Chapter 16

Monday, 21 April 1997

The Ministry of Magic, London, England

Harry's semi-private party following the Gryffindor victory over Hufflepuff was a topic of much gossip over the next month and a half, and not necessarily where one would expect it. That afternoon, the Greengrass sisters got into a shouting match in the Slytherin Common Room, though neither would say what about, and bystanders were unable to decipher the root cause of their disagreement.

By dinner that day, Dean was publicly running a betting pool regarding the relationship status of Ron and Lavender, and Seamus and Parvati. Classmates who hadn't been at the party, but had been privy to the history between Ron and Lavender were betting heavily against, whilst those same classmates were heavily in favour of Seamus and Parvati.

Harry stayed out of it. He'd seen both couples having sex, and was unwilling to jinx the chances of either. Unfortunately, those who bet in favour of Seamus and Parvati were sorely disappointed when Seamus was caught two weeks later coming out of a broom closet with a fifth year Ravenclaw. Parvati didn't really look too upset, and admitted to Katie a few days later that they'd gotten caught up in the moment at the party, and she didn't really see Seamus as a long-term prospect anyway. She was actually far more interested in another boy who was currently taken. While she wouldn't say who, she confided in Katie it wasn't Harry.

The other gambling debts were settled on 5 April, when the Ron and Lavender stepped out on their first official date in Hogsmeade. They had kept things very quiet until then, spending most of their time in Weasleyshire, away from prying eyes and wagging tongues. Ron had let slip to Harry before practice one day in late March that he'd forgiven Lavender, and they'd gotten together several times since the party. Then he spent enough time extolling her beauty that Harry, no stranger to the advantages of the female form, got queasy. Harry was glad his friend had found happiness, but he didn't need to hear about it. Despite, or perhaps because of, his newfound relationship, Ron still was not joining the team in their communal showers.

The other couple to come out of the party was Blaise and Tracey, who finally felt comfortable making their relationship public. Though Blaise still insisted he was pining for Daphne, he didn't act like it, and Harry assumed he'd either gotten over his crush, or it was a tactic he employed to embarrass a girl he considered a friend, but which had worn thin enough to no longer be of value.

Harry had also collared Luna one day about a week after the party and asked about her relationship with the younger Gryffindors. She admitted, in her usual confusing way, that they'd all kept up a loose friendship after the party she'd attended the previous year, and that while she wasn't interested in either boy per se, neither she nor Astoria were averse to some casual sex, and she'd had fun, and expected to do so again in the future. She also let slip that both she and Astoria were on the potion, and that Daphne had nothing to fear. Harry was sure to pass that along through Millie, who visited a few times for some fun over the rest of March and first half of April. Apparently, Astoria had been upset enough at Daphne during and after their fight to withhold from her the status of Astoria's capacity to become pregnant.

Aside from all that, no one who wasn't at the party seemed to have cottoned to the fact that everyone who attended the party had been nude, paired off, and had sex, except for Daphne, who was, at least, nude. Harry supposed, somewhat disingenuously perhaps, that since the gossips-in-chief had been at the party and were complicit in the scandalous activities, they were less likely to gossip about what had happened.

Other than the match and party, both March and April had passed quietly. The Aurors had manged to capture one low-level Death Eater in March, and killed a more important Death Eater, a Mr. Jugson, earlier in April. Harry had heard about both incidents long after the fact through the newspaper. It seemed that, unlike previous years, Harry was not the centre of attention, something he was perfectly content with. Instead, he was free to focus on his classes.

This term, those classes included Apparition Class, which was offered for sixth-years by the Ministry in the Spring term. That class was what brought Harry to the Ministry that day, along with most of his sixth-year classmates. Today was the day of-age class members took their tests to gain their apparition licenses.

He stepped off the lift on level six with Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the Gryffindor sixth-years. Of Harry's classmates, only Neville, Lavender, Tracey, Ernie Macmillan and Megan Jones of Hufflepuff, and Morag MacDougal of Ravenclaw weren't old enough to take the test. Harry himself squeaked by on a technicality.

