Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"Well, you seem a lot better!" Tom exclaimed as Charlie and Harry walked back into the tent. Tom was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea and a blueberry scone.
"Yeah, a little," Harry smiled at him, and sent a confused look towards the scone. "I ran into Norberta, and she got me talking. Charlie came then and just listened. It was…good, I guess, to finally tell someone about it all."
Charlie still had his arm around Harry and pulled him tighter into a hug. Charlie felt Harry stiffen again, another breakdown coming, so he picked up the smaller man and sat them both on the couch. "It's ok, Harry. You're not alone. You have me and Tom and your whole crazy, mismatched family. You don't have to bottle it all up and handle it alone when you have so many people who want to help you."
Tom moved over and ran his hand up and down Harry's back. "Listen to the Dragon Weasel. Don't shut us out. I'm not in your head anymore, you actually have to talk to me. Don't go silent on me again, ok? It's always been Tom and Harry against the world. It terrified me when my Harry disappeared on me."
There was a small, damp spot on Charlie's soft t-shirt from where Harry's face was buried, but when he turned back around, the tears had stopped. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I can't hold it together anymore," he said weakly.
"Shh, you don't have to," Tom continued rubbing calming circles on his son's back.
"Love, you want to tell him the news now?" Charlie asked, hoping to improve the Necromancer's mood a little bit.
"News?" Tom asked Harry with a knowing raise of his eyebrow.
Harry was still sitting on Charlie's lap with the older man's arms around him. "Erm…" he started awkwardly. "Well…Charlie and I…we decided we're…well…"
"Together," Charlie finished with a smile at the new relationship.
"Uh huh," Harry's dad said simply as he leaned back and crossed his arms.
Getting a little nervous as the dangerous man just stared at them, Charlie unwrapped his arms from around Harry a little. "Uh, well, this might be a little fast, but…"
"Fast?" Tom snorted at Charlie's comment. "You've known each other for over six years and have been dancing around each other for about three of those. I don't think fast is the term here. Slow as a flobberworm might be the best analogy."
"So, you aren't mad?" Charlie asked a bit nervously.
Tom smiled kindly at him. "I told you yesterday, Dragon Weasel, you're a good man. No, I'm not mad," Tom leaned forward and pinned Charlie with ice-cold blue eyes, flashing dangerously. "You hurt my son, and I will kill you though. If for some reason I don't, then Sev will. If he doesn't then Remus and Sirius will. And if they don't kill you, then Kreacher will. Nagini probably would have gotten to you even before me. Understood?"
"Completely," Charlie nodded, expecting and accepting the terms. He admitted to himself that if he ever hurt Harry, he deserved to feed himself to the dragons, so the terms were completely acceptable to him.
"I don't get a say in this?" Harry asked in indignation.
"No!" Both the other men told him clearly.
"Fine, I'm going to go grab some breakfast and figure out how you murdered those scones," Harry stood and stomped into the kitchen.
Both men watched Harry go into the kitchen and start another kettle on the stove for tea. Charlie leaned over to Tom and whispered very seriously. "Tom, the Dursleys, tell me they've been handled. I'm going over there if they haven't."
Tom nodded at him and sipped his tea. "They're handled," he said simply.
"Handled well?" Charlie prodded for more information.
"Very well," Tom said with a dark look. "Not that Harry knows any of this, am I clear?"
It didn't really sit right with Charlie that Harry was out of the loop. He understood but knew that Harry was stronger than they gave him credit for. However, Tom had lived in his mind for about fifteen years… "I'm willing to keep it to myself for now," Charlie decided with a covert glance towards the kitchen. "Eventually, he's going to need to know though."
Tom nodded. "After we figure out what to do with evil me." He agreed with Charlie, but Harry just had so much on his plate right now, and he had a breakdown just the day before.
"Any ideas on that?" Charlie leaned back on the couch and got comfortable.
"Not much," Tom admitted as he polished off the last of his scone. "Harry thinks the answer lies in Necromancy, but I think it's going to have to go back to the original magic that created the horcruxes. The problem is that we need more information and there is very little written on horcruxes, probably for the best if we're being honest though."
"Agreed!" Harry added in, having heard the end of the conversation. He sat a tray on the low coffee table with a couple scones and mugs of tea for him and Charlie. "I don't think horcruxes are the answer. Why would anyone have tried to separate a horcrux from themselves before?"
