'We're here, Potter. Stop day-dreaming.'

Harry startled out of his thoughts and glanced out the train window and realised that Draco was correct. Harry had been given quite a lot to think on and had hardly paid attention the last few days of class. He glanced down at the essay he'd intended to write on the train and noticed he'd only got as far as the introduction before being distracted. He looked up to find the other Slytherins starting to get their gear ready to get off the train.

'I should have realised you would get bored without my conversation, Draco. I apologise.'

Draco sneered for a moment, then called up a put upon look. 'Mother said I was to reinforce your invitation to the Yule Ball.'

Harry was surprised, as he rather thought Narcissa and he were almost at odds after her abrupt departure.

'Tell her thank you, but I am leaving the country for Yule break, and won't have access to an international portkey.'

That was a white lie, he was sure if he asked the Flamels would probably provide him with one, and he could even apparate himself across the channel at a pinch.

'You're going to another country?' Theo looked up, startled. Harry glanced around and saw that all of his year mates looked rather surprised.

'Yes. France, I think.'

'You don't know?' demanded Daphne.

Harry shrugged, but didn't comment. The Slytherins weren't so content.

'Well who are you staying with? I assumed you must be going home. Oh Gods, you're not staying with Looney are you?' Draco drawled.

Harry opened his mouth to snarl an answer back, but to his surprise Greg elbowed Draco rather hard and hissed 'Don't call her Looney.'

Harry's attention snapped to Greg, and he asked in a voice that came out more sickly-sweet than he intended 'Oh, do you know Luna then Greg?'

Greg gave him a rather blank look for a moment, before frowning. 'Well you fancy her, don't you?'

'Yes.' Harry said, ignoring the noises the girls all made at the blatant confirmation.

Greg shrugged. 'Then Draco's better with an elbow from me, than a curse from you.'

Harry only hummed vaguely in response.

Greg then proceeded to go back to searching something out of his trunk as if nothing had happened. Harry was distracted from Draco's spluttering as he contemplated the fact that that was the most he'd probably ever heard Greg talk. An intelligent thought process too. How curious.

'You're not going to actually date Lovegood are you?' Daphne asked sharply.

'Luna's only twelve.' Harry said absently, standing and turning his back to collect his trunk from the rack as the train finished slowing down. He tried to ignore the uncomfortable voice that pointed out that Luna would always be far too young for him.

Harry glanced out the window and searched the crowd. Perenell was conveniently standing at the end of the platform almost immediately next to the spot Harry would exit.

'Have a good Yule.' Harry called over his shoulder, managing to be the first Slytherin out of the compartment. 'And don't open you're gifts early, I've hexed the wrapping if you do!'

'Et bien! You are ready?' Perenell's sweet voice cut in as Harry opened his mouth to say hello.

Slightly thrown off kilter, Harry nodded, then before he could so much as blink he was being pulled into a hug and they were off with a port key.

Harry and Perenell Flamel landed in a small garden filled to the brim with all sorts of flowers. This would have been normal, except that it was the middle of winter, and judging by the amazing view over a valley, they were somewhere in the Alps. In amongst the spring flower-beds, the grass was covered in several inches of thick snow. Looking closer Harry realised there were several different varieties of flowers growing from single plants too. A magical solution to grafting?

'Sorry to rush you, Mr. Potter, but I heard a rumour that Wulfric was on his way.'

It took a moment to figure out who Wulfric was - Dumbledore! Actually, it had taken a moment for Harry to confirm that he hadn't been kidnapped as it was all quite sudden. Perenell still had a stern look about her, her robes neatly pressed and hair pulled back into a bun, but her smile was bright.

'Call me Harry,' he offered letting go of Perenell, 'And that's fine. However I suspect Apep may not forgive you for some time.'

.:Never:. Apep agreed instantly poking his head out of Harry's cloak. .:That was not pleasant:.

