CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Monday's exams were not as bad as Harry had expected them to be. Especially Transfigurations and History were really fun – she had noticed that there had been a cacophony of quills scratching wildly on parchment during the History exam and afterwards everyone had sighed with relief that they were glad that Harry had taught them the basics of time management. Naturally, there was also the usual fretting about having missed out certain points or not followed P.E.E. enough or momentarily forgetting details.

Tuesday saw the Divination, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy exams in the morning and then Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology after lunch. Fortunately there were no stress related outbursts for that day but Harry's heart almost did stop at breakfast due to a certain owl from a certain bank.

"Harry, Gringotts owl ahoy!" the Weasleys had chorused.

Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, Harry chanted in her head.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Altair had verbally protested.

Harry braced herself until her Seeker eyes noticed only a normal looking letter and a pouch. She breathed a sigh of relief at that. The owl landed elegantly in front of her, sticking out its leg and the Cursebreaker untied the letter and pouch before the bird took off. Harry broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

Dear Lady Peverell,

Good news! We have yet to hear another word of complaint from the Aurors and Unspeakables. Bad news – four days ago the colleagues of your Hit Wizard friends that you, Heir Black and Heiress Malfoy rescued came to Gringotts demanding an audience with the Cursebreaker who set them free in order to ask them questions about their unorthodox incarceration. Considering the fact that you are currently in your mock exam period, we asked your family to assess whether or not it would be prudent for them to be allowed to contact you at present.

The decision was made that they could not contact you for the duration of your exams and that any and all communications would go through myself and Thomas Burke. You have nothing to fear at present. I admit I wanted to get in touch with you to make sure you are aware that should you marry, your Consorts would not be able to mess with your finances, but that business will need to be dealt with at a later date. Anyway, concentrate on your mock exams and I am sorry that the rest of your wages came so late.

May your enemies always fall at your feet,

Griphook

Harry felt her Link open at this point.

I would suggest keeping your contact with those three to written only, Thanatos advised. I see no reason to trust them yet.

Noted, Harry stated before the Link closed again in a hurry.

"Well, well," Harry stated snarkily. "Interesting."

"What is it?" Altair asked eagerly.

"Well, my dear, it seems someone tried to come knocking for me," Harry answered. "But apparently it seems both Gringotts and my family are done with people's bullshit and have put a stopper to their plans for now."

"Who came knocking?" Tom inquired.

"The colleagues of the Hit Wizards Orion, Loreley and I rescued," Harry responded candidly.

"Why the hell would three Hit Wizards care about what happened?" Heron frowned. "Hit Wizards don't really care for others easily – comes with the business."

"Well, they can wait until the Week of Pain is over," the Lady Regnant stated cheerfully as she sent the letter up in flames in a heatproof bowl. She then promptly divided her wages once more in two and handed on half to Altair and the other to Tom, much to both of their surprise.

"Harry-" they were about to protest.

"This is Compass Money!" Harry cut across firmly. "It's icky; I want nothing to do with it. You two can put it to much better use."

While Altair gave her a warm hug for it, Tom stared at the pouch full of Galleons like he had been handed a jewel-encrusted plate or something. It was like he had gotten the pot of gold at the other end of the rainbow without having to fight a Leprechaun for it.

Harry noticed instantly and lay a comforting hand on his shoulder before putting her head on his shoulder. "Tom, you OK?" she asked gently.

"Yes," he responded, his voice breaking slightly. He cleared his throat. "Forgive me. I am just … grateful. To have you, have you both."

"Sappy," Harry teased him fondly, removing her hand from his shoulder and taking his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze.

"I'm serious!"

"I know you are. You're still my Sappy though."

The letter and money from Gringotts had put a bit of a damper on Harry's mood but at least her exams were tolerable, so that was good. The texts chosen during Ancient Runes were interesting and she almost had to laugh at the semantic question on the differing effects of ac and æsc. Orion and Heron were going to enjoy that one!

Throughout the week Harry balanced her studying and her forging – she had even finished her dissertation's first draft! She had too much adrenaline coursing through her veins so when she was in danger of potentially annoying people with her singing, humming and/or whistling again so forging and training gave her an outlet that she needed. She even found herself going outside to train on Wednesday and Thursday morning with her daggers and rapier, conjuring targets next to the Black Lake to practise on – the colder air was the wakeup call she needed. Mr. Ogden had even allowed her to use his scarecrow for target practise; the two shared a warm mug of tea and a chat before Harry had to get ready for the next batch of exams. In the evening, Harry would focus on finishing Altair's daggers.

By Friday, Harry had three completed combat and throwing daggers made of an alloy of Stygian steel and Olympian bronze topped with golden jackals, and had two more Elysian steel daggers in the making that were almost finished. She knew this was the best she could do on such short notice.

The Lady Regnant was almost dreading Yule; you couldn't buy a present for people who could buy whatever their hearts desired. Anything you buy for a person could be easily topped; a created gift couldn't.

She just hoped Altair didn't outright hate the daggers.

The exams that day, the Charms and Defence practical exams, were enjoyable; almost everyone had managed to use their Patronuses during at least one of the tasks set by the Charms exam and her duel against Professor Black – members of the faculty had been called in to battle the students – had been really fun. Harry could see that the former Lord Black's fighting skills were still more than on par with hers, until she started using some more unorthodox and creative moves, and simply resorted to dodging with nimble skill while waiting for an opening in his defences.

She had attempted to keep her countenance when she noticed that the interim Ancient Runes professor was internally panicking after she blocked another attempt by him to use a Leg-Locker on her. Sirius Black II had definitely been caught by his surprise when his wand spontaneously turned into a bouquet of lilies that got turned into Cobra Lilies that attempted to bite him. Professor Black was backing away from these sentient lilies while trying to undo the transfiguration on his wand; the issue was, he stepped out of the ring and thus handed victory to Harry.

The moment that the lunch bell sounded, thus signifying the end of the Week of Pain, the seventh years all breathed a sigh of relief and spent the entirety of lunch complaining about the ridiculously intensive nature of mock exam week. Their portion sizes had also increased; even Minerva, Harry and Artemis ate more at lunch than they had done previously.

Orion was back to his usual bouncy self. "Snow is predicted to fall in the afternoon for your birthday lunch, Nott! And there will be enough snow on Sunday for my annual snowball fight!"

Altair chuckled at his exuberance.

"Is there something you don't get excited about?" Ignatius asked candidly.

"Nope!" the Slytherins chorused in sync.

"That is not true!" Orion pouted a little. "I do not look forward to sitting through another diva rant from Cassie at the Presentation or people complaining that Lycoris, Cederella and Cassie are still not married or seeing Alphard's treacherous little face!"

Walburga smiled at her fiancée fondly. "You also don't look forward to having to pipe down for an evening, my dear."

Orion huffed. "Mainly because of Mother's fussing!"

"Here, here," Druella agreed dryly.

"You want to know what I am not looking forward to? Try-outs Monday!" Felix wailed. "I have no idea why were are even doing this! We are following the suggestions of Abraxas' batty sister for Merlin's sake!"

Loreley smiled serenely while others shot Felix dirty looks.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind?" Malum pleaded with Harry one more time.

"Sorry, boys. My decision stands," Harry stated, popping another chunk of apple into her mouth. Malum and Felix deflated. She grinned. "Besides, Orion and I already have an idea for the Slytherin versus Hufflepuff rematch and I refuse to be miss out on Dumbledore's admission into St. Mungo's by the time we're finished!"

Orion cackled evilly, much to the concern of everyone except Harry.

"Oh boy," Artemis commented with a grin.

"I'm scared," Arcturus confessed, going ashen in the face.

They were all fortunately free for the rest of the day. While the Knights went straight to the common room, together with Harry's girls and Altair, Arcturus had pulled the people coming to Altair's birthday lunch aside with a concerned look on his face.

"Hey guys, I have drawn a blank on what to get Altair; I had naturally planned on buying his proper present during our Hogsmeade trip but I have no idea what to give him at the actual lunch. Have you guys thought of anything?"

Guilty and shocked faces went around the group. "Nope, nothing. Drew a blank," Druella admitted. "Wally too, which is rare."

"I kept flip-flopping until it was too late and both options were sold out!" Orion wailed.

Harry then chuckled nervously. "Well … I have a confession to make," she said as the group looked at her, giving her assessing looks. "I have been working on something – we could just say it is from all of us."

"Is it almost finished?" Tom asked eagerly.

Harry nodded. "You guys want to see it?"

There were eager nods all round, which made her smile as she led the way up to the Room of Requirement, which none of the group had expected to be taken to. They especially were not expected to step into a forge and workshop, steam filling the room and roaring fires making the room rather warm. They watched Harry fling her robes to one side and roll her sleeves up, stepping up to a wooden table.

"Harry, what in Morgana's name have you been up to?" Minerva shook her head.

Harry smirked. "Creating these," she gestured to her head with something in front of her.

Tom, Arcturus, Orion, Druella, Loreley, Artemis and Minerva stepped up to the table and gaped at the exquisite selection of daggers, three of them glowing with an awesome but eerie bronze and silver hue. There were runes engraved into the blades. The other two were in a clear dagger form but as yet unfinished.

"Merlin," Tom laughed breathlessly. "You've been forging weapons!"

"Magical weapons," Harry smiled proudly. "Those three are for combat and throwing, and those two are for throwing and quick attacks only."

Tom regarded her with a look that was so intense it almost made her look away. "You never cease to amaze me."

Harry flushed but grinned impishly.

"Oi, lovebirds, you can flirt later," Druella rolled her eyes. "Right now, we need to help Harry finish her daggers. What do we need to do?"

"Well, they only need some finishing touches as you can see," Harry looked a little sheepish. "Could you give me that box of tools over there? On that bench behind you?"

The group turned around and Orion immediately hurried over to the open oaken box with some very strange instruments inside; the oddest of them all was a glowing wand like implement that glowed with an otherworldly light. Harry smiled brightly. "Thank you, Arc. Now, Orion, do you remember the rune marks for 'speed' and 'stealth'?"

"Of course I do!" Orion scoffed.

Harry grinned. "Stupid question. We will carve the runes into the blades with the weird glowing wands. Don't worry – no incantation needed. Just get carving."

"Can I add some others too?" Orion asked eagerly.

"Knock yourself out," Harry responded with a short laugh.

As the Lady Regnant and Heir Black carved, the rest watched on in fascination.

"How long did it take for you to make them?" Artemis inquired eagerly.

"Too long," Harry scoffed. "My first few attempts ended in disaster. These five are my successful attempts."

"Do you take commissions?" Arcturus was joking, but only half; Harry could hear the slight envy in his voice.

"Yule's fast approaching, remember?" she grinned wryly, looking up momentarily.

"I would love a crossbow," Artemis sighed happily.

"I'll bear that in mind!" Harry laughed. "Guess I will have to find a forge to use during the Yule holidays."

"She was half joking," Minerva pointed out.

"I know," Harry smirked. "I wasn't."

"OK, done!" Orion announced, looking pleased with his work, eyes shining as he studied his handiwork.

Harry held out her hand for the dagger and examined it with a lopsided grin. "Stunning work as usual, Heir Black. Now for the final touch," she sighed. Harry regarded her friends and her lover seriously. "Do all of you promise not to freak out?"

The group exchanged a look before nodding.

Harry smiled smally as she took the two daggers over to the fiery bench behind her diagonally, and closed her eyes and held out her hands in front of her. Orion, Loreley, Druella and Artemis grinned as they watched Soul Fire coil around Harry's arms and the silver-blue fire engulfed the daggers, causing the runes to begin glowing. Minerva, Arcturus and Tom were watching in utter disbelief.

"Merlin's fucking fairy staff!" Arcturus cursed, hands in his hair, not daring to blink. "Soul Fire! She's using motherfricking Soul Fire!"

Minerva was cursing in Scots Gaelic at this point.

Tom was stock still, with no overt emotions on his face.

Once the Soul Fire dissipated, Harry waved her right hand and dunked the daggers into a vat of conjured water momentarily, where the water sizzled and smoked, before taking the daggers out and bringing them back to the table, avoiding looking at her friends. The daggers, topped with sparrows, were elegant if she had to say so herself.

"Harry … what was that?" Minerva had regained her ability to speak English. "Since when do you know how to control and use Soul Fire?"

Harry smiled weakly and forced herself to look up, meeting the shocked orbs of her friend. "A while," she admitted. "Actively use it to forge things, less than a week."

Arc looked set to faint. "You what now?!"

"But I did use it to make Tom and Altair's singing dragons – just not mainly," Harry added. "And I used Soul Fire to free the Hit Wizards from the portrait."

"You have been able to do this for that long?!" Minerva shook her head. Then she looked at the four others. "Why are you four not surprised?"

"Because we knew," Loreley stated while the others grinned.

"Of course you did," Tom sighed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Harry deflated. "It's not exactly something one randomly mentions-"

"Harry, we understand," Tom reassured with a gentle smile, his right hand taking her left and giving it a quick reassuring squeeze. "Let's get these daggers in a box – oh wait, the Room is ahead of me again. Of course it is!"

A finely carved ornate rectangular box with velvet inside was presented to them in seconds, with spots for each dagger. As they began to carefully put the daggers in it, Arcturus sighed in relief. "Harry, you are a life saver. Ironically enough since you almost gave me a heart attack not a few seconds ago!"

"Please don't say anything," Harry begged.

Minerva snorted. "Not on your life! This is not something that everyone should know about or Grindelwald might come knocking."

Tom's eyes darkened at that.

The group began to depart the Room; Tom and Harry were the only ones left as she shoved the box into her bag. Tom was most surprised the thing fit in there at all! Harry straightened and looked at him apologetically. "I really am sorry-"

"Stop apologising," Tom stated gently as he closed what little distance there was between them.

The Lady Regnant shook her head. "I should have told you and Altair sooner, but I didn't know how and I never dared to show you in case you would look at me differently-"

Harry's babbling was cut off by a pair of soft lips on hers, a hand cupping her cheek. Her eyes closed as she returned Tom's kiss, deepening it carefully and only throwing caution to the wind when he answered eagerly. Harry savoured the taste of mint, lemon and lime as she felt herself pull him closer in effort to get more of it. Tom moaned into their kiss when she did but forced himself to break for breath, leaning his forehead against hers, chuckling.

"Finally got you to shut up," he stated with a hoarse underlayer to his voice. "What I just saw was one of the most undeniably beautiful things I have ever seen. The only change it has made in my eyes is that I think you've managed to blow my mind even further than I thought it was possible. Merlin, I wish Altair could have seen it!"

Harry flushed bright red. Tom carded his fingers through her curls. "Do you mind if I … tell him?"

"No," Harry whispered. "But make sure no one overhears you."

"Of course, love," Tom smiled brightly, kissing her lightly once more before they left to go back to the Slytherin dungeon to enjoy the rest of their afternoon off.

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Tom decided to visit Professor Slughorn just before dinner. He had given the excuse to his friends and future Consorts that he needed to talk to the Head of Slytherin about an old essay he worked on – which was sort of true. Realising the true extent of the power of the girl he loved had spurred him into action. That, and how much he realised that losing her and Altair was definitely not an option.

Tom knocked three times on Slughorn's office door very loudly and waited.

"Come in!"

The last scion of House Gaunt took a deep breath, opened the door and stepped into the Potions Master's large office. It was only slightly bigger than Professor Black's quarters but also had the added benefit of having a balcony and enough space for entertaining, which was Professor Slughorn's greatest passion.

The Head of Slytherin beamed at him. "Tom! What a pleasant surprise! How are you? How is courting life treating you?" he asked jovially.

Tom flushed a little. "It's treating me well, sir, thank you," he answered politely with a small bow of the head. "Altair and Harry have been keeping me sane through this week."

"Yes, mock exams – I must say that I was worried that this Revision Club had been started up too late to do any good for the mocks but I think I may have been proven wrong. I at least can look Albus Dumbledore in the face in that regard," Slughorn's eyes shone. "Albus has not given you any grief about your courting, has he?"

"No, sir," Tom was happy to report.

"Good. So how may I be of assistance?"

"I have a massive problem," Tom admitted to him, taking a seat on one of his teacher's top quality black sofas. "I have been doing some extra research on … on the topic I asked you about two years ago."

Slughorn stiffened slightly at this. "Yes, I remember," he replied rather curtly. "What have you been investigating this time?"

"I have been investigating if it is possible for a soul to be put together again once it has been cut up into pieces," Tom was fumbling with his courting ring at this point. "None of my old sources mention anything about it, or any side effects that may happen because of the … process."

Professor Slughorn approached his student carefully, assessing the state the normally confidant and unapologetic lad was in. Slughorn had covertly been keeping an eye on Tom ever since their … discussion on Horcruxes. From what he had seen, there was no big change in Tom – until Harry Evans arrived at Hogwarts. At first they had been hostile to her, but now Tom and his Knights were less aloof and they could now be seen expressing actual emotions without fearing they would be judged harshly for it.

If Slughorn needed further proof something had changed, here was Tom Riddle, sitting on his sofa, looking like he was a lost child about to burst into tears.

The Head of Slytherin swallowed. "There is a reason for that, Tom," he stated gently. "Horcruxes are rarely studied, and for very good reason. Those who dared to touch the topic say one can be driven to madness, causing all sense of self to be stripped away. Some theorise a Horcrux can cause one to become suicidal without a fear of death. As for soul restoration, there are more books on that but not much. Mainly because it is a subject many refuse to touch as it is considered Dark magic. Why, I don't know. What I do know is this: the person who wants to repair his or her soul needs to want to be healed."

Tom nodded despondently. "I see," he croaked. He got to his feet. "Thank you sir, for your time."

"I am sorry I could not be of more help," Slughorn's brow furrowed in sorrow.

"It doesn't matter. I am already grateful you were willing to speak to me again on the topic," Tom smiled quickly. "There is another I can ask for help. I just wanted to ask you first. Thank you again, sir, and have a good evening. Sorry again for disturbing you."

Tom left his professor's office without another backward glance. It was because of this reason he did not see the smile of relief that had spread onto Professor Slughorn's face.

Tom practically raced back to the Slytherin dungeon, hissing the password in Parseltongue as soon as he got to the entrance and didn't need to come to halt because the entrance promptly parted for him. He ignored the strange looks shot at him from the members of the younger years as he ran to his dorm.

Felix Mulciber almost jumped out of his skin though as Tom came barging in. "Merlin, Tom, where's the fire?" he complained.

Heron looked up from the latest poem he was working on for Artemis. "Everything all right, Tom?"

"Yes! Slughorn just couldn't help me out," Tom answered quickly as he pulled out quill, ink and parchment.

"So what are you going to do?" Malum asked with a frown.

"Write to someone who may be able to help me," was Tom's slightly cryptic answer as he began to quill his letter.

*You are being odder than normal, Tom,* Frey commented.

Tom couldn't argue there. He stared at his letter once it was finished for a moment before taking a deep sigh, folding the letter, putting it in an envelope, sealing it shut, wrote the name and address of the recipient on the front and then left his dorm to cross to the other side.

He knocked on the door of Altair's dorm.

"Come in!" Orion's jovial tones called out.

Tom entered, ignoring the wide eyes of Dolohov, Malfoy and Arcturus Rosier. Orion stood up from his four poster with a beaming smile. "Tom! What a pleasant surprise. To what do we owe this pleasure? Did Slughorn have the answers you needed?"

"No," Tom smiled weakly. "He didn't." He played nervously with the letter. "I was wondering if I could borrow Somnus."

Orion lit up and promptly began to prepare to levitate his familiar from the top of his bed.

"Oh bloody hell," Dolohov commented. "Tom, he barely survived the trip to Evans' home!"

Tom ignored him. Orion was in mid Levicorpus when the door to their bathroom opened. Out came Altair, hair damp, wearing trousers but no shirt. The Nott heir was singing one of Luna's songs as he went, somehow utterly oblivious that one of his future Consorts was in the room. It was this that made Dolohov try not to laugh, Abraxas put his head in his hands and Arcturus bury his head in his pillow. Tom, however, was spellbound by him.

It wasn't as though the sight was new but Tom now had excuses to look. Altair wasn't overly muscular – not at all – but he had more than enough in Tom's mind at least. The last Gaunt had no issues with unabashedly taking his time drinking in the sight before Altair realised he was there.

"Oi, Mr. Daydream, look who's here!" Tom really wanted to hex Dolohov at this point.

Altair, shirt in hand, looked up and his eyes met Tom's, his cheeks turning red in a millisecond. Arcturus and Dolohov began chuckling. "Hi," he stated weakly.

"Hello, love," Tom responded with a light teasing tone.

Altair cleared his throat. "What are you doing here, Tom?"

"I need to borrow Somnus," Tom gestured to the sleeping owl in Orion's arms.

"Ah," Altair's adorable blush grew. The Nott heir quickly put on a fresh shirt.

Tom gently took Somnus from his wizard's arms and then smiled at Altair. "Do you want to come along?"

"Sure," Altair grabbed his Slytherin blazer. "Let's go."

The two boys tried to ignore the snickers from Arcturus and Dolohov as they left. The pair also tried to ignore the giggles from the girls from the lower year in the common room and the whispering.

"I swear the whispering has only increased instead of declined," Tom commented lightly as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Yeah," Altair chuckled softly. "Apparently seeing people you want together actually together is so much more fun than guessing if they have feelings for each other."

"Indeed," Tom grinned. "I suppose I have the same with Heron and Artemis, but I do not have the inclination to giggle."

"Nor I," Altair snorted as they got off the moving stair case that led in the direction of the West Tower. "Was Slughorn able to give you answers?"

"No, so I have written to someone who may have an answer," Tom smiled weakly. "It's my last option right now."

Altair frowned. "Nothing any of us can help with?"

"No," Tom whispered.

"OK. Well, let us know if that changes," Altair smiled kindly, lighting up those beautiful dark eyes of his.

Tom fought the urge to kiss him in Gryffindor territory. Artemis and the Weasleys would never let him hear the end of it if they were caught! "I will," he swallowed.

They finally got to the Owlery. To his credit, Somnus the owl did start to awaken at this point – it must have been the cold air and the screeching of the other owls, clearly hooting at him to wake his lazy butt up. Somnus looked about his surroundings momentarily until he noticed Altair and Tom and then stood to attention.

Tom smiled kindly at the owl. "Somnus, I need you to deliver this letter to Mr. Thomas Burke, Harry's guardian and ally," he stated as he tied the letter around Somnus' leg. "He lives in an apartment in Diagon Alley above his shop."

"Hoot!" Somnus affirmed.

Altair chuckled at this.

"You ready?" Tom asked to make sure.

Somnus saluted and then promptly took off into the sky.

"Mr. Burke, huh?" Altair grinned impishly. "Do you want his approval of our courtship or something?"

Tom snorted. "No. No this is about something else entirely."

"Are you certain he approves of us?" Altair looked unsure. "He could put a stop to our courting if he chooses to exercise his powers as guardian of the Lady Regnant."

"He won't, or he would have done already," Tom stated with confidence.

Altair wasn't so sure as he led the way out of the Owlery and sank to the floor next to the entrance to it. Tom followed closely behind. "I don't want to lose you – both of you," Altair whispered.

"Harry and I will not allow it to happen," Tom vowed firmly. He took a deep sigh. "I do need to confess that I had an ulterior motive for asking you to come with me. I have two things to tell you."

"What?" Altair cocked his head, pulling himself out of his self-doubt.

Tom flushed and smiled. "I kissed Harry."

Altair blinked a couple of times. He then grinned impishly. "Well at least one of us made a move already. How was it?"

"Find out for yourself," Tom grinned.

"Touché! What's the second thing you have got to tell me?" Altair asked eagerly.

"Harry – she's a Soul Mage," Tom lowered his tone.

Altair's eyes bugged out and he gaped, not speaking for a full ten seconds. "I am sorry, I thought I just heard something crazy coming out of your mouth! What the hell do you mean?"

"Harry can use and control Soul Fire," Tom confessed, keeping his tone low.

Altair's face turned as white as snow and he took a sharp intake of breath. "Do I even want to know how you know this?" he asked weakly.

"That would mean ruining your birthday lunch surprise," Tom smiled weakly.

Altair gaped. "What the hell has our girl been doing that requires Soul Magic to make?"

He leapt to his feet and began pacing. Tom got up to his feet as well. "She wanted to tell you – us – but she didn't know how to. She thought we would look at her differently."

Altair scoffed, shaking his head. He stopped for a moment and looked at Tom. "Was she as beautiful as I think she likely looked?"

"Better. She looked divine," Tom grinned.

The Nott heir nodded. "Then I will just have to see it one day for myself," he sighed deeply. "Merlin, she's a Soul Mage …"

After thirty seconds, Altair began laughing. "Morgana, she never stops taking you by surprise, does she?"

"No," Tom agreed.

Altair sighed and nodded a few times. "Thank you for telling me. She gave you permission right?"

"Of course," Tom reassured, gently turning Altair's face to look at him, caressing his cheek.

"Good," Altair whispered as he closed the distance between them.

Tom welcomed the urgent kiss and took great pleasure in trying to tame the latent stress in the Nott heir's lips, enjoying the moan that escaped from his lover's mouth as Tom fought to maintain dominance.

The two were forced to stop themselves when they realised dinner would be in five minutes; they would prefer to escape any awkward questions about why they arrived late to dinner and thus also avoid the snickering from the Gryffindors.

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Hypnos entered his brother's apartment with a tired sigh just before dinner time. "Bloody Hel!" he announced his arrival to the other two gods loudly as he put his hat, coat and bag on the peg by the door.

Melinoë, who had been helping Thanatos in the kitchen, came out with a grin, flour on her face. "Busy day, cousin?"

"I think I almost entered my own Realm because of three essays," the God of Sleep complained as he poured himself a glass of Firewhiskey. "The mortals are slowly taking all the fun out of academia. The answers they are expected to give – no nuance and no creative thought!"

Melinoë chuckled and then stopped as she sensed something and ran to one of the windows. "Oh, Harry, not again. Incoming!"

No sooner had the Goddess of Ghosts opened the window did an owl come flying into the living room at break-neck speed with no sign of slowing down. Both deities watched in shock as the owl collided with the portrait of Nyx before flopping pathetically onto the floor.

"Oh boy," Hypnos commented, shaking his head as he started to laugh. "This is Orion's owl, Somnus."

"Indeed," Melinoë chuckled as she walked over to the owl, who was snoozing happily on the oak floor, and picked him up carefully. The Goddess of Ghosts cradled the slumbering familiar as she untied the letter around her leg. She looked at the front of the letter and frowned.

"Why aren't you opening it?" Hypnos frowned.

"Because it isn't addressed to me," Melinoë replied. "It's addressed to Tosti. More specifically, 'Mr. Thomas Burke'."

"A letter for me?" Thanatos came out at this point.

"You expecting mail, cousin?" Melinoë questioned.

"No, none. Harry and I communicate through the Link so there is no need for mail anymore," the God of Death frowned as he came over and took the letter from his cousin and had a look at the hand. The elegant script already made him suspect who it was; he turned the letter around and carefully opened the envelope and lifted out the folded sheet of parchment.

Dear Mr. Thomas Burke,

I hope this letter finds you well. We have not formally met yet, so allow me to introduce myself. I am Tom Marvolo Riddle, I am currently courting the Lady Hera Peverell, together with Heir Altair Nott. I know it is probably incredibly presumptuous and impertinent of me to contact you without a formal introduction but I am facing a bit of a problem that I was told you could perhaps help me with.

I do not wish to go into too much detail about my problem but what I will say is that I conducted experiments that ended … badly. My research has not given me any information on the side effects of what I did or how to restore a soul. I was told by Professor Slughorn, my Head of Year, that it was possible to restore a soul as long as the person in question wanted to be healed. Is this true? Are there any books that could help me?

Forgive any inconveniences this letter may cause you, sir. You were my only option to turn to.

Yours sincerely,

Tom M. Riddle

Thanatos grinned to himself. So the boy who thought he could escape Death's clutches was regretting his decision! This was an opportunity that the God of Death was not going to let go that easily.

"Brother, what is it?" Hypnos inquired eagerly.

"Have a look," Thanatos held out the letter.

Hypnos read the letter with Melinoë peering over his shoulder. Both deities had Cheshire cat grins plastered on their faces by the end of the letter.

"Well, well," Melinoë laughed. "It's a good thing we know how to undo Horcruxes without hurting the souls."

"Do you think the boy will go through with the ritual?" Hypnos wanted know.

"Yes," Thanatos stated firmly. "He will for Harry, and for the other boy."

"Then let's put the boy out of his misery – right after dinner, I am hungry," Melinoë skipped back into the kitchen to check on the food. "Victory goes to me! My pie hasn't burned this time. Yaaaaay!"

################################################

Saturday Harry had bagsied the shower before any of the girls had even opened their eyes fully yet. The Lady Regnant had opted to wear one of her new dresses, a black and silver one with a Celtic-style wolf embroidered on the bodice, as well as her knee high boots and ruana. She wrapped Altair's dagger box in the colourful paper Arcturus had sneakily given to Druella who had smuggled it into the dorm as Druella got to the shower next.

Harry packed the present into her bag and waited for her friends to be ready to head to breakfast. Athenaïs, Sigyn and Seraphina were observing their witches in comfortable silence.

The comfortable silence was only broken on the way to breakfast on the account of Orion Black's exuberance and Arcturus and Altair imparting gossip that they had heard yesterday while sneaking muffins from the kitchens as a midnight snack for the boys.

"The Badgers were at each other's throats last night," Arcturus was relaying. "You could hear the shouting loud and clearly. Apparently Mallory was picking a fight with Abbott and Macmillan again about their families' policies and Abbott's father learning to drive, spouting the usual bile-"

"-before Diggory starting hexing his butt!" Altair added giddily. "At one point, Macmillan even started threatening Mallory that he would find a way to put a Blood Curse on him that likely wouldn't get passed down because no one would willingly sleep with him anyway!"

Druella barked with laughter, as did Ophelia, while Walburga and Ygraine looked scandalised. Harry, however, froze for a moment. "…Could he actually do it?" she wanted to know.

"Evans, Macmillan was likely just saying stuff," Dolohov rolled his eyes. "Blood Curses are difficult to put on someone and they take a generation or two before they can fully take hold. If Macmillan was going to do it, which he likely won't, he would use a curse that resembles a Blood Curse."

"Like what?" Heron asked urgently.

"Well, Male Magicae is one," Dolohov's eyes shone as he spoke. "It mirrors the effect of a Blood Curse in one person, making them extremely ill. It could take hold at any moment – a day, a week, a month; it could even take years. It is so rarely used these days though that it is unlikely that Healers would know how to combat it-"

"Is there a Counter Curse?" Harry wanted to know.

Dolohov blinked. "Not that I know of," he admitted carefully.

"A counter curse to a fake Blood Curse? Whoever creates that would be stinking rich!" Felix snorted. "They'd have a Chocolate Frog Card made of them and so far they haven't made a new card in a while."

Harry's honed detective senses started going off. There was a high chance that Male Magicae had been used on Nymera Lestrange but the issue was, there didn't seem to be any evidence and she was highly unlikely to get it by simply writing to Lord and Lady Lestrange. She was not even supposed to know about Nymera's illness. Then again, the Cursebreaker did work for the goblins, and they valued discretion when it came to top secret missions. Plus, the goblins did have some magic that the wizards couldn't use. The wizards couldn't find the disease, but that didn't mean the goblins couldn't.