"Well, we might have to come up with it on our own then," Tom didn't let up as he jabbed Harry with one of his feet when he crammed himself between his dad and Charlie on the couch.
"Wow! These are amazing!" Charlie exclaimed after having eaten a bite of scone. "They're almost like mum's!"
Harry gave him a smirk and a disbelieving look. His new boyfriend had said he was going to pretend to like the food, but this was a little excessive. Harry very obviously cast his poison checking spell over the food.
"Ha, ha, ha," Tom deadpanned and kicked Harry's leg again. "I'm not that bad. Charlie liked them."
Very slowly Harry took a bite, barely registering that Charlie had already inhaled his. He chewed a couple times and looked at Tom suspiciously. "This is…good."
"See! I told you I'm not that bad!" Tom smirked and took another sip of tea.
"No…you definitely are. These are too good. Like Mrs. Weasley good. What did you do?" Harry was not fooled one bit. These were not Tom Riddle scones. Those would have been burnt on the outside and raw in the middle.
Tom sighed and stood. He opened a cupboard in the kitchen and pulled out a box. "You caught me," he chuckled. "Molly sent a care package. It showed up right after Charlie left this morning!"
"Brilliant! Mum's cooking!" Charlie exclaimed before jumping up and digging through the box to see what all she'd sent.
"I still don't understand how you lived in my brain while I cooked for over a decade and you can't fry an egg," Harry shook his head but had a bemused smile on his face.
"Guess what?! Guess what?! Guess what?!" Tom pulled Harry off the couch and jumped up and down holding his hands.
"That you're a fourteen-year-old girl?" Harry gave his dad a very Snape-like scowl.
Tom grabbed a handful of something soft from behind the couch and threw it at Harry. "She made me a Weasley jumper!"
After holding up the black, handknitted jumper, Harry's face turned from a scowl into a huge smile and started jumping around with Tom. "You got a jumper!"
"Hey, I got a new one too," Charlie held up a blue sweater, much less excited. "She said she'd already started on the Christmas jumpers and sent some along to us in case it gets cold here. It's still September; why would it be cold?" Charlie asked as he read over the letter from his mother.
"Did I get one?!" Harry asked excitedly.
Tom pulled a red jumper from behind the couch as well and threw it at Harry. "Yup!"
Charlie laughed. "She says she always makes yours to match your eyes, Harry. That's why you get red now."
"Aww! She remembered!" Harry pulled on the sweater even though it was pretty warm in the tent.
"Kind of hard to forget bright, red eyes," Tom smirked. "Why's mine black?"
"The letter doesn't say," Charlie shrugged and passed it along to Tom. "Probably since she doesn't know you well, but you're dating Snape. It would make sense you would have similar tastes."
"I'm not that fashion blind," Tom rolled his eyes. "My partner's wardrobe needs a serious upgrade, and it'll get it if it takes me decades."
"She didn't happen to send any trousers, did she?" Harry asked, looking down at his transfigured pajama bottoms.
"Hedwig dropped off a bag of clothes that Sev packed for us," Tom said, motioning to a black rucksack by the tent flap. "I sent Hedwig back with an update on you."
"Sev braved Gryffindor Tower to pack for me?" Harry asked in surprise as he pulled some trousers and pants from the bag as his face turned a little pink. "And he packed underwear."
"Better than him not packing them," Tom smirked and grabbed the bag to see what Snape had packed for him.
"So, what do you both want to do today?" Charlie asked after completely rummaging through his mum's care package. "I have to work, but I should probably introduce you to everyone first."
"Norberta said she'd introduce me to Smoke," Harry told them.
"Good, but Tom, you should probably keep it quiet that you can speak to the dragons," Charlie instructed the man.
Tom waved it off dismissively. "I figured. Another random Brit speaking Parseltongue would definitely raise some questions. I might not look a whole lot like I did back in the day, but there are still some clear similarities, especially with my magical signature."
"And the fact you're using the Voldemort brother-wand," Harry reminded him.
"Yeah, that as well," Tom agreed.
"All right! Get dressed and we're out in fifteen," Charlie instructed, already taking his shirt off to change it to something more work-appropriate since he had just thrown on the t-shirt with his work trousers before rushing off to find Harry."