'He doesn't like portkeys much.' Harry grinned at Perenell's questioning look.

'Fascinating. It must be very interesting, talking to a snake. Nic had a friend who was a parselmouth two centuries or so ago.'

'It has it's moments.'

'I'm sure. What type of snake is Apep?' She asked, pointing her wand at Harry's trunk and levitating it in front of them, making her way towards a large but homey looking cottage.

'I can get that.' Harry offered, pulling out his wand, switching to his Harris Noir Aura and taking over the levitation. 'I'm not actually sure, he was meant to be a Boa Constrictor.'

Perenell took a moment to take in Harry doing magic outside school, before letting out a little laugh and continuing on as if nothing had happened.

'Did the shopkeeper trick you at your own game, child?'

Harry's cheeks flushed. 'Erm…'

Harry was rather glad that they made it to the house at that point, and in the distraction of stomping off the snow and de-coating he didn't have to answer. Nicolas Flamel appeared in a doorway carrying a hot drink and a book, and looking slightly startled.

'Nic, you had better have started Ella on the dinner. If I find out you've had your nose in that book this whole time-' Perenell started in on him in French. Harry had struggled with the translation charm on the train, but one of Marcus' friends had dropped by and taken pity on him. It would last for the first day at least, then Harry would have to beg for help.

'Peri dear, when have I ever forgotten dinner?' Nicolas teased. Perenell looked unimpressed.

'Tuesday.' She huffed. Harry couldn't help it, letting out a small snort.

'Ah, our little thief,' Nicolas switched back to English. 'I hope you are well?'

Harry shifted his stance a little, but refused to let his cheeks flush. 'Yes, Mr. Flamel.'

'I'm teasing. I'm teasing. It is a little embarrassing to have been duped, but in hindsight most amusing, no? Caught out by a supposed first year. Ha!'

Harry was a bit startled at that. Supposed? He wasn't fool enough to say anything out loud that might be seen as admission, but he made a mental note to be wary.

'Again, sorry, but I'd rather Voldemort didn't gain immortality and an unlimited access to gold.'

'Indeed.' Nicolas replied. Behind him Perenell huffed and muttered something under her breath about safety measures, setting Nicolas off in French again, this time too rapid for Harry to follow.

Harry had been worried that this visit would be rather awkward, but couldn't bring himself to pass up the opportunity. Even just one more conversation with one of the Flamels would be worth any discomfort. They had lived for six centuries. That boggled Harry's mind! Harry hadn't known what to expect, but what he got wasn't it. He was soon feeling a little off kilter as the Flamel's seemed to act as if his presence were nothing but regular. Harry had only just got his cloak off when a smaller than usual house-elf popped in and announced dinner was ready.

'We are an hour ahead here, I hope you are hungry?' - was all the warning Harry got before Perenell seemed to sweep the three of them up in a windstorm rushing towards the dinning room. Harry felt a little bad for leaving his trunk and bag in a pile at the door, but he was two rooms away before he realised what was happening. The table was set very formally, with several types of knives, forks and spoons, but the table itself looked to be hand carved and was set with comfy, miss-matched cushioned chairs in a room filled to the brink with muggle photographs. Harry could kind of understand that choice, as if there were that many frames and the images all moved it would be just like Ron's room at the burrow - almost dizzying. Harry also noticed that the view of the valley, through windows that took up one whole wall, was on the side of the house facing into the hill, so should have shown the beautiful garden they came through. The floor was covered in assorted miss-matching handmade rugs, and in one corner Perenell had a enchanted loom making another, much like Mrs. Weasley's enchanted knitting needles.

'So I suspect there is a bit of a tale behind Harry's snake.' Perenell started off in a teasing tone the moment they were seated.

Harry had to suppress a groan, almost choking on a piece of cauliflower.

'Ah. Well…' He looked at the Flamels slightly warily, but then decided that he was safe enough. 'I may have appropriated him from the London Zoo.' Harry finished in a rush.

