JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and the amazing world he lives in.
FASA owns Earthdawn
Note: Parcel Tongue is designated as §"Italicized words"§
ch 7: Onward and Upward
This is a long chapter. I was going to split it in half, but I really wanted to move past the Breakup section of the story. It was getting a little tough to write. Onward and Upward is the chapter where Harry accepts that he is single and gets on with his life. I have no plans to pair him up anytime soon.
—CS—
The next morning at Andromeda's house
Harry checked his Banishing Box and saw a message from Padma. Daphne had passed the background and security checks the DoM had made. That said, Padma insisted on being at Gringotts and reviewing the documents before anything was signed. She would also be bringing her superior, Unspeakable Croaker. Harry did not like that one bit. He helped the DoM, they did not own him. They did not employ him. Moving on…
At around 8:45, Daphne came by and they had a surprisingly pleasant breakfast. Thankfully, there was no talk about Harry's outburst yesterday. Breakfast was nice. Kreacher made Teddy chocolate chip pancakes. The rest had fruit and omelets. Harry was wearing a slightly more traditional version of 'Kreacher's choice' again, but that was expected at Andromeda's.
Harry was pleased to find that Daphne actually knew a bit about quidditch. Definitely not a Chudley Cannons fan. All in all, it was a nice breakfast. They all seemed to get along well. At some point, Andromeda started calling Daphne by her first name, but she was still Lady Black.
Retiring to the sitting room, Daphne discussed opportunities for Harry. He gave her a copy of his itinerary and she said she would find any social opportunities in Paris if it fit in with his schedule. Andromeda perked up at that and the two began discussing Harry's 'opportunities' while in France. Harry wondered if Fleur would get mad at the idea of someone else interfering with his vacation. Too late for that. Last night's meeting with Padma took care of that. Still, he needed to keep as much of the vacation for himself as possible.
"Most of my itinerary was set by Fleur Weasley. You may remember her from the tri-wizard tournament as the Beauxbaton champion. If you need to make any significant changes, we should probably talk to her. She put a lot of time into it." Harry informed the two witches at the table. That would take care of anyone 'bogarting' his vacation. Fleur was not easily walked over.
Daphne's new role would technically start when Harry got back from Paris's, but she would be working all next week in preparation. Any social advice she would give for the trip was just the warm up. Harry had to admit, she was sharp. Now he had the pleasure of informing his frightening aunt and future employee that the Gringotts signing would involve the DoM.
"One small thing I need to mention. I do the occasional 'odd job' for the Department of Mysteries in addition to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Due to the sensitive nature of my work, they want to have representatives at the signing." Harry waited quietly while that sunk in.
Andromeda stared at him for a minute. "You tell me this now? How long have you known about this, Harry?" Oh boy, she was slightly annoyed.
"I just found out this morning. I didn't think it was a big enough deal to ruin breakfast. And you always say, 'no unpleasant business at the dinner table'." Harry held his breath, but he knew he was not out of the woods yet.
Not letting up, Andromeda asked the question he dreaded, "How did they even know about the signing, Harry"
Yep, Andromeda was not happy. She valued loyalty and now she wanted to know what happened. Daphne looked like her ice queen persona. No emotion. Definitely Occlumency involved here.
Harry decided to just tell the truth, it's easier this way. "I was approached last night for a simple 'Scout and Scythe' mission while in France. I took the liberty of asking for a simple background check on Daphne as I really don't know anything about her. Sorry, Daphne. Believe me, given my line of work, they would have done it anyway. This way, we get it all out in the open. Nothing nefarious, Aunt Andromeda, just staying ahead of the game."
Daphne seemed to consider and accept his explanation. It was a Slytherin move. The kind of move she would be doing for Harry in the future.
Andromeda looked intensely at Harry. "Harry, you know I had Ms. Greengrass checked out already. By the Black family lawyers." Harry knew that they were a scary bunch of old men. "Still, I'm proud of you for thinking ahead. I guess you have been paying attention." She actually smiled at him. Then, frowning, she asked, "What is a 'Scout and Scythe' mission?"
Damn. "Sorry Aunt Andromeda, that's classified." He knew, she knew, they both knew, but it would be best to pretend. Harry started to say 'Danger is my middle name', but thought better of it. Why antagonize the bear? Or in this case, the Lady Black. Much scarier than a bear.
Andromeda actually laughed at that. "Very well my young Lord Black, let's proceed to Gringotts."
—CS—
Gringotts, Diagon Alley.
11:05AM
Harry, the two witches, Teddy and Harry's familiar made their way down Diagon Alley. Harry was in typical battle mode. Scanning the streets, holly and phoenix wand ready at the flick of a wrist. He had his Familiar watching all directions as well. He knew he looked a bit like a nutter, but he had been attacked too many times not to be a little paranoid. Teddy was holding both Daphne and Andromeda's hands. Harry did note that Andromeda kept her wand hand free at all times. Good.
Aside from a little begging from Teddy as they passed Florean Fontescue's Ice Cream Parlour, there were no issues. Entering Gingotts, they proceeded to the VIP line. They were quickly received and taken back into the bank. Going into the signing room, they found two wizards and a witch waiting for them as well as a goblin notary. Harry recognized Saul Croaker and Padme, but not the other, much larger, Wizard.
Harry spoke up, "Padma Patil, you remember Daphne Greengrass, I'm sure. This is my godson Edward and my Aunt, the Lady Black." Looking over at the very large middle aged man beside her and the smaller older wizard, he added "You must be Padma's co-workers. Unspeakable Croaker, it has been a while." Harry shook his hand. Then, looking at the very large wizard beside Croaker, he added "I don't believe we have met." Extending a hand, "…Harry Potter". The unspeakable just looked at him. Social etiquette had the most influential or powerful wizard extending a hand first. It was only a momentary pause, but Harry caught it. If he wanted to play that way… Harry quickly added, "Lord Peverell, Black, and Potter." Pure power play. The large man took his hand.
"Gareth Greengrass, Senior Unspeakable. It is good to finally meet you, Lord Peverell. Your activities are becoming the talk of the department. I see you are about to employ my niece." He flatly added, "You have impeccable taste."
Everything seemed nice on the outside, but Harry got the opinion that he did not approve. Something about the name… where had he seen it before? Realization slowly dawned on him and he was glad he packed a few extra essentials. Thinking to himself, 'Got it. File it away, I might need it.'
Pleasantries were exchanged all around.
