Mary stood in the center of the tent listening to the slow, steady rain. She pointed the hazel wand at the lamp by the couch. "Lumos." The light turned the dark corner into golden illumination. Mary aimed it at the floor. "Scourgify," and the floor shone as if just swept and cleaned.

It seemed a perfectly good wand, but Regina had frowned when she held it. "It doesn't feel right. The witch who owned this was a Snatcher. How could a wand that would obey her be good for me?"

"It's not ideal, but it should work for you," Mary had reasoned. "You won't be petrifying anyone and being able to perform magic again should shrink or kill the Obscurus."

Regina had answered with a shrug. "Maybe, or maybe crazy old Bathilda didn't what she was talking about and my doing any spell would bring more Snatchers here."

Then Bill Weasley had arrived with his wife Fleur. She'd explained that in addition to the relaxation and control techniques Bill had to offer, she had her own.

"Veela can become quite horrid when excited," she'd explained. "I do not wish to look anything like an ugly bird, so I've learned some things that can be good for Regina too."

Mary had been on the verge of telling the Weasleys that they had a wand for Regina that might not be traceable, but Regina had hustled them out to the car for their session.

Now Mary stood with the rejected wand. "Wingardium Leviosa," she said, and the pillow from the couch danced in the air. "There's nothing wrong with this wand."

"Expelliarmus," said a voice behind her. She turned as the hazel wand flew from her hand and to her grinning husband. "The boys are in their rooms, Regina's having her lesson and there's only one good way for a couple to spend a rainy afternoon inside." He cocked his head toward their bedroom.

Mary tittered as she followed him. He was right. An afternoon of loving was needed, particularly after the stress and period of the previous day and her ongoing concern for Regina. It was a relief that Bill had brought his wife and Regina hadn't been disappointed. Maybe she'd been wrong that Regina didn't want to use the wand because she liked being alone with the young man and no longer cared to get better.

So, she could enjoy the time with Reg—the kissing, touching and laughter and physical release. She could lie with him and discuss their adventures and what they'd learned from them.

"You're an amazing woman, Mary," Reg said as he held her and stroked her skin. "You're braver than you ever though, quick-thinking and a fantastic mother. When I decided I wanted you, I had no idea you'd be so much greater than I could've imagined."

She sighed and cuddled closer to him. "Do you remember our first time, in our meadow outside of Hogsmeade? "

They'd returned there almost every Hogsmeade weekend for a year, until she was fifteen and a half (between Rion and Regina, she realized). Many of her friends lost their virginity in the village or at Hogwarts, and often earlier than students in comprehensive schools. It was a common consequence of boarding school—one she and Reg had accepted as quite possible for their own offspring.

"Every detail," Reg assured her. "You were better then than I could've expected as well." He waggled his bushy red eyebrows.

"Oh, you." She slapped his arm and rose from the bed. He gave an approving whistle for her shapely rear view as she slipped on her black robe, rather than bother with clothes again. She winked at him over her shoulder. "We should start dinner."

"Right," he said, donning his robe over his nude body. They walked into the living area as Regina, Bill and Fleur entered.

"All finished?" asked Mary. "I hope you can stay for dinner."

As if programmed for that word, Rion and Marty came out of their rooms.

"Why the robes?" asked Rion, eyeing the adults in traveling cloaks and his sister in her school gown. "Is this the Wizengamot?"

All but Regina laughed. "It's raining, Puff" she said with emphasis on the consonants, "and I can't do an umbrella charm."

With a chuckle, Fleur said. "Merci, but we cannot stay. Shell Cottage is a safe house, and it is not good for both of us to be gone for long."

Bill nodded. "Regina said you like to listen to Potterwatch. It's airing tonight, password Albus. And you three," he said, indicating Regina and her brothers, "be ready for a hard run tomorrow since we missed today. "Good night, all." He and Fleur headed up the dunes, arm in arm.

"Pretty couple," said Reg. "Now, for dinner. Rion, go to the car and get one of those frozen chickens."

Rion shook his head. "No more in there. Roasts are gone too."

Mary headed to her kitchen, suddenly concerned. All that remained in the cupboards were items purchased by Reg. It had taken eight months, but her mother's stores were gone.

She made a simple meal of sandwiches and the last of the ice cream. As they ate, Regina demonstrated her latest control advice.

