JK Rowling Owns Harry Potter and all the Supporting characters from that universe.

FASA Owns Earthdawn

FASA Owns Shadowrun

Most of the Mages in this story as well as Oak Heart are from either FASA or Earthdawn.

Note: All conversations in France are in French unless specified. I may start with Bonjour or oui, but that is the true limit of my knowledge of the most beautiful language on earth. Sorry.

Note, spells verbalized will be in Bold and in Quotations. Spells cast silently will not be Bold and will be between apostrophes.

"Protego!" = Vocalized

'Protego!' = Silent

Note: Twenty one chapters and Harry's break up with Ginny was only two weeks ago (in story time). He has been in France for eight days. The man needs to rest. Nothing has been relaxing about his holiday/vacation so far. I was a bit shocked when I reviewed my timeline and realized how little time has passed.

OK - time to get this party started.

—Casting Shadows—

Château d'Yvoire

The Home of the Flamels

2:30 AM, August 11, 2001

Perenelle led Harry out of the garden and into their home. Nicolas asked the rest of the people to wait and be patient. A few became angry and said they had a right to meet Oak Hearts 'speaker'. The dusky skin woman from the carriage and the restaurant joined Nicolas in keeping the other guests away. Harry overheard a bit of the conversation as he was led away and the words 'frightened', 'overwhelmed', 'poor thing', and other embarrassing words. He always hated being treated like a child, but at least they seemed to be concerned about his welfare. Where the hell were they when he was sleeping in a cupboard?

Sitting in a private room, Perenelle summoned one of her house elves and coffee was brought in. She looked over at Harry and smiled. Harry still had his wand in his hand, but he was waiting to see how things went. His parents had trusted the Flamels. That prevented him from just cutting his losses and going home.

"Harry, I'm sorry for the way people reacted. It was your mentioning Oak Heart that caused the… well, the horrible manners. You must have dozens of questions. Let me start by saying that you are the latest in a very long line of powerful 'mages', as you call them. This was intended to be a welcoming party, but things changed when we found out how important you really are." After a long moment of silence, she asked, "Please say something, Harry."

Harry was tired and didn't need this. But he'd make an effort. For his parents sake and Oak Heart. "Are you saying that we are all Peverells? That we are all related to Elianar Messias?"

Perenell smiled at that, "No Harry. Well, maybe Aina is, but the rest of us are not. We are all tied back to Caynreth. That is our primary blood line, and Elianar was a branch of that primary bloodline. Your father and mother both descended from the line of Caynreth, but through different families and branches. Your eyes mark you as part of Alachia's lineage. Like Elianar, Alachia was a child of Caynreth. Your heritage as a Peverell marks you as Elianar's descendant from your fathers side. The Peverell line is a branch of Messias' line.

"I know who Alachia is and I want nothing to do with her. She is the one who poisoned Oak Heart all those millennia ago."

"She did what she thought was best and she saved her people."

Harry emphatically disagreed. "No, she took the coward's way out. She saved her own skin and doomed hundreds of people. If she had sacrificed herself, Oak Heart would have been fine, but she resorted to Death Magic. One in ten died in that ritual, but it wasn't an accident. That was what it took to protect the ancient people from the Scourge. But had she willingly sacrificed herself, it would have been unnecessary."

Perenelle looked at Harry with shock and revulsion. "Harry, please believe me when I say Do Not Repeat That. To anyone." She settled back into her chair. "My god."

Harry had heard the story. Oak Heart had shared his pain and loss. Changing the subject, "All those people out there… They were all so powerful. I could feel how powerful they were. If there are a dozen or so Mages, why was I left alone to fight Voldemort? I was just a teenager and way out of my depth."

Perenelle focused and regained her composure. "That is a good question. Before I address your question completely, let me start with a history lesson. One that you will never learn in school. First of all, there are more than a dozen or so Mages. In fact, there are twenty known mages from the bloodline that Nicolas and I belong to. Fourteen of us are at this party, in your honor."

Perenelle sipped her coffee and continued. "Before you ask, there are currently three active bloodlines of 'mages'. There were once more, but two appear to have disappeared. Predominantly reduced in size by internal strife, then ultimately extinguished by external conflict. Not everyone we are related to are of 'the family'. There is a very rare and recessive trait that very occasionally appears and marks you as a part of 'the family'. With this, comes intrinsic power."

Perenelle adjusted in her seat and returned to the discussion, "As I said before, you are a part of Caynreth's bloodline. From both parents. So is Nicolas, myself, and all the attendees at this party. In ancient times, when our bloodline first formed, we venerated and built our society around an ancient and powerful Elder Elemental named Oak Heart. He guided us and protected us when we were most vulnerable. You mentioning Oak Heart so casually… and radiating the presence of Oak and Roses so strongly, resulted in… Well, that's why everyone reacted so emotionally when you revealed your connection. But we'll talk about that later."