There was a moments stunned silence, before Nicolas suddenly broke out into a loud, bellowing laugh. Harry gave a sheepish grin as he noticed Perenell looked torn between disapproval and amusement.

'I see.'

'Yes. Only, well… Apep was meant to be a regular Boa Constrictor, but not only has he admitted to having some sort of magical sight, he is quite poisonous. I bonded with him this term, and despite taking a bezoar, I still felt quite ill afterwards.'

'You did a Basic Familial Bond?'

Harry nodded. 'Yes, I am hoping to get an immunity bite from a much more deadly snake I know, so I didn't want to risk anything more just yet.'

Harry had also had an Apsolutus Familial Bond with Hedwig in the original timeline, so it was a touchy subject. It had been a naturally occurring bond, which was apparently quite rare, and was the main reason Harry had felt so reluctant to get the Hedwig in this timeline. Not only would it hurt if the bond didn't form, but Familial bonds were tied to the soul, so bonding with this Hedwig would have interfered with his original Hedwig's bond. It could have gone two ways, either this Hedwig would have had a sensory overload catching up on all the years together with the original Hedwig (possibly killing her in the process), or Harry's magic would have forgotten his Hedwig's bond. Harry just wasn't willing to risk it.

'You can't just ask him?' Nicolas asked.

Harry snorted. 'Apep is refusing to tell me. I suspect he himself doesn't know, though he claims there is a reason for not telling me. Something about levels of magic.' Harry shrugged. 'As long as he's safe and staying I don't really mind.' Harry was rather used to the unexpected anyway.

Harry noticed a look he couldn't read pass between the two Flamels when he mentioned magical levels, but they didn't comment. Harry made a mental note to add it to his growing list of things to study up on.

Harry then went on to translate a conversation between the Flamels and Apep, who was embarrassingly unimpressed with them being only six centuries old.

.:Belleza is two-thousand years old!:. He had pointed out. Harry was rather flustered, and in the end just outright lied about what Apep was saying.

'I shall lend you a book on species identification,' Nicolas offered in the end. 'You should at least be able to find his genesis. Although if he's still so young he might not have developed defining attributions.'

Harry frowned. 'I hope he's not going to grow too much more.'

'Oh, most magical snakes will get a fair bit bigger than that.' Perenell said, nodding to where Apep was now draped half over Harry's chair.

'What? Oh, no- Quartaschloss.' Apep grew back to his full size, grumbling about lack of warning. Perenell looked comically delighted at suddenly having a eight-foot snake in her dining room and immediately began examining his scales, mush to Apep's pleasure. 'I keep him smaller for school.' Harry explained. 'So far it's an in-house secret.'

'I was under the impression that not much remained secret at Hogwarts.' Nicolas frowned. 'I overheard quite a few students freely talking of the first stage of our stone's defences… though I suppose none seemed to know exactly what was being defended.'

Harry opened his mouth to say that the Slytherins alone seemed to be able to keep separate from the Hogwarts rumour mill (when it suited them), but became suddenly conscious of magic crackling in the air. It was subtle, and rapidly being hidden, but Harry found himself becoming more and more sensitive to these things as he progressed with magical sight and in using his Aura manipulation so often. He let his thought trail off as Nicolas set his cutlery down carefully and placed a hand on Perenell's wrist.

'Peri, it turned out okay and-'

'That man was at the station waiting to pounce on me Nicolas!' Perenell spat out.

Harry suddenly felt all the awkwardness he'd been expecting earlier. The two Flamel's dove into rapid French, which Harry focused his magic on not understanding. He paid more attention to the duck on his plate, though was at least relieved to note that the Flamels didn't seem to be angry at each other. Eventually Perenell stood abruptly.

'Forgive me, Harry. I shall go and check on dessert.'

Harry just smiled, as his mouth was too full to respond (really, had he mentioned awkward?), and tried to think up a conversation starter to fill the silence that stretched out.

