be out of Divinations, though Ron and Neville were still taking it.

He’d probably missed the first announcement of the Yule Ball, but when McGonagall mentioned it in class, he wasn’t aware of it. It looked like both Ron and Hermione were definitely aware of it.

After class, he pulled Ron aside. “What are you going to do about the Yule Ball?”

“I’m going to ask Daphne as the opening round for a pureblood courtship. I need to find a small gift for her and some parchment to write a note,” Ron said thoughtfully.

“You don’t ask in person?” Hermione said. “I mean, that seems kind of distant.”

“No,” Ron said. “I don’t ask at all. You and Harry are going to deliver the note for me. At least, I hope you will.”

“Of course, mate,” Harry said. “I’d be pleased to do it.”

“I would, too,” Hermione said. “I wonder if someone will ask me.”

“You could ask someone,” Harry said. “That’s done in the wizarding world, right?”

Ron was quiet for a second. “Not really. I mean, you could ask another Muggle-born boy or girl, but you wouldn’t ask a pureblood.”

“Why not,” Hermione asked. She sounded a little insulted by the comment.

Which Harry could understand. “Do they think she’s not good enough?”

“Not like that,” Ron said. “If you wanted to ask a pureblood, you’d get a friend to ask for you. Purebloods don’t do a lot of things directly. I mean, I’m going to ask you to ask Daphne. I would never ask her on my own.”

“But you want to initiate a courtship,” Hermione said. “Would I be doing the same thing, if I were to ask someone to the Yule Ball?”

Ron stopped and seemed to consider the question. “Usually, at our age, it would be an opening round for a courtship. I guess it could be casual. But I’ve just never heard of anyone doing that.”

“Well, I guess that’s good to know,” Hermione said with a sigh. “Not that I’m going near any of the purebloods anyway.”

“You never know what’s going to happen,” Harry said. He wasn’t going to ask anyone to go to the ball. He supposed he could go, but he couldn’t dance, either.

“Later tonight, I’ll give you both what I want you to deliver to Daphne tomorrow.”

He and Hermione nodded. This was so interesting.

*****

The following morning, Harry and Hermione approached the Slytherin table just as breakfast was ending. They’d left Ron at the Gryffindor table, looking very nervous. Not that Harry wasn’t, because they needed to get this just right.

“A moment of your time, Miss Greengrass,” Harry said as respectfully as he could.

She tilted her head slightly. “Yes, Mr. Potter?”

Everyone at the Slytherin table paused where they were. Things had been less tense since the wards were changed to mitigate the aggression and hatred. But that didn’t mean any of them were friends.

He bowed, and Hermione curtsied. “We ask that you accept this note from our friend and brother, Ronald B. Weasley.”

Hermione held out both the envelope and a small, wrapped gift.

Daphne paused for several long seconds, clearly surprised. She dipped into a perfect curtsy and said, “I will accept this and give my reply in due course of time.”

“Thank you, Miss Greengrass,” Hermione said and curtsied again. Harry bowed.

*****

Daphne blew out an audible breath as they walked away.

“All right, Greengrass?” Draco asked. Like every other pureblood, he knew exactly what had just happened. “Weasley?”

“I’m from a neutral family,” she said tartly.

“But Weasley?” Draco tried to keep his tone neutral. But he was shocked to his soul. In a million years, he’d never believe that a Weasley, any Weasley, would know, let alone enact a pureblood courtship.

“Possibly.” She walked away, clearly trying not to smile at the letter she was holding.

What was more, Draco thought as he stared after her, was that it looked like the suit might be accepted. “What is going on here?” he asked out loud. This was the other side of things.

*****

Chapter 17

Harry was trying to work on his homework for tomorrow’s ancient runes class, and Ron was pacing and muttering. “Mate, come on, don’t you have homework?” Harry complained.

“Yes, but I’m too –” Ron stopped. “This is really important to me.”

He probably meant the note he and Hermione had delivered today. “When do you expect a reply?”

“It would depend. If I don’t get one in a week, then it’s not coming. If I get one tomorrow, it probably means Daphne will accept my courtship request.”

“Is it possible she won’t know what just happened?” Hermione asked.

“There is no way that she would not know. None,” Ron said. “It’s why I’m nervous.”

“What else is there? I mean, if she accepts?” Harry asked. Aunt Min had not gone over any of this with him. There hadn’t been time for everything. She’d said that if he’d met someone, then she’d explain it whenever he needed it. But right now, he didn’t need it.

“If she accepts, it will probably come the same way the note was delivered. And she’ll request a meeting to accept the reply in person.”

“Then what?” He was curious about it.

“Then we go to the dance and see how we suit each other. If we do, and I hope we do, then I will ask her out again, maybe during the next Hogsmeade weekend. You and Hermione and two friends of hers come with us. Not on the date, just to where we’re meeting.”

“And we all try and get along?” Harry asked. Depending on who Daphne chose, Harry could see that going wrong in so many ways.

“It’s not as hard when you’re doing it. Everyone agrees to put aside their differences and get along. Even if they don’t like each other.”

“What if she chooses someone like Malfoy?” Harry asked. Because even now, that could be awkward.

“I’d bite my tongue and not say anything disparaging to or about him. If he agrees to do it and to support her agreement to my suit, he won’t do anything to sabotage it.” Ron sounded like he’d make the effort.

And that shouldn’t surprise Harry so much. He’d changed once he was out from under the terrible wards. “I hope it works out, mate.”

“Me too. But what about you? Now that I’ve done this, do you fancy anyone? Are you going to ask anyone to the ball?”

Harry wondered if Ron was trying to distract himself. “I am probably going to go on my own. I do think there might be someone I might fancy. But they aren’t here. And I can’t see me going with anyone else.” Actually, he couldn’t see himself going with Bill, either. But Bill felt good to be around. And that was so much more than anyone else he’d ever met.

“Who?” Ron asked, looking at him with his head sort of tilted. Which meant he was thinking about something. And sometimes, especially lately, Ron could figure things out in ways that Harry just didn’t understand.

“I’m not ready to say yet,” Harry hedged. Maybe Ron would leave it.

“Who? I’ve not seen you look twice at anyone,” Ron said. “You know, you can tell me anything.”

Probably not this, Harry decided. “It might not be anything?”

“But what if it is, and what is it? Like a pull towards someone. That could mean a bond is possible.”

He’d already suspected whatever this was, was going to be something strong. And possibly permanent. But without knowing exactly what it was, should he even mention it? “The person feels good to me when I am around them.”

“Who? Why won’t you tell me? I mean, it’s not me, right?” Ron looked a little worried. “But it can’t be me because I don’t feel it, too. And if I don’t and you did, well, it just doesn’t work that way.”

“What doesn’t?” Because that sounded very specific.

“A bond. And emotional one. Both people usually feel that. And usually, after you touch for the first time.”

Damn. That kind of sounded like what he and Bill had done. “It’s not you. No. But how does that work? The emotional bond thing?”

“I don’t know how it works. Just that it does. Who is it?” Ron asked again.

“I don’t want to say,” Harry said. He wasn’t ready to even think about it yet. But he wanted to know what it was.

“It’s someone I know. Hermione?” Ron guessed.

Harry shook his head. Hermione was his sister in the same way Ron was his brother. “Ron –”

“Okay, fine. I’ll let it go.” Ron was clearly still thinking about it, and it had distracted him enough for Harry to start to work on his homework again.

*****

The following morning, after breakfast, as he and Ron and Hermione were getting ready to go to class, Tracy Davis and Theodore Nott approached the table. Everyone sort of froze, and all of the purebloods and wizard-raised halfbloods looked stunned.

“Mr. Weasley,” Nott said. “A moment of your time.”

“Of course.” Ron turned towards them.

Nott bowed, and Davis curtsied. “Please accept this note from Miss Greengrass in reply to your invitation.” She held out a note.

Ron’s hand was steady as he took it, and he bowed in response. “Thank you.”

They bowed again and walked away. Ron looked ready to punch the air in glee. Or scream in happiness. Fred and George looked just stunned. Enough so that they didn’t say anything as the three of them started for the door to go to class.

As soon as they were alone in the corridor, Ron pulled them to one side and hugged first Hermione and then Harry and then he jumped up and down a few times. “I can’t believe she accepted. I can’t believe it. I’m so happy.”

“Did you read her note?” Hermione said, glancing toward the note he had crushed in his fist.

“Oh, yeah,” Ron said, looking chagrined. He hastily opened it.

“What does it say,” Hermione asked. “If it’s not private.”

“No. Daphne said to meet her at lunch at the bench near the front of the school. That’s one thing, too. I’ll sit next to her, and she’ll tell me whether or not she’s actually going to go with me to the Yule Ball.”

“I thought you said that if she replied in a day, she would accept your courtship,” Harry said.

“Probably,” Ron said. “I mean, she could still reject it and maybe just –”

“How likely is that?” Hermione asked, her eyes narrowed. “Would she really do that?”

“I don’t think so. I hope not,” Ron said. “But I guess it could happen. If she wanted to embarrass me.”

“Why would she want to do that?” Harry asked. “Because if she knows the rules, and I’m going to assume she does, that would be very cruel. And if she did, then maybe you would be better off without her. But if she does know the rules and wants to see if you guys are compatible or whatever, then you’ll have a chance.”

“My mum always says, don’t buy trouble,” Hermione told him.

Ron nodded. “I guess I’ll find out at lunch. We need to get to class.”

Hermione laughed. “I never thought I’d hear you say that. It sounds good.”

“Exactly,” Harry said. “So many things that we’d never thought could happen are happening.”

As they started up the stairs, Harry heard something and turned around to see Daphne Greengrass hugging Tracy Davies and looking very pleased with herself.

He hoped that was a good sign for Ron.

*****

“Mr. Weasley,” Daphne said as he sat down on the bench she was sitting on. In the opposite direction, she was sitting. Harry and Hermione stood to his right, and Tracy Davis and Theodore Nott were to Daphne’s.

“Miss Greengrass. Thank you for seeing me,” Ron said.

“I would be pleased to have you escort me to the Yule Ball,” she murmured.

“Thank you for accepting my invitation,” Ron replied.

“Now that the current formalities have been completed, I have to say I was surprised by the invitation.” She laughed. “I don’t mean this cruelly, but I thought your family had rejected pureblood culture.”

For a second, Ron didn’t know what to say, but he hoped Daphne would be his wife someday. So, maybe going with the truth might be best. “I was taught all the traditions, just like every other pureblood. But at some point, my family was betrayed by Dumbledore and lost their way. We’re finding it again. And one thing is that –” Anger rolled over him. But instead of it being about Slytherin, it was about Dumbledore and what he’d done.

After a second or two, she said, “Mr. Weasley?”

“I’m sorry. Sometimes, I still have to think about what I want to say.” Which probably made no sense to her. “I have always thought you were beautiful. Even when I didn’t know what that meant.”

“I believe that was true for me as well. But you had a desperate dislike of Slytherins, and that is what I am.”

He would have said that it wasn’t his fault, but that sounded like an excuse. “If our courtship continues to the end, I promise to tell you everything. But know this, we are no longer believers in Dumbledore’s lies. And I will work for the light. But not for him. No one in my family will ever have anything to do with him again.”

Daphne nodded. “I did notice your sister is no longer here.”

“She’s gone to Salem Institute in Magical America,” Ron said.

“I’ve heard that’s an outstanding school. And that the academic standards are higher than they are here.”

“She says she’s had to work hard to catch up,” Ron agreed. “She’s much happier there, too.”

Daphne inclined her head. “I will not ask about it, until you’re ready to tell me.”

“Thanks,” Ron said.

She stood, and so did Ron. “I need to get to lunch and then to class after.”

Ron nodded. “Shall we talk again soon?”

“Send me a note when you wish to speak again,” she said, sweeping into a perfect curtsy.

He bowed as well as he could. He needed to practice that. Daphne moved to her two friends, and they all walked off together.

Ron breathed out sharply. The first part was done. Now, all he had to do was convince her she wanted to be with him forever. No small feat. But he got the impression that she liked him, too.

“Let’s go to lunch,” Ron said as he approached Harry and Hermione. “Thanks for standing with me during this.”

“Of course,” Hermione said. “You’ll have to do it for us, as well.”

