Hello my Rabid readers and loyal followers and Favouriteers,

Massive apologies for my slow posting these days. What can I say my life is just crazy busy these days and trying to get this jaggernaut of a story moving quickly takes alot of time and effort.

I'll try and do better I promise. Here's the latest chapter in the JD and I hope you all enjoy it. I know I've got lots of things to cover, update and move on with this story and that's kinda what's slowing me down as I'm having to seriously chapter plan on my story board to make sure nothing is forgotten all falls to the ways side too much.

Anyway. Ciao for now and enjoy.

Cheers

Craggle


Chapter 109 – All Good in the Hood?

1930hrs Sunday 4th September - Entrance to school grounds, Mahotokoro

"I'd just like to thank you Satomi for coming with us this weekend and I hope you won't mind accompanying us in the future. it can't be your idea of fun chaperoning two teenagers." Hermione said as they stepped off the escalator and out the tunnel and open air of Mahoutokoro's grounds. "I'm also sorry we are getting back so late, but Harry and I couldn't resist queuing to have another go on the Magical Tsunami and we didn't expect the staff to hold the park open for us so that we could have another ride without anyone else there." She added with a grin.

"Yes thanks Satomi, its been really nice getting to know you a little bit better and I could see Amy and Yuki were really happy to see you again as well. It's been great having you with us even though it must have been a bit of a boring weekend for you following us around." Harry said, also thanking the Dueling Master who nodded and smiled at them both. "And I promise I won't have Narcissa push so hard to have you separated from me next time. She just wanted to make sure that she was able to spend some time with me alone. You could say that we're still getting to know each other." Harry said kindly to Master Kuzuko and saw both Hermione and the Dueling Master smile at him as he referenced his new family member.

Harry and Hermione had clued Master Kuzuko in about the war and Harry's hate-hate relationship with Draco Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy. They'd had plenty of time on the train back from the Banzai Bazaar to give Master Kuzuko more information on the back history between Harry and Narcissa.

Fleur had given Master Kuzuko a memory of the interview that they had given to the assembled writers that morning and she'd been able to watch while Harry and Hermione were speaking privately with Parvati. Master Kuzuko had been shocked to learn of the past events of Harry's life in such vivid detail but had thanked Fleur for showing them to her.

Master Kuzuko had then pledged to Narcissa to keep them as safe as possible while under her care and having learnt about about her two young charges lives and what they had had to endure in their past she found that she really wanted to protect them more than ever.

Harry had found out from Narcissa that Master Kuzuko hadn't backed down with regards to allowing Harry to accompany her alone, but Narcissa had more ammunition to make sure that she won the argument by stating that Harry and Fleur had gone off alone together the day before with Amy Yushiro and no harm had befallen them. Master Kuzuko had told Narcissa when they were having dinner that Amy Yushiro was one of the most accomplished and ferocious duellists Master Kuzuko had ever seen.

Narcissa also said that she was prepared to threaten to write to the Grandmaster and the Minister in Japan and England that Master Kuzuko was trying to interfere with the business dealings of a head of four Ancient and Noble houses. Harry had been surprised that Narcissa would have gone to those lengths to spend time alone with him. The older witch had shrugged and said it would have been an empty threat and not one Narcissa had wanted to make but she'd needed to get Harry alone to the business opportunity that Amy had tipped her off about.

Harry was still buzzing off the meeting Narcissa had arranged. It was an incredible opportunity and preliminary discussions had gone well. He was happy to find that those he'd met with were willing to discuss having a potential business partner instead of going forward totally on their own with their own capital, which had opened the door to the meeting as it was a huge project with potentially global impacting results.

They'd been impressed by Harry and Narcissa's ingenuity in finding out about their idea and their own interest and reason in pursuing the meeting with them and said that they'd have to speak with their daughter and make sure she tied those loose lips up. Harry had assured them that she'd only confided in her closest friends and that he'd overheard them speaking about it in their clan lounge in order not to disclose his true source. Harry had informed them that he could be equal partners with them and put up an equal amount of capital to share the risk as well as put all his efforts into making it happen with any help needed from the authorities and using his name and any influence he might have to help grease the wheels so to speak.

They'd been very enthusiastic about the help and assistance he could be in making it happen and had arranged a time to have more formal discussions about it in the future and asked him to create a proposal on what he would do if he came on board with the project, so that they could make a fully informed decision on whether they wanted to go ahead with him and whether their visions aligned themselves.

"On the contrary Mr. Potter, it was quite a nice turn of pace from marking assignments and doing other tasks such as being on patrol in clan areas to make sure that the students aren't getting up to no good on the weekends." Master Kuzuko explained as they made their way towards the bridge outside the cave opening and seeing Mahoutokoro spread out in front of them, they all seemed to smile at the view of the school grounds.

"So you'd be happy to accompany us the next time we go to the Bazaar on a non-student weekend then?" Harry asked, receiving an affirmative nod from Master Kuzuko as she explained it would be her pleasure.

As they started crossing the bridge, Harry and Hermione were a little surprised to see a small group assembled there waiting for them. Mio and Li were there from Tiger Clan and they were talking with Charlie Chung and Tim Schmidt of Dragon and Turtle Clan and laughing at something Charlie was saying.

The other small group waiting for them was Hero who was talking with Sunny Hichiro, Rosa Sanchez, and Hester Steiggson who instantly looked up and smiled at Harry as he, Hermione, and Master Kuzuko emerged from the blind spot at the bottom of the bridge.

"I see that you've got some friends waiting for you both, so I'll leave you both to it and go and inform the Grandmaster that we are back and without incident." Master Kuzuko said before giving them both a bow, which they returned, and said that she would see them again in class.

The two groups of students made way for Master Kuzuko to pass, then converged on Hermione and Harry, peppering them both with questions about their weekend. Harry could see that Hero was looking a little sheepish and standing towards the back. Harry assumed that Hero was a little uncomfortable with how he and Harry had left things after their discussion about Lucy.

"Hi guys, erm is everything alright?" Hermione asked the group who all nodded.

"Everything is fine Hermione. Mio and Li wanted to welcome you back and see how your weekend was and Rosa, Sunny, Charlie and I wanted to escort Harry to the Dragon's Lair since it's his week with the Dragon Clan," Hester replied to Hermione. Her eyes moved over to Harry hopefully but with a little trepidation. "You are coming back to the Lair this week aren't you?" She asked Harry with a little uncertainty.

"Yeah I'm coming to the Lair this week. I did say that I'd alternate my weeks between Turtle Island and the Dragon's Lair." Harry said thinking a week away from Lucy and Turtle Island could be useful and just what he needed as he saw Hester perk up instantly at that and give him a radiant smile.

"Tim, Hero, what are you two doing here? Did you miss me that much?" Harry asked with a grin.

Tim rolled his eyes, "Hardly, your owl has been bringing post back to the dorm all weekend and we've got some letters for you." Tim separated from the group and handed Harry three scroll tubes and an envelope, which Harry took with a nod and put the scrolls into the back pockets of his jeans and put the envelope into his front pocket. He didn't look at the envelope to see if he recognised the handwriting in case it drew more questions.

"And you Hero? Did you just come to stretch your legs?" Harry asked Hero, who shook his head slowly.

"Nah I just wanted to have a quick chat with you about something before you disappeared into the Dragon's claws for the week. We need to make sure you're keeping up your fitness schedule and need to work out your quidditch training while you're away from the Clan. We've got the first game of the season coming up soon and we need to get the practice in and have you there as well, although I know it's an odd situation having to split your time between two Clans." Hero said to Harry keeping eye contact with him to convey he had more to discuss with him and Harry could guess what it was and instantly felt his good mood evaporating as he knew he'd want to speak about Lucy.

"Alright." Harry said, nodding and feeling Hermione looking between himself and Hero. He turned to her and gave her as confident a smile as he could muster and said "Thanks for this weekend and I had a really good afternoon with you at Fujiyamas. I promise next time we go to the Bazaar together that I won't do any business and we'll just spend the weekend doing what we want to do." Harry said to Hermione, who smiled at him.

"Alright sure, but I'm holding you to that and I had a great time too." Hermione replied having enjoyed the afternoon with Harry but agreeing that his and her business dealings and the interview they'd given had detracted from her getting to enjoy her alone time with Harry. "Meet up for a film night one night this week?" Hermione asked Harry as he nodded.

"Absolutely and I'll even let you pick the film." Harry said, getting a grin from Hermione. "But nothing too sappy." He added quickly as she shook her head.

"Uh Uh. You just said I can pick, so no arguments from you Potter." Hermione said playfully as she felt the others watching them. "Well I best get to Tiger Land, but I'll see you tomorrow in class, ok." Hermione said more as a statement than a question and got an affirmative from Harry.

She then went up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek and thanked him again for a fun weekend. She then had her arms linked by Mio and Li on each side as they set off over the bridge and into the school grounds and off towards Tiger Land. Harry watched her go, seeing her look back at him and give him a smile. Li and Mio also looked back seeing Hermione was watching Harry until they disappeared out of sight as they descended the other side of the bridge.

"Right Hero." Harry said taking a couple of steps back and saying he'd only be a minute to the others as he and Hero stepped out of ear shot.

"So have you decided what you're going to do about Lucy?" Hero asked, studying Harry's reaction. "She's been crying all weekend about how badly she's messed up and she asked me to ask you if you'd come to Turtle Island so that she could apologise."

A darkness spread over Harry's face, "No I've not and I'm not going to go back to Turtle Island this week, because I'd likely hex her to oblivion if I see her. Why are you so determined to stick up for her Hero? I thought we were friends." Harry asked the taller Asian boy, seeing the other boy's eyebrows shoot upwards.

"We are friends Harry. I've confided in you things I've not told any of the guys in Turtle about," Hero said sincerely. "It's not that I'm determined to help her over you Harry, that's not it at all. I've just known her for a long time and I've seen some of the stupid shit she's done over the years, this being the stupidest. But she's not a bad person Harry and I guess I just want to try and help as things like this can escalate really quickly when tempers are understandably high. Plus I'm just the unfortunate sod who caught her and found out about what had happened." Hero explained as Harry listened to him.

"I've not told anyone else what happened and she's promised not to say anything to anyone either until you decide what you want to do." Hero said as Harry started shaking his head.

"Bollocks. I heard her crying and telling one of her mates about it as I was passing her year's lounge door, when I was leaving for the weekend." Harry said not keeping the bitterness out of his voice.

"Really? When I asked her this morning about it I said to her that I hoped she hadn't mentioned anything to anyone. She said that hadn't said anything to anyone and wouldn't. I've had all her friends coming up to me this weekend asking if I can have a word with her because she keeps saying how she's messed things up and how her life is over but not telling them anything more detailed as to why." Hero explained.

"Why is Lucy and her friends coming to you and getting you involved in this Hero? I like you and we're mates, but she's putting you in the middle of this and that isn't right either. Just because you know her, she can't expect you to argue her case for her and she needs to fucking grow up." Harry said angrily seeing the younger boy nod.

"I know, but I'm Head Boy and Turtle head… Oh will you please stop laughing at that," Hero admonished. Harry couldn't help but chuckle even though he was annoyed but Harry's laughter defused the building tension a little bit. "I just want to help you sort it out mate and I've spent the whole weekend worrying about what you are going to do."

"I know she deserves to be really punished for what happened and what she did to you and Hermione, but I just want to say again that she isn't a bad girl... Just a fucking moron and idiot for doing what she did. I guess I am scared about the situation escalating to a point of no return and knowing that this has all happened on my watch reflects badly on me as the Head Boy." Hero said dejectedly and Harry saw his broad shoulders sag a little.

"Sorry I can see I'm annoying you about it and I won't mention it to you again. It's ultimately your and Hermione's decision, but just know you can talk to me about it if you want to." Hero said feeling a little foolish as while he knew what Lucy did was disgraceful he knew she deserved everything Harry decided to throw at her.

"It's not your fault she did what she did, Hero. She fucking snuck into our dorm and then my trunk. I appreciate you might not want this to go as far as it could go, but it really shouldn't be your concern. She did this and needs to accept the consequences for her actions," Harry said. He appreciated Hero was just trying to be a good guy but Harry was still angry about what had happened to him, regardless of how pleasurable it had been at the time.

Fixing his new friend with a sympathetic look he let out a sigh and said "Look I'm seeking legal advice about it. I don't know what to do yet and knowing now about line theft and all the other things that could potentially be levelled at her, I need some time to think and calm down before I even attempt to speak with her because at the minute I wouldn't be responsible for my actions." Harry said feeling a little bad for being so blunt but also knowing that he needed to level with the boy.

"I know you're trying to keep the peace but please stop putting yourself in the middle of this. I mean really as Head Boy, technically you should be reporting what happened to Master Bo and the Grandmaster, so that it doesn't reflect badly on you as you discovered what happened and what would they say knowing that you've sat on it all weekend?" Harry asked Hero a little louder than intended as Tim and Hester turned to look at them from their conversation with the others.

"You're right." Hero said raising his head and almost like a lightbulb had been suddenly switched on in his brain. "You're absolutely right... I've been stupid trying to keep this between me, you, Hermione and Lucy. I guess I'm going to have to tell Master Bo and the Grandmaster and take whatever punishment they decide to give me." Hero said thinking maybe a little selfishly for a moment that he was going to have his Head Boy authority taken off him.

His head dropped and he stood looking at the floor for the moment deep in thought before nodding to himself, "Yes... You're completely right and I've been wrong, stupid even. That's what I'll do, I'll tell Master Bo what happened and the Grandmaster and I'll turn in my Head Boy badge." He said as Harry looked at Hero, seeing the Japanese boy running his fingers over the Head Boy badge pinned onto the collar of his t-shirt with a determined and thoughtful look on his face.

"I don't deserve this badge. It's bad enough that this has happened, but the fact that it happened within my own Clan and in my own dorm room is even worse and it will look as bad as it is to Master Bo and the Grandmaster as well. I guess it's the best thing to do. I'm sorry I let you and Hermione down Harry, truly." He said pressing his lips firmly together and raising his chin as he swallowed his pride and Harry could see his determination to do the right thing as he started undoing his Head Boy badge, which Harry wasn't sure he could ever picture anyone else he knew doing the same thing, himself included.

It was one of the things above all others that Harry admired about Hero in the short time he'd known him. Hero was all about being fair, honest and had real integrity and he was even prepared to sacrifice the honour of being Head Boy in order to do what he felt he should to protect his honour, the school, and his friend.

Harry understood that this was probably a large part of Hero's desire to try and help Lucy by trying to help Harry also think with a cooler head about the situation with Lucy. It reminded Harry of Hermione and how her cool use of logic normally helped him not make a situation worse with his fiery temper. He could see Hero was trying to stop him doing something rash even though Harry had been effectively raped and sexually assaulted, twice.

While Harry was absolutely incensed that the girl violated him like that, the overriding thought in his mind was that she'd used Hermione's form to do it and that angered him even more.

"Don't turn your Head Boy badge in. You didn't let anyone down." Harry said seeing Hero open his mouth to object to what Harry was about to say, so he decided to cut the Japanese boy off. "This isn't your fault Hero. You're a good Head Boy and you clearly want to protect people and the school's reputation, which is admirable."

"Listen, just tell Master Bo what happened quietly one on one and say to him that he can speak with me whenever he wishes about it. Tell him I don't want the school to act in any official capacity until I've decided what I want to do. I'm even happy to put that in writing to him, so that he doesn't have to report it to the Grandmaster yet. I want to find out what my options are legally first and then I can decide how to move forward from there." Harry said to Hero who was shaking his head slowly.

"No way, it's all happened on my watch Harry. I should step down and should have done what you quite rightly said, I should have officially reporting it as soon as it happened. It wouldn't be right to keep it between the four of us." Hero said looking at the English wizard determined only to be met with an equally determined look from Harry.

"No you aren't giving your badge in." Harry said more firmly and to Hero's surprised at Harry's hand speed swatted Hero's hands away from his head boy badge and pointed a finger at Hero's face like a father telling his son off. "Not on my account and surely as one of the injured parties I'll have a lot of say in that and I'm telling you I don't want you to and I don't think Hermione would want you to either. Besides I know what that badge means to you and if Master Bo and the Grandmaster decide to take it off you that's on them, but it's certainly not what I want and I'd do what I can to stop that from happening." Harry said, reaching up and putting his hand on the Asian boy's shoulder, looking him in the eye man to man.

