Third Times the Charm

by Breanie

Part 3 of the Kismet Trilogy: Voldemort is dead. And while Harry and his friends turn their attention to the future and their new careers, not everyone is willing to move on. It all comes down to this. The cemetery in Godric's Hollow. Three elusive Death Eaters. One Resurrection Stone. One person from the past. All leading to a choice that just may destroy Harry.

5. The One With the Number Three

Author's Note:

I don't sport very well. Only sport I really understand and still don't follow regularly enough is hockey. So please excuse my non-sports knowledge/sports talk. Thank you!

Reviews and Comments: To Zarathos Morgenstern: Thank you very much for saying that chapter was amazing! It's true, the wizards would be smart to consider an artificial heart type surgery. We will have to see! Thank you! To Nightwing2013: Theobas is always adorable and it's so fun to write them being happy (especially with the tragedy going on). Yes, definitely steam incoming lol. Thank you! Writing Harry's grief has been difficult, but I wanted to show his progress in stages. Thank you very much! To Cassiopeia Anastasia Black: Yes, there are some noticeable cracks in the lies Sirius has been told and he is questioning them a bit. As to Zee's frozen state, you think they will be able to replace her heart in some way? Interesting. Thank you! To scrappy8: Yes, Theo and Sebastian finally realizing they're living together (a bit slow lol) and yes, Sirius is learning a bit more. Thank you! To alix33: Thank you! To ascfan: Yes, the stupid Death Eaters are stupid and messing with everyone. Harry having to tell the twins that Zee wasn't coming home was harder on him than on them. As to Sirius, we will see! Thank you! To mike3308: Yes, Zee's body is messing with magic. You think Harry has to undo the magic of Sirius' return in order to let nature run its course? Interesting. Thank you! To AnonymousHufflepuffWriter: Yes, Harry definitely needs to keep chatting to his mind healer here. Ha, I'm sorry that you'll need therapy after this haha. As to Sirius, yes, he kind of is living the life his parents wanted him to in this moment. Kind of ironic. Thank you!

To ellyann13: I'm sure Baxter contemplated calling her Druella to rile her up even more. She is definitely not going to win any mother of the year awards. Sebastian did make the right call, Harry needs time to process everything before his friends descend upon him, no matter how good the wishes. As to them learning they are living together, well, they do have some logistics to figure out but otherwise, all good. Sirius feels off but he can't explain why. You think it's an embalming potion that they used on Zee? Interesting. Thank you! To Read and Fly: Thank you! I do like to drop small details and see who picks them out. As to the whole Sirius and Zee and the heart bit, well your guesses are appreciated, but I won't tell. So many questions is fair at this point. I'm sorry to have made you cry. Thanks for loving my Theobas. Thank you! To Sets: I'm glad you found the Theo, Sebastian, and Blaise dinner so entertaining. Of course Theo used the fell line lol. Sirius is slowly starting to process things, even if not fully remembering them. You think Hades' ashes mixed with the resurrection stone is why Zee is still alive in some capacity? Interesting. Thank you! To ITHersey: Thank you! I can't wait to see where it all goes lol. Twenty chapters complete and I'm still finalizing plot points lol. You think they will be able to bring Zee back somehow? We will see. Thank you!

To camazoz: Thanks you for loving my hinny moments. Ha, yes the new HBO Potter series that I probably won't watch. We'll see. I'm trying not to think about it. Thank you for saying you hope they write Ginny more like the way I write her. What a lovely compliment! Thank you! To harstonks: Thank you! To EnigmaticEmperor: Druella Black is a pureblood fanatic and is definitely sick i the head. Thanks for loving my Theobas, they are so cute, aren't they? Blaise is enjoying teasing them. Yes, Sirius does find Zee more attractive than Belladonna; it's almost like he knows something… 😉. You think there is a possibility they can bring Zee back? Harry is definitely reading over is it Sirius or is it not Sirius and his emotions are clouding his judgment. It's a lot. Thank you! To Nuno Neves: Of course Theo is worried about Harry, but he knows Sebastian was right. Hanging out with Blaise was a good alternative. Sirius is being brainwashed, but he does know something is off. Harry is suffering and he's trying to be strong and hold everything in. Crying with the babies was so just too much for him (and me when I wrote it). Thank you for saying Sirius appearing at the end and his conversation with Harry gave you chills down your spine! That means I'm doing something right! Thank you! To Crystal A: Thank you very much for saying this story has you in a chokehold! There are some happy scenes coming (most of this chapter in fact). You think Zee being alive is what's powering Sirius? Interesting. I love all of the guesses. Theo and Sebastian are good and happy lol. Thank you for re-reading ASC so often while waiting! Thank you!