The next couple days were some of the best of Harry's life. He met all the dragon handlers and loved them instantly. They all cared so much for animals, and particularly dragons. They also liked to have fun and joke with each other, which got much more embarrassing when Charlie told them very excitedly that he and Harry were together now. Apparently, Charlie almost never dated anyone, and they had been saving all their jokes and embarrassing stories up for the day he finally did bring someone around, just like a large, strange, adrenaline junkie family. They all liked Tom as well but didn't really know what to think of him since he wasn't really connected to anyone but Harry. The few that had gone to Hogwarts were fascinated that he was dating their old Potions Professor though and kept asking for stories about the man.
The dragons, Norberta leading the way, gave a long list of suggestions, requests, and grievances to Harry when he asked. They ranged all the way from wanting a couple wyverns relocated from the North ridge all the way down to the blond handler wearing too much cologne. The dragon handlers were beyond excited to hear what all the dragons thought but were also grimacing at the extra work. They were especially not excited about the wyverns. Wyverns were vicious, more primitive cousins of dragons and a pain to have to deal with. "Come more often, so that all their requests don't pile up," Harlan, the reserve manager, instructed Harry with a grin as he put everything together in a list. "And, Benoit, cool it with the cologne!" He added in a yell to the embarrassed handler.
Tom pulled Harry aside Friday evening for a long chat. Charlie watched them from where he was hanging out with his coworkers around a bonfire they'd started to celebrate having guests at the reserve. He was nervous because the two talked for a very long time. Harry seemed to go from embarrassed to indignant throughout. The teen had a smile on his face though when they finally joined everyone back at the fire. "What's up?" Charlie asked in concern.
"Later," Harry gave him a smile and a kiss, earning inappropriate shouts from the rest of the handlers.
Late that night, Tom finally explained that he would be leaving the next morning. "Harry has something he'd like to ask you," Tom smirked over to his son.
Harry looked at him and shuffled his feet a bit. "Erm, Charlie, would you like to go on a date with me? To the Dark Carnival?" Harry asked as quickly as he could rush the words out.
"What?! Me?! You want me to go with you?!" Charlie asked excitedly. He'd heard a lot about the carnival from Cristian and Andreea. As a light wizard, he didn't think he'd ever get invited along though.
"Of course, I want to go with you, you idiot!" Harry assured him with a playful punch to the arm. "Do you want to go with me?"
"Hell yes!" Charlie picked up Harry and spun him around happily.
"Ok, ok, now we come to my conditions," Tom said loudly to be heard over the exclamations. "I know Harry is of-age, but you both just started dating each other, and I feel like I need to do some Dad-rule-things if I'm just going to leave him here."
"Yes, Mr. Riddle," Charlie smirked at him, putting Harry back on the ground.
Harry just crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, not liking being treated like a kid. "I can take care of myself."
Tom narrowed his eyes. "I know that, but you were the one who asked me to be your dad, so you have to deal with the consequences."
"Fine," Harry groaned, but with a smiled tugging at his lips. "I must have been temporarily insane at the time, but I guess we can't go back now."
"I'm ignoring you," Tom put a hand over Harry's face and turned to Charlie as Harry tried to bat it away. "Ow!" Tom shook his hand that was hit with a stinging hex. "Merlin! Why did I teach you that?"
"You taught me the Cruciatus as well if you want me to try it out on you," Harry offered with an evil little grin.
Going back to ignoring Harry, Tom turned to Charlie. "First of all, separate bedrooms and the Occlumency door doesn't close, so I'll know if anything dangerous or untoward happens."
"We've been dating for two days. We're definitely not moving anywhere near that fast," Charlie agreed.
"Also, a little modestly when changing would go a long way," Tom crossed his arms and stared at Charlie.
Charlie turned a bit red. "Sorry, I've gotten used to living around all the handlers. We tend to be really practical in changing and with medical stuff and all. They hardly even commented on the werewolf scars."
"Last condition, you look out for each other and stick close to your friend Cristian," Tom instructed them. "I want both of you to have a good time but be safe."
"I look after him," Harry put an arm around Charlie's shoulders and smiled at Tom.
"I'll look after him," Charlie corrected with a smile.
"Actually, Harry is the dark wizard, he'll probably be the one looking after you at the carnival," Tom corrected. "Those muscles you have don't mean much up against dark magic."
"I'll punch them, then Harry can hex them," Charlie shrugged. "Tag team it."
"Cool, I like the plan," Harry laughed.