Vowing to contact the goblins as soon as possible about it, Harry forced herself to focus on Altair's birthday trip into Hogsmeade. It was slightly difficult to do, though, because on the way to the village, Heron and Artemis naturally pulled her aside.

"I saw that look in your eyes at breakfast, and don't you dare think about lying to me, Hera Evans-Peverell-Potter, I know you too well by now," Artemis stated, raising an eyebrow at her Slytherin double. "You have a theory about what has happened to Nymera and how to fix it, don't you?"

Harry could barely look at the eager look in Heron's eyes. She sighed. "Yes, I have a theory. No I don't know if Male Magicae is what was used to curse Heron's sister, but I was thinking about writing to my employers to see if they could try and find out for me. Goblins do discretion very well, as you probably have noticed."

Heron and Artemis' eyes darkened and both snorted in sync.

"If the goblins agree to test my sister, I will write to Mother and Father," Heron stated. "I doubt that they will object. They will try anything at this point, including getting help from the goblins."

Harry's Sherlock side couldn't leave it alone at this point. "I do have to ask, Heron – at the time Nymera spontaneously fell ill, who were your family's major rivals and-or-enemies? Who had the most motive?"

Heron's brow furrowed. "At the time it was Lord Arcturus Black, mainly because we were on opposing sides of passing a certain bill of legislation in the Wizengamot. Both my parents despise Lord Nott for personal reasons; Mother, especially, despises him for how he treats his wife, who happens to be a cousin of hers. Lord Nott does not really like them back because my parents always find loopholes in legislations, together with Malum's family. Lord Brutus Malfoy will walk on anyone if he gets more power, including my own family. The Carrows despise us for … a wholly different reason."

"May I ask why?" Harry pressed further.

Heron swallowed. "Because of something that happened almost twenty years ago. Our family Mausoleum back in France was used by Grindelwald as setting for a secret rally-"

"He desecrated your family's graves?!" Harry looked set to explode.

Heron smiled weakly. "The Carrows have family who were acolytes of Grindelwald at the time, but are now some of his most trusted Generals. There was a raid of Aurors and rebels during the rally and amongst them was a cousin of mine, Leta Lestrange. She tried to help the rebels stop Grindelwald; she even managed to destroy his precious skull-hookah. The one he used to show people his visions." Heron swallowed. "He wasn't happy about that and erm … he killed her for it, and then promptly tried to take out as much of Paris as he could."

"Psycho," Harry muttered. "Sounds just like the kind of thing he would do, though."

"When it first happened, from what Mother and Father told me, the Carrows who live in Britain tried to have us labelled as blood traitors for what Leta had done – Father challenged Ralston Carrow to a duel over the slander that the Carrows were trying to plaster onto us and well, Carrow chickened out," Heron snorted.

"No surprises there," Harry shook her head.

"But Carrow apparently did leave a parting threat," Heron's expression darkened once more. "'You have not heard the last of this, Lestrange!'"

"Well," Harry stated snarkily. "I think we know who is now high on the suspect list."

"Be careful, Harry," Artemis warned, looking very serious. "The Carrows may be a Minor Noble Family but they do hold a lot of influence with the current Minister for Magic. They are not to be trifled with on the best of days. Not even Father readily crosses them."

Harry smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. I won't do anything stupidly rash."

Heron and Artemis nodded. Harry almost when into full fangirl mode when, before the group split up in different directions, Heron kissed Artemis hand and then her temple without a care who saw them. Artemis was redder than the lining of her winter cloak as she and Harry joined Altair's birthday group, all of whom were trying not to laugh at her embarrassment.

"Everything all right there, Potter?" Altair teased as the girls joined them and they set off to Madam Paddifoot's.

"Shut up, Nott," Artemis huffed.

"What did you talk about just now?" Orion asked curiously.

"Orion, really!" Arcturus, Walburga and Minerva chorused.

"Sorry, Orion. It's not for me to discuss," Harry stated apologetically. "You would have to see if Heron is willing to tell you."

Orion pouted but didn't push the matter.

The group was soon distracted, though. The Rosier twins went to order for their table – with Harry not so subtly threatening that there had better be no baby dragon cakes or someone else would be forced to eat the adorable draconic pastry – and Artemis and Orion began quizzing Altair on what he'd like most for a birthday present.

Altair, however, was very blasé. "I never really have birthday wishes! You know this. I know I am difficult to buy for because of it. Really, just buy anything that you think I might like and I will likely be very happy with it."

Artemis sighed dramatically. "That is not helpful!"

Altair flushed. "My mother finds it just as difficult these days too. She accidentally bought me my familiar, Andras, when I was eleven – he's a Northern Inuit dog. He's too big to come Hogwarts. She has sent me sweets, money or new books every year."

"What about your father?" Minerva wanted to know.

Altair's jaws clenched. "Nothing. He sends nothing. That would mean acknowledging I exist."

Harry took his left hand in her right hand and began caressing the back of his hand gently with her thumb. Altair sighed and brought her hand to his lips and planting a loving kiss onto the back of her hand.

"It doesn't matter. He isn't important to me," Altair reassured when he saw Minerva's concerned expression.

The Rosier twins were back with a grin. Arcturus looked to Harry and she took the hint to get the box out of her bag and felt a small tug of satisfaction when Altair stared at the box she held out to him in shock, the rest of the group grinning too.

"Guys, you didn't!" Altair protested.

"Happy birthday in advance, love," Tom responded smugly.

"Indeed, happy birthday, you colossal idiot," Druella added.

"Harry had the forethought to already make something and give it on behalf of all of us," Walburga informed.

Altair gaped at Harry. "You made me something?" his eyes shone.

Harry flushed. "There was nothing that I could buy that would be unique – not unique enough anyway. I wanted to give you something that would be recognisably yours."

Altair had his hand on his mouth and his eyes closed. He laughed shortly, taking his hand from his mouth and shook his head. "Merlin, I don't deserve you."

"Yes, you do," Harry disagreed readily. "Now, are you going to open it or not?"

Altair regarded her with a look so intense that it almost made her look away from him but fortunately the Nott heir turned back to the box and undid the beautiful latches around it and then lifted the lid. Once more, the boy's eyes widened and his mouth hung open as he looked at the exquisite daggers inside the box.

"Morgana and Morgause!" was all he was able to say, lifting out one of the combat-and-throwing daggers, topped with a golden jackal. "This is – Harry, how in the name of everything good and holy did you … you know what, I don't want to know!"

"Naturally I still need to train you to use them properly but I thought that this was perhaps unique enough and well, it also gave me an excuse to begin forging with my own magic," Harry flushed. "Took me bloody ages just to make five of them that didn't melt prematurely or got fried within-"

"Harry," Altair cut across gently. "Breathe. They're stunning! I love them. Thank you so much."

"Thank the others too. It's a gift from all of us," Harry's cheeks were redder than a tomato.

"Oh Harry, just take the gratitude," Loreley stated whimsically. "You deserve it. You did all the hard work."

"Hear, hear," Arcturus and Tom chorused.

Harry huffed but she didn't have much time to protest since the coffee, tea and cakes – well a few small ones and a giant snake one that made Altair glare at the Rosier twins, who were smirking unapologetically – arrived. Apparently the Rosiers had a habit of buying cute cakes as much as Altair did! Harry and Tom exchanged a grin at Altair's sour face.

"It's too cute to eat!" he complained.

"Now you know how I felt," Harry stated triumphantly.

Altair's eyes darkened dangerously at this, but it wasn't the menacing kind.

"I am hungry! Let's tuck in," Artemis stated. "Come on, Nott. Cut the snake!"

Altair whined a little, inadvertently sending a pang of desire rushing through Tom and Harry, who both had to fortify their Occlumency shields as their sinful thoughts tried to come to the forefront. Fortunately, everyone was distracted by their piece of adorable serpent cake so no one seemed to have noticed.

Orion's babble, helped by Artemis and Arcturus, kept everyone occupied. After the lunch, the group took it in turns to distract Altair while everyone else went present shopping for his actual birthday presents. The first to be able to sneak away were Harry and Tom; the future Consorts of House Nott headed straight for Mr. Meret's music shop to see if they could buy Altair some rare sheet music. Mr. Meret was very excited to help, and the both of them didn't have the heart so say no to any of the three books because of the man's enthusiasm.

Afterwards, when Harry and Tom hurried back, it was Artemis and Loreley who slipped away. This trend continued until the whole group officially had presents; they just met up with the Knights of Walpurgis and Harry's girls when the sky opened and a blizzard of snow descended down upon Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

"YAAAAAAAY!"

"Orion, it's only sky dandruff!"

"Stop being a sour-cat, Harry!"

"Merlin's saggy trousers, if this carries on like this, Orion could literally have his snowball fight tomorrow," Malum laughed as the group hurried back to the castle as quickly as they could.

Orion started giggling giddily at this.

"You still planning on joining in, Evans?" Dolohov smirked.

"Absolutely!" Harry confirmed happily.

"Oh boy," Ophelia commented.

"You are going to be soaked by the end of it!" Walburga told her.

Harry raised an eyebrow sassily. "Thank you for pointing that out, Wally."

Malum broke the tension by joining Harry, Tom and Altair with a grin. "What did you get, Nott?" he asked, eyeing the box of daggers.

"Mind your own business, Avery," Ophelia stated.

Altair smiled weakly. "I'll show you later."

Malum beamed.

"You boys planning on joining in tomorrow?" Harry wanted to know.

"No, but I will come and spectate," Tom smiled at her.

"Same," Altair added with a grin. "We will cheer you on!"

"I think I will join in," Malum replied. "It could be fun."

"Me too!" Felix shouted over his shoulder.

Neither Tom nor Altair looked happy about this. Orion, though, lit up. "Brilliant! That means I already have twenty confirmed attendees! This is going to be the best one yet; I can just feel it."

##################################################

Tom was out on patrol that evening; sometimes he really did hate being Head Boy. Fortunately Caroline Harrow loved patrol duty so she took most of the shifts but on this occasion she wasn't feeling too well so Tom had to take over, much to his chagrin. He was currently busy checking the sixth floor classrooms for any teenagers out of bed; so far nothing, which was always good in his book.

Tom had secretly been hoping to catch sight of Harry so that he could perhaps see how she trained for his own eyes. He still remembered how she looked that morning when she came back from training – Harry was effortlessly beautiful and to see her more savage side just added to her appeal.

"Caw!"

A raven's cry derailed his train of thought and Tom skidded to a halt, whirling around to see the handsome raven that belonged to Mr. Burke standing in an open window – had that window been open to begin with? – with a letter tied around its leg along with a small parcel. Tom smiled to himself as he approached.

"Hello. I assume that is for me?"

"Caw!"

Tom untied the letter and the parcel carefully and didn't waste any time in breaking the seal and opening the letter.

Dear Mr. Tom. M. Riddle,

On the whole I am very well, thank you. Harry has told me much about you, and I very much look forward to meeting the gentlemen who won her heart. As for you being impertinent, asking questions is one thing I could never consider as such. I can already see a quality you and Harry share, it seems!

As for your research, if I read between the lines correctly, the topic you have chosen is incredibly Dark and dangerous indeed. I hope you were not affected too much because otherwise we may all have a problem. Fortunately, I was not born yesterday and my books were not written ten years ago so I may indeed be able to help you. Your professor has a very clever head on his shoulders; yes, he is absolutely right. The person needs to want to fix their soul, and feel remorse for what they have done. I have sent you some books which I think may be able to help you in your research.

Tread carefully, Mr. Riddle, and please don't hesitate to write again if you need more help.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. T. Burke

Tom sighed with relief and cradled the parcel close to his heart. Thank Merlin; he could finally begin with fixing his mistake. Hopefully before Harry or Altair ever found out what he had done.

######################################################

Sunday morning the skies became more tenebrous and Hogwarts was greeted by a fresh blanket of snow. The fifth, sixth and seventh year Slytherin boys were awoken by Orion the Walking Alarm Clock, who had gone outside to check the weather, squealing and jumping like an excited five-year-old at the extra blankets that had fallen during the night. Arcturus and Dolohov had to put several Silencing Charms around their beds to get some more sleep and even Altair had sent a few minor jinxes at his friend to shut him up. Abraxas had sighed in irritation and Somnus the owl had actually woken up, to the disbelief of everyone in the dorm.

Unfortunately, Athenaïs was just as bad, if not worse. The moment the children went outside for their snowball fight, she would dive bomb into the snow, attempt to make snowmen, and would make snow fall onto humans and creatures alike by knocking the snow off tree branches with her tail with Harry shouting and chasing after her.

Despite the trouble the Gargouille was causing, Harry, her girls, Orion, Artemis, Loreley, Minerva, Tom, Altair, Heron and the Knights were the first to arrive at the open field that the snowball fight would be taking place. Soon, an impressive number of people had met up at the field. Little first years from all four houses buzzing around, including Oizys, Eileen and Octavian, much to Malum's delight. Bletchley, War, Pucey and some of their dorm mates came too. Ignatius, Tessa, Billy, Septimus and Octavius were quick to arrive as well. Edward Diggory, Ossian Gilbert, Rachel Langley and some of their friends had come too. Huxley and Randall had come along for the fun as well, together with Charlotte Spiers, Quirrell and Elias Goldstein. Orion was soon bouncing up and down with joy at the amount of people willing to participate.

He soon cast a Sonorous Charm as more people came to spectate. "Welcome to Hogwarts' Annual Snowball Fight! I hope all of you are ready to defend your flags. For those of you who are new to the Snow Showdown, here are the rules: you will be split into – how many are we altogether, twenty seven? – three teams of nine and you will each be given to build a defences around a flag made of snow and the winner will be the one to have all three flags in their possession! No Light or Dark magic allowed to be thrown at each other, and if there are any sharp objects in the snowballs the team is disqualified. The prize for this year's Snowball Fight are tickets to see the premier of Persephone with a few friends!"

That sent excited chatter around the girls especially.

Harry ended up in a team with Malum, Felix, Oizys, Septimus, Octavius, Billy, War and Diggory, who had been nervous when he asked to team up with them. The team composition already sent shivers of apprehension through the other teams as well as the large body of students spectating from conjured bleaches. Athenaïs, who was sitting between Tom and Altair wearing Altair's knitted scarf and hat that he made months ago, howled excitedly.

"I think the other teams are planning on playing dirty," Dolohov commented. "Because a team with Evans, both Weasleys, two Averys, a Prewett, War and our Felix and then also Diggory is just not healthy!"

"They could actually win this thing without trying," Druella laughed as the teams got handed different coloured flags and went to build their fortifications. Harry's team had managed to get a spot on elevated earth so they immediately went to work on snowy hill fort defences.

Septimus and Octavius took charge of directing the building of the fortifications, with Harry being assigned the duty of Flag Guard together with War as well as the duty of Snipers.

"I am surprised so many people showed up," Billy commented as he finished his section of snow-work defences. "I didn't think Black would be able to get his snowball fight this year."

"If Orion did not get his snowball fight, I fear he might have started crying tears that could have rivalled those of Queen Niobe," Harry answered grimly. "He would probably start screaming as well."

Her team mates snorted at this.

"WE ARE STARTING IN FIVE MINUTES!" Orion's amplified voice echoed around the battlefield, causing some of the teams to hurry up with what they were doing. Harry's team continued to work at a hastened but still even pace.

"We have not missed much, have we?" Professor Griffith asked excitedly as he, Mr. Ogden, Professor Merrythought, Professor Dumbledore, interim Professor Black and even Professor Binns arrived and joined the children on the benches. Snowball fights needed some sort of adult supervision and Professor Griffith had yet to miss a Snow Showdown hosted by Orion Black.

"No, sir, they are just finishing their defences," Walburga informed politely.

"Do we have some interesting teams this year?" the Head of Hufflepuff asked eagerly.

"I'd say so, sir," Ygraine answered. "One team is building igloos, the other trenches and the other is putting way too much effort in!"

Professor Binns actually lit up when he saw what Ygraine meant. "Oh my! Someone has built a nice snowy hillfort! I take it Miss Evans is participating?"

"Yes, sir," Tom confirmed with a bright grin.

This took none of the teachers or the groundskeeper by surprise.

Then the trash talking commenced between the teams.

"We're going to bury your butt in snow, Bletchley!"

"I wish I had my camera with me to record your humiliating defeat, Tessa!"

"My familiar loves frozen pipsqueak, Avery!"

"Oh dear," was all Professor Dumbledore could comment heartily as the spectators on the benches began to guffaw and chortle. "I do hope they try to keep it clean."

"Do not fret, sir, Orion is always clear on the rules," Minerva reassured.

Then it was ready for the fight to commence. Bletchley's team tried to divide their attention between Harry's team and the team belonging to Ignatius Prewett but that tactic did not work very well because any sloppy move was taken out by Billy, Harry and Edward. Felix and Malum's vicious onslaught of snowballs kept most would-be attackers at bay because Septimus and Octavius timed their orders to attack to perfection.

Then Ignatius and Bletchley made a temporary alliance to try and gang up against the Hill Fort Team. It should have worked; the issue was Team Igloo – as Harry and her team called Ignatius' team – had left only Eileen Prince and Octavian Rookwood to guard the flag and Billy and Harry had snuck around towards enemy lines, a bucket of snowballs in hand, and had managed to sneak onto the young guards. They had taken out Prince and Rookwood with two snowballs to the head and snatched the flag from inside its igloo.

The commotion had alerted the rest of Ignatius' team that they had been infiltrated and he had dispatched Tessa, Rachel and Ossian to stop Harry and Billy from getting the flag back to their hill fort. The issue was Harry was used to being the target of Harry Hunting, even during winter months in the past. So she made Billy hop onto her back with the flag and she legged it back towards the Snow Fort, dodging snowballs with speed and expertly making feints to ensure Ossian and Rachel landed into the snow, causing laughter and more cheers from the benches. Other members of Team Igloo and Team Trenches tried to stop her but were accosted by snowball after snowball from the rest of Harry and Billy's team, so they couldn't make a proper counter attack.

Harry and Billy got Team Igloo's flag into their fort, which meant Ignatius' team had to withdraw to the spectator benches, wet from the water of the snowball and laughing. Rachel and Ossian were a little bit more soaked and shaking their heads, feeling incredibly salty that three people could not take out Harry Evans and Billy Prewett. The team cheered up at being given hot chocolate by Altair and Arcturus.

The battle between Team Trenches, who withdrew to guard their flag better now they knew Harry and Billy were sneaky little shits, and Team Hill Fort was fierce one that saw snowball after snowball be exchanged. Harry and War both took out Bletchley, who had attempted to sneak around the back and Edward took out Pucey, her second-in-command. Septimus and Octavius gave the order to attack, leaving Harry to guard their flags. Close combat soon ensued; Billy ran rings around the trenches to try and distract the remaining members of Team Trenches.

Huxley had manged to slip through and had attempted to go on a solo mission, only to be met with three snow balls – one to the arm, another to the leg and a shot to the chest. Harry had seen her coming a mile off; it wasn't even a contest how easily the Gryffindor Chaser had been taken out.

"Was worth a shot!" Huxley had laughed back to the benches.

It was War who eventually managed to flag-nap Team Trenches' flag. It seemed that War even had speed on the ground as well as in the air because her pursuers had trouble keeping up with her and dodging enemy fire – all three flags had ended up inside Team Hill Fort much to the jubilation of the nine people involved, who only lost Oizys Avery to Huxley and Diggory almost at the last minute.

Orion was jumping up and down in excitement. "TEAM HILL FORT WINS! WELL DONE EVERYONE! THIS ONE WAS THE BEST SNOW SHOWDOWN YET!"

Harry and her team jubilantly joined Orion, who handed them each an envelope with a grin. Oizys and War barely could contain their excitement, which made Harry laugh heartily.

"You Weasleys were epic commanders," Felix patted the twins on their shoulders.

"Thanks, Mulci! You and Avery were lethal out there," Septimus grinned.

"And you, Evans – bloody hell can you run!" Diggory laughed. "How you pulled that off is beyond me."

"It was so much fun!" Billy squealed.

Their friends were all clapping and cheering as they approached. Athenaïs was prancing on the spot, chirping mystically.

"That was one hell of a ballsy move the two of your pulled!" Druella told Harry and Billy, shaking her head. "Harry, how the hell did you managed to carry a boy of fourteen and a flag like it was nothing?!"

Harry shrugged. "I am used to running, sometimes with heavy loads. And it wasn't nothing! Billy weights a bloody ton!"

"You took a lot of risk," Tom commented. "I am glad it paid off."

"Me too," Harry grinned brightly as she fanned herself with her envelope.

"Seeing Gilbert and Langley being launched into the snow like that is the highlight of my day," Dolohov chuckled, causing him to get a bunch of pointed looks, especially from the two people in question.

"Well done, everyone!" Professor Griffith went around telling the children. "That was a very good show indeed! Miss Evans, thank you for almost making me crack a rib laughing."

"You're welcome, sir," Harry quipped.

"All right, everyone! Back to the castle. I think we have had enough excitement for the morning," Professor Dumbledore stated jovially and was quite pleased with himself when no one argued.

It was at this point that the sky had opened up once more and the little crystals of ice floated down towards the earth, dancing in the air – sometimes alone and sometimes with each other. The sky was sparkling like the candles in the Great Hall and Harry couldn't help but look up in sheer delight for the first time. She opened up her mouth to catch a flake on her tongue, as did many of the younger ones too. The chill exploded on her taste-buds and it made her do a small twirl in delight, trying to catch as many flakes on her head as possible. The Lady Regnant glanced at Altair, Athenaïs and Tom and had to laugh. Altair was positively adorned by flakes, making him look indeed like Jack Frost. Athenaïs was being covered by flakes that began giving her a nice white coat but melting on her scarf and hat. Tom's face was a nice Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer red and his hair was decorated by flakes.

Harry couldn't help herself. She started to laugh.

Tom mock-scowled at her. "Something amusing, my Lady?"

"Yes, you three," Harry replied easily.

"I don't see why you're laughing. You look just as flake covered as the rest of us," Altair pointed out with an impish grin.

"I know, but I always look a little funny. You two always maintain perfect appearances and now you look a little bit more normal, so permit me to have my fun," Harry responded teasingly.

The eyes of both boys briefly flared with something that made Harry smirk to herself in satisfaction. Athenaïs watched them eagerly.

"Perfect appearances, huh?" Altair repeated, something heavy underneath his teasing tone. "Well, I would disagree there, because that would insinuate that we never lose our composure, my Lady."

"You don't, especially not in public, Heir Nott. Unless Dolohov involved," Harry countered easily, not noticing the brief, conspiratorial and knowing look Tom and Altair shared.

"You want to bet?" Altair challenged, stepping closer to her, his almost-black eyes dancing with mirth.

"It would be a first," Harry shot back, determined to see how far she could push. "I doubt you even have the guts-"

The Lady Regnant of House Peverell was promptly cut off by the feeling of Altair's light, soft lips on hers, his hands carding through her wild curls. Harry responded immediately, answering with a little more force, even daring to nip his bottom lip teasingly, causing a small, soft growl to escape from Altair's throat. Altair asked access to her mouth with a light lick of her lips, which Harry was more than happy to grant. Both their kiss and their breathing turned rougher at this stage. The both of them tried to get as much of a taste of each other as they could – unfortunately, they were forced to part prematurely.

"ABOUT BLOODY TIME!"

"DOLOHOV, SHUT UP!"

The triad had not seen that their friends had turned back from the group and decided to spy on the three of them. Dolohov simply had been incapable of keeping his mouth shut when they saw them. It had earned Dolohov a snowball thrown by Tom, yes that took everyone by surprise, and the Russian Knight was chased all the way back to the castle by an extremely annoyed Athenaïs, howling and snapping all the way. Harry and Altair had fortunately seen the funny side of this but were extremely red in the face as they went back to the castle.

By Monday, almost everyone had known what had happened but fortunately, no one gave Harry or Altair any grief for it. A few teachers did have to almost laugh at them, even Dumbledore's eyes twinkled even more than usual, but Harry had actually expected it to be far worse. On Altair's actual birthday, no one so much as mentioned it, which the trio was very happy about.

At breakfast, Altair was busy opening his presents from his Gryffindor friends. Minerva had bought him a book on advanced performative Charms, Artemis had gotten him a set of three three-way mirrors so that he could call Harry and Tom over the Yule holidays, and Loreley had gotten him a Pensieve with three kelpies adorning it. Harry had no idea where Loreley had found the damn thing but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous she had not thought of a Pensieve. Fortunately Altair had loved the piano music.

It was while Altair and the others were admiring the Pensieve that the mail owls arrived and everyone's heads immediately craned upwards.

"Evans, Gringotts owl ahoy!" Octavius, Billy, Ignatius and several other Gryffindors chorused.

Indeed, a handsome, medallion wearing bird was amongst the parliament heading for the Lion's table. Harry braced herself as the bird landed before her with two letters, sticking its leg out. Harry wasted no time in untying the letters and feeding the bird some bacon before it took off.

"Oh boy," Druella stated.

"Two letters? This can't be good," Ygraine agreed.

Harry ignored the tension around her, slightly annoyed that the goblins would do this on Altair's eighteenth birthday. She first opened the letter that was recognisably from Griphook.

Dear Lady Peverell,

Forgive any inconveniences that this letter and its sister may cause but we have to keep our end of the bargain with the Hit Wizards. On the suggestion of your guardian, Mr. Burke, we have resorted to keeping your contact with them to the parchment for now. They were not happy about it but Mr. Burke would not be dissuaded from his decision, no matter how much Mr. Lorcan and Mr. Victor doth protest.

As for assignments, we may have one again soon, but we dare not say when. I hope your mock exams went well, my Lady.

May your enemies always fall at your feet,

Griphook.

Harry sighed, shaking her head, before sending the letter up in flames and then turning her attention to the next letter.

To whom it may concern,

Allow us to introduce ourselves. We are Meg, Ghost and Goliath, associates of the two men you and your two allies – as we understand it – saved from the portrait not too long ago. We came to the Isles from the Continent initially to track down people who were kidnapped from their safe house, but due to some foretold circumstances to our resident Seer, plans quickly had to change.

We finally managed to track Ambrose and Bradley, who we suspected to perhaps be dead, to St. Mungo's where we were informed that there were some unforeseen side effects to the two of them being imprisoned inside a portrait. Ambrose and Bradley apparently hear something in their heads concerning Grindelwald that no one else can hear. Ambrose and Bradley are not simply family; they are also key members of our team. We need them to get better, sooner rather than later.

So, this is where you come in. We would like to know what spell you used to free them from their prison and what spell was used to imprison them so we can start on trying to find a counter curse. We do not have much time to waste on this matter, so if you could answer at your earliest convenience we will be most obliged.

Yours sincerely,

M, G, and G.

Harry scoffed at the letter's tone and shook her head at it. Her sour expression was noted by everyone.

"Uh-oh, I know that face. Someone's going to get hexed," Ophelia commented.

"What did Gringotts do this time?" Felix sighed.

"It's not Gringotts. It's those Hit Wizards," Harry replied crisply. "They are demanding answers. I am genuinely considering to tell these three to take a hike for being so bloody rude!"

The letter went up into blue flames in seconds.

"I don't think you should vex a bunch of Hit Wizards, no matter which side they are on," Minerva advised. "I think you should just take a deep breath, calm yourself and then write a reply giving them something, at least."

"Agreed," Druella concurred readily.

Harry pulled a face but didn't dare to argue. Headmaster Dippet saved the situation by stepping up to his eagle podium. "May I have your attention please for a moment children? Yes, thank you! Settle! Thank you. Now, as all of you are aware, December is around the corner and the Yule holidays are fast approaching. As usual, considering the times we live in, we would like all the students who are planning to stay at Hogwarts during the festivities to give their names to their Head of House by the end of the week, please! You can go back to your conversations now."

As excited chatter rose, Harry felt Tom wilt next to her.

"Riddle, are you going to be staying again?" the Weasleys wanted to know.

"Most likely," Tom sighed miserably. "I am definitely not going back to the orphanage, no matter how much Dumbledore may try to make me every year."

Harry's expression darkened. "Will anyone else in Slytherin be staying?"

The seventh years winced. That was a no.

In that moment, Harry felt her blood boil. She was going home to the Evren Estates, but she was not going to simply allow one half of her heart to stay alone in a House that would be practically empty!

"You will not stay here," the Traveller stated firmly. "And you're not going to that cursed orphanage! Over my dead body."

As the students all began to gather their things for first period, Tom and the others regarded her with a confused but also slightly excited look. Loreley's eyes were dancing knowingly.

"Evans, what are you up to?" Abraxas questioned.

Harry smirked and turned to Tom with a determined expression. "Withhold your name. I have a plan."

No one dared to ask the Lady Regnant what scheme she was executing but that didn't mean they weren't trying to get a clue. Harry worked on her letter to her uncles the entirety of Herbology with Loreley on Distract Heron and Altair duty. Thanatos approved of her idea but she had a feeling it was for a wholly different reason to hers.

It wasn't as though Harry was in any danger of being caught. Professor Griffith had laxed the lesson somewhat to a fun topic on non-sentient plants and allowed the students to work amongst themselves. Other teachers followed a similar trend, with the exception of Professors Merrythought, Dumbledore and Black. It also gave her the opportunity to answer the Hit Wizards.

Druella had been kind enough to lend Endor for the trip to the Evren Estates and Harry had asked Orion for Somnus' services again to deliver the letter to the Hit Wizards, much to the amusement of her friends.

"Are you trying to get them to kill you?" Arcturus had asked through chuckles.

Jury was out on that one.

###########################################

"Mr. Griphook, surely you above all others know that time is a precious commodity! These restrictions are absolutely ridiculous!"

"You cannot expect us to simply sit around and wait for a reply that may never come!"

Meg, Ghost and Goliath had ruined Griphook's pleasant morning coffee and croissant with their presence, but unfortunately he could not send them away; they would just keep coming back like cockroaches. They needed to be allowed to air their grievances and then sent on their way!

Griphook regarded them coolly. "Are you accusing our Cursebreaker of being unwilling to do her duty?" he asked silkily, raising an eyebrow at them. "Because we do not take slander to our employees' names lightly."

Meg tried to save the situation that her two compatriots had put them in. "We are not accusing the girl of being unwilling to do her duty. All we're saying is that she might be reluctant to talk to three strangers who appear out of nowhere, no matter who may reassure her that everything is OK."

"She may be," Griphook agreed. Meg was the only one he liked. "But that doesn't mean she won't try to help you, at least a little. Our employee is very diligent."

"Why do you never say her name?" Ghost demanded, narrowing his eyes.

Griphook's lip curled into a sneer. "You want information from her; you're getting that. You do not need her name to get it."

"Lorcan, settle," Meg stated sharply, getting thoroughly annoyed herself. They didn't need to make enemies out of the Goblin Nation on this mission. "Our answers will come, very soon."

Griphook smirked.

Suddenly, a goblin guard burst into the room, taking the occupants by surprise. "Sir, there is an owl incoming! It doesn't seem to be stopping!"

Griphook's eyes widened and he clicked his fingers, the windows of the meeting room springing open in seconds. No sooner had he done this, in came a feathery comet that indeed had no intention of slowing down and only came to a halt when it smacked up right against the glass windows looking out into the corridor, everyone in the room wincing at the impact.

The goblin guard went to check up on the animal, expecting it to be seriously injured, and gaped in disbelief. It was asleep!

