"Your Excellence, I bear news of our attempts to replicate the abilities of the warlocks that we witnessed. We have two volunteers that have succeeded in not only staying awake through the night, but have also managed to leave and return. As promised we have released them from their debts to us and allowed them to return to their families as long as they continue to work with us."

"Very good my voice. Have them start practicing in the pyramids, have the muggle government close it off for renovation so we don't have to work around the tourists. I want them to be able to transport a company of our troops there so that we have a sufficient group ready to make contact with that city, and if necessary subdue it."

"I will ensure that it is one of the locations that Gringotts doesn't have a current contract over."

"Very good, I trust you are working on a more reliable method of learning this skill."

"We are indeed, though we think that you can start learning the basics now as it will also give you wandless magic. We have had more successes with magicals and squibs staying here than being able to travel."

"What are the risks at the moment?"

"Out of the 50 volunteers, 40 were squibs. 30 of them survived the initial testing to stay in this world, we actually have 6 survivors of the transit testing, but 4 of them are squibs and so wouldn't be able to take others with them if they can even use the runes in the pyramids."

"Why were you using squibs in the first place?"

"There are rumours that Magi Karen was served an obliviation order a couple of years ago in order to uphold the statute of secrecy. We haven't been able to substantiate it, but it held enough weight that we included squibs in our control group. When the first one disappeared we made a specific group for squibs, we gave them the idea that they could get enough magic to use a wand if they succeeded."

"Very well, is there anything else?"

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Daphne was very comfortable where she was sitting, granted she almost moved in the first half hour while her embarrassment was still showing on her face. But now she just felt safe and comfortable with Harry's arm across her shoulders and Hermione's hand occasionally touching hers. She also found that she was just as comfortable when Harry was a girl as a boy, as it seems to be something they do without thinking about it while they're relaxed. She wasn't even aware of it when instead of thinking the thought she spoke it out loud instead.

"Don't leave me behind, please don't leave me behind."

From Harry she just got a squeeze of her shoulder, but Hemione lifted her head and looked at her, "What do you mean?"

Realising that she'd just spoken aloud, she grudgingly prizes herself up from her comfortable position and sits cross legged so that she can see both of them properly. "I was just thinking about the fact that you gave me my life back, and we're going through the same magi training, but I can tell that you're both far more capable magically than I am. In fact I suspect that if Karen hadn't made an injunction against practicing out beyond the sanctuary you'd have already gone out there and spent hundreds of years learning everything you could. In fact when I stayed at Hogwarts while you were catching up with your families it got harder and harder. This morning I tried going to my parents house, and it was wrong. My room looked like one of those expensive hotel rooms that we stayed at in America. Everything was placed perfectly, and it looked like someone had put together a room based on the idea of a girl living there, but they had no idea what a girl actually likes. Then Mum gave me my key to her new house on Wisteria Walk and I came here to see if you'd like to help me pick my room and saw you both sitting here like that. You know what happened after that. But while we were sitting here I realised that even doing my best I won't be able to keep up with you unless you let me."

Harry and Hermione both share a look before they both nod and Hermione answers the unspoken question, "I promise that we won't leave you behind."

Lily coughs politely before she joins the conversation, "I have two things to add, Daphne you need to take these two to be checked for debts and bonds as it sounds like they have completely changed your life. The second thing is that a two minute release of magic from Karen forced me to change my ward stone into that. Don't you think that you might be able to get similar results on a witches magic if you control the exposure? As it seems to me that the whole thing about getting more magical as you go to different realms is that you are being forced to adapt to a much higher magical environment. Anyway, you three should go explore Daphne's new home, and don't forget that tomorrow is Christmas Day and we have lots of guests coming. Oh, and Daphne, the same thing applies to you as has applied to Hermione for a while, you can treat me as a surrogate mother if you wish. And one of the rooms in Harry's suite is yours too."

Harry turns girl as her face and hair both go bright red in embarrassment and she squeals "Mum!"

Lily pumps her fist, "Yes, I've still got it. Oh, and the room is still yours, same as the other room is Hermione's."

Hermione perks up, "It is?"

"It has been since the summer dear. Before you go investigate you should go with Daphne to find her house and look around it."

Hermione adopts a mulish expression.

Seeing her expression Harry puts her hand on one of hers, "Come on, you want to know where to go when you want to visit Daphne don't you? Or do you want to have to come from the station every time you visit?"

