Chapter Eleven pt. 1

Ginny Weasley apparently read Witch Weekly. And the Daily Prophet. And for some strange reason, The Quibbler. Or perhaps everyone she knew read them. Because when Leo opened the door to Grimmauld Place after he and Harry got home from work, she was standing there, very irate, clutching the papers in her hand. The moment she saw a human she growled in rage, threw the papers in Leo's face, and pushed him aside.

Leopold had not seen his picture on the front page of the Prophet since his mishap his first year as an auror when he arrested Shacklebolt. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about it, now. However, Ginevra Weasley was making her opinion very known. Leopold was quite sure most of London knew what it was.

"You're GAY?!" A large tacky object went flying through the air.

Leo and Harry ducked. Leo felt a sort of wrongness in using defensive spells against an angry woman who wasn't threatening him. He vowed, though, that if she started hexing, he'd at least protect himself. Harry could deal with his enraged former girlfriend in his own way, but Leo wasn't going to get hurt because Harry liked strong women. It wasn't Leo's fault that Harry hadn't told her about the plan.

"Ginny, just let me explain!"

"AND YOU'RE MARRIED?! How could you do this to me, Harry?"

"It's not what you think!"

"How can it be anything but what I think?" She threw another object, this time aimed more at Harry. Harry jumped out of the way, still trying to get closer to her to calm her down. Leopold moved aside, picking up the various magazines and newspapers Ginny had brought with her. 'Harry Potter's New Chosen One' was the headline on the cover of Witch Weekly. Potter looked slightly embarrassed in the picture; he kept sliding in and out of the side. Leopold blatantly refused to stay in sight, and kept being pushed into view by some unknown source. 'The Boys Who Live…Together' was the headline Rita Skeeter came up with for the Prophet. Clever woman, that Skeeter. Leopold felt something much like hate toward her. He was fairly positive she and Roger would get along swimmingly.

As embarrassing as it was, nonetheless, Leopold was finding it hard to muster up some indignity.

He wondered if he exhausted his store of outrage at the situation. He should have rationed it out better.

"If you'd stop yelling and throwing things, I'll explain it to you!" Ginny reached for her wand and Leopold decided now was the time to step in.

"Please, Miss Weasley, I know what it looks like, but really, if you let Potter explain you won't feel as apt to hex him," Leopold said gently. Normally, he would have found some reason to touch her, as he did with most women, however she did not seem as though she would take kindly to Leopold being excessively charming. He crossed his arms over his chest, instead, but kept his wand handy.

"You're Leopold, then?" She asked, anger still thick in her voice. She was glaring at the ring on Leo's finger, so intense was her stare that Leo started to feel pain in his hand. She reminded Leo of an infuriated tigress; something that he would have usually found to be attractive as hell, but now just found to be scary.

"If I confirm that I am, in fact, Leopold, will you throw something at me as well?"

"That depends." Leo paused, wondering vaguely if she was joking. She picked up another heavy looking object and Leo dove behind Potter.

"Potter, I believe you owe the young woman an explanation. I will move somewhere that is out of range of Miss Weasley's fearsome wrath and impeccable aim." Harry managed to get close enough to her to steer her into a chair. Leopold excused himself to the kitchen where he busied himself by nosily poking around in cupboards and things.

"Merlin, Potter needs help being a normal human being," Leo muttered after opening up yet another empty cupboard.

"Is there something master's friend would like?" The exceedingly old house elf, whom Leopold had long since discovered was Kreacher, asked kindly.

"Oh. Um, well no, no thank you. I suppose I should be going, anyway. I have no idea why I'm still here in the first place." Leopold bowed awkwardly at the house elf and made his way back upstairs. There was no crazed yelling of a Weasley scorned, so Leo assumed that Potter had managed to explain the situation to his darling without significant loss of limb.

"Knock, knock. I'm entering the room, so whatever indecent activities are going on should end quickly," Leopold said, slowly entering the parlor.

"Shut up, Leo," Potter snapped from within. Leo opened his eyes to find the former couple sitting in opposite sides of the room looking highly disgruntled. Leopold quickly decided it was time to make his exit for a much friendlier atmosphere.

"Rude, Potter. Anyway, I'm on my way out. I will see you at work then, Potter. It was very…frightening to meet you Miss Weasley. If we meet again, I shall bring my armor." Ginny gave him a vivaciously mischievous smirk, which Leopold accepted with a wink. He then turned to leave so that Potter couldn't see the smile on his face.

"I'm leaving, too. Wait for me," came the annoyed voice of Potter from behind him. Leo froze with his hand on the doorknob. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Potter throw Ginny a nasty look that she returned in tenfold, before he stood up and headed for the door. She got up as well, but with more command of her anger, if she had any real anger to begin with.

"Ah, well all right," Leo replied, unsure. Potter brushed past him and out the door. Ginny followed at a much more leisurely pace. "Did you break his heart, my dear?"

"He hates to be wrong," she answered with a slightly amused shrug. "And he has the annoying habit of reverting to first year mode when he is. It's best to leave him alone until he cools down."

"Good to know."

"You seem competent enough. Could you promise me you'll take care of him? I will want him back and I'd prefer he'd be in one piece."

"I can make no guarantees, but as my career relies on Potter remaining alive, you can bet that I will try my hardest." Ginny smiled, patting Leo on the arm.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry about earlier. Nothing hit you, I hope? I was aiming more for him, you know."

"I have faith that the Harpies are in good hands with you around, but I did manage to dodge the assault by hiding behind Potter." They laughed, walking out the door of number 12 to find Harry glaring moodily at the house. His temper seemed to flare as they walked out in obviously better moods than he himself was in.