Seeing Harry was following, she added, "Caynreth's line is a powerful one. It is the first documented line and the one most prevalent today. We approach magic from a natural point of view. We are the originators and sponsors of the light bearer organization and we believe we have a duty and responsibility to defend this world. I know you know what I'm talking about, as you have stated yourself to be the Champion of the Light Bearers and the Keeper of the Books of Harrow."

Harry nodded, "I thought I was the last of the light bearers. So, you mentioned other bloodlines. Can you tell me about them?"

"Well, the other main line in the Eastern Hemisphere is the Denairastas line. They are more Machiavellian and quite dangerous. They are a powerful line of mages that tend to be drawn to power and control. They are far less interested in magic as a force of nature and tend to see it as a force of will. They also seek to protect the world, but they do it far differently than our line. They strive to gain power. Your old Headmaster was a Denairastan. As was Gellert Grindelwald. At least one of the Medici's was a Denairastan. Grigori Rasputin was one. As was Baba Yaga. Never underestimate their power or the lengths they will go to when they set their sights on something. We estimate less than a dozen or so could exist. Six to eight is a good guess, certainly not more than ten. They only live three to four hundred years, under natural conditions. Most die long before that of 'less than natural' causes."

Harry was shocked. Dumbledore and Grindelwald were of the same blood line. But what did that mean? Was it just a common ancestor thousands of years ago? "So, was Voldemort from the Denairastas line?"

"No, Harry. Tom Riddle was a descendant of our line, but not a mage. He achieved his power through dark and 'unnatural' means. We only count as 'family' those who inherit the particular gene that came from the first of our line. Those who have been born as mages. He was not of 'the family'. He achieved his power from a very specific Horror in a crystal cave. An otherworldly Horror from the last scourge became his teacher and mentor after Tom offered up the souls of two classmates for knowledge and power. Fortunately, the Horror that mentored Tom Riddle and created Voldemort has been dealt with. We'll cover that soon enough."

"Finally, we know of three blood lines in the Western Hemisphere. They all originated in the east, but during the last scourges, they migrated across a land bridge to the Americas. The line of the Fire People, the Water People, and the line of the Air People. we suspect the Water People were either wiped out or absorbed into another line. We don't really know their original names, so we went with the element they venerate. It is thought there were sub lines as well, but we can't be certain how many. The Fire People watched over the Olmecs, the Toltecs, the Aztecs, the Mayans, and others. Basically, Central and South America. We believe this line is currently wiped out, primarily by the Denairastas line. We are always alert for newly emerging members. They tended to consort with Horrors and made extensive use of Death Magic."

"The North American region is where the line of the Air People took root. They spawned and mentored the sometimes nomadic tribes among the Native Americans. The Pueblo, the Cherokee, the Navajo… so many tribes. There are perhaps a half dozen or so of them left. Again, the Denairastas were involved in reducing their numbers. We stepped in and defended the people of the eagle, but we were late. We maintain contact with most of that line. There are rumors that some of this line still exists in the Himalayan mountains. One branch may have setled in the mountains of Peru and looked over the Mayans."

"The Water People were likely the settlers of the North Pacific and coastal tribes along the pacific. We believe they were powerful but peaceful. There is talk that you may have a bit of them in you. The Havenherders came from Messias' branch of our bloodline and, when Thera fell, many traveled to the west. Consider that the Potter family is the only known European family that demonstrated a propensity for Animagus Transformation and the Blacks are the only European or asian family known for their ability as Metamorphmagus. Both traits occasionally surface in the Americas. It is curious that Peverell descendants demonstrated these abilities."

Harry was slowly taking all this in. "So, basically, the descendants of Elianar Messias 'got around'. We're a bunch of mutts... I am curious thought, what element is Caynreth and Denairastas associated with?"

Perenell was glad Harry was keeping up, but this was a very broad overview. "The Denairastas line is associated with Earth and Caynreth's line is Wood. But we are all more than our base element."

Considering what he had heard, Harry began looking for patterns. "So, the Denairastas mages are just a bunch of power-mad murders. And there are some alive today…" Did he need to start hunting them down?

Perenelle shook her head, "No, Harry. They aren't inherently evil people. They tend to fixate on a goal, and frequently toward the pursuit of power and control, but most actually desire to do good works. Even Grindelwald had a 'Greater Good' in mind. He just did horrible things to try and accomplish those goals. While he was quite willing to commit horrendous crimes, the worst atrocities were committed by the muggles he partnered with. You must also remember, it was another from the Denairastas line that brought an end to his campaign. Your old headmaster. To be honest, most Denairastas believe our line to be aloof and uncaring. They're not always wrong."

Perenelle paused a moment, considering if she should share one mysterious piece of the puzzle. "Grindelwald is a mystery to us. While we are certain he had Denairastas blood, he had eyes identical to yours. That means he may have been tied to our line. Some connection to a descendant of Alachia..."

Harry pressed further, "But look what the Denairastans did to the other bloodlines. The ones in the Americas. How can that possibly be considered a 'Greater Good'?" He wasn't surprised Grindelwald was tied to Alachia. But he wasn't ready to accept that he was related to the man.