The three Hit Wizards noticed immediately. "How did that owl manage to fly while being fast asleep?" Goliath spluttered.

"Better yet, how did it not drop the letter while being asleep?" Ghost snorted as the goblin guard gently prised the letter from the bird's beak, looked at the front, and then handed it to Meg, who frowned at it momentarily before lighting up.

"She's answered!" she announced to her companions.

Ghost and Goliath immediately settled as Meg opened the letter and the three of them began to read.

Dear Meg, Ghost and Goliath,

I must say when I was first told of who you were and what you wanted, I thought it must have been some kind of trick sent by Grindelwald. It was just all too much of a coincidence, you see. You see, Mr. Weird-Eyes has his beady little eyes on me and frankly, I have no intention of him ever finding out who I am and if that means making sure three Hit Wizards never see my face or hear my name, so be it.

As to the condition of Mr. Ambrose and Mr. Bradley, I would not know what malady has befallen them. They were barely alive when I rescued them from the portrait prison. As for what spell was used to imprison him, I do not know. My Revelation spell did not provide that information; only the sequence of events, which is how I knew Grindelwald was behind their imprisonment. Whatever spell was used, though, could repel the most powerful magics in the repertoire of the Ancients and was even able to resist powerful family magic. I don't know what spell is capable of such a feat but I know it isn't one found in every day libraries. It must also have affected the life force of a person because I essentially had to "peel" Ambrose and Bradley off the canvas. As to what spell I used, I refuse to divulge a single ounce of Family Magic to a bunch of strangers.

Forgive me, but that is all I am willing to say on the matter. I hope it has been of some help to you, but if you want my honest opinion, I don't think your friends will ever be fully cured. What they went through was quite literally hell. I wish you luck in your further endeavours.

Yours sincerely,

Scythe.

"So not only has she not provided anything useful, this girl doesn't even sign her own name!" Ghost exploded.

"It means she isn't stupid," Goliath grinned.

"It also means that she comes from a family with powerful Family Magic and was once an ally to us," Meg continued. She pointed to the nickname the girl had used. "'Mr. Weird-Eyes'. You see?"

"A child who was in the Resistance?" Ghost shook his head. "You don't think that – do you think those rumours that we once heard are true?"

Goliath and Meg suddenly paled. Griphook, who had watched them with beady unblinking eyes, narrowed his eyes. "Is there anything else Gringotts can assist you with?" he demanded in a faux-serene tone.

The three Hit Wizards exchanged an unreadable expression before Meg smiled at him. "No thank you, Mr. Griphook. I think we can go from here."

The goblin tried not to snort derisively as the three of them left. He knew that these pompous and presumptuous wand-wielders would be trying to get their way – wizards never did know when to take no for an answer. Griphook was soon cheered slightly up by the arrival of a letter, delivered by a Merlin hawk, on the behalf of the Lady Peverell.

Dear Griphook,

I hope that by the time Clytemnestra has arrived, those three upstarts are gone. If not, apologises for the awkward arrival of Somnus the owl – he is the familiar of Heir Black – and of Heiress Potter's bird but I may need your help with a little bit of sleuthing I have been doing on the side.

I am not sure how aware you are of the mysterious illness that has befallen Nymera Lestrange but from what her brother Heir Lestrange has told me, this is no normal illness that is gripping her. It may be a fake Blood Curse of some kind; the issue is, I have no idea if that is even the case and the Lestranges are not acquainted with me so I dare not ask them for information.

Do you think Gringotts would be able to discreetly investigate or test Nymera? Because if this is a case of a fake Blood Curse such as Male Magicae then we may have a list of suspects to go on. Naturally I know you're very busy so I understand if you do not think it is worth pursuing.

May your enemies always fall at your feet, sir,

Lady H. Peverell

Griphook jumped to his feet instantly. "ENGLEBERT!"

The goblin guard outside his door came hurrying in, still carrying Somnus. "Yes, sir?"

"Make a box for the owl. The hawk here will know where to bring him," Griphook stated as he hopped down. "Is the Accountant of the Lestrange Vaults busy?"

"No, sir, he is just out of a meeting."

"Oh good! That saves me time and effort then."

"Indeed sir!"

Griphook smirked to himself. It was time to see if they could finally get some answers to Nymera Lestrange's illness.

########################################

Tom didn't know if it was such a good thing that a pattern was emerging that he was being taken surprise by ravens. He had quietly decided that if Harry's plan fell through by Friday that he would sign his name up to stay at Hogwarts, just so that he could avoid Mrs. Cole and the rest of those loudmouth children at the orphanage.

He had spent half of Tuesday wondering what Harry could be up to, with Altair managing to distract him from his train of thought with teasing looks or touches that drove Tom mad. Orion and Arcturus wanting another round of Dragon Land also did the trick there. The Knights jealous sulking about Altair's stunning daggers also gave Tom something else to focus on. At least by the evening he could concentrate on the books Mr. Burke had been kind enough to send him to find the ritual that could save his soul.

Tom had almost forgotten that Harry was scheming something Wednesday morning and had barely looked up when people pointed out the Peverell raven, with its tell-tale medallion around its neck, joining Clytemnestra's descent to the Gryffindor table. Only, Clytemnestra stopped in front of Harry with the box – Harry already laughing – and the Peverell raven stopped in front of Tom.

Only the last Gaunt scion barely looked up from his book and initially didn't look up.

"Caw!" the Peverell raven was a little bit affronted.

"OI! Riddle, look up!" the Weasleys started sharply, causing Tom to slightly jump.

The raven was holding out a letter – addressed to him in writing he did not recognise.

Tom gaped. Why was a Peverell raven delivering mail to him?!

The Heir of Slytherin looked at his smirking lover. "Harry, what have you done?" he asked breathlessly.

"Take the letter, open it, and read," she stated with an impish glint in those verdant eyes.

Tom didn't need to be told twice. He untied the letter, offered some bacon as an apology to the raven, which the corvid took gratefully. It stayed put, clearly expecting an answer already. Tom broke the Peverell seal, took a deep breath and began to read.

Dear Mr. Tom Marvolo Riddle,

We hope that this letter finds you well, sir. We first want to offer our congratulations on winning the heart of our Niece. We hope you will treasure it.

It has come to our attention that you are an orphan who has been placed in an institution that is frankly an abomination to the very thing it is supposed to represent: a safe place for children with no parents. She has also brought to our attention that you may be stuck without your friends for the entirety of the Yule holidays and we are in complete agreement with her that this is wholly unacceptable so we have a proposal to make.

We have longed to get your better acquaintance, Mr. Riddle, and that of Heir Nott, and here is an excuse for us to get to know at least one a little better. Our Niece would like us to offer you a formal invitation to join the House of Peverell at the Evren Estates for the entirety of the Yule holidays if you so wish. Our friends Nick and Perrie will also be in attendance for some of the festivities as will both Burkes and Melanie Rollins. Naturally, we will have a room prepared especially for you. Our Niece is quite adamant on the matter and there is simply no dissuading her, my good sir.

We await your reply,

Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell

P.S. Please burn this letter as soon as you have made up your mind.

Tom could hardly believe what he was reading. He had to read three times to make sure he wasn't dreaming, his hand over his mouth and his eyes beginning to water so he closed them to force the tears back.

"Tom, what is it?" Altair asked urgently.

"Have Harry's uncles made their displeasure known?" Arcturus wanted to know, looking worried.

"No!" Tom exclaimed, half laughing. "No, no, no, not at all. Harry has just gone and done something typical of her."

Harry beamed at this.

"What is it?" Orion wanted to know immediately.

Tom shook his head despondently. "Her uncles have formally invited me to join the family for Yule."

One could have heard a pin drop as mouths started to descend to the floor in amazement and disbelief. Quickly, the purebloods among the group gathered their mouths from the floor.

"No way!" Artemis was the first to recover. "You lucky bum! You get to see Harry's home first!"

"Better still; you're a guest of the Peverells!" Altair sighed, sounding only just slightly envious.

"So, what do you say?" Harry asked, sounding suddenly very nervous. "I know it is very forward of me but my uncles have been badgering about meeting you and Altair, and then when you mentioned that you stay at Yule and the others saying you might be alone – I just thought you might want to spend your most hated Sabbath with an actual family-"

"Harry, stop!" Tom put his hand over her mouth gently, his heart beating ten times faster. He was desperate to kiss her but didn't dare to do it in front of so many people. "Yes! My answer is unequivocally yes!"

Harry lit up as he removed his hand. The Heir of Slytherin promptly wrote an answer, apologised once more to the Peverell raven and took a deep sigh of relief as the corvid took to the sky with his reply. The letter was sent up into orange flames in a heatproof bowl.

"So, Tom is staying with Harry and her family for Yule," Druella smirked. "This should be interesting."

"You will all be invited at some point," Harry reassured.

"We had better!" Artemis, Altair, Arcturus and Ophelia chorused.

"All?" Malum repeated, sounding hopeful.

Tom almost had to laugh at Harry trying to resist not cooing at Malum's strangely adorable expression.

"Yes," Harry replied as she sipped her coffee. "If you don't mind being put under a Fidelius. I mean, come on guys. You are my Secret Keepers for That Thing We Shall Not Mention By Name Again and we are planning on training at my house, so."

The Knights lit up at this, even Dolohov.

Tom had never looked forward to the start of the Yule holidays. This was the first time he genuinely could not wait for December 17th to arrive. He couldn't resist kissing Harry for her insane scheme before they went to Transfigurations. They at least got some privacy because Altair hexed anyone who even tried to take a sneaky peak at them.

Tom and Harry both noticed that their other third was a little dejected.

"Altair," Harry whispered, sounding guilty. "I am sorry I didn't ask my uncles if you could stay too. I wanted to make sure Tom didn't have to be completely alone and I don't know my uncles' moods sometimes-"

"I need to be there for Mother anyway," Altair smiled smally. "It's all right."

"No, it isn't," Harry insisted. "I will find a way so that you both can stay with us for a bit. I promise."

"I'll help her charm her uncles," Tom vowed with a grin as they split up to take their seats.

The Nott heir smiled but didn't seem convinced. Tom and Harry silently made an oath to ensure that Altair would not only have a good Yule, but that he would have to spend as little time at his so-called "home" as possible.

######################################################

The days of December seemed to fly by. The amount of work seemed to be heavier the closer the Yule holidays dawned on them. Students and teachers alike found that the closer it came, the less work any of them were able to produce both in and out of class. It was true that the Yule holiday homework was more than enough to make up for the classes, especially for the O.W.L and N.E.W.T students who had been doing their Yule homework as part of revision for their mocks. Some teachers such as McCullagh, Griffith and Dumbledore continued to bring a lighter atmosphere to class and now and again allowed the students to play games associated with their subject matter. Professor Babbling had apparently recovered from her illness but decided to go home to recuperate further and return for the New Year so Professor Black remained at Hogwarts a little while longer. Other teachers, with Merrythought at the helm, did not take a blasé approach and would dish out extra detentions of any who had the audacity to lose concentration in their classes.

Harry was rather happy she didn't incur the wrath of Professor Merrythought at any point because those detentions were being dished out like sweets. She spent a few evenings per week not only training but also making a start on the Yule gifts for her friends: daggers for all of them and then a non-combative gift for each of them, working well into the night to the point where Hypnos and his children actually had to knock her out themselves and bring her down to the Slytherin dungeons themselves.

On the bright side, a new Slytherin Seeker had been chosen in the form of Charlene Grey from fifth year. Loreley had been very happy when she heard Malum's choice.

Everyone who was going to leave on December 17th exactly spent a good portion of the day before already packing pre-emptively. Especially Harry's girls. Harry, Druella, Ophelia, Ygraine spent a ridiculous amount of time sitting on top of Walburga's slightly exploding trunk as the Black heiress tried to close it. It was a triumph when they finally managed to close it, until they realised they accidentally also packed Walburga's clothes for the next day and had to repeat the process again. Druella, Ophelia and Ygraine had far less to pack so they were done very quickly.

Harry's trunk was the next problem, especially since Walburga insisted extra care be given to her Yule Ball dress. She had clothes, shoes, cloaks, books and weapons that frankly were already making it difficult to close the trunk but instead of making her friends sit on top of the thing, Harry decided to save everyone some time and trouble by using an Undetectable Extension Charm on it as well. Walburga looked set to kiss Harry and thus incur Tom and Altair's wrath when Harry did the same for her trunk.

"OK, everyone packed and ready or do you need to spend another hour fitting all Black's shoes into her trunk?" Felix asked when the girls came out for dinner.

"Nope, that problem has been solved!" Druella announced triumphantly.

"How?" Arcturus blanched. "You girls usually yell and curse at the damn thing for a good two hours to the point we can all hear you."

"Harry solved the problem," Ophelia grinned.

"Do we even want to know how?" Dolohov shook his head.

"Undetectable Extension Charm," Harry informed brightly. "Works a treat! Especially when it comes to overflowing trunks."

"OK, I just want to have this said before we all leave tomorrow," Druella piped up. "Everybody stay away from the damn mistletoe if it grows above the head of someone you are not courting! Wally and Orion, brother you too – I am especially looking at you three." She sighed in exasperation. "I do not want to return to Hogwarts and have to deal with the fallout of you three kissing another cousin again."

"Again?" Harry repeated in disbelief. "You mean that those three have gotten into a sticky situation before?"

"Twice already, each," Altair confirmed with a grin like a Cheshire cat. "Walburga kissed Orion and Dorea once in a drunken state. Orion once kissed both Cederella and a Longbottom cousin of his in one evening, and Arcturus-"

"Altair, shush!" Arc begged.

"-once kissed Victoria Grey from the previous seventh years and Hayley Salter from Ravenclaw, causing quite the kerfuffle at Professor Slughorn's last do!" Altair was almost crying of laughter at this point.

"Kerfuffle? Altair, food was thrown!" Tom reminded him with a grin.

Everyone, except Dolohov, laughed at the Rosier heir's expense.

Walburga, too, flushed with embarrassment. "Oh for the love of Morgana, it really is not a big issue what happened. No one in the family cared! All cousins kiss."

Harry barked out a laugh at that ridiculous statement. "I can categorically say I have never kissed my Muggle cousin in my life! I have never once found myself under the mistletoe with me and would never have kissed him even if I did!"

Kissing Dudley?! Yeah, no way, both the Slytherin and Gryffindor side of her agreed.

"I have never kissed Rollo nor even thought about kissing him!" Ophelia snorted too.

"No, no, girls, you misunderstand. What Walburga meant to say was 'all Black cousins kiss'," Malum corrected teasingly.

"You really are the most juvenile bunch," Walburga rebuked haughtily. "Kissing is nothing in comparison to some of our marriages. Our cousin Rhea was once engaged to my brother Alphard but then left the day before the wedding to marry into a European pureblood family. She was a Maledictus, which was why she was blasted off the family tapestry, and eventually her Blood Curse caught up with her and she turned into a wyvern that stills guards her husband's castle to this very day."

Harry gaped at this. "What the … Can't you Blacks ever be normal?! The next thing you'll tell me is that you have a Selkie in your line!"

Orion lit up at this. "Well, actually-"

"For crying out loud! Forget I asked."

Orion pouted while everyone laughed heartily.

"Remember, Harry: if you ever think, 'it wouldn't surprise me if the Blacks did this or had this', nine times out of ten you are actually right on the money," Malum stated. "The same goes for the Malfoys too."

Abraxas sniffed at this.

Harry looked aghast but at the same time intrigued. "OK; a murderess with a penchant for killing her servants," she stated.

"That happened," Walburga, Orion and Druella chorused grimly. Harry gulped.

"Raving lunatic?" Harry tried another one.

"Too many times to count," Felix snorted.

"A banshee falling for a member of the family?"

Orion lit up. "Oooo that almost happened once!"

"A changeling?"

Walburga frowned. "I don't think we had one – wait a minute, our Great-Great Grandfather Castor's younger brother Marius was suspected of being one."

Harry started to grumble incoherently. "For Morgana's sake," she huffed.

"Harry, give it up, my dear," Tom advised soothingly as their group joined their Gryffindor friends. "You are not going to stumble on one by guessing like that."

"I can try," Harry grinned wryly and then lit up. "A Black being adopted by a magical creature."

Orion and Walburga opened up their mouths and then closed them again, frowning. Even Druella was not as sure anymore. In fact, everyone looked stumped. It seemed that finally Harry had found the one thing Blacks did not have in the family apart from half-vampires.

"What's going on?" Minerva asked curiously, looking at the Slytherins with worry.

"Harry's been trying to see how mad the Blacks are," Altair informed brightly.

"Very!" came a chorus from eavesdropping Gryffindors.

"I have been asking questions about the kind of people they have or had in the family," Harry admitted as she plated a treacle tart. "Apparently they haven't had a Black who was adopted by a magical creature yet!"

The wind was soon taken out of Harry's sails again by Orion. "Wait! I remember something. The sister of our Great-Great-Great Grandfather had a fairy who loved her garden. The fairy fell in love with her and tried to stop Great-Great-Great Aunt Ara from dying!"

"Bloody hell!" Harry sighed in defeat, Altair and Tom patting her shoulder placatingly, trying not to laugh. "I give up!"

"Good! Save yourself the grief," Heron laughed.

"How many of you are taking the morning train tomorrow?" Minerva wanted to know, deciding to change the subject.

"Tom, Harry, Altair, Orion, Wally, Ophelia, Ygraine, Arc and myself. I don't know about the others," Druella responded.

"I am taking the morning train too," Heron confirmed.

"Same," Artemis added.

"Felix and I are in that train too," Dolohov added.

"My parents are working until the afternoon so Oizys and I are taking the afternoon train with Abraxas and Loreley," Malum replied.

"We're taking the afternoon train too," Septimus and Octavius chorused.

"We're taking the morning one!" Billy piped up. "Mother got permission to begin her holiday early in preparation for the Presentation in four days."

Ignatius groaned at this, causing his friends and housemates to chuckle.

"You'll be fine, Igny," Octavius reassured jokingly. "Just bring your best personality to the day and you might not get hexed and cursed out of the house."

"If you're lucky," Druella felt the need to add.

"Plus, you will be the normal one in that family if you succeed in winning over Lucretia!" Felix continued.

"Yes, thank you, Mulci," Ignatius sighed.

After dinner, Harry, Artemis, Loreley, Athenaïs and Orion decided to pay a visit to Mr. Ogden for a cup of tea and cakes. Loreley had even thought of a Yule gift to bring the lonely groundskeeper, much to the relief of the other three humans. Mr. Ogden was not expecting them but beamed when he saw his young visitors. "Miss Evans, Mr. Black, Miss Potter and Miss Malfoy – oh and Athenaïs as well! What a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in!"

"Thank you, sir," the children chorused.

Kkkyyyyuoo! Athenaïs howled mystically as she made herself at home by the groundskeeper's fire.

"So, are all of you off tomorrow?" Mr. Ogden asked amicably as he began boiling the tea.

"We are, sir," Artemis confirmed as she and Loreley helped with the cakes he had baked, eyeing the chocolate one hungrily. "Most of us are on the morning train; Loreley will be going on the afternoon train."

"Lovely!" Mr. Ogden stated cheerfully as he brought the kettle and tea cups over. "It must be nice to go home after so long. Are you looking forward to seeing your families again?"

"Mixed feelings all round I think," Orion answered as they tucked into their cakes. "In my case I have missed Mother and Father, but I haven't really missed Lucretia's unpredictable outbursts. It will be worse, considering it is days away to her Presentation. My only consolation is that Wally will be there and Druella, Harry and the Weasleys will be attending the Presentation."

"I am looking forward to going home," Loreley replied whimsically, stirring her tea. "It will be good to get some peace and quiet. One of my dorm mates is a sleep talker and another a sleep walker when she's stressed."

"I really don't want to go home but until I am either married or have a job, I am stuck living under my father's roof," Artemis sighed, finishing another chunk of chocolate cake. "The only consolation I have is that most of my time will be spent either getting to know Heron's family or spending time with Charlus and Dorea." Artemis then lit up. "That reminds me, they are picking me up tomorrow! Harry, you will get to meet them then."

Harry blanched a little before answering. "Oh, OK."

"Who is picking you up tomorrow?" Orion asked eagerly.

Melinoë and myself, Thanatos supplied easily.

"Mr. Burke and Melanie," Harry responded out loud.

"It must be slightly strange to go back to a place you have never been before," Artemis sighed. "I am actually rather glad Tom is coming with you."

Mr. Ogden's eyes bugged out. "One of your suitors is staying with you during Yule? Upon my word! I am so old."

Harry flushed. "He has no family, sir; he is an orphan, and none of our friends are staying over Yule. I refuse to leave him without company."

"Oh you need not explain yourself to me, my Lady," Mr. Ogden reassured. "So, tell me your Yule plans, everyone! Have you got a full schedule?"

The young seventh years enthusiastically relayed to the groundskeeper some of their plans over the holidays, almost losing track of time. Loreley gave the man the wrapped gift before the group left. It was a painting of the Snowball Showdown, with some claw prints in paint that were clearly made by Athenaïs. It was framed and everything; apparently Loreley and Athenaïs had spent two evenings on it.

To the group's shock, the groundskeeper started to weep.

"Sir, are you OK?" Artemis asked worriedly.

"Yes, yes, yes," he reassured quickly, dabbing his eyes. "I love the painting. It is beautiful. Thank you so much, Miss Malfoy, Athenaïs."

Kkkyyyyuoo!

It was on the way back to the castle that Harry realised why the man had started to cry. "That man has not received Yule gifts in years, has he?"

Loreley smiled weakly as Orion's and Artemis' eyes widened. "Indeed," she confirmed sadly. "Everyone needs some Yule spirit. Oh and Harry, Dippet wants to speak to you about something."

About five seconds later, an octopus Patronus swam over and stopped in front of Harry. "Miss Evans, I hope I am not bothering you but I would like to request a moment of your time. Do not panic – it has nothing to do with your grades," the Headmaster's voice rang out.

"OK, Lorri, stop being freaky," Artemis paled as soon as the octopus faded.

"I will let the others know where you are," Orion smiled. "Come on, Athenaïs! Let's go and play some Match the Picture."

Kyuuuuooo!

The group split up at the entrance hall, the girls heading up the stairs and Orion and the Gargouille to the dungeons. Harry couldn't help but feeling some impending dread at being summoned to the Headmaster's office, especially since the gargoyle in front of the door, wearing a Yule wreath on its head, didn't waste any time in jumping aside. Dippet was pacing in his office, being told constantly to calm down by the portraits of the past Headmasters and Headmistresses of the school, all of their frames also decorated for the season.

Headmaster Dippet lit up when he saw the young former home-schooled witch step through the door, looking thoroughly confused. "Ah, good evening, Miss Evans! Thank you for coming so promptly. I am sure you have much better things to do with your time-"

"Armando, I don't think Miss Evans came up here to listen to incoherent babbling," Phineas Nigellus Black rolled his eyes.

"Phineas, stop being such a Scrooge," Brutus Scrimgeour countered.

The Headmaster gave them all a pointed look before turning back to Harry. "I need advice, Miss Evans, one that is unbiased," was the answer that took Harry by surprise. He sighed. "Mr. Ogden, bless his heart, is not getting any younger and he has no issue so there is no direct heir for us to work with to be the next groundskeeper. We have a few candidates, but Albus has seen fit to recommend Rubeus Hagrid as one of them. I admit, I was the one who asked him for a suitable candidate but still…"

Harry's heart stopped for a moment as the Headmaster drifted off. "Sir, what is the matter?" she asked carefully.

The Headmaster considered for a moment before taking a seat in his golden throne behind the desk. "You were not here two years ago, Miss Evans, which makes you the only party at the school with an unbiased opinion on the boy in question."

Harry didn't dare to say anything as she approached woodenly. The Headmaster continued. "Rubeus Hagrid is a year or two younger than you but he … is a half giant. Lost both of his parents at a very young age. However, two years ago, we at Hogwarts faced a scandal. A student, a young girl by the name of Myrtle Warren, was killed. We faced the closure of the school and it had everyone stressed out, especially your friends. Tom Riddle, in fact, had taken it upon himself to find what had killed the girl. He managed to find it: it was an Acromantula that belonged to Rubeus Hagrid."

Harry swallowed heavily. The Headmaster sighed. "We had no choice but to expel Hagrid and to snap his wand but we made sure he was placed with a family that could look after him. The issue is, the boy needs focus. He is still young, but I admit I am wary of taking on someone with a love of such dangerous creatures."

"But you are considering him?" Harry had found her voice for the first time in what felt like a while.

"I would be lying if I said no," the Headmaster sighed.

Aragog will be pleased, Harry thought to herself.

She took a deep breath. "Sir, if I may ask, how did Miss Warren die?"

The Headmaster blinked at her as though Harry had asked "have a got a dead parrot on my head?".

The three-hundred-plus man cleared his throat. "The cause of death was said to be a kind of heart attack. Why?"

"I am getting there, sir. Were there any toxins found in her body?"

"Not that I was informed," the Headmaster frowned. "What are you saying, Miss Evans?"

Even the portraits were barely breathing.

Harry put on the best show she could. "I studied Acromantulas during our Defence classes at our little unofficial school. You see, sir, Acromantulas – like other spiders – bite their victim in order to incapacitate them before wrapping them in webbing and eating them. The toxins would be the source of any heart attack. To me, it sounds so strange to hear about a victim who died of a heart attack with zero toxins in her body and no webbing around her. Wait, was there webbing?"

"No, there wasn't," Headmaster Dippet looked faint. The portraits started whispering amongst themselves.

"Oh. Well, it could be a special Acromantula! You were really unlucky then." Harry continued playing dumb. She then composed herself. "But, the way I see it, the death of the girl is the creature's fault. There are those lucky few who can control an animal; was Mr. Hagrid a bully or mean-spirited-"

"Absolutely not! He was very polite," Headmaster Dippet reassured her.

"Then all I can say is that he is someone obsessed with magical creatures who simply didn't realise the dangers of a giant spider until, unfortunately, it was too late," Harry stated. "He was what, thirteen at the time?"

The Headmaster nodded. "Indeed."

"If it were me, sir, I would try and reform him," Harry smiled. "Give him a second chance but keep a very close eye on him when it comes to the magical creatures. Do not allow anything above XX near him or allowed on the grounds."

"Well, this girl really does have a good head on her shoulders," Walter Aragon commented.

"Oh I intend to," the Headmaster reassured. He beamed at her. "Thank you so much for your input, Miss Evans. I will definitely take everything you said into consideration."

"You are very welcome, sir. It was my honour," Harry replied, bowing her head respectfully. "I wish you a very blessed Yule."

"Likewise, my Lady," the Headmaster smiled brightly.

As she left the office, Harry prayed that she had given Hagrid a chance to return to Hogwarts, but also make sure that Dippet would keep him on a tighter leash and would not let the easily led man be blinded by Dumbledore. Hagrid deserved better than being manipulated for a second time.

######################################

The school was awake earlier than normal the next morning to do last minute packing and last minute tracking down of familiars. Everyone who was catching the morning train had breakfast at around nine together with the people who would be waving them off. Athenaïs could barely contain her excitement at the prospect of going to her Witch's new home and was scolded a lot by Frey for overactive behaviour. The train would be leaving at 10.30 promptly but to the excited children waiting to go home it seemed like an eternity.

When it was finally time to take the carriages down to Hogsmeade Station, the group quickly said their "see you laters" to the Averys, the Weasleys and the Malfoys, loaded their luggage and familiars onto the luggage carriages and then took two carriages between their group. Once at the station and reunited with familiars and trunks, the group went to occupy their usual compartments, only with slight differences in seating.

Harry had her seat by the window with Altair and Tom on the bench with her. Opposite sat, Orion, Druella and Minerva. In the compartment opposite were Felix, Dolohov, Arcturus, Heron, Artemis and War, who was apparently avoiding her friends and had asked to be hidden with them. Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine occupied the one directly next to their friends', soon joined by the Prewetts.

"The next three days are going to be hell," Druella sighed, her head against the back of her seat. "My mother is going to be impossible and Cygnus is going to be asking for a punch in the face, all because of a bloody Presentation."

The five others chuckled at that.

Minerva looked at the triad sitting opposite her with a smile. "When are you going to Lycoris' concert?"

"December 22nd," Harry replied as she fished a third book from her bag. "Apparently 21st and 23rd are reserved for costume fitting for the House of Nott so it was the only good date available."

"My father's flippant planning no doubt," Altair grumbled.

"Lady Malfoy has apparently arranged the costumes for the Wild Hunt so all I have to do is wait," Tom didn't know whether to be happy about that or not.

Orion then switched the topic to something more pleasant. "Do you think Mulciber will finally gather some courage to ask War to accompany him to the Yule Ball?"

Druella snorted. "That boy is far too much in denial for that! It is far more likely Dolohov will ask someone."

Minerva tilted her head at Tom and Altair. "So, which one of you is getting the honour of escorting Harry?" she asked with a grin.

Neither of the boys looked comfortable at that question. Harry scoffed. "I am far more likely to escort myself. I refuse to pick either one over the other. We are equal in this relationship; either I get to call them both my escort, or I escort myself."

"Typical Harry," Orion stated fondly.

"On the bright side, Tom will be accompanied by Athenaïs as one of his Hounds of the Wild Hunt," Harry informed jovially. Athenaïs raised her head from Altair's lap momentarily and soon was back to snoozing.

Orion then turned a little nervous. "I hope you will be willing to save me a dance, Harry. I know Wally will want to dance with others at some point and I cannot be seen sitting at the chocolate fountain alone for the fourth year in a row when she does. My mother will not let me live it down, my father will start berating me about being a disgrace to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, Lucretia will probably hex me into oblivion-"

"Orion, relax," Harry answered soothingly. "I was planning on dancing with you anyway."

"As was I, and Artemis," Druella added, shaking her head at him. "Don't fret. You are not going to disgrace your House."

"I am far more likely to bungle everything up," Harry added. "If anyone has to worry about being a disgrace, it's me and my big mouth."

"Nonsense," Altair argued. "People just need to get their heads out of their behinds."

"Mass surgery would be needed for that, my darling," Harry pointed out.

"Well, it seemed to work on Tom."

Tom blinked. "Erm, what?"

"Nothing, sweetheart!" Harry and Altair chorused, causing the other three to chuckle.

The compartment kept themselves occupied with reading and sketching. The long journey to London fluctuated in interest levels. There were children who were pranking compartments at random intervals, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine came into their compartments to dish out gossip they have been hearing and Athenaïs tried to chase after the poor trolley lady for a pumpkin pasty after Harry forbade her from eating Altair or Tom's. The sight of the Queen of Slytherin, the Rosier heiress and Heir Black chasing after a stone dragon and then scolding her all the way back to their compartment was one of the funniest things many of the kids had seen. Other than that, the journey was a rare moment of peace for everyone.

Indeed, the excitement and anxiety in the children only really started when it was announced that they were half an hour away from London by the train driver. It wasn't just the children who were excited.

The parents and guardians already waiting on Platform 9¾ were chatting animatedly between themselves about seeing their children again and wondering how much they had grown in the so many months and to see if they indeed had been eating as well as they had written in their letters home.

Thanatos and Melinoë, disguised in their mortal forms as usual, were standing as far away from the more chatty parents as they could, hoping that they would not be forced to endure a tedious tirade about little Patrick or Millie. However, they were noticed by some acquaintances.

