Author's Note:

I have a busy next few days coming up between work and things, so I am posting an entire day early, (well 3 hours before Sunday, but that counts right?) Don't get used to it though, LOL. The next chapter will probably not be up until Monday of the following week where I will hopefully be back on a schedule.

But here is an early gift for you!

This chapter is for J. Jamie Dupane. Hope all is well!

Reviews and Comments: To Roxy_ricki: Thank you! I love that you're growing attached to my original characters as well as the ones we already love! That makes me feel amazing to know that I can write characters like that. And oh boy, my other works, well, other than Missing Moments and The River, my other ones are just okay as most of them were written 15 years ago and I try not to think about them and how badly written they are LOL. To Kyregiusz: Thank you! I like trying to think about what Voldemort is doing and planning. I think that Voldemort had more plans in the books as well it's just that we only saw the story from Harry's POV and he was more focused on the whole Voldemort wants me dead aspect, which to be fair, is important to focus on when you're the one who he wants to kill lol. To crunchy_cheeseball: Glad you liked my Moody burn for Slughorn LOL. To PurpleLotus: Thank you! Your kind words always make me smile so big! To Leapyearbaby29: Fleur is an underrated character, I agree. To xXQueenofDragonsXx: I have a few changes in mind for Slughorn, but he'll be around. To crazy_capybara: I do plan on writing past the battle and end of the war, but I don't know how far I will go. It might just be some time jumps to see where people are at. We'll see how it all goes when I get there. To Abhinav: I don't know about a whole new generation of marauders, but there will be more, I promise.

To smallwjl: Thank you! I'm happy to know that I've made you care about Romione. To Aklys: Thank you for that lovely review! I'm honoured that you've been binge-reading it and pulling all nighters, nice to know it grabbed your attention! To Daisy Johnson: Zee is due the second week of January. Yes, Harry will find the potion book, but I have a few changes and twists coming on that end. As to Dumbledore and Katie Bell, well I have changed a few things so we will have to see. To tim2604: Ginny does have Harry wrapped around her finger and he most definitely loves it! To nothatchhavi: Glad you approve :D

To Menna Taha: It's not as long for Romione as you may think. To ManyGrey: Open-minded Luna is the best and I'm glad you're enjoying how I write her as I find her a difficult character to portray. To CarpenL: Thank you! As I said, I find Luna difficult to write so I appreciate that. To Dutchie: Thank you! To speedsONEandONLY: Going commando is good for your health, LOL. True. To TheaTypes24: Thanks and I hope Slughorn has a few surprises. To lottie193: Thank you! I always see Ginny as a social butterfly and love writing her friend circle. To Wolf's scream: Luna definitely has the not too dreary part down. I thought dust was a nice touch to add as well, thanks for noticing! To bumlewis: Thank you! Oh, Ron, he does know how to stick his foot in it. And what's the point of making Harry suffer if he can't have a hard on while he's doing it? LOL. To elin2002: Thank you! To Dianne: Hey, when he has a talented tongue, Parselmouth skills comes in handy ;)

Not sure what was going on with my tumblr asks this week, but they were VERY entertaining so I thought I would share them here.

Within the main male character in ASC, who got the biggest/longest length? (My guess is Remus LOL) Can you try to sort them in order from biggest to average or sort them into different group? I am so curious about that XDD.

Hi, Anon.

This question made me LOL.

To be honest, I like to leave that up to you, but in my head it is Remus, yes. Then because why not, I like it to be Harry. Sirius would be in third, I guess.

I like the idea that speedsONEandONLY said in a review to chapter 230 because I feel like it fits the characters well:

"So I have a theory about dick size and attitude. Remus made me think of it to tell you about it. Guys around 5 are bravado and talk about the girls they dated how pretty they are and such. Guys around 8 are cocky. They talk about who they've fucked and how much the girls loved it. Guys around 10 are Remus. They have no problems being themselves. Are usually kinda quiet and keep to themselves. They know what they have, but don't feel the need to broadcast it. Do you think this works for the guys in here?"

Following this idea, I guess I think:

Bravado would be Seamus, Theo, Finn, etc.

Cocky would be Sirius, Draco, Blaise, Dean, etc.

Remus (literal best term for it) would be Remus, Harry, Neville, etc

What do you think?

And no, bravado is not small, it's average. And yes to nothatchhavi who said: Lol if Harry is well-endowed, James would also have been, so I can imagine Remus and James subtly making fun of Sirius for both being the shortest among the three AND having the shortest length-100%

What about all the male Weasley's d sizes XD? Also does Voldemort have one, in his snake-ish body? Or like he has no nose? Feels really weird to even ask this sry, cuz does Voldemort and Bellatrix do it? I think I remember reading about Bellatrix sleeping with almost all death eaters in order to get pregnant...?

HI, Anon.

Um, I guess I see all the Weasleys as the cocky department, but Ron, Bill, and Arthur are more of the Remus department. Voldemort has one, yes, and let's make him average even though I really don't want to think about that. But yes, he does have one and yes, he does use it (usually lets Crouch suck it as a means of control).

So you made Remus ten inches?

Hi, Anon.

Yes about-ish. But he is also 6'4 and lanky so really, at that height, if he was small it would be weird LOL!

No idea what was with all the dick questions, but okay then LOL. Hope that answers any burning questions people might have.

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 FORTY-TWO:

Harry stepped into the Gryffindor common room thirty minutes later, feeling loads better. After a much needed wank and a long shower, he felt refreshed. He found his girlfriend sitting with Luna in the corner and chatting about something or other while Neville and Ron played chess. Hermione was reading in the armchair.

"So, was there any progress?" Harry asked.

Hermione looked up from her book. "No."

"I went and checked," Luna told him. "The warlock was still wearing the fake tiara."

Harry let out a slow breath. "I guess now we just have to wait. We can take it in turns keeping an eye on the map and see when he goes up to the floor."

"I don't think Voldemort told him how to find the room," Neville said.

"What?" Harry asked.

"I think Neville's right. Malfoy kept pacing in the corridor and muttering to himself, but the door never appeared. He was checking stones and examining pillars. I admit, I felt a little bad for him. He looked deathly pale," Hermione said. "Neville and I were watching him from under the cloak for almost three hours."

"Theo says it's bad," Ginny informed them. "He's really worried about him and he wants to help, but he doesn't know how."

"The fact that he told us about his task, albeit through Theo, is still a good sign," Harry said. "Malfoy's a git, but I don't think that he's evil."

"Foul, sure," Ron admitted. "But yeah, not evil."

Hermione made a face. "But it does prove that he took the Dark Mark."

"Coerced into it, by the sounds of it," Harry said. "But yeah, he still took the Mark. Be weary of him. He may not be evil, but I still don't think our frenemy status allows me to trust him completely."

"But we can trust Theo," Ginny said. "And he plans to keep a close eye on Malfoy."

"Good," Harry said. "Then we'll go with that as a starting point. Theo will let us know if anything changes, right?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes."

Hermione blew a bushy curl from her face. "Until then, we'll keep an eye on Malfoy to see if he finds the fake diadem and when he does, we wait and see if Voldemort figures it out."

"More like pray he doesn't," Ron added. "Checkmate."

Neville stared at the chess board in bewilderment and pushed his chair back. "Why do I even bother?"