Perenelle continued her lesson, thankful Harry didn't press her on the Grindelwald topic. Too much was unknown. "The Central and South American line of the Fire People was cavorting with Horrors to gain power. They were a menace and, if left unchecked, could have brought on a premature scourge. Our bloodline assisted in the eradication of that line and good riddance. It was quite tainted with Horror magic. The mystical battles were horrific and many passed away on all sides. The Denairastas line was significantly reduced in the battles. Once the corruption was curtailed, our line returned to Europe and Asia where we made our homes. The Denairastas line pressed on and targeted the people that worshiped the Fire People. Their subjects and victims. They then went north. There was evidence that some of the Fire people had migrated north centuries earlier. We believed they wanted nothing to do with Death Magic... The Denairastas weren't so sure."

She seemed quite saddened by the story. "We stepped in and put an end to the plans the Denairastans had in North America, but we were aided by a few of their own number. Most Denairastans truly want to do good deeds, they just have an unhealthy appetite for power and control. Those were dark times, Harry. Very dark times that reduced the bloodlines down to three."

Now Harry was processing all kinds of questions, "Perenelle, you said Denairastas line tended to live three to four hundred years. Dumbledore looked pretty old at 175 or something. I can't remember his actual age, but he said he was under two hundred. And he looked every bit of it."

"Yes. Well, Nicolas and I are not of the same mind when it comes to Albus. He was not an evil man, but he was prone to misdirection and manipulation. Did you ever see him fight, Harry? I have. It was impressive. Tell me, did he move like an 'old' man?"

Harry shook his head. Albus moved like a younger man. A very athletic younger man. He was nearly as fast as Harry, and Harry had his animagus form to thank for much of his reaction speed.

Perenelle just smirked, "Right. If you shave off that beard and return his hair to its natural shade, I guarantee you he would look to be in his early to mid forties." Thinking for a moment, she added, "Well, the glamour would have to be removed to see through the wrinkles… still."

Now Harry had a sobering thought, "So, how long do the other bloodlines live? How long will I live?"

Perenell looked somewhat sad now, "It varies, but you will outlive your children. Unless you get yourself killed."

Harry suddenly remembered what the Flamel's were famous for, "So why create the Elixir of Life?"

Perenelle just smiled. He had seen his smile before on Sirius.

Harry groaned. "There is no such Elixir." Harry realized that the Elixir was a hoax. To prevent others from questioning their long life. A big con. But he wanted to get back to his original question. "This is all fascinating, but what does it have to do with why no one helped me stop Voldemort?"

"Harry, you saw fourteen mages when you arrived. They are all older and more experienced than you. One or two might even match or exceed you in raw power, but that doesn't make them combat mages. Most are dedicated to their pursuit of knowledge and have dedicated their life to it. Herbology, Alchemy, Astrology, Art, Philosophy… Ask yourself this, if the most powerful and knowledgeable wizards and witches in Great Britain gravitate toward the department of Mysteries, why didn't they join in your fight?"

Harry knew the answer, and he knew it would apply to these mages as well. "Because they don't know how to fight. Not in 'full-on' combat, anyway. They create rituals and defend magical Britain in ways other than combat. In a real fight, they would have been a liability."

"Right. Being powerful magically does not equate to being a trained combat mage. Also, Albus appeared to have all he needed at the time. The British Ministry of Magic was finally backing him. He had his own private force of supporters in his Order of the Phoenix. The deck was definitely stacked in his favor. We just didn't think he would hold back so much. Why would one side of the war play 'catch and release' while the other was mercilessly killing? We still don't understand his motives there. Then you add in all those legal and political maneuvers… That was such an odd civil war." She looked a bit bothered by the facts she was sharing. Pausing for only a moment, she added, "We did offer. Nicolas and I asked Albus if he wanted us to assist. Albus told us we would be better served preparing France for the worst case scenario."

Harry wasn't ready to accept this. "What about after he died? When the ministry fell?"

"Well, we have a handful of us who are experts in martial and magical combat. But who would we have helped? You were impossible to find. The refugees had their own lines of freedom… The only area we were really able to assist was in the destruction of the Horror that had mentored and created Voldemort. To that end, we secretly crossed the channel and traveled to the crystal cave where Voldemort encountered his Horror. Six of us dealt with the Horror approximately the same time you were engaging in your final battle. It was a brutal battle and only four of us survived. We intended to assist you after that, but you had already won your battle."

Thinking for a moment, she added "I am sorry we couldn't assist you more, before the destruction of the Horror. But even if we had known where you were, we had dissention in our own family on a course of action. At the time, some of us believed you were one of his Horcruxes and there was… confusion on how to proceed." She let that sink in, then asked a difficult question, "Are you certain you destroyed them all?"

