Chapter 36: The End of Christmas Holidays
Beta-read by Frustr8dwriter
"Merlin's beard, he's one of us."
There were lines of distress etched deeply into his face when Oswald, Head of the Ancient House of Greengrass, made that statement very quietly. The disclosure was like a jolt in the blue and it left them all speechless. The presence of the foreign wizards was soon forgotten. Cheng Tze and Tun, sensing that the group needed a moment, slipped quietly into one of the rooms.
It took a while for Amelia to gather her wits.
"What do you mean one of us?" echoed Amelia, perplexed. "One of the Ancient families?"
Oswald stood up and paced around the small dark room. "It was supposed to be a secret between three Ancient families, now two really - I didn't think the Gaunts had a successor."
"So in the past, there were five Ancient families? Why isn't that recorded in any of the books in the Potter library?" Hermione inquired, knitting her brows in a frown. "I've been gathering as much information about the Ancient Families as possible. It seems implausible that I would never have heard of a fifth family."
Oswald chuckled, knowing that it would take a while for Hermione to digest the fact that books may not be completely accurate.
"Ah, that's simple – the Gaunts haven't really done much to earn their place in written history. Well really, the only thing that they could take pride in was being the descendants of Salazar Slytherin."
"The Gaunts…where have I heard that name somewhere before?" Amelia murmured absently, staring into space. Her eyes lit up suddenly. "I remember! We did a case study on an incident with the Gaunts in one of the Auror training sessions. The Ministry needed a fully armoured team to haul just two men in. I remembered watching the memory of a Ministry worker."
"Yes, Marvolo and Morffin Gaunt. All the inbreeding in that family made them all quite mad," supplied Oswald. "I was told that those two were the last of their line. All they had left was a run-down shack by my grandfather's time. I believed the Gaunts' marriages to the Greengrasses and Blacks, the other two families that were equally attracted to the dark magic, were the only way their line even survived that long. When the pact was drawn between our ancestors, the Gaunts had a falling out with the Blacks and the Greengrasses and began to marry within their own family. They never had much importance in society despite their title, so others gladly shunned them."
So Lord Voldemort was really a Lord in his own right, a Head of an Ancient Family. Harry thought.
"So what happened to the library that contained all those books on the Dark Arts?" Amelia asked.
Oswald chuckled and rubbed his chin. "I'm not sure if I should even tell you anything about it, Am, because of the firm stand you have against the Dark Arts, just like your ancestors."
"The Dark Arts require the sacrifice of lives. Is there any reason why we shouldn't be against it? Why, we wouldn't have an immortal soul on our hands if those materials had been destroyed in the first place," grumbled Amelia.
"It's just a different side of the coin, Am. I believe the way Dark Arts are used depends on the intent of the caster, but I digress." Oswald turned slightly to regard the rest of the room, noticing that he had the full attention of everyone in the room and he launched into a quick lecture of History. "The library was established by the Greengrass, Black, and Gaunt families when it became clear that the Ministry was going to ban all Dark Arts material. The Bones and the Potter families had always frowned upon the use of dark magic since, as Am has already pointed out; some of the rituals require human sacrifice. As much as I hate to admit this, the three other Ancient families had no qualms about using Muggles in these rituals or as testing subjects. The Bones and Potter families used their influence to push the Ministry to pass a ban of the Dark Arts and they were successful."
This information wasn't anything new to Harry. He already knew that the ban of the Dark Arts was one of the causes of the rift between the Four Ancient Families.
"I'm sure you've all learned about this since it has been documented in the history books. What wasn't common knowledge was that the three other families decided to build a secret library in a neutral location, signed a treaty among us, and only granted the Heads of each family access to that library to keep it secret. Since the Gaunts' line was supposed to die out and Lord Black most certainly didn't tell Sirius the secret, I had the impression that the secret would die with me."
"Why don't you just destroy the library and its contents?" asked Daphne, looking at her father.
"I wish I could. It would definitely make things easier. The problem is, our ancestors had thought of that possibility as well. They knew that the Ministry would try to destroy the library if they discovered it, so they placed a magical field so strong that if you tried to even damage the library, you'd end up taking out a large chunk of everything surrounding it. I estimated the monetary worth of the damage it would cause destroying that said library would be colossal…"
"Because it's sitting right under the Ministry of Magic," deduced Hermione, her eyes narrowing at the thought.
Oswald gave a short laugh. "Hermione's right as usual. Demolishing it would detonate a magic field that would blow the heart of London into pieces. I believe it would raze both the magical and non-magical political institutes in a flash. I imagine such devastation would be difficult to keep from the Muggles."
Sirius chuckled in amusement. "How sly of them. The Ministry would never think of looking right under their feet and they would be much too terrified to break the statute of secrecy by destroying it even if they knew about it."
It was clear that it was a better choice to keep his words to himself - her glare turned lethal when Amelia turned to look at him.
"I thought the same as well so I didn't want to make a fuss out of it," said Oswald to himself.
"Your-damn-ancestors!" To emphasize each word, Amelia jabbed Sirius's arm painfully.
"Hey! It's not my fault!" yelled Sirius, shifting away from his incensed fiancée. "I knew nothing about this."
Harry couldn't help but be entertained while watching Amelia vent her frustrations on his poor godfather.
"Couldn't you just block the two other Heads from gaining entrance to the library?" Cedric asked Oswald, ignoring the couple entirely. Daphne, who was sitting beside him, rolled her eyes inwardly at Amelia and Sirius's antics.
Oswald threw his head back and laughed. "No, Cedric. Even though we were all related by marriage, we remained very distrustful of one another. The treaty they signed prevented the removal of the materials and artefacts as well as any of the families turning on each other."
"Afraid that any one family might absorb the entire collection?" quipped Astoria, laughing.
"I would think that the temptation of having the comprehensive Dark Art Library at your personal disposal is hard to resist," said Oswald. His eyes narrowed slightly. "You do know you're laughing at your own ancestors?"
