Thanks so much for all the reviews/favorites/alerts! I'm very excited about this story. Ladyroo88's simple review, asking about Hermione's point of view, inspired a great deal of writing. So even the smallest things can inspire.

One review I need to respond to. There was some concern about EvilHarry. This will not happen. At no time will Harry condone murder, torture, or rape. Though I will mention that evil people are still evil and these things might be mentioned, but not graphically.

Chapter 2

The Dark Wizard

The quidditch game was fantastic. Krum's playing had Harry salivating to try some of those seeker moves and the Irish chasers had been amazing. Harry was so caught up he nearly forgot all about last night's dinner incident. Nearly. He couldn't help watching Bill. He looked for the signs he was a dark wizard. He didn't know what those were, but he looked for them anyway. But Bill didn't call Hermione a mudblood. He didn't curse or hex anyone. He didn't even eat babies for breakfast or drink the blood of virgins. It was almost disappointing. He was still the same laughing, friendly, and cool man he'd been before dinner. Molly was icy to him this morning, everyone else pretended nothing had happened. Harry did notice that whenever they ate, Bill left with his food for a few minutes. But no one commented on the strange behavior. Harry was baffled.

The girls and Arthur had gone to bed already but the Weasley boys were still replaying the game again and again. Harry wanted to join in but now that he was thinking about dinner again he couldn't stop. He decided to clear his head and went outside to sit for a while.

The air was crisp and cool in the darkness. He could see lights and green fireworks not too far off but could easily ignore them. He just wanted to not think for a while.

His 'not thinking' was interrupted by the person he was thinking about.

Bill came out of the tent and sat next to him. He didn't say anything at first, seemingly content with the silence. Harry couldn't stop fidgeting.

Bill sighed, "I'm not going to bite you, you know. Or curse you, or use you in an evil ritual." His voice sounded calm but also hurt and resigned. It made Harry feel bad, but he shouldn't feel bad, Bill was a dark wizard! Bill didn't say anything else, and Harry finally took his courage into both hands and asked the question Ron had been unable to answer.

"So what did you do last night at dinner."

Bill looked away from the stars he'd been staring at and looked at Harry. It made Harry feel weighed and measured. Finally he looked away again. "Its a way to give thanks."

"Huh?"

"I know its popular with some muggles, they have something similar. Before they eat they say thanks for the food to their god?"

Harry was very confused, what did prayer have to do with dark magic?

"Each meal I eat I set aside a portion before I eat and cast a spell to burn it, giving it to magic. Thanking magic for the food I eat, for the air a breath, for the magic I use. Everything that I do and have on a regular basis. The belief is that it contributes to magic. I know it makes my magic easier."

Harry was trying desperately to figure out how this was dark magic. It's sounded like a prayer to magic. But that couldn't be right. "That's... weird," he finally said. He didn't know if Bill was lying or Ron was confused, but this whole mess was making his head hurt.

Bill surprised him when he laughed. Then he swung an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him tight into a one armed hug.

"Thank you, Harry. I know your still confused but I think that's one of the best reactions I've ever gotten." He didn't let go, but he loosened his grip. He seemed to turn serious again. "I'm not a dark wizard Harry. At least not in the way my family thinks, what Ron must have told you. What I am, is a wizard who practices old wizarding beliefs. Religion I suppose, though I'm not talking about a god or gods. Many people call it 'pureblood traditions' when they aren't calling it dark magic. The definition of dark magic has become so very muddled. I'll swear that nothing I believe says Hermione is less of a person than a pureblood, and nothing I practice is something she couldn't do herself. "

Harry couldn't stop himself, "But if that's all it is than why was Molly so mad?" He asked indignantly. Religion? That's what this whole thing was about? He was reminded of something Aunt Petunia said, her high thin voice sounding righteous and smug, "Never speak of Religion or Politics at the dinner table."

Bill sighed very sadly. "Because to her it is dark magic. It's bigotry, racism, rape, murder, and filth. You see, while I don't believe Hermione is any less for having muggle parents, many of the wizards who practice the old beliefs think that people like her cause the old beliefs to be forgotten. They also believe that the more forgotten the beliefs are, the less effective they are. To be honest they have some points." Harry opened his mouth to protest. "BUT they go about fixing it the entire wrong way in my opinion. If we could only teach the muggleborn what it means to be a wizard! Let them feel to magic the way I do! If every wizard could just have that respect for magic! Magic would grow and wizards would thrive!" Bill said passionately, he was looking at Harry like he could make Harry believe if he just stared at him hard enough. But Harry was still confused.

Growing up with the Dursleys he saw religion as something that people did to be included in polite society. Vernon only seemed religious when he wanted to condemn someone. He had a great deal to say about whores, gays, and politicians, and not much to say about faith, hope and charity. The only thought Harry had ever had about religion was just to be thankful that the Dursley's thought that he wasn't good enough for church and always just locked him out of the house while they went.

Bill seemed to sense that he was overwhelmed with contradictory information because he gave Harry a wry smile and blushed. "It's very late. In fact it's very early. I think by now even my die hard brothers have gone to bed. We should too." He stood up and reached out to pull Harry to his feet. Before he opened the tent flap though he looked at Harry again. "Harry, if you ever have any questions, you can ask me. I promise I'll give you honest answers, even if they make me look bad. Alright?" Harry nodded. Together they went into the tent. The others had indeed gone to bed and they quickly joined them. They wouldn't get much sleep though, thanks to the death eaters. Soon after the air was heavy with spells, screams and fire.