A/N 1) –Thank you all for your continued support, and thanks to my Beta CaskettFan5, who is making me a better writer, check-out his story Harry Potter and the Unexpected Friend it's a great read.

A/N 2) – Recommended Reading – it's a great little story called Beltane Child by the White Angel of Auralon. It's a post Hogwarts tale but it starts whilst Harry and crew are on the run and resting at Shell Cottage after escaping Malfoy Manor. It's a great read well written and a story I love coming back to again and again.

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns it all; I am just playing in her sandbox and just maybe I am getting better at it, tragically I don't own anything of it except maybe Daphne, but then she probably owns me.

Daphne closed her eyes as soon as she had opened them; she thought that she had managed over the past few nights to strengthen her mental shields enough that this would no longer happen. She opened one eye and heaved a great sigh of frustration, she was back in Harry's dreamscape once again arriving in the entrance hall.

She really needed to talk to him about this issue, but after her success of the past few days she thought that it was a problem no more. She looked around unsure of what to do; she really loathed the idea of walking through those halls and classrooms never knowing what she might find. In all the times that she had been stuck in Harry's Dreamscape she had never seen one of his happy memories.

Knowing that she wasn't going to be able to leave until she had interacted with his dreamscape somewhat she paused while she was trying to figure out what to do. Deciding that maybe going into the castle was a bad idea, she turned and walked out of the castle and on to the grounds, maybe she could find some pleasant memories out here.

She moved towards the lake thinking that maybe he had some nice memories of walking around it with his friends. She moved past the Whomping Willow and headed down towards the lake shore and the track that circumnavigated it.

She had walked along the track around the edge of the lake for five minutes before something caught her eye and she had veered towards it. She was standing across one of the small bays that were scattered around the lake looking at a tattered piece of black cloth.

She knew it was a memory but now standing here looking at it, she felt trepidation creep up her spine as she debated the pros and cons of picking the black cloth up. She could feel Harry's magic and the tether that bound them but it was a dead end as it vanished and she knew that meant that she wouldn't be able to leave until she had seen whatever she was supposed to see.

She knelt down beside the cloth and hesitantly reached a hand out to pick it up, but no sooner had she touched it than it sprang to life. It twisted and warped itself until it had stretched to an enormous size before it wrapped itself around her and everything went black.

She blinked, it was late evening and she was standing near the Whomping Willow, a full moon beginning to rise in the east as Weasley was dragged into a hole beneath the tree. Harry and Hermione waited for her ugly orange cat to touch a knot on the tree which stopped its flailing limbs before they raced after their friend and the great big dog that had dragged him away.

She shook her head as she followed along as they entered a tunnel beneath the tree wondering if all Griff's were this foolish or whether these three in particular were the only ones whacked by the insanity stick at birth.

What followed shocked her, even though Harry had already indicated that Sirius Black was indeed innocent. She watched helplessly as first Professor Lupin had come and then Professor Snape and felt a little guilty when she had given a fist pump as they had disarmed and stunned the unhelpful Professor Snape and couldn't help the joyful 'Yes,' that had escaped her as they captured the traitor Peter Pettigrew.

She found herself crying from the emotion of Sirius asking Harry if he would like to come and live with him and Harry's own obvious elation and joy at the possibility of getting a new home where someone would actually care for him. Tears were still leaking from her eyes as she turned to follow them all out the door.

She followed them back along the tunnel and out of the entrance trying to understand how it was that if Pettigrew had been captured, why Sirius Black hadn't been exonerated by the Ministry and then it all came together. She remembered the rumour of Professor Lupin's affliction being spread through the common room by Draco late in their third year after he had supposedly heard it from Professor Snape but she hadn't really paid it any heed.

But the evidence of its accuracy was clearly before her eyes; she stared at Professor Lupin as he underwent the painful transformation and observed in horror even taking a couple of involuntary steps back as the werewolf turned its attention to the Golden Trio.

She could not describe the awe as Sirius Black transformed back into the huge black dog, a dog that's size rivalled the werewolf, which then leaped in front of the teens and managed to push the werewolf away rolling them both away down the hill.

She growled in frustration as Pettigrew slipped his bonds and managed to turn the tide on by grabbing Lupin's wand and escaping in his animagus form, when a thought struck her. A rat why the hell didn't that ring any alarm bells for James Potter and the rest of his friends, a Merlin be damned rat! Everyone knew that the animagus form was defined by personality traits surely they researched what their friends forms meant.

She was still trying to get over that major shock when something happened that she could not quite comprehend, she watched in abject horror as Harry and Granger left the incapacitated Weasley and followed Sirius Black down the hill and back towards the lake.

She decided she was going to break his legs when she eventually got out of this nightmare at least that would stop him from running headlong into danger all the time. She couldn't believe the idiocy that both Harry and Granger showed as they raced down to the shoreline as Sirius dragged himself to the lake edge, his great dog form whimpering in pain after his battle with the werewolf.

She couldn't believe that he had managed to drive the thing away, he was limping horribly as he collapsed on the shore of the lake, his form blurring as he transformed back into a haggard looking man.

She felt new tears prick her eyes as she viewed what was if she didn't know better looked like the last moments of Harry, Granger and Black. She couldn't see a way out she didn't know how the trio survived only that they did, but it didn't stop her from feeling the gut wrenching agony that she felt watching as Dementor after Dementor dived towards the trio.

She couldn't look away as slowly the swarm pushed closer to their huddled bodies, the thirteen year old Harry Potter fought as hard as he could but there were too many and very soon his shield guttered and blinked out.

She screamed even though they couldn't hear her, tears streamed down her face and she felt herself collapse to her knees begging for something to save him, forgetting in that moment that they had obviously survived, as one Dementor bodily picked Harry up and offered him to another.

And then it happened, a bright light and brilliant white stag pulsing with magical power charged through the swarm of dementors, she didn't see where it had come from exactly or who had cast it, her attention was on Harry until it had driven all the vile creatures away. Then all she could see at the end was the stag crossing back across the small bay and the silhouette of two people before it faded away.

She assumed that the memory would end there but it didn't, she was dragged along back to the castle and to the infirmary, where she viewed the most inexplicable thing. Dumbledore encouraging two teenagers to travel back through time and change the course of events.

She couldn't believe that Granger had been using a time turner to attend classes of all things and yet it explained how she had managed to be in so many. She watched as the whole drama unfolded again before her eyes this time from a different vantage point.

She laughed when she discovered the fate of the Hippogriff Buckbeak, Draco had bitched and moaned about the escape of the animal blaming Potter for letting it get loose somehow, who knew that he was actually right?

It was only the final act that looked any different as she followed the second Harry and Granger from Hagrid's hut to the bay across from where the real drama would unfold. She waited listening to Harry say that his father would appear and drive the Dementors away.

But nothing happened, she heard Granger say, 'we're dying Harry,' before Harry moved charging out of the bush, dragging Granger with him and roaring 'Expecto Patronum.' She was left dumbfounded as a pulse of pure white light leapt from his wand and charged across the still waters. She was still trying to fathom exactly how powerful of a wizard Harry Potter was when they went to collect the Hippogriff again.

She felt her eyes narrow as Granger hopped on the Hippogriff and wrapped her arms around Harry just a little too joyfully for her tastes and then something really disconcerting happened. Whilst the memory was flying she was standing on nothing, her heart pounded in her chest and she couldn't hear what they were saying but she did not like the look of joy that was on Harry's face as Granger held him close.

