Disclaimer: HP=JKR/Buffy=JW/OCs=me

Chapter 53: Things Just Get Worse

1st December 2005

Sirius thanked everyone for joining him. "Up until now what I'm about to reveal has been confidential. But given Cammie's escape and her knowledge of what you're about to learn, after discussing it with Harry and Remus, I've decided to enlist your help. Cammie, it's all yours."

Cammie stood up. "When I was helping Uncle Harry to escape, the subject of Dominus and what he was seeking came up. It turns out that Uncle Harry was a little far gone from the poisons on the knife that Lily Evans used on him."

Harry Potter's mother had been stripped of her married name after the divorce.

"I take it they were psychotropic drugs."

Harry nodded at his much younger counterpart. "In a manner of speaking. They loosened my tongue and inhibitions, and I ended up revealing far more to Cammie than I should've done."

Cammie picked up where she had left off when Harry fell silent. "Anyway, as a result of our conversation, I learnt that Dominus is seeking something called the Four Pillars or Four Pilasters."

Mione broke into the conversation. "You can't be serious."

Cammie grinned at her aunt. "They're not Muggle twaddle."

Thomas needed to see how much the group knew about what he already owned. "Do we know what they are?"

"Sort of. I should start by telling you about a prophecy that relates to the Slayers." Remus recited the passage he had memorized. "When the time of the Four Pillars arrives He of the Darkness shall come forth. He shall wield Curse, Crystal, Cipher and something to defeat all those who may challenge Him. And should He succeed then the Darkness will reign in this world and all others. There was a single word notation at the side of the passage; 'Clavis'."

"And it's the Clavis that Dominus was seeking when he attacked the French Embassy and me," Sirius revealed. "It was also what he was after when he took Cammie and Cassie. Harry unfortunately had to tell him where to find it."

"What is it?" Luna piped up.

"We believed it to be a key of some kind, probably the cipher in the description," Remus revealed. "This was confirmed when Cammie made an unexpected find when she traveled to Egypt with Thomas and Mione. She found a second description of the Pillars."

Cammie began to tell everyone about the trip to Egypt. "When we were visiting the Egyptian Museum we looked at some cartouches called the Cassus Cartouches. Muggles believed them to hold mystical powers that were said to grant the holder a long or endless life. The Cartouches were discovered by Dixon Jackson, an American archeologist, in 1812, and disappeared in what is believed to have been a theft in 1927, when they were actually moved to the magical section of the Egyptian Museum."

"Is that where you saw them?" Harry Potter asked.

Cammie nodded. "Yes, and considering they're supposed to be worthless, they were pretty well guarded."

Mione grimaced. "I thought it was because they were extremely old. I'm beginning to think that the Egyptian Government knew differently."

Thomas had to agree. "You're probably right. Cammie, go on."

Cammie smiled at her uncle before resuming her speech. "Jackson declared that the Cartouches were part of the Four Pilasters but he said that he had had problems translating a stone he had found with the Cartouches, which may have revealed more about them."

"Do we know where this stone is now?" Xander enquired, only half-listening as his fingers played with his wife's hair.

"No," Sirius said. "And we have no idea where to start to looking for it or exactly what to look for."

Thomas hid his satisfaction that while the others were now aware of the stone's existence, they had no idea of its location, and he happily prompted his niece to go on. "Cammie, if I remember correctly, there was more, wasn't there?"

"Yes. Jackson gave a similar description of four items like the ones in the Slayer prophecy: stone, spring, sign and schema."

Remus took up the thread from Cammie. "After talking with Cammie, I now believe the Clavis to be both the sign and the cipher; something to be used to open the Propylaeum."

Thomas played happily along. "Why open the Propylaeum?"

"It leads the way to other worlds," Remus informed him. "Perhaps Dominus isn't seeking to stay in this one."

Thomas was now aware that they had worked out what his plan was, and he continued to push to find out exactly what else they knew. "So how do the other three items tie in?"

"We believe that the Cartouches, which were stolen by Dominus in the raid on the British Museum, are the schema and the something that was blotted out in the Slayer prophecy, and are some sort of map of these worlds. But without seeing them, we can't be entirely certain," Remus answered.

"I thought nothing was stolen," Katherine interrupted, as she recalled the newspaper report she had read about the break-in.

"That's what the Egyptian Government asked us to say," Sirius revealed to his daughter-in-law. "They didn't want the embarrassment of the world believing that they aren't capable of guarding their own artifacts, and also to spare the British Museum the same fate."

"So we know that Dominus has two of the four Pillars." Luna was paying more attention than her husband, who was now writing his name on her back with his finger. "What do you know about the other two?"

"Nothing." Sirius got to the reason why he had really decided to bring in everyone else as Remus had requested. "We know that the crystal and the rock have to be the same item, which means that if the something is the schema, it leaves a curse and a spring."

"How can a curse and a spring be the same thing?" Harry Potter challenged. "And are we entirely sure that the two descriptions are of the same thing?"

Mione let out a tiny excited cry. "They are, and I know what the curse and spring could be." She turned to Thomas. "Do you remember when you were reading that book on the Fountain of Youth?"

Thomas had to admit he did. "Yes." He then explained further to everyone else there. "I'd been reading a Muggle book about Juan Ponce de León and his expedition to Florida, its main subject being the Fountain. Mione spotted the book and laughed at me."

Mione grinned at her husband. "I teased him about not wanting to get old, which made me recall that I'd seen something about the Fountain of Youth in a magical book. To cut a long story short it's a spell that's supposed to help gain immortality."