"I'm going to bed," Tom rolled his eyes and headed into the guest room. "Just remember, if they hex first…you hex last and make it count."
"Yes, Dad," Harry agreed for the millionth time.
After hanging out with the dragons all Saturday, Charlie and Harry showered and changed quickly before meeting up with Andreea and Cristian in the town. Andreea was a gorgeous older woman of obvious veela heritage. Her silvery-white hair flowed freely around her gently lined face with prominent laugh-lines. Cristian was almost bald with white hair just around his crown. He had very tanned skin and dark, sparkling eyes. They both fussed over Harry and the new relationship as soon as the dragon handler and necromancer walked into their small but very comfortable home.
"Dear, you're so handsome, but you need to drop the glamour," Andreea instructed Harry. Once his red eyes and necromancer markings were visible, her smile broadened. "Much better. This is the Dark Carnival. Embrace who you are and show those gorgeous red eyes off!"
"Charlie needs a bit of a wardrobe change as well," Cristian remarked as he studied his redheaded friend.
Harry and Charlie both had gone dressy-casual. They were both wearing nice jeans and soft, long-sleeved shirts. Harry's shirt was emerald green, and Charlie's was a steel gray. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing? It's almost the same as him," Charlie pouted as he pointed to Harry's outfit.
With a wave of Cristian's wand, the neckline of Charlie's shirt enlarged and pulled over to one side a bit to show off the werewolf scars clearly. "It's a dark carnival, and you're a light wizard, Charles. The scars will give you credibility to be there, besides just being with Harry," Cristian explained. "As my lovely wife said, show off who you are. This is one place you can always be just who you are."
"Well…that being said, you probably shouldn't tell people you're Harry Potter," Andreea added a little sheepishly. "I'm sorry, but your name is just too well known, and people have loose lips."
"Call me Chaos then," Harry shrugged. "It really doesn't bother me. My family came up with Chaos as a name for my animagus form."
"Chaos then," Cristian smiled at him kindly, sad that the young man had to hide who he was in name, even not if in appearance.
The four all activated their porkeys and appeared at the entrance of a brightly lit field of color and sound. "Last minute advice?" Harry asked his new friends with a little bit of nervousness.
"Be your lovely self," Andreea took his hand and squeezed it. "Necromancers are revered in our society. You'll be guarded by almost everyone, no one will try to mess with you. If they do, just yell out and you'll have help from many others."
"Be kind to everyone. Answer questions, but don't offer to teach anyone anything. Since this is your first carnival, you haven't been cleared to teach others yet. Honestly, most of your skills aren't transferrable anyway," Cristian instructed next. "Learn from others though if they're teaching anything that interests you. I see no reason why both of your portkeys won't turn permanent at the end of the night."
"Even mine?" Charlie asked in surprise. "I'm a light wizard."
"One that's been touched by a werewolf and by death," Cristian smiled at him sadly. He had been pained dearly to learn of Charlie's death. "You are darker than you were a year ago. I think you will learn much tonight as well."
Cristian and Andreea were right. Charlie and Harry learned so much and had a great time. They tried food from vendors from the many different nations represented at the carnival since the portkeys worked from literally anywhere on the planet. When they passed the potions tent, Harry knew immediately where he would be buying Severus's Christmas present from. He was also able to buy some of the harder to find ingredients for his ritual candles for an excellent bargain.
After that, they entered into a thestral race as soon as they saw it was happening. There was plenty of confusion from the contestants and crowd when Charlie and Harry walked up to the starting line together instead of leading a thestral. There was a collective gasp and laugh when Harry transformed into a green-eyed thestral, and Charlie hopped on his back. They came in second to last, only because one of the other thestrals stumbled, and its rider fell off, putting it into last place. Harry was a new thestral, smaller than the others, and Charlie was a little heavy for a jockey. They still had a great time though, and the judges invited them back anytime they wanted and gave them a few extra points since one of them was an animagus.
They met back up with Cristian at the blood-magic tent. Cristian hadn't been told that Harry had studied under the brilliant blood mage, Hattie Librelli. "Didn't she die a couple centuries ago?" One ancient woman who had been leading the blood magic instruction asked. "I remember meeting one of her students, but I believe she died well before I started practicing."
Harry chuckled. "Her portrait taught me. I'm still learning though. I find blood pretty gross…sorry."
