A/N: A little holidays bonus of two chapters.

Please note: A more accurate list of characters, according to story time, is now in the main story description.

Harry Potter and the Wizards of Malta

Chapter 16.

The wizard's story had left him gutted. It was not what he wanted to hear at all. What he had hoped to acquire was more information about Lasaurus; not another story implicating Penny further in this mess. And if they found her it didn't sound too good if the wizard's warnings were correct. Walking a kilometer further up the Rue d'Assas, he finally stopped to hail a taxi back to the hotel.

In the privacy of his room, he clicked the icon for Hermione's mobile number at the Ministry. After several rings he heard a click at the other end.

"Harry," she answered. "That's you?"

"Hermione – are you busy?"

"Of course, but I'll squeeze you in," she said with a chuckle.

"I've got some real information this time. You interested?"

"Sure – what you got?"

"The Order of the Wizards of Malta. Have you heard of it?"

"I've read about them – don't know where now, it's been a while back," she said let out a deep breath.

"Well, that's what we're dealing with."

"So how did we get involved?"

"Through Penny of course. They claim she's taken something," he replied.

"Taken something? Taken what?" she asked.

"The wizard wouldn't say."

"Well, what does she say?"

"I haven't talked to her about it yet."

"Well, what do you think?"

"I don't know what to think," he said and sighed.

There was a noticeable pause.

"That's not what I expected to hear Harry. You've been in the field for how long? And you don't know if the girl is a thief or not?"

"That's not fair Hermione," he snapped back.

There was another pause by Hermione.

"Harry – are you involved with Penny?"

"Involved?"

"You know damn well what I mean," she said with deliberation.

There was a long pause by Harry.

"Oh, I knew it. Harry this is ridiculous. You're supposed to be on top of the case, not the girl."

There was a long pause.

"I need you to to check up on this," he said, sourly. "I need to know more about this Lasaurus. What his skill sets are. They talk about him like he's freaking God or something."

"Okay Harry – I'll check into this. When do you need the information?"

"Would mid-morning tomorrow be too early?"

"Mid-morning? Is that when you're getting up now?"

"We have shows till very late Hermione. Oh by the way, are you still talking to Ron?"

There was a pause.

"Yeah, more than just talking – we've been going out a bit," she said, dryly.

"That's good to hear," he said and laughed.

"I'll get even for this! Goodbye," she said and rang off.

‡‡‡‡‡

After the long break, the band finally returned to action and to the Elysee Montmarte. Ace looked to be in the best of spirits and all of the band appeared fresh and relaxed. Penny had mentioned something fleeting about Piper's invitation for the weekend, and he just smiled and nodded. Apparently Ace had found another couple, Jonesy and Xander, that might also want to come along. They were in the Orchestral section of the band and had been going out alone for a little while now. Ace had also mentioned they were reputedly a blast to party with. They sounded just like the type Ace was looking for.

Penny questioned him about his meeting went with the wizard. He brushed her off and said 'we'll talk tomorrow'. She smiled unevenly but said nothing. Jimbo and Harley took their normal positions aside the long stage, but with the French crowd being so lackadaisical, their presence seemed unnecessary.

The wizard's warning had been anything but lackadaisical and Harry took the threat seriously. He tried not to show, in front of Penny, just how concerned he was about this night's performance. The Elysee Montmarte was connected to a larger entertainment mall and there was more than one entryway to get in the building. After a quick go-around of the premises he settled on a corner in the back of the hall with a fair view of the stage.

The band hit the ground with their feet running on the first number. Penny, as the best Electra he'd seen yet, put everything she had into a stellar performance. She sang, moved, danced, and bounced on the small stage with as much energy as any show he had seen. Finally, even the frigid French crowd began to respond. The evening's performance was the best of the whole Paris tour and the night came to an end without incident.

Harley and Jimbo disappeared with Penny into the car as a cool breeze gently blew through the car park. It was a calm evening. Maybe too still, as if an evil was hiding behind the cool breeze and watching every move he made. He could feel the hackles rise on the back of his neck and he left the place as soon as apparition allowed.

‡‡‡‡‡

Kingsley Shacklebolt sat at his desk and looked over the report from Hermione. Besides helping Harry, she was also working with Shacklebolt to evaluate Harry's performance in the field. She reluctantly took the assignment, but expressed feelings of betrayal for keeping tabs on the young Auror.

