* ~ The Eighth Year Universe ~ *

Love Wins

The Road to Love is Paved with Good Intentions

The chapter title is from the song:

Road Between – Lucy Hale.


~ Thea's speech is based on the song – Follow Your Arrow by Kacey Musgraves.

~ Caroline's speech is based on Arizona Robbins amazing speech in Grey's Anatomy.


"So, what's this I hear about you beheading a giant snake with the sword of Gryffindor while I took a nap?"

Neville looked up with a grin, "Thea wrote to you then?"

"About how you royally roasted both her and me in front of a whole Herbology class?" Harry quipped, raising an eyebrow, "Yeah, she mentioned it."

Neville shrugged, "She was asking for it, Harry."

"I'm sure she was, but why'd you have to bring me into it?" Harry asked, poking one of Neville's weird plants.

"Don't touch that. It's poisonous," Neville said, swiping Harry's hand away, "And since when do you care so much about your reputation?"

"Since I became Head Auror and need to recruit these youngsters whose minds you are polluting with bullshit," Harry joked with a grin.

Neville snorted, "It's not bullshit. It's exactly what happened."

"Right, firstly, I wasn't taking a nap," Harry said as he touched another plant, "Voldemort had just hit me with the killing curse again."

"Yeah, I know," Neville said distractedly, "Harry, would you quit touching things you don't understand, please? I do not want to have to get Lilly to heal you again after the last time you tried to feed the venomous tentacula. Do you know how much grief I got for that?"

Harry grinned, "I'm pretty sure it went along the lines of, 'Neville Longbottom, how are you meant to keep a class of schoolchildren safe when you can't even stop your best friend touching a venomous tentaculum?"

Neville gave him an exasperated look, "A class of school children is easier to tame than you, to be fair."

Harry's grin widened.

"That wasn't a compliment," Neville added.

Harry chuckled, "I didn't just come here to grill you on the villainous lies you've been telling my daughter and her classmates anyway."

"No," Neville said, stepping out of his greenhouse, "I didn't think you had. Is this a walk around the lake kind of chat?"

"It's definitely an 'out of earshot of the wives' chat," Harry said with a nod. He shoved his hands into his pockets, and they fell into step with each other.

"How worried are you about the Statue Saboteurs?" Neville asked perceptively.

"I'm worried about the pattern emerging from other countries," Harry said honestly, "They don't start small. When they show their face in a new country, they do it with a bang, normally an attack on a politician."

"You're worried about Hermione," Neville realised.

Harry sighed and nodded, "Yeah. With Hermione's knack for stating the obvious, and loudly at that. It could well see her targeted if the Statute Saboteurs come here."

"Do you think they will?" Neville asked.

Harry sighed, "I don't know. They started in eastern Europe. We estimate the point of origin to be Austria or Hungary. From there, we've seen activity in Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, and then France."

"They are moving west," Neville said, frowning and looking at the lake. It was a serene night, the moonlight reflecting off the still water.

"They haven't targeted Germany, Spain or Portugal, but those ministries are staunchly traditional, and they seem to target liberal countries," Harry mused.

"And we've just elected a liberal Minister for Magic," Neville realised.

Harry nodded.

They stopped by a tree, and Neville leant back against it, "Can you get her to increase her guard?"

"Do goblins part with their gold?" Harry quipped in return.

"When you put it like that," Neville shrugged, "I guess there's nothing we can do. Either she increases her guard or is mindful of what she says."

Harry gave Neville an exasperated look laced with concern, "You did grow up with Hermione Granger, didn't you?"

Neville smiled, but there was a wariness underneath it, "Unfortunately. That's what I'm worried about, her being too much like Hermione Granger."

"Me too," Harry confessed, and the two men fell silent.


None of the three women meeting up for lunch would describe themselves as ladies who lunched. Ladies who went out and drank tequila until one of them threw up (it was always Lilly), maybe. But on this occasion, they happened to be meeting for lunch.

Susan and Lilly were there first, so they sat down at a table in the sunshine at their favourite café in Diagon Alley.

The minute they sat down, Susan lit a cigarette, and Lilly raised an eyebrow, "That's bad for your health, you know?"