"Have you practiced anything interesting?" the old woman, Myra, asked next. "Mistress Librelli practiced many of the ancient spells that have been lost to time."
Harry shrugged. "I wouldn't know what's still in use. Erm, I've used a blood summoning spell, blood magic that's connected with Necromancy of course…oh, and I renamed a murderer once, but he had very low will, so it wasn't much of a struggle."
"You…what?!" Cristian exclaimed in awe. "Was it a Latin or an Italian spell?"
Charlie smiled at everyone's shock and awe that his boyfriend inspired without even realizing it. "Erm, Italian," Harry replied. "I haven't tried to do it since. It seems a bit unethical, but the man was really evil."
"That spell has been lost for ages!" Myra explained.
"Huh, I had no idea," Harry smiled as Charlie put an arm around his shoulders.
"Well, Cristian tells me this is your first carnival. I expect you to return many more times and explain that spell to me," Myra smiled at him in academic interest. "Now, there's someone you desperately need to meet."
"Oh, you're talking about Sandra?" Cristian asked. "I didn't realize she was here tonight."
"Yes, I saw her and Nicolas earlier in the Greek section," Myra explained.
"Chaos, go with her. You really do want to meet Sandra," Cristian said excitedly.
They followed the elderly blood mage over to the Greek section. Harry grabbed Charlie's hand when he saw a very familiar looking man standing beside a woman with her back to them. She had long, grey curly hair and was very petite. "Well, you are a little far from home tonight, aren't you?" Nicolas Flamel smiled at his truant student.
"Erm, Professor, hello," Harry shuffled his feet and ran his hand over the back of his neck. "Oh, um, call me Chaos here, my sponsor suggested it."
"Of course, Mr. Chaos. Who may I ask is your sponsor? Myra?"
"I wish," Myra laughed. "I only stole him from Cristian Ardelean to introduce him to Sandra."
"Who? Me?" The woman asked in an American accent as she took her gyro from the vendor. "Why would…" the woman paused as she turned, and she and Harry got a good look at each other. "Oh," she finally responded.
Red eyes looked into red eyes and matching silver studs were reflected. "You're like me," Harry breathed out in happy surprise.
Sandra smiled with a sad tinge to it. "Oh dear, you're so young," she said. "Welcome though. It's good to meet a fellow Necromancer."
"I was just telling Sandra that I wanted to introduce her to a Necromancer I had recently met," Flamel explained his presence.
"Sit, let's talk. Chaos is it? Who's your friend?" Sandra asked, leading them to a table and smiling at Charlie.
"Yes, I go by Chaos. This is Charlie, my boyfriend," Harry said with a wide grin at the new title.
"It's so good to meet you ma'am," Charlie shook her hand.
"Werewolf?" Flamel asked, motioning to the scars.
"Just mauled by one," Charlie corrected with a smirk. "Chaos here actually saved me…well, brought me back rather."
"You've gotten to the seventh level," Sandra remarked, counting the silver studs. "I myself haven't gotten past the sixth. How did you work the lost soul into a new body? I've never really found a situation where it was called for."
"It was a very strange situation," Harry agreed, even though it was the original reason he took up Necromancy. "It was a little complicated for a first meeting though," he said, knowing the situation with his father was best left unexplained.
Sandra just nodded, not questioning his reticence. "Are you going to try for the eight level? I have to admit that one terrifies me."
"Me too," Harry agreed. "I see how it can be helpful in healing or removing a part of someone's soul that has been damaged or cursed, but the possibility of getting lost to the monster is too much. I don't plan on ever attempting it."
"I hope not," Charlie agreed and squeezed Harry's knee. He didn't know much about the level, but Tom had mentioned it to him once over the summer, and it had sounded very dangerous, even more dangerous than Charlie was willing to accept, and his acceptable danger level was much higher than most people.
"Well, do you have a mentor in your studies?" Sandra asked. "I might be a level under you, but I've been practicing a long time. There are many nuances of the craft I'd love to share with you."
"You're offering?" Harry clarified excitedly.
"Of course, Chaos dear. I'd be honored to mentor you as you grow," Sandra smiled kindly. "I've never had anyone to teach before. I had a wonderful mentor myself though."
"Yes! Yes! Definitely," Harry agreed excitedly. "I'd love to have you as a mentor!"