Astoria gave an indifferent shrug.
"The pure-blood driven politics of the past is really screwed up," commented Dan in amusement, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Well, I understand the need for the pact between the four families now. I must admit that the families have been really devious."
"Sorry to interrupt this history lesson, but I think we have more important things to discuss. Oh I don't know… like the piece of Lord Voldermort's soul in Harry," spoke Susan and the room grew eerily silent at once. They returned their attention to Harry. Harry averted his eyes, with a frown on his face.
"We can't make hasty decisions with so little information," said Amelia finally.
"Os, why don't you read up on the process of splitting a soul?" Sirius suggested. "This way we'll have a better idea about how to deal with the situation."
Oswald's tone became clipped. "No, I can't. The Dark Arts entices all of us. I'm not going to tempt myself."
Before Sirius could protest, Harry spoke first.
"There's no need for anyone to research the Dark Arts. I'm not going to do anything that risks Hermione's life," said Harry, looking at all of them at the eye. It was absolutely clear to all that he was nothing but resolute.
"Our lives, Harry," corrected Hermione, intertwining their fingers together. He gave her a small smile at her show of support.
"I'm not saying that we won't destroy Lord Voldemort. We can't let the sacrifices of the previous war go to waste. If the decision of getting rid of him for good boils down to destroying the piece that's in me, then we'll take the risk," said Harry. Hermione nodded in agreement.
"As you've decreed, Lord and Lady Gryffindor." Oswald said gravelly, with a smile on his face.
Dan and Jean exchanged looks briefly. After a moment, it was Jean who relented and she let out a sigh of resignation. Dan placed his hand on Harry's shoulder in an unmistakable sign of support.
"You know how we feel, Harry." Cedric voiced, speaking on behalf of his friends both present and absent from the room.
The other Heads nodded in agreement. "Then we'll have to find a way to remove it without harming them."
As if on cue, Tun and Cheng Tze walked back into the room. "We've discussed the situation for a long while. We believe there is a slim chance that your bond might be able to pull you through the process since the fragment is not joined to your bonded souls, contrary to our earlier beliefs," said Tun contemplatively.
"We don't know much about the powers of the heavenly couple, after all the two of you are joined in a very special way. It may turn out to not be as dangerous as we believe," continued Cheng Tze.
"Well, that's reassuring," commented Daphne sarcastically.
Cheng Tze chuckled deeply.
"The world is very much a mystery, young lady. We can't be so arrogant to claim that we know all the secrets of it but I believe in the balance between darkness and light." Cheng Tze said, stroking his long beard.
"Faith is just not enough." Amelia interjected, a frown marring her face.
"Yet without faith, things become even more impossible. What is life without hope? I know of instances where it boils down to one's attitude," replied Cheng Tze.
"I need some time to look into this." Tun declared finally. "The process is so obscure that I'm sure that not many would possess the information you require."
"You're willing to help us?" asked Oswald guardedly, staring at the Javanese Shaman.
Tun chuckled deeply. "It's too late for suspicions. The case has caught my attention and I'm intrigued. I'm going to consult with the other elders and the spirits. It may take months before I can find anything useful. However, I do agree with Cheng Tze. Sometimes, all you need is faith."
Tun asked them for a contact number so that they could keep in touch with them once they've left Singapore.
They could believe their ears when they heard that the wizards in Great Britain did not use telephones.
Jean and Dan agreed to act as a go-between between the two parties, after they realised it would be much safer that way. Realising that it was way past dinnertime, they rose to their feet, thanked the two for their time before exiting the shop.
It was a bizarre experience for all of them and it was clear that they all needed to sit down to talk about what they learned. Harry collected the Chinese painting from the artist and they headed back to the Raffles hotel for a quiet dinner in the Tiffin Room.
The Tiffin Room was restored to its former glory so the ambience reflected the simple neo-classical colonial look of the early eighteenth century. It featured square teak tables and bentwood chairs, silver vases and salt and pepper shakers that didn't look anachronistic with the setting. Dining in such a restaurant transported them back to that period.
They were led to a private room, which was similarly furbished, but on a grander scale. They decided to try the Curry Buffet, which boasted Northern Indian speciality dishes. Servers dressed in snowy white jacket attended to their needs. They were told that the Tiffin Curry, a mild curry chicken, was one of the highlights of their menu. They found themselves enjoying every dish they selected.
Harry managed to cast the relevant spells to maintain their privacy right before Amelia began her diatribe.
"Weapons, Harry and Hermione? Why are you carrying them around?" demanded Amelia, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at the young couple. "You know it's not allowed in both the magical and non-magical worlds. What were you guys thinking?"
"Our wands may not be enough." Hermione responded briskly. "We aren't taking any chances."
Amelia frowned and leaned forward. "Give me a little credit, Hermione. You're carrying a gun that you've transfigured into something wooden. You can't hide that you're using one if you did."
"No, this is something new," disagreed Harry. "It fires spells that are transfigured into bullets, and it will leave no mark."
"How is that even possible? Can you transfigure something that doesn't have a physical state?" Cedric interrupted.
Oswald was rubbing his chin contemplatively.
"What Harry said is absolutely possible. It's difficult to explain the science behind it, but spells do have a physical state. The red light we see is made up of small particles. It's just a matter of combing through and transfiguring multiple objects into a singular object," explained Hermione.
"Whatever works. You have to do a demonstration later, Hermione," said Sirius, with a smile on his face.
"She's a sharp shooter." Harry announced proudly, putting his arm over her shoulder.
"How about your sword, Harry?" asked Jean. It was a shock for her when she discovered that he had been carrying a sword with him.
"It's the Sword of Gryffindor. There have been other heads before me who've carried it as an emblem of authority."
"Only on special occasions, Harry." Amelia rebuked, shaking her head. "We don't carry them anymore. Swords are too flashy and no one makes them anymore."