Nicolas beat him to it.

'Wulfric made the mistake of suggesting through a letter that perhaps it was for the better that our stone was lost.'

'He what?' Harry said, totally startled. 'But- doesn't he think Voldemort has it? I would have thought he would be a little more concerned!'

Actually, that thought had been niggling at Harry every so often for the last two years. Sure, there was no sign of Voldemort (because of course he didn't have the Philosophers stone), but someone who didn't know better should surely be suspecting that Voldemort was just laying low.

'Ah, yes. I suspect that you et ma Peri are of a similar mind.' Nicolas stopped and frowned. 'It is strange, non, that Wulfric seems so uncaring? Certainly he has been keeping an eye on the gold market, and perhaps Dumbledore has ways of discerning whether the stone is in Dark hands or not.'

Harry floundered for something to say, clearly not sharing the same opinion of Dumbledore as Nicolas.

'Voilà! An English apple pie recipe at its French best.' Perenell returned and placed the pie in the middle of the table, her anger seemed to have calmed somewhat, though her sweet tone was still missing and she pursed her lips looking at Nicolas' defensive body language. 'Nic likes to think the best of Wulfric, but-'

'All is well that ends well.' Nicolas interrupted. 'We have the stone, so any advice about what to do without it is irrelevant.'

'But it is not!' Perenell snapped, 'For this is how he would be treating us if the stone really was missing. Non, I am unimpressed. You shall have to send a Yule card this year, for I will not!'

'I send the card every year.' Nic grumbled good-naturedly.

'He is your friend.' Perenell said, though her tone had lightened, and she shot a glance at Harry. 'And you are right, Nic, this is not polite dinner conversation. Tell me, Harry, have you learnt any interesting magic recently? I hear they have Dementors at the school.'

'Er-' Harry's head was spinning a little at the fast switch in tone, but shook himself off. 'Right, yes. They came in during our last Quidditch match. I fell off my broom.'

'I had heard.' Perenell nodded, which led Harry to wonder just how many people had. 'I thought you might have looked up the Patronus Charm since they seem to effect you so.'

Harry flushed, feeling rather foolish. 'Actually, I already know it.'

Nicolas let out a laughing 'Ha!' before leaning in. 'But you chose the snitch?'

Perenell huffed. 'Why can't we find friends who are interested in art, or architecture!'

Nicolas winked at Harry. 'Peri is afraid of heights.'

'Non. I am afraid of falling… and… and bludgers.'

Harry couldn't help but find a smile back on his face. 'I suspect we Quidditch players have to be a little crazy to enjoy the game.'

'I have been telling Nic this is so since we first met.' Perenell nodded firmly.

Harry was impressed that Nicolas hadn't given in yet (centuries of nagging!).

'So you have learnt the Patronus then? And it is corporeal? Most people struggle with that at first, even Charms experts!'

Harry noticed that the Flamels were sharing a look he was becoming familiar with - one that stunk of plotting. Harry decided now might be a good time for a bit of a distraction.

'I wro- read a thesis on the Patronus Charm. I've, er, been looking into it, what with the Dementors so close.' Truth was Harry had written the thesis, in his original timeline straight out of school when he was in the process of trying to become an Animagus. Before he realised the nerve damage from the war (mostly the crucios) meant he was incapable of it, he had been looking for any information on what animals he might be linked to.

'It isn't actually a Charm, its a botched ritual… though don't go telling the ministry. Dark magic, what's more. A Patronus is based on the sacrifice of what you perceive of your protection. That's why it can change forms when a close loved one dies. It isn't actually a representation of your own magical affiliation, rather it's based on imbued memories of a perceived protector.'

'The Patronus is the Dark ritual? But it is perceived as one of the most Light-orientated spells?' Nicolas managed to sound surprised, intrigued and amused all in one.

Harry grinned. 'Have you ever read Theamon Gralleiens 'Eye for an Eye?'

