Author's Note:

I am dedicating this chapter to LifeOnEarth because without fail, you are almost always the first person to leave me a review on my newest chapter and I love it. Thank you so much!

Reviews: To Adelite: Thank you. It wasn't my intention to make you cry multiple chapters, but it makes me feel good to know that I've made an impact. Cassiopeia is a lovely baby name, but I do already have the names picked out, yes. I know the bittersweetness of Zee's pregnancy makes it hard for all of us. To forgetful_biscuits: Great name, by the way. Thank you, I do try to give as much depth to my characters as I can. To Jmcglynn522: Great name choices, but again, I already have them chosen. I like that idea of getting Harry "What to Expect When A Witch is Expecting" lol. I do imagine that will help with birth control, but as he andGinny are not quite ready to be having sex yet, that's not an issue lol.

To xXQueenofDragonsXx: I answered it already, but Zee is 4.5 years younger than Sirius because his birthday was in November, so at this point, she just turned 32 in April. And I love the idea of baby leather jackets! To PurpleLotus: It will do them both good to get away and I think Georgia will be the place to help them heal a little. Unfortunately, that's still a few chapters away. To Abhinav: No Draco yet I'm afraid. I like that I've made of many of you worry about him though. To oihdsfx: Thank you for "admiring my willingness to write what you think makes the story flow instead of what you think people want to hear," it is first and foremost my story and while I do want to please people, I have to go where the story takes me. As for writing your own fanfiction, I'm honoured I inspired you and please don't give up. Even if what you write is shit, keep going because the more you write, the more practice you will get and the better you will become. Never give up. To littlehughesy: I am not intentionally leaving chapters to pull your heartstrings, it's just that we all needed to deal with Sirius' death together. As to the gang finding Snape whistling naked in the Roman bath, that would be hilarious and traumatizing, but no LOL. To WhiteSquirrel: The inheritance will go to the twins of course, but Sirius left specific things to Harry and that is his no matter what, but his title, the Black name and fortune, that will go to his children without a doubt, but it won't come to that because Harry is giving it over. To LadyKirsten: Thank you, I like the direction I'm taking things too.

To supersandman86: It always bothered me that no one explained why an old pureblood family like the Weasleys never had power in the government so I wanted to rectify that and I think that money would be a big part of that. And yes, Harry will definitely be overprotective of those babies. As to Grindelwald, you never know what may come in the future. To LoveNCIS: I like that idea that Luna would prefer character over gender and I agree with you on that. To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: I do think Ron and Hermione balance each other well. To midnitewanderer: Thank you for that amazing review, you reflected on so much of what I was trying to portray within the chapter (Ted, Gryffindor boys, Bill and Percy, Ron, Zee and Harry, Remus, and Ginny). To HGRHfan35: I love Bill too. As to the guest who claims: "The proportion of gay - bi people in your story is way to high compared to real life. This story is being spoiled by you pushing your agenda. The % of gay - bi people in the world is less than 1% according to all the experts. Despite this, gay - bi people say that it is between 20 to 30 %. Not to mention that according to them most historical figures were gay as well. Push, push, push, lie, lie, lie, I know you will say that I am full of hate, I'm not. I'm just sick of it." — I am sorry you feel this way, but I am straight so I'm not sure how this is pushing my agenda. I don't see it as a them vs. us mentality. As I've said multiple times in this story — love is love and that's that. Thanks for reading as long as you did.

I do think the Ron/Bill scene was important because as a few of you mentioned, Ron has always had low self-esteem so having that moment where his eldest brother, the one who they all look up to, tells him that he thinks they should look up to Ron, is a wake-up call. He needed that confidence boost. As for the Remus scene, he needed that moment. He's been strong for everyone else and Tonks knew that, he needed her to help him hit that breaking point. Remus needed Tonks to tell him that it was okay for him to grieve too.

My posting schedule: Once a week.

Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

CHAPTER TWO-HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR:

Harry found himself falling into a rhythm as the week went on. Zee would leave for work early and he'd clean up (if he could as Kreacher had a habit of showing up before he got very far) and then he'd head outside to work out and fly for a bit. He'd shower and grab some fruit to eat while he scrambled eggs and then he'd work out his plan for the day. It usually entailed talking to Remus about FUVP and dealing with his duties as a marquess. He'd meet with Dobby to talk about what was happening and he even coordinated with Neville to discuss their estate reports and it felt like he was doing something. Every little bit helped and he knew that it was what Sirius would want him to focus on.

He looked up from the vegetables that he was chopping that evening when Zee stepped into the kitchen. Lady Godiva moved over to nuzzle his hip before helping herself to the water from the dish on the floor.

"Harry, I've told you, you don't have to cook every night," Zee told him, kissing his cheek and moving to wash her hands so that she could help.

Harry shrugged. "I don't mind."

She took up cutting up the carrots at the counter next to him. "Did Remus go home?"

Harry nodded. "A few hours ago. Is there any news?"

"Not much more than we already know," Zee told him. "The Ministry is back under safe wards and no longer has holes in it. Bones is doing her best to keep order. They've increased security in the Ministry and added a night guard. The security checks to get in and out have increased as well. The Department of Mysteries is doing an inventory and is being called into question over what they are doing there - at least in terms of the Minister's Cabinet being made aware. Bones pushed back the Wizengamot meeting until next week. She wants the DMLE to provide officers to work as night guards and to work as bodyguards for the Minister's Cabinet when leaving the Ministry. Everyone is running scared."

"And no one knows why he left?"

Zee shook her head. "No, no one has any idea. But he's making himself known now. Dementors are breeding in Sussex and Kent to the extent that Muggles have reported a dense fog. Two giants were seen by Great End. The Defence System has been going on reconnaissance missions to try to figure out what they're doing. There's been some skirmishes, but at the moment, we're mostly leaving them alone. We're not ready to do more than gain intel right now. But there's been no sign of Voldemort."

Harry nodded, putting his potatoes and carrots in the pot around the roast he was making. Zee added in the top seasonings before she used her wand to slowly cook it.

"What about the Death Eaters?"

"The ones who were captured were minor Death Eaters, ones basically sent to do the dirty work. If they know anything, none of them is talking. I ran into Tonks today in the cafeteria and she says that they think they're useless. With Nott, Pettigrew, Goyle Sr, and Jugson dead, the other Death Eaters scrambled. The good news is that more magizoologists have signed up for the Aqua Protectors and twenty-two professional Quidditch players have come forward to volunteer for the Wing Guards. People are coming together. They're finally seeing the threat that's posing our world."

Harry nodded, smiling when Zee started to throw mixed greens into a bowl to make a salad. "Good. There's something else that I didn't tell you."

Zee's eyebrow rose. "Oh?"

"Nothing bad," he said with a smile. "It's just that I spoke with Kreacher today. It seems that even he is rather attuned to pregnancy. He knows that you're carrying two babies of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black so, he says that he will continue to do what he feels he must in order to take care of his family. I told him that as I've inherited Number Twelve, I've decided to make you his new mistress and he told me he expected nothing else. He will continue to work at Number Twelve, but you're now his owner until the twins are born and then he will serve the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black's children — his words, not mine. Uncle Rem and I have been to Gringotts as well. I opened a new vault for the twins and transferred all of the gold that Uncle Siri left me to it, with you as an overseer. My name is also on it for now, until they're born. Once we have names for them, I'll fully transfer everything over to you."

"Harry —"

"— I don't need it, Zee. You know that. Uncle Siri's gold should go to his children."

Zee reached over to cup his cheek. "You're his son and he would want you to have it."

Harry smiled at her. "As his son, I want his twins to have it. My mum and dad left me my own gold, Zee, I don't need his. Let me give it to his real children, the ones who share his blood."