"Rules aside and think about it, Am. Would Riddle think that they'd be using such weapons? Personally, I think it's good that they're carrying them around for protection. He won't even know what hit them," said Felicia. "It's a brilliant idea, Hermione."
"There'll hell to pay if others discover that you two are carrying weapons with you. You're a Lord, a Lord of an Ancient and Noble House. It would make things even more complex. First the elemental magic, second, your weapons, finally your rings, what other secrets are you keeping?" Amelia went on, clearly exasperated.
Hermione immediately picked out the reason of her protest.
"Complex? You mean make things complex with the Ministry? What's going on in the Ministry?" said Hermione suddenly, leaning back so that she could look at Amelia. "Is the Ministry targeting us?"
"Not the Ministry, just Fudge and his minions. He's trying to get more power for himself by undermining ours." Oswald replied uninterestedly. "He's not a threat because Am still commands more respect than he does so we can allow him to play his little political games."
"Fudge has been stirring up a lot of unrest in the Ministry lately. However, the DMLE is the largest and most important branch of the Ministry and it's firmly in my control so he can't do much," added Amelia absently.
"I beg to differ - a small spark is all it takes to set a forest ablaze." Hermione interjected. "Circumstances can change in a snap of fingers. I'd rather not take those risks."
"Okay, enough of this heated discussion. It's going nowhere." Oswald declared, raising his voice slightly so that he had Hermione and Amelia's attention. "There is no need to squabble amongst ourselves when Hermione has correctly pointed out that we have two enemies." His statement had its intended effect - both Amelia and Hermione kept their silence.
Oswald scrubbed his face with his hands before he expelled a breath. "It's clear we have several issues – the secrets Harry and Hermione have been keeping from family, our problems handling the Ministry, and the issue of carrying weapons. We are going to discuss all of them like civilised people, do you understand? If you need time-out to keep your anger in check, feel free to leave the room."
Everyone around the table nodded their heads.
He turned to look at Harry and Hermione. "Why do you see a need to keep secrets from us? Aren't we a family? I mean even if you don't trust us to keep your secrets, there is still an unbreakable vow between our families," asked Oswald.
"No, it's not about trust. It's all about protecting all of you. We're sorry if you feel that way." Harry offered.
"It's alright, pup. Just don't make it a habit. We owe you an apology for keeping the problem with the Ministry a secret, so I'm sorry. In truth, you and Hermione are the same status as us. However, we can't help trying to keep things away from you, so that you can concentrate on more important things. Anyway, if we want you to be completely honest with us, we have to be completely candid with you too," said Sirius, smiling.
"Okay, what are we going to do about Fudge? Do you really want to leave him alone?" Susan inquired.
"I'm not trying to be proud, but he's a harmless git who is absolutely clueless about who's he dealing with. We'll have him for lunch, metaphorically speaking, if he does anything." Sirius assured, grinning fiercely. "We've been keeping watch."
"Well, as long as we don't underestimate him. Things will change drastically when the Magical society knows that Voldemort's back." Hermione reminded.
"We'll continue to monitor him. So that solves another problem, let's move on to the final issue," said Oswald.
"I don't see why they should stop carrying weapons with them." Jean commented. "You're worried about their safety and these weapons offer additional protection. I know it's against the law, but they're up against this immortal Dark Lord. Shouldn't there be an exception?"
"Well, it's the political tidal wave that they will generate if anyone finds out," explained Daphne. "The backlash can potentially turn the tide against us if the issue is not handled properly and Fudge can use that to his advantage." She smiled when she caught Oswald nodding in affirmation.
"Yeah, but it might save their lives," added Dan.
"Save their lives from Lord Voldemort? No one, besides us, knows that Lord Voldemort is still alive. The consequences of opening that particular can of worms are unimaginable," continued Daphne evenly. "Well personally, I don't really think this whole weapon issue matters in light of everything."
Oswald chuckled. "I guess that means only one person is opposed to Harry and Hermione carrying their weapons around with them?"
Amelia rolled her eyes. "I didn't arrest them on the spot, did I? I felt I had to put in my two cent's worth. The rules are created for a reason and I'm the Head of DMLE, the department that enforces the rules - I can't head the department if I don't believe in the laws."
Sirius laughed and wrapped his arm around his fiancée. "We know what a law-abiding citizen you are."
Amelia narrowed her eyes and smacked him on his arm.
Harry removed the charms that he cast when he realised that they had concluded their discussion. To be honest, he was relieved to have everything out in the open; he felt that he no longer needed to keep secrets from them and that the burden of this upcoming war no longer rest solely on his and Hermione's shoulders.
They retreated back to their rooms for a good night's rest, seeing that everyone was exhausted.
The next few days in Singapore were spent in high spirits. Everyone was determined to enjoy the small island country to the maximum. They spend a day at each of the ethnic enclaves like Little India, Kampong Glam, and Arab Street, trying the different cuisines and experiencing the varying cultures. They even had their hands painted with a dye from the Henna plant. Brown intricate designs began from the tips of their fingers and radiated out to cover every inch of their hands and wrists – the designs a stark contrast against their fair skin. They got to know the island a bit better when they visited the many area museums and took a heritage walk around Civic District.
They were game enough to try hiking up Bukit Timah reserves, the tallest hill in Singapore. It was physically harsh on the adults due to their lack of exercise but the teenagers had a lot of fun. The trek offered a refreshing change of scenery from the urban landscape they were staying in and it was an experience they would never forget. Harry knew that none of his family would be trying the Rambutan, a sweet bright red fruit, anytime soon. They had been walking into the reserve for about ten minutes when they realised that they had walked into an area filled with Rambutan trees. It was a pretty sight because they were bearing clusters of bright, red fruits that stood out among the lush green leaves.
"Do you think the fruits could be eaten?" asked Cedric curiously, staring at the closest tree. The fruits were located at the crown of the tree, so he couldn't try them.
