A/N Belongs to JKR and who ever she sold the rights to. Only the plot, such as it is, is mine. I'm not particularly happy with part of this, I added some 'at home' scenes trying to show life at the Lovegoods and so far they are my least favorite part of the story. Please review. It'd really help with this chapter. I also took out some scene breaks for the at home scenes at it's meant to show time flowing smoothly , the scenes are just snapshots mostly, I hope it works as intended. Also, Luna was born on October 31st of 1980 for this story. She's only 3 months younger than Harry. Footnotes again. Currently un beta'd.

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BLINK

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time; Later that night:

Selene puts the two kids in the bath together. James splashes a bit with his hands while Luna kicks her feet in the water and splashes James. It quickly turns into a game were they try to get each other as wet as possible. Selene, the floor, and the rest of the room end up soaked.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time; The next day:

Selene starts a routine that carriers forward through the years. She changes the kids together, feeds them together, watches them play together. Reads to them both at bed time and they fall asleep together. Not wanting to disturb them she leaves them together in a railed bed so they don't roll out.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time; A year later:

The two kids are at breakfast, Selene is trying to convince them to feed themselves, now that they're older. They decide instead that it's more fun to feed each other, and make a bigger mess. Selene and Xeno laugh at their antics. Selene looks worried though. She found them in 'their' bed together again this morning. She hasn't been able to convince them they have to sleep in separate beds. They always ask 'We never have before, why should we now? The bed is big enough for both of us." They also still refuse to bathe separately. She's not to concerned at their current age but when they get older? Though with James leaving maybe she shouldn't worry.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time; A year later, midsummer:

The kids are playing inside during a heavy summer storm. The storm lessens to a light shower. Luna asks if they can go out and play. Selene responds "No, you'll get your cloths all wet and muddy." Luna asks 'That the only reason momma?" Selene thinks about it, and decides to say yes. Luna strips to her skin and runs out to play in the rain and mud. James quickly follows. Selene just shakes her head, knowing they'll bathe together later anyway. The next day she finds them playing outside in the sun, naked. The animals from the nearby forest seem more accepting of them then when they were out earlier in the week clothed. Soon they're always playing outside naked, at least in the back garden, field, pond and forest, where no one can see them. Selene realizes she's always had trouble keeping Luna clothed inside, also. What Luna does, James does.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England; Family Druidic ritual circle:

Time; A year later, midsummer's night, the solstice:

The three Lovegoods and James stand in the circle together sky clad, as the solstice ritual requires. This is the first time that the kids are old enough to participate. None of the four appear shy about being naked around the others. Xeno performs the ritual, and asks for the blessings for both families. James looks confused, and after the ritual asks why they are two families instead of one, since he's lived with them for as long as he remembers. Xeno explains that he's not related by blood, nor married into the family at this time. Luna lights up and asks if she can marry James and make him hers, and part of their family since he has been as long as she remembers. Xeno explains they're not old enough, but that he does love James like a son. Xeno doesn't say no though.

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole:

Time; A year later:

Luna and James are sitting in a faery circle, listening to the fay. One of the fay is an odd looking creature with a squished horn on it's head. It intones "I am a Snorkack, currently the oldest one in this circle, the wisest at this mound. I was asked by your other fay friends to give you advice. Normally anything from us comes with a price, but you did not ask for this, or anything else, except friendship from the younger fay. They like you, and enjoy the games you play with them. For them, I will tell you something I would not normally. Beware, the balance is at stake in this cycle. You walk a razors edge of trouble, danger, and death. To much death is always bad, to little death in this case will be just as bad. Some must die, and you may be called on to kill them. Do so at your earliest chance, this will keep them from doing more damage. If you find that you should kill one, do not give them a chance for redemption. Others, those wiser may, but your best chance to right the miss-spun weave is to provide true justice, even vengeance if called upon. Luna, I am sorry child. For the best result you must share your life mate. There are two others he needs, he must let them into his heart as he has you.

It is your choice, child, friend of the fay, but I think he will need them to do what must be done. I think you will need them to. I can not say if they will love you, either or both, I can say that they might. I am sorry child, instrument of fate, moon maiden, beloved daughter. Though a pact was made, this advice was given freely, no additional burden may be placed upon you. Try to love them, as you love each other. Love as best as you can, being not fay, not real fay."

