Harry was shocked to find that when he woke up the next morning, there was a beautiful snowy owl sitting on the sill of one of the windows in the room they were renting. The gentle tapping of the beak against the glass woke him from the excellent dream he'd been having. Grabbing his glasses from the bedside table, he stretched briefly before walking up to the large paned window. The snowy owl had beautiful white and grey feathers, and when he opened the window it not only hopped inside but seemed to nuzzle into his hand.

"What a beautiful girl." He commented, earning a noise of appreciation from the animal. Ron had told him about the unusual way mail was delivered in the capital but seeing it with his own eyes was spectacular…magical even. He'd only ever received owls from Ron, and even then Pigwidgeon was not a very impressive bird. It was much more of a sight to see flocks of owls flying in the sky outside his window.

Noticing the parchment rolled up and attached to the owl's leg, he also noticed a tag hanging from a blue ribbon around her neck. "Hedwig are you?" He mused, and the bird seemed to chirp in recognition. Unwrapping the parchment from its position, he was surprised to see not Ron's name, but his own on the paper.

Harry Potter,

I have heard you are in the capital for this week due to the upcoming ball celebrating our Princess. It was one of the greatest joys of my life to teach your parents, and I would like to cordially invite you and your companions for tea in my office at Hogwarts at 3 pm today. Please send Hedwig back with a response.

Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster of Hogwarts
Advisor to their Majesties

Harry's eyes widened as he read and re-read the note. "Dumbledore…" He wondered aloud, hearing a wide yawn behind him.

"Wa bou Dumbledore?" Ron asked through his yawn.

"Dumbledore has invited us to tea at Hogwarts today. Says someone told him I was in the city." His face lit up as he read the line about his parents again. "Maybe he'll be able to tell me more about my parents when they lived here!" Excitingly grabbing the quill that laid on the desk below the window, he quickly scribed a response.

Mr. Dumbledore,

My friends and I would be honoured to have tea with you. We will see you at 3:00.

Harry Potter

Watching the owl go, Harry could hardly contain his excitement. It was 9:00 now so he had six hours to go before he would get to meet the man. Ron seemed to not only have less enthusiasm, but also to not want to get out of bed. Harry was up and ready to go before Ron had even so much as brushed his hair. The darker haired man had chosen a simple outfit for the day, black trousers and one of his less worn linen shirts. It may have been white at one point, but his aunt had 'accidentally' dyed all his clothing gray a few years back. Ron dressed similarly, and although his clothes were also hand-me-downs, they were of a much higher quality than Harry's. Straightening his glasses and attempting to brush his unruly hair into submission, he gave himself a once over in the mirror. He certainly wouldn't be attracting any princesses with his styling, but he didn't look quite as disheveled as he had when he arrived. Once Ron finally got ready (meaning once Harry had annoyed Ron into motion) the two made their way down to breakfast.

"Good morning Ginny." Harry greeted, seeing that the vibrant woman was already waiting at the table when they arrived. Unlike Ron who always looked like he'd been run over by a carriage in the morning, Ginny seemed to revel in the crisp air and sunshine that spilled through the open windows. Her brilliant red hair was twisted up in a very fashionable up-do, and she wore a pale blue color that brought out her eyes. Harry had always found her beautiful, but never could bring himself to see her as anything other than a sister. "Thank you for getting me that appointment with Dumbledore. We're going to tea at three."

"Dumbledore?" She questioned, a look of confusion passing through her eyes. "He's not the person I got a meeting with. I got a meeting with McGonagall. I don't know how you got an invite to tea with the King and Queen's advisor, but it definitely takes someone with more connections than me to make that happen. Good thing McGonagall asked to meet at 1. We should have plenty of time between to show you around the school."

Harry's nose scrunched as he took in what she had said. If Ginny wasn't the person who told the Headmaster he was in the city, then who had? He only knew two people in the capital. Deciding that it didn't matter who had been the one to tell the old man he was there, he returned to being excited. Plus, now he had another meeting with the woman Hagrid had told him stories about. She would surely be able to give him some more information on his parent's youths.

"Harry and I realized that we're gonna need masks for the ball. Didn't even think about that until he brought it up. You'll need to come with us or we're doomed to look like complete and utter nutters." Ron knew how to manipulate Ginny into doing things and playing along with her high opinion of herself was one of them.