The rest of the memory was somewhat anticlimactic with the simple rescue of Black from Flitwick's office although her heart broke when Sirius said that he would be unable to take Harry over the summer. The race through the corridors to end up outside the hospital ward was fast but uneventful but she couldn't help but giggle when the doors burst open again and Professor Snape started accusing Harry of all sort of misdeeds.

When the memory had ejected her she ambled over to a log and sat down, centring herself again she tried to find Harry's magic, she gave a mental cheer as it seemed whole and solid. Then reached out for the tether, this time it was whole.

It pulsed mostly warm and friendly and she almost lost herself in it until she felt something else wash over her, he was in pain and hurting not knowing what else to do she tried wrapping herself around his magic drawing him to her and giving what comfort she could as she left his dreamscape.

- AFW -

Harry wasn't sure why he was back here but he knew that he wouldn't get out of Daphne's dreamscape without interacting with something but he still felt like he was invading her privacy every time he ended up here.

Maybe he could just explore the grounds and that would satisfy whatever bound him here, with some trepidation he found his way to what he thought was the back door and reached out to open it. He gave a relieved sigh when he didn't get sucked into another memory, stepping through the door way, he found himself looking upon manicured gardens.

Paths meandered around hedgerows, various garden beds, fountains and ponds; down a flight of steps a large expanse of well-maintained lawn was visible further back and Harry noticed that there was a path leading out of the main house yard, thinking that maybe there were other areas of note within Daphne's dreamscape he started walking towards the tall iron gate.

When he exited the gate the first thing he discovered was that the path diverged into three separate tracks, unsure of which one to take he chose to keep moving in the direction he had been going as he exited the main house yard.

The track was well maintained and after five minutes of walking he discovered where it was he was going, in front of him was a kissing gate and beyond that stood a series of small mausoleums obviously the final resting places of generations of the Greengrass family.

He paused in front of the gate wondering if he dare enter what must be a highly significant site for both Daphne and the Greengrass family as a whole. He tried centring himself to find Daphne's magic and though he could feel it, he knew that he had not yet been released from her mind.

With a sad shake of his head he pushed one side of the kissing gate open and walked towards the houses of the dead. As he walked through the crypts and among the tombs of Daphne's ancestors he could not help but be awed by the history of her family, the first and oldest tomb he had found thus far reached back to the year 997, a thousand years of Greengrass heritage was laid out before him.

In the centre of the grave yard was a sunken amphitheatre with five tiers leading down to a large solid grey stone bench which had a round central cavity in it deep enough he thought to fit his arm into up to his elbow.

Harry stood at the top of observing it trying to understand what it was there for but had to concede defeat admitting to himself that he didn't know enough about pureblood traditions to really hazard a good guess apart from maybe it was where they laid the coffin before burial.

Each crypt that he entered had between twelve to twenty tombstones embedded into the walls in two rows on each side. The oldest would be situated on the top left at about head height as you entered the door and the memorials would run from left to right oldest along the top row before switching sides to do the same other side working their way back to the door. The second row was roughly waist high finishing with the youngest marker on the right-hand side nearest the door.

He had paused once he found Archer's grave in the second to last vault right next to the door, a bunch of what appeared to be fresh cut pink carnations were positioned below his headstone in a vase, he knew that they must have some symbolic meaning but he did not know what.

What was it like to lose a sibling? To wake the next day and know that your brother or a sister was no longer going to wake with you; he couldn't comprehend the thought that as a child Daphne had to bury her brother. He found himself remembering the previous memory that he had witnessed, according to the headstone he was a month shy of turning eight when he had died.

He couldn't help the sadness he felt, her brother had been so young and had barely begun to live, he thought wistfully and without realising he had done so reached out to run his hands over the lettering on his headstone that was waist high on the left hand side of the small twelve space crypt.

'Well that was a mistake,' he muttered to himself as he stood back near the kissing gate watching as a large number of witches, wizards and children all dressed in grey, flowed through the gates offering their condolences as they passed the Greengrass family who stood in a line receiving them.

Daphne was standing between her mother and younger sister, trying in vain to hold herself together as people offered their sympathies to her parents. Astoria held Daphne's hand her face one mostly of confusion as the line of witches and wizards passed her.

Daphne tried to maintain a stoic mask; however it would slip at irregular intervals and tears would escape her red rimmed eyes before falling through the finger width thick horizontal mottled grey and black lines that started near her nose and stretched out to her cheek bones on both side of her face leaving silver black tear tracks as they tracked further down her cheeks.

The same decoration marred her father's cheeks except where she had one he bore two, however her mother and sister were different. Astoria had a single vertical line running over the centre of each eye, starting half way up her forehead and finishing roughly equal with her nose, as she blinked Harry saw that the makeup also covered the eyelid as well.

Cassandra however like her husband had two in the same style as Astoria that covered each side of her eyes, leaving the centre free, no other makeup adorned any of the Ladies Greengrass. As Harry looked closer he could see that the makeup had what looked like ashes mixed through it but he had no idea as to the significance of that deduction.

Harry struggled to watch as Daphne continuously broke and patched herself together again only to visibly break before him once more. He tried desperately to keep his mind occupied as he watched but his mind started rolling through scenarios about his own parents.

'How they would have been better off if he hadn't been born! What if they didn't really want him? Was he a mistake? Did they want other children? Did they try for more children? What if his mother was pregnant at the time of her death?'

Then they took another turn, 'what would have it been like to have a sibling only to have to bury them? Would he have had a brother or a sister? What would have their name been? Would he have been as composed as Daphne?' Questions came to him and went and he had never in his life been so glad to see Draco when the Malfoy's appeared at the gate.

He scrutinized the interaction between Daphne and a very teary Draco as he forgot protocol and Harry's eyes flashed as Draco hugged his blonde witch who burst into tears as they held each other. Only Lucius' sharp jab to Draco's back with his cane separated them and he watched as Draco stammered out his apology under Lucius' humiliated glower as Narcissa discreetly wrung her hands obviously wanting to comfort her son but stoically maintaining her public façade.

His gaze followed the Malfoys as they made their way into the graveyard Harry only just glimpsing the smack of Lucius' cane against Draco's calf when he thought no one was watching them. This was the turning point he thought, this was when Lucius took control of Draco's training and started indoctrinating his son.

Once the stream of people had finished he followed the Greengrass family to the amphitheatre finally understanding what the stone bench was for as he glimpsed the funeral pyre through the crowd. Archer's body was dressed in fine robes and laid atop the wood on what appeared to be a blanket of fine silk, golden galleons adorning his closed eyes. What followed left Harry in a daze as it was the first and only magical pureblood funeral that he had ever witnessed.

The pyre was lit with a flick of Nathaniel's wand, a fire that seemed to burn without consuming any of the fuel or Archer's body. Addressing the gathering, he invited those present to help send his son into the afterlife with words and blood.

The mourners took turns to flow past the pyre pausing to say a few or many words about Archer to the Greengrasses who now stood at the head of the pyre, before they cut their left hand with an athame that looked suspiciously like the one that Astoria carried with her at all times.

The mourner would pool their blood in their hand before they threw it into the pyre, each time the fire would hiss and pulse of white light beneath Archer's body. As each person laid the dagger back on the stone bench it flashed, cleaning itself waiting for the next person to offer their hand.

As Draco followed his parents to offer his blood, Harry moved closer hoping to hear what he would say, he needn't have bothered as Draco's voice was loud enough for all to hear even though it was emotion choked and obviously well-rehearsed.

