Harry arrived at practice early and saw Gemma jogging around the pitch. He caught up with her and said, 'We always start practice with laps.'
'Oh?' she replied, stopping.
'Yeah, usually ten, but sometimes fifteen.'
'I've already done six,' she confessed. 'I was too antsy at home.'
'I was the same on my first day. I was too nervous to wait at home, but reluctant to go inside—at first, anyway.'
'You were nervous?'
'Was I ever! I'd just quit my job at the Ministry and completely upended my life. I hadn't met anyone except Darius or Lara, and I had no idea what to expect.'
'Didn't you meet Tuttle and Owen during your trial? I mean, I know you didn't go through trials like I did, but surely they tested you first.'
'Er, no,' he said sheepishly. 'Darius watched me fly a bit, and he had me catch a few Snitches from the Launcher, but the whole thing took less than ten minutes.'
'Blimey! And that was after the Prophet ran the article saying you'd joined the team?'
'Yeah. That article was pure speculation on their part, based on an offhand comment I'd made. I hadn't even considered quitting the Ministry until I read it.'
She shook her head in astonishment. 'That's the polar opposite to my experience. I had to go through trials with recruiters before they even sent me to a team trial.'
'Didn't they recruit you from your school? My friend's elder brother was invited to team trials that way.'
'I'm guessing your friend's brother went to Hogwarts. Recruiters don't usually bother with East Kettleton.'
'He did go to Hogwarts,' admitted Harry. 'Hang on, I met someone from East Kettleton—she even played Quidditch.'
'Yes, I know. Elizabeth and I were Chasers together when I was in my fifth year, before I switched to Seeker.' Harry reddened slightly and Gemma laughed. 'Don't worry, she only had good things to say about you.'
'So you had to attend a trial just to get a team trial?' he asked, in an attempt to change the subject.
'Yeah, that's the only way commoners get noticed by recruiters. Recruiters are mostly interested in the older schools—Blockhurst, Stodgings, Widgington, and Hogwarts of course. But once a year they have an open trial, which anyone can attend.'
'How many people show up?'
'There were at least a hundred at mine,' she replied.
'More than a hundred? Owen said there were only a dozen flyers at your trial on Monday.'
'That's right. And I think I was the only one from the open trial.'
'You mean the rest were from big-name schools?' asked Harry. She nodded, and he said, 'That's really appallingly unequal!'
Gemma rolled her eyes and said, 'Welcome to wizarding Britain. Home of Hogwarts and ... Beauxbatons. Or somewhere in North America.'
'I'm hoping that will start changing now,' he said. 'And I'll certainly do my best to promote the lesser-known schools.'
'Good luck changing the recruiters' minds. They tend to dismiss us because most of us don't have fast brooms.'
Harry shook his head disapprovingly. 'That's a bloody shame. But, you're a hell of a flyer—I can see why you impressed the recruiters, even amongst a hundred people.'
'A lot of them weren't very good,' she admitted. 'I mean, they were decent, but the other Seekers at the open trial were a bit timid.'
'That's the problem with Seekers,' he said. 'Delicate flowers.'
'Says the man who flogs flowers,' she scoffed, before immediately covering her mouth. 'Ugh, there I go again!'
Harry laughed. 'Really, don't worry about it. That was what convinced us to hire you, actually.'
'What, my inability to keep my mouth shut?'
''I wouldn't phrase it like that, but yes. A big part of league Quidditch is knowing how to take the piss.'
She snorted and said, 'Then I'm your girl. I've had nineteen years practice, if you count the time before I could talk.'
'We're the same age?'
'Yes, almost exactly. My birthday's just a day after yours.'
They were strolling around the pitch and had completed a lap. 'Have you been inside yet this morning? Or do you need Lara to show you your locker and give you robes?'
'I haven't been inside this morning, but she showed me around yesterday, so I'm all set.'
'I should probably go in, to save Tuttle the trouble of preparing a tirade.'
'Is that a common occurrence?' she asked.
'I only deserved it once, last Tuesday.'
'Oh right, after your "night of sweet exhaustion." By the way, thanks for the shout-out on the radio.'
'Were you listening?'
'Of course I was listening—everyone does. I was with my mates and they started screaming when you said my name.'
'Well, let me know if it's ever a problem,' said Harry. 'I don't want to violate your privacy.'
'I'm not worried but I'll keep you posted.'
They entered the building and Lara exclaimed, 'It grew back!'
'I said it would,' he replied. 'Was there a wager?'
'No, but there's been considerable speculation about whether Lydia would forgive you.'
'I'm not certain I should answer that. Normally I try for discretion, but of course that went out the window last week. Still, my answer is "No comment."'
'Whatever, Snitchbottom,' said Darren, who had emerged from the locker room. 'Is this the new Seeker?' he asked, indicating Gemma.
'Yes ... Gemma, this is Darren. He's one of the starting Chasers.'
'Snitchbottom?' she asked.
'Have I got a story for you!' cried Darren, before explaining Harry's nickname to her. 'We also call him Lord Snitchbottom, on formal occasions, but he usually tells us lordships are bollocks.'
Harry dashed into the locker room to drop off his change of clothes and returned to find a group of his teammates talking with Gemma. 'Is it true you hired her because of her ability to take the piss?' asked Suresh.
'Yes, she called me a great bloody toff.'
'Brilliant,' said Suresh. 'Gemma, you'll fit right in. Janet, do you want to show her the ropes?'
'I don't know ... Harry sent me his Patronus last night to threaten me if I cross the line. Gemma, watch out—he curses his teammates.'
'Lies! I jinxed you once, and that was after I warned you.'
'Snitchbottom's right,' said Suresh. 'Janet's the only person he's jinxed. He just punches everyone else.'
'More lies! I only punched Gilstrap.'
'Gemma, are you sure you want to work with him?' asked Janet. 'He's kind of a loose cannon,' she added with a smirk.
'Very funny,' said Harry. 'Can't you come up with something original?'
'Yes, but they all start with "The Boy Who," and I'm saving those for a special occasion.'
'The Boy Who Has An Extenuating Circumstance,' announced Ryan.
'We still don't know what that is,' grumbled Janet.
'I do,' said Ryan. 'Hermione told me.'
'Why hasn't Ron told me? That ginger bastard!'
'Ron doesn't know,' replied Harry.
'Actually, it's only partially extenuating,' said Ryan. 'Maybe twenty-five percent.'
'What's twenty-five percent of six?' asked Darren.
'One and a half,' said Harry automatically.
'So without your extenuating circumstance, you'd have shagged that witch only four and a half times,' said Darren. 'That definitely doesn't sound as good. I mean four's not bad, but the half just raises questions.'
Gemma was laughing and said, 'I see what Owen meant, when he said slagging Harry is a team pastime. This is unbelievable.'
