Standard Disclaimer: In the grand scheme of things we own nothing. All this belongs to JK Rowling and we're merely borrowing them for a spin around the block. In an alternate Universe Harry Potter is really a male gigolo and Ginny Weasley a Buddhist nun. I think. Oh I don't know! I'm suffering from an overdose of lemon drops!


Harry Potter and the Spiritus Crystalus
Chapter 9


Somewhere in England, Location unknown…

Voldemort was in a rage. With the loss of Daniel Wong, the Ministry had become a closed door. He no longer knew what was going on inside the Ministry, and it had become impossible for him to infiltrate it again. It was rumored that the Ministry had resorted to using blood oaths to ensure employee loyalty and secrecy.

To make matters worse, the Ministry had sent only a few of his servants to the newly rebuilt Azkaban Prison. Most, thanks to new laws pass by the Wizengamot, had been sent directly to the veil.

"Summon Wormtail!" he snapped to a waiting servant.

A moment later the short squat man came scurrying into the room and bowed deeply before his master.

"I am your humble servant Master. What do you wish of me?" he whined.

"We have plans to make, Wormtail. If we cannot attack Muggleborns, then we will attack muggles instead.

"Also I wish you to speak to Oogla-Dain. Tell the Dain I will have need of him and his brethren shortly," Voldemort replied with a maniacal laugh.

Wormtail shivered in fear. Talking to the Dain was nearly as terrifying as talking to his master!

"I-I-It shall be as you command, Master," he whimpered.


Early December in Hogwarts…

With Wan's return to the school, things were strained. She would go to the Headmaster's office every morning to get her wand. After dinner, she returned to the office, where she would do her homework under his watchful eye, before turning over her wand to him for the night.

The Headmaster worked with her, trying to make her understand that ability, not blood, was important. After her sessions, she would return to the common room where a few friends would cluster around her, protecting her from the rest of the school.

A week into December, it was announced that there would be a Yule ball, open to fourth years and above. That news, and the fact that the attacks on the muggle born seemed to have died down, gave a sense of security to the school.

That wasn't to say that everyone in the castle was happy and serene. Harry had taken to late night walks in the castle and sometimes along the battlements of the outer wall. The stone rampart was impressive, thirty feet thick at the base, twenty at the top, the wall surrounded the castle and a few of the outlying buildings. Other parts of the castle grounds, like the Quidditch pitch, were outside the walls.

By some unspoken agreement, all of Harry's friends and teachers tried to make sure Harry always had someone with him on these walks. Many times he and Ginny would be seen walking the walls, other times it would be Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron, even Jack Parsons and both Professors Snape.

Harry was grateful for the company. Ginny always lifted his spirited and filled him with a renewed sense of determination. The others would talk about the progress they had made and discuss the plans and possible courses of action.

Tonight, he and Jack Parsons walked the battlements. For a long while they were both silent, walking the walls and examining the changes that were being put into place by the Weasley twins.

"Kid," began Jack, "I know what you're feeling. Would you like to talk about it?"

Harry looked at him curiously before replying. "I'm not sure I can, Jack. Every time I try to put it into words, it doesn't come out well."

They stopped and looked at each other. "Harry, let me try to do it for you then. Your guts are twisting into knots because you know you're going to send your friends and family into a horrific battle and some won't come back."

Harry blinked, then nodded mutely.

Jack sighed and leaned up against the crenel, his arms folded across his chest. "At Annapolis, they used to talk about the loneliness of command. That's what you're feeling now, Harry. In my old outfit we were like family, everyone looked after each other just like a family did, and we all grieved when we lost someone. But the leader, he's special, he's someone everyone else looked up to. It's a job I held and I know how lonely it can get.

"As the commander of the light, you have a tough job and perhaps it's unfair to place it all on your shoulders. But you're strong, Harry. I don't mean physically or magically. You have a strength and determination of character that inspires others. It's a lonely job to be a commander, but a good commander realizes he isn't truly alone. His command staff backs him up, makes decisions he would approve of, eases some of the burden he has to bear.

"You have a lot of good people trying to make things easier for you so you can concentrate on those tasks which you can't delegate out. You command a level of loyalty I've never seen before, except in the history books when you read about someone like Patton, or Lee or Montgomery."

Harry thought about that for a long time before replying. "I guess your right Jack. It's just that, every day it seems to get worse and the panic builds a little bit more. It's like studying for an exam and having no clue what the test will be about. You just know the exam is coming."

"Kid, the Brigade will be ready. So will the Ministry Defense teams. We'll hold the castle for you. All you should worry about is teaching old Moldywart how to crap out of the new asshole you're gonna give him!"

Harry stared at Jack for a long moment before he started to laugh. Moldywart indeed! When he finally regained some control he said, "Jack, one of these days I'm going to start writing down your sayings. Merlin, you sure know how to muck up the language! Did you hear Professor Sprout complaining about that song the students were singing the other day?"

Jack shook his head.

"Hmm, how did it go?"

Hogwarts plants are mighty fine,
But Sprout says they are all mine.
Get your weed from Ponoma Sprout
She knows how to really put out!

Jack chuckled at that. "Yeah, I guess I'm sort of a bad influence on them. But look at how much fun they are having making up new ditties!"

Harry looked at Jack slyly for a moment. "Speaking of defenses, how are yours doing Jack?"

Jack looked at him in bewilderment. "What are you talking about Harry?"

"Well, I've noticed a certain Hestia Jones, Auror, taking more than a bit of interest in you. Why, I do believe you even dined with her in your quarters a few times last week."

"Kiddo, yer barkin' up the wrong tree. Those were business dinners. She just wanted to report to me on how the Ministry teams were shaping up."

"Jack, she could have owled you with those reports. The night I saw her, she was wearing her best Auror dress uniform. Most attractive, I must say."

Jack stood like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. "B-B-But I'm a squib!"

"Jack, you should know by now that makes no difference to us. One of my old house mates had a witch for a mum and a muggle for a dad. Even Tonks has a muggle for a dad. You could do worse Jack. She's a beautiful woman."

With that Harry walked off, leaving a stunned Jack Parsons standing on the battlements, contemplating a certain Auror who he had been seeing more frequently than business required.

Later that evening, Harry climbed into his bed. He was tired, but his mind was whirling with thoughts. Ginny entered a few moments later. She dropped the invisibility cloak on his table before climbing into the large bed and pulling the privacy curtain closed behind her.

She had joined him many times since start of school, but mostly they had cuddled and slept. She climbed under the covers with him, expecting him to be asleep or drifting off already, when he turned to her. His eyes cast a comforting green glow, clearly visible in the darkness.

"Your still awake? I expected you'd be asleep by now," she said quietly. She was about to say something more when she gasped as his hand flared with magic for a moment, before returning to normal.

He kissed her softly and it sent a thrill through her as she felt the sensation in a place other than her lips. She shuddered and pulled back from him.

"What did you do?" she demanded.

Harry smiled gently, and ran one hand along her cheek. She shuddered and her breasts quivered with sensation. "It's a sensory transference charm I invented, love. I made it so touching your face would transfer sensations elsewhere. I can teach you the spell if you want. It will only last twenty minutes or so, but I told you before, there are other things we can do besides soul binding."

She reached over to him and pulled him closer. "Teach me later, love. Right now I want you to kiss me," she whispered.

In a large magical castle in northern Scotland, two people shared their love despite the deepening gloom of a war that raged all around them.


Here and there…

Flight 72, bound for New York, had started in Paris. It landed at Heathrow Airport, London to take on additional passengers and to have the plane prepped for the overseas flight. One hour later, it took off again.

An hour after take off, the plane plunged into the Atlantic. There had been no radio contact informing the controllers that there was a problem onboard. It just dropped from the radar screens.

The 8:05 Brighton to Victoria station commuter rail left Salfords as usual. The driver noted the distinct drop in temperature as the train made its way into Earlswood. He checked the air conditioning settings, but everything seemed fine. A conscientious employee, as he pulled the train out of Earlswood he radioed for some mechanics to be ready to check the car when he pulled into Victoria Station.

Twenty minutes later the train plowed into the back of another train at Clapham Junction, having ignored traffic signals and the last four stops entirely. The train was traveling at nearly ninety miles an hour. Between the two trains, there were over eight hundred passengers involved.

Being muggle disasters, the magical community ignored them.