Zee let out a slow sigh and nodded. "Okay, if you think that's for the best. But it's for them — not for me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"And Harry? You're our real child and don't you ever think otherwise."

He smiled, warmed by her words. "I know. I spoke to Neville, too. His gran is passing Cumbria over to him and having him sit in on the Wizengamot sessions as a minor overseer for the summer sessions. He can't officially sit as Lord Cumbria until he turns seventeen while she still holds the title, he'll oversee until he reaches majority. She says that Uncle Siri taught him well and now it's her turn."

Zee nodded. "Augusta Longbottom is a smart lady. Bill and Percy have decided to reclaim two of the Weasley seats in the Wizengamot as well. If you wanted to do the same, we could petition Madam Bones to have them oversee you? Or even maybe Lady Cumbria?"

Harry shook his head. "Nah. I don't know if I want to do the politics thing. If I ever were to do that, we couldn't go to Georgia."

Zee's eyes met his. "Harry, I want to go to Georgia mostly for selfish reasons. I need to get out of Britain for a bit. I want to see my grandparents. I need a break from the horrors and on top of that… being here... everything in here reminds me of him."

Harry understood that. He kept expecting Sirius to walk through the door. "I know, me too."

"Remus asked me if I wanted his help in packing up Sirius' clothes and belongings in the bedroom, but I said no. I know it's silly, but I'm not ready for those things to disappear yet."

"I get it," Harry told her.

She let out a slow breath. "Going to Georgia will be a breath of fresh air for us. We can try to relax and just get away from this place and the dangers it provides. When we come back, I think we'll both be better for it."

"I'd like to have the FUVP meeting before we go. I want to be able to talk about the plans on finding the diadem. I know it has to do with the Room of Requirement, but... I want my friends to be there for the meet."

Zee let out a slow sigh. "Okay. I want to say that you're all too young, but I think after what happened at the Ministry we can establish that doesn't quite fly anymore. I can get behind you and the FUVP stuff. Sirius would agree with you on that. Did you talk to Ginny about coming with us to Georgia yet?"

Harry shook his head. "No, we talked about it before, but I haven't told her, officially yet. I was going to head to the Burrow in the morning."

She tapped the steaming pot roast with a smile. "Okay. Now let's eat."

~ ASC ~

Harry used the Floo to get to the Burrow the next morning and grinned at Ron when he saw him sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast. "Hey!"

Ron gave a little wave as he swallowed his bacon and egg sandwich. "Hey. How are you?"

Harry shrugged. "One day at a time. Where's Ginny?"

"She was hanging up laundry in the yard with Mum. I'm heading to the shop to help Gred and Forge and then Fred's taking me to see Hermione today, to check in on her."

Harry nodded. "Good. She should be all healed up now, right?"

"Yeah, as far as I know. Mrs Granger was saying something about getting out of Britain for the summer."

"Zee's saying the same. We're still going to go to Georgia."

Ron nodded. "It will be good for you."

"You can come if you'd like? It would be awesome to have you there."

"And watch you and Ginny snog the whole time? Nah, I'm good. Besides, I told you, Fred and George asked me to work at the shop this summer. Business is booming and they need an extra set of hands. Mum's worried, three of her boys in Diagon Alley with all of this darkness creeping in and yada yada yada, but Dad insisted. Fred and George have joined the Wing Guards, too. They're great flyers so they chose to volunteer for that unit. So did Angelina. Lee's in the Terra Troops."

"How is Angelina?" Harry asked. "Did she hear back?"

Ron nodded. "Ballycastle wants to sign her as their star Chaser. She was supposed to be going over a contract within the next few days."

"That's awesome!" Harry exclaimed. "How brilliant is it that we're going to know two famous Quidditch players?"

"Yeah, it's pretty great," Ron said with a grin. "Anyway, everyone is in training mode and what not. I don't think Ginny's told Mum about Georgia yet."

Harry nodded. "Got'cha. Well, no time like the present."

Ron wished him luck as he headed out into the back, where Harry found his girlfriend and Mrs Weasley hanging sheets on the line.

"Good morning, Harry!"

"Good morning, Mrs Weasley," he said. "Hey, Ginny."

Ginny dropped her sheet and hurried over to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "Hi."

"How are you?" Mrs Weasley asked him, her brow furrowed in concern.

He shrugged, wrapping his arms around Ginny. The feel of her made him feel more relaxed than he'd felt in days. Since he'd had his little crying jag on the pirate ship, actually. Ginny just had a way of making him feel better and he loved that about her.

"Okay. Mrs Weasley, I'm here to tell you that Zee and I are heading to America next week to spend time with my grandparents. We'd really like it if Ginny could come with us."

Mrs Weasley's eyebrow rose in surprise. "Ginny?"

"Please, Mum! There's no war there. It will be safe there and I'll be with Harry and Zee. Please, can I go?"

Mrs Weasley looked like she wanted to protest.

"Mrs Weasley, having Ginny with me would help me so much."

She sighed, visibly relenting. "All right, but you'll send word when you arrive."

Ginny ran forward to hug her mother. "Thanks, Mum!"

Mrs Weasley hugged her daughter tightly and kissed her cheek. "You'll be safer there. When do you leave?"

"The sixth," Harry told her.

Mrs Weasley nodded. "Okay. We can work with that. Are you sticking around for a bit, dear?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I'm heading to Uncle Rem's. But maybe Ginny can come over this afternoon?"

Ginny smiled at him. "Definitely."

Harry said goodbye and told Ron that if he and Hermione were up to it, they could come by Black Cottage that afternoon. He'd spoken with Hermione over the communication mirror that morning and he knew that she was feeling more like herself, but that she still had a few more days of potions to take. The curse that Dolohov had hit her with had packed more of a punch than they had expected. But she was going to be just fine, and Harry was relieved to hear it. He hadn't been there for her as much as he should have been, but Hermione insisted that it wasn't necessary.

When she'd asked him about Sirius, he'd only shrugged and changed the subject. He didn't really want to talk about him, it was still a bit too fresh. He thought that coming by Black Cottage that day would do them both some good. He stepped back into the Floo to travel to Remus and Tonks' cottage after he said goodbye to Ron. When he came out of the fireplace, he grinned at his father, who was playing the piano.

"Good morning, Harry," Remus said.

"Hey," Harry said, plopping himself down on the sofa and stretching his legs out.

Remus smirked at him. "Long day?"

Harry chuckled. "I don't know what to do, I guess."

"I'm sure that you have some chores calling your name."

Harry grinned. "Nope, Kreacher's done everything. He even cleaned my bathroom."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I told him that he didn't have to, but he says that Kreacher must do his part for the new babies of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. I told him that they weren't even born yet and he said that the future of the Blacks depend on him. I felt like I was talking to a wall."

Remus chuckled. "I guess that means Zee will have to talk to him."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, maybe."

Remus stood up from the piano bench, lifting Harry's legs to sit on the couch. "Talk."

Harry shrugged. "About what?"

Remus didn't answer. He stretched his long legs out so that his feet rested on the coffee table and then he reached for the book on the side table.

Harry let out a slow breath. "I don't know what to say. I talked to Ginny a little."

Remus only tapped his fingers on the book in his lap as if he had all of the time in the world.

Harry sighed. "I miss him. I miss him without realizing that I'm missing him. Everything at home reminds me of him, but the thought of removing that reminder makes it worse. I want to see the pictures and... neither Zee nor I can convince ourselves to move his leather jacket from the bannister on the stairs. The work shed... I finished playing with some of his bikes, oil changes and the like, and it felt good, but... I can't spend hours out there like he could. It's not my thing and... he should be here, Uncle Moony. He should be here to talk to Zee about the babies and make plans for the future. What's going to happen when the babies come? What am I supposed to do?"

