Frank looked around the eighth large cathedral of the day. He didn't much care for any of them. He'd watched the memory of his daughter's marriage in the pensieve a dozen times, but it didn't make this any easier. He didn't want to let her go. He'd never gotten to be a real father to her. He'd never kissed a scrapped knee nor helped her sit a broom. His daughter and son had both grown up without him.

"I remember Neville's first words and his first steps, but I don't have those memories for Hermione." Frank looked over at Lucius. "I know her biological parents witnessed them, but I feel like I failed her."

"You didn't fail either of your children." Lucius sighed and slid one finger along the top of a wooden pew. "They know you love them and have never had to doubt that you would stand beside them. I imagine it is difficult to awaken to a grown son and a new yet also grown daughter, but I know what it is to fail your child. Be assured that you have not."

"Draco doesn't seem to resent you." Frank sat down in one of the pews and looked around the ornately decorated space.

"That's down to your daughter." Lucius sat beside him. "Her forgiveness opened the door Draco had rather firmly shut. Narcissa has also accepted me back into her life because of Hermione. I owe her everything."

"She won't see it that way." Frank grinned. "We are all family to her. It's about healing and togetherness."

"When the detractors come, and they will, I will protect her." Lucius looked up at the large rose window. "I can do no less."

"We will stand side by side, Lucius." Frank looked around the space again. "I think we should consider Salisbury Cathedral. It's large enough and close enough to your manor that we could arrange muggle transport for our magical guests."

"I think it might be time to refurbish my great grandfather's rather ridiculous over abundance of carriages. The man loved them." Lucius grinned. "It would seem romantic for the muggles and still be familiar for our lot."

"I suppose we should secure the date." Frank stood up and looked around the church they were in. "The muggles really do make some remarkable things. Imagine attempting this without magic."

"I spent the better part of my life believing muggles were little more than beasts. I wish I had actually examined the evidence and thought for myself." Lucius sighed and stood beside him. "Of course, my father would have obliviated me after several rounds of torture and then reminded me of a proper wizard's beliefs."

"I never thought much about muggles until Lily brought some text books from muggle schools to Hogwarts my fifth year. They have developed weapons that make our wands seem useless. They've been to the moon. I sat there paging through the book and comparing it to the muggle studies text." Frank shook his head as they turned and walked toward the exit. "It was terrifying to think they might notice us. I didn't want to see what would be left of our world if they did. We were both raised on the notion that wizards were superior. We came to understand the truth differently."


Millicent looked at the circle that Hermione and Luna were creating. It shifted colors with each runic addition. The whole thing pulsed like a heartbeat. It was slightly unnerving.

"Add a rune for necessity." Susan lounged in the grass. "We all need our blades."

"We all need them?" Hannah quirked a brow up. "Should we be planning another wedding?"

"They didn't run off to the Ministry." Luna smirked at Susan. "But it was a close thing."

"You were going to get married without us?" Hannah blinked and took a step back to lean on a large boulder carved to look like a sleeping dragon.

"Blaise and I don't want the fuss." Susan sat up. "I'm the last of my House. The press will make it all unpalatable. It's the life together that matters."

"You can get married with as little fuss as I did." Hermione offered. "No second ceremony, but you'll need to put it in close to one of ours if you want to avoid the press."

"You wouldn't mind?" Susan glanced around at the others. "I mean there's an agenda here. I know we need to work on our society."

"Not everything has to be about changing the world." Hannah planted her hands on her hips. "Some things are ours as a family."

Millie nodded and watched the others doing the same. The rush of having this group of women to call her family was still new, but she knew that it was a true bond. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Even knowing she belonged didn't make this easier.

"We need dresses for your wedding." Millie looked at Susan. "Hannah should pick them because I am not wearing dragonhide."

The whole group laughed while Hannah conjured some pink fabric swatches with a wave of her hand.


Gregory Goyle looked around his home and smiled. It wasn't a dump any more. The dark artifacts were gone. The collection of muggle torture devices had been yanked out of his father's study. It wasn't a grand home, but it was comfortable.

He stepped outside into the garden and took a deep breath. Neville and the others would be here soon. He wanted the grounds to be perfect for the wedding. He didn't have much, but he knew how to work hard.

He sat down on the edge of the stone terrace and imagined Vincent with him. The image of his friend was trapped forever in his Hogwarts uniform. He couldn't see him any other way. He didn't let himself think about Vince often, but he wouldn't forget him either.

"I'm marrying Millie. I didn't think it would happen, but something you said once was true." He closed his eyes and let the sun warm his face. "You said Granger was a good friend to have. You said Potter didn't see her worth. She really is a good friend to have. Draco loves her. She brought me into this warm group of people that see me as more than muscle. She's helping Millie with the wedding. I wish you were here. I wish you could have a life in this circle, but not every wish comes true."

A breeze ruffled his hair, and he opened his eyes. The image of Vince smiled at him before it dissipated on the breeze. He wiped at his eyes and blinked a few times before he stepped onto the grass.

