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12 Grimald Place

Two days after the Breakup

Rolling with the Punches

Harry lay in bed, trying not to think. Or in this case, over-think. Ginny broke off their engagement and he was still stunned. After that painful discussion, they had to attend, together, the birthday party he threw for her. Awkward barely covers it. At least their breakup was out there and he doesn't have to deal with telling anyone.

She actually made a lot of sense, but it still hurt. Maybe twenty and twenty one, in his case, is too young for marriage. But, after all they had been through, he didn't want to waste any more time. Unfortunately, she wasn't ready. Too soon or too fast or too much... whatever.

She sent him a note, but he hadn't read it yet. It was a thick note. It was the kind you write when you have a lot to say. Probably a lot that Harry really did not want to hear. Or in this case, read. Was he being mature? Not really. He'd deal with it later.

Today, he woke up and decided to just stay in bed. Exactly like he had done yesterday.

His Runespoor familiar was coiled around his arm and had her heads on the pillow beside him. He was very thankful to have 'the girls' in his life. They were comforting and loving. He knew they didn't like Ginny, but now they absolutely hated her. He thought Selene was going to bite her at the party. That would have been horrible.

Kreacher popped in right as he rolled onto his side to snuggle up to his runespoor familiar.

"Master has visitors waiting" Kreacher croaked out. After a moment Kreacher added, "Shall Kreacher tell them Master will be down soon?"

Groaning, Harry sat up, "Who is it Kreacher? It's too early..."

"It is Masters curse breaker friend and his wife. Would master like lunch?"

Offering lunch was Kreacher's way of telling Harry that it was NOT too early. Harry had things he needed to do. "Wait a minute, what day is it?"

"Today is Monday", Kreacher croaked. "Master has important things to do. Master's friends are waiting downstairs."

Normally Kreacher would call them 'Blood traitors' or 'Paupers' or some other insulting name. The fact that he was being civil, showed Harry that he was worried about him. Ok, time to get up, Harry realized.

"Kreacher, can you serve them tea and offer them lunch? I'll be down in a few minutes, after I shower. Would you mind making that grilled ham and cheese you do so well? You know how much I love your... what do you call it again?"

"Very well, Kreacher will make Monte Christo sandwiches. And chips."

Harry kissed each of the 'girls' and went to take his shower. Fifteen minutes later, he was showered and shaved. His mirror told him how handsome he looked. Someone must have told the mirror about Ginny, because it's parting words were, "She's a fool, one look at you and she'll hate herself!" Talking mirrors were just a part of the magical world. They all seemed to like him.

Stepping out of the bathroom, he saw that Kreacher had laid out tan dress trousers and a white dress shirt. The emerald green tie featured the Black family crest. The shoes were burgundy wing tips that matched the belt. A sporty black robe was hanging with the shirt. He thought about just throwing on his faded jeans and a tee shirt, but he had a busy day ahead, and Kreacher made Monte Christos... why rock the boat. Sometimes Harry wondered who was really the master of the house. He quickly dressed, then looked over at his beloved familiar.

Hecate and Selene were pressing Artemis to get her lazy tail out of bed. Artemis was always a sleepy head in the morning, no change there. He lifted them up, draped them around his neck like a scarf, and went down stairs to face his friends. She was heavy.

Seeing Fleur and Bill, he flinched a bit at the awkwardness of having just broken off his engagement with Bill's sister. Not his fault, but still weird. "Hey guys. Sorry to make you wait. I slept in a bit later than planned."

Fleur came over and hugged him. With a light French accent, she launched right into the trip. "I have taken care of everything. You leave in three days for a fun filled trip to Paris." Pulling a very nice leather itinerary folder from her bag, she handed it to him with a smile. "Let's discuss over lunch".

Bill put his arm around Harry and with one of his easy grins, said "You'll have a blast Harry. Trust me, Fleur knows how to plan a vacation. Let's go eat."

The covered the itinerary and Fleur shared her insight on the Paris night life. She had arranged for him to have a few guides and companions who knew the city well. He was actually beginning to look forward to the trip.