"Like I say, you're my friend and I do value your opinion and you've been trying to do right by everyone involved. But it's time for you to step out of the middle of this and let her get her own advice from someone else. Tell Master Bo and only Master Bo and then he can talk with her if he wants to and she can get advice from her head of house and deputy head." Harry said to Hero who let out a long breath and closed his eyes and nodded.

"You're right Harry. I'm sorry if I made you think I was picking her side over yours though, that's not what I intended at all. I'll do as you say," Hero said and gave Harry a little bow of the head.

"Are we still mates?" Harry asked Hero, trying to dissolve the tension. "Or do I have to start telling my friends at home that Tim's my best mate here at Mahoutokoro instead of you?" Harry added with a little laugh.

Hero shook his head, "Course we are." Hero replied. "I can't let you ruin your reputation by having people think that numpty is your best pal here." He got a laugh from Harry and the tension between them started to thaw.

"Good because like you say I've a reputation to protect." Harry said as they clasped hands and sort of had a one armed man hug and Harry seemed to feel a strengthening of the bond between him and Hero.

"Ohhhhh please let me join in this little embrace." Rosa cooed from behind Hero as the others laughed.

"Sorry Rosa, but this time it was a boys only hug." Hero said jovially as Sunny and Tim both laughed.

"Erm you can keep me out the wizard hugs thanks." Tim said as Sunny and Charlie agreed, getting a laugh from Harry and Hero..

"So are you going to let Harry come with us now Hero or is this a blatant attempt to try and woo him back to Turtle Island?" Hester teased.

"He's all yours" Hero said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Harry, just try and keep up your training and fitness regime as best you can in the Dragon's Lair. I know they haven't got a decent place to swim there but try and keep as fit as you can." Hero said to Harry, patting him on the back.

"I will," Harry agreed as Tim peeled off from the pack and stood next to Hero.

"Who says there isn't a place to swim in the Dragon's Lair?" Sunny said to Harry and Hero, grinning.

"Well you live in a cave Sunny whereas we live on a beach so…" Tim said, making a rolling motion with his hand like he was waiting for Sunny to finish the point made.

"Hey you Turtles might be the best at swimming but don't forget that we give a good account of ourselves in quidditch lessons." Charlie pointed out to the two Turtle boys who both looked at each other a little thoughtfully as they recalled the Quidditch lessons they'd had in the past with the other clans.

"Swimming in a Quidditch lesson?" Harry asked, getting more confused by the minute as the Dragons didn't show him anywhere to swim in the Dragon's Lair the last couple of times he was there.

"Yeah Master Yoshi converts the Quidditch pitch into the Turtles home pitch a couple of times a year and does a series of fitness drills where we all have to swim instead of fly. Said it's good physical training, which I suppose it is," Sunny explained.

"I suppose you're right, but where can you swim in a cave?" Tim asked as he and Hero had realised that the Dragon's were right in that Phoenix were the only ones that really struggled in those lessons.

"That's for us to know and you to find out, but you might get a shock the next time we have to swim during quidditch this year." Rosa said happily as the Dragon's were clearly happy about having a secret that the Turtles clearly never knew about.

"Well I'm sure Hero and I will be able to get it out of one of you." Tim responded a little flirtatiously to Rosa earning him a sultry raised eyebrow from the Spaniard before turning to Harry with a triumphant look on his face for flirting properly with the Spanish girl. "So, erm take care of yourself Harry and don't let these Dragon's stop you from coming back to us." Tim said jovially before his hand pointed to Rosa and Hester who smiled at each other knowing what Tim was inferring.

"You'll get him back, but we're taking him to the Bazaar this weekend and showing him a good time Dragon style." Charlie Chung said, giving Harry a thumbs up.

"Yeah, you owe us Harry and no sneaking off for dates with hot looking blonde's this time." Sunny said obviously referencing seeing Harry and Daphne together the last weekend Harry went to the Bazaar with the Dragons.

"Oh no, it will be a date with a brunette who makes him disappear for a while this time, but he won't need to sneak off." Rosa said lightly knowing that would wind Hester up. She'd told her friend all about getting Harry to agree to let her take him out to thank him for getting Hester to the medical tent without the rest of the clan seeing.

"Huh?" Harry asked clearly, having forgotten.

"Harry, you promised me after you last played Quidditch in the Dragon's Lair." Rosa said with a pout as Harry remembered agreeing to let her thank him.

"Oh right yeah, well I... I don't remember you saying it was a date, like a date date?" Harry said a little hesitant as he tried to recall the discussion he had and caught the busty Spaniard's eye and tilted his head to the side with his eyebrows raised.

"Oh Tomate, Tomato" Rosa said dismissively with an airy wave of her hand. "Call it what you will, but you promised to let me take you out first Dragon Bazaar weekend you had and instead you ditched us all for that blonde girl." Rosa said thinking about how the girl had been very pretty and they'd all been wondering who she was and how she'd procured a date with Harry. Hester and Rosa especially were determined to find out more about Daphne and whether she was going to be a recurring threat.

"Oh Daphne. Well she's an old school friend of mine and Hermione's and I'm sorry I didn't get to spend a lot of time with you guys, but I had some personal and business stuff to take care of." Harry said as they set off through the grounds walking towards the Dragon's Lair.

Harry continued to explain as he dragged his trunk along behind him with the Dragon's falling in around him and Hester, moving quicker than Rosa, managed to link her arm through Harry's, giving him a small smile and asking if he minded and Harry shook his head and said he didn't.

"But I found out that because Hermione and I are Heads of House that we are actually allowed off school grounds with an escort on non Bazaar weekends as well so it means that when we go to the Bazaar in future I'll be able to spend my weekends with you guys and the Turtles properly for the most part." Harry explained as they got towards the Library.

"Well that's good as you've not had a proper weekend with us yet so it would be good to show you some of the stuff in the Bazaar that the Turtles haven't been to with you yet." Sunny said, turning and speaking over his shoulder.

"Sunny, you aren't taking Harry to Lovers Lane. It's a complete cesspool of humanity down there," Rosa chastises the Japanese boy.

"It's not that bad. I mean yeah there are some pretty dodgy people down there but there are some really great bars and places down there and they aren't as touristy," Charlie Chung said over his shoulder as they continued along the path, the loose gravel making a regular crunch under their feet.

"There are loads of dodgy criminals down there Charlie and you know it," Hester objectively argued.

"Yeah, but we know how to take care of ourselves and Harry certainly does" Sunny argued while Hester shook her head.

"Yeah he defeated You-Know-Who, so I can't imagine some goon will even think about starting on him." Charlie said, kicking a stone on the path.

"Use your brain. Harry is famous and you want to show him a part of the Bazaar where he's guaranteed to come across some members of the Jade Dragon and you think it's a good idea to try and put him in danger or let him potentially get grabbed like they often do with celebrities and like they tried to do with the national team this weekend?" Hester asked, seeing both the boys look a bit sheepish.

"I see your point... But, we could always disguise him. You know like give him some Polyjuice potion or transfigure him a bit or something. I reckon we'd have loads of people volunteering to let Harry be them for a private duelling lesson," Sunny valiantly tried to argue only to see Hester's eyes narrow dangerously.

"Not going to happen Sunny. Seriously Harry, it's not all that, down there and besides there's loads to do in the Bazaar without going down Lovers Lane and mixing with Red Witches and all the other dodgy characters," Hester saw Harry look a little puzzled at the mention of Red Witches before Rosa bluntly explained that Red Witches were basically witches who were prostitutes and used pink magic and other things on him for a bit of money and that he didn't need to employ a Red Witch if he wanted some companionship.

"Yeah doesn't really sound like somewhere I'd want to get caught going. I'd imagine the Grandmaster would probably stop me being able to go out on the non Bazaar weekends if I got caught down there." Harry said seeing Sunny and Charlie look a little dejected. "But then again who knows. What's life without a little risk?" he said, quoting Sirius and seeing the boys perk up.

"Well we can talk about it and plan it another time," Charlie said quietly to Harry and looked more encouraged.

"Will you two stop trying to corrupt him? Harry, please don't encourage them or go down there. It's dangerous and if the media found out you were down there it wouldn't be good for your reputation." Rosa said to him as Harry understood that Hester and Rosa both were trying to look out for him.

"That's a good point," Harry said, thinking about Rosa's idea about the media spotting him down there. He really didn't want that kind of attention.

"Plus despite what this lot says Harry, the school always sends at least one Master or Sensei near the entrance and most of the time anyone who tries to go to Lover's Lane normally gets caught almost straight away and doesn't even get past the first or second building." Hester said as they rounded the corner of the Dueling Hall to set off on the path past the Jade Pagoda to make their way down to The Dragon's Lair.

Harry however came to a sudden stop as he looked around the amount of, well for want of a better word, graffiti that he saw. There was a load of what looked like the magical equivalent of silly string and party poppers and streamers that were all of illuminous colours that were changing every few seconds into a different colour, hanging from trees, on the roof, gutting and edges of the Dueling Hall and strewn all around the ground around it.

It was an assault of colours and looked like a nuclear sized confetti bomb that Fred and George Weasley would have been happy to have created and along the side of the building there were two different sets of graffiti. On the left hand side of the large entrance doors into the Dueling Hall in blue with white edging on the bubble writing was the words 'Dragons are Dickheads' with the image of a blue and white dragon with a large penis sticking off its forehead making it look like some sort of scaled winged unicorn but with a cock on his forehead rather than a horn.

On the wall on the other side of the door in bright yellow with black edging on the letter was 'Phoenix are Fuckwits' and there was a yellow and black phoenix that the artist had quite graphically illustrated stood and with its heads between its legs sticking its beak inside its own arsehole.

Harry stood in amazement, his mouth hanging open in shock looking at the walls and turned to look at the Dragons who were all stifling laughs at his reactions but in the end all burst out laughing.

"What the hell happened here?" Harry asked, shaking his head.

"Truth or Dare it turns out." Sunny said grinning looking at the graffiti images and chuckling to himself.

"Whoever has done this is going to get a right bollocking when the Masters see it." Harry said in amazement at the blatant violation of several school rules.

"They've already seen it. Master Ping and Master Ken were notified and we had a Clan meeting in the Dragon's Lair on Saturday night as it was done on Saturday morning in the early hours when everyone was asleep," Charlie said grinning.

"I bet Master Ken went mental, did he?" Harry asked as Hester shook her head.

"Actually, no. He said that he knew no one in Dragon Clan would be stupid enough to do something like this and that it was probably Turtle and/or Tiger Clan trying to get Phoenix and Dragon into trouble," Hester explained as the others laughed.

"I suppose that's one theory as neither of those Clans are mentioned in the graffiti but it makes more sense to me that it was a Phoenix member and a Dragon who did it and did that to insult each other. No way would the Masters just suspect it's the other two Clans, surely?" Harry asked dubiously amazed Master Ken would just brush it under the carpet and assume it's the other Clans.

"Well no, he didn't because when he finished the Clan meeting saying that if it was anyone in Dragon Clan then they'd be getting a term's worth of detentions. Then he kept all our year back and said that he assumed it was one of us because he knows that Truth or Dare has started but to not use such vulgarity in the images if anyone else gets that dare and then complimented whoever it was for the creative drawing of the Phoenix" Sunny chuckled pointing at the Phoenix on the wall as they all chuckled to themselves.

"What really? Professor McGonagall would have had a shit fit if we'd done that in Hogwarts even though she hated Slytherin. She would probably have given the whole house detention until the culprit came forward and admitted their guilt" Harry said amazed as they started making their way through the destruction.

"Not Master Ken, nor Master Ping apparently," Charlie said. "My brother Eddie said that Master Ping did pretty much the same thing with Phoenix Clan and that none of them have been punished either."

"And does anyone know who did it? I mean did anyone see the people doing it or is it a complete mystery like whoever did that stuff to the Phoenix Nest?" Harry asked as they all started laughing out loud while they made their way along the outside of Quidditch stadium.

"Yeah it was Rosa and Eddie who did it." Charlie said grinning from ear to ear. "My brother and one of my mates pulling off a major prank and having a good dig at each other." He said, placing his hand on Rosa's shoulder as she laughed lightly and did the Sanchez flick with her hair.

"Really Rosa, you did that?" Harry asked as Rosa gave him a little naughty look.

"What? It surprises you that I can be a bad girl?" she asked him but the way she said it Harry thought was really demure and sexy.

"Well maybe a little" he replied looking at Rosa seeing a brilliant smile touch her mouth lighting up her face.

"Well you're in for a fun year then Harry as I can do worse than that. Eddie did the image of the Dragon first and I thought that I didn't want Dragon to be outdone so I did the picture of the Phoenix sticking its head up its own arse because that's what most Phoenix Clan members are like." Rosa said with a shrug. "Eddie being one of the exceptions obviously. I think he found it more amusing than I did, which was a little strange as I was fuming with him defacing the dragon." Rosa said, recalling Eddie's reaction that had been odd.

"Hey us Chung boys have a good sense of humour." Charlie said proudly. Sunny made a comment about him being a numpty.

"So have you got terms worth of detention then?" Harry asked Rosa, who shook her head.

"No, none of the Masters know for sure who did it and the person who caught us won't say anything of that I'm sure." Rosa said, flashing him that smile again.

"Who caught you?" Harry asked. They all turned to Hester with grins on their faces.

"You found them doing the vandalism… and you haven't reported them as Head Girl?" Harry asked her as Hester looked a little sheepish.

"I'd got up to go and do my morning patrol and I saw Rosa and Eddie practically dancing round the dueling hall firing all those streamers and things from their wands having a great time together laughing."

"They both stopped after seeing me and then I helped them with the colour changing spell on everything. I can't report them as Rosa's my best friend and a fellow Dragon and Eddie is a Dragon's brother so I will give him a little leeway," Hester said with a shrug.

"I hope you don't think less of me for not being all Head Girl about it and I know I'm meant to report it, but the way I see it the Clan rivalry is for school and friends are for life. So I don't mind turning a blind eye to a bit of harmless fun and I'm sure Master Kuzuko will be able to remove it no problem." Hester said, surprising Harry. He'd always assumed that Hester would be a stickler for the rules being Head Girl but she seemed to be relaxed about it more when it came to her friends.

"Course I don't think less of you for keeping schtum about it and I suppose as long as no one is getting hurt or anything then it's all a bit of fun." Harry said as Hester placed her other hand on his upper arm and gave his bicep a little squeeze and a girlie smile.

"Although Master Kuzuko might go bloody mental seeing as it was done on the dueling hall walls and grounds, I guess we will find out next lesson." Harry said as the Dragon's all looked relaxed about it.

"Well Dragon's are good at dueling class so we should be able to take anything she throws at us" Sunny said cheerfully as they continued to the Dragon's Lair.

"Besides Master Kuzuko is pretty cool, so I reckon she'll be alright, plus she was a Dragon as well so she will go easier on us." Charlie added to the agreement of the other Dragons.

"Hang on a minute. Why can you all talk about one of the dares that's been done then? I thought the games' magic was meant to stop you being able to disclose truths and dares that have been done." Harry asked Hester who nodded.

"Well I'm or we're assuming that because I witnessed the dare I can talk about it with Rosa," Hester explained to Harry.

"Right but how come the rest of you can talk about it?" Harry asked.

"We all walked into the lounge as Hester was talking with Rosa about it and Rosa was giving the answer. We don't really know how it works but we assume that because we overheard the answer and the question and they didn't know we were there that the magic must have put it down to fate or something as we couldnt figure out why they didn't get stopped from talking about." Sunny explained from behind Harry.

"Exactly we don't know the full ins and outs of how it works though as the Turtles and Tigers saw the mess and magical graffiti and Akiko Yuki of Turtle came up to me at breakfast this morning and asked if I knew who had done the dare," Hester explained. "When I tried to answer her though it wouldn't let me tell her, so I don't know whether I'm prevented from telling anyone else about it now as I witnessed it and was involved directly with one of the people who physically did the dare."