"Vince thought Granger would be a good friend?" Draco sighed from somewhere behind him. "He never told me anything."

Greg turned to see Draco standing on the terrace. He was alone which was odd these days. The breeze had mussed his hair, and he looked vulnerable.

"You weren't easy to talk to back then." Greg smirked. "You were a prat most of the time."

"I really was." Draco sighed. "Vince deserved better. So did you."

"We were living someone else's plan." Greg frowned. "It was miserable, but we learned to stand up. We are making our own choices."

"How did you summon up Vince's image?" Draco stepped down from the terrace to join him. "That's a pretty elaborate piece of magic."

"I've always been able to do that." Greg shrugged. "Anything I can picture in my mind, I can give it form for a few seconds. It doesn't last."

"It was nice to see him smile again." Draco looked out over the land with him. They shared the peace of the moment in silence.


Fidelia Flint frowned at the Minister from her comfortable chair. His office was posh enough to flatter a guest, but he hadn't taken his audience into account. She didn't care to leave her home, and this wizard was talking about duty and responsibility as if he knew a damn thing about her. It was perturbing.

"The Ministry took enough from us. You all but emptied our vaults when my dead husband was the culprit. I don't have funds enough to see to these scars. Marcus is playing quidditch. He's quite brilliant at it, but the property needs so much that we barely have enough to get by. We have given enough." She took a deep breath. "You have no right to manage the affairs of our House."

"Your brother in law is maneuvering your House into position that will end it. The Houses of Malfoy, Bones, and Longbottom will have to stop him. They won't be the only ones." Kingsley Shacklebolt frowned.

"I know what he's doing." She sighed. "He's a danger to Marcus. As long as Marcus remains single and away from politics, my son stands a chance of outliving the monster. Let Lucius Malfoy kill him. I don't care. I want to keep Marcus safe."

"I can't let Lucius Malfoy run around killing people." The Minister sputtered.

"Unfortunate." She sighed. "He was rather good at it."

"I need this nonsense to stop." He slammed the flat of his hand on his desk blotter. "The machinations and the constantly shifting alliances are not helping us recover."

"Then let them help you. You want to fix this issue head on, but you must come at it sideways. The Malfoy bride understands." Fidelia stood up and began to pace. "Hearts and minds aren't yours to command, Minister. Witches are rather clever as a whole, and she is, they say, the brightest witch of her age. You are trying to lead the people. She is."

"She's dancing in fountains." The Minister waved his hand.

"After we stole her childhood with our war, can you blame her?" Fidelia smiled. She felt the skin stretch over her scars and didn't much care. "If I didn't have these scars, I might join her. She's living her life and helping those that stood against her. You should encourage her creativity. It might just heal this nation of ours. I imagine Andromeda would give you the same advice. She always had a level head."

"How did you know about Andromeda?" The Minister flopped back into his seat.

"You think because I am most comfortable in my own company that I don't keep an eye on the world beyond my gate." She shook her head. "I have a son to protect. I took these scars to keep him safe. Each one saved my son a beating. There is no shame in protecting your child. If I could take my husband's knife, you must see that gathering information is simpler and far less prone to infections."

"You could help the Ministry." Shacklebolt stood again.

"I have no interest in politics." She turned away from him. "But, thank you for dragging me from my home. Perhaps I have grown too comfortable in the familiar. I think I shall visit some old friends. Do give Andromeda my best."

She took a handful of floo powder from his dish and tossed it into the flames. Enjoying his flabbergasted expression as she called out her destination awoke something deep inside her. She stepped out of the floo with a smile.

"I need my good stationary." She danced toward her desk. "Reentering society will take some work."


"The five knives of Nimue?" Theodore Nott stared at the carved box in Luna's hand and a chill ran down his spine. "This can't get out beyond our immediate family."

"They came to us and they are renewed." Susan stroked the box containing her athame gently. "We just wanted to have the proper blades for our ceremonies."

"I am not saying you did anything wrong, but you have to know that some will see this as a threat." Theo rubbed the back of his neck. "Our private lives are having a very real effect on the public. Any sign that we are gathering power could be seen as suspicious."

"Your daughter will inherit this blade." Luna held up her wooden box. He could see the flowers and runes carved into it. "I remember seeing it in my mother's things, but it disappeared after her death. This is mine by right and by rite. I pity anyone that tries to make my behavior look anything less acceptable."

Theo blinked and watched as Luna stepped closer to him. She'd said his daughter would inherit the treasure. He blinked. His daughter.

"We have time." Luna smiled up at him with mischief dancing in her eyes.

"Not much of it." Blaise coughed. "We need to be careful. Theo's right."

"Neville, Draco, and Greg are going to go crazy." Hannah sighed. "Do you think we can escape some sort of lock down?"

"I'm not sure you should." Theo frowned and pulled Luna into his arms. "I also think a visit to the Hall of Prophecy might be in order."

"No." Luna shook her head. "Hermione and I have been. We don't need to go again."