The Apparition Test Centre had a small waiting room, which their instructor, Wilkie Twycross waved them quickly though.

"Here to support your friends?" Twycross asked Harry as he passed by. The light-skinned, light-haired whisp of a man was also fairly light-hearted, but he was very knowledgeable about apparition. Most people disliked him because he was so focused on the three 'D's of apparition, and not much else. He was also surprisingly young, perhaps no more than thirty.

"No, sir," Harry replied, confused. "I'm here to take the test."

"My records indicate you won't be seventeen until the end of July," Twycross said, flipping through notes he had on a clipboard. "You won't be able to test until then, I'm afraid." Behind Harry, Ron and Hermione had both stopped and waited. Harry sighed, Twycross seemed to be a kindred spirit to Percy Weasley, at least so far as strict adherence to the rules was concerned. Fortunately, the law was on Harry's side, even if Wilkie Twycross didn't know it.

"I meet the legal criteria to hold an apparition license," Harry stated firmly. "I want to take the test."

"You have to be of age," Mr. Twycross repeated.

"Actually," Harry said, reaching into his robes and withdrawing a folded piece of paper. "You have to be an adult." He opened the paper.

"Exactly," Twycross said as the Ravenclaws arrived and passed behind them.

"I am legally an adult," Harry said. He was prepared for someone to put up a fight. It seemed like he was always having to fight battles like this. "I was emancipated last year. I sit on the Wizengamot. I meet the criteria to hold an apparition license. The law says, 'Adult witches and wizards who are citizens or permanent residents of the British Isles may apply for, and be granted, an apparition license by the Apparition Test Centre, an office of the Department of Magical Transportation, within the Ministry of Magic. This license grants the legal bearer the right to apparate themselves and others in the British Isles, and other nations with which Britain has reciprocal recognition agreements. Foreign witches and wizards with recognized foreign apparition licenses may likewise apparate within the British Isles, so long as the laws of this nation are followed. Unlicensed adults and dependant minors are allowed to apparate only through side-along apparition with a dully licensed adult.' It doesn't say I have to be seventeen, just an adult."

"I would refer you to the first word of the law you quoted," Mr. Twycross countered. "Adult means seventeen. There's a good reason we don't let under seventeens test. The risk of splinching is too high."

"Actually," Harry said, pulling out another piece of paper and glanced at it. "The reason they don't let dependent minors apparate is threefold, but none of them are that. According to the debate in the Wizengamot in 1902, the year licensing began, the reasons cited for prohibiting underage apparition were: 'that is was a violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, that it may lead to an increase in the violations of the Statute of Secrecy, and that it would make it harder for parents to keep track of their children.' Furthermore," Harry continued, pulling out a third scrap to consult, "no fewer than four other emancipated minors have been granted apparition licenses in the past 95 years. The most recent one was in 1966. If you refuse to let me test, as is my right, I'll have Director Bones come down here and explain the law to you."

Harry didn't think it possible for the pale Twycross to blanche, but he did. Without another word, he waved Harry into the testing room. They were the last to enter. The Hufflepuffs and Slytherins had passed while Harry was running through his arguments.

The test itself was fairly straightforward. Harry waited in line behind Ron and in front of Hermione as the other students tested. Several students were set aside without passing for some defect. Susan Bones, as had been true in class, splinched herself, leaving her leg behind. Ron snickered as testing came to a stop so that Twycross could reattach the limb. She was crying, though whether it was because she splinched herself or because she failed and would have to retest another day, Harry couldn't tell.

Finally, it was Ron's turn. He stepped forward into a ring.

"Alright, Mr. Weasley," Twycross said. "Please apparate into the ring at the far side of the room."

Ron stared intently at the far ring, perhaps thirty metres away. Then, with a loud crack, he appeared in the far ring.

"Very good, Mr… oh." Twycross stopped. Harry saw what he did. A tuft of short red hair fell quickly to the floor in the first ring. "Please come back, Mr. Weasley." Another loud crack, and Ron was back in the starting ring.