"But more space to keep my books."

"Don't forget Daphne has her own books, and I doubt she wants to keep them anywhere else after this morning."

"Oh, that's true, I bet I've never seen some of them. Come on you two, let's go and explore Daphne's home." With that she grabs both of them by their hands and drags them out of the house.

Harry and Daphne share a look and smile.

It doesn't take long for Hermione to realise that she doesn't actually know where Wisteria Walk is and come to a stop. It didn't take long to get to the house after that, and Daphne fished out her key and used it on the front door rather than using magic. The smile on her face as she opened the door to an empty house was like the sun. Like Harry's house it was a four bedroom home with both a living and dining room. Unlike the Privet Drive the stairs had been changed to just have the bases and the cupboard and pantry had been removed. In it's place was a door to the kitchen, which had been redone as a fitted kitchen with a modern dishwasher, washing machine, and tumble dryer all hidden by cupboard doors. The electric oven was also fitted with a hob in the granite counter top. The fitted Microwave cinched it for Harry, as she remembered when the Tomson's had had it done due to how much whining Petunia had done trying to get Vernon to get their kitchen redone too. He idly wondered how she was doing and if Karen had found her yet.

"Harry. Are you ok?" Hermione's question caught him off guard.

"What, oh yes I'm fine."

She give him a look and pointedly looks down at his chest. Looking down he flushes with embarrassment and shifts back to a girl, "Sorry, I know who owned this house before. As I remember when the Tomson's had the kitchen redone as Aunt Petunia wouldn't stop whining at Vernon about the fitted kitchen with a fitted microwave. He eventually bought her a new microwave that was higher rated and also had a grill option."

Both girls came over and gave her a hug, "I know you had a bad childhood, but it's not until things like this happen that I realise just how bad it was."

"I was also wondering if Karen had found Petunia yet."

Daphne blushes slightly, "Oh, I can answer that one. She got back last night and brought Ceeley with her. I don't know more than that as I left before she woke up."

"Ceeley!"

Ceeley pops in when he says her name, "Mistress calls?"

Harry immediately kneels down and gives her a hug, "Ceeley I've missed you. How are you? How's Petunia?"

Hermione and Daphne both leave Harry to catch up with Ceeley while they explore the rest of the house.

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In an old and forgotten stone circle in the middle of an Albainian forest a new born baby lay on a stone slab. A young unicorn was tethered next to the stone with strong iron chains. Just outside the circle is a caldron with a simmering potion that's giving off noxious smoke. Peter Pettegrew stands beside the alter watching the sky for a sign. As soon as the last sliver of the sun drops below the horizon he takes a stone knife and slices open the baby's throat. As the baby is bleeding out he watches the unicorn carefully. Just as life is about to leave the baby it steps forward and touches it's horn to the wound. Quick as lightning he lashes out with the same knife and slices it's throat allowing the life blood of the unicorn to cover the baby while avoiding the blood himself. As the strength leaves the unicorn it collapses forward so that it's blood continues to cover the child.

As the unicorn finally keels over Peter takes the baby and carries it over to the bubbling cauldron and unceremoniously drops it in. A dark shadow darts in from deeper in the forest and joins the baby in the cauldron. The level of the potion then starts to shrink as it's absorbed into the body and eventually a tinny voice calls out, "Peter, lift me out and clothe me."

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Daphne and Hermione both woke up early on Christmas Day as Harry sleepily trudged through their rooms on her way to the bathroom. She paused as the opened the door from Daphne's room to the rest of the house as the smell of cooking breakfast wafted into the room. A moment later Daphne let out a squeak as the bed she was lying on disappeared, becoming a victim of Chirpy's hunger. She started laughing when Harry turned round and saw that she slept naked before spinning around again, her cheeks and hair bright with embarrassment.

Feeling bold she decides to tease Harry, "Oh Harry, don't worry about it, it's not as if I have anything that you don't have. But it's far to early to be awake on Christmas day, so I'm going to join Hermione, and when you're finished you can join us and help warm me up again after being the cause of my bed disappearing."

The squeak from Hermione's room just added to her amusement. As Harry walked out, her dignity in tatters, Daphne makes good on her promise and heads to Hermione's bed.

"Budge over, it's freezing out here."

"But. But."

"Oh hush, it's just like having a sleepover, I've done it loads of times with Tracey."

"You have?" Hermione squeaks.

"Uh huh. Have you never had a sleepover before?"

