A Second Chance

by Breanie

Part 2 Kismet Trilogy: What if Sirius didn't spend twelve years in prison but was given a trial after 4 years? Follow the story of Sirius Black as he learns what it means to be a father/brother/guardian & the story of Harry Potter, a young boy with a loving home who learns about the Marauders from the two men who should have raised him. Slow-burn Hinny. M for sex & violence.

323. The One With the Master of Death

Author's Note:

Reviews and Comments: To LilyBlack18: Thank you! You think Remus is going to die soon? We will have to wait and see. Thanks for loving the Theobas dynamic and my Weasleys! To Zarathos Morgernstern: You're welcome for not leaving a massive cliffhanger. Molly likes knowing her brothers are watching out for her children. Thank you! To the Mandalorian terminator: Yes, Ron is alive! I'm glad you liked the scenes with Mr and Mrs Weasley, I do need more of them! Hermione will see Ron in this chapter as will Harry. Thank you! To Lillian: Thanks for saying the Harry and Remus moments were nice to see. As to Theo and Bas, they are new, so yes, we will be seeing a lot more of them as I am establishing them. I'm sorry that you feel it's taking away from the story, but I disagree. There is lots of Hinny coming, but there's also more Theobas too. Thank you. To scrappy8: Thank you! I'm glad everyone is okay as well. To Wolf's scream: Harry is hardly ever stubborn LOL, at least in his opinion. Thank you! To Slaidback: Thank you! It was the most popular film at that time, yes. To Nuno Neves: Thank you for saying Ron's moments with his parents were so beautiful. I love Arthur crying and Molly smothering him. Ron did actually die for a few moments, but he is all right. I wanted to show Ron's loving parents along with Harry's loving parents. Thank you for saying the Harry/Ginny moment was so touching, I agree and having Zee comfort her was just as important. We needed some good Remadora, I missed them. Thank you for saying the Theo and Bas moments were magic!

To Sara: You're welcome for not leaving you on a cliffhanger again. Ha, Oliver supremacy LOL. I'm glad most people are loving Theo and Bas so much! They are so cute! Thank you! To Derpdude32: Thank you! To Guest: Thank you! It is nice to see some people heal after the attack. To akshutalankar: Thank you! Yes, their upcoming talks of more. To CherrySara: Thanks for saying the Harry and Remus and Zee moments were just gold. Yes, Ron had a lot of serious procedures to endure. No declarations of love from Theo and Bas yet, much too soon! They are still getting to know each other. No, we won't see why the MIA needed Sebastian, just that he had to go to work. Thank you! To A Huge Fan: Thank you so much! Your name made me smile! Hinny is my favourite couple as well! No, I didn't kill Ron. He is safe. Thank you! To Nightwing2013: Thank you! I agree, we needed some nice healing fluff after the intensity of the battle. Sirius is still watching over Harry and yes, Theobas is developing nicely. You've never seen Titanic? That is surprising LOL. Thank you!

To Marauder007: Thank you! I thought the Remus and Harry scene was much needed. We'll see more of them again soon. I have a few upcoming scenes with just them. And no, just because Harry and Remus haven't been spending as much time together changes nothing of their relationship. Thank you! To alix33: Yes, Ron definitely meant it lol. Thank you! To Hydrorose: Thank you! Ron is funny and I think he turns to comedy a bit to deal with things. He loves his parents fussing and saying the scars are cool is his way of dealing with it. Harry is still a bit of Remus' baby boy and they both needed that moment. Zee definitely loves Ginny and would totally be an intimidating mum to anyone else. Of course Tonks asked for food as soon as they were done having sex LOL. Sorry you felt there was too much Theobas for your taste, but as I am establishing them still, there's lots more of them to come. Thank you! To Griffind00r: No, it wasn't the same blade that stabbed Finn. This was Bellatrix's personal dagger. The one that stabbed Finn was made of iron and intentionally used to fill magical creatures like the fae. Remus definitely has a wicked sense of humour and he's very witty. You think Dumbledore is not in the portrait because his magic was zapped by Voldemort? Interesting. I agree, Theo and Bas' relationship is much more grown up and mature than what Theo had with Finn. Thanks for loving my "you're anything but breakable" line. Thank you!

To pix25: Thank you! To darkhk: Thank you! Ha, yes, no one surprise died — yet! To ellyann13: Molly did recognize the house in the forest. Remus did find it a struggle to not rush to his son immediately. I haven't decided what tattoo will cover Zee's scar just yet, she already has a tattoo honouring, Sirius, Harry, and the twins. Ha, a shower, a few hours sleep, and an expectant, randy wife will do wonders for a man indeed. Yes, Theo does love big meatballs LOL. I'm not rushing Theo and Bas, they are taking their time. Thank you! Thanks for the second review! Yes, Harry is using Franklin M Smith, who Sirius used for small things and who he recommended to Theo. Though Smith did not take care of Sirius' last will, he used a different lawyer for that from the same law firm. To puttyman24: Thank you! I'm relieved to see Ron survived as well and yes, Theo and Sebastian are so cute together!

To Yusraa Ifthikar: You're welcome for not killing Ron. Ron did need to lighten his surroundings a bit. I miss little Harry running to Sirius and Remus for everything too. As to the Elder Wand, more will be answered this chapter. What a beautiful phrase! I love that! I love the long rants! Thank you very much! To Shivani: Wow! You read ASC twice already, thank you! There will be more Theobas yes lol. Thanks for the second review! It's true, getting stabbed in the chest is not cool lol, but Ron and his jokes are! Remus is definitely a proud dad and Zee is just a worried mum trying to make sure her son is all right. Yes, Sirius was there. He is always watching over his son and his wife and his babies. I thought it was time for some Remadora smut and there will be more Remadora soon. Wow! I consider it a high compliment that people are loving Theobas almost as much as Hinny. Thank you! Yes, snogging Bas is definitely not relaxing how he does it lol. Theo loves big balls and nope, no filter. It's part of his charm! Thank you very much! To saucyswimmer: Ron and Harry are growing up and doing all of these adult things and sometimes they need to be reminded they are still kids to their parents who love them. I agree! There's more Remadora coming up soon! Please don't tear Remadora apart? No promises. Thank you! To ghzowy: Thank you! Yes, the final battle! So many plotted plans that I need to connect together lol.

To Fanfictionlover: Thank you for saying this is the best Harry Potter AU ever. I do care about details, which is why this story is so long, but thank you for saying it's what makes it so enjoyable and connects so beautifully. Thanks for loving my OCs too. Thank you very much! To Sam: Thanks for catching up! It's killing me inside that you have 13 chapters waiting to be read of ASC, just so you know! It's true, only Ron would think it's cool lol. Harry definitely wants to marry her and have a family and be insanely happy, they are meant to be! As to Harry understanding when he's a dad, completely — broomstick parent as you say! Tonks' dreams are very naughty indeed! Ginny was scared for her brother and so was Harry, Ron is his brother, his best friend. Bas is a keeper! Thank you! To Steelcode: Thanks for saying Bas and Theo are so adorable! It was nice to give Harry some moments with his parents! To notthatchhavi: Ha, I'm glad everyone agrees that "and I lived? Cool." is the most Ron thing ever lol. Harry and Remus have come a long way, haven't they? I can't wait for Teddy to come either! Theo and Bas are moving closer, yes. Thank you!

To Gigi87: You are too sweet! Your reviews are always so thoughtful and amazing! I did think we needed some much needed Remadora smut! Molly scolding Ron is a bit of how she copes with her panic that she almost lost him, I think. Harry definitely loves being coddled! He's just trying to be strong, men are totally the biggest babies of them all! Harry is definitely more concerned about everyone else than himself. As to Voldemort leaving so fast, that will be answered soon. I loved Remus telling him what qualities he has from his parents. As to Remus surviving… no promises. Zee knows Bellatrix hurt Harry, but not the full extent. He only told Remus and Remus isn't going to betray a confidence, but he did allude to her that Bellatrix did more to hurt him. I can't wait for Remus to have Teddy either! Hinny smut is coming soon! Lots of it! Trust me! I love the way Harry and Ginny just know what the other needs without having to ask. Bas is a total mother hen and a softie lol. Thank you so much!

To EnigmaticEmperor: Aww, thank you! That's what I wanted, I wanted Zee and Harry's relationship to be what Harry would have had with Lily. Hinny and Theobas, don't need to say more lol. All Elder Wand questions will be answered soon. Thank you! To marauders_mowopapr: Voldemort will be back with a vengeance, but not yet. I love showing Bas being protective over Theo while still recognizing how strong and brave Theo is. I love sassy and sarcastic Harry and Remus calling him little Prongs because he was so worried. He is such a dad! As to Rolf and Luna… not anytime soon! Thank you! To Fanfis01: Thank you! To CorbanD17: Thank you very much! I appreciate you wanting to reread all of my Hinny smut lol. I'm honoured you're taking notes from me on how to write! I hope it helps. To AQuickRead91: Ha, Remus just went out for food, I promise he made it home safely to feed his needy wife! You think Kane is jacked up top but average downstairs? Interesting. I don't know if hexing a portrait would make them feel it lol. More like just be annoyed I would think!