"How'd I do?" Ron asked, excited. He glanced at Harry, who couldn't hold back his laughter. "What?" Ron asked, perturbed. Ron was missing half of one eyebrow and looked somewhat ridiculous.

"You left a bit behind, Mr. Weasley," Twycross said as he bent over to pick up the half of the eyebrow from where it had landed on the floor. "I'm afraid that's enough that I can't pass you today."

"What!?" Ron practically shouted. "But that's nothing! I lose more hair than that in the shower. Tell him, Harry!"

"Mate, I haven't seen you in the shower in two years," Harry said pointedly, a grin on his face.

"Traitor," Ron muttered sourly, snatching the hair back from the examiner and stomping off to where Dean and Seamus were standing waiting for the testing to conclude.

"Mr. Potter, I suppose you're up," Twycross admitted. It sounded a bit bitter to Harry, but he couldn't really care less. He legally had to test Harry. He stepped into the circle. "To the far ring, please, Mr. Potter."

Harry concentrated on the far circle. He willed himself there, then unleashed his magic. He felt the familiar and uncomfortable feeling of himself being squeezed through a garden hose, but unlike portkeys or the floo network, Harry's magic was in charge, and he managed to land on his feet. Upon arrival, Harry looked back at the starting circle, and couldn't see anything he might've left behind. He felt around his body, and everything seemed in place.

"You can come back now, Mr. Potter," Twycross allowed. Harry repeated the apparition, and assessed himself again once he'd returned. Twycross paid him no mind, and quickly scratched out some words on a piece of parchment. "Here," he said shortly a moment later, shoving the parchment into Harry's hand. "You passed." Then he quickly turned to Hermione.

"Alright, Miss Granger…" Harry didn't hear the rest as he walked off to where the others were waiting. He was too busy looking at the small square of parchment in his hands. It was his apparition licence.

-oooo-

"Argh!" Ron growled next to Harry. "Why can't I get this bloody spell down?"

"Language, Ron," Hermione chided from across from them. They were in Defence, and were practising the shield charm nonverbally. Sirius was keen that they get it down, not only for their NEWTs, but also because of the danger they might be facing over the summer from the Death Eaters.

"C'mon, mate," Harry said cheerfully, "You've been doing the shield charm since last year in Young Aurors, you just need to figure it out non-verbally." It was true, the entire class had mastered the shield charm the year before thanks to the Young Aurors. Harry had also mastered it non-verbally as well, and as a result, found himself at loose ends during Sirius' class. Usually, Sirius had some extracurricular work for Harry at times like this, but today, Sirius had set everyone to task practising under the supervision of the prefects, and went to cover Remus' Transfiguration class, as Remus was getting ready for the full moon that day. This effectively meant that Hermione was the teacher, and she was busy running around helping everyone, leaving Harry to twiddle his thumbs.

"I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong," Ron pouted.

"Show me," Hermione huffed, a little frazzled from the other students. Ron took a deep breath and tried to cast the spell. Nothing happened. "What are you thinking when you try to cast it?"

"I dunno," Ron shrugged. "Protego?"

"That's part of the problem," Hermione observed. "You can't just think 'Protego', you actually have to visualize the concepts of the shield."

"But…"

"When you cast verbally, you say the incantation, but while you're doing so, you visualise the shield," Hermione tried to explain. "The incantation makes the visualisation easier by assisting with recall through word association."

"So, I need to think about the shield instead of the incantation?" Ron asked, still slightly confused.

"That's right," Hermione nodded with a smile. "Think about how it should look and act, and how the magic will feel. Consider that for a moment and try again."

"Good job, Nev," Harry said as he saw Neville successfully cast the shield. "Wanna see if it works?"

"What?" Neville asked from across the room. Instead, Harry cast a non-verbal stinging hex at Neville's shield, which deflected it into the ceiling.

