A/N: I have an incredibly busy day awaiting me tomorrow and don't know if I'll get a chance to put this up, so enjoy a chapter a day early!

Chapter Three:

Uneasy Conversations

ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS

Pass Grades

Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades

Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Troll (T)

Elizabeth Alexandra Martin has achieved:

Astronomy – P

Charms – E

Defense Against the Dark Arts – E

Divination – P

Herbology – E

History of Magic – D

Muggle Studies – A

Potions – P

Transfiguration – E

Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief. She'd passed the classes she'd wanted to continue. Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Transfiguration were the ones she really wanted to focus on. She'd passed Muggle Studies, but she doubted she'd continue it. N.E.W.T. classes were going to be a nightmare and she didn't want to take on unnecessary classes.

Grace asked about Elizabeth's results and Elizabeth grinned a little as she held out the letter to her mother.

"Five O.W.L.s, not bad," Grace said as she looked over them, then frowned, "But a Poor in Potions...You won't be able to continue it..."

Elizabeth fidgeted a little. With everything that had happened, she'd never had a chance to talk to her mother about her change of heart in careers.

"It's fine," Elizabeth said, "I've been thinking more about getting a job at the Daily Prophet once I leave school—"

"What?" Grace looked up quickly, "What happened to becoming a Healer?"

Elizabeth stared down at her bowl of corn flakes.

"I just don't think it's for me," she said, "Are...Are you upset?"

Grace was quiet for a moment, then sighed.

"No, I guess not," she said, "I should have known. You haven't been nearly as interested in my cases at work the last few years...But, a journalist, that's something! And you got five O.W.L.s. That deserves a celebration. I've got the next couple of days off of course, how about we just spend it together, enjoying ourselves? I think I can manage to get some tickets to the Quidditch match coming up, the Holyhead Harpies against Montrose Magpies. What do you say?"

Elizabeth grinned brightly. Time with her mother and Ursula sounded great—and it would also give her a break from Harry considering what she was planning to do when she saw him.

"That sounds perfect," she said, finishing off her breakfast, "I guess Ursula and I should get going to the Burrow or else you'll be late for work."

"Of course, come on," Grace said, getting to her feet.

When Elizabeth arrived at the Burrow, Sirius was already there, sharing some story about Hogwarts with Ginny and Helene over empty plates of breakfast. Since he'd been vindicated and could be out in the open freely, Sirius seemed a lot healthier and happier. He hadn't found a place of his own yet, so he was living with Remus Lupin, but he was often visiting the Burrow.

"Morning, Elizabeth," Sirius said, "Ron and Hermione just headed upstairs to give Harry a wake-up call. He arrived last night."

Elizabeth made herself grin, but she couldn't quite feel excited about it. Instead, she looked to where Mrs. Weasley was making up a breakfast tray. Probably for Harry.

"I need to take care of Ursula first," Elizabeth said, adjusting the toddler on her hip, "Then I'll head up. Good morning, Helene. Enjoying yourself?"

"Oui," the girl said brightly as she and Ginny got up, "'Ow about Ginny and me take Ursula? You can go on up."

"Nah, I got it," Elizabeth said. She'd take any chance to put off seeing Harry. As Elizabeth headed towards the sitting room, she saw Fleur had been reading. She looked up and grinned at Elizabeth.

"Oh, you brought ze baby again!" Fleur said happily, getting to her feet, "I 'eard 'Arry is 'ere, why don't you let me take 'er and you can go see 'im?"

Fleur didn't give Elizabeth a chance to argue. She hurried over and snatched Ursula from Elizabeth's arms and started off for the garden, talking cheerfully to the toddler. Elizabeth sighed, dropping the bag of things for Ursula. At least the toddler liked Fleur. The French woman was annoying, but she was good with Ursula so Elizabeth couldn't really complain.

Now she had no excuse not to go upstairs. She frowned, heading on form the room—passing Ginny and Helene in the kitchen again—and quickly found the room she knew had once been Fred and George's.

"So, um, did Slughorn seem like he'll be a good teacher?" Hermione was asking inside. So Harry was already awake. Just Elizabeth's luck.