BLINK

Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time: four and a half years after James was left at the Lovegoods.

Two children sit at the edge of the woods, in an in between place. Half light, half shadows, half woods, half fields, half now, half... some time, some place, … else. A blond haired fay looking girl, a black haired 'normal' looking boy, though power seems to fill the air around him. The girls scoops up a handful of air and sets it on her shoulder.

James: 'I still can't see the nargles before you scoop them out of the air. Though I don't have trouble after you do.'

Luna: 'I don't really seem them, I just kind of know they're there and hear them chatting with me and figure they'd be more comfortable sitting. They seem to like my shoulder. Even being related to faeries apparently doesn't make them that much easier for me to see. He says it'll be soon now. You're going to leave me.'

James: 'You know it's not my idea. The debt must be paid. You know I've looked in the shadows, and you've asked the fey, there doesn't seem to be another way we can use. This way is our way. We're not old enough to use the magic needed for some of the other ways, and the fey that are strong enough to do what's needed, well we don't have anything we could trade that we're willing to lose. I'd rather give what some of them want to you, though we're not old enough. You've been my friend for the years in this place, and I would not leave you if there was another way. I'd rather your mother live then stay and have her die though. You've seen the weave, the paths converge and diverge and a cusp is coming. I need you and you need me and we'll need others. I would not share otherwise."

Lune: "There is enough of you to share. I don't mind so much, my only other friend is a going to abandon me when you go, I can see it. Her mother wants you for her daughter and would not share. She has no claim or power here though. If you do not give it, she will have no power over us. No power over me. The instrument of fate will not allow it. I am as protected as can be, for now."

James: "Come to the castle when I do. I will protect you, you know my families protection would be enough. We could use a betrothal if your really worried. I don't know what to do about the third one though. I will not willingly enslave one, even if being an instrument myself allows it. It would protect you though, but only till my death, not beyond it like the other options. The bad men must not get you."

Luna: "You know I love you, as much as I can at this age. What do you suggest?"

James: "Promise to love me, as long as I love you. My might to yours, my magic to yours, my protection added with yours, souls bound till rebirth. One life, one chance. We know there are two more but we don't know who they are. This could be our only option. I love you as much as I can at this age also. I'm worried it'll be different being forced apart for as long as we will have been together."

Luna: "You know I'll be lonely, with only mother to comfort me"

James: "WHAT! I thought your father was supposed to live to? Luna what did you DO?!"

Luna: "Please don't be mad! He has a chance, more then your parents did. I saw a fork in the weave and … I want to be first! I don't want Her to have you first! Your mine first, but but but bu b bb b b b."

The boy draws the girl into an embrace, hugging her close.

James: "Luna, don't cry. You are first, what are you on about?"

Luna: "I I I saw a chance for us. For me to be first. You wouldn't ha ha have asked for the betrothal so I couldn't have gone to the castle with you. I I I we we went to the moon goddess and offered to be a moon maiden for the lonely years your going to be away. It wasn't enough, you would have gone without me, and saved Her creating a debt that she would have paid when she found out about it. She would have been FIRST. I know I have to share but I want you first! MINE!" She cries and cries, the boy can not comfort her.

James: "Shhh, I'd have waited, you had only to ask dearest. But you must pay the price, you know we're not supposed to meddle with others choices, why did you drag your father into this?"

Lune: 'I di di didn't. He of off offered. He heard me bawling after the moon goddess refused my plea for you. He wanted to tip the scales in my favor. I told her I'd only do it if he was left with a chance. Momma would have had a chance. Not a big chance, to be sure, but before your father intervened she still would have had a chance or fate could not have changed her path. I think the balance is addressed by daddy having the same chance momma did. Momma will take better care of me so I thought the trade was worth it, if I get to be first in your heart."

James: 'You already are silly moon child."

Luna : 'I wouldn't have been after you saved Her and six years apart.'

James :'This might change things significantly. I'll probably have to swear to her as well, at least offer house protection. I don't know how that will work if your in the castle with me. How will we build a relationship if ours is already public? Most non druidic folks think one life mate is all you can have. On the other hand I don't want to have to lie to them either. I guess we'll have to make the best of it."

Luna: 'You can always pull the heir card.'

James: 'I'd hate to use our trump early, though we might need the castles help very early on anyway, so it wouldn't really hurt. Are you going to be ok? Can I help with your father?'

