Chapter Eight

92 days Later

Harry rolled over his arm automatically snaking it around her waist and pulling her close as his thoughts drifted through the last three months. The first night they spent in a very nice hotel talking the night away and generally getting to know each other. That night he had a nightmare he was once again walking to his death only this time instead of Hagrid being held prisoner it was Samantha. Samantha Had felt Harry tossing and turning that night it was obvious he was having a nightmare. It took her some time but she was able to ease the nightmare. The next morning, she asked about the nightmare and Harry was about to deflect when he saw the look of concern on her face he broke and told her everything. The years at Privet Drive, the cupboard under the stairs, the neglect, the abuse, the story of his Hogwarts letter. He also told her of his adventures at school with his friends. He told her everything even most of the stuff into the year on the run. He was surprised by her response to his letting Voldemort kill him.

"Why would do that. Was it some macho thing Did you think you would not die?" She ranted as she paced, he thought she got even hotter when she was worked up "I can't even fathom why you would do such a thing. I need to know you won't do something like that again. You don't get to make me love you and then martyr yourself."

"Samantha, I did not martyr myself." He started then deflated because he had martyred himself now that he thought about "Since October 1st, 1981 I have carried a piece of that madman's soul in my scar. When he took my blood for his reincarnation, he thought he was getting the strength of my mother's protection but it only served to allow me a limited form of immortality in this very narrow instance he could not kill me, but he could kill the soul container in my scar"

He was brought out of his reverie by a very demanding kiss "Good morning handsome."

"Good morning gorgeous" Harry murmured nipping her on the neck "How is my favorite Astrophysicist this morning."

"I am a little worked up," she said narrowing her eyes "Someone's hands wandered in their sleep and teased me for half the night. You would not know anything about that would you" she finished the grin on her face was wicked as she rolled over and returned the favor. Touching harry in an intimate and stimulating manner then stopping "Looks like we got to get ready we got tests today and on an airplane back to Colorado tonight."

Harry interrupted her by kissing her with a soul-searing kiss "Samantha Carter you are evil with a capital E." he grumbled as he got out of bed and took a cold shower then proceeded to get dressed "Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Ginny are meeting us at the Ministry"

"It will be a good sendoff at least. I have eight tests today how many do you have?" Samantha said while washing her hair Hearing Harry mumble something "I did not catch that lover boy"], what did you say?"

"Only one I am doing what's known as the gauntlet." Harry said looking Samantha in the eyes knowing that she wanted to ask he pre-empted her "I when I get to the Ministry, I will be given a special time turner and portkey. I will take the portkey and then when I reach where my test is supposed to be I will use the time turner and will be given 48 hours to complete the gauntlet if I succeed, I skip newts and go straight to mastery."

"Why are you doing that it sounds dangerous?" Sam asked knowing that she was not going to like the answer.

"If I want to be commissioned as an officer or serve on an off-world capable unit." Seeing her concerned face "It is either gauntlet or I don't see you for the better part of at least three years while I go through Basic training advanced schools and tours of duty around the world."

That made Sam think 'we only have 9 months until we have to decide if he is the world away or I am off-world we could breach the contract.' "Alright, I don't like it but I do understand it."

Harry exhaled "I know you are not ready to make a decision and when the time comes even if you decide not to it will not change how I have come to feel about you." He then shooed her into the shower while he packed away everything in the pouch around his neck the last thing, he packed was a ring box with a Platinum band with two karat princess cut diamonds "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Bacon, eggs, toast, and Coffee," she said drying her hair off she thought back to what Harry said 'He is young, strong, definitely easy on the eyes, and he picking up everything she threw at him like a sponge. When he touched her, his touch felt like fire on her skin. They had not taken the plunge yet and had sex mostly a lot of making out and heavy petting. At least it had been that way until last night.