To Rij5237: It's posted on the pinned post of my Tumblr, the updated couples as well as the groups of the story, but I will repost here as well in the End Author's notes. Thank you! To shuweet: Thank you very much! To ravenclaw_rockchick: Ha, you don't know what you loved more, the hot and steamy Theobas or that they went to see Titanic, lol. I think both personally! Ron is safe! Remus is going to be such a great dad to Teddy! As for how long… no promises! To BadWolfKris: It is fun to show them movies lol. Thank you! To GryffindorHealer: Thanks again for the help in keeping Ron alive! Thanks for loving Theo and Bas together! Appreciate you taking scrappy8's words. Thank you! To Den: Things are getting back to normal for a bit. Theo would be heartbroken if he asked Hermione for the real story of the Titanic lol. Thank you very much! To TatiRena: LOL. Thank you!

To katelyn453: Thank you! To Joyce Foesenek: Thank you! I love writing Remadora so in love! To Bellmel: Thanks for loving Harry receiving some parental love, he deserves it! Yes, Remus and Zee's love has evolved "beyond that of a parent figure towards a child to this deep respect and admiration for the man he is becoming." Harry definitely wants to marry Ginny and Remus knows it and is so sweet! I'm so glad you loved the Ginny walking in moment, Zee comforting Ginny because she could see how upset the girl was. I did provide a lot of forehead kisses, I love those myself. Theo and Bas are so fucking adorable! I love Bas getting flustered. Yes, they both want more and then a bear Patronus ruins it all LOL. Thank you! To AnaGPotter: Thank you! Ha, the bear Patronus interrupting is expected in my story, haha. I accept that. To bruh99: Thank you for saying Bas is so fucking amazing (I agree). Ron is alive, all is good! Harry is totally Remus' son and I love it! I love Harry's sass so much! Thank you! To Mizfitz22: Yes, everyone is okay. Thanks for loving all of my support and self love in this chapter. Thanks for saying the Theo and Sebastian content is your favourite right now. Sebastian will introduce him to a few more things, I'm sure. I understand what you're saying about James, but I think we didn't get to see enough of him as what we did see was coloured through the eyes of the two men who considered him brothers and the one man who hated him. It's hard to see who he is when he's both on a pedastool and made a bully. Thank you!

My posting schedule: Weekly.

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!

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CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THREE:

The One With the Master of Death

Zee walked into the house on Sunday morning feeling more exhausted than she wanted to admit. She rubbed her tired eyes as she closed the front door behind her and put on a bright smile for her babies when they spotted her and toddled over in delight. She scooped them both up into her arms, kissing their cheeks.

"Hi, babies. Were you good for Grandmama?"

"Ma-ma-ma-ma," Leo said, eating his fingers.

Zee kissed his chubby cheek as Mina babbled in her other ear. She carried them into the living room, putting them down in front of the coffee table where they had been playing with blocks. She gave a half smile for her mother, kissing her cheek before she sat down.

"Thank you."

Sorcha waved her off. "It is an absolute pleasure to spend time with my grandbabies. Thanks is not necessary."

"I love you, Mama."

Sorcha gestured towards her arm. "I love you, too. Want to tell me what happened?"

Zee let out a long breath. "Harry fought him and he ran."

"Harry?"

"No," Zee said, her eyes on her mother. "Voldemort."

Sorcha's eyes widened. "Well, I'll be! That's something, Zahira. That is bloody good news, that's what that is. It's high time that we have some of that going around."

"Yes and no," Zee admitted. "He knows that Harry is… a formidable foe. He knows that he's powerful and… if they — no, when they meet again… one of them isn't going to walk away. I can feel it."

Sorcha squeezed her daughter's hand. "Harry will, mo ghràdh. I know it."

Zee nodded, tears in her eyes. "I want to believe that he will. My heart tells me that he will, but there's a part of me that's absolutely terrified that my heart is wrong. But then I saw him out there yesterday, and Mama, the power coming from him. He not only held his own, but he made the darkest wizard this century has known run. That means something."

"It does," Sorcha agreed. "Your father wouldn't claim he's good if he wasn't. Harry is a powerful young man. And your arm?"

Zee bit her bottom lip. "Bellatrix Lestrange."

Sorcha's eyes darkened. "That B-I-T-C-H is going to pay for her sins, mark my words. What did she do, mo ghràdh?"

Zee placed her hand over her bandaged arm. "She cut me with a cursed blade." At her mother's look, tears welled up in her eyes before she could stop them. "My arm says 'whore.'"

"Oh, baby," Sorcha whispered. She pulled Zee against her breast, a hand carding through Zee's curls. "Does it hurt?"

"A little," Zee admitted. "It will scar."

Sorcha kissed her temple. "It will show that you are a warrior and that no one messes with my girl."

Zee hugged her mother tighter. "She took Hermione, too. She carved 'Mudblood' into her arm. I think it was worse than mine, deeper. She was rushed by the time she got to me. Ron was pushing to get in and… she stabbed him."

"Merlin's beard! Is he all right?"

Zee nodded. "Yes. But it was touch and go. She stabbed him in the chest with the cursed blade and from what I understand, his heart stopped more than once while they were working on him, but they brought him back. Molly and Arthur have been at the hospital with him all night. Harry, Ginny, and Hermione are going today."

"How is Harry dealing with it?" Sorcha asked.

"I think he's okay. He was stubborn about Remus and I being by his bedside all night. He kept insisting that he was fine. He broke his leg and fractured his ribs, but he is all right. Stubborn, but all right."

Sorcha smiled. "I know you sent word that he was last night, but I'm glad to hear it."

Zee moved out of her mother's arms. "He is. Ginny will make sure that he gets some rest as well. She was with him almost the whole time. Remus said that she didn't leave his bedside until almost midnight and she was there again before seven this morning. I don't think she slept well, worried about Ron and about Harry."

"She's an amazing young woman. I sometimes forget that she's only sixteen."

"Me too," Zee admitted. "He told me that he's going to marry her one day and… Mama, I've known it for years and yet when he said it, my heart just stopped. I can't believe it's been seven years since he's been in my life and he is not a little boy anymore. He's a young man and he's planning his future. I want that more than anything. I want to see him plan his future with her; for himself, just to see him plan it makes me happy."

Sorcha passed a block to Mina when the girl brought her two of them. "He will. Now, why don't you go on upstairs and have a nice long hot bath and a nap? I'll wake you before lunch."

Zee rubbed her hand over her face. "Mama, you've been here since yesterday morning, I can't ask you to stay any longer."

"You're not asking, I'm offering," Sorcha said. "Go! Get some rest! I'll have some food for you when you wake up. Go on!"

Zee kissed her mother's cheek. "I love you."

"Go," Sorcha insisted.

Zee smiled and bent to kiss Mina and Leo before she headed upstairs to her bedroom. She turned the wireless on low in the bathroom, smiling when Amy Grant's voice rang out. She undressed and then she slowly unwrapped her arm. Her eyes fell on the bloody and crude cuts that sliced over her forearm from her elbow to her wrist. She traced each letter with her finger, tears welling up in her eyes.

It wasn't the word that bothered her.

It wasn't even the scar. Not really.

Yet she still couldn't stop the tears from slipping down her cheeks.

She stood there a moment, naked and crying until she could barely breathe. When she finally caught her breath, she wiped tears from her lashes and her eyes widened at the sight of Sirius standing behind her in the mirror. Warmth rushed through her and she spun around, only to find herself alone in the bathroom.

When she turned back to the mirror, she swore she could smell him and her lip trembled.

"I love you," she whispered. "Thank you."

Zee let out a slow breath, suddenly comforted at the thought that he was there with her. She turned up the music, and moved to fill up the tub. She didn't know how he did it, but she suddenly felt better. She added a rainbow bath bomb, the smell reminding her of Sirius. She dimmed the lights with her wand and climbed into the hot water, sighing in pleasure, and she just knew that everything was going to be all right.

She leaned her head back against the tub and closed her eyes, finally letting herself relax. The music washed over her and she inhaled the scent of her bath. One day at a time, she told herself. It would all be all right. Just one day at a time.

~ ASC ~

When Madam Pomfrey finally released her from the hospital wing just before breakfast that morning, Hermione was itching to go. Harry and Ginny came to see her as Harry assured her that he was all right, and Ginny filled her in on what Fred had told her concerning Ron. But Hermione wanted to see him for herself.

Harry told her that they would go together after breakfast, but Hermione couldn't wait that long. When Bill showed up at the castle, she held his arm so tightly she knew that she left nail indents, but he didn't say a word. It was just after eight in the morning when she arrived at St Mungo's and her heart was pounding in her chest. Bill took her arm and turned her towards him when they reached his room, stopping her from going inside.

"Hermione, wait a moment."

Hermione shook her head, folding her arms around herself. "I want to see him, Bill. Please."

"You will," Bill said. "I just want a moment. He's all right, I promise." At her small nod, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's going to have to stay here for the rest of the week so that they can monitor him. But he's going to pull through. Okay?"

Hermione nodded. "Okay."

Bill squeezed her shoulder before he pushed open the door to the hospital room. Hermione headed inside and saw Molly and Arthur sitting on either side of him. Ron was sitting up and eating what looked like porridge.

"I'm just saying that a spot of bacon would be great right about now," Ron grumbled. "Or some pancakes or something."