"Yes, look, the monkeys are feeding on them," said Harry, pointing to a distant tree where a large group of brown monkeys were seen sitting on the branches, happily plucking those fruits, peeling them open, discarding their red shells, before spitting out the seeds.
"That explains why we've been walking all over the shells of these fruits," commented Oswald wryly, staring at the monkeys from a distance. Suddenly, he felt something being thrown on him and he dismissed it. When he felt something sticky being thrown at him the second time, he shouted in irritation and looked up.
A few monkeys were sitting on a branch close to them, eating Rambutans. There was a decidedly mischievous smirk on their faces when they saw Oswald looking at him. One of them brazenly peeled open another brilliant red fruit, took aim at him, and flung the shell at his head.
"Those bloody monkeys!" Oswald roared. He fumbled around his pocket, trying to find his wand as the rest of his family unsympathetically burst out in laughter.
"They're only monkeys, Os."
To Oswald's horror, that same monkey spat out the large seed of the fruit, took another aim, and tossed it at him.
"Eww!" shouted Astoria when the other monkeys started to fire 'bullets' at all of them.
"Run!" said Cedric when he realised that the monkeys were starting a war with them.
With their hands covering their heads, they ducked the incoming missiles and dashed to safety.
The last thing they remembered were the howls of the monkeys echoing around the reserve, sounding as if they were laughing at their cowardice. They had become a source of entertainment for the residents of the reserve.
They visited the Night Safari, located next to the Singapore Zoo which was said to be the world's first, for an interesting experience. The Night Safari was built to look like traditional villages of the past and the moment they stepped in, they felt as though they were transported to another time. These old 'attap' huts housed several retail shops. Harry and Cedric were attracted to the sight of a man who was sitting on a bench above a long tank, soaking his feet in it. A black cloud seemed to form around his feet and the man appeared to be trying to stifle his laughter. Intrigued, Harry and Cedric took a closer look and found that the black cloud was actually made up of a large school of small fish that seemed to be feeding on his feet.
"Would you like to try the Fish Spa? It's therapeutic and it removes the dead skin from your feet," said one of the retail assistants politely, gesturing to the tank, ignoring the look of horror and curiosity on their faces.
Cedric gave a nervous smile. "It looks … interesting." Cedric finally said, taking several steps away from the shop.
"I'm glad you think so," called out Harry, standing near the counter inside the shop. No one had noticed that he had entered the shop. "Because I've just paid for you to have a go at it."
Cedric's jaws immediately drop at the news. "M-me? You're the Gryffindor here!"
"Well, that's a situation that can easily be resolved," interjected Oswald with a smile, walking to the counter and brandishing his wallet. He paid for two more people to try the fish spa. "Why don't we give the Gryffindors a chance to display their valour?" He flashed a bright and fierce smirk at Sirius and Harry.
Ha! It's payback time! Oswald thought.
"What!" Sirius exclaimed, his eyes widening at the suggestion.
"Don't tell me you going to chicken out, Sirius? Did the Sorting Hat place you in the wrong house?" mocked Oswald, raising one of his brows as he approached them.
Daphne turned to look at Harry meaningfully.
"I never said I was chickening out!" Sirius sputtered defensively as his cheeks grew pink.
Oswald placed his hands on his waist in an akimbo, with a pointed look directed at Sirius.
Defeated, Sirius walked towards the preparation area to have his feet washed.
What? I didn't do anything. Harry innocently thought through their link as soon as he noticed the exasperated look on Hermione's face as she entered the shop and prepared for the fish spa, with him by her side. They had to remove their shoes and wash their feet at the sink before they were led to one of the two huge tanks.
They climbed onto the bench, eying those tiny fish cautiously. Taking a deep breath as if they were free-fall jumpers taking their first unassisted leap, they plunged their feet into the tank.
They didn't have to wait long.
The tiny fish immediately dashed to nibble on their feet as if they haven't been fed for a long time.
"AHHH!" screamed Hermione, flinging her arms and legs wildly.
The sensation of the fish nibbling on the soles of her feet, between her toes, and on every inch of the skin of their feet was so ticklish, she couldn't help screaming.
Harry threw his head back and laughed, tickled both by the reaction of Hermione and fish. He stopped laughing immediately when Hermione grabbed his arm in a powerful death grip.
Harry gently eased her hand off his arm.
A large smile broke out on Sirius face excitedly when he realised it wasn't that bad after all and he wiggled his toes as he sank into his seat. "It feels quite good," said Sirius.
"You're chasing my fish away." Harry protested when he realised that the waves that Hermione's fidgeting had caused were chasing the fish to the opposite end of the tank. He put his hands on her thighs and held her legs still.
The fish immediately gathered around her feet and that sent her bursting in fits of uncontrollable laughter, much to the hilarity to the small crowd that had gathered to watch them. Harry gave a dejected sigh after noticing that his fish had once again fled from his feet.
He slid across the bench to put some distance between him and Hermione. The fishes soon returned to nibble on his feet. Harry watched in amusement the way Hermione would alternate between bursting into unrestrained laughter and squirming.
"Well, after watching that, the money I paid for them to try the Fish Spa was well worth it!" Oswald announced with a laugh.
After the three finished their foot treatments, they caught a show featuring the natives of the Borneo Rainforest and their rituals. They demonstrated the ability to produce the sound of bird's chipping by blowing through leaves, pressed tightly between their fingers. Jean was invited to join the Thumbunaka Tribe members. She was asked by one of the exotic natives to use the blowpipe to burst the black balloon held between the legs of one of the tribal men.
Looking at the unsteady way Jean was holding the long wooden pipe; the tribal man tried to flee from the cruel assignment but was held firmly by his friends.
He desperate covered his groins with his hands and gave a silent prayer.
Jean took a deep breath, aimed and blew into the pipe.
"Oh no!" Someone exclaimed.
