Disclaimer: J. K .Rowling owns Harry Potter and his world.

Notes for the convenience of the reader: Harry's children: Margaret, Victoria and James, children of Ginny, Beth, daughter of Luna, and Adrian, son of Harry and raised by Julie and himself. Current wife, Julie.

Chapter 10:

Over the next week, Bellamy had a succession of visitors. There had apparently been a rash of babies amongst his descendants, and each of them had to be displayed to Grandfather Harry. One day, there was a pair of twins, nearly three. Identical twins seemed to run through Ginny's side of the family. His staff watched and laughed with him as he ran around with the girls, who bumped up and down on two ponies.

His family still called him Harry. Bellamy only occasionally remembered to remind them of his change of name. His employees, even young Archie, mostly called him Boss. Simon was still rather astounded that his son was a wizard, although Naomi, who was a witch, told him that medj/wizard pairs nearly always had children who were witches or wizards.

The daughter of Adrian and Thea was an exception, and Bellamy was relieved that this grandchild was not a witch. Candice had glossy black hair, slanting green eyes, and at fifteen, a glow of absolute beauty. She looked something like Kate, except that Kate had brown skin. She looked very much like a long dead daughter of Bellamy's, called Julia. Candice was highly intelligent, but had a streak of real cruelty, and a desire for power over others. Adrian no longer took her to the home of Bellamy, and kept her away from the world of wizardry as much as possible. Adrian knew his daughter, and didn't trust her. He didn't want her knowing of that reward for the death of her grandfather.

Bellamy blamed himself for the less attractive qualities displayed by Candice. He sometimes thought he carried a 'bad seed' that occasionally manifested itself like this. There had been Julia, there had been Harry White, who'd been very powerful and incredibly evil. And now there was Candice, fortunately without magic. Adrian, on the other hand, thought it came through himself, from his birth mother. Nerrissa Malfoy had been depraved. While his father had never said much about her, there had been information from other sources.

There was now someone else spell-breaking in London - Clarence Holmes was making a great deal of money working the telepathic cure. Bellamy understood when he was told that he always had a couple of bodyguards when he worked, and that he insisted that his patient hand over his wand. That was only prudence, and he did that himself. It was not widely known that Holmes' patients also had their wrists manacled to metal rings fixed to the walls. Holmes had no intention of allowing himself to be hurt. He still had desperate people willing to submit to those indignities, and willing also to pay the very high fee demanded.

Holmes was rapidly becoming a rich man, and was one of those unhappy with Bellamy's return. The moment it was known that the great wizard was back, the supply of patients waiting for Holmes dried up.

Bellamy was very much wanted; a week in Switzerland first, and every week thereafter in different countries, as long as he was willing to do it. Every few weeks, he would be given a break, just doing Thursday and Friday in London, in the same area in the Ministry that had been organised for him after the death of Cissy.

The second Monday after his return, Bellamy joined the assembled team for the trip to Switzerland. Patrick was scathing. "Condescended to join us this time?"

Bellamy shrugged, and reddened. "Sorry about that."

But Patrick was only joking, and he was quickly surrounded by his friends. Manfred had given him almost the same team he'd had previously, except that Alex was no longer fit enough for normal auror's duties, and had been transferred to a different department. Patrick was in charge, and there was an additional youngster, called Nathan Bagster. Nathan was very large, shiny black, and had a deep voice. Bellamy shook his hand, and asked if he was related to the Shacklebolts by any chance. He was so like Jebedee had been, and Kingsley before him. Nathan nodded, second cousins or some such thing he thought. Bellamy smiled warmly at him, and said that it was good to know him.

Kate watched him, smiling, before telling him that she and her husband would be joining them Friday night, and they would also be joined by dignitaries from several other countries, as well. It was to be a big occasion. "And you have to behave yourself, mind," she added.

"I often behave myself," said Bellamy, indignantly. "And Kate. Don't forget, I've only agreed to that one formal do. Any others you arrange, I just won't come."

Kate smiled. She thought she could get around her grandfather.

Graham nabbed Bellamy in the aeroplane. "Niscos and weight," he said. "Same as usual."