"Ronald, you just had a serious procedure! You need to start off with soft foods," Molly insisted.

"Yeah, but come on, Mum! This is gruel! Can't you at least make me up some of your amazing chicken soup? Please."

He pouted, turning his big baby blues on her and Molly leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"If you eat your porridge without complaint, I'll sneak some in for you later."

Ron's smile widened. "You're the best." He turned at the movement near the door and his eyes widened. "Hermione."

Hermione moved towards him and before she could stop herself, she found herself running. Arthur moved out of the way just in time for her to throw her arms around him and bury her face into his neck. He winced, but his arms came around her slowly; she let out a strangled breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"I'm okay," he whispered, kissing her cheek. "I promise."

"What happened?" she asked, moving to sit on the side of his bed. "Luna didn't know much and I… I don't remember much after Bellatrix and Rodolphus… you saved me."

Ron took her hands in his. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yes. Madam Pomfrey cleared me this morning. I had to stay overnight or I would have been here sooner."

Molly reached over to touch Hermione's arm. "Dear, we know."

Hermione let out a slow breath. "What happened?"

"Ron went in after you," Bill said from where he was standing at the end of Ron's hospital bed. "They had warded the place and we couldn't get in. Ginny called Dobby and the elf took Ron inside before we could stop him. Fleur and I were trying to break down the enchantments and we could hear you… Bellatrix made sure that your screams were magnified. Dobby took you out and we saved Zee as well, but Bellatrix was pissed and she stabbed Ron before she took off."

Hermione's lip trembled. "I can't believe that you were stabbed."

Ron took her hand and placed it over his chest where the bandage sat. "I'm going to have another scar."

"How bad was it?" Hermione asked.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Ron's procedures went well, but there were some complications."

"Complications?" Hermione asked, her eyes wide. "What kind of complications?"

Arthur explained what had happened and when he got to the part where Ron's heart stopped, tears spilled down Hermione's cheeks.

"'Mione," Ron said, pulling her back into his arms. "I'm all right. Look, I'm even better looking than ever."

"You're an arse, Ronald Weasley."

He tossed her a crooked grin. "No, I have the best arse, but I can see why you'd get confused."

She stifled a laugh and he grinned.

"See, I made you smile." When she only gave him a look, he kissed her fingers. "I'm all right. I swear. Tell her, Dad."

"They removed part of his lung," Arthur continued. "But he's healing well. The healers are really pleased with his progress. Everything is healing well on it's own and they just want to monitor him for a few days to make sure that it continues to do so."

Hermione nodded, her eyes moving to the bandages on his chest. "Are you sure that you're all right?"

"Yes," Ron said. He touched the bandage on her arm. "And this?"

Hermione pulled her arm away from him. "I'll have it forever."

Molly reached out to touch Hermione's hand. "Hermione, you are an amazing young woman. I'm so sorry that she hurt you."

Hermione's bottom lip trembled. "She wrote 'Mudblood.' The blade was cursed."

Molly's eyes darkened. "That horrible bitch."

"Mum!" Ron exclaimed. "Do you kiss Dad with that mouth?"

"She is," Molly insisted. "A horrible, wicked woman who deserves nothing but awful things."

"I can't believe Mum just called someone a bitch," Ron said. "Bill, did you hear that?"

Bill chuckled. "I did. We can remind her next time we swear in front of her."

"You boys will learn to watch your language. I didn't raise hooligans," Molly exclaimed.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mum."

Hermione squeezed Ron's hand. "Harry and Ginny are coming to see you soon as well."

"Good," Ron said. "Harry and I can talk scars."

Bill shook his head. "Nice to know your sense of humour is intact."

"Hey, got to keep smiling," Ron said. "Thanks for bringing Hermione here."

Bill nodded. "Sure. And for the record, Ron. I don't want you bleeding out all over me again, clear?"

Ron's eyes met his and the love and worry he saw in his brother's gaze made him nod. "Clear."

Bill dragged a hand through his hair. "I have to get home. Mum, Dad, if you need anything Fleur and I will be home all day, all right?"

Arthur pulled his son into his arms for a tight hug. "You've done enough. Go home to your wife and get some rest. We love you."

"Love you, too," Bill said, moving to hug his mother.

He moved over to the bed and bent down to hug Ron. His lips brushed his ear as he spoke, but Hermione could still hear the soft whisper.

"And don't ever scare me like that again. I'm much too young to be having a heart attack yet."

"I'll do my best," Ron assured him.

Bill nodded and then kissed Ron's forehead. "I'll be back later tonight."

Hermione shifted on the bed, her eyes on Ron as he watched his parents say goodbye to his eldest brother. She shifted his tray in front of him and he rolled his eyes, but turned back to his porridge without much enthusiasm. The sight of him eating and smiling and making jokes took a huge weight off of her chest, but Hermione couldn't help but think how close she had been to losing him.

The cuts on her arm tingled and she placed a hand over the bandage. She was going to be all right and Ron was going to be all right. They were both okay and right now, nothing else mattered.

~ ASC ~

After arriving at St Mungo's and talking to Ron and his parents, Harry felt much better. Molly and Arthur had gone home to shower and change and Ginny had urged Hermione down to the tea room to eat something, leaving Harry alone with Ron. Once the door closed behind them, Ron spoke up.

"For the record, I know that my new scars are way cooler than some lame lightning bolt."

Harry snorted. "Seriously? Ron, you were stabbed in the bloody chest."

"And I live!" Ron said dramatically. He brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Nah, I know."

Harry stared at him. "Mate, it's okay to be, you know, upset or whatever. I would be. I've… been close to death enough times myself. I know how… surreal it feels."

"I reckon really knowing you died is something though, right?"

Harry nodded. "It plays havoc with you a bit."

"I saw my uncles," Ron admitted, his eyes meeting Harry's. "I talked to them like I'm talking to you right now and it just… they were both killed before my second birthday. It's surreal."

"But nice," Harry said. "Getting to meet my mum and dad and Nan and Pop was just… it's hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it. Sometimes I wonder if it really happened or if it was just a dream."

"Pretty real dream," Ron said, tracing the scars on his arms. "I saw him, too. Mick. The Muggle who's brains…"

Harry's eyebrow rose. "Yeah?"

"He said that we're soldiers and some other stuff. He apologized for his brain doing this and… I don't know."

Harry nodded. "What happened exactly? Ginny only knew pieces."

"Bellatrix took Hermione," Ron said. "And Zee, though that part was unclear to me. Then she put some stupid dark warding up that magnified Hermione's screams and… I couldn't get in. She fucking carved up her arm with that disgusting word. She cut her to the fucking bone and broke two of her ribs. By the time I got to her, she was half passed out and Bellatrix was working on Zee. They had them chained up. Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, working together and fucking laughing like they were having fun. Then Bill and Fleur broke through the warding and she just threw the blade at me. It all happened so fast. I couldn't even react before it was… over."

Harry stared at him. "Bill and Neville thought that you were dead."

"I almost was," Ron said. "The healer said that the only reason I even survived was because of some dumb fluke that involved the rounded part of the blade hitting me in just the right way. If it had shifted even a little or if any of the jagged and serrated edge had been closer to the tip… I'd be dead."

"Don't."

"Don't what?" Ron asked.

"Don't fucking die," Harry said, his voice breaking slightly on the last word. "We've been through too much together, mate, and I… I won't be able to deal with Hermione on my own."

Ron snorted. "Don't worry, mate, if I do croak, I'll make sure I haunt your arse. Show up just in time for you and Ginny to snog or something. Make sure I'm interrupting constantly."

Harry gave a small laugh. "That would involve me getting an exorcism and it would be a whole thing."

Ron grinned. "I've heard rock salt works."

"Perfect," Harry said. "I'll keep some in stock."

Ron put his hand on Harry's arm. "I'm sticking around. Promise. Same goes for you, you git." At Harry's nod, Ron squeezed his arm. "So, how was it? Fighting him and all that?"

Harry bit his bottom lip. "He ran from me."

"What?"

"He ran from me. Voldemort. And he left the Elder Wand behind."

"Bloody hell," Ron said. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted, dragging his fingers through his hair and making it stand up even more than usual. "But when I was fighting him it was like… I don't know. I wasn't scared. I just kept thinking I needed to keep him distracted, that it wasn't time for anything else."

"Like Avada Kedavra-ing his arse," Ron muttered.

"For starters," Harry said. "Until we see that bloody snake, that can't even be an option."

"But he left Dumbledore's wand behind," Ron said. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know," Harry repeated. "But I sure as hell plan on dragging some answers from Dumbledore's portrait."

Ron frowned, scratching his chin. "I heard that his portrait's been dormant since he died. Didn't you say McGonagall mentioned that?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "But it's time he shows up and I'm not leaving her office until he does."

Ron nodded. "Good luck with that. Dumbledore's always been a cryptic man. He never did give straight answers. How do you know he can even help you?"

"I don't. But no one else knows the power of the Elder Wand like he does. He had it for like what, sixty years?"

"Or so," Ron said. "But if Voldemort left it behind, does that mean that he's going back to his old wand? The one that doesn't work against yours?"

"I don't know," Harry said again. "I just know that yesterday was the beginning of the end. I can feel it, Ron. I don't know when and I don't know how, but the next time I face him… it's going to be over."