"Harry!" Hermione chastised. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry," Harry apologised. "But I'm bored, and I wanted to help."

"Then go help…" She looked around to see who else was struggling. She saw Susan and Hannah both trying to get it to work.

"No," Harry shook his head quickly when he saw where she was looking. "Not them. I'll help Sally-Anne. She looks like she could use some help."

"Fine," Hermione huffed, and moved off to help the two Hufflepuffs. She was practically the only person in school who'd still talk to a Badger, and even then it was only when it was related to school.

The wide gulf between them and the other houses hadn't closed, and was obvious even in class, like in Defence, where the Gryffindors were all on one side of the room and the Hufflepuffs were all on the other. Harry hoped the Hufflepuffs didn't become what the Slytherins had been, but he did want them to change their behaviour. He, with Sirius and Remus' help, was trying to monitor the situation so that wouldn't happen. He also assumed that when the next crop of Hufflepuffs came in next year, that would help things.

"Hey, Sally-Anne," Harry greeted her. She looked up from where she was glaring at her wand. "Having some trouble?"

"Yes," she snapped. "I can't get my wand to do what I want." Then she sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

"It's alright," Harry said. "I understand the frustration."

"Your spells always work," Sally-Anne countered.

"Yeah, but sometimes other stuff doesn't," Harry pointed out. "Frustration is frustrating, whatever the cause."

"True," Sally-Anne acknowledged. "So, what am I doing wrong?"

"Well, what are you doing?" Harry wanted to know.

"Trying to cast a non-verbal shield," Sally-Anne said glaring at her wand again.

"Alright," Harry nodded. "Let's see where you're going wrong. A spell requires a focus, a declaration of intent, and magical power. I believe I've seen you do the shield charm at Young Aurors, correct?"

"Yes," Sally-Anne allowed.

"I wasn't paying attention generally," Harry admitted. "Did you have any problems casting it verbally?"

"Protego!" Sally-Anne cast. The shimmering transparent shield snapped into place.

"No problems there," Harry pointed out. "The wand movement looked spot on, and you're clearly releasing the correct magical power. That means there's something wrong with your non-verbal intent. What are you thinking about when you're casting?"

"Well, Professor Black said not to just think the incantation, so I'm trying to think about the effect," Sally-Anne explained.

"That's good," Harry smiled at her. "What exactly are you thinking about the effect?"

"I'm thinking about the shield aspect, I suppose," Sally-Anne said after a moment's consideration.

"Hermione just told Ron to think about how the shield is supposed to look and act, and how the magic feels when it leaves you when you cast the charm verbally," Harry related. "I think if you maybe tried that, you'd see improvement. Remember what the shield looks like: where it forms in front of you, how big the hemisphere of magic is, the colour, and how it shimmers. Remember how the magic blocks other magic: how different spells are deflected or absorbed, what that looks like, and how your magic feels when it happens."

"That's a lot to think about in a split second," Sally-Anne frowned.

"That's why we use incantations usually," Harry pointed out. "The incantation allows us to word-associate all those thoughts and feelings subconsciously. It's far easier than non-verbal casting. Take a while to think about those things. Maybe even recast the charm verbally a few times to refresh your memory. Then try it again non-verbally."

"Yes!" Ron shouted from a few metres away. Harry smiled as he saw his friend had done it.

"Good work, Ron," Hermione called to him from where she was next to Susan.

"I can't believe she helps those jerks," Sally-Anne muttered when she looked over.

"I don't think it's smart to isolate them like we are," Harry opined. "Yes, they made a very big mistake… all of them did, but we've all made mistakes before, and they're being punished. We need to get over our anger at their betrayal."

"Anthony's sister's boyfriend cheated on her," Sally-Anne sniped, referencing her own boyfriend's family's struggle.

"Yep," Harry agreed. "And Ron and Neville both got the same done to them. Ron cheated on Susan, too. I mean, he felt bad about it as soon as he wasn't drunk anymore, but I'm pointing out that he made a similar mistake. I've made mistakes too. Not that specific one, but different ones. The danger is that once they've learnt their lesson, if we don't accept them back, we risk alienating them, and Hufflepuff turns into the next Slytherin."