I don't have time to keep up with his movements and how he's performing, he told her. Look, just let me know if he's getting out of line or not in firm control. We really don't know anything about this Penny Penthane and I'm a little concerned with him being away for long. I'm sure you can handle it, he said dryly and politely excused her. If anyone knew moods and temperament of Harry Potter, then it would be Hermione Granger and Kingsley trusted the young witch completely.

The problem was, Harry had been in the field for too long with too little results. He was making progress with this 'Order' business, but he had little information on how his client was involved. Kingsley was one of the few that knew just how deeply Harry had been effected by the last assignment. Kingsley also felt Harry's previous loss of someone so close might be troublesome in his dealings with Penthane.

With regret, he signed the order to pull the plug on this assignment and bring his young Auror home. With the new information Hermione had provided, Lasaurus was probably in London anyway, and Miss Penthane would just have to get by without Ministry protection.

He had the letter sent to the Lancaster hotel in Paris by express Muggle mail.

‡‡‡‡‡

By early-morning of the next day he was thinking of Hermione's promise to ring him when he saw the note under his door.

Mr. Potter,

You have a package at the desk.

Thanks,

Desk: The Hotel Lancaster

"Uhmm," he said to himself. Hermione never mentioned anything about a package. At the desk a pretty attendant dug around in a sorted file and extracted a large weather-proof envelope. It was addressed to him with no mention of the sender. It had a Ministry smell all over it. If it was from the Ministry, there would a tracking spell attached and they would know exactly when he received it.

He thanked the girl and followed his nose in a direction toward the smells of coffee and breakfast. The breakfast area was devoid of band members and only a few guests were ambitious enough to brave the hour. After a small breakfast and second cup of coffee curiosity got the better of him. Ripping the pull tab he extracted the contents, and when no was was looking and read the scant few lines of the letter.

Harry,

We request that you return to the Ministry at your first convenience. We have business for you here and we hope matters have been satisfactorily concluded with Miss Penthane.

Hope all is well and we look forward to seeing you.

Minister for Magic

Kingsley Shacklebolt

The letter was neither welcome nor expected. Harry sat motionless as the energy drained from him and into the floor. Obviously Hermione had communicated her suspicions to Kingsley and now he had pulled the plug. This assignment had been like a dream and now it was time to wake up. Even though he had tried to prepare himself for this obvious eventuality, the timing couldn't be worse and now he was almost incapable of breaking away. He sat there musing over the contents of the letter and went through swings of anger, angst, and then depression. An hour later he folded the letter and threw away the oversized envelope.

It was almost mid-morning and still no call from Hermione. Why would she, he thought? She must have known he'd been pulled off the case. Trudging up to Penny's suite and banging on the door, Harley answered after a couple of hard knocks.

Answering the door and showing no emotion, Harley let him in without a word and disappeared into his adjoining suite. The glass door to the sun-deck was wide open and Harry spotted the Raven haired bandleader immediately. She was in a familiar pose with her legs kicked up on a table and busying herself with the laptop.

She was totally absorbed into the computer when he stopped by the table and pulled out a chair.

"I was about to call you,"she said, without looking up.

He plopped down in the chair and from the penthouse view looked over the cluster of Parisian rooftops. He sat there quietly until the silence began speaking for itself.

"I imagine you'll want to tell me what the wizard said," she said, breaking the silence.

But, he didn't answer immediately.

"He said – if you don't return what you've taken they'll kill you."

"It's mine – so don't let them kill me. It's that simple," she said, resolutely.

"Did you take it or not – if you did, then give it back. It's that simple," he replied, firmly.

"It belonged to my father, and I can't just give it back."

"When were you planning to tell me?"

"Tell you what? That I have something valuable that belonged to my father or that I love you?"

"You lied Penny – you lied to me about the whole thing," she said with a sigh. "And now..."

"You wouldn't have come if I'd told you the whole thing. You needed time," she said and folded the laptop and sat it on the table.

"I don't know what you've got yourself mixed up in and I don't much care, but it won't be safe for you now."

"What do you mean Harry?"

"I'm leaving – back to London."

"So... you're shoving off. It was lot's of fun, but now you've got to go – is that it?" she said and tears began to swell in her large grey eyes..

"It's not that," he mumbled.

"What is it then? Why are you leaving?"