The needle struck the poor man on his inner thigh, causing him to howl in pain as his friends and the audience laughed at him. He promptly collapsed on the ground, feigning his death.
Naturally, the tribal man had his chance for payback. With a blindfold around his eyes, he had to use the blowpipe to burst the balloon that Jean was holding.
Hermione laughed at the way her mother was holding the balloon as far from her body as possible as the man took his aim.
With a loud 'pop', the balloon had burst, and Jean walked down the stage with legs made of jelly.
Dan and Sirius couldn't help but tease her about her performance as they applauded. The tribe wowed the guests with their dance moves and their fire-blowing techniques.
The audience basked in the heat created by the flames.
"They look like dragons, blowing flame that way," commented Cedric, making a face as Daphne laughed.
They officially started their journey into the Night Safari after the show. It was an eye-opener: most of the animals were nocturnal, so the group had the rare opportunity of observing these animals' natural behaviour at the night. The enclosures were built to resemble their native habitats.
They rode on a tram, which took them through many areas of the zoo.
"Now, on your right, ladies and gentlemen, we have the Indian Wolves…"
Harry couldn't help but notice how low the full moon was hanging in the starless sky. It even appeared to be touching the large cliff that stood majestically in the wolves' enclosure. A beautiful lone wolf, illuminated by the soft white glow of the moon, trotted to the edge of that cliff with purpose clearly reflected in its eyes.
The guests clamoured to the side to get a good look of the wolf.
Harry felt the excited chattering in the tram quiet down slightly as he turned to watch the powerful beast. The voice of the tour guide slowly faded into the background until it was inarticulate noise.
There was a sudden breeze.
He could feel the light wind ruffling the wolf's shiny fur. He was assaulted by strange mixture of scent-human sweat and mosquito repellent that wafted in the air. He could hear the clicking of cameras, the distant sound of wheels rolling across the road, and the whispering of the forest.
Harry was jolted back to reality when the tram went over a small bump.
"We're leaving the Indian wolves behind …"
He blinked twice, before realising what had happened - he had made a connection with the animal.
The wolf arched its back gracefully and let out a howl.
The sight of the wolf slowly faded from his sight as the tram took a turn but the echoes of its solitary howl continued to reverberate through the reserve throughout the rest of the ride.
It was way past midnight when they finally reached their hotel.
Sunlight seeped through the curtains of the bedroom, giving the large bedroom a glow. Harry groggily climbed out of his bed, feeling unusually relaxed and cool. "Happy Christmas," greeted Hermione, slipping into the bed to kiss him on his lips. "I was wondering how much longer you were going to sleep."
"It doesn't feel at all like Christmas," said Harry, wrapping his arms around her, drawing her into his embrace. "More like summer holidays." The temperature of the room was set at nineteen degrees Celsius; there was an absence of a fireplace and snow. "Yes, definitely like summer," said Harry, nuzzling her neck.
She chuckled. "It's an equatorial country, Harry," said Hermione, with amusement in her voice. "The lack of snow doesn't stop Singapore from celebrating it though. Get yourself freshened up. Daph, Sue, and Cedric are in the living room talking to everyone back home through the mirror."
He obediently headed to the bathroom to freshen up, leaving Hermione to talk to their friends who had stayed up to exchange Christmas greetings. Fred and George invited them over to the Weasley home when they returned. The presents they had sent from Singapore for the Weasleys arrived on time and they all seemed to like what they had received.
The Weasley twins were green with envy when they realised that the group had been having a wonderful time. They definitely enjoyed hearing about the prank that Harry had pulled on Oswald at the Singapore Zoo.
"Watching Hermione at the Fish spa was hilarious," said Susan, laughing as Hermione pinked. "She was screaming and laughing at the same time."
"That's a memory I must see - the well-mannered Hermione losing her composure!" Fred admitted, chuckling.
"Well, I'll be more than willing to show you," answered Susan, ignoring Hermione's glare.
Fred grinned widely.
The teenagers chatted for a while before ending the call with promises to tell them more about their adventures in Singapore as soon as they got home – they were leaving the next day. After bidding the twins goodbye, the group headed down to Amelia's suite to open their presents. The females were surprised when their partners gave them each a rather large box. Susan and Astoria were surprised to receive a similar looking box from Sirius and Oswald respectively.
"Well, this is the first Christmas we're celebrating together in Singapore, so we've decided to do something special." Oswald explained, smiling. "The presents were selected by your partner but given on the behalf of the rest of the guys."
Intrigued, they began unwrapping the boxes. The girls found stunning cheongsams, body-hugging traditional Chinese costumes, with matching heels and accessories. It was clear that they had spared no expense for the outfits. There was silence in the room as the males looked on anxiously, waiting for them to react.
"How did you all manage to do this? I didn't think any of you had the time to do so much planning. I can see why it's a gift from all of you. It's wonderful!" Amelia proclaimed, lifting out a stunning bronze number with several large fiery phoenixes embroidered on it. "Is there a reason why we're receiving Cheongsams for Christmas?"
Sirius smiled proudly before replying with a mysterious smile on his face. "Always the sharp one. This is just part one of our Christmas gift to you.
They had lunch at one of the coffee shops after they had finished exchanging presents. The girls were chauffeured to a salon the males had arranged so that they could prepare for their surprise that evening.
Night soon fell upon the city.
It had been a few hours since Hermione had seen either Harry or any of the guys. He had even put up a mental barrier between them to prevent her from finding out what they had in store for them. Sitting next to her, her mother, looking stunning in the royal blue cheongsam embroidered with large blooming peony, was absolutely thrilled. It had been a while since Hermione's father had done anything remotely romantic for her. Hermione felt like it was almost a re-enactment of the Tri-Wizard Ball. Daphne was sitting quietly, watching the landscape passing outside the car.
Her pearl white cheongsam embroidered with many small dragons was exquisite and it felt like a second skin.