They walked outside to the benches, and several minutes later Tuttle arrived. 'We have a new player today, Gemma Rees. She's a hell of a flyer, and I expect her to be a good influence during the team drills when the rest of you get sloppy. But be nice to her, because she has the distinct misfortune of having to work with Potter every day.'
'Oi!' cried Harry.
'Yeah, that's not a distinct misfortune,' said Janet. 'We all have to work with him.'
Tuttle glared and said, 'Rees, I expect you to work your arse off every bleeding day. Don't assume Potter's always going to be the starter—he's already been ejected once, and if he comes in knackered again I'll demote him, extenuating circumstance or not. Barrowmaker's going to train you the same as he trained Potter, and I'll play whichever one of you is more likely to win us the match.'
After a pause she added, 'It's three days until we play the Tornados, and you need to be ready. Ten laps.'
Harry sprinted ahead so he could think about what Tuttle had just said. It hadn't occurred to him that he mightn't remain starter—in his mind Gemma was the reserve, full stop.
But I've won six in a row, said a voice in his mind.
No, you got ejected once and the win against Preston was pure luck.
He felt the stirrings of his competitive streak. I'm the better spotter by far. That was true, but Gemma was untrained. And less than two months of Owen's guidance had been enough to make Harry the best spotter in the league.
It wasn't just Owen's training. I've always been a great Seeker, and a natural on a broom, his mind reassured him.
But her flying's equal to mine, he thought uncomfortably. Gemma was clearly a natural on a broom as well.
I'm a bigger draw. Phil Routledge was the best Seeker in the league before I arrived, and he's nowhere near the draw I am. Only Viktor Krum comes close, he thought. Darius would never let Tuttle promote Gemma over me, continued the soothing voice.
At the same time, he was mortified by his own thoughts. He'd been appalled when Gemma had described the inequality in the Quidditch recruiting system, and embarrassed that he'd waltzed into Darius's office and been hired after ten minutes. But now he was clinging to his own unfair advantages.
Gemma's right, he thought resignedly. I am a great bloody toff. In the past he'd been able to ignore the insult because he knew that people like the Malfoys and the Traverses considered him middle class—and he'd certainly been raised that way. Nevertheless, he had an enormous fortune he hadn't earned, not to mention a townhouse and an elf. To someone like Gemma, who was clearly working class, he was probably indistinguishable from a true-born Black.
I just need to keep winning matches. Then they can't demote me. But that felt wrong too. Didn't Gemma also deserve to be a starting Seeker, assuming she learned to spot as well as he could? She won't, he thought competitively. I had years of brutal Occlumency training from Voldemort. I sacrificed my life and came back from the dead.
Harry felt physical discomfort from thinking that way. It felt like the opposite of Light magic. The muscles in his back clenched, and nausea began to rise in his throat.
On an impulse, he dropped his train of thought and instead imagined himself on the skybenches, watching a match. In his mind he heard the announcer's voice, 'And now, playing Seeker, I give you ... Gemma Rees!'
Any disappointment he felt on his own behalf was wiped away by a strong sense of peace and well-being. I'd love to see her as starting Seeker, he thought sincerely, and he felt a flood of Light magic. Suddenly his lips longed for Lydia's, and he didn't need to look down to know he was glowing. Oh god, it feels so good, he thought ecstatically. I don't care if people see me.
He kept running, unconcerned about the grey skies. Let my teammates see. Let the team observers see. I don't care.
'Harry, are you all right?' asked Ryan, running beside him.
He turned towards Ryan, with softly parted lips and his eyes prickling with tears. 'Hermione loves you,' he said affectionately. 'And I love Hermione. And you as well.'
'Harry, you're glowing. I know what it is—Hermione told me.'
'That's fine. It was bound to come out sooner or later. Oh god, everyone should experience this.'
'Do you want to keep running?'
'Yes, always. I love you.'
'I love you too, Harry,' laughed Ryan, sprinting ahead.
Harry could see his teammates staring at him, and suddenly Tuttle was in his path. 'Potter, do you need to come inside?'
He hugged her and said, 'Should I? I can keep running. It doesn't matter, everyone knows. I love you.'
She laughed and said, 'Keep running if you like. Do you even know what lap you're on?'
'No.'
'Just stop running when Janet does. And keep your distance from Gemma until you settle down—we don't need you groping her on her first day.'
'I love Gemma. You should start her as soon as she's ready.'
'Don't let anyone take you to Gringotts when you're like this,' she said, chuckling as she walked away.
Oh my god, I love running! He saw his glowing hands in his peripheral vision, and they were so beautiful that he had to stop and look at them. I should cast a Patronus like this, he thought, but a faint voice of reason told him not to. You're part of a team. You're at practice—you're supposed to be running.
The sensations began to subside, and a small part of him longed for their return, but he mostly felt content. His glow dimmed, and by the time Janet finished her final lap he was back to normal. He joined his teammates at the benches and saw that they were all staring at him.
'What the hell was that?' asked Janet bluntly.
'You mean he doesn't do that every day?' said Gemma.
'Ah, no. We've never had a glowing Snitchbottom before. And I've never seen him hug Tuttle.'
'Er, maybe I should wait until everyone's here,' said Harry, looking at his teammates who were still running.
'I think you're just stalling,' replied Janet. 'But fine, I'll allow it.'
They drank water while the other players finished, and the trainers seemed curious to hear Harry's explanation as well. 'I'd hoped to keep this private longer, but I've been experiencing accidental Light magic. That's what you just saw, when I was glowing.'
'Aren't you a little old for accidental magic?' asked Renée, puzzled.
'It's not ordinary accidental magic,' explained Ryan. 'It's accidental Light magic, which is actually quite rare. The classic early manifestation is uncontrolled glowing.'
'That wasn't just glowing,' observed Suresh. 'You looked like you were having an extended orgasm out there.'
'Er, that's kind of what it feels like,' admitted Harry. 'Only better.'
'Better?' exclaimed Janet.
'Not as intense,' he replied. 'But less fleeting. Sustained, and with strong emotions.'
'Let me guess ... love?' suggested Darren.
'Mainly. But other good ones as well.' Harry felt the sensations return and he closed his eyes.
'Blimey, he's starting to glow again,' exclaimed Janet. 'And you can't control it?'
Harry opened his eyes. 'I can. But Merlin, I don't want to.'
His teammates started laughing, and Gary said, 'Potter, I'd almost managed to forget that you're the Boy Who Lived and all that, but then you go and do something like this.'
'The Boy Who Lived wasn't me,' said Harry. 'That was my mother's sacrifice, and so is this—at least in part. I found a book about it, and I'm meeting with a teacher on Sunday, who I'm hoping can help me control it. I mean, I can stop it if I have to, and I definitely would during a match, but otherwise it's hard.'