Luna: 'He knew the risks. You offered what I wanted. I will pay the price, whatever the cost will be.'

James: "Luna.'

Luna: '?'

James: "Come on, you know that's not what I asked. Can I help with your father?'

The blond haired girl seems to lose focus, looking off into the either, a shimmering image of a female silver statue briefly appears in her hands. With an otherworldly voice she says

'You could aid, you could harm, the balance of fate and chance is on a razors edge for that cusp. The willing sacrifices for the good of prophesied one teeter on their stack.' She appears top come back to herself.

Luna: 'Was that any help?'

James: "Not really, the balance is on a razors edge and … I don't know."

Luna: "I don't blame you, I'd never blame you, you never had a choice, and rarely have a chance. And I, I love you James Evans.'

James: "And I love you, Celeste Darling."

Luna: 'How did you know my matriarchal line?'

James: "You have fay blood. The last of the faerie lines were the Darlings. You're blood runs true, you have the sight and the third eye inherent. You can see the flow of magic, and you can see the fay. Those are not the only fey realm relatives you have. You taught me to see the nargles, Casandra herself couldn't have done that. You see the magic, I was taught to see the blood. I can see bloodlines, and how the power inherent in a line, if any, is passed down. All of the power of your lines is available to you. Using it all however is … probably … not ... wise. The same is true in my case, I could take up the mantel of two lords, however... it'd be better if the next in line in the bloodline took one of them. All power has a price."

Luna: 'Only two James?'

James: "That's hard to answer. If it went uncontested I could take up … umm … seven, I suppose. Maybe eight. However, one's a death sentence, one no body would believe, one I can't talk about till the first Monday in September the year I turn eleven, one the current lord could have an heir though it's unlikely, and the other four, well, it'd be better if I only took one of those. Honestly you're in line for one of those four as well, closer then I am in fact, via your mothers side of the family. The problem is most wizarding laws changed so that things like that don't pass from mother to daughter, it's a matriarchal line though, by magic it can only pass to a daughter of the house, which in this case is you. Magic would let me be regent, but I couldn't claim the title, it'd have to pass to my first born daughter as soon as she was old enough, if I have one."

Luna: 'You could take it up anyway, and have a daughter with me. You know I asked to marry you, the same day I promised to rub bacon all over myself because you liked the smell. (1)

James: 'If we married you'd have to take up the mantel of that ladyship, the magic would demand it, the line was set up as matriarchal. As you could take it up without marrying me, marring me and having a daughter wouldn't help as far as the magic is concerned, you'd still have to take the title. And you know I want to, I'd promise if I could, but my life is not my own, you know.'

Luna: "I KNOW! Don't you think I know? I can see the cusp, the forks, the turns you might make, and it hurts that it might be better to let Her be first. I love you now, I need you now, she doesn't even know you exist yet. Please Ha … James. Let me bind myself to you and even your purpose if you must, but you first!'

James: 'Will you swear to keep my secrets? Maybe our secrets? Even if you can't be first in my life or even my heart? I can swear to bind you first, obviously, and protect you to the best of my ability, and my families, come to your aid, your families aid, and love you as much as I am able. I would swear the last without your oath. I can not promise you will always be first though dear heart. You know I wish I could. As long as I draw breath in this body, I will come for you at need.'

Luna: 'Only in this body James?'

James: "Luna, I do not have your sight, I do not know when, or if I will be reborn. I do not know what the next life holds. My father... had to make some serious magical contracts to get me healed as a baby, one of which was with your own moon goddess. You know she will call the debt due, even if it hurts one of hers, in this case, you. I can not swear this world and the next, I could only promise my line to protect yours, but if you bind to me it'd be the same line so ..."

Luna: 'I know. I'm sorry. I love you. I will swear. I swear on my life and magic not to reveal any of your secrets.' A flash of magic speeds from her eyes to his.

James: 'I swear my life and line to your protection, and the first piece of my heart to you. I Harry James Evans Potter swear to bind your secrets to mine, your life to mine, your heart to mine, as long as this incarnation of us exists, at your will, your choice, so that none can rend us asunder, not even you, or me. Your heart, your choice.' Magic swirls around him, then her, scarlet and gold, silver and green, blue and bronze, yellow and black, then out of the colors come animals, lions, eagle, badgers, snakes, ravens, auguries, griffons, then knights on horse back, and finally a ghostly image of a basilisk, swirling and coating them both in every color while the animals slither, romp, fly and play around them.