Ron's hand grabbed his arm. "For him."

Harry's eyes met his and he swallowed. "Well, that's certainly the hope."

"No, it's the bloody plan," Ron corrected. "I'm not dealing with you being some shitty-arse ghost. And I sure as hell am not dealing with my sister if you don't come out on top. She'll bring you back and kill you herself and then she'll kill me for letting you do something so stupid."

Harry snorted. "Right, don't die. Noted."

Ron's hand clasped his. "Look, I know you're jealous because I'm getting all these new sexy-arse scars and I have this perfect arse and killer blue eyes, but you just have to admit it, Harry."

"Admit what, exactly?" Harry asked, giving his friend an amused look.

"That you might have a bigger cock, but I'm the sexier one overall."

Harry's lips twitched. "I admit it, you're sexy as hell, Ron, but we both know that Goldstein's better looking."

"Take that back!" Ron roared, dropping Harry's hand. "Take it back right now!"

"Can't," Harry said. "You were only fourth place in the lineup and it's time you admit it to yourself."

Ron placed a hand over his heart. "I need a healer. My best mate has just caused my heart to stop. You've killed me."

Harry grinned. "Just get yourself healed up and back to school, you bloody git. I'm sure once everyone hears of your heroics, no one will even think about Goldstein. Besides, the sooner you get back, the sooner you can find out who wrote the article."

Ron's eyes narrowed. "Did Ginny find something? What do you know?"

Harry shrugged. "She hinted that she might have."

Ron grinned widely. "I can't wait to find the witch responsible and tell her all the reasons why she's wrong."

"Ron?"

"Yeah?" Ron asked, still rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"You're a bloody moron."

Ron shrugged. "Takes one to know one." At Harry's grin, Ron grabbed his hand again. "And I love you, too."

Harry leaned in to hug his friend just as Ginny and Hermione came back into the room and Harry thought Ron was right. They were going to be okay and when it came time for Harry to face Voldemort again, he needed to make a choice. A real choice. It was going to be down to him or Voldemort and the Killing Curse was something he needed to seriously consider. It wasn't just about defeating him, it was about ridding the world of an evil wizard who refused to be beaten.

Harry was still thinking about that when the three of them returned to Hogwarts. They walked Hermione back to the Head dormitory and helped her settle. She was tired from the long day and told them that she would be all right. They stayed to eat dinner with her in her dorm, none of them feeling up to going down to the Great Hall. Hermione was yawning by the time they were done eating and planned to take a shower and go to bed. They both hugged her goodbye and then headed to Gryffindor tower together, hand in hand. Harry didn't even have to say anything as Ginny followed him up to his dorm.

A quick conversation with Seamus, Dean, and Neville revealed how they were faring and Neville told them that Theo had gone off to spend the day with Sebastian. Ginny sat on Harry's bed as Neville hurried off to find Hannah and Dean and Seamus headed downstairs to the common room.

"Are you going to talk to me?" Ginny asked, moving up his bed to lean against the headboard.

"Hmm?" Harry said.

Ginny patted the blankets and Harry moved to stretch out on the four poster next to her. He rested his head over her soft breasts and sighed in contentment when her hands began to gently stroke his hair.

"The last twenty-four hours have been rough," Ginny said.

"Yeah," Harry whispered, holding her waist. "I'm just glad it's over. I'm glad Theo's out with Sebastian and Neville's with Hannah and Dean and Seamus are still themselves… we all need that."

"A little normalcy?"

"Exactly," Harry said, his fingertips slipping under her jumper to stroke the skin at her hip. "We all need to get back to normal."

"Easier said than done," Ginny said.

"But not doing it is letting him win," Harry said. "Showing him that we can move on and be happy is… it's all that we've got right now."

Ginny nodded. "You're right. How are you feeling?"

"Tired," he admitted. "A little stiff and bruised, but everything is healed."

"You'll still be a bit tender for a few days."

"I know," he said. "And another scar or two."

Ginny urged him to pull off his jumper and tee shirt before she gently touched his wrist where the burn was. It zig-zagged almost like a jagged line encircling the inside of his wrist.

"Do your ribs hurt?" she asked, eyeing the purple and yellowish look to his chest.

"Not really," he said. "I'm just a little stiff and bruised. Only two more little scars. Ankle and leg are fully healed, no scars there."

Ginny traced her finger down his cheek, avoiding the bruised cut there that was definitely going to scar just under his eye and halfway down his cheek. "You don't know how lucky you are to only make out with so little."

Harry took her hand in his. "Yes, I do." He kissed her palm. "I'm going to make Dumbledore talk to me tomorrow and I'm going to demand some answers."

"About the Elder Wand?"

He nodded. "For starters."

Ginny cradled his head against her breast again, her fingers in his hair. "It is strange, isn't it? That he left it behind?"

"That he let me disarm him," Harry said. "That's what worries me."

"Harry, I don't think he did."

Harry turned his head to look up at her. "What?"

"I don't think he let you."

Harry frowned. "What? You think that I actually just caught him off guard and disarmed Voldemort? Gin, he's the most powerful wizard alive."

"No," Ginny said. "He's not. The wand cracked, Harry. He lost control of it. You had the upper hand in that moment. That's why he ran. That's why he abandoned the village."

Harry snuggled his face more comfortably into her breasts. "Maybe," he admitted. "Uncle Remus says that he ran scared."

"He did. You're powerful, Harry. You will beat him."

"Kill him," Harry whispered.

Ginny's finger slipped down his forehead to trace the lightning bolt through his eyebrow. "If necessary, yes."

"It has to be necessary," Harry said. "He's not going to back down and yet every time I imagine performing the killing curse or… I don't want to be a murderer."

She continued to gently trace the lightning bolt scar. "No one would ever think that of you. You know that. It's going to come down to a you and him sort of scenario and in that moment, it's as much about defending yourself as anything. And performing an Unforgivable is… you might not have to."

He knew that. He knew that she was right about all of it. It wasn't going to take an Unforgivable Curse to kill him. There were lots of ways Voldemort could be killed once the snake was out of the picture, but it was still something that he needed to think about.

"I know," Harry said. "That's why I need to talk to Dumbledore. I need to figure out everything. I need to figure out what it means. Why the wand cracked and… more about the Elder Wand in general."

Ginny kissed the top of his head. "And you will. What are you going to do if he's still not in his portrait, Harry?"

Harry took his glasses off and pulled the blankets up over both of them. "I'll wait."

~ ASC ~

Harry went to Potions the next morning, but his mind was already somewhere else. When the charm went off signalling it was lunch time, he found himself marching over to Professor Slughorn and telling him that he wouldn't be in class that afternoon. He headed up to Remus' office and caught his father just as he was heading down to the Great Hall.

"Harry," Remus said, putting an arm over his shoulders. "How are the ribs this morning? The leg?"

"All healed," Harry assured him. "A few bruises and scrapes, but all healed."

"Good," Remus said. "Walk with me down to lunch?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I need to head to headquarters."

Remus' eyebrow rose. "What?"

"I already spoke to Professor Slughorn and I told him that I would be absent for the afternoon. I need to know more about the wand and I need to talk to Dumbledore."

Remus stopped walking, tugging on Harry's shoulder so that he faced him. "Minerva said that Dumbledore's portrait has remained dormant, Harry. His eyes haven't opened."

"He will," Harry said. "But first I need to refresh myself with what we do know and you and Uncle Sirius left everything on the walls of the study."

Remus stared at him a moment before he nodded. "All right. Go, but take someone with you. A fresh set of eyes might help."

Harry nodded and hugged his father before he hurried down to the Great Hall. He caught sight of Hermione sitting next to Neville and he slid onto the bench next to them.

"Hi, Harry," Neville said. "How are you feeling today?"

"Good," Harry said. "Bruised, but good. You and Hannah still all right?"

"Never better," Neville assured him. "Hermione was just saying she's a bit sore, but feels better herself."

"I'm going back to St Mungo's after class this afternoon to see Ron," Hermione said. "He's already itching to get out of the hospital."

"I don't doubt it," Harry said. "But you might be a bit late." At Hermione's frown, he leaned in closer to her. "I need you and Neville to come with me to Grimmauld Place."

Hermione's eyebrow rose. "Why?"

"I'll explain when we get there," Harry said.

"Now?" Neville asked when Harry stood up.

Harry only took off and left Neville and Hermione scrambling after him. He caught sight of Ginny and Theo by the Slytherin table and when his eyes met hers, she gave him a small smile. One of the things he loved most about her was that she always understood him.

Harry led them to Remus' office before he used the Floo to get to Grimmauld Place, Neville and Hermione coming out of the fireplace after him. Kreacher appeared in the kitchen a moment later, his eyes wide.

"Master Harry," he said, bowing his head.

"Hello, Kreacher," Harry said. "We have some work to take care of in the study."

"Kreacher will whip up lunch while you work."

Harry thanked him before he led his friends up the stairs out of the kitchen and down the hall to the study. He used his wand to get through the blood wards and unlocked the door. The sight of the large study with the huge chalkboard wall with folded compartments on one side made him miss Sirius so suddenly that he found himself swallowing down tears. Neville closed the door behind them as Harry moved to the wall, waving his wand to open the folding sections and make the timeline appear that the Order had started so many years ago.