'Hang on,' interjected Janet. 'Is this what happened on Saturday, against the Wasps? Is that how you caught the Snitch?'
'No, that was different, but possibly related. And I don't know how to repeat it.'
'How long has this been happening?' asked Renée. 'Did we only see it today because it's cloudy out?'
'It started Saturday before last, when I was in Paris. It's happened a few times in practice, but not this strongly. Owen and Tuttle already knew about it.'
'Wait a minute—this is your extenuating circumstance!' exclaimed Darren. 'It has to be!'
'What, does Light magic make you extra randy?' asked Suresh.
Harry didn't answer and tried to look innocent, and everyone burst out laughing.
'They're strongly correlated,' said Ryan, who was also laughing. 'It doesn't explain everything, but the Light magic is probably exacerbating the issue.'
'So do you glow in the bedroom the whole time?' asked Darren. 'And is it your whole body or just ... parts?'
People were doubled over from laughter by this point. 'It's either just my hands or all of me,' replied Harry. 'And I should probably ask you to keep this private, but I don't know how much hope there is of that, with the team observers.'
Ryan explained the risk associated with people finding out Harry was a burgeoning Light wizard. 'It's not a disaster if this gets out, but it's better if he can get a handle on it first.'
Tuttle, who had arrived a minute earlier, said, 'Susanna and Thaddeus are working on keeping it under wraps. Potter, go talk to them before lunch. But enough chit-chat ... calisthenics, now.'
The trainers led them through their exercises, which thoroughly grounded Harry. He came close to glowing several times during the flying drills, but he set a strong intention not to let it carry him away as it had while running. This seems to work, he thought with satisfaction. Maybe I can get this under control sooner than later.
After they finished their drills, he dashed to the building and showered quickly before visiting Susanna and Thaddeus. 'Tuttle told me I should talk to you,' he said tentatively.
'Yes, sit down,' replied Susanna. 'She said you'd rather keep this from the press, if possible.'
'That would be great, but what about the team observers?'
'Yes, the elusive team observers,' said Thaddeus. 'Unfortunately it's impossible to ward this large an open area from anyone but Muggles, so we've always been vulnerable to wizards with long lenses or distance-viewing charms. But they won't have heard anything, so all they know is that you were glowing for a while.'
'We spoke to Healer MacAlister, to see if he could offer an alternative explanation, and he had a good one,' said Susanna. 'I hope you don't mind, but we circulated a rumour that you might have Glowpox.'
'Glowpox? I thought that lasted several weeks at least. Won't people figure out I don't have it?'
'Yes,' replied Susanna. 'We circulated the rumour unofficially through a third party, to throw people off the scent. Nobody will bother looking for other explanations as long as Glowpox is on the table. And then we'll officially announce that you received the vaccine recently and that this was just a rare side effect. It'll require a press conference, but that'll scotch the rumours that you're actually ill.'
'Can you keep from glowing during the press conference?' asked Thaddeus.
'Yes, I'm certain that won't trigger me. What time will it be?'
'After lunch, ideally. We just wanted your approval before making the announcement.'
'You have it—please, go ahead. Will you also present Gemma to the press?'
'Normally we don't have a press conference for a new reserve, but that's a good suggestion, since it'll distract from what actually happened this morning,' replied Susanna.
'I'll send out those announcements,' said Thaddeus, 'but Harry, let's talk sometime about how to handle things when the truth comes out.'
Harry walked out with Susanna, who ducked into the women's locker room to find Gemma. They emerged a minute later, and Gemma used her wand to perform drying charms on her hair. 'Of course I'll speak to the press,' she said, 'though I don't know how much I'll have to say. I've only been here one morning.'
'That doesn't matter—they'll want to know about your background and your impressions so far,' replied Susanna.
'And they'll ask you about Harry,' interjected Darren. 'That's mostly what they ask me now.'
'Bloody hell,' grumbled Harry. 'Wizarding Britain really needs more celebrities.'
Susanna instructed Gemma on how to respond to the reporters, and particularly how to handle questions about Harry's glowing. 'Healer MacAlister will be there, so just refer any health questions to him.'
Lyle waved Gemma over to the group of reserves, who were ready to leave for lunch, and Harry walked with the other starters to the pub. 'She's a hell of a flyer, Snitchbottom,' said Suresh. 'Are you sure you can handle the competition?'
'It'll be good,' he said. 'I'm looking forward to having a sparring partner—that was the one thing missing with Owen. And if it turns out she's a better Seeker than I am, so be it.'
'You don't really expect Tuttle to play her instead of you?' asked Darren.
'Not yet—her Spotting needs work—but if she picks it up quickly she'll be first rate.'
'Darius won't permit it,' said Gary. 'You're too big a draw.'
Harry had to chuckle, hearing his teammates repeat his own thoughts from that morning. 'If I can keep winning, yeah. But we'll see what happens.'
'Enough Quidditch talk,' declared Janet. 'We need to talk about that article.'
'Ugh, what about it?' groaned Harry. 'The signed photograph was a joke—I'm not actually that smarmy.'
'I know that,' she said. 'But I want to come back to something Doctor Niffler observed about you recently: that you're stuck in the oral phase of development.'
Everyone else burst out laughing, and Harry shrugged. 'What can I say? My first girlfriend trained me, and I've never had a complaint.' Suddenly his expression changed, 'Oh bugger, those reporters this afternoon might ask about the article!'
'Merlin, you're right,' said Renée. 'That'll be memorable.'
Over lunch, Harry's teammates tried to prepare him for the questions he might hear during the press conference. Gary asked, 'Mr Potter, what was your thought process in choosing those particular positions in that exact sequence.'
'It was a mutual decision,' replied Harry. 'Next question.'
Darren was next. 'Harry, our readers are wondering if you plan to return to Penumbra in the near future.'
'I currently have a girlfriend, but I won't rule it out in the future. I've become friends with the owner, and I still consider it wizarding Britain's best pulling venue.'
Renée affected a deep voice and asked, 'Potter, I'm with Quidditch Statistical Review, and my question is simple: clockwise, or anti-clockwise?'
Harry furrowed his brow and took a moment to actively consider the question. 'Clockwise. From my vantage point.'
'I should go place a wager with Ludo Bagman,' said Suresh. 'He probably has odds on that.'
'Merlin, he probably does,' replied Harry, shaking his head. 'How exactly did my life turn into this?'
'Janet's prophecy,' said Ryan. 'On your first day, remember?'
'And Light magic,' added Darren. 'Can you teach us that?'
'I'd love to—it's bloody brilliant,' said Harry. 'But ask me about my Glowpox vaccination instead.'
After lunch, Harry jogged ahead to the training facility to warn Gemma about the likely content of the interview. 'I'm really sorry,' he told her. 'I didn't want to overshadow your press conference.'