Grimmauld Place…

Tonks paced the room. Remus, already dressed for bed, sat on the edge of the bed and watched her. Since his cure, Remus had been to several medi-witches and wizards, but the general conclusion was that the lycanthropy had left him unable to have children. He could go through the motions, but like Jack Parsons would say, he was shooting blanks. And like Tonks, he had become quite attached to the Stonesmith twins. He wanted to adopt them as badly as Tonks did.

Children, a family, it was an impossible dream for a werewolf. He was an outsider looking in with longing when James married Lily and had Harry. He had expected to watch Sirius eventually settle down and have a family as well. Now he had a chance to have a normal life. Thanks to Harry curing his Lycanthropy, he had been able to marry Tonks. If she could see her way to making the right choice, they could have a family.

So now Remus watched Tonks as she paced the room. He had placed a silencing charm on the room. Tonks had a tendency to be quite vocal when she was upset.

"Damn it Remus, it's not fair! You and I both know those kids would be better off with us!" she said, glaring at him furiously, defying him to rebut her statement.

"Sweetie, I would agree with you, but you know my stand on this. They need a full time mother right now, especially Jason. Did you know he hasn't spoken in several years?" he replied calmly.

Tonks hair instantly grew from her normal bob to shoulder length and she pulled on it hard. "ARGH! Back to that! Why can't I have children and a career?" she said with a glare.

"Nymph, it's not that simple. We both know what's coming for Hogwarts in April. And as an Auror, you're going to be right in the middle of it. Do you want to bring those children into this house and become Mum to them, only to let them risk losing you?

When she flinched and said nothing in reply, Remus bored in for the kill. "They've already lost one set of parents. Parents, I might add, who didn't want them. Sweetie, I'm not saying you can't have a career, but you need to weigh your needs and theirs. They need a Mum and Dad. Molly and Arthur can give them that. You need to make a decision. I won't tell you what decision to make but I'll support what ever you decide to do. It has to be your choice," he said softly.

She turned to him. Her eyes filled with tears and, in a whisper, she asked, "Remus don't you want a family? Do you want those kids?"

Remus stood and walked over to her, his own eyes sad. He wrapped his arms around her. "Nymph, all my life I've wanted a family. I've wanted to love someone and be with them, have children and watch them grow up. I couldn't have any of that until Harry cured me. And now that I have part of it, I want the other part even more. So yes, I would love to bring them into our lives. Like Harry, I want a family to love and be loved by."

The two held each other for a long time before Tonks stepped away. "Perhaps I could go talk to Molly tomorrow," she mused aloud.

Remus smiled. She hadn't quite made her decision, but she was close.


Girls Dorm, the next day…

Hermione was sitting on her bed reading her favorite book, Hogwarts: A History, when Ginny came running in and bounced onto her bed. Ginny quickly pulled the curtains closed. Hermione looked at the younger woman curiously.

"'Mione, you're not going to believe what happened," Ginny said with an evil grin.

"What? Good news I hope?"

"Last night Harry taught me a new charm he invented. I thought you might find its effects umm… interesting."

"Harry's creating charms? Since when?"

Ginny suddenly looked defensive. "Well you know his interest in bonds and charms. He's got a whole bunch of them at this point." She blushed, "A lot of his charms are designed to be used by couples, and there's a fair number of prank charms…"

She ground to a halt when she saw the look on Hermione's face. Hermione sat there fuming at Ginny. She had a look that said the Boy-Who-Lived was about to become the Boy-Who-Died-By-The-Bushy-Haired-Book-Witch.

"OH, BLOODY MERLIN! Hermione Granger, will stop that! He's not doing it to make you feel unneeded or stupid," Ginny said hotly.

Hermione looked suddenly sheepish.

"I'm sorry, Ginny. It's just that some times I can't get over how Harry is capable of doing things. For years he's been getting help from me. And then he creates major works, or invents new charms without spending a day studying spell creation. He's never even studied Arithmancy or Ancient Runes!"

"'Mione, he's always going to need you. You know that. Look at what happened last year. He came up with some incredible works and forgot obvious things like Engorgio. So stop fretting, please? Besides, this is important. He taught me this new charm and I thought you'd want to learn it too."

There it was, out in the open. Hermione would never pass up learning a new spell, no matter how obscure.

Hermione closed her book and looked at the younger girl. "So, what does this charm do?" she asked.

"It's a sensory transference charm, 'Mione. Think of the fun you can have with it!"

Hermione gave her a puzzled look. Ginny giggled before saying, "Think of it this way. You can charm one area of someone's body so that a touch there will be felt elsewhere. You could touch Ron on his shoulder and make him feel it someplace else on his body."

Hermione sat there for a moment while all sorts of possibilities percolated through her head. Slowly, she smiled.

"Teach it to me," Hermione said with an evil grin.

Ginny grinned back at her. "It goes like this…"

The two girls sat for about twenty minutes, going over the charm. Neither of them noticed Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil creeping away from the bed with a huge grins on their faces.

By noon, most of the old Gryffindor girls, sixth year and above had learned the new charm. By dinner, it had spread like wildfire.


The Burrow…

Molly Weasley loved several things besides her family. She loved children, she loved helping others, and loved having people visit. She knew the Burrow wasn't an opulent mansion, but her home was neat and clean and, more importantly, it clearly said family to all visitors. So she was pleased when Tonks floo'd her earlier, asking if she could stop by around noon.

She didn't know the younger woman very well. Of course she knew her from the Order, and she had helped her plan her wedding. Tonks seemed so lost when it came to what Molly considered the important things. Yes, she was a very good Auror, and she was really good for Remus, but Tonks in the kitchen was a disaster.

Molly smiled when Tonks stumbled out of the floo. Some things never change!

"Hello Tonks," said Molly. "I'm glad you finally decided to visit."

Tonks picked herself up and smiled at the older woman, then she looked around carefully.

Molly eyed her for a moment. "Don't worry, he's in his room playing with some toys we had left over from the boys."

Tonks looked surprised that Molly had guessed her intent so easily, then she grinned. "Well, that's part of what I'd like to talk to you about Molly."

"I know why you're here Tonks, even if you're not quite sure about it yourself," Molly said with a smile. "But let's talk over a cup of tea in the kitchen, shall we?"

Entering the kitchen Tonks took a seat while Molly poured some tea she had simmering. Molly watched the younger woman struggle to find a way to put what she wanted to say into words and decided to cut right to the chase.

"Tonks, you want those children, but you're afraid that you don't know how to be a mother to them. You have a career that isn't right for a mother of young children and aren't sure how you can balance the two. Am I right?" she asked.

Tonks was surprised that Molly jumped right into the deepest end of the pool, but she wasn't surprised. Weasley's, from what she had observed, didn't believe in dancing around tough subjects.

"I do want them, Molly. I want them badly. Remus would so like to have a family, but we can't have children of our own. And then there's my career. I had hoped someday to head up the Auror division like Amelia, but Remus is right. Auror careers and kids don't mix well in war. And on top of that, we've become close with you and your family. I don't want to risk our friendship by trying to take them away from you," she said in a rush, throwing out excuse after excuse.

Molly placed her hand over Tonks'. "Dear, you and Remus are family and nothing will change that. We love having Jason here and look forward to Christmas with the twins. Our children are growing up fast. I would not be surprised if Ginny insists on marrying Harry this summer when she comes of age. What I'm trying to say is that you could petition for full parental rights, adopt them, with our blessings, or we can keep them. In either case, it's not going to change how we feel towards them, or you and Remus."

Tonks took in what Molly said and considered it. She still looked undecided though.

"Tonks, here's a suggestion. Why don't you stop by every day or two and spend some time with Jason and I. This will give you a chance to get to know him, and him to know you. It will provide me with some company and maybe I can even help you learn your way around a kitchen," she said with a smile.

"I think I like that idea, Molly," said the younger woman.


Hogwarts Great Hall, Dinner…

Harry sat at his usual table with Ginny. He really wasn't paying much attention as he flipped through pages of his notebook and continued to eat. Serena had joined them for dinner tonight, along with Blaise and Susan.

He looked up from his notebook when Ginny nudged him. Hermione was pointing at someone at another table, as part of her tale. He glanced over quickly and looked back in time to see her make a motion with her wand at Ron. He wasn't the only one to spot that little action. Serena also caught it. Seeing that Harry had spotted it as well, she turned to him, arching an eyebrow in question. He could only shrug in a bewildering reply.

A moment later, Hermione grabbed Ron's hand. It was typical of her. Ron was so busy shoveling food into his mouth he rarely noticed anyone until he was done eating.