'Not yet.' Perenell teased.

'Well, Gralleiens points out, and if you talk to any good healer they will agree with him, that magic from the same affiliation is much more effective in resolving anti-complimentary afflictions than opposing refractional magic. That is, if you are attacked by Dark magic, use a Dark healing spell. If a Light magical Creature has bitten you, a Light Potion will contain the best remedy.'

'Ah, the magical response to Newton's law.'

'That it might be an equal reaction, but in magic, often isn't an opposite. Yes, exactly!'

'A curious study for a thirteen year old.' Nicolas pointed out. Harry winced slightly, having got quite passionate in his speech.

'Sorry. It's rather interesting. I was looking into Animagus magics at the time, but went off on a rather large tangent. My Defence professor got quite a shock the other day when he offered to teach me.'

'To be an Animagus?'

Harry shook his head, 'Sadly no… or perhaps not yet. The Patronus Charm. He was rather impressed.'

'Well… show us then.' Nicolas prompted.

Harry grinned. 'Expecto Patronum!'

Harry's fox did a loop around the room before rushing out the window into the gathering snow storm.

'A fox?' Nicolas prompted.

Harry laughed. 'I've no idea. It's new. Probably one of the reasons I was so interested. It used to be a Stag, but that… Patronus betrayed me.'

There was a slightly awkward pause, as some of Harry's enthusiasm had waned and he had sounded far more bitter than he meant to allow through.

'And you believe that there is a connection between the Animagus and the Patronus?'

Harry shook his mood off, appreciative of Perenell sliding over the unstated topic. 'I know a few Animagi, and quite a few of their Patroni reflected them. A werewolf too, curiously.'

'There is a rather interesting study going on at Atlantis University about the Patronus Charm. They are researching, I believe, why the Patronus are animals.' said Nicolas. 'I think it is linked to Animagi, and connected in with why there aren't any magical creature forms, despite magical beings obviously having a magical core.' Harry nodded, then frowned. He hadn't heard of such a study in the original future, and wondered if it was just never completed. Then again, Atlantis was often secretive in their work.

'Perhaps then,' Perenell suggested, 'considering you believe that the Patronus is a Dark ritual not a Light charm, that it is related to the Dark Animagus ritual.'

Harry had been wistfully mentally tallying the pros and cons of giving up his Harry Potter life entirely and becoming Harris Noir so he could head off to Atlantis immediately to investigate, but Perenell's comment sharply caught his attention.

'Wait, the Animagus is a ritual too? And a Dark one?… oh, I suppose it is Transfiguration. Though I had thought that was a dark art, not a Dark art…' Harry frowned. That put McGonagall in question again, though she always read as just off Neutral. Unless she could manipulate her Aura like him, but that skill was meant to be so rare it only came around once or twice every five hundred years… though there were ways to duplicate the effect, they were just exhausting.

'Being an Animagus isn't Light, Dark, or Grey.' Peri corrected.

'Grey?' Harry latched on to a mention of his current interest. Peri Flamel seemed to smirk at Nicolas, but seemingly not at Harry's expense.

'All three, though I suppose it is possible that there is some truth in the rumours that Vampires can turn into bats. Nearly all rumour has some basis in fact… so possibly all five magics have their own ways.'

'All five magi- okay wait. You've lost me.' But definitely not his interest. Harry sat up straight in his chair. This sounded like more Lord of magic information. The previous conversations had certainly been interesting, but this last one was truly up Harry's alley.

'There are five divisions of magic, though we humans can only really work three. There is Death, Dark, Grey, Light, and Life.'

'So is there a Death, Life and Grey Lord?' Harry asked.

Both Nic and Peri caught each other's eyes. 'You should know the answer to that.'

Harry frowned, but assumed that they were referring to Voldemort and Dumbledore. It also brought to mind Grace's secretive smile in Hogsmeade saying Harry had forgotten something. 'The others?' Harry prompted.