'It's not my press conference,' she said. 'I wouldn't have even had one normally. But don't worry—the reserves came to the same conclusion you did, and they gave me advice.'
'Still, I'll do my best to bring the questions back around to you.'
'I know you're not a glory-hound,' she said. 'You've given credit to Owen every chance you get.'
They walked to a table Lara had set up near the benches and took their seats, along with Tuttle, Owen, and Healer MacAlister. The Healer briefed Harry on the vaccine he'd allegedly received, and the reporters and photographers arrived soon afterwards. To Harry's surprise, Rita Skeeter was among them.
The first round of questions were all about Harry's health, and MacAlister answered them convincingly. Then came an onslaught of questions directed straight at Harry, covering topics ranging from his relationship with Lydia to werewolf rights. Harry tried to discourage questions about Lydia by always giving the same answer—We're very happy right now but it's not a long-term relationship—and eventually the reporters got the hint.
He tried directing attention to Gemma, and she was asked about the team trials and her Quidditch experience in school, but most of the questions directed at her were about Harry.
'Gemma, what was it like to find out you'll be working with Harry Potter every day?'
'First and foremost I was shocked I'd got the job. I was working at a Muggle restaurant until this week, and suddenly I'm a reserve Seeker for the Chudley Cannons. As for working with Harry ... I'm still gobsmacked. He's the most famous wizard in Britain, or even the world, and I'm just some nobody from East Kettleton. But he and all the Cannons have been very welcoming, and I look forward to working with them.'
'Did you ever have a crush on Harry Potter growing up?'
Harry interjected, 'I don't think that's a relevant question.'
'No, I'll answer it,' said Gemma. 'As a Muggle-born witch, I've always been grateful to Harry for his fight against Voldemort. And I'll admit I shared my classmates' fascination with him over the years, although it turned out that a lot of what we read was complete rubbish. But I've never been someone who develops crushes on pop stars and the like—people I haven't met—so I never fancied Harry the way you're describing.'
'What about now that you'll be working together?'
Gemma hesitated, and Harry said, 'It would be completely unprofessional for Gemma and me to have that sort of relationship. I take the team very seriously, and I'd never violate that boundary.'
'Harry, will you comment on yesterday's article in Sorceress magazine?'
'I already said everything I intend to say on Weasley's Wizard Wireless last night.'
'What about the allegation that you planted the story?' asked Rita Skeeter.
'I'm sorry?'
She continued, 'Some are claiming that you made a deal with the Sorceress editors, in order to portray yourself in the best light and attract future partners.'
'That's completely untrue. Why on earth would I violate my own privacy like that? Furthermore, that would be incredibly daft on my part, to lure women into my bedroom with high expectations but then disappoint them. I might as well wear raised shoes while I'm at it.'
'Raised shoes?' asked Rita.
'Yes, shoemakers try to sell me them because I'm only five-foot seven, but imagine how mortifying it would be to take them off in front of a witch and suddenly drop three inches.'
'An apt metaphor,' she said, smiling.
There were a few more questions, and then the photographers took pictures of Harry and Gemma together, and with Owen as well. Everyone dispersed at the end, but Rita managed to pull Harry aside.
'Obviously I knew the Sorceress article was genuine,' she said, 'but I wanted to nip those rumours in the bud.'
'Cheers,' he replied. 'By the way, Lydia was very happy with your story.'
'I'm pleased to hear it, and thanks for putting us in touch.' She leaned closer and said, 'It's also a relief to see you looking so healthy.'
'Yes, I'm sorry I gave everyone a scare like that.'
'Glowpox is a serious illness,' she said. 'But we both know what really happened.'
'I'm sorry?'
'Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, until you choose to reveal it. I'd never dream of jeopardising our agreement.'
Harry wanted to be certain she wasn't trying to trick him into a confession. 'What do you think happened this morning, if it wasn't the Glowpox vaccine?'
'Accidental Light magic, of course.'
'Who else knows?'
'I'm probably the only reporter—I'm far better informed than my colleagues are. But there's been speculation for a while, within Dark enclaves, and I doubt they'll believe the vaccine story either.'
'That's fine. I'm not concerned.'
She narrowed her eyes. 'How's your Occlumency?'
'Rock solid. Alistair tested me.'
'Good. I'd hate to lose you now that we're on the same team. And congratulations ... I'm told it's delightful. And hard to put into words.'
'Without the help of an experienced writer, you mean?'
'Exactly. A topic like that deserves clear communication, and not just a few off-the-cuff comments on the radio.'
'That's a good point,' replied Harry. 'I'll keep you posted.'
His teammates had begun to gather around the benches. 'You should go,' said Rita. 'And once again, congratulations on your clean bill of health.'
'Thanks. Will I see you at my party this weekend?'
She cackled and said, 'As much as I'm tempted to Polyjuice myself and spend the evening with dozens of randy Chasers, I'll skip this one.'
'That's good. Someone really could have tripped over you on that staircase.'
He ran to the locker room and changed into his practice robes, and then joined Owen and Gemma on the pitch. 'Gemma, I'm sorry about all those questions, but you did a great job.'
'So did you,' she replied. 'You didn't mention thestrals even once.'
'I'm never going to live that down, am I?'
'No. Some of my classmates set it to music.'
Owen devoted the Seeker training session to evaluating Gemma's spotting skills, first with the Launcher and then in a contest against Harry. Once again, Harry caught the Snitch every time, which left Gemma frustrated. 'I swear, I wasn't a bad spotter in school! I had a winning record in my sixth year, before I even had a decent broom, and last year when I had a Firebolt Ultra I only lost once.'
'This is just your first day,' said Owen. 'Harry usually spots the Snitch the moment it appears, and until I teach you the same methods you won't have a chance, unless you track him.'
'Ugh, tracking,' she grumbled. 'I admit I've done it, and I've won that way, but it always feels like cheating.'
'It's not cheating,' replied Owen. 'In fact, I want you to track Harry in the practice matches this week. It's not out of the question you'll have to replace him in a match, and tracking is your best strategy right now.'
'My opponents track me all the time,' said Harry.
'Yeah, and you punched one of them.'
'That wasn't because he was tracking me. It's because he's a vicious arsehole and I lost my temper. Which won't happen again, by the way.'
'Are you certain?' asked Owen. 'I nearly had to drag you two apart on Monday night.'
'I've always had one enemy or another,' replied Harry. 'I'll take Gilstrap over the others any day.'
'Over Voldemort?' said Owen. 'I should think so.'
'Actually, I was thinking of Draco Malfoy. But you raise a good point.'
'Gemma, that reminds me ... learn everything you can about Draco Malfoy, and his father as well. Harry has unresolved issues around them that you need to exploit.'
'Is he the one you sent your Patronus to, on the radio?'