In a fey voice, ethereal, otherworldly, not entirely there somehow, Luna responds "I Luna Celeste Darling Lovegood swear to bind my power, my magic, my might, my sight, my body, love and soul to you, Harry James Evans Potter, in this incarnation and any others we might meet in, my life for yours, my heart is yours, in any way that you can take it, as soon as you can make the binding complete, I AM yours! SO MOTE IT BE!" Her eyes go gray, then silver, the magic swirls higher completely covering them, obscuring them from view, just before they disappear a crazed look covers her face. "March wooden solders again! WE know why the red man is red! WE command the cards, WE will carry the Vorpal sword into battle again, the Jabberwocky will answer OUR call. The fey will once again cause havoc and chaos to mortal men. Oberon! Titania! The fey realm will be restored! This moon maiden and fey goddess commands it! The price was paid, sanity made scarce for generations, the pact is called DUE! This I chose, this fight is mine, I am bound to you of my will. My choice, my heart, from this moment on, are yours."

The magic explodes outwards, shimmering like snow in the air, the colors are washed out, the children go silver, then fade till they can be seen through, and disappear entirely, fading in and out of reality. A sword and armor appear, then a chess board with odd pieces like a grinning cat, then a wooden solder, a silver flute, a deck of cards, another sword, a bow, staff, ring, diadem, locket, then finally a golden cup, all fading in and out of visibility or reality. A clarion call rings out, with no apparent source, and galloping hooves striking the ground can be heard. Off in the distance a dust cloud rises up, with four horses bearing man shaped creatures rushing towards the pair of kids. At a 45 degree angle, there but not there, seen but not seen comes a fifth. 'Ta-rah Ta-rah!' Rings out the horn. The horsemen get closer and swords can been seen being carried by them, engraved with Mort, Ares, Artemis, Erra, and Eris. The five horsemen intone: 'The time is not now, what is freely given can not be taken away for payment. Their deaths are not yet, their binding will hold. Choice was offered, love was given, life will prevail.' The horsemen as one, pull their swords and slice them through the air above the couple. Color bursts back into them, the pile of items solidifies. Power hums in the air. "They are the light, they are the life, duty and honor bound. Love guides them, love binds them, none shall break them without their will. The prophecy can still be fulfilled.' The five ride off in all different directions, when they hit the horizon the clarion call rings out again. "Rah-Rah, Rah-Ta! Ta-Ta-Ta-Ta!" Just as the five disappear a silver trumpet fades into existence on top of the rest of the trinkets. The light fades as the two seem to slumber on.

B ... L … A silver statue of a woman shows up in Luna's hand and shifts around by a quarter turn. She stirs. … I ... Silver light from the statue glows on Harry, he stirs. … N … the light gets brighter, the two shift, struggle to wake, then touch their lips together briefly. Gold light shoots forth from their lips covering them, then the garden, rookery, and expands into a circular dome. With a sound of steel being torn apart, the magical chains that had appeared on the dome break free. It expands a bit more, then stabilizes. Inside, a new chain forged of gold links is formed between the two children, from her heart, to his ring finger. Once the last link forms, the chain disappears, and the golden dome fades out. … K

BLINK BlInK bLiNk bbbbllliiinnnkkk blink blink blink blink blink blink blin bli bl b

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Location: The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole, England:

Time: Five Months and Twenty Seven Days later.

Luna: 'It's almost time James.'

James: 'I know beloved betrothed. Call for me, and I will come. At least your mother understands. I'm sorry about Xeno. The binding changed so much we could easily save him, but he does not want that. I don't understand why. The price was paid. His debt was met.'

Luna: "My debt was not, and now it can not be. It transferred to you and you can not pay it, so he will in my place. The binding was not supposed to do that. It does not mater, I will be there. I love you, and will see you in my dreams until … well, you know, until. I'll be there."

James: "I love you. See you then. You know when.'

The boy fades out, leaving behind a silver mist for a moment, then even that is gone. The girls eyes go cold.

(1) (A/N: My son (who is 5) actually had a girl who is in child care with him (she's 8) say something very similar to this, bacon and all.)