Fleur excused herself to freshen up and Bill took advantage of the private time to ask Harry how he was doing. "How are you Harry? Really."

"Honestly, I'm still stunned. Sad, embarrassed, hurt even? But not angry". Taking a minute to think, he added, "I just never saw it coming, you know. I still love her and I don't want to trap her. She wants her freedom..."

"Yeah, none of us expected it, but its clear she still loves you. Just give it time. You both are still very young." Taking a sip of water, he added, "I hope you're still planning to come over and stay at shell cottage before you leave. We have your room made up."

"Thanks, Bill. I need to take care of a few things today, can I come over tomorrow afternoon?"

"Sounds like a plan." Looking back at him one more time Bill added, "I'm here if you want to talk. About, you know, how you're doing…"

At this point, Harry was tired of talking about how he was doing. Done. So, he shifted the conversation and they talked about Malta. What could be under the earth and did they really want to disturb it? What defenses were they likely to encounter? What supplies would be needed? Support team? Given that this site was older than the pyramids, they really needed to be prepared if they even decided to go forward.

Once Bill's debt to Gringotts was paid up, he and Harry went into business for themselves. As freelance curse breakers and explorers, they had enjoyed their share of success. Plenty of danger too. Malta looked to be both the biggest score and the greatest risk yet. Part of Harry's fear was that someone like Tom Riddle would manage to find a way in and come out as another Voldemort. Twisted and corrupt. They had to at least find the entrance before they decide whether or not to break the seals and enter the Kaer.

Fleur eventually came back into the dining room, and they made plans for dinner tomorrow. The 'girls' came in with her and had apparently been showing Fleur a pair of boots Selene thought would look amazing on her. Considering Fleur was not a parselmouth, it was amazing how well they communicate. Likely a lot or pointing and tail gestures. Maybe fashion was its own language.

Kissing Harry on both cheeks, Fleur said her good byes, "See you tomorrow, Harry! We're looking forward to having you." She smelled amazing. Bill was a lucky man. She then looked over at Harry's familiar, "I'll see you too, girls. Perhaps we can update my wardrobe and get you ladies some chic new hats."

Selene practically did a dance at that. Even Artemis and Hecate seemed interested. Harry knew Artemis and Hecate were a little jealous of the attention Selene, and her hat, got at the party last night. They really liked Fleur. Harry wished they had liked Ginny half as much.

As Bill and Fleur left, Harry found himself thinking about Ginny and the breakup again. He decided to stay busy and avoid thinking about that. He went into his office and got his briefcase. He then went to the apparition point for his appointment with Aunt Andromeda, his pseudo mother and the Proxy for the house of Black. He was early, but he didn't want to be alone right now.

Andromeda Tonk's House

Harry arrived at the front door almost an hour early. Andromeda was a strong personality and he hoped she wouldn't be upset with his unexpected arrival. Checking his appearance, he was suddenly glad he put on the clothes Kreachers chose for him.

'That should be his new style name – 'Kreacher's Choice' – nice ring to it'. He thought. Never hurt to smile a little.

He knocked gently on the door and heard Teddy running toward it. That boy could raise the dead with his volume. Uncle Harrrryyyy! The door slowly opened and Harry saw Teddy and two women standing behind him. The taller dark haired woman was Andromeda, the woman who practically adopted him at fourteen. Beside her was another familiar face. Platinum blonde and beautiful. After a moment, he recognized her "Hello Ms. Greengrass. It's been a while."

Andromeda looked at him and noticed his eyes – definitely not sleeping well. He seemed 'off'. Thanks to Kreacher, she knew Ginny had broken things off Saturday. "Harry, please come in. I'm glad you remember Ms. Greengrass." As Harry stepped in, he had a moment of discomfort.

Harry knew he was supposed to kiss her hand, but all he could see was the beautiful witch, laughing at him, while wearing one of those damn tri-wizard buttons. Weird that he had forgiven Draco for making them, but not most of the people that wore the damn things. Which was almost everyone. Fortunately, Artemis created a distraction by stretching out toward Teddy. Selena whispered something in his ear, and Hecate just stared at Andromeda and Daphne. 'Nothing is as good at creating a distraction as a Runespoor playing with a Toddler,' Harry observed.