Bellamy sighed. Why did they always put him through this? He'd tried to refuse Ministry Healers a couple of times, but then he'd been badly hurt by a patient in Turkey once. It could be useful to have a healer around. The aurors were hurt too, sometimes, but there were no weekly checks for them. Graham only touched a couple of sensors to the back of his hand, and noted down the figures, making no comment, although he was pleased. The time away had apparently been good for Bellamy. The check took about thirty seconds. Bellamy still thought of it as an imposition.

The week went smoothly, although Patrick, now that he was in charge and trying to be responsible, was irritated that Bellamy was out Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, only returning in the morning. Bellamy had found an obliging Swiss woman. Thursday, there were three difficult patients in a row, and afterward, Bellamy knew that he was too tired to apparate. Instead, he made a phone call, and the aurors were asked to keep out of the way, he was having company that night.

So they tried to be discreet as their charge ate at a separate table, and discussed a concert the woman wanted to go to on Saturday night. Bellamy agreed. It was easy enough simply to stay on an extra night. It never occurred to him that he would be facing Patrick with a dilemma. He was supposed to be guarded at all times. They were supposed to be returning Saturday morning. Instead, he simply went to Reception, paid an extra night, and mentioned without a blush, that there would be two in the room that night, just in case the charge was higher for two.

Ricky and Adam guarded his room, although making sure that the girlfriend didn't notice. A silencing shield protected their privacy. Bellamy knew perfectly well that the aurors had their eavesdropping devices as standard equipment. Aurors had never thought that he was entitled to privacy. They had always watched him, always reported on his activities. It was their job, and he no longer took much notice of it.

Work on Friday was very easy, but Bellamy sighed as he pulled out his dress robes, and shook out the creases. He'd promised to behave himself, and so presented himself in the large function room, where a crowd had already gathered. Kate immediately fussed over his robes, as Julie had always done, and even put a hand to his hair, wanting to comb it. Bellamy waited patiently. He'd promised to behave. And he did behave as he met the Ministers of Magic of Italy, France, Austria and Germany. Several others, too. It seemed that they were making the most of the opportunity to meet and talk to the great wizard who was known to avoid these occasions like the plague.

Nathan was on guard behind him. There had been some careful tuition, and he knew to keep thoughts of the sharp knife he carried, pushed down below the surface of his mind. The opportunity would undoubtedly come. It was rather funny that Bellamy was apparently instantly prepared to trust, merely because he looked like a couple of old friends. But he pushed that thought below the surface of his mind, too, and concentrated on other things, unrelated to his desire to become very rich. All the aurors were on duty. Patrick was very tense. There were too many strangers here.

"Harry!"

Harry turned and greeted his son, Helmer Roos. Helmer was looking very dressed up, and not nearly as old as his age.

Helmer had some news. Unable to hold it back, a smirk appeared as he told his father that he was now Swedish Minister for Magic. After appropriate congratulations, Bellamy asked about his family. He was saddened to hear that Helmer's mother had died a year before. Britta, too, her close friend, and onetime lover of Bellamy's. His boys were grown up, and one was an auror, as Helmer had been.

They had to sit down then, and a tedious formal dinner began, course after course. Once they were trapped, the speeches began. Bellamy looked sadly toward the window. Kate eyed him repressively. He shifted restlessly in his seat, as others watched with amusement. The great wizard was a legend, and among the stories told were those of his hatred of speeches.

To amuse himself rather than because he wanted it, he started buttering the roll that waited on a plate next to him. But he only buttered it, and then vanished it, slowly, bit by bit, using his magic to make different shapes before suddenly sighing again, and it was gone. He hadn't even noticed that it had been poisoned.

Nathan thought he might be doing him a favour if he slipped the knife in now. Bellamy twisted in his seat, and stared at him. Nathan thought very hard about a Quidditch game he'd seen once. There were too many witnesses to do it now, and it looked very much as if the great wizard was suspicious.