"What is all of this?" Neville asked.

"When Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus started Operation FUVP, one of the first things they did was establish a timeline of Voldemort's life," Harry began. "It outlined where he was and what he did to become the darkest wizard to ever have lived. Part of that timeline was establishing how and when he created Horcruxes and it brought up the history of the fabled Deathly Hallows. It was where Dumbledore told us that he had spent a good portion of his young life searching for them. My dad's Invisibility Cloak has been around for centuries and no matter how well made those cloaks are, none have ever lasted that long. As an ancestor of the Peverells, we established that it was originally Death's cloak like in the story."

Hermione nodded. "And the ring where Voldemort placed a Horcrux was the fabled Resurrection Stone."

"Which makes Dumbledore's wand the final puzzle piece," Neville concluded, taking a seat in one of the armchairs.

"Exactly," Harry said. "Dumbledore took it from Grindelwald in their epic battle. He defeated him and became the master of the wand and has held it ever since." He waved his wand over the wall of information, more boards unfolding to show the timeline of the wand itself.

Hermione moved closer to the board. "If that story is true, it was Antioch, the oldest brother, who wanted the most powerful wand in existence. Death weaved him one from the wood of an elder tree."

"That's interesting right there," Neville interrupted. "Elder wood is rarely ever used in wand making. It's considered unlucky."

Harry looked over at his friend as he took a seat on the large desk. "What do you mean?"

Neville shrugged. "Just that it's reputed to be deeply unlucky. Elder trees, or the Sambucus Niger, are beautiful and yet deadly. They're beautiful to look at. They have healing properties and for centuries they've been used in protection charms, yet the berries they produce are also poisonous. It constantly contradicts itself: Kindly and beneficent on the one hand, spiteful and malevolent on the other. It was once believed that if you burned an elder tree, you would be cursed. If you touched the tree after dark, it was bad luck, and if any food was cooked over an elder-wood fire, it wouldn't be safe to eat it. Despite all of this, elder wood has always been considered to be one of the most powerful woods in the world. The rarity of owning a wand made out of elder just proves that."

Hermione was still staring at the chalkboard as she spoke. "Neville's right. It's why the legend claims that mastering the elder wand is tricky. If this timeline is accurate, Dumbledore mastered it longer than any other wizard before him."

"Exactly," Harry said. "And in all this time, the wand has never broken or cracked before now…"

Harry pulled the wand from his pocket, showing them the splintered wood down the centre of the wand making the bone-like structure look haunted somehow.

Hermione frowned, turning back to the board. "Someone who can master the power of a wand like this requires remarkable strength."

"Wand of elder, never prosper," Neville said. "It's an old saying my Gran always said. It's an old superstition that anyone who attempts magic with elder wood is playing with fire and set apart from others. To hold the power of it means you're often marked for some sort of destiny or purpose in life."

"That fits with the lore," Hermione agreed. "Even just to look at Dumbledore, he has done some truly amazing things in his life, but defeating Grindelwald and taking the wand from him is only one of them. Look at the changes he's helped make, the school he ran, the things he's done… I would count all of that as an important destiny or purpose."

Harry nodded. "Not all of them can say the same."

Hermione pulled a scrunchie from her wrist and attempted to pull back her bushy curls. "Well, going back to the power of the elder wood; the fact that a Thestral hair was chosen as the core adds to the mystery of the wand being created by Death. With all of the darkness that surrounds Thestrals and the fear of them due to people only being able to see them once they've seen death, it creates a power vacuum to the wand's basic ingredients. Another contradiction."

"Both kind and spiteful," Neville repeated.

"Exactly," Hermione said. "Which is why Antioch bragging about having this amazing wand caused his beneficent behaviour to become malevolent as you said. They contradicted each other and in turn, the power of the wand forced him to keep duelling to prove his worth as much as the wand's."

"Which is why no one has been able to keep the wand for long," Neville said.

"People are drawn to it and therefore death follows it," Harry agreed. "It's why it's been called the Death Stick or the Wand of Destiny over the years. When Antioch was killed, it was Emeric the Evil who is known to have possessed it next."

Hermione traced the timeline with her wand, making dates brighten before them. "Thirteenth century is where it all begins. The world was full of knights and duels, Crusades and religious wars. Empires were building and Marco Polo was travelling the world. The International Warlock Convention of 1289 was held and the Medieval Assembly of European Wizards began to discuss the growing problems in the Muggle world. Emeric the Evil terrorized Southern England for almost a decade both before and after he killed Antioch Peverell and claimed the Elder wand for himself."

Harry looked at the timeline, focusing on the dates as Hermione highlighted them.

1209: Antioch Peverell is born.

1212: Cadmus Peverell is born.

1214: Ignotus Peverell is born.

1232: Ignotus Peverell marries Elaina Malfoy.

1234: Son of Ignotus and Elaina, Godric Peverell is born.

1239: The Peverells meet Death on a Bridge and he grants them each a gift.

1240: Antioch Peverell is killed by Emeric the Evil.

1240-1244: Egbert the Egregious is killed and the Elder Wand vanishes.

1260: Godric Peverell marries Ursula Nott.

1262: Iolanthe Peverell is born.

1278: Iolanthe Peverell marries Hardwin Potter.

1292: Ignotus Peverell greets Death like an old friend.

1322: Godelot known to have the Elder Wand.

"He didn't have it long," Harry said. "Egbert the Egregious slaughtered him in a pretty intense duel where he then became the dark wizard people feared. But not for long. Someone took it from him quickly."

"Who?"

"No one knows," Harry told her. "But Dumbledore believed that Egbert didn't possess it very long. History paints him as short-tempered and quick to anger. He came up as quickly as he disappeared and was around a handful of years before he was killed. The Elder Wand wasn't seen again until the beginning of the fourteenth century with Godelot."

"Godelot," Hermione said, highlighting his name. "Author of Magick Moste Evile. It's one of the most well known books on dark magic and said to contain some of the most awful things ever known. It even mentions Horcruxes."

"Yeah, but he mentions his refusal to discuss them," Harry said. "Despite his love of dark magic, he quotes: 'Horcruxes, the darkest curse to ever grace our world, involves the division of the human soul. A thing even I will not dare touch or wish upon anyone to delve deeper into its horrors.'"

Neville snorted. "When even dark wizards are worried about Horcruxes… makes you really know it's bad news."

Names and dates continued to highlight in bright gold, rising from the chalkboard as Hermione spoke.

1386: Hereward, son of Godelot, possesses Elder Wand.

"It is believed that Hereward, the son of Godelot, took charge of the Elder Wand. It's interesting that he never fought his father for it. He merely locked him in a cellar and let him die before taking the wand."

"Is that significant?" Neville asked.

"It is interesting," Harry said. "A wand's power is derived from how it chooses its master, right? If we all have our own unique wand that answers to us and works best with our magic, what happens to a wand when their owner dies but never lost power of the wand to begin with?"

"I would imagine it would once more fall dormant until the right witch or wizard came along for it to choose," Hermione said. "It's why used wands are tricky. If the owner has passed, the wand can be taken as new and ready to find a new owner, but if the owner is alive, the wand will always be in the middle, waiting for the old and new owner to give it an order."

"But winning a wand's allegiance means you've done just that," Harry said. "If I disarm you, I hold power over your wand. Yes, it will still work for you and it will still be the wand made for you, but if you were to fight me, your wand wouldn't be as powerful as it could be because it considers me just as much a part of your magic."

Hermione frowned. "I wouldn't say part of your magic, but it would hinder the wand's abilities to a great extent unless I won it back. Disarming is powerful, but it also depends on the level of disarmament. Learning to disarm and having a playful duel, the wand isn't going to lose it's allegiance to the one who owns it, but if you've been in an intense duel where your magic has been put to the test, disarming your opponent would greatly alter the allegiance of the wand."

Neville scratched his head. "So, if I disarmed you right now, your wand wouldn't give over to me?"

"No, it would," Hermione agreed. "You would have taken it fair and square, but if it worked that easily, wand allegiance would be almost impossible to make sense of. I think that for a wand to truly no longer work for the witch or wizard it chose, it must have to happen in a huge outflow of magical ability. Not in any other context. Murdering your opponent would give you the power and ownership of their wand of course or duelling them intensely enough to feel the drain of your own magic — an epic battle of some kind like that of which Dumbledore and Grindelwald fought in. When Dumbledore disarmed him, he knew that he'd lost. The battle was done and it wasn't just because he was disarmed, it was about the power of the moment."

Harry chewed on his bottom lip. "And we don't know how Voldemort acquired Dumbledore's wand. We don't know if he won it from him or simply took it once Dumbledore was kidnapped, which explains why he had trouble controlling the wand."

"And it most likely means he was not in fact the true owner of the wand. Someone else owns the power over it."

"But not me," Harry said.

"I don't know, Harry," Hermione admitted. "Technically you did win it on Saturday. It not only came to you, but it splintered and cracked in Voldemort's hands. That's a huge show of power that came from you and magic like that means something, but on the other hand, if he was not in fact the true owner of the wand, neither are you."