"I do hope your face stays like that, Potter. It'll make my job much easier." Ginny snorted. Harry just scowled more.

"Nice to meet you, Leopold. I hope we meet again in better circumstances," Ginny said, benevolently.

"As do I, Miss Weasley."

"It's Ginny." With that, she turned on the spot and vanished with a crack.

"You two seem to be awfully friendly," Potter growled as Leo came up to him.

"Well, you see, Potter, I tend to be polite to people. A nasty little habit my mother forced into me, I'm afraid." Potter didn't say anything, unless one counted the death glare he was giving Leopold, which said a whole lot more than words ever could. "All right, well this clearly has not been one of your best days. And since I must follow you around, I feel obliged, for the sake of my sanity, to put you in a better mood. I can't tolerate grumpy people."

"You don't have to follow me around."

"I beg to differ. If you're not in your house, I'm sorry to say I must be by your side."

"That's ridiculous."

"That's what I've been saying. I'm glad you agree. We'll have to tell Shacklebolt about this the moment we see him," Leopold said, excitedly. Harry did not look as cheered as Leopold felt. "Okay. It seems you're in need of friendly interaction. Now, this may not appeal to you, however on many Fridays we usually get together at the Leaky for a night of general debauchery. I know it's stupid to invite you, but here I am, inviting you." Harry stared at Leo with an unreadable expression on his face. Leopold glanced away, watching two children hitting each other across the street, giggling at the brutality. Leopold knew he was going to regret giving Harry the invitation and that it'd probably result in having an unhealthy amount of drinks at the Leaky while Roger assured him that he didn't need Harry's friendship. Maybe he could find some unsuspecting woman to pity him in his Potterless state.

"All right."

"What?"

"I said all right. I'll go with you." Leopold gawked at Potter in disbelief before raising a questioning eyebrow. Potter smirked ruefully. "I bet you didn't see that coming." Leopold almost revoked the invitation just to take the extremely smug look off of Potter's face.

"I did not. But that's all right. I will counter my shock with firewhiskey." Leopold began to walk and Harry followed. It was a nice night and it seemed rather superfluous to Leo to apparate to a location they could easily walk to. And besides, they were early and Leopold hated being early: whoever arrived first had to buy the first round of drinks.

"I think you have an unhealthy affinity toward firewhiskey. You should probably get help for that."

"Harry, I think you're the last person to be giving out mental health advice." There was a pause. Leopold wasn't sure if Potter noticed the slip he had made in addressing him by his first name rather than the condescending use of his surname. If he had noticed, however, he chose to ignore it. Much to Leopold's intense relief.

"Who is this "we" you mentioned, anyway?" Harry asked, clearing his throat.

"A few friends. People you probably don't remember for their lack of fawning over you."

"I don't enjoy the attention, you know," Potter said, bitterly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I, however, enjoy how angry you get when I imply that you do," Leopold replied with a smile. Potter's scowl softened slightly. "You rise to the occasion quite nicely. You're so much more fun to tease than Roger."

"Speaking of Roger, how come I don't remember seeing you in school?"

"Why are you asking me to explain your deteriorated memory? Moreover, how many Ravenclaws beside Cho do you remember, anyway?"

"I remember Roger."

"Because of his affiliation with Cho."

"And Michael Corner."

"Because of his affiliation with Cho and Madam Weasley."

"Luna Lovegood is my friend," Harry snapped, puffing out his chest proudly. As though recognizing a Ravenclaw who had nothing to do with a pretty girl he used to date was something he should be congratulated about. Leopold may not have remembered the names of every Gryffindor in Hogwarts at his time, but he at least remembered the ones in his year. Although, he supposed if he had his life threatened every year for seven years, he'd forget some people, as well. He wasn't about to give Harry the satisfaction of being justified in his lack of memory, though.

"Is she really? How philanthropic of you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean you said that like I was supposed to give you a medal for it. Again, this is you rising to the occasion. I was just goading you, Potter. I don't expect you to know anyone I know, nor do I care that you don't." Leopold wrapped his cloak closer to him, the chill in the air and in Potter's eyes cut him to the bone. "To answer your question, Michael, Cho, and Roger will be there. Along with Adrian Pucey, who, you may or may not know, is not a Ravenclaw but we keep him around for variety sake. Oh and Terry Boot, Fawcett, and perhaps a few others. I believe Roger invited Susan Bones, as well, but that was merely due to his desire to snog her senseless. He really has the strangest taste in women." Leopold expected Harry to give a snide comment about this observation, yet he was silent. Leopold glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and saw that Potter looked slightly more morose than he had prior to the naming of the guest list.

"Cho will be there, then?" Cho and Michael, Leopold wanted to reiterate, however something in Harry's face told Leo not to press the matter further.

"That's what I said. It will be a fun gathering. Fun, Potter. You do know what that is, don't you?"

"I used to. But then I was introduced to a man named Leopold Ackerley and all notions of fun left me forever."

"Ha! You see? Now you're playing the victim properly. I've taught you well." Harry snickered derisively. "Promise me you'll keep your surliness to a minimum, Potter. These are friends I'd like to continue seeing and I prefer it if your sour disposition didn't change that."

"This may shock you, but I know how to act around people who don't annoy the hell out of me."

"Yes yes, we'll see about that." They finally reached the rundown façade of the Leaky Cauldron. They looked around nonchalantly before heading in. The inside was an incredible contrast to the outside. It was bright inside, for one, and everyone seemed to be talking, laughing, and drinking merrily. Leopold instantly felt lighter as his gaze fell on several of his friends and well wishers.