Disclaimer: While a power outage plays only a small part in this chapter's delay, I'm going to assign it all the blame.

Cunning

"Morning Luna," Hermione said without opening her eyes. "Luna… are you there?" Her eyes shot open and she looked around the room. "Bloody hell, wake up Harry."

"What is it?" Harry groaned.

"Luna isn't here," Hermione said with a worried look on her face. "Luna is always here when I wake up."

"So?"

"So I'm afraid something might be wrong," Hermione explained.

"I'll go check her house," Harry said immediately. "You wait here in case she shows up."

"But…"

"But nothing," Harry said firmly. "That is what we are going to do."

"Yes Harry," Hermione agreed meekly.

Harry pulled on his pants and threw on a jacket. "Get some tea or something warm in case Luna arrives."

"Right."

Harry walked out of his bedroom quickly and froze. "Forget that," Harry sighed. "Luna's out here."

"Where?" Hermione demanded. "Oh." In front of them, Luna was curled up on a large stuffed chair and asleep. "Do you think we should wake her up?"

"I think we should make her comfortable," Harry said. "Could you move her into the bedroom?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, tuck her in and get a shower. I'll have breakfast ready shortly."

"Thanks Harry."

IIIIIIIIII

For Kingsley Shacklebolt, the day started early with a cup full of black coffee and a meeting in the Minister's office.

"Well?" Amelia asked with a raised eyebrow. "What are you planning to do about your little note?"

"We've set up several surveillance posts," Kingsley replied. "Nothing will be able to get in or out of that place without us watching. When the Fox and the Hound show up to knock it over, we'll be on them like white on rice."

"It won't work you know," Tonks said with a frown. "I tangled with them the other day. Four Aurors or forty, they'll go through you like you weren't even there."

"Tonks…"

"Let her speak," Amelia interrupted. "Go on."

"I met them the other night, the Hound put up a ward around my wand that prevented it from channelling any magic and it took Harry bloody Potter fifteen minutes to get it off. Even then he still tripped a bloody trap."

"Response Auror Shacklebolt?"

"It's something to think about but nothing that can't be surmounted," the Auror said calmly. "We just have to fight fire with fire. Bring Potter and his girl along to deal with any surprises."

"What do you think Auror Tonks?"

"Might work," Tonks said slowly. "It'll be bad if they throw up another ward. Harry said that they were better at breaking wards then he was so if we get the drop on them then maybe."

"Good enough for me," Amelia said. "Good enough to try anyway… do it."

IIIIIIIIII

"Morning Luna," Hermione said happily. Finally the shoe was on the other foot.

"Morning Hermione," Luna replied. "Hey… why aren't you naked?"

"What?" Hermione squeaked.

"Well… I'm willing to forgive it," Luna said in a tone of voice that showed she was granting a great favour. "This time."

"I… would you like some breakfast Luna?"

"Yes please," Luna agreed.

"I'll tell Harry," Hermione said gently. "Why did you sleep here last night?"

"Father is on a business trip and I didn't wish to take the chance that bullywogs would get me while I was sleeping."

"Next time tell us so we can put out a cot or something," Hermione said firmly. "You stay here and rest for a while, I'll go see about breakfast."

"Ok," Luna agreed. "Wake me up when it's ready."

"I will Luna." Hermione walked to the kitchen to find Harry preparing for breakfast.

"Well?"

"Her father is away on business and she was lonely," Hermione explained.

"She said that?"

"She said something else, I translated it from Luna-speak."

"Ah."

IIIIIIIIII

"What can I do for you Auror Shacklebolt?" Daphne's mother asked with a cold smile.

"We have reason to believe that the Fox and the Hound may attempt to rob your house sometime today," Kingsley replied. "We've already set up several stake out positions and we were hoping that you would be willing to allow us to station more Aurors inside your house."

"Out of the question," she said quickly. "My daughter is planning to bring her boyfriend today so I can have the chance to get to know him and I will not allow any Aurors in to disturb our meeting."

"But ma'am…"

"The answer is no, Auror."

"Yes ma'am," he sighed. "But I can not guarantee that we'll be able to prevent the Fox and the Hound from…"

"Yes fine, now be on your way." She slammed the door and stormed into her sitting room.

"Something wrong mum?" Daphne asked.

"Just an insect that was buzzing around," her mother replied. Taking a couple deep breaths she forced herself to calm. "Now then, when did you say your boyfriend was planning to arrive?"

"Any minute now, mum," Daphne said nervously. "Are you sure you'll like him?"

"He is the feared Dark Enforcer of the North is he not?"

"Yes, mum."

"Scourge of the Dark Fratboys?"

"Yes, mum."

"Defended your honour didn't he?"

"He did, mum, but…"

"And he is a pureblood?"

"One of the better families too, but…"

"Then I'm sure it will be fine," she said firmly. The fireplace flared and she turned toward it with a look of delight on her face. "That must be him now. It's a pleasure to meet you… Neville Longbottom?"

"Hello Mrs. Greengrass."

"Lost again?" She asked sympathetically. "Why don't I take you to the blue room where you can wait for your gran? I'll floo her as soon as I get a chance… Drippy."

"You is calling Drippy ma'am?" A tiny house elf appeared and bowed low.