Director Ragnok joined the party as Harry was a key and premier customer. Since Sirius' will reading, Ragnok always found a way to attend Harry's business. Harry supposed he found him entertaining. Wands were collected and placed in a locked box. Harry had only brought his Holly and Phoenix feather wand, he expected this. They also collected his assorted daggers as well as his Sig P239. The weapons had surprised all, but not the goblins. They seemed to appreciate the knives especially.
Andromeda set Teddy down to play with Harry's Familiar. "So, all the documents are in order, along with a privacy agreement and compensation expectations. Both the Greengrass lawyers and the Black Lawyers have approved them, so this is really more of a formality."
Unspeakable Greengrass chimed in, "With respect, we'll be the judge of that, Lady Black." He then began reviewing the documents. Unspeakable Croaker and Padma also began looking them over. Harry expected this. They wanted to make sure there would be no leaks about Harry's jobs in the future.
Unspeakable Greengrass recommended a few changes that did not concern the DoM, to which Harry firmly said "No." It was not the changes that bothered Harry, it was the audacity of the man.
He appeared to be here more as a Greengrass and less as an Unspeakable. "Daphne chimed in with "Father and our lawyers reviewed all these documents, Uncle Gareth, and revisions have been made." She seemed a little embarrassed. The large man just stared at Harry. Not threatening, but not blinking either.
Unspeakable Croaker chimed in at this point, "Gareth, let's focus on what we are here for. We utilize Lord Peverell on occasion and it is important that all parties be protected."
In a move that seemed to surprise his coworkers as much as everyone else, Gareth pulled out a set of new documents. "Here are non-disclosure and acceptable behavior documents drawn up by the Department of Mysteries. We will require all of you to sign these before proceeding."
Harry thought Daphne might get some kind of a non-disclosure agreement, but not him. And certainly not Andromeda. Acceptable behavior? Oh, hell no. He had heard that catchy phrase two years before. If they wanted to talk about acceptable behavior, he would nail them to the wall. "Well, this is a surprise. Whose idea was it to give me this?" While he held it, he concentrated slightly and it burst into flames. He wandlessly summoned Andromeda's and repeated the process. "Really, who had this brilliant idea?"
Gareth spoke up, making it now clear that he was the instigator, "Lord Peverell, if you wish to continue with any future operations with us, you will sign."
"Fuck you, Gareth, I'm not signing anything. And, if you want to act this way, I'll tell you where you can stick your future operations."
Undeterred, Gareth calmly asked, "And where, precisely, would that be?"
Unspeakable Croaker then spoke up "Harry, Gareth, let's not get carried away…" Harry actually knew Saul pretty well. He stepped in the last time the DoM pissed him off. Saul knew exactly where this was heading.
Ignoring Saul, Harry smiled and said, "Bend over, Gareth, and I'll show you." dropping his smile, Harry added, "You should be used to that. I seem to remember a few DoM books about three and a half years ago, documenting how Muggles steal magic. Weren't you the author of those books?"
Whenever Harry dealt with the DoM, he came prepared. Harry carried around shrunken copies of the DoM published and approved books from the Voldemort period. He pulled out one, resized it wandlessly, and threw it on the table. The author was printed across the bottom of the book. Sr. Unspeakable, Gareth Greengrass.
The Goblins were loving this. They still talked about Sirius Black's will reading. Harry is, in many ways, an even bigger celebrity among the goblins than he is in the wizarding world. They, apparently, appreciate a hell raiser. Director Ragnok just grinned. He was hoping for entertainment. A few guards showed up as well, not so much to guard, they just wanted to watch.
At this, the Unspeakable lost his calm. He knew those books would always follow him. "You little shite! You WILL sign those documents!" Gareth Green Grass rose up and walked toward Harry. He must have been easily over six and a half feet tall and very solid for a man of about 45-50.
They were both now standing, but Gareth towered over Harry by almost a foot. Harry started him in the eye, never blinking.
Gareth Greengrass then hissed out "Lord Peverell, your wand is in the box, along with your other... muggle toys. Maybe we should see what you are capable of man to man. Or is it, man to boy."
Harry's skin slowly shifted to a glossy black. His hair became a glossy silver, and his eyes were now glowing a bright green. The lightning bolt scar he is so famous for looked like it was burning with a silver flame. Each tooth was now flat white and had a small rune on it. **
His Familiar quickly slithered around his torso, up his back, and over his head. She now had the inverse of his new coloring. Silver skin with glossy black patterns. And glowing green eyes. All three heads rose up until Selene was a half a head over Gareth. Artemis and Hecate were each at his eye level, but a foot on either side. Stiletto sharp Fangs displayed, they also had a tiny rune on each tooth. They let out a slow, but menacing, Hissss.
The temperature began dropping *** and Harry's breath came out in icy clouds as he calmly said, "Get the hell out of this room, Unspeakable Greengrass. This discussion no longer concerns you." Pausing for effect, he added, "Please inform your superiors, Harry Potter is no longer available to do their dirty work." Harry's magic was rolling off him in waves. Dumbledore's magic felt warm and comforting. Voldemort's was blistering hot and vile – putrid like a rotting carcass. Harry's magic seemed more cool and clean – like a piney forest in winter. Hermione used to call it 'Winter Fresh'. Everyone could feel it. There was a hint of oak and roses.
No one said a word. Selene suddenly shot forward and hissed, snapping her mouth as if to strike. Gareth Greengrass jumped back so fast he tumbled onto his back. Harry and his familiar slowly reverted to his normal look, but their eyes continued to glow. Harry calmly said, "I won't ask again. Leave. Now." Harry was considering his response when he realized that it likely did not meet 'acceptable behavior'. This brought a terse smile to his otherwise stoic face.
As Unspeakable Greengrass left the room, Harry's eyes slowly dimmed until they eventually returned to normal. It was all over in about 90 seconds.
Teddy came running up and leapt into his arms. "Uncle Harry, Do your face! Do it again…" Well, at least Harry knew Teddy would not be traumatized.
"Maybe later. That was pretty cool, wasn't it?" Harry responded with a grin.
"Yeah! But too cold. Don't do that again." Teddy innocently responded.
"Yes Harry, please do not do that again." Andromeda quietly added. Daphne just sat in her chair.
Ragnok then stepped forward, grinning ear to ear, "Mr. Potter, you make the mundane so much more enjoyable. Please make sure I am available for your future business and legal needs." The head of Gringotts, London was practically bursting with excitement. Straightening his tie, he added, "Perhaps we can take a thirty minute recess for hot coffee or tea. It seems to have become rather chill in here." With mirth he added, "And to return Unspeakable Greengrass' wand."