Ron grinned. "Anyone else fancy a game?"

The charm rang signalling dinner and Ron jumped to his feet.

"Thank Merlin! I'm starving."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Colour me surprised."

She and Ginny exchanged a look that made them laugh and Harry linked his fingers through Ginny's, bringing them up to his lips. "After dinner, can we have some alone time?"

"Possibly," Ginny said, smiling at him. "Did you have something in mind?"

Harry kissed her fingers again. "A few somethings. Let's have a date."

Ginny stood on her toes and kissed him softly. "I'd love to go on a date with you tonight."

He grinned. "Good. Now let's go eat."

He couldn't wait to spend some alone time with her.

~ ASC ~

Harry did his best to keep up on the conversation during dinner, but in his head he was trying to plan a date for him and Ginny. She'd agreed to meet him outside of the portrait hole at seven, which gave him two hours to figure out how to turn their evening plans into a date. The problem was, he was coming up empty. He ate quickly before excusing himself and hurried up to the third floor, letting himself into Remus' suite.

He made himself comfortable on the sofa and tugged out his mirror. Zee's face appeared a moment later.

"Hi, love. How did the tryouts go?"

"Great," he told her. "We got Demelza Robbins. She's a fourth year."

"I'm glad you found someone. I look forward to coming to the first match of the season."

Harry smiled at that. "It's not until November. I'll keep you posted. How are you feeling?"

"Fat," she said, making him smile. "I'm good. I just got off the phone with Grandma and Grandpa. They asked me a million and one questions. Gran and Grandda dropped by with some stuffed animals. Grandda says that Gran went crazy, which she did, as she brought about thirty of them, each one a different plush magical creature. I'm meeting with Healer Abby on Wednesday again and yes, I will call you after my appointment."

"How's Padfoot?"

"Delightful," Zee said, moving the mirror to show Harry the dog's face sleeping on her stomach. "He misses you. He lies in your bed in the morning while I get ready for work. Then when I let him outside he runs around like a maniac. Andy has been coming by to puppy sit for me."

"Oh, good. I hate the idea of him being all alone at the house."

"Me too," Zee admitted. "When he's better behaved, maybe I'll bring him to the Ministry with me."

Harry brushed his fingers through his hair. "Lady G will love that."

Zee chuckled. "She'll get over it. Now, what's on your mind."

"How did you know?"

"You're just like Sirius, you're fidgety. What's on your mind, sweetie?"

"Zee, I asked Ginny on a date tonight and I have no idea what to do. Can you help me? I mean, we're in the castle so, it's limited, but I want to do something special for her. I don't just want to hang out, you know?"

"I do," Zee said, looking thoughtful. "Well, what time is your curfew?"

"Eleven on Fridays and Saturdays," Harry said. "Well, it's ten for fifth years and below."

"How about a romantic night walk? The sun should set close to eight. You can go for a walk by the lake, watch the sun set over the water. Then you can take her back into the castle, maybe… oh! I just thought of something!"

Harry grinned and took note of everything she said. It sounded perfect.

By the time he hurried back to Gryffindor Tower to change and met Ginny in front of the portrait hole, he was five minutes late. Harry had changed into blue jeans with a Green Day tee shirt with Sirius' leather jacket open over top. He wore his red and gold trainers as well, feeling that they were very Gryffindor-esque. He found her leaning against the stone wall outside of the portrait hole, arms crossed in front of her.

She wore the same blue jeans from earlier, the ones that seemed to hug her arse in the most pleasing way. She wore black lace flats, and to his pleasure, she was wearing one of his old Gryffindor practice shirts with his name across the back. She'd tied the bottom of the shirt into a knot above her belly button since it was rather baggy on her and he licked his lips. The sight of her flat stomach just did things to him.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I was putting the finishing touches on our date."

Ginny's eyebrow rose. "Finishing touches?"

Harry held his hand out to her. "Can't I surprise you every once in a while?"

Ginny accepted his hand, looking skeptical. "I don't know if I like surprises."

"You'll like this one," he promised.

Ginny smiled and let him lead her away. "I like the jacket."

Harry grinned down at the leather jacket. "Me too. I feel closer to him when I wear it."

"It looks sexy on you."

His grin widened. "Then I definitely like wearing it. And you? Do we have to talk about this klepto issue?"

"It doesn't even fit you any more."

Harry let his eyes wander over every bit of her torso. He wasn't sure why she'd changed from the jersey to the tee shirt, but the inch of skin she was showing made him lick his lips. "It looks a hell of a lot better on you than me, anyway."

"Good," Ginny said as they walked hand in hand through the castle in peaceful silence and out onto the grounds.

Harry led the way to the large oak tree by the Black Lake and Ginny's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the Gryffindor blanket spread under the tree near the water's edge.

"What's this?"

"I thought that we could watch the sun set," he said, moving to sit on the blanket.

Ginny sat in front of him, happily leaning back between his legs, wrapped in his arms. "That's the sweetest idea I've heard."

Harry kissed her temple. "I love you. Just being with you makes me so happy, you know that, right?"

"I know," Ginny said, smiling back at him. "I feel the same."

Harry's hands linked with hers as he held her, his chin resting on the top of her head. "I don't know if I've ever consciously made plans to watch the sun set before."

"Me neither, and I should have. Look at how beautiful the sky is."

"Look at the giant squid," Harry said, eyeing the large tentacle that rose up from the centre of the Black Lake.

Ginny laughed. "I suppose he likes to get a little sunshine sometimes."

"I agree," he said as they stared out at the lake in silence. After a few moments, he cleared his throat. "So, do you think that Robbins is a good choice?"

"I told you I did," she said. "Wolf was a close second. You know Ron was telling me that Jack had never been on a broom before coming to Hogwarts. I guess wolves don't learn how to fly either. Jack is such a nice bloke and to think that before Bones allowed this alliance he wouldn't have even been allowed to attend Hogwarts is just heartbreaking. He's done nothing to deserve that."

"I know," Harry said. "She's really done some amazing work with the alliances. And Wolf's talented. He really loves to fly, too. He's my first choice for next year. But yes, Uncle Remus said that the wolves don't learn how to do a lot of things. They essentially live like Muggles, you know? The Ministry always treated them as less than human until Madam Bones took over."

"I understand it. The fear, that is, but after knowing Remus… I can't imagine it. There are bad wolves out there and I know that; the stories of Greyback are enough to give me nightmares, but Jack's only twelve, he doesn't deserve to be lumped in with everyone else."

"I agree," Harry said. "It's one of the good things that Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius helped Bones try to change. Neville says that it's been really enlightening and amazing to be part of the Wizengamot with her in power."

Ginny's fingers danced over his forearms where he held her as they watched the light from the sky change colours. "I think he's right."

Harry dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "Okay, no more serious talk."

"Agreed. Let's play a game." At Harry's raised eyebrow, her lips curved. "I'll ask you a question and you answer."

"Sounds more like an interview," he said, making her chuckle.

"Okay, let's have an interview then," she said, putting her wand under her mouth like she was speaking into it. "This is Ginny Weasley here, interviewing Harry James Potter, Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain and of course, the infamous Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, and most importantly, my boyfriend."

Harry smirked. "Yes, that's me. Don't forget the Marquess of Somerset bit."