"So how come Charlie can talk to Eddie about it then?" Harry probed further.

"I'm assuming because he was part of the same dare that we are talking about. I asked him if he'd told anyone else in Phoenix and he said he tried to tell Kuki, but the game's magic wouldn't let him." Charlie explained from behind Sunny.

"We have a theory that we can all now talk about it after Rosa and Hester were talking about it because it was accidental rather than intentionally heard that the magic has allowed it because we can talk about Rosa's dare between us. Although when we get another all Dragon round and two of us have played the same person we're going to test out the theory of whether you can deliberately hear someone else's dare," Sunny said from the back of the group.

"We need to know whether the truths that are spilled in the game actually remain secret or not otherwise it's going to make us really think about whether we're better off doing a dare rather than a really private truth question," Rosa chipped in, getting a nod from Harry as he thought about it.

"Plus we have all witnessed dares done by other people and ourselves in the last couple of weeks and can talk about all of them so we want to test another theory of whether a dare that can get you in trouble or something a little more erm intimate can be talked about if witnessed as well," explained Hester and Harry noticed she looked his way before quickly looking away from him.

"Yeah but we need willing volunteers amongst the Clan to test Hester's theory out fully." Charlie added looking up once as he stepped over a tree root that was uncharacteristically coming up through the otherwise perfectly manicured grounds.

"Wow you guys are really taking this truth or dare thing seriously aren't you?" Harry wondered as Sunny shook his head.

"Well it's a contest and we're all pretty competitive and want to win anything we enter, but we aren't foolish enough to divulge potentially future damaging secrets about ourselves if we know that anyone can spill them during the game." He explained to Harry.

"But what about after the game. I mean say you divulge something really personal to someone that's protected by the games magic while were playing, but whose to say that person won't spill your secret once we've left school?" Harry pointed out that seemed to get the Dragons thinking.

"Good question Harry. I guess we'll have to try and ask someone whose played the game previously as that's a really good point" Hester said impressed as it would be too easy thinking that you can give a very personal truth answer and no one would hear about it in school until the game finished but what about if you got a job working with someone who had been told a really personal thing about you.

As they entered the Dragon's Lair, the younger years all said 'hello' as he passed them in the common room area on the lower level before they started the slow ascent up the stairs to the top floor. As they entered the eleventh-year lounge Rachel, Riko and Erin looked up from The Rising Sun newspaper that they were reading and greeted Harry.

They asked him how he'd got on in the bazaar this weekend and whether he'd seen the fight between the national Quidditch team and the Jade Dragon. Harry played it down and said that he'd gone to the nightclub but that they had left before the fight had started much to the girl's disappointment.

Harry spent some time with the Dragons and asked them about what they'd said to Hero and Tim about having a place to swim in the Dragon's Lair and asked about it. Harry knew that something was clearly up as all the Dragon's grinned at each other and suggested that they show him rather than just tell him.

The girls all got up and said that they'd go and get changed and disappeared off to each of their rooms. Sunny and Charlie said that they'd find the rest of the guys and for Harry to go and get changed into some swimming trunks and something to fly in and that they'd meet back in the lounge in twenty minutes.

Harry set off to his room and opened the door and again smiled at the effort Hester and Rosa had gone to put Gryffindor colours into the room to make him feel more at home. Harry pulled his trunk into the corner of the room and stood it on its end before taking his holly wand and taping the top of it as it unlocked itself and then opened up wide enough for Harry to duck down into it.

Harry quickly made his way to his bedroom and deposited the letters that Tim and Hero had brought him onto his bed before disappearing into his wardrobe and picking out something to wear. He quickly stripped off putting on a pair of swimming shorts that came about half way to his thighs and pulled on a loose pair of cotton trousers over them. He got a chocolate brown cotton short sleeved shirt and put that on as well and slipped his feet into a pair of brown leather flip flops.

He put a towel in the bag he used at Turtle Island whenever he went swimming and Hermione had shown him how to put an internal extension charm on his bag so he could put a lot more stuff in easily. He opened his broom compartment in his dressing room and put his Firebolt into the bag and then went back into his bedroom and put the bag on the bed and got the letters Tim and Hero had brought him and put them in it.

Deciding that he was thirsty he went into his wine cellar and helped himself to a bottle of elvish made fruit juice that tasted like a blend of tropical fruits while he decided whether to take any booze with him.

He looked through what he had in there after restocking it with the Turtles and just grabbed about six bottles of rose' and white wines and a box of beer and shrank them so that he could carry them in his arms and went back to his bedroom and put them in his bag before throwing it the bag over his shoulder.

As he made his way back into the lounge area, he saw all the boys were already assembled dressed similarly as himself, but were standing rather than sitting. He noted none of the girls were there and just as he was about to sit down Trevor said "No point sitting down Harry. We're going to get the brooms ready and meet the girls there. Don't worry, it will all make sense when you get there" he said upon seeing the confused look on Harry's face at the mention of brooms.

"You sure we shouldn't wait for the girls though?" Harry asked as the boys all shook their heads.

"Nah they'll take ages getting ready, you know what girls are like," Chinook said to the agreement of the others.

"Besides, they always make the wait worth it," Emre said. The other boys grinned, "I'd imagine Hester and Rosa will be pulling out all the stops to impress you." He added as Harry cocked his head slightly to the side.

"It is kind of amusing seeing Rosa and Hester competing with each other for your attention but at least today the rest of us can all enjoy a treat when we see them in their swim wear." Chinook said to the agreement of the others as the boys laughed about it.

"How are the arms feeling by the way Harry?" Sunny asked him as he picked up his own bag from the sofa he'd been leaning on.

"My arms?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Yeah your arms, how are they feeling? tired or alright due to the amount of practice you've been getting since you've been here?" Trevor asked with a smirk.

"Erm, my arms are fine… Why wouldn't they be? Practicing what?" he asked, not getting the joke as all the boys were laughing.

"Because you've been beating the witches off with a stick ever since you got here, I just wanted to make sure your arms aren't too tired," Sunny explained with a chuckle.

Harry shook his head chuckling, "Not really. Although Hester and Rosa have been quite, erm... upfront about their interest compared to anyone else."

"Well they don't really ever need to go after a guy as they normally have wizards tripping up over themselves trying to get their attention, not the other way round," Charlie Chung said to the agreement of the others.

"Just do us a favour if you don't fancy either of them though Harry," Sunny said as he led the boys out of the lounge and along the corridor towards the shoots to the ground floor.

"What's that?" Harry asked, feeling it was futile to say he didn't think that they fancied him as both girls had made it quite clear they did after they left their knickers in his trunk for him to find.

"Just don't string them along or hurt them ok? They're actually both really nice girls and it wouldn't be right to toy with their emotions," Sunny said as they got to the chute and Charlie threw his bag in before jumping head first in after it.

"I wouldn't do that to a girl. Certainly not intentionally and if I gave or give anyone the wrong impression it's totally by accident. You'll all see yourselves that I'm shite with girls." Harry explained as Chinook copied Charlie's actions and disappeared into the chute followed closely by Emre who said "Yeah right, course you are" before laughing as he shot down the chute.

"No, I'm serious. I've always been completely useless with girls other than Hermione and it's only this summer that I've started having them approaching me," Harry argued to Sunny and Trevor who were left on the landing with him.

"Come off it Harry. Are you seriously telling me that you didn't have girls in Hogwarts all over you?" Trevor asked him with a sceptical look on his face.

Harry turned to look at the good looking Canadian boy thinking how if he'd been at Hogwarts he would have given Cedric Diggory a serious run for his money about being the girl's object of affection.

"Well I kinda had other priorities when I was at school you know. Psychopathic dark lord trying to kill me every year and all that," Harry said with a shrug.

"I completely get that. But didn't you say that there was a ball or something during the Tri-Wizard tournament that you had to take part in? You must have had loads of girls wanting to go to that with you and you fought a dragon. I mean if that had happened here, I reckon every witch here would have been frothing at the fanny trying to shag you, nevermind date you." Sunny said, causing Harry and Trevor to burst out laughing at the tall handsome Japanese boy's description.

"Well thanks for that very vivid image Sunny," Harry said after he'd managed to stop laughing. "Truth be told, the girl I really wanted to go with was going with someone else and I was too late to ask. Another girl I thought was nice who I actually asked turned me down as she was going with another one of the champions. I got asked by a girl in the year above from another house, one two years below me and one a year below who was actually quite cute," Harry explained counting off the five failures so to speak on his fingers.

"In the end I managed to get a date with a girl in my year and house who was pretty but I was a shite date and my mate Ron went with her sister and was even worse. So nope didn't have a good time with girls until my sixth year when I got together with my ex," Harry said as Sunny and Trevor listened intently.

"Well I'm shocked mate. Given that you've got two of the hottest if not the hottest in our year in Hester and Rosa after you, the rumour mill wheels are turning that there are plenty of girls in the other clan's wanting a bit of you." Trevor said, giving Harry a wink.

"There's a couple of girls that have been really nice and talkative with me but I wouldn't know about wanting a bit of me," Harry said as he thought about what Trevor was saying.

"Well let me give you a warning now Harry. When we get to the start of October you'll find a lot of people asking each other to the Halloween ball, so get ready to break a lot of hearts." Sunny said grinning as he threw his bag into the Chute as well and Trevor and Harry did the same sending their bags down first.

"Yeah you might want to think about who you want to go with. I'd imagine you are going to be in demand, but feel free to send any cast offs our way if you decide to go with someone early," Trevor chuckled.

"Something tells me you two will do alright." Harry said, looking between the two good looking dragon boys. "Besides I've already asked someone to the ball and they said yes but keep that under your hat." Harry said to the other boy's surprise and Sunny who had jumped up and grabbed the bar above the chute to go down it suddenly put his feet onto the edge to stop himself sliding down.

"What? You've already asked someone and they've agreed. Harry mate you could have had a good month finding out which girls really fancy you by having them ask you out or is that why you want us to keep it quiet?" Sunny asked as he put his feet on the floor and stepped away from the chute, his interest peaked once more.

"no its not, look I don't care about that. I asked the girl I want to go with and she said yes so it's all sorted," Harry explained with a shrug.

"Who is it?" Trevor tried to appear cool about it but it was blatant that he wanted to know who Harry had asked.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Harry said, giving them both a wink as he stepped up to where the chute was and catapulted himself down it and enjoyed the ride until he emerged at the bottom to find the other three boys standing with their bags. Emre handed Harry his and Trevor and Sunny followed him momentarily.

The boys then proceeded to guess who it was that Harry had asked to the ball and who he was going with after Sunny and Trevor had told the rest of them what Harry had divulged. It was good natured ribbing and they all continued to pepper Harry with questions about Daphne and about how he was finding Mahoutokoro compared to Hogwarts.

Harry liked the Dragons especially Sunny and Charlie who seemed to be best mates and Emre and Chinook seemed to be pretty close as well and Trevor flitted amongst all of them much like Omori did in Turtle Clan and they all seemed quite a close knit group just like the Turtles.

When they got down to the Quidditch locker room and the Dragon boys started getting their and the girls brooms out, Harry reached into his bag and pulled his Firebolt out seeing the envious glances of the other boys and they all started asking if they could have a go.

Harry had a quick look at the other boys' brooms and recognised that Charlie and Sunny both had the Tornado Turner broom that Yoko Hami had. That was a really popular broom amongst Chasers and Harry remembered Angelina Johnson had been practically giddy when she got one in Harry's fifth year and she was made Quidditch Captain.

He also saw that Trevor and Chinook had a broom that Fred and George Weasley used to dream and practically drool over in "What Broom?" magazine called an 'The Eagle's Claw' that was especially popular amongst Beaters in North America, which made sense as Chinook and Trevor were from America and Canada respectively.

Even now Harry could remember the Weasley twins telling him in that twin speak they used to do all about the broom. He knew from memory about the broom and even as he thought about it he could hear the twins passionate words that 'its manufactured by the Liberty Broom company based in Pavillion, Wyoming. A popular broom amongst Canadian and American professional Beaters for its stability and fast turning ability and short speed bursts.

The unique handle design has a large oval shaped hole incorporated large enough to fit a player's hand in so that they have complete grip on the broom and prevents one hand from becoming detached and also allows for more aggressive turning.

Harry smiled to himself at the memories of Fred and George and decided at that point to speak with Ron about whether George would appreciate them getting him the broom or whether it might be too painful and remind him of Fred anytime he rode it. Harry wanted to do something nice for George, but certainly didn't want to upset George. He and Fred had always treated Harry like a little brother and really helped and looked after him ever since he'd known them.

Harry saw Sunny and Charlie getting the girls' brooms out and started resting them against the bench on the girls side of the locker room. Harry had not had proper time to look at them the last time he was in the Dragon's Lair playing Quidditch with them, so he decided to do so now.

He saw that Rosa to his surprise didn't have the Matador broom that was hugely popular in Portugal and Spain but had a broom called Dragon's Tail that was a South Korean broom that has been popular with Quidditch Keepers for years for its short range speed burst and breaking ability make it great for keepers who need to change direction and stop quickly. It wasn't a cheap broom by any stretch as it was hugely popular on the international Quidditch scene.

Riko's broom and Erin's were both racing brooms called "Gold Air Wave", that were popular amongst the Japanese national Quidditch team, and had great speed in direction changes. Rachel's broom was a racing broom called 'The Transylvanian Barb', which was a fast broom and used by every member of the Transylvanian national Quidditch team.

Finally he saw Sunny put Hester's broom against her spot on the bench and went to secure her locker again and Harry rested his Firebolt against the bench and picked up Hester's broom so he could have a look at it.

"It's pretty impressive looking is it? Just like its owner," Sunny said to Harry, giving him a smirk as he saw Harry eying the broom.

"It's certainly something that she looks good on." Harry said, smiling back at Sunny before looking back at the broomstick that had a similar shape to his Firebolt with the slim saddle and the groomed and individually shaped twigs making up the bottom of the broom. They were all immaculately looked after and looked almost like it had just come out of the factory and Harry could see Hester took really good care of her broom.

The foot rests looked like slender silver angel wings and the wood itself-had been painted in a sky blue and a sort of sky blue glitter on it with pinstriped clouds detailed on the broom and near where the hands would go Hester's name had been engraved in silver along the handle.

"Is this a Siberian Arrow?" Harry asked Sunny who nodded.

"Yeah it is and even though Hester's has been customised and looks a bit girlie but its a fast broom... Really fast." Sunny replied to Harry.

"Do you think she'd let me ride it?" Harry asked, causing Sunny to chuckle.

"Mate, I think Hester would let you ride her, let alone her broom." Sunny said, causing Harry to roll her eyes. "Seriously I'm sure she would even though riding someone else's broom is pretty personal, I'm sure she'd be fine if you let her have a go on your Firebolt."

"She can have a go on my Firebolt, that's fine. I guess I'll wait for her to get to wherever we're going so I can ask her." Harry said, looking at Hester's broom again and running his hands across the painted wood. Harry had always loved his broom sticks but had never thought about personalising them like Hester had done with hers. He knew that Viktor Krum had painted his Firebolt in the Bulgarian national team's red and that the Irish team had painted the Irish tricolour on their broom handles but he thought Hester's broom looked really nice.

"I reckon she'd be fine if you took her broom and left yours for her with a note." Sunny said as Charlie muttered "You're a braver man than me" just loud enough for Harry to hear it.

"Maybe I shouldn't," Harry said thoughtfully.

"It will be fine Harry, I promise and if she's angry then I'll tell her it was my idea and I'll take the hex for you." Sunny said, pulling out a quill and some parchment for Harry who scribbled a quick note to Hester.

Hester

I really hope you don't mind but Sunny showed me your Siberian Arrow and said he thought you'd be alright with me having a go if I left you my Firebolt.

I'm sorry if you aren't and I promise I'll look after it 'til you arrive.

Harry

X

Harry wrote the note and took his wand, applied a weak sticking charm to the back of it and put the note on his Firebolt that he then placed with the rest of the girls' brooms.