"I don't think Hufflepuff could turn out a dark wizard if they tried," Sally-Anne snorted.

"Maybe not, but I'd rather not take the chance," Harry deadpanned. "Go ahead and think about the spell, and try it again. I'm gonna go see if anyone else needs help."

-oooo-

That Saturday was the spring Wizengamot meeting. The meeting itself ended up being exceedingly boring. Other than Amelia's report, nothing the body discussed held Harry's interest. Instead, he spent the meeting re-reading a letter he'd received that morning from Jeanne Hampton. She'd finally solved the issue with permission that he'd raised with her the previous year, and was able to sell him access trunks with those protections that could be attached to Middleshire without adding any land. Instead of fifty thousand galleons, the access trunks could be had for five hundred apiece. Fortunately, the Wizengamot seemed to be in a hurry today, as it seemed clear that with Voldemort on the loose, things like cauldron bottom thickness could be handled at a later date. Instead, additional money was allocated to the Aurors and the Department of International Cooperation, who were trying to combat Death Eater recruitment abroad, before the session was gavelled closed only two hours after it had started.

"Ready to go?" Katie asked as Harry passed the gallery on his way out. He looked up to where Katie had watched the session.

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Meet you outside."

"K."

Three minutes later, Harry and Katie were apparating from the lobby of the Ministry to the apparition points in Diagon Alley.

"That's so much faster and easier than bothering with the trunks," Harry observed. The other option would've been to go to Amelia's office, use that trunk to access Middleshire, and then leave through the trunk in Bell Kitchen and Bath.

"I don't know about faster," Katie countered as they walked down the Alley. "I think this way is more walking."

"But I feel like I'm interrupting people less," Harry replied. "Like, I'm not relying on anyone but myself to move about."

"I get that," Katie nodded. "I'm just glad you can do it now too. Now we can go wherever together."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "And it seems like there's plenty of places to go, too. The war doesn't seem to be putting people off shopping too much." He looked about. There were plenty of people in the Alley going about their business.

"That's thanks to you and Amelia," Katie observed. "Since the Death Eaters can't get here, this is a safe space."

"At least until some unmarked goons attack," Harry pointed out.

"Which, fortunately hasn't happened yet," Katie allowed. "I think Riddle's holding back until they can all go in at once. Whatever he's doing, he's not gonna want to show his hand ahead of time."

"That worries me," Harry admitted. "If we don't know what he's planning, we can't counter it."

"I think Amelia's done a fairly good job, so far," Katie rebutted. "As you've pointed out, the war hasn't affected the country too badly, which I count as a win." Harry nodded, and they fell into a companionable silence as they crossed into Carkitt Market.

From there, it was just a few more steps before they were entering Hampton's Limited. It looked much as Harry remembered it, down to the lanky twenty-year-old junior Hampton behind the register.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hampton," Harry said. "Is Mrs. Hampton available? I'd like to speak with her."

"Sure, Lord Potter," the younger Hampton said. "And you can call me Jimmy. Everyone else does."

"Then I'm Harry," Harry smiled at the man.

"Be right back with mum," Jimmy nodded. He disappeared into the back, and returned a minute later with his mother in tow.

"Lord Potter," Jeanne Hampton greeted him.

"I got your letter, Mrs. Hampton," Harry began. "I very much appreciate you addressing my concerns. It's a real load off my mind, and I foresee it being a big help to the people who live in the trunks."

"And I appreciate you letting me know about a few of my trunks' flaws," Mrs. Hampton countered. "I take it you'll be wanting a few?"

"A hundred," Harry nodded. "As fast as you can make them."

"You did catch that bit about me not being able to make it retroactive, correct?" Mrs. Hampton noted. Harry nodded.