Unspeakable Croaker took his co-worker his wand, escorted by two goblin guards. He was gone for at least fifteen minutes. In that time, Padma approached Harry.
"Harry, we had no idea he would do that. Those contracts were completely unapproved." Padma was clearly shaken. Like most people, she had never seen Harry put on his 'game face'.
"Padma, was that the same contract the DoM tried to get me to sign two years ago? Maybe even the same that was presented to Dumbledore decades ago? Hard to tell, as mine turned to ash, but it seemed similar at a glance. I'm sorry, but I am going to have to re-consider our working relationship."
The threat was clear. Quite frankly, the DoM is made up of a bunch of researchers. While some are able to hold their own, most could not fight their way out of a wet paper bag. Their strength lay in research and rituals. They needed him far more than he needed them. Especially with the Auror department so badly depleted.
Padma knew magical Britain was at a critical point. Harry Potter was a national hero and enormously respected across Europe. Internationally respected, and slightly feared. As weak as magical Britain was right now, Harry's presence was enough to keep the scavengers and opportunists in the ICW away. To alienate him now…
Damn that Gareth, he was a tag along. He used Daphne as leverage to attend, for 'Family' reasons. Those publications he put out were indirectly responsible for so much pain. How that man kept his job, let alone his title, was beyond Padma. He must have dirt on someone. Saul was likely handing him his balls right now. "Give me 24 hours Harry. I'll make it right." Reaching out and taking his hand, she added, "Please, Harry."
Harry was still a soft touch for anyone he considered a friend. Taking his hand made this more than professional. "Twenty four hours. I'll be at Bill and Fleur Weasley's house."
He tended to weaken with physical contact. Likely because he had so little of it most of his life. Did Padma know this? Harry gently squeezed her hand and released it to speak with Andromeda and Daphne.
"Sorry about that, but I know from years of personal experience that you can't back down from a bully." Looking at Daphne, Harry added, "Daphne, I'm sorry it was your uncle." Pausing and considering, "Did you ask him to be here?"
Daphne responded quickly, "Don't be sorry, Harry. I'm not happy this happened." Sighing, Daphne continued, "I did not know he would be here. Uncle Gareth had no right to involve himself like this." Pausing, she held up her documents, the only ones Harry didn't burn. "These new contracts are pretty restrictive. I honestly think he was trying to 'gremlin' the deal. I don't think I can sign these new documents."
Asserting control of the interaction, Andromeda added, "Let's see what we can work out." Harry had expected Andromeda to be unhappy with his display, but if anything, she seemed impressed. Proud even. You can take the woman out of the Black household, but you can't take House Black out of the woman.
By this point, Saul Croaker had re-entered the room and was conversing with Padma. Harry, Andromeda, and Daphne approached them as they were wrapping up their discussion.
Saul Croaker took a deep breath and started talking before anyone else could get a word in. "OK. The confidentiality agreements your aunt had drawn up cover any business dealings you do with the ministry. Specifically, it calls out the DMLE. That includes the Auror department, but not the DoM. I would like to add The Department of Mysteries and any ICW interactions. Plus any foreign government work." Padma had suggested the changes and Croaker had agreed. "If you decide you are no longer going to work with us, then there will be nothing for you to be concerned about. It's basically the same document with extra departments called out.
Harry considered. He looked at Hecate, and she shook her head. In Parseltongue, she added, "§The addition of the DoM makes good sense, but not the rest. No foreign governments or ICW activities should be covered. Too many differences in law and it would require them to work around the British DoM and DMLE. Sets up too much potential for problems.§"
Harry relayed the message and looked to Andromeda and Daphne. They apparently agreed. Adding the DoM was a tiny change. Harry considered adding a little extra money to the contract, but Andromeda had assured him the contract was already very generous.
Saul and Padma considered it, then agreed, with Saul Croaker adding one stipulation, "We want you to keep us informed if a foreign government agency reaches out to you. You are, after all, a British citizen."
Andromeda saw Harry ready to agree, so she hastily added, "If Harry continues working with you, fine. But it will not be in the contract. He is still a private British citizen. You will need to advise the ICW and foreign governments that they will have to work thru your department." Seeing the professional agreement, she added, "OK, let's see about getting the contract amended."
Selene and Artemis were watching Daphne and noted her nervousness. She had seen Harry flex his magical muscles and it had shaken her a bit. Artemis had whispered something to Selene like "§How can we fix this?§"
In Parseltongue, Selene called out,"§Harry, she may look controlled and confident, but our little display frightened Daphne. Why not throw in a clothing allowance. Plus time off during Fashion week in Paris.§"
Harry knew Selene was an expert on reading girls like Daphne. And Artemis, ever the strategist, must have caught something as well. Andromeda went to fashion week each year, maybe having a travel companion would be good. With a sideways glance, he added "Let's add a clothing allowance and a trip to Paris with Lady Black for fashion week. I'll let Lady Black determine the amount and travel arrangements."
Everyone liked that idea. Daphne even gave Selene a small grin.
Two hours later, documents were signed. Wands were returned. Apologies were offered, with a promise by Parma to synch up in 24 hours to discuss making things right. Daphne left to prepare for her new job. Harry, Andromeda, Teddy and Harry's familiar went back to Andromeda's house to pack.
After a brief stop at Florean Fontescue's.
—CS—
Andromeda's house.
4pm
Harry closed the latches on his trunk. Teddy was playing with his familiar downstairs and Andromea was with him. "Well, I'm all packed. I'll spend tonight and tomorrow at Bill's, then, off to Paris! I still can't believe I'm going. Now the DoM wants me to look into something. Something dark and evil no doubt."
"You need this vacation. And Daphne is pulling together a few social opportunities for you in Paris. Make it work for you." Pausing, she asked "Why don't you quit doing the DoM's dirty work, Harry. After what happened today, I thought you were done."
Sitting on the bed, Harry turned to her. "I need them to be my eyes and ears. But, if they pull any more crap like that, I will find another way to get reliable intel." Running his hand thru his hair, he added, "I can't let another dark lord rise. I owe it to all those who lost their life in the last war. I owe it you and your family. To Teddy. Sirius and Remus. And my parents."