'He was my first friend, he taught me how to have fun and how to smile, I will never forget you brother and I will miss you always. I will watch out for and keep your sisters as safe as I can in your stead, this I promise.'

Nathaniel gave a small nod of his head and with that Draco reached for the dagger and yanked it across is palm cutting deep with only a small grunt of pain. He allowed a significant amount of blood to fill his hand pooled before he offered it to the pyre, a significantly brighter flash emanated from beneath Archer's body.

Harry turned to look a Lucius whose face was an unreadable mask, once more but Harry could help but feel a little bit sorry for Draco once he got home. When everyone had finally filed past, the Greengrasses finally took their turn.

Harry didn't want to hear what Daphne whispered to her brother's body and chose not to invade her privacy any further as her body shook with quiet sobs waiting further back not really paying attention until Nathaniel had finished his own tribute to his son.

Harry was barely holding his own emotions in check as Cassandra had spoken and had to continually look away from Daphne unless his own tears escaped as the girl cried as her father spoke heart brokenly for his son and a boy that Harry didn't and wouldn't ever really know.

And then Cassandra had stepped forward to join her husband and they spoke together almost tearing Harry's beating heart from his chest as he listened to what he thought was their final tribute to their son spoken in clear but painfully emotional voices.

Think of me as one at rest,

For me you should not weep

I have no pain no troubled thoughts

For I am just asleep

The living thinking me that was,

Is now forever still

And life goes on without me now,

As time forever will.

If your heart is heavy now

Because I've gone away

Dwell not long upon it friend

For none of us can stay

Those of you who liked me,

I sincerely thank you all

And those of you who loved me,

I thank you most of all.

And in my fleeting lifespan,

As time went rushing by

I found some time to hesitate,

To laugh, to love, to cry

Matters it now if time began

If time will ever cease?

I was here, I used my time,

And now I am at peace.*

During the reading Daphne had cracked and broken and Harry desperately wanted to comfort the silently crying girl, Tori was crying as well though it was clear to Harry that she had very little understanding as to why Daphne was so upset.

As Nathaniel and Cassandra returned to the head of the pyre, Nathaniel raised his wand and the assembly spoke together. 'We are born of magic made flesh and thus we release your magic so that you may be born again, may you swiftly find your way home.'

Nathaniel's wand waved once more and the fire burst higher flaring brightly once, twice and three times before a pulse of magic flared momentarily and the fire collapsed back to nothing, leaving only scattered ash remaining on the stone bench.

Cassandra stepped forward flicking her wand in precise movements and the ash was suddenly being sucked into a jar that sat in the central cavity. Once the last of the ashes had been sucked into the jar Cassandra levitated it out and added the lid.

Nathaniel's face was a mask of barely controlled anguish as he turned to the gathered crowd, 'My family thanks you for your words and your sacrifice on this day, my son once again rests with Mother Magic and though we cannot adequately express our sadness at his passing we find a measure of peace that he is at rest and free of the pain of this mortal life. Please feel free to join us at the manor to celebrate his life.'

As the memory pushed him out he sank to the floor, emotionally spent from what he had witnessed, he wondered what Fred's funeral had been like and Remus's and Tonks'? What had he missed being tethered to Daphne unable to leave the castle?

Again his mind circled back to 'What were his own family's funeral practices like? Was there something written down in the Potter Family vaults or had all that information been destroyed? Why were his parent's graves in Godric's Hollow and where were the rest of his family's remains interred? How was he going to be able to find this information?'

He couldn't stay here any longer, he needed to be out and he needed it now, he swore that he could still feel Daphne's pain from that day wrapped around him like a cloak. He tried to calm his breathing and centre himself but failed several times becoming more and more frustrated as each time he failed to find his centre and the peace of her magic. Sobbing and defeated he curled up on the floor unable to move or think, only able to mourn once more what he had lost throughout his lifetime.

Gradually his tears abated and he felt the calming touch of her magic as though she were searching for him to ease his pain and suffering. He shifted within himself trying to gather her magic as close to him, as closely as he could, fading from her dreamscape as he did.

- AFW -

She felt herself waking, her consciousness drifting from asleep to the half fuzzy alert that she had to transition before she would be fully awake. She could feel Harry sleeping beside her still, his breathing calm and regular against the back of her neck.

His left arm was nestled beneath her pillow whilst his right was wrapped over her body his hand again holding her left breast, but to her everlasting surprise neither of her hands were in Harry's shorts. Her right anchored his to her breast and her left was entwined with his in the same position as how they woke on that first morning.

Rejoicing in the fact that she wasn't going to be embarrassed this morning she wriggled herself back closer to the warmth of his body, shifting her lower half first when something hard poked her dangerously low on her bottom before it slipped between the top of her thighs, rubbing perilously along her sex, sparking several small but not entirely unwelcome pulses through her core.

Her breath hitched in her throat and she froze, she knew exactly what it was given that she had woken holding it for the last several days. Her mind raced now waking up quickly, 'what had happened to their lower sleepwear?'

It was obvious that at some point throughout the night they had both been divested of the only remaining cloth barrier between them but as with her top when it had started disappearing at night she had no idea when or how it had happened.

She was still trying to puzzle that out when she felt Harry's wand twitch, causing him to rise slightly and softly caress her most intimates again, shooting another small wave of heat through her core. She was still calmly trying to figure out what to do when a clearing of a throat from the end of their bed broke the peace of the morning.

That brought Harry awake and before she could move he had rolled away from her dragging himself across her again as he summoned his wand into his hand from the bedside table. Daphne shivered slightly but managed to regain a semblance of her composure as she lifted herself off the bed slightly clutching the sheet to her breast and swinging her head to see who had disturbed them.

She definitely was not expecting to see her father, his face was an impassive mask as he stared down the length of the bed, unperturbed to be facing Harry's levelled wand.

She cringed as her father spoke his voice cold and distant, 'I should like a moment of your time Heir Black. I shall await you in the same room that we signed the Succour Agreement in and expect you in ten minutes.'

And then without waiting for an answer he pivoted and left the room. She watched him leave as she was still trying to formulate a response, as he cleared the room she rolled over and dropped herself back on to her pillow with a frustrated groan.

'Shit,' came from Harry quietly.

She turned her head in his direction and rolled her eyes, 'You think?'

He gave her a sheepish grin, 'Well I suppose we should get going then.'

She watched him as he moved to get out of the bed before he froze half in and half out of the bed. With a puzzled look he lifted the sheet slightly before dropping quickly, his face blazing red. 'Umm Daphne, why am I naked?' he asked in a slightly strangled voice.

She felt her own blush rise steadily on her cheeks, 'You tell me and we will both know, I seem to be similarly attired over here and I have no idea how it happened.'

His eyes were wide and ever so slightly wild, as he looked her up and down. And even though she was covered by the sheet she felt his eyes rake over her body as though he were caressing her with his fingers. It took everything she had not to shiver under his gaze.

'So … umm … if … if you turn and face that way,' he pointed so that she would be looking away from him, face still burning red. 'I … I' she saw him swallow before a determined look passed across his face; 'I will get out first and chuck some shorts on and then give you some privacy.'

She gave him a grateful smile and rolled over on to her side, she heard him slip from the bed and step into his shorts, a small relieved exhale escaping him once he had obviously pulled them up. She heard him go to the draw and pull on a shirt, Kreacher had moved a few of Harry's things into one of the draws as soon as he had moved in apparently thinking that his Master required fresh clothes to go to the showers in the morning.