Harry lifted his familiar off his shoulders and gently set her down. Selene hissed something at him and moved her head toward Daphne – waiting. "Selene wants me to say she likes your shoes. She saw it in the Witch Weekly Fall Style catalogue, but didn't know they came in periwinkle." He hissed something back at Selene, who just gave an angry look, he shrugged and continued "handbag too. You must have changed out the fittings to a brushed nickel. She prefers that over the brass." more hissing back and forth, "who did you take it to for the hardware?" apologetically he added, "Sorry."

Raising an eyebrow, Daphne responded with "It's good to see you again Mr. Potter. Or is it Lord Black. Or Lord Peverell? I find that I'm not sure how to address you."

"Just 'Harry' is fine". It seemed easier, but it was more casual than he wanted it to be. Maybe he should have just gone with Potter…

"Then please, call me Daphne. And I get my fittings done at a boutique in France called Bridgette's Bridal. They do all kinds of fittings and adjustments. Your Familiar has a good eye. I believe Harry called you "Selene'. It's nice to meet you. What are your sister's names?"

The 'girls' noted that she talked directly to them instead of through Harry. They approved. Artemis was still playing with Teddy, but Hecate hissed something to Daphne.

"The one playing with Teddy is 'Artemis' and this is 'Hecate'. She thanks you for your good manners. Most people address them through me, not speaking directly to them. Of course, most people are terrified of them." Harry replied. Weirdest conversation of the day. "Hold on", he slowly lowered the girls so they could play with Teddy. When did she get so BIG? Play was mock striking and attacking. A little hard to watch, if you didn't know how much they loved Teddy. Daphne winced more than once. They soon took off up to Teddy's room.

"I'm sorry Aunt Andromeda, I know I'm early, I just didn't want to wait…"

"Nonsense. You're always welcome. Kreacher said you'd likely be early. He made a treakle tart and There's Earl Grey is brewing." Kreacher had told Andromeda that he expected Harry to come by as soon as William left. He also mentioned that Harry was hurting. Or in his words "Master is sad that ill-bred pauper is no longer his betrothed. Kreacher thinks Master can find better for the house of Black."

"Harry, I wanted you to meet Miss Greengrass. I have selected her to manage your image and work to re-establish the influence of the three houses you head." She saw Harry stiffen up. Maybe the timing is bad, but she really needed Daphne to step in and help. Harry has been riding on the positive results of the last war for two years now and he needed to capitalize on it before it ended. The wizarding world is fickle. "I realize this is a shock, but trust me, it is needed. Badly."

Harry straightened up, this was unexpected. "Daphne, I'm sure you are very good at what you do, but I'm not sure this is a good fit. I'm just not comfortable in the settings you and Andromeda revolve in." There. He said it, and said it politely.

She had probably laughed at him when Draco threw his insults. Maybe she laughed when the Dementors affected him. She definitely wore that damn tri-wizard button. Why did that button still bother him so much?

Daphne just smiled politely, "Harry, I can assure you that I am needed. Did you know that the Daily Prophet has already printed two articles this week alone that undermine your family's political position subtly? Do you know how many social gatherings have occurred where you could have made an impact last month? Seven. You have a very unique opportunity to market your name, your brand." Seeing that Harry was sitting quietly, watching her, she continued, "Your godson, Edward, is the son of two war heroes. The godson of Harry Potter, and the future Lord Black. I'll be establishing and setting up social protections for him as well."

Harry still had not said anything. This was getting awkward. Maybe a slight demonstration will help, she thought. "Tell me about what you do and I'll demonstrate how I can spin it for establishing your image."