Luna sighed. "So if you could find it that easily, so could Dominus."

Mione's grin vanished as she acknowledged the truth of Luna's words. "I found it in one of Thomas' old books that I was cataloguing. Any number of pure-bloods with an old library probably has the same book, and knowing Dominus as we do, they'd probably be more than happy to help him."

"So what about the crystal?" Luna tracked back to the final item. "What is it for?"

"We have no idea, just as we have no idea what it is." Remus had hit dead end after dead end in his research.

Xander glanced up from his finger doodling, as he made a stab at answering his wife's question. "Power. It has to be. No matter how powerful this Dominus is, I bet he has to have something to fuel the opening of the Prop thingy."

"Or to unite the Pillars," Remus deduced. "I can't believe I've been so bloody stupid not to think of it. The crystal has to be a power base of some kind."

Mione gasped reflexively at the mention of a power base. Everyone turned to her, with Sirius asking the obvious question. "What is it, Mione?"

Mione glanced at her husband. "Can I tell them about the ruby?"

Having little choice, Thomas nodded. "Go ahead."

Mione revealed what she had found for Thomas. "Several years ago I tracked down a ruby of immense power called the Validus Saxus, which could be what Dominus is looking for."

Thomas went on further. "I acquired it from a man named Philip McCormack."

Remus had known of him. "But he's dead."

"I know." Thomas had made sure of it. "He died of a massive heart attack two weeks after I acquired the Saxus from him."

Sirius and Harry exchanged significant looks, and Harry jumped to the wrong conclusion as Thomas hoped he would. "It looks as though Mione is right about the ruby. I believe that Dominus was after the same thing you were and killed him when he didn't find it."

Mione shared a worried look with her husband. "Do you think he'll come after us?"

"When I explained what I wanted the stone for, McCormack was quite frankly a little put out. But after a little negotiation, he swore an oath to keep my identity and my acquisition of the stone a secret."

Harry Sebastian had a question. "Why keep it a secret?"

Mione jumped in with what she believed to be the truth, a notion that Thomas had never bothered to disabuse. "It was for one of Thomas' hybrid generation companies, and as you might gather, the possible use of it could cause a great deal of controversy if the truth came out. Do you think Dominus knows we have it?"

Harry didn't think so. "If he went after McCormack two weeks after Thomas purchased the stone, Dominus would've already gone after you by now. Does anyone else know you have it?"

"Just a few trusted colleagues who are all sworn to secrecy," Thomas answered truthfully. "And as you'll appreciate, the fact I have it isn't something I want spread far and wide at the moment, especially as the time for its use isn't right yet. So I'm keeping it on the Island."

"Do you think it's safe there?" Sirius asked.

"You've been to the Island." Thomas challenged Sirius, "Can you tell me where it is?"

Sirius thought about it. "I know it's somewhere off the Florida coast but I couldn't tell you the exact location."

"That's because unless I key you into the wards, you can't apparate or portkey on to the Island, let alone find it," Thomas stated. "I had the wards upgraded just before I got married, and it's now unplottable both from above and around it. My wards extend almost eight miles out to sea, and while a Muggle satellite might be able to track me down, I don't foresee Dominus using one to find me."

Sirius found himself agreeing with Thomas. "Well, that's one less thing to worry about." He then went on by summarizing their position. "So we know Dominus has definitely got two of the four Pillars, and if Mione is right about the spell, probably has a third. However, thanks to Thomas, the fourth is still out of his grasp."

"What about the stone that you mentioned earlier?" Luna interrupted. "Are we going to try and find it?"

"I've brought everyone together to help us work out what the missing Pillars were," Sirius reiterated. "But now we know, I think we should try and focus on locating the stone that accompanied the Cartouches."

"Where do we even start?" Orion knew it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"By tracking down Jackson," Mione responded logically. "We need to go where he went, learn what he learnt. There has to be a paper trail of some kind."

Remus gave her an affectionate smile. "You are brilliant in any world."

Thomas wasn't entirely sure that he liked the look Remus was giving his wife, and he pulled Mione against him. "It's why I married her."

Mione turned around and smiled up at him, completely unaware of Thomas' male posturing. "And I thought it was because you loved me."

"Well, there was that." Thomas dropped a light kiss on her lips, before glancing over at Harry and Sirius. "Let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

"Can we have access to your library?" Harry asked. "Even though James and Sirius both have old libraries, there may be something in yours that they don't have."

"Of course." Thomas was well aware that they would be very unlikely to find anything relevant in his library. "I'll arrange for portkeys for you and anyone else who needs them."

Cammie jumped up. "Can I go?"

Mione turned to H.J. "Given what Thomas has done to the Island, she'll be safe if she does."

H.J. was only too glad to get his daughter away from Harry Potter and agreed immediately. "Of course you can, Cammie."

"What about Harry?" Cammie asked hopefully.

It was Sirius who crushed her hopes. "Harry is under house arrest and that means he can't leave this house, not even for this. And he can make good use of his research skills searching the Potter library."

Harry Potter smiled softly at Cammie. "Go. After spending so long at Castrum House, it'll do you good to get some freedom."

Thomas seconded his wife's earlier comment. "You'll be perfectly safe there, and the weather will still be nice enough for you to do some swimming and walking. After what you've gone through, no-one would expect you to hole up in the library all the time."

The temptation of the Island was too much for Cammie, and she grinned. "For how long and when can I go?"