Ron stiffened and turned beet red. He looked at Hermione, and then looked wildly about the table to see if anyone was watching them. Harry pretended to check his book again, but he watched the pair closely as Hermione ran a finger in circles around the palm of Ron's hand.

Ron's breath hitched a few times and, if possible, he turned even redder than he was. He reached down and carefully picked up his book bag and stood up while still holding Hermione's hand. Holding his bag in front of him, he looked down at Hermione and tugged her out of her seat. She had a knowing smile on her face as Ron dragged her from the Great Hall.

Harry watched the retreating backs of the couple, then scanned the hall. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he noted that more than one couple, including Blaise and Susan, seemed to be engaged in activity that left one partner uncomfortably embarrassed. After another moment, Blaise and Susan left the table also.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on in here tonight?" asked Serena with a look of confusion, as couple after couple left the Hall.

"I'd say that someone, probably a red-headed someone," Harry replied looking at Ginny, "has been teaching people a new spell."

Ginny blushed and looked down at the table. "I only told 'Mione about it Harry! Honest!"

"Did you remember to cast a silencing charm before you told her, Gin?" he asked with a grin.

"I forgot," came the sheepish reply.

Harry laughed and leaned over to hug her. Looking back to Serena, he realized he better come up with some sort of explanation.

"Professor, let's just say that a spell I created… umm… got loose?" he finished lamely.

Ginny blushed again and laughed at his wording.

"And what does this spell do, Mr. Potter?" Serena asked, trying very hard not to smile.

Harry sighed. There was no way of getting around this one. He handed her his notebook. "The particular incantation and description is on page 87, Professor. It's better that you read it than me try to explain it."

Serena opened the book and found it was completely unreadable, she looked up at him curiously.

"Oh I forgot about that." He muttered an incantation under his breath. "There, now you're the only other person capable of reading that book besides myself. Eventually, I'll add Ginny here. But first I need to think of something suitable to do for letting that spell slip out. Maybe I'll turn her hair green for a week first," he said with a grin.

Ginny glared at him and was about to say something when he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Or maybe I'll just make you spend the rest of your life with me instead."

Meanwhile, Serena watched as the pages in the book changed from symbols to letters. She was startled to find an index to the book. Combat spells broken down into defensive and offensive spells. General spells broken down into personal, love, child rearing, medical, business and wildlife? He's writing a book of new spells he's developed? There's over a hundred spells listed in here! Severus has got to see this, Dumbledore too she thought.

She turned to the page Harry had suggested and she quickly read through the spell description. Her eyes widened as she thought of the implications. She quickly memorized the incantation and wand motion, then considered making a copy of the book, since she had her wand, out tracing the movements of the charm. She was about to cast Replico when Harry stopped her.

"I wouldn't suggest doing that, Professor. The book is charmed with an anti-copy spell. If you try to copy that book, you may find the results…unpleasant…to say the least," he said with a smirk. "I learned my lesson last year. Many of those spells are ones I need personally. After April, I may consider letting others have copies, but not before. I can't risk them getting out."

Serena frowned at that. Here's a wealth of brand new spells and he won't share it! Merlin, he really should have been a Slytherin! She thought.

Suddenly Harry frown, his eyes flashed angrily. His skin glowed briefly. From across the hall, there was a shout that was not one of pain. Millicent Bulstrode stood shakily. She took ten steps before she let loose with another passionate scream, then she bolted for the door, her face flaming.

"Harry? Did you do that?" asked Ginny with a look of anger on her face.

Harry looked at Ginny after watching Millicent run from the room. "I didn't know it would bounce like that, Gin. All I know is someone cast that charm on me and I nullified it back to the caster. Alright, maybe I put a little too much power in that nullifying, but I don't like people casting on me without asking first," he replied.

Ginny blinked as she realized that Harry was responding to someone casting on him. Then she did a double take as she saw a faint shimmer appear around him. It was very subtle, barely noticeable. She probed that shimmer with her mind and was surprised by what she found. He had shielded himself against another unwanted charm!

Serena watched the two of them closely. She was as surprised as Ginny was by what Harry had done, and even more surprised by the full body shield he had just raised. Oh it was really low powered, and wouldn't stop a dueling spell, but it was strong enough to repel that charm of his.

Ginny fumed. She wasn't mad at Harry, but Millicent couldn't be allowed to get away with that. She decided she'd check with some of her friends later to seek advice on how to deal with old horse-face.

Serena decided she better change the subject. "Harry, how's the research into Godric's sword going?"

Ginny groaned and closed her eyes. She buried her face into her hands, "No don't mention the…"

Harry's hand shot out and snatched the sword from the air, then he grimaced. "Too late."

Serena looked surprised.

"Every time someone mentions the sword these days it appears. EVERY BLOODY TIME," he said vehemently. "Do you know what a pain it is? It's become a running joke in the common room."

"Dobby?" Harry called out in a loud voice.

With a pop, Dobby appeared next to Harry. "What can Dobby do for the great Harry Potter today?"

"Dobby would you return this…"

"Wait, Harry. I think you might be able to use Dobby," Serena interrupted, "Think about it, the house elves know even more about Hogwarts than the Headmaster."

Harry's eye's widened as what Serena told him sunk in. "Dobby, do you know how to make the sword stop appearing every time I think of it?"

Dobby vanished with a loud pop, then he returned a moment later with a scabbard for the sword. "Sword needs its holder, Harry Potter. That will keep the sword from appearing."

Harry took the scabbard from the little elf and looked at it carefully. Carved into the leather were the crests of all four founders of the school. He slid the sword into the scabbard and then he handed the sword to Dobby. "Would you return this to my dorm please, Dobby?"

"Anything for the great Harry Potter!" the little elf cried and he vanished with a pop.

Ginny giggled and Serena smiled. Harry turned to Ginny with a pained look. "You think it's funny now, but you do realized once I have a house of my own, he's going to want to come work for the Potter family. Him and Winky both," he said with a grin.

"Well, with all the children you think we'll have Mr. Potter, a little help would be appreciated," she retorted archly.

"We'll see. Oh Merlin, I'm going to be late my meeting with Jack. I'll catch up with you later," he said before standing up and hurrying from the Hall.


Snapes Private Quarters…

Serena Snape entered the apartment in a hurry. She had plans for this evening and she wanted everything in place before Severus arrived.

Rushing into the living room, she stripped out of her robe and tossed it onto a chair. Within minutes, she had a roaring fire going, candles lit and a bottle of brandy on the table. Hearing Severus enter, she smiled.

"Serena?" Snape called from the hallway.

"In the living room," she replied.

When he entered the room, she could see he was in a foul mood. She had a good idea what had caused it, but knew he'd tell her anyway.

"We have staff meeting tomorrow evening," he growled. "Dumbledore stopped me on my way to the Great Hall."

"I know. Minerva told me about it earlier today." She walked to him and helped him out of his robe. "I set out some brandy, knowing you'd probably need it," she said with a smile.

He kissed the top of her head absently and moved over to the couch. As he sat down, she went to the bar to get a glass. On her way back, she drew her wand, pointed it at his back and concentrated on his bum. Muttering under her breath, she cast the spell quietly and replaced her wand. Coming up behind him, she leaned over his shoulder and handed him the glass.

"Thank you," he said tiredly. Taking the bottle of brandy from the table, he poured a small amount into his glass, replaced the bottle and leaned back with a sigh. After a small sip, he relaxed a bit. "How was your day?" he asked.

"The usual," she replied, leaning against the back of the couch. "There were no major disasters and the castle's still standing. Anything interesting happen in Defense today?"

As he started to speak, she reached down and rubbed his shoulders gently. He jumped.

"What's wrong?" she asked, lifting her right hand.

"What? Oh, nothing," he said distractedly.

"You were saying something about your classes today?" she reminded him when he remained silent.

When he launched into an amusing story about one of his defense students, she replaced her right hand on his shoulder and began to knead the tense muscles she found there. He jumped once again and began to squirm. She stilled her hand, but didn't remove it.

"Severus? What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing. At least, I don't think…"

His words trailed off when her hand started to move once more on his shoulder. He fidgeted under her hand for a moment, before leaping to his feet, nearly spilling the brandy from his glass. Turning around, he looked down at the couch with some suspicion.

"What is it?" she asked, looking down at the cushion in puzzlement.

"I could have sworn…I mean, I thought that maybe…" He growled in frustration, put his glass on the table and sat back down. "It's nothing. I'm just tired."

She grinned. "Relax," she said softly, running her left hand through his hair. "I know you don't like staff meetings, but you don't normally get this worked up over one. Did something happen in class?"