It was only a change of clothes that Harry could use in the morning; Kreacher would apparently pop Harry's clothes for the day into the showers as Harry arrived in them. They still hadn't figured out how the elf knew that Harry was preparing for his morning ablutions but she assumed that it was some type of alert ward set up by the elf.

Just as he was about to exit he stopped and came back to her, leaning down and gave her a short but soft and delicious kiss. He brought his hand up and trailed it slowly across her cheek, 'I will see you soon Daphne, remember we don't have much time!' And then he left hurrying out of the room without a backward glance.

His touch lingered on her cheek and his taste on her lips, he must have cast a peppermint breath freshening charm quickly sometime between when he got out of bed and crossing to her before he left. She felt herself sigh and go all gooey inside, 'great fourteen year old Daphne is back,' before she rose herself gathering her things and proceeding to a bathroom herself.

- AFW -

Nathaniel kept a tight leash on his temper as he heard the twin set of footsteps stop outside before there was a firm knock on the door, it had been closer to fifteen minutes than the ten minutes that he had requested but he knew that it was likely Daphne's subtle dig at him that she was less than impressed with her rude awakening this morning.

Looking over his shoulder he called, 'Enter,' before gazing back out of the window and across the grounds of Hogwarts. He heard them enter and approach him from behind and he clamped down further on his anger, he would hear them out, he had promised Cassandra that he would. His fist clenched tighter around the newspaper that he carried turning his knuckles white.

'We are here Father, what is so urgent that you couldn't be civilised when you woke us this morning?' Daphne's voice was quiet yet firm.

Without looking he held the crumpled newspaper out to her and waited for her to take it. He could hear their gasps of indignation as they took in the headline and the front page story. He could still see the story in his mind having read it several times before he apparated to Hogwarts to find out the truth, seeing them in bed had just reinforced the idea that Skeeter knew more than she should but what had really annoyed him was the potential revelation that Harry Potter was also the Heir Black and that he and Daphne had withheld that information from him.

'Greengrass stains on The Heir Black & Potter! By Rita Skeeter.'

It is not often that I am shocked, dear readers, but when the following revelations started filtering out of Hogwarts after the battle I just knew that I had to investigate. So armed with my quill and notepad I travelled forth to unravel the largest story since the end of the war. Sources close to Harry Potter have been keeping me abreast of what our most eligible bachelor has been doing with his time since that fateful day when he finally conquered He Who Must Not Be Named.

And unfortunately, it has come to my attention my dear readers that our hero Harry Potter is off the market; according to an anonymous source close to the Chosen One and the Man Who Conquered it appears that the Heiress Greengrass has used her feminine wiles to ensnare the magical world's most eligible bachelor.

My source indicates that the pair have become inseparable and are known to be sharing a room in the Hogwarts Infirmary. Many are puzzled as to how this liaison started given animosity between their Hogwarts houses and are puzzled as to how the blonde Heiress managed to snap up the Boy Who Lived given that prior to going on the run he was known to be dating Virginia Weasley.

It appears that she has seduced him and is now looking to cement her place firmly in his future by ensuring that he doesn't wander too far from her bed. It is unclear at this stage exactly how she has managed to overcome his known aversion to his year mates in Slytherin House, maybe she is using some sort of augmentations to ensure that she has captured his heart. And what are her intentions with our young saviour, will she be encouraging him down a shady path to become his Dark Lady?

But that is not all my dear readers no, no, no. It appears that Harry Potter is also the Heir Black elevating him to the pinnacle of British Wizarding society. How precisely his elevation to this august station came about is at this stage unknown but I understand from my sources that there is irrefutable evidence that Harry Potter is now the closest thing to Wizarding Royalty.

But how does this make Harry Potter the Heir Black I hear you ask, well my dear readers I can confirm that our saviour conducted a morning meeting with none other than the Lady Malfoy who was heard formally greeting our Chosen One as the Lord Apparent Black. Unfortunately my source was unable to confirm what the meeting was about but one can't help but speculate that dark deeds are being planned.

The combined Potter / Black Families will be a force to be reckoned with in the government once he is invested into his seats, but one does have to wonder what policies he will be voting for given his current close associates.

Just this very evening Harry Potter was seen carrying his Dark Lady back towards their accommodation after their latest late night liaison within the castle when another member of the Golden Trio was being carried towards the same location by her dark lover.

It appears that not only Harry Potter has succumbed to the shadows but that our heroine Hermione Granger; Harry Potter's long time love interest has found a Dark Lover as well. It appears that the two couples rendezvoused at the end of their respective evenings, as the ever ambitious Ms Granger was being gently cradled in the tender embrace of one Draco Malfoy, the Heir to the Malfoy fortune.

My source was not close enough to hear the conversation but after pleasantries were exchanged in the Hallways both sets of lovers entered the Infirmary where my source could not venture without attracting attention. My source waited until very late in the evening before finally fatigue set in and they had to abandon their vigil, but fear not dear reader I will investigate further until we uncover the truth about what is happening to our heroes.

- AFW -

'None of this is true sir,' Harry blurted out and Daphne lifted her head skyward in exasperation. 'Well I mean obviously we are sharing a bed and … oomph,' Harry gave a grunt as she elbowed him in the side, before giving him a small glare at the same time.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw her Father's face give a small twitch the only thing giving away an indication that he found Harry's outburst somewhat humorous, indicating that he wasn't in as bad a mood as he had seemed in the infirmary. She saw Harry's eyes widened in horror at what he just said and Daphne deciding to take pity on him and turned to fix a flat stare at her father.

'What is the issue Father? You're obviously upset about something or were until Harry started running off at the mouth.'

Nathaniel eyed them both coolly before answering Daphne's question, 'Why am I having to find out that Harry is the Heir Black in the Prophet? This is something that should have been brought to my attention immediately as an Allied House.'

'He didn't know until the Lady Malfoy told him,' Daphne answered. 'Even now we still don't have it confirmed but I think that we can rely on Narcissa Malfoy's information, she wouldn't have sought Harry out as the head of her patrilineal family if she wasn't sure!'

She watched her father closely as he digested the information, 'why didn't you contact me and tell me once you suspected?' he asked with a little more warmth in his voice.

'We should have you are right, just as we should have made sure that we informed Houses Longbottom and Bones, but we have had other issues on our plates as well and to be fair we still haven't confirmed it and we still haven't met with House Bones yet either, it's one of the things we were hoping to rectify today.'

Daphne watched as her father seemed to consider that before he spoke once more, 'Very well but if you find out any more startling revelations I would appreciate knowing about them as soon as possible.'

Daphne was about to answer but Nathaniel continued, switching his focus to Harry his cold glare returning, 'I was aware that you and my daughter were sharing accommodations Heir Potter, my wife has kept me apprised as to the reasons. Let me just preface this with saying that she refused to allow me to come to Hogwarts until in her words, I was thinking rationally again.'

Again Daphne went to answer but her father held his hand up silencing her before she could start. She glared at him as he took a step forward so that he encroached into Harry's personal space but Harry didn't flinch, much to her delight only tilting his head up slightly so that he could continue to look her father in his eyes.

'I know that none of your current circumstances are exactly your fault but, if I find out that you have in anyway mistreated or hurt my eldest daughter and Heir then you and I are going to have words Mr Potter,' again he held up his hand to stop Daphne in her tracks who could only stand there fuming.