"Sorted. Right then guys let's get going." Sunny said to the rest of the Dragon's as Emre asked Harry if he could have a go on his Firebolt another time and that he'd let him have a go his broom which was a Greek model called 'The Pegasus Tail', to which Harry agreed as he didn't want to appear uninterested in Emre's broom, which was the Greek equivalent of a Nimbus 2001.

The boys exited the changing rooms and Sunny led them to the Quidditch pitch and Harry once again couldn't help but be impressed by the Dragon's training pitch as the thick beams of natural light punctured the space casting an almost flood light effect on the pitch but leaving the sections of the cave and the spectators seats in darkness.

Harry mounted Hester's broom and felt it almost vibrate a little as he took his feet from the ground and they came to rest in quite a comfortable position on the foot rails of the broom.

"Ready?" Sunny called out getting affirmatives from the rest of the boys before Sunny, leading them all, shot off into the air. Harry took off after the rest of the boys and noted that the Siberian Arrow had a very good kick in acceleration when wanting to change speeds and was also very soft and subtle when changing altitude. He did a couple of mid air side to side shimmies and did a couple of shuttle runs from one set of posts to the others, testing out the brooms capabilities.

Harry noted the direction changes and top speed weren't as good as his Firebolt but were still better than his old Nimbus 2000.

"Harry, are you coming or not?" Charlie shouted out to Harry as he looked around the cave and saw the boys hovering near the ceiling at one of the tunnel openings in the roof.

"Sorry guys I was just wanting to test out Hester's broom," Harry said as the boys just laughed.

"Yeah no shit" Trevor said with a grin. "You seem to like riding Hester's broom, although I wouldn't have thought that blue would have been your colour" he added, getting a shake of the head from Harry.

"No, but it suits her, matches her eyes." Harry called back as he started flying towards the rest of them, not watching Sunny and Trevor exchange a glance before the former turned his broom and led them all into the tunnels.

Harry followed the boys who all whooped and hollered through the tunnels making turns at what seemed to Harry to be at random going full speed. Harry was able to keep up with them quite easily though as Hester's broom was more than a match for any the boys had.

Harry was pretty disoriented and didn't know how many turns, dives and twists he'd done through the tunnels when Sunny suddenly pointed upwards to the tunnel ceiling that had two black dragon's carved into the rock around in a circle like they were chasing each other. If Harry were by himself he would probably have missed them.

Harry watched as Sunny followed by the rest of the Dragon boys one at a time came to a slowing stop before pulling back hard and leaning back on their brooms almost inverting themselves before shooting upwards aiming directly between the two carved dragons and disappearing through the rock that released a puff of smoke into the tunnel as each of them passed through it.

Harry assumed it must be like the barrier to platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross and followed suit and as he shot upwards he noticed that the tunnel which was bending to go upwards was like going through a smoke vortex as it was swirling around the outside of the tunnel like lots of thick grey smoke snakes.

Harry noticed the boys speeding up before the tunnel twisted them to do a loop and they shot out into the open air inside a bright cave that had sunlight bursting through two large holes in the ceiling at either end of the cave lighting up the inside of the cave, which Harry would say was roughly the size of a muggle football field and about fifty feet high.

Harry came to a stop with the rest of the boys who were hovering with grins on their faces as Emre said "Welcome to the Dragon's Den Harry. What do you think?"

"It's wicked," Harry replied honestly. He looked around the inside of the cave. There was a large circular hole to his left letting in sunlight through the top half. Water gently cascading down through the bottom half of the hole creating a waterfall into what could only be described as a river really more than a pool that was about thirty feet wide and ran the whole length of the cave to the other hole on the opposite side of the cave.

To each side of the pool was a perfectly manicured lawn with deck chairs and sun loungers on both sides facing the water. Above both of these, carved into the rock face, were five little platforms again with grass that looked almost like carpet on the floor of them and what looked like large king sized beds you expect to see next to the swimming pool in a muggle hotel with posts and white sail like curtains around them fluttering gently in the breeze.

About three quarters of the way down the "river" a wooden dock had been built and on that was a series of couches and squashy looking armchairs in front of some small bookcases and what looked like a dark wooden bar with three beer taps on it.

"How the hell did you find this place?" Harry asked as the Dragon's all pointed at Chinook.

"My older brother Dyani was about four years above me when he came here and he and his mates found the Dragon's Den one day by accident after his friend, now fiancée, Megan got lost during a game of Quidditch. My brother was trying to catch her as she had the quaffle.

She attempted to brake on the spot as he was chasing her down that tunnel and turned in the tunnel to face him and try to cause my brother to crash. Dyani though just swerved around her and that's when he sort of accidentally flew through the opening and they came up here to investigate." Chinook explained with a shrug of his large powerfully built shoulders.

"And they found it just like this? "Harry asked, waving his hands around the cave as Chinook shook his head.

"Nah they installed all the decking there and brought the bookcases up. Every year someone adds something new here so that when future generations come they can keep the legacy going so to speak. We've not decided what we're going to do yet though," Chinook explained.

"That's really funky. So everyone in Dragon can access this then and have another place to hang out. Is it always this bright?" Harry asked, wondering what it would look like when the sun goes down.

"It depends on the weather outside," Trevor explained.

"You see those holes letting in the sunlight aren't really there," Sunny explained.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, looking a little skeptical towards the holes.

"If you weren't flying Hester's broom and knowing she'd kick my arse for letting you do it, I'd tell you try and fly through one." Charlie said with a grin. "They work the same way as the viewing window out of the clan area in the Lair's common room. It's just a charm but the water is actually coming in though it's heated.

"Really? How does it do that?" Harry asked.

"Magic," Trevor said with a grin and a shrug before Sunny clipped him round the ear and called him a 'divvie'.

"We like to think it's Ryu warming it up with Dragon's breath," Chinook said, trying to sound mysterious.

"Well it's brilliant anyway. Although I'd imagine it gets a little crowded when the whole clan wants to use it," Harry said as Sunny nodded his head.

"Technically anyone can come in here but it tends to be people in their final year but because we heard about this place from Chinook's brother and spent about a year trying to find out where the entrance was we managed to find it eventually and so got to use it last year as well." Sunny explained.

"So you've all been here before this year? Didn't the students in their final year get annoyed with you crashing their party, so to speak?" Harry asked, happy that he was part of his other Clan's secret discovery just like he was in Turtle Island having found the Turtle Nest with Hero and he'd had the Japanese boy promise not show the rest of the Clan until he was back in Turtle Island.

"Not really. I mean they were at first but when I explained that I'd heard all about it from my brother and that we wanted to make sure we could compete against the Turtles and Tigers when it came to swimming in Quidditch then their competitive nature kicked in and they let us use it most of the time."

"There were certain times when one of the students would say not to come up here on the weekend but we didn't understand why. From what my brother originally described the sun loungers and other furniture weren't here in his year nor was the grass and I think those privacy beds were only installed at the end of last year as well and none of us have seen them last year."

"Rachel said she'd write to one of the students in the year above who's just left to find out exactly how they work and so on, but we're hoping to figure it out ourselves." Chinook explained to Harry as the other guys all started their descent to the decking where they landed and leant their brooms against the wall.

"What do you mean privacy beds?" Harry asked Chinook who smiled almost in a knowing way.

"Well it's what is making me and Nash think that the reason the students in their final year last year were telling us more often not to come to the Dragon's Den, must have something to do with Truth or Dare." Chinook said as Harry tilted his head to the side thinking.

"Alright it's like this. You see that there are five beds on those platforms overlooking the pool and they are all at different heights yeah." Chinook said as Harry looked at the platforms carved into the rock face and nodded.

"Well there's five girls and five guys in our Clan this year. When we all came up here over the weekend Hester and Rosa went to one of the beds and as soon as they landed on it this weird like energy dome thing erupted from the floor in this pearlescent dome that was all clouded and couldn't be seen through. Ray Ray went up to ask them if they wanted a drink and when she touched the dome it chucked her off her broom and into the pool or river if you will." Chinook explained mimicking what happened with his hands and chuckling to himself remembering how Ray Ray was really annoyed as she hadn't wanted to get her hair wet.

"So you reckon those beds are there for people to fool around?" Harry asked, his eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline.

"We assume so or at least have a conversation in private. Although we don't know for sure if one person's on the bed asleep, whether the dome thing kicks in and doesn't let anyone else onto the platform." Chinook said thoughtfully.

"So if I went and sat down on a bed to read my letters, you're saying that this dome like force field thing would be around me and no one could get onto the platform as well. So like if Hester say, wanted her broom back and flew up there then she'd end up getting thrown off my Firebolt into the water?" Harry asked Chinook.

"Dunno as we've not been back to test out all the different things we need to test out. We might need to wait for another all Dragon truth or dare rounds to try out some of the theories we have as there is nothing here to tell us about it or how they work. But we can try some theories today and see what works. I'm a bit gutted we only discovered these were here after i'd done my round as I got Hester in the last round of Truth or Dare and these could have made things a lot better. But still if things go the way they've been going there could be another all Dragon round soon for us to find out." Chinook said, running a hand through his hair.

"Right well I'm going to go for a swim I think. Are you coming?" He asked Harry who said he would in a little bit but had to quickly read a couple of letters. "Alright but don't take too long as you don't want to be stuck away on your own for ages or you'll no doubt have Rosa and Hester come looking for you." Chinook said knowingly, giving Harry a wink before flying off to join the others.

Harry put on a burst of speed heading off to the second highest platform, which was about thirty feet above the little river and landed gently before dismounting Hester's broom. The grass was so soft it felt lovely under his feet and as Harry had automatically kicked off his flip flops and laid Hester's broom down on the ground beside it. As he made his way over to the large queen sized sunbed he sat down on the end thinking that the bed itself was really comfortable and that he better not get too comfortable or lie on it because he might actually fall asleep.

Harry reached for his bag and opened it up taking out the letter tubes. He noticed an embossed Gringotts' logo on the tubes and he assumed that all his mail was now coming via Gringotts.

He opened the first tube to read a letter from Tengu confirming that the gold had been transferred into Sabre's account and that he'd set up an account for Elixir Eddies and that he'd arranged a meeting with Gigo, Fleur and himself in his and Sabre's absence to discuss the use of the account, credit facilities and to give Gigo his and Sabre's business Beseecher slip book as per Harry's instruction.

He also mentioned that he was happy with Harry's choice of Solicitor in Yushiro and Yushiro and that he would also be meeting with both the Yushiro twins, Fleur, Narcissa and Hermione's account manager Sato to fully confirm the details of their arrangement as well as carrying out an audit on the Yushiro's business to make sure that they had the capabilities and all they needed to run Harry and Hermione's affairs properly. He said that he didn't think this would be a problem at current capacity but if Harry and Hermione increased their holdings in Japan and Asia then they might need more staff.

Tengu concluded the letter informing Harry that his currency denomination idea was to go before the Goblin Brethren and King Ragnok in the next week in order to have the idea presented, discussed and hopefully ratified. Tengu said however that he didn't foresee any problems with this as it would allow the goblins to make a huge impact on the amount of money in circulation and inflation rates and such that should improve the economy for all as well as make Gringotts a fortune in the initial stages.

He said that he would like to see Harry the next time he visits the Bazaar for a quick meeting and to discuss another business opportunity that has come up that he thought Harry may find of interest.

Happy with how things were going with his Japanese business ventures so far, Harry couldn't help but smile to himself as he thought about how much he was enjoying the business interests and dealings in his life. He couldn't help but think that this was perhaps something his dad and Sirius would have enjoyed doing when they were alive if it hadn't been for Voldemort. Given how the Potters and the Blacks seem to have had a flair for business considering the amount of gold he'd inherited from both the families he'd have been interested to see how'd they'd have fared if they'd had a normal life.

Harry had spoken with his dad and his Grandfather Fleamont Potter's portrait after his date with Daphne when she'd suggested putting the Scentaur potion his dad had created onto the market. They'd said that it was a brilliant idea and had spoken to him for over an hour about how he might want to go about it.

Harry's dad had said that he'd always intended to make it available on the market and Harry and his ancestors had all had a good chuckle about how the Potter men were always inventive and had an aptitude for business. To say James Potter was happy to see Harry thinking along the lines that he was for a business idea, was an understatement as it had been James' ambition to become as respected as his father had been for an invention.

He also mentioned to Harry that his mum Lily had played a huge part in its creation and that there were other potions in his and Sirius' journals he might want to look at as they might be successful. He said he didn't know what Lily had put in her journal as she never let him read it but he imagined that she'd have some brilliant potion ideas as well.

Thinking about the Scentaur potion and the positive reaction it had got from everyone who had smelt it, cemented in Harry's mind that it was a good idea and worth exploring and he made a mental note to start researching it or have Narcissa maybe look into it while he was at school to give her something else to do.

Next up was a couple of letters along with another set of magical blueprints from Hayley Sloop and an update on how things were going with his project in England, that appeared to be gathering momentum as Harry had already fed back on some of the plans and they had included some alteration requests that he'd made. He read that Hayley intended to have Fleur return at least for a short while to help them with a meeting at the ministry regarding the land that Harry was looking to acquire as well as another one of his projects she was determined to make happen.

There was one to Harry's surprise from the British representative for the ICW asking whether it would be possible to arrange to meet with Harry and Hermione some time before the 13th November. Harry wasn't sure what that was about and decided he'd speak with Hermione before replying.

This left Harry with just two other scrolls and he looked at the handwriting on the address label and smiled as he recognised Susan loopy handwriting and Tracey's on the other one. Remembering his and Susan's risqué correspondence and erm 'items' that they'd sent to each other Harry couldn't help cracking the seal on the scroll tube for Susan's letter first and he pulled the rolled envelope out the tube where it instantly became straight again.

Harry turned it over and cracked the wax seal with the Bones' family crest on it and pulled out the letter and the familiar waft of Susan's peach and ginger smelling perfume reached his nose. He checked the envelope and was a little disappointed to not see another little keepsake from Susan after the photo she'd sent him he was hoping for a sequel from the attractive redhead.

He pulled out the letter and started to read:

To Harry.

I hope my letter finds you well and you are still enjoying yourself at Mahoutokoro. I'm writing this letter to you in the magical flying carriage that the rest of the girls and I are currently sitting in hurtling over the south coast on our way out to sea and towards France.

It really is a very pretty carriage and the driver of the carriage is a funny little man named Jacque. He keeps coming and offering us refreshments and wine like every twenty minutes. Daphne and Pansy have had to be quite blunt with him, pointing out that we don't think Madame Maxine would be happy with us turning up drunk on wine.

Tracey and Hannah have tried to reason with us that if we weren't meant to be drinking it then he wouldn't have access to it and be offering it to us, but I've swung the vote and instead he's giving us like a little afternoon tea, with traditional lemonade and little pastries, sandwiches and cakes. It's all very grown up, sophisticated I suppose, although I do miss the pumpkin pasties and Bertie Botts beans from the trolley on the Hogwarts Express a little but that might just be nostalgia and this is a new experience.

Hannah and I had a night with Fleur and her friend Penelope before they left for Japan, which was a nice surprise and it was good. We bumped into them both in Diagon Alley when Rita Skeeter collared me asking me loads of questions about you… Remember I wrote to you about that in my last letter.

Anyway Fleur gave us loads of good information about Beauxbatons and what to expect and I'm really excited and looking forward to seeing the Palace of Beauxbatons and starting on our N.E.W.T classes. I've got my pensieve and the phials you very kindly bought me. You're such a sweetheart Harry seriously. So I'll be able to show you what it's like when we see each other in person again, which I can't wait for.

So now for the real reason I needed to write to you so urgently and why I'm scribbling away along with Tracey, whose also writing to you by the way, instead of joining in with Daphne, Pansy and Hannah practicing some cool French charms that Daphne's read about to change the colour jewels in the chandelier in the carriage.

Anyway, so before we got in the carriage we all stayed the night at Daphne's house and were waiting for the carriage to arrive Daphne and Astoria felt someone trip the wards at Greengrass Manor and then we turned to see Lavender Brown coming up the driveway with a face like thunder and making a beeline to me.

Daphne asked her what she was doing there and she pointed a finger at me and said ""This is nothing to do with you Greengrass, this is between me and that gold digging bitch right there."