Hermione shakes her head, "I never had any friends to invite me over or to invite."

"Well, you've got me and Harry now, there's also the other members of the original mediation club too. Once the new house is furnished we'll have a girls night followed by a sleepover. We might have to wait until summer, but we will."

"Ok?" Hermione says more than a little stunned with the idea.

"Oh, and you can find out what non-magical girls do and we can mix the traditions."

Harry comes back in looking more awake, her hair has been finger brushed back. "Come and join us Harry, I was just saying to Hermione that as neither of you have ever had a sleepover before, we'll have one at the new house once it's furnished. Well it might be the summer rather than immediately after it's furnished."

"Huh?"

"Come on, it's only 6:30 you need more sleep."

Grudgingly Harry gets into the bed beside Daphne. A little shuffling later and she's between Daphne and Hermione.

Hermione asks, "What was that smell?"

"Oh, the house elves and elflings are cooking for Christmas to say thank you for being able to use the TV. Apparently they're getting an early start here so that they can try out some of the dishes before they do them at Hogwarts later on the much larger ranges. I've never been chased out of my own kitchen before."

Somehow all three girls get back to sleep, though in Harry's case it's partially because she has nowhere to go without disturbing one of the other two.

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The three of them are woken up at around 11 by the flash of a camera. As they blearily look around the room they can see a house elfling holding a wizarding camera almost as big as it is on top of the wardrobe. Floating through the wardrobe beside it is Lily with a huge smile on her face. Harry's face sours as she feels a dampness between her legs.

"Daph, sorry about this, but I need you to move. Mum, could we get some privacy please as I need to get a pad."

Lily smiles sympathetically, and using her best mum voice she says, "Ok, the elflings will bring you breakfast ones you're all back in bed. And you will let them serve you breakfast in bed."

Lily smirks at the triple chorus of "Yes Mum" from the bed.

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Celia wakes up in the marriage bed to Duncan's soft swearing in the garderobe. Silencing and disillusioning herself wandlessly she carefully moves up next to him with her magic tamped down as far as she can. As she looks around him she can see that he's looking at a dark mark on his thigh. Just as she's wondering why she's never seen it before he grabs his wand from the toilet paper shelf and casts a complicated looking spell on it, before it fades into his skin as though it was never there. Quickly she hurries back to bed and casts a sleeping spell on herself set to last only a couple of minutes.

Duncan comes back in a moment later to see Celia sleeping peacefully, her wand on the stand next to her where she normally leaves it. Padding around the bed, being careful not to wake her, he silently casts prior incantatem and nods when it shows she last used teeth cleaning, makeup removing, and hair tying spells. Putting it back where he found it, he continues getting up for the day. Once he's dressed he returns to the bed and wakes Celia up with a kiss to her forehead.

"Good morning sweety, I'm just heading downstairs. I would imagine that Astoria and Daphne will be rather impatient, especially if I leave the door open."

As soon as he leaves Celia slips out of bed and uses the chamber pot in the garderobe before using her wand to vanish the contents. She grimaces as she considers how spoilt she's become by non-magical conveniences like a flushing toilet that doesn't stink the room out. But despite the fact that Dippet had runic versions of flushing toilets fitted in the 20's they hadn't caught on in the wider wizarding world. As she sits at her vanity to apply her makeup she considers that before she picked up Pizza with Daphne she'd not even thought about it herself. But now she has to force herself to use her wand as it's already feeling alien in her hands.

Soon enough she's downstairs with Astoria and Duncan, ostensibly waiting for Daphne. Although Duncan seems to have forgotten that she can literally go anywhere in the world whenever she wants and there's nothing he can do to stop her.

"Where is that girl? Doesn't she know that she's supposed to be here to do the annual visits?"

"Maybe she's gone to visit friends."

"How, she hasn't left the wards since yesterday."

Respectfully Astoria responds before her mother can, "Father, all the students on the Magi track can teleport into and out of Hogwarts with nobody the wiser."

"Bah! Muggle nonsense, call it apparate like everyone else."

"We were taught that Teleport is the general term for moving from one place to another without passing through the intervening space, and apparition is one method of doing so. House elves have another way, the sidhe use another way, and magi yet another way."

Celia gave Astoria a warning look, but it was evidently too late given Duncan's follow up question, "What do you mean sidhe use another way?"

Seeking to head off that line of thought for the moment, Celia takes the time to remind Duncan about the time.