"No, nothing bad, at any rate. The students are coming along fine. As much as I love potion making, I loathed teaching it."

"I know," she said, placing her right hand on his shoulder once more and squeezed. He began to twist a little on the couch, shifting position like a guilty child found with his hand in the cookie jar. Serena bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

She increased the pressure of her right hand, stroking and massaging his shoulder. He squirmed and slipped lower on the couch.

"Severus, what are you doing?" she asked. "I'm trying to get you to relax and you keep squirming away from me."

He sat up and turned to stare at her suspiciously. Seeing her puzzled expression, he shrugged uncomfortably and raked the fingers of one hand through his hair. "It's the oddest thing…"

"What?"

"Never mind. I must be more tired than I though," he muttered, leaning back once more and planting his feet deliberately.

"Poor Severus."

She kissed the top of his head and rubbed his left shoulder comfortingly. As he leaned into her touch, she lifted her right hand. The instant it touched his shoulder, he jumped, grabbed her hand and gave it a yank. Not suspecting his quick movement, she was unbalanced and spilled over the back of the couch to land partially in his lap in a rather undignified heap.

"Severus!" she squeaked.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" he growled. "All day long I've watched students do exactly what I've been doing. Squirming in their seats, twisting around at tables in the Great Hall."

She grinned up at him. "Oh, I knew you'd figure it out sooner or later. To be truthful, I thought it would be sooner though, spy that you once were. I thought you were supposed to be the observant type?" she asked impishly.

"Where did you learn that?" he asked, ignoring her jibe.

She told him about Harry's new notebook and the spell she'd learned. She also explained how the other students knew about it.

"That may explain the staff meeting tomorrow," Severus grumbled.

"Undoubtedly," Serena replied cheerfully.

Releasing her hand, he helped her to sit up. As he did so, his robe caught the glass on the table and tipped it over. The contents spilled to the floor, filling the room with the smell of brandy.

"I'll get it," Serena said. Pulling out her wand, she cleaned the mess and refilled his glass. Just before she turned to hand it to him, Severus tucked his own wand away with a satisfied smirk.

He took a sip of brandy while she curled up next to him. Taking her hand, he ran his fingernail down her palm and she jumped. When he repeated the motion, she jumped again and pulled her hand from his.

"Severus!"

"Did you think you were the only one to learn it, Serena?" he asked as he captured her hand once more. He laughed as she started to squirm. Setting his glass on the table, he turned to her. "This spell certainly has its interesting uses," he murmured wickedly.


Hogwarts Staff Meeting…

The room was chaotic. The staff was in an uproar over the recent behavior of their students. As the Professors argued over the cause, three people in the room looked on with varying degrees of delight and one person in complete embarrassment.

This was the first time Harry had attended a staff meeting, but he hadn't realized what it was about until he arrived. Taking Gryffindor courage and shoving it to the back of his mind, he opted to say nothing at all.

Serena and Severus Snape looked on in wry amusement. While they were not happy about what the results of the spell did to the concentration of their students, neither could complain too loudly. After all, they had fully enjoyed themselves last night, repeatedly casting it on each other.

Albus Dumbledore was also aware of the new spell. He had overheard a seventh year boy teaching it to his dorm mates while up on the astronomy tower yesterday. He was also aware of who the spell had come from, and the circumstances of its release into the general population of older students. While many of the teachers ignored base gossip, Dumbledore enjoyed it, as it reminded him of his younger years.

At a strident comment from Minerva, Dumbledore reined in his unruly thoughts and cleared his throat. "I do not believe that this new behavior will cause any harm. True, it will make classes a little more difficult for the staff, but I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon."

"Novelty? Novelty of what?" Minerva asked. At his slightly guilty look, she sent him a glare. "What do you know about this, Albus? I know you're hiding something."

"Perhaps, Minerva, but you will just have to trust me. The students behavior will return to normal in due time, I'm sure."

As the Deputy Headmistress continued to demand answers, Severus leaned over to his wife and whispered, "If last night is any indication, I think Albus is being a bit short sighted. I, for one, won't become bored anytime soon."

When Serena laughed, McGonagall whirled to face her. "You think this is amusing?"

"What I find amusing is your reaction, Minerva. Besides, the students aren't that bad."

"Not that bad!" Minerva exclaimed. "I'll have you know that, due to all the squirming and wiggling around, Miss Bones turned my desk into a twelve foot python because she couldn't aim properly!"

"So punish the girl for her inattention," Severus replied dryly. "Serena's right. The student's aren't that bad." When McGonagall opened her mouth, he stood up. "As we have nothing more to add, you'll have to excuse us. My wife and I have plans for this evening."

When Serena stood, Albus smiled and said, "Of course, my dears, of course. Enjoy yourselves."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Serena replied, noting that his blue eyes were dancing.

The door closed behind them, cutting off Minerva's shrill protest. Harry sunk lower into his seat and really wished he could follow the Snapes from the room.


Later that night in the common room…

Wan Chang sat in a corner of the common room, being ignored by most of the people there. She was working on a detention homework assigned by the Headmaster. It was a much subdued Wan these days. She still had a few friends that helped her when they could, but the last two weeks had been an eye opening experience for her.

Dumbledore had her working on a project with some researchers. Her job was very minor at best. She was to organize their raw data and put it into some semblance of order. The research project, run from St. Mungos, was looking into the comparative power levels of full bloods vs. non-full bloods. The raw data was strongly leading her to a conclusion she did not want to come to.

While Wan was certainly no friend of the muggle born or half bloods, she was seeing from the data in the project that if something weren't done, the full bloods would be without magic in ten or so generations. They were breeding it out of themselves.

One thing was clear to her. After seeing Harry Potter take down Danny without a wand, she was quickly coming to the conclusion that she did not want to be on the side against Potter.

She had told her 'friends' exactly that, and they had laughed at her fears. So now, except for a few true friends, she found herself ignored by most students.


Here and there…

Manningtree, Essex, where Mathew Hopkins began his famous career as Witchfinder General in the 17th century, was a small town. In fact, it was one of the smallest in England. Now days it remained a popular spot for history buffs and tourists to visit, but had retained its old world charm despite its sordid past.

Mr. Oxbridge was out walking his dog and, being winter, never really noticed the drop in temperature until it was too late. The Dementors floated across the river Stour and into the town, administering the kiss to everyone.

By mid morning, local authorities, realizing they had a problem, sealed off the town and were sending medical teams in to investigate. Not a single soul had escaped the kiss in Manningtree.


The Common Room…

The Yule ball was upon them. Tomorrow they would be heading home for the holiday break. The older students were excited, rushing around and preparing for the dance ahead.

Harry checked his robe once more, giving it a nervous twitch. Ginny had insisted on him selecting a lighter color robe for this occasion, so tonight he wore a green robe with a black trim. Unexpectedly, Gladrags had also added the Potter family crest in silver over the left breast of the robe.

Colin was making the rounds of the Dorm rooms making sure those who wanted photos would be ready. Like last years ball, a group of boys had pitched in to buy Colin plenty of film for his camera.

The Common Room was crowded tonight and Harry was surprised to see so many of the younger students still there. Normally on dance nights, they tend to vanish up to their rooms.

Erika came up to Harry, with Eric right behind. She looked him up and down approvingly as if to say, "Even if Ginny doesn't approve, I do."

"Are you really going to dance with a girl, Professor Harry?" asked Eric. Being a boy of only eleven, he made the word girl sound like it was some dirty object to be avoided at all costs.

"Of course, Eric. I danced with Erika, didn't I?"

"But she my sister. That's different!" Eric protested.

Erika shot her brother a glare. "Well I think Professor Harry is an excellent dancer, Eric. And he's not afraid of girls like some people I know!" she said with a sniff.

Harry grinned at the two of them.

Straightening up, he spotted Ginny coming down the stairs. What he saw took his breath away. Ginny's robe molded to every part of her body. Her hair was done up in wonderful curls. Most importantly, the look she gave him smoldered with a love and a challenge, and he knew it was for him and him alone.

He took one of her hands in his and caressed her cheek with the other. "Your so beautiful Gin, so perfect." he said softly to her, his eyes drinking her in.

Ginny could see from his reaction that all her work hadn't been in vain. She smiled up at him and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

After getting their photo taken by Colin, they said good night to the twins and made their way to the Great Hall. Professor Flitwick had enlisted Harry's help in decorating the Hall in a holiday mood.