"You owe yourself a little 'Happiness' too, Harry." Pausing, she added, "Promise me you will enjoy all Paris has to offer. Don't mope around and let this opportunity pass you by. Be young and influential and single… what is the new term I hear?"
At that, Harry grimaced "You mean a 'YUMMI'? Young Upwardly Mobile Magical Individual." Laughing, he added, "I hate that term. I swear someone thought of the acronym before the name." Then, becoming more serious, "Also, Ginny uses it for herself and her friends. I don't think it is a very masculine description."
"I see. Well, do try to have fun. Take Pipsey with you. She misses her little Harry!"
Pipsey was the Potter elf. She stayed at Potter properties while Kreacher looked after the Black Properties. She was very mothering, but had no high end fashion sense. She favored plaids and flannel. comfort clothes. Fortunately, Kreacher had already arranged most of the clothes in his trunk.
"Pipsey", Harry stated with authority. A 'pop' was heard as Pipsey appeared in the room.
"Pipsey is here, Master Harry! What can I be doing for you?" The only way to describe the look she gave Harry was pure love and adoration. So much so it made him a little uncomfortable. Harry was certain he was a toddler in her eyes.
"Would you like to go to Paris with me?" Seeing her nodding frantically, he added, "Excellent. Meet me at shell Cottage tomorrow evening. I am already mostly packed up, but I may have you do a little extra prep work, if that's OK."
"Pipsey will take excellent care of young Master Potter!" at that, she disapparited.
"Time to say goodbye to Teddy. I'll make sure to bring a souvenir."
—CS—
Shell Cottage.
5PM
Harry arrived at shell cottage just as Victoire was being put down for a nap. She was a gorgeous baby. Of course, considering the parents, that was a given.
Hi guys, thanks for having me. I am so looking forward to this trip.
Fleur hugged him and ruffled his messy hair. "We are glad you are here. One of Bill's old co-workers told us about the fun you had at Gringotts." She was looking at him with a half-smile. "Will you ever stop looking for trouble, Harry?"
At that, Bill and Harry both just laughed.
"Never back down from a Bully, Fleur! It gives them too much satisfaction." Harry knew this so very well.
"Tonight, we are having Beef Wellington. For dessert, we will have crème brûlée and ice cream. You will love it, Harry. I guarantee it!" Fleur loved cooking fancy dishes. Harry loved eating them. Molly often got jealous…
"Nice!" Was all Harry could say. The look on his face said the rest – pure bliss. "Tomorrow I cook for YOU guys, though." Bill grinned at Harry. He seemed to be doing well. This would be a fun couple of days.
Dinner was amazing. Harry helped with Victoire and listened to Fleur share the joys of Paris. Around 8:30, two owls arrived within 15 minutes of each other. One was a gorgeous Barn Owl, the other was obviously a ministry owl. The ministry owl's message was addressed to Harry, the other owl had two letters, one to Harry and one to Fleur.
Harry read his ministry message first. It was from Padma, she was requesting to come over around 11 the next day. It was not very detailed, but Harry knew it was the 'fix-it' discussion he was promised. Likely, it would involve the 'dirty job' the DoM needed him for as well.
Fleur had just finished her message. It was from Daphne, requesting time with Fleur to insert a few events into Harry's itinerary. It must have been very smooth, he never would have expected Fleur to take it so well. Harry's letter from Daphne essentially said the same, she wanted to keep him in the loop. The requested time was 2pm. Selene was reading over his shoulder. Looking over at Fleur's letter, it was in French. Harry mentally congratulated Daphne on her diplomacy.
"Hmmm. Well, Harry, it seems you have a new image and social director looking to send you to a few society activities. This should be fun. We may have to find you a date for a few of these…" with a disturbing twinkle in her eye, she closed with "that should be easy enough."
"The DoM also wants a little of my time. Maybe we can combine the itinerary reviews. I really don't want to ruin this trip, so I need you to help me keep any additions in line, Fleur."
Before Fleur could respond, Bill jumped in, "Harry, if you're charging into combat, that's not much of a holiday. I want in on the discussion." considering that his wife needed to get out of the house, he added, "Maybe Fleur and I can even double up with you at a few social events."
That got Fleur interested. She loved a good party and her parents could keep Victoire… It had been a long time since they had gone out dancing.
Bill was also worried that Harry might be too distracted for a mission. Harry kind of liked the idea of doubling up with Bill and Fleur. It could be fun!
Harry sent the Ministry owl back with a revised time of 2:30pm. That would give Daphne the first slot and prevent her from being surprised.
As Harry went to bed, he had the nagging feeling that he had forgotten something. Then he remembered Ginny's thick letter. With a groan, he decided to read it in the morning. All would be well. For the first time in three days, he went to sleep looking forward to the next day. What could go wrong?
—CS—
Shell Cottage, The Next Morning
Harry woke happy. He tucked his familiar in and kissed each head gently. Artemis hissed at him a little, but that was normal in the morning. Going down stairs, he cast a silencing charm over the kitchen so as not to wake anyone up. He then proceeded to prepare for breakfast. Victoire was too young for solid food, so he focused on the adults.
He had just finished preparing his quiche when he heard Victoire cry – the best alarm clock on earth. As soon as he heard Bill and Fleur moving around, he put the quiche in the oven. He proceeded to make a little bacon and washed up enough strawberries and blueberries for three.
Knowing Bill liked Coffee and Fleur likely did too, he proceeded to start a pot. He set the table and placed the bacon in a plate with a heating charm. Bacon is always best warm. The fruit was placed in a bowl with a light cooling charm. Coffee cups set, cream on the table. The quiche would be ready in a few minutes… He really wanted to do it up for them.
At this point, the post came. He picked up the post to move it to Bill's place at the table. That's when he saw the latest copy of Witch Weekly. He moved that to Fleur's spot… and saw the cover.
The Spitfire!
Rookie of the Year!
Most Eligible Witch in Britain!
And there was her photo. With that smirk he loved. So beautiful! And according to the title, very much a single witch.
When Bill and Fleur came down, he was still staring at the magazine. Bill looked at the table and exclaimed, "Something smells great! Harry, you really didn't have to do this." Harry just looked up and smiled. The smile did not reach his eyes, though.
Fluer immediately picked up on the fact that something was wrong. Watching him set the magazine down and get the quiche from the oven, Bill also picked up on the mood. While Harry was prepping the quiche, Fleur picked up the magazine and cursed. "Zat Damn Beetch! Look at zees, Bill! Now tell me again how zees is no one's fault!" Her accent always got horrible when she was angry. Victoire was staring at her mum. Eyes wide.