"Mr. Burke! What a pleasure to see you!"

The two of them turned around to see Lady Melania Black approach in a hurry, beaming brightly. She was dressed in a plum coloured winter cloak with fur lining her hood and bell sleeves, her nose red from the cold. Close behind her was the Lady Praxilla Malfoy and two men in fine suits that were clearly their husbands.

"Lady Black," Thanatos bowed his head. Melinoë dipped a curtsey.

"I am so glad you managed to make time to pick Hera up," Lady Black gushed. She then noticed Melinoë fully. "You must be Miss Melanie Rollins, am I correct?"

"Yes, ma'am," the Goddess of Ghosts responded weakly.

"Melania, darling, please do not overwhelm her," Lord Arcturus Black, a rather good-looking mortal with sharp facial features and an almost permanent slight smirk on his face, stated to his wife.

Lady Black huffed and gestured to her husband and the bleach blonde man beside him. "My husband, Lord Arcturus Black. Next to him is Praxilla's husband, Lord Brutus Malfoy."

"Charmed," the man purred as Lord Black bowed to them.

"Would you like to meet the parents and relations of Lady Hera's other friends and suitor?" Lady Black asked eagerly. "You will not believe this, but Lady Amaris Nott has actually shown up for the first time in two years!"

"She didn't pick up her own son?" Melinoë could hardly believe her ears.

"No, Amaris usually asked Lady Rosier to pick Heir Nott up and then send him home via the Floo Network," Lady Black informed them casually as she ushered them towards a group of sharp dressed people who were putting as much space between themselves and other parents as they could manage. "Mattheo made her do it; apparently she is done listening to him in that regard!"

"About time," Lady Malfoy spoke up for the first time.

Lord Black and Lord Malfoy both said nothing on the matter but their eyes danced with mirth. It seemed they shared the sentiment.

Thanatos and Melinoë's heads were soon spinning with names.

"This is Lord Corban Rosier and Lady Adorabella Rosier. They are Druella and Arcturus' parents. This is Lord Francis Lestrange and his wife, Lady Rhiannon Lestrange; father and mother to Heron. Oh, here are Charlus and Dorea Potter – they are not Artemis' father and mother but they are more like deputy parents to her. Dorea is a relation of mine through marriage. These two are less closed minded than some of their family members-"

"Now, now, Melania," Dorea rolled her eyes as the others chuckled at Lady Black's enthusiasm.

"Yes, yes, I know. Behave yourself. Anyway, here we have Lord Harold Rowle and the Lady Livia Rowle, Ophelia's parents. If you want a new familiar, Livia is the witch to talk to. Next to them are Lord Lionel White and Lady Zoë White, Ygraine's parents. Over there are Ivan and Jane Dolohov, Caius' parents, and Gregory and Yolanda Mulciber, mother and father of Felix. They are not particularly friendly, I will admit-"

"Melania," Lady Malfoy pinched the bridge of her nose.

"And finally, Lady Amaris Nott! A cousin of mine from my Macmillan family," Lady Black finished with a flourish.

Lady Nott was red with embarrassment. She had honey coloured curls and the most unique pair of eyes Thanatos and Melinoë had seen in mortals: her eyes were a deep grape purple colour. She looked as aristocratic as the other women around her, but Lady Nott did not carry herself in the same arrogant way. In fact, a mouse had more of a spine than her.

"So," Melinoë grinned, "it seems your son and our Harry are courting."

Lady Nott swallowed. "Indeed," she stated quietly. The other Ladies around her seemed to wince at her meekness. Lady Nott cleared her throat and she dipped a quick curtsey to them. "It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of the guardians of the girl who has captured my son's heart."

"Pleasure is all ours, my Lady," Thanatos reassured. "I am Thomas Burke, and this is my cousin Melanie Rollins."

Lady Nott smiled monetarily at them. Lady Rowle butted in momentarily. "Your brother has decided not to show up?" she asked, much to the embarrassment of her own husband.

"No, he has lessons to teach," Thanatos responded kindly. He frowned momentarily. "Hold on, Rowle … are you related to Rollo?"

Lady Rowle lit up. "Yes, indeed! He is my nephew. He will inherit my husband's title in the future, so naturally we keep an eye on who he woos."

Thanatos and Melinoë blanched.

"Well done, Livia. You scared them," Dorea grumbled.

Livia Rowle smiled apologetically.

Lady Nott swallowed. "Has … the Lady Hera told you that I will chaperone her outing with Altair and Mr. Riddle to Lycoris Black's concert?" she asked uncertainly. A few of the Ladies around them lit up at this, including Lady Black and Lady Malfoy.

"We have been informed," Thanatos reassured her with a smile. "We trust you with Harry and Tom's welfare, if that is your concern."

"Otherwise I would have asked the Family Ravens to spy on you," Melinoë thought it would be a good idea to jest.

Lady Nott looked set to faint.

"Melanie!" Thanatos scolded. "That is not funny!"

"Yes it is because the last time we asked them to spy we got some very interesting leverage – OW! Thomas! What the hell?! You just zapped me!"

Thanatos scowled. "You are scaring the Lady Nott!"

Melinoë grinned. "It's true though."

"She doesn't need to know that."

"Are you sure? It might cheer her up." The Goddess of Ghosts turned to the shellshocked Lady Nott. "I thought that Henry, Thomas' twin, might be up to something not too long ago so I sent the ravens to follow him and they followed him to a lunch date, an argument with an odious toad of a professor from his work-"

"Melanie!"

"-and then he stayed up an insane amount of time rewriting a crappy dissertation by one of his students-"

"Melanie, stop talking!"

"-and then he also started to see if he could track the whereabout of his kids. Yes, the guy has kids. How – I have no idea because everyone knows that Henry isn't exactly – OWWWW! Thomas, you butthole!"

The purebloods looked on in almost pure shock. The men, though, started to chuckle, especially Charlus Potter. "If the Lady Hera is as interesting as Artemis has been telling us, I think I can see why that is!" he laughed.

"Speaking of our children, I think I see the train!" Lady Black called.

The Nobles around the gods looked relieved and immediately straightened their posture in preparation of greeting their children. Said children were gathering their luggage and familiars, taking a deep fortifying breath as they began filing out of the train, helping each other onto the platform and then helping each other with the luggage. Altair also made sure that Tom and Harry still had their three-way mirrors.

It was Orion who spotted the adults first. "Oh holy Avalon and Camelot, all of our parents are standing together! No way! Nott – your mother is here. Your mother is picking you up."

Altair gaped in surprise at this. Harry and Tom suddenly felt incredibly nervous approaching. Orion and Walburga greeted Lady Black, who embraced them warmly, and then went to approach the man behind her, who was no doubt Lord Arcturus Black, judging by the aristocratic good-looks, the aura of superiority and the almost permanent smirk. As Harry approached, Lady Black's face lit up further. If that was even possible.

"My Lady, how lovely to see you again! Oh my, how beautiful you look. Orion and Walburga has said you have some wardrobe improvements and I must say you look like a proper Lady," she gushed. She then noticed Athenaïs, who was regarding her in awe. "Oooo, a Gargouille! She's so cute!"

Athenaïs preened.

"Melania, you're overwhelming her," Lord Black sighed as he approached her, clearly used to trying to reign his wife in. He beamed at her, his smile almost blinding her. What was with these Blacks and smiling? "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Hera. I am Lord Arcturus Black."

"Hello, sir. I am glad to finally put a name to the face. I also want to thank you again for your kind invitation to your daughter's Presentation," Harry answered diplomatically.

"No thanks necessary, my Lady. We are honoured you agreed," Lord Black assured. "I am sure you will want to join your guardians. Sorry for keeping you."

"Not at all, sir," Harry reassured as she, Tom and Altair pushed their trolleys towards the huge group, who had been half watching the Blacks interact with the mysterious Lady Regnant and half greeting their children.

Thanatos and Melinoë stepped forth from the group, followed by Lady Nott. The Goddess of Ghosts embraced Harry warmly while Thanatos greeted Athenaïs first and then turned to Tom and Altair. "OK, which one is which?" he asked, playing the dumb guardian part.

Lady Nott actually smiled with amusement at this. "This is my son, Altair," she gestured to the boy on Harry's left, who blushed slightly.

Thanatos lit up and looked at the boy who had tried to evade him with Dark magic. "So then this must be Tom!"

"Yes, sir," Tom confirmed, looking a little embarrassed.

"Thomas, you mean earth worm, you knew that already! Harry labelled those photos and everything," Melinoë scolded him as she let Harry go.

The God of Death grinned evilly. "Oh yes, so she did."

"Thomas!" Melinoë shook her head and then turned to the two suitors of the Mistress of Death. "So, Tom and Altair – I finally get to meet you in person."

"Hello, Miss Rollins," the boys stated together.

"Oh please, call me Melanie! Miss Rollins makes me feel old."

"You are old," Thanatos and Harry quipped together.

Melinoë spluttered. "Oh you two are in for it when we get home!"

"My Lady, forgive me, but are they always like this?" Lady Nott asked Harry nervously.

Harry laughed heartily. "I am afraid so, Lady Nott. It gets worse with my uncles there too and don't even get me started what they're like around Nick and Perrie," she smiled brightly at Altair's mother. "It is a lot to take in, I know."

"Harry, come and meet Charlus and Dorea. We need to go soon!" Artemis called over.

Harry knew she would not be able to leave King's Cross without meeting Artemis' favourite family members and she braced herself as she approached Artemis' family, trying to ignore the looks of interest given to her by the parents of her other friends. Charlus Potter had uncontrollable curly hair, freckles, blue eyes, a cheeky grin and a look in his eyes that was very assessing. Dorea had Black features: dark curly hair, dark eyes and an aristocratic face that lost its composure when she saw how much Artemis and Harry looked like each other.

"Merlin's sainted mother Hunith!" Charlus exclaimed. "My dear Artemis, you were not joking! Oh this is disconcerting to say the least. At least there is enough to tell the two of you apart but – good grief."

Harry gulped.

Dorea smiled at her. "Ignore my husband. He has no decorum to speak of. We are very pleased to meet you, my Lady."

"I never said we were not, my love," Charlus protested. He smiled at Harry. "Would you like to come to our house for a cup of tea somewhere this holiday? We would love to become better acquainted with you."

"Let me know when it is most convenient for you and I will see if I can juggle my schedule around," Harry responded.

"Lovely!" Charlus beamed. "Bring your family along if you wish. Your suitors are welcome too if they wish to come. Dorea says we don't have enough people over."

"I did not say that!"

By the time Thanatos, Melinoë, Harry and Tom had managed to escape to the Evren Estates, Harry had a brief introduction to all of her friends' parents. She even was introduced to Dolohov and Felix's awful fathers; when Dolohov and Mulciber Senior started acting up, the Traveller subtly turned their hair a disturbing shade of pink, which was when her godly friends and her suitor decided it was best to leave.

The Evren Estates were even better in person than on a photograph. The Tudor mansion had a stunning front garden and was surrounded by fields and forests that would be stunning the spring and summer. Harry could feel that there were powerful wards around the house and grounds already, which made her very happy. The outside of the house was already decorated for Yule with holly branches and intricate wreathes.

"Welcome home, Harry," Thanatos announced as he and Melanie started taking Harry and Tom's luggage inside, much to the shock of the latter. "Nick and Perrie have been busy decorating for your arrival. We made sure that we would have cookies, hot chocolate and sandwiches ready because you must be peckish at least a little bit. But first – rooms!"

Harry and Tom exchanged a look before they followed the deities into the house, Gargouille at their heels. Both of them had a similar reaction to the inside of the house. There was surprisingly only a small entrance hall between the front door, the living room, the dining room and the kitchen. It was rather shocking to see, all the rooms leading into one another with a stairs leading up to the first floor which had a landing with balcony that went all the way around. It was like something from a different time, a different world. It made the house and atmosphere more open. The furniture, which had been clearly updated, was of the best quality and the kitchen was quite extensive. The walls were adorned with fine tapestries and portraits that moved – many of them of Peverell ancestors – and there were others that didn't. There were portraits of Elizabeth I and other English queens, including at least one of every Queen Consort Henry VIII took after Anne Boleyn. There were ones that Tom was certain Muggle museums would commit murder for. It was all made even more magical with the myriad of wreaths decorated the mantelpiece, the stairs and the first floor landing's balcony.

Athenaïs was watching two elderly people – a man and a woman – decorate a Yule log in the kitchen.

"Nick, Perrie, we're back!" Melinoë called jovially. "We brought company!"

"So we see!" Perrie laughed, dusting her hands on her apron and hurrying around the counter to embrace Harry warmly. "Oh my dear, you look amazing! If only your parents could see you now. I know your ancestors would be very proud of you."

"Thank you, Perrie," Harry smiled brightly. "Have you had any more trouble?"

"Fortunately not," Perrie reassured. She then smirked. "Other than Nick sampling your Firewhiskey."

"Perrie, you promised not to say!" Nick protested.

Perenelle Flamel turned to Tom with a beaming, motherly smile. "So this is Tom! I recognise you from the photos Harry sent. Ooo, I must say you are taller than I expected!"

Tom flushed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Madame Flamel."

"Oh, please! Call me Perrie. You own half of our Harry's heart, after all," Perrie beamed at him. She then noticed the magical travelling bag for Frey. "Oh, you have a snake! I love snakes. Why don't you let him or her out?"

Tom could hardly believe his ears but he opened Frey's travel bag, nonetheless.

*I like her already, Tom,* Frey commented as she slithered out, tongue flicking rapidly. *This place is so much better than the cold place you live in. It is warm and the air tastes of magic and sweets.*

"This is Frey," Tom introduced.

"She's very pretty," Perrie cooed. "Frey, would you like to help us in the kitchen?"

*I don't know how I can help but I can keep watch,* Frey hissed.

Tom swallowed as he began to translate. Nick looked up sharply in shock. "Good grief! You're a Parselmouth. It has been years since I heard one! How marvellous. That means you must have some drop of Peverell blood in your veins too, Tom."

Tom blanched at this. Harry paled slightly too.

"Nicholas!" Perrie hissed at him.

"Ooops, I'm blabbing again," the Immortal Alchemist stated sheepishly. "Ignore me."

"All right, let's get you two settled and show you around," Thanatos called down from the first floor as Melanie brought Harry's very heavy trunk up the stairs. Harry and Tom climbed the stairs after them eagerly. As soon as they did, they were greeted by words of welcome from the Peverell ancestors whose frames occupied the first floor. Thanatos allowed the Peverells to give their welcome before talking. "This is the main house of the Evren Estates. It and several other houses on the property were a collective gift from Evren's brothers and Elizabeth I to her for her twenty-eight birthday. Because Evren never married or had any children, she bequeathed them to her brother Thomas' line; over the years Peverells have added rooms and modernised to suit their tastes. The goblins modernised the rest in preparation for Harry's arrival. First, let's show you to your room, Tom."

As the Lady Regnant and the last Gaunt followed the two gods down the arched corridor straight ahead, Harry and Tom tried to take everything in as they passed. The tapestries, the magical artefacts on the walls, the different type of swords, shields, spears adorning the walls, and the antique vases filled with exotic plants. Outside each room that could potentially be occupied by guests stood one lion statue and a statue of a giant snake, looking like two very intimidating guards. Harry could sense there was some kind of powerful magic on them.

They stopped in front of a door made of yew, with a lion and snake also standing outside. Melinoë grinned at Tom. "Here we are. We already took the liberty of decorating your room, if you don't mind."

Tom closed his gaping mouth. "I don't. Thank you … Melanie."

Tom actually took a deep breath as he opened the door and stepped in. Harry couldn't resist taking a peak herself and was blown away. The room was very grand; almost good enough to host royalty. The walls had been painted a beautiful ivory colour and there were two grand windows that went out onto a balcony overlooking the extensive back garden. There was still evidence of Tudor Roses in the woodwork of the four poster bed and the ceiling. The fireplace had the coat-of-arms of House Peverell carved within the stone. On the walls were a tapestry of a reddish-gold dragon with a dragon the colour of whitest snow and on the other was a tapestry of a fiery snake, woven with threads of Kermes red, orange, yellow and gold. The four poster bed, which was bigger than the ones at Hogwarts, had bedding of silver and emerald green, with snake embroidery in threads of silver.

Tom was speechless.

"Your closet is over there through those two doors there. Your bathroom is that door over there in the far right corner, near the window. I hope you don't mind that we gave you Slytherin covers," Melinoë spoke up as the children looked around the room. "We didn't know what to get you."

"It's stunning," Tom reassured once he found his voice, Thanatos bringing his trunk in for him. "It's almost too much."

"That was one of the blessings and the curses of being close to the English Royal Family," Thanatos stated. "Your house had to be ready at any moment to house royalty, whether you wanted to or not."

Melinoë started clapping her hands in excitement. "All right, now it is time to show the Lady Regnant of House Peverell her little inner sanctum! Come on!"

Harry darted after the Goddess of Ghosts, quickly followed by Tom and Thanatos. As it turned out, Harry's chambers were not too far away from Tom's own room. The door to it was made of yew wood too and had the crest of House Peverell above it, carved in wood. There were two giant wolf statues guarding the door, seemingly glaring at the four approaching. Melinoë opened the door and gestured for Harry to go in first.

Harry could barely contain her excitement; she couldn't wait to see what the goblins had done to the room to try and make it more her. Melinoë had called it a 'little inner sanctum', but the room was anything but small! It fitted a grand four poster bed, two elegant sofas, a giant fireplace, a desk, more than a few book cases, a vanity table, two doors that likely led to a closet and a door to the bathroom. The walls were a stunning mother-of-pearl colour. The windows in her chambers had an Art Nouveau feeling to them. The covers on her bed were in the Peverell colours that had spidery trees embroidered in silver thread. Wreaths decorated the four poster and the mantelpiece. Above the fireplace hung a portrait of a young woman who looked startlingly like Harry, only with slightly larger ears, stormy eyes and Runes and sigils inked into her skin on her shoulders. Plus, the Renaissance dress and violin in her hands gave it away who this was.

As Harry approached her, the woman smiled knowingly. "You must be Hera," the Peverell who caused Nicholas Flamel the most grief stated mischievously. "I finally get to meet my family's future."

"Evren," Harry stated breathlessly.

Evren Peverell I chuckled. "I know that look. What has dear Nicholas been saying about me?"

"Nothing that isn't true," Melinoë quipped.

Evren hummed and then turned back to Harry. "Just out of curiosity, dear Niece, what is your middle name?"

Harry frowned. "Elizabeth, ma'am."

At that, Evren's painted countenance broke into a full sunny smile. "Yes, you're my brother Thomas's descendant."

"Forgive me, ma'am, but how would you know? I could be descended from Gregory or Edmund," Harry wanted to know.

"Well, I know because of a deal Thomas and I made," Evren stated as she began tuning her violin. "You see, I knew as a young child I never wanted to marry or have children. I had no interest in sacrificing my liberties to be owned by a man or to die in childbirth; besides, I had three brothers. There was no danger of our line dying out. Or so I thought at the time. Gregory married Anne Willoughby but unfortunately Anne was barren. They tried several times for a child, but to no avail. Edmund died of Dragon pox a month before he was set to marry. That only left my brother Thomas and his wife Margaret's children; I made a deal with them. Their children would inherit my properties and wealth if, and only if, they gave the name Elizabeth to the first born daughter, either as a first name or second name."

"Why Elizabeth?" Harry asked curiously. She then took a guess. "Because of the Queen?"

"Not only that," Evren smiled. "It is the name I would have given my daughter should I accidentally have ever gotten with child and given birth to a girl. It fills my heart with such joy to know my brother and sister kept to the bargain." Evren then noticed Tom and lit up further. "My, my – have you found yourself a Consort already?"

Tom flushed. "We are only courting at present, ma'am. Together with another, Altair Nott."

Evren's eyes danced with mirth. "Sacrum Vinculum! Oh it has been a good while since the last Magic Blessed union. What is your name, young man?"

"Tom Riddle, ma'am."

Evren's eyes then spotted the Gaunt ring on the young man's finger and she very nearly dropped her violin in shock. "That ring! Good grief, it has been an eternity since I last saw it. I had feared it would be lost." Evren turned serious in seconds. "Who were your parents?"

Tom swallowed; Harry frowned at her ancestress.

"Merope Gaunt and Thomas Riddle," Tom replied quietly.

"A Gaunt?!" Evren squealed. "Oh merciful Triple Goddess! I thought I saw a glint of my cousin Tezan in your eyes. I know that cunning glint anywhere. You are Cadmus' descendant. Do you speak Parseltongue?"

*Yes, ma'am,* Tom decided it was safe to reply.

*Thank Merlin for that!* Evren's portrait hissed back jubilantly. *Our line has not lost our gift from Salazar Slytherin even without inbreeding. Oh how I wish I could just rub that into Tezan's face!*

Tom had no idea what to say to that. Melinoë seemed to sense it was best to change the subject. "Well, you two will probably want to unpack in peace. Take your time but be ready to be called down for lunch."

Harry nodded. "OK. Thanks, Melanie."

The gods took their leave and Harry suddenly felt very nervous about being left alone with Tom, who seemed equally conflicted. A tense silence fell between the two of them. He swallowed and bit his lower lip momentarily, which had forced Harry to look away from him in order to not kiss him in front of her ancestor.

Tom cleared his throat. "I will leave you to unpack," he said quietly.

"OK," Harry hoped she didn't sound as disappointed as she thought she did.

The last scion of House Gaunt was gone in seconds without a backward glance, with Harry looking after his retreating figure with a look of concern. Evren, who had watched the two of them carefully, spoke up. "He is in love with you, Niece. But I note that he is also a complex character with a few secrets."

Harry snorted as she began unpacking her trunk. "Understatement, ma'am."

"Call me, Evren or Aunt Evren, my Lady. We are family."

#########################################

As soon as he was back in his room, Tom had put a Silencing Charm on the door as he screamed to himself in frustration, anger and disgust. He had run like a bloody coward, all in a bid to control himself in front of Evren Peverell! The issue was, Harry and Altair had become more and more enticing with each day, which meant his control was waning. It wasn't just his growing desires for the two halves of his heart either.

Tom couldn't handle the warmth and love he was feeling from the Peverell family and their allies. He had seen how lovingly they had welcomed Harry and Athenaïs back home and then how lovely and caring Nicholas and Perenelle were to her, and to himself and even to Frey! No one had flinched at his Parseltongue or cowered away in fear. Evren could even speak it herself and was happy to see a descendant of Cadmus' line!

Did that mean Harry … was one too? Why had she chosen to hide it?

Probably for the same reason she's hidden the fact she's the Mistress of Death, his sane voice commented.

Tom felt overwhelmed at being treated almost like a family member without being one officially. One thought was more cemented in his mind than ever: the quicker he got rid of those damn Horcruxes the better! It was a good thing he had found the ritual that was most likely to work. He just needed to gather all the components.

Tom was happy to distract himself with unpacking and making sure that Frey had a good spot for herself in the room. Tom also busied himself with pondering on what to get Harry, Altair and his host family for Yule. The Knights were easy to buy for; that would not be a problem. Then he felt the three-way mirror in his pocket begin to hum. Tom smiled to himself as he took it out of his pocket and sat down on the bed next to his half unpacked trunk and looked into the mirror. "Hello, Altair. Everything all right, my dear?"

"I am hiding in my chambers again, so not really," Altair responded candidly. Tom could see that his eyes were red from crying. "Never mind, I'm used to it by now. I was calling to ask if you're doing OK. How is Harry's home?"

"It's unbelievable. Here, I'll show you my room," Tom turned his mirror around and began to walk around the chambers and then the bathroom to show Altair.

Altair whistled. "The Peverells had taste," he commented as Tom sat back down on the bed. "But, are you OK?"

Tom swallowed. "I don't know," he admitted. "Everyone is so friendly and warm … I don't know what to do with it. And I am finding it difficult to control myself around Harry. I just ran from her to stop myself from kissing her in front of Evren's portrait!"

"I know how you feel when it comes to your control waning," Altair reassured in a quiet voice. "I have been getting dreams almost every single night."

Tom closed his eyes to fortify his Occlumency shields; he knew what Altair was talking about. "Same," he admitted.

"The only consolation is that tomorrow I am going to Diagon Alley with Arc and Druella to buy a gift for the Black Family to give at the Presentation and then meeting Loreley Malfoy on the 19th to hunt for a base for Scythe and Raven," Altair sighed, flopping on his own bed. "It will give me a momentary reprieve from missing you and Harry for two days at least."

"You can call every day; Harry will want to see you and speak to you too," Tom stated warmly.

"I probably will. I cannot wait for the 22nd already," Altair sighed, his breath quivering slightly.

Tom smiled to himself. "The sentiment is shared here, by both of us." His expression darkened. "Are you hiding from your father?"

"Always," came the blunt answer.

Before Tom could answer, Prongs came trotting through the door, "Tom, lunch is ready," Harry's voice stated.

Altair groaned. "Why does her voice have to sound like music? I am so pathetic."

"Sit tight, love," Tom told him. "We will think of something to get you to visit."

"OK. Have a good lunch. Give Harry my love when you can," Altair answered.

"I will. See you soon."

Altair hung up and Tom put his mirror back into his pocket, and headed out of his room and back downstairs, preparing himself mentally. When he came downstairs, Harry, Melanie and Mr. Burke were laying the table with the help of Athenaïs and Frey. Perrie was taking Yorkshire puddings out of the Roman-like oven and Nick was plating the meat. Harry brought over the peas and Melanie the potato wedges. Tom couldn't help but watch them in quiet fascination for a bit, standing stock still on the stairs.

Melanie looked up as she set the potato wedges on the table and beamed at him. "Tom! Just in time. Would you mind filling a jug with iced tea or pumpkin juice?"

"Sure," Tom sprang into action.

"Jug is on the left shelf and the beverages are in the pantry; Nicholas and I stocked up," the Immortal Sorceress directed Tom, who carefully dodged around Mr. Burke and gently lifted one of the crystal jugs from the left most cupboard.

"Take your pick, lad!" Nicholas told him jovially. "We are not very fussy here."

"The pantry is behind that weird door in the wall over there," Mr. Burke added.

Tom put the jug down on the counter and went to the door that was slightly sequestered under the stairs. It seemed that a Peverell had a little bit of a love of cooking because the pantry was bigger than the door would suggest. There were fresh ingredients, different kinds of meat, canned foods, vintage beverages and a vast array of iced teas and juices of all kinda of flavours. There was almost too much to choose from. Tom eventually settled on a watermelon flavoured iced tea.

"Ah, he didn't get lost down there," Melanie joked when he returned, Tom flushing a little as he carefully poured the watermelon flavoured iced tea into the jug and then brought it over to the table, sitting in between Harry and Melanie.

"So, what have you kids got planned for the holiday apart from the dreaded Malfoy Ball and Harry's attendance to the Presentation of Heiress Black to Heir Prewett?" Nicholas Flamel asked as Mr. Burke began plating.

"Apart from going to Lycoris Black's concert on the 22nd, nothing much," Tom admitted.

"We were planning of inviting our friends over for a bit at one point and do something to celebrate Tom's birthday," Harry added.

"Oh! When is your birthday?" Perenelle asked eagerly.

Tom looked a little embarrassed. "31 December."

"Oooo New Year's Eve! We will make sure to bake a cake," Melanie grinned.

Tom blanched. "You really don't have to-"

"Yes, we do."

"Tom, piece of advice: once Melanie has an idea in her head, there is nothing that will dissuade her from it," Mr. Burke smirked slightly.

Tom gulped.

"So, other than that, no planning?" Nicholas looked quite pleased. "That means Thomas, Henry and Melanie can take you to the Yule market in the hamlet not too far from here. It is rather spectacular, I heard."

"We were planning on that yes," Mr. Burke concurred. "Perhaps one or two other trips but I think Harry and Tom would like to have some time to also buy Yule gifts and just have some time to relax before they have to study again for their proper N.E.W.T.s."

Tom decided to pluck up some courage. "Speaking of which," he said as he dipped one of his wedges into some gravy on his plate, "would you all be averse to allowing our other third to visit at some point?"

The adults exchanged a look or two before grinning.

"He is more than welcome to visit. When do you suggest?" Perrie asked kindly.

Tom almost breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I was calling him just now and he's busy for the next two days, as well as the 21st, 23rd and 24th."

Harry lit up. "How about the 20th? I do need to leave in the afternoon for the Presentation but I am sure Tom would appreciate some company of someone he is acquainted with."

"Indeed," Melanie agreed readily. "I say make the offer to Heir Nott."

"I will call him after lunch then," Tom smiled.

Over lunch, Mr. Burke gossiped about difficult customers, Melanie complained about her incompetent teachers and the Flamels told embarrassing stories about Harry's ancestors, much to the dismay of the portraits upstairs. Nicholas was just finishing a story about John and Matilda Peverell turning one of Julia Abbott's dolls into bugs when Henry Burke returned from work.

"Finally free!" he cheered as he hung up his coat and hat.

"You're late, brother!" Thomas Burke called teasingly as Athenaïs ran up to greet the professor. "We expected you about twenty minutes ago."

Melanie chuckled at this, shooting a slight wink at Harry and Tom, as she spoke up. "Don't scold him, cousin. I bet he needed to make a small detour to see a certain someone!"

Harry almost choked on her peas and wedges as she laughed. Tom patted her on the back. Once she recovered, the Lady Regnant grinned at Henry. "Why did you not tell me you were courting?"

"I'm not," Henry was bright red in the face.

"Not yet," Melanie cackled.

"Who is she?" Harry wanted to know, verdant eyes alight with mischief and mirth.

"No one!"

"That's because she is not a she," Thomas laughed. "You remember Rollo, right, Harry?"

"Tosti, shut up!" Henry wailed.

Harry started splitting her sides as she continued playing the clueless adopted niece act. "You're courting Ophelia's cousin?! You actually went for it? Oh my gods, that is so adorable. I can absolutely see you two stealing the show at the Ball."

"You really are a little imp," Henry huffed as he poured himself some iced tea. He then noticed Tom and smirked a little. "Do you think you can survive this family for the whole holiday, Mr. Riddle?"

"Call me Tom, sir," Tom smiled back. "And I hope I can!"

"We hope so too, because we'd rather not deal with an angry, mournful Harry out for Tosti's blood," Melanie joked.

Thomas huffed. "I have not threatened the boy at all-"

"Yet," came a collective chorus that made Tom laugh.

Lunch continued relatively normally, with Henry lamenting about his students and informing the family that the Hit Wizards had apparently not vacated the Leaky Cauldron yet, much to the chagrin of Thomas, Melanie and Harry. It was during Melanie's rant that there was a tapping at the living room window.

Everyone turned around to see a Gringotts owl outside, looking a little bit peeved. Athenaïs chirped as she used – to Tom's absolute shock – telekinesis to open the window, allowing the owl to come inside. It hopped onto the back of the sofa as Harry got to her feet and came over to it and untied the letter with a grin on her face.

"Are you expecting another assignment?" Melanie asked.

"No," Harry answered as she put the letter into her jacket pocket. "You could say I gave them one."

This took everyone by surprise.

"Harry … what are you up to?" Henry Burke sighed as he dared to ask the question on everyone's mind.

"I can't tell you, not yet anyway," Harry sighed as she headed for the stairs. "I first need to make sure I am not paranoid."