Looking victorious, she took another strawberry from the bowl in the center of the table, popping it into her mouth. "You would be lost without me wouldn't you." Ron nearly broke out of his smile, but his mission of looking his best so the princess would fall madly in love with him won out over the possibility of making fun of his sister. After all, when he was the Prince Consort, he could make fun of his sister all he wanted and if she tried to retaliate, he'd have her thrown in the dungeon.

"Absolutely aimless." Ron laid on thick, watching Ginny preen in the sight of her brother having to be nice to her. Reveling for another minute or so, she finally gave in. "Oh alright. We can go after breakfast to search for masks. That should leave us plenty of time to walk to Hogwarts for our meeting with McGonagall."

The rest of breakfast passed in companionable conversation centering mostly around Dean. As sour as Ron was that any man was marrying his sister, especially one of his mates, he did seem to be playing up his opposition. Ginny talked about Dean in a way that made it 100% clear that she was completely besotted with him, and Harry could only hope that Dean would speak the same way about his pseudo-sister.

When Ron was done with his fifth plate, he finally decreed that he was done, to Harry's relief. Ginny could eat just as much as Ron when they were at the Burrow, but her mother's voice stayed in the back of her ear when she was away from home screeching about proper behavior for a lady. Harry was so used to table scraps and leftovers that he was careful not to indulge too much; his first meal at the Burrow he had gotten sick from over-eating. He often wondered where his red-headed friends got the room for the sheer quantity of food they consumed, but he never did figure it out.

Heading out from the Leaky Cauldron into the streets of Diagon Alley, Harry was once again overtaken by the new experiences around him. Today they wondered into the garment district, which housed a tailor's shop, haberdashery, dress shop, and jewelry store. Madame Malkin's was what Ron referred to as, "The snottiest place for the snottiest people", but Ginny insisted that if they were going to find masks, it was the best place to look.

Walking into the brick building, Harry first noticed that there were far less people in this store than the chocolate shop and Fred and George's establishment. It seemed to be the sort of place that the everyday person would dream of one day being able to shop in, and Harry could see Ginny nearly drooling over a section of dresses made of Italian silks. Grabbing her arm and dragging her to the mask section, Ginny immediately got to work looking through the masks. She had found her own mask quickly, choosing a three-quarter mask that covered the bottom portion of her face. The white and gold mask brought out her eyes, and she had immediately claimed it.

"What about this one?" Ginny asked, holding up an orange mask that had the features of a lion. It seemed to be a popular one as there were only a few left in stock. Harry shook his head, but Ron seemed intrigued by it, disappearing to utilize the mirrors in the next section over as he tried it on. As he looked around, he was struggling to find a mask that spoke to him. Passing by elephants, ravens, badgers, zebras, peacocks…there were so many masks and yet Harry hadn't been drawn to any of them. At least not until he passed by a display case.

Laying on a black velvet pillow in the display case was a simple gold mask that almost looked like lace. The light caught on it, and the shop owner seemed to take an interest in him. "A unique piece. It was made on a commission many years ago, but the man never arrived to pick it up." Removing the delicate mask from the pillow, the older woman offered it to him. There was something about this mask that seemed to draw him in, and when he put it on it fit like a glove. Ginny gasped as she saw him, and he rushed to a mirror. Although the mask was not covering too much of his face, it hid his identity well, even covering the scar that marred his forehead. His green eyes contrasted with the reflection of the gold, and for the first time in his life, he thought that he looked handsome.

"How much is it?" He croaked out, removing the mask quickly but gently before reaching into his pocket for the spare change he carried. Maybe he wouldn't have anything left, but for some reason he didn't care. To his surprise, the woman simply shook her head. "It was paid for long ago. I would rather it go to you than sit here in this case. Make sure that it is used well." Before he could protest her decision, she was gone, called away by a voice that sent a chill down his spine.

"Only the very best for my duddy-kins." He heard his aunt call out. Panic rose in his chest, and he swiftly ducked behind the counter the woman had just occupied as Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley walked in.

"Now we'll have to look through all the masks before we…oh hello Ginevra, Ronald." The contempt in her voice was clear, and Ginny barely even bothered to remember her manners before responding. "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. A pleasure as always." She offered her hand to Dudley, who kissed her knuckles with a slight bow. If there was one thing that the Dursley's hated, it was that a family they considered beneath them were due such formalities. Peeking through the corner of the glass, Harry watched his family interact with his friends.