Mione was due some vacation but she knew she had too much on before Christmas. "Remus, would you mind if I took two or three weeks off after the New Year?"

Remus did but he wasn't going to ruin it for Cammie. "Of course not."

Mione turned to Cammie. "So how about coming in the New Year and we return you on the 20th?"

Cammie's face lit up and she grinned at her mother. "Mum, is it okay with you as well?"

Hermione could see how happy her daughter was and she smiled. "Of course."

Thomas made an offer. "Do you want to visit as well? I can arrange a portkey if you want to. I know you don't like flying."

Hermione shuddered, remembering her flight to New York she had been glad to escape from. "That's very kind of you, and I'd like that. I too have some vacation due so I can be there on the 10th."

H.J., however, couldn't. "I'm afraid I have classes I have to attend, so you'll have to count me out."

Cammie was a little disappointed but understood. "So when exactly can I go?"

Thomas told her, "Let's get New Year out of the way first. How about coming on the fifth? It'll give Mione plenty of time to clear her desk of anything that's pending after the New Year, and we'll fly there when she finishes work."

Mione thought it was a great idea. "It'll also give me a chance to fill Xander in on what he'll need to cover while I'm gone."

With that decided, the group disbanded.


In the darkness of the early morning, Cammie sat bolt upright sweating, but she had no idea what had frightened her. Unholstering the wand that she now always wore, she spelled the lights on.

A quivering and visibly emaciated house-elf stood in front of her, holding a letter in its hand. "For Missy Mie."

"What are you doing here?" Cammie scrambled out of her bed but lowered her wand.

"I belong to Missy Mie." The house-elf held out the letter. "Master Dominus sends letter."

Cammie stared at the letter as if it was an unexploded bomb. "I don't want it."

The house-elf's lips quivered thinking that Cammie meant her as well. "Mitzy dies without Missy Mie."

"I didn't mean you, Mitzy," Cammie assured the house-elf. "Place the letter on the dresser and go down to the kitchen. Ask Bodie to give you something to eat and drink. Tell him Cammie sent you."

Mitzy bowed low, a tear running down her cheek. "Mitzy loves Missy Mie."

"I love you too," Cammie told the house-elf. Once it left, Cammie got up and stared at the letter. She gave a tiny scream as the letter shot up into the air and flew open, before the paper inside was spat out and hovered in front of her.

From where she was standing Cammie could easily read the letter, but it proved unnecessary to do so as the letter began to relay its contents in a familiar voice.

'My Dear Cammie,

I hope this letter finds you well. I want you to know that I miss your company, and more particularly our chess games. But this letter isn't about that. Its purpose is to deliver a Christmas gift to you. The house-elf is already yours, and she has been pining away without you. If you don't want her, give her clothing and dispose of her, or give her away.'

Cammie pulled a face of disgust at the casual dismissal of Mitzy, but she continued to listen.

'My Christmas gift to you is on your finger.'

Cammie glanced down at her hands, just as a ribbon she hadn't spotted flew out of the envelope and wrapped itself around her arm, her wrist and through her fingers. Cammie cried out and tried to tug it away but to no avail. The letter, which had stopped speaking when the ribbon had shot out, continued.

'Do not be disturbed by the ribbon, it will soon dissipate. When it does, your ring will no longer be linked to me, and you'll be free to remove it. However, it will become a portkey keyed for you, and you alone, and should you ever need help, grasp the ring, say 'Dominus Castrum', and you'll find yourself in your former rooms, which will remain yours.

Merry Christmas

Dominus'

Cammie felt a tingle and the ribbon vanished. Shaking, she tried the ring, and as promised, it slid off her finger. Cammie immediately threw it across the room, before collapsing on to the floor. Once she had recovered, she hurried out of her bedroom and along the corridor to her parents' room.

H.J. opened the door to find his ashen faced daughter standing there. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Cammie discovered she was unable to speak and simply launched herself at H.J.

"Did you have a nightmare?" H.J. rubbed her back, feeling Cammie shaking in his arms.

Hermione, hearing what H.J. had said, and despite Cammie's age, made an offer to her. "Cammie, do you want come and sleep in with us?"

Completely unnerved, Cammie nodded and let H.J. lead her to get under the blankets of the big bed.

Hermione wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Close your eyes, we'll be here."

Cammie finally found her voice as she responded to Hermione's comfort. "Dominus sent me a letter. It was in my room."

H.J. picked up his dressing gown and then he grabbed his wands. "I'll go take a look."

"H.J., are you sure that's a good idea?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"He wasn't there," Cammie assured her mother.

H.J. left and hurried up the corridor, his wands outstretched. Opening the door to Cammie's room, H.J. immediately caught sight of the letter on the floor. After casting spells on it, H.J. picked it up, read it and then made his way back to his bedroom.

Cammie was sitting with Hermione's arm around her. "Did you find it?"

"Yes." H.J. passed the letter to Hermione. "Where's the ring?"

"I threw it across the room." Cammie's voice was now under control. "I just wanted to get it away from me."

Hermione finished reading the letter. "So you can leave the house now if you want."

"Did the house-elf bring the letter?" H.J. asked, more interested in how it got there, rather than what it meant to his daughter.

"Yes." Cammie bit her lip. "She was so thin, Dad, and miserable looking. She said she'd die without me."

"She must have bonded to you," H.J. decided.

Cammie didn't see how. "I didn't do any ritual."

