"Welcome home, dear Fawkes!" Hagrid exclaimed as he gazed at the grand phoenix perched on his upraised arm. "O' course it makes sense that he'd come back fer you, Harry! You're only the world's most powerful wizard, innit?"

Fawkes flew up to perch in a nearby tree as Harry followed the half-giant into the clearing he'd designated for his day's class. Hagrid had decided to introduce Thestrals early on in his syllabus, as so many students were now able to see the creatures—a result of the war. He set down a pail of raw meat at the center of the clearing.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that, Hagrid. I was just wondering how to care for him." Harry stepped aside as a young Thestral nudged him out of the way and snapped up a piece of meat from the pail.

"Fawkes is relatively independent. He can feed himself, since he's not constrained by physical incarceration."

"Yeah, he scared the life out of Hermione and Ron last night when he appeared in my quarters."

"Yeh'll need a place for his burning. I saved his pyre after Dumbledore's—" Hagrid paused, his grief over the late headmaster still raw. He cleared his throat. "I can bring it up if ye like."

"Thanks, Hagrid."

"Glad ter have ye back, Harry." Hagrid patted Harry on the shoulder, causing him to stumble forward. A few students, notably wearing Ravenclaw robes, had begun to arrive for class, greeting Harry as they settled nervously at the outer edges of the clearing. They were joined by students from Gryffindor House.

"I'll leave you to finish preparing your class, Professor." He smiled at Hagrid and started back towards the castle.

Harry hadn't gone far when he spotted a witch with a familiar crown of red hair approaching with the same fair-haired Ravenclaw he'd encountered her with at the top of the dungeon stairs on the first day of classes. They walked rather closely, and she smiled as he leaned to speak to her, as yet unaware of Harry's approach. He faltered, unsure of how to proceed. He didn't want to openly confront her and make a scene. After all, she was only walking to her lesson with a classmate. He knew that like her mother, Ginny was spirited, and didn't take kindly to aggressive behavior. Harry decided to take a casual approach. He squared his shoulders and proceeded determinedly, passing her without a word.

"Harry?" Ginny stopped on the path, turning back to him.

"Good morning, Ginny," he replied coolly, giving her a nod and continuing on.

"Harry!" she called more firmly. He stopped and turned to her. "What's this all about?" she demanded.

"It's nothing," he replied innocently. "I think we should talk sometime soon, however."

"Coming, Ginevra?" said the other wizard.

"Erm, Gael, you go on. Tell Hagrid that I stopped to speak with Harry." Ginny gave him a tight smile.

"You'll be late for class," he replied. Harry gave him a sharp look.

"He won't mind," she shrugged. "I'll see you in a bit." Gael reluctantly continued down the path, glancing once over his shoulder as he went. Harry and Ginny stepped off the path into the shade of a large tree. Harry looked down the path at the retreating Ravenclaw. Ginny looked at Harry expectantly.

"I suppose he does look a bit like me from a distance," Harry said. "I can see how Neville would have been mistaken in the dim light." The color drained from Ginny's face. His voice was cool as he continued. "Sixth Years have Astronomy on Wednesdays, not Mondays."

Ginny shook her head with a sardonic expression. "That's rich, Harry. It isn't as if you'd made yourself all that available, have you? You're barely at meals any more, and you've yet to even visit Gryffindor tower. I suppose that busty witch in Hogsmeade was a bit more appealing than at first taste."

"Ginny, don't." A hint of indignation colored his tone. "You're right. I haven't been attentive, but I certainly haven't fallen into the clutches of some fawning admirer who fancies herself the future Mrs. Harry Potter." He let out a sigh. "Somehow, I don't think this is really about me though." He gave her a pointed look, holding her gaze. Ginny's eyes pooled with tears. "Just…tell me, Ginny."

"I-I'm sorry, Harry. I don't think I can handle all of this. Do you know that I get letters from other witches that say the most awful things? Hermione told me to stop reading them."