“Oh, do you have someone you want to court?” Ron asked. If she was serious, he’d make sure she knew everything she needed to know about it. He still needed to write to Bill about the Weasley details. There had to be some. At least, he hoped there were.

“No. I was just saying in the future, there might be someone,” she said, smiling.

“Well, I can tell you everything you need to know about it. Including the family extras,” Ron said.

“What family extras?” Harry asked.

“Every family has a few extra things that go with the courtship. You know, little traditions. Things unique to our family.” Ron looked at her. “Since you don’t have any, I’ll lend you some of ours. And then you could hand those down to your children. Along with whatever your husband or wife has.”

“That’s if I marry a pureblood.”

“Or a half-blood who was wizard-raised,” Harry said. “I like the idea of family traditions. I wonder if I can find out what traditions were in the Potter family.”

“I bet Sirius would know,” Ron said. “Or Professor McGonagall.”

“Anyway, thanks, Ron. If I do end up in a courtship, I’ll ask about the traditions. I still think I’m kind of young for it. Not to mention what my parents might say.”

“Yeah,” Ron said. He remembered that her parents would think it odd that she matched up so young. “But they don’t live in this world. And if you’re going to –”

Instead of arguing with him, as he half suspected she might, Hermione nodded. “I think I’m going to need to strike a balance with them, if I want to keep them in my life. And I do.”

“Fair enough,” Ron said.

*****

A few days later, Harry sat beside Hermione in the common room.

“Where’s Ron,” Hermione asked, putting down her book.

“Library. He said he needed to look something up for his essay for Charms,” Harry said, still not quite believing he was saying that about Ron.

Hermione seemed to know what he was thinking. “I know,” she said. “I can’t believe how well he’s doing this term. Or you either.”

“That reminds me,” Harry said with a smile, pulling out some parchment. “Can you proof this? I’m still not great at getting my sentences all going in the same direction.”

“Sure. How far are you?”

“Oh, it’s done. I want someone to look at it before Snape bleeds red ink all over it. I swear he’s grading harder than ever.” As much as he couldn’t believe the changes in Ron, the changes in Snape and his class were remarkable. Harry felt like he was actually learning potions. But Snape was always a stickler for properly formatted essays. And Harry always seemed to get something wrong.

“Let me look.” She took the parchment and started to read it. “This isn’t bad. It’s got a few extraneous sentences. You should move this part to the end. It’s a conclusion.”

That did make sense. “Thanks. I’ll rewrite it and have it ready for tomorrow.”

“Did you get a date for the ball?” Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head. “No. There really isn’t anyone I want to go with. I think I’m just going to go on my own. You?”

She nodded, looking down and blushing. “Viktor Krum asked me to go with him.”

“Wow! Hermione! That’s great,” Harry said. “I’m happy for you. You must be excited.”

“Well,” she said. “Viktor was very nice. And I’m going to ask my mum to send me a dress to wear. I was just going to go on my own. I didn’t get dress robes. I probably should have.”

“I think a nice dress will be fine. I can ask Professor McGonagall to talk to you.”

“I can ask her myself. That’s a good idea,” Hermione stood. “I should do that now before I ask my mum to send anything.”

*****

The Great Hall was beautiful, decorated with garlands and ivy. The ceiling was sparkling with stars. And there was silver frost on the walls. It all looked so magical to Harry.

The champions had to sit at a special round table at the top of the hall, so Hermione sat with Viktor. He was surprised at how lovely she looked. Her usually insane, flyaway hair was all sleek and twisted up on her head. Her dress robes were made of a billowy blue material.

Ron saved Harry a seat at his table. He wasn’t the only person who didn’t have a date. But most people had paired up. Neville and a pretty blonde girl that Harry didn’t know sat with them, along with Seamus and Dean, who tried to joke that they were each other’s date. But everyone knew that was true, and no one really cared.

There was a menu, and each of them told their plate what they wanted. After dinner, there would be dancing. The champions started first. Who knew Hermione could dance so well, or Ron, for that matter? Ron seemed in another world when he was dancing with Daphne. Harry was glad for him.

He glanced at the other dancers and noticed Draco had a scowl on his face. After Pansy tried to move closer to him a second time, Draco left her at the edge of the dancefloor when the song ended and moved to the back where Harry was standing.

Under normal circumstances, he could have expected Draco to sneer at him. But he just stood there, watching the couples dancing with Harry for a while. Their relationship had been subtly altered over this term. Draco had acknowledged Harry as the Black Heir and seemed to accept that. They weren’t friends by any means, but they weren’t enemies anymore, either. Harry could live with that.

After a moment more, he turned to Harry and said, “You couldn’t get a date? Your two best friends scored big in that category.”

“I didn’t want to go with anyone.” Harry looked at him. “You didn’t do that well with it, did you?”

“No. I took Pansy because she asked me,” Draco said. “I was thinking of going on my own, too.”

Harry understood that. Pansy was…well, not someone who was overly popular. He sighed. “I might have someone in the future. But now, I’m not ready for that.”

Draco tilted his head. “Someone older? You felt something? I’ve always heard that was possible but never actually believed it to be true.”

“Someone older, yes. And I am not even sure what it is.” Harry glanced his way. “Do you know? Can you tell me about it?”

“I only know that sometimes, there’s someone who feels right when you first meet them, or maybe you have to touch them. And it can be the start of something.”

That was more than anyone else had said about whatever it was. “What do you know? Start of what?”

“I don’t know very much,” Draco said, rubbing the back of his neck and looking out at the dancers moving around the floor. “I know, it’s supposed to be very special. Something that is supposed to be magical.”

Harry really needed to get this figured out. He did not want to miss something that could be special because he didn’t have the right information. “Is there someone I can ask about it, do you think?”

“You might ask the person,” Draco suggested. “Or maybe Sirius?”

“I’m not sure the person would tell me,” Harry said with a sigh. He hadn’t talked to Bill since the summer. And weirdly, he missed him. “I’ll ask Sirius.” He turned away and then back to Draco. “Thanks. Are you going to leave tomorrow or stay for the rest of the break?”

“I want to see my mother, so yes, I’m leaving tomorrow. Are you?”

“Yeah, there is a lot to do.” Harry wanted to see the Dursleys and Sirius.

*****

Chapter 18

Boxing Day

Hermione, Ron, Harry, Fred, and George all presented themselves at Professor McGonagall’s office by 10:00am to Floo to Potter Manor. McGonagall had given permission to Floo from her office to anyone who wanted to see their families after the Ball.

Harry was the first to arrive. He brushed off the ash and stepped aside. Hermione came next, then Ron, Fred, and finally George.

“Welcome home, Harry,” Sirius said, coming into the foyer where the floo was located. He reached out and hugged him.

“I missed you,” Harry said.

“Are my parents here yet?” Ron asked.

“Not yet. They said they would be here soon,” Sirius said, turning to Hermione. “And your parents are driving up this afternoon.”

She nodded. “I know. It’s a long drive. Are they coming with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley? I know Dudley stayed at school for something,” she glanced at Harry.

“I think it was some kind of seminar on a career in medicine that they set up for all the pre-med students, and this was the only week the doctor could do it.” Dudley had written to Harry saying he was sorry to miss dinner, but he’d come visit next summer before or after Harry visited them.

“The plan was for the Dursleys to come here since there wasn’t enough time for Harry to spend a few days there.” Sirius looked at Harry.

He nodded. “I want to speak to them about a couple of things, and this was a good way. They can all have dinner and stay overnight with your parents.”

“And you’re okay with them being here?” Fred asked, clearly remembering what it had been like when they’d rescued Harry from his room right before his second year.

“Yes. I told you about that,” Harry said. “It wasn’t their fault.” Plus, they had been so different once the wards that Dumbledore set were taken care of. It was almost like they were different people.

“Anyway,” Sirius said. “They should all be here within the hour.”

“Let’s all change, and we can play quidditch on the pitch out back,” Harry suggested. And then looked at Hermione. “You can check out the library if you want.”

“Yes, thanks,” Hermione beamed at him.

Denny?” Harry called.

“How can I be serving you,” Denny said as he popped in.

“Can you show Hermione the library and make sure she has some tea?”

*****

After quidditch and prying Hermione out of the library, they all gathered at the table for a belated Christmas dinner. The elves had outdone themselves, and the table groaned with the amount of food on it.

Harry had been a little concerned about how Petunia and Vernon would get along with the Grangers, but he should have realized how much the wards had influenced their behavior in the past. Both were respectful and polite to everyone.

It probably didn’t hurt that Arthur and Molly were also polite and respectful of them. In some ways, Harry realized, this was how adults were supposed to interact with each other.

“Harry mentioned that you’ve gone back for a Masters in potions?” Petunia asked, looking interested. “I know that’s similar to chemistry or pharmacy. I’ve been thinking of going back to school as well. I’d like to teach. I’d need to get a master’s in education.”

“We call it a mastery since you’re mastering the subject. But I guess it’s the same thing,” Molly said. “I’ll be teaching first years at Hogwarts next term.”

“What?” Ron said. “Were you going to mention that to us?”

“Yeah, mum,” George said. “We’re taking potions.”

“I’ve heard that you and your brother talked your way into Severus’ sixth-year class,” Molly said. “Since you didn’t mention it, I assumed you didn’t want to discuss it.”

Fred and George looked, well, very surprised. “You knew?”

“I’m your mother. Of course, I knew. I’m just happy you’re continuing your studies.” She smiled at them. And turned back to Petunia. “I think that’s great. Now that all my kids are off to school, it’s good to have something else to focus on.”

“I was thinking that,” Petunia said. “With Dudley off to Smeltings, Vernon’s promotion, and Harry to Hogwarts, I feel like I have time to work on something for myself.”

Harry’s heart expanded a little as she included him in the list. And so did his perpetual anger at Dumbledore. He’d almost missed this chance because of him. “I think it’s great too, Aunt Petunia. You should totally do it.”

“I agree,” Vernon said, and he smiled at Harry. “We can certainly afford it now, too.”

*****

Later that night, after almost everyone had gone to bed, Harry came down to the kitchen to get something to drink. As he came into the kitchen, he heard voices. He was surprised to see Bill there, as well as Molly and Petunia. That was a weird combination of people.

“Hey Bill,” Harry said. “You missed dinner.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Something came up at work –”

“On Boxing Day?” Harry asked, smiling. Seeing Bill always felt good, even when he was just standing with him in the kitchen. It was like Bill was someone who would stand by Harry, no matter what. And that was important. But Harry didn’t know how it was actually going to work. At least not now. And he really needed to find out what it was.

“The work is never done,” Bill said, smiling. “Mum was just going to get me something to eat. I hear it was an epic dinner.”

“It was. Should I call Dobby or Denny?” Harry asked.

“No. I’ll get it,” Molly said. And quickly fixed Bill some of the leftovers. “Can I fix you something, Harry?”

“No thanks, I only came down for something to drink,” Harry said, pouring himself some pumpkin juice.

Bill made small talk with Molly and him while he ate, and then both of them went to bed, leaving Harry alone with Petunia. She hadn’t said much yet. But something told him she wanted to talk to him.

Finally, she cleared her throat. “I wanted to tell you that,” she said and paused. “That I remember before.”

Harry wasn’t sure what she meant. “Before what?”

“Before whatever happened that made all of us less angry.” She looked down, but her cheeks were pink. “Before when we were terrible to you.”

He hadn’t expected that. “Can you maybe not think about that? I try not to.”

“I can’t seem to think about anything else. Everyone here knows how we treated you –”

“Did someone tell you?” Harry asked. He’d have words with anyone who would do something like that. All it could do was hurt them.

She shook her head. “No. I’ve been remembering since you left at the end of the summer. I don’t think Vernon or Dudley remember. I think it’s a blur, or that’s what Vernon has said to me. But not for me. I think I do have some small amount of magic.”

It was time for the truth. He would not allow Petunia to eat herself up with this. “Dumbledore did this to you. It wasn’t you deciding to be cruel to me. You were forced to do it by him.”

Petunia sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. It sounded like relief. “I could not imagine what made us act that way. How did you know? How did you fix it?”

“Someone told me they suspected it and gave me a magical way to fix it,” Harry said, not wanting to lie to her but also not wanting to tell her about the time-travel part either.

“Thank you for fixing it. But how can you forgive any of us for that,” Petunia said, looking down.