Susan snorted, "And smoking mandrake leaf isn't?"

The comment didn't phase Lilly, "It actually has a lot of health benefits."

Susan grinned, "Who told you that? Professor Longbottom?"

Lilly smirked, "No, Professor Sprout actually when she first caught me doing it in sixth year."

Susan blew out a ring of smoke and chuckled, "Yeah, that figures."

"You know you can't judge Addison for smoking when she's just copying you, right?" Lilly asked.

"Technically I can because I'm her mother, and she should know by now to do as I say, not as I do," Susan said nonchalantly.

Lilly snorted.

"But in all seriousness, I don't judge Addison for smoking. Percy would if he were here. He would sit her down and tell her about all the awful ways smoking could kill her, then take her to St Mungo's for a check-up," Susan smiled sadly, "It's why I never smoked when he was…" she shook her head, "But he's gone now."

"And it's a coping mechanism, even if you won't admit that," Lilly said.

"If you're done being judgemental, can you tell me where the hell everybody else is?" Susan asked matter of factly.

"Hermione is too busy with ministry stuff to get away," Lilly answered, "And Sadie's working."

"Sadie's always at work these days," Susan commented.

Lilly shrugged, "She's an Unspeakable. Merlin knows what she's doing down there."

Susan nodded her agreement, then something caught her eye, and she chuckled, "Ah, there she is, late as always."

Daphne grinned and threw her hair over her shoulder, "Fashionably late."

"Yeah, you're definitely that," Lilly agreed, giving her best friend an amused smile.

Daphne sat down and glanced at the empty seats, "Are the Stepford wives not joining us today?"

Susan snorted, "You've got some nerve, calling them the Stepford wives."

"You both need to actually watch the movie Stepford Wives," Lilly cut in.

"Being a Stepford wife is like being the perfect wife and submitting to your husband's every desire. Since when have any of us ever done that?"

"Fair point," Susan admitted.

"Although Sadie is the most like that of the five of us," Daphne pointed out.

"Sadie thought her husband had died, and then she got him back," Susan said darkly, "Of course she is."

Daphne sighed, "Sorry, Suse, that was kind of insensitive."

"Was it, though?" Lilly cut in, ignoring Daphne as she kicked her under the table.

"I mean, it has been ten years, Susan," Lilly added, "I know that doesn't ease the pain but do we really still need to walk on eggshells ten years later?"

"No, you don't," Susan admitted, "And honestly, I would rather you didn't. I've lived in a world without Percy for longer than I got to have him as my husband, so I've accepted that fact."

"But when you love someone like that, they never really leave," Daphne said, looking pointedly at Lilly, "So even if you don't walk on eggshells, maybe don't be quite so blunt? It's dreadfully ignorant and common of you."

Susan snorted, and Lilly raised an eyebrow, "Ignorant and common? That's what you're going with?"

"Yes, that's what I'm going with," Daphne replied airily.

"Okay, ladies, let's not have a lovers tiff," Susan cut in, ending the conversation by waving someone over to get their order.

Once a large bottle of wine and some light food was on the way, Susan said, "Anyway, Daphne, no – Sadie and Hermione can't make it today."

"I suppose the Minister for Magic is too busy to have lunch with us commoners," Lilly joked, giving Daphne a pointed look.

"Well, we've established that you are certainly a commoner," Daphne teased, "But don't taint the rest of us."

Susan sniggered, "I'm a dirty half-blood like your husband, remember?" she said, grinning at Daphne.

"I remember you and my husband bonding over that," Daphne said, her eyes flashing in amusement, "A long, long time ago."

"Before you went and got yourself a new girlfriend," Susan joked.

Lilly stuck her tongue out at Susan in response.

"Mature, Lillian," Susan teased.

"What would you expect from a Londoner, though?"

Susan chuckled, "What is it your mum calls Daph, again? Oh yeah, hoity-toity."

Daphne brushed the comment off, "She just doesn't know class when she sees it. I mean, she married Michael Corner."

"Which I wish you would stop reminding me of," Lilly muttered.

"Never going to happen, Lillian," Daphne said in a sing-song voice.