'I believe the Death Lord title has been held by the Dracula clan since some forty years before I was born.' Nic offered, 'And the Life Lord, also by a vampire, though this by an individual for nearly 2000 years. She is rather reclusive, and only deals in her own kind unless you go searching for her. Not many do either, as she specialises in true blood magic as well as Voodoo.'

Harry shivered, offensive Blood magic on it's own could have terrifying effects, and Harry wanted nothing to do with Voodoo.

'And the Grey Lord?' he prompted.

'That we can not tell you.' Peri stated, but Nic interrupted her at the end.

'There hasn't been a known Grey Lord since Merlin and Morgana kicked Mordred from court.'

Harry frowned. 'You don't have a book on it, do you?'

'Not on the Grey Lord, but I have the autobiography of Owle Bullock, and he documents the steps to becoming a Dark Lord.'

'Nicolas!' Perenell hissed suddenly, with a frown.

'It wouldn't happ-'

'Enough!'

There was a sudden silence, and Harry was rather confused about what had gone wrong. Clearly however, Perenell was rather distressed over the topic, so Harry changed it back to Animagi.

'Right, so there is an Animagi ritual for Light and Dark?'

'And Grey, yes. Amusingly, the ministry banned the supposed wrong one, as the socially accepted normal process is actually the Dark one.'

Harry raised one eyebrow.

Nicolas chuckled. 'I know, but don't go telling Wulfric's transfiguration prodigy. She'll have a conniption. Come to think of it, Wulfric might too.'

'Why is it Dark?'

'It can be painful, and requires both sacrifice of time, and traditionally involved the sacrifice of the same type of animal you become. There is a tamer variant around these days, though much harder to achieve if you don't dissect the creature yourself, and instead rely on secondary resources.'

Harry wrinkled his nose, suddenly imagining Remus returning to the dorms to find James, Sirius and Peter covered in blood and animal parts.

'Right. But there are other options?'

'Illegal ones.'

Harry sighed, making a note to start searching Knockturn, and to go over the book he'd found there to see if it shed any light on alternate opportunities. He was distracted by the Flamel's laughter.

'Still thinking of trying it?'

'I probably was a little transparent.' Harry admitted, discovering he'd been pouting.

Nicolas grinned. 'Ah, but little thief, you will find that they have only been illegal for a little over two hundred years.'

Harry suddenly perked up. 'You know what they are!' he stated. Nicolas winked.

'The Light process involves potions, and spending a great deal of time with the designated animal, and the Grey process, from memory, involves permanently marking your skin with runes selected to represent your animal and work as foci to hold transfiguration to the ambient magics.'

Harry deflated a little. He suspected that the Marauders had probably stumbled on the potion, as the socially accepted process took much more than three years. He was hoping the Grey option might have been more suited, but if it was illegal, putting permanent marks on his skin didn't seem like a plausible option. Harry had only just gotten over the two thin bands of gold around his left wrist that were the marks of the ritual he'd done on Halloween. He still hadn't had an opportunity to find out the full results, and had nearly had a heart attack when he thought just anyone could see the bands. As it turned out they appeared to be only visible to him (so far, or at least not to Theo, Harry's test subject), but it was still off-putting, having essentially gotten himself a life-long tattoo. He didn't mind the bands, luckily, but knew they could have ended up being something huge and ugly, and there would have been nothing he could do (no one but himself to blame either).

'I will find you my notes.' Nicolas offered.

'That would be amazing, thank you.' Harry grinned. 'Are you an Animagus?'

Nicolas smiled, but didn't say anything.