Harry dragged his fingers through his hair. "I don't want to control it anyway. I want to know why it cracked. I want to know how a wand that has survived for centuries and passed hands from dark wizards to dark wizards to Albus Bloody Dumbledore, cracked when I disarmed Voldemort."

"I don't have that answer," Hermione said.

Harry nodded, his fingers tapping absently on the desk. "There's almost three hundred years where no one knows who passed the Elder Wand around. Hereward didn't brag about owning it. He wasn't a dark wizard by history's standards and locking his father up really was for the safety of others. Once Godelot died, Hereward barely made a blip in history. We assume someone killed him for the wand, but no one knows who. His death is recorded at the beginning of the fifteenth century and the Elder Wand isn't mentioned again anywhere until Barnabas Deverill has it at the beginning of the eighteenth century."

1403: Hereward dies and the Elder Wand vanishes.

1709: Barnabas Deverill is in possession of the Elder Wand.

1713: Loxias kills Deverill and takes possession of the Elder Wand and renames it the Death Stick.

"He was a warlock feared by everyone. He was rumoured to take sport in murdering people, carving them up and torturing them in unimaginable ways," Hermione said. "Loxias was credited in his murder. There was even some talk that Loxias had been a student of Deverill, that he learned the dark arts from him before he decided the student had become the master and claimed that he could only succeed by vanquishing his enemies. His duel with Deverill was said to have taken days and when he killed him, he did it slowly."

"He was insane," Harry said. "Everyone wanted him dead. He became paranoid that someone would learn that he possessed the Elder Wand and is known to have renamed the wand the Death Stick because he used it so aggressively in murdering people. By the time people discovered that he was the one behind Deverill's murder, he was already actively killing people left and right with his Death Stick and people had made the connection as to why his wand was so evil. No one knows who actually killed him as it was a Spartacus sort of revelation."

Neville snorted. "Everyone wanted to take credit for it."

"Exactly. Even his own mother claimed to have killed him. But whoever did him in, the wand fell into the hands of two wizards named Arcus and Livius. They may have even shared it before it once again vanished."

1717: Loxias is murdered. Arcus and Livius in possession of the Elder Wand.

1896: Mykew Gregorovitch finds the Elder Wand.

Hermione put her hands on her hips. "What's interesting is that in all this time, it never left Britain. Every wizard who owned it was within the United Kingdom until Gregorovitch."

"Yes, but he sold wands all over the world," Neville said. "My Gran said that he competed with the Ollivanders' by opening a wand shop in London, but his most famous establishment was actually on the eastern German border."

"Yes, Gregorovitch Zauberstäbe," Hermione said. "It was right on the coast of the Baltic Sea, right on the border between what was considered East Prussia and Russia at the time. Mykew Gregorovitch was one of the most well known wand makers in the world. Outside of Ollivander, he sold more wands to European witches and wizards than anyone else. He's the first wizard known to have taken an interest in the wand purely for academic reasons. He wanted to figure out how to duplicate the wand's powers and is said to have made copious amounts of notes on the properties of elder wood."

"He did attempt to duplicate it," Harry said. "Dante Dragomir studied his work."

Kreacher came in with a tray of toasted ham and cheese sandwiches and bowls of thick potato soup, the smell making Harry's stomach growl. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. "Lunch is served."

"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry said as the elf placed the tray down on the table by the wall.

The elf bowed and told them to call if they needed anything else before closing the door to the study behind them.

The three of them moved to help themselves to a sandwich and a bowl of soup as Hermione made to pour the tea that Kreacher had brought along with it. Neville reached for the pitcher of cold milk instead and poured himself a glass as he spoke.

"Dragomir was that bloke who Voldemort killed, right? The one who studied the dark arts?"

"Yeah," Harry said, dipping his sandwich into his soup. "He was a friend of Althea's and a teacher at Durmstrang. Thea sent over his notes along with birthday presents for Mina and Leo just after the holiday. Zee sent them to me, but I didn't see anything I thought was overly useful. It's all academic. He was interested in the history and the study of dark magic and how it came to be considered dark versus light. His thesis discusses how light magic can be used for dark purposes and how dark magic can be used for light purposes when necessary and how he believed that distinguishing the two is what caused so much fear of one over the other. His notes go back over centuries of history."

Hermione opened the chest that Harry pointed to, taking out books of notes and flipping through them. "He goes all the way back to Gilgamesh and the rumours of his immortality… he was incredibly thorough."

"Very," Harry said. "From what Zee said, his niece plans to publish the book he was working on, but it's his notes that attracted Voldemort's attention. His study of the past is what gave Voldemort the idea that he could take Dumbledore's power from him."

"He did," Hermione said. "Isn't that what Dumbledore said?"

"Yes and I could feel it when I fought him," Harry admitted. "But it was unwieldy. He had control over it, but I could feel the lack of control at the same time. He can't hold onto that much power indefinitely and it's going to weaken him the more he uses it. We've already established that."

"Weaken what he took, most certainly," Hermione agreed. "But Voldemort is an extremely powerful wizard in his own right, Harry, and it won't diminish his own power by any means."

Neville ate a spoonful of soup. "Did Dragomir talk about Gregorovitch's work?"

"A little," Harry said. "He spoke about Gregorovitch's desire to duplicate the powers of the Elder Wand, to study the use of the wood. Apparently he made over thirty attempts and each one was more volatile than the last. The wood was perfect to carve, but every time he tried to work a core into the centre, it would backfire. He even attempted a Thestral hair, but it didn't work. He said that the wand seemed to have been made by the gods and no mere mortal could ever duplicate its power. It's part of why word got out that he possessed it."

"He never duelled with it," Hermione said. "There's no record of him challenging anyone."

"No. He studied it and nothing more. Grindelwald broke into his shop and stole it sometime at the turn of the century. Dumbledore believes it was around the First World War that Grindelwald took hold of it." Harry said, using his own wand to add more dates to the timeline in front of them.

1914-1917: Gellert Grindelwald steals the Elder Wand from Gregorovitch.

1945: Dumbledore defeats Grindelwald in a duel and takes the Elder Wand.

30 June 1997: Dumbledore is kidnapped and the Elder Wand goes missing.

July 1997: Dumbledore is killed, Voldemort has possession of the Elder Wand.

31 January 1998: Harry Potter gains the Elder Wand and it cracks.

"What are you going to do with Dragomir's notes?" Hermione asked.

"Tonks was going to turn them over to the MIA. She says that K and his team will make better use of them and maybe one of their research teams will be able to better understand how Voldemort took Dumbledore's power to begin with," Harry admitted. "These are copies of what we felt might pertain to Voldemort directly. The stuff about Gregorovitch made us wonder about the Elder Wand. She and Uncle Remus went through most of it with Papa over the holiday."

"So, what happened when Grindelwald took the wand?" Neville asked. "Did everyone know he possessed it?"

"I don't think so," Harry said. "From what I understood from Dumbledore, he only knew because he and Grindelwald had talked about owning the Hallows. Their desire to possess the three and become the Master of Death."

Neville frowned. "You possess all three."

"I don't think it really means anything," Harry said. "Like Uncle Sirius said, it doesn't matter how powerful the wand is that we wield, if we ourselves don't possess the power to properly wield it. Dumbledore himself said that he's done extraordinary things with the Elder Wand, but it doesn't necessarily mean it was because of the wand and not because of the wizard as he did extraordinary things before the Elder Wand as well. I mean, he didn't have the Elder Wand when he defeated Grindelwald, he won it in the fight. There's a difference. And as to other Hallows, the Invisibility Cloak is brilliant and I love having that. It's useful. But the Resurrection Stone… what would owning that really give you?"

"A chance to speak to the dead?" Hermione suggested. "To learn something from the past?"

Harry chewed his sandwich thoughtfully. "When Uncle Sirius touched it, he saw my dad and it scared him. Not to see my dad, but… what it meant. Possessing power like that isn't a wise choice. It's like the Mirror of Erised. When Dumbledore found me looking into it every night he told me that men have wasted away in front of it. That they forgot to live, clinging to what they could see in it. 'It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.' That's what he told me and he's right. Being able to resurrect the dead in a capacity that makes them neither dead nor alive is a dream. Isn't it?"

Hermione looked pensive. "Yes, but if you were to use it properly, to… use it to your advantage or to make a discovery of the past… it could be quite useful."

Harry thought that she might have a point about that, but he still wasn't sure.

"What are you going to do with them?" Neville asked, bringing Harry out of his thoughts. "The broken objects that once contained Horcruxes?"

Harry licked his lips. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. It would be nice to have them, I suppose, as proof that I found them all."

"What, like toss them at Voldemort and yell 'Neener neener neener?' That would go over well," Neville teased.

Harry grinned. "Or something, sure."

Hermione was staring at the Sword of Gryffindor that was mounted over the wall behind the desk. "You should take that with you."

"The sword?"

Hermione nodded. "When we do find Nagini, you're going to need it, Harry. Nothing else will both kill her and the Horcrux within. Having it nearby will be useful."

He nodded as he finished up his lunch, his eyes on the timeline of the Elder Wand. Yes, it would be useful and only one more thing for him to consider. He had a lot of things he wanted to talk to Dumbledore about. It was time for him to confront the portrait.