Susan grinned, "Yes, how is your former boyfriend/step-father doing these days, Lilly?"

Lilly glared at Susan, and Daphne whistled, "If looks could kill."

Their wine arrived, and once each glass was poured, Daphne brought up the subject of Susan's dating life.

"You know, Lilly did have a point, in a roundabout way," Daphne said as she sipped her wine, "It has been ten years."

Lilly nodded, "You really need to get out there again, Suse, even if it's just to have sex."

Daphne snorted ungracefully, "You think she hasn't had sex for ten years? Have you met Susan?"

"Yes," Lilly said, lowering her voice, "But I'm not as acquainted with her as you are."

Susan shot Daphne an amused look, "Well, you're both right. Daphne does know me better, and because of that, she knows I have needs like every other human being."

"Not everyone," Lilly shrugged.

"You could go ten years without sex?!" Susan asked in disbelief.

"No," Lilly admitted.

"But Neville probably could. All I'm saying is that sex isn't that important in all relationships. Some people just have more sex drive than others," she added, her eyes flitting between the two women in amusement.

Daphne smiled, "Fair point. Although, to be fair, Lilly, maybe Susan doesn't need to date because she already has this totally platonic relationship with Caroline."

Susan rolled her eyes, and Lilly grinned, "The platonic 'marriage without sex' relationship?"

"Oh shut up," Susan muttered, "It is platonic."

"If you've fantasised about shagging her, it's not platonic," Lilly said bluntly.

"If you've gotten drunk and gushed about how great she is, it's not platonic," Daphne added, giving Susan a knowing look.

"Fuck you, Daphne."

Daphne smirked triumphantly and sipped her wine.

"Also, this, coming from you two?" Susan scoffed, "It's rich, you know that, right?"

"No, it's not," Daphne said matter of factly, "Because, in our totally platonic relationship, we do have sex."

Lilly's eyes widened, "Daphne, we are in the middle of Diagon Alley!" she hissed.

"And?" Daphne quipped, "Everyone knows. Most people are just too polite to say so. Plus, I put up a muffliato before we started this conversation."

Lilly knocked back the rest of her wine and shook her head, "I am so done with you two. I wish I was still at work."

"No, you don't," Daphne said, grinning at her best friend, "You love us too much."

Susan rolled her eyes, "I don't love either of you right now."

"Maybe that's because all your love is with Caroline-"

"Oh, quit it, or I'll tell Harry about that time I found you in a broom closet with Cedric Diggory."

Daphne's eyes widened, "You wouldn't!"

Lilly shook her head in amusement and leaned back.

"I would, and you know it," Susan said, smirking at her friend.

"Ladies," Lilly cut in lazily, "You can stop with the theatrics now. Harry knows, and while he was heartbroken that Daphne got to his one and only man-crush before he did, he's over it."

At that, a ripple of laughter went around the little table, and any tensions began to ease.


"Bitch."

"Whore."

Thea smiled falsely at her sister, "Wow, say what you think, Andrea."

Andrea glared at her sister across the table in the study hall, "Truth hurts, doesn't it?"

Thea crossed her arms, "If it even was the truth."

"You've been caught with more boys in my year than I even know," Andrea hissed irritably.

"Well, that wouldn't be hard," Thea said under her breath, "And for the record, could you please stop being pissy that I kissed Eddie? He told me you two had broken up."

Andrea swallowed, "Maybe you would have known why if you were a good sister. As it is, I tell Ella everything and you nothing because you can't keep your mouth shut."

Thea sighed and lowered her voice, "I'm sorry, okay? I've already said that. Why did you break up with him?"

Andrea frowned at her notes, "Why do you assume I broke up with him?"

"Because he's a Gryffindor and a general dumbass, and you're you?"

Andrea smiled sadly, "Well, he broke up with me because he thought I was a lesbian."

Thea shrugged, "You do kind of give off that vibe, to be fair."

"How?" Andrea hissed.

"Potters!"

Thea rolled her eyes, "Sorry, Professor Sheppard," she said.

Professor Sheppard was Lacey, who taught Arithmancy. She gave them a pointed look and carried on walking up the hall.

