The next big event on Harry's calendar was the Ministry Ball. True, going to Neville's for New Year was great fun but it didn't rank high in Harry's list of priorities.

By mid-January Harry was already nervous about the ball, and getting more so as each day got closer. Between him, Neville and the Weasleys they had invited pretty much everyone they could think of; Harry had managed to buy new dress robes for Neville, Remus and the Weasleys and he was eventually persuaded to get some for himself as well. Everyone was looking forward to it. Everyone that was, except for him.

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"Remus tell me again why I'm doing this ceremony" Harry asked for the fourth time that day. There was one week to go.

"Harry relax! You're doing this for Neville and the Weasleys and so you can get on with your life." Remus answered with never-ending patience. "It's the last thing you have to do before you can leave this whole sorry business in the past. Voldemort's gone, his Death Eaters have dwindled almost to non-existence and you're doing your damnedest to make sure it doesn't happen again. It will be fine. Trust me."

Remus knew that Harry would be on edge throughout the whole thing, just as he knew that Kingsley would have every Auror he could lay his hands on in that room as well. The war may be over, but with something as big as this, they'd be mad not to be cautious. Harry didn't have a good track record with big events. The dementors at the Hogwarts Quidditch final, the Quidditch World Cup, the Triwizard tournament, Bill and Fleur's wedding. Too right he would be tense, everything he'd been to in the last five years had turned into a disaster. Not this time, Remus swore to himself, the lad deserved some good memories.

Watching Harry pace the room, Remus knew he had to do something. His cub would wear himself out before the event itself at this rate! He was loathed to ask Harry more about his school, but it was the only thing he could think of that might sufficiently distract him.

"Harry have you thought of a name for your school yet?" Remus asked as casually as he could.

"I've thought about it a lot, but the only thing I've really come up with is Magic Mayhem or Mayhem of Magic. I'm not really sure I like them, but they're the best I've got so far."

"Names are a thing you've not got to force. Something will turn up, probably when you least expect it" Remus replied with a smile. He watched Harry continue to pace and changed tack. "You know if you're fretting like this, think how Molly Weasley must be!" That put a smile on Harry's face.

"Wonder how Fred is holding up" Harry muttered to himself.

"Why don't you ask him? I'm sure he'd appreciate the chance to get out from underneath his mother's feet! An afternoon out with you might cheer him up and remind him of the good things in life."

"Damn your enhanced hearing!" Harry shot back in mock outrage. "You've got a good point though, probably be good for the pair of us to be honest."

"I wasn't going to say so but yes it would. I might head out to see Teddy when you go, it's been a couple of days since I was last there."

"Say hello to him from me if you do."

"Well that settles it. I can't be not delivering godfatherly messages now can I?" Remus winked at Harry who stuck his tongue out. "Go ahead and floo, I'll just get my stuff."

Ten minutes later Fred tumbled out of Harry's floo into the living room. "Wow Harry I love your house!" he breathed.

"Thanks. Can I get you anything to eat or drink?" Harry replied.

"Some juice would be excellent if you've got some."

"Come on into the kitchen and we'll find something."

The boys met Remus as he was leaving and bade him a good trip, assuring him that both the house and themselves would still be in one piece when he returned. The conversation quickly turned to what they had been doing and both seemed content to talk about Harry's new school for hours. Fred was more animated in this discussion than he had been in any of the months since his twin had died. Harry didn't know this, but he could pick up that Fred was almost as excited as he himself was. He looked down at the table to see that Fred had conjured a quill and parchment and had been sketching as they were talking.

"You like drawing?" Harry asked, ideas suddenly charging through his mind.

"Yeah. It makes me feel closer to George. He was always the one that did all the designs for everything. Now whenever I draw, I feel him with me."

"Can I have a look?"

Fred shrugged. "If you want. They're not amazing though. Just doodles really."

He pushed the sheet towards Harry who gasped in awe. "I have a wide open space and I need a school. Do you want to design it?"

"W-What?" Fred asked in shock. "I can't design a... a... a school!"

"Alright, we'll let George design it then. He just has to do it through you to get it to paper. I'll make sure that both of you are listed as designers. What do you think?"

"I think he'd like that. He was always saying that we needed to scale up our ideas" Fred chuckled.

"Come on I'll show you the land I've got, and then my ideas for how to make it work. It's based on the muggle school system, you'll love it."

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Both Fred and Harry were in high spirits when Remus returned that night. He was happy to see Harry out of his dark mood and Fred so cheerful. Remus knew that Fred hadn't taken the death of his twin well.

"Hey Remus - Fred's going to design my campus!" Harry called excitedly.

"Great Harry!" Remus said as he came over. These two working together would not only create something amazing but would mean neither would be alone. It would be wonderful for both of them.

"Have you seen a muggle high school Remus?" Fred asked. "So many buildings, so many people, and yet it just works! Without magic too!"

"I've worked in a few and Harry took me round one when he first got the idea into his head. What was your favourite bit?"

"Surely that would have to be the automatic doors?" Harry jumped in "you stood there making them open and close for a good five minutes! No wonder people thought you were mad!"

"Well at least I didn't spend all my time staring at a staircase" Fred teased back.

Remus couldn't help but grin at the boys' antics. He had his own bit of news as well. "Well Teddy pulled himself up onto his feet today. He's going to be a strong boy, he was gripping the sofa like his life depended on it!"

The proud father was gushing with excitement. All talk of school stopped and they pressed Remus for every detail of his visit, which he happily obliged as his friends joined in his joy.