'She is more precious to me than I can adequately put in words, I have already failed to protect her once in her life I will not do so again, do you understand me Heir Potter?' He lowered his hand and waited not moving from where he stood.

'Father!' came Daphne venomous hiss, but this time she was halted as Harry's hand mimicked the action of her fathers. She clenched her fists in rage trying to eviscerate them both with her glare, 'How dare they continue to interrupt her!'

'I understand completely Lord Greengrass and I give you my word that I will never knowingly cause harm to Daphne, I will do my utmost to look after her whilst she is under my protection.' Harry said solemnly whilst he maintained eye contact with her father.

The two stared at each other for several moments before Nathaniel nodded, but by now Daphne had had enough. Drawing her wand she immobilised them both before manoeuvring them into chairs side by side. Casting a silencing charm on them both she freed their heads, before stalking to the other side of the room trying to reign her temper in.

She turned to regard them both, before she moved back to stand in front of them once more, her voice was low and tight when she started to speak, 'You listen to me the pair of you, I am not some simpering damsel in distress in need of protection from either of you!' her eyes pulsed with fury as she glowered at each of them.

'I do not want or need your protection; I am perfectly capable of defending myself, you know this father you have tested me, do you both understand?' she waited for a pair of answering nods which came after they looked at each other.

Her eyes bulged in indignation before she rounded on her father, 'Father, if you ever embarrass me like that again in front of Harry then you and I are going to have a very in depth discussion regarding exactly how good my and Harry's physical relationship is at that point in time and exactly how much of his body I have had access to! Do you understand me?' she watched as her father's face got steadily paler the further her statement went.

After her father had acknowledged her threat she turned her attention to Harry, 'number one, I am a capable witch who can defend herself I do not need nor want yours or my father's overbearing protection do you understand?'

When he nodded she continued, 'two I cannot advise you if you do not listen to me, if you ever hold your hand up like that to silence me again there will be consequences understood?' Again he gave her a single nod, but his eyes had widened slightly at her statement. 'Finally, if you even think about regressing in our current relationship because of what my father just said to you, I will in detail have either Tori or Tracey spell out exactly what I want from you, do I make myself clear?'

Harry's face had paled considerably more than her father's had and he gave her a quick nod with wide eyes. 'We will contact you regarding our meeting with House Bones as we will need all the allied Houses there with the discussion that Harry wants to have, Father, you will make yourself and Mother available for that meeting this afternoon.'

Her father's eyes hardened at the ultimatum delivered by her but she held his gaze until he gave a slow deliberate nod. She returned her glare back to Harry for a moment longer before she stormed from the room giving a flick of her wand to release them both as she slammed the door behind her.

- AFW -

Harry was still trying to get his mind around exactly what happened when Nathaniel spoke wryly, 'well I guess if I ever wanted to know that she was her mother's daughter the proof just stormed through that door.'

Harry turned his attention to the man who just shrugged and gave Harry a small grin, 'I believe that I owe you an apology Harry, I did not mean to drop you into the dragon dung like that but I hadn't had the opportunity to have the time honoured father to boyfriend talk with you. And when I saw you both sleeping together this morning,' Harry attempted to interrupt but Nathaniel held up his hand.

'I am aware that it isn't something that you are consciously doing Cassandra has all but pounded that into my head, but every father is protective of their little girls and seeing you both in that bed cuddled up together, sort of drove rational though from my mind, so I am sorry Harry for what it's worth.'

Harry decided that discretion was definitely the better part of valour on this occasion and didn't contradict Nathaniel assumption that they weren't consciously sleeping together, 'I understand sir and I don't blame you for your concern for your daughter's welfare, she has been through more than enough and she still has to deal with those memories before she can really move on.'

Nathaniel gave him a scrutinising look before shaking his head, 'You're a very unusual young man Harry, I am not sure my daughter quite understands potentially how lucky she is. A piece of advice Harry, don't leave your apology too long as it is better to get it over with quickly even if you're not entirely sure what you've done.'

'We will see you at your meeting just get Daphne to call one of our elves and tell us the time and place and with that Nathaniel turned on his heel and apparated away.

- AFW –

Daphne was still in an irritated mood at lunch and no matter how many times he apologised for his behaviour in the meeting with her father she still didn't seem to have forgiven him. She had said that she accepted his apology but she had not been anywhere near the same girl that he had spent so much time with lately.

Even when he initiated contact with her and tried to gauge her emotions through the bond there was no apparent or obvious reason for the slightly cold shoulder that he was getting from her. He contemplated her as he picked at his food, studying her from the corner of his eye.

'Stop it Harry,' she commanded him.

'Stop what?' he asked with feigned innocence.

'Stop looking at me like I am fragile again, I said I accepted your apology and I do but I am allowed to be angry with you still.'

He gave her an appraising look, 'Yes you are, but you're not angry, there's something else bothering you but it's not anger. And for the record Daphne, I am allowed to be worried about you, you are after all a part of my household … Yes?' he said in as reasonable tone as he could muster.

She gave him an exasperated look, 'Technically yes, but I….'

Harry interrupted her, 'It's a yes or no answer and the answer is yes and therefore I am allowed to sit here and worry about you when you won't tell me what's wrong,' he gave her his most charming smile and she gave him a small one in return despite her efforts to remain stoic.

'You're dangerous now, you know that don't you?' she fixed him with a mock scowl. 'I think I am with Granger on this, I don't like this new intelligent and more insightful Harry Potter.'

He chuckled at her, 'Just tell me what the problem is,' he noticed her chewing her bottom lip so very cutely. Not being able to resist he leaned down and kissed her never noticing that the Great Hall went silent as he did so. 'Please Daphne,' he pleaded after he relinquished her lips still oblivious to the silence around him, 'I just want to help you if I can.'

Daphne considered him with her ice blue eyes and rubbed the top of her chest on the right side with her fingers, 'fine … I have a bit of a headache and feel a little bit off. It wouldn't usually be an issue as since I woke up if I have a small headache if I touch you it goes away, but this one isn't.'

She sighed, 'I think maybe that when I got so very angry this morning that I altered whatever Slyvera did to my memories slightly. But she is away today so I can't see her until tomorrow, so there is no point in worrying about it is there?'

Harry eyed her carefully, 'Daphne when you are finished with lunch we will go and see Madam Pomfrey and before you say anything to the contrary if you don't come willingly I will escort you there in the same way that I escorted Hermione, I will not take any chances with your health even if you will.'

Daphne narrowed her eyes and glared at him for several very long moments but Harry merely continued to eat his lunch as he waited for her answer. Finally after what seemed like minutes but was probably seconds she gave a huff and said 'fine!'

'I knew you'd see it my way,' he said giving her a wide grin.

'You're pushing your luck, Potter, I will remember this and will repay your courtesy in kind,' Daphne's answering grin was sinister.

Harry felt his smile slide of his face, but for the fact that he knew that she wouldn't damage him in a permanent way he suddenly felt a little uneasy about his very near future.

- AFW -

Daphne watched wide eyed as Harry was forcefully ejected from the floo and shot a good three metres out into the room ending wedged up against a couch his feet dangling above his head. She was still standing there in shock as the strawberry blonde Susan Bones rushed to his side to help him up.

'I hate magical travel, why oh why could we not have come via brooms or anything else really' was Harry's grumbled reply to Susan's enquiry as to whether he was okay or not. He blushed ruby red as Susan helped him to his feet, 'I'm sorry Susan I didn't mean to make such an entrance, but most forms of magical travel seem to hate me.'