“Because it wasn’t your fault. Because it didn’t even have anything to do with you. It was about Dumbledore trying to control me. He hurt a lot of other people doing that. You, Vernon, and Dudley were just three more on his quest. I am so furious that he didn’t even care what it might do to you.”

“Given who he is in your world, I’m going to assume there’s no way to bring him to justice.”

“There might be. If we can prove what he did to you, then Madam Bones might be able to charge him with it.”

“Is there something we can do to help with that?” It was pretty clear that she would do just about anything he asked.

“Well, yes. I’m going to ask Madam Bones from the magical police department to come speak to you, and she can run some tests on the house and see what she can find.”

“I would allow that. Especially if she could come during the day so I don’t have to try to explain it to Vernon. I don’t want to lie to him,” Petunia said. “Vernon has tomorrow and the following day off, but he’s working the rest of the week. He has a big presentation next week.”

“I’ll make sure she comes when you’re home alone,” Harry promised. “I’ll write to her tomorrow morning.”

“Will he be able to take revenge on us?” Petunia asked quietly. “Or somehow make us go back to what we were.”

“I’ll be honest. I don’t know what he’s going to do. Or how I could prevent him from doing it,” Harry said, hating Dumbledore even more. “I would do everything I can to protect you.”

“How?” she asked. “If he’s that powerful.”

Harry looked down and blushed. “I think I’m more powerful. And I have some pretty powerful friends these days. Would you want to move?” Harry asked. “I have a couple of other houses you could live in permanently that he’d never know about, or I could buy you a new one –”

“You’ve already done a lot for us, just giving us that money. It was still a lot even after the taxes were paid. We could buy something new.” Petunia sounded like she liked that idea.

Harry was good with it, too. There would be less reminders in a new house. He’d have to cut the runes into it so they wouldn’t remember. Well, so Vernon and Dudley wouldn’t. “Why not move into one of my houses for a few months so you have time to look for something that suits you. I can get the elves to move you in a few hours. Also, clean the place to your standards.”

Petunia smiled at that. “I think that’s a good idea. I’ll have to talk to Vernon about it and tell Dudley, but I think we’d all benefit from being out of that house.”

“I agree. So, where would you like to live? I have something in a muggle neighborhood nearer to London since Vernon has to go there so often now.” The house wasn’t much bigger than the one on Privet Drive, but it was in a nicer neighborhood. He thought that his mum had bought it for her parents before they had died, but they’d never gotten the chance to live there.

“Nearer to London would be ideal. You’re right. Vernon has been going into London a lot more lately. And it would open up more possibilities for university for me.”

“I’ll have someone clean it up and send you the address before I go back to school. Then you can look at it. Sirius can also help make sure things all happen as they should.” Harry would be delighted if they moved in and didn’t want to leave. It would mean he could actively protect them. Either way, they would have the best wards that could be obtained.

“You have been so generous with us. I’m not sure that even knowing we were cursed, I would have been as forgiving as you have been.”

“You’re my family. And, of course, you would have,” Harry said. “You’re not what he made you both into. Don’t think about it anymore. I’m not going to either.”

She nodded.

*****

“Bill,” Ron said as he came into the living room where his brother was sitting. “I was wondering when you’d get here.”

“I got here last night,” Bill said. “Mum gave me some leftovers. I was sorry to miss dinner, but I had something important happening at work.”

Ron didn’t bother to ask what. It was probably something he couldn’t talk about anyway.

“You’re up early,” Bill commented with a smile. “That’s not like you.”

“I’ve changed a lot since those wards aren’t making me crazy and dumb anymore,” Ron said. He hated to think about what they had done to him. It was amazing how much more clearly he thought. And how much easier school was. Even with what he’d missed over the years, he was catching up fast. “I wanted to ask you about the Weasley family traditions for a courtship.”

“You want to court someone?” Bill sounded shocked by that.

“Well, I’ve already started. I took Daphne Greengrass to the Yule Ball.”

Bill smiled at him. “That’s great. I take it that you like her a lot.”

Ron nodded. “I do. I have always thought she was so pretty. I just never thought I’d do something like this. So, do you know any of our traditions?”

“Not a lot. I know that our traditions have to do with flowers and their meanings. You’re going to have to look it up. But once you’ve started to court her, sending flowers with messages is one of the ways to do it.”

“I can do that. I’ll get some books. Maybe Hermione will help me since I promised to share the Weasley family traditions with her, if she ever gets into a courtship with someone.”

“She’s a good friend, isn’t she?” Bill asked.

“Better than I deserve with how I treated her since first year,” Ron said, sighing. “But she’s forgiven me for that.”

“It’s not as if it was your fault. Almost no one could have stood against those wards. Especially since you’ve been under them since you were a child,” Bill pointed out. “Most of our traditions are more suitable for wizards courting witches, not the other way around. Given how few Weasley-born women there are in any generation.”

Ron smiled at that. “True. But I’m sure Hermione could figure out how to adapt it and make it her own.”

“Does she want someone to court her?” Bill asked.

“Not that I know of, but I hope Daphne and I can set a trend,” Ron said. “There’s something else I want to ask you about.”

Bill looked at him and sighed. “What would that be?”

“I think you know. Harry.”

Bill’s eyes hardened, and his lips were a straight line. “We’re not going to talk about that because, as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t exist yet.”

Ron wasn’t letting him off that easily. While Bill was his brother and he loved him, Harry was his best mate, and even with his other friends and Sirius and McGonagall, Harry needed protection. “But it will. In the future.”

“It’s only the possibility. It won’t happen before Harry gets completely out of school,” Bill said with an air of finality.

Ron relaxed. “All right. But take care with him. I am sure he doesn’t know what is happening between the two of you.”

“Please don’t tell him, Ron. I want him to have a normal teenage experience.”

“How is he going to do that if the person he’s looking for isn’t there? And he doesn’t know the right questions to ask?” Ron said. “You need to talk to him.”

Bill just shook his head. “Not yet. It’s far too soon for that. And he’s far too young for me now.”

“But you feel it, don’t you?” Ron said. “I can tell that you’re fighting it.”

Bill looked like he might say something else, but he didn’t. He just shook his head again and stood. “This is not something I am going to discuss with you. Nothing is going to happen. And if it does happen at all, it will be years from now.”

Ron was surprised that Bill just walked out. He’d never seen his brother that shaken before. It must be the real thing. A real emotional bond. It was reassuring that Bill was working so hard against it, even though, from what Ron knew, it wouldn’t do any good. At some point, Harry would grow up, and Bill would have to face reality.

*****

A few days later, Harry followed Madam Bones and Kingsley Shacklebolt up the walk towards the door to Privet Drive. They were all dressed in reasonable-looking muggle clothes. Before they got to the door, Petunia opened it.

“Good morning,” she said, stepping back so that they all could enter.

Everyone murmured good morning, and Harry introduced Madam Bones, and she introduced Mr. Shacklebolt. Whom Harry hadn’t met before this morning either.

“Can I get you some tea or coffee before you start,” Petunia asked once the introductions were over.

“No, thank you,” Madam Bones said, smiling. “We won’t be long, but we need to do some tests on your home’s foundation. It won’t do any damage.”

“I rather think the damage has been done,” Petunia muttered.

“I’m afraid so,” Madam Bones agreed.

“Do you need to go to a specific room or something,” Petunia asked.

“No. I’m just going to use my wand to run some tests,” she said and then muttered some words that Harry hadn’t caught. She swirled her wand around, and some golden numbers appeared in the air. Then, it moved to write itself down on a piece of parchment that Mr. Shacklebolt was holding.

“I was afraid of that,” Mr. Shacklebolt said. “The evidence is unambiguously clear.”

“Can you tell me what the problem is? And how to fix it?” Petunia asked tentatively.

“As Harry said, the house has been cursed with an aggression ward that is directed towards him. It’s been mitigated by the blood runes that were put on your foundations.”

“However, the wards are degrading, so looking at them now was fortuitous for all of us,” Madam Bones said.

“Do you know who did this?” Harry asked.

She nodded. “But I can’t comment on an ongoing investigation. I’m sure you’ll hear about it soon.”

Harry wanted to argue with her, but he supposed she wouldn’t tell him anything about what she’d found.

“We’re done here,” Mr. Shacklebolt said. “Thank you, Mrs. Dursley. We appreciate your cooperation.”

Petunia nodded. “I’m pleased to help with this.”

They left the house and went around the corner, and Madam Bones apparated him back to Potter Manor.

*****

Amelia returned from dropping Harry off at his home and was unsurprised to find Kingsley loitering outside her office door. “Come in,” she said, waiving him inside.

“You know, there was a time not that long ago when I would have had trouble believing that Dumbledore would do this to anyone, let alone Harry Potter,” Kingsley said as he dropped into the chair in front of Amelia’s desk. “But after the debacle with Arthur Weasley, I’m not even surprised by this. Though where did Harry get that rune to mitigate it?”

“I can’t tell you that,” Amelia said. “We need to prepare charges and arrest Dumbledore. As soon as possible.”

“We’ll need a contingent of Aurors to take up to the school and something to keep him from fleeing. That phoenix of his –”

“I haven’t seen Fawkes around lately,” Amelia said. But that would be an issue, if he tried to run. “I’m not sure he’ll try that. It would make him a fugitive. And destroy his reputation.”

Kingsley was silent for a moment. “He might be arrogant enough to think he’d get away with what he’s done.”

“No doubt, he’d claim it was for the greater good,” Amelia agreed. “But it’s still highly illegal.”

“I think that many people just won’t believe he did something like this. I found it hard to believe, even after I ran the tests on the wards,” Kingsley said with a sigh.

“I need to give the minister a heads up on this, too.” That would not be a pleasant conversation. But at least his nightmare of a deputy was gone.

“There’s one more thing,” Kingsley said. “I hesitate to mention it because it’s probably not going to happen now, but Dumbledore has spoken to me briefly about bringing back his Order of the Phoenix organization. I thought you should be aware of that.”

“Which was a semi-vigilante group he organized in the first war,” Amelia said. She hoped her disgust and disapproval were evident. “I won’t tolerate any of my Aurors involved with anything like that.”

Kingsley nodded. “I was originally interested, as were a couple of other Aurors, but after talking to Arthur about it, I realized that nearly everyone who was a part of that organization is dead. Arthur, Molly, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin are some of the few people who are left alive. At its height, there were fifty to sixty people in the Order. I don’t like those odds.”

Amelia sucked in a breath. “I hadn’t heard that many were involved. But it makes some sense. I want you to talk to whomever else was interested and tell them I won’t tolerate any Auror being involved with the group.”

“Very good,” Kingsley said, standing. “I agree.”

*****

New Years Day

“Happy New Year, mate,” Ron said, sitting down on the sofa next to Harry. “I can’t believe how much has happened in so short a time.”

Harry looked at him. “I know. I would never have guessed that Madam Bones would have actually arrested Dumbledore. I mean, this summer, after I told her everything that happened, she said he hadn’t done anything illegal. But she kept looking.”

“I’d always heard she was honest and fair. If she thought he’d done something wrong, she’d keep looking,” Ron said.

“And Aunt Min is going to be temporary headmistress,” Harry said. “I think there are going to be some big changes.”

“There are already big changes. Or did you not notice there’s been less hexing in the halls this past term.”

“No. I did. But I’ve been busy trying to get my work done. It’s been nice that no one has tried to kill me yet this term,” Harry said. He was very grateful to get the reprieve.

“Yeah. I am looking forward to getting back to school. I’ve got my homework done and everything.”

“Hermione will be so proud of you,” Harry said, laughing.

“Daphne said I had to make top grades. She said she wasn’t going to marry someone who wasn’t educated.”

“That’s fair. I really like runes.”

“I can see that. You’re top in our year this term, and I’m sure Hermione will have something to say about that,” Ron said, smiling.

“She’s top this term in most of our classes. Except potions,” Harry said and glanced at Ron. “She’s third there.”

Ron blushed. “I guess it’s hereditary. I would never have thought I’d do so well in it. Malfoy, Black is actually top. But we’ll see who comes out top for the whole year. I’m only two or three points off from him.”

“I’m sure he’s unhappy about that and will likely double down. I’m sure Hermione will, too.” Harry said. “I noticed you were talking to him tonight.”