'Yes, and it was a huge mistake. I'm still trying to contain the damage.'
Before the practice match, Owen took Harry aside and said, 'Don't taunt her yet. I want you to get to know each other first—you can start abusing her next week.'
'Ugh, I'm not looking forward to that. It was different with you somehow, and with rival Seekers.'
'I understand,' replied Owen. 'But I'll warn her about it in advance—you won't have to blindside her like I did with you.'
Tuttle released the four balls, and the players launched into the air. Harry took a moment to expand into awareness, and he included a strong intention not to start glowing during the match.
Gemma flew alongside him and said, 'So that was pretty bloody weird this morning.'
'Welcome to my life,' replied Harry. 'It's pretty bloody weird.'
'I'd say an extended glowing orgasm qualifies as good weird.'
'Except for the part where Dark wizards come after me. But yeah, it's pretty good,' he admitted. 'How was lunch with the reserves? I was surprised to learn on my first day that the starters eat separately, but Ryan explained it was because the reserves prefer wizarding restaurants.'
'That's what Lyle said. And it makes sense—it would be a bit much for fourteen players to all show up somewhere,' she replied. 'And lunch was fun. They told me all about you.'
'Oh dear, do I even want to know what they said?'
'Mostly good stuff. They all said how great your last party was, and that you're a solid bloke, and not stuck up.'
'That's a relief,' he said. 'Though I'm sorry people assume I might be.'
'Well, you have a reputation for being aloof. For looking right through people in public—unless it's a pretty witch of course.'
'Do I really?' he replied, dismayed. 'Nobody's told me that before.'
'Well you probably don't act like that to anyone who knows you. But everyone I know who's seen you in public said you gave off major vibes of "Stay away, I'm not interested."' She smirked and added, 'Except for Elizabeth, of course. She said you walked right up to her, as if she were yours for the taking.'
She was, thought Harry irritably. 'I'm sorry if I give off that impression,' he said sincerely. 'It's nothing personal—I've just developed a habit of wearing what I think of as my "Leave me the fuck alone" wards, because otherwise I can't walk ten feet without being approached. But I don't mean to make anyone feel invisible. I know how that feels, and it's not very nice.'
'I think most people understand,' replied Gemma. 'You come off much better on your radio programme, talking to your mates, and you're always a good sport when they take the piss. Lee and George are brilliant—I always listen for the whole hour.'
'They'll be at the party on Saturday. I'd offer to introduce you, but it'll be wall-to-wall people and I mightn't even see you. Oh, hang on a minute, you should come early. I'll only have two house-elves and not an army of them, but I'm certain we can come up with something to eat.'
'Are you serious?'
'Yes, absolutely. This way you can meet my mates, like Hermione—and Ron too, if they're willing to be in a room together.'
'Hermione Granger!' exclaimed Gemma. 'Unbelievable!'
'Oh, and I should warn you about Lydia. She's still getting used to non-pure-bloods, so she might say something insensitive, but you mustn't take it personally. Honestly, she's quite funny without realising it.'
'Has she even met any Muggle-borns yet?'
'Yes, I introduced her to Hermione last night, and tomorrow she'll meet her first Muggle when we go to dinner at Ryan's parents' house. And I've introduced her to Muggle music, so she at least has respect for Prince and Madonna.'
Gemma laughed, but Harry shot into a precipitous feint, which took him close to one of the opposing Beaters—he couldn't see which. Gemma followed him instantly and stayed glued to his side, matching his turns in near-perfect synchrony.
When he slowed down and resumed his Seeking pattern, Harry expressed admiration. 'The only player to track me like that was Phil Routledge. You're really good.'
'Cheers. This broomstick certainly helps.'
'So you actually like the Firebolt Ultra?' he asked. 'Viktor Krum does as well, but I couldn't stand it.'
'And they gave you one for free, didn't they?'
'Yes, and I felt like a total ingrate for disliking it.'
'That's because you were,' she chided. 'I take it you never flew on crap brooms like the rest of us.'
'No. After my first day flying, my head of house gave me a Nimbus 2000. Merlin, who even paid for it? I hope she took the gold out of my vault.'
'You don't know?' scoffed Gemma. 'I spent months saving up for my Firebolt.'
'I thought we already established that I'm a great bloody toff,' retorted Harry. 'I didn't pay for my original Firebolt either—it was a gift from my godfather, though I didn't know it at the time.'
'Actually, if I'm being honest, I didn't save up for my Firebolt either,' admitted Gemma. 'I'd been saving up to leave England, but then the war ended and I didn't need to leave anymore, so I bought a swish broomstick instead.'
'Right, I meant to ask you about that ... What did you do during the last year of the war?'
She sighed. 'I couldn't go to school. Someone Imperiused our headmistress right after the Ministry fell, and she came to my house and snapped my wand. It was right after my seventeenth birthday, so I only had a week where I was allowed to perform magic without the Trace.'
'That's awful!' exclaimed Harry.
'Yes, but it turned out I was lucky she'd done that, because she kept the pieces as evidence, which meant the Muggle-Born Registration Commission didn't bother hunting me down. Apparently the broken wand proved that I was living as a Muggle—which I was.'
'Really? That entire year?'
'Yeah. My mum wanted me to enrol in school so I might eventually be able to attend university, but I just wanted to move somewhere I could practice magic again. So I took two jobs and started saving up to move to Australia.'
'Why Australia?'
'Because it's the farthest away from England. I was scared Voldemort would head for the Continent next, and then maybe North America.'
'I have no idea what his plans were, but I don't blame you. I assume you took Muggle jobs?'
'Yeah—in a shop and at a restaurant.'
'Were you even able to keep up with wizarding news that year? I assume you didn't take the Prophet.'
Gemma snorted and said, 'As if they'd had anything useful to say! No, and I couldn't even listen to Potterwatch, because that required a wand. But some of my mates kept in touch with me—they had to do it in secret, because there were spies among the students, and they kept me posted. Although there wasn't much news until the very end.'
'How did you find out the war had ended?' he asked.
'My mates were at school when word got out that you'd robbed Gringotts and escaped on a dragon. The school went into chaos, and my friend Caroline came to the shop where I was working and told me what had happened. I had to work until three o'clock, and then I only had an hour before my restaurant job started, so I didn't hear more until after midnight.'
Harry knew he should feint again, but he was riveted by Gemma's story, so he merely refreshed his intentions and kept listening.
'Caroline met me after my shift ended and brought me to her house by Side-Along, and we just waited all night for rumours. We heard about the first Battle of Hogwarts, and apparently there were heavy losses but it wasn't anyone we knew. And then there was nothing for a long time, and at dawn we heard you died. I actually went home to get some sleep before my day job, but then Caroline turned up an hour later to tell me you'd lived and that Voldemort was dead and the war was over.'