To Hanacide: Sorry to have gutted you, but thanks for saying the memorial for Zee was beautiful and heartfelt. I'm glad the Theobas bit could cushion the pain. Thank you! To sygt: Thank you very much for being so emotionally involved with these characters. Thank you so much! To Ellieoryan7447: Druella considers her daughter innocent because she sees what she did as necessary to the cause — she's basically as mad as her eldest daughter. Yes, she can lie in interrogation, but they're smart enough to prove it. Thank you for finding Theobas not realizing they've been living together a very "men" thing. It really is lol. Yes, Theo explaining that Bas' cock just fell into his mouth is very Theo lol. Of course Blaise calls them on their crap, he's known Theo too long lol. Blaise never hated Harry, he was more or less neutral on him to be honest. Sirius is buying into their lies, but he's also questioning things. As to Zee, no, she's not at peace in anyway. Harry talking to Auden is definitely detrimental to his health at the moment. Sorry to have made you cry during the memorial scene. Yes, Sirius being so cruel and so non-personal to Harry at the end, the flippant disregard, it's killing Harry because he can't figure out how he's Sirius or not. Thank you very much! To The cat with blue eyes: Thank you very much for liking Sirius' thoughts, we will see more of them. Ginny is definitely going to make it work with Harry, they need each other. Thank you!

To corneliastreet_28: It has been an emotional rollercoaster. Thank you! Theo and Bas deserve that happiness and yes, Harry is getting the space to talk and therapy is helping him. Thank you! To marauders_mowopapr: You think this will be Sirius' third chance, but also Zee's second? Interesting. It is complicated on how to stop Sirius and save Zee. Thank you very much! To MotherofKatie: Ha! Thank you for saying each new chapter posting leaves you wondering if it's going to satisfy the how is it going to end itch lol. I love Sebastian and Theo too. They are in love and happy and it's great to see. Thank you! To CheesePuffQueen: Thank you so much for saying my series speaks more to you than the original. Wow. Thank you very much! To AQuickRead91: Ha, there will be more sexy, I promise. Sorry for making you a complete mess. Thank you for saying that I should write for the new HP series (I doubt they'd hire me lol). Thank you! To Bosma18: Wow! Fifty-seven chapters behind in ASC is quite a lot! Thanks for catching up! Sorry to have made you cry once you did. No, Zee doesn't deserve this fate, but we'll have to see what happens. Thank you! To abhinav_india_17: Yes, you should prepare for smut lol. Sirius is beginning to remember a little, but not enough for him to not believe what Bellatrix is telling him. Theo definitely can't and won't and most definitely doesn't want to keep his hands and mouth to himself lol. As to length, this one will be shorter in number of chapters. I'll be surprised if it tops fifty chapters. Thank you!

To SiriusLover93: You think that Sirius will grow to realize that he doesn't actually want to kill Harry. Interesting, so you think Sirius will sacrifice himself to save Zee. Hmm… Thank you! To Angelt: Thank you for loving ASC and now being addicted to TTTC, but I promise your heart can take it (maybe). Thank you! To AaAHhHhhHHHhhhHh GuRl I am emotionally unstable: Wow! Thank you for reading ASC a second time, but I am sorry that it's made you emotionally unstable. Thank you so much for loving it like you do! There is some fluff coming. Thank you very much! To Reginaphalange: Theo is definitely getting the love and happiness he deserves. Harry doesn't deserve the shit hand he's been dealt. Thank you for saying this series keeps getting better, thank you! To katelyn453: You'll have to wait and find out if Sirius has amnesia or something. Thank you! To Mackie919: Sorry to have made you cry. Harry doesn't know how he's functioning at this point either. Ron and Ginny are his supportive arms. Thank you very much! To EbonyRivers: Thank you for loving Sebastian's "comparably unfazed 'isn't he dead?' with absolutely no follow-up questions, which just goes to show how much shit he's seen in his line of work" is so accurate. Yes, he didn't share it with Theo because it's not his news to share and it's sensitive information as well. Thank you!