"House-elves who aren't bonded have a tendency to bond with someone if they feel loved by that person." H.J. knew quite a lot about house-elves thanks to Herms, who had led a futile campaign to try and free them.

"She did do everything for me," Cammie said in reflection. "Even going as far as to sneak food to me when I was supposed to miss meals."

H.J. decided he had been correct with his assessment. "I think she's become emotionally attached to you and a bond has been created naturally."

"Dad, why do you think Dominus let her come to me?" Cammie yawned as she lay back against the pillows. "And why did he release me from the ring?"

"I really don't know." H.J. had no idea what was motivating Dominus. "But I think, as Potter said, Dominus does like you for some reason." H.J. turned as a knock sounded at the door, and he withdrew both wands. "Who is it?"

"James, Nymie, and Harry," James called out.

H.J. opened the door. "Don't tell me, you've had a letter from Dominus."

"Yes. I was concerned about Mie, and when I discovered she was missing from her room, I woke Dad up." Harry was relieved to see Cammie was in bed with Hermione. "Did you also get a letter, Mie?"

Cammie nodded. "Not just a letter though. Dominus also sent me Mitzy, who was carrying it. I told her to put the letter down, but it opened and read itself to me. During the recital, a ribbon shot out of it, wrapped around my arm and hand, and once it vanished, I was able to take my ring off."

"He wasn't quite so nice to me." Harry's voice was betraying how shaken he truly was.

H.J. took the letter that James was holding and read it out loud.

'Potter,

You lie in your bed in the perceived safety of your bedroom, your boots tucked under your chair, and your clothes neatly folded on your ottoman. But I want you to know that you're not safe. I could kill you now while you sleep, but that would hardly be any sport. So for now sleep well, for when our paths cross again, and believe me they will, I'll finish what I set out to do on the day you took my ward.

D.'

Cammie had found herself shifting even closer to Mione. "He was here?"

"My boots are under my chair and my clothes folded up just as he said." Harry shivered. "He must have written that while I slept."

H.J. was horrified. "I thought the wards here were impenetrable."

"They haven't been disturbed." James had already checked to see if they had been. "I don't know how he did it."

"Dad wants to invoke the Fidelius," Harry told the trio. "And he wants Uncle Sirius to be the secret-keeper."

"I'm going there now, but I wanted to make certain that you were all right first." James headed back towards the door. "Can Nymie and Harry stay in here with you?"

"Of course." H.J. patted the bed. "Tonks, you can get in with Cammie and Hermione."

Tonks, who was shivering, hurried across the room. "Thanks."

Harry moved to sit by the fireplace. "I don't think I can sleep in my room again."

"I feel the same way." Cammie leant back against the pillows. "And my letter wasn't in the same vein as yours."

H.J. stoked the fire. "Bodie."

The house-elf appeared. "Mister H.J."

"Can you bring hot chocolate for the girls, and I'd like a Scotch." H.J. needed something stronger than a sweet beverage. "Harry?"

"Warm milk." Harry didn't want liquor even though he was badly shaken.

"I'll take a Scotch," Tonks called out.

When James returned five minutes later, a sleepy and pajama clad Sirius in tow, he found the group chatting quietly amongst themselves. "Alcohol at five in the morning?"

Tonks stuck out her tongue. "Yes, and I'm about to have another."

Sirius' lips quirked at Tonks. "Get me one as well."

James stared at Harry's milk. "I thought out of everyone you'd have had a drink."

"I'd prefer to keep my wits about me."

"And I'd prefer to be drunk," Tonks responded as Bodie reappeared with another glass for Sirius, and her own refilled.

Sirius took the glass of Scotch and sat down. "Okay, folks, the Potters and the Sebastians can be found at Potter Place, Grimmauld Square, London."

Hermione hadn't even realized that she didn't know where the house was until Sirius spoke. "You've already done it?"

"Yes. Now I just need to know who else I need to tell."

H.J. thought about it. "All of our usual group, and I think you should tell little Sirius, just in case. Callista is far too small, which I think covers everyone."

"I'd also like Craig Delaney to know where we can be found." James wanted to have a healer he trusted to be able to have access to the house.

Sirius consigned the list to memory. "What about including Bella?"

"That will be fine," James agreed.

"Dad, what about Father?" Even though Harry now called James 'Dad' all of the time, he still called Severus 'Father'.

Sirius pulled a face. "Do we have to tell Snivellus?"

"Yes." James scowled at his friend. "It's Harry's house as well as mine."

Harry smiled gratefully at James. "Thanks, Dad."

"You shouldn't have to thank me, Harry," James told his son. "I'm just sorry that I didn't cast a Fidelius charm straight away."

"At least we know he can't find me now." Harry felt more relaxed now that the charm was in place.

James yawned. "I might as well ask Bodie to start breakfast. Sirius, do you want any?"

"Have I ever refused before?" Sirius followed James out. "I'll just drop home and get Faith and the kids."

Tonks lay back on the pillows. "H.J., I'm stealing your bed."

H.J. was already heading for the door with Harry. "That's fine with me. I'm only going to come back to get dressed after breakfast."

"Great." Tonks put down her glass, pulled up the covers and closed her eyes. "At least I'll get some sleep in here."

H.J. raised an eyebrow at James as they set off out of the room. "And I thought you were a gentleman, James. Shame on you for keeping your wife up like that."

"Shut up, H.J.," James snapped, his face burning after his wife's comment.

Sirius led the way downstairs, sniggering as he went.

Harry hesitated in the doorway. "Will you be all right alone?"