Bill read the title and said "What the hell?"
Harry jumped in and said, "Don't. This is fine. We're no longer an item and she… well, this is OK. I'm happy for her. Really. She wrote me a note. A big fat one. In all the confusion and turmoil of the last few days, I forgot about it. I guess this is what she was trying to warn me about." Pausing and looking up, he saw that look he hated. Pity. "Look, let's just have a good breakfast. Everything is better on a full stomach."
Harry volunteered to feed Victoire while Bill and Fleur ate. Fleur warmed the bottle and handed it to Harry so he could feed the baby. They both knew how much Harry loved babies. The breakfast was good, but the mood was tense. Fleur was trying to be her normal charming self, but her anger was coming out.
When all were finished, Harry kissed Victoire on the top of the head and handed her to Bill so he could clear the table. He insisted on finishing the job, as his gift. Dinner tonight would be his gift as well. Harry loves to cook for people he cares about, and by god he was going to cook for the two people that he considered his family.
Once the cleanup was done, Harry went upstairs. He wanted to read Ginny's note. The one he should have read two days ago. With a flick of his wand, Harry summoned Ginny's letter from his trunk.
Dear Harry,
I hope you are well. Please know that I am thinking about you constantly and hoping we are still very close friends. I know that is such a cliché thing to say, but it is true. I still love you deeply and will always feel that way. I am hoping our time apart will allow us to grow and become even better versions of the people we are now.
Breaking off our engagement was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but we really are too young to commit to a lifetime of marriage and family. I spent all of my youth dreaming about what might be and you spent all of yours preparing to battle 'V'. This gives us time to live in the present and follow the paths that are before us. I do believe that our paths will come back together one day – our full story is not yet written, Harry.
I know how hard this has been for both of us and I really don't want to cause you any more pain. Unfortunately, I have news that is not what I would like to share. I was just informed by the editor of Witch Weekly that my article is going to print weeks ahead of schedule. I don't know why they are doing this and I begged them not to. But it had already gone to press. I am told they worked around the clock to make the changes.
The article not only goes into my success in quidditch and how I want to be a role model for young witches across Europe, but it also describes me as newly single. They are calling me 'the most eligible witch in Britain. I think I now know how you have felt all these years.
Please believe me, I only told the interviewer this after our split and to prevent them from listing me as "Harry's Girl", something that would have been painful for us both at this point. I hope you can look past the title and know that I did not want this. We both need time to recover from out split. I would never have done this on purpose.
Please floo call me so we can talk,
Love Always,
Ginny
Harry started to really feel it now. His thoughts went from bad to worse. 'Well, there it is. Done and out there, where everyone can read all about it. Now all the 'Poor Harry' talk can begin. Everywhere I go, people will look at me and say, 'It's all right, you'll be ok Harry'. Behind closed doors, they'll say 'Well, can you blame her? She is a gorgeous witch and he is just a slender little dude. Maybe I should give her a call.' Whatever.
He felt the bed shift slightly and realized Selene was reading the note he had set down. "OI! Don't read that!"
He startled himself with the desperation in his voice. Selene just looked up at him. The other girls were awake now. Selene said one word. "§Bitch§". Harry had never heard such malevolence in anything Selene had ever said before. Artemis and Hecate had both said Selene was the most frightening sister, but until now, Harry had never believed it.
"I need a hug" was all Harry could say. They coiled around him and held him tight. Harry subconsciously knew they could flex and break most of his ribs. But to him, this was like being held by his mum. Warm and safe. Protected and loved. When he needs it most. "§I'm sorry I yelled, Selene. I love you. I love all of you guys §."
Maybe he would visit his mum and dad's incarnation tonight. It had been a while. Harry spent about thirty minutes in his room. Just re-connecting with the 'girls' and talking about France. Afterward, he changed into workout gear and took his Iklwa and a pair of short swords to run through a few Katas on the beach.
He would never dream of charging into a magical battle with a sword or a spear, but it's great exercise, and he had been lounging about for a week. He needed to be in decent form if he was going to do any 'moonlighting' in Paris. It would also do him well to burn off out his frustrations.
—CS—
Shell Cottage
Down Stairs after Harry went upstairs
Fleur read the article intently, then handed it to Bill. He read the article, and decided it was actually pretty good. The only down side was the few paragraphs about the breakup. Even that was actually pretty nice – still very close friends…, …pursuing different dreams…, …love and respect…, …lucky to have had each other..., …Best first love a witch could have…, etc. and so on.
She said all the right things, but the timing was horrible! Just too soon.
Fleur was so angry, she knew she had to get out. She put Victoire down for a nap, kissed her husband goodbye, and left to Diagon Alley with an apparition crack. She had a contact at Witch Weekly, and she wanted to know why they had pushed the article through so fast.
After Harry went out to exercise, Bill had called Ginny through the Floo. He really was not sure what to say. This was her big article and he didn't want to take that away from her. But he had to somehow get her to touch base with Harry, or the damage would fester. He still thought they might end up together, but this needed to be fixed.
"Hi, Ginny. Do you have a minute?"
"Sure Bill, what's up?" It was obvious she had just woken up.
"We saw the Article this morning. It was really good." Now that he had her on the floo, Bill really wasn't sure how to proceed.
"Thanks! Can you save me a copy? I saw the pre-release version, but I want as many copies as I can get of the final print." Pausing and softening she added, "Have you heard from Harry? Do you think he's seen it?"
"Well, yeah. He saw it. He took it well" Why the hell did he say that? Bill knew he was sugar coating it, Harry did not take it well. But, this was still his little sister. She deserved her moment in the sun.
"You're a terrible liar, Bill." Now there was an awkward silence.
Ginny broke the silence with, "I never would have done this to him. The magazine moved the date WAY up for some god awful reason. I begged them to give it a couple of weeks, but they were already at the printer. I wrote a letter to warn Harry. He never floo'd me or responded to my note." Pausing briefly "I bet he didn't even read it. He put it off the way he and Ron used to put off Potions home work. Do you know where he is now?"
"Yeah, he is staying with us until tomorrow. Right now he's out exercising." Seeing his sister so down he added quickly, "The timing was bad Gin, but the article is really good. I liked what you said about being a role model and everything. You should be proud. Don't let the timing take that away." Full on big brother now.
"Yeah – you're right. Still, I need to fix things. Can I come by later? Is Phle…Fleur going to be there?" Ginny caught herself before saying Phlegm. This would be a bad time to alienate Bill.