I didn't have a clue what she was on about but it turns out that your old friend Rita Skeeter is up to her old tricks. There was a photograph taken of the night we went to the Spiny Serpent for Ron's party to celebrate his first start for Brixton, they lost pretty spectacularly by the way and I hate to say it but it was Ron's fault, and they cut Tracey out of the photo to make it look like it was just me and Ron going off together.

Then that Skeeter shrew wrote this disgusting article about how now that I'd scared you off to parts unknown that I was trying to sink my claws into Ron as he's the only other eligible high profile wizard in the country apparently! She basically made me out to be a complete gold digging bitch and jumping on any famous eligible wizard and Lavender stupidly believed every word of it.

I don't fancy Ron. I never have and I never would. He's just not my type. I've only ever wanted to be with you Harry and she knows that because I talked about you and how much I liked you all the way through hiding out in the Room of Requirement last year, so why she believed that, I don't know. Things have been going so great between us that I just had to write in case you saw that article and thought there might be a semblance of truth in what she wrote or thought the worst about me.

Ron got really drunk and then fell off a stool or a table or something and ended up knocking himself senseless and cutting his head open. Anyway, Tracey and I helped him up and took him outside to take him to St. Mungo's to get checked over. That's when we got photographed by someone from The Daily Prophet.

Please write back and let me know that we're ok Harry. I really miss you and can't wait to see you again and would hate for you to ever think that I'd ever look at another wizard as you're the only one for me.

Lots of Love and other things,

Susan

xXx

Harry folded up the letter with a small shake of his head and thought about how Rita Skeeter was starting to annoy him with these articles about the girls. He was glad that they were all off to Beauxbatons and out of the firing line. He would write back to Susan tonight and tell her not to worry. He knew she didn't fancy Ron and that he knew Rita was a proper bitch.

It was a stark reminder for Harry about his summer of craziness with the Slytherpuffs and how it was going to have to be sorted out when he got back to England with Hermione. It had been a great escape so far to focus on himself and Hermione and the two of them were making real progress towards being together it seemed and Harry was thinking for the first time about how Susan, Daphne, Pansy and Tracey might throw a bag of spanners in the works when it came to himself and Hermione.

He had four houses that he was head of and Hermione had two herself that she needed to restore just as much as he did. He didn't know how Hermione felt about things and whether she had it in mind to have more than one husband. The thought of Hermione being in a marriage with himself and another man made him feel a little queasy in his stomach, but he knew that was hugely hypocritical given how he had potentially five romantic interests in his life and how he'd slept with both Susan and Daphne.

He also knew if not for Paul and Beatrice returning to Potter Manor that he could very well have had sex with Pansy and Tracey as well. Harry knew that he needed to get everything sorted with Hermione but if push came to shove then he knew that she was who he wanted to be with above all others and as much as he was starting to care about the other girls he wanted to be with Hermione first and foremost more than anything he'd ever wanted in the world.

With that in mind he picked up Tracey's letter and opened that up and to his surprise a photo fell out. The photo was of Tracey in what he assumed was her bedroom wearing her Beauxbaton's uniform and the photographed version of Tracey was giving a little twirl and then striking the odd sexy pose and giving Harry a little wink. Harry couldn't help but think that she looked incredible in her uniform and that he certainly would have noticed her walking around Hogwarts if the uniforms had been like that.

Taking the letter he opened it up looking at Tracey's neat handwriting and noticed the rouge lips where she's kissed it where she'd signed off and couldn't help remember the steamy snogging session they'd had when he'd taken her flying at Potter Manor.

Dearest Harry

How are you doing after your secret hook up with Daphne? Yes she has told me all about Astoria's and your plan to get her out to Japan and how Tori had her running everywhere looking for a dress. Fair play to Tori she really played her part well and Daphne said that the evening you spent together was like something out of a dream.

Seriously she's been walking around like she's on clouds since she got back and I'm really jealous of her. She always seems to have things happen with you first… Maybe you just like her more than me? I guess I can't blame you I suppose as she's everything a wizard would want, isn't she? I guess it's hard to compete with her but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't want to spend some more time alone with you. I really would love that.

The afternoon we spent riding your Firebolt at your house was great and I really would like to spend some more time with you… Just the two of us, so we can get to know each other better and see what happens. Jeez, listen to me sounding like some whiney desperate schoolgirl with a crush, stamping my foot thinking it's not fair…

It's just hard for me, knowing that you have slept with and are getting on really well with Daphne & Susan and obviously I can see how you feel about Hermione given the birthday bash you threw for her and finding her parents and all the other stuff that's happened over the years. I guess I'm just hoping that if you decide to take a wife for each of your family lines that I'll still have a look in and you'll give me a chance or not forget about me.

I'm going to stop myself here as I'm beginning to annoy myself with how I'm talking. I'm just being very un-Slytherin and rather than coming up with some elaborate plan to see you, I just want to be honest and open, even though I'm being too honest perhaps. I've seen through my mum and dad over the years that being honest and open with those you care about is the proper way to being happy and I mean like genuinely happy and that's all I want for me and for you.

So other than me asking you to just give me a chance and maybe hopefully meet up over the Christmas break, I also wanted to help Susan out as well as the poor girls beside herself worrying. She's one of my besties and she's pretty upset because of that cow Lavender Brown. I know Suzie is writing you a letter as we speak about what's happened as I can see her quill moving frantically, but I'll just say that everything she's saying is true.

She doesn't fancy Ron and that night she and I were just helping him to St. Mungo's. He'd really cracked his head on the foot of the bar after he fell off a table or chair or something or other and no one else seemed to be helping him. But he's a really good friend of yours and looked like he'd really hurt himself so we took him outside as he really took a whack. We took him to the healers and then we dropped him back at his house and left him on the sofa after we'd told his older brothers Bill and George what had happened to him, but they didn't seem too concerned so someone had to take him. He also managed to puke all over our shoes as well and if you speak to him remind him that he owes us both some really nice ones.

So yeah I just wanted to let you know as Suzie would hate to think you believed anything you read in the Daily Prophet, not that I think you would, or that she'd ever do anything to betray you because she just wouldn't. Once we've all learnt how to do that memory pulling thing, remind me to do a memory of how Astoria got Lavender to leave Greengrass Manor. It was hilarious and I think it will make you smile.

So yes the only other thing is I've enclosed a photo of me in my new Beauxbaton's uniform as I know all the boys used to go completely gaga over the French girls during the Tri-Wizard tournament, so let me know what you think, do I match up?

I'll hopefully hear from you soon and let me know how things are going at school as it feels like you've been gone ages and about Christmas and maybe getting some alone time together?

Speak soon

Lots of Love, Hugs and deliciously naughty things,

Tracey

xxxXxxx

Harry put the letter down, nodding to himself that he'd have to write back to them both after things had quietened down in the Dragon's Lair. As Harry looked up, he saw that there was an almost pearlescent dome over where he was and through it saw the outlines of the girls flying into the Dragon's Den and he saw what he assumed was Hester with the blonde hair obvious through the dome like forcefield start flying towards him.

She was coming at speed and just as he thought she was going to smash into the barrier she smoothly pulled back on what he assumed was his Firebolt and slowly entered through the barrier that resealed itself as she passed through. Her bare feet touching down softly on the grass as she gracefully dismounted the broom giving him a dazzling smile that if he'd been stood up could have had his knees knocking together.

"Wow this thing really does shift, doesn't it?" Hester excitedly commented, she held up the Firebolt with one hand beaming at Harry. "I still prefer my broom as I think it brakes better but your Firebolt's acceleration is great. What did you think of my Siberian Arrow?" She asked as Harry watched Hester take a couple of graceful steps towards where Harry had put her broom and placed his Firebolt next to it.

Harry's eyes couldn't help running up Hester's smooth and shapely legs and towards her bum pressing against the material of her short summer dress that loosened as she stood up again. She turned slowly and started coming towards him and Harry resisted looking at her chest, which was jiggling slowly with each step in the visible cut of her dress.

She really was gorgeous and massively attractive and to his surprise hadn't worn a particularly revealing outfit Harry noticed as most of the time when she'd been with Harry she normally wore something that really showed off her figure. Now however she was wearing an almost airy short summer dress with only her tanned legs on display, which surprised Harry, but still managed to draw his eyes to her. Hester's hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, showing off her lovely angelic face in full.

However he wasn't careful enough and the photo of Tracey fluttered to the floor coming to rest between his feet upside down but he didn't notice it before Hester had stepped across to the bed and bent down, picking it up.

"I really liked your Siberian Arrow Hester, but I think I'll stick with my Firebolt as I dunno it just feels more natural or maybe I'm just more used to it." Harry replied, trying to scoop up his letters and put them back in his bag. "Although I love how you've got it customised with your name and the paint work and foot rests on it. Did you do that yourself?" He asked her as he was in the process of quickly rolling his letters back up and sticking them into the letter tubes to put back in his bag.

"No, I took it to 'Everything Quidditch' in the Bazaar and had it done there, but I picked everything and showed them a little drawing of what I wanted and then paid them the gold and they made it a reality." Hester replied as she moved closer and sat on the bed next to him tucking her leg under herself.

Harry pressed his lips together and gave a quizzical shake of his head not knowing where she meant. "Everything Quidditch?" he asked her, seeing her eyes open wide in surprise.

"Don't tell me the Turtles and Tigers never took you to Everything Quidditch?" Hester asked aghast. "It's on Victory Lane next to the Toyahashi Tengu's stadium? You know next to their club shop?" she went on seeing Harry shaking his head as she almost looked disgusted that the Turtles and Tigers hadn't taken him there already.

"Nope, I've never heard of it as I don't recall them mentioning it. Is it good then?" he asked her, seeing Hester roll her eyes.

"Buddha's backside, how have they not taken you to arguably the best shop in the whole Bazaar!" Hester said slightly bewildered that the other clans hadn't taken Harry to the shop. "I'll take you there this Bazaar weekend and you'll love it. It's amazing and if you like Quidditch then it's impossible not to like this shop as it's got absolutely everything there from gear, pads, brooms and equipment customisation, accessories, quidditch magazines, memory balls of famous games, Toyohashi Tengu apparel and other team merchandise. Just trust me, you'll love it," Hester's excitement was clear.

"Alright, well that sounds pretty cool and I'm looking forward to seeing what they've got," Harry replied. He watched Hester turn over the photo of Tracey and started to reach for it but stopped since it was too late to stop her seeing it.

"Wow, she's pretty sexy. Who is she?" Hester inquired, looking at the photo and nodding to herself.

"Oh that's my friend Tracey," Harry answered, trying to sound as casual as he could.

"She's really fit" Hester said studying the photo, "I always loved the Beauxbatons outfit as my sisters always looked great in theirs." Hester said honestly looking at the picture of Tracey giving a little twirl before looking over her shoulder and winking at Hester.

"It's certainly a lot different than the uniforms I was used to seeing her wear at Hogwarts. We had robes there that made us look like muggle or NOMA judges for the most part. The uniforms here are a lot more comfortable but I can't imagine I'd look good in silk like that." Harry said, pointing to the picture and imaging himself in a pure silky suit like the blue Beauxbatons uniform.

"Well Beauxbatons don't take wizards in, only witches as students and the only males are teaching assistants." Hester said, handing Harry the photo, which he thanked her for and put it in his bag.

"So do your friends normally send you photos of themselves, looking provocative in their school uniform?" Hester asked amused and a smile teasing her perfect full lips.

"No," Harry replied a little awkwardly and felt his cheeks colour. "It's kind of a new development since I split up with my ex-girlfriend and found out I was made head of four houses. My lifes just gone even crazier than it was beforehand as suddenly girls are interested in me." Harry said with a shrug as Hester listened intently.

"I'm sure girls have always been interested in you Harry," Hester said sceptically and playfully tapping his arm with the back of her hand.

"Nope, not really. I was this really scrawny kid in oversized hand me down clothes for year and I think that made everyone think that I was an attention seeking arsehole and a complete scruff." Harry said despite Hester's sceptical look seeing she didn't believe him.

"We all used to be scrawny kids, Harry. Look at all the firsties here, when you look at them it's scary to think we used to look like that," Hester replied to him.

"Yeah, but none of the first years here have everyone in the school know their name and more about them than they do themselves." Harry retorted.

"What do you mean? I know you're saying that everyone knew who you were from day one, but what do you mean about knowing more about you than you did yourself?" Hester asked, confused. Harry explained briefly about growing up in a house without magic, more a house with a hatred of magic. He didn't go into a great deal but just brushed over his pre-Hogwarts life.

"I can't believe that you only found out you had magic when you turned eleven.. You seriously only found out that your parents didn't have a car accident and that you were off to a place to learn magic and no one ever came looking for you before that to tell you about things before you went to Hogwarts... That's just completely crazy that someone as famous and as well known as you didn't know anything about yourself." Hester said in complete shock and even a little disgusted and Harry could practically see the gears turning in her head. "It's mental you didn't know anything about your parents or yourself other than a pack of lies." Hester replied shifting on the bed to make herself more comfortable.

"Exactly and I had these things happen every year that caused the general opinion of me throughout the school and even my own house to fluctuate so often, that the only people that really stuck by me the whole time were Hermione, Neville, Luna and for the most part Ron as well. It was always kind of me, Ron and Hermione at school until I started running Defence classes in my fifth year because our teacher was a ministry toad, completely shit teacher, and an evil bitch to boot." Harry explained.

"I see," Hester said, making a note to definitely find out about Harry's fifth year in more detail, "but there's no denying that you're a good looking guy Harry and you must have had loads of interest from girls at school," Hester pointed out to him.

"Thanks, I appreciate the compliment, but no until the Yule Ball during the Tri-Wizard tournament I hadn't even had a girl ask me on a date or anything before." Harry explained.

"Huh!, Really?, I mean surely just by talking with girls in classes and in Quidditch and stuff and just getting to know you would have had girls start to like you and let you know about it. I mean you're a pretty clever guy Harry and I can't imagine you'd not be able to spot that," Hester said disbelievingly.

"Well it was mainly Ron, Hermione and me like I say, although yeah sure, I talked to girls in classes and stuff, but I found out that because the three of us were such a tightly knit group people found me unapproachable. I've never really spent any time talking to girls at all and be a normal teenager. I had other priorities with my life growing up with Voldemort trying to kill me and so on. That's why Ron and Hermione sort of shielded me I guess," Harry explained. "I thought about it obviously that I'd meet a girl, fall in love, settle down and start a family and that's what I want and have always wanted for as long as I can remember," Harry explained.

"So are you making up for lost time now then?" Hester asked cheekily, causing Harry to laugh and shake his head.

"No, not at all and that's certainly not my intention. If I had my way I'd meet one girl and settle down and have a normal life. But after finding out that I've got to marry a pureblood witch in order to keep the Black family name without it passing to a guy I hated in school, it's kind of put paid to any chance of a normal life." Harry explained as Hester finished his thought for him.

"Unless you give up your Godfather's family name, correct?" she asked, getting a nod from Harry.

"There's just something inside of me that won't let me do that, even though its taking me in a direction away from the wife I thought I'd never be able to have." Harry replied determinedly. He didn't really want to go into the ins and outs of Sirius with Hester and he appreciated her not peppering him with questions.

"I get what you're driving at. You want a normal life with one witch, but you are trapped because of the family name you want to protect and now you need to have at least a pureblood wife or two witches, one of whom is a pureblood in order to keep your family name," Hester said understanding.

"That's right. But it's not just to protect the name, but bring it back to prominence but in a good light rather than it being famous for being a dark family." Harry explained as Hester watched him intently.

"And this is the family name of your Aunt who is staying in Japan at the moment?" Hester enquired.

"Yes, how did you know I've an aunt in Japan?" Harry asked her.

"I've got my sources." Hester answered mysteriously. "I get it though. Well i get it as much as I can get it by not being in your situation. I'm third in my family line so will only continue the Steiggson name if neither of my older sisters take it. So is this Tracey one of the girls you've found out is interested in you then given her sending a photo of herself looking sexy?" she asked curiously watching Harry's reaction.