Cammie sat up. "Will you stay?"

Harry walked back into the bedroom. "Yes, but you three should get some sleep. I'll stay awake."

After her James' filled night, Tonks was already sleeping, and Hermione was feeling sleepy, having felt unwell during the night. Soon no noise came from the two women except for gentle breathing. Unable to sleep, Cammie crawled out from the bedclothes and headed over to the fire. "I don't think I'm actually going to be able to go back to sleep."

Harry got to his feet. "In that case, do you want to open a Christmas present?"

"Mum and Dad will kill me if I do." Cammie glanced over at her sleeping mother. She had been warned by them not to open anything until they were up, as they wanted to see Cammie open her gifts, having missed out the previous year.

"This gift is from me." Harry stood up. "And I want to give it to you now."

Cammie's curiosity got the better of her. "What is it?"

Harry vanished, and he returned a few moments later, placing a large square box on the small table that sat in front of the fireplace. After casting a spell to make sure that Tonks and Hermione wouldn't be disturbed, he nodded towards the gift. "Open it."

Scrambling to her feet, Cammie read the tag. "From Hugh to Mie." She grinned at Harry. "Corny!" She then examined the wrapping paper. "You can tell that a man wrapped this."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Just open it, Mie."

After tearing off the paper, Cammie lifted the lid off the box inside and gave a little cry of delight. "Harry, it's beautiful."

Harry watched as Cammie ran a finger over the wooden carved square box inside. "I know how much you missed your chess set."

Cammie had had a hand-carved chessboard that Dominus had supplied for her. "This one is much nicer."

"Lift the board up," Harry urged.

Cammie gave her second cry of delight. "Dragons and unicorns!"

"I remembered that you said you were a big fan of both." Harry had thought long and hard about what should represent the chess pieces.

Cammie stroked a finger over a baby dragon pawn making it blow a small puff of smoke. "It's so sweet." She looked worriedly at Harry. "This must've cost you a fortune."

"Not really." Harry shrugged as he lied; the gift had totally wiped out eight months' savings.

Cammie replaced the lid and hugged Harry. "Thank you so much."

Harry resisted the temptation to move his head as Cammie's mouth brushed against his cheek. "I'm just glad you like it."

Cammie jumped up. "I've got something for you." She too vanished before returning with one of the gifts she had had made for Harry. "Here. It's not as good as the chess set though."

"I'm sure I'll love it." Harry took the long, slim beautifully wrapped gift and carefully unwrapped it, before removing the lid and taking out the gift. "And I was right."

"I didn't know what to get you, and I remembered overhearing you talking to Professor Snape, so I talked to him." Cammie had been terrified of him, more so than when she had had to converse with Dominus.

Harry knew how frightened Cammie was of his father. "He really isn't as bad as you think."

"I know." Cammie had been surprised at how affable Severus had been when she had explained why she had wanted to talk to him. "He's the one who sent it off for me to be sewn."

Harry ran several fingers over the soft wrap that contained many of the instruments he'd need for continuing his potions minor that Severus was now monitoring. "Is this basilisk skin?"

"Professor Snape said it lasts longer than any other material and is better at dealing with any stray ingredients that might get on to it."

It was now Harry's turn to protest. "Mie, basilisk skin is rare and expensive."

"It wasn't that much." Cammie had bought some from H.J., who hadn't wanted to charge Cammie anything, but Cammie had insisted on paying something. She had winced at the month's allowance that H.J. had reluctantly charged her, not realizing that the amount of skin she had been given would have taken her five years' allowance to pay for.

"Not that much?" Harry exclaimed. "Mie, do you have any idea how much this piece of skin is worth?"

"It's a gift, Harry," Cammie reminded him. "And I really think that the value fades into insignificance when I acknowledge that you jeopardized your life for me, and as expensive as it was, it really can't measure up to that."

Harry, realizing that he was being rude, joked lightly with Cammie. "You swallowed a dictionary, didn't you?"

"I might have," Cammie acknowledged. "But it is okay, isn't it?"

"It's absolutely perfect." Harry leant forward and kissed the corner of Cammie's mouth. "Thank you, and Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Harry." Cammie returned his salutation as she got to her feet. "I'd better go and get dressed before Dad comes back up. I'll see you downstairs."

Harry let her go and sat back to wait for H.J.'s return.


Later that day, James found Harry nursing a brandy. "I thought you didn't want alcohol."

Harry took a tiny sip of the brandy. "I'm not drinking because of Dominus."

James had a feeling he knew what it was bothering his son. "Harry, do you want to talk about it?"

Harry nodded miserably, and he followed James into his study, immediately blurting out his fears. "Dad, I don't know what to do about Mie."

"She certainly seemed to like your gift." Cammie had set up the chess set, begging anyone who would play to sit down with her. Only Severus, who to Sirius' chagrin, after being told about Dominus' letter had insisted upon seeing his stepson, had been able to beat her.

"And I loved her gifts to me." Harry had shown James the wrap and a wallet that Cammie had also given him, when they had sat down together after breakfast.

James knew of the basilisk's existence, even though Harry didn't. But being aware of how H.J. felt about his son, even James had been surprised by H.J.'s generosity at how much basilisk skin he had given Cammie at a minimal cost, so that she could have it made into gifts for her friend. "She certainly must think a great deal of you, Harry."