The room had been expanded and, off to one corner, was a huge decorated Christmas tree. A small stage had been set up for the band. The Weird Sisters had been unavailable so, this year, a new band called the Dancing Dragons had been brought to the castle. The walls had been charmed to make it seem like the entire room was a giant cloud, floating lazily over a snow-covered landscape.

Harry and Ginny took up seats at a table with Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna. The last couple to join them was Blaise and Susan. Like previous balls, this one started with a dinner.

The teachers had a special table reserved for them up at the head of the Hall. En masse, they entered the Hall and headed for their table. They were all dressed in their best robes. As soon as they were seated, there was a bright flash of light from their table. When the light receded, they found themselves drastically changed.

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, down to appropriate potbellies. The rest of the teachers, except for Flitwick who actually grew taller, were shrunk in size and dressed as Santa's elves. Flitwick was delighted with his new height!

Harry watched for a moment as the rest of the hall erupted into laughter. "Mischief Managed," he murmured with a slight smile on his face.

Ginny, overhearing this, slapped his arm. "You're supposed to include us!" she said.

"Did you include me when you went after Millicent, Gin?" he retorted with a smile. "Although to be honest, I'm not sure I'd want to be included when twenty girls gang up on another. And how long will it take before the 'I will not touch Harry Potter' fades from her forehead, anyway?"

"Another week or two," Ginny replied with a shrug. "Besides, she asked for it with she did to you. I made that plain last year and Millicent needed to be reminded of that."

The two turned back to the head table as Santa Dumbledore stood up. A hush fell across the Hall. His eyes were twinkling merrily as he looked out over the students. He hooked one hand in his wide leather belt.

"Ho ho ho! Well, it seems that one of Santa's elves has, ho ho ho, been playing tonight, ho ho ho!"

As he talked, his belly shook like crazy. Most of the full bloods didn't have a clue why he was acting so strange, but the muggleborn and half bloods were quickly filling them in.

After dinner, the Dancing Dragons began to play. Harry was surprised and pleased to see Ron immediately lead Hermione onto the dance floor. He followed with Ginny.

As they danced, he noticed one teacher had arrived late, and not alone. He smiled seeing Jack escort Hestia Jones into the Great Hall. Jack looked extremely uncomfortable in a Wizarding robe. At one point in their dance they came close enough to talk with the pair.

"Not a word about the pajamas kid, or I'll run your butt off next time I see ya," growled Jack to Harry.

"You look good, Jack. Very wizardish," replied Harry with a smirk.

Santa Dumbledore made his way through the crowd, handing out small packages to people as he passed them. He seemed to have a charmed sack that never emptied. He had a pained expression on his face as he handed Harry and Ginny their presents.

"Ho ho ho! I hope you like your presents! Ho ho ho!" he said, before shuffling off to hand out more presents.

"THANKS Santa!" Harry shouted after him.

Harry started to snicker. Ginny looked at him with suspicion. "Just what have you done Harry? What's in these presents?"

"Just watch Hermione. When she opens the present, you'll know by her reaction. In fact, let's head back to the table. They should be there shortly."

He led her back to their table for a drink. When the current song ended, every one returned to their tables to check out their presents. Harry sat back with a huge grin on his face as Hermione ripped open her gift. She took one look inside the box and groaned. She then leaned over and banged her head repeatedly on the table top.

Ginny opened her present, then eyed Hermione and started to laugh. Santa was giving everyone lemon drops this Christmas! As one, those in the Hall turned to look at Hermione and erupted into laughter.

Hermione continued to pound her head against the table as she turned beet red. Harry had managed to prank both her and the teachers in a single shot.

As the last dance of the evening started, Harry led Ginny onto the dance floor again. He held her close to him, reveling in the feel of holding her.

"It's getting closer, you know," he whispered in her ear.

She looked up at him startled. How could he talk about Voldemort now? she thought angrily.

"I'm really looking forward to it too, Gin," he whispered.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, angered by his comments.

He blinked at her reaction. He didn't think she'd be angry! "I'm talking about when we'll be able to get married. What did you think I was talking about?" he asked perplexed.

Her features softened immediately and she hugged him tightly before smiling up at him. "It doesn't matter, love. And yes, I'm looking forward to it as well. I think I'll like being Mrs. Potter very much," she replied losing herself in his sparkling green eyes.

He bent down to kiss her and, like last year's dance, his magic enveloped both of them. Overhead, a pair of stars shot across the heavens and, for a brief moment, one could hear phoenix song mixed in with the music from the band.

As the song ended, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they made their way to the exit. She smiled at him. "You know Mr. Potter, you have an absolutely wonderful way of ending a dance."

"It's the company, Miss Weasley. It wouldn't be possible without you."

No one wanted to point out that both of them had a slight glow around them as they exited the Great Hall.


Home for the Holidays…

The trip home from Hogwarts was uneventful for the most part. Harry, Ron and Ginny had spent some time reassuring Erika and Eric that they would be welcome in their home. And Molly made a big fuss over them when they arrived in Kings Cross station. They needed to take two taxis from the train station where they'd floo from the Leaky Cauldron to the Burrow.

The plans for Christmas this year were different. They would spend Christmas morning at the Burrow and have Christmas dinner at Grimmauld Place.

Harry watched the twins as they eyed the floo in the Leaky Cauldron. They had never traveled by floo before and weren't too sure about it. Harry offered to take them through, right behind Molly, Ginny and Ron.

Taking each by the hand, the three stepped into the fireplace. Harry nodded at Erika to throw the floo powder and he shouted, "The Burrow!"

In a flash of green flame they vanished.

A moment later they stepped out of the floo at the Burrow. Erika and Eric squealed and broke from his hands when they spotted Tonks standing with Jason. Harry smiled. The three of them had managed floo traveling without falling!

On the heels of that thought, Harry was knocked to the floor. He looked up in indignation at Ron.

"What the bloody hell did you do that for?" he asked hotly.

"Can't have you not tripping when you come out of the floo, Harry. It's just not natural," he replied with a huge grin before offering him a hand up.

Molly took the twins in hand and showed them to their new bedroom, which Remus had built into the house. Jason followed close behind.

"Tonks, I'd like to talk to you in a bit. Give me a moment to go upstairs and change, then I'll meet you in the kitchen, alright?" Harry asked.

She nodded at him absently while watching the twins and Jason from the hallway.

Changing into more comfortable clothes, Harry met up again with Tonks in the kitchen. The twins and Jason were in their room. Molly poured Harry and Tonks a cup of tea before pouring one for herself and sitting down.

"I know you two are still trying to figure out what's going to happen to the twins and Jason. It's not my place to get involved in that. But what I would like to do, with permission from you both, is take the three of them, with Ginny, to Diagon Alley tomorrow so they can do some Christmas shopping. I'll give each of them a small amount of money so they can buy presents for each other and whomever they want. I'd just like the three of them to have a good, fun Christmas. I suspect it will be a first for them this year," he concluded.

Tonks and Molly looked at each other. "I don't know, Harry. The twins would be ok, but Jason is awfully young. I think I'd feel better if an adult went along," replied Molly. Harry blanched at that.

"Molly," Tonks said softly, "Harry is an adult now and Ginny will be in less than a year."

Molly turned pale. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry. I can't help but think of you as just one my children." She reached over and pulled Harry into one of those bone crushing hugs he loved to get from her.

"It's alright, Molly. If it makes you more comfortable, I'll ask Remus if he can join us tomorrow?" he offered with a smile to show he understood how she felt.

Harry got up to go floo Remus when Molly grabbed his hand. He looked at her curiously, "Harry I'm…"

"Molly, it's alright, really. For most of my life, I didn't have a Mum there to care about me. It feels good to know I have one now," he said, interrupting her.

"Harry," Tonks broke in, "I'll ask Remus to join you tomorrow, say about 10am in the Leaky Cauldron? In the meantime, why don't you go visit the twins and Jason and let them know about the shopping trip?"

Harry nodded and left the room.

Molly turned to Tonks. "I can't believe I said that! If that had been Ron or one of my other boys they would have screamed their heads off."

"Harry isn't like your other boys, Molly. He's a man in so many ways that matter. But he's never had the kind of love your boys have had, so he's still willing to accept it, where Ron and the others wouldn't," replied Tonks. Then she smiled. "I think that long after Ginny is grown and has kids of her own, Harry will still accept a little bit of mothering from you."

Molly smiled wistfully at the idea.