Ginny rolled her eyes, making his lips twitch. "Oh, right, how could I forget." Harry pinched her hip and she yelped before she cleared her throat. "Now, Lord Somerset, how do you feel about your team this year and Gryffindor's chances at claiming the Cup?"

"I think that I need to complain about the cheekiness of my interviewer." Ginny only pinched him back. "Ow! Yes, definite complaints here. But to answer your question, Demelza seems to be a good fit for what is already a pretty great team. I haven't seen who the other teams have recruited to fill in their spaces, but I know what we're capable of. After we play the first game, I'll have a better sense of where we stand."

"Diplomatic answer, Captain Potter. Rumour is that Slytherin is the team to beat, do you think that's true?"

"Usually yes, but I don't know. Ravenclaw has a strong team this year and I don't think that we should underestimate them."

Ginny continued to talk into her wand, her eyes twinkling. "What's your favourite colour?"

Harry looked baffled by the change of subject. "Red. What's yours?"

"Green," she said. "Ever since I was four and found myself looking into the eyes of a lost little boy."

He kissed the top of her head again. "Favourite school subject?"

"Potions."

Harry gawked at her. "What?"

She shrugged. "It's like cooking and I enjoy the basics of it. Plus, I'm good at it."

"You've been holding that a secret all these years?" Harry asked, staring at her in bafflement.

"No," Ginny said, biting her bottom lip. "The secret is that I'm pretty sure Snape adores me and the fact that I'm both a Weasley and a Gryffindor infuriates and horrifies him at the same time."

Harry shook his head in amazement. "You're a constant surprise to me."

She grinned. "Good. I know yours, Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"Am I that obvious?"

"About some things," she admitted.

"Favourite professor?"

"Toss up between McGonagall and Remus. Both are excellent teachers, but I love the way McGonagall can shut you down with only a word or a look."

"Agreed," Harry said. "Favourite season?"

"Autumn. I love the colour changes and the hint of the cold to come."

"Me too. The colours remind me of you," he admitted. "Who is the best new rookie player of the year?"

"Dan Miller from the Chudley Cannons. He may have gotten picked for a shit team, but he's talented. I think he's one of the best Keepers to join the league since they recruited Oliver Wood. Now, I thought that I was the one doing the interview so, shush."

He chuckled. "Right, what I was thinking. For the record, I agree with you on Miller, but I think Sanderson's seeking skills deserve to be admired. He's going to be tough to beat this year and with Portree's star Chasers as well, that team will definitely be close to the top."

"True," Ginny said. "Now, it's time for our viewers to learn more personal things about their mighty Captain. What's your favourite physical part about yourself and why?"

He raised his eyebrow again. "Who exactly are these viewers, Ginny?"

Ginny's eyes twinkled at him. "Me, myself, and I. Answer the question, Captain."

Harry's lips twitched. "Well, I guess I rather like my eyes. I've always liked how impossibly green they are and that it's something that I share with my mum, even though everyone tells me that I look exactly like my dad."

"Like emeralds."

"Or a freshly pickled toad," he said, making her elbow him. "What do you like most about yourself?"

"I'm asking the questions here," she said.

"Tit for tat, Ginny," Harry said, nipping at her ear. "Seriously, what do you like most about yourself?"

Ginny looked thoughtful for a moment as she wrinkled her nose. "Don't laugh, but I'm rather proud of my tits."

Harry's lustful look had her blushing.

"It's just that I think they're the perfect size, well minus the right one, which is smaller, but I like my breasts. I'm not quite as big as Hermione, but I'm not small like Tonks either. So, I guess I think mine are just right."

Harry's hands slid up her waist, boldly cupping her breasts through her shirt. "I would never laugh at such an incredible statement. You have amazing tits, Gin. They're perfect tits. Each one is so lovely and shapely. I love how they spill over my hands and how they each have a different amount of freckles on them."

Ginny turned her head to nip at his lips as he fondled her. "You counted the freckles on my tits?"

Harry's mouth pressed against the side of her neck. "Absolutely. This one has exactly fifteen freckles, while this one," he said, gripping her left breast a little tighter. "This one has seventeen freckles, two hidden ones just on the side here."

She blushed. "You're ridiculous."

"And you're beautiful," he said, kissing her neck.

Ginny sighed against him as the sun lowered over the lake. "Harry, what do you not like about yourself? Physically, that is."

Harry pulled his lips away from her neck, but he continued to knead her breasts since she wasn't moving his hands away. "Easy. My scar."

Ginny turned around to straddle him. "I knew that you were going to say that."

He closed his eyes as her finger reached up to trace the lightning bolt from the top of his forehead and down through his eyebrow. Then he felt her lips brush against it.

"I think it's sexy. To me it shows you to be more than just the Boy Who Lived. It's a reminder that your mum loved you above all else; a reminder that love is stronger than death. Plus, it makes you look rugged."

He smirked at that before his eyes softened. "You're the only one who ever…"

"It's part of you and I love you," she said, kissing his scar.

Harry rested his forehead against hers. "And you?"

Ginny hesitated before she spoke. "My hands. They're small and I feel like they don't suit the rest of my body."

Harry took both of her hands in his and brought them to his lips. "Your hands are one of my favourite things about you. They amaze me," he said, kissing the back of one hand and then the palm of the other. "They're small, tiny, and almost delicate. Then you have these beautiful round nails that are always kept rather nice, never painted yet they seem to shine."

"It's a French manicure," she said, her cheeks heating. "I like it because it makes them look nice, but it's not a lot of upkeep."

"I love it," he admitted. "I love the two freckles on your pinky finger and the splattering of freckles across the back of your hand. But what I love most about these hands is how they can be so small and so delicate and yet they can handle a Quaffle without a hitch. These tiny hands play better Quidditch than anyone I've ever seen. These hands may be small, but they're skilled. And for hands so small, you certainly know how to wrap them around my cock."

"Harry!" she said, blushing to the roots of her hair.

"Fact," he said, bending his head to kiss her.

Ginny's hands flattened against his chest as they kissed and when he pulled away, he was grinning at her. "What?"

"You know what else I love about you? Your hair. Right now, holding you with the sun setting behind you… your hair is just incredible. It fascinates me the way the red and the gold can be a different colour in every light. With the sunset reflecting on it, it's even more radiant, like… crimson and autumn… It's part of the reason why I said autumn is my favourite season, it reminds me of your hair. I can stare at your hair for hours — and I have."

Ginny bit her lip. "I have caught you staring at my hair on more than one occasion."

"Because it's fucking beautiful," he said.

Ginny slid her hands up his chest to loop around the back of his neck. "What would be the one thing that you would change about yourself? Physically."

"My knobbly knees. They're ugly."

She chuckled. "I like your knees. They connect to your legs and you, Mr Potter, have fantastic muscle in those calves of yours."

He grinned. "Well, I do run quite a bit. You?"

"I wish I was taller," she said. "Thank Merlin I'm not as short as Hermione or Zee, but another few centimetres would be nice."

He shook his head. "But right now, when we're standing and I hold you, I can tuck your head right over my heart. I like just having to bend my head to nuzzle the crook of your neck. I think you're perfect."

"You know, part of this game is to understand that we each have flaws," Ginny told him. "I'm not perfect, Harry."