"But I still don't know whether she likes me just as friend or if it's something more. I wanted to tell her how I felt this morning but I couldn't do it." Harry took a bigger mouthful of the brandy, before going on. "And I know she's only fifteen, but I also know that there's no-one else with whom I want to spend the rest of my life."

"Harry, you're only nineteen and…" James began, only for Harry to shake his head.

"Dad, it wouldn't matter if I was a hundred and nineteen, I'd still be in love with her." Harry got up, his face stricken. "Age has nothing to do with it."

"She's the reason you broke up with Daphne, isn't it?" James hadn't really talked to Harry about his abortive relationship.

"Yes, but I didn't realize it then." Harry gave a huge sigh. "I just knew that I couldn't ever imagine waking up next to Daphne every day, and now I can't not imagine not ever waking up next to Mie."

James frowned at the mention of waking up to next to Mie. "You do realize that if the two of you ever get together that you can't treat her the same way you treated Daphne."

"You mean sex, don't you?" Harry's cheeks were burning as he responded to James' comment.

"I do," James said a little sternly. "Cammie is underage, Harry, and even when she's not, I can't see H.J. taking it too well if he finds out that you're sleeping with his daughter."

"I know that if I get together with Mie that it would have to be different," Harry acknowledged.

"Harry, there's also the fact that she's your cousin." James held up a hand as Harry went to say something. "Just hear me out. I know it's legal for the two of you to date and marry but I think, if Cammie should be receptive to you, it would be better if you weren't related."

"You mean I should let you carry out the ritual, don't you?" Harry, unlike Katherine, had been hesitant to cut Lily totally off, despite what she might have done.

"If you're truly serious about Cammie, then yes I do." James placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, I know you still love Lily but I believe you'll get less opposition from H.J. if you aren't related to his daughter."

Harry fell silent as he let James' words sink in. "I don't want to have to choose but…"

James interrupted him. "However, before you make a final decision, I want you to think long and hard about this. Once it's done, Harry, it can't be undone."

Harry thought about Lily and then he thought about Cammie. "I want to do it, Dad."

James clarified what he had intended. "I meant take a few days, Harry, and if you still feel the same way on New Year's Eve, then Nymie and I will do the ritual."

"Thanks, Dad." Harry hugged James briefly. "I think we'd better get back otherwise everyone will wonder where we've gotten to."


Harry looked in the mirror. "I don't look much different."

Tonks tilted her head as she studied his face. "You've got my nose now."

Harry smiled gratefully at his stepmother. "Thanks, Tonks."

"You're welcome, Harry." Tonks hugged him before brushing down her trouser suit. "I think it's time we joined everyone."

The group headed towards the sitting room just as Sirius walked out. "I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost."

"Who's here, Uncle Sirius?" Harry could hear voices coming from the room.

"Certainly not the usual crowd, given that you're supposed to be dead," Sirius remarked wryly. "And before you ask, Snivellus isn't here."

"I was hoping he'd come." Harry was a little disappointed as he walked into the room.

Katherine made her way over to the group as they entered. "You're late, which is a little appalling since you live here."

"I finally did it." Harry gave her the reason why they had been so late. "Tonks is my new mother as well now."

Katherine, whose eye color and vision had changed after the ritual, studied Harry as hard as Tonks had. "You don't look any different. And why did you get to keep green eyes and I didn't?" She scowled. "And where are your glasses?"

"I don't need them anymore." Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out his glasses. "At least Dad won't have to keep on replacing them now."

Katherine scowled even more. "It's not fair."

Orion, who had been getting drinks for him and Katherine, overheard the tail end of the conversation. "I think you look sexy in glasses, Kat."

Katherine's scowl softened a little at her husband's remark. "But I hate wearing them."

"Why don't you wear contact lenses like H.J.?" James suggested to his daughter.

Katherine shuddered. "I can't stand the thought of putting anything in my eye."

Thomas watched the small group talking, his focus on Harry Potter. He turned to Mione. "Do you think that Harry Potter looks different, apart from the fact that he's no longer wearing glasses?"

Mione glanced over at Harry and gave him a perfunctory glance. "Not really."

Thomas couldn't put his finger on what it was about Harry that seemed different. "I'm probably just imagining things."

Mione had a theory. "Perhaps he just looks happier now that he's out from under Dominus' thumb. I'm sure that being protected by a Fidelius charm also has something to do with it."

Thomas was faintly amused, as he was aware that the Fidelius charm actually afforded the boy very little protection at all. "Perhaps you're right."

"I'm always right." Mione grinned impishly before checking her wristwatch. "We're going to have to leave soon."

Thomas checked his own wristwatch and agreed. "As we've already said goodnight to Harry and Cassandra, we'd better bid our host and his family goodnight."

James smiled widely as the couple approached him. "You're going?"

Thomas nodded. "I really should think more carefully before I schedule meetings for New Year's Day, but it was the only time that worked for everyone involved."

"You're off to New York, aren't you?" Harry Potter asked.

"Yes, we're flying there so that we can get some sleep before Thomas has his meeting. Afterwards we're having dinner with Nathan and Michaela Bradford."

H.J. had thought they were portkeying. "Why don't you portkey instead of flying?"

Thomas revealed what Mione had once told Harry. "I'm not that fond of portkeying."

"You're not alone." H.J. shuddered as he responded.

Thomas guessed the reason behind H.J.'s dislike of portkeying. "The graveyard?"

"Yes. I've not liked that method of transportation since then." H.J. smiled tightly as he thought about the Triwizard tournament and the cup that had whisked him into a living hell. "You?"