The conversation fell off from there, as it was getting quite late, and neither Flamel would submit to his teasing out their forms, instead trying to decide what animal they thought Harry might be. Nicolas jokingly suggested a sloth and then a owl, and Perenell a beetle, both joking. This lead to Harry revealing he knew of a beetle animagus, though he didn't mention anything else about Rita, as he realised that what she was doing was illegal, and he was technically aiding her while he remained silent. The Flamels then had Harry in stitches telling a story of one of their old friends, who had been an eagle, but had spent three years with one arm as a wing because of a botched transformation he refused help with. All in all it was a good start to the holidays, and despite the small conversation hiccups, Harry felt… at home.

Harry woke late the next morning, but there was a note on his bedside table apologising and saying Perenell had been called to a friend's house unexpectedly, and that Nicolas was out for a traditional Yule hunting. An image popped into Harry's head of Nicolas and his fine suits in the middle of the forest with a spear and tribal paint, which started Harry's day off with a laugh. Once he was feeling more awake and sensible Harry still couldn't reconcile Nicolas with hunting, even in the more reasonable setting of a traditional hound and fox hunt. He made note to ask about it in the afternoon, and settled in to getting his homework out of the way.

Harry had been given a small but beautiful room which, like the rest of the house, was more homey than anything else. The blanket on his bed was patchwork, but finely made, and on the wall there were several paintings of dragons that Harry suspected one of the Flamels had done themselves. He also had another amazing view over the valley, and a small balcony, which despite warm climate charms, Harry probably wouldn't be going on to. There appeared to be quite a wind judging from the snow swirls. The chair at the desk was heavily layered with cushioning charms, and the lighting just right, and Harry found it easy to get to work. So easy, in fact, that six hours had passed before the house elf knocked quietly on the door startling Harry out of his vibe, announcing that both Perenell and Nicolas were home.

Harry made his way down to the kitchen, and despite sitting all day, felt relaxed and laid back. He strolled loose-limbed, becoming aware of how tense he'd been at Hogwarts, what with one thing running straight after another and no gaps. It felt great knowing he didn't have anything personally planned until New Year, with only the Yule celebrations between now and then. The Flamels had been very clear about wanting Harry to relax over the holidays, and only having quiet days at home planned. It was nice.

Harry didn't remember to ask about the hunting until late that evening when having eggnog by the fire. Nicolas laughed when Harry admitted to his ignorance and the imagery that came with it.

'Fox and hound? Jamais de la vie! No, a Granian seating chasing nought but Stags-on-the-fly. Very different to the muggles. The Granian's are by far the quietest when in flight and have a phenomenally silent landing, you see.'

Thankfully Nicolas went off on an enthusiastic lecture about the different varieties of flying horses and where to buy the best breeds, so Harry didn't have to make a comment about the hunting itself. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about hunting, especially stags. While he hardly had much positive emotion towards his father, Prongs had been his Patronus for some years and he still switched between feeling bitter and feeling sorrow when thinking of his new patronus.

Nicolas admitted that this was actually their hunting lodge, but that they usually spent the majority of their time here rather than their 'overly draughty manor up north', as he and Perenell had first met down in the city they could see in the valley, when it was once a village. Perenell came in to the room at that stage with cakes, and the conversation moved to the development of cities and architecture. It was an interesting topic, coming from first hand memories, and bled into local politics, then national politics, then France's chances in the upcoming Quidditch World Cup… Harry didn't have the heart to tell Nicolas that they would get knocked out in the first round.

For most of the week leading to Yule, Harry just pottered around the house with either Nic or Peri, depending on who looked least busy. It seemed the Flamels were very laid back, but in everything Harry did he was learning. Even if it were just a new (to Harry, 400 years old) way to cook mince tarts.

But on Yule-eve morning Harry and Perenell had rounded back to the topic he was most interested in at present. Probably as Harry had heard so little of it during the first timeline, the topic of Grey magic kept catching his attention. With Perenell's direction Harry had been placing little tea light candles all over the cottage. They were currently in the kitchen

Harry wasn't sure how Perenell felt about Grey magic. She seemed to swing between keen and hesitant keeping Harry on his toes. Anything she did say Harry was happy to take advantage of.