'Did you at least ring in sick to work?'
'No. I wasn't yet confident England would be safe for Muggle-borns, so I decided to stick with the Australia plan until I was certain. But within a week it was clear I'd be able to go back to school and practice magic again, so I gave up my day job and just worked at the restaurant until the end of the summer, since the pay was better.'
'What did you do about a wand?' asked Harry.
'I didn't have anything during the summer. Two of my mates gave me family wands to try, but they weren't a match. When school started, I was paired with a classmate whose wand worked fairly well for me, and she let me use it for an hour outside class every afternoon, to practice my lessons. But I didn't get my own wand until October, after Ollivander reopened his shop.'
'Do you like your new wand? My original wand was broken for months and I had to use substitutes. They ranged from hostile to pretty good, but none were as good as my old wand.'
'My new wand's all right,' she said. 'After going without a wand for so long, or using someone else's, I was just happy to have something of my own again.'
Harry plunged into another feint, low to the ground and through a knot of Chasers, with Gemma only a foot behind. Normally Owen would have left off the chase as soon as he'd verified that Harry hadn't spotted the Snitch, but Gemma stayed with him and spurred him to fly even faster.
'You're probably a very effective tracker,' he said, after they'd resumed circling. 'I suppose your size and weight are an advantage in a chase.'
'At least it's an advantage somewhere! Where can I get some of those raised shoes? I'd never heard of them until today.'
'I think all the wizarding shoemakers offer them—but hopefully not to me anymore. And really, what's the point? I get nearly two inches from my Doc Martens, and my hair sticks up another couple inches. But I'll never qualify as tall.'
'Boo-hoo,' she said mockingly. 'I'm five-two, so quit whinging.'
'Just wait until Janet sees you in your team robes. She said I looked like a cat dressed up as people ... When will you get your robes anyway?'
'I'm to go to some shop in Diagon Alley today after practice and get measured,' she said.
'Benedict Thimble,' replied Harry. 'He does great work—I'm certain you'll love your robes. Did you pick a player number yet?'
'Yes, five. I have three siblings and a mum, which makes five of us.'
'Are any of your siblings magical?' he asked.
'No, just me.'
'Really? What's that like? I know it was hard for my mum and her sister.'
'It's all right, I think. I have an elder brother, and a younger brother and sister—twins, just a year after me. So I was already a classic middle child. Magic just made me even weirder.'
'And just a mum? No dad? Forgive me if I'm prying.'
'You're not prying,' she said. 'Technically I have a dad too, but my parents divorced when I was little and he's in the navy, so I almost never see him.'
'Does he know you're a witch?'
'Yeah, and he suspects maybe his grandmum was a Squib—she was estranged from her family and used to tell him weird bedtime stories. But she died before I was born.'
He was thoughtful for a moment. 'You must have felt awfully cut off, that year without a wand.'
'Yeah, it was hard. If it hadn't been for my mates and my schoolbooks, I might have thought I'd dreamt the whole thing. Being magical, that is.'
'I had a few summers like that,' admitted Harry. 'The summer after my first year at Hogwarts, a house-elf decided to protect me by intercepting all the post my friends had sent. And then after my fourth year, when Voldemort came back, Dumbledore wouldn't let my friends tell me what was going on.'
'Why not?' asked Gemma.
'The answer's classified, but the short version is that they were afraid Voldemort would find out whatever they told me.'
She looked like she wanted to ask him more, so he launched into another wild feint. The match continued that way, with conversation and the occasional mad feint. She's definitely a good sparring partner, he thought, and he knew he'd enjoy flying against her every day.
When the Snitch appeared, Harry accelerated towards it as quickly as possible, extending his torso more than usual to get the last bit of speed from his broomstick. That and his his longer reach ensured that he caught it, and Tuttle cried, 'Potter's got the Snitch. 230-50.'
Owen met them at the benches and said, 'Gemma, that was great work.'
'But I didn't catch the Snitch,' she said, frustrated.
'You were close,' replied Owen. 'If you'd been flying against me you would have got it.'
Tuttle agreed and offered Gemma praise during her notes before berating everyone else. 'I'd think you were all coming down with Glowpox, based on what I saw out there. I expect you to wake up between now and Saturday, or else we may need to find some other way to motivate you—and I can guarantee you won't like it.'
As they walked to the building, Gemma said, 'That seemed unfair, what Tuttle said. From what I could tell, everyone was great.'
Ryan laughed and said, 'That's Tuttle. She'll probably start insulting you tomorrow—don't take it personally.'
'Yeah, she went awfully easy on Gemma, didn't she?' observed Harry. 'She was much rougher on my first day.'
'Yes, I remember something about wand polishing and taking a holiday,' smirked Gary. 'But of course in hindsight she was completely off base.'
'Are you taking out your pure-blood tonight?' asked Janet. 'Please tell me some of your new robes are ready.'
'Yes and yes,' replied Harry. 'But first Ryan and I have to buy a Muggle stereo system for the party.'
'We have a devious plan,' explained Ryan, 'Involving taxicabs and a Deathly Hallow.'
'A Deathly Hallow?' asked Gemma.
'Harry's Invisibility Cloak,' said Janet. 'Because why not?'
After showering, Harry and Ryan went to Gringotts, and Harry withdrew enough Muggle currency to pay for the stereo Ryan had selected. Then they travelled to an Apparition point near the electronics store, and before long they were in a nearby alley with a stack of boxes in Harry's arms.
'Put the Cloak over the boxes,' instructed Harry. 'All right, now Disillusion me.' Once Harry was invisible, he said, 'Are you sure you're all right with this? Hermione told me how much you hate memory charms.'
'I do, but it's a mild one, and I'm more experienced with them than you are.'
They emerged from the alley and Ryan hailed a taxicab. 'Ten Grimmauld Place,' he told the driver, and Harry slid onto the seat next to Ryan. There was some awkwardness around closing the door, but the driver didn't seem to notice, and soon they were off.
'That neighbourhood's really changing,' said the driver. 'Two years ago I'd have warned you against going there, but I read last week it's a real up-and-comer.'
'So I hear,' replied Ryan. 'I'm just visiting a friend, but he says it's improved quite a lot since he first moved in.'
'I've seen some creepy things there, to be honest,' said the cabbie. 'Used to be some scary fellas in long cloaks hanging round. One time I even saw one of 'em disappear into thin air, and I wasn't drinking either. There was a loud noise and everything.'
'That's very odd,' said Ryan. 'I'll have to ask my friend whether he's seen anything like that.'
'And before that I used to see a huge dog wandering around. Not someone's pet kind of dog either. Skinny like a stray, but smart. Real smart. I swear I saw him reading a newspaper once, on a stand. I drove past slowly to watch, and then he turned and looked right at me before running away.'