Diagon Alley the next day…

Remus met Harry, Ginny, the twins and Jason at the Leaky Cauldron the next morning. Remus had been visiting with Jason when he could break away from his schedule, so Jason knew him pretty well. Well enough to take his hand when he arrived.

Harry turned to the children. "Alright, here's what we're going to do. First, we're going to Gringots, the wizard bank to get some money. Then, you're each going to get fifty galleons to buy Christmas presents."

All three kids look up at Harry wide eyed and nod as one. Ginny, watching them, tried to stifle a laugh. With that, they all marched out of the back entrance of the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley.

Heading straight to Gringots with everyone in tow, Harry asks one of the goblins if Griphook is available. A few minutes later, another goblin appeared.

Harry gave the goblin a toothless smile. Everyone knew that showing your teeth to a goblin was a deadly insult. "Griphook! It's so nice to see you again. I trust everything is well with you?" Harry asked politely.

"I am well, Mr. Potter. Thank you for asking. How can I be of service to you today?" asked Griphook.

"Griphook, I'd like you to meet three dear friends of mine. I'd like to open three trust accounts in their name for their education. Set the accounts up with fifty thousand galleons apiece, with a five hundred galleon personal allowance per year 'til they graduate. Please withdraw the money from one my vaults to set it up."

Remus grabbed Harry by the arm and hissed, "What in the name of Merlin are you doing, Harry?"

"I'm ensuring for their education. This way they'll have the money they need for school," Harry whispered back. "Remus, if the Weasleys keep them, then the extra money will pay for their education. If you take them in, they are still covered."

Remus fumed for a moment, then said, "Griphook, take an additional fifty thousand from my account for each one of theirs, please."

The goblin looked at the two of them then nodded. "Of course, Mr. Lupin. If you will give me a moment, I shall prepare all the paperwork and bring them their keys." At their nods, Griphook disappeared into a back room.

"You're getting too damn smart, Harry. I was planning to do this after the holiday!" Remus growled at him, then smiled to show he wasn't really angry.

A moment later, Griphook came out with three keys and a handful of papers. He had each child sign the paperwork, then asked Harry and Remus to sign as trust managers. Finally, he gave each child his or her vault key.

"Will that be all for you today, Mr. Potter?" asked Griphook.

"No, Griphook. Would you be so kind as to bring us three money wallets with fifty galleons each please, and charge it to my account?" replied Harry.

Griphook reached into a drawer and pulled out three enchanted money wallets. Murmuring an incantation over them, he then handed them to Harry. "Each one now contains fifty galleons, Mr. Potter."

Harry took the wallets and put them in his pocket. "Thank you, Griphook. As always, your assistance has been invaluable."

"One more thing before you leave, Mr. Potter. I meant to owl this to you today, but since you're here, Director Ragnot has asked that I give you this," he said as he handed over a sealed envelope.

Harry raised an eyebrow at Griphook, who smiled back toothlessly. Harry put the envelope in his inner jacket pocket. "Thank you, Griphook. Please convey my regards to Ragnot. I hope you both enjoy the upcoming festival of Ookmar."

Griphook's eyes widened and he bowed low. "Thank you, Mr. Potter."

Upon exiting Gringots, Remus stopped them. "Harry, how did you know about Ookmar?" he asked.

"After my last trip to Gringots I thought it would be best to read up on the Goblin culture," he replied with a shrug. "Now, let's get our shopping done then we'll go back to the Burrow. I'm curious to find out what's in the letter from Director Ragnot,"

They spent a good deal of the day shopping. Harry picked up a couple books and a miniature Quidditch game at Quality Quidditch supplies for Jason. Ginny played 'distract the six year old' while those purchases were made. In fact, all of the adults at one point or another played distract the child while another made a purchase.

By mid afternoon they were set to return to the burrow when Harry handed Ginny some galleons and told her to buy them lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. He said he forgot one item and needed at least thirty minutes.

He returned nearly fifty minutes later, looking very pleased with himself. In moments, the group was spilling from the fireplace at the Burrow.


The Burrow…

Remus, Harry and Ginny went into the kitchen while Tonks took the children into the living room to help them wrap their gifts. Harry pulled out the letter from Director Ragnot and opened it while everyone waited expectantly for him to read it.

Mr. H. Potter,
As you are no doubt aware, the Goblin nation is not without its own resources when it comes to magical capabilities. Our seers have learned of a plot against Hogwarts sometime in early April of next year. As you were instrumental in bringing about our recent successful cooperation with the Ministry of Magic, we are prepared to offer a Goblin Brigade to assist you in your cause.

You may not be aware, but a Goblin Brigade consists of two hundred and fifty Goblins. All we ask in return is that you personally appeal to the Minister of Magic for a re-negotiation of the current treaty between the Goblin Nation and the Ministry of Magic, allowing us to enjoy a greater degree of equality within the Wizarding world.

I eagerly await your reply in this matter.
Respectfully,
Ragnot, Director of Gringots.

Harry turned ashen before finishing the letter. "Remus…" he said softly.

"Harry, what's wrong! You're so pale!" cried Ginny.

"Remus, floo Dumbledore. Tell him I need him here right now and if there is any way he can swing it, to get Amelia to join him," Harry said more forcefully.

Remus blinked in surprise and rushed to the floo.

"It's ok, Gin. It's just that it's not everyday that one sees history made by a simple letter," Harry said to her with a smile.

A short while later Remus walked into the kitchen with Dumbledore and Amelia Bones, both of who appeared to be confused and surprised by the impromptu meeting.

"Harry, it's good to see you, although I am somewhat surprised. Remus said you received another message from the Goblins?" asked Amelia.

Harry handed her the note. Remus and Dumbledore both read it over her shoulder. When they were done, they all sat heavily in chairs and just sat staring at the letter in Amelia's hands.

Molly walked in and was shocked to see that Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic were sitting in her kitchen. She quickly started pouring tea for everyone. Then she took a seat, wondering why everyone had a stunned look on his or her face.

Amelia finally broke the silence. "Harry, have you ever considered a career in Government? At this point I think the position of Minister would suit your talents," she said with a smile.

Remus shook his head in wonder. "I would have never believed it if I hadn't read it myself. A Goblin Brigade!"

"Yes, it is quite a tempting offer. The power behind a Brigade would be most welcome," replied Dumbledore.

Amelia handed the note back to Harry who handed it to Molly so she would understand what they were talking about. Ginny read it over her shoulder, her own eyes widening.

"Minister, my question to you, since Ragnot seems to be expecting me to reply personally, would be are you willing to re-negotiate the treaty?" asked Harry.

"Harry, for a Brigade of Goblins I'd be willing to give them the keys to my office!" Amelia declared.

"Good. Should I send Ragnot a note asking if he'll accept Remus as negotiator for the new treaty?" asked Harry.

"Excellent Harry, excellent! Now, while you write that letter, perhaps Molly will provide us with a slice of that wonderful pie she has cooling," Dumbledore said with a twinkle. Molly quickly got up and started serving.

As Harry started to scribble a note on a piece of parchment, Ginny took it from him. "I swear Harry, for someone who wants to be a teacher, you have the handwriting of a healer! Give me a clean sheet and I'll make this neat and you can sign it," she said.

He looked sheepish. His handwriting wasn't really all that good. Signing the clean copy of the letter Ginny produced, he handed it over to Remus to take to Ragnot.

"Remus, as my portfolio manager, I'd like you to do me one more favor please," Harry said.

"What's that, Harry?" he replied.

"Would you pick up fifty thousand more shares of DLPH for me?" Harry asked.

"It's not a very good stock Harry, but if that's what you want, I'll take care of it," replied Remus.

Amelia looked up from the pie she was enjoying and squinted at Harry. "DLPH, Harry?"

"Let's just say I'm planning a surprise for someone Minister, and I daresay it's not going to be a pleasant one," Harry said with an evil glint in his eyes.

Amelia and Dumbledore exchanged a worried look for a moment. Dumbledore finally shrugged. There really wasn't anything they could do about it.

Tonks walked into the room carrying Jason in one arm and leading Erika and Eric by a hand. She seemed startled to see the Minister there. Amelia looked at the young Auror with the kids and raised an eyebrow in question.

Tonks handed Jason to Molly and grabbed a sheet of parchment and a quill from in front of Harry. Scribbling a quick note, she folded it and handed it to the Minister.

"Minister, would you be so kind as to deliver that note to Kingsley Shacklebolt, please?"

Amelia opened the folded parchment and quickly read it, her breath hitching in surprise. "Auror Tonks, you're resigning from the force? Now? When we need every Auror we have?" she exclaimed.