Remus squeezed Harry's ankles that rested on his lap. "Harry, the man of the house responsibilities may have fallen upon you, but they aren't yours. You're going to be sixteen and you have your own life to live. Zee and I will take care of those things. Tonks and I will be here for her in whatever she needs. You'll be at school."

"But Zee will need help."

"Yes, she will. And when you're home, you can help her, but you can't put your life on hold. You're going to be a big brother, Harry."

"The babies should have my room."

Remus tapped his hands on Harry's legs. "No. That's your room, and Zee would never ask you to give it up. We'll be turning the guest room into a nursery."

He nodded. "It just feels strange."

"Do you want to be a big brother?"

Harry looked at his hands. "Yeah, yeah I do. I look at the Weasleys and it's so brilliant the way that they always have someone there for them. I want the chance to be that for Uncle Siri's kids. I want to be that cool big brother that Bill is."

Remus smiled. "Then you will be."

"Uncle Rem... I want to take care of Zee, the way that Uncle Siri would want me to."

Remus grinned. "Just be there for her, that's all she needs. Our support."

"The baby is due after the winter holidays."

"I know."

"What if I'm at school when it happens?"

Remus chuckled. "We'll sign you out and you can pace with me like Siri and I did waiting for you to be born."

"You did?"

"Of course we did! We couldn't wait to meet you."

Harry grinned. "I can't wait to meet these babies. Do you think that they'll be boys or girls?"

"I don't know. Zee gets the chance to find out in a few weeks if she wants. Does she want to know?"

Harry looked at him in surprise. "Wouldn't you?"

Remus shrugged. "There's too few surprises in life and this is a great one, I think."

Harry grinned. "Yeah, it is."

Remus squeezed his ankles again. "Zee said that she's not ready to go through Sirius' closet and that's fine. But is there something that you need to do?"

Harry stared at him and then he shook his head. "No. I just want to have this FUVP meeting and then take a break in Georgia with Ginny, Zee, Grandpa, Grandpa, Papa, and Grandmama."

Remus smiled. "That sounds pretty great. Spend it with a family who loves you and a girlfriend who loves you."

Harry flushed at that. "They really are my family, aren't they?"

Remus squeezed Harry's feet. "Absolutely. You're very loved, Harry, don't ever forget that. Now, what's the plan for today?"

"Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are going to come by the house this afternoon. I was going to ask Neville and Luna to come as well."

"Sure, it would be good for you to have them there."

"I think that they should all come to the FUVP meeting."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Harry… none of you is of age."

"But they all know," Harry told him. "We're the ones trying to find the diadem. Luna is the one who figured out what it is. We should all be there to go over our findings and to discuss what the next step is. Admit it: You know that I'm right. You said as much the other day."

Remus stared at him for a moment before he nodded. "I did. I've been questioning it ever since, but you're right. You all should be there."

"I'm going to run it, Uncle Rem. This is my operation now."

"Our operation," Remus corrected, his eyes on his son. He let out a slow sigh. "But yes, you can take point and run it. We're going to find the diadem, Harry, and then we're going to take care of Nagini. This isn't a one man job."

Harry's green eyes met the deep whiskey ones and he nodded. "One step at a time, Uncle Rem."

Remus nodded. "One step at a time. I'll talk to Bill and we'll see what we can pull together about calling the meeting for tomorrow. You can ask Dumbledore about the Room of Requirement during the meeting, deal?"

Harry grinned at his father. "Deal. Operation Fuck Up Voldemort's Plans here we come."

Remus only grinned back at him.

~ ASC ~

Hermione looked up from her book when her mum's shadow filled the doorway of the living room. "Hi, Mum."

Jean came around to brush Hermione's bushy hair out of her face and kiss her cheek. "Are you hungry? Would you like some soup for lunch?"

"Sure," Hermione told her.

Jean kissed her cheek again. "You're finally looking more like yourself. What did Harry have to say?"

"He wants me to come by this afternoon. He said that Zee will come by to pick me up after work."

Jean nodded. "And is Ron still coming over?"

Hermione smiled at her. "Yes."

"So, when were you going to tell us, Hermione?"

Hermione's brow furrowed. "Tell you what?"

Jean only gave her a pointed look. "That you and Ron are dating."

Hermione's eyes widened. "What?"

"I'm not blind, you know. I see the way that he looks at you. Your father noticed it as well, in the hospital especially. That young man never left your side. I thought after everything with Viktor that you would have told us when you started seriously dating again. I know that Cormac wasn't exactly promising, but Ron's a lovely young man, dear."

"Mum, Ron and I aren't dating. We're just friends."

Jean's eyebrow rose questioningly. "Really?"

"Mum, he's not my boyfriend. I would have told you."

Jean stared at her. "This is not something that I ever thought I would say to my teenage daughter, but you're almost seventeen… I can cut the tension between the two of you with a knife."

Hermione blushed. "Mum!"

"Well, it's true! Why aren't you dating him? You used to fancy him once upon a time."

"Mum, that was… it was nothing, just a passing thought or two when I was fourteen!"

Jean smiled at her. "At thirteen you told me that his hair reminded you of an open flame. You became rather poetic about it."

Hermione buried her face in her hands. "We're not having this conversation! Look, Ron and I… we kissed and it was… we're friends, Mum! We can't be more than that!"

"You kissed again?"

Hermione snuck a look at her mother between her fingers. "They were flukes."

"They? He kissed you again after you found that bath?"

Hermione sighed. She had forgotten that she had told her mum about discovering the bath and how she and Ron had… "Okay, look… they just happened and they didn't mean anything. Mum, he's my best friend. I spend more time with him than anyone and what if something happened and it didn't work out? I can't lose him."

Jean moved to sit on the sofa next to her daughter, putting her arm around her shoulders. "I know you loved Viktor, darling. First loves are always strong and fierce and they go one of two ways: Nothing ever compares to them and you stay together forever, or you remember them as a fierce fire that burned strong, but wasn't what you were meant to have. My first love was John. Everyone thought that we would end up together. Jean and John, John and Jean, our names rolled off as one so seamlessly. I was fifteen when I met him, he was seventeen; sixteen when I…" She blushed as she trailed off and Hermione's mouth opened.

"Mum!"

Jean chuckled. "Hermione, I loved him more than I can say. He was everything to me and I loved him so much that being apart from him hurt me. But then… his father, a staunch military man, wanted his son to join the army when he turned eighteen, and he did. We fought over it. I didn't want him to leave, but in the end he went. He was sent with forces to Dhofar as part of the British SAS to bolster the counterinsurgency campaign. When he came home, I was happy to see him, but it wasn't the same. By the time I started university, he was deep into the British military. We were different people and we broke up at the end of my first year. I was nineteen. He came back again later and apologized, but as much as I loved him, I wasn't in love with him anymore, not like I was when I was fifteen. We didn't have enough in common. He told me that he felt the same. Two months later, I met your father."

"Ron is nothing like Viktor, Mum. Viktor was kind and sweet and I loved him, but… I think it would have been the same for me. That love would have fizzled out in the end. We didn't have enough in common."

"And Ron?"

Hermione smiled at his name. "He's kind and generous and… he keeps track of my monthlies." She explained to Jean how he had known she needed chocolate and his suggestion of the warming charm. "He's always doing little things to take care of me. If I'm in the library too long, he comes in with some fruit or a sandwich and just puts them near me. He has a brilliant mind for strategy and he thinks so logically, which makes him incredible at chess. He's the one who helped me invent the coins we made. He's powerful and when he masters a spell, he's set, but he's lazy about homework and learning it. I always have to pester him or he'd never do it."