"Since there's only a handful out there that don't belong to myself or my godfather, I'm not too worried about things. I'll just be a bit more careful who I hand the things out to, though with the communal trunks, I shouldn't need to do that much anymore. We'll be sure to keep the original trunks stored in less important areas that are well warded."

"A wise precaution," Mrs. Hampton agreed. Then she made some notes on a scrap of paper. "I should be able to make a trunk a day. It would be more, but I've got an order from your friend Mr. Longbottom for some trunks that I'll be needing to fill soon as well."

"That's fine," Harry allowed. "There's not a hundred families living in our trunks yet, so it's not urgent."

"Still, I'll go as fast as I can," she smiled at him. "I do appreciate the business."

"And I appreciate the product," Harry countered with a smile of his own.

-oooo-

Orym's office looked, as usual, neat as a pin. Harry couldn't understand how the elf got anything done.

"Hey, Orym," Harry greeted the old elf. "How're things going? I haven't checked in in a while."

Harry had made this trip alone. After Diagon, Katie had needed to study for the NEWTs, which she was undertaking alone, thanks to her as-yet unrepaired rift with Leanne. Harry had heard from the Weasleys that even Lee was taking his and Katie's side, which had made Lee's relationship with Leanne stormy of late.

"Things go well," Orym related. "The elves are very busy with planting, and some harvesting. March to September be the busiest months. They be's the happiest months for elves, too."

"I know I haven't bonded any young elves yet this year," Harry allowed, shifting topics slightly. "I'd like to find a good time to do that, maybe in September or October when the harvest is in."

"Orym can do that," the elf nodded.

"You might also see if any of the young elves would be willing to go to another family," Harry suggested. "I know that the Longbottoms for sure will need a lot of elves, and my friend Ron needs some too. They'll both treat house elves like I treat them."

"Orym will ask," he said solemnly. "But Orym doesn't think many will go."

"I understand," Harry smiled at the elf. "I just don't want you guys to run out of work. I know how happy it makes you."

"If there be's too many elves for farming and logging and mining and building, elves will go to serving and helping other elves," Orym said firmly. "No elf will go without work. We's be needing more houses soon, too."

"That's good to hear," Harry said. "I'm glad I've got you keeping on top of it. I hope you're using your support staff."

"Orym is," the elf nodded. "Orym has five secretaries now, besides, to help keep track. It be's a big job, but not too big for Orym the way it is."

"Great," Harry smiled. "You're a life saver. Can you let whoever's in charge of it know that I'd like to give my friends trains as graduation presents? I'd like Neville, Hermione, Daphne, Ron, and Amelia to each get one to help them get around."

"That be's no problem," Orym allowed. "When would Harry like the trains?"

"End of the school year, if they can do it," Harry suggested. "I think it would be a nice end of school treat for everyone."

"They will be done," Orym promised.

"That's not too soon?" Harry worried.

"No," Orym said with a firm shake of his head. "Elves work fast. The factory already be built from the last trains. Elves already know how to build them. They will be done."

"Great," Harry said with a smile. "I knew I could count on you."

-oooo-

"I feel bad," Harry said once the door closed.

"Why?" Katie asked from the loo. She glanced through the open door as she fixed her hair.

"Because I seem to be getting all the attention lately," Harry replied, pushing himself up the bed until he was sitting, leaning against the pillows and headboard. "I mean, that's what, the fifth time Millie's been by? And I think I've shagged Fay about every time we've had practice since I started. But you've not gotten any from another bloke since the last time with Lee."

"First," Katie declared, sashaying into the room still nude from their menage a trois, "you're more than enough man for me, Mr. Potter…"

"If we're going by that logic, I shouldn't be sleeping with other girls, then," Harry smirked.

"Don't interrupt me," Katie snapped back playfully as she sat on the bed next to him. "Second, you know I get turned on watching you shag other girls, so I'm enjoying being turned on a lot. Third, I believe I got plenty of action today with Miss Bulstrode, and I'm in no way unhappy with the way things are going there."