He stood and retrieved the letter from his pocket. He unfolded it and slid it across the table. She looked at him, glaringly and slowly pulled the letter up to read it. She tossed the letter back to the table a few moments later.

"Bloody Hell... Forget the job and stay with me," she said and wiped her eyes. "You're good at what you do and we can probably pay you more," she went on, upbeat.

"I can't just quit like that – not from this job."

"Why not? People quit jobs everyday."

"Not like this one – and not like this – it would take time."

"How much time?"

"I'd have to go back – be debriefed – and I couldn't just come back to Paris or wherever," he explained.

"Just stay with me Harry. I need you," she pleaded.

"I can't do that. If I got into trouble, they'd hunt me down like a rogue."

"Then what can we do?" she asked.

"Go back to London – that's all I can do."

She paused silently and looked a million miles away.

"Do you care for me at all? I have to know Harry," she asked and turned around entirely in her chair to look him square in the eye.

"Yes," he answered and put his head in his hands. "Yes, of course."

"Then I'll go. I'll cancel the next stop and go to London."

‡‡‡‡‡

Compelled to opt out of Piper's invitation to go clubbing over the weekend, Penny had given her room key to Ace while she and Harry ate had the hotel and spent some time at the bar. Over dinner that night, she wore a cream colored and swallow tailed top. It was sheer and barely opaque. The blouse was set off with tight jet black trousers and matching heels. There were candles on the table and the flames reflected hints of silver in the gunmetal grey eyes. Silky strands of jet black hair moved with coordinated unison as if communicating somehow.

"The canceled tour stop, where was it by the way?" he asked.

"Mexico. It was Mexico city," she said and shrugged.

He tried various attempts at small talk but her response was minimal and listless.

"Do you miss the party?" he asked on a different tack.

"No, of course not," she replied quickly. "Oh, I would have enjoyed the clubs, but it's nice to be here with you."

"And safer too," he added.

"Yes, I suppose so," she said dryly. "Do you really think they'll try to kill me?"

"I don't know. How valuable is it, the treatise?"

"Couldn't say. That's what I've been trying to find out," she said with a sigh.

"So how did your father come by it?"

She gave him a look of petulance, which gently transformed into a diminutive smile.

"It's a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it?" she asked.

"Can you give me the short version?"

She laughed. "I'll try. My father was stationed in Malta until the British pulled out in sixty four."

"I thought you never knew him," he said and sipped a red wine.

"I didn't. This is all from notes left by my mother," she replied and went on. "He was assigned to get rid of old documents and British records stored in the Grandmasters Palace and move the active stuff to the new National Archives."

"Did he do that?"

"Yes, but in a box of things marked for the dust bin, he found a rather odd looking bundle. Curious, he kept the small bundle and took the box to the rubbish bin to be burned. So you see, if he hadn't found it, the bundle would have been lost anyway."

"The bundle you said, that's where the treatise came from?" Harry asked.

"Yes. It did, and it's all I have left from my father. And I don't want to hand it over to those bastards," she went on.

"So how did your mother... you said she died..."

"Yes, she died when I was very young. A close relative gave me her things when I was seventeen."

"I just wish you had told me this before," he added, dryly.

"If I had Harry, would you have stayed?" she countered.

Harry didn't answer, but rolled his shoulders into a shrug.

:

The band played one last show that remained on their contract at the Elysee Montmarte. They rearranged equipment on the stage to give Penny more room between Beatty and Rob. Jimbo and Harley took their normal positions on the floor, just off the ends of the stage, and all was well. With much work, Penny was able to coax the chilly Parisian audience into delirium for the best show of the French tour.

Penny made arrangements for the band to enjoy a few days more in Paris while she booked a flight to London for the two of them. She had asked Harry if magical travel was possible, but it was too far for side-along apparition and arranging a portkey would take cooperation with the French and UK Ministries. They considered the Eurostar to St Pancras, which the Americans love to call the chunnel, but also decided against it. So, it was back to the Charles De Gaulle and their flight to Heathrow.

Harry never saw it, but he was sure she had placed the journal in her carry-on bag. Whenever she would look away or drift into conversation, she would tighten her grip around the strap of the carry-on. And she looked nervous. More so than normal at least. She drank very little water to avoid the loo. And when she did go, Harry went with her and stood outside the door.

Finally they boarded the flight and relaxed in the comfortable seating in the business class. He gave her the seat away from the aisle and beside the window and she tucked the bag safely between her seat and the fuselage with the straps around the armrest. After a drink and thirty minutes into the flight, she reached for his hand, rested her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.