"He cares about you, taking care of you like that."

"He's my best friend, Mum," she repeated. "And when he kisses me, my whole body feels like it's going to explode, and I forget to think. When Viktor kissed me, I remember thinking it was lovely and I liked it and I liked how he did that with his hands or moved his lips in that way and when Ron kisses me… my brain shuts off. I can't think. I can't rationalize it."

"Hermione, your biggest fault is that you rationalize too much. If Ron stops you from rationalizing because all you can do is feel, that's a good thing."

Hermione stared at her mother. "Each time he kisses me, it seems more intense than the time before. He says that we need to talk about it, that it means something and I… I keep pushing it off. I told him that they were flukes and that they can't happen again."

Jean squeezed her daughter closer to her. "That would be that adorable rational brain of yours trying to make sense of it. He's your best friend and you're worried that if you start a romantic relationship with him, you'll lose that. Him being your best friend is part of the reason why I think you should give him a chance. You know each other's faults as well as each other's good qualities. If you really don't want to date him, that's different, but if you're just pushing him away because you're scared, that's not the strong young woman that I've raised."

Hermione bit her lip as she looked at Jean. "His hair really is like fire. It's ginger and lovely, but there's so many shades in it: Auburn, gold, red… when the light touches it sometimes, I can't help but stare at it."

"He's handsome."

"He has large hands and he's so tall. He's covered in freckles and sometimes when we're studying… I catch myself counting them."

Jean smiled at that. "Hermione, that sounds like someone who is slightly more than smitten."

She blushed and looked down at her hands. "And he has the most beautiful blue eyes, like sapphires, and when he kissed me, afterwards… I felt like the heat in them could pierce through me. He makes me feel things, Mum, things that I've never felt before and it scares me."

Jean kissed her daughter's cheek. "I think that the two of you need to talk and you need to admit to him that you were wrong. That these kisses you've shared are not a fluke, but that they mean something."

"I can't tell him that I was wrong!"

Jean chuckled. "Hermione, every strong woman admits when she's made a mistake. Owning up to them is part of what makes you that strong, fierce woman. You need to talk to him."

Hermione bit her lip. "I'm not ready yet."

Jean kissed her cheek again before she stood up. "That's okay, too. But don't wait too long or you'll have missed your chance."

Hermione watched her mother head into the kitchen to make her some soup as she thought about her mother's words. She didn't want to miss her chance, but she wasn't sure she was ready for her chance either. Harry needed her right now. Her friends needed her. Sirius' death meant more than just the loss of a father. The war was happening and they needed to prepare. She needed to focus on that, not on her emotional crazed feelings.

But she couldn't help but remember how Ron had pulled her into his lap on the sofa in the common room. How her arse had fit in those large hands, the feel of his lips on hers, how she'd been alarmed by the heat that pooled between her legs. Even now at just the mere memory of it, she crossed her legs and opened her book back up.

No, she needed more time. Rationalizing was what she needed to do. Maybe she could write up a pros and cons list, that could help her make a decision?

Con: He was annoying and quick tempered.

Pro: She could count on him.

Con: He was always complaining about schoolwork.

Pro: When he kissed her, she felt the world drop away.

Con: He was always eating and intentionally chewing with his mouth open until she commented on it.

Con: If something happened between her and Ron and it didn't work out, she could lose Ginny too, which would mean Harry…

Pro: The feel of Ron's hands on her arse.

Pro: She wanted those hands on more than her arse.

Pro: Watching him on his broomstick made her wonder how he gripped his own, er, broomstick.

Heat flushed through her and she stood up, squashing her thoughts. Clearly this list wasn't a good idea. She'd see if her mother needed help in the kitchen. That was clearly the safer decision.

~ ASC ~

Harry was in the living room when Neville stepped out of the fireplace that afternoon. He grinned at him.

"Hi, Harry," Neville said, plopping himself down in the armchair next to his friend. "You okay?"

Harry smiled at him. "I'm okay. How's the lessons going?"

Neville shrugged. "Boring and insightful. Gran is really pleased that I understand all the legalities and documents and that I know so much about Cumbria and how it all works. She let me start construction on the greenhouses."

"As in plural?"

Neville grinned. "Five is my goal. Uncle Algie seems pleased with the idea and has been helping me categorize what plants I want in each greenhouse. The one we have is great, but it's just not big enough for what I want to do."

"And the Wizengamot?"

"I sit in on the first one next week. I'm nervous at the thought of it."

Harry nodded. He understood that. "You'll be fine. I mean, you're just listening anyway, it's not like you're expected to have a voice yet. Your grandmother just wants you to see how it all works."

"I know. But I do have to get accepted by the chalice. Too bad you weren't joining me."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "No, thank you on that front. I'm not ready for that yet and to be honest, I don't know if having the Daily Prophet dubbed Chosen One in the Wizengamot is the greatest idea."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Harry grinned at him. "Hermione will hopefully be coming over soon along with Ron and Ginny."

"What about Luna?"

Harry shook his head. "No, she was spending the day with her dad, but she will be at the meeting tomorrow."

"Meeting?" Neville asked, his eyebrow rising. "What meeting?"

"Operation FUVP," Harry told him. "We're calling a meeting and Uncle Rem agrees with me — we're all attending."

"As in the six of us?"

"As in the six of us," Harry told him. "We're the ones who have been searching for the diadem and I think that we deserve to sit in on the meeting and find out what they know. We might be able to help each other and maybe Dumbledore will know about the Come and Go Room as Dobby calls it."

Neville lifted an eyebrow. "The Come and Go Room, I rather like that. I've been calling it the Room of Requirement. I figured it probably had a fancier name, but either works."

Harry smiled at that. "I suppose so, yeah."

"Have you talked to Hermione?"

"Yeah," Harry told him. "She's doing well. She's all healed up now, but still getting tired quickly. The healers want her to stay on this potion regiment for one more week, but the potions are making her tired more than anything else. It's like when Zee was hurt. They're making sure that every remnant of the dark curse is gone from her system."

"That's good," Neville said. "Theo said that it was internal in some way, right?"

"Yeah. She's lucky. Ron was heading over there this afternoon. He's been spending a lot of time with her, checking in. For me too. Between you, him, and Ginny, it seems like someone is always popping in to check in. It feels nice."

Neville gave him a small smile. "We're your friends, it's our job."

Harry grinned back at him just as the fireplace opened again and Ginny came out. She kissed Neville's cheek and then comfortably curled up in Harry's lap, framing his face with her hands. She kissed him deeply.

"Hi."

"Hi," he said, brushing his lips against hers.

Ginny shifted to sit next to him, snuggling into his arms before she grinned at Neville. "Been here long?"

"Nah, 'bout ten minutes or so," Neville said, looking upon the two of them in amusement. "We were just talking about friends supporting each other. Harry said that Ron has been checking in on Hermione quite a lot."

Ginny smirked. "Well, he's in love with her and hasn't told her."

Neville raised an eyebrow. "Sounds familiar."

Harry pulled the pillow out from behind Neville, smacking him in the head with it; he almost fell off the chair, laughing.

"I'm just saying, it does!"

"Ron and Hermione are complicated," Harry told them, tossing the pillow back at Neville as he settled back into the armchair.

"How so?" Ginny asked. "Ron likes her and she likes him, but they're both in denial."

"Well, so were we," Harry told her.

Ginny only cocked her head. "Yes, but, that was different. I think that they know how they feel about each other and yet, still no moves on their part."