'I'm not surprised you are interested in that topic' Perenell said, as they once more moved back to the topic of Grey magic.

'Oh?'

'Well you're Grey yourself, and it's so rare, a true Gr-' Perenell broke off suddenly, turning to tap the oven with her wand, setting it to the right temperature. She bustled about for a moment, and eventually Harry realised she wasn't going to continue.

Harry frowned. 'I don't know nearly enough about Grey magic, which is rather frustrating.'

Perenell seemed to have got her expression under control, but then switched to a cheeky smile that looked odd with her naturally stern appearance. 'Well, you've certainly come to the right people to learn.'

'I wasn't aware you had studied Grey magic in particular.'

Perenell's smile only increased. 'Time-magic! Everyone wonders how Nicolas managed such a wondrous pierre, but it is hardly just alchemy.'

Harry was sure he had a look of total surprise on his face. 'Wait! Time magic is Grey?'

Perenell nodded. 'Oh yes, not so surprising when you really think on it?'

Harry stayed quiet for a little while after that, pretending to focus on edging the little pies. He had certainly done a large amount of time magic, both his return to the past, as well as every day this year. Absently Harry wiped off his hands, then reached for the time-turner from around his neck, running his thumb over it, and looking at the tiny Runes etched around the middle ring. Eventually he let out a small snort: the school worrying over whether he was Light or Dark seemed rather pointless if he was heavily practicing Grey magic every day just to get to class.

'It is quite interesting, non?' Perenell said, watching him with her own amusement. 'Most of the Grey magics are. However the majority of people don't have the control necessary to work both dark and light magic simultaneously and together.'

'I am going to get a headache trying to keep up with this.' Harry mumbled, his attention caught by that description of Grey magic. 'One thing at a time, no pun intended.' Harry half smirked, half winced, 'Why is time magic Grey?'

'I am not exactly sure, but I believe it is because it doesn't stop. It is moving, always moving, and so to manipulate it, you must sacrifice your spot in time, but give over control to the natural flow.'

Earth magic and control and sacrifice combined. Interesting. 'So Grey magic is not Light or Dark, but both?'

Perenell huffed, wiping her hands off on her apron. She seemed to pause for a minute, then paused and drummed her fingers along the bench, thinking. 'Ah. There was always a great debate about whether Phoenix are Grey or Light Creatures, as their link to time magic is Grey, but they are elemental, which is Light. One of the reasons they are so valuable is because they are one of the few Creatures which are more than one classification. Making them, despite their lack of translatable language or communal culture, a being not a creature at all. Caused a great scandal back in 1723 when Ollivander started using their feathers.'

'So they are both… oh.' Harry frowned, but then, as one did talking to Perenell, he got distracted by a tangent. 'Wait, I have a- friend,' (or he had originally), 'who had a Veela hair in her wand.'

'You best watch that one Harry.' Nic said, coming into the kitchen. 'In order to have a wand core from a Being, one must be at least 1/8th of the same blood. Pretty little girlfriends they might make, but nasty tempers.'

'She's a quarter Veela, and just a friend.' Harry said absently, 'But what about Phoenix feathers. My wand has a Phoenix feather core.'

'It was deemed legal at the demand of the various wand owners who already had phoenix feather wands, as the classification came second."

'Ah! You're discussing that little scandal, are you.' Nic said, sounding gleeful. 'What was it Elizabeth Bones said, back in the 1820's? Oh yes, Shall I donate my own heart-strings for use now or later? Rather amusing at the time, as Olli had somewhat of a crush on the dear.'

From there the conversation slipped into an amusing anecdote of all things Ollivander. The Flamels had a long history with him and had plenty of dirt on the man, who it turned out had quite the scandalous youth. Harry didn't think he'd be able to look at the wand maker the same ever again. He said as much to Perenell, and she laughed.

'Well, you can find out tomorrow, he is one of our guests for Yule.'