Harry knew this meant some individuals believed he should be killed for the 'greater good'. Looks like the Denairastas line wasn't the only group of 'greater good' fanatics. Better to get this out of the way than let it linger. "We destroyed all seven. He is dead. The one in my scar was removed by Voldemort's own hand."

"That's a relief, Harry." Her answer was sincere.

Suddenly he remembered something very important, "What about the prophesy? The one you gave the DMA? What do I need to know?"

Perenelle laughed. "Harry, we just made that up so they would reach out to you. France needed a wakeup call and you were it. Thankfully, you were in the right place at the right time. The new Dark Lord still lives, but three of us took care of the actual Horror that mentored him. It was locked below the Catacombs in an ancient kaer. We destroyed the foul creature two nights ago. Nicolas and I have been pursuing that particular Horror since the French Revolution. He mentored Robespierre and orchestrated the bloodiest chapters of the Reign of Terror. We didn't suspect it was under the catacombs until you destroyed the remnants of one of its acolytes."

Harry was surprised by this insight. "So, the Horror is gone? You didn't even need me…"

Perenelle shook her head. "Oh, France needed you. The Horror is gone, but this new Dark Lord remains. I expect he is now scrambling to gather what's left of his forces. You decimated his organization. Those not slain outright at the Lavoisier manor were mostly identified by the French Aurors and the majority have been apprehended. Your guidance and insight drove this. None of us would have been able to direct them so well. The 'inner circle' witch you captured wove a horrific tale. Horrific, but very informative."

Perenelle became very somber at this point, "Be very cautious Harry. That Dark Lord will be seeking revenge. His power levels may be lower now, but he'll still be dangerous. The loss of his mentor and creator may have unintended side effects."

'Great', Harry thought to himself, 'one more psychotic bastard who wants me dead.'

Perenelle perked up, "Now, we have selected one of our number to mentor you. You saw her in the restaurant opening and she drove the carriage on your date. Truthfully, we thought the date was a cover for a scouting mission with the DMA. That's why we moved so quickly in destroying the Horror in the catacombs."

Harry laughed a bit. "It was supposed to be. The DMA seems a bit unreliable. I ended up fighting a different kind of battle." They both chuckled at that. "Do I have any say in who I get as a mentor?" Harry didn't like not having any control.

Perenelle nodded. "Yes. Normally, there would be an adjustment period where the two of you would decide if you were a good fit. But, given your connection to Oak Heart… Let it stand. Aina Dupree has no political ambitions and if you ask for a new mentor, it would have to be voted upon. There are a few that abstained from this introduction meeting, but now would be very keen to 'move in' as it were. And she was carefully selected. Like you, she is a master Nethermancer and a bit of a rouge. Who knows, she may even teach you a thing or two. Mystically speaking of course."

Harry just looked at her and bluntly said, "So, there are a few 'Denairastas types' here as well." No one would control him. Never again.

"That's a rather bleak way of putting it, but yes. We have a few who desire power and influence a bit too much. No doubt, they have will soon hear of your connection to Oak Heart and will be looking for a way to insinuate themselves. Aina Dupree has zero political motivations and skirts the edge of our 'family' as a borderline outcast. You will like her. The individuals who abstained from joining tonight's welcome party, you will probably not like. As much."

Harry knew all about people who tried to use him. Fudge. Dumbledore. So many others. "Why didn't they come to this meeting?"

"They didn't think you were ready. They believed you to be too… reckless." She just smiled. They both knew there was an element of truth there. "Also, there was concern that you may be a blend of multiple bloodlines. As you said, Peverell got around. But being a contact point for Oak Heart trumps all those arguments."

Harry smiled and realized he really liked Perenelle. "So, what do you suggest?"

She tilted her head as if the answer was obvious. "Complete the first half of the mentorship ritual. It will ensure Aina Dupree is, and will remain, your primary contact with the family. That will keep the opportunists away until we complete the second half in a week's time. She has already taken up a home on one of your Scottish Islands, so she will be readily available when you return to Great Britain. Oh, and please avoid Caimbueul Har'lea'quinn. He has no nefarious intent, but he is reckless to a degree that makes you look… well, let's just say he redefines the term 'reckless'. He's also the most martial and potentially dangerous member of the family. incredibly powerful. His grudges are terrible and can last for cent... decades. He wasn't invited, but he desperately wants to meet you. Aina can run interference better than either Nicolas or me."

"He almost sounds fun." To Harry, this mage whose name he can't pronounce sounds like a massively powerful Sirius Black. Harry caught the near slip up on the length of time that mage could hold a grudge.

"Lots of dead people thought so. Trust me, you want to give him a wide berth. He already was impressed with you before you activated a portkey into a den of violent criminals. That is the kind of insanity he seeks to foster."

Harry understood. Yep. Just like Sirius Black. He then sadly thought 'Look what happened to him'.

"Now, it is very late and there are many who wish to meet you. Are you up to it, Harry? I am certain Aina and Nicolas have calmed them all down."

Harry thought about it. "They acted like I was some kind of second coming… I'm not sure how to deal with this."