"Yes and Yes. Give us a few hours and come by in the afternoon." Suddenly, he heard his daughter start to stir. "Look, Victoire's crying, I gotta go – But I love you and I am proud of you! Please don't let this get you down." As he heard Victoire crank up the volume, Bill wondered why Fleur had been gone so long.
"Thanks, Bill. I'll try not to. Keep that copy for me." Then, after the connection ended she let out a very heartfelt "Shite! Shite, Shite, Shite!" Why in the hell did Witch Weekly pull this shite?
A few minutes later.
Fleur returned and immediately went to find Victoire and Bill. Bill was holding Victoire and Fleur held out her arms. While Bill handed the child over she said, "How's my little angel? Hmmm."
Looking at her husband, she added, "They rushed the article to print. Actually had to stop the press and toss a few hundred copies of this week's original planned issue."
Bill did a quick double take and asked the obvious question, "Why would they do that? What aren't you telling me?"
Fleur took a deep breath and spilled the beans. "They apparently are planning a Most Eligible Wizard of the Century edition. You know, since it's the year 2001. Full issue dedicated to the most desirable and eligible Wizard of the new century. Originally, it was going to be a composite of the top 50 Wizards from 1900 to 2000, but they decided to go another way now that our Harry is suddenly single. Three guesses who the lucky wizard will be…"
"Why the rush? Why move so fast?" Bill just could not believe Harry's luck. He hates the spotlight! This is going to drive him absolutely mental!
"Apparently, they're afraid he won't stay single very long. They even have a betting pool going. Look, we can get him in and out of Paris before all the hoopla. He can still have a good time." Pausing, she added, "You can't tell anyone! My contact would be fired if this leaks out."
Bill looked at her incredulously, "Shouldn't we warn Harry and Ginny?"
Fleur just shook her head, "No, Bill. It would ruin Harry's holiday and spoil your sister's big day. She was on the cover of Witch Weekly with a very nice article written about her." Pausing to shift Victoire, she continued with "We can warn them both after he gets back from his holiday. Honestly, the magazine would have already reached out to him if they weren't afraid he would engage legal options. They know how print-shy he is."
Bill nodded and agreed. "A whole issue. What on earth can they use to fill it up? He only just turned 21 years old and his first 11 years are not well known…"
Fleur raised an eyebrow at that. "They could fill it up with the war activities alone. Then there are the Hogwarts years. The Tri-Wizard tournament, youngest seeker in a century, killed a basilisk with a sword when he was 12… He's the head of three families, he's extremely wealthy and donates large sums of money to multiple charities… And don't count out the whole rebellious behavior. You and I know he is a sweetheart, but his temper has been well documented. Yet somehow, he always looks innocent afterward. Remember when he told off Fudge publicly, then was caught eating ice cream not fifteen minute later. It was all over his face, but it looked so cute." They both laughed at that. Molly had a framed picture of it somewhere. "Then there was the tragic side. Orphaned and raised away from the magical world. Dressed in rags – with the pictures to prove it. Mistreated by his classmates, loads of guilt ridden articles about that. But he still came back and saved the day. On, and on, and on... there have been so many articles about him already, that there will be no shortage of testimonials and images. Don't forget what Ginny said about him. Best first love ever…"
"Yeah, I guess there is enough material…" Bill knew how Harry would take it, but he suspected it would not go well with Ginny either. "Oh, hey – Ginny is coming over this afternoon to, you know, fix things. With Harry."
"What!? Why would you let that happen? You know we also have one of the Patil twins and his new image manager coming over also." Judging by the look on his face, Bill didn't remember. Fleur looked at her lovable husband and sighed. "Well, this should be fun. Make sure she is gone before dinner. Harry only bought enough for three."
Harry came in soon after – he had worked up a sweat. "Hey guys. What say I grab a quick shower and pop out for a little Chinese to go for lunch? I'm craving sweet and sour pork!" A good workout really perked him up. He cleaned up his swords and shrank his six foot spear back to its original Iklwa length of a little over three feet. "What do you say?"
Bill chimed in, "I'll get the food, and you take a shower. Lunch is on me!"
Thirty minutes later, they were all eating Chinese take-out! It was spontaneous and fun. It felt like family. Harry was getting past his earlier funk. Bill took the minute to tell him about Ginny.
"Hey, listen Harry. I hope you don't mind, but Ginny is going to come by later and just say hello." Harry just looked at Bill, quietly. Bill looked at Fleur, then proceeded, "She feels bad about the article. And wants to just… I don't know. See how you're doing?"
"Great. What time? Before or after Daphne and Padma get here?" Harry wasn't mad, just annoyed. Maybe getting a channel between Harry and Ginny would be good.
"She didn't say. Just sometime this afternoon. It'll be fine." Considering his next words, he carefully added, "Remember, she didn't want the article to go to print so fast. And this is a big deal for her. Something she may never get again." At this point, Fleur was just starring wide eyed at her husband. "Just keep in mind that she's hurting too and don't make her feel bad." He quickly added, "I know, it sucks."
"That it does, Bill. I just want a break." After an awkward pause, Harry added with a sheepish grin, "Good thing I'm going to Paris tomorrow, right?" No sense being a depressed GIT! He would have fun if it killed him.
—CS—
Ginny's Flat
Ginny had just tried on her 10th outfit. "Katie, what do you think of this? I want to look good, but not too good. You know what I mean?"
This had been going on for over an hour. Katie had even gotten her a calming potion. "Ginny, Harry won't care what you're wearing. He'll appreciate that you came by to check on him." Katie said it, but she was less than sure about that. She actually thought Ginny should just wait a day or two.
"I know. But... You saw him at the party, I can't bear the thought of hurting him or leading him on. I need to look like I am solidly in the friend zone. But still really good. Because, you know…" Ginny said it, but even she did not know what she really meant. So confusing.
"No, Ginny, I don't know. If you still have these feelings, why did you break up? Do you really want to be single that bad?" There, she said it. She thought Ginny royally screwed up. But Harry partially caused it with all that marriage and family talk. Why couldn't he just be the cool boyfriend? Ginny was just staring at her.
Katie could see the tears forming. "Isn't there some middle ground you can take? Stay together, but call off the engagement? I really just want you guys to be happy."