At a table a little further down, Alastor muttered to Roxanne Weasley, "She could have said Potter girls, I didn't do anything."

Roxanne gave him an amused look, "This time."

Alastor grinned in response.

At the other end of the hall, Andrea muttered, "Why are you even here? I've never seen you in study hall."

"Well, my O.W.L's are coming up, and I actually want to prove to Mum and Dad that I'm worth something," Thea said bitterly.

It was uncharacteristically serious, so Andrea faltered for a second, "We already think you're worth something, Thea."

Thea scoffed, "No, you don't. But when I actually pass these exams, then maybe you will."

"Well, it's good to see you trying," Andrea admitted, "Whatever the reason."

Thea's quill hovered over her parchment, and then she looked up at her sister.

"Look, Andie, maybe I don't have the most serious outlook on life, but I just think life is too short to waste it working in the DMLE or getting married and having babies. Like, no matter what, you will never please everyone, so why try?"

Andrea frowned over at her sister.

"I mean, you're a bore if you save yourself for marriage. But if you don't save yourself for marriage, you're a whore-"

Lacey cleared her throat behind them.

Thea grimaced and corrected herself, "- irrible person."

Andrea rolled her eyes, and Lacey shook her head in amusement as she continued walking.

"You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't," Thea shrugged, "So why not just do whatever you want?"

Andrea smiled slightly, "I wish I could do that. Just let go of my principles and do what I wanted, but I can't. I get physically sick when I have to break the rules."

Thea snorted, "I bet you get an adrenaline rush from contributing to class discussions."

Andrea's cheeks flushed, and she looked down.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin," Thea muttered.

"Shut up," Andrea shot back.

Thea smiled slightly, "So, are we back on speaking terms?"

"Yes," Andrea said reluctantly, "Are you really serious about passing your O.W.L's?"

Thea nodded, "So serious I'm willing to beg you for help with the Transfiguration exam."

Andrea shut her book and nodded. She smiled slightly at her little sister, "I know a classroom we can practice in, come on."

With a genuine smile, Thea replied, "Thanks, Andie."


Harry was in a good mood when he walked into CPS – which Rob Wolfe himself was still leading. He was in such a good mood that he was whistling, which didn't go amiss from Rob's latest apprentice – Harry's son.

Teddy made a face, "Why are you so happy?"

Harry snorted, "You don't want to know the answer to that question."

"Gross," Teddy muttered under his breath.

Harry chuckled. He had been expecting a smart ass reply from Rob, which hadn't come. He sat down opposite the Irishman and raised an eyebrow, "Robert? Hello? I'm here for the weekly debrief."

Rob grunted in response and didn't lift his head from the desk.

"He's been like that all morning," Teddy said, swinging his feet onto his Auror partner, Nick Wolfe's desk.

Harry looked at Nick and asked, "Do you know why?"

"I mean, I don't still live at home," Nick replied, "But I'm pretty sure he found out that Nat's got a girlfriend."

Rob looked up in disbelief, "You knew?"

Nick snorted, "Uh yeah, she's my sister. We do talk about shit, you know?"

"Why the bloody hell didn't you tell me then?" Rob asked his son.

"Probably because he knew you'd react like this," Harry said with an amused smile.

"Oh, suppose you think this is funny, huh?" Rob asked, crossing his arms at Harry.

"I think you're over-reacting," Harry said honestly, "Who cares if she's dating a girl?"

Rob sighed and said, "Jen doesn't care, and it's not that I'm homophobic, but-"

"Dad," Nick cut in, grinning at Rob – Nick, considering he was adopted, did look a lot like Rob. He had a similar skin tone, only a little darker. Rob had once said that was to do with his mother's Caribbean roots. He had dark brown eyes and a similar face shape to Rob. His dark brown hair was lightly curled and shoulder-length, he was a handsome young man, and he had always known it.

"When I told you Teddy was genderfluid, you told me to stop speaking gobbledygook."

Harry snorted, and Teddy grinned, "It's a fair point, Rob."

Rob shook his head, "Look, she's my girl, and I love her, no matter who she loves. But it was a shock, alright? And it's kinda hard to shake all the shit the satanic nuns put in my head sometimes."