"Harry, to them, you represent something of a second coming. The return of Oak Heart. You represent something many of them have not considered in a very long time: Hope."

"Perenelle, I still have so many questions. Can we meet again when I'm not half asleep? Now that the adrenaline has worn off, I'm practically out on my feet."

She smiled kindly at him, "Yes, Harry. For now, let's perform the first part of the ritual of mentorship. We thought we would do it in the courtyard. Then Aina can coordinate our future discussions and interaction."

Harry and Perenelle then went out and mingled. Harry was uncomfortable being the center of attention, but everyone was so unbelievably kind. Perenelle was right, most of these people were artists, researchers, and scholars. A few seemed to move like they had been trained in combat, but only a few. Aina Dupree, his new mentor, was one of them. Perenelle was another. Someone named 'Ehran', seemed particularly agile. The only other attendee who seemed to move and react like a warrior was Walter Urdli from Australia.

The party improved as everyone relaxed and stopped treating Harry like he had just come down from Mt. Sinai. Harry considered having them over to his house, but it was too soon. He eventually was led into the main courtyard of the Château. Nicolas presided over the Ritual. Aina Dupree vowed to guide Harry and help with his assimilation and education. Harry promise to learn and respect the ways of the 'family'.

This was not a magically binding oath or vow, but it definitely meant something. The ritual was to be repeated in one week to seal the commitment. By tradition, only those who participated in the first ritual would be allowed to attend. Maybe by then Harry would be comfortable sharing more of himself.

Aina approached him. "Harry, I know you've had a long day. Let's meet up Sunday morning. I know you'll have many more questions. Your family is welcome to come, but please don't share too much at first. Having extended family is one thing, having an extended family of mages is not the kind of attention one would desire. We have our own statute of Secrecy." She said it all very calmly and sincerely.

Harry wasn't sure he liked the sound of the last bit. "So, be selective in what I share? I pretty much share everything with my immediate family. Dumbledore taught me the error of keeping too many secrets."

Aina just smiled. "Just make sure they know it's confidential. I can explain more to them in person. I take it we are only really talking about Lady Black, correct?"

"I also consider Bill and Fleur Weasley to be family." Harry was struggling to place her features. He thought she was either African or Indian, but her eyes were an electric blue similar to Elianar's.

"Well, they can be included. Where would you like to meet?" She was letting him choose the location. That was refreshing.

Harry stifled a yawn and said, "How about my house. Let's make it more of a Brunch. You can bring the Flamels if you'd like. I think I offered to show them my tree."

Aina seemed to consider it for a moment, then answered, "Perhaps next time. The first meeting is typically just the mentor and the new family member. Until we have our second ritual, it is strictly forbidden for any others from the family to contact you. Again, I see no problem with you bringing your family to the meeting, but it might be better if you keep it to just you and Lady Black. I'll leave that up to you."

Harry was having trouble keeping his eyes open. Most of the guests had already departed, saying they looked forward to the next ritual in a week. It was no longer late, it was now 'early' in the morning. The sun was starting to rise.

Aina took him into a gentle hug, "Once more, welcome to the family, Harry. Don't stop singing, you should always feel free to sing when you are happy." Harry chuckled at that. He'd keep his singing in the shower with a privacy charm to prevent listeners from losing their appetites.

Harry said his good-byes to his hosts and departed back to the Delacour manor. He was exhausted.

—Casting Shadows—

Ginny's Flat

Saturday Morning

August 11, 2001

Ginny Weasley woke up relaxed and refreshed. Today, she was no longer a teenager. She was officially twenty years old. She would be going to her parents for lunch and dinner. Spending time at home was so relaxing. Her brothers had all planned to be there and wish her a happy birthday. Ron had said he could only stay a couple of hours due to work in France, but the rest would make a day of it. Hermione would be with him. Bill would be by with Fleur and Victoire. Ginny could put up with Fleur if it meant she could have time with Victoire and Bill. Small sacrifice, really.

Hermione would be there, too. So would Angelina, as George's date. They had gotten quite serious recently. That could be awkward. Angelina had been seeing Fred before he was killed in the final battle. Ginny had never completely forgiven her for Harry's fourth year, but she came through in the end. Hermione was less forgiving, but Ginny doubted she would say or do anything to ruin the party. Ginny frequently wondered if Hermione felt more than friendship for Harry. That witch always seemed unbelievably loyal to Harry. But she was with Ron now and Ginny knew Harry only saw her as a friend. Well, his best friend. Which made his friendship with Bill more of a familial closeness. Honestly, with the possible exception of Charlie, Bill was closer to Harry than to any of his actual brothers.

Later tonight, she would go out with her flat mates and meet up with most of the Harpies. They planned to really do it up right. You only turn twenty once! In the Wizarding world, seventeen is the legal drinking age, so they could go anywhere. As she got off her bed, she looked about her room and saw Harry's stuffed Jersey. He had given it to her when he quit quidditch and she had it cleaned and stuffed to make a pillow.