Tom got to his feet. "I am going to call Altair." He paused. "Or would you like us to help with the plates?"

"No, no, you two relax. Go!" Perrie reassured, shooing them towards the stairs.

Harry and Tom shot up the stairs and escaped down the corridor that led to their rooms.

"So … is Altair doing OK?" Harry was the first to break the awkward silence between them.

"He's hiding," Tom confessed.

"As I suspected," Harry sighed. "From that damned father of his no doubt."

"Indeed. He will be able to escape tomorrow and overmorrow," Tom reassured. "Now the 20th too."

"Good," Harry smiled smally, fumbling nervously with her Head of House ring and then her courtship ring. "Well, I won't keep you."

As she turned to leave, Tom gently pulled her back by her wrist. When Harry turned to look at him, he claimed her lips in a quick, heated kiss that she returned immediately. The two parted quickly just in case, both quite flushed.

"Altair asked me to pass on his regards," Tom stated once he could find his voice.

Harry grinned. "Tell him thank you."

"Maybe you should thank him yourself? He does really want to see you."

"I have a letter to answer. Besides, you two need to be able to have quality time without me there," Harry shrugged as she left in the direction of her chambers. Tom watched her go with a small smile before going into his room to call Altair.

#########################################

Dear Lady Hera Peverell,

Heir Black's owl did take us by surprise but it was very amusing in hindsight, though I would suggest to him to invest in a new one for official business. Clytemnestra arrived long after the Hit Wizards left, so do not fret about that.

As for you query, my Lady, I have to say that the Accountant of the Lestrange Vaults almost fainted when I asked him about it and he immediately began panicking that there had been a spy in the Lestrange household until I showed him your letter. As you can imagine, the illness of Heiress Nymera Lestrange is not public knowledge and how you even managed to theorise what could be wrong with her is astounding.

However, given how sharp your senses are, we are treating the matter very seriously. My fellow Accountant is currently discussing the theory with Lord and Lady Lestrange and whether or not they would like to have their daughter tested by Rava and our other Healers. So far, there has been no definitive answer from their side. However, between ourselves, I believe you may be onto something, my Lady.

I will keep you up to date. Keep your eyes and ears open.

May your enemies always fall at your feet,

Griphook

Harry sighed with relief. She had almost expected to be laughed at, but it seemed that there was enough in her suspicions for Lord and Lady Lestrange to be contacted about it, and apparently they are not ruling it out either.

"What is it, Niece?" Evren asked curiously. "You look like you have something on your mind."

Harry looked up at her ancestress's portrait. "I have been exploring a hunch, Aunt Evren, that is all."

Evren hummed. "It seems you really are our descendant; dealing with secrets and schemes," she chuckled. "Do you know what I used to do if I didn't find the answer I was looking for?"

Harry shook her head.

"Read, play music, dance, shoot, swim, annoying Thomas," Evren listed with a grin. "Anything but focus on the problem, because often I was overthinking things which made me lose sight of everything. So, with that being said," she stood up from her chair, "I will show you to your study because I doubt Tosti has thought to give you a full tour yet."

Harry laughed and left the room. Evren journeyed through one painting from the other, leading Harry back to the first floor landing and then towards the archway to the far right of the landing, with the rest of the Peverell ancestors soon joining in the journey, stepping into another grand open hallway with portraits and tapestries on the wall with only a grand door ahead.

"Why is this place so bewildering? It sometimes feels like a maze," Harry commented to her ancestors.

"Evren made sure of that," a young man who looked very similar to Evren informed her gleefully. Harry quietly wondered who this was; it had to be either Gregory, Edmund or Thomas. "Anyone who was an intruder or unwelcome visitor or a Muggle, would be led on a merry dance and couldn't get anywhere useful without the current Lord or Lady Regnant of House Peverell's approval."

Harry barked out a laugh. "Are you saying I could ask the house to lead someone to a lavatory if I wanted to?"

"Yes," came a chorus from the painted Peverells.

"Oh boy, that's not healthy," Harry muttered to herself as she approached and opened the oak doors in front of her.

The study was cosier than she expected it to be. The walls were almost covered entirely by bookcases from different ages, all of varying sizes, every shelf filled to the brim. There was a cabinet filled with oddities and Harry loved how the crystal chandelier lit up in the sunlight. There were two comfy looking sofas, four old fashioned arm chairs, and of course a grand desk and chair. There were magical and non-magical portraits hanging where there was space, which meant the Peverells had to crowd into only into a select few frames. Including of the three men Harry had been hoping to track down. Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus were hanging above the grand arched fireplace and soon their frames were being filled with ancestors too.

"Matilda, what in the name of the gods possessed you to wear that infernal dress? You are taking up all the space!"

"We have not seen you in months, Niece, and this is how you greet us?"

"Evren don't you dare play that violin right now!"

"All right!" Harry called their attention and laughed. "Uncle Antioch, Uncle Cadmus and Uncle Ignotus – I have missed you."

"We have missed you too, Harry," Ignotus beamed at her, still dodging the parasol one of the Lady Consorts had brought with her.

"How did your mock exams go?" Cadmus asked eagerly.

"We are getting our predicted grades in January," Harry replied with a grin. "I just hope the Revision Club helped."

"But you studied hard, yes?" Antioch asked.

"Of course," Harry rolled her eyes.

"Then all you did was your best," Ignotus stated, glaring in Antioch's direction.

Antioch then switched the subject. "What is Mr. Riddle like? What family is he from?"

Before anyone could rebuke him, Evren piped up. "He's a descendant of Cadmus! He is a Gaunt, and has the ability to speak Parseltongue."

"Really?!" came the collective chorus from the Peverells.

"Are you sure, because we all know the Gaunts are as inbred as the bloody Hapsburgs," John Peverell snorted.

"Yes, I am sure," Evren stated haughtily.

Cadmus looked gleeful. "Peverell, Gaunt and Nott; now that is what I call a union!"

"CADMUS!"

Harry blushed as her ancestors whacked her forefather around the head. She distracted herself by approaching her desk where there were accounting books open. The Lady Regnant sat down and began to study them while Antioch began running through them: the books concerned rent of tenants on Peverell land, wages of servants – human or otherwise – working at Arcana House and Peverell Manor, taxes that were paid and monthly household income. The Peverells continued getting Harry up to speed with her House's finances even up until dinner.

The Lady Regnant and her ancestors had lost track of time. As such they jumped out of their skin – or frames in the case of the painted Peverells – when Tom knocked on the door and came into the room. "Harry, love, dinner's ready."

"Oh," Harry grimaced at her slightly crappy timekeeping skills, shutting the accounting books. "Coming."

"Good evening, descendant," Cadmus greeted happily, taking Tom a little by surprise.

"Good evening, sir," he answered with a small smile. "Thank you for allowing me to stay with you all."

"It is as we said, we want to get to know you," Antioch responded crisply. "With that in mind-"

"Dinner's ready, Uncle Antioch!" Harry led Tom out of her study before Antioch could begin an interrogation, her cheeks flaming.

"Were you really working when our Yule holiday has just started?" Tom asked in amusement.

"Shut up," Harry muttered.

"Workaholic."

"Shut up, Sappy."

"It's true though."

"Oh really? I am willing to bet that you were tempted to join me."

"…Maybe."

The pair was so busy teasing and bickering that they didn't notice the five immortals quietly observing them like they were their favourite film. Fortunately for them, Hypnos was still Melinoë's favourite target for teasing that night so they escaped that for now.

#################################################

The 18th and 19th passed by almost too quickly. Melinoë and Hypnos had taken Harry and Tom to the Yule market in the hamlet called Dragon's Mound to get a Yule tree and some decorations for the tree. While Nick and Perrie dragged Tom and the familiars into helping them decorate the tree, the disguised gods had helped Harry create a present for Lucretia and Ignatius in the form of two snow globes that lit up when placed in the vicinity of each other. She had admitted to herself with was corny, but hoped that Lucretia Black especially could see the charm to them. On the 19th, Harry spent an hour or two with Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus, going through her finances again and the political history of the family before being dragged out of the study by Athenaïs and Tom to talk to Altair and Loreley about the building they found as the possible first office for Scythe and Raven. The rest of the day was split between freaking out over the next day, designing presents and weapons for each of her friends, and playing games with Athenaïs, Tom, Nick and Perrie.

On the morning of the Presentation, it was snowing quite heavily, much to the delight of Athenaïs. Harry was up early, trying to soothe her nerves with a bath; Athenaïs had accidentally put too much bubble potion into her bath so it was possibly more bubble than water but Harry didn't mind too much. She spent a good hour and a half reading in the bath while humming to herself.

Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on her bathroom door, which caused her to jump out of her skin slightly and almost drop the book.

"Harry, breakfast!"

"Gods, Melinoë!"

"Sssssh, not so loud! You don't want Tom to hear you, do you?"

Harry huffed and began to clamour out of the bath, wrapping her towel around her and stepping out into the bedroom and to her giant closet.

"All right, I will see you downstairs," Melinoë sounded way too happy about something but Harry did not dare to think what.

The Lady Regnant distracted herself by picking one of her favourite day dresses from amongst her pureblood dresses and then one of the longer and more old-timey dresses with blue and silver accents in and her Peverell jewellery to take to Grimmauld Place.

Evren could sense her anxiety as Harry dressed. "You will be fine, Hera."

"This will be my first taste of pureblood society, Aunt Evren," Harry reminded her with a deep sigh. "I never had to truly deal with it before and I don't do particularly well when it comes to people who don't have the guts to come out and insult you to your face."

"I had a similar issue," Evren smiled nostalgically. "My parents feared I didn't have the character to keep my temper and thus be able to do our unspoken duty to our world. But I proved them wrong. It was me – me, their youngest child and only daughter – who managed to rise in Court and gain the allies necessary to continue our duty. Court was full of people who smiled to your face and then tried to stab you in the back. I dealt with it by imagining them being tossed to lions or kidnapped by fairies."

Harry barked out a laugh at this. Evren chuckled too.

"I think I might try that," Harry sighed. "Queen Anne advised me to use underestimation to my advantage, to hold my tongue and to never give everything away. To only strike when I know I can win."

"Sound advice indeed," Evren smiled. "Hopefully it will not be necessary tonight."

Harry laughed shortly as she tried to zip herself up. "Knowing my kind of luck, I can never be too careful."

The Lady Regnant found that she could not fully zip herself up, because it got stuck. Just her bloody luck! Evren grimaced that she could not help her brother's descendant and tried to think of a way to discreetly alert Melinoë or Perrie to Harry's problem. Athenaïs wanted to help but she didn't dare to use her teeth, claws or powers just in case she ruined the dress.

Unfortunately it seemed that the adults were getting a little agitated at Harry's tardiness because someone's footsteps drew nearer to Harry's room.

There was a knock at her door. "Harry, are you OK? Are you ready?"

Harry wanted to die of embarrassment. Why did it have to be Tom?!

"Erm … I am in a bit of trouble. My zip is stuck." She swallowed. "Could … could you help me?"

The Moirai hate me.

There was a moment of awkward silence that made Harry's stomach sink; the Traveller had her head in her hands. She closed her eyes as she heard her door open and Tom step into the room and approach her. Harry started praying to any deity who would listen to keep control of her stupid emotions as his lemon and lime scent wafted up her nose. Tom managed to fix her zip in seconds, seemingly, and then zipped her up.

"There," he stated in an awed whisper.

Harry turned around, cheeks ruby with embarrassment. "Thank you. This is embarrassing."

"I am surprised you are willing to wear a dress," Tom answered with a small smile.

"I would like to avoid getting an earful from Walburga today," Harry confessed with a short laugh. "I just hope I don't look too stuffy."

"You look beautiful," Tom responded bluntly. "As always."

Harry beamed at him. "Flatterer."

"Only for you and Altair, my darling," Tom planted a loving kiss on her forehead. "Come on. Before Melanie comes up again. I only just managed to persuade her I would be able to lure you down."

"Lure me, huh?" Harry snorted. "You're bait for the scary Harry dragon?"

Tom laughed. "I guess I am," he agreed as they set off, Athenaïs following them happily.

"Did you sleep well?" Harry wanted to know.

Tom flushed a little. "I did. Very well. Yourself?"

"About as well as yesterday," Harry sighed. She had once again been on Psychopomp Sorting duty; apparently Yule season was a very death-filled time of year. "Athenaïs slept better than I did."

Kkkyyyyuoo!

"I can make you another Anti-Nightmare Draught," Tom offered immediately.

Harry smiled weakly. "Issue is, I didn't have nightmares exactly. It's … complicated."

"OK. I can enchant some flowers and put them next to your bed. It is a kind of Dream Catcher Charm I found a couple of years ago – it works quite well," Tom suggested.

"Is that what you used to enchant the flowers next to my bed when you visited me in the hospital?" Harry asked with a small smile.

Tom chuckled nervously. "Yes. You were dreaming about your parents and it didn't sound very good, so I … tried to stop it. I had already put you through enough grief so I … tried to take some away. Looking back."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Harry stated with a warm, fond smile.

"I had a selfish reason to do it too. I … I was jealous of Avery leaving you the flowers," Tom admitted.

Harry grinned as they climbed down the stairs and joined the chatting immortals already tucking into breakfast pastries and croissants. Athenaïs greeted them happily and was very ecstatic when she was given some of the leftover meat from yesterday for breakfast and tucked in. Melinoë relayed that some of their mutual friends in London wanted to meet Tom and Altair soon while Nick tried to fish out Tom's greatest Yule wish out of him. Thanatos had to leave quite quickly to go to open his bookshop to try and gather some Yule money from the suckers who decided to do their Yule shopping at the last minute.

At ten o'clock, Melinoë went to pick up Altair from Arcturus' house. While the family waited, the radio had been turned to the music channel, with Hypnos, Harry, Perrie and Nick shamelessly singing along to Muggle Christmas carols while they were decorating Yule cookies. Athenaïs chirped and danced along too. Tom flat out refused; given his history with Mrs. Cole and priests, Harry was not surprised by this at all.

The Goddess of Ghosts returned with Heir Nott quite quickly. Altair's eyes shone even more than normal, if that was even possible, as he took in the surroundings of Harry's home when he stepped through the door. His childlike wonder and his expression of pure joy made Harry's heart skip several beats. She had missed him more than she thought and she didn't stop herself from stopping with decorating her reindeer, getting up and going to embrace the other half of her heart.

Altair returned her hug instantly, laughing heartily, holding her close. "I have been missed, I see," he stated jovially.

"Of course," Harry buried her face into his shoulder, basking in the scent of lavender. Tom approached at this point, Cheshire cat grin on his face, and joined in the hug before they allowed Altair to breathe and meet the rest of Harry's odd family.

Perenelle's reaction was predictable. "Oh aren't you a handsome young man too? Even more so than your photos. Would you like to join us in cookie decorating?"

Altair blinked a few times but nodded, smiling brightly. "I would love to. Thank you, ma'am."

"Awwww, Thomas is missing out on his Scary Guardian routine," Hypnos teased as Altair, Harry and Tom joined them at the table. "He was rehearsing all night."

"No, he wasn't. You were rehearsing scaring away Rollo's other potential suitors," Melinoë quipped easily, settling on the sofa with a book.

Hypnos spluttered, giving his snow man cookie a broken icing carrot nose. "I was not!"

"Ah, young love," Nick sighed happily as he finished his ice castle cookie.

Harry snorted. "More like half-young love. Let's not flatter Henry unnecessarily."

"Cheeky bugger," Hypnos commented sulkily.

After Altair had finished three cookies, Harry took him on an introduction round to all of her ancestors' portraits, together with Tom. Most of the Peverells behaved themselves, but Evren did like to tease the Nott heir a little and Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus put him under an interrogation. Well, Antioch did the interrogation while Cadmus and Ignotus tried to restrain him. Altair handled the brothers like a champ.

He won them over with this statement after Antioch had the nerve to ask Altair if he wanted to be able to meddle in the affairs of his lovers' Houses. "I have no interest in becoming a Regent to House Peverell, or Gaunt. I don't want to interfere in Peverell's business without being invited to. The same goes for Gaunt. I want to help, but the decisions should ultimately be theirs. I am happy to be a Consort only to them. Plus, I fell for Harry before I even knew who she was."

This had made the Three Brothers beam.

"You know how to win people over," Harry commented to Altair as they left the study.

"It's true, though," Altair smiled. "We're equals; I won't presume to interfere in your affairs uninvited." He sighed. "I can't say when I fell for your idiotic charms, my Lady, but I do know it was very early in our acquaintance. I think I didn't realise what had happened."

Harry had to blink away the tears that were threatening to fall at this. She quietly cursed her inability to voice her own feelings.

Altair seemed to sense her inner turmoil. "Harry, you don't have to say anything; I just wanted to have it said," he reassured her in such a kind, warm tone that Harry's stomach did a backflip. Altair then changed the subject. "You don't happen to have a piano, do you?"

"Yes, we do!" Nick called from downstairs.

Harry laughed. "There is a music room at the back of the house."

"Of course there is," Altair chuckled, shaking his head.

The trio went back downstairs, through the living room, down the open archway and into a bright room that seemed to be more made of glass than wood. In the room stood a piano forte, two cellos and an Irish harp. There were a few bookcases filled with music books and sheet music.

"The Peverells really do love their music," Altair shook his head at the room as he approached the piano.

"Well, those descended from Ignotus' line do," Harry informed with a smile. "Apparently it is an unofficial kind of Family Magic. Ignotus was a musician; his descendants have a heightened chance of being talented in music too. Cadmus was a Necromancer and was obsessed with learning our Family Magic, so his descendants have a heightened awareness of life and death as well as propensity for magical experimentation. Antioch never had children so his penchant for wand making didn't get passed on as much."

Altair exchanged a knowing look with Tom. "You have been working during the Yule holidays, haven't you?" Altair smiled at Harry as he began playing what Harry assumed was a Yule carol in the wizarding world.

Harry flushed. "I do have to keep an eye on the family finances."

"Workaholic," Altair commented.

"Not you as well!"

"I did tell you."

"Tom, shush."

The boys chuckled as Harry huffed.

"So, about the building down Three Raven Alley, are you sure you like it?" Altair asked, switching to a different song.

Harry smiled. "You know I do. It has enough room for offices and even one or two classrooms and training rooms. I trust your judgement and Loreley's." She then cast a quick Tempus. "Bugger. I have to go and get ready to go to Grimmauld Place."

"You will be fine," Tom reassured and then grinned cheekily. "Just don't put a Hair Changing Potion into someone's goblet."

Harry scoffed. "I doubt I would be able to sneak it past Walburga."

"Touché," Altair agreed as he finished the last notes of the song. The Lady Regnant turned to leave; the Nott heir got to his feet. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked teasingly.

Harry smirked to herself before composing her countenance and turning around to look at him with a straight face as she could. "No, I don't think I am," the Traveller responded easily, trying to keep her tone as flippant as possible.

"I am pretty sure you are," Altair stated as he stopped in front of her.

"Well, perhaps you can remind me?" Harry quipped.

Altair shook his head at her before cupping her right cheek and drew her into a kiss. Harry was very sorry that she had to step away from him, but she knew that Walburga's wrath was not to be incurred on a very stressful day.

"I hope I see you when I get back," she whispered.

"If not, we see each other in two days," Altair smiled brightly as he hugged her close and released her again. "Go. Remember to actually try and have some fun."

"I will try," Harry promised, scoffing slightly, taking a deep breath.

The Lady Regnant went to fetch her dress and jewellery, followed by Melinoë, who was dropping her off, as per Walburga's instructions. Harry found it utterly absurd, but quickly forced herself to remember that the 40s was not the 90s and she had better start trying to conform a little bit.

Melinoë carefully put Harry's gown in a special "dress bag" as the two of them dubbed it, Harry put her jewellery box under her arm and made sure that she had the two carefully wrapped snow globes and the two of them went downstairs to open the Floo Network.

"Deep breaths, Harry!" Henry advised. "You can do this."

"Bring back some gossip!" the Immortal Alchemist added.

"Nicholas!" Perenelle sighed.

Tom and Altair laughed heartily. Athenaïs howled mystically at her to have some fun and say hello to Orion, Walburga and Druella for her.

Harry laughed as she stepped through the Floo Network, Melinoë chuckling. "I swear, that man has not changed over the course of six centuries," the Goddess of Ghosts stated as they walked through the green fire and into the Black parlour where Walburga, Druella – both of them already in their Presentation gowns – and Lady Black were already waiting for them.

Walburga accosted Harry the moment they stepped into the room, barely giving Harry a moment to look around the room. "Oh Morgana, Harry, I love your time keeping! And you're wearing a dress? Who are you and what have you done with Harry Evans? Well, I am not going to complain! Anyway, down to business. You will be getting ready with Druella and myself and then we are going down to meet with Lucretia. We are her Presentation Ladies."

Harry took a deep breath. "Very well," she then turned to Lady Black, who was busy silently admiring her dress. Harry drew her attention with a curtsey and holding out the two gifts. "My Lady, a gift – for your daughter and Heir Prewett."

Lady Black beamed at her, curtsied and as she took the gifts. "Thank you, my Lady." She turned to Melinoë. "Miss Rollins, would you like a drink before you leave?"

Melinoë bowed her head. "Yes, please, Lady Black."

Druella took the dress carefully from the disguised goddess as Walburga began to lead Harry out of the parlour, into the main entrance hall and up the stairs. Harry looked around at the brightly decorated walls, frames and lights. The girls had to dodge out of the way of elves and wizards making the last preparations were being made. How many of the wizards and witches bustling around were Black relations, Harry could only guess.

Grimmauld Place seemed different. It was light, in a way. Yes, there were still the portraits who sneered at anyone they deemed beneath them and there were still Dark objects on walls and displayed on cabinets but it didn't feel heavy or unsafe as it had been in the 90s. There was the sound of music, laughter, shouting, singing – it was … normal in an odd sort of way.

The rooms that had once been Sirius and Regulus' rooms were shut but there were voices coming from within. The one on the right, Harry could recognise the blabbing of Orion anywhere. From the left came stressed out female tones of voices Harry didn't recognise, but guessed that one was Lucretia Black.

Walburga and Druella took her up to the second floor and then around the landing to one of the rooms at the front of the house, to the room that was likely the one directly above Orion's room. The room was decorated in a chique violet, white and black colour scheme with old fashioned screens, three vanity tables and mirrors. Harry felt like she was stepping into a dark Regency-era story.

Jane Austen meets Mary Shelley, Harry thought to herself with a smile as she placed her jewellery on one of the vanity tables and went to the window. The Lady Regnant looked out onto the streets below. There were couples walking the streets, a young girl and her brother walking their dog and people salting the streets because of the snow. There were children also having snowball fights. Yes, they all still carried gas mask boxes and there were ruined buildings in the distance, likely due to V-1 and V-2 rockets, but the people were creating their own light.

Blitz spirit. Apparently there was truly something to it.

As soon as the door was shut, Druella spoke up. "How is it? Your house? Living with Tom?"

Harry scoffed quietly. "I love the Evren Estates. It feels like home. It also helps I am not spending it alone," she responded as she stepped away from the window. Walburga then drew the curtains and unpacked Harry's dress. "As for living with Tom," she sighed. "On one hand it's easy and on the other, it's … difficult. But not because of him."

"What is it?" Walburga asked, sounding a little worried.

Harry laughed shortly. "He likes being alone but he also doesn't mind if Athenaïs wants to play a game, or if I come and sit with him or if Perrie asks for his help in the kitchen. Tom almost stays on the side lines until someone else approaches him. He did come and help us with the cookies this morning without us asking him to, though." Harry felt tears prick in her eyes; she knew it was left over trauma from the orphanage. She forced the tears back. "That's the easy part, but the difficult part …"

Harry felt herself sit down on the bed. "I have no idea what is wrong with me, but I am finding it more and more difficult to control myself around him, and Altair for that matter. We had only been separated for two days and I felt like I could barely breathe." Her breathe shuddered at this. "Why am I feeling like this? This goes beyond … anything I have ever felt."

Druella and Walburga exchanged a look.

"Harry, did you research Sacrum Vinculum like I suggested?" Walburga asked.

"Yes," Harry whispered. "But none of the books mentioned feeling empty if one or more of them are not there with you."

"Are you feeling that emptiness now?" Druella wanted to know.

"No. Not at all," Harry reassured.

"That actually doesn't surprise me. Sacrum Vinculum is a bond not just between the people, but the souls and magic of the people involved," Druella informed her carefully. "That is why it is seen as a union blessed by Lady Magick. If one of you is in peril or sad or hurt, you will feel an empty kind of feeling that you describe. The bond wants the three of you together, for the sake of everyone, and well, it will do anything to make sure you are. It messes with desires that are already in place to try and achieve it."

It clicked in Harry's head immediately. "Altair's fear and hate for his father – that's why we felt like that; the emptiness."

"Most likely, yes," Druella smiled weakly as Walburga began to help Harry out of her day dress and into her Presentation gown.

"And it … amplifies the rest," Harry sighed and shook her head as she put her hands through the gown's sleeves. Walburga carefully lifted Harry's abundant curls out of the way and then zipped Harry up and put the curls back in place, leading her over to one of the vanity tables.

"Sacrum Vinculum is rare and beautiful," Walburga said gently as she began to do Harry's hair. "I must confess that I worried a lot; I feared you and Tom would not be able to fight against that … pull."

"I knew you would," Druella sounded very pleased with herself as she did her make up and put on her jewellery. "You and Tom have such amazing control over your emotions when it comes to the sappy ones, as you say. Orion also told Wally to stop worrying."

"I just don't want anything to happen to place their courtship in jeopardy!" Walburga huffed as she fixed Harry's circlet onto her head through some of her curls.

"And it won't," Harry promised as she put Evren's amulet around her neck.

Walburga and Druella somehow managed to do their own hair in very little time while going through the protocol for the Presentation Ladies and soon the three girls were headed back downstairs to Lucretia Black's room. Walburga rapped her knuckles on the door a few times before someone inside raised their voice. "Go away!"

"Lucretia, it's me," Walburga called. "I have Druella and the Lady Hera with me."

"Oh thank Morgana! I thought you were Mother or your cousin Cassie or Aunt Irma or Great-Aunt Violetta."

Walburga, Druella and Harry exchanged a look and entered the room, with Harry quietly freaking out at finally putting a face to the name of the bad tempered and formidable witch she had been hearing so much about. Said witch was pacing up and down the room in a beautiful purple and black silk gown that had some overt Evil Queen vibes in Harry's eyes. Lucretia was not intimidating in height. Harry was slightly taller than she was, even though the Black heiresses was wearing heeled boots. It was the eyes that made Harry gulp audibly. They were almost an exact copy of Sirius Black II's but with a beady, hawk-like stare that were assessing whether or not you were prey. Lucretia had an almost permanent scowl on her countenance but the thing that was most fascinating about her was that her dark raven curls had red highlights.

Lucretia looked Harry up and down a couple of times, studying her. "So this is the famous Lady Hera I have been hearing my mother crow about for more than two months and whose praises my brother has been singing. I must say, you are all the more fascinating in real life. Those eyes! That scar too. My, literally like lightning bolts. Awful but also very beautiful, if you don't mind me saying. I am very pleased that I can at last thank you for giving me a moment's peace from her constant fussing."

It seemed that chattering had been passed on Lucretia as well. Harry bowed her head. "I am glad I could be of service, Heiress Black."

Lucretia chuckled as she looked herself in her fine full length mirror. "Yes, you have spirit all right. Good, I do not want any more tedious wet blankets in attendance this evening. Not that I doubted that you would be boring company, mind you. Anyone who can make Grandfather double over in laughter is worth being acquainted with." She then took Harry's right hand an examined the Peverell ring and her courtship ring. "A Lady Regnant – if only my House were as liberally minded. The House of Black could do with a woman at the helm, isn't that right, Wally?"

Walburga smiled smally. "Indeed, cousin."

"Ever the politician, Wally," Lucretia scoffed. She then smirked at Harry. "I do congratulate you on your courtship. Sacrum Vinculum is a bond to be treasured, though I must inform you that Grandfather was most put out that he could not start offering up Alphard or Uncle Regulus for your hand. Grandmother had already warned him, of course, but as you know, men rarely ever listen to us women until the very last minute when they realise, 'oh yes, she was not as mad as she sounded'. I am very glad that Cousin Dorea managed to escape all of this ridiculous pomp and ceremony. It helped that she married a Potter; despite being a Light family, they are still purebloods. Cederella and Cassiopeia will be pushed towards any eligible bachelor tonight, no doubt – Wally, Dru, girls would you please pick a necklace for me? I can't decide."

Harry had to blink. How much could both Lucretia and Orion talk?! Walburga and Druella, both used to Lucretia's antics, exchanged a look of amusement as they went through the Black Heiress's three ornate jewellery boxes and began presenting some good pieces to Lucretia, who had a critical word to say about each option. Harry watched them in silent fascination and then took a moment to snoop around Lucretia's room. There were designs for dresses on the walls, clearly hand drawn, as well as photos of a young Lucretia playing the piano with Lord Black and a woman Harry assumed was her Aunt Lycoris. Harry smiled when she saw a trophy from a piano and composition contest Lucretia had entered when she was thirteen as well as two framed awards, also piano related.

"I hear you are musically inclined, my Lady," Harry turned back around to see Lucretia watching her with a small smile.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry confirmed. "Violin, mainly. I can also play the fiddle reasonably and the Glass Harp."

"So I have been informed," Lucretia smirked impishly. "A fair songbird too, from what Walburga and Orion told us. And don't call me, ma'am. It makes me feel old and besides, you are higher than me in rank."

Harry smiled apologetically.

"Aunt Lycoris is looking forward to becoming acquainted with you. She knows you will be attending one of her concerts," Lucretia continued. "I think Cousin Alphard may try to avoid you this evening. He got an earful from Grandfather when he found out that Alphard had been partially responsible for giving you a dangerous assignment – I am surprised our Muggle neighbours did not hear the roaring."

Harry blanched at this.

"You have been informed of the protocol?" Lucretia moved onto another topic very quickly.

The Lady Regnant cleared her throat. "We veil you, then go downstairs with lilies to announce your imminent arrival and give them to Mr. and Mrs. Prewett and to Heir Prewett. You will follow closely behind where your father will formally introduce you to the Prewett family."

Lucretia chuckled. "Very good!"

Walburga and Druella finished adorning the Heiress Black, making her look even more like Dark Royalty than before. The girls did their final checks when there was a knock on the door.

"Girls, the rest of the guests have just arrived, as have the Prewett family," Lady Black hissed through the door. "Are you ready in there?"

"Almost, Mother!" Lucretia called back, sounding a little irritated. "Bloody hell! I can't wait to get this over with."

Harry frowned a little at this but she held her tongue.

Harry got the honours of placing the black lace veil over Lucretia's head, cloaking her face and fixing a goblin-made diadem onto Lucretia's head. It felt more like a wedding than an introduction to courting. As Lucretia handed the girls a white lily each, Harry did the last checks on Heiress Black's dress before following Walburga and Druella out of the room. The chatter below died down slightly when the guests and families noticed the girls coming down stairs. Fortunately the music wasn't stopped entirely, otherwise it would have perhaps been slightly awkward.