"Yeah, she is, but I found out that she was friends with Hermione for years and I didn't even know that Hermione had friends in other houses when we were at Hogwarts. Tracey was in Slytherin, who are like the equivalent of Phoenix back at Hogwarts and they all hated me and I wasn't particularly fond of them either. Although it turns out that Tracey, Daphne and the ex-girlfriend of the guy I hated in Slytherin didn't hate me at all," Harry explained.

"They all actually fancied you," Hester said knowingly nodding to herself getting it.

"Well... I suppose yeah they did, although I didn't have a clue about it. I suppose the thing I've been most surprised about is that girls I went to Hogwarts with, who I didn't know, actually liked me and fancied me, and weren't the fan girl type. It's strange finding out they have actually liked me for me, even though I didn't really know them or that they were paying attention to me." He admitted. "Although from what they've said to me since it's only because Hermione used to talk about me with them, not in a nasty way but more as an outlet and a way I suppose of getting people's opinion about me by letting them know what I'm really like," He said with a shrug.

"Aye I see so Hermione tells them all about how great you are and not what the rest of the rumour mill says you are like because everyone thinks your closed off and a big head, but really Hermione's kind of built you up and let people know what you're really like and they started fancying you and started seeing what Hermione said was true." Hester clarified.

"I guess that's a very accurate way of summing it up." Harry said nodding to Hester and giving her a smile, impressed at how quickly she had picked up the situation. He watched her clearly thinking about something for a moment before Hester pressed her lips together after seeming to have come to a decision about something and turned a little more to face him.

"What do you mean fan girls? Explain what you mean." Hester asked thinking she knew what he was going to say and feeling a ball of dread starting to form in her stomach.

"Well fangirl types are the ones who think they fancy me, but don't really know me. They fell for or fancy the name or the Harry Potter they'd read about in some fictional novels with a load of made up stories about me or who knew my real life story and saw me as the boy-who-lived. Hogwarts had plenty of them where people liked or were attracted to the persona or myths made about me and not actually knowing the real me."

"That kind of girl really puts me off. My ex used to be like that until she started to get to know me. Then things got a lot better after that and I started to notice her." Harry said to Hester who was listening to him with rapt attention.

"Do you think I'm like a fan girl? I mean I know I've come on a little bit strong," Hester asked looking down at the grass of their little out crop suddenly shy.

"Well I dunno," Harry replied civilly not wanting to upset her given that he'd just answered her question. The honest answer was yes.

"It's alright, you can say it. I know I've been a little forward with you and I don't really know you very well at all." Hester said to him looking up, her beautiful eyes meeting his.

"Well I don't know about fangirl per se, but yeah I suppose you've been quite open about liking me, even if you don't really know me that well yet" Harry admitted and thought he sounded like a completely big headed twat.

"Well I guess I firstly just thought you were a good looking and really fit guy." Hester said shyly and looked away not wanting to meet his eye suddenly. "It's not the stuff you've done or that I've read about you that I like or liked Harry. You've just got this kind of aura or way about you. Like you're so much more mature and thoughtful than any other guy I've met, you carry yourself different and have this sort of inner strength or confidence." She admitted both to Harry and to herself.

"Well thanks, but I'm just me," Harry said thinking how lame that sounded.

"You don't get what I mean and I feel like I can't explain it properly without completely opening up and humiliating myself or trying to explain it and sounding even worse." Hester said, putting her hands in her lap and taking a slow deep breath through her nose.

"Let's just say that I'm not used to fancying a guy first or that I don't know how to pursue them. I mean I've never had to," Hester admitted looking at him to see him looking at her. "That makes me sound awful doesn't it?" She asked, burying her face in hands in frustration.

"Doesn't make you sound awful at all. You're really pretty so I'd imagine that you've always had guys falling over themselves to try and impress or win you over." Harry admitted thinking that Hester was gorgeous and if she'd gone to Hogwarts she'd have won the top spot for hottest girl many a year.

"Thanks. It's good to know you find me pretty at least, but there's so much more to me than my looks, Harry, that's something that I think you get more than anyone given what you've just been saying." Hester said, wanting to show him that she wasn't just a pretty face.

"I know there is and I can completely relate to that, although I'm not saying I'm a pretty face." He joked, causing a laugh from Hester who swotted his arm playfully again. "But this is what I mean about fangirls and me." Harry said, looking at Hester. "I bet you've had it similarly here where you've had guys interested in you and fancying you because of the way you look. They've got their fantasy version of you that they think about when they are all tucked up in their beds at night." He said as Hester gave a shocked gasp and he worried he'd maybe gone too far.

She suddenly threw her head back and laughed lightly and swatted his arm playfully again for the third time. "Harry, you can't say things like that." She giggled at the thought of boys thinking about her when they were alone in their rooms or dorms at night. She wasn't stupid enough to not think it happened but talking about it with a boy she really fancied was just weird.

"Well it will be true." Harry said with a shrug. "I'm just trying to explain and I think you get it. I can see it on your face that you have had guys interested in you because of the way you look even though you're really smart and clearly have a lot going on to get to the position of Head Girl in arguably the best magical school in the world. That's a really big deal and I told Hero as much when he told me his story about being made Head Boy."

"That's really sweet of you to say Harry. This is why I like you though, as you think on a different level than so many other guys that I've met here, even older ones." Hester said brushing a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry if I've come on a bit strong. I… I... honestly just don't know how to show you that I like you really and that I want to get to know you and you me… and well see what happens if anything really." Hester said looking at Harry and for the second time since he'd met her showed a vulnerability that she'd never really shown before.

Harry studied her for a moment and as their eyes met he couldn't help smiling at her in order to convey that it was alright. "It's alright and while I admit that yeah you did make it quite obvious that you liked me, I'm actually really flattered that you've been so open, honest, and brave about it. I haven't and wouldn't have the guts to tell someone I really like how I felt so openly as you have Hester, so thanks." He said as Hester seemed to perk up at that and not really knowing why but feeling it was the right thing to do he lent forwards on the bed and wrapped his arms around Hester and gave her a hug.

He admired her courage to tell him that she liked him. He'd wished he'd done that so many times with Hermione in the past rather than giving in to worry or doubt that she wouldn't feel the same way.

He felt Hester lean into him and return the hug and Harry couldn't help breathing in the smell of Hester's perfume or shampoo or whatever it was. It smelt like hot chocolate or golden syrup and it smelt absolutely heavenly. He could feel her breasts touching his chest and his body naturally started feeling warm and reacting to the contact with Hester. He thought it best to stop the hug at that point as his body would keep reacting to her and he didn't want to do that since he wouldn't be able to hide a certain part of his body reacting in swimming trunks.

"You smell absolutely lush," Hester commented. Happy that Harry had given her a hug and she'd been able to embrace him back. She also didn't want to push him too far by looking disappointed that they'd had to stop. "What is that aftershave?" she asked him honestly.

"Oh it's something I created with a little help from something I read about in my parent's and godfather's journals." Harry replied seeing Hester's eyes go wide.

"You created it?" she asked him.

"Yeah it's sort of like Amortentia in that…" Harry started to explain as Hester finished his sentence for him.

"It smells differently to each of us, depending on what attracts us," Hester said, amazed. "How did you manage to take away the effects of personal infatuation or obsessive desire to be with you from the potion though since it would surely cause people to just jump your bones?" She was interested to learn how he'd managed to manipulate the process to take out the compulsive aspects of the potion and just leave the smell.

Harry smiled at Hester as he had expected Hermione to pepper him with questions when she'd first smelt the potion he used as aftershave but he'd managed to keep her at arms length about it by promising to let her read his parent's journals herself in order to find the answers she might need.

Harry happily explained briefly about how he'd managed to stop the compulsion element of the potion by not using any of his own hair, changing the brewing temperature, duration, and some of the ingredients changes. He had impressed Hester as she listened, checking a few details with Harry. He could see why she was Head Girl as she had a really good grasp of potion making like Hermione had.

Harry hadn't told her some crucial changes that he'd made as he planned on one day possibly mass producing and selling the potion on the market in order to increase his holdings and continue in the Potter and Black family tradition of being active in business.

"What is it that you smell when you smell it?" Harry asked Hester out of interest.

The blonde haired witch smiled and made a comment that she'd have to have another smell and placed her soft hand on Harry's face turning it slowly away from her. Harry shifted a little in his seat as he felt Hester's warm breath on his neck as she lent in.

Hester took a long slow inhale of breath and made an 'mmmmm' sound before sitting back up straight. "I smell mint, honey and Bobo broom polish." She smiled at him before asking him what he smelt when he smelled it.

"Me, well treacle tart, broom handle polish and vanilla," he replied, knowing that the vanilla was from Hermione's shampoo.

"What's a treacle tart?" Hester asked, pulling a face and causing Harry's jaw to drop.

"What! You've never had treacle tart?" Harry asked her, seeing her shake her head.

"Nope. Sounds disgusting," she replied, scrunching her pretty face up playfully and laughing as Harry threw his hands up.

"Oh my Godric. You don't know what you are missing. It's like my favourite pudding in the whole world." Harry said as Hester laughed at his passionate response.

"Maybe we should ask the house elves if they know how to make it sometime this year," Hester suggested. She thought about it some more, "Or maybe you could bring some back after the Christmas break. I'm assuming you'll be going back to England for the Christmas holidays instead of staying here," Hester commented.

"Yeah I will be. I used to stay at Hogwarts or go to my friend Ron's for Christmas rather than go to my relatives. What about you? Do you stay at school or go back to Finland?" Harry asked.

"Oh I always go home or to Rosa's house in Spain, although she normally prefers to come to mine as Christmas in the sun isn't the same as in the snow. They try and celebrate Christmas properly here and get evergreen Christmas trees imported and set up all round the school but it's just not the same as home you know." Hester explained to Harry who nodded, not really understanding what she meant.

"I see and I'd imagine it's snowy in Finland during December?" Harry enquired. Hester nodded and started telling him about Finland and where she lived in Oulu on the west coast of Finland.

Harry was interested in everything Hester told him about how her family lived in a large town house in the city amongst NOMAs or Velhomitaan as they were referred to in Finland. Hester went on to explain that because the population of Finland is only around five and half million people so magical people are able to live out in the open quite well and that there were plenty of all magic and magic only communities in Finland as the country had a lot of forest and woodland so they weren't overseen by NOMAs.

She explained that because her father was one of Finland's representatives to the ICW that they decided that it would be best if he lived in a city so that he could be near a portkey terminal as he had to travel a lot with his work.

They talked for about fifteen minutes, with Harry really fascinated to hear about how open Finland seemed to be in regards to magical people not having to fear discovery so much as there were plenty of places to live without being discovered or accidently come across by non magical people. He made a note in his mind to talk to as many people as he could from the different countries in his year to find out more about what their home life was like compared to Japan and England since it would give him a good idea of what being abroad in a magical community might be like.

"I suspect you'll be seeing Tracey when you go home for Christmas this year and that Daphne as well? It was Daphne, wasn't it? You know the girl we saw you with in the Bazaar." she asked Harry.

"Yeah that was Daphne." Harry answered a little sheepishly remembering how the rest of the Dragon's rumbled him and why he'd ditched them when he was on his Bazaar weekend with them when they had bumped into them when they were on their date sat outside Elixir Eddies.

"You never did tell us how she came to be in Japan? Is she your girlfriend now?" Hester asked, trying not to sound jealous and not totally failing.

Harry thought for a moment and decided that honesty was the best policy even though he was talking with a girl who'd just straight up told him that she wanted to go out with him. "Well, no she's not my girlfriend. We went on a date together in England during the summer and then her little sister basically bollocked me for not taking her out again after we'd had a good time. I decided she was right and that it wasn't very polite of me at the very least. So I thought about it and then made arrangements to get Daphne here for a date in Japan before she went off to Beauxbatons."

"But we had a great time when she was here and I'd have thought I'd be seeing her over the Christmas holiday as Beauxbatons and Mahoutokoro's Christmas break overlap in two of the weeks as we get so much time off here." Harry explained.

"So, you like her then?" Hester asked Harry who started laughing.

"Yeah I like her." Harry replied with a smile recalling the times he'd spent with Daphne. "But it's complicated." He added trying to be a little evasive and not meeting her eye.

"Because of the family titles or because of Hermione?" Hester probed. "It's obvious how you both like each other and I've been watching you both since you came here and you appear to be getting closer. I'll be honest that I've been a bit naughty. I've been getting a little kick out of seeing how jealous she gets when I'm near you and I think that might be a little bit about why I came on a little strongly as well." She admitted giving Harry a smile at her admission.

"Well yeah that's complicated as well. Hermione and her titles, me and my titles, my mate Ron and just a whole load of other stuff. It's made it all about as far away from normal as I thought my life could get. Well, my romantic life." Harry wondered how Hester had managed to get him to open up so much.

"How the hell did we get from broomsticks to my love life?" he asked her, causing Hester to laugh lightly.

"I don't know. Maybe I've a knack for getting people to open up. Mainly though I'm curious and it's information that I needed to know." Hester said a little sultry and with what Harry considered a cute little pout.

"Oh… and why are you so interested in my love life?" Harry asked, cursing himself for being drawn into and playing along with Hester's little game.

Hester looked down at the bed between them for a moment and Harry was rather surprised to see her looking shy, which was certainly not something he had seen from her before.

"Well you know now that I like you, so I'd think it was rather obvious. I mean granted it's a really, really unusual situation that you're in and not ideal but I'm a pureblood Harry so I grew up knowing full well that I could end up being part of a relationship with more than one person involved, although it's not too common in Finland. The magical community tends to stick together and most relationships form within magical society and most families are all magic families as a result." Hester explained to Harry.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd even consider entering into a relationship with someone who had multiple titles. You could pretty much have any wizard or man you wanted," Harry replied honestly.

"Well maybe." Hester said, giving him a little modest smile and meeting his eye. "I apologise for coming on so strongly Harry but I'd just like you to give me a fair shot and if something develops like I hope it will, then... well just know that I'm ok with your situation and don't care what anyone including my own family or anyone might think." Hester said, looking at him completely seriously.

"Well that's…" Harry said trying to find the words as he was completely flustered with Hester's openness really. There was no guile or game playing on display. Just a girl being honest with him and asking for him to get to know her and see if it develops from there. "good to know and thanks for being so honest with me about it." Harry said getting a winning smile from Hester in return that caused a tingle to run down his spine.

"Have you seen that memory phial I left for you in your trunk yet?" Hester asked suddenly as she looked at Harry.

"Shit" Harry said, his eyes bulging as he's completely forgotten about the memory phial that he'd found left for him in his trunk. "Honestly no, not yet, sorry." Harry said after a pause as with everything that had been going on he'd forgotten about it and was surprised to see Hester let out what looked like a relieved breath.

"That's good then and no need to be sorry." Hester said as she finally looked back up at Harry. "Would you mind either giving it to me or maybe not looking at it until I tell you to?" Hester asked, blushing a little.

"Erm sure I can give it back to you if you want or whatever. It's locked away in my safe in my trunk at the moment so no one else will find it. Any reason why?" Harry asked her and Hester looked away from him shyly.

"Truth be told, given what I've just said about not being so full on and giving you a chance to let me get to know you and vice versa. I guess I'll feel a bit embarrassed now about how direct I've been towards you and what is in that memory." Hester said honestly before shaking her head slowly looking at Harry a little embarrassed. "I guess it's a little personal shall we say and it's not that I've a problem with you seeing it. I was thinking about you when I extracted the memory but I don't want you thinking bad about me because of it. I guess I'm just really out of practice in how to show a guy that I like them or that you're a special case." She said with a shrug.

"And you like me?" Harry asked, thinking there was no point beating around the bush.

"Yes. I think I've already explained that a few time. So stop embarrassing me and keep making me saying it." Hester said, chuckling to herself and rolling her eyes before giving his arm a playful punch.

"Ouch...Well I did say I was useless when it comes to girls." Harry said, chuckling to himself and rubbing his arm where she'd punched in, even though it didn't really hurt as Hester joined in chuckling with him.