~ ASC ~

The last thing that Theo expected to get that evening was post. He took his lunch with Ginny, both of them talking about how Ron was doing and what had happened on the weekend. When he saw Harry leaving with Neville and Hermione, he'd nudged her. Ginny had simply said that Harry wanted to talk to Dumbledore's portrait and that he had some things to work out first.

Theo didn't have to ask anything else. Talking to Hermione Granger would definitely help anyone make sense of a lot of things. She wasn't just the brightest witch of her age for any reason.

"Did Harry say anything more about it? I mean, he fought him," Theo whispered.

Ginny pursed her lips. "He's alive, Theo. Nothing else really matters."

Theo admired her for that.

"How did it go yesterday?"

Theo's face broke out into a huge grin, unable to stop himself. "Great. We had breakfast and he took me to a Muggle film. It was brilliant and beautiful and fun. He didn't… Ginny, he treats me like an equal."

Ginny lifted an eyebrow. "Well, he better."

"No," Theo said quickly. "That's not what I meant, I mean… Finn was always making sure I was all right and double and triple checking that I was safe when something happened. Sebastian didn't even blink an eye at the idea that I fought in Hogsmeade. He just wanted to make sure that I was resting and not hurt and just generally taking care of my well being. I mean, of course he wished I didn't fight, but he didn't make me feel like I couldn't take care of myself."

Ginny's eyes softened. "Of course not. Finn knew that, too."

"He did," Theo agreed. "He's the one who taught me how to fight with the sword, but at the same time, he never wanted me to actually fight. I don't know. I keep comparing them and I shouldn't."

"No," Ginny agreed. "But I think it's natural. Finn was your only real other experience with being someone and he was very different from Sebastian. What else did you do yesterday?"

"We snogged a lot," Theo said. "It was why he dragged me to a movie because my ribs were tender and he was worried he'd hurt me."

"Must have been some kisses," Ginny teased.

"They were," Theo said. "I've never loved snogging so much in my life. I mean, I've always enjoyed a good make out session, who doesn't? But it was always about getting to the next step and with Bas, it's like… Ginny, I could kiss him for days and never tire of it. Don't get me wrong, I want to move further than just kissing, but kissing him is just… amazing. I've never just snogged anyone like this before. We spend hours just kissing and it's brilliant. It's absolutely brilliant. And then yesterday I asked him if he made us go to the film because he was worried the snogging would grow to more and he said yes."

"Worried?" Ginny asked.

Theo nodded. "He said that he doesn't want it to be rushed and that he wants more."

"Wants more?"

Theo bit hit lips, his eyes twinkling. "More than just stolen moments. When I see him for lunch on Friday we're going to talk about spending the weekend together. The whole weekend. In his bed."

Ginny's grin widened. "Well, that's certainly a turn of events."

"I know it hasn't been that long," Theo said quickly. "And I know that I rushed into it with Finn, but I've known Sebastian for five months. And in those five months we've spent so much time talking and talking and bloody hell, I think I've told him more about me than even you know about me. He has this way about him… even when he was asking me about Death Eaters and my father's nefarious activities, I was telling him about my mother and moments in my childhood and things about me. He's so easy to talk to and he really listens, you know? But… it's only been twenty-four days since he first kissed me."

"Counting in days is a good thing," Ginny teased.

He grinned. "Twenty-four days since I goaded him into kissing me, and within that twenty-four days, we've spent a total of eleven days on dates. But each day has been like… full days. That's not including our lunch dates on Fridays and… I know that's not a lot, but I really like him, Ginny. I want to be in his bed. I want to do very naughty things to him and I want him to do very naughty things to me. I want to get on my knees and make him scream my name while I worship his cock and every time I think about it, he kisses me and I just lose all sense of anything except kissing him back. Salazar, I love kissing him back. I always thought I liked clean-shaven blokes. I used to complain to Finn when he hadn't shaved, but when Bas' rough face leaves my neck and mouth all red… I fucking love it. The idea of talking about more, about spending the night with him… of feeling that rough stubble on more of my body…"

Ginny smiled. "I like that you're going to talk about it. I like that you both are not rushing into it. You deserve someone amazing, Theo. I love how happy he makes you."

"I also love how happy he makes me," Theo admitted. "I hate that I have to wait ninety-six more hours until I can see him again. And the fact that I'm counting the hours makes me seem like a madman."

"No, I think it's sweet."

Theo bit his lip. "He got called off to work yesterday just as we were eating dinner and starting to talk about what more meant. I hated that he had to go and yet, I get it. His job is big and important and I like how much he loves it, but it also means I have to get used to the fact that it will be something that will happen. Probably more than I like."

"That is true," Ginny said. "And he's working in the Auror Department right now, but he usually travels a lot, doesn't he?"

"Yes," Theo admitted. "We haven't really talked much about that either. Right now it's just about spending as much time together as we can. He says that he's terrible at writing letters which is why I'm hoping your brothers come through with the mirror. I don't want to go four days every week without talking to him. Merlin, I sound like a crazy person. What kind of person can't go four days without talking to their boyfriend?"

"I'd hate it if that was me and Harry," Ginny said. "I hate going four hours without touching him let alone not seeing or speaking to him."

Theo wiggled his eyebrows. "Touching him, eh?"

Ginny elbowed him. "Not like that."

"You keep telling yourself that, chick," Theo teased.

"Fred and George will get the mirror to you as soon as they can," Ginny assured him. "I told Fred it was urgent when I saw him at St Mungo's yesterday."

Theo was relieved to hear it. He walked her to her Muggle Studies class before he made his way to the library to work on some homework. But when the post arrived for him during dinner, he was still surprised to see it.

He recognized the WWW logo and grinned as he opened the package. The two mirrors were lying there and he tucked them into his pocket, a big smile on his face. After how he and Sebastian had left things on Sunday, he was eager to find a way to talk to him more often. He opened the letter lying there just as his mirror vibrated.

Theo pulled it back out, moving out of the Great Hall for it to be quieter. He greeted Fred with a smile.

"Hi, Fred. Thanks for the mirror."

"Oh, you're very welcome," Fred said. "Ginny hinted it was high priority. We charged your account."

"So," George said, his face appearing next to Fred's. "Who's Sebastian?"

Theo blushed. "My… boyfriend."

"Uh-huh," Fred said. "And he's…?"

"An Auror," Theo said. "He works with Tonks and Mr Zacarias."

George wiggled his eyebrows. "Does he now?"

Theo grinned. "I like him. It's only been a few weeks and I wanted the mirror so that we can get to know each other more."

"I heard it may have only been a few weeks but in terms of how many hours you've spent together, it's been going a little longer unofficially, hasn't it?" Fred teased.

"And?"

Fred's lips curved. "And nothing, Mr October. He makes you smile and we like it. But if he hurts you, Auror or not, he'll have to deal with us."

Theo's heart soared at those words. "I'll let him know."

"Good. If you need anything else or anything else with the mirrors, you call," George said. "Cheers."

Theo smiled down at his own reflection and wondered how soon he could get the mirror to Sebastian. Suddenly knowing it was much less than three more days until he would see those gorgeous blue eyes made him grin. He skipped back to his dorm with plans of taking an extra long shower. He suddenly had some tension he needed to deal with.

~ ASC ~

After talking things over with Hermione and Neville, Harry reiterated their discussion to Remus after dinner that evening. Remus agreed with most of what they had discussed and only told Harry to make sure he stored the broken objects that had once contained Horcruxes somewhere safely. Harry voted to keep them in a chest within a secret compartment of his trunk, only telling Ginny and Neville where he had put them.

Hermione left to go to St Mungo's and visit Ron and Harry made his way to McGonagall's office. The password was Seeker. He made his way up the moving staircase and knocked on the door. When she bid him to enter, he offered her a smile. It still seemed strange to see her sitting behind Dumbledore's desk, yet it suited her.

Harry thought the room looked very much the same and yet had her own touches to it. Nyx was lying on the floor in front of her desk as Harry's eyes roamed to the dozens of portraits that lined the walls. His eyes stopped on the one closest to McGonagall's desk, the face of Dumbledore closed and unmoving.

"He hasn't shown up, Harry," McGonagall said. "Remus told me you wished to speak to him, but he's never appeared to open his eyes."

"I need to talk to him, Professor."

"So do I," McGonagall admitted. "But he remains absent."

At his look, she sighed and stood up.

"I have some things to do. You can stay here for a while and maybe one of the other portraits will be able to help you, but Dumbledore's not here."

Harry smiled when she squeezed his shoulder. "Thanks, Auntie Minnie."

McGonagall's expression softened and she kissed his cheek before she snapped her fingers at Nyx. The large tiger hybrid followed her from the office and the door closed behind her.

"McGonagall's a wise woman," a man with a tall black hat and a huge nose said from his left. Harry's eyes fell to the bottom of the portrait and noticed he was a headmaster from the sixteenth century by the name of Fytherley Undercliffe.

"That she is," Harry said. "Where's Dumbledore?"

"He has things to deal with," Headmaster Armando Dippet's portrait said. "Some of us take longer to appear in the frame."

Harry snorted. "I know he's there as I can see him and I think it's high time he shows his face and talks to those of us who he left behind."

"You are being very disrespectful," a woman's voice proclaimed, her portrait's plaque declared her to be Headmistress Edessa Sakndenberg.