“Yeah. No sense in being rude. He might be a git, but he’s not an evil one. We’re all going to have to deal with each other in the coming years.”

Harry laughed. “Well, look at you, being all mature.”

Ron picked up a sofa pillow and hit Harry with it. “I’ll never be that mature.”

“I hope not. I am also looking forward to the spring term,” Harry said. “Is your mum still going to be teaching potions to firsties?”

“She’ll be flooing into Hogwarts two to three days a week, in the mornings. Plus, whatever else she needs to do with Snape to finish her mastery,” Ron said. “She’s brewed household potions for us for years. Plus, she sold some on the side as well. This will give her a chance to actually get a higher paying job. I think she likes that idea. Though Dad is doing better at work too, now that the wards aren’t eating his brain.”

“Everyone in your family seems to be doing better. I am still furious at Dumbledore every time I think about that.”

“Me, too,” Ron agreed.

*****

Chapter 19

After the first week of the new term, Minerva had the usual staff meeting. Things had gone much better this past term. There were fewer problems with discipline and much less problems with house rivalries. All in all, fixing the wards in the common rooms and in the teacher’s quarters had been a very good solution.

Apparently, Alastair Moody was turning out to be a very good teacher. It had only taken him a week to recover from the kidnapping at the beginning of the fall term. Then, he was willing to stay and teach. Well, he was an instructor at the Auror Academy for many years. His report on last term had been detailed and thorough, and showed his students were actually learning something useful. And now that the curse was gone from the classroom, there was a chance they’d be able to keep him.

Minerva hadn’t expected to suddenly have to take on all Dumbledore’s responsibilities as well as her own. Even if she had been doing part of it since last year, when Dumbledore had had the less than brilliant idea to resurrect the Triwizard Tournament, it was still more work than she’d anticipated. Of course, if Dumbledore hadn’t made such a mess, it wouldn’t have been as bad, and she wouldn’t be so tired.

As the meeting ended, all of the teachers filed out, except Severus. Minerva glanced at him. She was probably too tired to deal with whatever tantrum he was going to have. “What can I do for you, Severus?”

“I think what you’ve done is enough,” Severus said. “But I’d like to ask you about restarting the apprenticeship program for seventh-year potions students who excel.”

Well, that was unexpected. “Did you have someone in mind?” Minerva asked.

“Two someones,” he said, smirking.

“Seriously? They are doing that well?”

“They are so much better than I expected, and I expected a lot from them. I would have thought them brilliant based on what they had done in the past. They are beyond that now. However, their interests lie in using potions for their joke shop. It’s a fair enough career choice, and I’m sure they will excel at it. However, I wish to extend their range with teaching first years next year.”

“Molly won’t be back?”

“No. She’ll finish her mastery this summer. And write the appropriate papers for it to be granted. She’ll also have a decent enough career.”

“You sound disappointed,” Minerva said. “I can’t think of why.”

“Not disappointed. The twins will do ambitious and extravagant things with potions. But not things I would necessarily wish to do,” Severus said.

“Isn’t that their choice?”

“Of course. I plan to have them thoroughly trained and take credit for their brilliance,” Severus said with a smirk.

“So, what’s the problem?” Minerva knew there had to be a complaint in there somewhere, or this wouldn’t be Severus.

“The problem is boy Weasley number six,” Severus said.

“Ronald?” What had he done now, Minerva wondered.

“Indeed. Somehow and I don’t know how, he’s become a rival for Draco, in a single term. That, I did not see coming.” Severus shook his head, looking like he was perplexed and annoyed.

“I’m surprised to hear you complaining about a good student.”

“I would have said that particular Weasley was lazy and shallow. And apparently, he had the potential the entire time, and our faithless, former head had deprived me of a third exceptional student. I’m so disappointed and enraged that I want to hex him.”

That was not what she’d expected him to say. “I thought you didn’t like teaching. And especially didn’t like the Weasleys. Or Mr. Potter.”

“I continue to have mixed feelings about Harry Potter, but he’s a decent enough student, now. I have come to understand that I enjoy teaching those who wish to learn. This past term has been an eye-opening experience. I have been laboring under the same curse that the Weasleys have been under.”

“I understand that. I think most of us here have been laboring under the ward curse. I have a thought to do some statistical analysis on what this has cost us in terms of potential.” Minerva didn’t have time now, but it was something that she wanted to do.

Severus nodded. “Perhaps a task for Miss Granger. She could take it on as a research project in arithmancy.”

“That’s a good idea, Severus. I think I’ll speak to her about it.” She looked at him. “Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?”

“Not at this time.”

“I think the apprenticeship will happen. I do not believe Dumbledore will be back,” Minerva said, hoping she was right. “I also don’t know that I want to be headmistress.”

“I think you would do an adequate job of it.”

“Was that a compliment?” Minerva laughed.

Severus inclined his head. “Of course not. Just a statement of the facts as I know them.”

*****

Hogsmeade Weekend — January

It was two weeks after the beginning of the new term. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked down towards Hogsmeade. The day was sunny and cold.

“I can’t believe how much better things are already without Dumbledore,” Ron said.

“I know,” Harry agreed. “It’s nice to not have him watching me all the time. That was kind of creepy.”

Hermione didn’t say anything.

“Don’t you agree?” Ron asked her.

“I do. I’m sorry, I was thinking about something else.”

“What?” Harry asked.

“Well, two things, actually,” she said. “One of them is what happened with that horrible article by Rita Skeeter. She’s ruined Hagrid’s life on a whim. What did that serve?”

“It sounds like it sold newspapers. Lie or not,” Ron said. “But it is probably true, though. The real question was how she found out that he was a half-giant.”

Harry had no idea how she found out. “Now, he’s gone, and we got Grubby-Plank. Who isn’t horrible, but isn’t Hagrid either.”

Hermione nodded. “She really is a nuisance. Skeeter, I mean.”

“You know, I have been meaning to tell you both that I was talking to Sirius about maybe buying the Prophit. Or maybe shares in it so they wouldn’t be able to do something like this again,” Harry said.

“That’s a good idea, mate,” Ron said. “Is that likely?”

Hermione looked thoughtful. “You could institute journalistic standards like real newspapers have. And maybe stop her from lying.”

“That was the idea. I’ll write to Sirius about it. I’d like to see something done about her.”

“What’s the other thing?” Ron asked.

“I got a special, extra-credit project in arithmancy from Professor McGonagall. It’s very complicated. But I’ve enjoyed working on it,” Hermione said.

“What kind of project?” Harry asked. She always has interesting projects. These days, he could appreciate them more.

“I’m not sure I’m allowed to say, but it might have something to do with statistics from the infirmary. And when and how they’ve changed over specific time periods,” Hermione said, sounding mysterious.

“Well, if you can’t tell us, why bring it up?” Ron asked.

It still surprised Harry when Ron said something he would have last year in a completely different tone of voice. It was a genuine question, not a rude statement.

“I’m sorry,” Hermione said. “You asked what I was thinking about. Not whether or not I could talk about it.”

“Point,” Harry conceded.

When they got to Hogsmeade, they were met by Tracy Davis, Theodore Nott, and Daphne Greengrass.

“Good morning, Miss Greengrass,” Ron said, bowing and holding out his arm. “I am pleased that you accepted my invitation to lunch.”

“I was most pleased with it,” Daphne said and curtsied. She slipped her arm through Ron’s, and they nodded to the rest of them.

“Good day to you, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger,” Nott said as he and Davis walked away.

“This whole overly polite exchange is always so strange,” Harry said. “I mean, Ron told us they would be polite, but I guess I just didn’t expect it.”

“I didn’t either, but I think it’s actually very nice,” Hermione said. “Nott is always polite to me. So, is Davis.”

“Now that you mentioned it, it’s been true for me, too.” Harry had tried to reply to either of them in whatever manner they had responded to him. “I’m going to assume that Nott wasn’t very polite to you before this last term.”

“Mostly, he ignored me. Even in our arithmancy study group, he would pay attention to what I said but never said anything directly to me.” She sighed. “Now he engages in conversations with me and even argues with me when he thinks I’m wrong. So does Malfoy, Black.”

“I know it’s hard to think of him as a Black,” Harry said.

“Yeah,” Hermione agreed. “But he’s much more agreeable as a Black than he ever was as a Malfoy.”

Harry could understand that, given what he knew about Black’s background.

*****

Minerva was led into Blordak’s office at the bank.

“How can I help you, Headmistress?” Blordak asked after they had exchanged proper greetings.

“I’d like to request an audit of all the Hogwarts accounts. I believe galleons have been set aside for that, but I can find no evidence of an audit being done.”

“That is because there hasn’t been one done,” Blordak said. “Not since I’ve been the account manager for Hogwarts.”

“And how long has that been?” Minerva asked.

“Thirty years. And I believe it has been longer than that.”

“Probably.” Minerva bit back a sigh. “Can you do one now? I’d like to know what galleons are coming in and what galleons go out.”

“Are you looking for something in particular?” Blordak seemed to know something was incorrect about the books.

“Should I be? I can’t make heads or tails of what I’ve seen in the ledger. Do you know what OTP is?”

“Were I to venture a guess, it might stand for Order of the Phoenix. But I cannot be sure of that,” Blordak said. “Is there an issue?”

“Of course it is,” Minerva muttered. “I would say there is a definite issue. Almost twenty-five percent of the school’s budget goes to that account.”

“As headmistress, you can change that,” Blordak pointed out.

“Then please do not send any more money to that account. And can I get back what has been put there?”

“It is listed as a school account. You can, of course, move money around as you see fit.” There was something very pleased in Blordak’s toothy smile.

Minerva appreciated that. “Move everything in it to the school general maintenance fund. I don’t want any more galleons from the school going there.” Minerva paused. “How much is in there?”

“Quite a lot,” Blordak said. “Enough to hire new teachers and teach new classes.”

“I’ll take that under consideration,” she said. “Also, I would like a full inspection of the wards for the entire school and grounds. Can you do that?”

“Me personally? No. But I can have a team sent out to the school to check.”

“I’d appreciate that, too. Take whatever payment is required out of the general maintenance fund for right now.”

“Is there anything specific that you’d like to have us look for or arrange?”

“Yes. I’d like to make sure no one with a dark mark can set foot on the school grounds or enter any of the buildings,” Minerva said.

“Do you have any exceptions to that rule? And what would you like the wards to do if someone tries.”

“I’d like them to be unable to get through them at all. Can that be accomplished?” Minerva asked. And then thought for a moment more. “I would like one exception right now, and that would be Severus Snape.”

“We will need to have him there when we reset the wards,” Blordak said. “We can reset the wards to bounce the person back each time they try. Harder each time.”

Minerva considered that. She was sure it could be made more punitive. In fact, if she wanted them to, the wards could kill. But she really didn’t think that was appropriate for a school. “As long as it keeps them from entering the school, that will be fine. As for Severus, he teaches there. I don’t think it will be a problem for him to be present.”

“No exceptions for other parents?”

“Not at this time,” Minerva said and stood. “Thank you so much for your time and effort.”

Blordak nodded.

*****

Hogsmeade Weekend — March.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stepped into the warmth of Three Broomsticks for lunch. Harry looked around and spotted Sirius coming toward them. Sirius hugged Harry tightly, and Harry responded, wrapping his arms around Sirius, but he wasn’t used to this much affection. Though, he liked it a lot, and supposed he would get used to it.

“We’re in a private room, so we can talk,” Sirius said, moving his hand toward the back of the Inn.

They followed him back, and Sirius cast a muffling charm as well. “Sit,” he said, waving his hand towards the table set for four. “Lunch should be here shortly.”

After lunch was served, Sirius cleared his throat. “Tell me, what’s been happening with you? Are you enjoying the Triwizard Tournament?”

Ron snorted. “For the second task, we spent an hour in the freezing cold, watching the Black Lake, waiting for something to happen.”

“Which it didn’t,” Hermione said. “They were all supposed to go after something they would miss. I heard that Dumbledore had wanted to use real people. But Professor McGonagall changed it, so it was an object. All of the champions brooms.”

“Which made it less dire,” Harry said. “Still, I would have hated losing my broom that way.”

“Fortunately, you weren’t competing,” Hermione said. “I’m sure they were all worried, but not like they would have been with a loved one.”