Tonks sat down next to Harry, who was sporting a huge grin. Molly handed Jason back to Tonks. "Yes Minister, I am. Effective immediately I'm afraid."

"I have a right to know why, Auror Tonks," the minister said formally. She was obviously upset. She truly liked Tonks and thought she had a great future in the Auror division.

"Minister, these children," she said, pointing to Jason, Erika and Eric, "need a family, a mother and a father. Their parents, in the last major attack against muggleborns, abandoned them. The twins are metamorphs, like myself. I'm the only one that can train them in their abilities. And finally, my husband and I want a family and we cannot have children of our own."

None of the children, or Molly for that matter, seemed surprised by this. While the adults had been discussing goblins and politics, Molly and Tonks had been talking with the kids in their room.

The Minister looked at Tonks, noting her defiant look and decided to try for a compromise. She could understand what Tonks was saying. She too had once been forced to decide between career and family and had picked a career over the two.

"Auror, how about if I advise Kingsley to put you on the inactive roles for now? That would mean you can come back to the force when your smallest child goes off to Hogwarts," she offered.

Inactive status would mean taking refresher courses if I return to the force, thought Tonks. And I would still be allowed to maintain my Auror status. It's better than resigning, plus I don't have to return to the force unless I want to.

"Alright, Minister. Inactive status will do. It's more than I had hoped for, actually," Tonks replied with a sigh of relief.

Amelia smiled, saying, "I'll also inform the Office of Child Placement to expedite your request to adopt these children, Tonks. May I be the first to congratulate you on your new family?"

Tonks nodded, smiling. With tears streaming down her face, she hugged Jason to her. Remus went over to the twins and grabbed them both in a hug. Both Molly and Ginny had tears in their eyes, while Dumbledore looked on, nodding his own approval.

Later that evening over dinner, it was decided that Jason, Eric and Erika would stay with the Weasleys until Christmas day. That would give Remus and Tonks time enough to prepare rooms for them. Erika seemed to be most concerned that she wouldn't be Professor Harry's little sister, but he assured her that she always would be.

Everyone was surprised when Jason reached for his cup and, when he couldn't reach it, he performed a bit of accidental magic and summoned it. No one had managed to get Jason to talk as of yet, but Remus was going to give him some time to become adjusted, and then, if necessary call in a mind healer to help him.

Fred and George had stopped by for dinner and were totally taken by the twins. Eric and Erika seemed to be battling for control of their link all through dinner. First, they had short hair, and then it would grow long again, much to the delight of the Weasley twins, who were so busy laughing they barely managed to choke down anything for dinner.

Eric, sitting between Fred and George, and with a little couching from Harry, had been carefully placing spoonfuls of mashed potatoes in their pockets whenever they were distracted by their own laughter. This little prank probably would have gone undetected for quite some time, but Eric had decided that one couldn't have potatoes without gravy!

Fred was the first to notice something wet in his pocket. He leapt to his feet in concern.

"OY! Whose been messing in my pocket?" he shouted.

George started laughing at Fred, until he realized that he too had something wet and warm in his pocket. He looked up at his brother in consternation.

"Brother mine…" George started.

"…I do believe…" Fred continued.

"…we've been pranked…" George exclaimed.

"…by the next generation of Marauders!" Fred finished.

Eric, being barely a Marauder apprentice, hadn't learned that valuable lesson of feigning ignorance. He immediately started giggling, which set off Erika and Jason.

"You do realize these three are going off to live with a Marauder, right? In a few years time, these three may be able to put you two out of the prank business," Harry said with a smirk.

"No, Harry. What we see…" started Fred.

"…is raw talent that must be…" continued George.

"…trained and brought up right!" finished Fred.


Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…

Jack Parsons walked the battlements alone. In his own unique way, he was feeling almost as much pressure as Harry. Under his guidance, the Phoenix Brigade and the Ministry Defense teams were really shaping up into fine units. That wasn't what bothered him. What bothered him was a very simple fact. Although he had spent most of his adult life in training for battle and training others for battle, for once he was training young men and women who would go into a battle he couldn't fight. It was a battle that was beyond his ability to participate in. It was an alien feeling.

And then there was Hestia. She was a witch, an Auror, a very attractive woman and only a few years older than Tonks.

He sighed and leaned against the crenel, looking out over the Quidditch pitch. His eyes were open, but not really seeing, as he got lost in his own thoughts and emotions.

"What troubles you, Professor?" asked Dumbledore, coming up behind him soundlessly.

Jack spun on his heels to face the Headmaster in surprise. Instinctively he ducked into a crouch.

Dumbledore smiled faintly, looking at him over his half moon glasses. "I assure you Professor, I mean you no harm," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"I'm sorry Headmaster, I didn't hear you coming up behind me," began Jack.

Dumbledore held up a hand stopping him. "No harm done Professor, but what troubles you? I can feel your disquiet."

Jack eyed the older man for a moment. "A bunch of things are bothering me, Headmaster. I know war, and I served in Grenada, Panama, Kuwait, Iraq and a few other places no one is supposed to know about. I guess I dislike having to sit this one out. I can teach these young men and women of yours to fight, but when the fighting starts and I can't be there, fighting along side them. It's a diminishing feeling, Sir. It makes one feel… useless."

"Professor, that is so far from the truth. You barely know us or our beliefs. We are a simple people really, relying on magic to do what the muggles do with technology. Every one of the men and women who go into this battle will carry a piece of you with them. They will carry your knowledge and your spirit. That is why being a Professor is a very prestigious job in our world. We believe that, in the process of teaching, we share ourselves with our students.

"You have taught and imparted of yourself to not just Hogwarts students, but to Ministry employees as well, Professor. And you have done so at great personal risk to yourself in a time when muggles and squibs are in great danger. I have watched you closely these past months, and I admit that I have liked what I've seen. You've revitalized the school with fresh ideas and attitudes, and treated everyone equally. I'd like for you to consider staying on at the end of the school year. I have come to see the need for physical training for our students and I do believe our teacher for Muggle Studies wishes to retire at the end of this term," Dumbledore concluded with a smile.

"I think I'd like that, Sir. There is a kind of peace here, as weird as this place is. And believe me, this place is weird. But something about it says home to me," Jack replied.

"Excellent, Professor. And now, I do believe a certain Miss Jones has come to enjoy your company again. Please give her my regards," Dumbledore said, pointing to the gates.

As Dumbledore walked off, Jack turned to watch the figure approaching from the gates with a smile.


The Burrow the next morning…

Harry was outside helping Eric and Erika get more comfortable on a broom. They were only hovering at this point, but both were uncomfortable with heights. Ginny was in Harry's room looking for an old blanket that Molly wanted when she stumbled across a cache of paperwork in his closet. Curious, she looked over some of the papers. Mostly it seemed to be financial related material and some correspondence. She stopped when she came across what appeared to be a very early draft of his will.

With a trembling hand she placed everything back where she found it and left his room. Going downstairs she found Molly in the living room. Molly looked up as her daughter entered the room.

"Ginny dear, what is it? You're so pale!" Molly exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

"Please Mum, not here. Can we floo to Grimmauld for a bit? Tonks is here and Harry is with the twins, so they're alright," she replied, her breath hitching in as she mentioned Harry's name.

Placing an arm around her daughter, Molly walked over to the floo and took them both to Grimmauld Place.

When they arrived, Molly was surprised to see that the Hermione, the Grangers and Remus were sitting in the living room talking. At that point, what little control Ginny had left collapsed and she clung to her mother, weeping.

Hermione and Remus jumped to their feet wondering what was wrong. Molly assured them that nothing was wrong back at the Burrow. Molly steered Ginny over to a couch where Hermione joined them. Remus went to go get a calming draught from the Order's supply of potions. With a bit of coaxing, they finally managed to get her to drink the draught. She began to calm down, although her eyes continued to shed tears.

"Ginny, tell me what's wrong," Molly asked gently.

"I was looking for that blanket like you asked. I couldn't find it, so I went to check in Harry's closet. I didn't find the blanket, but I did find a copy of his w-w-will," she replied. Her eyes were squeezed tight. "It all came crashing down on me at that point."

Hermione's eyes also started to tear up. She grabbed Ginny's hand and squeezed.

Remus knelt before the three of them. "Ginny, Harry didn't make that will because he expects to die, sweetheart. He made it because, when you have the kind of wealth like he does, you need to plan for any eventuality. He wanted to make sure you and his family are taken care of in case something happened to him," he said firmly.