"You shouldn't open them! It's not safe, you know."

"I know. I know. But that's not the only—" Ginny hiccoughed. "I-I j-just don't know if—if you're the one any more. I just—I just—it's not what it was before. I—it was a child's crush. Gael is—oh, I don't know—he's just different. I can't explain it, I—"

Harry knew what she meant, even if she struggled to put it into words. It was the same feeling he was struggling with himself. He pulled Ginny into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"You don't have to explain, Ginny. Please don't cry. I understand. So much has happened."

"Y-you're not mad?" She looked up at him. He wiped away a tear from her cheek.

"No," he said flatly. "I had an inkling that you were struggling with your feelings when we talked last weekend in the Room of Requirement. You're just learning to live again, and the things we clung to in desperate times—maybe they're just not enough. I still love you Ginevra. Your family accepted me as their own when I had no one else. We've shared too much to ever lose that."

Harry smoothed her hair and gave her another peck before stepping away from her and giving her a smile as he squeezed her hands. "I would warn Ollivander to treat you like the treasure that you are, but I've seen your wand-hand in action. Go easy on him."

Ginny laughed, swiping at a tear. "I will." She hugged him tightly and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I love you, Harry."

"Always." He tweaked her nose and gave her a wink.


"You should have come to me at once, Mr. Malfoy!" Madam Pomfrey admonished. She carefully palpated his scalp, feeling for the presence of trauma to his skull.

"Yes, ma'am, but the headaches abated with the potions. I thought it was temporary."

"Wizards!" she muttered, lighting her wand and holding a small magnifier in front of it to look into each of his eyes. "And how did you manage to hit your head this time?"

"Apparently, I dropped a rook when putting away my chess set. I stepped on the little bugger and lost my footing." Draco lied with ease, wincing at the bright light in his eyes.

"I see." Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips. "Lie back please." Her tone was cool and officious. Draco reluctantly complied, and she slowly moved her wand over him, from head to toe, keeping her expression neutral. "Alright then, young man, you may sit up. I shall return in a moment.

Poppy Pomfrey went to her office and summoned a large sheet of red-hued paper, pointing her wand at it. A shimmering silvery-white wisp floated into the air and took shape above the paper. As it settled into the thin film, the wisp turned blue and took the shape of a finely detailed anatomic drawing. The matron studied it carefully, a frown deepening on her face. She rolled the drawing and secured it in a cabinet before returning to her patient.

Draco nervously perched on the edge of the bed and looked in the direction of the healer's office, but she'd drawn her shades the moment she entered. He began to gather his things, reconsidering his decision to come and complain about the blurred vision and mild headaches he'd been experiencing. After nearly mixing the ingredients for the herbicide that Slughorn was brewing for Professor Sprout with the preparations he had been instructed to make for a sixth-year Doxycide brewing lab, Draco realized that he needed to be proactive. It wasn't in his best interest to kill himself or anyone else during this crucial apprenticeship. As he stood and pulled the strap of his satchel over his shoulder, Madam Pomfrey reemerged carrying a tray.

"There doesn't seem to be any new injury to your skull. That is a good thing," she said, setting the tray on the bedside table. "However, it is imperative that you protect yourself from further brain trauma, Mr. Malfoy. The effects can be devastating. Now then, I've increased the dosage of your Wideye Potion, and I'm adding a headache powder." She handed him a phial and a small enameled tin. "Continue taking your potions as I previously prescribed, and take a dose of powder the moment you feel a headache coming on."

"Yes, ma'am." Draco took the medicines from her and tucked them into his satchel.

"Make sure that you don't skip any meals. You need the nutrients."

"Yes, ma'am." Draco nodded dutifully. He stood. "Thank you, Matron."

"Ah, not just yet, young man." Madam Pomfrey held up her hand and summoned a box from the tray.

"I think these will also be of some help. See me on Monday at midday and let me know if you see any improvement. I'll make necessary adjustments then."