It had been a long day of near-constant spellcasting with a break for making a potion here or looking over some runes or arithmancy. Harry started by giving her a massage with strawberry-scented oil
Harry was working a knot out of her left shoulder caused by a blasting curse that caught her off guard. In addition to working on the knot, he was peppering her neck and shoulder blade with kisses "I have fallen in love with you Samantha Carter. Your Mind, Body, and Soul. I know you signed the contract and that we have nine months before we need to decide. I have made my choice and even if you decide against us, it will not change how I feel." The silence was palpable which saddened harry a bit. "That was kind of awkward, huh?"

That led to a larger discussion that found Sam questioning what exactly was holding her back. Harry rather than wanting to hold her back promised to be right in the thick of it with her. While he physically was young his level of maturity approached that of T'ealc. He had a cunning that reminded her of Jack, A joy of learning and teaching that rivaled Daniel Jackson. He also had a presence about him that reminded her of Her father and General Hammond. When she kissed him, he tasted… she could not describe it all she knew was she wanted more. "No Harry Not awkward, beautiful," She said as she rolled over and drew him into a heated kiss."

She finished drying her hair and Harry appeared with her breakfast which she quickly scarfed down and finished getting dressed pulling on the robe over her jeans and t-shirt with a pair of reasonably high-heeled boots. "You come back to me, my love. I would hate to have to plan our wedding alone because you were in the infirmary in a coma."

Harry did a double-take "did you just, will you?"

"Yes Harry," she said smirking "to Both, but you still have to formally ask and offer me the ring," Samantha said demurely

"Yes," Harry whooped picking Samantha up and spinning her around allowing her to settle in his arm. Kissing her with everything he was. "We will celebrate tonight. For now, good luck on your N.E.W.T's today "

"I think you are the one who is going to need luck' Samantha said stepping into Harry's arms again "Good Luck my love "she whispered as they apparated away

If Kingsley's anxiety was high before it was soaring higher now. Amongst his guests the queens' court Wizard Basil Shrewsbury, The American Secretary of Magic Samantha Ofenkil, also in attendance were the rest of Samantha's team. Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, a mountain of a man T'ealc, and their commanding officer General George Hammond.

Shacklebolt looked at the time and worried they had five minutes to get there before the tests started a moment later, they were met by a series of Pops, and floors flaming to life.

Harry looked at his friends and smiled two of them were graduating a year early, three of them were doing so a few months late. Harry gave Samantha a soft kiss that had most of her teammates raising an eyebrow it made the secretary of magic smile and it made Kingsley seethe 'we need potter here damnit'. Gawain Robards had been an auror for six decades he had not lost an ounce of prowess. Mostly due to his association with Charlus Potter, Matthew Carter, and later Alastor Moody's "Mr. Potter Welcome to WEA Sponsored Gauntlet" He said holding out both a time turner and the portkey "Are you ready?"

"I am about as ready as I can be." Harry said taking the portkey "Look after Lady Carter and tell Kingsley to school his expression better the hate in his gaze is bothering me." A moment later he activated the key and was gone.

"Carter a word if you will," O'Neill asked Motioning her to come over to them Cater raised an eyebrow and wandered away from the other students

"General, Jack, Daniel, and T'ealc What are you guys doing here?" Samantha asked

"That would be my fault Captain Carter or do you Prefer Lady Carter now" the lady who was standing next to Minister Shacklebolt "Forgive my rudeness I am Samantha Ofenkil I am the Secretary of Magic. As to why they are here One reason is to support you the other is to watch Mr. Potters Gauntlet. So, they can assess what training he is going to need and how much of it your team can give him so we can tailor his training to get him up to speed."

"Carter, I not one to ever tell you who to fall in love with." O'Neill stated, "But I have read his file he is just north of being legal in the states."

"Jack, for the record our relationship such as it is not up for discussion." Samantha ground out turning to General Hammond "Both Janet and I have sent our assessments based on the memory and actual visual accounts from people with and against Mr. Potter. Biased though our feelings are we would be stupid to not take Mr. Potter."