"Fawkes will happily agree to deliver mail for you to where Sandra is in Boston," Flamel added, glad that the meeting and offer happened without any meddling from him at all. He knew Harry was still a little sore about all that Dumbledore had done and didn't want to step into his shoes. "He's watching over the castle for me tonight, or he'd be here himself to offer."
After talking for more than an hour more, Myra and Sandra both had to leave, and Nicolas offered to lead Harry and Charlie back to Cristian and Andreea. "So, Harry," Flamel gave his student a bit of a stern look. "Here at the carnival without Professor Shade and with your boyfriend. I wonder if I'm supposed to give detention for something like this?"
"But we aren't at school!" Harry protested in surprise. "Evan gave me his permission and Sirius knew about my tickets. Plus, I'm an adult."
Flamel laughed heartily causing Charlie and even Harry to smile. "I was just joking, child," he said between laughs. "I'm so happy to see that you're doing better than when I last saw you."
"When did you see me last? That was class on Monday, right?" Harry asked in confusion.
Realizing that Harry had no clue he had been there, Flamel stopped and looked at Charlie, wondering how much the other man knew. "I was there right before you left the castle," he said cryptically, not wanting to say anything in front of the redhead without Harry's permission.
"Oh," Harry nodded in understanding. "Charlie and Evan helped me get better," he said in explanation.
"Will you be in class on Monday?" Flamel asked as they continued to walk.
Harry nodded. "I'll head back to school tomorrow. Quidditch tryouts start next week anyway. I can't miss those."
"Then, I'll see you tomorrow," Flamel said with a parting handshake for Charlie when they reached the blood magic tent.
"I like him," Harry nodded towards his professor as he walked away.
"Maybe this one won't try to kill you," Charlie remarked, knowing Harry's track record with the new professors.
"We can only hope," Harry said wryly as Andreea walked over to him.
Harry stared down at the metal tag hanging from a chain around his neck, the permanent portkey for the Dark Carnival. Each week a new password would appear etched on the metal to take the wearer to the floating location of the carnival. It was also spelled where only the person it was given to could wear and activate it. Charlie was also musing at the one hanging around his neck. "I don't understand, but I'm happy about it," Charlie shook his head. "Someone must think I can learn dark magic."
"Ooo, I'll start you on soul magic. It's really fun," Harry offered and pulled him back into Charlie's tent at the dragon reserve.
Charlie responded by pulling Harry into a deep kiss. Harry wrapped his arms and legs around his boyfriend, jumping up to get them to the same height. "Too short," he mumbled into the kiss.
"Never," Charlie laughed as he sat them both on the couch. "You know, the couch isn't my room."
Harry poked his head. "Door's still open," he said, only barely pulling back from the kiss.
"Pesky door," Charlie grumbled but ended the kiss, trailing little butterfly kisses down his love's neck.
Harry pushed him back a bit. "I'm either going to the guest room or closing the door right now. How much do you fear the Dark Lord?"
Charlie thought about it seriously for a minute before he sighed. He stood in answer and pulled Harry to his feet. "We did agree to take everything a little slower than this, I guess."
"Just not flobberworm slow," Harry warned him but allowed himself to be pulled along and dropped off at his door.
"No, not flobberworm slow," Charlie agreed and gave him a little parting kiss before pushing his boyfriend through the door to his own room.
"Wimp!" Harry called out with a laugh as the door closed behind him.
"Dark Lord," Charlie responded in explanation with a laugh before closing his own door.
"So…how are you getting back to Scotland?" Charlie asked the next morning over breakfast that Harry had cooked. The older man had to admit, Harry's cooking was just as good as his mum's, not that Molly Weasley would ever hear him say that, Harry did though to his amusement. "Did Tom leave you one of those highly illegal international portkeys he's fond of making?"
Harry glared at him. "Love, you're going to have to work through this thing about portkeys eventually," Charlie sighed, realizing why the portkey was definitely not happening. "You can't floo into Hogwarts or apparate over that distance. A portkey is the best option. I realize why you hate them, but you have to admit they can be very practical."
"One day I will," Harry grimaced, pushing it off. "Just not today. Besides, I already worked it all out with Dad. I'm going to fly back."
Charlie looked at him very confused. "Did Snape pack your broom? You know it'll take you all day to fly back to Scotland. Honestly, you should have left already."
Harry rolled his eyes. "We just competed in a thestral race last night, and you've already forgotten my animagus form."
