Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling

Part 3/Chapter 13

The next hotel was a very large, and a very luxurious one in the heart of New York. There were many other guests, and Bellamy and his wife were more heavily protected than ever, never quite alone except in the privacy of their own suite, and even that was always checked before they entered.

"Don't you find it irksome sometimes, to be followed wherever you go?" Pat asked him the second evening.

"We'll dump them if you like," Bellamy said, "I'll just tell Dieter, so he doesn't worry - much, then we'll disapparate, and return when we've had a fling on our own."

"They say you're always in so much danger."

"I'm in hardly any danger in medj society, where no-one knows who I am."

Pat thought for a while, then nodded. Dieter was horrified, but Bellamy assured him they'd be back in the morning.

That night, Pat and Bellamy enjoyed an evening in a country town, some music at a rather loud pub, and a night without a guard at the door. For a change, there was no need for a silencing shield over the room when they made love. They were reluctant to leave in the morning, lying in bed together, as Bellamy traced a tender finger over Pat's abdomen, still almost flat. "We don't have to do this," he said. "We can always abandon the wizarding world, and simply live as Medjkind."

Pat raised herself on an elbow, and studied his face. Then she kissed him. "You love your world, and you love your home," and she smiled. "I rather like it myself, even if one is in a bit more danger than if one were ordinary."

When they joined the aurors for breakfast, there was an addition to the company. Don Alcott, the Coodinator of their trips, was there, and had apparently been entertaining the others with an old story of Bellamy coming to the rescue of himself and another auror, while wearing only a towel around his waist. Bellamy took a bit of teasing, as Pat watched, amused. She loved it when he blushed. Don walked awkwardly and used a cane, and he, too, had scars on his face.

Dianne and her husband, Charles Longbottom, were arriving later, and would be joining them in the evening. "There's to be a dinner," said Don. "But Madam Abercrombie says that she won't make you attend, and offers you a tray in your room."

Bellamy laughed, "Stale sandwiches, no doubt!" He turned to Pat. "Would you like to go to a tedious formal dinner, doubtless with speeches, and incredibly boring bureaucrats, all of whom will want to shake your hand, or would you like to go..." and he cast his eyes around at the listening aurors, "Somewhere else."

Pat laughed at him. "I like Dianne. I'll talk to her first, and then decide."

The result was that Bellamy's evening was spent trying to be polite to important people he mostly had little interest in. But Dianne had taken pity, and at least there were no speeches. It was Dianne's husband, Charles, who enlightened Pat about her husband's Baldo Auror's award - that he'd gone alone into a Dementor stronghold, brought three aurors out, but then spent over four months as their prisoner. When she asked Bellamy about it, though, he only looked blank. "I suppose they could have given me one," he said, "But I was very sick for a long time, and maybe they just didn't tell me."

He was obviously not very interested in talking about it, so Pat asked Therese instead. Therese said that it was long time ago, before she'd been born, but she was looking thoughtful. "You know, there's books about the great wizard, and his life and achievements. We can go to a bookshop tomorrow if you like, and buy some."

Pat agreed that she'd like that, and mentioned that Charles had been boasting that his great grandfather was the best friend of Bellamy while he was still at school. 'Neville Longbottom,' Charles had said, 'A great fighter, and the best friend of Bellamy, known then as Harry Potter.'

Meantime, Dieter and a few of the other aurors were discussing some gossip - that the new Italian Chief Auror was an incompetent - of filmstar good looks, but not very bright. He'd never even been an auror himself, but there were so few contenders for the position, he'd been appointed anyway. Also that a recovered pumpkin-head had firmly stated that it was Mussari, who'd cursed him. Dieter looked over at Bellamy speculatively when he heard that. But Bellamy had been working and under their eye when the man died. He couldn't possibly have had anything to do with it.

On the last day of work, Pat decided that she wanted to watch her husband work one more time. The crowds were larger than she'd seen previously - it seemed there were a lot of wizards in New York. In the large open square, there was a carnival atmosphere, with several stalls, some tinkly music playing, and food vendors calling for custom.

"See the stalls?" said Dieter. "Souvenirs of the visit of the great wizard."

Pat shook her head. The famous great wizard didn't seem to have much in common with the man she loved, who hated speeches, left his clothes on the floor, and adored bright colours and bucking horses.

They had to cross the square for lunch. Pat walked with her husband, feeling self-conscious as so many stared. Music suddenly blasted at them, and she felt his hand tighten suddenly, painfully, around her arm. She looked across at him. His step had briefly faltered and his face was suddenly pale. He'd even started to tremble slightly. But his expression was unmoved, and he continued to walk steadily.

The music abruptly silenced, and she heard a quiet sigh. He didn't notice that he hurt her, and when they arrived in a room where a generous lunch was laid, he only leaned against the wall for a while, in a casual pose, and pretended the attack of trembling was just that. He trembled sometimes. It meant nothing. Pat had several books in her suitcase, but planned to read them at home, when he was not there. Maybe that would tell her more about his reaction to the music.

Pat didn't tell Bellamy he'd hurt her, just went to Graham, who dabbed some lotion on the painful bruise, which very quickly healed. She said she hit it on a door. Graham said, "He was holding your arm when that music blasted, wasn't he?"

Pat nodded. "Don't tell him. He'd be upset if he knew he hurt me."

Two days later, the large group gathered to return home. Dianne was pleased with her talks with Parker, and there had been other business transacted, as well. Aurors stood around, uniformed, and very alert, but Bellamy had just cast a quick look around, and was talking to Don about future work. Don was in an ordinary cape, but Pat noted to herself that he wore both the Baldo Award and the small red badge.

Bellamy consulted her. "Don says I've got a week off now, but I was wondering whether to start doing only alternate weeks, or continue every week, and have long holidays whenever we want."

"Every week for now," said Pat, decisively.

Bellamy nodded at Don, "Every week for now."

Dieter was listening, surprised that it was Pat that appeared to be making the decisions. He commented quietly to Therese later, but Therese said, smiling, "It's a story told in the family - that he's always done exactly what his wives have told him."

"Pity he wouldn't take a bit more notice of his bodyguards," said Dieter, dryly.

***chapter end***