The scenery of the urban jungle of Singapore had passed a while ago as the car took a turn and drove up the winding roads of a hill. Hermione briefly caught a sight of a wooden sign announcing "Mount Faber" at the turn. Trees and undergrowth of various sizes soon dotted the view outside the window and they felt as if they were driving through an uninhabited forest.
The pockets of land reserved for forests no longer surprised her; however, she was astonished that this was where they were headed.
The car soon halted in front of a building.
A befuddled Amelia, Felicia, Astoria and Susan soon joined the intrigued Hermione, Jean, and Daphne. They looked absolutely ravishing in the dresses that they were given for Christmas.
"This way," said the driver, leading them to the building. The Jewel Box, as the place was called, was a beautiful building that integrated nature and style. Elegant Hiba wood arches filled with creepers lined the walking paths.
Standing at the large glass entrance of the building were the guys, dressed neatly for the occasion. Harry was grinning happily at his gorgeous wife.
You look ravishing, commented Harry, through their link, before taking her hand. "Our dinner is served," he said, leading her into the building. The floors were of a rich hardwood and large glass panels surrounded the entire restaurant. They were greeted warmly by a restaurant host and were led inside.
Granted that The Jewel Box was a nice place to dine in, but they had eaten in far more luxurious places. Hermione couldn't fathom what the surprise was.
A small smile appeared on his face when he heard Hermione's thoughts but he chose to keep his silence. Hermione gasped when she saw several sparkling cable cars parked within the building through one of the glass panels. The cable cars were brightly decorated with lights and she could now see the candlelit dinner prepared for them.
The strong winds tousled her thick hair as she stepped into the holding area for the cable car. They were quite a distance away from ground and the cable car would take them across sea.
"We thought you all might want to try Sky Dining. After all, it offers of a splendid view of the harbour and the Singapore skyline. The whole place is reserved for us tonight. It's our last night in Singapore and I really wanted you to have a taste of her splendour over dinner," said Harry, smiling. He led her into the first cable car.
The six other seats were flipped up and there was a music system in the cabin. A table set for two had already been prepared and it looked very comfortable. A small lamp was placed in the cable car, giving the cable car a soft and warm glow. A professional photographer took a photograph of them together as they stepped into the cabin and settled into their seats.
The panoramic windows lined the cabin, offering them a good look of the outside.
"Wait, are we going to have dinner as the cable car takes us across the sea?" asked Hermione finally.
Harry chuckled. "That was the intention." They could hear the gasp of shock by Jean and Amelia when they stepped into the building and realised that they were going to have a romantic dinner in a moving cable car.
It was a first time for many of them to even sit in a cable car, and now they were given the rare opportunity to dine in one.
When they all were finally settled at their respective tables, their last dinner at Singapore officially began as the large wheel began to turn. With a jerk, the cable car slowly departed from the building as it travelled slowly across the sea towards the adjourning island, Sentosa. They were offered a breathtaking sight of the brightly lit skyscrapers of the Central Business District of Singapore as they dug into their mouth-watering dinner.
"Mum can't complain that Dad has never done anything remotely romantic after this." Hermione commented. "Sue and Astoria got the shorter end of the stick since this experience is best enjoyed with your partner."
"I doubt they think so. Sue and Astoria were equally excited. It's the first time to even see a cable car, much less ride in one. And now, they're having dinner when hovering in air," returned Harry. "Anyway, what's with my Christmas present? Why are you waiting until when we're back in school to give it to me?"
"Because it's only useful there. I decided on this present after much thought." Hermione replied, shrugging. "But I won't tell you what it is, no matter how much you try to get it of me."
Harry gave an indifferent shrug and he was soon consumed with his own thoughts as he returned his attentions to the skyline of Singapore.
Singapore, a business hub for South-east Asia, was one of the most prospering nations in the region.
It was amazing that such a small island with limited resources, could actually make it so far despite all the odds, climbing out of the mire, and finally getting some sort of foothold. It was nothing short of a miracle. He had come to admire the country, how she refused to bow down to her Fate and managed to survive. It was a courage that he now needed to possess, in light of all the new discoveries they'd made.
Several cabins away, Astoria and Susan were excitedly staring out of the windows, taking in the splendid sight of Singapore.
"This is so amazing, I can hardly believe that we are having dinner while hovering in the air!" exclaimed Astoria.
"Yes and the view is absolutely breathtaking," said Susan. She caught sight of the cabin in front and saw Daphne and Cedric snuggling close to each other, admiring the scene. Without a thought, she let out a sigh.
Astoria, noticing how she was gazing at the couple in front of her, smiled.
"I heard that you've got quite a few admirers. Why don't you pick one of them so that you don't have to be alone?"
"That's the wrong reason to enter a relationship." Susan responded.
"Maybe so, but I really think you're just waiting for a certain someone to ask you out." Astoria declared.
Susan's cheeks pinked.
"Luna told me that on the night of the Tri-Wizard Ball, he couldn't keep his eyes off of you," said Astoria.
"Is that so?" murmured Susan thoughtfully, turning to look out of the window, missing the smile that was on Astoria's face.
Never had the couples wished so hard that the night would last forever, with such picturesque views, excellent food, and relaxing ambience. The couples chatted among themselves and finally toasted with their flutes of champagne to a Merry Christmas.
It was with reluctant hearts that all of them returned back home. It took a while for them to get used to the weather since it was snowing back at home. Cedric parted ways with them at the airport since he had promised to spend time with his family.
Amelia made arrangements to have a New Year's Eve party right at the Bones Tower, the official residence of the Bones Family, since they had been out of the country for Christmas.
Charles and his team of house elves cheerfully welcomed their master and mistress back when the couple finally returned to the Potter Mansion. Crookshanks and Hedwig met them at the door, excited to see their owners again. It was the first time Harry had travelled abroad without his familiar and he was equally glad to see her.