"True," Charlie laughed. "How fast can you fly?"
"Theoretically…much faster than a broom, and I should have an excellent sense of direction," Harry said happily.
"I don't like that this is all in theory," Charlie said, however, he was excited to hear how fast Harry could go. "But you have your ring if you get in trouble, right?" Harry held up his hand with the silver ring on it. "Good, you'll let me know when you get in? Floo call or send Fawkes?"
Harry sighed in fake exasperation. "I'll floo you in the morning, how about that?"
Charlie narrowed his eyes, but figured Tom would contact him if Harry was late getting in. "Sure, I can live with that as long as I get a goodbye kiss."
Charlie looked very strange holding a one-sided conversation with an invisible horse a few minutes later. Thankfully, not many of the other handlers were awake, or they would never have let him live it down. "Ok, your bag is secure on your back. Don't fly too low or you might fly into something in the morning fog. Rest if you get tired and use the ring for any reason whatsoever. Make Tom take care of you. He's not doing anything important."
The green eyes of the skeletal horse were giving the dragon handler a long-suffering look. "Don't look at me like that," Charlie scoffed. "You'd worry about me too if I was flying internationally as a horse."
Chaos gave a whinny that sounded very much like a laugh before taking off at a run and disappearing into the sky. "Love you!" Charlie called up into the sky, knowing the necromancer was too far away to hear him.
Ron Weasley was sitting by the quidditch pitch after dinner, enjoying the silence of the evening. He sat there a lot in the evenings ever since fourth year during those horrible weeks when he was an idiot and pushed Harry away. He had kept it up as a time for himself outside of the drama of the castle. He never mentioned it to Harry or Hermione, but this was the time of day that Hermione was always in the library and when Harry would generally mysteriously disappear.
This evening, he was contemplating Harry, the same as he had a lot recently. Being stuck between his girlfriend and his best friend, he felt he was getting a taste of what Hermione must have gone through during that time in fourth year and Harry during when Ron and Hermione were arguing in third year. He figured it was a kind of karma…for him, Harry didn't deserve this one bit in his opinion. The irony of it all was that he truly believed Hermione would support Harry if she understood what and why Harry became what he was though. Not that Ron knew the why, but he knew the what, and that was all he needed to know. That, and that Harry had single-handedly kept his family together and in one piece.
"Aaah!" Ron screamed out as a huge, skeletal, flying horse landed right in front of him. Green eyes were turned to him in surprise and the horse jumped back almost like it had been scared as well. "What the bloody hell are you?!" Ron exclaimed. "Some kind of death pony?"
The horse walked a little closer to Ron who got a better look at it in the dim light of evening. "Wait, you must be a thestral, right? Why can I see you? Who's died that I saw?"
Remarkably, the horse whinnied in what could only be a laugh. As it was laughing, it got smaller and smaller until Harry Potter stood and reapplied his glamour to his face with a wave of his hand. The necromancer picked up his bag that had fallen to the ground in his transformation. "Charlie died, remember," Harry answered Ron's question as he sobered up.
"Oh, right," Ron gasped out. "I can see your form then. Wow! That was you!"
"You didn't see the thestrals pulling the carriages when we got back to school?" Harry asked his friend, putting his arm through Ron's and pulling him towards the castle.
"Erm…no. I was hungry and avoiding Hermione," Ron said as explanation. "I guess I just didn't pay attention. Story of my life, I guess," he added on sadly at the end.
"Ron…you're the best friend a bloke could ask for," Harry stopped to assure him.
"Hey! You're touching me!" Ron exclaimed happily, noticing Harry's arm through his.
Harry couldn't actually reach high enough to put an arm around Ron's shoulder, so he pulled his friend into a half-hug by his waist. "Well…I am dating your brother now, so that kind of makes us family," he said with a wink.
"Wait? What did I miss? Please tell me you mean Charlie and not Percy or one of the twins," Ron asked dazedly. "Have you been in Romania the past few days?"
"Yes, and yes," Harry laughed, and walked them forward once more. "And, I'm going to tell you everything about it, so get ready to smile and nod in boredom because you're about to get way more details than you ever wanted."
"Never, mate, never," Ron rested an arm around the shoulders of his shorter friend. "Plus, I have to know everything before Ginny. She'll hate that, and it'll make my year."
Up Next: Meeting the family...again...