:

The taxi ride to Penny's flat from Heathrow had seemed like forever. The traffic on this day was thick and barely moving. They were traveling light with a single bag apiece. The rest of Penny's luggage would be arriving later, along with the band when they returned. She seemed to be in good spirits and couldn't hide the fact that she was happy to be back. Her good mood continued until she unlocked the door and took several steps into her flat. She immediately froze.

The place had been ransacked, stripped, and gutted. Pillows, chairs, and everything of a similar composition had been ripped open and its contents spilled onto the floor. Even the flat-screen and stereo equipment had been broken open like eggshells.

She went into her bedroom and came out a few seconds later.

"It's even a bigger mess," she said and sighed.

"Well, you can't stay here," said Harry. "Besides, it's no longer safe."

"Where then," she retorted. "Where can I stay Harry?"

He smiled. "You need a place safe from the all-seeing eyes of Muggles and wizardkind – a place completely impregnable from dark magic."

"For sure, but where the hell is that?" she asked and screwed her face, suspiciously.

"My place. I'll explain later," he said and grinned.

"All that sounds nice, but is it convenient?," she quipped and reached for his hand.

"Very... grab you bag and take my hand..." he instructed and a few seconds later they were spinning through an elastic space.

They resumed corporeal form in the small yard behind Grimmauld Place.

"It's not much," he warned. "But, you and your things will be safe here."

He unlocked the door an held it open for Penny. She paused tentatively and looked about before making a complete commitment to enter. Once inside he led her into the sitting room where they temporarily left the luggage. The rooms had a musty odor from being closed up for so long.

"The place needs airing out," Harry explained. "But it will do for our purposes. It was the Black family residence. Sirius left it to me. The Order of the Phoenix used it as a hideout and it is truly hidden with every magical enhancement known to wizardkind."

"Sounds impressive. Can you cook?" she asked, amused by all the wares in the kitchen.

"No, not really. But Kreacher can."

"Kreacher? Who's Kreacher," she asked with a touch of amusement.

"A house elf. He's been here his whole life – to serve this house," he explained.

"Really, I wouldn't have thought you the type to have a house elf."

"I offered him his freedom, but this is all he's ever known," Harry said and motioned with his hand to dismiss the subject.

He led her upstairs and put her bags in Regulus' old bedroom. She gave him a funny look.

"If you need a little space of your own," he explained. He showed her the lavatory and where she could wash up. She eyed the shower carefully.

"It's a little small," he said, apologetically. "but it's new for the house."

"It'll be fine for us," she said and smiled.

Downstairs, they finally spotted Kreacher peeping around a door frame in the kitchen.

"Kreacher, come on out. We have a guest," Harry ordered and Kreacher pattered over to the pair with huge bare-feet slapping the tile floor.

"Kreacher," he said, "this is Penny – Penny Penthane. She'll be staying with us for a while. So be nice."

"Yes, master and good day madam," he said with an unemotional croak and bowed slightly before scampering off.

Harry checked the cupboard and the cooler and saw that there was one bottle of wine left. He pulled out the bottle to check the label.

"Fancy a glass before dinner?"

"For sure," she said and smiled a dimply smile.

He showed her around a little further and explained the Black family tree embroidery. He made sure to mention the fresh paint and improvements he and Kreacher had made to the house. They settled at the far end of the long kitchen table and sipped the wine.

"This has always been my favorite room – especially in the winter when the fires are lit," he explained.

"It's nice – it really is. It reminds of my adoptive parents. They had a kitchen like this."

"We had good times here," he said with a sigh.

"What happened to them – the Blacks?"

"The war took them. Took them all..." he mused. He poured Penny and himself another glass. "I'll send Kreacher out for a few thing tonight. But, he won't have time to prepare dinner. You feel like going out?"

She smiled and nodded apprehensively.

"Don't worry about your things – everything here is safe. I'll explain over dinner – I'm hungry."

She shrugged off the remark. "I'm sure it is."

Thinking it wiser to stay in Muggle London, Harry remembered a pub he had not enjoyed for a long time. They apparated to an alley near the pub and walked hand in hand out to the street. The pub was one he had discovered with Sandy. It had a narrow street frontage but ran back into a full dining area with a cozy balcony. With a little coaxing, he managed to get the host to seat them at a balcony table. The light from the candelabra was always soft and ambient and provided just enough luminance to reflect bits of silver in Penny's large grey eyes.