"You didn't get into a fight with her about it then?" Harry asked carefully.

"Nah," Rob said, he rubbed his eyes, "I told her she was still my kid, regardless of anything else. She cried, we hugged and then I invited her girlfriend over for dinner."

Nick choked on his coffee, "What?"

Rob smirked, "What? You wanted me to be more accepting, didn't you?"

Teddy was grinning as Nick stared at his dad in disbelief, "You're an arsehole! When I told you I was dating Nina, you took fucking ages to invite her over!"

"Well, course I did, she's Howie Abbott's ward, and he's a dickhead," Rob pointed out.

"A dickhead who funds this department and Lupin House," Harry muttered under his breath.

Nick nodded fervently, "Thanks, Harry. At least you were cool about it."

Rob rolled his eyes, "I'm just saying, Nat's girlfriend is Addison Weasley. She's got to be a good kid, her dad being who he was."

Nick and Harry both snorted.

Harry shot Nick an amused look, "You first?"

"I remember Addy Weasley from school," Nick said, smirking at his dad, "Good kid isn't the way I'd describe her. Wild child? Now that fits."

Harry chuckled, "She might be Percy Weasley's daughter, but her mum is Susan Bones, and I knew her at school. If she is anything like her mother, then good luck to Nat. It took a bounty hunter to tame Susan."

Rob groaned, "Great. What is with my kids' taste in partners?"

"Sorry, Dad," Nick said, leaning back in his chair, "Suppose it would have been easier if I'd just dated Teddy, huh?"

Rob choked, "What? Why would you say that?"

Nick and Teddy shared a grin that looked a little familiar to Harry, but he couldn't quite work out why. But he sniggered at Rob's reaction all the same.

"You, shut up!" Rob said, pointing at Harry.

Harry grinned, "Hey if anyone has the right to despair about any of their kids being straight, it's me. Between Teddy being genderfluid and bisexual and Alastor being gay. I don't know if any of my kids are going to be straight."

Teddy chuckled and said, "I'm pretty sure you're in for a good shout with Thea, you know, since she's already boy crazy."

Harry laughed and said, "Yeah, you might be onto something there. Thea is convinced Andie's a lesbian because, and I quote, 'she dresses like one'."

Teddy grinned, "Do you remember when Andie was going on a date, and she wore jeans and a checked shirt?"

Nick nearly choked on his coffee; he nodded, "What the fuck did Thea say again? That her outfit was perfect if she planned on going to lumberjack school?"

Teddy's grin widened, "And majoring in having cats eat her when she dies."

Harry shook his head.

"Your kid is a bitch," Rob chuckled.

"I know," Harry said, "She takes after her mother."

A fresh wave of laughter went around the office at those words.


When Natasha Wolfe stepped into the Department of Mysteries to grab a cloak, she took a minute to pause and take a breath. She slung the black cloak over her shoulders and brushed her hair out of her face. She looked a lot like her mother, with dark curly hair and olive skin, like her father's. Her eyes were blue, and just like Jennifer's.

She had never minded looking like her mother, which was good because everyone commented on it. But truthfully, she was more like her father in nature. She had a temper, which came from Rob, but she had been in Slytherin like Jennifer had been.

But Natasha was determined and loyal – fiercely protective over the people she loved – just like her father. Addison would always say she didn't need protection. She was a strong, capable woman in her own right, but like many Hufflepuffs, she could be naïve at times and a little too trusting, which was where Natasha stepped in and made sure nobody messed with her.

"Everything okay?"

Natasha jumped and spun around, only to come face to face with Sadie. The latter was a Senior Unspeakable in the department. Natasha was fresh out of school and still the youngest in the department. But that didn't mean people looked down on her. It just meant they looked out for her. This department was very close-knit because of the nature of the things they saw and did every day.

They had to be able to talk to each other about it, or they would go insane.

Natasha took a breath and nodded, "Uh, yes, sorry. I just…I told my parents this morning about Addison and me."

Sadie's eyes widened, "Oh. Did that go down alright?"

Natasha smiled slightly, "Do you know what? It did."

Sadie smiled back, "Good! Walk with me to the time room and tell me all about it."