Harry brushed her hair behind her ear and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. "I know it. You have a temper that I know not to cross, but physically you are perfect to me in every way. I love your tits and your small hands. I love your skin. It's so smooth and soft. I love the little surprise freckles — the clusters on your shoulders, by your elbow, across your stomach, on your ankles… and your eyes."

"Boring brown," she said in disgust. "I always wished I had blue eyes like Dad or Ron, but instead I got muddy brown."

"I always thought they were like chocolate and when you come for me, those eyes are like melted chocolate."

"When did you get so poetic?" Ginny asked him. "My Harry doesn't speak like this."

He kissed the tip of her nose. "I don't know. I guess it's just stuff I think about sometimes and… it's stupid and I'll stop."

Ginny pressed her lips under his ear making him tremble. "No, don't. I want to know this stupid stuff you think about." She kissed the pulse in his throat.

"When you kiss me there I sometimes think that I would give you anything you asked for, no matter how insane."

She smiled. "I do know your weak spots." She kissed the pulse in his throat again and he trembled a second time. "I want a lifetime supply of chocolate covered strawberries."

"Done," he said, making her laugh. "But really, you could probably ask me to go take over a small country and I'd go and do it."

"Hmm, my own person Imperious, interesting," she teased. "Whatever would I do with a small country, Harry?"

"Dunno," he admitted.

Ginny kissed him. "New question. Have you told anyone about us doing… things?"

"Uncle Remus," he admitted. "I wanted to make sure I pleased you."

Her eyes softened. "You're sweet. And you most certainly did."

Harry grinned. "You?"

"Luna," she admitted. "I almost told Hermione, but I didn't. Theo keeps trying to get information on the size of your cock. He says considering how many times you've come face to face with Voldemort and come back alive you must have huge balls of steel."

"And what do you say to that?"

She blushed. "I'm not telling him anything about you like that."

"I mean, depending on what you say, I might be okay with it," he admitted. "If you wanted to tell him my balls are made of steel and I have the cock the size of a —"

"Harry!"

He laughed. "What? I was going to say the size of a regular sixteen-year-old-wizard. What did you think I was going to say?"

Ginny blushed an even deeper red, this time extending down her neck. "Nothing."

"No, now I'm curious," he said. "How would you describe my cock if asked?"

"Harry…"

"What? I really want to know, Ginny, what would you say?"

"I wouldn't say anything because your cock is for my eyes only."

His eyes darkened at her words. "Damn right it is." His cock was throbbing wildly in his jeans now and he couldn't quite stop himself from lifting his hips to grind against her.

"But," she breathed against his ear, biting her bottom lip as he ground himself against her, "if I had to say something, I suppose I could tell people that your cock would put a Hungarian Horntail to shame."

He laughed. "Well, I suppose that would tell people to stop asking about my size, wouldn't it?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before he froze. "Unless you meant that as as blatant sarcasm and you really think I have a small cock?"

"Why are men so obsessed with the size of their wands?" Ginny asked, rolling her eyes. "I don't think that you're small, Harry. I think that you're just right, but I don't exactly have a frame of reference now, do I?"

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I'm glad of that."

"And I'm glad that you're not actually the size of a Horntail."

He chuckled as her hand stroked him through his jeans. "Honestly, me too. It'd be much harder to hide my erection under my robes."

Ginny's hands gripped him through his jeans, squeezing lightly. "And for the record, Harry, I've been told it's not about size, but about girth, and you, Harry James Potter," she said as she traced his size through his jeans, "definitely have that."

His breath hitched when her fingers tightened over his bulge. "Oh, well, good to know."

"And I might not know much," she continued as her hands continued to tease him over his jeans, "But I know that I think your cock is beautiful. I like touching it and watching the pleasure it gives you. I like wrapping my hands around it. I like that it points a little to the left. I like the look that comes into your eyes when I touch it. I think it's perfect because it's yours."

Her hand stroked him more firmly through his jeans and he groaned. "Ginny…"

She slid her hands up his chest, over his tee shirt, and under his black leather jacket. They slid over his shoulders and across his biceps as her hair tickled his face when she leaned in to kiss his ear. His hands slid around her to cup her bum, his hips arching up to move against her; she moaned against his neck.

"The sun has set," she whispered.

Harry slid his hands up her back and up over her arms. "You're cold." He pulled his jacket off, draping it over her shoulders. "We should head inside."

The trickle from the moon gave light to the night sky, however the coming darkness was making it harder for him to see her, but she was still rubbing herself against him in a delicious friction that made his breathing laboured. He wanted more and he knew that if they didn't move, he would end up making a mess of himself right there.

"Let's go inside, it's getting chilly," he said, lifting her up by her bum as they stood.

The sight of her wearing his leather jacket in the moonlight, her lips swollen, her long red hair dancing in the breeze as it tumbled down her back, only made him more aroused. He put his arm around her as they started to head back to the castle, letting his hand slide down to cup her bum through her tight jeans. Ginny's arm was around his waist as well, a hand tucked into the front pocket of his jeans in a way that painfully reminded him of his arousal. Her nimble fingers deftly stroked him through the pocket as they walked and he moaned as they approached the castle.

"Stop that, Ginny, or I'll embarrass myself right here."

Ginny bit her lip and grinned innocently up at him. "Oh?"

But she pulled her hand from his pocket, leaving it curled at his hip as he led her around to the back of the castle.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I told you, I have a surprise for you, and it was more than just watching the sun set. You just distracted me."

"Annoying, isn't it?"

He flicked the end of her nose in response and she laughed. Harry led her around through the greenhouses and out into the main courtyard of the castle and towards the kitchens. When he led her to the portrait that led to the pool, she smiled.

"A late night swim?"

They stepped inside and headed down the cave-like steps and into the incredible hidden pool that seemed to come out of an underwater cave. The enchanted ceiling looked like the night sky and the pixie lights underneath the water shone in the deep coral blue.

Harry pointed to where the little set up was. Floating lanterns covered an area on the rock where a large lounge chair built for two was covered in pillows by the edge of the pool. Their bathing suits were lying on the lounge chair with two big white fluffy towels. A small table was situated next to the chair with a bottle of red wine, a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries, and two slices of treacle tart.

"Dobby helped me set it up," he admitted. "And he put some form of charm on it so that we're guaranteed to have the whole place to ourselves."

Ginny's eyes fell on her turquoise bikini. "You really have thought of everything, didn't you?"

He pointed to the picnic basket. "I just thought of how much fun we had at the beach this summer and wanted some alone time with you. And you did mention earlier how much you loved chocolate covered strawberries, so I know that was a good choice."

She stood on her toes and kissed him. "I love you, Harry."

"I love you," he said, holding her hips. "Shall we change?"

Ginny nodded and they both disappeared into the privacy of the change room and emerged a moment later in their respective suits. Harry's eyes hungrily roamed over Ginny, reminding him of how good she looked in her bikini. The way the tiny scraps hugged her breasts, the way the fabric wrapped around her heart-shaped arse in just the right way made him lick his lips.

Then she was diving into the water and tossing her head back. When she emerged, she tucked her red hair behind her ears.

"Merlin, this is incredible. It feels and smells like the ocean and it's so warm. It's heaven."