"What do I do…" Harry paused and thought about what he would say. He could stick with the whole 'Traveler and Explorer' descriptive. Andromeda knew he traveled and collected ancient artefacts, but she had no idea what he really did. Maybe this would be a good time to tell her. He was a bit pissed that she sprung Daphne on him. Was he pissed enough to be fully honest? Hell, yes. And if it scared off Greengrass, then so be it.

"I am a hunter of Dark wizards and cursed artefacts. I go to the most dangerous areas on the planet, and fight the most horrific beings imaginable, to prevent another Voldemort. I find evil before it has a chance to get established, and I eliminate it. My ex-fiancé was so horrified, the one time I told her about a 'rough day at work', that she had nightmares for a week." The temperature started to drop and he could now see his own breath while he talked. "I am the person that the ICW calls when something evil takes root in their community. When mutilated bodies are found in ritualistic murders. I walk alone through the shadow of death, because I am more comfortable in that environment than anyone else. I am the wizard that the creatures who cause pain and fear are terrified of. I am the master of the elements and the unseen. I'm the Master of Death."

Silence.

He had lost control of his emotions. This was 'Hogwarts Harry', coming back out with all that juvenile angst. It felt good in the moment, but now he was starting to get embarrassed. He may have exaggerated a little, but not much. Lack of sleep and the emotional trauma of Ginny leaving had finally caused a minor emotional meltdown. He knew his eyes were probably glowing right through his glasses. The windows had iced over in the corners and he knew his hair was probably shifting around.

Damn.

He saw his familiar come down the stairs to check on him. Hecate could always sense when he started to lose it. Andromeda was staring at him. Daphne actually took a step backward. Running his hand through his hair, he asked himself a question he had asked many times before, 'Why can't I just keep my big mouth shut?'

"I'm sorry. It's been a rough few days. I should leave." once more he said, "Again, I'm sorry."

Snapping out of her stare, Daphne dove right in. "Well, hold up a moment. Let's see, you are a young lord who is dedicated to the recovery of lost knowledge and items of historical significance. You support charitable causes and are sworn to defend magical Britain if you are called to do so. You are recently single and using your free time to assist families in need and help raise your godson – the future Lord Black." Shivering in her summer robes, she added "I don't suppose I could get a cup of warm tea?"

Harry just stared at her. He knew she had felt the magic rolling off him. His Nethermancer side slipped out and impacted the first floor of the house. The temperature drop, the windows fogging up, the shadows seemed deeper, pictures moved and the wizard paintings all stared. She seemed to take it in stride. Was that good or bad?

Andromeda now stepped in. "Harry, you mentioned your 'EX' fiancé. I assume you meant Ginevra. I am very sorry to hear about that and I hope you know I'm here for you if you need family. Maybe today is not the best day. Ms. Greengrass, can you give me a moment alone with Harry?"

"Certainly, I'll... go start a pot of tea." She paused before leaving, "Harry, I do hope we can work together. I know we did not run in the same social circles at school, but I'd like to get to know you better now." And with that Daphne excused herself to the kitchen.

"Harry, what the hell was that?" For Andromeda to curse, she must be quite shaken. "Is that really what you do? Chase dark wizards? Battle demons and monsters? You need balance, Harry. Badly." She would not admit it, but she was actually frightened. She felt as much or more power rolling off him than any wizard she had ever met. Right up there with old Dumbledore. "I thought the glasses prevented the glowing eyes…"

"They usually do, but I let it get away from me. It would have looked a lot worse without the glasses. I'm a mess Andromeda. I didn't see it coming at all. Then, after she broke off the engagement, I had to take her to the surprise party I had planned." continuing after a short pause, "I stayed in bed the whole day yesterday. I only got up today because Bill and Fleur came to check on me. Now I'm going to France alone in three days. On a trip I had planned to surprise Ginny with, for her birthday. Fleur re-worked the itinerary, took out all the romantic stops, but it'll still hurt."

"I know, Harry. I know about pain and loss…" she came over to him and held his face. He looked so much like his father. With those magical eyes of his mother. "You helped me through losing Ted. And my daughter. I'll always be here for you. Stay the night. We'll have a nice casual dinner and you can show Edward how to catch a snitch. Then, we can conclude our business with Ms. Greengrass over breakfast."