'Huh, interesting,' said Ryan, his tone noncommittal.
'And then maybe a month or so ago I was there in the morning, at the end of a shift, and I saw flowers just disappear from a corner shop. A whole bunch of 'em—one second they was there, and then they was gone.'
'I suspect there's a lot we don't understand,' said Ryan.
'Them's true words,' replied the cabbie. 'Yes indeed.'
They drove a while longer, and finally they arrived on Harry's street. 'Ten Grimmauld Place,' said the driver. Ryan paid the fare, and the driver said, 'Normally I'd wait to see someone safe inside on a street like this, but I expect you can take care of yourself.'
'Yes, please don't wait for me. I need to do a few things outside before ringing the doorbell.'
Ryan exited the taxi but left the door open so Harry could exit. 'Are you going to close the door?' asked the cabbie.
'I'm sorry,' replied Ryan. 'Moment of distraction.'
'I'm out,' whispered Harry, carefully walking away from the taxicab, and Ryan closed the door.
Ryan's right hand was concealed inside a carrier bag containing his wand. 'Confundo,' he muttered, and then he silently Disillusioned himself. The cabbie relaxed slightly into his seat before driving away.
'I'm invisible too,' whispered Ryan. 'Are you still nearby?'
'Over here,' came a whisper. 'I'll open the door and you can follow me.'
Number Twelve revealed itself to the two wizards, and a minute later they were visible again in the entrance hall. 'Mischief managed,' said Harry. 'Thanks again.'
'That was quite an observant taxi driver,' said Ryan. 'Either that, or there are a lot of sloppy wizards in your neighbourhood.'
'The flowers had to have been Kreacher—that was before I made arrangements with my florist. And the dog was almost certainly Sirius. Was that you, Padfoot? Was it?' Harry tossed the portrait a treat.
'You're home!' exclaimed Lydia, running up the stairs. 'I've found a flat!'
She threw her arms around Harry and started kissing him, and Ryan said, 'I'll be going now. Unless you want me to put Marvin Gaye on for you again ... he'd go well with the glowing.'
Harry extricated himself and said, 'Very funny—see you tomorrow.'
After Ryan had gone, Lydia said, 'It's the flat in Manchester, the one I mentioned last night. But what's this about glowing? I heard you had a reaction to a vaccine—are you all right? You're not still glowing, are you?'
Harry led her down to the sitting room and said, 'Actually, it wasn't a vaccine.'
'What do you mean? Obviously you're not sick, or else you'd be in St Mungo's.'
'Sit down,' he said, and he turned to her on the sofa. 'And don't be scared ... you're perfectly safe.' She looked more frightened after his reassuring words, but she didn't say anything and just held his hand.
Harry closed his eyes and set a wordless intention for love and Light magic to arise. The familiar wave of pleasure washed through him, and he instinctively took Lydia's other hand, to close the circuit.
'Do you feel it?' he asked. 'Can you see it?'
She suddenly dropped his hands and backed away. 'Sweet Circe, you're a Light wizard! Don't hurt me!'
'I won't hurt you,' he said, gazing at her affectionately. 'Oh god no, I could never hurt you.'
Lydia relaxed slightly and touched his cheek. 'You're glowing. And I'm not dead.'
'No, you're not dead,' he repeated, leaning towards her. 'I've held you like this before, only you were asleep. Oh Lydia, may I kiss you?'
'Yes,' she exhaled, and soon they were in a blissful tangle on the sofa.
'I love you,' he murmured. 'I love you, and your parents, and your uncle, and your grandfather. And Esme, and Charles. And those gloves he was wearing, but I'll never wear them myself. Oh bugger, we were supposed to go see Thimble this afternoon and look at fabric.'
She could only squeak in reply, and they didn't speak for a while longer. He had the presence of mind to cast a Contraception Charm, but otherwise he was lost entirely to the glowing sensation and their activity. He was still glowing afterwards, and he held up some of her hair and admired how it shone.
'I thought Light magic was dangerous,' she finally said. 'I was always warned to run away—or call Kammy—and when I was older I was told to Disapparate. But this is lovely.'
'Isn't it? No, it would only hurt someone who was performing Dark magic, and you're not. Thank Merlin you don't practise Dark magic.'
'But how?' she asked simply. 'How are you doing it?'
'I don't know,' he said, momentarily suppressing the desire to kiss her again. 'It's still mostly accidental. But when I saw you this afternoon, I knew I had to show you, and that I'd be able to.'
'And it happened in practice? Is that why you had to claim it was the Glowpox vaccine, so people wouldn't find out?' She gasped and sat up. 'You're not safe! They'll target you now!'
'It's all right,' he murmured soothingly. 'I'll be fine. I'm a master Occlumens, shockingly enough. I'm a middling wizard but I'm a master Occlumens.'
'You're a middling wizard?'
'Yes, Hermione found that potion in the Grimoire and we all tried it. I'm barely above average strength.'
'No wonder they banned it,' she said harshly. 'Clearly it's not measuring the right thing.'
He chuckled, and the Light magic began to subside. Looking at his wristwatch he said, 'It's too late to go pick out that fabric. I suppose we could go tomorrow before eating dinner with the Bellamys, but I'd hoped he could start making those robes sooner than later.'
'Shall I choose for you?' she suggested.
'Would you? I trust your judgment. But no gloves.'
They pulled their clothes back on and she asked, 'Are we going to dinner tonight? We haven't been seen together since Sunday.'
'Yes, if you like. It sounds like you want to go to a wizarding restaurant?'
'I do. Can we go to Thistlerod?' she asked
'I don't know. Is it like Dunnings?'
'No, I've never been there. But it's supposed to be romantic—I wouldn't have been allowed to go there without a chaperone.'
'Should we find one for tonight?' he asked, and she swatted him. 'Will we need a reservation?'
'No, I'm certain they'll just expand for you. Most restaurants have extra space on reserve, just in case.'
They went upstairs to change, and she looked through his wardrobe. 'Why do you have a woman's shirt?' she asked.
'Do I? Which one?' She showed him, and he laughed. 'No, I bought that in Paris and wore it to a nightclub.'
'But it has flowers on it!'
'They're tiny flowers,' he argued. 'But that wasn't the most shocking part.' Harry told her about the Muggle makeup Sophie had applied.
'You wore makeup in public? You might have been photographed!'
'I wore my Invisibility Cloak until we were far from the wizarding district. Yes, it was a risk, but it wouldn't have been the end of the world.'
'My grandfather would have called you an irredeemable degenerate,' she said, giggling.
Harry shrugged. 'Walburga calls me that all the time. And really, it's absurd how arbitrary these rules are. If I walked through Muggle London in some of the robes you picked out for me, I'd be beaten up for wearing a dress. But your grandfather would say I was a properly-clad wizard.'