Harry dove into the pool next to her. The pool did indeed smell like the ocean. The magical lights that glowed under the water illuminated the pool in a beautiful coral blue that made Ginny's pale skin glow. Her freckles looked darker and her bikini looked brighter and more vibrant under the water. He swam around her, splashing her playfully as they enjoyed the refreshing warmth of the pool before he gripped her hips and tugged her close.

Then his lips were on hers.

It started slow and soft, but soon those small delicate hands were roaming over his chest and he was deepening the kiss to get more of her. He let his own hands slide up her slender back, fingers playing with the strings that held her top together at the back of her neck as he kissed those lips. Kissing her only reminded him of how happy she made him; it reminded him of all that was good.

He could spend the rest of his days kissing her; savouring the way her tongue met his, the way those lovely lips brushed and nipped. The way she tasted, so distinctly Ginny, only made him want to kiss her longer. He could taste the salt of the water on her lips and smell her floral shampoo as her wet hair brushed his cheek. But then her hands went south and he was no longer thinking about just kissing her.

His arousal may have slowed on their walk over, but her teasing hands through his bathing trunks only hastened its status. He was fully hard in moments and when her hands let go of him to slide up his back, she tugged her lips away to kiss the pulse in his throat. He trembled, his cock pulsing between his legs.

"I think you promised me chocolate and wine."

Harry shook his head in an attempt to clear it. Her teasing was enough to drive him mad, but he had promised her both of those things. They swam around for a moment, enjoying the water before climbing out and heading over to where the large lounge chair full of pillows and warm towels was set up. He poured them each a glass of red wine before he sat next to her and passed her the bowl of chocolate covered strawberries.

Ginny lounged on the chair, biting into the chocolate covered strawberry happily. "You spoil me."

Harry was lounging next to her, his own legs spread out as he turned on his side to look at her. "You're not hard to spoil. I know that strawberries are your weakness and if I add a little chocolate, well…"

She grinned as she took another bite and the juice from the berry dripped down her chin. She attempted to catch it with her thumb, but Harry's tongue was faster. He nipped at her chin, kissing his way over her skin as he licked off the juice. It wasn't long before his lips found hers again.

Ginny pulled away to sneak another strawberry, her eyes twinkling at him. "So, your plan tonight was to fill me with desserts and ogle me in my bikini?"

He grinned. "To be honest, I asked Zee to help me plan something romantic. She suggested the sunset and then told me to just get some of your favourite desserts and to find a place in the castle where we could just talk. I thought of the pool and how much fun we had on the beach in Georgia and when I spoke to Dobby, he brought the wine from the cellar at Clevedon Court."

Ginny bit into another strawberry and Harry leaned in and kissed her shoulder. She ignored him, smiling coyly, and continued to enjoy the fruit.

He groaned and plopped down on his back, using his arm to cover his eyes. "I should have known the strawberries were a bad idea. Never tempt a Weasley with food."

Ginny only smirked and helped herself to a fifth chocolate covered strawberry. "Absolutely, bad choice."

But she kept her eyes on him.

His hair was wet from the pool, tousled from his hands. His chest was mostly dry, though the dark hair that trailed in a thin line under his belly button was still damp. His bathing trunks were still wet and her eyes widened slightly when she saw the bulge shift a little of its own accord under the wet fabric. She licked the strawberry from her lips and watched as the tip of him seemed to tease the top of his bathing trunks as if trying to escape.

He was still covering his eyes so she reached over to take another strawberry, but this time, she began to trail it over his chest. The heat from his skin melted the chocolate, leaving a juicy sticky trail and making him look down at her. Ginny gave him an impish smile before she used her mouth to clean him up.

Harry groaned as her tongue trailed over his ribs, kissing and nipping at his skin until every drop from the strawberry's essence was gone. She took a sip of her wine and then she shimmied closer, leaning over him to kiss his lips.

She tasted like the chocolate, strawberries, and wine and he eagerly met her lips, wanting to savour the taste, wanting to savour her. Her hardened nipples from her wet suit brushed against his chest as they kissed and he itched to reach up and touch them. He made to do just that when her small hand began to slide down his chest in a maddeningly slow fashion.

Harry cupped a breast in his hand and groaned when that soft delicate hand slid into his bathing trunks. Her hand stroked him slowly as they kissed, teasing him firmly and slowly in a continuing motion as she kissed him.

"Ginny," he murmured, his other hand coming up to play with the other breast.

He cupped them both in his hands, kneading and rubbing through the material. His fingers played with the thick strap that narrowed into a string and tied around her neck. Her nimble fingers were stroking the tip of him now, teasing him as she rubbed the edge of him in a slow circular pattern that drove him insane. His hips arched to meet her hand and she merely gripped him tighter as she stroked down to his base in a slow, purposeful movement.

Harry shifted them, pinning her beneath him and her hand slipped out of his trunks. She teased his belly button, as her other hand slid up his chest. He used it to his advantage and pressed his erection against her stomach, grinding lightly as his lips trailed over her neck and her shoulders.

Ginny was so hot that she felt like she was going to combust. The feel of him down by the lake had almost done her in, and now after their swim, the sight of his erection begging to be let out of his bathing trunks, the feel of him so hot and warm in her hand… she was wet, and it wasn't from the pool. She wanted to take him in her hand again, to stroke that beautiful hard member in her hands, but he'd stopped her hands from slipping back into his trunks.

She was going to ask him why he'd stopped her, but then his mouth was on her collarbone, sucking the skin there, hard enough to leave a mark. Then that wicked mouth of his was trailing lower, kissing the swells of her breasts as his hands molded them, kneading purposefully. When his lips moved over her bikini top to kiss her breasts, she only moaned.

Harry was suckling her now, tantalizing her nipples into peaks and sucking them through the fabric in a way that made her keenly aware of how wet she was. He took his time, kissing every inch and when he untied the strings and her top was tugged off, she only groaned his name. His mouth moved back to her now naked breasts.

He worshipped them with his hands and his mouth. His mouth seemed to be everywhere: Sucking a nipple, licking between her breasts, blowing cool air over her areola, and she groaned his name.

It only spurred him on.

Ginny could feel how hard he was against her thigh. Her own hands continued to roam over his naked back as he rubbed himself against her. Then his mouth was beneath her breasts, kissing the underside of them in a teasing fashion, trailing over her ribs, her belly button, and lower… The warmth of the air tickled her as he tugged her bikini bottoms off and she realized that for the first time, she was completely naked in front of him.

She made to cover herself without thinking and Harry took her hands in his.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he whispered, kissing her fingers.

He let go of her hands and lowered his head to kiss her right breast. He kissed the mound tenderly, licking her nipple and then his lips trailed soft kisses around it.

"Mmm, here's a freckle," he said as he kissed the spot. "And here" - kiss - "and a little cluster here" - kiss - "and I love these three here near your nipple" - kiss "and here's another four hidden over here" - kiss. "Seventeen. Told you."

"Harry," she breathed.

But he'd moved to the right breast and began to freckle count again while his hand fondled the left one. His teeth gently scraped her nipple and she gasped before he sucked it between his lips. His fingertip tapped each freckle as he suckled her before he slowly popped her nipple free and kissed the underside of her left breast. "Fifteen on this one."

He tenderly kissed between her breasts and then slowly moved down her chest, kissing sporadic freckles on her ribs, near her belly button and then with his eyes on hers, he tossed his glasses on the table next to them. Her stomach fluttered in anticipation. His mouth pressed against her in long slow kisses that made her tremble.