Harry caught sight of Orion, who gave her a small, excited wave, standing with his father and mother. She recognised Alphard Black, an arrogant looking man with dark blonde hair that Harry assumed was Cygnus and Druella's fiancée, and near them were a stern, dark haired man with dark eyes and a woman with hazel eyes and oak hair. Harry took an educated guess that they were Walburga's parents. Sirius Black II and his wife were attendance. She also spied amongst the guests and family Septimus and Octavius, who raised their whiskey glasses at her with a grin. They stood close to Ignatius, Tessa and Billy. Mr. and Mrs. Prewett were in a customary sedentary position in two armchairs. Harry was very happy to spot the Malfoys there too, Lord Malfoy and Abraxas looking bored as ever.

Walburga was the first to approach the Prewetts and curtsey. "I, Walburga Aquila Black, daughter of Pollux and Irma Black, fiancée to Heir Orion Black, present to you this flower as a sign of friendship," she stated as she handed the lily to Mr. Prewett.

"Thank you," Mr. Prewett responded with a bow of the head in acknowledgement.

Druella was next, stepping up to Ignatius' mother. "I, Druella Cynthia Rosier, daughter of Lord Corban Rosier and Lady Adorabella Rosier, allies to the House of Black, future wife of Cygnus Black, present to you as a sign of trust."

Mrs. Prewett bowed her head in thanks, smiling as she took the flower.

Harry then approached Ignatius, who greeted her with a blinding smile. She dipped a curtsey. "I, Hera Elizabeth Evans, daughter of James and Liliana Evans, Lady Regnant of her House, ally to House Black, present to you this flower as a token of House Black's commitment."

Ignatius bowed his head. "Thank you, my Lady."

Harry stepped aside, heart racing and joining the side of the former Lord and Lady Black, who were beckoning her to their side as Lucretia came down the stairs and her parents stepped forth.

"Well done, my Lady," Hesper Black whispered.

"Thank you," Harry answered breathlessly.

"William and Martha Prewett, Heir Ignatius," Lord Arcturus' voice ran around the room, "may I officially introduce you to my daughter, Lucretia Hesper Black?"

Lady Black lifted the veil from Lucretia's face right on cue. Harry had to hide her amusement behind her hand when she saw Ignatius' eyes widen and an almost starstruck look came into his eyes. She had no idea what Lucretia was thinking, but Ignatius was sold. Harry could feel Loreley's eyes on her and she turned around momentarily to share a knowing grin with the Sighted Malfoy Heiress. Mr. Prewett and Mrs. Prewett got to their feet and then presented their son, who was clearly trying to keep his countenance as composed as he could.

"Heiress Black, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," Ignatius greeted her.

"A pleasure? Permit me to doubt that," Lucretia quipped, causing members of her family to wince, including Hesper. Orion also braced himself and Walburga was pinching the bridge of her nose.

"No, indeed," Ignatius answered easily. "I have heard much about you and have been quite anxious to see how much is true and how much is exaggerated for narrative affect."

Lucretia blinked, clearly not expecting that answer. She then scoffed. "I assure you, sir, I have no shame for my actions and I will not explain myself. Not to anyone in this room."

"I do not wish for you to explain yourself, or feel shame," Ignatius reassured, grinning slightly. "I wish to get to know you. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, if you saw fit to turn me into a bird or a chamber pot, it would scare me away but it would provide me with a very clear picture of the kind of character you have. I assure you, I would find it most entertaining."

Harry was sure Lucretia would have gaped at him had she not been raised a Black, and thus to maintain her composure. The Lady Regnant had to bite into the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing at the Black heiress's shock.

"I will not settle for a life of floating about the house doing nothing," Lucretia tried a different tactic.

Unfortunately for her, Ignatius had an answer ready. "Good! Being idle and useless is no way to live at all," he grinned. "I am not looking for a house wife or a trophy wife either. I am looking for a partner." He raised an eyebrow in a challenging manner. "What say you to that, Heiress Black?"

For what seemed like the first time in her courting days, Lucretia smiled. "I could not agree more, Heir Prewett."

Much to the palpable relief of all the Blacks, Lucretia extended her hand and Ignatius pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"About bloody time!" someone commented. "Why does that girl always have to make these things difficult?"

Harry finally felt free to start laughing, as did Tessa, Billy, and the Weasley twins apparently as the mingling ensued. The four of them all came over to Harry in various stages of laughter.

"Oh dear Ignatius-"

"-took her by-"

"-surprise there!" the Weasleys gloated happily.

"I should have snapped a close-up picture but Tessa didn't let me," Billy giggled, holding up his camera.

"We can always look at the memory in the Pensieve," Tessa laughed, shaking her head. "Oh dear."

The former Lord and Lady Black joined in the conversation at this point. "I must say, your brother really did hold his own very well. Did he rehearse beforehand?" Sirius Black II inquired eagerly as the four children quickly bowed to him.

"A little, but he was a less steadfast to his own reflection, sir," Billy informed with a grin.

"Billy, shush!" Tessa huffed.

"Well, I am still very impressed. May I introduce you to my wife, Hesper?"

While the Weasleys and younger Prewetts were being acquainted with Hesper Black, Harry felt herself be dragged away by the arm because of a very enthusiastic Orion, who ignored all the aghast scolding from his mother and fiancée at how he was manhandling a Lady Regnant, to be introduced to other members of the Black family.

"Harry, you are looking as stunning as ever! I pity Tom and Altair for missing this sight. Anyway, you need to meet the rest of my family or we may end the night with pouty faces. Over here is my Uncle Regulus. You remember Grandfather mentioning him, right? Senior Reversal Wizard – yep you remember. Of course you do. Here is Great-Aunt Violetta: Wally's grandmother, my Great-Uncle Cygnus' widow and she's an art enthusiast. Seriously, if you need some new pieces for your home – talk to Great-Aunt Violetta! The woman chasing the children up and down the corridor is Great-Aunt Belvinda. She is a socialite, you know. She's married into the Burke family – ooo maybe your guardians are related to her; you may need to check-"

"Orion, let Her Ladyship breathe, for Circe's sake!" a woman with silvery hair and eyes that were half brown and half blue in each iris scolded lightly, shaking her head at him. She carried herself with grace as all pureblood women did and had slight lines under her eyes.

"Harry's used to me by now, Great-Aunt Lysandra," Orion grinned. He turned to Harry. "This is Great-Uncle Arcturus' wife, Lysandra, scion from the Yaxley family. They were Dark wizard catchers in their time, you know."

"Really?" Harry could barely contain her surprise.

Lysandra Black chuckled. "Yes, that takes most people aback. They think because of who we are we must approve of foul uses of magic. People make such judgements based on who one's family is, do they not, my Lady?" she purred with a knowing smirk.

Harry gulped a little. "Indeed, ma'am."

Orion continued with his monologue. "Great-Uncle Arcturus now runs a prestigious club down Three Raven's Alley aptly named Prestige. I always thought the name was a bit boring but apparently Great-Uncle Arcturus does not care so much about being creative with names-"

"Now, now, Orion," Lysandra sighed. She smiled brightly at Harry. "My husband also spends his time writing columns for the Daily Prophet every month."

"Oh?" Harry lit up. "About what topic?"

At this, Orion and his Great-Aunt suddenly tensed up visibly. A few eavesdroppers did as well, which made Harry frown in confusion, especially since Orion quickly led Harry towards a man who reminded her startlingly of Neville somehow and a beautiful young woman with Black features.

"Harry, meet my cousin Callidora – she is the eldest daughter of Great-Uncle Arcturus and Great-Aunt Lysandra. She works as an apothecary and this is her husband, Harfang Longbottom. He is a very good lawyer, almost as good as Malum Avery's parents, so if you're ever in a legal pickle be sure to ask for his help. They have two children, Francis and Lyra. They are actually some of the children Great-Aunt Belvinda was chasing."

Callidora Longbottom beamed as she curtseyed to Harry, her husband bowing. "My Lady, it is a pleasure to put a face to the name we have been hearing so much lately. I hope you will forgive my impertinence, but you have the most fascinating eye colour."

Harry smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Longbottom."

"Callie, I think she's heard that too many times," Harfang commented, looking a little sheepish. Harry was now definitely reminded of Neville; was this guy really a lawyer?

"It is quite all right, sir," Harry reassured.

"Ah I found some more people next door. Come on, Harry! We do not want members of my family getting jealous."

Callidora and Harfang shook their heads at Orion fondly as the future Lord Black dragged the Lady Regnant out of the parlour and to the dreaded tapestry room that Harry remembered. Only it was some kind of dining room-slash-entertaining room. There were people mingling and chatting in groups, with a raven haired woman playing the piano in the back, surrounded by the tapestry of the Black ancestors around them. The Malfoys were amongst the people in the room.

Orion took Harry to meet a young woman who was smoking a cigar and reading a fashion magazine in an armchair in the corner of the room. She looked up curiously as her kinsmen approached with the strange witch most of wizarding Britain had been discussing lately. "Harry, this is my cousin, Cederella. She is the second daughter of Great-Uncle Arcturus and Great-Aunt Lysandra, and she makes a living writing fashion pieces for Witch Weekly."

Cederella was almost an exact copy of her mother, Harry noted, from appearance to her aloft demeanour. Except, her raven locks also had definite streaks of silvery blonde in them. Cederella smiled serenely and bowed her head. "Hello, my Lady. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Pleasure is all mine," Harry responded with a small, kind smile.

Dorea and Charlus Potter were the next to greet her, with Orion telling Harry a little about Dorea's work as a freelance artist and Charlus' work as a diplomat and Charlus telling Orion to stop to actually breathe. In typical fashion, Heir Black was soon distracted by the presence of another relative.

"Ah! Cousin Charis, you are here too! Harry, you get to meet the last sister in Arcturus and Lysandra's trio of daughters. The man next to her is her father." Harry was promptly directed in the direction of four people playing cards at one of the tables in the room. Charis put her cards face down onto the table and beamed at the slightly shellshocked girl; Great-Uncle Arcturus looked up momentarily from his cards to give her a quick smile before turning his attention back to his hand.

"Hello, my Lady. It is a pleasure," she stated.

"Likewise, ma'am," Harry answered.

"Opposite Great-Uncle Arcturus is Cousin Cassie, or Cassiopeia, the movie actress," Orion continued. "She is also aspiring to be a socialite. You recently won tickets to her new movie premier that is coming up after Yule."

Cassiopeia Black, an undoubtedly glamorous woman, smiled and waved at Harry before turning back to her cards as well.

The Lady Regnant could not help herself; she took a fortifying breath. Unfortunately, it was noted.

"A bit overwhelmed, aren't you, girl?" the man opposite Charis commented, not looking up from his cards.

The people around him stiffened at his rudeness. Charis glared at him. "Caspar! You don't address a Lady Regnant in such a manner!" she scolded.

The man snorted sarcastically. "A Lady Regnant. In my mind, she will only be a Lady Regnant once the Wizengamot recognises her. No sooner."

The other people in the room bristled at this, including the Malfoys. Cederella and Dorea looked about ready to hex the man; Charlus Potter glowered at the man. The woman at the piano had stopped playing at this. "My Lady, please forgive Caspar's tongue. It has always been too big for his mouth."

Harry unclenched her jaws slightly. "Well, then it is a miracle that it does not permanently hang out of his mouth," she quipped back easily, causing many in the room to chuckle and then man in question to look up and glare at her.

In that moment, the Mistress of Death's heart stopped for a moment and her instinct to draw her wand kicked in. She knew this face all too well. The mop of blonde hair, the eyes, the facial features of Barty Crouch Junior – this was the same Caspar who had summoned the damn Tracker!

What the actual hell?!

"You have some nerve, girl," Caspar snarled at her.

"True," Harry agreed readily, keeping her unflinching gaze on him. "But in my experience, a lot of nerve is a necessity when it comes to dealing with impertinence."

The man scowled at her. Orion cleared his throat. "Harry, this is Charis' husband: Caspar Crouch. Cousin Charis works as a seamstress for Twilfitt and Tattings, and Caspar works in the Ministry. They have a son, Bartemius, and two daughters, Ursula and Irma."

"I see," Harry stated curtly.

The woman behind the piano took the opportunity to reduce the tension. She got up and came over to introduce herself. "I have not been formally introduced yet, have I, Orion?" she stated jovially.

Orion chuckled. "No, indeed, aunt. Harry, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to my Aunt Lycoris, a famous composer as you know, and the person whose concert you are attending in two days."

Lycoris Black's bright blue eyes shone brightly as she curtseyed to Harry. "I am so glad to meet you, my Lady. I have enjoyed listening to Melania reading some of Orion and Walburga's letters to me. I wish to also express how sorry I am about your parents."

Harry gave a nod of acknowledgement. "Thank you, ma'am."

Unfortunately it seemed that Caspar Crouch had already sampled the Firewhiskey one too many times. "You have never been sorry for the death of a Mudblood in your life, Lycoris," the sleeper agent sneered.

"Caspar!" Charis, Cassiopeia and Cederella all scolded at the same time. Loreley and Abraxas had gotten up from their seats to help Orion restrain the irate Lady Regnant if necessary, because they had seen Harry's eyes bleed silver. However, Harry had already put some distance between herself and the man just in case.

Crouch did not take the hint. "Oh come on! We all know that this so-called Lady Regnant is a bloody half-blood judging from her name-"

"Crouch, close your mouth before the Lady Regnant has grounds to challenge you to a duel," Great-Uncle Arcturus warned as Loreley hurried from the room to next door followed by her mother.

Crouch barked out a laugh. "A stupid seventeen-year-old witch? What is she going to do? Turn my hair orange like one of those blood traitors the Prewetts invited?"

"The Weasleys are not blood traitors," Charlus rebuked coldly.

"Yet," Crouch sneered.

"What is going on here?"

Everyone in the room froze. Loreley and Lady Malfoy had returned with Lord Black, Lady Black, Walburga, Druella, Tessa, Billy, Septimus and Octavius in tow. The kids immediately hurried over to their furious friend, who was desperately trying to ignore the humming of her magic, which was begging to be released at the offending wizard.

"Ah, Arcturus," Lord Malfoy greeted silkily. "It seems one of your kinsmen has a penchant for vexing and insulting young Lady Regnants unprovoked."

"Which one?" Lord Black sighed irritably. "The less handsome Arcturus or Charis' oh-so-charming husband?"

Crouch glared at him frostily.

"The latter," Lady Malfoy informed crisply. "He disrespected the Lady Hera and then insulted her deceased parents."

"Did he now?" this was the first time Harry heard Lady Black sound positively dangerous. "I thought we warned you, Caspar – no talk of blood traitors or … hating Muggleborns tonight."

"What? Because of the girl's sensitive little feelings?" Caspar sneered.

"You really are-"

"-an ugly little-"

"-man, aren't you?" the twins sneered in unison.

Caspar's lips curled up into an ugly sneer but before he could say anything that could land him further into hot water with his family, Charis dragged her husband out of the room, steam practically coming out of her ears. Lord and Lady Black followed the couple out, also looking none too happy. Lycoris had gently guided Harry onto the piano bench and sat beside her.

"Deep breaths. How you managed to not strike Caspar is beyond me," Lycoris smiled apologetically.

"I knew something like this would happen," Druella pinched the bridge of her nose. "Orion, why did you even think bringing her near Crouch was a good idea?"

"Charis wanted to meet her and I can't help it if they were in the middle of a game!" Orion protested.

"This was not Orion's fault," Harry spoke up, surprisingly herself at how calm she sounded.

"Perhaps, but he should have known that it was risky," Walburga sighed. "Cousin Caspar has never hidden his … distaste for Muggles, Muggleborns and half-bloods. He was only allowed to come on the express condition he would not start an unnecessary kerfuffle regarding you, the Prewetts, the Potters and the Weasleys."

"He's failed miserably there then," Septimus and Octavius stated in perfect sync.

"Morgana and Morgause, your timing is uncanny," Cederella whistled as she approached with a glass of water. She smiled at Harry kindly as well as guiltily as she handed the girl the glass.

"Thank you," Harry smiled as she took the glass and drank it like it was ambrosia and nectar.

"So, you know the Lady Hera already?" Cederella asked the wizards amicably.

Septimus smiled. "She's a good friend of ours. I was a little apprehensive of her but she quickly showed that she wasn't like the other Slytherins."

"More fun, quirky, funny and smart," Octavius added. "Our kind of person. I am Octavius Weasley, by the way."

"Septimus, older by a minute," Septimus introduced with a small, dramatic flourish that made Cederella giggle.

The young woman's eyes danced with mirth. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Cederella Black."

Harry tilted her head at Septimus and narrowed her eyes slightly. She saw a spark in his eyes, which made her eyes go wide. It looked almost like the glint in Ignatius' eyes – wait, Ron was related to the Blacks through a Cederella! Harry felt herself look to Loreley, who once again was smirking. The Malfoy heiress nodded subtly the moment Harry caught her eye.

Harry could almost not contain her excitement. Ron's paternal grandparents had just officially met!

Her train of thought was derailed by a cry of jubilation from Billy. "Ha! I knew he had kept a bad hand! Well done, Tessa – I am glad Charis won that game. She seemed nice. Shall we go again?"

"Aren't you a little young to be playing cards, Master Prewett?" Cassiopeia asked, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Officially yes, but Igny and Tessa have played cards with me since I was nine and we played for sweets," Billy informed happily, causing the two adults at the table to chuckle. "Igny and Tessa are positively vicious in Black Jack and poker. I lost a good number of Chocolate Frogs to them."

Great-Uncle Arcturus laughed heartily. "Then let us see your skills! One game should not hurt."

With the atmosphere beginning to settle again, Walburga and Druella also withdrew to the next room with Orion. The Weasley twins and Cederella struck up a conversation and sat near the Malfoys and the Potters, who resumed their conversation also. Lycoris, meanwhile, kept Harry's attention to herself a little while longer.

"Would you play something with me, my Lady?"

Harry flushed. "I don't know how to play the piano, ma'am, or play a duet."

"Oh but that's all right," Lycoris reassured. "We will get you a violin. Kreacher!"

Harry's eyes bugged out when the Black family elf appeared. He was nothing like the shrivelled, grumpy, hunch-backed elf Harry had known. This elf was haughty and proud, yes, but he had smooth skin and stood up right.

"Mistress Lycoris summoned Kreacher," the elf stated eagerly.

"Fetch the Lady Regnant a violin from the attic, and make sure it's tuned!" Lycoris ordered.

"Right away, Mistress."

CRACK!

Harry laughed breathlessly. Merlin, seeing a young Kreacher had been disconcerting to say the least! Lycoris saw her reaction and regarded her curiously. "Is everything all right, my Lady?"

"Yes," Harry reassured, recovering quickly. "Sorry."

"You never had a house elf, did you?" Lycoris wagered.

"Indeed, but I was laughing because the elf reminded me of one I did meet," Harry answered with a scoff. "He was a grumpy and lonely and hated almost everyone but … he ended up liking me for some reason."

Filthy half-blood … will help Master Regulus … help Kreacher?

Harry could still see the gratitude in those giant tennis ball eyes. She had her disagreements with Kreacher but in the end, she did really grow to respect him.

CRACK!

"Kreacher has returned with a violin. Tuned as requested," the elf announced, holding out a beautiful mahogany violin and bow, looking very pleased with himself.

Harry smiled brightly, taking the instrument. "Brilliant! Thank you, Kreacher."

She only remembered too late that elves were not used to being thanked. That caused almost everyone to stop and gape at her; Kreacher himself stared at Harry in disbelief and had paled to the point she feared that he would actually faint.

"Erm … Harry, did you just thank an elf?" Billy asked cautiously.

"Yes," Harry confirmed with a shrug.

"For doing its job?" Tessa sounded just as shellshocked.

Dobby has heard of your greatness ma'am, but never has he been asked to sit down by a wizard or witch. Like an equal.

Remembering those words hardened Harry's eyes as she looked at her friend. "Yes. They are servants, not slaves. Kreacher saved me a trip of going upstairs and tuning the violin, which I am grateful for."

"So it is true; you really do have some funny ideas," Cassiopeia tittered.

"Funny ideas?" Harry repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Showing respect to another living creature is a 'funny idea', is it?"

"When it's an elf, yes," Great-Uncle Arcturus replied simply.

Harry was tempted to argue, but she knew that it was futile to argue a point like this with someone who was not willing to listen, and also to someone who had no reason to take her point into consideration. She needed to bide her time with Elf Rights debates it seemed. Harry could already hear Hermione scream and wail but Harry knew the topic needed to be approached with more sensitivity than normal. She distracted herself with playing some testing notes to see if it was tuned to her liking.

It was perfect. It seemed Kreacher had done this sort of thing before.

Lycoris brought Harry's attention to the music she was playing. "I just finished this piece, believe it or not, but I keep feeling like something is missing. You don't mind helping playing along with me to see if it needs a second instrument added to it, do you?"

"I'd be honoured," Harry assured with a grin.

"Excellent!" Lycoris beamed and cracked her fingers. "Here, can you read this?"

"Yes, it's clear."

"Splendid. You ready?"

Harry put the violin under her chin and readied the bow. Lycoris grinned and took the cue to start playing, Harry joining soon after. As she played, Harry could not resist playing around a bit. In parts where she felt the music felt more playful, she would allow Lycoris to continue playing but only join in sporadically. Sometimes Lycoris played solo, and then Harry's violin got a solo. The people in the room enjoyed it without paying them too much attention but the people next door would come in now and again to observe the composer and the strange Cursebreaker play together.

Lucretia and Ignatius eventually came to join the people in the entertainment-dining room; Ignatius checking on his siblings and Lucretia helping to turn the music for her aunt and Harry, then picking out the second piece for them to play together. Harry had been reluctant to play another piece but her protests were vetoed by almost everyone in the room. Billy began taking pictures again of everyone in the room, starting with the people at the piano.

After two more pieces, Harry apologised to Lycoris but decided to take break. She made herself at home in the armchair corner, where she was joined by Great-Uncle Arcturus (who was rubbing his wounds from being beaten yet again by Billy Prewett), Alphard Black and Great-Aunt Violetta. The latter two had moved into the room during the last song.

"My Lady, may we join you?" Great-Uncle Arcturus asked amicably, pointing to the empty seats in the circle with hers.

Harry smiled kindly. "Of course, sir."

"Does that include me as well?" Alphard asked nervously as his grandmother and Great-Uncle sat down.

Harry's eyes had an apologetic look in seconds. "Yes, Auror Black."

"You have a very forgiving heart, my Lady," Violetta Black commented, inky eyes holding Harry unwaveringly. "Be wary – people will try to take advantage of that."

"I see nothing to forgive. Auror Black was doing his job," Harry responded easily. "Had he done it maliciously, that would have been a different story altogether. Auror Potter is his superior; I know the age old custom of respecting the chain of command better than most, ma'am."

"My Lady, please call me Alphard," the man shot her a winning smile.

Harry gave a nod of acknowledgement. "Alphard it is."

"Do you have any ambitions to enter the Wizengamot, my Lady?" Great-Uncle Arcturus asked curiously.

"Arcturus, that is none of your business!" Violetta huffed.

"What? It is a fair question!" the club owner protested.

Harry sighed. "I have no political ambitions yet, sir. I don't really have the patience to deal with fastidious or obnoxious adults, some of which are either stuck in the land that time forgot or want to pass legislation that is frankly trying to be so inclusive that it becomes discriminatory. I don't fancy my hair turning silver by the time I am twenty-five because of stress."

The Blacks looked at each other with unreadable expressions before turning back to her.

"What do you mean by legislation that is so inclusive that it becomes discriminatory?" Violetta asked slyly.

Harry half chuckled. "I think you know the answer, ma'am. I have nothing against Muggleborns, but we should not be catering to them simply because the world they enter seems foreign to them. It essentially is. It is as Artemis Potter once said, you can't go to a foreign country and expect them to bend around your wishes. Why should the wizarding world be any different?"

The Blacks didn't even try to hide their smiles at this.

"You really do have a wise head on your shoulders, my Lady," the second Arcturus in the family stated. Harry really found that confusing; did these Blacks have a limited baby name book or something?

"Are you sure about that, Great-Uncle Arcturus? She's going into business with Orion, remember," Alphard grinned.

"Don't be so mean!" Harry spluttered. "Orion's runework and wards are faultless."

"His ability to keep his mouth shut isn't," Alphard quipped easily, sipping his Firewhiskey.

"Alphard, really!" Violetta huffed, laughing slightly.

"Don't fret; our PR will be Loreley Malfoy and Altair Nott," Harry grinned.

"Ah, one of your future Consorts," Arcturus had a Cheshire cat grin on his face. "Sirius was very put out that he could not offer Alphard up to you, my Lady."

The rookie Auror was redder than tomatoes in seconds, while Harry had no idea what to say to that. Violetta glared at him. "Why does blabbing information that should not be shared so flippantly run in this family?" she scolded.

The second Arcturus huffed. "We can't all have Sirius' ability to keep his mouth shut."

"None of you do!"

"Oh well. Such a pity." Arcturus turned back to the Lady Regnant, who was watching their exchange with a hint of awkwardness. "Have you got a Quartermaster yet in case of foreign missions where you might need to engage in combat?"

Harry frowned for a moment. "Eeeerm … not as far as I know. We haven't gotten that far yet."

"My son Pollux might know someone," Violetta informed her. "He is Quartermaster to the Aurors, I am not sure if Orion informed you."

"He didn't actually," Harry responded, blinking in shock. Sirius' maternal grandfather had been a Quartermaster to the Aurors?! Once again she questioned why Padfoot never told her any of this awesome stuff.

"Oh well! Look at that, Orion failed to mention something," Violetta laughed. "Anyway, he has some colleagues and friends with combat skills. I could ask him to discreetly compile some dossiers for good candidates to interview when the time comes, if you want?"

Harry lit up. "That would be amazing, Madam Black, thank you."

"You are very welcome, my Lady. Per chance, you are also not looking for new art are you?"

"Grandmother!" Alphard did a facepalm while the second Arcturus laughed heartily.

Harry chuckled. "Not at present, ma'am. But thank you for asking."

"My, you're so polite. It's frightening," Great-Uncle Arcturus commented, shaking his head.

The Traveller smiled weakly. She cleared her throat slightly. "Orion tells me you used to hunt Dark wizards and now own a club, sir."

The second Arcturus smiled. "Indeed. Lysandra and I used our Black reputation to track and lure some right nasty pieces of work. The kinds of wizards whose experiments were catching the eye of the … Muggles and mad men using others to commit their crimes. We never officially worked for the Aurors so that also helped. It was very exciting work but then we had Callidora, and then Cederella. We couldn't keep doing it in fear that the villains would try to threaten our daughters so I decided to chase an old boyhood dream of mine and open a club."

"And how is business, sir?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh good! Admittedly we do have the odd rowdy bunch and a fight or two breaking out but I am happy to say that since the wars started that has simmered down a lot. I think it is because young men have someone to direct their anger at who is actually a threat," Great-Uncle Arcturus chuckled.

Harry smiled and nodded in agreement, not daring to ask if he meant Hitler or Grindelwald. "Do you still write for the Daily Prophet?"

The three Blacks tensed in about two seconds flat.

OK, it happening once is weird. Twice, this is no coincidence, Harry's Slytherin voice told her.

The second Arcturus sipped his Firewhiskey. "Yes, I do," he answered through a slightly strained smile.

"Oh? What do you like writing about the most?" Harry asked as innocently as she could manage.

"Well-"

"Arcturus, don't you dare," Violetta stated warningly. Alphard had his head in his hands.

OK, now they are definitely hiding something.

The second Arcturus huffed. "Violetta, she is asking!"

"Yes, and her mother was a Muggleborn!" Alphard hissed.

"Muggleborn, not Muggle!" Arcturus shot back.

"Maybe the warning sent to Caspar should have been sent to you as well!" Violetta thundered in a low tone.

Harry did not like where this was going. Great-Uncle Arcturus turned to her, Violetta and Alphard already pinching the bridges of their noses, shaking their heads. "Are you sure you want to know what I write about?" he asked for good measure.

"Yes," Harry stated firmly, preparing herself already for the worst.

The second Arcturus sighed. "I write pieces for the Prophet, arguingagainst maintaining relations with the Muggles in anyway – political or otherwise."

There it was. First openly anti-Muggle Black discovered.

The Blacks had braced themselves for an outburst of some kind, which made Harry almost grin.

"I see," Harry stated curtly, counting to twenty in her head in order to make sure she kept her countenance.

"You're not … angry? Orion mentioned how apoplectic you were when comments were made about your mother's Muggle family," Alphard informed in awe.

"I was," Harry confirmed. "I was angry because people I didn't know looked like they were going to find the grave of my aunt, uncle and cousin and dance on it. I have the right to hate my Muggle family – the people in question hate them for existing. That is not a sufficient reason to hate someone in my book."

"But you cannot deny that the Muggles are vicious," Great-Uncle Alphard sat forward in his chair slightly. "They hate and destroy things without thought. They would have us all killed if they found out about us. All they know is thievery, war and death."

"That is not Muggle nature, sir, that is human nature," Harry answered easily with a small smile. "Because you cannot deny that what Grindelwald and his followers are doing is equally bad. The Muggles are tearing each other apart, but we are doing the exact same thing. As for whether all Muggles would have us killed, I know that in a group of ten Muggles there are perhaps three who would want us dead, six wouldn't and one would not care either way. In fact, maybe less people want us dead – you'd only have to worry about certain groups of ultra-religious Muggles."

"Be that as it may, that could change so easily," Alphard pointed out.

"As can everything in life," Harry shot back. "Muggles are dangerous, I won't deny it. The bombings of London and the growing weapon capabilities of the Muggles reveal that fact clear as day. But the witch panic is long gone. In fact, if you decided to go and ask your Muggle neighbours for some coffee, I am willing to bet they will try and share some with you despite being on rations at the moment." She laughed. "Winston Churchill and the King know we exist, and yet they help to protect us. Muggles are protecting us."

The statement didn't sit well with these three Blacks at all. Harry shrugged. "I think it was Aristotle that once said that it doesn't matter if ten thousand people express an opinion on a matter they have no experience in because they clearly don't know what they are talking about. I have to say that I agree. I don't mind if you distrust them; I start caring the moment someone crosses the bounds into irrational hatred."

"It is not irrational," the second Arcturus insisted.

"No?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever gone out to visit your Muggle neighbours?"

"No!" Arcturus scoffed.

"Hmm. Have you sat in that park across your house amongst the Muggles?"

"No."

"OK. Have you ever gone into a Muggle café, restaurant or cinema?"

"No."

"Have you ever gotten into a bar fight with a Muggle?"

"No! What are these ridiculous questions?"

"You are proving my point, sir," Harry responded coolly. "You have not spent a minute in the company of a Muggle, and yet you are content to believe they are still the same people they were in the 14th and 17th centuries."

The three Blacks once more had no rebuke to that.

"It is a good thing some of our ancestors didn't hear all that," Alphard chuckled. "They would have tried to duel you."

Harry snorted. "Over a difference of opinion?"

"They have done worse," Violetta commented. "Look at the tapestry behind you, my Lady. Really look."

Harry did. Then she noticed them: five scorch marks embedded into the fabric. Rhea Black, Eduardus Limette Black, Iola Black, Phineas Black and Marius Black. It made her heart stop momentarily.

"What happened?" she asked breathlessly.

"They were disowned," Alphard swallowed. "Literally blasted off. Rhea for being a Maledictus and for running off for another man. Eduardus had fallen for a Muggle woman and got a child with her before marriage. Iola married a Muggle too. Phineas Black was a Muggle rights supporter and Grandmother's son Marius … was a Squib who was cast out into the Muggle world when he was ten and it became clear he'd never do magic."