To Bellmel: Yes, they're accidentally living together lol. Yes, Wes and Jasper vibes all the way! Thanks for always getting my little drop hints! Thanks for loving them. No, Theo doesn't dismiss Bas' flat as inferior, he just wants Bas to know that they have options. He loves Bas and doesn't care where they live. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing the MIA get involved in this case in some capacity (you'll see more in the chapter I just sent you to read). Yes, Theo doesn't know Zee well, but he knows how supportive she was to him at the trial and it hits him harder than he expects. Thanks for loving the dynamics with Blaise lol. It is a lot for Harry and he's kind of lost and floundering. Ginny and Ron are really holding him together. Thank you very much! To DeadFish37: Thanks for rediscovering my world. As to Sirius' mind, he isn't sure he can trust himself let alone others just yet. You think I plan to save both Sirius and Zee? Interesting. Thank you! To guest111: Sorry to keep you sobbing, but thank you so much for loving my world. Thank you!

To ThomasJAvery: Thank you for finding Druella an interesting character, but yes, she is definitely also a little crazy. I'm glad you enjoyed the Theobas just figuring out they're living together. Yes, Theo does care about Harry as they've become fiends over the years. I'm glad Theo made you laugh! Blaise is an interesting character. He's more friendly than Draco, but yeah, he's a bit of a douche sometimes lol. Sirius is smart for not taking up Belladonna's offer, but he is still believing what they're telling him. Harry does feel a bit betrayed by Ron, even though he knows it's not Ron's fault. Sometimes our emotions and feelings might not make logical sense. Harry is definitely part of the Weasley family. Thanks for loving Sirius showing up at the end and leaving Harry surprised. Thank you! To ismd1994: Wow! Thanks for catching up on ASC in timed for this one! Thank you!

My posting schedule: Weekly.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

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CHAPTER FIVE:
The One With the Number Three

There wasn't another sign of Sirius anywhere after the funeral. No sign of Lestrange, Crouch, or Brambilla either. The four of them had seemed to vanish and Harry wasn't sure if he was relieved by that or not.

The good thing was that it gave them time to delve deeper into the evidence of what they did know — which wasn't much. The Imposter Sirius had told Harry that cutting out Zee's heart had been vital to bringing him back, but Harry didn't know what he'd meant by that. He did know that the AIU's had found the evidence of the spell they'd used but other than the melted Resurrection Stone, the other ingredients had taken a lot longer to truly decipher.

The ashes of Hades Olympus.

The bone of Orion Black.

The Resurrection Stone.

Blood from the three Death Eaters who had been present.

And the final ingredient, the heart of Zee.

They just didn't know what all of it meant. There had been runic symbols carved into the side of the cauldron and they'd translated them to mean: Heart, soul, blood, tears, death, life, sacrifice.

But it still didn't explain how they had done it or what exactly they'd brought back.

Not to mention that they hadn't made as much headway on the rainbow coloured potion that Zee had been given in Liverpool either. The Potioneers assigned to work on it the AIU claimed it was a potion they'd never encountered before. After talking it over with Tonks, they agreed that getting an extra set of eyes on the potion was a good idea and Robards gave them permission to consult with Professor Slughorn about it.

"My, oh my, this is extraordinarily intriguing!" Horace Slughorn exclaimed, his eyes on the the kaleidoscope of rainbow colours in the elixir and how they looked like the scales of some exotic aqua life. "You don't know what it's for?"

"No," Harry said, shaking his head. "The Potioneers working on it know that it somehow stopped a body from decaying, kept it in some form of frozen state despite the heart missing. No one has seen it before otherwise. It's a complete unknown."

Slughorn made a face as he bent lower to sniff it. "Elderberry and a hint of frankincense and myrrh… delicious scent. Almost as enticing as Felix, but no, I quite agree, m'boy. This isn't any old usual embalming potion. It's frozen a body? Human?"

"Yes."

Slughorn made a pensive face as he stared down at the potion. "It couldn't be… it's been lost for centuries, believed to be a complete myth…"

"What?" Harry asked.

Slughorn shook his head. "I'm not sure. Let me have some time to study this in more detail. See if what I come up with matches what the Aurors Inquisitors Unit has discovered. I don't want to put frivolous guesses into the universe until I've given this a thorough study. May I have a few days to work on this?"