Ron nodded. “Anyway, Cedric is in first place, Viktor second, and Fleur, third.”

“What else is going on with you,” Harry asked. “We all heard about the trial and that Dumbledore was convicted. But they didn’t seem inclined to put him in Azkaban. Even if he deserves it.”

“Unfortunately, that’s true. The evidence was clear,” Sirius said. “Even if most of what he’d done wasn’t actually a crime, it was still wrong.”

“And with the horrible results?” Hermione asked. “I know that the year after he put the wards into the common rooms, which he did more than twenty-five years ago, the number of incidents of students going to the infirmary per term more than doubled. Seriously, in 1971, it jumped over sixty percent from what it had been the year before. And it went up again in 1981 by almost eighty percent. I’m sure you see the pattern there.”

“He said it was an experiment to make each house more competitive with the rest of the school,” Sirius pointed out. “But he never checked or noticed that it also drove down OWL and NEWT scores.”

Hermione nodded. “I don’t understand how he can get away with that.”

“There are many laws that protect the head of the school,” Ron said. “I looked it up after everything that happened with our wards.”

“Whoa, look at you, being all studious,” Sirius said, smiling at him.

“Can you do anything about that?” Harry said.

“Not a lot,” Sirius said. “But he won’t be back as headmaster. The wards in the common rooms weren’t the only thing that came out at the trial. The fact that the outer wards hadn’t been updated in more than thirty years, or that the teacher’s quarters had also been warded for them to ignore what was going on, did not sit well with anyone.”

“But nothing can be done about it,” Harry guessed. “I think there needs to be some new laws.”

“I don’t disagree,” Sirius said. “But it won’t happen right away. I do plan to start to work on this.”

“Nothing changes fast in the Wizarding World,” Ron said. “But a lot has changed this year. So, at least, we’re heading in the right direction.”

Hermione nodded. “Where are we with other things?”

She meant the Horcruxes, Harry assumed. He looked at Sirius, who raised his wand and recast the muffling charm. “On that subject, things are progressing. Bill, Narcissa, and I have been searching for them.”

“How many have you found?” Hermione asked.

“We have destroyed six of them and believe there might be one more,” Sirius said. ” Harry destroyed the diary. Harry’s scar was cleaned this summer, and Bill destroyed that one. I found the locket with Narcissa and used some of the basilisk venom to destroy that. Bill and the goblins got the cup in Bellatrix’s vault after I expelled her from the family magic and took the vault back. They took care of that one. They also got the ring in the Gaunt’s shack and took care of it. Minerva, Professor McGonagall got the diadem that was in the Room of Requirement.”

“Do you think any of this alerted him to what was going on?” Harry asked.

“Not according to Narcissa, who is something of an expert on this. She doesn’t believe he can feel anything with each piece of his soul out of his body.” Sirius shivered. “I can’t believe anyone would willingly do this to themselves.”

“Me neither,” Ron said. “But Riddle has never been like anyone else.”

*****

After lunch, Ron went to meet Daphne, and apparently, they didn’t need escorts for that. Hermione went to Tomes and Scrolls to see if she could find a book she was looking for. And that left Harry alone with Sirius.

Harry cleared his throat. Talking about this was turning out to be more difficult than he’d thought. “I want to ask you something, and it is kind of important.”

“What can I do for you?” Sirius asked. “Are you in trouble?”

“No. Of course not. With no one trying to kill me this last term, I actually did very well.”

“I saw that. I’m proud of you.” Sirius met his eyes. “Then what is bothering you? You know you can tell me anything, right.”

Harry let out a sigh. “I just wanted to ask you about–” Harry stopped and shrugged. “There’s something happening with Bill.”

Sirius sat up straighter, and his expression looked, well, Harry wasn’t sure what it looked like. Maybe surprised. “What about Bill?” Sirius’ tone was quiet for him.

“Well, there’s this thing. I mean…there’s something between us. I don’t understand it.”

“What thing?” Sirius was looking right at him. “Something you don’t like?”

“Something I don’t understand,” Harry corrected him. “When he touched me –”

“When did this happen?” Sirius asked, his tone strange.

“When I fell on him, when we were coming up from the Chamber of Secrets. I told you about this, remember?” Harry asked.

“You were okay?” Sirius asked.

“Yes, fine,” Harry said. “But there was something, something happened. I don’t understand what exactly. But I felt something happen between us.”

“And you’re just mentioning this now?”

“Well, a lot has happened, one thing after another. And well, with him, when I’m with him, he feels, I don’t know, good in some way. Like, I want to hang out with him and talk or just be around him. The thing is, I’ve mentioned this to a couple of people. And they seem to recognize what’s happening. But no one will tell me what’s going on.” Harry had to admit, that sounded pretty ridiculous, now that he was saying it all out loud.

“You’re a little young for what’s going on with that.”

He looked at Sirius, annoyed. “You’re not going to tell me? I didn’t expect you to keep something important from me. And I get the feeling this is important.”

“Truly, Harry, it’s not bad. But it’s also not my place to tell you.” Sirius looked down and then back at him. “I will. But you should really ask Bill about it. In the wizarding world, most people just know when this happens, but if one of them doesn’t, usually because they are younger, it’s up to the older person to tell you.”

Which would be why both Ron and Draco hadn’t told him anything. “I don’t know when I’ll see him again, and well, I need to know.” Harry was getting tired of this, but it looked like Sirius wouldn’t say anything either. “Fine.”

“Harry,” Sirius said and sighed. “It’s a bond. Probably an empathic one, but you’re not going to know for sure until you’re old enough to do anything about it.”

Harry blew out a relieved breath. “Okay. Thank you for telling me. I’ll speak to Bill about it the next time I see him. But I needed to know what it was, even if I can’t do anything about it now.”

“Probably for years, Harry,” Sirius said, smiling. “But it’s a good thing. When you finally get there, it’s going to be wonderful for you.”

When he finally got there.

*****

Spring Break

Right before spring break, Harry was studying in the common room. Hermione came in and sat down beside him. “How are you doing?” she asked.

“Pretty well. I think I’m ready for the end-of-term exams. How about you?”

“Of course,” she said. “I should start to think about designing a plan for next year’s OWLs.”

Harry laughed. “I think that can wait until this summer.”

“Well, maybe. I do want to have a complete plan by the time we start in the fall.” She paused and looked at him. “I think I know what you were talking about, what you felt with someone.”

“Really?” Harry said hopefully. “Sirius explained it. At least a little. What did you find.”

“I think what you were talking about is an empathic bond. Or maybe it’s just the start of one. It’s very much sought after in the Wizarding World. But very little has been written about exactly what it is or how you find it with someone else.”

“Why not, if people want to find it,” Harry asked. Sirius didn’t mention that it was that rare.

“I think it’s another one of those things where the information about it is passed down from generation to generation in families. Like the whole pureblood courtship. There is a basic understanding that all purebloods know because they learned it in childhood.”

“And those of us who didn’t are out of luck?” Harry suggested.

Hermione nodded. “Basically. However, the empathic bond can be very powerful and can add a lot to your relationship. Are you going to tell me who yet?”

“You wouldn’t believe me. And we don’t have any kind of relationship. Not yet.” But from what he’d been able to put together, it sounded like it might be something important. Something he might have in the future.

She looked at him. “Tell me?”

Well, Harry was sure she’d have the same amused reaction as everyone else. “Bill Weasley.”

“Has he done anything to you?” she asked, sounding shocked.

“What are you talking about? Done what?” Harry did not understand her reaction at all.

“For the bond to start at all, you have to touch him. How did he touch you?” she asked.

Hermione already knew about when he’d touched Bill. “Remember when I told you I fell on Bill going up the stairs?”

She nodded.

“Well,” Harry said, holding his hands out. “Then.”

“Okay,” Hermione said, her tone had relaxed.

“What?” Harry asked. “I don’t understand why you’re upset about that? It was just me being clumsy.”

“Oh, Harry. He’s ten years older than you are.” She said it as if he couldn’t do the math.

“I know that. And really, I’m not that interested in Bill, not like that. But he feels nice to be around. Well, when I get the chance to see him, which isn’t that often.”

“You saw him at Christmas this year,” Hermione pointed out.

“And it was nice. I like Bill.” Harry shrugged.

“The chances are, you’re going to like him a lot more as you get older.” She didn’t seem as amused as most of the adults he’d spoken to.

“I’m gathering that,” Harry said. “But not right this minute.” He really did have too much to do to worry about it. Now, at least, he knew for sure what it was. And that it would wait until he was ready to deal with it.

*****

During the two weeks everyone had off, they met at Grimmauld Place to discuss the ritual Voldemort was likely to use to resurrect himself and what the last Horcrux might be.

Harry came in with Hermione and Ron and sat down.

“I don’t think any of you children should be here,” Molly said, folding her arms over her chest.

“We’re involved,” Harry pointed out. She didn’t know about the future stuff and he wasn’t going to tell anyone else. “Aunt Min and Sirius both promised me that I would at least know what was going on, even if I wasn’t going to take part in it. And Hermione and Ron are with me.”

Molly gave him a disgruntled look. “I disapprove,” she said and then sighed. “But at this point, it’s not for me to say what you do, Harry. I’m sure you would tell him what was said, even if I sent Ron out of the room. He might as well hear it firsthand.”

Harry was surprised by what she said. That was so different from how she usually was. “I would definitely tell him.”

Sirius cleared his throat. “Harry has promised to stay out of it, if he knows what’s going on. Which is fair.”

“I asked Draco to stay upstairs. He doesn’t need to be involved,” Narcissa said. “Are we all assembled?”

“Minerva is still at school, and Madam Bones is unavailable today. Both will be updated once we’re done here,” Sirius said.

Narcissa nodded. “As I told this group earlier, I believe I can guess which ritual he will use. It involves a resurrection potion with specific ingredients.”

“Which are?” Bill asked. “I know of an obscure ritual, but not one that uses a potion.”

“I think the ingredients will appeal to the Dark Lord,” Narcissa said. “A bone from his father, unknowingly given, the flesh of a servant, willingly given, And the blood of an enemy, forcibly taken.”

“Well, that certainly sounds gruesome,” Sirius said and looked at Harry. “You need to be cautious from now until the end of the summer term.”

“I agree,” Bill said, but he didn’t look at Harry.

“So how do we do that,” Hermione asked. “I mean, is there some way to put a tracking charm on Harry and have it last until the end of the year?”

“It would have to be reapplied frequently,” Sirius said. “I don’t know of anything that would last even a week.”

“I do,” Bill said. “I would have to get permission to use it since it belongs to Gringotts, but I don’t think it will be a problem. I’m sure they will charge you for the use of it.”

“I’m sure they will, too,” Harry said. He had no problem with them making money for giving him a valuable spell.

*****

Chapter 20

June 24th

McGonagall’s voice boomed out using a Sonorus amplification spell ” Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes’ time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now.”

Harry was running late. He was supposed to be in the bleachers with Ron, Hermione, and Neville to watch the final task start. He’d gotten stuck writing his final potions essay and lost track of the time. They were going to start at any second.

Harry sped up and hit something solid, bouncing off it. He landed on his butt on the ground and looked up, but there was nothing there.

“You’re going somewhere in a hurry, aren’t you, Harry,” Dumbledore’s voice said before he disillusioned himself. “You should have obeyed me. This would have gone so much better for you.”

“I was never going to do that,” Harry said, climbing to his feet. “Not after all that you’ve done to me and my family. How could you?”

“Oh, Harry,” Dumbledore said, smiling. “It was far easier than you can imagine. You were supposed to die in the battle with Voldemort. Now, you’ll just have to die tonight.”

“What are you talking about,” Harry said, raising his voice. “Why are you doing this?”

“If you had just listened to me and done what I told you to do, you wouldn’t have forced me to work with Voldemort,” Dumbledore said, sounding downtrodden. “All of this is your own fault.”

“Voldemort!” Harry spat, shocked to his soul. He could not believe what he’d just heard. His heart started pounding hard. “How could you do that? Why? What do you hope to gain?”

“He needs you to resurrect himself, and I need him resurrected. You are supposed to fight him later, maybe in your sixth or seventh year. You need to die so that he can be killed. But before that, there are tasks to be done. Tasks I’ll need to do now, myself.” Dumbledore’s voice was conversational, as if he expected Harry to understand what he was saying.