She could tell Harry liked the idea. He could never resist time with his godson. She had come to see both Harry and Edward (Teddy) as 'her boys'. Having them together would be nice. She also needed to press the Greengrass discussion. Not only would she be excellent for his image, but it could result in a good alliance. With Harry now single, maybe even more than a political alliance. Eventually. But not now, he's hurting too much.

"Aunt Andromeda, do you really think we need Daphne? She wasn't very nice to me in school. None of the Slytherins were. I still have anxiety about those years."

"Harry, no one was nice to you. And you know why. You can't blame her for those years any more than you can the others. Give her a chance, she's perfect for this role. Trust me on this, you need her." Moving in for the score, she added "You need her and so does Teddy."

She pulled him into her arms and held him a moment. Andromeda did not regret helping Ginny find the courage to break things off. She was sure it was going to happen, and the break will be best for them both in the long run. Temporary or permanent, they both need to stretch their wings a bit. But, she hated seeing how much he's hurting. Onward and upward is such a cliche.

Andromeda's Kitchen

Daphne was in the kitchen, checking on the pot of tea that had been prepared. She could have gotten Kreacher to do it, but she needed to get out of that room. The shivering went beyond just being cold. So much for being the 'ice queen'. Pansy would have wet herself if she had been there. Had he gotten even more powerful? And did she really want to be around a Wizard that prone to emotional outbursts? Strike that, a Mage that powerful and emotional. The room temperature dropped to near freezing! She had seen him in action years ago, she assumed being around him now wouldn't phase her. She was wrong.

She needed this job. Her family needed her to have this job. Her sister needed her to have this job. She had to toughen up and see this through. Andromeda was just the warm up, Harry was the tougher hurdle. Earlier, she saw a picture of him, in his first year, in Andromeda's office. He was a sad little fellow. Dressed in oversized rags. He always looked so lonely, even in a crowd. If she is honest with herself, she still feels guilt over how she and her friends treated Harry at Hogwarts. Children can be cruel. He was obviously an abused or neglected child, and they all just ground him down at every opportunity. House rivalry seems so unimportant now… what had driven them to be so heartless. Why only toward him?

Her older brother, Michael, had been a vocal supporter of the changes the Dark lord brought. She knew he did it to shield the family, Michael was in no way a bigot. But the damage was done. On top of that, her Uncle had published anti-muggle and muggle-born propaganda for the ministry. Yes, it was under duress, but he still did it. And was promoted for it. Unlike her brother, Her uncle really was a bit of a pureblood bigot. Daphne, like her father and sister, had stayed as neutral as possible. Her Father, Lord Greengrass, had a poor voting record in the Wizengamot. He was known to avoid voting on controversial issues and show support of only non-divisive proposals. Basically, he strategically played it safe.

Her brother is now enjoying low level 'accommodation' in Azkaban. He was not marked as a death eater, so his stay is not permanent, but the stain on the family is. Add in her uncles publications, and no one wanted to deal with them. No alliances would accept them. The Greengrass house was noble, but not ancient. certainly not ancient and most noble like the Black or Longbottom family. While the Greengrass family was very affluent, their wealth would not last multiple generations without steady income. The Greengrass house was two short hops away from being like the Weasley family was before the war. Respected pure bloods with no influence or control. In a few generations, if they couldn't turn things around, house Greengrass would start selling off their assets.

The Greengrass family had been a cadet line for the Selwyn family, but was now looking to align with a less 'tainted' ancient family. She was hoping for Black or possibly Potter. The same person was at the head of both. To do this, she needed to show support and alignment. She needed this job. Her sister's need was even more pressing. She was not sure if it could even be helped, but that would rely on Harry directly.

Andromeda's Dining Room

When Daphne came out, she saw Andromeda sitting with Harry. They looked comfortable together. There was real trust there. Reflecting on Harry, and what she knew about him, this is a deeply scarred young man. She also knew her friends had caused many of the scars. Harry Potter may be one of the most powerful mages in Europe. Definitely one of the top 5 mages in the world. But he is just as fragile as the rest of them. And he just got dumped by the girl who chased him for years. Human. Daphne could deal with Human.

