Keating's school year ended in early June. After discussing his studies with Callen, Nell, and Sam, Harry decided to take the end-of-year exams as if he'd been a full-time student the entire year. If he failed an exam, at least he'd know where to focus his summer review to catch up.

When he put down his pencil after the last exam, Harry thought he'd done reasonably well on them - certainly passed them all, at least, even if not with all As.

After that, it was two solid weeks of training, though Sam and Callen didn't push him hard enough to exhaust him. Just steady drills in chain casting and target practice - while on the run, because as Sam said, "In the field, you won't necessarily have time to take a ready stance and brace yourself."

The weekend before the third task was a Hogsmeade weekend, and Callen agreed readily enough to decamping to Scotland for those final days, not only so they'd have time to acclimate, but also to give him a chance to meet with their solicitors and get whatever information the Romani might have for him.

Harry planned to spend as much of the weekend with Hermione as he could, and Callen agreed wholeheartedly with that, only asking, "Do I need to cast a contraceptive charm?"

Even now, sitting in the Three Broomsticks waiting for Hermione, the memory of the question made Harry's face heat. Worse, though, were his stuttering denials.

At least Callen hadn't laughed, hadn't even smiled, because either of those would have made Harry's mortification worse. Callen had just said, "Let me know when I do," and gone on about his day.

Hermione's arrival brought him out of his reverie, and he stood and crossed the room to greet her, only mildly surprised that in addition to her trademark hug, she kissed him gently before slipping her arm through his.

"So," she said, "what do you have in mind for today?"

"Tomes and Scrolls, of course," Harry said, and smiled when she did. "And any errands you might have. And -" he blew out a breath. "And before we do either of those, I want to talk to you, somewhere we can't be overheard."

"Because a silencing charm is right out?" Hermione asked.

Harry considered her question. "Along with a glamour, maybe. I'd rather not be interrupted repeatedly by … well."

"Fans. Well-wishers."

"Pretty much," Harry said. "Along with gossips, busybodies, and the like."

Hermione laughed softly. "Pretty much anyone, you mean."

"Well - yes." Harry grinned back, and moments later he had cast the glamour, she had cast the silencing charm, and they were walking down Hogsmeade's high street arm in arm.

They'd passed four storefronts before Hermione's curiosity got the better of her. "What did you want to talk about, Harry?"

There was no use putting off answering. She'd get the answer out of him anyway, and the longer it took, the more irritated she'd become. He didn't need her irritated for this conversation. "The third task. And what comes after."

She frowned at him. "After?"

"After." Harry took a breath. "In the best case, I win, free and clear, and we all go out and have a party after."

Hermione's hand tensed against his arm. "And the worst case?"

"Voldemort kills me."

Hermione stopped, turning to face him. "Harry."

He offered her a small, sad smile. "We know someone entered me. We assume that person wants me dead. The only thing worse than being killed immediately is being used in some dark ritual and then being killed. The list of people annoyed with me, even angry with me, is rather long, I'm sure. But the list of people who actively want me dead or worse? That's quite short, and we both know which name is at the top of that list."

"But - you killed him during your first year," Hermione whispered.

"We think so, but we could be wrong," Harry said. "And I sure don't know - I passed out before everything ended. Therefore - Voldemort using me in a ritual and then killing me would be the worst case."

"O-okay," Hermione said, her voice catching on the simple word. Then she drew a steadying breath and as Harry guided them to walking down the street once more, she said, "So what about after?"

"In the best case, we go out and have a party."

"And - the worst case?"

Harry hated how small Hermione's voice sounded when she asked, but this was something he had to talk about, and with the third task only a few days away, there would be no other, let alone better, time to do so.

"In the worst case," Harry began carefully, "Nell and Callen will get you and your family to the States immediately."

Hermione's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open - not much, maybe a quarter of an inch, but open nonetheless. "No, Harry."

"Yes, Hermione," Harry said firmly. "You're my girlfriend, and everyone knows it. If Voldemort kills me, he'll go after you next. He might even use your parents to get to you. If I die, Callen's team will get you to the States, to safety."

Hermione stopped them once again and turned a troubled expression to him. "This matters to you a lot, doesn't it?"

Harry nodded and drew a shaky breath. "Knowing that you'll be safe - that's everything to me, Hermione. Everything."

"Harry." Hermione glanced around, then tugged him against the nearest storefront - the Hogsmeade Post Office, as it happened - and proceeded to give him a very thorough kiss.

When the kiss finally ended, Hermione rested her forehead against Harry's. "I'd fight beside you if I could."

"I know," Harry replied. "I'd raze this entire country to save you."

"I know."

G was still smiling at the memory of Harry's expression after he'd offered a contraceptive charm. Was I ever that easily embarrassed? …. Maybe. He wouldn't tease Harry too much - he'd get enough of that from Sam, Aiden, Deeks, and his peers at Keating. G resolved to be the concerned parent … and to ask Nell if she'd have the sex talk with Harry.

June in Hogsmeade was still chilly - not quite cool enough for an extra layer, but cool enough that he walked quickly as he made his way through relatively busy streets to Rauni's shop, the Gypsy Seer.

G winced at the name but had to admit, at least privately, that the Romani Seer didn't sound nearly as exotic, and therefore would draw far fewer customers.

He pushed open the heavy oaken door to the shop and stepped inside. He moved to one side of the door and paused to let his eyes adjust to the dim interior. Candles floated around the perimeter of the tiny shop, showcasing the wares on display - crystal balls, tarot decks and other oracle cards, pendulums, and guidebooks to popular forms of divination.