Harry shrugged. "Hermione fancied Ron eons ago, but she grew out of it. She fell in love with Viktor. I don't think she sees him that way anymore. Ron… he's liked her for ages."

Ginny kissed her boyfriend's cheek. "I'm just glad that she's feeling better."

"Me too," Harry told her.

Neville smiled at them. "It does feel strange though… without Sirius."

Harry nodded solemnly. "Sometimes, I think it still doesn't feel real. I know you miss him too, Nev."

Neville's eyes were sad as he stared at Harry. "He always treated me like his favourite nephew. He always gave me advice and was there when I needed him. He gave me memories of my parents. I could write to him about anything. I'll miss him."

Ginny reached out to squeeze Neville's hand. "We all will. That's why we need to be here for each other as much as we can be. Sirius loved you too, Neville. He'd be so proud of you taking up your role as Lord Cumbria. He knew that you could do it."

"Remember when he sent me that Howler to congratulate me on telling Snape off?"

Harry's face broke out into a grin. "I still can't believe that you told Snape to piss off. Sirius was beside himself when I told him. He said that he had never been prouder of you in his entire life."

Neville smiled at the memory. "Yeah, he always had my back. Harry… that night in the Ministry when he… when you called him Dad, my heart broke for you."

Harry nodded. He sighed when Ginny rested her cheek over his heart, entwining her fingers with his in a way that comforted him. "Thanks."

Neville stood up. "I'm going to get us something to drink. When are Ron and Hermione coming over?"

"Should be soon," Harry told him. "Zee was going to pick them both up at Hermione's house when she finished work for the day. Nev, pretty sure there are fizzy drinks in there."

Neville nodded and made his way into the kitchen as Ginny merely turned and lifted her leg to straddle his lap.

Harry slid his hands around her waist, dropping them down to cup her firm bum. "I've missed you."

Ginny smiled and nipped at his lips lightly. "You've seen me plenty."

"Not really," he stated. "Just… you've been checking in, you and Ron and Neville, and I love you for that. But I mean, I missed this, just holding you. Being with you. When we go to Georgia, I can't wait to show you the ranch and teach you how to ride."

"Ride a horse?"

"Cloud Dancing maybe, or even Shelby. You'd like her. Grandpa got a new horse last month. He says that she's a devil and they named her Ebony. She's a black Clydesdale with snow white on the bottoms of her calves and on her snout. Grandpa sent me a picture."

Ginny kissed his cheek. "I can't wait to meet them."

Neville came back into the room with three fizzy drinks. "You two are both going to go horseback riding?"

Harry nodded. "Definitely. It's pretty great. I just hope I remember how as it's been a while."

Neville chuckled. "I'm sure it's like flying and will come naturally to you. Ginny, are you excited to go to America?"

She shrugged, moving to sit next to her boyfriend again as she accepted the drink from Neville. "Yes, but mostly I'm excited to meet Harry's family and spend some time with him. Zee must be excited to go back?"

"Yeah, yeah she is," Harry said. "Especially with everything that's happened. We could both use the break."

The front door opened and Zee came in with Hermione and Ron. The two of them immediately moved to sit on one of the sofas with their friends. Zee leaned over the back of the chair that Harry and Ginny were curled in and kissed Harry's cheek.

"Are you lot hungry?"

"I could eat," Ron told her.

She smiled at them. "I'll see what I can whip up."

Harry watched her head into the kitchen and smiled at Ginny when she grinned at him. "How are you feeling, Hermione?"

Hermione smiled at him. "Same way I felt this morning when I talked to you."

He grinned sheepishly. "I'm just checking in."

"And I adore you for it, but I'm fine. Honest. All of you can stop worrying."

Ron shrugged at her. "We'll try."

"What did you two get up to this afternoon?" Ginny asked, her eyes on her brother.

Ron shrugged again. "Nothing much. Mrs Granger gave us some fruit and vegetables to snack on and we watched two Muggle films. They're kind of fascinating, Muggle films that is."

Harry had to agree with that. "I always liked them. They're fun. What did you watch?"

"The Wizard of Oz and then Die Hard With a Vengeance," Hermione told him. "Ron rather likes the Die Hard films."

Ron nodded. "They're brilliant! That McClane bloke is bloody brilliant! We watched the other two last summer with Mr Granger. Merlin, Harry, that bloke is just cool! I'd want him fighting on my side. Holy hell mate, he's an amazing Auror!"

"Policeman," Hermione corrected.

Ron waved his hand at her. "Either or, he's bloody cool!"

"Uncle Sirius loves the first one. We've watched it at Christmas a few times," Harry said with a grin. "I mean, he loved it, that is."

Ginny squeezed his hand. "Another good memory to have."

Harry nodded and cleared his throat. "So, part of the reason I wanted everyone here today is because after talking to Uncle Rem, he agrees with me that we should all attend the next FUVP meeting to discuss the diadem."

Ron's eyebrow rose. "As in, a formal meeting with all of the members?"

"Yes," Harry told him. "Uncle Rem and Zee are still insistent that we're not old enough to be in the Order, but since we've been searching for the diadem and we're aware of what FUVP represents, we should be able to attend."

"Wicked," Ron said. "Do they know anything more?"

Harry shook his head. "Don't think so. But it will be nice to talk it over and see what we can learn. Plus, Uncle Rem thinks that Professor Dumbledore might know more about the Room of Requirement or as I was just telling Neville, what Dobby calls the Come and Go Room."

"Who else is in this group? It's different from the Order, right?" Neville asked.

"Yeah," Harry said. "It's Uncle Rem and Tonks, Zee, Bill, Moody, Dumbledore, and McGonagall. Uncle Siri led the operation for the most part."

"We won't let him down, Harry," Neville said.

Harry nodded, his thumb brushing the back of Ginny's hand. "No, no we won't."

Zee stepped out of the kitchen and smiled at them. "Food's up. I just heated the leftover chicken from last night. Hope you're all hungry." She placed a hand over her stomach as she spoke and Harry stood up to touch her arm.

"You okay?"

Zee smiled at him and nodded. "Just a little nausea. I'll be fine. Eat up, you lot. Then I want to hear all about your summer plans."

Harry grinned when she took a seat at the kitchen table, using her wand to expand it for everyone. The kitchen was small so it was a tight fit, but Zee made it work. She made things work, he thought as he watched her scoop up some of the potato salad. This was their home, and he knew that they would be okay.

~ ASC ~

Remus changed into black and white plaid pyjama pants and sat on his bed. He reached down to scratch the arch of his left foot when his wife stepped into the bedroom. She was wearing a short tee shirt that said she was a fan of the Weird Sisters, and it barely covered the essentials. He tilted his head to take a peek, and licked his lips when he saw that she wasn't wearing knickers.

Tonks straddled him, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "You want to talk about it?"

She hugged him tightly and the comfort of her made him sigh. He nuzzled her neck, holding her close to him. "I don't know."

Tonks kissed his throat, his collarbone, her hands gliding up and down his bare back in a comforting rhythm. "Talk to me."

Remus sighed when she rested her head on his shoulder. "How am I supposed to think about talking when you're not wearing any knickers?"

He felt her smile against his shoulder. "Why should I put them on when you're only going to take them off?"

Remus chuckled and shifted them both so that he was stretched out in their bed with her comfortably on top of him. He kept his arms around her. "I miss him, Dora."

"I know. I miss him too."

"I... I lost him before... when I was stupid enough to believe that he had betrayed us. I wrote him out of my life and left him to rot in Azkaban. I still don't know how he ever forgave me for that. Minerva never doubted him and I was his best friend and I just..."

"Remus, he knew why. Merlin, you lost them all in one fell swoop. It was logical for you to believe it."