"Ahem, I have earl grey and the treacle tart. Perhaps we can pick up again, tomorrow. Harry, I'll leave my contract for your perusal. Also, you will find my privacy agreement – magically binding, and my Image plans for you and your heir. I do hope we can work together."

Harry stood up and accepted the contract. Then quietly said, "That would be nice, Daphne. I'm sorry I behaved so poorly."

Andromeda was on top of it. "Tomorrow will be fine, Daphne. Why don't we meet again at 9AM over a light breakfast?"

Andromeda walked Daphne out and Harry could tell they were already getting along. Andromeda was always very polite to Ginny, but there never seemed to be any… closeness? She seemed closer to Daphne after what had to have been just a few days. Odd. Harry noted that they were still talking. Maybe Andromeda needs a daughter figure. Like Harry needed Teddy and Andromeda. He'd give her a chance. For his family. His small family.

The night went nicely. They played with Teddy. Harry had purchased Teddy a toy snitch that never rose above 3 feet and moved at a pace a toddler could manage. It gave him something to do instead of chasing Andromeda's cat. He taught Teddy how to spot and catch the snitch. The use of different strategies to sneak up and corner it, and just have a fun time. Harry's Familiar decided to curl up and nap a bit. She liked Andromeda's house.

Grimmauld Place

9PM

After Dinner, and a little relaxing with Teddy and Andromeda, Harry went to Grimmauld place to begin prepping his travel gear. He wanted his passport, driver's license, apparition license, Spare wands, his cloak, Various healing potions, 2 Bezoars, a Sig P226, a more portable P239, a Benelli M4 shorty, Kukri knife, iklwa short spear, his Gringotts Banishing box, a curse breaker (swiss army type) knife, miscellaneous travel 'essentials', and a tin of Herrods no42 Earl Grey. Never forget the Earl Grey! Plus a few other odds and ends. Always the boy scout… He carefully placed these items in his more civilized travel trunk.

While prepping his assorted toys, he felt the wards flex ever so slightly. This was a way of knocking when Wizards or Witches were showing up uninvited. Given the Fidelius, it had to be someone he knew well enough to have shared the location with, but had not trusted enough to be keyed into the wards. Someone in the Ministry, perhaps?

Harry went to the front door and looked outside. Ah, One of the Patil twins. It must be Padma, the smarter sister, who works in the DoM. Padma had always been nice to Harry. Even in the 4th year, she never directly antagonized him or wore one of those buttons. Those damn buttons. Likely, it was from distance and lack of interest, but it was still something.

Opening the door and the wards, Harry turned on the charm and greeted her as a long lost friend. "Well, Padma Patil, as I live and breathe. What brings you to my little home?"

Padma lit up with a radiant smile "Harry James Potter, the Master of Death and Lord Peverell. It has been a very long time. May I come in?"

"Enter freely and of your own will." Harry and Padma had a friendly banter that went back to Hogwarts. His Familiar liked to Patil twins. Hecate preferred Padma, Selene preferred Parvati, Artemis thought they were both OK, but Hermione was the better fighter. Barely.

"Are you wondering if I'm a vampire now Harry?" She smirked as she walked in. "I could go for a vodka-tonic, with a twist of lime." She said as she walked right past Harry and proceeded to the sitting room. She had been at Grimmauld place a few times in the past. Always on business. She was Harry's contact at the DoM. The DoM had tried to monitor him two years ago, and it blew up in their faces. Harry had found the attempts almost immediately, and it almost destroyed any chance of a good relationship.

That was when he said he would only work with the DoM if Padma was his primary contact. It had really helped her career. Within the DoM, she was known as death's handler. Her code name: 'Charon'. She liked the nickname, it was one of the best. Harry was informally referred to as the 'Reaper'. She knew not to risk his trust, her wagon was hitched to him. And she cared about him as a person, not just an asset.