Harry felt her breath hitch and her hands go to her mouth. Violetta had hung her head; the loss of her son still haunted her.

"My grandmother was a harpy," Great-Uncle Arcturus stated. "Eduardus and Iola didn't get a chance to defend themselves or a chance to reconsider their options. My father at least gave my brother Phineas a choice before he was disowned."

"What happened to Marius?" Harry wanted to know.

"We gave him to an orphanage," Violetta whispered. "My little boy …"

The Lady Regnant suddenly felt very sick.

The second Arcturus wasn't very good at reading his audience. "Our family members have done worse. Andromeda Black I was mad. Elladora had a penchant for beheading the dead house elves and having their heads stuffed. Araminta tried to legalise Muggle hunting but that was rejected even in the first round of voting in the Wizengamot-"

"Harry, I am going to get some air. Do you want to come with me?"

It was Loreley Malfoy to the rescue.

"Yes, please," Harry agreed faintly as she walked despondently to join her friend.

Loreley carefully guided Harry to the front of the house and towards the front door.

"Heiress Malfoy, Lady Hera, where are you two going?" Lady Black called after them.

"Harry is in dire need of air, my Lady," Loreley informed serenely.

As Loreley opened the door, Harry heard a cacophony of indignant exclamations from inside the house about the girls going outside unsupervised where the big bad Muggles were lurking around every corner. Harry zoned them out and once she stepped out into the bitterly cold December air, she breathed a sigh of relief, especially when Loreley put Warming Charms around them both.

She even did a happy twirl on the pavement outside the house, causing Loreley to giggle.

"You're looking better already," she commented. "You did remarkably well. I originally foresaw you break sooner."

Harry scoffed. "To be honest, I thought I would too." She laughed derisively. "I am definitely not ready for the Wizengamot!"

Loreley chuckled. "No," she agreed. "Not yet. But on the bright side, I think it is safe to say that your friend Ron and his sibling's future has been secured tonight."

Harry grinned. "So I really wasn't seeing things just now? Between Ignatius and Lucretia, and Cederella and Septimus?"

"The boys are taken; the girls, they will need time to be won over fully," Loreley informed with a cheeky grin. "But no, you were not seeing things."

The Lady Regnant was very pleased with herself at that. She then tilted her head at her Sighted friend. "What about you? Have you foreseen your own partner yet?" she inquired eagerly.

Loreley's saffron eyes shone with mischief. "All in good time, Harry. All in good time."

Harry pouted. "Spoil sport."

"There are rules I have to follow, remember?" the Malfoy heiress chuckled.

"Rules are sometimes so boring, even divine ones," Harry huffed.

"Absolutely," Loreley concurred readily.

Harry looked to the skies, to see if she could perhaps spot a German bomber. "Are we going to get V-1s and V-2s landing on our heads tonight do you think?"

"The bombers won't make it to London tonight," Loreley stated whimsically. "The double-crossers within are doing their job very well indeed."

Harry smirked at that. "Ah, so that's why I am not fainting or getting a pulsing headache tonight."

"Indeed," the Seeress chuckled.

It was at this moment that the sky itself, though, did start dropping something down on London, and that was a cascade of snowflakes. The excited squealing of Orion could clearly be heard from outside, as well as the scolding from Walburga and several others to maintain decorum and keep composure.

Alphard came out with two fur-lined cloaks and put them around each of the girls. "My Lady, Heiress Malfoy, you will both catch cold in this chill. Why did you not bring cloaks with you?" he blabbered as he did so.

"Forgot," Loreley responded serenely.

Harry smiled gratefully at Walburga's brother. "Thank you, Alphard, you're very kind."

Alphard smiled weakly in response. "Please forgive any offense I or my family members have caused you. We Blacks are a complex bunch and we often forget that other wizarding families are a little bit more … normal."

The Lady Regnant gave a curt nod in acknowledgement. "So I see. Thank you for your apology, Alphard. It's forgiven."

The Auror laughed shortly. "You really are impossibly gracious."

"Hey, guys! Smile!" Billy called from behind them. Loreley, Harry and Alphard turned around and smiled as Billy snapped a photo of them with his magical camera and did a small jump of happiness. "Perfect! Your snow crowns add to the aesthetic."

As the young Prewett went back inside, Harry frowned. "Stupid question, but why is Billy taking pictures?"

"Lord and Lady Black asked him to do it," Loreley replied with a floaty sigh. "They want some good photos to put into the new edition of The Court of Britain."

Harry remembered that title. "One of the most popular political journals in Britain?"

"Arcturus and Melania reserved an entire section of the journal for Lucretia's Presentation," Alphard huffed. "A few of us are also giving interviews, which is going to be pure hell. Fortunately I wasn't asked. I am not important enough to consider, being the second son of Pollux Black."

Harry didn't know how to answer that, but fortunately she was saved from an awkward exchange by Callidora Longbottom. "My Lady, Heiress Malfoy, forgive me but Lord and Lady Black request that you come back inside now."

"Very well," Loreley sang as they turned around and went back into the house.

"Back into the madness we go," Harry added, causing Loreley and Alphard to chuckle.

Fortunately for the Lady Regnant's sanity, the rest of the evening passed relatively pleasantly, mainly because everyone made sure that Great-Uncle Arcturus kept away from politics and that Caspar Crouch was not allowed within two metres of her.

##################################################

The morning of 21 December, Tom was awake at a frighteningly early time, even for his doing. Six-thirty; Frey was still snoozing happily on her warm stone bed. He knew that he would not be able to get back to sleep so Tom decided to think about what had happened yesterday after Harry left for Lucretia Black's Presentation.

-Flashback-

As Melanie and Harry stepped through the fireplace, Henry Burke turned to Tom and Altair. "Nick, Perrie and I are going out for some Yule shopping. Melanie will take the two of you to Diagon Alley as soon as she gets back. Will you two be OK alone until then?"

Tom's heart had skipped several beats at this. "Yes, sir. Don't fret about us," he reassured.

The teacher smirked momentarily. "OK then. I will see you later, Tom. Heir Nott, if I do not see you later, it was a pleasure to meet you."

"And you, sir. Call me Altair," Altair answered with a bright smile.

"Altair it is."

The three adults were out the door in a matter of seconds, Nick and Perrie bickering teasingly as usual.

Tom took a deep fortifying breath. "Would you like to see my room?"

Altair lit up, his eyes dancing in the light around the room. "Absolutely! I am dying to see what it looks like for my own eyes."

Tom silently prayed to every divine being who would listen that he wouldn't do something stupid as he led the way down the labyrinthine corridors to his room. This house really could boggle your mind; it was almost like it was enchanted to be that way.

Altair had been like a child in a sweet shop when he saw Tom's room. "Buggering griffins, your room is somehow better in real life! Oh hello, Frey! How are you? … Oh really? Good. Does he snore? Only joking. Oh Merlin, look at that view!" he gushed as he went up to one of Tom's windows.

Tom shut the door with his back and the words came out of his mouth before he could stop them. "That is not the view I am interested in at the moment."

Altair froze at that and turned around slowly. Tom pushed himself off the door and carefully approached, just in case he would scare his lover away. Altair in turn kept his unblinking gaze on him.

"Those are dangerous words," Altair commented in a whisper.

"Doesn't make them any less true," Tom responded easily as he stopped in front of him, burgundy eyes holding Altair's coffee ones in an unblinking gaze.

The boy swallowed. "Are you testing my resolve?"

"Perhaps," Tom smirked. "Mostly my own, though."

Altair's pupils dilated considerably. "You're playing with fire."

Tom almost basked in that feral tone. "Because maybe I don't mind getting burned in this case."

Altair's resolve snapped, just as Tom had hoped for. The two of them were soon engaged in a battle for dominance of their kiss, each trying to get as much of a taste of the other as they could. Tom managed to get the upper hand long enough to get Altair to his bed and gently guide him onto it.

This made Altair panic slightly. "Tom … we can't …" he whispered hoarsely into the kiss. "You know that …"

"I know," Tom reassured lovingly. "We won't. But I couldn't resist doing this."

Before Altair could ask what, Tom placed a few tentative kisses on his neck. When his lover moaned slightly, Tom grinned and deepened them, just to see what reaction he would get. The answer came in the form of Tom finding himself on his back, with Altair doing the exact same to him. Tom almost kicked himself for not keeping his own moans restrained.

Unlike him, Altair had the restraint to pull himself away from Tom after he was finished with his revenge. He started chuckling at Tom, which made him mock-scowl.

"What's so funny, my dear?"

"Nothing," Altair scoffed quietly. "I just never thought I would see Tom Riddle look so rumpled, let alone be the cause of it."

Tom felt himself smile and chuckle. "You look rumpled too you know."

Altair decided to have a look in the mirror at that point, much to Tom's amusement. Tom had to laugh as his lover groaned. "Rumpled? I look ravished!"

"I would prefer the term 'claimed' but ravished is fitting," Tom quipped as Altair returned to the bed.

Altair sighed and then grinned. "Why does Harry always get to escape?"

"She'll get hers soon enough," Tom reassured him, laughing. He then found himself fumbling with his courtship ring. "Is it true that you can't pin point the moment you fell for her?"

Altair considered for a moment before answering. "I keep doubting between the moment she almost blew up our compartment in a fit of lightning, and the evening I asked her for her help with my Potions homework after I got angry at Arc for telling me to compromise with Dolohov." He then looked at Tom. "What about you? When did you fall of her?"

Tom's breath shuddered. "I can't pinpoint it. I realised it around the end of October but the moment it started … I don't know. I never felt anything like this before so I think I was unaware of what happened until much later."

"Fair enough," Altair responded quietly.

Tom then swallowed and pursed his lips momentarily. "Did you … fall for me too?" he almost wanted to hex himself for sounding so pathetically vulnerable.

Altair looked at him in disbelief, sitting up slightly in shock. "Do you even need to ask? Of course I did or I wouldn't be here or permitted you to do what you just did. I fell for you much later than I did for Harry, I admit, but I still did."

Tom nodded rapidly, blinking away his tears. He decided it was best to switch the subject. "Erm … there is something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Altair asked urgently.

"I think I know why Grindelwald wants Harry," Tom swallowed. "She's the Mistress of Death."

Altair almost fell off the bed in shock. "SHE'S WHAT?"

Suddenly there were three knocks at the door.

"Boys, everything OK in there?" Melanie called.

Altair and Tom sat bolt up right and immediately began to straighten their appearances.

"Yes, Melanie, everything's fine! Give us a minute!" Tom called back.

"OK, come down when you're ready."

As they heard Melanie's footsteps recede, the boys couldn't help but splutter with laughter.

Once they composed themselves, Tom turned to Altair. "You OK?"

Altair nodded firmly. "Yes. Let's go."

-Flashback ends-

The trip to Diagon Alley had been fruitful. Tom had presents for the Knights already, for Frey and Athenaïs, and he had managed to find something that Harry's guardians and family friends would like. He had also secretly bought the book on magical combat strategy that Altair had admired in Mr. Burke's bookshop when he, Altair and Melanie went to visit the man at his store to bring him his lunch. Apparently Mr. Burke sometimes forgot to eat during the day when he was at work. Tom was a little peeved he couldn't find a good present for Harry. But what made the trip all the better, was that Tom had managed to gather the components for the Rite of Soul Restoration he had found amongst the Ancient Greek rituals.

He apparently just needed to wait for the next full moon, which was the 29th.

The sound of a fire roaring outside knocked Tom out of his thoughts and got him to get out of bed to take a look outside. Harry was outside, dressed in black, bathing something in that stunning Soul Fire of hers. She had looked beautiful the first time he had seen her use it, but outside in the snow, with the black, blue and silver contrasting with the white landscape, she looked ethereal.

Tom tore himself away from the window and went to take a shower, got dressed and went downstairs. None of the adults were awake yet, judging by the silent kitchen and living room. Tom journeyed to the back of the house and then out into the garden. Athenaïs was lounging like a Sphinx, watching her Witch at work.

It was the Gargouille who greeted him with a mystic chirp.

"Morning to you too, Atty," Tom smiled as he sat on the steps besides her, putting a Warming Charm around them both. "Did you sleep well?"

Kyyuuuooo!

"Good," Tom grinned and turned back to watch Harry work. "Has she been at this for a while?"

Athenaïs nodded.

Tom hummed. He grinned impishly. "Shall I go and see if I can get her to take a break?" he whispered conspiratorially to the Gargouille.

The stone dragon nodded enthusiastically.

Tom got to his feet and carefully approached his lover. As he got closer, he was drawn to the already impressive collection of daggers, short swords, rapiers and the crossbow with clearly magical arrows.

"Morning Tom," Harry greeted jovially as she added the daggers that she had been forging to the selection of weapons.

"Good morning, my dear," Tom answered with a smile. "Hard at work, I see."

"Yep, Yule gifts," Harry responded candidly. "I am not buying presents this year. I am making them."

Tom eye's shone at this and smirked impishly as he observed the weapons. "Any of these for me?" he asked curiously with a hint of eagerness in his tone.

"As if I would tell you. That would ruin the surprise," Harry answered with a cheeky grin. "All I will say that it isn't the crossbow. That's for Artemis."

"Thought as much," Tom chuckled. He shivered as the December wind picked up a little. He was about to cast a Warming Charm on himself but Harry had beaten him to it.

"You forgot your cloak, idiot," she commented.

"Yes," Tom chuckled softly. "I got rather distracted when I woke up just now, by a gorgeous girl in the snow forging weapons."

Harry's cheeks flushed red. "You're still an idiot."

"Very true." Tom tilted his head slightly. "How was the Presentation? I wasn't there to greet you last night; I had an early night."

"That's OK, I expected as much," Harry smiled reassuringly. She sighed. "As for the Presentation, it was … eye opening. The Blacks are not what I expected. Naturally I knew they'd be as mad as each other but they were all relatively civil. With one or two exceptions."

Tom frowned and felt his jaw clench slightly. "Did someone say something to you? About your parents?"

Harry's expression darkened. That was all the answer Tom needed.

"Who was it?" he demanded, his hands curling into fists.

It took a moment for Harry to answer. "Charis Black's husband, Caspar Crouch. He basically refused to acknowledge my status as Lady Regnant of my House and that when she expressed her sympathy to me for the death of Mama and Papa, Lycoris was accused of giving false sympathy to the half-blood in the room because she had never been sorry for the death of a … well, I think you know the word that was used."

Tom's eyes were ruby with rage. "Please tell me Lord and Lady Black evicted him from the premises."

"Not exactly but everyone made sure he couldn't come near me again when his wife practically dragged him out of the room by his ear," Harry chuckled mirthlessly. "I confess I did feel a little overwhelmed at one point so Loreley and I went to get some air."

"So, nothing too scandalous will be in The Court of Britain, then?" Tom asked with a small grin.

"Not unless you count Septimus falling already for Cederella Black and Ignatius already head over heels for Lucretia scandalous," Harry responded with a cheeky grin. "The other Arcturus Black got his butt handed to him in cards by little Billy, I said thank you to a house elf and there was a competition for the best Presentation gifts apparently that almost resulted in a catfight – I don't know if those a scandalous either."

Tom blinked at her. "You said thank you … to a house elf?"

"Oh don't you start too!" Harry huffed.

"It's not necessarily bad, Harry," Tom reassured quickly. "It's just not … done."

"Well perhaps it should be!" she fired back, her verdant eyes shining dangerously. "Because I can speak from the experience of being treated like dirt under someone's shoes that a little bit of kindness goes a long bloody way!"

Tom swallowed. "I agree," he stated placatingly, "the issue is, the wizards are trying to preserve what little culture they have left. Showing kindness to a servant, it goes against the status quo and, whether Dark or Light or Grey, they will not take to it easily."

"I know that," Harry responded coldly. "But that isn't going to stop me."

"I would have been worried if it did," Tom grinned wryly. "You would not be the Harry I know … and love, then and I would have to rally the troops to get you out of the Otherworld."

Harry laughed shortly at that. "I would be the prisoner from hell, though. I would pull a Julius Caesar on my captors."

Tom barked out a laugh. "What? Pretend to be insulted by the ransom proposed, forcing your captors to listen to your new compositions and yelling at them when you want to sleep and they are making too much noise?"

"That, and several other things," Harry agreed brightly.

"I daresay they would return you after a day just to save their sanity," Tom chuckled. He then turned quite serious. "I would still rescue you if you would not be returned within a day."

"Would you?" the Lady Regnant whispered, suddenly avoiding his gaze.

Tom gently turned her face to make her look at him again. "I think I can speak for Altair too when I say that whoever dares to try and take you away from us, against your will or otherwise, won't live to regret their miscalculation."

Harry flushed. She cleared her throat; she didn't know what to do or say, Tom knew that very well. He didn't want an immediate answer anyway. He just wanted it to have been made clear that anyone who threatened his lovers would not live to see another sunrise.

It was then Melanie arrived. "Morning, Harry! Morning, Tom! Ah, Atty, you too. Would all of you like some hot chocolate? It's freezing out here! Bring those weapons of yours in as well, Harry – you can continue later."

Tom and Athenaïs helped Harry carry the weapons into the house and carefully placed around the music room before joining Melanie for hot chocolate and helping to lay the breakfast table. Henry, Nick and Perrie joined them just as they finished. Athenaïs went to fetch Frey for breakfast as they came down the stairs.

It was a little embarrassing for Tom when the Malfoy owls arrived with his costume and Athenaïs' during breakfast, especially when Melanie ask to see it; Harry and Henry had saved Tom's dignity by scolding her for being so nosy. Athenaïs had deigned to show off her costume though, happily slipping into the black fabric and putting the wolf skull on her head, prancing around the kitchen and pretending to hunt souls.

Tom had to put in a lot of effort to restrain himself from cooing at the Gargouille's adorable antics. Because of it, he barely noticed Harry and her House allies leave to go to her study.

#######################################

"One of Grindelwald's agents was there at the Presentation," Harry stated bluntly the moment Hypnos had closed her study door behind him and put Silencing Charms and privacy wards around it.

Her uncles and her godly friends froze in horror.

"Oh don't worry, he didn't recognise me," Harry reassured almost flippantly. "Otherwise he would not have tried to insult me."

"No, he would have likely attacked you," Thanatos commented dryly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Who was he?"

"Caspar Crouch, Charis Black's husband," Harry informed.

"I have never been so thankful to my son's nightmares in my life," Hypnos sighed deeply.

"But it stands to reason that if he was there at the Presentation, he will be there at the Malfoy Ball," Cadmus pointed out. "Maybe the other agent as well. We will have at least four Grindelwald agents to deal with: Queenie, Vida and those two."

"That could be a problem," Melinoë commented. "Because if we do our usual thing and any of those four recognise our powers, the game is up and they will know who Harry is – and people will know that she has three gods as guardians, which is a big Divine Law no-no."

"You're assuming a fight is going to break out," Thanatos pointed out.

"Tosti, it's the Malfoy Ball. A fight always breaks out!" Antioch huffed. "There has not been one ball that has ended in a duel, or chairs thrown, or women trying to destroy each other's dresses, or someone stealing someone else's lady friend or fornicating with someone else's wife or daughter-"

"All right, brother, we get the point!" Ignotus cut across, shaking his head.

Harry giggled.

"There is only one thing that might be a consolation," Cadmus piped up. "The Malfoys did learn from past mistakes: wands have to be given for safe keeping. They are only returned to the owner when they wish to leave."

Harry frowned. "But who is to say Queenie and Vida don't have both with them – the wands of the people they are disguised as, and their own?"

"That is a good point," the Goddess of Ghosts deflated slightly.

"I will write to the Malfoys to inquire about their security measures," Thanatos decided. "Play the concerned guardian role; hopefully Lady Malfoy will be most obliging with the information."

Harry smirked to herself. "Something tells me she will be." She then sobered up and looked at her godly friends. "But let's not rely only on what Lady Malfoy may assure us. I don't know if this is possible, but could one of you get me a layout of Malfoy Manor? We need to know any possible blind zones, any danger zones that we need to avoid at all costs – oh and can you also make sure it has secret passages listed? I think it is useful to know some extra escape routes."

Her uncles started chuckling. "My, my, someone is definitely thinking like a Peverell," Antioch teased as Thanatos immediately went over to one of the taller bookcases and levitated down a thick scroll tied with blue ribbon and brought it back over to Harry, who immediately untied the ribbon carefully, began to unroll the scroll and brought it back over to her desk and began to study the grand layout of the Manor that had been drawn by Edmund Peverell.

How Edmund Peverell had managed to do this was beyond her but Harry thanked Merlin, Morgana and all the fairies of Avalon that he did.

Harry knew that the Ball was going to likely be held in the grandest ballroom in the house, which was fittingly at the heart of the Manor, and went from there.

"OK – several doors leading the to the garden, a grand entrance, obviously," she began talking to herself. "Left door that leads to several entertaining rooms, a parlour – all three have small passageways leading upstairs … these two lead to the balconies around the ball room. Good vantage points here, here and here – a blind spot there!" The gods joined her as she rambled, listening and watching carefully. "Right door leads towards another entertaining room, with more doors to the garden. Oh here – a secret passage behind the armour of Armand Malfoy I. Leads directly to … the family wing. This shaves in theory more than ten minutes off an upstairs journey … good to know. The garden is like a labyrinth … entrances, here and here … right … two doors to the roof …"

Harry promptly rolled the map up again, smiling gleefully to herself. "I've got it!"

"Good," Hypnos smiled. "Hey, Harry. I know this is might be a stupid suggestion, but don't you think you should tell your friends what is going on?"

Harry froze momentarily mid roll before continuing. "They already have enough on their plates as it is," she answered firmly. "I think I have put them in enough danger with the clue that I left them about the reason Mr. Weird-Eyes is after me. They don't need to be put into anymore danger."

"One of them already is putting himself in danger for you," Thanatos told her candidly. "Tom Riddle is getting rid of his Horcruxes."

"He's what?!" Harry's heart momentarily skipped two beats. "No … no way."

"Yes way, or he would not have written to me about a ritual that could fix a split soul," Thanatos responded, fishing the letter out of his pocket and handing it to her.

Harry took it gently and unfolded it, beginning to read as her heart practically jumped out of her rib cage. It was almost too good to be true. But she couldn't deny the regret and emotion she felt from the words she was reading. Tom wanted to get rid of his Horcruxes. His keys to immortality.

"How dangerous is the ritual?" Harry demanded as she handed Tosti his letter back.

"The one he has selected, it is dangerous because it is the most intricate but the most powerful," Thanatos informed her.

"He has the components for it already," Melinoë added. "All he needs is the full moon, which is the 29th."

Harry nodded despondently. "Does he … need help with it? The ritual?" she whispered.

"From you, probably," Hypnos admitted. "However, that would mean confessing to him who you are: the Mistress of Death. It would also mean having to come up with a story about how you figured out what he had done to himself."

Harry winced.

"Yeah, that conversation might get a little awkward," Melinoë agreed.

"A little?!" Harry scoffed. "I might as well confess to being a Traveller at that point!"

"Well that only leaves one option," Ignotus stated. "You need to let the boy come to you for help on his own. Or find an opportune moment to convince him to allow you to help without spilling any dangerous secrets."

Harry nodded and she suddenly began to laugh as a thought struck her. When her family frowned at her in confusion, she composed herself. "Sorry. I was just thinking about something Abraxas Malfoy said to me. How I looked like Evren on Samhain. Well, now I am likely acting like her too!"

The gods and paintings started chortling.

"It is fitting, though," Antioch told her. "Espionage and dangerous secrets were our family's trade for centuries."

"And now it seems it is mine too," Harry sighed. She nodded. "I will let Tom do his thing. If he comes to me with the truth, I will offer my help. Not before. As for involving my friends in this, I veto it until absolutely necessary. I will not put them in any more danger."

"As you wish, my Lady," Thanatos stated as he and the other two gods bowed.

"Oh don't do that! Showing deference to a mortal is beneath you," Harry quipped, amusement in her tone.

"Not when it's you, my friend," Melinoë countered.

The conversation was brought to a halt when the magpie Patronus belonging to the Immortal Alchemist came flying in. "My dears, I do not wish to be pushy but are you ready yet? Perrie and I want to go somewhere and I am sure Master Tom is bored out of his wits though he does not says it. I was thinking of a trip to the famous Rowena's Sanctuary?"

"He is right about one thing, we are cooped up indoors for too long," Harry commented as the magpie faded.

"Guess a Glamour for those two is in order," Thanatos sighed fondly. "Rowena's Sanctuary it is!"

Rowena's Sanctuary was a beautiful little town hidden in the Scottish Highlands; it had a Scots Gaelic name too but neither Harry nor Tom risked offending the locals by butchering the pronunciation of it. It reminded them a little of Kelpie's Hollow, only Rowena's Sanctuary was a bit bigger and overlooked the lake that it neighboured, rather than lay beside it. Athenaïs especially loved it: the music, the people, the food and the pats from the children. She even won over a local seamstress by modelling a few hats and collars for familiars that she was designing. What shocked both Harry and Tom was that the woman in question was a Muggle who barely flinched at the fact Atty was a dragon.

"But how …" Harry had asked her weakly.

The woman had smiled at her brightly. "My family have lived here for generations, bairn. Even for ye secret law was passed. But, non-magical folk like mine who have had family in Rowena's Sanctuary since yer law was passed had made a pact with their wizarding friends. Our families would never move in order to protect their secret. If a family did want to move, their memory of magic would be Obliviated, as ye magical lot put it. That way, yer law is not broken and the wizards can live in peace and in the open."

Harry and Tom didn't say anything to that. They had thought the entire village was composed of only wizards because no one flinched at the sight of magic. Apparently, that assumption was entirely incorrect. Even the Muggle tour guide who took them to the local castle didn't care about their magical nature.

But the trip had been fruitful, especially since Athenaïs was pleased she could finally buy presents for her friends and family with Nick and Perrie's help.

#########################################

Altair was giddy with excitement on the 22nd, so much so that he was up at seven in the morning, taking a run through the Nott estates with Andras close at his heels, ecstatic to be running outside again in the snow. Being a Northern Inuit dog, Andras absolutely loved snow and the winter, and Altair absolutely shared that sentiment with his familiar. A run was a good time to clear his head and have a good think; something Altair needed a lot of these days.

The day before he had spent his time running, wondering if the Presentation went well, missing both Harry and Tom, going to that stupid costume fitting for the Malfoy Ball and then trying not to hex his father as he berated everything and everyone around him. Especially his wife. Altair also knew why that happened: Mattheo did not like the fact his wife would be chaperoning their son and his suitors to Lycoris Black's concert because it meant the public would remember she exists.

It had been a case of saved by the three-way mirror. Harry and Tom had called him after a trip the family took to Rowena's Sanctuary in Scotland and told him about the castle, the lake and the Muggles and wizards living together in peace despite the Muggles knowing that magic exists. Altair was very glad that he had moved to his room at this point because he knew he would have been in even more hot water with his father, had he seen his son visibly freak out the way he did.

"How … how is that even possible?! How did we miss this? Oh Merlin's saggy balls. Aithusa's noxious farts! Even Muggles living in Godric's Hollow don't know about us. How did they manage to slip through the Ministry's net-"

"Altair, darling, please continue breathing or we'll have to come over there and make you," Harry had commented dryly.

"Sweetheart, I don't think he would mind being resuscitated by either of us," Tom had quipped with a grin.

"Touché, dear," Harry had answered easily.

Altair was not as blasé. "Why are you two not freaking out?!"

"Oh, Tom did."

"I did not."

"You almost fainted."

"I did not!"

"Oh yes, Athenaïs was fanning you for no reason, I remember now. How remiss of me."

"Why you cheeky-"

Unfortunately, Lord Nott's shouting ruined the good mood between all three of them. "ALTAIR! Where are you? You still need to fit your boots, boy!"

Andras growled at this. Altair had sighed quietly in irritation. "Coming, Father."

"Hurry up! I have more important business to attend to today."

"Yeah, I bet you do," Altair had grumbled venomously. He turned back to his future Consorts. "I will see you two tomorrow."

"We're looking forward to it," Harry had beamed at him. "Don't let him drive you mad, sweetheart."

"I'll try," Altair had huffed as he broke the connection.

Altair had no idea how he managed to survive his father but he did. Fortunately it seemed that Lord Nott had no intention of coming out of his hidey hole in his study for the day, which meant Altair could have breakfast with his mother in her chambers, along with Ava and Andras, at around ten. Which meant Altair had enough time to run, shower and do some Yule homework before Ava summoned him.

That morning, his mother was in slightly higher spirits than normal, reading a freshly delivered copy of The Court of Britain, eyes shining and an actual smile on her face. She looked more youthful and full of life than Altair had seen her before. He exchanged a look with Ava, who winked at him subtly. Andras perked up too, sensing a slightly happier atmosphere than he was used to.

"Did you sleep well, Mother?" Altair asked curiously, trying to be as subtle as possible.

"Well enough, thank you, dear," his mother smiled serenely. "Did you?" she asked teasingly.

Altair flushed as he sipped his tea. "Yes."

"Are you sure? Are you not nervous for tonight?" his mother frowned with concern. "I mean, you three will be seen in public together for the first time and it can be very overwhelming-"

"Mother, I am fine," Altair reassured gently. He then peered at the new copy of The Court of Britain. "Anything new happening? Have the Dolohovs decided which poor girl is going to be saddled with Caius?"

"Oh Altair!" his mother laughed shaking her head. "No, not yet. I was reading the chapter on Lucretia Black's Presentation. There is a really funny anecdote about Arcturus Black the Elder and Cassiopeia Black getting absolutely throttled by young Bilius Prewett and his sister Tessa during a game of cards."

"Really?" Altair lit up as his mother handed him the journal. He laughed heartily at the photos of Billy and Tessa high-fiving while Arcturus the Elder and Cassiopeia shook their heads derisively at themselves with the people surrounding them laughing. "Oh Merlin! I know some topics that will be coming up at the Yule Ball this year."

"Indeed," his mother chuckled sipping her tea. "I have read it twice already. You should read it too. It's sweet and funny – not a hint of scandal somehow!"

Altair did, curious to see what was said in the article and to see the photos. There were the usual pictures of all the guests and their children. Altair could barely contain his laughter when looking at some of them. He smiled brightly at the photos of Walburga, Druella and Harry presenting the flower tokens to the Prewetts and Ignatius and loved the description given by Lady Black, Lady Malfoy and the former Lord Black. Altair loved the photos of Ignatius and Lucretia's Exchange and the hilarious anecdotes provided by the witnesses. He laughed at the goofy photos of Orion and Walburga and of Druella silently suffering next to Cygnus. There were some good photos of Sirius Black II and his wife Hesper talking to Harry, Tessa and the Weasleys. Lucretia and Ignatius' first dance had been captured too. There was a speculative passage next to photos of Cederella Black with both Weasley brothers and then the hilarious column next to the amusing photos of Billy and Tessa winning at cards against adults. Altair's favourite part was entitled The Three Muses, which was about Harry, Lycoris and Lucretia playing music together.

On the whole it was a glowing piece. But Altair couldn't help but be bothered by a photograph of Loreley, Harry and Alphard Black outside of the house, being crowned by snowflakes. He had no idea why he suddenly felt like tearing the part of the photo that had Alphard in it.