"Harry…"

He only spread her legs a little wider, lifting them until her feet were flat on the cushions and her legs up so that her knees were level with his head, and then he let his tongue slip out. The feel of his warm wet tongue had her gasping. She remembered how Luna had said he was using his Parselmouth skills on her just as his tongue twirled and flicked and she trembled against him, forgetting to think about anything else. His tongue began to work more diligently, licking and stroking, teasing her as he moved higher and higher until he found her clit. His tongue clamped around it, twirling and licking as she began to pant.

The pleasure of it was enough to drive her mad. His mouth worshipped her. Her pants and moans echoed around the cave walls and she reached a hand down to grip his hair as his tongue worked her. He used the thumb of his left hand to stroke her nipple, circling it and teasing it, rubbing around it and over it until she cried out. She watched his other hand push his bathing trunks down as his mouth continued to work her and she realized that he was touching himself.

He moaned her name, the vibrations seeming to affect her even more as his mouth clamped around her clit, suckling the bud into his mouth. His tongue twirled around it and his hand slid off of his cock, his fingers slipping into her, and she cried out his name. His fingers pumped into her slowly as he licked her, moving his mouth back to her clit.

Then his fingers were gone and it was just his mouth. He was panting against her now and she could see his wrist moving quickly between his legs, the sight turning her on even more.

"Harry…"

"So close," he whispered, burying his tongue inside of her again.

He licked her thoroughly before his tongue stopped at her clit and flattened. He groaned as he came. The feel of him groaning against her with his tongue pressed against her clit pushed her over the edge. Her knees clamped around his head, holding him in place as her hips arched off the lounge chair. She cried out incoherently, gasping desperately as she came. Harry made a mmm sound as his tongue continued to stroke and lick until her knees let him go.

He pressed a kiss to her centre before he lifted his head, his face flushed and his eyes bright as he met her gaze and licked his lips.

"So perfect," he said, bending his head to kiss her once more. He kissed her thighs, kissing down her leg to kiss the back of her knees. He grabbed his glasses off the table as his lips trailed over her ankles.

Ginny sighed, her fingers fluttering over her stomach. "That was… what exactly did Remus tell you?"

Harry grinned widely, pulling his bathing trunks back up. "Let's just say that Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus gave me a very detailed sex talk when I was twelve along with an even more detailed book on the subject. I just wanted to know exactly how to please you." He kissed his way up her stomach, kissing a breast, lingering over her nipple. "Merlin, you're so beautiful."

Ginny tugged him up to her lips to kiss him. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said, kissing her again.

"You… touched yourself," she said quietly.

The back of Harry's neck flushed. "Er, I couldn't help it… you just… you tasted so good and the sounds you were making and… fuck, Ginny, I was already so bloody hard, I had to!"

Ginny let her hand slip into his bathing trunks to stroke his now flaccid cock. "I liked that you touched yourself." Her hand slipped out of his trunks and around his back. "It… that I could make you want to."

"All the time," Harry told her, kissing her softly. "You make me want to touch myself all the bloody time. I want you to touch me all the time. Part of that is me being sixteen and I get that, but most of it is you."

She blushed at his words and his lips curved in delight when he saw that the blush extended to the tops of her breasts. He bent his head to take one of those tantalizing peaks back into his mouth. Ginny's fingers stroked through his hair and he smiled, kissing the sides of her breasts before resting his cheek against them.

"I can't believe you finally let me see you naked."

Ginny laughed in surprise. "What?"

"First time was your tits and fuck, so bloody fantastic. I had wicked dreams about these tits for months," he admitted, his hands molding them as he spoke. "Then you let me touch you on my birthday and that was even more incredible, but I couldn't see you, not the way I wanted. Then you let me use my mouth, but you kept your shirt on and that was a disappointment, but my mouth was on you and my tongue inside of you so, it was a disappointment I soon forgot."

"Harry, do you really… I mean…" she trailed off, biting her bottom lip. "Do you really like putting your mouth there?"

Harry kissed her breasts, resting his chin between them before he spoke. "More than I can possibly put into words. I can't imagine anything more incredible than kissing you there and licking you there. The way you feel when you fall over that edge… Merlin, Ginny, it's… it's better than flying."

Ginny's heart was pounding under his face as her fingers stroked his hair. "Better than flying? Really?"

He nodded. "Yes. I understand what you meant now that day under the trapdoor to Honeydukes on our way to meet Finn and Theo. When you told me that making me come made you feel powerful." His hand cupped her as his fingers slid along her folds. "Touching you makes me feel powerful. I could make the strongest Patronus right now."

He slipped a finger into her and kissed her chin and then his fingers began to get busy and her head was falling back against the cushions.

"Harry…" she breathed

"Come for me again," he said, his fingers stroking her more firmly. "I want to make you come again."

Ginny reached out to take his glasses off and put them on the top of her head, her chocolate eyes on his. "Use your mouth."

His slow smile made her stomach flutter in anticipation before he bent his head and did just that.

By the time they returned to Gryffindor that evening, both of them were smiling, their hair damp from the swim they'd taken before getting dressed. He kissed her goodnight, the taste of her still on his lips, and he knew that he had a huge smile on his face as he made his way up to bed.

Seamus gave him a knowing look, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Someone got lucky tonight."

"We snogged," Harry said simply, tugging his shirt over his head.

Seamus only wiggled his eyebrows again. "Snogged, right."

Harry only smirked at him. "I didn't say only on the lips."

The sound of his friend's laughter as he tugged his jeans off to change into his pyjamas made him grin. He washed up before he climbed into bed, feeling relaxed and comfortably sated and it wasn't long before he was asleep.

~ ASC ~

Zee had just settled herself at her desk on Monday morning, grimacing as she set her eyes on the small mountain of paperwork, when there was a knock on her door. Since she never closed it and hated being locked in her office in any capacity, she smiled at the sight of Charlie.

"This is becoming a habit. We might have to give you a desk."

Charlie grimaced. "Merlin, no. The thought of being chained to a desk is dreadful. I much prefer my open forests and plains beneath the Carpathian Mountains. When I'm back in England I feel surprisingly homesick for Romania."

Zee chuckled. "Do you ever feel homesick for England?"

"Sometimes," he admitted. "But then I come home and Mum tells me how much I need a haircut and I think fondly of Romania again."

"Your mother misses you," Zee told him. "Sometimes her nagging is the only way she can think to show you. She talked my ear off about you the other day. About all of you really. She's been an absolute blessing to me when it comes to questions about these two."

"Mum would be the expert. I'm an expert on taking care of whelps and fledglings, but actual babies? Terrifying."

She smiled. "Well, your mum is an expert on the subject of babies. So, are you here to talk to me about whelps and fledglings?"

"Partly," he said with a smile. "I have a few ideas that I'd love to discuss with the new Deputy Head of the Menagerie. Speaking of, doesn't your promotion warrant a bigger office?"

"Yes," Zee said. "Well, sort of. I'm moving downstairs completely, but I haven't gotten around to packing everything up yet. I don't technically start as Deputy Head until next week and Yaxley needs me to finish up this paperwork first."

"I thought Harry mentioned something about Sirius' house elf basically worshipping the ground you walk on now that you're pregnant?"

"Oh, I didn't even think… Kreacher!"