"In my heart... I questioned it so many times, but the evidence was so against him and Jamie and Lily were dead. I never... but then I got him back and with him came Harry. I got a family. I got a son and a brother and my best friend and life was good." He was quiet for a moment, holding her in silence before he spoke again. "You never really think about how you're going to die. Jamie used to always say that he wanted to be old, white-haired, Lily in his arms, and surrounded by his great-great-great-grandchildren and their families. And instead, he died at twenty-one, murdered trying to protect that family."

"Rem, war is never fair."

"Zee's the best thing to ever happen to Sirius. James and Lily would have loved her, so would Fee and Monty; she's exactly what he needed. He should have had more time with her. He should have gotten the chance to meet his children. At least Jamie and Lily got to spend fifteen months with Harry, Siri won't even get that."

"We'll help her. Both of us, and so will Harry. She has a big family and I bet her parents will be here for a while to help her out. She won't be alone."

"I know," he told her, his hand running over her back in slow concentric circles. "But it's the principle of it."

Tonks nodded. "Well, one day when we have children, they'll have older cousins to play with, and Zee will be there to help us."

His hand stopped on her back and she merely lifted her head off his chest to look into his eyes.

"Don't say it. I didn't say right now. I said one day. When the war's over and Harry's safe, I want to make him a godfather."

"Nymphadora..."

"I know that there's a chance, Remus, but it's minuscule and I'm willing to take the risk. It wouldn't stop me from loving our child. I want that one day. I want you to put your seed in me and let me give it life."

Remus swallowed, framing her face and kissing her deeply. "I love you so much. I just... not yet... after the war, we'll talk about it again, okay?"

Tonks kissed him. "Not yet."

Remus held her close again, his hand slipping under her shirt to stroke her back. "Are you doing okay?"

She smiled against his chest. "Being with you makes me feel okay. Being in your arms makes me feel warm and safe and like everything will be okay. You know Mum always told me that when Dad holds her, she always feels that way, and I get it. I feel safe with you. I miss him, too. He was my cousin. The mysterious prankster, more like a big brother and a friend. I always felt like he was more of an older brother and Harry the younger one and you were the sexy best mate that I wasn't supposed to want to nibble on."

Remus chuckled. "Nibble away."

"But like he said in his will reading, he went out in a blaze of glory. That's how I think he was always supposed to go. He was in the thick of it. He always was and he was never going to sit on the sidelines and watch."

"Yeah, I know that too. But he should have gotten the chance to grow old."

Tonks kissed his chest. "But he left Harry with Zee and that woman is so incredible. I wish that I was as confident and gorgeous as she is."

"You're so much sexier on both levels."

Tonks chuckled. "You have to say that because we're married. I just meant that she's just so confident in what she wants. You know that she told me once that she just loved sucking Sirius' cock so, she just did, whenever she wanted. She'd wake him up doing it and I just thought... wow."

Remus smiled. "Well, I wouldn't complain if you wanted to wake me up that way."

She blushed. "And I know you wouldn't and that's not it... I guess I just wish I was as confident as her."

"You're confident."

"You make me feel scandalous. You know that I couldn't look the assistant head of the department in the eye for weeks after you made me come in her office?"

Remus chuckled. "See? Confident, or you wouldn't have let me give you head during your lunch break." He kissed her cheek. "You're extra delicious when you're worried we're going to get caught."

Tonks smiled against his chest. "I just wish that I had that sort of confidence. Harry has a bit of it. I think he got it from Sirius, the way he is with Ginny… he's so comfortable with her. His friends look up to him."

"Harry thinks that he and his friends should be at the FUVP meeting tomorrow night and I told him that I agree."

Tonks lifted her head to look up at her husband. "And now your second guessing yourself?"

"Yes," Remus told her honestly. "I want him there. He wants to run the meeting and I told him he can. He should be there and realistically so should his friends. They know everything anyway, but it's still… none of them is seventeen. I just keep thinking to myself that I'm making a rash decision and if Padfoot were here we could discuss it together, but he's not and…"

Tonks pressed her lips to her husband's bare chest. "I miss him, too."

Remus sighed. "Now Zee's pregnant, with twins, and he won't be here to help her raise them. Sirius deserved to see his kids, Nymphadora, to watch them grow up. He and Jamie both lost that opportunity."

"They'll have you and they'll have Harry, just as Harry had you and Sirius. I know it's not the same and it's not fair, but it's a fact."

He nodded. "Whatever Zee needs. I don't want her to be alone through this."

"She won't be," Tonks assured him, her lips brushing his collarbone. "She has both of us and she has Harry. He's excited at the idea of her having babies and he's going to be a great big brother. He learned from the best and I have every faith in him."

"Me too," Remus told her. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better for days, Professor Lupin."

"You scared ten years off of my life," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "When you fell… if I had lost you too…"

"You didn't," Tonks whispered. "You won't. I'm right here."

Remus shook his head. "I need you, Nymphadora."

Tonks slid up the bed to kiss him. "I'm right here."

Remus kissed her deeply and passionately, framing her face with his hands. "You make me so happy and then I think it's wrong for me to feel so happy when Zee doesn't have Sirius and… then I want you even more, to claim you, to mark you, to show how thankful I am to have you in my life."

Tonks ran her hands along his naked back. "That's a normal reaction. To want to feel alive, to feel thankful that you're alive."

He nodded, snuggling her close into his arms again. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they just lied there holding each other and then she lifted her head to look into his eyes.

"You haven't touched me since it all happened."

"I'm touching you now."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"I know. You were healing."

"I've been fully healed for almost two weeks."

"I know."

Tonks kissed his chest. "You are allowed to be happy you know. Sirius would want that."

"I know," he said a third time. "It just feels wrong to be happy and to take comfort and pleasure in you when he's dead."

She ran her fingers over his jaw. "It's not wrong."

"I know that, too."

She smiled and lifted her head up to kiss him again. "You seem to know a lot of things, Professor Lupin. Do you know that I want you? Always. I want to remind myself that I'm alive. I want to feel everything. I want to feel you. To use your words — I want to mark you, claim you."

Remus smiled at her and kissed her softly. He slowly deepened the kiss, rolling her onto her back and placing himself over her body to kiss her as her hands slid into his hair. "I always want you," he murmured against her neck. "This need I have for you, it doesn't go away."

Tonks pulled his mouth back to hers. They held each other as they shared long soft kisses and slow hard kisses, until he moved his mouth to her neck, his hands gliding under her tee shirt to cup her breasts.

"Make love to me, Remus."

Remus pulled her shirt over her head and dropped his mouth to her breast. "I've missed you. Your taste. Your smell."

"I've been right here," she told him.

His tongue trailed over her breast, flicking across her nipple three times before he slid to the other breast. He watched as they peaked sharply and he brushed his lips over them. Gooseflesh erupted where he touched as her nipples grew harder, firm against the air, and he danced the tip of his tongue around her areola, avoiding the pinked peaks. Her breath caught and he smiled against her skin, kissing the side of her breast.

Remus danced his fingertips ever so gently along her ribs, moving them in concentric circles up and down her sides, each time inching lower. His mouth planted soft and slow open-mouthed kisses over where he had marked her, over her stomach. Her belly quivered under his mouth and he moved lower. His bottom lip brushed the dark purple triangle of hair before he worked his way back up, kissing around the wolf pendant dangling from her navel and higher. When he reached her breast again, this time he suckled the peak into his mouth until she whimpered and then he let go, kissing the skin between her breasts.

"Rem…" she murmured.