Bellamy was very tense. He wanted to pry, wanted to look at the mind of Nathan, but he'd made a rule for himself that he would not look at the minds of others without a very good reason. He wished that Nathan wasn't behind him. He didn't like having Nathan behind him. But what had he heard? Just a thought that he might like to be put out of his misery. He almost agreed.

Nathan didn't have a chance to get behind him again. Not that evening, as he always seemed to be standing with his back to the wall, not at breakfast, when he casually rose and moved when he came close, and then quizzed him about his background and ambitions, not Saturday night, when he spent the night at the girlfriend's place, and not the week after, in Austria. Nathan had been rostered to be in the room with Bellamy as he worked, but the strong magic was apparently needed for the third patient of the day on Monday morning, and Nathan fainted. He was told not to worry, that it seemed that some people just couldn't tolerate the feeling. Gareth took his place, as Ricky too, found it very difficult to tolerate.

That Friday, Nathan asked for a transfer. He'd decided that it was just too dangerous to try and kill the great wizard, now that he was apparently suspicious. He wondered if it was really because of the strong magic that he'd fainted.

The next week, Bulgaria, and Bellamy was relieved that Nathan had been replaced by Rosemary. Rosemary waited hopefully, but he made no moves to try and seduce her, and was merely impersonally friendly.

At home, Beau was surrounded by family, and was already helping with the rush of correspondence that had arrived with the news of Bellamy's return. It was difficult for him to walk outside, and an old wheelchair had been unearthed. It was magical, but the movement was guided by buttons, and didn't need the magic of a wizard. And Beau, although he couldn't ride them, was looking very closely at the horses. There should be more careful records kept of their breeding, he felt. The mares should not be just sent to a stallion at the whim of the boss.

His legs were still bad, although the healer had used a strengthening spell which helped a bit. And she said that as long as he continued to exercise them, they would improve. Feeling more hopeful than he had for years, Beau now spent an hour in the gym every day, and did a lot of swimming as well. There was some rearrangement of the workload among the Barnes family, and he was satisfied that he was not accepting charity.

Bellamy was happy to have him there. He'd been made uneasy by the suspected treachery of the auror, Nathan, and liked and trusted all his staff, including Beau. It was rather nice to have company in the gym, too.

Bellamy seemed to have regained his spirits after his long absence. The Quidditch matches resumed, and were cheered with as much gusto as ever. The teams were changed around a little, as some players had become old, but there were always youngsters clamouring for a place on a team. The Employees were no longer champion, as Caradoc no longer played, and most of Bellamy's employees were Medjkind, not Wizardkind. Lillian was the only one on that team that was an employee, so was nominated Captain, and the rest were assorted descendants of Bellamy.

There seemed to be scores of children running around on these occasions, often swarming around Bellamy, who could conjure dragons in the air for their amusement.

Bellamy was firm friends with most of the aurors, and enjoyed it especially when very young ones were allocated to him. He liked vigorous and sometimes dangerous activities, but there was always at least one of the aurors happy to join him. As long as they kept an eye on him in that fashion, he didn't feel the need to disapparate and leave them behind. When he did leave them behind, usually because he wanted to be with a woman, he considerately told them when he'd be back. Patrick thought he was having it relatively easy.

Kate soon discovered that he hadn't been bluffing when he stated that he wouldn't turn up to functions that he disliked, no matter how she wailed that she'd promised that he'd be there. And he totally ignored the tears that ran slowly down the cheeks of that beautiful face. He'd known her since she was a baby. She wasn't getting around him with false tears. Her assistant, close by, looked at him accusingly. Deirdre was an excellent organiser, highly intelligent, should herself have been Minister for Magic, yet idolised Kate, and was only happy to bask in the sunshine of her approval. She thought Bellamy should do as Kate wanted. Everyone else did as Kate wanted.

In Paris one week, he was wandering the streets, Rosemary beside him, a couple of others behind him, when he paused at an expensive clothing shop. He wanted to send Julie something for her birthday. He knew that everyone always said that he had terrible taste, so asked Rosemary to advise him. But Rosemary condemned Julie for deserting him, and the carefully wrapped gift from her ex-husband had Julie in hysterics. How could he think she'd ever wear that?