Author's Note: Set after the defeat of Nero, but before Jim officially relieves Pike of Captaincy of the Enterprise.

Jim and Bones sat on one side of a table, while Harry sat on the opposite side. Each had a glass in front of them. "Interesting first mission," Harry remarked. His companions laughed.

"Nothing is routine in Starfleet," Bones remarked.

"That's what makes it so fun," Jim spoke with a grin. He regarded Harry as the slighter brunet sipped his drink. "Well, you've been with us long enough to figure out how to talk around your vow of secrecy." Harry huffed and rolled his eyes.

"May I join you?" Spock asked as he approached the table.

"Sure Spock," Jim replied with a welcoming smile. He glanced over the Vulcan's shoulder and let out a whistle. "Uhura is pissed," he murmured. As Bones causally looked in her direction, Harry's eyes remained on his glass. "What did you do?"

"I followed some advice," he answered honestly.

"More to the point," Bones drawled, "what did you do Harry?"

Jim turned to him curiously while Harry ducked his head. "Pointed out a nuance of human interaction," he remarked, his casual tone belied by his blush.

"Ah, he let you know where Uhura thought you were going, so you could nip it in the bud early on."

Jim blinked. "I'm surprised at you Spock, she's hot, intelligent and into you, why not go with it?"

"You don't have to answer that," Bones interjected before the Vulcan can speak. "Just because Jim overshares doesn't mean everyone has to."

"It is all right, Dr McCoy. I respect and admire her skills, no more, and it would have been unfair to Nyota to have pursued a relationship."

Jim opened his mouth. "Some of us have higher standards than attractive," Bones remarked.

"What's wrong with that?" Jim retorted.

"They are always like this?" Spock asked Harry curiously.

"The three of us are," he answered easily.

"Well, he is until he meets a superior officer," Jim retorted. "Then he goes all respectful."

"I told you, I had practise before I joined Academy," Harry answered with a huff.

"But you don't do it with the slightest sarcasm or resentment."

He sighed. "I had to address a teacher I couldn't stand – at the time – as Sir constantly. You get used to it," he added, lifting a shoulder in a negligent shrug.

"Sounds like there's a story there," Bones drawled.

"Which I can't tell you," he spoke pointedly.

"Come on," Jim wheedled. "Talk around it."

"Fine," he huffed. "He hated my father and was in love with my mother."

"I take it the hatred won out?" Bones remarked.

"It seemed to," he replied, staring into his drink. "He put on an unpleasant persona, which caused the majority of the student population to despise him."

"Why would anyone make themselves more unpleasant?" Jim asked.

"Logic dictates that they would do so either as a way to keep others at a distance, or because they are traits that another prizes," Spock interjected.

"Second one," he stated. His expression turned pensive as he thought through it. "There was…an evil man who rose to power," he stated. "He seemed to be defeated, and was dormant for over a decade. My teacher-"

"Say his name, it'll be easier," Jim advised.

"Severus," he continued with a huff, "kept up the persona in his absence, so that when he returned and began to rise to power, he was able to…"

"Earn his trust?" Spock suggested.

He nodded. "He was a spy, feeding choice information to those determined to defeat the Dark Lord," he murmured, then blinked.

"Pretty pompous title."

"Such a person tends toward megalomania Doctor," Spock stated. Harry's lips curved ever so slightly before he had a sip of his drink.

"What happened to Severus?" Jim asked.

"He was murdered," Harry stated. "By the Dark Lord, who had no idea he was a spy."

"And the Dark Lord?" Bones asked.

"Also dead," he stated and chugged the last of his drink.

"Have a soft drink next," Bones cautioned.

"He's just shared one of the most tragic stories I've ever heard," Jim remarked, "he's entitled to a drink."

"He doesn't have your liver," he retorted hotly.

"I promise the next drink I'll order will be non-alcoholic, Dr Motherhen." Spock's eyebrows quirked.

"I prefer Bones," the doctor retorted.

"You didn't like that at the start either," Jim pointed out. "But we're getting off topic. Did Severus ever get married?" Harry shook his head. "Did he have kids?"

"He had a godson," he stated. Jim opened his mouth. "Can we not?"

"Why?" he asked pointedly.

"Because if we do, I'll want another drink, and I keep my promises."

Jim hummed. "I want another drink. Bones?"

"Sure."

"Spock?"

"Not necessary," he replied before Jim rose. "Will he leave it alone?" he asked curiously.

"Doubtful," his companions replied in unison.

His lips quirked. "Thank you, for your advice."

"Don't mention it," he replied, ducking his head.

"Especially not to Uhura," Bones retorted.

Harry shuddered. "Yeah, I don't want to be on her shit list."

"She did not ask, and if she does in the future, I will refrain from mentioning your involvement," Spock promised. Harry blew out a relieved breath.

Jim returned with a tray of four drinks. Spock's eyebrows quirked. "I got Harry's next alcoholic drink too Spock," he informed. "Otherwise, he'd only take mine." Harry grinned and had a swallow of his drink. "So where were we?"

"Can we leave it please?"

"Now or when you're completely sober, which would you prefer?"

"Fine," he huffed, having another swallow. "What do you want to know?"

HPSTHPSTHPSTHPSTHPSTHPSTHPST

Harry entered Jim's room, glad that Bones was already there. "There's something I need to talk to you about," he stated.

"Finally going to tell us your secrets?" Jim asked flippantly.

"There're a lot of things I can't tell you, because they relate to the specific thing I can't tell you," he huffed.

"Like the fact you have magic?" Harry's lips pressed together.

"You can't even say the word can you?" Bones murmured and Harry shook his head.

"So you come from a world that believes in magic instead of science," Jim retorted.

Harry shook his head. "I come from a planet that has multiple cultures across different continents, like Earth," he stated. "There is a small subsect of the population that hides itself from the rest," he stated. "For ten years, until I was eleven, I was raised among the greater population, and then I was introduced to their society and sworn to secrecy," he stated. "We're getting off topic," he remarked, waving it away. He blew out a breath. "I didn't use technology to get here, and despite the fact no one's ever made a return journey, I know that someone will come for me. Eventually," he added. "Because of circumstances, I'm likely to have to leave quickly, so I wanted to warn you in advance."

"Any idea when?" Jim asked. He shook his head.

"Why Academy?" Bones asked curiously.

"I didn't actually pick the place," he admitted. Jim's eyebrows rose and he grinned. "Coming with you seemed like the thing to do. I arrived at that place, at that time, for a reason right?"

"Nice to think so," Bones drawled.

"Yeah it is," Jim murmured. "Anything else on your mind?"