Sitting in the corner chair, she waited while Harry had Kreacher mix her drink. As Harry came in to join her, she put on her business face. "So, I understand you're heading to Paris in a few days. We may need a bit of your expertise while you're there."

Harry was waiting for that shoe to drop. "Padma, I am on vacation. Honestly, I need it badly. Not really running at one hundred percent. Can this wait? Is anyone else available?" Without the banter and bravado that they both seemed to enjoy as old friends, she could see the circles under his eyes and noticed that he was a bit 'off balance'.

"What happened, Harry?"

With a deep sigh, Harry filled her in on his break up. Padma knew Ginny well and respected her as a person and as a combatant. Honestly, she couldn't believe Ginny would break off the engagement after pursuing Harry so doggedly for years. On a personal level, Harry was a friend and she wanted the best for him. On a professional level, this could be good or bad. The premier Mage of Britain is suddenly single.

The DoM would have to tighten up his 'social defense'. They couldn't have him suddenly moving to Spain or the United States just to be with someone he'd met on holiday. Or worse, letting another government get their hooks in him.

She had always liked Harry, but he was such a magnet for trouble. Then the terrible fourth year… She never participated in the attacks on him or wore that rude button, but she didn't stand up for him either. She had always regretted being so weak. Her sister had been worse, though. Being in closer proximity to the Horcrux while it was flaring definitely impacted Parvati. Padma could see the changes and it was terrifying. Thank god she made her sister promise not to wear Malfoy's button.

"Harry, we have a situation in Paris and a possible beginning of an Astral bridge. Possible level three or three point five threat. We just need you to look into it and deal with any 'complications' that may be present." She paused at that. They both knew what 'complications' stood for. "The French Ministry has requested you as the person they most trust to look into it. Perhaps I can arrange for someone to meet you there and watch your back."

"No, if this is a 'Scout and Scythe' mission, I work best alone or with people I trust. No strangers." Seeing her pensive face, Harry added "What? You look like you have concerns?"

"Only for you Harry." He was off his game and she could see it. "Are you up to this?"

"Death doesn't get a vacation." Then with a smirk, "I think I might pack a few extra essentials."

"Alright Harry. Let me get a copy of your itinerary and I'll arrange for your mission packet to be delivered. Do you need any potions or devices?" He just gave her a knowing look and raised one eyebrow. She already knew the answer. He was almost as paranoid as Mad Eye Moody was. No one would make a potion for him unless he knew them VERY well. She'd make sure he had good support.

"Actually, Padma, there is something you guys can do for me. Andromeda is hiring a social and image manager or something. Not sure about the title, can you check her out? We are likely signing the forms tomorrow."

"We can do that. Tomorrow is a fast turn-around… I wish you had given us more notice. What is her name?" And it begins. Padma suspected the DoM would need to add a new department of "Harry Watchers" to keep him safe and firmly in Britain.

"Daphne Greengrass." Seeing Padma do a double-take, he added, "Yep, one in the same. Andromeda likely vetted her, but I'd like a second opinion. We have an appointment at Gringotts tomorrow at 11 for the document signing. Can you help me out?"

"Sure thing Harry… I need to run and get the ball moving on this. Don't sign anything until I get back to you." Rising, they walked to the door. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Be careful and drop the melodramatics. Its not your thing." Then she walked off into the night. Harry didn't remember her ever doing that before.

Maybe they really were friends. She did seem genuinely concerned for him. He could always use a few friends. Was this how Luna used to feel when he was nice to her?

Authors Notes

Getting closer to Paris, but having to wrap up a few loose strings. And it looks like there will be a little moonlighting once there. I hope you readers like the term 'Scout and Scythe'. Seemed better than hunt and kill.

This chapter and some of the next will have Harry adjusting to being recently single without a lot of down time to process it. For the short term, he will stay single. Long term, we will see.

Next chapter, Harry loses his temper and goes full on Master of Death. Ginny makes an appearance before Harry goes to France.

The action starts soon, just a little more relationship wrap up work to do…