Ron, knowing exactly how to annoy the Dursleys best and having returned victorious from his mission to try on his mask, reminded Harry's dear aunt of his status. "I do believe there is a Lord in there somewhere. Of course, I'll never be the Earl of Ottery St. Catchpole due to my brothers, but I am a young man of status nonetheless. You fancy yourself a Lady Gin?" The casual way he rubbed their noses in his privilege made Harry snicker, which caused Petunia to eye the counter. Harry quickly retreated back from where he'd been watching the whole exchange and prayed his aunt wouldn't notice.

"Yes well such a shame Harry couldn't join us for the ball. I'm sure he would've loved spending time with you both. After all, you must have so much free time, being so low down on the hierarchy." The venom in Vernon's voice was apparent, and if Ginny hadn't been there, Ron likely would've have challenged the man to a duel for his insult.

"Yes…shame. Well We have some masks to purchase but do have a lovely day. Perhaps we'll have the…pleasure to see you at the ball." Ginny made sure to exit from the side of the room opposite Harry's position to allow him to sneak out. His heart was still racing when he successfully made his escape. He ran outside without waiting for Ron to pay for his and Ginny's masks and waited by a nearby bench. That had been too close of a call for comfort, and Harry was reminded just how stupid of a decision it had been to come in the first place. There was no way that he could go to the ball, they would recognize him immediately!

He didn't calm down until Ginny and Ron rejoined him, and even then, it took several minutes of reasoning with him to keep the dark-haired boy from going back to the inn, packing his things, and riding back home. After Ginny told him for the fourth time that they wouldn't recognize him dressed up and with a mask on, he finally relented to their arguments. They grabbed a quick lunch from a nearby café of sandwiches that they could eat as they walked to the castle.

Just outside the confines of the inner city, Harry noticed that he could see the building way before they were approaching it. The ancient castle was on an island in the back corner of the capital, and he was once again shocked at the sheer size of the city. Gates of wrought iron separated them from the sprawling grounds. Walls and parapets of stone rose out of the ground like a work of art. Each stone was placed with care, and Harry began wondering where on these grounds his parents had been. Where had his father met his mother? Where had she sat to study on days when the sun shone? Everywhere he went, he could feel a warmth in his step; like his parents were somehow there with him.

"'ello Harry." A familiar voice greeted, and he was pleasantly surprised to find the giant man he had met the day before. Hagrid had a large hound at his side and a chicken under his arm, which brought Harry back to the story he had been told about his father the day before.

"Hello Hagrid." The trio echoed, following the larger man as they crossed the lawn. They arrived at the front doors with five minutes to go until their appointment with McGonagall. "We'll meet you for tea in Hogsmeade tomorrow if you like Hagrid." Ginny offered, petting Fang goodbye as they prepared to go inside.

"Tha'd be lovely." Hagrid agreed, his wide face lighting up with a smile accompanied by a deep, hearty laugh. It was easy for Harry to see how his mother would have liked this man. Saying their goodbyes, the three walked through the open wooden doors. Inside, Harry nearly fell over from his wonder and awe. The cathedral ceilings of the grand foyer were decorated with four sets of fabrics, one gold and red, one blue and bronze, one silver and green, and one black and yellow.

"How could you stand to be home schooled knowing that this place exists?" He wondered aloud, his body moving forward as he looked hungrily over every nook and cranny. To his left was another set of grand doors which seemed to lead to a gathering hall. Ginny gestured for Harry to follow her up the stairs, and he discovered a whole new floor of rooms to explore. He knew they had their appointment with McGonagall and he should hurry to not be tardy, but he also hoped they'd have enough time afterwards to look around even more.

The first thing he noticed about the woman they were meeting was her stern looking expression. Her half-moon spectacles sat at the bridge of her nose, a string of pearl and jade connecting the two ends. She was dressed in an emerald green gown that was accented with gold, and her greying hair was pulled back into a tight bun. She was beautiful in a motherly way, and there was a twinkle in her eye that led him to believe that as perturbed as she was that they were late, she was also thrilled to meet him.

"Ahh Mr.s Potter and Weasley and Ms. Weasley. It is customary to arrive on time when one is invited to tea. Come sit as I prepare our drink." The older woman seemed to float, and the three younger adults followed without another word. Her office was warm, with a fire burning in the huge fireplace. Portraits of previous faculty and the King and Queen adorned the walls. "Why are there no pictures of the Princess?" Harry asked, wondering back to his passing joke about her being ugly.