Harry and Hermione personally greeted each member of their staff and personally handed them the Christmas presents they had picked up for them on their trip, bringing tears to most of their house elves' eyes because of their kindness. They spent the next few days at home. Sirius, Remus, the Grangers, and the Greengrasses joined them for breakfast every morning, a habit they had developed during the summer holidays. They all went their separate ways after the meal. However, sometimes the Grangers or Remus would accompany them to London or Diagon Alley.
Hermione honoured her promise on the second day of their return, demonstrating the use of her pistol in the training room. Naturally, they were in awe and it had opened the doors to more ideas and research when they realised that light could be transfigured.
Harry and Hermione dedicated the rest the time catching up with their own research. It was only days away from the second task and Harry had not found a suitable way of breathing underwater for long periods of time. Hermione, on the hand, was looking into the ways one could magically eavesdrop.
On New Year's Eve, everyone gathered in Bones Tower for dinner. Some of the teenagers did not get to see each other until that day since they had been spending their holiday with their family. Most of the teenagers chose to impose on the hospitality of the Bones and stayed overnight. The Weasley twins managed to convince their unwilling mother to let them do the same.
The residence was built to look like a castle more than a house, with four large towers connected to the main residence. The courtyard garden was beautiful, with light sheen of snow covering the ground. The building was easily as old as the Potter Mansion, judging from the design of the place – it had a very Old-World feel.
Most of their friends were already in the living room, chatting happily among them when Susan led the Grangers and the Potters into the room.
"Do all wizards live in such huge and ancient houses?" asked Jean when she took a good look at the high ceiling, large tapestry on the wall, and the gigantic fireplace as they stepped into the living room.
"You couldn't call our house large or old." Fred, who was sitting on one of the large armchair, responded. "It's only the Ancient and Noble families who have homes like this. They are very fond of their old buildings."
"Well, old houses tend to have a personality," defended Susan. "Well, historically, all the members of the Bones family have lived in this house. I've only known this place as home, so I don't really want to change a thing. Since almost everyone is here, let me show you to your rooms." Susan concluded, leading them up the stairs.
Large antique painted family portraits lined the walls of the hallways. The Bones Family, dressed in varying styles of robes, cheerfully greeted all their guests with waves and smiles.
"It's been while since this place was filled with people. There is usually only me and my Aunt, so please pardon them if they get too excited," explained Susan. Some of the people in the portrait started to move across the pictures just to take a better look at the guests.
"Amazing," said Jean. "They can move from one portrait to another!"
"Of course we can move!" added one of the occupants indignantly. "We aren't that old!"
"We mean no offence," said Jean, stopping to look at the old man. He looked like a dignified gentleman of the past; with neatly comb white hair and a great big moustache. "We're non-magicals. In our world, people in paintings don't move."
"A muggle did you say? I'm honoured to meet you!" said the old man brightly, smiling from ear to ear. "We usually steered clear of them when I was alive. They would burn us at the stake if they discovered we could perform magic."
"I really need to show them to their rooms. You could speak to them later," interrupted Susan, steering Jean away.
They caught snatches of conversation of the occupants of the paintings as they continue to walk down the hallway.
"My my, they look so big. In our day, we were much smaller. I thought our descendants were giants at first. I wonder what they are feeding them these days," commented a lady with a quizzing glass to another curiously. They were slightly larger than a thumb.
Most of them had to stifle their laugher at that comment.
Susan showed them to each of their rooms and left her guests to clean up before dinner.
Viktor Krum, at Susan's invitation, joined them for dinner. He arrived ten minutes before dinner was served and met the Grangers and Potters on his way into the dining room.
Harry and Viktor exchanged greetings amicably. Hermione, who did not forget the way Viktor had hurt Harry, greeted him slightly coolly, much to Dan and Jean's surprise.
Dan nearly gaped when he realised that the young man was the star of the Quidditch World Cup. "Is he that Viktor Krum who was after you?" whispered Dan to Hermione when Harry cordially introduced him.
Hermione nodded.
"Was he the person who hurt Harry?" continued Dan. At Hermione's second nod, he finally understood the reason for Hermione's unfriendliness.
"Viktor, these are Hermione's wonderful parents, Dan and Jean," said Harry, smiling.
"So you're the culprit," declared Dan coolly, folding his arms, refusing the enthusiastic hand that Viktor had extended.
"Culprit, Sir?" asked Viktor timidly.
"The situation has been settled between us and we're friends now," said Harry, shaking his head. "He's here as Susan's guest."
Dan gave a curt nod before walking into the dining room, with Jean by his side.
Viktor expelled a breath he was holding. "Vow, He really treats you like a part of his family. I can definitely tell vhy I vouldn't stand a chance. " George roared in laughter. The Bulgarian Seeker gave a puzzled look.
"The way Harry and Hermione act, it's a surprise that they aren't married yet," said George, giving the couple a wink. Hermione narrowed her eyes.
Fred was standing quietly beside his twin brother, his arms folded in front of his chest.
Dan and Jean took the hint that their marriage was kept under wraps.
"She's too young to be married," answered Viktor in bafflement, causing George to burst out laughing.
"He's the joker of our group, ignore him." Susan interjected, putting on an overly warm smile. She was uncomfortable with the way Fred was staring at her. "Everyone's waiting in the dining room." She steered Viktor straight into the state dining room where the Greengrasses, Blacks, Lovegoods, Longbottoms, and the Diggorys had gathered.
The adults were chatting among themselves. There was no pulling of ranks within the four walls, just friends and families gathering to celebrate the passing of another year. Harry's face lit up at the sight of his first friend sitting at the table.
Hagrid greeted Harry and Hermione with wide smile on his face. They spoke for a while before the young couple went to their seats.
There was a new face in the room full of familiar ones. Harry recognised the new guest at once: it was Nymphadora Tonks. Her hair was a shocking bubblegum pink and she was sitting next to Remus Lupin, who looked wearier than the last time Harry had seen him. She appeared to be chatting with Remus cheerfully.