A young woman, possibly not out of her teens, looked up from where she sat behind the counter near the cash drawer. "May I help you?" Then her eyes widened in recognition. "Sir."

"Rauni asked for me?" G said.

"Nana's with a client," the girl said. "She shouldn't be much longer. Unless you need me to get her straight away?"

"No, I can wait," G assured her. "Thank you …?"

"Kezia." The girl smiled and offered him a slight curtsy before looking behind him. "Your ward - pardon me, son - isn't with you?"

"Not with me here," G said, "but he's in Hogsmeade."

"We'd like to meet him," Kezia said. "Seeing as how he'll be our king after you."

"Assuming he survives the tournament," G said. And he had to assume that, for his own sanity. "Assuming he survives, we'll visit all the enclaves - starting with this one."

Kezia smiled broadly. "We'll look forward to it, my lord."

With a nod, G turned to browse the offerings more thoroughly. Despite his heritage and his status within the Romani culture, most forms of divination didn't work for him at all. Once in a while, he could glean some insight from an oracle card, tarot or otherwise, but generally speaking, he was blind to the future.

And maybe that's how it should be. Maybe kings aren't meant to know what their actions might bring.

Still, in idle moments, he sometimes browsed shops such as this one - Romani-owned or otherwise - on the off chance that some deck, some pendulum, something, might call to him.

Nothing in the Gypsy Seer had called to him by the time the door to the back room opened and a wizard came out, offering profuse thanks to whoever remained in the room - presumably Rauni.

Only when the shop door had closed behind the wizard did G hear Rauni's voice. "Come in, my lord."

G crossed the shop and entered the room - only slightly more dim than the outer shop - and closed the door behind him. Without waiting to be invited, he took a seat opposite where Rauni sat at a low table, a crystal ball nearly a foot in diameter resting on the table between them.

"Thank you for all your efforts," G began.

"You are most welcome, my lord - though I wish I could have done more."

"You did all I could have expected," G assured her. "But I understand you have more for me today?"

"A rather unusual report from some Travelers near Little Hangleton."

G didn't even try to hide his surprise. "Travelers? Not Romani?"

Rauni shrugged. "They don't share our heritage, but they do share our lifestyle. We've an … alliance, of sorts, with them."

Unusual, but not as surprising as G had first thought. He allowed - was required to allow - his people the freedom to live their lives as they chose except in times of emergency, after all. "What report?"

"Unusual activity in a cemetery there," Rauni said. "It appears they are preparing for a ritual of some kind."

"A ritual," G repeated, his tone flat. "There are very few rituals that require a cemetery - none of them good."

"Once the man, or men, left, the Travelers compiled a list of names on the gravestones nearest to where they were setting up." Rauni removed a slip of parchment from the folds of her skirt and offered it to him.

G took it readily enough. "And what do the Travelers want in return for their assistance?"

"Your presence and participation in a Spring renewal ritual next March."

That didn't sound like much. Still, it was the Romani way to get the best of any situation, so he said, "My presence is guaranteed. My participation depends on the exact requirements. If I cannot participate, I will find someone acceptable who can."

Rauni studied him shrewdly for a moment. "You have taken a wife?"

"Not yet," G replied. "But soon."

"I will tell the Travelers. I'm sure they will accept your compromise, if necessary."

G nodded to acknowledge that, then addressed the final bit of business between them. "And what do you want, for your service?"

"It is, as always, my pleasure to assist, my lord."

G smiled and kept his tone gentle when he spoke. "Though I respect you, Rauni, we are not friends, or family, that we can overlook such services. What would you like?"

"For myself? Nothing," Rauni said. "I am old, even by wizarding standards, and have all the wealth I could want in children, grandchildren, and my first great-grandchild to be born toward the end of the year."

"You have lived a good life, it seems," G said, watching her like he'd watch a suspect he and Sam were interrogating. "But if there's nothing you want for yourself, is there perhaps something you want for someone else?"

Rauni's sharp eyes met his. "You are clever, my lord."

"Observant," G corrected. "It's part of my job."

After a long moment, Rauni blew out a breath. "Yes, you're correct. I want something for my family."

Suppressing the urge to say, Name it, G asked instead, "What do you want?"

After a long moment, Rauni said, "Sanctuary. Sanctuary for Kezia, and for my other grandchildren young and innocent in the ways of the world."

"Under what circumstances?" G asked.

"Should it be asked by me or my children," Rauni said. "I can't see the future of the world, my lord, only individuals. If the world turns darkly, if you promise my grandchildren sanctuary, they will survive."

"They have it," G said, and the magic settled around them both. "Tell me the names of the grandchildren you wish bound by this promise, and I will see them safe - at least, as safe as I can make them."

"That's all I can ask, my lord." Rauni inclined her head. Then she met his gaze evenly. "The Romani stand ready to assist you, however we're needed."

G smiled briefly. "I'm grateful - but the Romani are spies and thieves, not warriors. You've done your part."

Rauni's eyes glittered for a moment, then she inclined her head. "As you will, my lord."

G thanked her again, then stood and left the room. In the main store, he paused and offered Kezia a card. She took it, frowning.

"How to contact me in the non-magical world," G said. "In case you need it."

He accepted her thanks, then left the Gypsy Seer. He had to see a goblin about a fight.