Natasha fell into step with her, and as they walked, she spoke, "My mum was okay with it, but I knew that she would be. It was my dad that I was worried about.

"Because of the satanic nuns that raised him?"

Natasha snorted, "How do you know about that?"

"My husband worked with your dad for a while in the Aurors," Sadie said, smiling in amusement, "He told everyone who would listen about the satanic nuns."

"Of course he did," Natasha said, shaking her head and smiling, "He was obviously freaked out, but he invited Addison over for dinner, so that's good, right?"

"Very good," Sadie said with a nod.

She placed her hand on the pad to allow them entry into the time room, and when they stepped inside, all personal conversations came to a stop.


A knock sounded on Caroline's office door, then the door opened a crack, and Susan peered around, "Hey! Lunch for my workaholic best friend who hasn't had anything to eat since 9 am?"

Caroline chuckled, "I had a cereal bar at 11 am, but I am starving, thank you."

Susan stepped into the office and put a bag on the table, "Pumpkin spiced muffins and a latte."

Caroline's eyes widened, "How did you get pumpkin spiced anything in June?"

Susan smirked, "Because I know people."

Caroline laughed, "You are so sneaky for a Hufflepuff. But you're a great friend."

Susan took a muffin out of the bag and sat down on Caroline's 'therapy chair', which she insisted on being called a chaise lounge.

"I think I need some therapy today. I had to endure a half-hour rant from Addison this morning," Susan said, looking over at Caroline.

"About?" Caroline asked.

Susan elaborated, "How Natasha was going to break up with her when she told her dad that she was into girls."

Caroline bit her lip, "That is a big deal, especially when your father is an Auror. Do you know how Rob took it?"

"Fine," Susan replied. She was frowning a little because of the way Caroline had worded that. It had gotten Susan thinking.

"Nat sent a Patronus over afterwards saying it was fine and that Addy was invited over to dinner."

Caroline smiled, "Well, even Aurors sometimes bend – usually for their daughters."

Susan sat up a little straighter, "You sound like you're talking from experience."

Caroline sipped her coffee and nodded, "Hm, I am."

Susan's eyes widened, "But you're…you're not gay. You have Edith."

"Neither are you; you have Addison and Alyssa," Caroline said. She smiled in amusement, "But I know what you did with Teagan from the school office at the last work night out."

Susan choked, "Okay, that was like a year ago – and how do you know about that?"

Caroline smirked in response.

Susan fought down the comment about how Caroline being sneaky was kind of a turn on and instead went with, "So you are….?"

Caroline chuckled, "I'm bisexual, yes."

"Wow," Susan breathed, "You kept that quiet."

Caroline shrugged, "I always have."

"I won't ask you why," Susan promised, "That's personal, and we're all different. I mean, I've always been pretty open about who I am, but that kind of comes down to how I was raised, or who raised me, more to the point."

"Your Aunt Amelia?" Caroline asked.

Susan smiled fondly, "My Aunt Amelia was a force to be reckoned with. She never married, even though that was what was expected of her – she was a Bones, after all. When she took me in, she was 22, so I always thought it was because of me that she didn't marry."

Caroline frowned, "Was it?"

Susan shook her head, "No, I asked her about it when I was 11, give or take. It wasn't long after I started at Hogwarts. She told me the truth was that she hadn't married because she couldn't marry the person she wanted to, and if she openly showed the world who that person was, it would be a scandal."

"A woman," Caroline realised.

Susan nodded, "Her best friend, Emmeline Vance. I never clocked as a kid. Aunt Emmie was always at the house, you know? But it didn't seem out of the ordinary in any way. Once I found out the truth, I started to see it a little differently."

She looked at her hands and said, "In that summer, 1996, when everything got worse, and we could all tell quite how close this war was, I lost them both."

Caroline sighed and crossed the room to sit down next to Susan. She reached out and took her hand, and Susan smiled appreciatively then kept going.

"Aunt Emmie died first, and I'd never seen my Aunt Amelia so upset, but she wasn't just sad; she was angry," Susan said quietly.