"Husband, is this the time to talk about this? After all, we are due at the Malfoy's in a couple of minutes."

"You're right. We are doing the Malfoys, Notts, Averys, Bones, Bulstrodes, Blacks, and Ogdens this year."

"The Bones and Blacks won't be there, as they're visiting the Potters and Evans."

"How do you know this?"

"Astoria and I have invitations to visit later due to the Potters friendship with Daphne."

Duncan considers that information for a moment, "Very well, you may go once we finish our visits. If you can make a good impression maybe we can get some business deals out of them later."

Presents in hand they call Malfoy Manor on the floo and begin their Christmas circuit.

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Harry came back in and climbed back into bed as the other two did their morning ablutions before returning to bed. As the last got back into bed she bursts into tears.

Hermione hugs him, "What's the matter Harry?"

As Daphne joins Hermione, Harry responds between sobs, "Just hormones I think, I was just thinking about how I haven't bought anyone Christmas gifts. As there's just so much going on it didn't even cross my mind. On top of that my cramps are bad as usual and I've not had the potion yet."

Daphne strokes her back, "It's ok, I didn't buy any gifts either. But if you want to put stuff together I think we've all bought enough things in America to give everyone a reasonable gift. Oohhh, I'm going to give my 'Worlds Largest Gobstopper' to Astoria."

Harry brightens, "We could do that couldn't we."

A few elflings pop into the room carrying breakfast, Harry's potion, and a tray, they also have an intricate looking nest with bits and bobs in it. The elf with the nest places it at the foot of the bed first and they all stand there on the bed waiting for Chirpy to take the bait. Once it has, the elfling holding the tray expands it to cover the girls laps while the last elfling puts the food on the tray in front of them.

"Merry Christmas Mistresses."

"Thank you, I hope you've been having a good day as well."

"It has been very good. We's been allowed to help in the kitchen, and there's been special programs on TV. Matriarch been enjoying Mistress Delia Smith, she have fun ideas for food."

"I'm glad you've been having fun."

Once the elves popped off the three of them tucked into their food as a procession of things Harry bought around America came out of her room and either got wrapped and labelled or went back to her room. Just as they finished eating she froze with her fork half way to her mouth.

Daphne nudged him, "Harry what's wrong?"

"I just feel stupid."

"Oh?"

"They don't celebrate Christmas in Egypt do they."

Hermione smiles, "They don't, and it's also a Saturday so all the shops will be open."

They quickly finished their breakfasts before getting dressed for Egypt and heading to Alexandria for some last-minute Christmas shopping.

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Karen woke in the hospital wing of Hogwarts with her head still ringing from the grilling and lecture come admonishment that she's suffered first at the hands of Hogwarts when she stopped in the sanctuary for the dream to open up to the rest of the school, then by Poppy, and finally by Azaria. The lack of sunlight streaming in the window told her that it was certainly late morning at the least, a quick tempus let her know that it was almost time for lunch.

"Good morning Headmistress, I hope you slept well." Poppy said acidly.

"Morning, sorry for being the cause of you being roused from your sleep last night."

"I don't care about been woken up at 2 in the morning, you've been galivanting off in the dream, and you're now pregnant. I can tell that your child has no relationship with Dudley so I am very angry with you."

"Woah, woah, I have not been cheating on Petunia. I couldn't. We made a bargain with Selene, and we weren't all on the same page as to what it meant. So this is Selene."

"Who is we?"

"Petunia and I."

"So why didn't you tell me last night?"

"You didn't give me a chance and I'd just got out of a 5 hour grilling with Hogwarts while I was waiting to get back to the rest of the school."

"Hrumph, well you might be interested to know that the father is one Amphimachos no last name."

"How do you know that?"

"You've been asleep since 5am, so I've had plenty of time to run all the diagnostics you'd have needed to sit through if you were awake this morning. The paternity test is a standard diagnostic for all expectant mothers on their first visit."

"What does that mean for rape victims?"