"It gives me headaches," Thomas revealed.

"Thomas, we really need to go." Mione had checked the time again. She hugged H.J. and then Hermione, whispering in her ear as she did so. "Good luck with your plans."

Hermione blushed. The subject of children had come up earlier that night when Mione had revealed that she and Thomas were thinking about adopting again. As a result, it had come out that Hermione and H.J. had decided that the time was right for them to try for a baby, news that had thrilled Cammie. "Thank you."

Thomas put his arm around Mione, ending any further discourse between the two women. "Well, we really must be off."

The two then vanished. H.J. rubbed his head. "I like Thomas but I wish that it still didn't hurt like hell to shake hands with the man."

Hermione was all concern. "Do you need anything for it?"

H.J. nodded. "Another Scotch."

Sirius grinned. "Let's go get one."

Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over to where Luna, Katherine and Cassandra were standing together. "Can I join you?"

Luna giggled. "I have a feeling you won't be the last person to come over here. All of our men seem to be congregating together."

Hermione looked around for Cammie. "Have you seen Cammie?"

Cassandra had. "She went into the conservatory with Harry Potter."

H.J., who could hear the women's conversation, broke away from the men and started walking past Hermione.

Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him to one side, out of earshot of everyone else. "Don't even think about it, H.J."

H.J.'s mouth fell open at his wife's firm voice. "But Cammie…"

"…is fifteen, H.J." Hermione finished the sentence. "The same age as you were when you got together with your first wife."

H.J. scowled. "But I wasn't four years older than her."

"What do you really think Harry is going to do, H.J.?" Hermione folded her arms across her chest. "He's hardly going to molest her in the middle of the conservatory. Harry knows what your brother is and what he'd do to him if he stepped out of line."

"He should be more concerned about what I'd do to him, not Harry," H.J. said bluntly, as he went to head towards the conservatory once more.

"Harry James Sebastian." Hermione used H.J.'s proper first names, something she rarely did unless she was very angry or teasing him. She had used 'Potter' the first time she'd done it and H.J. had told her he didn't really see himself as a Potter anymore, and so she had reverted to the last name he now used. "If you so much as place one toe in that conservatory you'll be sleeping in a different room for the next month."

H.J. hesitated. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Yes," Hermione confirmed in a fierce voice. "Do not embarrass our daughter by going in there. I trust her to deal with the situation, and you should do the same."

Hearing his daughter's voice coming from the direction in which the conservatory lay, H.J. glanced over Hermione's shoulder. "Cammie, what are the flowers for?"

"Tonks asked me to pick some for the table. Harry was showing me the best spots," Cammie informed her father. "I'd better go take them to her."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at her husband as the two left to find Tonks. "H.J., you really should trust Cammie."

H.J. let out a deep breath. "I know, and I'm sorry."

A few minutes later, everyone headed into dinner, and afterwards readied themselves in preparation for the upcoming midnight celebration. However, before the hour had even struck eleven, the insistent vibrating of the ring that Sirius wore interrupted the pleasant atmosphere. Sirius knew it must be important when, on getting to his feet, he was joined by Harry, Cassandra and H.J. "Let's go."

Even though it was breaking with protocol, Sirius fire-called, however, a few minutes after leaving. "There's an ongoing attack on Azkaban. I'll let you know what's happening as soon as I can."

Unable to stand it, Cammie jumped up and headed for the conservatory. "I'm going for a walk."

Harry Potter got up as well, stopping Hermione, who had looked pale throughout dinner, from following Cammie. "I'll go after her." As he followed Cammie into the conservatory, Harry called out, "Don't worry, your dad will be fine."

Cammie spun round. "Harry, we all know who's attacking Azkaban, although Sirius didn't mention any names." Cammie plucked a flower head between her nervous fingers. "And we all know that Dominus loathes Dad. It's the reason why he kept me a prisoner… to punish him."

"As I've tried to tell you plenty of times, I actually think Dominus liked you," Harry told her. "He treated you better than anyone else in Castrum House, and what he did at Christmas goes a long way to proving that."

Not wanting to discuss how Dominus felt about her, Cammie changed the subject back to Azkaban. "Why do you think he's gone to Azkaban?"

"To get my mother out," Harry guessed. "I can't think of any other reason."

Cammie shivered. "At least she thinks you're dead and is unlikely to come after you."

"You're forgetting that Dominus is aware that I'm alive, and if he knows, then so will she." Harry put an arm around Cammie's shoulders as they continued walking.

Cammie had forgotten. "She's going to blame me when she finds out the truth. It's my fault she believed you were dead, and she's going to be angry that you betrayed her for me."

Harry disagreed about Lily blaming Cammie for his 'death'. "I think she's going to blame your uncle. He's the one who used my 'body' to help force a confession out of her. If there's anyone she's likely to go after, it's going to be him."

"That really doesn't help, Harry." Cammie rubbed her arms as she thought about her uncle.

"Sorry." Harry stopped to hug her. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

"I hope so too." Cammie pulled free of Harry's embrace as she heard footsteps. "Has something happened?"

Xander immediately put her fears to rest. "Katherine is waiting to say goodnight to you both."

Harry was surprised to hear that his sister was leaving. "She's going home?"

Luna, who had accompanied Xander, shook her head. "She's going to Sirius' house with Orion. Faith wants to put the children to bed there, so they're going with her to keep her company."

As the three of them walked back into the sitting room, Cammie looked around. "Has Mum gone as well?"