He kissed each breast again, savouring the taste of her skin as he worked his way back down. As he kissed her ribs, her belly, her thighs fell open for him and he looked up at her. Her grey eyes were awash in arousal as she met his gaze. He kept his eyes on hers as he dropped a kiss to her left thigh, intentionally ignoring the pool of heat. He bounced his lips from thigh to thigh, inching higher and higher with every soft kiss until he nuzzled his face between her legs and savoured the smell of her.

Merlin, he'd missed her.

No one else smelt or tasted like his mate. She smelt sweet, like molasses and earth and to him, she tasted like heaven. He wasted no time in letting his tongue slip out and stroke through her folds in quick succession before slowing it down to long laps that made his wife arch her hips towards him.

"You taste so good," he moaned against her thigh and then he leaned in and began to lick her in earnest.

The feel of her trembling around him, the build-up of her orgasm, both combined to make him linger with each stroke. When he finally slipped the tip of a finger inside to tease her, he moved his mouth higher and found her sweet spot. The moment his tongue swept over her bud, she cried out.

"Yes! Oh! Oh, there, right there!"

Remus smiled against her, suckling her clit into his mouth, dipping his finger in deeper and adding a second one. She was bucking against him desperately now and his tongue kept working, slipping over her and into her with every suck. He opened his eyes to look at her, watching as her hair flashed through colour after colour. He changed the angle, sucking her clit sharply and she let go.

The scream of pleasure that erupted from her only made him hold onto her hip with his free hand as his mouth stayed on her, savouring her. When she finally stopped quivering beneath his mouth, he kissed his way up her stomach to suck the skin of her collarbone and she caught her breath.

"I want you inside of me."

Remus didn't protest when her hands pushed his pyjama bottoms down and then gripped him. Nor did he protest when she pushed him onto his back and stroked him firmly with both hands. When she lowered her head and took his balls into her mouth, he tossed his head back with a groan. Her thumb kneaded the underside of his shaft in a circular motion that drove him wild. She moaned and his balls quivered in her mouth before she released him and kissed the tip of his penis.

"Just a taste," she murmured before her tongue flicked out and stroked his head.

Remus' hand went to her hair and he held her in place, glorying in the image that was his wife's tongue languidly stroking his erection.

"Use your mouth."

Tonks' grey eyes met his for a moment before she simply opened those soft lips and wrapped her mouth around him. She rocked gently, her eyes on his as she took him into that hot mouth inch by inch, until he felt the back of her throat. He made to pull out then but she held him there, wrapping her hands around the rest of him and stroking firmly before she began to suck him.

Remus moaned under her ministrations. "Nymphadora, I want… you better stop that."

She smiled as she slowly slid him out of her mouth, panting slightly. "I'm only following your instructions, dear husband."

The smirk in her expression made him want to wipe it from her face. He grabbed her and flipped her beneath him onto her stomach, rubbing his hard cock against her bum, teasing her, stroking her as his mouth sucked her shoulder. Then he began to pepper kisses down her spine, kissing the arch of her behind, his tongue slipping down her bum and between her legs to kiss her folds.

Then he was sitting up and cross-legged, tugging her into his lap. He pulled her tight against his chest and slowly lifted her legs up to sit on his shoulders and lowered her onto him. The moment he pressed into her, they both groaned. He was only halfway inside when her mouth crashed into his. In one quick movement, she fully sheathed him and plunged her tongue into his mouth.

Remus shuddered at the feel of her, hot and wet and so… his. His hands slid down to hold the small of her back and she rocked against him in slow circles that made his breath hitch. He thrusted up, moving his hips to meet hers as they kissed, deeper and longer. When she tore her lips from his to suckle his throat, he tossed his head back and thrust harder. He felt the wave of it wash over her a second before she cried out, and it took only three more thrusts for him to follow, emptying himself into her.

They shuddered together, holding each other until they could catch their breath. His eyes met that beautiful grey gaze and he kissed her softly.

"I love you more than words can describe."

Tonks rested her cheek against his, sighing as he shifted and stretched out. "I love you more."

Remus snuggled her into his arms, tugging the blankets up over them against the bite of the cool breeze coming through the window. "Sleep now, Dora. I'll wake you in the morning."

Tonks kissed his chest and then grinned mischievously up at him. "With your words or your mouth?"

Remus grinned back at her. "With my mouth."

Tonks bit her lip, smirking at him as she snuggled into her husband.

They were going to be all right, he thought. The two of them were going to be just fine.

~ ASC ~

Theo was pretty sure that the start of this summer was the best one he'd ever had. Finn spent the entire first week with him. They spent their days walking around the grounds and talking, practicing sword fighting, and making love. Theo felt like he was walking on air.

Finn had woken him that morning with his mouth on him, and he'd gladly reciprocated before his boyfriend insisted that they had to get out of bed. Finn took him running with him around the grounds, flying past him and doing backflips and handsprings around him, a big smile on his face as he showed off his fairy speed. When they reached the end of their run, Theo was winded, and Finn merely entertained. Then Finn bent before him to massage his calves before he handed Theo the sword.

The sword… Merlin — Theo had his own sword! It still amazed him, but he was getting good at using it. Finn had presented it to him the second day of their summer holiday. It was crafted from goblin-made steel. The hilt was dark green and perfectly fit his grip. The sword itself was thirty-five inches long and three inches thick with a sharp silver pointed tip. The oak leaf symbolized power, truth, and ancient wisdom, the hilt curving with acorns on the end for potential and strength. The scabbard was made from applewood and leather. The steel glimmered in an eerie silver that Finn explained was because he had mixed unicorn hair into the mold.

"Applewood and unicorn hair," Theo breathed in amazement. "Like my wand?"

"The sword chooses the wielder," Finn replied, bending to kiss Theo's forehead. "I wanted it to be yours. Do you feel it?"

He had been able to feel it. He could feel the power of the steel in his hand as much as the wand at his holster and when he began to train with Finn, he found that the sword he had been practicing with may have felt like it belonged to him, but this sword was his. It was made for him. He felt like it was part of his arm and even when he fought Finn until his arm was numb, he didn't want to let it go.

"The grip is perfect," he told him. "It feels like it's a part of me. How did you get the grip so perfect?"

Finn leaned in and nipped at his boyfriend's lips. "I know exactly how your grip feels. It's on my cock often enough for me to make a fair measurement."

Theo blushed and Finn kissed him again before telling him to raise his sword.

Finn had upped his sword fighting practice to four hours every afternoon. Theo not only fought against Finn, but conjured opponents, and when Finn praised him, he felt pride. After practice, Finn would often Apparate him away to some secluded location where they would swim naked and talk and laugh. Yesterday it had been a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where no one could disturb them. They'd swam in the ocean and then made love on the beach before going for one more last swim before returning to Norfolk Manor.

They'd share a meal and talk about everything before snuggling in the living room where Finn would tell him stories about his ancestors and the Celtic gods and goddesses who once ruled him. Theo fell more and more in love with him every day.

When the week had ended and Finn had to go back, Theo understood, but he knew that he would miss him terribly. He promised to keep practicing the sword every day and Finn left him a small stone that fit perfectly in his palm with something called a Dara Knot engraved into it for him to practice. Finn explained that the knot was a symbol of strength and was made to represent the roots of an oak tree: Power and strength with its intertwined roots, symbolizing no beginning and no end. Finn enchanted it to be the strength of a fight and when Theo pressed his thumb to the knot on the stone, enchanted warriors rose up to fight him like some conjured fight club.

He'd been holding his own fairly well against them, and when Finn returned on the following Saturday, Theo practiced on his boyfriend who told him that his skill had improved. Then he'd pushed Theo against a tree and snogged him senseless. They'd run upstairs to his room to kiss and touch and when Finn's mouth wrapped around him, Theo thought that he would die of happiness and pleasure.