Harry understood that Dumbledore was talking about the Horcruxes, but should he mention that his was already gone? Would it matter to Dumbledore? “I am not going to die for any reason,” Harry said, trying to calm down, but it wasn’t working very well. “You haven’t told me why yet. And really, you should.”

“Because I can. Because I want our world to continue as it always has, without changes. I want to keep it safe from Muggle interference and taint. As soon as you are dead and Tom is gone, I will be the Leader of the Light again. And I will get credit for killing Voldemort. Be reinstated as Headmaster of Hogwarts. This,” Dumbledore said, waving a hand around, “Is a unique position of power. I shape the students who will rule the world after they leave here.”

Wow, he was mad, wasn’t he? Harry didn’t even know what to say to that. There was no way that was going to happen. “You’re not going to be the Leader of the Light ever again.”

Dumbledore just smiled at him. “That’s where you come in. Once I have the Potter fortune to help fund my organization, I won’t have any problem making people believe what I want them to believe.”

“You’ve already taken enough from me. You’re not going to get that, too.” Harry was breathing hard. He needed to calm down and think.

“You don’t have a will, and I will produce one naming me your beneficiary,” Dumbledore said, looking pretty crazed right then. Or maybe he was just that desperate.

“No one is going to believe that,” Harry said, trying hard to rein back his anger and not say the wrong thing. Had he forgotten about Sirius or anyone else who knew what was going on? “Everyone knows what you’ve done.”

“No matter,” Dumbledore said, pushing Harry down and dropping a heavy weight on him. Harry scrambled up, and in the last second before whatever it was went off, he reached up and grabbed Dumbledore’s hand and held on. Something hooked into his navel and pulled him. Harry remembered this feeling. It was a portkey.

Harry landed hard on the ground, with Dumbledore beside him. Before Harry could do more than clamber to his feet and try to get away, Dumbledore stood and grabbed hold of him. A short figure approached them, carrying something.

A sharp breath rushed out of Harry as he recognized Wormtail, who was holding a grotesque lump of flesh that resembled nothing Harry had ever seen before. It looked rotted and deformed.

“Dumbledore,” it said. “I didn’t think you were coming.”

“I hadn’t planned on it, Tom.” Dumbledore stepped away and shoved Harry hard enough to make him stumble. “He’s yours.”

Before Harry could even respond to that, Dumbledore hit him with a stunner, and everything went black.

*****

When Harry woke up, he was tied to a grave marker, with a horrible headache. No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t move.

He watched as Wormtail excavated a bone from a grave and tossed it into the huge cauldron. And then he cut off his hand and dropped it in the cauldron.

“B-blood of the enemy . . . forcibly taken . . . you will . . . resurrect your foe.”

Harry gasped in horror as Wormtail came at him with a silver knife. He cried out in surprise and pain as Wormtail cut him, then used a vial to collect his blood. Wormtail put his blood into the cauldron. Even though he’d known this was a possibility, Harry could not believe this was actually happening.

As Harry watched, Voldemort rose out of the white steam of the cauldron, monstrous and horrible.

Voldemort ordered Wormtail to give him a robe, and he did as he was instructed, putting a black robe on him. And he used Wormtail’s dark mark to call his followers to him.

But before any of the Death Eaters could show up, A squad of Aurors, along with Madam Bones, Professor McGonagall, Bill, and Sirius.

Voldemort screamed. “I will kill you all.” He started firing curses at them, and Wormtail was no use since he was still on the ground, crying from the pain of cutting off his hand. “Nagini, kill!”

A huge snake started towards the Aurors, but one of them hit it with a blasting curse and another one with a Bombarda curse. The snake exploded. An oily black mist shrieked as it rose out of the dead snake pieces.

And raced across the space between them to bury itself in Voldemort, who screamed again, this time in what sounded like either pain or surprise. Madam Bones and McGonagall both stepped forward, and they fired together. Harry thought it was another type of blasting curse. It tore Voldemort apart. Blood and flesh spewing everywhere.

Just as the last of Voldemort’s dying shriek tapered off, the Death Eaters started to show up. One by one, the Aurors, with some help from Madam Bones and Sirius. They stunned each Death Eater as they apparated into the graveyard and then, tossed a portkey on top of them to send them back to jail cells.

Bill knelt before Harry and untied him. For one second, Bill looked like he might cry, but instead, he pulled Harry into his arms and hugged him tight. Harry put his head on Bill’s shoulder and just breathed in the smell of him. It felt good to be held by him, especially after everything that happened tonight. He just wanted to hang on for a few minutes and catch his breath.

“My arm is still bleeding,” Harry whispered.

“Oh Merlin. I’m sorry,” Bill said and pulled back. He put a bandage on Harry’s arm along with a healing charm and something that took away the pain.

Bill took a couple of deep breaths. “How did you get here?”

“Dumbledore was at Hogwarts and found me. He was invisible and then pressed a portkey on me. And I reached out and took him with me. We landed here,” Harry said.

“What happened then,” Amelia asked gently, kneeling beside Harry and putting a hand on his shoulder.

Harry told her about Dumbledore stunning him. “I woke up a few minutes ago with Wormtail working on resurrecting Voldemort. What took you so long?”

“After you failed to show up for the third task, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley went to look for you, and when they couldn’t find you, they came to me,” McGonagall said. “I flooed Madam Bones.”

“Thanks,” Harry said.

“Are you well?” McGonagall asked. “Do you need to go to the infirmary?”

“No. I just need to get out of here.” Bill helped him to stand, and Harry leaned on him for a second before straightening up.

*****

“I had always heard that Dumbledore was the only person that Voldemort was afraid of, and now, you’re telling me that they were in league with each other?” Ron said, sitting on Harry’s bed in the infirmary. Even though he didn’t feel like he needed to go to the infirmary, Sirius and McGonagall had outvoted him. So, there he was.

Hermione sat on the other side of him. “I heard that he, Dumbledore, was arrested, trying to get into Hogwarts. He was saying that Voldemort had been resurrected, and he thought he’d be a hero for telling everyone about it.”

“I think he might really be mad,” Ron said. “I don’t get what he was thinking at all.”

“I agree,” Hermione said. “What was he thinking to do any of this. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. It just hurt a lot of people.”

“He said he wanted to stem the influence of the Muggles, and I assume the Muggle-borns. Harry told them what Dumbledore had said to him. I thought he might be barking mad when I was talking to him. I’m not sure how he thought he would get it? Wouldn’t my aunt get it? She’s my next of kin,” Harry asked.

Ron shook his head. “I don’t think it works that way in the Wizarding World. And since there are no more Potters after you unless you had a will, there might have been some way he could have gotten it. Especially if he had something that said you’d left it to him.”

“I should look into making a will. I don’t want someone to walk off with everything that’s mine, if I can help it.” Harry didn’t want to think about it anymore. “Oh, who won the tournament?” Harry asked.

“It’s kind of inconsequential at this point,” Hermione said.

Harry looked at Ron. Who shrugged. “Cedric Diggory won.”

“Go Hogwarts,” Harry said with a smile.

“We should let you rest,” Ron said and stood up. Hermione did as well. “One last thing, Bill said he was going back to Egypt tonight, but he’d be there for your birthday party in a few weeks.”

Harry nodded. That was probably for the best. But he was going to miss him.

*****

A little while later, Sirius came in with McGonagall.

“How are you feeling?” Sirius asked.

“Like I said in the graveyard, I am fine. I didn’t need to be here,” Harry said, waving a hand around.

“It won’t hurt you to be checked out,” McGonagall said.

“So, I heard they arrested Dumbledore,” Harry said.

“He’s still trying to talk his way out of what happened. Saying it was for the greater good. I don’t think anyone is buying that,” Sirius said.

“He gave me to Voldemort. How can he justify that?” Harry asked.

“I’m sure he’ll try to figure out a way,” McGonagall said. “Fortunately, no one believes him.”

“Who else was arrested?” Harry asked.

“About a dozen Death Eaters,” McGonagall said. “Including Lucius Malfoy. They were in full Death Eater regalia, so it will be hard for them to wiggle out of it this time. Especially with Dumbledore no longer being Chief Warlock and preaching forgiveness.”

Harry was suddenly very tired. “Anything else I should know?”

“No, son, you should go to sleep,” Sirius said. “It will all be here tomorrow.”

Harry nodded and lay back down in the bed. Sirius pulled his blankets over him. And he went to sleep, having survived yet again.

*****

Chapter 21 – Epilogue

Harry and Bill’s story

Content Rating: PG

Warnings: Ten-year age difference, but non-explicit sex.

Summary: Harry was not expecting to have a bond with anyone. But especially not Ron’s older brother, Bill. And he wasn’t expecting to have to wait years for it, either.

Harry’s Fifteenth Birthday

Harry found Bill sitting on a fence near the back of the orchard. “Hi, Bill,” Harry said. “I was wondering where you went off to.”

“Did someone need me for something?” Bill asked, not looking at him.

“Not that I know of,” Harry said. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you in person for what happened during the third task.”

Bill snorted. “I practically cried all over you when I was trying to get you untied.”

“I appreciated you being there. So, thanks,” Harry said sincerely. And he had appreciated the hug. It had helped steady him after what had happened. Bill always felt so comforting to be around.

When Bill didn’t say anything else, Harry went on, “And on another subject, I’m going to assume you heard about the formalization of Ron’s courtship with Daphne?”

“It was the first thing my mum told me this morning. She was so excited that she barely waited for me to step out of the floo. Did you attend them?” Bill asked.

“Yes, me and Hermione. And Theodore Nott and Tracy Davis.” Harry laughed. “This has been very interesting. Her parents didn’t even seem surprised.”

“Oh, I’m sure she warned them so that it would all go smoothly,” Bill said. “Just like I’m sure that Draco told Sirius and his mom before he ever said anything to Hermione. Though I have to say that surprised the hell out of me.”

“You and me, both. Not to mention Ron, too.” Harry could not believe that Draco had proposed a formal courtship with Hermione or that she had accepted. And now he was going to attend Hermione as well as Ron. “There are a lot of formal courtships going around these days.”

“It should make next year very interesting for everyone,” Bill said, still not looking at him. “Is there someone who you’d like to court? At school, I mean.”

Harry snorted. “No. And I honestly can’t believe you just asked me that. Because even if we haven’t talked about this thing between us, it exists.”

Bill looked away at the orchard again. “What exactly do you want to talk about?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Harry said, annoyed. “Whatever this bond thing between us is. No one wants to talk about it. Your dad seemed amused by it, and so was Sirius. At least he kept his promise to me and told me what it was. Hermione was good enough to give me a more complete explanation, or at least the theory of it. And then she was surprised that it was you. And so was Ron.”

“I’m ten years older than you are. You are below the age of consent. That’s all there is to say about that,” Bill snapped and sighed. “I’m sorry. This is difficult.”

Harry had the feeling this conversation was something he did not want to muck up. Or leave it to luck or chance. “I know it is. I also know that I am not ready to even think about anything like that. But right now, the list of things I don’t know is bigger than the list of things that I do know. So, tell me about what this is going to mean to us?”

“Right now, it’s about a potential for something in the future. In maybe five years or longer, there could be something significant between us. But we’d have to wait for it. And I don’t feel that you should have to wait. You should find someone your own age and do all the things that teenagers do.” Bill looked down, not meeting Harry’s eyes. “Things I already did.”

“That’s not telling me anything I don’t already know. Do you want this?” Maybe he should be insulted at being treated like a child. Which he wasn’t. Not anymore.

“I want you to have a normal Hogwarts experience. I want you to do all the fun things you should be doing at your age.” Bill sounded very sincere.

Harry tried to appreciate that. But it sometimes felt like he was banging up against a wall. “What do you want? I mean, take me out of it. You’ve got this potential bond that you’re going to have to wait years for. Do you want to wait? For me?”

“To me, the question is, do you want to wait?” Bill said, finally looking at him. “I can wait. But I’m not going to make you wait for something when you might find something with someone your own age.”

“From what I understand of this bond. It’s all about the emotions. That means we’re compatible –”

“Not right now, we’re not,” Bill said sharply.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Harry snapped back, then modulated his tone. “What I meant was that as far as I can tell, I’m not going to feel the same compatibility with anyone else.”

“You don’t know that,” Bill said.