"Dunno," Harry replied, "He can't be worse than Umbridge, can he?"

Elizabeth knocked lightly on the doorframe, making herself give a grin as she stepped in. Harry was sitting on the bed, still in pajamas, with Hermione at the desk nearby and Ron leaning against a wardrobe. Harry grinned back at Elizabeth, but she didn't feel the little flutter she had a year before. She didn't find herself moving on her own to hug him. Instead, she just came over and sat on the foot of the bed, making sure there was a bit of distance between them. Harry raised an eyebrow at her, but she was spared having to answer as Mrs. Weasley came in with a tray of food.

"I told you two not to bother him!" she said sharply to Ron and Hermione, then gave Elizabeth a small smile, "And sorry I didn't greet you when you came in, dear, I was a bit preoccupied."

"It's fine," Elizabeth said, "Ursula is settled, Fleur took her."

Mrs. Weasley's lips went into a thin line at that, but just nodded and went to Harry, settling the tray on his lap.

"Here you go, enjoy," she said, "I should get downstairs, I'll call you when lunch is ready later."

Mrs. Weasley turned and headed back out, but Harry was still looking confused, his gaze on Elizabeth.

"Why's your cousin here?" he asked, "And Fleur?"

Elizabeth felt her cheeks redden. She hadn't exactly told Harry about her uncle, Ursula, or what happened with Lewis. It hadn't been something she wanted to share in a letter. She glanced to Hermione, hoping the girl would see she didn't want to talk about it right this moment.

"Fleur is staying the summer," Hermione said to Elizabeth's relief, "She and Bill are engaged. They're planning to have their wedding here next year."

"What?" Harry asked, looking even more confused.

"Mrs. Weasley's not too happy about it," Elizabeth said, "She keeps saying they're rushing into things."

"They've known each other a year," Ron pointed out.

Elizabeth frowned, thinking about the fact that her and Harry's relationship started going downhill even before that. Still, she wondered if Bill and Fleur had given themselves enough time. What if they fell apart as well? Fleur was annoying, but she still seemed like a good enough woman, and Elizabeth really liked Bill. She'd hate for them to end up regretting their marriage.

"Well, that explains Fleur," Harry said, turning back to Elizabeth, "Why do you have Ursula with you? Is your uncle working today?"

Elizabeth sighed, staring down at her hands. She should have known she couldn't avoid this too long—just like she couldn't avoid the other conversation she needed to have with Harry.

"Uncle Xavier is gone," she said, "Mum said he dropped off Ursula one day and just disappeared. We haven't heard from him since."

"He what?" Harry asked, his voice sharpening, "He just left? How could he do that to his own kid?"

"Harry, he lost his wife," Elizabeth said, feeling herself tensing. She hated that Uncle Xavier was gone, but she could at least understand his reasoning, "When Aunt Ginger died..."

Elizabeth trailed off, pushing herself off the bed and moving away from Harry before he could have a chance to reach for her. She found herself not wanting his comfort as she used to before.

"He's still a coward," Harry said sharply. Elizabeth glared at him.

"He'll come back," she snapped, hoping that she was right, "He just needs time to recover. People grieve in different ways."

"But he still abandoned you."

Elizabeth didn't reply, turning away from Harry. Ron was looking between them with an uncomfortable expression and Hermione had seen fit to distract everyone by pulling out what looked like a telescope from one of the cardboard boxes stacked in the room.

"What's this?" she asked, studying the telescope.

"Dunno," Ron answered, jumping on the change of subject, "But if Fred and George've left it here, it's probably not ready for the joke shop yet, so be careful."

"Your mum said the shop's going well," Harry turned to Ron and Elizabeth started going through a box herself, "Said Fred and George have a real flair for business."

"That's an understatement," Ron gave a small laugh, "They're raking in the galleons! I can't wait to see the place, we haven't been to Diagon Alley yet, because Mum says Dad's got to be there for extra security and he's been really busy at work, but it sounds excellent."

"And what about Percy?" Harry asked, "Is he talking to your mum and dad again?"

"Nope."