Afterwards, they lay together in Theo's big bed, snuggled into each other's arms.

"I've missed you," Finn admitted, kissing Theo's forehead. "You've been practicing without me?"

"With the stone," Theo told him. "It's brilliant the way it works. I feel like I'm in a real battle."

Finn brushed his knuckles down Theo's jaw. "I want to make sure you're as ready as you can be. No one will ever hurt you again, mo grá."

"My father's dead, Finn."

"And a dark lord walks the earth," Finn said sharply. "The war has come, Theo, and soon we will all be swept up into it whether we like it or not."

Theo hadn't known what to say to that. He left Finn sleeping in his bed later that day, and made his way outside to walk in the garden to think. He knew that the war was here. The Dark Lord had shown up at the Ministry of Magic. Giants and Dementors had raided London. His father was dead. Sirius Black was dead. Others wounded and Muggles obliviated. But the Dark Lord had allowed chaos to hit before vanishing once again. He'd heard nothing since that fateful night, and hadn't heard any word from Draco. Blaise had arrived home safely and sent word that he'd taken off to travel. Maui, he'd claimed before disappearing. The thought of his friend getting away made him feel warm.

At least someone would be safe.

The flash of a tall golden man, who looked eerily like Finn, appeared before him and startled him out of his thoughts.

"Theo?"

Theo nodded, standing up from the stone bench he had been sitting on in the garden. "Yes. Who are you?"

"Prince Tiernan Alexander of Tara," he said, giving him a wide smile. "I'm looking for my brother."

"I left him sleeping upstairs."

Tiernan nodded, his eyes on Theo. "You've made quite the impression on him."

"He's made quite the impression on me, your Majesty."

Tiernan nodded, his green eyes carefully watching him. "I see the way he feels about you. He lights up when he speaks of you. I know he forged a sword made for you… to give you power like that… he worries for you."

"He doesn't have to."

Tiernan only stared at him. "When Finley loves someone, he loves with all of his heart and soul. He gives everything he has to those he loves, without question. You're the first he's ever given his heart to outside of his family. Don't break his heart or I'll be forced to make you suffer in ways that you can't imagine."

"Understood," Theo responded. "I love him, your Majesty. He makes me feel alive, he gives me hope. I won't hurt him, I promise."

Tiernan nodded. "Good."

They both looked up as Finn marched towards them. "Tiernan, what's wrong?"

"Father wants to have a meeting with the guard to discuss training new recruits to add to the Ministry's Defence Squads. I think that we've given enough and so do some of the others. He wants you home to discuss it."

Finn nodded. "We need to help, Tiernan."

Tiernan rolled his eyes. "I knew you'd say that."

Finn slapped his brother's shoulder. "When is the meeting?"

"Tonight."

Finn nodded. "I'll be there."

"Will you come back here, after the meeting?" Theo asked him.

Finn wrapped his arms around him, tilting his forehead down to his. "I will have to return to my post. I'll come again soon, I promise. I'll sneak out to spend my nights with you."

Tiernan's eyes met his brother's. "Cén fáth nach dtabharfá é?"

Finn stared at him in surprise. "Bring him to the meeting?

"Yes. Listening to a wizard's insight could help your cause."

"If I bring him home, Da will insist he meet everyone."

"Would that be so bad?" Tiernan asked.

Finn only let out a sigh as he stared at his older brother. "Are you all going to warn him off me?"

"We would welcome the love of your life. Besides, I already warned him."

At Finn's raised eyebrow, he grinned.

"And we'll promise to break all of his bones if he hurts you, among other things."

"Meddling fools, the lot of you," Finn muttered.

"Love you, too, little brother."

Finn looked at Theo. "I apologize, mo grá. We are rude, talking so that you don't understand."

Theo stared at him in confusion. He had understood fine, he thought.

"Finn is usually rude," Tiernan told him with a smirk. "I said that he should bring you tonight, to the meeting."

"Go to Tara?" Theo asked, eyes widening.

Tiernan nodded. "You could provide insight into the Fae agreeing to help more, tell us more about your war."

"I don't know anything more than you do," Theo admitted. "Finn knows all that I know."

"Come to Tara anyway, if not tonight, another," Tiernan insisted. "You can meet the family."

Theo looked over at his boyfriend. "Meet your family?"

Finn's cheeks heated. "I should have brought you to meet them sooner. It has been wrong of me to hide you from them."

"If I go to Tara, won't I lose time?"

Finn nodded and twined his fingers with Theo's. "Yes, and no. We can change it so that if you spend a few hours with us, you will only lose a day, no more, no less. I would never let them hurt you or let you lose time."

Theo smiled at him. "I know you wouldn't." He kissed their joined fingers before turning to Tiernan. "I would be honoured to meet your family, even if you threaten me."

Tiernan smiled back at him, his eyes twinkling. "Ah, so it is true. Finley says that your sword and wand are made from applewood?"

Theo gave him a puzzled look. "Yes, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Applewood is a very special kind of wood. The gods say that those who earn the allegiance of applewood are given the gift to converse with any magical being they wish."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."

"Place your hand over your wand and tell me what you feel."

Theo did as he was instructed. "The smooth finish of my wand, the power it exudes. I feel my power through it."

"Yes and because you feel that power, its allegiance gives you what you most desire."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."

"But you do," Finn told him with a smile. "Tiernan and I have been speaking in Irish almost the entire time."

Theo's mouth dropped open. "What?"

Finn kissed his open mouth, deeply and thoroughly until Tiernan cleared his throat behind them. "You wished to speak my language and so your wand granted it."

Theo, still rather stunned from this announcement and from the earth-shattering kiss that had followed, stared at his boyfriend. "I can speak your language?"

Finn nodded, cupping Theo's cheek. "Yes."

Tiernan smiled at them. "They say those who earn the allegiance of applewood are well-loved and long-lived. They are powerful and have high aims and ideals, great personal charm and an ability to converse with other magical beings in their native tongues as if they were born to it. When Da heard Finn was making your sword from applewood, he told me that it was a sign from Danu."

"A sign?" Theo asked.

Tiernan nodded. "A sign that told us Finn had found the other half of his soul. Will you come meet the others who hold his heart?"

Theo smiled at him, looking over at Finn, whose eyes looked hesitant. "I'd be honoured."

The smile that erupted on Finn's face told him he had made the right choice. Theo couldn't help but grin back.

Yeah, so far this summer had been one of the best; that amazed and terrified him at the same time.

End Author's Notes:

(Gaelic) Cén fáth nach dtabharfá é? = Why don't you bring him/give it?

The applewood information I got from Pottermore or as it is now, the Wizarding World site, and I thought that it sounded so interesting so I decided to make Theo's wand applewood and unicorn hair.

Applewood: "Applewood wands are not made in great numbers. They are powerful and best suited to an owner of high aims and ideals, as this wood mixes poorly with Dark magic. It is said that the possessor of an apple wand will be well-loved and long-lived, and I have often noticed that customers of great personal charm find their perfect match in an applewood wand. An unusual ability to converse with other magical beings in their native tongues is often found among apple wand owners, who include the celebrated author of Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and Customs, Dylan Marwood."

Unicorn Hair: "Wands with these cores produced the most consistent magic, were least subject to fluctuations and blockages, were most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts, and were the most faithful of wands. However, they do not make the most powerful of wands (unless the wand wood compensates) and are prone to melancholy if mishandled."

I thought this suited Theo's needs.

As to Finn's comment on Theo's grip, that is a play on one of my favourite Jamie Fraser quotes and I couldn't resist.

Thank you as always and please review!