Susan gave a small giggle, 'it's okay Harry, it is quite spectacular though so I think you would be advised to send Daphne through first so that she can clear a path for your landing.' Then obviously not being able to contain herself any more his broke down into hysterics.

Daphne found it hard to contain her own mirth with a couple of small giggles of her own escaping, as Susan almost collapsed on to the floor laughing, Harry had a sheepish smile on his face as he rubbed the back of his head waiting for the girls to stop.

'I am truly sorry Harry,' Susan said as she finally brought her laughter under control, 'but I have not had much to laugh about in this last year.'

'Its fine Susan, I am glad I could entertain you,' Harry's roguish smile was back showing that he had no hard feelings about being the unscheduled entertainment.

'Thank you Harry, now for formalities then,' Susan led Harry back over to Daphne in front of the hearth, before bowing to them both formally. 'Verily I welcome you Heir Potter and you Heiress Greengrass to Daingean Fíor, may thou find shelter here and peace of mind. My house will be your shield, my wand your protection and my hearth will provide for you and yours whilst you doth grace our halls in friendship.'

Daphne tugged Harry's ear closer and whispered furiously in his ear before gesturing him forward.

Harry took a hesitant step forward and bowed with open hands to Susan all be it slightly jerkily before speaking in a hesitant voice, 'Thank you Lady Bones for your generous welcome, as friends doth we come and as friends shall we leave, we will add strength to your shield, our wands to your defences and would be honoured to take sustenance from your hearth.'

'Well done Harry, that was good for your first time though I am not yet Lady Bones, I'm still only the Heir Apparent,' she waved the back of her right hand at Harry for him to see.

Daphne scowled to herself not believing that she had missed something so obvious, but she had been too busy trying to get Harry ready for the formal greetings that she had completely forgotten that the she had never seen a Wizengamot writ declaring Susan as the recognised Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Bones.

Susan must have seen the confusion on Harry's face, 'it was a strategic decision that I will be happy to tell you about once everyone else arrives in about an hours' time, but before we go any further.'

Daphne smiled as Susan moved past Harry and embraced her, 'How are you cousin, I have missed you?' she murmured into Susan's ear as they held each other tight.

Susan wiped happy tears from her eyes, 'I am as well as can be expected,' she gave a watery smile. 'I am still coming to terms with many things, but I am alive and well thanks to you.'

Daphne, afraid of where Susan might be taking the conversation jumped in before she could say anything else, 'There is no debt Susan, you are family so you owe me nothing, you were only there because I asked for your help.'

Susan gave Daphne an annoyed pout, 'Damn you Daphne, I knew I should have led with that first, fine you may not see a debt but I do and I will find some way to repay you,' Susan reached up and silenced Daphne with her hand, 'until everyone else arrives would you like a tour Harry?'

- AFW -

Harry marvelled at the size of the house that Susan now called home. She had previously lived with her Aunt in the smaller Heir's house. Harry had scoffed once he had realised that smaller meant that it only had six bedrooms plus the master suite, but it was partially destroyed when her Aunt was killed by Voldemort.

Susan told them that her Aunt Amelia had detonated one of the ward stones taking more than a dozen of Voldemort's followers with her and although it had been initially reported that she had been captured and tortured Susan had apparently been told later that her Aunt had been long dead before they got to her body.

Harry supposed that was a small comfort for the loss of her Aunt though. Shaking his head and bringing his thoughts back to the present he still couldn't quite comprehend the house that Susan was now showing them through. The Advent Chamber where they had flooed into was according to Susan the only place on the property that people could enter via magical means if they were invited.

This led either to a "modest" Ballroom, if Harry thought to himself two hundred people could be called modest or into the house proper. The house proper was a two and half storey white stone structure that was a roughly a cross shape. Roughly Harry reasoned, because the Northern and Eastern arms were longer than their counterparts.

There were as Susan directed them around virtually three separate six bedroom apartments built into the structure of the house allowing for multiple generations or different members of the family to live under the same roof.

'Susan' Harry asked her as they were about 30 minutes into their tour of the ancestral seat of Bones 'what did you call your house?'

Susan gave him a quizzical look, 'Daingean Fíor.'

'What does that mean exactly and where is it from?' Harry asked her noticing as Daphne gave him a small eye roll but this time with an amused smile on her lips, he had to shake himself from the thought of Daphne's lips and concentrate on Susan's answer..

'Its rough translation is Fierce Stronghold, my original ancestors came from Ireland, when the line of Seaver fell and we inherited the title back in 1278 my ancestor wanted to honour his forbears as well as retaining something tangible of that House that was Seaver.'

'Seaver in Anglo-Saxon also approximately means Fierce Stronghold and thus the house of my Ancestors was named, I do not believe that the House was formally named prior to that but the locals as I understand it used to call this area Fortitude Valley.

'Where are we exactly, if that isn't a rude question?' Harry enquired

Susan gave him a small smile, 'We are on the edge of what is known as the Bowland Fells in what is now known as Lancashire. We should keep going, I want to show you some of the gardens before everyone else arrives.'

- AFW -

Daphne allowed herself to once more rest against Harry as they sat on one of the lounges in what Susan called the Sunset parlour. Daphne could see why it was called that as in the evenings as the sun set across the Valley this southwestwardly facing room would be bathed in the light of the setting giving a marvellous view of the valley. The glass was charmed so that the occupants could easily look out and enjoy the scenery without being blinded depending on the position of the sun.

Her parents had arrived maybe ten or fifteen minutes ago and were now ensconced on a lounge similar to the one that she and Harry now shared. Neville had the honour apparently of escorting her sister to the Bones residence and they had arrived only five minutes ago with kiss bruised lips and a blush from Neville. They too now sat comfortably on a couch waiting for Susan to take her seat in the arm chair that completed the circle of chairs.

'Well cousin,' Susan started after taking a sip of her drink and arranging herself on her arm chair before giving Daphne a questioning look. 'You requested that I host this gathering would you care to enlighten me as to why?'

Daphne inclined her head before considering her words. 'Firstly it was on behalf of House Potter that I made the request, Harry would like to start honouring the alliance formed by his ancestors with your House, an alliance that he knew nothing of until recently.'

Susan's only indication that she was willing to continue listening was a small nod to Harry before her attention was once again focussed on Daphne.

'Harry has some … very delicate information that he has been asked not to disseminate to the wider public however he has decided that his allied Houses which now include Houses Longbottom, Greengrass and Black deserve to know the truth and would appreciate your council as part of this greater alliance.'

Susan blinked at her, 'House Black? But I was under the impression that Draco Malfoy was the Heir to House Black. How did this come about?'

'Did you not see today's Daily Prophet,' asked Harry.

'No, I haven't had the chance to renew my subscription.' Susan said with a frown, 'Why, what did it say?'

Daphne looked to Harry briefly before continuing, 'The short version is that Harry is the Heir Black,' Daphne held a finger up interrupting Susan before she could start. 'Named as such by his god-father Sirius Black, no he wasn't a mass murderer, he was innocent and no he didn't want to kill Harry; he was falsely imprisoned.'

Daphne smiled at her cousin, 'Yes I know, that's a really short version but Harry and I will fill you in later, ok?'

Susan gave her an almost playful glare, 'You know cousin, there are times when you are too self-satisfied for your own good, but fine I will wait and you will answer all of my questions.'

Daphne gave a curt nod before Susan's semi-steely glare shifted to Harry who gave a wry chuckle and a nod of his own.