"Take Mr. Longbottom to the blue room and make him comfortable, be sure to bring him something to eat and drink."

"I is doing that, ma'am."

"Now then…"

"MUM," Daphne shouted. "That's my boyfriend."

"Neville Longbottom?"

"Yes mum."

"Well… he does come from a good family," she mused. "But I thought you said that he was the feared Dark Enforcer of the North?"

"He is mum," Daphne said proudly.

"But he's a Gryffindor, he's so clumsy," she protested. "He's… incredibly cunning. Forgive me Neville, I must admit that I was taken in by your masterful performance."

"I…"

"I feel chills when I think about it," she continued. "At age eleven you were able to convince the hat to put you in Gryffindor. You spent years building up your reputation as a moderately powerful if clumsy wizard, making yourself above suspicion. My god Daphne, you couldn't have found a better match if you'd searched for a thousand years."

"I told you he was great," Daphne said smugly.

"That you did," she agreed. "So tell me Neville, how is your grandmother taking this?"

"Well, Mrs. Greengrass…"

"Morgana, please."

"Well Morgana, my gran couldn't be happier for me… it was her idea for me to join the Dark Lord Jeremy, said it would be a good way to meet a nice pureblood girl and…"

"And it was," Morgana finished. "You met Daphne. I knew the old bat didn't forget her house, Slytherins never do."

"Neville's gran was a Slytherin?"

"An example held up to be remembered when my mother attended," Morgana said calmly. "I suppose she opposes Voldemort because he has poor manners?"

"And because he's a psychotic murderer," Neville agreed. "Not to mention what happened to my parents."

IIIIIIIIII

Dean looked blankly at the empty bottle in his hand for a few seconds before discarding it and opening another. He'd been on a bender since he'd managed to escape… them. Just thinking about it made him want to throw up. With a shudder, he took another drink. If only there was a way to make them young again… then it wouldn't be so bad.

IIIIIIIIII

Hermione bit her lip nervously as she waited outside her parent's office for her mother to finish her appointments. Doubts emerged from the dark reaches of her mind, what if it wasn't meant to be? What if everything doesn't work out? What if I can't make a perfect moment?

She squeaked in surprise when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"I said I'm finished with my appointments," her mother said. "Lost in thought?"

"Uh huh."

"Anything you want to share?"

"Just having a few doubts," Hermione admitted. "Mum… you know how to cook right?"

"Yes?"

"I need to know how to cook dinner," Hermione said with a blush. "Tonight."

"Want to have a special meal?"

"Yes, mum," Hermione agreed. "I want to make things perfect."

"It shouldn't be too difficult," she mused. "Just think of it like brewing a potion."

"Ok mum."

"Now the first thing we need to do is stop by the grocery store…"

IIIIIIIIII

"You sure we need the Potter kid?" The group of Aurors had congregated outside Harry's apartment and one of the cherries was having a few doubts.

"Just try hunting the Fox and the Hound without a Potter," one of the more experienced Aurors asked with a frown. "For that matter, you wanna say that to his face?"

"Didn't you hear what Tonks said about them?"

"A woman…"

"Who's worth ten of you," the senior Auror said firmly. "Knock on the door."

"Yes?" Harry answered it a few minutes later.

"We need you to come with us."

"Why?"

"That's for you to find out," the cherry sneered.

"Shut your mouth," the senior Auror snapped. "Sorry about that, Mr. Potter."

"Don't worry about it, well?"

"Got a lead on the Fox and the Hound," the senior Auror explained. "Thought it would be best if we had you along when the time came to deal with them."

"Just let me leave a note for Hermione," Harry sighed. "I'll be right back."

"Doesn't want her to pull on his leash," one of the Aurors chuckled.

"Nah, he just dotes on her a bit more then he should," the senior Auror said. "Spoils her rotten, too, from what I've heard."

"S'not as bad as that, she likes books so he gets her books. Better then furs and jewellery."

"Or shoes… least his girl is sensible."

"Shame it's so hard to find one who has a healthy love of Quidditch."

"Doesn't your wife have a Harpy tattoo on her shoulder?"

"I said healthy."

"I'm ready to go," Harry interrupted the conversation. "Shall we go, gentlemen?"

AN: The ongoing list of people that contributed to this fic without whom, it would not have been nearly as good . . . one might go so far as to say it would be quite bad: nonjon, Ed Becerra, ausfinbar, David Wangen, neil.reynolds, dogbertcarroll, hattenjc, the caitiff, AlanP, Lone Wolf, meteoricshipyards, Shawn Pickett, Morris Rague, luinlothana, Treck, Drake, David Brown, Moshehim, Arthur Hansen, Marneus Calgar, Goblin214, Chris LeBron, khadon99, Shawn Pickett, tekobaka, Freddie, Musings of Apathy, Brian Arcis, Fenris, Pelel, and everyone else on my yahoo group. They gave me scenes, ideas, and all sorts of other things. Tell me if I missed you so I can add to this list. Another thanks goes to meteoricshipyards who wrote the majority of the continuing adventures of the tentacle monster as well as several others. Anything I wrote on that sub plot was fairly minor so kudos. And still another goes to neil.reynolds who wrote a large number of scenes. Yet another goes to The Resident who was good enough to do a bit of editing and caught several of my mistakes.