“Oh, please. I most certainly do know that. And you know it, too.” Harry folded his arms over his chest and dared Bill to lie to him.

Bill looked down and sighed. “I just want what’s best for you.”

“You don’t get to decide that on your own. I get some say in this.” Harry let his arms fall to his side. “I know I’ll have to wait. But I love the idea of having someone who is mine. Knowing you’re there will make it worth it, even if I have to wait years for you.”

“Do you really, truly want to wait for it?” Bill asked. “It won’t happen until you’re out of Hogwarts and preferably through a mastery or apprenticeship.”

“So, twenty or twenty-one?” Harry asked. “Do you want to wait five or six years for this?”

“I will. The promise of a bond is worth the wait for me.”

“Then why wouldn’t you think that the promise might be worth it to me, too? Plus,” Harry said and grinned at him. “I might be able to wear you down after I get out of Hogwarts.”

Bill laughed at that. “Oh, you are going to be so much trouble.”

“You can count on that. I do excel at it,” Harry said and laughed.

“Not before you leave school. I’m serious. You might be able to catch me at a weak moment, but I would deeply regret it. And that would hurt our relationship.” Bill’s tone was serious enough that Harry believed him that it could hurt their relationship. Well, their potential relationship.

“I will respect that,” Harry promised. Right now, it wouldn’t be too hard. But he suspected that as he got older, it would get more difficult. “You know, I never get to do anything normal. I think you might be my reward for getting everything else done.”

Bill laughed again. “I have trouble thinking of myself as a reward.”

“I haven’t had it easy.” He looked at Bill. “I still need a lot of answers. I have some. I know I can trust Sirius and Aunt Min, but I need to trust you, too.”

“I’m on your side, Harry. I am. I’ll always do my best for you. I promise you that,” Bill said, hopping down from the fence. He was really graceful, Harry thought, knowing he’d probably fall on his face if he tried it.

“I can see that. I don’t want to be the first person to kiss you. I want you to find someone else to be first,” Bill said seriously.

“That might not be that easy,” Harry said. He could not think of anyone he wanted to kiss. Well, maybe Bill, but he wasn’t a hundred percent sure of that, either. And who else was there?

“You’ll figure something out,” Bill assured him.

“Does it have to be someone I’m attracted to because I can’t even think of anyone. Not even you,” Harry said and smiled at him. “I’m drawn to you. It feels really good to be around you, but that’s not about sex. Not yet, anyway.”

Bill looked surprised again. “It needs to be a real kiss.”

“Can you define that?” Harry just smiled at him.

“I think you can figure it out,” Bill said. “You have friends. They can probably help you.”

“Okay. We’ll talk more about this next year. When I hit the age of consent.”

Bill laughed. “Let’s go back. My mom is going to be looking for us.”

*****

Harry’s Sixteenth Birthday

Again, this year, Harry found Bill at the fence at the back of the orchard. “Hi Bill,” Harry said in greeting.

“How are you doing, Harry,” Bill asked.

“Pretty well. I was the top student in the year for Ancient Runes. I beat out Draco and Hermione,” Harry said. He was pretty proud of himself for that one. “And I made it through the entire year without anyone trying to kill me. So, that was outstanding from my point of view. Also, Draco and Hermione tied for best student overall. But he and Ron are neck and neck for best potions student. It’s hysterical. They bicker like an old married couple. But they work well together.”

“I have gotten some letters from Ron about it. All he does is nitpick Draco’s potions. He talks less about Daphne than Draco.”

“Ron and Daphne’s courtship was the talk of the school all year. Well, his and Draco and Hermione’s. Other people are saying they are going to do a pureblood courtship.”

“And everyone is accepting of this, even the purebloods?” Bill asked.

“Yes. It’s been great. There are a few die-hards who are annoyed by the whole thing, but mostly, they’ve learned not to say anything.” Harry had been pleased at how well everyone was getting along now that both Dumbledore and Voldemort were gone. “And, of course, the twins opened their joke shop. Sirius has given them some financial backing.”

“I heard that from them. Anything else?”

Harry looked at Bill and grinned. “I did what you wanted.”

“You found someone else,” Bill asked incredulously.

“No. Don’t be silly,” Harry said, kind of annoyed that Bill had even said that. “But I kissed someone else. Actually, it was several someone elses.”

“Good,” Bill said, but it didn’t sound like he thought it was. “Did you like any of them?”

Harry shrugged. “Some were nicer than others. Some people actually knew how to kiss. Some didn’t.”

“Did you?” Bill asked. His tone had shifted to amused rather than what it was a minute ago.

“Not when I started. I think I picked up a thing or two along the way.”

“So, who? Anyone I know?” Bill’s tone was casual, but it seemed forced casual. Not the relaxed, casual tone that he was used to from Bill.

“Well, you know Ron,” Harry said with a smile. “He was the first. I told him what you said and that since he was my best friend, he had to be first.”

“How did that work out? I’m pretty sure Ron is very straight.” Bill looked like he was trying hard not to laugh.

“I know he is, and so is his betrothed. I made her kiss me, too. Though she kissed much better than he did.” Daphne had laughed with him about it. Neither of them had taken it seriously.

Bill laughed out loud. “You kissed both Ron and his girlfriend?”

“Why not? It was nice. Especially Daphne,” Harry said.

“So, who else?”

“Well, my other best friend.”

“You kissed Hermione?” Bill asked disbelievingly. “I thought she was more of a sister?”

“She is. So is Ron, like a brother, I mean. Hermione knew what she was doing. That was nice, too. Draco was kind of all over the place.”

Bill laughed again.

“And Neville kissed with his mouth closed. He really didn’t know what he was doing.”

“How many people did you kiss?”

“About a dozen. People found out what I was doing and volunteered to kiss me. I was fine with that, and it added to the variety of the experience.”

“Did you have a favorite?” Bill asked. Harry wasn’t sure what he was thinking about.

“I did. Cedric Diggory. Last year’s Triwizard Champion. He was a seventh year. He asked to kiss me, and then he did. And it was better than all the rest of them. Probably put together. He also asked me out. So, I went.”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Yes. Both the kiss and the date. But he wasn’t what I wanted. I like him, and we went out on a couple of dates, so that I would know for sure, but,” Harry trailed off and shrugged. “I think he might have liked me better than I liked him.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“I’m still back on you being my reward. Even if I have to wait for you.” Harry was pretty sure that there wasn’t going to be anyone else that attracted him. No one who felt as good as Bill did to be around.

Bill took a deep breath. “Okay. You’re going into sixth year. It’s only two more years until you’re out of Hogwarts.”

“I can wait. But I did what you asked. You will definitely not be the first or even the tenth person to kiss me. So, how about a birthday present.”

Bill laughed at that. “Nice try. I said I wouldn’t touch you until after Hogwarts.”

“No. You said you wouldn’t sleep with me. And I will respect that. Honestly, I’m not ready for sex yet. I need to get my head together. But you said you didn’t want to be the first to kiss me. I think you could be the next person to kiss me.” Because Harry was pretty sure he was going to be the last person to kiss him as well. And he was okay with that.

Bill looked torn.

“I’m at the age of consent. And that’s for sex. Not a kiss.”

Bill still looked torn. “I don’t feel like it’s a good idea.”

Harry folded his arms over his chest. “I think one kiss won’t hurt us. You’re not going to try to throw me to the ground and have your wicked way with me because I’m not willing to do that. And I don’t see you trying to force anyone to do anything.”

Bill let out a deep sigh and hopped off the fence. “Fine. Come here.”

Harry moved to stand in front of him. Excitement and a tiny bit of fear slid through him. Bill put his hands gently on Harry’s face and tipped his chin up. He lowered his head and brushed his lips across Harry’s mouth. His lips were full and soft, and Harry pressed up into it a little.

Bill probably would have pulled back then, but Harry put a hand on the back of his neck and held him still for a second. Harry’s heart thumped hard in his chest, and his stomach kind of dropped in a way it hadn’t done when anyone else had kissed him. His hands buried themselves in Bill’s long hair, shaking it loose from the tie that was holding it in a tail. He leaned in further and slid his tongue against Bill’s mouth. And surprisingly, Bill opened his mouth and touched his tongue to Harry’s.

Harry groaned deep in his chest and pulled Bill just a little closer. The kiss lingered for a few more seconds before Bill pulled back.

Bill took a deep breath and laughed, “I was right. You are going to be so much trouble.”

Harry laughed at that. It was true. “Nothing more before I leave school, though.”

“Thank you,” Bill said, sounding so relieved. “I was afraid this might push you further along.”

“I promised. And I will keep that promise.” Though Harry could already see that it would be harder than he’d first anticipated.

Bill looked all disheveled after the kiss, and Harry could only wonder what he looked like himself. He wanted to put his hands back in Bill’s messy hair and kiss him again. But it probably wouldn’t be a good idea. While mentally, he knew he wasn’t ready for more. There were parts of him that were completely disagreeing with that notion.

Bill nodded and pushed his hair away from his face and back into the tail he’d had it in before Harry had messed it up. “Let’s go back to the house,” Bill suggested.

That was probably a good idea.

*****

Harry’s Seventeenth Birthday

Bill waited on the fence for Harry to show up. He’d come out before the party started, needing a minute or two to prepare to see Harry again. It had been almost eight months since Yule, which was longer than they usually went. But he’d been working on a big project in the Middle East, and there hadn’t been time, or need really, to return to England.

He heard a crunch of dry leaves and looked up to see Harry coming towards him. He’d gotten taller and more filled out and walked with purpose that he hadn’t even eight months ago. Harry’s dark hair was tied back, but it probably reached his shoulders. They wrote often, so he’d heard about Harry’s adventures at school this year. Nothing quite like the first few years, but Dumbledore was long gone, and Minerva ran a tight ship.

“Hello, Bill,” Harry said. And his voice sent a pleasant shiver down Bill’s spine.

“Harry. How are you?”

“Good. It’s nice to see you in person,” Harry said, pulling something out of his jacket pocket.

He was dressed in stylish wizarding clothes, something he hadn’t seen Harry do that often. Harry handed something folded to Bill.

“What is this,” Bill asked, opening the document. “A betrothal agreement? Why?”

“Well, a lot of reasons,” Harry said. “One is that the bond that is between us isn’t going to change at this point. As far as I can tell, the bond wants to be established. There’s not going to be anyone else.”

Yeah, Bill felt it, too. More so every time he saw Harry. “Still. Do you want to formalize it?”

“Yes. I think that’s a good idea. For one thing, it lets you know I’m serious about it. Plus, it states my intentions, which are listed in the agreement. And Aunt Min said that since I was coming of age, I should offer for you, if I wanted you. You can take it to a solicitor –”

“I don’t need to do that. I understand what you’re saying. I’ll read it over and either sign it or send it back with my changes.”

“That sounds fair. I had a solicitor look at it after I wrote it up,” Harry said. “So, two more things before we go back into the house.”

“And what would they be,” Bill asked. But he could guess what, at least one of them, was.

“There’s going to be a Yule Ball again this year. And I would like you to be my date. Last time, I didn’t take anyone because there was no one I wanted to go with. And well, I didn’t understand what was happening between you and me,” Harry said and then looked at him. “Can you come back for it?”

The real question was, did he want to? “Sure. If you want to take me, I’ll go,” Bill said. What kind of shape were his dress robes in? He couldn’t remember the last time he’d worn them. Well, maybe he’d get a new set. “What kind of dress robes do you prefer?”

“Very traditional. I got the first set of robes when we all went shopping for my fourth year. What about you?” Harry asked.

“I’m the same,” Bill said. “And the second thing?”

Harry smiled. “Oh, I think you can guess what that is.”

Bill hopped down from the fence and put the agreement into his pocket. “I suppose I can. Do you think this is a good idea?”

“Part of me thinks it’s a fantastic idea, but yeah, it could be asking for trouble. I’m of age now. But I promised you,” Harry said. “I’ll wait another year to have you for real. And I don’t want my first experience to be in the grass.”

Harry wasn’t quite as tall as he was, but he was taller than he’d been last year. Bill ran a finger down Harry’s face and cupped the back of his neck to bring him in so that he could brush his mouth across Harry’s. It was sweet and soft.

There was a hint of more knowledge in Harry’s touch now, as if he knew what he wanted but was still going to keep his promise. That enchanted Bill even more.