'Please trust me Susan when I say that what Harry is going to share with us all tonight is a secret so precious that it has been bound by blood to the Longbottom and Greengrass lines, should you be willing to add your voice to Harry's council then he will be asking for the same vow from you.'

Susan gave a sharp intake of breath, 'it's that bad?' she asked looking from face to face of those seated before her. 'Uncle what is your council?' Susan addressed Nathaniel studying his face intently as she waited for his answer.

Nathaniel sat forward on the edge of his chair, 'In all honesty Susie, it is a secret that I wish I was not party to, however…' he continued as there was some uncomfortable shifting on chairs. 'However I also recognise an opportunity when I see one, within this room there are Heirs to potentially six of the more politically powerful families.'

'Much could be done if we are working as a collective, this secret such that it is will bind us to each other, it is a dirty, disgusting and loathsome secret and I feel unclean just from knowing of it but much good can come from it if you join with us.'

'It's seven actually Sir,' Neville said into the quiet that had descended after Nathaniel's advice to Susan.

'I beg your pardon, Neville, which family is the seventh?' Nathaniel asked Neville with a curious expression on his face.

'I am the sole Heir and Lord Apparent to the Venerable and Noble House of Gage, my mother's House,' was Neville's quiet reply.

'I had forgotten Lord Gage's son died without issue during the first war,' was Nathaniel's contemplative reply.

'Sorry I am a bit dense here but who's the sixth?' Harry broke into the quiet that had once more settled on to the group.

'One of our daughters,' Cassandra answered this time. 'Though it is most likely that I will name Astoria as the Heir given Daphne will already have the responsibility for the Greengrass line.'

Astoria gave Harry a small and tight smile, Daphne knew that her sister was still not happy about potentially having to be the Heir McKinnon of the Venerable House McKinnon, for as good as Tori was with politics she didn't want to be at the forefront of the political debate preferring to operate from the shadows and anonymity using her friends and contacts to manoeuvre things to where she wanted.

Daphne knew that it was unlikely now that Tori was not going to get a choice in the matter, she could feel that it was unlikely that she was going to be separated from Harry, the longer the tether remained in place the more likely she felt it was that it would be permanent.

Given this and the fact that Daphne would likely be responsible for birthing or trying for at least three heirs she sincerely hoped that the propensity for twins had passed on to both her sister and herself, sometimes she hated being born a witch.

- AFW -

To say that Susan had been appalled by what Voldemort had done and what he had to do to create the vile things was a mild understatement Harry mused whilst he waited for the ladies to return to the Sunset Parlour and re-join the men.

The discussion and loose alliance meeting had taken significantly longer than he had realised, the shadows were lengthening by the time that they got to the discussion around to why they had broken into Gringotts bank.

Once Harry had finished with the explanation Susan as host had then decided that a short twenty minute recess was required so that everyone could stretch their legs and use the powder rooms. Neville, Nathaniel and he had returned five minutes ago but as yet the ladies had yet to return.

Harry felt Nathaniel's eyes on him and turned to look at Lord Greengrass who was standing in the corner bar. Harry gave him a questioning look before a small smile graced the face of the Nathaniel and he cleared his throat.

'Gentlemen if you would be so kind as to join me over here,' Nathaniel asked in a quiet yet commanding tone.

Harry quirked an eyebrow at Neville before his friend shrugged and got to his feet and wandered over to where Nathaniel was. Giving in to his own curiosity Harry rose and joined the other two men at the bar.

'The ladies, I am sure, will be at least another twenty minutes or more,' Nathaniel gave a small chuckle at Neville's and Harry's dumbfounded expressions. 'None of my girls have seen Susan much this past couple of years; Amelia and I decided that separation between the two Houses was … advisable given the political climate at the time. As such they will be catching up and they will therefore take longer than the original twenty minutes allocated for this break.'

At the understanding look that appeared on Neville's face and what Harry was sure was mirrored on his own, Nathaniel continued although his tone had moved to be somewhat sombre, 'I will never get the opportunity to have this conversation and bonding moment with my son … '

Harry felt his eyes prickle and felt his breath hitch slightly at the mention of the young boy '… and likewise you two will never get the opportunity to have this moment with your fathers,' Nathaniel finished with a slightly tight voice.

Harry saw the puzzled frown on Neville's face from the corner of his eye but continued to focus on the man in front of him.

Looking around with exaggerated slowness, he leaned toward them causing both Neville and himself to also lean in. 'I am talking about the time honoured father to son tradition of learning how and most importantly what to drink,' Nathaniel whispered conspiratorially to them with a wink.

Nathaniel gave a small bark of laughter obviously at the looks of shock on their faces, 'I hope you don't mind but when I was about your age my father sat me down one day and started my education, I had hopes of doing the same thing but … ,' he gave a shrug.

Neither boy spoke.

'I have come to believe that I am going to be seeing a lot of you boys in the coming years if my wife and daughters have anything to do with it and as such I am resigned to my fate,' Nathaniel's smile was very wide now and Harry felt a chill pass up his spine and saw Neville shiver slightly as well.

'Indeed,' Nathaniel's mirth was now evident in his voice, 'So gentlemen, I would be honoured if you would allow me the privilege of introducing your palates to the appropriate libations that young gentlemen such as yourselves should be imbibing.'

Neville turned to Harry with a large grin which Harry returned, 'We would be honoured Lord Greengrass to accept your tutelage in such a worthwhile and necessary endeavour.' Neville somehow managed to keep a straight face before Harry ruined the whole production with a snort causing all three of them to break into a laugh.

'Well then,' Nathaniel smiled at them both once more as he pulled three tumbler glasses from beneath the bar, 'Susan's father was a man of many tastes some of them strange' his lips quirked upwards in a wry grin. 'However, after he was married to my sister he also introduced me to the delights of Muggle Scotch.'

With a wave of his wand a single large ice cube that Harry estimated was at least an inch and a half in height, width and depth appeared in the each glass. 'Firstly, if I see either of you adding anything other than ice or a dash of water to your scotch we will be having words do you understand boys?'

'Yes sir,' they chorused together, Harry giving Neville another wide grin.

'Very good, well then secondly, scotch is to be savoured. There is no quaffing or shots or anything like that, you sip your drink and then savour the flavours and then swallow.' At their twin nods he continued, 'thirdly, when learning to enjoy the fine art of drinking scotch one must be eased into it and therefore a suitable partner must be chosen.'

Harry watched as Nathaniel pulled from beneath the bar an unopened bottle and placed it between himself and Neville.

'Glenfiddich?' read Neville as he peered quizzically at the bottle 'Twelve year old, you mean this has been sitting in that bottle for twelve years? Is that even possible for Muggle's to do?' Neville voice was filled with genuine disbelief.

Harry managed to control his features and was about to answer when Nathaniel beat him to it.

'It's actually aged for twelve years in casks before being bottled, once it's in the bottle and stored under the right conditions it can last for decades even in the Muggle world, this one along with its five others of its even older brethren has been under a stasis charm since I brought them for Oliver … I think he would approve of my reason for opening this …' Nathaniel's voice trailed away.

Clearing his throat, 'So gentlemen, when learning to drink as a man of refinement one must first learn the rule of five. One,' Nathaniel held up his index finger, 'the glass should be a heavy based large diameter tumbler.'

'Two' a second finger joined the first. 'A single large cube of ice should be used especially when learning this fine art, later we will substitute the ice out but for now the chilling effect will soften the scotch for unrefined palates.' He indicated with a finger to both Harry and Neville.