"Princess Hermione insists on keeping as low a profile as possible." The way the woman spoke of the girl led Harry to believe she cared for the Princess like a daughter. Ginny was the next to ask a question. "So Professor McGonagall, how is it you came to know Lily and James?"

Sipping at her tea, the woman smiled as she responded. "They were both in my house." Realizing Harry seemed confused, she elaborated, "Here at Hogwarts, there are four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each house is known for a certain trait its students tend to manifest. Your parents were in Gryffindor, the house of bravery. Lily…well she was probably the best student I'd ever had. She was so hungry for knowledge and so committed to her education. I was shocked when her son was not enrolled upon his eleventh birthday, but nevertheless I am thrilled to meet you now."

"As for you Ms. Weasley, you are growing into quite a fine young woman, and to think that only a few years ago you were throwing spoons at me while I tried to teach you some form of decorum." Ginny's face turned a shade of red that Harry could only compare to a ripened tomato, and he spent all his energy withholding his laughter. Knowing Ginny since she was 11, Harry could easily envision her throwing things during one of her less demure tantrums. Ron however, had not withheld his laughter, and he found Ginny's foot kicking his leg. To the girl's credit, if he hadn't been looking down, he wouldn't have known Ginny had been the one to kick him. When Ron yelped as Ginny's boot hit his shin, glaring at his younger sister. McGonagall turned her sharp gaze towards him, and he seemed to shrink in size.

"Mr. Weasley, I do believe you never engaged in such an education. Perhaps you could learn something from your sister." There was a look of amusement in her eyes that Harry found reminded him of his mother. Ron looked sheepishly down at his teacup and joined his sister's crimson hue as Ginny shot him a victorious and knowing smirk. The next question that McGonagall asked was sent squarely at Harry and took him completely by surprise.

"How is your mother doing? I was so saddened to hear about James's death. Dragonpox took his parents as well when he was under my charge." Harry nearly choked on his tea as he breathed in the hot liquid. "My mother…well…she's…" Feeling the hot sting of tears in his eyes, he placed the tea cup down on the desk and muttered his excuses. Nearly running from the room, he went as far as his lungs could carry him before they began to burn. How could she not know his mother was dead? Did no one know? It was common knowledge in his area.

When he finally stopped, he found himself in a vast library. The burning in his chest was growing stronger, and he sat against a nearby bookshelf, putting his head in between his knees and drawing deep breaths. This was the position that a young girl found him in, and he rushed to stand. It wasn't often that he found himself overwhelmed, after almost a decade of neglect, but the thought that people didn't know his mother was dead had hit him hard.

"Are you alright?" A sweet voice asked. Looking up from his position, the girl's face, at first, was blurred by a bright ray of sunshine illuminating her hair. Her beautiful chestnut curls bloomed wildly from her head, and his breath was taken away once again as he took in the rest of her. Her brown eyes held a warmth that made him feel immediately at ease, and she was nibbling on her lips (perhaps a nervous habit or out of concern for him). She wore a simple blue dress with gold thread woven throughout, and if it wasn't for the fact she had spoken to him, he would've thought she was a dream.

It was at the point where her expression changed to one of apprehension that he realized he had just been staring at her. "Oh…I'm…yeah I'll be alright." He insisted, jumping up. She laughed at his reaction, and he drank in the heavenly sound.

"Please allow me to properly introduce myself, I'm Harry Potter." He bowed slightly, taking her hand and placing a light kiss on her knuckles. "And you are?" The girl seemed slightly taken aback by his question, and she nibbled her lip again, a habit he couldn't help but watch.

"You don't know who I am?" She responded, a smile and something else crossing her face. Was that…relief?

"No, should I?" Hoping that he hadn't offended her, he clarified, "This is my first time in the city." She seemed to relax at that and returned her smile.

"I'm…ur…Susan…Bones…Yup Susan Bones." Harry smiled at her and bowed again.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day…" He began, catching the corners of her lips turning up and a small gasp escaping her lips.

"You know Shakespeare?" Her voice was impressed, and he was suddenly grateful for the book of sonnets that his mother used to read to him from. It was one of the few books that he kept in his little library in his room.