Turning back to Jack "He is Eighteen years old and has faced adversity that is on par with dealing Goa'uld. For nearly eight weeks we lived together like roommates completely platonic other than snuggling or the occasional kiss." Putting a hand on her hips "To be clear we have not done the deed. He wants to wait until we are married. Which is likely going to happen in a year or so depending on when he decides to ask." She did not bother telling them that she had already told "Now if you will excuse me My Betrothed awakened magic within me at our meeting and with the help of his friends has given me seven years' worth of education in a short period so, in addition to the gate, I have the secrets of magic to explore. Now I need to get back we have tests to take."

"I guess she told me," Jack said sardonically

"Indeed, she did O'Neill" T'ealc intoned "One would think you were courting death Irritating Captain Carter."

Daniel Jackson looked at his friends and smiled thinking back to a conversation He and Janet had in the infirmary a week ago after she got back.

"Tell me about your godson?" Daniel had asked trying to make a connection to keep the depression from overwhelming him. "Please I want to know. You know Jack is going to needle her and Him and T'ealc well he is a functional mute at the best of times. I want to make sure he feels welcome."

"What all do you want to know?" Janet asked wondering what was going on with Daniel

"How did you meet his parents?" he queried generally curious.

"Well, I met both his parents in our first year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry" Janet smiled remembering her sorting. "Lily Evans was my best friend and the smartest witch of our age. She strove for excellence in all things but was also compassionate. James Potter Harry's father was an absolute toe rage until the mid-sixth year when his parents die in a terrorist attack."

'Potter? There is no way they are the same people "Janet can you take a break there is something I want to show you." Daniel asked quietly now almost certain of who the potters were. "When I was sixteen there was a symposium held in London about Ancient runic language that I had worked for months to afford to go to. "I met a James and very pregnant Lily Potter. I was staying with my mentor for the trip but Lily and I got to talking about runes. She schooled me hard talked about the age of some runes and the very origins of others. It was she who changed how I thought of the pyramids" Danie opened the door to his quarters allowing Janet in he went to an ornate box opening it he flipped to the picture and pulled it out and sure enough it was a picture of her very pregnant best friend and her husband in the background looking a little worried but Lily she was smiling her head near Daniel's pointing at something a tear coursed down her cheek when she saw the date and time. It was taken and developed mere hours before Harry.

"Small world, only hours later Harry James Potter was born." Janet said quietly "Can I have a copy of this Daniel. Please?"

Daniel had been surprised at the request "Of course! I have the negative. How big do you want it?"

Daniel shook out of his reverie by hand on his shoulder "You okay Danny boy?" Jack asked looking a bit worried "Sha're?"

"No Jack, just do me a favor, Cut the kid some slack" Daniel's voice was laced with iron "It was his mother who turned me onto the path that allowed us to use the gate for travel" he went to a nearby comfortable chair sat down and waited One hour turned into two they had taken time to go to the ministry cafeteria for lunch then dinner. Until at last ten hours later 9:00 PM UK time all the test takers came out looking dead on their feet. Even the Ministers were tired from the wait. Samantha, Hermione, Luna, and Ginny came out supporting each other. Neville walked out with supreme confidence in his step behind the group.

Jack looked at the kids they looked done in he almost did not catch the hand sign Kingsley made and was moving when a flashbang went off when he regained his sight, he found it was just the secretary of magic and the team from Cheyenne Mountain being helped up by Auror Robards.

"I am not in the habit of letting people assault me "Gawain, what is going on?"

"I am afraid that minister Shacklebolt has just picked a fight he cannot win," the auror said grimly "He has taken most of the people Harry Potter cares about Hostage."

"Merlin helps him" Samantha Ofenkil declared "Because the chosen one will not!"

Authors Notes: Samantha Ofenkil is a character in the NCIS/hp Crossover Leaving Home by Jade94. 4539064/1/Leaving-Home I borrowed her without permission though I did ask waiting for a response.