"But he knows your dad was right all along about Voldemort being back—"

"Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right," Hermione spoke up, "I heard him tell your mum, Ron."

"Sounds like the sort of mental thing Dumbledore would say," Ron said with a nod. Elizabeth frowned, thinking of her own brother, how he'd walked away from the family because of Aunt Ginger...

"He's going to be giving me private lessons this year," Harry pulled Elizabeth from her thoughts, "Dumbledore, I mean."

Ron, who had gone over to Harry and picked up a piece of toast from his tray, dropped it again. Hermione's eyes went wide and Elizabeth stared at Harry in surprise.

"You kept that quiet!" Ron said.

"I only just remembered," Harry said, "Besides, I'd rather have told all you together. Dumbledore told me last night in your broom shed, Ron."

"Blimey...private lessons with Dumbledore!" Ron said slowly, "I wonder why he's..."

Ron trailed off, glancing towards Elizabeth and Hermione. Elizabeth frowned, not looking up from the box she was going through, which seemed to be full of what looked like smaller versions of the Hogwarts Sorting Hat. What Fred and George had intended with them, Elizabeth had no idea.

"I don't know exactly why he's going to give me lessons," Harry said—Elizabeth could see from the corner of her eye that he was staring at his plate—"But I think it must be because of the prophecy."

"The one from the Ministry," Elizabeth said softly. The one the Death Eaters had tried to steal, had lured Harry and them into a trap to get. The trap that led to her aunt's death...

"Nobody knows what it said, though," Hermione said, "It got smashed."

"Although the Prophet says—" Ron started, but Hermione cut him off with a glare.

"The Prophet's got it right," Harry said. Elizabeth looked up for the first time, staring at Harry. The Daily Prophet had been going on about Harry was "The Chosen One," destined to destroy Voldemort once and for all.

"That glass ball that smashed wasn't the only record of the prophecy," Harry went on, "I heard the whole thing in Dumbledore's office, he was the one the prophecy was made to, so he could tell me. From what it said..." Harry paused, looking around at the three of them. "It looks like I'm the one who's got to finish off Voldemort...At least it says that neither of us could live while the other survives."

Elizabeth knew that Voldemort always targeted Harry personally, but knowing that Harry really was destined to face him was unnerving. She felt a bit sick, finding herself guilty for worrying about having to break up with him.

A loud bang made Elizabeth jump and she spun around to see Hermione coughing, still clutching the telescope which now had a boxing glove poking out of the end of it. And Hermione was developing a nasty black eye.

"I squeezed it and it—it punched me!" Hermione said weakly.

"Don't worry," Ron said, coming towards Hermione and seemed to be fighting back a smirk, "Mum'll fix that, she's good at healing minor injuries—"

"Oh well, never mind that now!" Hermione pushed past Ron and went to sit on the edge of the bed, "Harry, oh Harry..."

Elizabeth fidgeted a little, watching them before pulling the chair of one of the desks over and sitting down.

"I bet you're worried," Elizabeth said, "I mean..."

"Honestly, I think I always knew," Harry responded, "Since I've heard the prophecy...I feel like I always knew I'd have to face him in the end."

Elizabeth watched him. She could tell he was telling the truth. It seemed as if he'd already accepted all of this...

"When we heard Dumbledore was collecting you in person," Ron spoke up, "We thought he might be telling you something or showing you something to do with the prophecy. And we were kind of right, weren't we? He wouldn't be giving you lessons if he thought you were a gonner, wouldn't waste his time—he must think you've got a chance!"

"That's true," Hermione said, "I wonder what he'll teach you, Harry? Really advanced defensive magic, probably...Powerful countercurses...anti-jinxes...and evasive enchantments generally. Well, at least you know one lesson you'll be having this year, that's one more than us. I wonder when our O.W.L. results will come?"

"Can't be long now, it's been a month," Ron said.

"I got mine before I came over," Elizabeth said, "Surprised yours haven't came yet."

Hermione leapt to her feet, her eyes wide with horror.

"They're coming today?" she cried, "Today! By why didn't you—oh my God—you should have said—I'm going to see whether any owls have come..."