"Yes, please," Harry said, giving him a grateful look. "Anything that you can do, Professor. The DMLE would really appreciate your help. I'd really appreciate your help."

Slughorn nodded, slapping a hand onto Harry's shoulder, despite the fact that Harry had more than a dozen centimetres on the man. "Excellent, Harry! Perhaps you could do me a favour as well?"

"Of course, Sir," Harry said, grateful that Slughorn was willing to take on this task.

"I'd love it if you could stop by my Christmas party this year. You know how lively it gets and having you as a guest, well…"

Harry tried to hide his smirk as he nodded. "I'd be delighted, Sir."

"Thank you, m'boy! Thank you!" Slughorn said cheerily. "In the meantime, I promise to get right to work on this straightaway. I'll have our newest Potions professor assist me. I promise I'll have an answer for you as soon as possible."

Harry felt like he'd at least taken one step in the right direction when he left his old Potions professor's office, even if he didn't have any answers yet, at least any that made sense. A glance at his watch told him that Ginny would still be in Holyhead so he made his way to McGonagall's office and let himself inside, trying not to smile at the fact that his name was the password.

He found her at her desk, parchment everywhere, but she had a smile for him when he stepped inside.

"Harry! This is a surprise," McGonagall said, standing up as Nyx, her half-tiger half-zouwu moved to greet him.

Harry scratched the large cat under her chin and walked around the desk to peck McGonagall on the cheek. "I wanted to see about getting Slughorn's help on a potion. How's the new professors working out?"

"Very well!" McGonagall exclaimed, sitting back down as she gestured for Harry to take the seat across from her. "MacGregor is lively and has a great presence in the classroom. I hate to give up my spot, but… he's proving to be an excellent replacement. Haywood is doing well, too. Everyone has nothing but great things to say about her. Horace and I will enjoy stepping back more and more, I do think."

"I'm glad to hear it," Harry said. "Mina and Leo will see more of you this way."

Her lips curved. "Yes, that will be a bonus. How are you holding up?"

He shrugged, stretching his legs out in front of him. "It comes and goes. Figuring out what the hell is going on is going to be the big one. If Slughorn can determine what kind of potion they gave Zee to keep her in this frozen state and if we can figure out what the hell is riding shotgun in Sirius' body… never a dull moment."

"No," she said. "The fact that they're using his body in some way is… it's horrific and absolutely wrong. If I ever come face to face with any of them, I'll kill them myself."

"Auntie Minnie, you can't say that to me now, I'm an Auror."

"So arrest me," she shot back. "Sirius deserves better than to be used like this and the fact that they killed poor Zahira to do it… Merlin, the two of them have been through enough."

"So have I," he said, his fingers tapping on his knee. "We're working on it."

McGonagall nodded. "There's no one better."

"Agreed," Dumbledore said from the portrait on the wall. "Have you asked the new Professor Kashif to help you with the runes? Minerva tells me that she's quite the expert, Harry."

"I have," Harry said. "I'm actually going to meet her after her class is done to see if she's had a chance to take a look yet. Professor Dumbledore, have you ever heard of such an advanced spell like this?"

Dumbledore shook his head in his portrait, glancing down at Harry over his half moon spectacles. "I'm afraid not. Ancient runes haven't been used like this in centuries. Modern magic took over as wands became more readily available. No one needed to resort to carving runes to make things happen and many of the runes disappeared over time. Bathsheda knew a great deal about the use of runes in performing extraordinary magical spells, but alas her death has proven most unhelpful in this situation."

"Professor Kasif is very intelligent," McGonagall assured Dumbledore. "She might be young, but she has a sharp mind and she studied with Dante Dragomir in Eastern Europe. Consulting her is a very smart move on your part, Harry. But, more importantly, I'd like to know how Mina and Leo are doing?"

Harry smiled as he quickly filled McGonagall in on the latest twins update before he said goodbye and headed down to find Professor Inanna Kashif. Harry had been working with Tonks and Higgins as they continued to go over Dante Dragomir's notes, spreading them out across one of the conference rooms in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and highlighting anything that looked potentially useful or that could help explain what they'd done, but so far, nothing made sense. Ron and Baxter were interviewing known necromancers both in and out of Azkaban, trying to decipher the different types of dark rituals used to animate the dead. No one seemed to have any answers. Harry was hoping that Professor Kashif, the new ancient runes teacher at Hogwarts, might have something more to say on the subject.