"My mum…she used to read me his sonnets. I don't have many books to read, so I find myself going back to those. It felt…appropriate, seeing as I've just met a beautiful young lady. So tell me Susan, what brings you to Hogwarts? I heard that all the students are on a break while the city prepares for the Princess's ball."

Once again, a fleeting expression of apprehension crossed her face, and he wondered if he was asking too many questions. "Well I guess…that is I'm one of the Princess's ladies-in-waiting. I…urm that is she, was looking for a book. I was supposed to retrieve it for her. Imagine my surprise when instead of a book I find a young man in distress." His cheeks burned as he remembered the situation, she had found him in.

"Roles have been reversed it seems. I find my knight and you find your damsel in distress. Now if you would be so kind, would you be able to help me find my way back to my friends. I wasn't paying attention." Holding her arm out to him, he laughed as she continued the joke. Placing his hand on the crook of her elbow, they talked comfortably as she led him back into the labyrinth of the school. They talked about anything and everything, including literature (notably the book on Greek mythology that Harry was currently reading), philosophy, history…she was the smartest person he'd ever talked to and he loved debating her.

"But the whole point of the riddle is that a secret is no longer a secret if its spoken, so can two people ever truly share a secret?" She asked, a passion burning behind her eyes, and for a moment he was too distracted by them to respond. Blushing, he quickly found himself again.

"You must not have kept very many secrets to think they are impossible to share. For example, I'm not even supposed to be here, which is a secret between me and my two friends…and I suppose you now. See, not even thirty minutes I've known you and we're already co-conspirators." The woman on his arm had stopped abruptly, forcing him to stop as well. Turning towards her, he raised an eyebrow in a questioning way.

"What if I have a secret too?" There was something guarded in her voice, something he recognized from himself. She was trying to ascertain if she could trust him. He stepped closer to her, but stopped when he heard his friend's voices calling out his name. Backing away from him, she drew in a sharp breath. "I have to go. You've found your friends. I…I shouldn't be here either. It was nice meeting you…Harry." The way his name fell from her lips made his stomach flip, and he knew at once that every Shakespearean sonnet in the world could not capture the way he felt for her. He had never truly believed in true love, and yet here he was in the middle of this vast castle standing as if Cupid's arrow had pierced his chest.

"Please…tell me I'll see you again. If you're one of the princess's ladies, then surely I'll see you at the ball. I'll be wearing a gold mask, save a dance for me." The footsteps of his friends approached, and he could see panic rise in her chest. Holding her hand still in his own, he searched her face. If this was the last time he would see her, then he would never forget her beautiful face.

"I'll be at the ball, but I cannot promise you anything more." At that, his attention was pulled away as Ron rounded the corner, calling his name in relief. By the time he looked back where the girl had been, she was gone, leaving behind nothing but a warmth where her hand had been.

"Where in the bloody hell have you been?" Ron chided, smacking Harry's arm. He could tell that Ginny was just as annoyed, but he didn't really care. All he could think about was the girl he'd met.

"Harry I had to apologize to McGonagall like fifty times about you just running out. She didn't mean to upset you. It seems no one in the capital knows about your mum's death…" Ginny droned on for another minute or so, lecturing Harry about how rude he'd been. He didn't hear a single word however, so it wasn't surprising when he interrupted her in the middle of a sentence.

"And another thing…"

"I think I met the girl I'm going to marry." He stated matter-of-factly, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. His breathing had returned to normal, and despite a warm feeling in his cheeks, he was feeling much better. Ron and Ginny stared at him in shock before demanding he tell them everything. He recounted how the beautiful girl had found him in the library and shown him back the way to McGonagall's office.

"I didn't see anyone with you when I found you mate. You really think this Susan girl is the one? I mean weren't you telling me the whole ride here how I couldn't possibly be in love with Princess Hermione without knowing her well. Not that I'm not happy for you, but this seems a bit out of character….ow." Ron rubbed his arm where his sister had punched him, earning one of here most cross glares. "Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have. I think its lovely you found someone Harry. Besides Ronald, if he met a lady-in-waiting, maybe she can introduce you to the princess." Ginny seemed to have successfully turned Ron around on the idea, and they both seemed eager to meet Harry's mystery girl at the end of the week. Before long, the trio (happily distracted by Harry's clandestine romance), arrived at a Gargoyle statue; hiding behind which, was a door that led up to the Headmaster's office.

"I promise not to run out again." Harry promised, before ascending the lofty stairs to the office above.