"No, Katie. Keeping him hanging on while I live the carefree and fun life would not be fair. I don't want to date around, but I don't want to be tied down either. Listening to Harry talk about more Dark Lords rising and cursed artifacts. We'll try again in a few years." Ginny said the last part more to herself than to Katie.
'If he is still around,' Katie thought. 'Or if Ginny doesn't meet someone on tour…'
Putting on the 'best friend face', Katie chimed in, "OK Spitfire, make him drool, but not too much. Your distressed jeans, that red t-shirt, and your MVP jacket. On second thought, skip the jacket. Keep it casual."
Well, the red t-shirt is dirty, so are the jeans. I have time to wash a small load. Then a quick dry charm. I should be ready by three.
—CS—
Back at Shell Cottage
2PM
Harry jumped when the knock on the door sounded. It wasn't Ginny. He brought Daphne into the living room. She looked amazing in a custom tailored outfit. Where did these witches get all these clothes?
"Daphne Greengrass, I'd like you to meet Bill and Fleur Weasley." Looking at the baby lying in her bassinet, "And this is Victoire."
"I'm very pleased to meet you both. The itinerary was very well done." Sitting and getting to business, "I have a few social events that can be attended, if we can make space."
Fleur appreciated the compliment and seemed to take a liking to Daphne. "So, would there be any events that we could attend with Harry? My family, the Delacours, are fairly well connected in Paris.
"Hmmm", Daphne considered the options. The Delacour family was very well connected. Getting invitations would be no issue. "Well, there is a Formal event at Beauxbaton Gardens, a celebration of the rising seventh year witches of note with social sponsors. Harry and you could both sponsor a student…"
"Oui! Yes – Gabrielle is going to be there. Papa is looking for a sponsor with enough influence! There will be dining and dancing and the most fun a young witch could possibly have! Harry, you must go to this! I can't believe I didn't think of it. Say yes!" Harry nodded and Fleur hugged him. "I will let father know. He was considering a foreign diplomat, but you will be a much better fit."
"We also have a charity auction. You would auction yourself off to the highest bidding witch for a date." Harry actually stopped breathing for this one. Shock and horror. "It is for a good cause… ok... no."
There is a grand re-opening of L'Savoureux. It will have lots of coverage. The cover charge is going to support the restoration of magical sculptures. It's considered a very posh opening. On the down side, it is tomorrow night. I don't know if we can get you a date this quickly.
"That might be fun. I could take the girls." Harry loves good food.
Daphne shook her head "Well, I don't think the girls would fit in here. There is a no familiar or animal rule, not fair, but it is what it is."
Fleur chimed in again, "I know just the girl for this. Dominique Aris. You met her during the tri-wizard tournament. If you need a date, she could go with you. She loves to dress up. You can even give her career advice. She loves ancient magic, and you are an expert on it."
Harry had no idea who she was. All good, It should be fun. As much as his familiar likes going out, she hates restaurants. Watching other people eat food she can't.
"I guess that would work. I think I have dress robes for both events." Harry thought about it for a minute. "hold on" He summoned his trunk. Opening the trunk, it folded up into a large armoire and set of drawers.
Daphne inspected the clothes and agreed that Harry was covered. She recommended a second white tie – just in case. Opening a side cabinet, she had a bit of a start. That was the weapons cabinet. She closed it quickly.
"Finally, there is a play you can attend. It's the day after the Beauxbaton event."
"Maybe I can sit that out and watch Victoire for Bill and Fleur. It would be fun for me." Harry frequently got bored at plays, but never with babies.
At this point there was another knock on the door. "Not Ginny" Bill stated. He was attuned to the wards and would know. Harry went to let Padma in. She was in a very attractive set of semi-formal dress robes. Definitely tailored to present her in as beautiful a way as possible.
Harry next brought Padma into the event planning. "Padma Patil, this is Bill and Fleur Weasley, Victoire Weasley, and you remember Daphne Greengrass from yesterday morning."
"I think I know most of you already. Daphne, good to see you again. Bill and Fleur, it has been a few years, but always a pleasure. And your baby is beautiful!"
"Harry, can I borrow you for a minute?" Padma obviously did not want an audience.
Stepping out of the room, Harry just waited for her to say her piece.
"So, Gareth Greengrass was reprimanded and put on probation for his unprofessional behaviour and his unapproved submission of legal documents. He is no longer a Senior Unspeakable. Honestly, he was only promoted because he authored those publications, so this was well deserved. His publications really caused embarrassment for the department. His demotion was just a matter of time."
Harry listened, then asked Padma, "Do you think that's enough? Is he another Rookwood? I really don't want to have to watch my back when dealing with the DoM."
"Ouch. No Harry, he's not a Rookwood, but he is a bit of a bigot. You, a halfblood, employing his pureblood niece set him off. On the plus side, Croaker has shared his memory of the event and now he is a bit of a laughing stock. He always believed you were just lucky in the war and the power levels reported were just hype. Now he knows it was real. Truthfully, he probably fears you. Hell, Harry, I kind of fear you. That was impressive."
Harry just chuckled awkwardly at that. He didn't want Padma to fear him.
"So, can we keep working together?" Padma asked.
"Yeah – but no more surprises. Let's go review my itinerary and see where the moonlighting can fit in."
Returning to the room, Harry saw a few adjustments to the trip, but nothing major.
"We would like Harry to take part in an event that will free him up to go on a scouting mission with an operative. There is a charity auction he can participate in as a celebrity wizard. The winner will be a pre-determined French Auror and she will provide you with intel and a cover alibi."
At that, the room started laughing. It was the same charity auction Harry had shot down earlier. During the laughter, Ginny walked into the room.
Ginny looked at the Two witches walking Harry thru different paperwork piles. She knew both of them. Padma Patil and the Slytherin ice queen, Daphne Greengrass. Behind them was Harry's travel trunk, still open and in armoire shape. It was filled with some of his nicer clothes. Definitely planning something. Not too broken up it seems.
"Hello, Harry." And the laughter stopped.
"Ginny. You remember Daphne and Padma. Daphne is my new social and image manager and, well, you know what Padma does." Looking at Daphne he added, "Did I get the title right?" Daphne just nodded. He actually got it wrong, but close enough.
"Social and Image manager? What? Harry, when did you start caring about that crap?" Ginny was way off balance. In less than a week he had a social and image manager? And he chose Daphne 'the ice queen' Greengrass? What the hell?
"Andromeda actually hired Daphne. She's a huge help in my managing the duties and responsibilities of three families." Not that it was Ginny's business anyway. Changing the subject, "I saw your article. I guess congratulations are in order. It was a great picture of you."