Draco looked at the box Madam Pomfrey held open for him, and then stared up at the matron in horror.


"You what!" Ron shouted, rising from his seat. Hermione grabbed his hand before he could point his wand at Harry. Several teachers looked over with stern gazes, and a number of students turned their attention to the Golden Trio with interest.

"Ronald, calm down! You're Head Boy! You can't cause a scene in the middle of the Great Hall!" He reluctantly returned to his seat, staring daggers at Harry.

"Ron, I broke up with Harry," Ginny insisted.

"What did you do to my sister, Harry?" Ron demanded, his jaw tight.

"Ron, I didn't do anything to Ginny. We decided that it would be mutually beneficial for us to part ways." Harry gave Ron a plaintive look as he explained. Ron scoffed.

"I am of age, Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Ginny banged her fist on the table. "I think I am capable of making some decisions for myself. I fought in the damned war too, you know! I am so sick of being babied! Mum and Dad may have forced me to come back to school, but they can't run my entire life and neither can you!" Harry placed a hand on her shoulder. Ginny took a breath and lowered her voice. "Harry and I are still friends. Nothing can change that. He saved my life after all. But we're over, Ron. It's what's best. You're just going to have to deal with it."

Ron sat with a sullen look on his face. While he had been off hunting for horcruxes, getting splinched, and breaking into Gringotts' most secure vaults, his little sister had grown up and fallen out of love with her first real crush, who just happened to be his best mate.

"Fine," he said at last.

"Thank you for understanding." She smiled gratefully and left the table. Ron turned and watched her cross the room and take the hand of the sandy-haired Ravenclaw standing near the entrance.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"Gael Ollivander," Harry replied, suddenly very interested in the sandwich on his plate.

"You mean she—you knew?"

"I figured it out." Harry bit into his sandwich with a shrug. Ron was apoplectic, and he made to stand again. "Ron, leave it. She's seventeen. You need to trust her."

"It's him I don't trust, Ron muttered.


"Why don't you watch where you're going, Potter?" Draco sneered as Harry nudged past him, entering the Muggle Studies classroom.

"Perhaps if you moved a bit faster, Malfoy," retorted Harry. "Of course, speed has never been your thing, has it? Given that you've yet to outfly me to the Snitch." Harry sauntered to his seat on a chorus of 'Ohhhs!' from the other students present. Draco scowled, sliding into a seat beside Millicent Bulstrode.

"What's that?" she asked, leaning to peer at the small piece of folded parchment in his hand.

"Nothing." Draco slid the note under his textbook. "Have you lost weight?" he replied by way of changing the subject.

"Almost three stone!" she exclaimed brightly, smoothing the front of her jumper.

"Ah. You look good," Draco said, though somewhat absently, and without really looking at her. Although Millicent's slimmer figure was certainly more attractive, he still thought her face could benefit from a well-placed transfiguration spell. He ignored her as she gushed over the compliment, rambling on about the weight-loss potion that she had been taking, and unfolded the note that Harry had pressed into his palm as he passed. He squinted and blinked until the writing came into focus.

RoR 20:00

Draco quickly scribbled a reply, and rolled the paper into a ball, pointing his wand at it. The wad of paper sprouted a pair of delicate wings.

"Oi, Potter!" he whispered loudly. Harry glanced over his shoulder. Draco released the paper snitch and it zoomed over Harry's head, darting out of his reach a few times before he caught it.

Harry smoothed the parchment out.

Can't wait.

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"Just Malfoy being a prat," Harry replied, crumpling the parchment and vanishing it before Ron could read the communiqué. Ron glanced over his shoulder at Draco, who gazed back with a snide expression. Ron rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the front of the room, where the instructor had just appeared.