'Three, two measured shots of scotch poured over the ice.' Nathaniel demonstrated by fetching a shot glass from beneath the bar and pouring the requisite amounts of the amber liquid into each of the three glasses.

'Four, a single measured shot of distilled water, given the presence of the ice it doesn't need to be chilled however, once we remove the ice I would recommend a slightly chilled measure of water.' Again Nathaniel reached under the bar and pulled a bottle of water out that had obviously been resting under a stasis charm and pour the required amount into each glass.

'And five, the swirl.'

Harry watched as Nathaniel shifted one of the glasses closer to him and moved it in a small circular pattern several times. The amber liquid flowed around the glass but never got close to spilling over the lip.

'Well gentlemen, give it a try but remember to start gently,' Nathaniel commanded.

Harry looked at Neville before reaching out for the glass nearest him and attempting to mimic Nathaniel's movement. He frowned at the glass as a small amount slipped over the edge of the glass and landed on the counter top.

Looking to Neville he saw that he too had slopped some of the liquid although it had landed on his fingers, before either he or Nathaniel could stop him, Neville had lifted his fingers to his mouth and with a large suck of air literally inhaled the liquid on his fingers.

Less than a second later and Neville was bent in two coughing like he was trying to dislodge his lungs from his chest. Harry couldn't help himself and started chuckling at the sight which caused Neville to try and glare at him whilst furiously coughing, causing Harry to only laugh harder.

Eventually Neville managed to reign the coughing fit in and asked in a raspy voice of Nathaniel, 'You drink that for enjoyment?'

'Well you are supposed to drink Neville, not inhale it into your lungs,' Nathaniel said with a smile, 'Don't worry I did the same when I first drank it with Oliver. Now before you take your first drink, remember to sip it hold it in your mouth and saviour the flavour, it will be a foreign taste but trust me after you have gotten used to the flavours and textures you will come to enjoy it.'

'A drink this size should last you approximately twenty to thirty minutes so there is no rush take your time and thank you gentlemen for allowing me the chance to do this.' With that Nathaniel lifted his glass to them and waited.

Realising what he was waiting for Harry lifted his own glass and clinked it against Nathaniel's and then Neville's, 'Thank you sir for sharing this with us.'

Neville too raised his glass against Nathaniel's, 'I too thank you for the honour of sharing this with us.'

Nathaniel gave them a small nod and a sad smile before tilting his glass to his lips, closing his eyes and swallowing.

Harry saw a single tear slip from Nathaniel right eye which he wiped away with the thumb that held his glass. Taking a sip of his own drink Harry froze as the liquor felt like it punched him in the mouth, his eyes found Neville's who also looked like he had just had his taste buds assaulted.

Hearing a chuckle Harry turned and gave Nathaniel a puzzled look, 'swallow boys, trust me it's an acquired taste but it is one that you will come to enjoy.'

Deciding that it would be rude not to swallow the drink Harry did so feeling the burn as the amber liquid flowed down his throat.

'Gah,' blanched Neville. 'Why do you willingly drink this?' repeating his earlier thought as he was peering into his glass as though it was poison.

Nathaniel chuckled again, 'Trust me lad by the third or fourth glass you will be enjoying it.'

Neville gave him a disbelieving look before turning his attention towards Harry. Harry gave him a small shrug before lifting his glass once more to his lips, this time; maybe the burn wasn't so bad.

- AFW -

The door bursting open some thirty minutes later caused Neville to twitch slightly and slosh some of the freshly poured whisky over his fingers again. This time however he wiped them on a napkin before turning his attention towards the door, in time to see that Susan had been the one to surge into the room only to be halted by the sight of the three of them at the bar.

She had a faint blush on her cheeks as though she had just run a small distance before entering the room. It was several seconds later that the other women followed Susan into the room before they too drew to a halt just as Daphne had appeared to be on the verge of asking Susan a question.

It was Cassandra who broke the silence, 'And exactly what is going on here then?' a sardonic smile creasing her lips.

'I am endeavouring to teach a couple of fine young gentlemen the fine art of drinking Scotch whisky,' Nathaniel's replied in a droll voice. 'Unfortunately these miscreants seemed to have replaced them and I am having the devil's own time convincing them that it is a most enjoyable diversion that a man of refinement must have in his repertoire.'

Daphne quirked an eyebrow at Harry, who blushed slightly before she enquired, 'And exactly how many … times have you attempted to educate them in this little session father.'

Neville could see Astoria giving him an appraising look, but wasn't sure if it was one of disappointment or approval.

Nathaniel leaned over the bar and winked conspiratorially at his daughter, 'Ahhh, I believe that this is my third attempt and I have confidence that I am beginning to make some headway with my self-appointed task.'

Cassandra gave a snort of derision, 'Well if you are mixing I will have my usual, if Susan consents to me drinking her booze?'

'Of course Aunty, I'll have a glass of the eighty-nine Veuve Clicquot Rosé please Uncle, Daphne and Astoria do you want something?'

'I'll have the same thanks,' Astoria pipped up getting a minor glare from Cassandra in the process but Astoria was unrepentant and Cassandra did not gainsay her daughter, who then threw him a cheeky wink.

Daphne however moved to his friend, prying the tumbler from Harry's hand before she took a sip from his glass. Neville could hear her move the liquid around her mouth as she leant against the bar studying Harry's face, before she swallowed without batting an eyelid. A smirk appeared on her face, 'I'll have the same as Susie and Tori please Daddy.'

Nathaniel gave his daughter a speculative look before nodding and beginning to pull various items from below the bar. Neville watched fascinated as Nate pulled numerous things from below the bar having no idea what most of them were for before calling for an elf and requesting muggle mint leaves.

Soon Nate was adding a dash of this, a handful of what he recognised as the mint leaves, several different measures of differing liquids, including only a few drops of one into a metal cylinder with ice before he banged on a glass cylinder before he started shaking the whole contraption vigorously for a little while.

Then just as suddenly he stopped shaking and placed the contraption on the bar, before reaching under it again and retrieving three tall and narrow glasses and a bottle of what was obviously the drink that the girls had ordered. The sudden pop startled him and Neville's wand was in his hand before he had time to think, only for the others to chuckle at him as Nathaniel showed him the cork from the bottle in his hand.

Smiling to himself and looking around the room once more he gave a sheepish smile in Tori's direction as she sat herself back on the couch they had been occupying previously. She patted the seat next to her and he rose with a slight stumble, apparently this muggle whisky was strong stuff and was about to move to the couch when Nate gave him a glass of pink bubbly stuff.

As Neville seated himself next to Astoria, she shifted slightly and gave him a small kiss on his cheek before resting against him as Daphne had rested against Harry earlier.

'Thank you,' she murmured.

He gave her a puzzled look, seeing a slightly wobbly Harry crash on to the couch near Daphne but before he could ask the obvious question she continued, 'For letting Daddy talk you into drinking whisky with him, it will mean a lot to him. Daphne and I overheard him talking to some friends at a party once how he would never get the chance to teach his son this important life skill.'

She gave a small heart felt sigh, 'I don't know why it meant so much to him but it was obvious that it did … so thank you.'

He was about to answer her when Susan spoke up, 'Harry, I think I have an idea about handling the goblins… by their own laws as part of the statutes set down after the Goblin Rebellion of sixteen eighty three states, that no soul of Wizard's or Witch's descent may abide within the realm of the Nation longer than one month unless born or sired by of one of the nation.'

*Unknown Author