Minerva left them after that, but Harry stayed, chatting with the two of them as they had breakfast. Carter was impressed by the way her CO managed to talk with Harry – not as if he were a little kid that needed to be humored – but as a real person, even a friend. Not that she hadn't ever seen him relate to children; for all that he was cynical and seemingly indifferent to those around him most of the time, she knew better. They'd met several different children – Cassie being one good example – and Jack O'Neill always ended up on the side of the kid. No matter what.

Of course, as she watched him and Harry start flicking ice cubes from their water glasses at each other, Sam decided that there was something a bit more to this particular relationship. She knew that Harry didn't have a father, and hadn't had much of a male role model in his life – if the books were right, at any rate – and of course she knew about Charlie. Maybe, she thought, they were surrogating for each other. At least for the moment.

Deciding that if that were the case she should let them alone, Sam ate quickly and excused herself, telling them that she wanted to take care of some packing and would see what the others were doing.

"You don't have to go, Carter…" Jack said, flicking an ice cube at her – just in case she was feeling left out.

Sam smiled.

"I don't want to get kicked out of here."

"We won't get kicked out."

"You might."

"We'll clean up after ourselves." Harry promised.

"And we'll give the waitress a big tip," Jack added.

She shook her head.

"I'm not going to risk it." Standing up, Sam gave Harry her best smile. "it really was a pleasure to meet you, you know?"

He blushed – again. And Jack whacked him with an ice cube while his attention was diverted.

"Thank you, Sam. I enjoyed meeting you, too. I hope we do get to see each other again."

"I'm sure we will." She told him. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

He nodded.

"I will."

"And tell Sirius I said hi next time you write to him."

Harry grinned.

"I will."

Sam turned to Jack, who barely concealed his scowl in time.

"I'll meet you in a while?"

O'Neill nodded.

"Find out what the others want to do, will ya?"

"Yes, sir."

She flashed Harry another smile, and then left the restaurant.

"She's nice," Harry said, as the two of them watched her leave.

Jack nodded.

"Yeah, she is."

"Are you married?"

Surprised by the question, Jack shook his head.

"No."

"Is Sam?"

Ah. That was the reason.

"No."

"Does she have a boyfriend?"

"Not right now."

"Do you? Have a girlfriend, I mean?"

"Not right now." Before he could pursue that particular rabbit, Jack changed the tone of questioning – he was good at that, after all. "What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?"

Harry smiled, flushing just a little.

"No."

"Is there some cute wizard-girl you have your eye on?"

"We call them witches, Jack," he said, turning even redder. "And I don't know very many of them very well – only Hermoine – and we're just friends."

"Friends, huh?"

He nodded.

"Definitely."

As if he knew Jack had changed the subject on purpose, Harry picked his spoon back up, fished another ice cube out of his water and flicked it at Jack. He didn't want the topic of the day to be his lack of a girlfriend.

Jack retaliated immediately.

OOOOOOOO

"I can't believe we got kicked out…"

Harry cast a guilty look back at the entrance to the restaurant and shook his head.

"Me, either."

"It's not like I meant to hit that guy in the back of the head..."

"It probably didn't help that he was the hotel manager," Harry said.

"True."

Jack shrugged. Ah well. It wasn't the first time he'd been booted from someplace, and probably wouldn't be the last. At least he didn't live in Seattle, so he wouldn't have to worry about wanting to come back.

"Are you sticking around for the rest of the convention?" He asked Harry as the two of them headed for the lobby, which was now starting to fill with people since it was much later than it had been when they'd headed in for breakfast.

The boy shook his head.

"Classes are starting soon… I have to get some stuff together: new class books, potion ingredients, stuff like that."

O'Neill felt a little stab of gloom at that, because he really was starting to like this kid. If Harry was sticking around, he might have even convinced the rest of the team to stay until afternoon.

"I guess this is goodbye then, huh?"

Now Harry looked gloomy, too.

"I guess so…"

"But you could keep in touch," Jack added. "If you wanted to, that is…"

Harry looked up at him.

"You wouldn't mind?"

"No. I wouldn't mind at all. As a matter of fact, I'd like it."

The boy smiled.

"I could write to you."

Jack nodded.

"And I'd write back."

"That'd be great, Jack."

They both hesitated, uncertain, now. And O'Neill was the one to break the silence.

"Look… I get the feeling you're heading into something rough, Harry… if you do… and it's more than you and your wizard buddies can handle… give me a call, okay? I'll come running."

Harry smiled.

"But you're not a wizard, Jack… what could you do?"

Jack grinned, and tousled his hair, suddenly feeling pretty good, now that the offer was on the table.

"You haven't met Teal'c, Harry. Trust me; he's a match for anyone Voldemort can throw at him. Just remember what I told you, okay?"

Harry nodded, and brushed his hair automatically over his scar again, although he was grinning widely now.

"I'll remember, Jack. Thanks."