"They certainly did their research," she said when Harry approached her classroom after the last student left.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked.

Kashif pursed her lips. "It's the heart of the woman he loved that needs to be looked at most closely. Love is a powerful weapon, Auror Potter, and to use the heart of someone he'd pledged his love to in order to bring him back from the dead… this is serious business and definitely more than basic necromancy. It's why they had to give her a potion to freeze her body despite cutting out her heart."

"What do you know about the potion?" Harry demanded.

"Not much," Kashif admitted. "I'm not a Potioneer by any means, but it triggered something when I heard it and it reminds me of, well… if I'm reading this correctly, it's more of an old children's story."

At Harry's look, she cleared her throat.

"You know, like in the old stories how Snow White bit into a poisoned apple and was put into an enchanted sleep or the one about Briar Rose, how she pricked her finger and fell into an enchanted sleep. Both were believed to be dead in some essence and yet, they were able to be revived."

Harry swallowed, his heart jumping into his throat. "Revived?"

Kashif's eyes widened. "Auror Potter, I'm not saying that a woman who had her heart cut from her chest can be revived, but I am saying that the ritual of the potion on top of the runic necromancy means there's something else afoot here. No one can survive without their heart."

"But this potion —"

"Reminds me of the story," Kashif told him. "I didn't say it was the same."

That hadn't given Harry any more hope on the subject, but it did make him wonder what exactly that meant for Zee's frozen state even with her missing heart. When he brought it up with Tonks, she pursed her lips, her grey eyes sad.

"Her heart is missing, Harry," Tonks insisted. "Even if she could be revived, without her heart, she would be dead. You would have to somehow get her heart back into her body and from what we can see, her heart was crushed and used in the potion. It's impossible."

Harry knew that Tonks was right, but part of him was still reeling from the idea. He knew better than to bring it up to Sorcha, Colt, or Flo. It was bad enough that he was thinking it himself when he knew it wasn't possible, but that brought him right back to Sirius.

Harry explained to Tonks how the Imposter Sirius had shown up at Zee's funeral and spoken to him, taunted him even.

"It sounded just like him," Harry insisted. "It's like it's really him, but it's not."

Tonks frowned. "It's going to take more time, Harry, but we're going to get to the bottom of this. I promise."

It only left him with even more thoughts and more unanswered questions than before. He hardly felt comforted by it.

When he woke up on the morning of the twenty-eighth and went down to breakfast, he found Ron talking on his mirror to Seamus.

"Here's Harry now," Ron said. "Seamus wants to know if we're coming out for pub night tonight."

"It's not a good time, Seam," Harry began.

"Oh come on, Harry!" Seamus complained. "With everything that's going on, you need a break! We all do! Come out and have a drink or two with your friends; it will do you a world of good!"

Harry started to protest but Ron interrupted.

"We'll be there, Seamus. I'll drag him there myself."

"Great!" Seamus said. "Remember it's in Brighton. I'll see you lot tonight."

Ron closed the mirror and Harry scowled at him.

"We have Ginny's first match today."

"Yes," Ron agreed. "We'll go watch my sister play her first professional Quidditch match and then tonight we'll go for a drink with the blokes. Robards told us both to take the day off, mate. It will be good for you."

Harry could hardly argue with that. The amount of overtime he and Ron had been pulling on this case had been intense and he'd been keeping at it when he was supposed to be home as well. Ron didn't even question him, he just sat next to him in the living room or at the dining room table and kept going through the files alongside of them. They both needed this day off, but the last thing that Harry wanted to do was to go sit in a pub and have a drink. He just wanted to go support his girlfriend and then work on the case.

"Come on," Ron said. "There's no leads, Harry. Right now we don't know anything more than we did yesterday. If something comes up, they'll call us. Let's catch up with our friends and try to have a good night, all right?"

"All right," Harry said reluctantly.

After all, Ron had a point. Until someone knew something there was nothing for them to do. Maybe spending the night with his friends was exactly what he needed, but first, he needed to get to Wales to see his girlfriend's first game.

He wasn't missing this match for the world.

~ TTTC ~

Ginny's first Quidditch match of the season was scheduled to be on Saturday, the twenty-eighth of November, and she was beyond nervous. It wasn't even the game itself that made her nervous, it was the fact that she was going to be going out there as a rookie Chaser for her first ever professional game in front of thousands of people.