Padma added, "Loved the article Ginny! The part about being a role model for young witches was perfect. I know you will really help a lot of witches out there. Oh, and congratulations on the Rookie of the Year award! Well deserved." She could tell Harry was off guard and hurting a bit. She took the pressure off him. "Parvati is so jealous!"
Ginny looked at Daphne and just stood and smiled. Daphne had perfect hair. Perfect posture. Perfect smile. Just like ice. And working with her Harry. Her 'EX'-Harry.
Ginny snapped out of her thoughts and gave her trademark smirky smile. "Thanks, Padma. The interviewer did an excellent job. It really was an honor." Shifting her focus to her Ex, "Harry, can I see you for a minute? In the kitchen?"
Stepping out they looked at each other silently for a moment.
Harry started, "The article was really good. You should be proud." Then flinching a little, "I'm guessing Bill told you I got a bit down over the 'Most Eligible Witch' title. Right?"
"No, he actually said you took it well. But I knew better and wanted to check on you. Harry, I promise you I would not have agreed to that. Or the early release."
"I know Gin, but it was still tough to read. Still, its a great article. I need to get Pipsey to get me a few so you can autograph one. Seriously Gin, be proud. Don't let anything rain on this achievement." Getting an unfocused look for a minute, he added, "look at all the crap they used to print about me! They may have a line or two that is about selling copies, but the body of the article is what matters. And you killed it!"
Harry always knew how to make her smile. "So what's with all the travel and planning? Going somewhere?"
"Paris. Kind of an image and social trip along with a little DoM moonlighting. Hopefully a false alarm." Harry did not mention that it was originally supposed to be her birthday gift.
"Harry, have you ever had a false alarm?" Ginny started to remember why she needed a little space.
Pausing and concentrating, "Yep. About a year ago. Someone thought there were demons walking the streets. Turned out to be a really good muggle costume. Some teenager was going to a Halloween party." They both laughed at that one. Being used to Halloween disasters, Harry almost attacked the teenager on sight.
"Be safe Harry. Don't take any crazy chances." She moved in and kissed his cheek, then gave him a hug. She held him tight while saying, "I can't stand the idea of living in a world that does not have Harry Potter in it. Love you." She then let him go and stepped back. "Send me a postcard of the Eiffel Tower?"
"Absolutely." He noted that she still smelled like cinnamon.
"Well, I gotta go Harry, say goodbye to Bill and Fleur." Her voice was starting to crack and her eyes were wet. She took out her wand to Disapparate.
"Goodbye Ginny. And happy early birthday, if I don't see you anytime soon." As she Disapparated, Harry touched the cheek she kissed. He slowly turned and went back to the main room to review the travel plans. That was rough.
Gloomily he thought, 'Onward and Upward.'
Time to move on. Look out Paris, here I come.
—CS—
Authors Notes
There were a few scenes that reference abilities in the Earthdawn role playing game. For these, I inserted asterisks (*):
** This is called an 'Astral Face' in Earthdawn. It greatly strengthens a Nethermancer's magical abilities. I slightly modified it to give Harry the features of a Black and White negative. Something of a reverse image in high contrast monochrome. Still, it is close to the Earthdawn description.
*** The temperature drops because a powerful Nethermancer can draw power from the astral plane. In Earthdawn it is referred to as the 'Nethersoul' Talent. I am making that part of the reflex Harry has when he gets angry. It also counteracts any fear based influence.
A Nethermancer is a magician that has followed a path that involves spirits, otherworldly powers, and the Astral plane. They are quite dangerous. Earthdawn is an amazing game system. I thought it went well with being the Master of Death.
A Iklwa is a very short spear – Zulu's used them. They are about half a normal spear length. The blade that makes up the tip is very long and can be used for piercing or slashing. Harry can use his as a short spear, or he can extend the shaft (magically) to be a regular spear length. Why a spear? Spears are cool. Also, they are imo the most common weapon in ancient times. Don't expect too much from this, he still prefers his wand.
Note on Harry's future travel plans: He will get out and about. Searching for ancient evil and places of power. You will see Malta listed frequently – it is a site with Ancient ruins that fit into the 'ancient artifacts' and 'ancient evil waiting to be let loose' themes. If interested, Google 'ruins of Malta' and be amazed. If you like this, check out the ruins of Santorini/Thera, Donana, Sardinia and the underwater pyramid in the Azores. Then you have Petra, Anasazi, Derinkuyu, Toltec, Chimu, Olmec, Huastec, Chavin, Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. No doubt plenty more – If you have any favorites I should add to the list, please share.
Lots of places for Harry to explore. If you are into creepy places that are not thousands of years old, there are some catacombs under Paris with the remains of over 6 million people. I hear our hero is heading that way soon and something sinister is going on in Paris. Dark and troubling…
On another note, writing his familiar is exhausting. I originally read about the Runespoor and thought that sounds like Harry, Ron and Hermione. The Dreamer (Selene/Harry), the Strategist (Artemis/Ron), and the Pragmatic Realist/Critic (Hecate/Hermione). Hedwig was more of a mother figure. His runespoor is more of a teenage daughter or niece. Different relationship at a different point in his life. I see familiars as becoming what the witch or wizard they bond to needs them to be. 11 year old Harry needed a Mothering Familiar. Older Harry needed a familiar he could look after and take care of. It seemed fun to write about them bickering and getting into crazy antics while just being a part of Harry's life. Part of me now wishes I had written her with just one head. Exhausting. And make no mistake, Selene may seem harmless with her fashion tips, but she is absolutely ruthless. I patterned her somewhat on the character Amanda Plummer played in Pulp Fiction (Hunny Bunny) when she and her boyfriend robbed a diner. Watch it on you tube – 'pulp fiction opening scene' if you want to see my inspiration for Selene.
Well, thanks to all of you who are reading and enjoying this work. Special thanks to the reviews and the feedback. It is appreciated. Please feel free to continue as I do read and consider all reviews. I am going to start alternating between this and the Dance of Death story, as that is actually the prequel and I have let it flounder. There are events I have planned for Dance of Death that I am having to avoid discussing in Casting Shadows because I don't want to give anything away.
Coming Soon: Harry goes to France, Bill has a man to man discussion with Harry about Veelas, Hermione makes plans, Gareth Greengrass is dressed down, Draco Malfoy makes an appearance, and something rotten is happening in the catacombs under the city of lights.
Till next time