Perhaps it was because the Auror looked like the Dark Consort of a Queen and the two had been in conference with their Court Sorceress. Alphard looked like a natural Consort; it made Altair a little self-conscious.

His mother noticed a sudden change in him. "Altair, whatever is the matter?"

"Nothing," he dismissed coolly, handing the journal back to his mother.

Unfortunately for him, Lady Nott was not born yesterday and her eyes went straight to the beautiful photograph of Heiress Malfoy, Lady Hera and Auror Black that had made her smile each time she saw it. This time it made her frown.

"I doubt anything nefarious was going on when this was taken," she stated. "Or afterwards for that matter."

"I know," Altair finished putting cream and then jam onto his scone.

"Then what is it?" Lady Nott asked gently.

"Just my own stupid insecurities. Like I said, it's nothing," Altair huffed, biting into his scone.

Lady Nott's brow furrowed. "Insecurities? About what? The Lady Hera's regard for you?"

"No," Altair responded after finishing his mouthful. "I don't doubt that at all, nor Tom's either." He sighed in irritation. "Look at them, Mother. Pretend you don't know who these three are. Would you assume that the man and woman on the right were courting?"

Lady Nott looked aghast. "Altair, no one in their right mind would assume these two are courting, mainly because everyone is already aware the Lady Regnant is off limits-"

"Alphard is a Black, Mother!" Altair pointed out sharply. "They are older than us, richer than us and have more power in the Wizengamot than us. That alone will put an idea into people's heads, whether Harry is off limits or not. Tom is still considered by some families as a respectable interloper! As for me-"

"You are the Heir to the Noble House of Nott!" Lady Nott stated firmly. "You are a match for any Heir or Heiress, no matter what your father may think. Do not even contemplate selling yourself short! As for Alphard Black, he may have the name but he has no power! He stands to inherit nothing, and you stand to inherit your family's fortune and legacy. You outrank him, as you fully well know." She exhaled. "You have nothing to be jealous of."

Altair hung his head, closing his eyes. "I know. I just … couldn't help it. I don't know why."

Lady Nott smiled knowingly but said nothing more on the matter. "Would you like to teach me how to play Dragon Land after breakfast?"

Altair lit up. "As long as Ava joins in too!"

"As you wish, Master Altair," Ava laughed.

##################################

The morning of the concert Harry and Tom spent their time on arranging and creating more Yule gifts. Later, they both got ready for the concert more than two hours before Lady Nott and Altair were to arrive to pick them up. Tom had taken a long shower and picked one of his best pureblood suits. Harry had a little bit more of an issue with having the very normal problem of having a now full wardrobe and thus had too much choice and could not decide what to wear. Evren and Melinoë thus had been responsible for dressing her in a black dress with green dragon scale sleeves and Evren's amulet around her neck.

"At least there is no zip with this on that can get stuck," Harry muttered to herself as she put her ticket into her purse and wrapped her ruana around herself, her comment causing her ancestress and her goddess friend to chuckle. The Mistress of Death slipped the dagger with her Abraxan soul into her boot.

One could never be too careful.

As Harry descended the stairs to find that apparently Altair and his mother also were very excited for their outing because they were already sitting with Tom, Nick, Perrie, Thanatos and Hypnos, drinking hot chocolate – the Lady Nott sipping it very carefully – and eating the Yule cookies the family had made and decorated.

Harry had no idea why but the sight made her stop half way on the stairs. Fortunately, Melinoë had taken Harry's Hansa Camera and snapped a shot of them while they weren't looking.

"Thought you might want your camera tonight," the Goddess of Ghosts grinned, putting it back into the camera shoulder bag and handing it to Harry.

"Thanks," Harry smiled gratefully.

"Ah, Harry, there you are! Is it just me or do women take so long to change no matter what age it is?" Nick quipped as she came down the stairs.

Perrie whacked him around the head.

"OWW! Perrie!"

"A woman needs her prep time, Nicholas!" Perrie scolded.

"Especially if she's a Lady Regnant," Melinoë added brightly.

Lady Nott was up on her feet and approached Harry, dipping a very low curtsey. "Your guardians wrote to me this morning, explaining the situation, my Lady. I first wish to thank you for trusting me to come to your home and second, for trusting me to chaperone you."

Harry smiled brightly. "You're welcome. I thank you for your willingness to be discreet about who I really am."

"The Peverells are back in Britain, where they belong," the Lady Nott responded candidly. She actually started to giggle. "Pretty exciting if I have to admit!"

"Was quite a journey to get back," Harry responded through a small smile. "I'm glad that I did."

The Lady Nott wilted. "I am so sorry about your parents, your loved ones and friends. Altair told me that your closest friends came to visit for Samhain."

"Yes," Harry confirmed with a smile as she followed Lady Nott back to the sofa.

"May I ask what they were like? Your parents? Your friends?"

Harry laughed shortly. "My parents were practically strangers to me," she stated candidly. "I loved them but they were … absent. They sacrificed a lot to keep me alive, but I don't think I ever really knew them as people. What I do know, is that my mother scared the crap out of Grindelwald's men and also out of my father and his friends." Harry smirked. "My father … was a nuisance to the Alliance. He could be brave but also quite reckless; guess I get that from him."

"Understatement," Hypnos commented dryly, causing everyone to chuckle.

Harry shook her head at him. "Yes, thank you for that, Henry." Harry took a moment to gather her thoughts. "As for my friends, I first met Ron and his family. I was eleven. They helped me to settle in, so to speak. Ron went out of his way to befriend me," Harry laughed at this point. "He thought I was a boy at first, mainly because of how I dressed, and the fact I called myself Harry. Then he saw my scar and sussed out I was the same Hera Evans who was attacked at age one. Word travels fast in Resistance circles, it turns out. Ron was fun, humorous, sarcastic, chess-mad, Quidditch-mad and was a human garbage disposal."

"A what?" Lady Nott blinked.

"Oh, sorry – Muggle phrase. Taught to me by my Muggle relatives," Harry smiled weakly. "It means he could eat a lot without much problem."

"I see," Lady Nott smiled weakly.

Harry continued to go through her friends, assessing Lady Nott's reaction to each one. She noted that Lady Nott had no idea how to react to Hermione being Muggleborn but being the smartest witch in the group, absolutely loved hearing about Luna and Neville, was taken aback at Ginny's brazen character and laughed heartily at some of Harry's stories about Fred and George.

On the whole, not too judgemental but it seemed that Lady Nott tried not to exude too much emotion anyway.

Harry then decided to take a risk. "What are your parents like, my Lady?"

Lady Nott blinked at her in disbelief, as though she could not fathom why anyone would take an interest in anything about her. "Erm," she laughed nervously. "My father and mother were ambitious and ruthless in their pursuit for political influence. I sometimes still cannot believe they were Hufflepuffs." She took a deep breath. "My father was old fashioned, stern and had no sense of humour to speak of. My mother was obsessed with making eligible matches for her daughters and nieces; that was all she ever thought about. I never saw her read or play a game – it was only just plots and schemes."

Harry could not resist making a snide remark. "Sounds incredibly boring."

Lady Nott clearly did not see that coming because she gave a disbelieving laugh. "Boring?" she repeated in awe.

"Yes, one note," Harry clarified. She smirked momentarily before composing herself again. She continued in a sing-song tone. "Scheme, scheme, plot, plot, plot some more, ooo look mail, scheme, plot, scheme, has my daughter got an offer of marriage from this Lord yet, plot, plot-"

Snickers and guffaws ran around the room. Lady Nott was laughing silently. "You are as unconventional as has been reported," was all Altair's mother had to say.

"I am sorry to disappoint," Harry smiled smally.

"Disappoint?" the Lady Nott was taken aback. "Absolutely not!"

"Mother, we need to get going," Altair, who had cast a Tempus, informed.

"Oh yes! Oh I am such a feather head!" Lady Nott leapt to her feet and the quartet fetched their cloaks. "We have our tickets – yes good. Here, a photograph of The Mosai – my Lady I trust you can Apparate. Yes? Good. Then let us depart."

"Have fun!" the five immortals called after them.

The quartet Apparated without issue and appeared directly in front of a grand theatre with The Mosai fixed onto the front of the building in big gold letters. Well dressed and upper-crust looking people were appearing left, right and centre, chatting about the concert with excitement. Harry gulped a little. This was a fancy looking place – oh boy, what had she gotten herself into?

She felt Tom's left hand take her right and gave it a reassuring squeeze before their party made their way inside. The lobby of the theatre could have been the entrance to Buckingham bloody Palace for all Harry knew with its exquisite carpets, crystal chandelier and portraits hanging on the wall. Almost as soon as they had the foot in the door, they were greeted by a ticket checker, wand checker and cloak checker. They did check her camera for a flash but when they found none, the checkers let her keep it. Much to the Mistress of Death's relief, no one thought to check her boots.

The ticket checker lit up as soon as he saw their tickets. "Ah, you must be the party of the Lady Regnant. Ah, my Lady, it is pleasure to welcome you to The Mosai. Please follow Emmett up to your box. Do not fret about confections – Madam Black already has seen to it that some were brought up for you. Enjoy your evening!"

"I did not miss this feeling at all," Harry found herself voicing as they followed a very enthusiastic Emmett up the grand staircase.

"What feeling is that?" the Lady Nott asked, keeping her tone low so that Emmett could not overhear them.

"The feeling of being known, recognised," Harry answered glumly. It was like being the Girl-Who-Lived again. She had dreaded this feeling returning. "I hate it. I prefer being in the background and out of the spotlight."

The Lady Nott blinked in shock. "But you are such an interesting character. There are many who wish to know you."

"Yes, and I still have a massive Dark Lord-sized problem on my hands," Harry pointed out coolly. "More to the point, I don't wish to be known by everyone. It causes more problems than it's worth."

Lady Nott didn't argue. Tom and Altair exchanged a look.

The three young wizards and their chaperone followed Emmett up several flights of stairs and down an equally splendid corridor, where there were more portraits lining the corridor of famous composers, playwrights and actors who all performed at the theatre. There was one of Lycoris too, and Mr. Meret.

Speaking of the Egyptian-English composer, when the group passed one of the boxes on the second floor, one of the occupants came out. "Miss Evans!"

Harry halted immediately, as did Tom, Altair and the Lady Nott. Emmett too. The Lady Regnant turned and beamed when she saw the composer, dressed in a very sharp suit. "Mr. Meret! What a surprise. How are you, sir?"

"On the whole quite well, thank you," Mr. Meret replied with a smile. "I suppose I should address you as 'my Lady'. Forgive me. I still tend to forget."

"It's quite all right, sir," Harry smiled reassuringly. "Enjoy your evening!"

"You too, my Lady. It was a pleasure to see you."

Emmett's eyes shone as they continued down the corridor and towards the stairs up to the third floor boxes. "I did not know you were acquainted with Sethos Meret, my Lady."

"A little. He owns the music shop in Hogsmeade where I bought my violin," Harry answered, smiling smally.

"I still find it surprising that a man such as Sethos Meret would be content with running a music shop," Lady Nott put in tentatively. "His music has such an enchanting quality to it. I cannot imagine that people have gotten bored of him already."

"A man needs an income and if inspiration does not strike, he does not receive what he needs to survive, my Lady," Harry pointed out.

"That is very much true," Lady Nott nodded. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you want to do something with your own music in the future?" Lady Nott smiled nervously. "I saw the photos of and the column about you, Lycoris Black and Lucretia playing music together. I also heard about the gifts you gave Altair and Tom; that doesn't really sound like a talent that should be left on a shelf."

Harry shook her head. "Music is a hobby to me; a passionate hobby, but still a hobby. I enjoy Cursebreaking; I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie and it allows me to solve mysteries and face potential danger without me constantly being out in the field. I don't want to do music full time because it will take the fun out of it."

Emmett led the way down the bright, third floor corridor, which was somehow grander than the one below, and like the second floor, Harry had acquaintances who were attending the concert and who also happened to see her pass their box, so decided to come out to greet her.

"My Lady!"

The Cursebreaker smiled to herself as she turned around and saw Katerina, Miles and Rollo Rowle in the entrance to their boxes, all dressed up to the point Harry felt slightly underdressed. "Miss Vasilyeva, Mr. Jiri and Mr. Rowle! How are you?"

"Us? In dire need for a holiday! Which is why King Ragnok brought us tickets for the show," Katerina, dressed in periwinkle blue, rushed over and gave her a hug and then released her to look her up and down. "You look stunning."

Harry beamed at her. "Thank you, so do you."

Katerina then turned her attention onto Altair and Tom, lighting up. "So these two must be Heir Nott and Mr. Tom Riddle. Our girl's future Consorts."

Altair and Tom bowed their heads to her.

"Hello, ma'am," Tom greeted politely as they straightened.

"Oh my, such a gentleman," Katerina giggled. "Not bad looking, either of them." She then saw Lady Nott, who seemed like she was trying to blend in with the wallpaper. Katerina, though, didn't allow her to be a wallflower. "Oooo your chaperone, I assume?"

"This is my mother, the Lady Amaris Nott," Altair introduced with a smile.

Katerina looked back at her friends, who looked quite surprised, and then turned around with a smile and dipped a curtsey. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, my Lady. I am Katerina Vasilyeva; I am a colleague of the Lady Regnant's."

"Hello," Lady Nott smiled smally.

"Katerina, I think Her Ladyship would like to go to her seat," Rollo called over, shaking his head. "We can try to catch up with her later if there is time."

"Ah yes!" Katerina grinned. "Do forgive me, I am a bit of a blabbermouth. I just couldn't resist to say hello. Enjoy the concert!"

"Thank you. I am glad you did come and say hello," Harry reassured as she and her party followed Emmett again to the box that was three down from Rollo, Miles and Katerina's. It was stunning; one had perfect vantage point over the rest of the house; downstairs seats, the stage, other boxes. There were four luxurious chairs prepared and table covered with plates – sandwiches, cakes, pastries.

Harry practically flopped into one of the chairs, leaning her head back against the back of it, her eyes closed, taking a moment to compose herself before quickly sitting up again just in case a journalist had also managed to sneak a camera into the house.

Altair took a sandwich before he took the seat to her left. Tom took the seat on Harry's right and Lady Nott took the seat next to Tom's, looking very excited. "Your fellow Cursebreakers seem like a nice bunch of people," Altair commented to Harry.

"They are," Harry smiled. "There are two others I know; Oscar de Vere and Hirano Satoshi, but they're not here right now. I suspect they have been sent on a mission."

"Do they get sent on missions often?" Tom asked, something in his tone that Harry could not read.

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "There is a lot of planning that goes into missions; a few can be more spontaneous. I don't get the impression Mr. Rowle and his top level Cursebreakers get sent into the field as much anymore."

"Do you think you will have to go on missions too?" Altair inquired, sounding more than a little concerned.

Harry swallowed. "Maybe. It depends on what skills are required for a particular mission." She then turned to look at Altair. "Until Scythe and Raven get a reputation and their own clientele, Gringotts call the shots. If they need me to help in an assignment in Egypt or Peru or even in Svalbard I don't really have much of a choice in the matter. It's my job, you know this."

"I know," Altair swallowed. "It doesn't stop me from worrying. After what happened with … your last assignment, I am genuinely scared for your next one." He closed his eyes monetarily.

Harry didn't say anything as she took his right hand into her left, intertwined their fingers, and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Altair squeezed back, taking a fortifying breath. "I don't want to lose you. Either of you."

"You won't," Harry promised firmly.

"I told him so once before," Tom added. "My view point hasn't changed."

It was fortunately not too long after that the lights began to dim and the candles on stage suddenly lit up. Lycoris Black, dressed in an awesome silver dress that looked a bit like a Sleeping Beauty dress, seemingly appeared out of nowhere, sitting at the piano. Harry could not help but smile as Lycoris began to play the song they played together two days previously. She was pleasantly surprised to hear that the back up violinists in the orchestra were following a very similar playing pattern that she had.

For the first time in the evening, Harry sat back and enjoyed the music, her heart beating with every change in emotion that was invoked by Lycoris' work. At the same time she was also trying to fortify her Occlumency shields as her thoughts drifted to less-than-pure ones for her two lovers that the current piece Lycoris was playing pulled out. Altair must have sensed something change in her because he started caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. Tom took her other hand, also sensing her heightened state.

Harry inhaled, counted to ten, fortified her shields and exhaled, focusing on the music.

Just as Lycoris was beginning her third piece, Harry found herself flinching – something had hit against her Occlumency shields. She quickly put some more fortifications up and frowned. What the hell was that? The Lady Regnant thought that she perhaps had imagined things until she felt a definite hit, and then another, against her shields that made her visibly grimace.

Altair, Tom and their chaperone definitely noticed this.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Tom asked urgently in a whisper.

"Someone's attacking my Occlumency shields," Harry answered back in a similar tone.

"Shit," Altair muttered, already trying to subtly scan for the possible attacker.

"Altair, stop," Harry whispered. "It's too dark. Fortify your own shields."

Tom and Altair did as she instructed, closing their eyes for a good few seconds before opening their eyes again. Harry herself sat up again and focused her gaze on Lycoris, breathing as evenly as she could manage. The Lady Regnant waited for the next attack all the way through the fourth and fifth piece, and even during the interval when Lycoris and the audience could get some more refreshments.

Nothing.

Lady Nott took the opportunity to check on Harry and when she was informed that not only did some try to use Mind Magics to attack the Lady Peverell but that all three young folk knew Occlumency, the Lady Nott paled.

It seemed that Harry's reactions had been noted by others because Rollo, Miles and Katerina had appeared in the entrance of the box, looking extremely concerned. "My Lady, what happened? Are you all right? Is it a headache?" Katerina questioned.

"Someone tried to get into my head," Harry answered candidly.

"Excuse me?" Miles' eyes widened. "You mean … you fought them off?"

"Yep. Occlumency shields, remember?" Harry confirmed brightly.

Rollo chuckled. "Of course. Well done, my Lady."

"Thanks!"

"Did they try again?" Katerina wanted to know.

"Only three times," Harry reassured as she took a cake. "So far nothing."

Rollo frowned, as did Miles and Katerina. "We will get to the bottom of this," Miles promised.

"Don't. It is too dark, but they are likely to sit opposite," Harry told them. "Or very close by."

"We will keep our eyes peeled," Katerina stated. She and Miles left soon after.

Harry turned her attention on Rollo with a grin. "Pity King Ragnok did not give you an extra ticket or you could have asked Henry to come with you."

Rollo flushed. "I wouldn't have dared to ask him. I am … not that forward."

Harry smirked at him. "I think you should be. How else are you supposed to get to know someone and see where the boundaries are?"

"You have a point there," Rollo huffed. He laughed shortly. "To be honest I expected something like this could happen. You did get featured quite prominently in the piece about Lucretia Black's Presentation in The Court of Britain."

Harry paled at this. "What?! I thought it centred around the Blacks only."

Altair and Tom looked resigned at this.

Harry turned to them. "What was said about me?"

"Nothing horrible! Just about your penchant for music, your ability to bond quickly with Lycoris, your openness to different ideas and your friendship with the Heirs," Altair reassured. "You were mentioned very sporadically but enough to get someone to maybe pick up on who you are."

"And it is no exaggeration to say that the journal gets read by every magical person in the land?" Harry gauged in a dangerously quiet tone.

"Pretty much," Altair admitted sheepishly.

"Shit!" Harry's eyes flashed silver as she realised what a colossal fuck up her friends' family had made. "Damn those bloody Blacks and their political peacock strutting! They have given them a suspect."

Rollo knew exactly what she was talking about, looking extremely guilty.

"Who?" Tom demanded. "Harry, what the hell is going on?"

Harry and Rollo exchanged a look, one that was noticed by the three others in the box. The Lady Regnant sighed. "I cannot tell you. I am sorry."

"You are joking, right?" Altair shook his head. "You were attacked, you seem to know who did it, and yet you won't say anything. Really?!"

"Sssshh!" Harry snapped. "Not here. Too dangerous."

"Altair, drop it, for now," Tom took them both by surprise.

Katerina was back at this point. "Interval is almost over! Rollo, come on."

Rollo looked back at the group. "Come and get me the moment it happens again," he instructed as he followed his colleague.

Harry scoffed as they turned back towards the stage. "I can't go bloody anywhere without trouble finding me, can I?" she seethed under her breath.

I would have been surprised if you didn't, Thanatos commented.

It was Tom who soothed her ire, taking her hand once more. "Breathe, sweetheart. Forget them for now. Focus on the music, focus on us. We're here to have fun; don't let them ruin this."

Harry turned to look at him as the theatre became dark once more, her eyes welling up. She found her words were caught in her throat and simply couldn't voice what she wanted to say in that moment. Tom seemed to see it and he smiled lovingly at her and simply whispered, "it's OK."

Harry blinked the tears of fury away and looked back at Lycoris, who started playing another piece she worked on with Harry and Lucretia during the Presentation. The Lady Regnant almost had to laugh out loud when the music jumped from jolly to melancholy and back again in the mid-section. That had been Harry's advice; Lycoris seemed to have taken it fully on board.

By the end of the concert, Harry had almost forgotten what had happened, as had her lovers and their chaperone. They left the theatre with smiles on their faces at least, together with Rollo, Miles, Katerina and Mr. Meret, discussing the music. Harry had taken some beautiful photos so she was definitely happy with those. But she didn't feel like going home just yet. The Traveller was in London; she might as well pay a visit to the Tower Guardians.

"Oh, my Lady, before I forget; keep an eye on your mail tomorrow. His Grace will be in touch about the business you two discussed," Miles informed her as Mr. Meret and Katerina already said their goodbyes and Apparated away.

Harry nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Jiri."

She stepped away from the group.

"My Lady?" Lady Nott frowned.

"I am not going home yet," Harry clarified. "I have friends I need to see."

"Harry, the Blacks do not really like guests showing up unannounced," Altair stated nervously.

Harry smirked. "I am not talking about the Blacks."

Tom and Altair looked at each other and turned back to her with hopeful looks. "May we come too?" Tom asked eagerly.

Harry looked at Lady Nott. "Are you required to chaperone us the entire evening, my Lady?"

"Officially, yes," Lady Nott confirmed but she smiled mischievously. "But I think we can drop protocol for a little while. After what I have seen, I can trust the three of you to be alone with each other."

Harry, Altair and Tom lit up.

"I will wait back at the Lady Hera's house," she added. "Have fun!"

The Lady Nott and Rollo Rowle were soon gone. Harry then turned to Altair and Tom with a small, lopsided grin. "You really want to meet them?"

"Yes!" the boys chorused.

"Then I hope you trust me," Harry held out her hands.

Tom and Altair took a hand each without a moment's hesitation. Harry promptly Apparated them to the Tower of London. The two boys looked at the fortress with a confused look, until they saw the gates opening for some inexplicable reason.

"What … Harry, why are we at the Tower?" Tom asked in disbelief.

"Come on," Harry grinned brightly. "You wanted to meet my friends, right? Oh don't worry about the Yeomen. They're likely to be knocked out."

Tom and Altair frankly had no idea what to say to that as they followed Harry into one of the oldest fortresses in Muggle and magical Britain. Almost immediately, they were accosted by Edward V and Richard.

"Lady Hera!" they chorused. "You have come to visit us – oh and you brought company! Who are you?"

Lady Jane Grey, who had arrived soon after, huffed. "Edward, Richard, you forget yourselves! You should first introduce yourselves and give them a moment to breathe."

"We could say the same about you, Jane," Richard quipped back.

Harry laughed and turned to her lovers. "Tom, Altair, may I introduce to you King Edward V, Richard, Duke of York and Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen?"

Edward and Richard bowed when they were named and Jane dipped an elegant curtsey.

Tom's eyes were bugged out and Altair was gaping shamelessly.

Lady Jane smiled at them. "So these are the future Consorts we have been hearing about." The Nine Days Queen frowned. "My Lady, how much do they know? About whom you are?"

"They know I am the last Peverell," Harry informed her. "As for … the rest, I don't think they know at all."

Tom smirked. "Don't be so sure about that, my dear."

Altair grinned. "We know more than you think."

Harry blanched.

"Well we can discuss that later," the ghost of the young King grinned. "Anne, Catherine and the White Lady are in the White Tower, in St. John's Chapel."

"We were just having what we call our Moment of Peace," Richard explained as they set off. "We do not really pray anymore but we do still like to reflect on our mortal life and our afterlife. Gives perspective. Our fellow ghosts do it too, except the Executioner because he's not really one for contemplation."

"You all exist?" Tom stated breathlessly. "King Henry VI, Margaret Pole, the Grey Lady-"

"Yes, yes and yes," Edward confirmed doing twirls in the air. "The King is a quiet Tower-mate, as is the Lady Pole. Grey Lady loves her peace too; she starts screaming if we're too loud."

Lady Jane and the Princes in the Tower used their powers to sneak the three mortal wizards into the White Tower and then guided them to the second floor. Inside the classic Norman built chapel, floating on the benches in front of the altar at the end of the room, were Queen Anne, Queen Catherine and the White Lady all of whom immediately turned around and got up when they heard the sound of living people approach.

Harry almost had to coo when she saw the awed expressions of Tom and Altair when they saw the two Queens and one of the Tower's oldest Guardians. Lady Jane introduced her friends to them. "Master Tom and Master Altair, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Queen Anne Boleyn, Queen Catherine Howard and the White Lady."

Queen Catherine lit up. "So these are the two gentlemen who captured the heart of the Lady Hera!" she clapped her hands together, beaming. "I must say when we were first told that two boys had fallen for our friend, I feared a duel would break out. But apparently the wizards have an elegant solution to three people with affections for one another."

"Catherine, the Bible does mention something similar," Lady Jane rolled her eyes, which made Harry giggle. "You would know had you actually read the Scriptures!"

Tom was the first to find his voice. "Sacrum Vinculum is rare, Your Majesty. It usually happens when families are on the verge of becoming extinct and Lady Magic decided to intervene."

"But I think your deity also knew to pair three people who could genuinely love each other," Queen Anne grinned. "And I think she has done a very good job indeed."

"How do you know, ma'am?" Altair asked politely.

"Dear boy, I have been around for four hundred years, I have seen a few things," the second wife of Henry VIII chuckled. "Call it enhanced intuition."

The White Lady shook her head at her friend. "Anne, stop teasing him."

"I am not teasing him!" Anne did look a little affronted. "I think they are a perfect match for the Lady Hera. I see it in their eyes."

"Our eyes?" Tom repeated.

The Queen regarded him with a look that could only be described as assessing. "Do you know why people keep talking about my eyes? It is because I trained my eyes to be expressive. Thus I can read eyes quite well. Yours are full of power, pain, hurt and vengeance but not the chaotic kind." She then turned to Altair. "Untapped power, wisdom, cunning, hurt, concern. Harry's eyes have a lot of strength, determination, pain, power and love. You all balance each other out because you fit in areas but are complete opposites in others."

The Tower Guardians were clearly used to Anne's babble because they barely reacted. Harry knew that the Queen wasn't just completely talking drivel but kept her countenance. Tom and Altair both did not know how to react to this.

Fortunately Edward and Richard saved the situation from being awkward by giving Harry's future Consorts a tour of the White Tower while telling their favourite stories and secrets about the Tower. Harry discussed politics and ball etiquette of the past with the three Queens as they followed behind. The Princes ended up introducing Tom, Altair and Harry to the other Tower Ghosts, including the Executioner, who was not particularly friendly. Especially to Margaret Pole; he kept chasing her around the courtyard with his axe, trying to once again chop off her head.

Until he was put on a time out by the White Lady.

All the while, Harry quietly wondered what Tom and Altair had meant that they know more than she thought as well as where the person who had tried to invade her mind had been sitting.

######################################

"What the hell were you THINKING?!"

Vida Rosier slammed the door to Isobel Runcorn's apartment behind her as soon as the two of them got back and their Polyjuice Potion had worn off, glaring at Queenie, who tossed aside Helena Urquhart's cloak and closed the curtains with a flippant wave of her hand, pouring herself a Firewhiskey.

"I saw an opportunity and I took it, doll."

Vida wasn't finished. "Did you even consider the ramifications of doing what you just did? You are lucky it was so dark or that girl would have seen you!"

"I couldn't resist, doll," Queenie answered easily, lounging on the sofa. She gestured to the open copy of The Court of Britain next to her. "It was the golden moment to see if our suspicions about the girl was correct. The Blacks invitin' a strange Lady Regnant to their daughter's Presentation is not normal. Besides, now we know the girl is very likely Gellert's little favourite, considerin' Rollo and his Cursebreakers were very chummy with her. See? No harm done."

"No harm done?" Vida could barely believe her ears as she kicked off her shoes. "No harm done?! What is the matter with you? You have been acting weird lately, and considering you are already pretty strange, that is saying something!" Vida huffed. "You go on solo missions, you barely play cards with Credence and myself anymore and I had to deal with Isobel Runcorn on my own. You're taking more unnecessary risks." Vida narrowed her eyes at her fellow General. "Something's wrong, and you're not telling me."

"I ain't tellin' because it ain't my problem to tell," Queenie responded easily.

"Well this problem is causing issues for our mission because you're becoming erratic," Vida shot back. "So you either tell me the problem, or you start cooling off and don't invade any more minds unless you have to!"

Queenie sighed dramatically. "Very well, sugar, if it will give you a peace of mind. I will behave myself."

"Good," Vida sighed. "Merlin, Lycoris has talent but that concert was bloody boring."

The Legilimens chuckled. "Yes, it has been a while since either of us were in a concert hall."

"With no Gellert giving a running commentary," Vida grinned.

"Or Credence complainin'!" Queenie countered easily. She turned her attention back onto the photos of the Lady Hera Evans.

Lady Hera Evans – Queenie already liked the look of her, and that only increased with the realisation that the girl was very likely the one who managed to solve Gellert's cursed portrait trick. Queenie was very much looking forward to trying to find a way to meet the Lady Evans at the Malfoy Ball.

Something told her that this year's Malfoy Ball would be very interesting indeed.

"Queenie, do hear that? No shouting, no screaming about the wrong coffee or the wrong cookie and no Credence in ridiculous outfits – we have peace and quiet!" Vida gushed. "Best mission to date!"

The natural Legilimens could not argue there as she went to take a nice long bath. She did not miss Gellert's shouting at all, or the Elder Wand's tricks. Both girls ended up missing the S.O.S Firecall from Credence about Grindelwald screaming at his "over indulged piece of firewood" for embarrassing drawings on the windows and got a good night's sleep.

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The Presentation of Lucretia to Ignatius went very well. Vida and Queenie are in England and the natural Legilimens took a risk in testing the Traveller's defences. Harry prepares as much as she can for any eventuality at the Yule Ball. The Hit Wizards seem to be very determined to get their answers – how far will they go to get it? Will the apparent inevitable happen and another fight occur at the Malfoy Yule Ball? Stay tuned to find out!

Aaaaaaaah! The Yule Ball is next: stay tuned to find out what happens because it will be one heck of an event! You guys have no idea how excited I am to write it. Quick disclaimer: I do not own the world, I am building a sandcastle from JK's sand pit.

Orion: QUEENIE! Why did you have to be so MEAN?!

Queenie: Moi?

Orion: Oui! They were on a DATE!

Gellert: That was insensitive, even for my tastes.

Queenie: I was slightly bored.

Orion: BORED?!

Queenie: Orion, sugar, put the snowball down – *gets hit*

Oh dear…

Kingmaker'sUmbreon