With a loud crack the elf appeared in her office. "Yes, Mistress?"

"Hi, Kreacher. I've been given a new office down in the Menagerie and I was wondering if you would mind helping me bring all of my stuff down there?"

"Kreacher would be happy to, Mistress."

The elf immediately got to work. Zee pushed herself off of her desk as she stood up. "We can head down there now. I think I'd like to move into my new office and finish my paperwork down there."

Charlie nodded and offered his arm. Zee took it gratefully as he led her around to the lifts and down to level ten before they took the stairs down past the courtrooms and down into the Menagerie. He whistled at the sight of it.

"I have to admit, this is pretty incredible. If I had any reason to move back home, this would be it."

The Magical Menagerie had been a dream of Zee's and Goldwin Oliphant for years. She knew a few other magizoologists had shared the same idea and it was that fact that helped them finally convince Lou Bannerman to let them build it. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had always held small holding areas on level four to research and deal with magical creatures as needed, but they always knew that they needed more space. Scamander himself had helped set up magical reserves all over the world to do just that, but Zee felt that the DRCMC needed their own reserve right here in the Ministry.

It had taken them the better part of the last year to create it and with the creation of the Defence Department, the Menagerie had become an important part of that - which granted them more funding. It was set up like it's own personal magical reserve. Part of it was covered in snow and geared towards animals from those environments, another area was for those that favoured the ocean, another for those that favoured lakes, an open plain, and a mountain for those who needed it. They had a large cage full of jewels and nifflers, a family of occamys in a nest under a tree, bowtruckles and pixies, and the part that Zee was most proud of, was the healing sector.

An entire area was dedicated to the caring and healing of magical creatures. It was where the giant had ended up after the attack on the Ministry. The work of Agent Hoffman had made the giant sympathetic to them and he had finally turned his back on Voldemort. They were hopeful that he would convince others to do the same.

She led Charlie around the healing quarters to where the offices were laid out and slipped into her new office. This one was actually bigger than a closet. It was entirely made of glass giving her a full view of the Menagerie and making it look larger than it actually was. Kreacher had already brought all of her things down and was setting up her office happily, including Lady Godiva's large pillow that she used as a bed.

"Thank you, Kreacher."

The elf beamed at her as he continued his work and Zee gestured to Charlie to sit in the armchair as she sat down behind her new desk.

"So, what can I help you with?"

Charlie crossed his legs as he leaned back in the chair. "I want to implement a space down here strictly for dealing with dragons. The closest reserve from here is in Sicily and if a dragon is discovered or injured, it's too far to transport them. The problem is that treating a dragon in England is damn near impossible as there's nowhere we can keep them safe. Dragons are constantly being smuggled into the country and we both know it."

"I think that's a great idea. We have some great dragonologists here who can help implement that. It will also give us a place to house the dragons that we use for the Wing Guards."

"That's one of the other things that I wanted to discuss," Charlie told her. "We don't need an army of dragons, but I'd say a handful should be enough. There's a few of us in Satul de Foc Albastru who have the skill and the trust of certain dragons. Without the trust and acceptance of the dragon, we will not be able to fly them. There's an African dragonologist who can communicate with this family of Peruvian Vipertooths. I know they're small, but they're fierce and given the right communications, they could be one hell of a weapon."

"A terrifying weapon," Zee said as she rubbed her stomach. "I like the idea of using dragons in the Wing Guard, but I can't help but think of the damage they can inflict especially on our own guards."

"Not if they're controlled appropriately," Charlie said. "That's why I want to make it clear who the dragonologists are who should be involved. It can't just be anyone."

She nodded. "I have friends in the New Zealand reserve as well. Bura Visnjic is especially good with griffins and thunderbirds. I trust her expertise explicitly."

"That's what I mean. Every magizoologist has their own area of expertise and we should credit that. And I agree with you, Visnjic is great, but I want an area here where dragons can be safely taken care of. I think Pinkerman should run it. He's the best dragonologist in England and he's in full communication with every dragon reserve in the world. He's the leading expert."

"I'll speak to Oliphant about it, but I'm sure that he'll agree."

"Good," Charlie said. "You can owl me anything else you might need. I'm heading back home tonight."

"Tonks will be disappointed. She was just saying the other day how happy she is you've been around."

"I know," he said. "I miss her, too. But it's time for me to go home. My darling Iris was roosting when I left and I want to be there to see the whelps. She laid six eggs which is quite incredible for a Catalonian Fireball."

"Wait, did you say… I thought they were extinct?"

Charlie grinned widely. "So did we. My friend Raiden found our Iris in his garden in Japan with a missing wing. We think she crashed into an airplane as there was a crash nearby. He brought her to the reserve and we discovered that she was pregnant. Within a fortnight she had laid six eggs. I'll send you pictures when they're born. I know they're going to be beautiful."

Zee smiled. "Yes, they will be. Wow! A Catalonian Fireball! That's pretty incredible, Charlie."

"I know," he said with a grin.

"Tonks mentioned that you finally moved into your house?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah. They have boarding homes for anyone to stay in on the reserve or private tent flats. I had a tent flat for the last three years and I've loved it, but I've been wanting my own house. There's this ramshackle two and a half story home under the mountains. It's been abandoned for about a decade and an old gypsy told me that it used to belong to one of the witches who started the reserve. It's three hundred years old and needs a lot of work. I've been fixing her up over the last six months, but I think I'm finally ready to move in officially. The roof no longer leaks and I can make it mine. Plus it will be nice to have a spare room if anyone wants to come visit."

"A three hundred year old home? It sounds interesting."

"Yeah, it's a little farmhouse really. It reminded me of the Burrow. You enter through the front in this little mud room that extends into the living room and a small kitchen with a little patio and vegetable garden. The stairs in the living room lead upstairs to where the main bedroom is and the bathroom and the second staircase leads up to a small attic bedroom. It's just perfect for me. Plus when I look out my window, I have a perfect view of the reserve. I'm close to the dragons and I have the space outside if I need to keep any of the whelps with me."

"The vegetable garden sounds nice," Zee told him.

"It is," he admitted. "That's one of the things I actually enjoyed at home was gardening. I like tending to the earth sometimes. It calms me. Not to mention that working on the house has been rather therapeutic in itself."

"Well, I'm glad you're making yourself a home out there."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Now you have been spending too much time with my mum. I already know the first time she sees the house she's going to ask when I'm going to fill it with a spouse and babies."

Zee chuckled. "She wants what's best for her children and I admire that. But a family is not in the cards for everyone. I never imagined myself having children, not really. Animals were always enough for me, but then I met Sirius and I fell head over heels for Harry. And now with these babies… it's exactly where I'm supposed to be."

"Hmm, I'll stick to dragons, thanks."

Zee laughed as he stood up. "If that's what makes you happy, nothing else matters."

"Thanks, Zee." He ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. "I'm taking Tonks to lunch before I head out. You're welcome to join?"

"That's sweet of you, but I have work to do. You two go catch up."

Charlie smiled at her. "Let me know what happens with the dragon area."

Zee watched him go with a smile. He was full of some great ideas and she found herself itching to start implementing them. There was nothing that she loved more than throwing herself into a new project.