A smile touched his lips when Remus finally saw them. Standing up, he introduced Tonks to the Potters and Grangers.
Tonks clumsily knocked her goblet down when she extended her hand to the Grangers. "Oops!"
"Don't worry about it." Remus whipped out his wand and swiftly cleaned up the mess with a 'Scourgify' spell like a well-rehearsed routine.
Harry and Hermione exchanged pointed looks.
"I'm sorry for about," said Tonks sheepishly, grasping Dan's hand. "I'm Tonks."
"Just Tonks?" asked Dan, slightly confused, after shaking her hand.
"Wait, I remember you. Charlie told us about you. You're Nymphadora Tonks, that clumsy girl from Hufflepuff," Fred exclaimed.
She gave Fred a death glare before turning to answer Dan. "Yes, Mr. Granger, just Tonks."
"Don't mind him, Tonks, Fred speaks without thinking," interrupted Susan, smiling. Fred scowled but kept his silence, knowing that it would do him no good to speak up. Remus proceeded to introduce her to Harry and Hermione. Tonks appeared to be excited to finally meet them.
"I've heard a lot about both of you," said Tonks, smiling. "I like the way you're changing things at Hogwarts."
"Um… thanks I guess?" answered Harry, running his hand through his messy raven hair.
Tonks laughed.
Harry and Hermione joined their friends at the long table. Neville excitedly updated the couple on the past couple of weeks. Luna took the time to look at the henna on their hands carefully. Daphne, Cedric, and Cho were conversing among themselves.
Across the table, it was deathly silent. Fred appeared to be staring a hole into Viktor and Susan - as they were leaning close to each other, conversing quietly. It wasn't difficult for the onlookers to realise that Fred was carrying a torch for Susan. Sirius quietly nudged his fiancée and indiscreetly pointed out the fact to Amelia.
She arched an eyebrow.
"How did you spend your holiday, Viktor?" asked Harry politely, sensing the anger emanating from Fred.
"At Hogvarts. It vas peaceful vhen the school vas empty," offered Viktor, turning to regard Harry. "Sue vas just telling me that all of you vent to Singapore for Christmas and had a lot of fun. She particularly liked dining in the sky."
"Yes, we did. We had a good bird's-eye view of Singapore during our entire dinner," said Hermione, smiling.
"I'm sure you enjoyed your time with Harry. All the couples got a cabin to themselves," said Susan.
"Jealous that you didn't have a date during dinner?" teased George.
"Astoria was excellent company. I didn't feel left out at all," said Susan, as if challenging him to say otherwise. Astoria turned to look at George expectantly.
"It would've been great if Fred had been there," said Luna suddenly, causing Fred to spit out the pumpkin juice he was sipping. Daphne and Cedric quickly glanced at each other.
"Why do you think he should've been there?" enquired Sirius, watching Luna with great deal of interest. There was mirth reflected in his eyes.
"Susan would have enjoyed her stay in Singapore more if Fred had chosen to accompany her."
"What in Merlin's name, are you talking about, Luna?" Fred exclaimed.
"Now now, there's no need to get excited," said Lupin. "I'm sure what she meant was that all of you would have enjoyed your stay more if everyone was there."
Viktor cocked a brow in amusement.
"Exactly," said Susan, ignoring the way George was restraining himself from laughing too much.
"To set the record straight, if you're planning to date anyone, Sue dear. The boy in question must get my approval," said Amelia in a clipped tone, eying Fred. "I don't approve of boys who speak without thinking, possibly hurting the people around him with his mindless statements."
Fred swallowed visibly.
The conversation soon became livelier when they started to discuss Quidditch. They had everyone to share about their experiences flying or playing Quidditch.
"A broom can' suppor' my weigh'" said Hagrid. "It snapped into 'wo when I tried flying for the first time in 'ogwarts."
"We'll invent stronger brooms," said Oswald, with a smile. "You'll be our tester."
Even the stern Lady Longbottom surprised everyone with a story from her misshaped youth.
Everyone was shooed to the courtyard where they were treated to an impressive and majestic display of fireworks that Remus, Oswald, and the Weasley twins had jointly created for a full hour. It was with smiles on their faces, awe in their eyes as they entered into a new year.
With reckless abandonment, they wished one another a happy new year.
The teenagers retired to bed early since they had to catch the train back to Hogwarts later that afternoon.
It was with much dread that the teenagers bid goodbye to their families and embarked on a new semester at Hogwarts. The teenagers used the time in Hogwarts Express to catch up on their research and work.
Their familiars entertained one another with their own antics. Like their owners, they had become very good friends. They decided to hold a staring competition in the compartment.
"I think our pets are bored," commented Harry when he saw Hedwig and Katrina staring at one another intently without blinking as Callan and Crookshanks watched on keenly.
It was quite an odd scene, watching two cats and owls gathering together.
Ssh, I want to win. The others would have to give all their treats to the winner.
"You're going to make yourself sick that way, Hedwig." Harry said disapprovingly, shaking his head. His stunning owl ignored him, continuing with the competition. It turned out that none of the pets were as good as Hedwig and she won the contest.
"I'm not going to give you any more treats this month," muttered Harry when he saw Callan and Katrina obediently handing all their treats to Hedwig.
They reached the castle at dinnertime and most of the students retired soon after.
Hermione handed Harry a small box when they had finally settled in for the night.
"Your Christmas present," said Hermione, smiling.
She had put up a mental wall to block her thoughts from him.
Curious, he opened the box. A greyish green slimy plant that looked like rattails lay inside.
"Gillyweed?" asked Harry in befuddlement as he stared at the present. "Why would I need…"
When Harry finally recalled the properties of Gillyweed, he threw his arms around Hermione wildly and planted an enthusiastic kiss on her lips.
"How I love you, Mione."
A/N: Hi everyone. Sorry for the long wait. Well, we'd a lot to do these few weeks. Thank you for reading, the next chapter should be posted next week. Have a blessed week.