She had thought about Harry a lot over the past week. She really missed him. Had she done the right thing? Maybe Andromeda had been wrong and they could have just had a long distance relationship. Until she stopped playing quidditch… No, that would be selfish. They would still have time to get back together after they had seen and done more with their lives. After Harry had stopped fighting Dark Lords and other worldly monsters. After she had stopped dominating the quidditch world with her brilliance. HA!

Hey, it was her birthday, no more thoughts about Harry Potter or failed romance. Today was going to be epic. But first, breakfast. She showered and dressed. She'd go over to the burrow in two and a half hours, plenty of time for toast and coffee. She came downstairs to find Katie and Fay had decorated. Balloons and streamers. They had a quiche and pastries waiting. She frequently forgot that Katie's parents owned a restaurant.

"Happy Birthday!" Her friends exclaimed as she came down stairs. She hugged her friends and thanked them both. Sitting at the table, gifts arranged in front of her. The quiche had a candle in it. They laughed and cut up and had an amazing breakfast. Once seated, Ginny asked Fay how her extra practice sessions were going. Fay confessed that she was planning to drop off the team and join the Auror force. It apparently just seemed like the right thing to do.

Ginny hated hearing that, but they'd keep the room open for her. The three of them were tight and had no intention of replacing her. She would have six months of class room training, then field training with an experienced Auror. Maybe they could find someone who they could rent to for six months, but not permanently.

Then the mail arrived and right on top were three copies of the latest Witch Weekly. They learned long ago that it was best not to share copies. So, they each had a subscription. Right there, bright as day, was a picture of Harry. It was a really good photo and one Ginny hadn't seen before. The title read "Most Eligible Wizard of the new Millennium!"

Everyone was quiet. No one moved or said a peep.

Ginny broke the silence first, "It's a good picture. Do you think they did something to make his eyes that green?"

Katie shrugged, "Looks about right to me." She had always been dazzled by his eyes. Most witches were.

Fay picked up her copy, "Alright, let's see what they say." That was the signal for all three girls to go ahead and tear into the article.

It started with an overview piece, but ended with a detailed overview of Harry Potter 'Single Wizard Living it up in France'. A whole damn issue covering Harry James Potter! Photos in it ranged from his Hogwarts days to just this week. The photos followed the story and it was chronological. Ginny decided to start at the back and work her way to the front. Reverse chronological review. She wanted to see photos of him in France. The recent photos outnumbered the Hogwarts photos by a factor of ten.

There were photos of Harry with a very attractive witch at a restaurant opening, photos with Daphne Greengrass, photos with Gabrielle Delacour, photos of him dancing with other witches at a Beauxbaton event. Colin had apparently been following Harry around. Ginny knew how protective Harry was of Colin. Based on these photos, Colin was protective of Harry as well. All the images were flattering. Very much so.

Then, the slightly less recent photos from earlier in the year. There were the photos with Bill and Fleur, with Teddy and Victoire, a few photos with Lady Black. There were even a few with Hermione. The most were with Ginny, however. By a wide margin. She lingered over those. Remembering how happy they were.

There were three from after the battle of Hogwarts. Two were from the Order of Merlin Award ceremony. And the one iconic photo that had been taken right after the final battle with Harry looking battered and bloody. And so handsome. It was still popular, even in other countries. The image had become synonymous with 'Victory'.

Paging backward, there were a few photos of Harry in his final months at Hogwarts, full on teen rebel. A Lone wolf dressed head to toe in black and wearing Dragonhide. Had he really been so dark and angry? It still made her heart beat a little faster looking at him. What was it about a rebel? Then the photos of him in a suit, where he refused to wear Hogwarts robes. It's amazing how much better those Gringotts uniforms look on Harry than on a Goblin. He looked so dashing and in that suit.

Then the period where he had those thorns… That was awful. Only one picture of that, thank goodness. Nothing but pain there. She continued to work her way 'forward'.

Earlier photos from the Hogwarts years included a few of Harry in the fourth year, when life sucked for him. There seemed to be a lot written about that year. A photo of his tortured appearance after the final task, holding that cup. Covered in blood… A moving picture of Harry in the first task was brilliant. Another of Harry with Gabrielle and Ginny coming out of the lake.

There was even an unusual photo of Katie with bloody knuckles in a gorgeous ball gown. Where the heck did that come from? Had to be Colin. Cho may start getting hate mail after this article. Merlin, Cho did nothing but cry about it for the next two years. Bitch. She's Cedric's problem now.

Then the third year, and that had photos from Egypt as well. And there was Bill, always watching him. The photos showed Harry playing quidditch, studying, and just hanging out. Quite a few of Ron, Harry, and Hermione. The so-called 'Golden Trio'. Neville was in a few too. So was she. they were all so young and innocent.

There were a few pictures from his second year… but only the beginning. Almost none after the first part of the year. That would line up with when Colin was petrified. They talk about Harry killing a Basilisk with a sword to save a first year student.