"I think you're better than you realise." Hester countered, reaching forwards and touching his bare upper arm for the first time not making the contact seem casual. She felt a tingling all over at the contact and gave his arm a delicate and affectionate squeeze. "Do you think you might come to like me?" Hester asked, looking at Harry with a slightly hopeful expression.

"Maybe. I mean I'd have to get to know you better for sure," Harry replied, seeing Hester try to not look disappointed. "But I like what I know about you so far." He said with what he hoped a gentle way of being straight with her and saw that beautiful smile of Hester's spread across her face again as she seemed to sit a little straighter at his admission.

"Well that's good and hopefully we can really get to know each other this year. Anyway you remember what I said about that memory I left you ok." Hester said, biting her lip a moment as Harry nodded.

"I'll remember and will give it back to you if you want… And erm the underwear?" Harry enquired, raising his eyebrows as Hester laughed lightly before burying her head in her hands blushing prettily.

"God I forgot about the underwear… No, don't give that back as there's no way of doing that without someone finding out." She said chuckling to herself and looking at him shyly she explained "I was feeling really naughty and Rosa is a bad influence and somehow brings out the competitive and naughty streak in me. Please try and not think too badly of me alright. I just really like you Harry and I… Oh crap it's so embarrassing and I can't believe I told you multiple times that I like you flat out, but I do."

"I just want the chance to see if you can like me too and if it goes anywhere. I know that you are totally into Hermione and that's fine even though I don't think she really likes me much, but the way I see it that doesn't really matter. It's about what you think."

"You're in a unique position that you might end up with multiple witches and I just want to try and see where it goes and to let you see that there's more to me than blonde hair and boobs" she said laughing at Harry as his eyes betrayed him as he looked at her chest out of reflex.

"Sorry," he said a little sheepishly.

"Don't be. I like you looking at me. I like looking at you. So I don't mind you looking at me as much as you like," Hester said. "Let's just have a laugh and see where it takes us." she said, getting a nod from Harry, who was a little perplexed by the whole conversation and how open and honest Hester had been with him. He didn't think that she would be like that at all as it was different to how things had been between them so far.

"HESTER, HARRY!" they heard Sunny's voice magnified through the barrier and Hester stood up off the bed and the barrier collapsed. She moved to the edge of the platform looking straight down below them where Sunny and the others were already in the water and she noticed that the girls were already on the boys shoulders looking ready for a game of bulldogs.

"YEAH" Hester called back as she felt Harry move off the bed and alongside her looking down.

"You two want to play a game of bulldogs? We're short on numbers." Sunny shouted back up to her.

"We're coming, but it's going to be me and Harry against you lot, so one of you boys will have to sit out until the second game." Hester called back before looking at Harry. "You up for helping me beat this lot?" she asked him playfully.

"Erm yeah sure. Bulldogs is the game where you're up on my shoulders and we've got to push the rest of them off the others shoulders right?" Harry asked, remembering the game from Turtle Island.

"Yeah but there's no wands allowed and only hand to hand combat." Hester said with a wink.

"If Harry's too scared to play he can be the ref." Emre called out teasingly with a broad grin and his chiseled chest just above the waterline with Erin on his shoulders wearing a midnight blue one piece on looking up at them.

"Come on Stig, get your butt down here and get in the water," Erin said as she took a swig from a bottle of butterbeer.

"Right then Emre you and Erin are the first two getting dunked. Come on Hester let's do this." Harry said, the competitor in him bringing a smile to his face.

"We'll be right down and Rosa could you get me and Harry a drink. We'll need refreshments on hand for when we are waiting for you all to try and pick new teams when we beat you all." Hester said as the rest of the Dragon's jeered at them and told them to hurry up.

Hester reached down the front of her dress and pulled her wand out and Harry watched as she pointed the wand first at their broom sticks and then made a sweeping motion and Harry watched both their brooms take off and fly down towards where the others had their brooms resting against the railings of the bridge before taking their place at the end of the row.

"Come on then get ready" Hester said as she watched Harry watch her take her wand and put it back into her bra holster and forced herself not to smile at his attention. She reached for the bottom of her dress and she pulled the dress up and over her head slowly leaving her standing in a very form fitting white silk bikini that rode high on her hips and just about covered her breasts.

"Must be tricky getting your wand out of there in a hurry," Harry said with a light smirk to himself. He pulled his eyes away from Hester's incredible tanned body and started undoing the button and zipper on his trousers before letting them fall down to his ankles revealing him wearing his swimming trunks.

"It can be, although I can see you keep your wand even more tightly locked away." Hester said a little flirtatiously, nodding down towards Harry's trunks causing him to shake his head in amazement at her flirtatious approach sometimes.

"Naughty" he said quietly with a smile at her flirty comment before pulling his top over his head and he noticed Hester looking at his torso unashamedly as he stuffed his clothes into his bag.

"I'll sort the bags" Hester said as she turned and put her dress in her own bag and Harry's eyes almost popped out seeing her bottom displayed amazingly in her bikini. She stood up straight and took her wand out again and Harry passed her his bag and he watched as Hester dropped them both over the side and then guided them next to their brooms before stowing her wand again.

"Oh and you're going to have to tell me how Rosa managed to get a date out of you without me knowing." Hester said as the thought come to her mind.

"Did she not say?" Harry asked her arching an eyebrow. "She said she wanted to take me out to thank me for helping you get to the hospital wing after you hurt yourself trying to do my Ravens Twist move when we were practicing quidditch together." he explained.

"Oh that's when she did it, the clever bitch." Hester said almost to herself as she thought about it. Shaking the thought out of her head she looked at him again, "Ready to do this thing?" She asked Harry who nodded.

"Yeah but how do we get down from here?" he asked her.

"We jump silly," Hester replied, moving back towards the bed as Harry looked at the gap between the platform and the water and saw that there was probably about a 8 foot gap of solid rock they could land on if they didn't jump far enough.

"Here's hoping we make that gap and are you sure it's going to be deep enough as they are all standing up and it doesn't look deep. We could really hurt ourselves." Harry said as he moved towards Hester and as he got level with her for a run up she took his right hand in hers and looked at him and said "The water is charmed so it gets deep enough to jump in from this height and then the floor moves by magic to go to a depth to meet your need. Just trust me ok, I made it the last time I was here with Rosa so we'll be fine. Ready, Go!" she said with a giggle and started running forward with Harry joining her before they both leaped off the edge of the grassy platform with a shout and landed with two big splashes in the water.

To Harry's amazement as they hit the water they probably descended about ten feet below the surface and as he opened his eyes underwater he looked around to see that there was like a cliff edge facing him and as he looked across to his left to see Hester who had let go of his hand just before they'd hit the water and saw her point downwards.

Harry looked down to see a black abyss beneath his feet with the floor not in sight. Suddenly Harry saw movement coming and before he could blink the floor had come shooting up quickly, without any water being displaced around him and he felt the smooth stone that made up the floor connect gently with his feet and felt himself being pushed up before his head broke the surface and he breathed in a lung full of air.

"That's pretty crazy magic." Hester said, running her now wet blonde hair back over her head and forming it into a ponytail before using a muggle elastic tie to secure it behind her head.

"Yeah, that's frigging mental. How do students even know how to do magic like that?" He asked as Hester shook her head suggesting she didn't know either.

"I don't know but it makes me feel kind of inadequate as I can't do anything that creative or powerful… well not yet anyway." She said, pulling herself through the water slowly as the water lapped up over and between her chest.

"Nor me but it always makes me feel I've got so much to learn." Harry said as Hester came to a stop in front of him.

"That's how I feel but at least you've accomplished some amazing things already. That patronus for one thing is amazing, not even looking at all the other stuff you've done. Do you think you could work with me on some duelling projects and things I've got? I'd really love your input." Hester asked Harry as he swept his hand back through his hair pushing it back.

"Well most of the things I've done haven't been through choice but more out of necessity rather than me learning something or having the knowledge to create or modify something amazing." Harry said with a shrug, "But sure I'm up for hearing about any duelling projects you've got as that's something I have actually studied quite a bit in," he replied, seeing Hester beam at him.

"First though let's show these lot why they shouldn't mess with the Head Girl though," Harry said before submerging himself and swimming behind Hester and swimming between her legs and tapping them to nudge her legs a little wider before he crouched down between her legs and stood up so that she was on his shoulders with a leg either side of his chest, which he wrapped his arms round.

"Finally ready to join in." Trevor said as Harry saw he had Ray Ray on his shoulders in a pink bikini and a determined look on her face as the others bar Sunny had the girls on their shoulders.

"About time. Sunny's reffing the first one and the losing team gets everyones drinks and then we'll switch teams." Rosa said looking towards Harry and Hester a little enviously.

"Winners stay on," Hester said determinedly to the agreement of the others.

"Alright let's begin" said Sunny who looked at Harry with a big grin on his face and he cheekily added "Oh and Harry congratulations on being the only guy I've ever known to get between Hester's legs."Causing the other Dragons to break down laughing.

Harry and the Dragon's spent a good half an hour playing Bulldogs in the mini river that Harry found was actually just warm enough to not feel a chill in but not so hot it was like a bath.

He and Hester managed to win the first two games much to the competitive Fin's delight but they lost spectacularly in the next game to Sunny and Rachel as Sunny had been sneaky and hooked Harry's ankle as he'd past them going for Emre and Rosa, which had resulted in Harry and Hester taking a fall.

The victories were shared out after that and they'd all had some of the elvish juices from Harry's bag as well as a couple of bottles of mead that Hester had brought from Finland and some sort of bourbon that Chinook had brought from America.

As they all sat around on the deck drying off laughing and joking Harry's stomach had rumbled and Hester had called on one of the house elves and asked them if they could bring them some things so that they could have a BBQ.

Harry had watched Hester then cast a spell at a couple of small rocks and watched impressed as she transfigured them into a pair of smokers before the house elf had returned with two large platters of various different meats including steaks, sausages, chicken and vegetable kebabs and another tray with various breads and rolls.

The little elf must have recruited a couple of the other elves as well as before they knew it there was quite a spread arranged on the deck and the Dragons and Harry all munched away happily as Sunny and Charlie manned the smokers casting fire elemental charms at them to cook the meat to perfection.

"I really need to start learning some of this fire affinity magic," Harry commented while he finished off the remains of a hot dog that Rachel had made him. "Even if it's just for the cooking." Erin laughed at him.

"There are far more useful things to do with it than just cooking though Harry and I'd be excited to see what you could do with it with your power levels. We can show you where in the library you can see the basic books to get you started but seeing how you've ploughed through Ancient Runes so quickly you'll more than likely be on advanced stuff in no time. I've noticed how you pick spells up really quickly in class." She said to Harry, which surprised him that she'd noticed or been paying attention to his work in class.

"That would be great Erin, I'd really like that." Harry said to her, getting a smile from her as she bit into a lamb chop that Chinook had put on her plate a few moments earlier and Harry watched her eyes roll back in delight as she slowly chewed the cooked meat.

"So Harry, tell me is there anything like this in Turtle Island? I know that the Turtles said that they've got a beach and that it's always sunny on Turtle Island but have they got anything this cool?" Emre asked Harry who nodded as he chewed a piece of yakitori chicken.

"Well not that they have shown me," Harry lied to Emre. He didn't want to mention the Turtles Nest until he'd shown the rest of the Turtles in their year and discussed with them whether it was always going to be just a secret between the Turtles, which Harry thought it should be.

For the next couple of hours they chatted, swam, and discussed what sort of additions they could make to the Dragon's Den for future students coming here and had some fun with it.

Harry realised talking with the Dragon that they all knew some pretty good magic from their own home lands that he'd never heard of and it spurred him on to want to learn as much as possible and try and live up to his parents and Sirius' reputations becauses everyone always referred to them as gifted.

As it got to about nine o'clock and the sunlight in the Den started to wain Harry noticed that the lighting changed subtly as it darkened and as it got to the point where Harry was struggling to see the waterfall into the little river clearly there was a sound of a Dragon roaring in the distance that caused the Dragon's look at each other.

It was followed by another roar, this time sounding a little louder but somehow not aggressive and just as Rachel asked whether it was Ryu that they were hearing, the ghost-like form of Ryu came flying out through the tunnel that they had all entered the Den through. Harry watched with the dragon in silence as the long snake like dragon twisted as ghost like smoke came from his nostrils as he appeared to spit balls of fire randomly around the den and Harry noticed that they stuck to the wall in a circle around the top of the cave's ceiling brightening the den so that they could see round it clearly and made it more homely and cosy.

"Wow thanks Ryu." Sunny said to the ghost dragon who dived towards them before slowing until he was about ten feet above them flying in a figure of eight above their heads.

"My pleasure young ones." Ryu's booming voice echoed gently around the den. "I'm always going to look after my Dragons. Now don't stay up too late, you have class tomorrow." He said before giving a rumbling laugh and flew off back down the hole and out of the layer.

"I love Ryu. He's like having a nice uncle looking after us." Trevor said affectionately as the rest of the Dragons spoke fondly of their Clan guardian and told stories to Harry about him always giving them advice and helping them out of trouble in the Lair over their years in school.

Harry told them about how he used to always get chastised by the Fat Lady when sneaking back into Gryffindor tower and explained about how different Hogwarts was in that regard as the ghosts at Hogwarts didn't really have any house loyalties except for the Bloody Baron, Fat Friar, the Grey Lady and Sir Nicholas who were the house ghosts and how Harry suspected the portraits and ghosts were informants for the staff and Dumbledore.

They'd all laughed when he told them about Peeves and some of the things that he used to do and get up to winding the students up. As Harry talked about Hogwarts, it reminded him why it felt like the first proper home he'd had even with its strange quirks.

The Dragon's explained to Harry that the suits of armour and portraits they suspected kept the Grandmaster and the other Master's informed of any mischief as well as the Clan guardians. They told Harry which Masters he didn't want to cross and which would let him get away with stuff and were reluctant to give out detentions and punishments.

Harry asked them about secret passages and explained to them about how Hogwarts had several secret passages and short cuts that made getting round quicker and asked them about whether Mahoutokoro was the same.

It interested Harry to learn that the Dragon's Lair had lots of tunnels through it like the rest of the school, like for example some of the ones that they'd flown through during quidditch practice and on the course. Charlie had explained that they knew most of the ones in the Dragon's Lair but couldn't speak for the other Clan areas as Harry was the only one who'd been in Tiger Land and Turtle Island.

"Why do you want to know about secret passages so much anyway Harry?" Emre asked Harry curiously.

"Well my dad and his friends created a map of Hogwarts when they were at school and it showed every person in the castle at any point and all the secret passages and stuff like secret passwords and stuff to get through shortcuts and things. It was helpful when I was at school and I thought it might be a kind of cool thing to do here as well." Harry said with a shrug as they all started peppering him with questions all at once about how they'd managed to achieve that and how it tracked everyone.

"Surely a map of the whole school and grounds would be huge." Hester commented.

"Well it's kind of multi-layered once it's been activated." Harry explained seeing the mystified looks of the Dragons. "Do you want to see it?" he asked them.

"You've got it with you?" Rosa asked, "hell yes we want to see it." She added excitedly.

Harry got up and went over to his bag and rooted around in it until few found his mokeskin pouch that Hagrid had got him and retook his spot on the floor as the Dragon's moved closer around him.

"Is that made of moleskin?" asked Ray Ray.

"Erm yeah" Harry said, opening the pouch and reaching his hand in and rummaging around until he felt the parchment brush his fingertips and he pulled out the map.

"Mokeskin pouches are really rare. How did you get your hands on that because the Goblins are the best breeders of Moles and they kind of monopolise the market as they use them for coin purses?" Ray Ray asked Harry.

"Erm, my friend Hagrid gave it to me as a gift for my birthday one year," Harry explained.

"God do you own anything that isn't really rare or cool?" Hester joked with Harry who shrugged. "You've a Firebolt, some mentally brilliant trunk that's a huge apartment, you've got your own house in England with a Quidditch pitch" Hester started to rattle off.

"And a place in Scotland and a townhouse in London." Harry pointed out jokingly as Hester rolled her eyes and Harry said he was only winding her up. "I know that I've been fortunate but I'd have given all of that up to not have... you know what happened with my parents and the stuff that's gone on over the years," He pointed out seeing the smile drop from Hester's face.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that. I just meant you've got some really cool stuff," She said feeling a little silly.