"And I will continue to be," Harry said. "Until he shows his face."

Headmaster Amrose Swott huffed in annoyance. "Demanding his presence is not going to make him show up any faster. Our jobs here are to offer advice when needed, but it's not necessary for us to appear at your bidding. You, Sir, are not a headmaster of this school!"

"He has the arrogance of my great-nephew," Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black declared. "Sirius raised you, didn't he, boy?"

"He did," Harry said. "You have a portrait in Grimmauld Place."

"I do. Many of us have more than one portrait."

"And you can move between them, appearing when and where you like?"

"Yes," Black declared. "And no, I don't know if Dumbledore has a second one."

"He does," Harry said, suddenly realizing where. "It's in The Hogs Head, but I doubt he's spending a lot of time there as I'm well aware of his tumultuous relationship with his brother Aberforth. Professor Dumbledore, I have the Elder Wand."

Harry pulled it from his pocket and held it up as a few of the portraits gasped; some oohed dramatically.

"It's cracked, splintered even," Harry continued. "And Voldemort left it at my feet when he ran from Hogsmeade on Saturday."

Headmaster Armando Dippet gasped. "Galloping Gargoyles! That wand is centuries old!"

"What's wrong with you, boy?" Headmistress Elizabeth Burke demanded. "Breaking something so historical like that! Do you have no shame?"

Harry ignored them, his eyes on the black space that occasionally shifted to show Dumbledore's face, eyes closed tightly.

"I need to know what this means, Professor," Harry continued. "I've gone back over the history and I've gone back over what you've told me, but it's not enough. You're the only one with the answers to my questions."

"He doesn't want to answer them!" Dippet exclaimed. "Merlin knows Albus was asked for more advice than any of us combined! No one ever left that man alone! Oh no, Dumbledore knows everything, Dumbledore knows all!"

"No need to be jealous, Armando," Headmistress Antonia Creaseworthy's portrait stated. "He was an important man who did important things. You weren't as noteworthy."

"Well, that's calling the kettle black!" Dippet declared.

Harry closed his eyes, working to ignore the sudden headache he felt coming on. "It's not just about the Elder Wand. I have questions about me, about him, about… everything. You can't abandon me, Professor. Not now."

There was some more bickering among the portraits before the soft familiar voice floated across the room and sent warmth through Harry.

"I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

Harry's lips curved. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten that."

Dumbledore's blue eyes met his from the portrait. "No, Harry, but sometimes, even I must let destiny choose its own course."

Harry took a seat in the armchair facing McGonagall's desk and placed the Elder Wand onto it. "Destiny may choose its own course, Professor, but this wand was chosen by you, and I need to know more about it and the power you had while wielding it. I think it's high time you start providing me with some answers."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at him from behind the half moon spectacles. "Well, then I think it's about time you've come up with the right questions, isn't it?"

---

End Author's Notes:

(Gaelic) mo ghràdh = my love

The names of the headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts is from the Harry Potter Lexicon.

Because it was asked. Here are my couples and my chapter breakdowns.

The First Time Around

Chapters 1-69: Moments in Marauders lives (1965-1981)

A Second Chance

Part I — Chapters 1-49: Harry's first year with his dads (1985-1986)

Part II — Chapters 50-61: Harry growing up with a family (1987-1991)

Part III — Chapters 62-73: First year (1991-1992)

Part IV — Chapters 74-105: Second year (1992-1993)

Part V — Chapters 106-143: Third year (1993-1994)

Part VI — Chapters 144-179: Fourth year (1994-1995)

Part VII — Chapters 180-222: Fifth year (1995-1996)

Part VIII — Chapters 223-276: Sixth year (1996-1997)

Part IX — Chapters 277-present: Seventh year (1997-1998)

Part X — Chapters ?: After the War (?)

Third Time's the Charm (to be written and posted)

James/Lily (Jily/Marauders — told in memories, stories, and flashbacks):

CHAPTERS: 3; 4; 8; 13; 14; 15; 16; 18; 20; 25; 28; 35; 37; 38; 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 52; 53; 54; 55; 57; 74; 79; 86; 87; 97; 98; 100; 115; 131; 137; 146; 151; 154; 177; 183; 187; 192; 193; 205; 216; 248; 256; 263; 264; 300;

Remus/Tonks (Remadora):

CHAPTERS: 17; 19; 20; 21; 40; 55; 57; 58; 59; 60; 61; 62; 65; 70; 72; 73; 74; 75; 77; 70; 81; 83; 84; 86; 88; 90; 91; 93; 95; 101; 107; 110; 121; 123; 125; 130; 132; 137; 139; 140; 142; 143; 146; 150; 153; 157; 161; 167; 176; 179; 180; 181; 182; 183; 185; 186; 194; 200; 204; 211; 213; 214; 215; 216; 223; 224; 230; 231; 236; 237; 240; 248; 250; 254; 256; 258; 262; 267; 274; 277; 279; 280; 281; 282; 285; 286; 287; 291; 292; 298; 304; 307; 315; 317; 321; 322; 331;

Harry/Ginny (Hinny):

CHAPTERS: 19; 22; 23; 26; 32; 45; 46; 55; 60; 76; 78; 79; 81; 85; 93; 99; 100; 102; 103; 104; 105; 108; 110; 112; 113; 114; 119; 124; 125; 129; 135; 137; 140; 143; 148; 149; 151; 153; 155; 159; 160; 162; 164; 165; 166; 167; 170; 171; 172; 173; 174; 175; 179; 180; 182; 183; 184; 185; 186; 187; 188; 189; 190; 191; 193; 194; 195; 196; 197; 198; 199; 200; 201; 202; 203; 204; 205; 207; 208; 211; 212; 214; 215; 216; 217; 221; 222; 223; 226; 227; 229; 230; 231; 232; 233; 234; 236; 237; 239; 240; 241; 242; 243; 245; 246; 247; 248; 249; 251; 252; 255; 257; 259; 260; 261; 264; 265; 266; 268; 269; 270; 271; 272; 273; 276; 279; 285; 286; 288; 289; 290; 292; 294; 295; 296; 297; 298; 299; 301; 302; 303; 304; 305; 306; 308; 309; 310; 311; 313; 316; 317; 318; 319; 321; 322; 323; 324; 325; 326; 327; 328; 329; 330; 331;

Sirius/Zee (Zeerius):

CHAPTERS: 65; 66; 68; 70; 71; 73; 74; 75; 76; 77; 78; 85; 86; 87; 92; 93; 98; 99; 104; 105; 110; 111; 112; 115; 120; 121; 123; 128; 130; 131; 132; 134; 135; 136; 138; 139; 140; 143; 144; 148; 149; 152; 153; 155; 157; 158; 159; 162; 163; 165; 166; 167; 168; 169; 172; 173; 175; 176; 180; 183; 188; 189; 191; 194; 195; 196; 197; 198; 199; 201; 203; 206; 208; 211; 213; 214; 215; 216; 217; 218; 227; 243; 261; 290; 291; 323;

Seamus/Dean (Deamus):

CHAPTERS: 113; 116; 121; 124; 127; 130; 161; 185; 194; 196; 199; 201; 204; 210; 221; 228; 245; 247; 251; 256; 262; 270; 278; 290; 294; 302; 320; 321; 328;

Theo/Finn (Feo):

CHAPTERS: 197; 198; 200; 202; 204; 206; 207; 209; 210; 212; 216; 220; 222; 224; 225; 226; 236; 237; 240; 244; 247; 252; 253;

Ron/Hermione (Romione):

CHAPTERS: 202; 207; 210; 211; 217; 221; 223; 227; 230; 231; 237; 241; 245; 246; 247; 248; 250; 251; 252; 254; 259; 260; 261; 263; 266; 269; 270; 272; 273; 277; 279; 281; 284; 292; 295; 301; 303; 320; 321; 323; 324; 327; 330;

Bill/Fleur (Bleur):

CHAPTERS: 183; 189; 198; 217; 225; 238; 244; 261; 265; 276; 278; 279; 286; 308; 321;

George/Angelina (Georgelina):

CHAPTERS: 214; 215; 225; 249; 254; 267; 288; 305; 311; 313; 314; 328;

Neville/Hannah (Nevannah):

CHAPTERS: 228; 238; 245; 246; 249; 254; 264; 265; 266; 268; 270; 272; 278; 281; 283; 287; 290; 296; 298; 302; 309; 310; 311; 320; 325; 327;

Percy/Audrey (Perdrey):

CHAPTERS: 239; 250; 259; 261; 266; 280; 289; 292; 305; 325;

Lavender/Padma (Lavenma):

CHAPTERS: 228; 238; 258; 287; 293; 321;

Pansy/Greg (Gransy):

CHAPTERS: 243; 265; 266; 267; 270; 276; 279; 283; 284; 297; 298; 301; 306; 311; 313; 314; 317;

Fred/Fiadh (Freeah):
CHAPTERS: 275; 288; 305; 321;

Theo/Sebastian (Theobas):
CHAPTERS: 287; 291; 294; 295; 302; 305; 307; 310; 312; 313; 314; 315; 316; 317; 318; 319; 321; 322; 324; 325; 327; 328; 330; 331;

Thank you for reading and please review!