Then there was a large time gap and a photo of Harry as a baby with his parents. One photo. There were also two Pictures of his house in Godrick's Hollow. One before and one after Voldemort's attack… It was so sad.

Katie looked miserable. "Merlin, they held nothing back. Where did they get all this information?" She was skimming, but obviously had started at the front, not the back.

Fay was actually reading. "There were hundreds of students, any one of them could have been interviewed. So far, most of it looks pretty accurate… Nothing to be proud of." Fay knew as well as the other girls that the Black Lawyers would eviscerate anyone who 'pulled a Skeeter' on Harry. Everything would likely have been triple checked for authenticity before going to press. "The way they write this, its like he's some kind of tragic Hero, saving the world. Like they hired Gilderoy Lockhart's PR team."

Harry is going to be Pisssssed!

Katie put her magazine down. "OK, today is Ginny's birthday. This article will keep. Let's focus on Ginny and her amazing twentieth birthday."

They all agreed, but the mood was shot. The one sentence that caught Ginny's eye, while scanning the post-graduation pictures, was under one of the last pictures taken of the two of them together. It was in bold and simply said: 'What was she thinking?'

Ginny was beginning to wonder the exact same thing.

Happy Fucking Birthday…

—Casting Shadows—

L'Savoureux Restaurant

Paris, France

1:30 PM Saturday

August 11, 2001

Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis were led to their table. Tracey marveled that Daphne was able to get a table on almost no notice. It wasn't the best table, but it was decent. And she couldn't get in earlier than 1:30, but this was one of the hottest restaurants in magical Paris. As they sat down, the proprietor made a point to stop by.

Jean Chopin saw Daphne Greengrass enter the restaurant. He had made sure she had a table, but couldn't fit her in earlier than 1:30. She was Harry Potter's social manager and coordinator. In Jean's mind, she was the most important person in the hotel. Harry Potter was becoming nearly as famous in France as he was in Great Britain. He saved seven witches from extremely prominent witches and now he was featured in the latest issue of Witch Weekly.

"Mademoiselle Greengrass, so good to meet you in person. I'm flattered that you thought of L'Savoureux."

Daphne was in her ice queen mode. She fit perfectly into this environment. "Monsieur Chopin, thank you so much for working us in. Hopefully I'll be seeing you frequently in the near future. Lord Potter seems quite taken with your restaurant."

Jean brightened up like the sun, "Harry is always welcome here." Lowering his voice a bit, he added, "How is he today? I tried to help him last night, with that horrible woman…"

Daphne politely smiled, "Harry is fine. Mme. Coquin can be a handful, but Harry managed to escape her clutches." She said the last part half-jokingly. She knew there was no point denying that Harry had a rough date. Andromeda had filled her in. Daphne made a mental note never to cross Lady Black. She could be terrifying. "Mr. Chopin, allow me to introduce Tracey Davis, she works in the British Aurors Department and is here collaborating with the French Aurors. She was in the same year as me at Hogwarts."

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Davis. So, you had to see the horrors that befell poor Harry in school. Hopefully his godchild will attend Beauxbaton's where children are protected!"

There was an uncomfortable silence. Daphne and Tracey were both thinking the same thing, 'Did he just say poor Harry?'

Jean realized they didn't know what he was talking about. "In the Witch Weekly article. It covers the way he was treated at Hogwarts. Every year with such horrible treatment. If not for the pictures, I wouldn't believe it. He spent his fourth year living in a filthy little hut so others would stop hexing him. The humiliation he suffered at the Yule Ball… I am just sorry so many children had to go through such a horrible and dangerous environment." Pausing and collecting himself, Jean continued, "Please excuse me, I let my emotions get the better of me. Enjoy your lunch and let Lord Potter know we look forward to his next visit."

And he walked away, leaving two stunned witches.

Tracey looked at Daphne, "Well, I think I need to get a copy of that magazine."

Daphne was still stunned. "Harry will be mortified. It sounds like someone sensationalized his life."

Tracey smirked, "Well, it wouldn't take much. I expect the article is reasonably accurate. No one would dare print lies about the Black family. Not with their legal team. Honestly, it's a miracle this never came out before. I imagine the ministry would have squashed it if they caught wind. It doesn't really paint them in the best light. Do you need to head back?" Tracey couldn't help be a little disappointed. It had been weeks since she had a chance to catch up with her best friend.

"No. We put Harry to bed at seven in the morning. Lady Black was furious! Harry just said he sent word through Pipsey…" She couldn't help but laugh a little.

Tracey was grinning broadly, "Did you just say, 'We put Harry to bed…'? Is there something I should know Daphne?" What an excellent time to torture her best friend.

Daphne blushed and gaped. "I didn't mean it like that… He came back late… everyone was worried…" The ice queen has left the building.

Now Tracey wasn't grinning. "Daphne, you're blushing. You do like him!"