"Before she went off to find the Death Eater who had done it, she told me to live my life exactly how I wanted. To never let any opportunity slide and to love who I wanted to, openly and freely. I don't know if she went out there, hoping she would die, but she obviously knew there was a chance. She didn't come back, and I spent my holidays with Hannah's family after that."

"It must have been hard when she pushed you away, after all that time you spent together," Caroline said softly.

Susan shrugged, "It was what it was."

Caroline didn't move her hand out of Susan's as she asked, "Do you want to hear my story?"

Susan looked over at the other woman and nodded, "Yeah, I really do."

Caroline smiled sadly but fondly – a similar smile to the one that had appeared on Susan's face when she remembered her Aunt Amelia.

"I remember when I came out to my dad, I was 16 and terrified. My dad was such a good man, and he believed in raising me the same way that he was raised."

Caroline paused and looked at the photograph of Jack Sumner in his full dress uniform. It had been on her desk for as long as Susan had known her.

"He raised me to be a good man in a storm," Caroline said, chuckling at the memory, "When I was little, I used to giggle and say 'but I'm a girl!' but he would always say it the same way."

Susan smiled too, "Sounds like Jack."

She had known him, of course. She had been working in the DMLE when he was killed in the line of duty.

Caroline continued, "I was raised to love my country, to love my family. I was raised to support the ministry, to respect the Aurors and Healers who lay their lives down to keep us safe. But most importantly, to protect the things and the people I love."

Susan observed Caroline. For a therapist, she didn't often talk about herself. She preferred to solve other people's problems before solving her own.

"So when I told him I was bisexual and had a crush on a girl in my year," Caroline said, "He said he only had one question. I was prepared for 'how fast can you get the hell out of this house?' but that wasn't what he asked."

Caroline looked over at Susan, "He said, 'are you still who I raised you to be?' and my answer was yes. I love my country and family, respect the ministry, and have the utmost respect for the Aurors and Healers who lay their lives down for us."

"But most importantly," Caroline said. Her eyes still lingered on Susan, "I stand true to the promise that I will do anything I can to protect the people and the things that I love."

Susan's breath caught, but she said nothing.

"My father was not a man who bent," Caroline said softly, "But he bent for me because I'm his daughter, and he loved me regardless of who I loved."

"You're a good man in a storm," Susan said softly.

Caroline nodded, "And you are too. Even if you never had a father around to tell you that."

Susan felt like she might burst into tears, so how she ended up leaning forward to kiss Caroline was beyond her. But that little spark of magic that shot through her when their lips connected, the urge to hold her close and keep her there for as long as possible, Susan hadn't felt like that for ten long years – she had kissed plenty of people since Percy died, but none of them had made her feel that way.

And from the soft gasp that left Caroline's lips, Susan was pretty sure she wasn't the only one.

It wasn't a long kiss, not by a long shot. They were just testing the waters, ensuring this was something they both wanted and not a friendship-ending disaster.

When Susan pulled back, Caroline looked at her tearfully, "I'm sorry, it's not your fault that I'm crying," she admitted sheepishly. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan, "I just haven't felt like that since Eddie, and that was-" her breath caught as she tried not to sob, "- such a long time ago."

Susan nodded tearfully, "I know," she said, feeling the tell-tale wetness on her cheeks, "I haven't felt like that since Percy."

They stared at each other for the longest moment until the door opening broke the moment.

Both women jumped apart as if they had been struck with a curse. The person in the doorway chuckled.

"Finally!" Lilly said, beaming at the two of them, "Took you two long enough!"

Susan didn't even have the heart to roll her eyes, and Caroline chuckled weakly.

"I hate to break this up, I really do," Lilly said genuinely, "But I have a new mum needing a psychiatric report."

Caroline nodded and got to her feet, grabbing her bag then glancing back at Susan. She bit her lip to hide her smile and said, "Maybe we should talk about this tonight?"

Susan nodded and cleared her throat, "At my place?"

Caroline smiled, "Sure. Owl me a time."

"Yeah," Susan said, still a little dazed, "I will."

As they left the office, Lilly grinned at Caroline and said, "Someone looks like the cat who got the cream."

Caroline's cheeks flushed, "Shut up," she muttered, to Lilly's amusement.

- TBC -