"I must say, I was quite surprised at what you two did today," Harry mused, thinking back on a few minutes earlier when his girlfriend and their Slytherin companion had been locked in a sixty-nine. A broad grin fixed itself on Harry's features at that recollection.

"I'm surprised myself," Katie admitted. "I mean, I'm more attracted to men, obviously, but if the right woman presents herself… I won't say no."

"Do I need to be worried you'll run off with another girl?" Harry joked, turning to her.

"Not on your life," Katie promised, falling back onto the bed, resting her head on his leg.

"So, how was it?" Harry asked after a while.

"What? Millie?" Katie wondered.

"Yeah," Harry allowed. "I mean, you've kissed her before, and played with her tits, but this is the first time you've gone down on her, and her on you."

"Well, her going down on me wasn't any different than when you, or any other guy did it," Katie reasoned. "As for my part… It wasn't off-putting. The taste wasn't what I was expecting… I'd do it again, but it'd have to be with her. I'm just not attracted to most other girls."

"I get that," Harry said thoughtfully. "I think that's why Leanne's acting like such a bitch."

"What?" Katie asked, confused.

"I think she might like you like that," Harry reasoned. "I mean, she was kissing you on the mouth and playing with your tits when we played. I bet she actually loves you, at least a bit, and when you told her to pay me more attention, she took it personally."

"That… actually makes sense," Katie admitted. She sat thoughtfully for a second before looking back at Harry. "I don't like her like that."

"I didn't think you did," Harry said simply.

"I don't even really like her anymore," Katie continued. "I mean, Lee's a nice guy, and I didn't mind giving him attention like a sex partner deserves when we played. She should've given you the same consideration. That she didn't tells me about what kind of person she is. That she got mad with me instead… I'm glad I'm shot of her."

"Even if it turns out she was in love with you?" Harry asked.

"Especially then," Katie replied. "I mean, I'm not leaving you for anyone, especially her. I don't think she really wants that anyway. I think she wants to have her cake and eat it too: marry some guy and screw around with me on the side." They lapsed into silence for a bit as Katie gazed out the window.

"Sorry that was so heavy," Harry said. "I didn't mean to ruin the fun."

"You didn't ruin the fun," Katie replied, gazing at him with a smile. "It did remind me though…"

"Yeah?"

"Ginny asked me yesterday if we'd be willing to swing with them," she grinned.

"And you said?" Harry coaxed.

"And I said I'd have to talk to you," Katie finished.

"I'd say it's your call," Harry said. "I've no problem with Dean, but you know what Ginny was like those first few years. I wouldn't want her to backslide."

"I'm not worried about that anymore," Katie shook her head. "Ginny's well and truly over her crush on you. I think this is more about the sexual thrill of shagging another bloke. She was over the crush when you fingered her in the lake last year."

"It would be a way to get you some action with another bloke," Harry reasoned.

"Which I don't need, but won't turn down," Katie replied with a wink and a grin.

"And they look like they have a pretty good time on their end of the showers," Harry added.

"Just like us, or you and Fay," Katie agreed.

"And she's learnt to groom properly so I wouldn't get hairs in my teeth," Harry finished.

"An important consideration," Katie acknowledged. "So that's a yes, then?"

"If you're up for it, I'm up for it," Harry told her. "Did she say when or where she wanted to do this?"

"I think she's envisioning more of a continuing arrangement," Katie suggested. "She did say that the perfect time to start would be after the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw game, as a sort of victory celebration."

"I suppose she was inspired by the last party we threw?" Harry guessed.

"Something like that," Katie nodded.

"I guess you'd better work out the details, then," Harry sighed with a smile. "You know, if you'd told me two years ago that I'd be here now, having just shagged a Slytherin and making plans to shag my best friend's sister with my girlfriend, I'd've called you bleeding mad. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. How the fuck did I get so lucky to get you?"

"I guess the world felt like it'd shat on you enough," Katie said, beaming up at him. She reached up and pulled his head down to kiss him. When they parted, she cupped his manhood and asked, "You got another one in you?"

"For you? Always."