By the time she came up for air, her stomach was grumbling loudly and a glance at the clock told her that it was half past one. She forced herself to stand, mindful of the extra weight; not for the first time, she wondered how she was going to mosey around at nine months if she was already struggling at five and a half. She found her lunch and helped herself to one of the sandwiches that Kreacher had made for her, drinking a tall glass of ice cold chocolate milk as she did.

She had just finished when Oliphant knocked on her door.

"Zacarias, have a minute?"

Zee nodded, rubbing the small of her back. "Yes, please come in."

Oliphant stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I saw Weasley in here earlier. I haven't spoken to him myself, but I hear that he's one of the newest rising dragonologists in the field."

"Yes, he's quite good," Zee said. "He wants us to implement a small area to care for dragons here in the Magical Menagerie and I agree with him. We need a place where they can be kept safe until it is safe for us to move them. Not to mention a place for them if they are here to help with the Wing Guards."

"Yes, that would be a wise idea," he agreed. "I have a few others in mind on expanding the terrains and moving the creatures back to their natural habitats after caring for them. I understand that you have a few ideas about working with reserves and freelance magizoologists as well?"

She nodded. "I have more ideas than I should to be honest. I know I'm not supposed to start until next week, but I wanted to get a jump on things."

Oliphant smiled. "One of the many reasons why I asked Bannerman to make you my Deputy Head. Let's hear a few of these ideas, Zacarias."

Zee eagerly reached for the notepad on her desk. It was going to be a long but productive afternoon and she was eager to get started.

~ ASC ~

Harry stepped into Dumbledore's office on Tuesday at seven, feeling a little apprehensive. He'd made a fairly large dent in the diary over the course of the last week and a half, but he wasn't nearly done. When he'd received Dumbledore's note during lunch, he had been surprised and pleased to have another lesson lined up, but now that he was here, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to talk to Dumbledore about.

"Ah, Harry, come in," Dumbledore said, gesturing for him to sit down.

Harry did, placing the diary and his notes on the desk in front of him. "Good evening, Sir."

Dumbledore nodded in his direction. "And good evening to you."

"We checked over the weekend, Professor," Harry began. "The fake diadem is still hidden in the Room of Hidden Things."

"Interesting. Professor Snape tells me that he will keep a close eye on Mr Malfoy as well and in the meantime, we wait. Now, onto our lesson. I, of course did not expect you to read the whole diary already, but let's talk about what you have read."

"I spoke to Uncle Remus about it in passing, not any specifics, but about a thought I had."

Dumbledore only looked at him over his half moon spectacles. "And what thought was that, Harry?"

"About the notion of evil and whether or not people could be born evil."

Dumbledore looked pensive. "And what did Remus say?"

Harry tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair as he spoke. "He said that he doesn't believe anyone is born good or evil, but that it's the choices we make that set us on our path."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Dumbledore replied. "What prompted you to question it?"

Harry frowned as he spoke. "Even from the first few entries, he seemed... evil. I mean, he was mind controlling people and he realized it, yet he continued to test the limits of it. Is there such a thing as a Natural Legilimens because he could do it even as a little kid?"

"Tom Riddle has a very powerful brain. Legilimency is a learned skill, but yes, certain people are born with a natural inclination towards certain skills. You were born a naturally talented flier and naturally courageous. That's not to say that others cannot learn to become the same, but some people have an edge. He did possess some natural skill and he used the magic in his blood to impose it further and to strengthen it."

"He chose to make them do things," Harry continued. "He even said that he was curious as to how far he could actually make them go."

"Yes. He was a very precocious child. What else did you take from it?"

"He liked trophies," Harry said. "He liked taking things from others because he could. He liked controlling others and bossing them around, especially those he considered weaker or less worthy. He called them peasants and miscreants. He thought that he was better than them."

"Yes, he did. He still does."

"But why?" Harry asked. "He's not even a pureblood yet, he feeds into it."

"Why do you think he feeds into it?"

Harry stared at him a moment before he spoke. "Because it's how he holds his followers. He tells them that he will help them make the world better and since he's a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin — who else to show them the right way?"

"Exactly," Dumbledore said, a pleased look on his face. "He likes to be in control. Even from an early age, he liked to have control over his surroundings and over those around him. I told him upon our first meeting that stealing was forbidden in Hogwarts so, he found other ways to keep trophies. The animals he killed, he kept parts of them, and later he kept other trophies as you will see."

"He started teaching himself Occlumency in first year," Harry said. "He was convinced that you could read his mind and he didn't trust you."

"I am a gifted Legilimens," Dumbledore admitted. "And I did probe into his mind a little without his permission, but only because it amazed me to feel him probing into mine before he had even attended Hogwarts. I consider it rude to read one's mind without permission."

Harry smiled. "Well, that's rather good to know, Sir."

Dumbledore chuckled. "But yes, he did teach himself Occlumency. He learned it quickly and by second year, his mind was very closed off. It does go to show that he had some natural talent there."

"And is it possible, Professor, for him to have been able to use the Imperius Curse at such a young age? The way he controlled people…"

"I don't know if it was the curse, Harry, or merely his ability to push into someone's mind. Being a Legilimens is the ability to control minds to some extent. When making eye contact with someone they can push into your mind. Most people feel the connection and immediately shut them out, but those with a weaker mind or a weaker disposition are more susceptible to ideas and to suggestions. I think that he merely took advantage of that in those he could."

Harry nodded in understanding. "What about that cave, Sir?"

"What about it?"

"Well, we know that Regulus Black took the real locket from there, but is it still full of dark magic?"

"Yes," Dumbledore told him. "I went and investigated it many years ago after I discovered it's location, but decided that it was best to leave it in case Voldemort ever went back. I did seal it so that no one will stumble across it accidentally. One day, when Voldemort is gone for good, we will have to go back and remove the dark wards there. The lake is full of Inferi as well and those bodies should be properly put to rest."

Harry agreed with that. The idea of a lake full of animated corpses was rather terrifying of a thought.

"Any other questions about what you've read so far?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry shook his head. "No. You were right; it is both fascinating and disturbing. He doesn't know that he's a descendant from Slytherin, but he has realized that he can speak Parseltongue. A lot of it is about his studies and he spends a lot of time doing research on other things, branching off into more powerful magics. He likes to break into the restricted section."

"Yes," Dumbledore admitted. "I spoke to Headmaster Dippet about my initial concerns, but other than a thirst for knowledge, he never showed any outward signs of being a troublemaker. He was intelligent, a joy to teach, and full of questions. No one ever imagined this child would grow up to become the darkest wizard the world has ever seen."

Harry nodded. "So I'm to keep reading, then?"

"Yes," Dumbledore told him. "We'll meet again soon to discuss more of it. I know it seems strange to read the ramblings of a child, but I think you'll soon understand why I think his words even then are relevant to who he is now."

Harry wasn't sure what it was about those words, but they sent a chill down his spine in ways that he couldn't quite explain.

End Author's Notes:

If anyone is looking for a new story to read, I highly recommend Seriously Sam's new story Abditory: Sirius Black, despite his protests, found himself as the Potter's Secret Keeper. It was only a matter of time before Sirius was at Lord Voldemort's mercy.

It's dark, edgy, sweet, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Toddler Harry is the cutest ever! Please go check it out and please leave her a review!

If anyone has any asks for ASC please drop them on my tumblr.

Thank you for reading and please review!