"I don't want his bloody money! I want him!" she snarled back at Remus.

Remus smiled. "As feisty as Lily! You'll have him, Ginny. If Harry didn't have you, he'd lose, and not just the war with Voldemort. He'd lose everything. We," Remus continued, pointing to the people in the room, "give him the strength he needs to fight. We do it with our love and our trust in him. But you, Ginny, give him the will. You give him the reason to fight."

When she stared at him in confusion, he sighed and tried again. "Think of it this way, sweets. If you were not a part of his life, what would he do after killing Voldemort? What would his goals be? With you, he's made plans for his future, something he never thought about before your relationship with him. It was something he never allowed himself to think about. Now he wants a family, children. Your children, Ginny. The future the two of you have planned together is the reason he fights. The reason he'll win."

Ginny gave Remus a weak smile as she wiped away her tears on her sleeves. She pushed the fear down using her legilimens techniques, squashing it ruthlessly in her mind.

"Do you feel better now, dear?" asked Molly.

"Yes, Mum. I'm sorry for acting so silly," she replied.

"Nonsense dear, you had a right to be upset. Why don't you floo back to the Burrow and help Harry with the twins? Hermione, I know Ronald wouldn't mind a visit from you as well," she said with a smile.

Hermione knew she was being pushed out so the adults could talk among themselves, despite her being of age for over a year, but there was nothing she could do about it. And being with Ronald, even if it's just for a few hours, was always a bonus.

Taking Ginny's hand, the two young women floo'd back to the Burrow.

After they left, Molly leaned back in the couch with a heavy sigh. "Merlin, this is getting to all of us, Remus. She's not the only one to have cried themselves to sleep at night. And if the pressure is this bad on us, what must it be like for Harry?"

Remus poured everyone a stiff drink and passed them around.

Dan Granger coughed politely, looking at Molly. "I can't pretend to know Harry very well, certainly not as well as you or Remus can, but even I can sense the strength of character in him. That boy… no excuse me, that young man is made of steel."

Molly eyed the muggle gratefully. "I know. He's come into our lives and we've all changed because of it. If you had asked me two years ago if I would have allowed my only daughter to sneak into a man's bed I would have told you no. Now, I won't deny her that. I don't think I'd even be upset if she told me she was pregnant with Harry's child at this point."

Remus looked shocked for a moment, then chuckled. "I don't think you need worry about that, Molly. Even if she isn't taking precautions, I know Harry would. You might want to reconsider their timetable though. Once this is over, Harry's going to have every eligible witch, and quite a few non-eligible ones, looking to snare him. Harry might be able to ignore them, but Ginny can't finish her last year at school if she's fighting off all the witches in Britain. And from what I've heard, she will fight them."

"What have you heard, Remus?" asked Molly her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Albus told me about an incident just this month, and another last year, where Ginny took an active role in chasing off some very determined competition. Come next year, it's only going to get worse, as Harry won't be tied to Hogwarts. He'll be working there, but his evenings and weekends will be free and he'll be the most sought after bachelor in the Wizarding world. The funny thing is, that terrifies Harry more than anything else.

"He and I have talked about it. He knows what he has to do and will do it, but hates the fame it brings him. No, hate is too simple a word. He loathes it. He just wants to be Harry. He once told me he'd be afraid to show his face in public once this is over. That's one of the reasons why he loves you, Molly. You've never treated him like the Boy-Who-Lived; you've treated him like Harry. The same can be said for all of us."


Christmas Morning, the Burrow…

Tug.

Harry opened an eye and peeked out from under the covers. He was warm and very comfortable. Ginny was curled up beside him, her arms wrapped around him. Something had woken him, but what? He fumbled with his glasses for a moment before putting them on.

Tug.

There it was again! Someone was tugging on his big toe! Lifting his head up, he instantly blushed. His movements awoke Ginny. She looked over the blankets to see Jason tugging again on Harry's toe. Unfortunately for Ginny, her blush was more noticeable than Harry's.

Harry glanced at the clock and almost groaned. It was seven o'clock. So much for sleeping in this morning, he thought.

"What's wrong, Jason?" he asked. Then it dawned on him. It was Christmas morning! He grinned at the little boy. "Did Santa come last night, Jason?"

The boy nodded, a big smile on his face and his eyes wide.

"And you want us to come downstairs?"

Another nod.

"Alright, you head on back downstairs and we'll be down in a couple minutes. Then we'll see if Santa brought you anything special," Harry said with a grin.

The boy turned and raced out of the room. Harry wandlessly closed the door so he and Ginny could get up.

Ginny laughed. "You handled that pretty well," she said.

"Well, I'm not about to yell at him for waking me up. Besides, consider it training for the day when our own kids wake us up on Christmas day," he replied, grinning at her.

Entering the kitchen a few minutes later, they found Molly, already serving breakfast, Arthur, a rather grumpy Ron and three very excited kids who wanted everyone to finish eating so they could get to the presents.

Harry walked over to Molly and kissed her good morning before sitting down. As she placed a plate in front of him, she murmured, "I hope you enjoyed being woke up like that."

He smiled at her, replying, 'I can think of worse ways to wake up, Molly."

Watching the three kids, Harry soon caught their excitement over the holiday. Unable to help himself, he rushed through his own breakfast. Jason was probably the most amusing to watch. To him, Christmas was a big deal, especially since this would be their first Christmas where someone obviously cared about them.

Eventually, and not without a small amount of teasing, the group of them trooped out to the living room. Harry sat on the floor, leaning against Ginny, while they watched the kids tear into their presents. Eric was beside himself when he opened the Wizard's Chess set from Harry and Ginny. Erika squealed in delight when she opened the Lunascope, and again at the book entitled 'From Muggle to Witch". Jason was the real surprise though. Seeing the miniature Quidditch set, his eyes lit up and he grabbed Harry in a hug.

Molly was in tears when Harry gave her a picture he had drawn of the Burrow. It was the first time he had ever tried doing anything in color. She made a place for it over the mantelpiece, placing the picture there with a sticking charm.

Ginny looked at Harry, smiling as he handed her a small box. Opening the box, she found a pair of small diamond studded earrings. The diamonds weren't large, but they glowed with a life of their own.

"My grandmother gave them to my mother, Gin," he said softly. "According to Remus, they've been handed down to the wife of every Potter heir for generations. Family legend says that Merlin himself had a hand in making them. I don't know if that's true or not, but I thought you'd like them."

The adults in the room fell silent as Ginny took the earrings out with a trembling hand. Even if it wasn't a true legend, to touch something that might have been touched by Merlin? Molly came over to help her daughter put them on. Ginny looked at Harry for a long moment then flung herself into his arms.

He kissed the top of her head and held her tight. It's a great Christmas, he thought, the best I can remember.


Authors Notes:

What the judges call Voldemort is a result of the new Minister's attitude towards the war. If you'll notice, most of those watching the trial flinched at Voldemort's name. The judge ignored the reaction of those in the room. The new Minister is of the same mind as Dumbledore and Harry. Isn't it rather silly to fear a name? The general public may still fear it, but Amelia Bones won't have it at the Ministry.

As for Ginny exploding at Harry for sexism in our last story, please remember that in both our stories, Ginny will be maturing. Everyone has to grow up sometime, and that time is now. But no one grows up overnight, so she may slip every now and again.

All right, this chapter is a lot of fluff with a dash of angst and humor, but we're setting up for follow on chapters here. And sometimes fluff can still move a story along. It can't all be fighting and dueling.

To the reviewer asking how we managed to write this. It's simple. Make yourself two outlines, first a broad based plot line, then a series of specific events you want to see happen that get you from point A to point B. Then start writing!

As to the length of this story, well it will be over when it's over. And we still have a LOT of ground to cover before it's over. So enjoy the ride.

Ah yes, the sword. Yep, it's changed. The question is, will that be the only change? Who knows? We do. MUWHAHAHAHAHA! (Sorry about that)

A note to Old-Crow: We have a problem here. Every time you add a chapter to your story, we stop writing to go read it. As you're reading our story, you're obviously doing the same. We need to figure out a way of solving this!

We humbly thank all of you kind people for reviewing our work. This whole thing started as an exercise to see if we could write a better than average fan fic story. Who knows, we might just decide to turn out an original piece or two someday. In the meantime, we'll keep torturing Harry and Ginny and company. Oh, anyone want a lemon drop? Our office is full of the little yellow suckers.

Bob and Alyx