Daphne smiled sheepishly. "Well, maybe a little. I'm still getting to know him." No point denying it with Tracey. Her best friend could read her like a book. "He is so different than you'd expect. So incredibly kind and vulnerable. When he's with people he trusts." She added the last part when she considered the way Harry tended to present himself to the public.

Tracey was always cautions by nature. "Just be careful, Daphne. And no matter how nice you may think he is, I've seen firsthand what he's capable of. So have you. So did Umbridge." Seeing her friend begin to shut down, she added, "I'm not saying he's some kind of evil Dark Lord, but he tends to use lethal force as the default response when under pressure. That can make things… complicated."

Daphne could never forget what happened to Umbridge. It had bothered her for years. How did he do it? Why was it so horrible and so personal? He never showed an ounce of remorse, either.

Tracey snapped her out of her tortured thoughts, "Bump that, let's focus on this amazing lunch we're having. Now, how's Michael?"

—Casting Shadows—

Thanks. A little shorter than normal, but I covered what I wanted.

NOTES:

My goal in this chapter was to introduce the concept of extremely powerful Bloodlines. What this means is that most of the more powerful mages tend to originate from a few distinct bloodlines and those bloodlines have their own internal sub-cultures. It is a way of slowly removing Harry's dependency on foreign ministry departments like the DMA and the DoM to direct him. Harry will have a massive amount of questions for his new 'family', but I covered the ones I wanted to cover in this chapter. The rest will keep. If you have more questions or suggestions, feel free to let me know. This is an area where I am borrowing a great deal from the Earthdawn world setting and its modern equivalency – Shadowrun. In fact, with the exception of the Flamels, every named person at that party is from either Earthdawn or Shadowrun. Including Oak Heart. Especially Oak Heart.

Note: This does not mean all mages come from these bloodlines, it just means they tend to be the source for most. They also tend to have more raw power than the rare mages who develop slowly and naturally. Also, Perenelle does not know everything. Much of what she shared about the Fire and Air People was guess work. Water People may have a future significance. without a doubt, the other bloodlines have their own perspective on history. They may not even agree on the bloodlines. Not everything revolves around the elements.

As for love and marriage, He's in a sticky position because, to the other mages, he's a child. Maybe in a century he could potentially have a relationship, but for now he just doesn't have the life experience to have a meaningful relationship with another mage. To non-mages, he's going to dramatically out live them. So, he may say "screw it, live life to the fullest. Marry who you love." But would a potential spouse want to marry someone that won't grow old with them? Most would give it a second thought. But, i like to think real love would win out. Then you have any children to think about... Even marrying another mage, the odds are not great that the children will inherit a long life. They are perhaps ten times greater that his children will inherit the trait, but you're starting out at something less than 1%, it will still be highly likely Harry will watch his children and grand children die of old age. Some bloodlines may differ... I am not ready to define that out.

Harry's long life is hinted at earlier. This goes back to chapter 15 where Messisas' spirit told Harry he thought Harry would try to have a normal life: Messias said, "I had wondered if you would take a lifetime off from that, but I am impressed that you did not. It is your dedication that must have called to me. I had expected it to be the death of your wife and children that brought you back." I also commented in one of the very early chapters on Harry looking in the mirror and realizing he looked like he was still in school. I never really bought into the Elixir of life crap. Someone else would have figured that out by now if it was possible. Makes a wonderful cover story, though. I imagine most mages live a normal life with a spouse, then join 'the Family' and fade out of everyday living.

As for the scene with Ginny, well, that is one for all the people that have reached out and requested a scene where Ginny regrets her decision. There will likely be more in future stories, especially after Harry and Daphne grow closer. But I don't want to focus too much on her. It's not her story and she already has taken up a good bit of space. I don't hate the character, but she is not the same as the one in canon. She wanted a few fun and independent years and now she has to live with the down side of that decision.

Daphne and Tracey are best friends. This lunch was overdue and it opens the door for the pairing of Harry with Daphne. I'll address the Umbridge scene in Harry's fifth year in the Dance of Death Story. It is a pivotal scene and it is not what anyone will be expecting. It's killing me to wait so long. On another note, I struggled with whether or not to use Titles. Lord Potter? Mr. Potter? Harry? Harry told Jean Chopin to call him Harry and the two seemed to get along well. But in public? Around Daphne with her frosty demeanor? I don't know. So I just mixed it up. Life isn't perfect and neither are my characters. If I'm unsure, they are too.

The article is an overview of Harry's life. I considered making it more of a fluff piece, but that didn't seem realistic. Too many awful things happened to be just swept under the rug. I don't plan to fixate on it, but the article will be a reasonably accurate overview of his Hogwarts years. Yes, he will not be happy. But those who treated him so poorly will be even less happy. The main focus is on how Harry is a heroic figure that overcame terrible tragedy and adversity to save Britain, become wealthy and influential, and being the most eligible Wizard of the new millenia.

Harry has been in France over a week now and still hasn't seen the Eiffel Tower. Maybe next chapter.

Till next time…

Feedback is appreciated.