He let his hand stray to Harry’s thick hair, carding his fingers through the strands and pulling Harry closer. One of Harry’s arms was around his waist, and the other was around his neck. Bill leaned in a little closer and would have slid a leg between Harry’s thighs, but with his last working brain cell, he managed to pull back instead. Harry was right. Not in the grass. At least, not the first time.

“Wow,” Harry said, absolutely grinning at him as he stepped back. “That was lovely. And everything I hoped it would be. But if you touch me again, I’m going to have a hard time keeping my promise to you.”

“Agreed,” Bill said, taking a deep breath. “We can continue this discussion next year.”

“Well, we’ll see each other at Yule. I’m sure we can discuss something then,” Harry said.

“Not much of a discussion, though. I’ll meet you at Hogwarts and then leave again after.”

“That’s probably not a bad idea,” Harry mused.

“We should go back up to the house,” Bill said. “Maybe we can announce the betrothal. I’m sure my parents will be relieved.”

“They knew this was coming. Or your dad did.”

“I told my dad, and I’m sure he told Mum. How did you know that?”

“He intimated to me a long time ago that he knew something was between us. I didn’t even understand what he was talking about until later. We were discussing wards.”

“That was when all of them were staying at Potter Manor. You were just barely fourteen,” Bill said.

“I told him I wanted to help with the wards on the Burrow, and he said that the only way that would happen would be if he adopted me or I married one of his children.”

Bill laughed. “I would not have thought we’d get to this point this quickly.”

“Still another year. And in the agreement is my wedding gift to you, which is going to be a set of intent runes for the foundation of the Burrow. We’ll carve them into the foundation and consecrate them with our blood. They should be close to impenetrable.”

“You haven’t mentioned that before. Are you going to take a mastery in runes?” Bill asked.

“I am. I found a master in Egypt who will take me on for two years. Then, I want to come back here and live in Potter Manor.” He met Bill’s eyes. “With you.”

“I think that can be arranged. I want to come home, too,” Bill said. He nudged Harry to start moving. “We’ll have time to work out the details.”

Harry nodded and followed him onto the path back to the Burrow.

*****

The Yule Ball (7th year)

Bill stepped out of the floo at Hogwarts and dusted off his dress robes before turning to Minerva. “How are you?” he asked.

“Quite well, thanks. You’re here for Mr. Potter,” she asked, though she must have known there was no other reason for him to be attending a Yule Ball at his age.

But Harry had asked, and even though they would spend Yule together at Potter Hall with his family and friends, he felt this was something he could give Harry.

“Of course,” Bill said with a smile and a slight bow. “How have things gone this year?”

“Well enough,” Minerva said with a sigh. “He’s been gone more than two years, and we’re still finding things that should not be here.”

“I hate to say it, but I suspect you’ll be finding that for some time.”

She nodded. “Where are you meeting Mr. Potter?”

“I was going to go up to the common room. Maybe say hello to Ron as well.”

“Tell the fat lady I said you could go in,” Minerva said.

Bill nodded and started up the stairs. He’d only been here a handful of times since he’d left. Ten years ago.

He was admitted to the room, and yes, it did bring back memories, but they were old. Several people were waiting around. Neither Ron nor Harry was among them. Someone yelled up the stairs to let them know that he was there.

Ron came down. “Bill,” he said and hugged him. “You look nice.”

“You as well. Are you meeting Daphne at the ball?”

“Nope,” Ron said, sounding slightly insulted that he would even suggest such a thing. “I’m headed over to the Slytherin Common Room right now. Harry will be down in a second. He’s running late, of course.”

Like Ron didn’t run late most of the time. “Sounds good.”

“Bill,” Harry called from the top of the stairs, and he hurried down. “You made it!”

“Of course I did,” he said. Damn, Harry looked good in his dress robes. “And don’t you clean up well?”

Harry laughed. “Yeah. You, too.”

He reached out a hand, and Bill took it. And they stared at each other for a second or two. But Bill was very aware of everyone looking at them. “We should go.”

*****

After dinner, he and Harry danced several times, and then Harry begged off, saying he needed a minute to himself. Bill wasn’t sure what to make of that. But after about fifteen minutes, he started to look for Harry. He was outside, in the cold, leaning on a wall, looking, well, Bill wasn’t sure.

“All right, Harry?” Bill asked, stopping to stand in front of him.

“Yeah. Fine,” Harry said, a sigh in his voice.

Bill raised an eyebrow. “So?”

“So, I didn’t expect seeing you would be this hard.” He looked away. “Dancing with you, even without pressing up against each other, made me want you.” He looked back and met Bill’s eyes. “I could have come from that alone.”

Bill sighed. He’d felt it, too. But he wasn’t seventeen, so it was slightly more controllable. “I don’t know what to say.”

“I am not going to break that promise I made, but I don’t think I can touch you again tonight. No more dancing. Probably no kiss good night, either.”

“All right,” Bill said, knowing he was right but disappointed nonetheless. “I understand. I’m going to be heading back to Egypt tomorrow. So, you won’t see me, probably until your birthday.”

“You do know, you’re going to be my birthday present. I’m going to keep you in bed for a week, then.”

Bill laughed. “I will take the week off. Let’s sit,” Bill said, gesturing towards the low wall.

“It’s cold out here,” Harry said.

“Aren’t you a Wizard? What about a warming charm?”

Harry smiled and drew his wand. “Yeah. I guess I’m still Muggle enough not to always think of that first.”

Bill sat beside him, careful to leave a little space. “You seem upset by your reaction.”

“I feel like this bond wants to happen, and it doesn’t care that I promised to wait until after Hogwarts.” Harry looked at him again and huffed. “I need to keep that promise. I think it’s very important to our relationship, and I can’t even tell you why.”

“I think it’s because I expected it. And I said it would hurt our relationship. I don’t think that anymore. Even without taking into account that you were fourteen, we didn’t know each other when the bond happened.”

Harry nodded. “Yes. I think so. I was so young and damaged, and I needed to grow up and heal from everything that happened to me. We needed to find equal footing.”

“We don’t have that yet,” Bill said. But Harry was right. “And there will always be an age gap.”

“It’s closer now. I think my rank and your age will equal things out a little bit more. Once I finish my mastery and we move home, I think it won’t matter anymore.”

“Probably not,” Bill said. “But you don’t want to wait that long, do you?”

“You’d wait, wouldn’t you?” Harry asked. “If I wanted to.”

“Of course, I would. I will never want something from you that you won’t willingly give.” Bill smiled at him.

Harry grinned back. “I’m more than willing, Bill, I promise you that. I feel like the next time I touch you, I’ll explode with it.”

“That could be messy,” Bill said, laughing. “I’m looking forward to it. But the warming charm is wearing off, and we should go back in. It’s almost midnight anyway, and I need to get going.”

“I’ll walk you to the floo,” Harry said, standing. “Maybe a little kiss goodnight?”

“Maybe,” Bill said, wanting it and still thinking it might not be a good idea. But they weren’t going to do anything on the floor of the main floo.

*****

Harry’s Eighteenth Birthday

Potter Manor

Just after midnight on July 31, Bill climbed the stairs to Harry’s room at Potter Manor. He’d come straight here from his international Floo from Egypt. Work had kept him very busy since the Yule Ball. He and Harry had written frequently and occasionally had a floo call, but in the last few months, that hadn’t even begun to satisfy the need to see him.

He was winded by the time he got to the top of the stairs, and it wasn’t from the climb to the second floor. His heart was pounding hard with excitement and worry. He could not believe he had agreed to this. But he’d made Harry wait, so the least he could do was give him the birthday present that he wanted.

The door to Harry’s room was closed but unlocked, and the lights were dim. Harry was lying face down on the bed, seemingly asleep. Bill stripped off all his clothes and got into bed beside him.

Harry turned over and murmured, “I have been waiting for you for a long time.”

“Not as long as I’ve been waiting for you,” Bill said, drawing Harry into his arms. “Happy Birthday, Harry.”

Bill leaned in and kissed him softly and then more deeply. Harry hummed in appreciation. His arms wrapped around Bill and slid down his back. Finally having Harry in his arms was as delicious as he’d imagined it would be. No. So much more than that because this wasn’t a fantasy. He was real and solid.

“I want you to put your hand on me now,” Harry said when Bill pulled back. “I am not going to last beyond that. But it will take the edge off.”

Bill wondered about his own edge but did as he asked. Harry’s head went back into the pillow, and he moaned softly.

“Better?” Bill asked. It might have taken the edge off Harry, but it hadn’t done Bill any good. No doubt, if Harry put his hand on him the same way, the result would be the same.

“I have been waiting for that, dreaming about it,” Harry breathed out, leaning up to kiss Bill again. “Shall I do the same thing for you, or can I try something else?”

“Whatever you’d like,” Bill said, he probably wouldn’t last very long, either. And he was just as eager to have Harry’s hands on his body.

“You know, I have had a lot of time to think and dream about this, so I want to take my time and do everything to you,” Harry said, smiling at him. “And have you do everything to me.”

That brought Bill to a halt. While he didn’t think Harry would want anything that he didn’t want to give, he couldn’t be sure of that. “Before you start, you should probably define everything. There might be things I don’t want to do. Or things that you haven’t thought about that I might want to do to you.”

Even in the dim light of the room, Bill could see that Harry looked surprised. “I never thought of that.”

“Tell me what you want to do, at least for tonight,” Bill said.

“I want to kiss you, touch you, and taste you,” Harry said. “I was hoping you’d do the same to me.”

That sounded very good for tonight. “And later on?”

“Later on, after I, we, get better at the pleasing each other part, we could try some of the more advanced options. Like…um…actual, you know,” Harry coughed. “I don’t want to call it fucking because it sounds wrong in this context. But that.”

Bill was charmed all over again. “I think we can work up to that.”

“Have you?”

Bill shook his head. “Not with a man.”

“Oh, I was hoping one of us would know what he was doing,” Harry said, sounding disappointed. But then he grinned. “I guess we can figure it out together.”

“I’ve done a few other things. But I haven’t done anything for the last four years.” Bill hadn’t even dated anyone. It seemed wrong, and he went with that feeling.

“I’m sorry,” Harry said, kissing him again. “Maybe I can try to make it up to you now?”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that at all. Just about anything you do to me is going to feel fantastic. After you came of age last year, I actually let myself think about you in these terms.”

“I’ve been thinking about you since you kissed me the first time. At first, it was kind of vague. It’s gotten more specific over time,” Harry said. “But it’s not like I’ve got a lot of practice. I have read a lot and taken care of my own needs in many different ways.”

“You can tell me all about that later,” Bill said. “Now. Now, just do what you said you wanted to do.”

Harry bent his head to Bill’s neck, kissing and then licking him. He moved down to Bill’s chest and over his hips and finally got to where Bill wanted him the most. While it wasn’t perfect, it was enthusiastic, and it felt so good, so right.

Bill pushed his head back into the pillow and moaned, his fingers grasping into the sheets. He lasted about a minute after Harry’s mouth closed over him, and then, he fell apart loudly. The intensity of it stunned him. No one had ever made him feel like that. And Harry hadn’t even done that much. That should have been the beginning, not the end.

“I’m ready again,” Harry said when Bill opened his eyes.

“I’m going to need a few more minutes,” Bill smiled at him. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t work on you for a while. He sat up and pushed the blankets down the bed. “Lie flat.”

Harry did as he asked, and Bill looked at him. His chest was well-defined and had a sprinkling of dark hair on it. Bill thought he was beautiful. “I want nothing more than to give you as much pleasure as I can.”

“I’m good with that,” Harry breathed and threw his arms out.

Bill took it as a challenge. By the time he was done, Harry was sweating and trying to catch his breath, but he was definitely happy with the results. So was Bill, especially when Harry reversed it and made him sweat and swear and pant before finishing him off.

As he was drifting off to sleep, Bill felt the bond between them start to settle in. It seemed as satisfied with the evening events as he was. And he could just begin to sense Harry’s satisfaction. That would grow with time. This was a true empathic bond.

It had been a long wait for Harry to grow up, and even though Harry wasn’t quite done maturing yet, it was time for them to be together. Now, they had their whole lives to work out the details.

It had been more than worth the wait.

*****

-Finis

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