Following the war, the Department of Magical Education decreed that Muggle Studies be made a compulsory subject for all students attending Hogwarts School. Oddly, the course had already been made compulsory the previous school term. However, under Voldemort's rule, and Alecto Carrow's tutelage, instruction was heavily biased against muggles, presenting them as vulgar, stupid, and responsible for driving wizardkind into hiding. The Ministry restored and updated the original curriculum, and during the rebuilding and restoration of Hogwarts, Professors Flitwick and Nakagawa designed and constructed a classroom which allowed electronic devices to work without interference from the castle's ancient magic. During the first week of classes, pureblood students were amazed to watch popcorn being made in a microwave oven and tea prepared with an electric kettle.

Professor Nakagawa smiled genially at the class as she stood before an array of items draped in cloths.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I have a rather exciting lesson for you today. I'm certain that nearly every muggleborn has at least one of these in their home, and every half-blood, a muggle relative who owns at least one of these devices. Would anyone care to hazard a guess as to what they could be?"

"If there's more than one in a home, and judging from the size and shape of those displays, it simply has to be the telly," said Maria Glossop, a quiet girl from Ravenclaw.

"That is correct, Miss Glossop. Ten points to Ravenclaw." Professor Nakagawa flicked her wand, uncovering the first display, an antique television. This is an RCA 630-TS. It was the first commercially mass-produced television, introduced in 1946. At the time, this ten-inch screen was considered quite large, and was an immediate hit around the world. Prior to World War II, television was already in existence, but only a few models were available and their high cost meant that only the very wealthy could afford one." She flicked her wand at the board and a list of basic facts appeared as she continued to lecture. "In Britain, there were 15,000 television households in 1947, in 1952, 1.4 million, and 15.1 million by 1968. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, color television had come into wide use. In Britain, BBC1, BBC2 and ITV were regularly broadcasting in colour by 1969."

"What does it do, exactly?" asked Millicent.

"It is a mass medium for entertainment, education, news, politics, and advertising—sometimes even gossip, which has become increasingly popular in the last decade, with the rise of the American talk-show. I must admit to watching Jerry Springer as a guilty pleasure."

A few snickers went up among the students. Hermione shook her head. Ron, as well as most of the pureblood students, looked on in confusion.

"Can't we get all those things from the newspaper?" asked Neville.

"Most of them you can. However, the newspaper is generally only circulated once or twice a day. With television, one can get live coverage of breaking news, continuous news reporting on important events and issues, and entertainment—game shows, talk shows, situation comedy, and dramas," replied the professor.

"But you get all of that on the wireless," said Blaise, yawning openly.

"Yes, but television also provides entertainment that is fun to watch, action-oriented shows such as police, crime, detective dramas, horror, or thriller shows. As well, there are medical dramas and daytime soap operas. Comedy is a popular genre which includes situation comedy, or sitcom, and animated shows for the adult demographic. Then there's science fiction which can fall into either the drama or action category, depending on whether they emphasize philosophical questions or high adventure."

"Science fiction?" Draco furrowed his brow. "What's that?"

"Stories about outer space mostly, and aliens, as well as things that muggles consider beyond the ordinary," said Professor Nakagawa.

"Basically, it's how muggles explain magic," said Dean. "Like, we can make things levitate, but muggles can't—not without mechanical means like magnets or electrostatic fields. So, they make up stories about characters like Superman, who is actually an alien from another planet, and is capable of flight, or the X-Men, who are all mutants with special powers like Mystique, who is essentially a Metamorphagus, and Professor X, who is basically a legilimens," he shrugged.

A chorus of confused murmurs as well as excited whispers went up around the room.

"What are the X-Men?"

"I love Marvel comics too! The Adventures of Martin Miggs has nothing on them!"

"I hear that the X-Men is being made into a film!"

"Alright now. Settle down. We shall have a lesson on comics, graphic novels and animation at a later date." Professor Nakagawa moved on with her lecture on the history of television, explaining the function of cathode ray tubes and even showing a large projection-screen television and a new type of television known as the plasma screen.

"Next week, we shall explore additional devices that are inextricably linked to the television—videocassettes and a new medium known as the DVD."