They enjoyed the meal and drink and discussed what to do about Penny's flat.

"The insurers will have to notified," she at length.

Penny had spurts of energy that he never could surmise. It was if a burst of recognition flashed before her, then as if unable to find words to encapsulate the thought, she quickly shook it off and smiled.

Harry nodded. "I'll have to report in tomorrow morning – but I'll take a couple of days off," he said with a hard, firm expression. "That'll give me a couple of days off and the weekend to help you with that."

"That should work," she said and cupped her hand over his.

Harry picked up the check and took one last gaze into sultry grey eyes.

"I guess we better be getting back."

:

Kreacher was stocking the kitchen when they returned. Harry took Penny into the sitting area and showed her where the tunnel opening to WiFi was located.

"It's a special charm. Quixwood developed it for me. It's the only way the WiFi can get through all the protective enchantments."

"Who's Quixwood?" she asked.

"He's a magical techno-nerd that works at the Ministry. He develops all our technical toys," he said and she nodded amusingly.

"Oh, I see. That's interesting – but I need to change. Be back in a minute," she replied and scurried off upstairs.

She returned quickly and caught Harry in the kitchen. They brought their glasses to end of the long table. Penny looked comfortable with jeans and a Tee shirt and sandals. It didn't look like she bothered with undergarments. She rarely did when dressed casual and it gave her a softer, more natural look.

"Now, we didn't get to discuss Grimmauld Place at the cafe. The place was used through two wars by the Order of the Phoenix – that's us," he said and pointed to himself. "Well, the enchantments go a long way back."

"Two wars?" she asked with incredulity.

:

Harry quickly explained what few details he knew about the first war and the rise of Voldemort. He didn't think Penny would be interested in the war but she listened intently to every word. They talked in the kitchen table, they moved to the sitting room and moved back to the kitchen again. He described what would have been his last school year, and how he spent it in the tent with Hermione and Ron, looking for Horcruxs. He talked of the battle of Hogwarts and his decision to face death in the forbidden forest and the deathly hallows. Finally he described the loyalty of the wands and how that figured in to Voldemort's last stand. He carefully told Penny how he taunted Voldemort to attack and how the wizard met his end.

With fondness he told her about Severus Snape and how the man had looked out for him in the strangest of ways for much of his life. He explained his connectivity to Severus' black wand and how it resonated in his left hand and protected him in much the same way as Severus had done.

With regret, he described his last great villain and how Razvan took Sandy after they were whisked through the portal and into the abbey grounds. With relish he talked of how they hunted the wizard down in Romania. With a flourish of anger he described the fight with the hounds and how he finally managed to get the battle to a one on one level.

Throughout the evening he would pause and try to tie in Penny's background to similar situations in his own. In some small way he was prodding and hoping she would open up about her own past, but she said little of it. For some reason, she seemed fascinated by his descriptions of work and battles during the war. He thought this was somewhat out of character for a women.

Earlier that day on the plane he heard Lana Del Ray singing Young and Beautiful. The tune kept spinning through his head and he wasn't aware he was humming it.

"What's that you're humming?"

"I don't know," he said and then did his best to reproduce it.

She laughed and began singing her rendition and it was beautiful. As he listened to her, goose pimples began to rise.

With little left to say, Harry reminded Penny he still had to get up early and excused himself to repose. Before he left, he helped her find the right spot for the lap-top as she needed to check her email.

He awoke in the first glimmer of morning light to a cold bed. He put on a robe and walked to the top of the stairs and then low enough to peek into the sitting room. Penny was still behind the lap-top and so involved with whatever she was doing she was oblivious to his presence. Quietly, he went back up the stairs and back to sleep.

After a time of perhaps an hour, he felt the cover being pulled up and a breeze of cool air on his backside. This was followed by the touch of cool skin, quickly turning warm, as they 'spooned' together. He rolled over and kissed the Raven haired witch and they hugged tightly and then embraced in love.

As the wave of bliss faded like the gentle passing of a desert breeze, he looked into Penny's eyes. Pooling in the large grey orbs were the swelling of tears. This would happen many times at Grimmauld Place, and he would gaze into the watery eyes, as deep as any well, and try and guess the meaning.

:

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