"She's gone with Tonks to St. Mungo's," Xander told her as Cammie's face blossomed with fear again. "Don't worry. No-one's been hurt but they wanted to be there just in case."

Cammie unconsciously reached out, searching for Harry's hand. "I wish I could go."

"I'm sorry, Cammie but in the light of Dominus' recent activity, your mum said that you can't take that chance," Xander said.

Harry had felt Cammie's hand brush against his, and he intertwined his fingers with hers. "I guess we'd better say goodnight to Katherine."

Katherine was glad to see that her brother was taking care of the girl she still considered to be her cousin. "I told Xander that if we hear anything first, Orion or I will let you know."

Harry hugged his sister. "And the same here."

Katherine then headed out of the room to join Orion and Faith at Sirius' house.

It was then that Harry realized something. "Where are Dad and Uncle Remus?"

Luna gave Harry a consolatory smile. "Harry came back to warn us that things were already going badly on Azkaban and it could be a late night. So they left with him."

"I have to do something." Harry checked his wands as he spoke.

Cammie realized what Harry was planning to do. "Harry, you can't leave here. You heard what Sirius said earlier."

Harry shrugged. "I don't care if I'm under house arrest. Dominus will take it out on Dad if he gets his hands on him."

"You don't know that your dad has gone to Azkaban. He could've just gone to the Ministry," Luna pointed out."And you'll never get them to give you an authorized portkey to Azkaban if he has. Everyone thinks you're dead, Harry."

"I don't need one." Harry lifted his arm that still bore the Dark Mark. "This will let me apparate to wherever Dominus is. I'm willing to bet that that's how the rest of the men will be getting to the Island."

Cammie blanched. "Harry, please don't."

"I have to." Harry kissed her cheek. "I'll see you later."

Before anyone could say anything else, he vanished.

Xander sighed heavily. "Well, this isn't exactly the partyfest I thought tonight would be."

Buffy, who was burping a small blonde baby on her shoulder, grimaced. "I don't see why Remus and James needed to go. They've got nothing to do with BritAD."

Cammie knew why they had gone. "Uncle Harry said that they've both got clearance, Buffy. And I know that Remus has occasionally helped Sirius out before, and his werewolf attributes make him a valuable scout."

Buffy still didn't like it. "He's got a baby to think about now."

"So has Sirius," Luna reminded her. "But they both believe in putting duty first."

"Even before family?" Buffy exclaimed.

"If you were in immediate danger, then no." Xander knew Remus well enough to be able to make such an assumption. "But you're not, and Remus knows that we wouldn't let you struggle alone if anything happened to him."

"It still doesn't provide me with much comfort." Buffy stood up and placed Emily in the portable crib she had brought with her. No-one said anything for a while, and Buffy found herself looking at the clock every few minutes as they waited. "This really is going to be a long night, isn't it?"

"I won't be going to bed but if anyone else wants to, go ahead." Nobody did, and so Xander moved to sit down on the sofa, pulling Luna on to his lap, so that her head rested on his chest.

Breaking the silence, Luna addressed Xander. "By the way, you owe me twenty Galleons."

Xander sighed dramatically before tweaking Cammie's nose, as she had moved to sit next to the couple for comfort. "Luna bet me that you and Harry would get together before the end of this year, and I said that you were just friends. Even though I was wrong, couldn't you have waited at least another a few hours?"

Cammie's mouth fell open. "We're not together. Harry and I are just friends."

Xander's delight was immediately obvious as he grinned down at his wife. "It looks as though you owe me twenty Galleons."

Luna was dismayed. She had been so sure of the couple. "How about a kiss instead?"

"You can't buy me." Xander held out his hand. "Pay up, Twinkie."

Luna let her hand disappear between the two of them and Xander gave a yelp. "Okay, woman. You've bought me."

Her nerves on edge, Buffy snapped at the pair, "For goodness sake. People could be dying and you two are…" She broke off as she started to cry, setting her daughter off as well.

Luna got to her feet and picked up the baby as Xander moved to comfort his upset friend. "I'm sorry, Buff, but this is how I deal with stress, you know that."

"I'm used to being out there, Xan." Buffy wiped her eyes. "I hate not being part of things, and I'm so afraid that something will happen to him."

Cammie passed her a glass of water as Xander continued to comfort the blonde woman. "While he's not the greatest dueler on the planet, Remus can take care of himself, Buff. And he has two small blonde incentives he loves to come back for."

Buffy smiled gratefully through her tears even as she told Xander the truth about her and Remus. "He doesn't feel the same way about me as I do about him, Xan."

"He loves you, Buff," Xander argued. "Or did I imagine the engagement ring on your finger?"

"You didn't," Buffy sniffled. She and Remus had gotten over their rough patch, and just after Emily's birth, he had asked her once again to marry him. Having been taken care of by him in the months running up to the birth, Buffy had found herself falling in love again, something she'd never have thought possible. And she had therefore agreed to marry Remus when he had asked again, the two of them setting a date for the summer.

"So don't worry about him," Xander urged. "He'll be back here before you know it."

Everyone then fell silent again as they waited for news, which came just after two a.m. when a bloody and exhausted Sirius appeared, dropping on to the sofa by a sleeping Cammie. "I need a drink."

Xander passed him a Scotch. "How did it go?"

Sirius just shook his head as he knocked back the Scotch and held out the empty glass again. Xander silently refilled it before handing it back. "What's happened?"

Sirius did the same again with the Scotch before running a dirty hand over his face. "We lost Harry."