Hermione was out the door before they could say anything. Ron rolled his eyes with a smirk and followed, stopping in the doorway.

"Coming?" he asked.

"Actually...I need to talk to Harry about something," Elizabeth said slowly. Even with what Harry had just told them, she knew she needed to do this. She needed to get it over with before she had a chance to make excuses not to.

Ron just shrugged and left and Elizabeth stayed in the chair she was in, twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands.

"Is something wrong, Elizabeth?" Harry asked, moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

"No," Elizabeth replied, then paused, "Well, not really...It's just..." Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head. "It's just I've been thinking a lot over the past month...About us."

Elizabeth glanced up just slightly and noticed Harry giving her a confused look.

"Us?" he asked. Elizabeth nodded, looking back down to her hands.

"It's just...We haven't really acted like we're a couple, have we?"

Silence met Elizabeth's question and she frowned, gripping her hands tighter.

"I mean, we started out okay," Elizabeth went on, "But it seemed to quickly go away. We were never really together a way a couple should be. Even when we were alone, we only ever just talked..."

"So...Are you saying we need to be together more?" Harry asked slowly.

Elizabeth sighed, closing her eyes.

"I'm saying I think we should go back to just being friends."

Again, the room was quiet. Elizabeth didn't dare look up this time. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she silently begged Harry to understand...

"Are you sure?" Harry finally asked. Elizabeth was surprised—and relieved—to hear he didn't sound angry or hurt. She finally looked up to see Harry just watching her with a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah," Elizabeth said softly, "We tried, and I don't think it really worked out. I think we're better off as friends than a couple. And I don't want to lose our friendship at all, I just don't think we really...work romantically."

Harry was quiet for a bit, staring down at his lap. Finally, he nodded.

"I guess you're right," he said slowly, "I mean, you said it yourself. We haven't exactly acted like a couple."

Elizabeth felt a wave of relief. Harry was being understanding. This was all going so well, she could hardly believe it.

"We're still friends, right?" Elizabeth asked, "We've been through so much together, I—"

"Don't worry," Harry grinned a little, "We're still friends."

Elizabeth grinned back. She was so relieved that things had gone so well. She hadn't lost Harry as a friend and now she didn't have to worry about things unraveling more and more—

A scream came from downstairs. Harry and Elizabeth both looked up, then hurried off. In the kitchen, Hermione had her hands over her mouth, staring out the window. Ron's face was pale, staring in the same direction. As Elizabeth watched, she could see a group of owls flying closer and closer...

Mrs. Weasley hurried over to the window and opened it just in time to let in four owls.

Elizabeth stood, waiting while Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked their results, then Harry and Ron exchanged their letters. Elizabeth moved over to check their grades over their shoulders. Ron had managed one more O.W.L. than she had—an E in Potions—but otherwise, their grades were similar. Again, Harry had the same result, only his Defense Against the Dark Arts grade had been a perfect O. Though Elizabeth felt a pang of regret when she looked at Harry's. An E in Potions. Professor Snape refused to take anyone under Outstandings. Harry had just lost his chance to become an Auror. And she'd broken up with him just moments before...

Elizabeth distracted herself by looking over to Hermione, who was still as a statue and staring at her own results.

"Hermione?" Elizabeth asked, coming over. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no," Hermione said quickly. Ron came over and snatched the parchment from Hermione and laughed.

"Nine Outstandings and one Exceeds Expectations at Defense Against the Dark Arts!" he said brightly, grinning at Hermione, "You're actually disappointed, aren't you?'

Hermione simply shook her head. Elizabeth couldn't help but grin a little, despite everything.

"Well, we're N.E.W.T. students now!" Ron said, turning to Mrs. Weasley, "Mum, are there any more sausages?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Ron, but the guilt was still worming in her. If she had known Harry's O.W.L. results beforehand, she probably would have put off breaking up with him...

'But he's fine with it,' Elizabeth thought, reminding herself of what Hermione had told her the day before. If she had drawn this out, it most likely wouldn't have ended well. All in all, this had been for the best. They could both move on now.