"I'm supposed to do things consciously, give myself orders. For instance, instead of simply wiping my mouth, I say, 'Pick up the napkin to wipe your mouth,' then I do it. In that way, I'm taking control of my actions."

Rion rolled his eyes. "At least we're not paying him for these sessions." He said no more at a look from his mother.

Reg handed Regina the hazel wand. "Order yourself to become familiar with this."

Regina took it in a reluctant hand. "It doesn't like me. I almost drowned its mistress when I catapulted her into the water. Maybe it knows."

"My wand came from a Snatcher; I don't have trouble with it," Marty said.

Regina looked down at it with distaste. "The Trace was off you," she reminded her little brother.

Mary held her own wand. Cherry had been with her for more than twenty-five years. Should she offer trading it for the hazel wand?

Before she'd decided, the wireless wheezed and crackled and the family gave it full attention, eager for news outside their beach refuge.

*"…Finally, we regret to inform our listeners that the remains of Bathilda Bagshot have been discovered in Godric's Hollow. The evidence is that she died several months ago. The Order of the Phoenix informs us that her body showed unmistakable signs of injuries inflicted by Dark Magic." *

"That was fast," said Rion. "Now she can be given proper burial. Dumbledore's Army was modeled on the Order. You think Bill's a member?"

They all looked at Regina, who nodded knowledgably. The connection wavered with the rain and wind. The next thing they heard was another voice saying,

*"As our listeners will know…You-Know-Who's strategy of remaining in the shadows is creating a nice little climate of panic…"*

Another interruption then,

*"…And the rumors that he keeps being sighted abroad?"*

The connection died. Regina twirled the hazel wand in tentative fingers. "Sighted abroad. Dad, do you think he's looking for the wand from The Three Brothers like Grindelwald said, the…um…Elder Wand?"

"The Elder Wand?" repeated Mary. In her seventh-year charms class, an older but dashing wandmaker from abroad had lectured at the invitation of Professor Flitwick. He'd had thick black hair and a magnificent beard from which would sneak a mischievous smile that made the girls in class swoony. He'd talked about wand lore and the infamous Elder Wand, or Deathstick, reputed to have killed hundreds over the centuries.

"Have you ever seen it, Gregorovitch?" Madeline Parkinson had asked, his having told the predominantly female class to call him by name, "or touched it?" She'd fluttered the eyelashes she'd curled with her own wand.

"Couldn't call myself a wandmaker if I hadn't, or if I didn't recognize it in someone's hand." He'd sneaked the smile from his beard and Madeline had nearly fainted.

Mary recounted that dormant memory for her family. "I heard Dumbledore stopped Gregorovitch's lectures when he became headmaster," she said.

"Hmm, Grindelwald said a witch had never possessed the Elder Wand," said Regina. She tossed the hazelwood carelessly on the couch.

"YKW with the Elder Wand—he'd be invincible," said Rion in a quiet, tense voice.

"What's YKW?" asked Marty.

"Initials for You-Know-Who," his brother explained. He pulled out his Dumbledore's Army coin. "That's what the DA use in messages. Saves space."

"That Gregorovitch hinted he'd seen it, maybe more than once," said Reg. "All we can do is hope it's safe from YKW."

Mary lay in his arms that night, anxious about the current whereabouts of the Deathstick. Was hope all they could do?

The following morning was bright and clear. The worry from the previous night seemed far behind as Mary saw Regina emerge from the car in her warrior clothes, twirling her sword.

"Bill," she called as the young man neared the tent, "I thought you and I could work with swords instead of running. You can conjure your own, or Mum has one you can use."

Mary watched as Bill shook his head and said something to her. The warrior crumpled, and Regina ran back to the car, crying.

Bill sighed as he explained, "We had people come in last night, some badly hurt. I don't how long they'll ne here, but trouble seems to follow them. It's safer for you if you leave the beach."

Mary summoned everything into her apron. Reg ordered the boys to pack and collapsed the tent. In record time they were loaded into the Mercedes suite and away to either safety or danger. One never knew.

A/N Asterisks indicate text from Deathly Hallows. It was after listening to this episode of Potterwatch that Harry, Hermione and Ron were taken to Malfoy Manor, then went to Shell Cottage