Poppy snorts, "Outside of war and murder victims, rape is virtually unknown in the magical world. Of course there are those like Greyback who are too dangerous and difficult to find, but no, it's more likely that wizards with those predilections will attack mug… non-magicals, as our diagnostics don't work unless the child is magical. You also hear stories of the occasional marriage out of nowhere, though where we can those are dealt with by the DMLE, even if the father has to go away for 18 years. Of course, we have our own grey areas, such as love potions. Yes, the less powerful illegal ones are taught in NEWT potions, but that's because they're the base for their antidotes which are also taught in NEWT potions. Just to be clear, you came up negative on our tests for those. That's another thing we have to test for, as if there were traces of the potion from the mother or the father we'd need to take corrective action at birth and every 12 months until the child reaches 8 years old to ensure proper emotional development. It's only a problem for the longer term potions like Amortenia, tears of Eros, and Hera's pearls. Then you've got the black potions like Ereshkigal's water and light of Astarte, which you need to be a registered healer to read about. The fact that I can even tell you about them says that you are outside the oaths I took as you're clearly not under the effects of either of them. The penalty for brewing them is death, and the penalty for dosing someone with them is the choice between taking a dose yourself keyed to the victim, or binding yourself to the victim with an oath of servitude. If you're both the brewer and the person it's keyed to, then we will break you until you willingly take the oath. Unfortunately we also need to sterilize the victims and their partners, as the children are all emotionless husks. These punishments seem harsh, but the black potions are sometimes known as slavery in a bottle, as they way they work is they rewire your brain so that fulfilling the requests by the person the potion is keyed to gives you the greatest pleasure, while being separated from them is the greatest pain. So the only justice we can give the victim is ensure they have the happiest and longest life we can. I'm sure there's others that are only taught to master healers, and covered by more oaths."

"Why is Amortenia even taught at NEWT's and not once you're in a career that needs to know about it?"

"Just about every profession that needs NEWT potions needs to recognise the potion or it's ingredients. Whether you're an apothecary, healer, auror, or just gathering the ingredients. Just about every country has mandatory reporting laws so that if someone buys the key ingredients for them the local aurors can pay a quick visit to check what they're being used for."

"Hmm, thank you for letting me know about that. I'm going to have to ensure that we don't teach any illegal potions here as part of regular schooling. I'll have to find out how long it takes to cover those potions and then offer a free post-graduate summer course to those who do get jobs in fields that require knowledge of those potions."

She conjures a note for each of the professors asking about anything they teach at NEWT level that is generally considered to be illegal worldwide, "Tilly"

Tilly pops in, "Yes Headmistress."

"Can you or one of the other elves ensure that all of the professors get one of these notes please?"

"Tilly can do that."

Poppy looks somewhat confused, "Why are you doing that?"

"It's simple, potions like Amortenia should be considered a controlled substance as their use is illegal. Therefore, while it may be something that people should be taught to recognise, it's not something they should be taught to make at school level. We've got plenty of things like that in the non-magical world, and there's a famous banned book called the Anarchists cookbook that is full of recipes for explosives. Though rumours in the library circle is that various secret service agencies have released their own copies with incorrect recipes so that if people try to find a copy they're more likely to blow themselves up than someone else. Of course, if you go on to do degree level chemistry, get a masters, or PhD, you will almost certainly have the knowledge to make them from first principles and only hints."

"What are those qualifications?"

"A degree is post-NEWT, I think you call them Masteries. A Masters is a specialisation that you can take after that, and a PhD is self-directed research that can be done after a Masters, and leads to recognition as a Doctor of Philosophy by your peers. Generally, you need to add to the body of knowledge with something new."

"I see." Poppy says in a tone that makes it clear that she doesn't see.

"In essence there are things that people that pursue further education after Hogwarts will learn that allow them to do illegal things easily, that we don't generally want the public to know how to do. Then there's things like those potions, which are well within the capabilities of school leavers, and need to be recognisable for certain professions. But also are restricted by nature due to their legality. As such, they need to be taught, but not to everyone.

"Now, is there anything else that you feel the need to shout at me about that could be down to not having all the information?"

"Not really, but if you don't show up here for a weekly appointment I will find someone I can send out to drag you back by your ear."

"Yes Ma'am, if that's all Ma'am we should go and join the Christmas Lunch."

Giggling Karen skips out just ahead of the stinging hex that Poppy sends her way.

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Slowly Privet drive starts to fill up with the family and friends of the Potters and Dursleys. This includes the first to arrive out of those not staying there, Sirius and Victoria, Celia and Astoria, the Tonks', Bones, and Azaria, Karen, Poppy, and Minerva, Remus, the Grangers eventually, the Weasleys, and finally a few neighbours that Harry hadn't met yet, but were friends with Lily. Many of the same people would be going to the Library tomorrow to celebrate with Hogwarts.