"It's ok. Really I know you didn't mean it like that and I wasn't trying to sound touchy. I just meant I'd happily give it all up to turn the clock back and have things be different," He said with a shrug.

This led to a light hearted conversation where the Dragon's all started speculating what other rare and brilliant things he might have that took them through another half an hour. They started noticing that the fireball lamps that Ryu had created were starting to go darker and Sunny looked at his watch and pointed out the time and that they better get back to the Lair and get some rest because they had class the next day.

They all reluctantly agreed since they were all having a good time and Harry was really surprised when Hester called for the house elves that had been responsible for bringing the food to them and she arranged for the Dragons to give the three elves a round of applause in gratitude for their work. Harry could see the modest pride of the house elves who said that it wasn't a trouble and they were happy for the extra work and insisted on clearing everything up and tidying the Dragon's Den.

The teens mounted their brooms and flew back to the Quidditch pitch and locker rooms before making their way back to their floor and all the boys bid everyone a good night as they made their way down the bedroom corridor peeling off as they went into their own rooms.

Harry bid Hester and the rest of the girls a good night and thanked them for such a good time and that he'd see them in the morning. When he got to his room he made his way into his trunk and his bedroom and got ready for bed. He was completely shattered and ready for a good sleep.

He got into bed thinking about the events of the weekend and how successful it had been meeting the Yushiro's, managing to talk Sabre into letting him invest in Elixir Eddies, and having gotten that interview about what had happened last year out of the way.

It felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders by telling his story to the journalists and magical historians. It was something he hadn't realised he'd been carrying with him all this time. He didn't know what kind of reaction the story would get back in Britain but as he settled into bed and turned his lamp out, he realised that for once he was glad that he and Hermione were away from the country and didn't have to deal with the news coming out.

Well not for a few months anyway and Harry thought that he was glad that Hermione had already told her parents everything that had happened at Hogwarts the previous summer as he was worried that they might think less of him given the danger Hermione had been under. He was happy that Dan and Emma Granger weren't actually angry with him and that they'd actually thanked him for keeping their daughter alive.

He had pointed out that it had been Hermione who had in fact kept him alive countless times and that in his opinion she was the real hero. He closed his eyes as he thought back to the occasions he'd spent with Hermione and her parents at Potter Manor and the Badger's Nook and how nice it had been. Thinking about those times he fell asleep.


2023hrs Sunday 4th September – Jade Pagoda, Mahotokoro

"So Hermione we've got some serious thinking to do," Li said to Hermione as she, Hermione and Mio made their way out of the great hall in the Jade Pagoda. Mio and Li had their arms linked either side of Hermione and Li was grinning like the cat that got the cream.

Hilde, Fu and Ling had all stayed behind with the boys to watch a gobstones match that Tai and Chen had arranged with the Turtles. They wanted to see their Clan mates get one over on the Turtles again; they'd challenged Tim Schmidt and Omori Hanso to another game and intended on soaking them in paint again like they had the last time they'd played.

"About what?" Hermione asked Li who rolled her eyes.

"About what you are going to wear to the Halloween ball, silly." Li replied, which caused Hermione to smile. She'd told the Tiger girls about Harry asking her to the Halloween ball as soon as she'd got back to Tiger Land.

"Oh there's no rush about that as it's ages away and I'm sure I've something suitable in my trunk as I brought a lot of my clothes with me," Hermione said dismissively.

"Are you kidding?" Mio countered from Hermione's other side. "You're not going to get something new? It's like part of tradition that all the guys and girls get new outfits and go shopping to try and outdo each other for the four balls during the year." She added to Li's agreement.

"Why are there four balls anyway? I mean it seems a little excessive" Hermione asked as Mio and Li looked at her scandalised.

"Hermione, are you seriously saying that you aren't looking forward to the opportunity to get dressed up and dance with Harry and potentially have a truly amazing evening and then be happy to have three more just like it?" Mio asked her, cocking her eyebrow.

"Well I didn't mean I wouldn't enjoy the four balls just that I don't really understand why so many," Hermione clarified as Mio and Li grinning knowingly.

"Well there is the Halloween festival, although it's actually the Obon Festival," Mio started explaining before Hermione interjected out of habit as she remembered reading about the Obon festival in some of the books on Japan she'd read on the flight over.

"Obon as in the annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's ancestors." Hermione said, getting nods from both girls.

"That's the one. The Dragon's host it this year and they normally stick to tradition with lanterns hung everywhere to help guide the ancestors' spirits. Hester and the Dragon girls have done Obon dances before and they'll probably teach some of the younger years to do them this year since they'll be overseeing things and making sure that things run smoothly and working with the house elves for the food offerings. The Masters and Sensei's will most likely sort the altars to pray and make the offerings out throughout the grounds like normal." Mio said as they walked across the central courtyard with the Pagoda behind them and went towards the dueling hall in the fastest route to Tiger Land.

"Hester has done Obon dances before?" Hermione asked. "How would she even know how to do them since she's not Japanese?" Hermione asked curiously, thinking about the other girls in Dragon Clan who she'd got on better with and remembering that Riko or Ray Ray as they all called her was the only Japanese girl in their year in Dragon Clan.

"Well they'll have been taught them over the years the same way we all were." Li said to Hermione.

"Yes but you two are Japanese. There's only Riko that's Japanese in Dragon Clan." Hermione countered.

"Yes but all students that come to Mahoutokoro are encouraged and taught Japanese magical and non-magical traditions. So those not from Japan learn things about the culture to pay respect to the place they are and its history and traditions." Mio explained. "Take yourself for example, look how much you've researched Japan and its traditions. You know what Obon is and that we have dances and things already. Other students who have been here since they were seven like Hester, Rosa, even Fu, Hilde, Ling, Chen, Parker and Tai in our Clan aren't Japanese but they'd be able to tell you all this stuff as they feel part Japanese having been studying here so long."

Hermione nodded along as Mio and Li explained before the burning question she had in her head came to the fore and couldn't resist asking. "But why are you celebrating Halloween? Obon is celebrated in August and Obon I dunno just seems more meaningful than Halloween, which the NOMA's celebrate as an excuse to dress up and get chocolate and sweets. I mean it just seems more like what Halloween should be about." She said with a shrug thinking about how Halloween was always a horrible night for Harry and herself as something bad always happened.

She thought about how Harry was normally not in good form when it came to the night his parents died, which was more than understandable but maybe if Mahoutokoro focused more on paying respect to their ancestors then maybe it would be a better night for her friend.

"Exactly like you say Obon is normally celebrated in August here in Japan but the Grandmaster or the Grandmaster before him decided that it was an important event and culturally significant time in Japan that they wanted the international students to respect it" Li explained. "But to keep things balanced. They also understood the importance of Halloween to other students from around the world and decided to fuse them together in October instead of August since we just started the school year."

"It's just always kind of worked meshing the two of them together as it's respecting mulitple cultures and bringing more significance to Halloween and more fun to Obon as after the prayers and things there's a meal and then a party basically to celebrate the living as well as those past. It's a great night and you'll have a great time, I promise." Mio said as she smiled infectiously.

"I hope so. I can't imagine not having a good time with Harry and he said that he really wanted to ask me to the Tri-Wizard Yule Ball so I'm hoping it's going to be a really great night." Hermione said blushing prettily as her mind started running through what might happen and where it might lead with her and Harry. "So there's a Halloween ball and I've already heard about the Graduation Ball, which I'm assuming if for us and O.W.L students at the end of the year." Hermione said as the others nodded along.

"Yes and the years before both O.W.L and N.E.W.T level so that they can talk about how best to prepare for their exams with the older students," Li explained.

"There's a New Year dance that takes place at the start of term after Christmas break where all students get to attend that so all the younger years get to have a little fun as well as those who are below seventh year commute to school and don't get to board here so it's an opportunity to let them enjoy a school wide dance as well." Mio explained.

"It's a chance for the young ones to experience that rush of asking and being asked to a dance. For young love to start to blossom and hearts to meet," Li said dreamily as Mio rolled her eyes and nudged Hermione with her elbow.

"For arguments and heart breaking, betrays and back stabbing more like." Mio said, giving Hermione a wink as Li reached across Hermione and swatted at her friend.

"Don't be such a stick in the mud Mio. It's a chance for the younger years to experience a bit of fun and romance. Plus I'm sure you'll be getting asked by lots of wizards again this year, just like every year." Li said with an overly dramatic sigh, "While I'll just have Sapporo take it for granted that we're going together and he won't do anything romantic at all," She groused playfully.

"You never know he might surprise you. Harry surprises me constantly," Hermione said with a shrug. The two Japanese girls looked at her.

"Yeah but Harry's different isn't he. He's a lot more mature than most lads are. I'd say Sunny Hichiro, Hero and Goro are the only other mature lads in our year, hence why they made up my top for picks in T or D," Mio said as they took a turn in the path taking them closer to the duelling hall.

"Good picks. Same with me except Sapporo took Harry's place in mine." Li said as Mio pulled a face at her. "What I've got to back my guy as it wouldn't be right if I didn't find my boyfriend attractive," Li pointed out.

"What about you, Hermione, who did you pick?" Mio asked Hermione as both she and Li leant in a little closer so that they didn't miss who she said.

"Well Harry obviously, Hero and Sunny Hichiro I picked as well and I wish I had picked Goro now but I picked Marco as my fourth pick." Hermione said the last part quietly, causing the other two girls to stop suddenly pulling Hermione to a stop as well.

"Marco... Seriously?" Mio asked, shocked.

"Well it was meant to be on who we fought was attractive and well I didn't know any of the boys other than Harry by personality so I went on looks and even though I know he's a prat now he's still handsome in a pretty boy kind of way," Hermione pointed out defensively.

"She makes a good point. But god I bet you wish you could have that pick back." Li said, shaking her head as they set off again.

"Course I do. If I knew he was impolite, ghastly and just a genuinely arrogant prick just by looking at him I certainly wouldn't be picking him," Hermione said to the approval of the others. "So enough about him. I certainly don't want to finish a great weekend off with thoughts of Marco Ronaldo in my head. What's the last ball for?" Hermione said as Mio took the lead on answering this one.

"The last ball in March and it's the Hanami or Cherry Blossom Festival where we basically celebrate the blossoming of the trees. Now I know what you're thinking about, that we've got a permanently blooming tree in Tiger Land but that's something only we get to enjoy.

The Grandmasters of yesteryear believed it was an important tradition and it's a bit different to the other festivals because it's like a day of sitting with friends and relaxing, listening to music and things and basically de-stressing I suppose. However the house elves for this one day a year are taken from the kitchens and students are allowed to cook food for themselves, friends and other people," Mio said fondly recalling how she loved that festival.

"So the house elves get a day off?" Hermione asked, shocked and getting nods from the other two girls.

"Yes. Apparently they battled it for years but a compromise was forged in that they insisted that the students weren't allowed to clean the kitchen, grounds or pagoda once they are finished," Li said with a giggle.

"They just love the clean up as cherry blossom petals just get absolutely everywhere and there's obviously a ball at the end of the day but it's a lot more relaxed than the others and the faculty always try and get a decent band in to play but they normally get booked up quite far in advance," Mio pointed out.

"Isn't it a bit close to O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's to be hosting another ball though?" Hermione asked them both as they shrugged.

"Possibly but we found during our O.W.L year that it was good to have one final hurrah before we flung ourselves completely into our studies." Li explained to Hermione who thought about the build up to exams in Hogwarts and how the students probably could have benefitted from it.

"Do you know which Festival we will organise? I don't fancy getting the graduation ball and having the distraction of trying to organise that while we are studying for our N.E. ," Hermione said a little nervously. She wanted to do well in her studies but also help her friends.

"Don't worry I doubt we will as we've had the graduation ball two years ago and they tend to rotate them all round the Clan's each year so it will be Turtle or Phoenix this year I reckon," Mio replied.

"Yeah I'm hoping that we get Hanami really as trying to organise New Year's would just end up taking up loads of your Christmas break," Li pointed out as Hermione agreed that it would be better to have the Hanami Festival. She'd like to be able to cook and also offer a thank you to the house elves for all the work they do.

As they rounded the corner and past some hedges they saw the dueling hall and Hermione felt Li and Mio looking at her waiting for her reaction.

"Oh my god!" Hermione said looking at the, well vandalism for want of a better word. "What the Helga happened here?" Hermione asked. Her companions started giggling.

"We're assuming that it was a dare for T or D but no one knows who did it and Master Lin warned us that if any of us get a dare that means defacing the school then she'd hope we would be smart enough to not do it to the school's dueling instructor's building." Mio said remembering how they'd all been taken aside by Master Lin that afternoon for a private chat in the eleventh year lounge.

"Has Master Kuzuko seen this yet?" Hermione asked the two Tigers who shrugged.

"Don't know but if she has then she seemed pretty chilled about it at dinner as she was talking happily to the rest of the Masters and Sensei," Li said recalling how good spirited the Duelling Master seemed at the evening meal.

"She absolutely saw it, according to Fu's little brother she went mental. He had just passed the dueling hall when Master Kuzuko saw it and he said that she was swearing like a potioneer who just had their potion explode." Mio said, causing Li to laugh next to her.

"Ah ladies... Just what I need some additional help." The girls heard the call to the side of them as they suddenly spotted Master Kuzuko round a tree carrying a large armful of silly string in her arms looking thoroughly disgruntled and with what looked to be six of the Tiger students form the younger years, who looked equally deflated.

"Master Kuzuko?" Hermione, Li and Mio replied curiously, all bowing to the Dueling Master.

"Ladies I need more help tiding all this vandalism up and your Clan mates have already agreed to assist but some more experienced magical hands could help me massively," Master Kuzuko groused, dropping her burden on the floor at their feet.

"What is it that you want us to do Master Kuzuko?" Hermione asked politely.

"I need help trying to remove the graffiti on the dojo while the younger students continue tidying up out here. Unfortunately all this silly string and other stuff seems to have an anti vanishing charm on it, so that when you try that it doubles the amount like a Dabushoku charm, but the younger students are helping me clear that." Master Kuzuko said as the huffs and sighs from the younger students reached the Dueling Master's ears and she rounded on them her face like thunder.

"No problem Master Kuzuko, we will assist as our Clan mates are." Mio interjected before Master Kuzuko could berate any of her Clan mates. "I've done an investigation in the Tiger Clan and can assure that none of our Clan are responsible for this," Mio said by way of deflecting Master Kuzuko's anger from her Clan mates.

"Yes… Well thank you for your assistance Miss Naiko and the more hands that get this sorted the quicker you'll all be back to Tiger Land." The Dueling Master replied before turning and shouting "Mr. Sutara, I told you not to try vanishing them!" She shouted loudly at a fifth year boy who had made the mistake of trying to vanish a large amount of silly string on the floor causing an explosion of colour around his feet as the large pile doubled in size as Master Kuzuko stormed off to deal with the younger student.

Mio quickly turned to Hermione and asked "Hermione, could you do that Patronus messaging thing and send a message to Goro and the other guys in the Jade Pagoda to tell the rest of the Tigers to walk the other way round the Dueling hall? Otherwise they'll all get roped into tidying up." She nodded and raised her vinewood wand and sent her Otter patronus bounding across the grass behind them towards the Jade Pagoda and the unsuspecting Tigers.

"Did you really investigate it in the Tiger Clan?" Li asked her best friend.

"No, but I wanted to try and make sure that the younger years didn't get in trouble for moaning about having to tidy up even though it could have been someone in our Clan." Mio said as Hermione suggested they get work on the graffiti and Mio and Li exchanged a look and tried to suppress a giggle as they waited for their English friend to see the graphic images of the Dragon and the Phoenix. As they moved along the dojo and the large images assaulted their eyes, Hermione let out a shocked gasp and her hand went to cover her mouth. She looked at the two laughing Japanese girls, "Oh my Godric. Whoever did those is going to really pay for it if Master Kuzuko ever finds out."

"Come on, we better try and see if we can't get rid of this." Hermione said as her friends took their wands out as well and they started casting charms at the images.