'No, he'd call your outfit "outré" and sneer at it, but Charles would be mad with envy.'
After selecting robes for Harry, Lydia changed into a very elegant dress that was almost too mature for her. He raised one eyebrow and said, 'Don't tell me you wore that on one of your pure-blood dates.'
'No, I've never worn it before, and my mother never saw it. But Esme urged me to buy it, to wear after I was married. I think she was trying to tempt me into accepting a proposal, but of course it didn't work.'
Without consulting Lydia, Harry slid a red rose into his lapel. 'Everyone knows we're not getting married, but I want them to see my passion,' he said. 'I can't stop thinking about you ... It was all I could do at practice this morning not to Apparate and come find you.'
'A red rose is perfect,' she said, sliding one into her hair. 'You were never this demonstrative in public with Ginny Weasley.'
'I still thought I had privacy back then. But now that I haven't any, it turns out I'm shameless.'
They travelled to the restaurant by Floo, and the host greeted them enthusiastically. 'Mr Potter, Miss Travers, what a splendid surprise. You don't have a reservation, do you?'
'No, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.' said Harry. 'Will you be able to accommodate us, or should we make a reservation for another night?'
'Of course we can accommodate you,' replied the host. 'Just give me a moment.'
He pulled out his wand and walked to a spot between two tables. 'I'm so sorry,' he told the customers seated there. 'This will only take a moment.'
The couples were too romantically engrossed to notice what the host was doing, and soon enough the restaurant had expanded to accommodate another table. The host took a small table from a shelf and magically enlarged it, and a waiter rushed in to lay the place settings.
This is what Madam Puddifoot's wishes it could be, thought Harry approvingly as he sat down. The gaslight sconces and chandeliers reminded him of Grimmauld Place, and the votive candle on their table illuminated Lydia to perfection.
'Are you trying to make me glow?' he whispered to her. 'This will be a good test of my self-control.'
'Blame the vaccine,' she whispered back.
Harry found their conversation pleasantly relaxing. Lydia pointed out several couples she recognised but she didn't gossip as she had at Dunnings. Instead she told him about her flat, which she said was perfect for entertaining. 'I can't move in yet,' she said. 'I need to furnish it, but I'm hoping it'll be ready early next week. Is it all right if I stay with you until then?'
'Of course. I'd offer you a troll leg umbrella stand as a housewarming gift, but we Vanished it after the war.'
'Really? Those are quite valuable.'
'Are you joking? It was horrible, and Tonks kept tripping on it.'
'They have magical properties,' she explained. 'They impart troll-like strength onto umbrellas. I've heard of people blocking Dark curses using troll-imbued umbrellas.'
'But then you'd have to open an umbrella in the middle of a battle. It only makes sense if you're always duelling in the rain, which I suppose is possible in Britain. But the thing was ghastly.'
'I agree, I don't think the benefit justifies the cost. But I'm not surprised the Blacks had one.'
'Still, I should offer you some kind of housewarming gift. Maybe we can choose something together at the home decor shop I've endorsed.'
'You don't need to get me anything,' she insisted. 'You've already given me so much. And thanks to Uncle Ursinus I'm fully provided for. My great-grandfather left him a surprising amount of gold for a younger son ... I suspect he had Death Eater sympathies as well.'
Harry grinned and said, 'I have a confession.'
Lydia's eyes lit up. 'Tell me!'
He used his wand to cast a privacy charm. 'Remember how you said your great-uncle somehow failed to transfer his inheritance from your grandfather's vault that morning at Gringotts?'
'Yes. We have no idea why he didn't do it.'
'I Imperiused him.'
Her jaw dropped. 'What? How?'
'When we broke into Gringotts that morning, Hermione was Polyjuiced as Bellatrix Lestrange, and Ron was disguised as some foreign wizard, and I was hiding behind them under my Invisibility Cloak. But your great-uncle saw us there and started questioning Hermione, because he thought she was Bellatrix. He was a little too persistent, so I Imperiused him and told him to hide.'
Lydia's eyes widened. 'I can't believe it—it was you! You're the reason I have an inheritance! You're the reason I'm free.' She reached for his hand across the table, but then started to laugh. 'I daresay my grandfather would let me marry you—no strings attached—if he knew what you'd done. But I don't want to marry you, and of course I'd never tell him.'
'I'd never even performed the Imperius Curse before that morning,' he admitted. 'I still can't believe it worked.'
'And you think you're not a powerful wizard?' she said.
'Really, I'm not. All I can guess is that my motivation was so strong—I was doing it because we needed to stop Voldemort. I wasn't doing it for myself.'
'Yes, curses like that are all about intent,' she observed. 'That would explain it, but I still don't believe what that potion said about strong you were.'
'Believe it,' he said. 'I certainly do, and it hindsight it makes perfect sense. I was never the first to master a new charm in school—tomorrow you can ask Hermione how long it took me to master the Summoning Charm. The only charms I'm really good at involve intention, like protection spells and the Patronus Charm.'
'But you defeated the Dark Lord! And don't tell me he wasn't powerful.'
'No, he was massively powerful. Same with Dumbledore. But I won with Light magic ... it's so obvious now.'
'But that's magical power too,' she argued. 'Maybe the potion doesn't account for Light magic.'
'Maybe, but I don't think so. I think anyone who's capable of love is capable of Light magic. And Muggles are just as capable of love as wizards are.'
'Are you saying Muggles can glow?' scoffed Lydia. 'I doubt it.'
'No ... but maybe that's just how love reacts with magic.' He shook his head and added, 'But that doesn't make sense either, or else every new parent would glow. I saw Remus right after he became a father, when my godson Teddy was born. He was bursting with love and pride, but he wasn't glowing. So it must be something else.'
'Is there someone you can ask?'
'Yes, I'm meeting a Light master on Sunday night. Alistair found her for me—that's the whole reason I went to Penumbra last Monday night, to ask Alistair about Light magic.'
'I don't think that was the entire reason,' she said archly.
He smiled. 'That was the reason I went there, not the reason I stayed. But I like you much better than Vera.'
After dinner they decided to go outside instead of just Flooing home, and they were met by a photographer. 'I see you've recovered from your Glowpox vaccine,' he said to Harry.
'Yes, thank Merlin. I scared the hell out of my teammates this morning.'
Harry and Lydia posed for a minute, but instead of kissing they just held hands and alternated between looking at the camera and turning affectionately towards one another.
After taking pictures, the photographer said to Harry, 'None of us could have predicted how photogenic you'd become.'
'I couldn't have predicted it either. But I couldn't have predicted a lot of things, including surviving the war and falling for a Travers.'
'I shan't marry you!' she said playfully.
'I know you won't. That's the best part,' he said, smoothly turning on his heel and Apparating her home.