It was a little hard to imagine.

They had played a few practice games to get them ready for the season and the Irish Quidditch teams had already begun to play, but for the Welsh teams, this was the first official game of the 1998-1999 Quidditch season and it was a lot to take in.

Not to mention that the one person whom she wanted most at her first ever game was her boyfriend and Harry had way too much going on to make it. If she was honest, she hadn't even reminded him about it.

Discovering Zee's body buried inside of Sirius' coffin two weeks ago had come as more than a shock. Harry had gone through the stages of grief, including denial and anger, and he was still very much stuck on anger. Even with the memorial being done and over with, erecting a stone next to Sirius' headstone without a body to bury had been an emotional day. Namely because the headstone with Sirius' name contained a grave as empty as Zee's had.

Sirius Black was back.

Ginny had no idea what that meant, but she did know that it was eating at Harry in ways that she couldn't even imagine. He'd barely slept since the day that he saw Sirius in the graveyard of Godric's Hollow; since he'd seen him again at Zee's memorial. All he did was work on trying to figure out how and why there was an imposter of Sirius Black running around. Bellatrix Lestrange, Belladonna Brambilla, and Barty Crouch Jr hadn't been seen again since that day either and it hardly made anyone feel any better.

They had done something, performed some kind of dark necromancy magic to bring Sirius back and then they'd disappeared. The taunt towards Harry had been deliberate and now over two weeks had passed and no one had heard or seen anything since.

It was like they'd disappeared off of the face of the earth.

Ginny was worried about her boyfriend and she didn't know how to help him. As an Auror, it was his job to hunt down dark witches and wizards, but this… no one had seen this coming. It wasn't something that he could have prepared for, nor could any of them.

She closed her eyes, taking a minute to let out a slow breath as she starred at herself in the mirror of the bathroom in the Harpies changing room. She needed to push all of those worries and thoughts aside for right now.

Today was about her focusing on her first ever match as a professional Quidditch player. She couldn't afford to mess it up. She needed to go out there with her head on straight and her focus on nothing but the game. She needed to show them that signing Ginny Weasley to be one of the Holyhead Harpy Chasers was a good move.

Verona Gold, another Chaser on the team, gave her a thumbs up from behind her.

"You ready to play your heart out, Weasley?"

"Absolutely," Ginny said, wishing that she felt as confident as she sounded.

Verona winked before she left her alone and a minute later, Gwenog Jones poked her head inside.

"Weasley, we don't usually allow guests back here, but it's your first game so I'm making an exception. Make it quick. We have to be on the pitch in fifteen."

Ginny frowned when Gwenog disappeared, wondering who was here to visit. Her eyes widened in surprise when Harry appeared in the doorway. His hair was a dishevelled mess, looking like his hands had been in it most of the day and he was dressed in blue jeans with a Holyhead Harpies hoodie that said Weasley on the back with her number 3. She'd been assigned the number when she'd joined (as Chasers held the numbers 1, 2, and 3) and when she ordered her kit along with a few things to wear for home, Harry had insisted on his own stuff. It still made her stomach flutter to see her boyfriend wearing her number so proudly.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" she asked, moving over to kiss him.

Harry's hands gripped her hips, pulling her up against him. "What do you mean? Where else would I be? Today's your big day, Gin. Nothing could keep me away."

Her eyes softened. "Harry… with everything that's been going on, I just thought you weren't coming. You don't have to be here. I know how stressed out you are and how much you have on your plate."

Harry shook his head and buried his face in the crook of her neck. "I'll admit, I almost didn't come, but fuck… I can't miss this. I promised you that I would be here cheering you on and frankly, there's nothing else that I can do right now. There's no leads, Gin. There's nothing to follow up on and sitting at work looking at nothing is driving me mad. I want to be here. I need to be here. For you as much as for me."

Ginny stood on her toes to kiss him. "I love you."

His lips curved a little at her words before he framed her face in his hands and kissed her. His kiss was warm and passionate, surprising her. With how much stress he'd been under and everything that was going on, she'd missed his lips.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip. "First professional Quidditch match, Weasley, better bring your O game."

She smiled. "I hope so. I'm kind of nervous."

Harry shook his head. "Don't be nervous. You've got this. There's no one as talented as you out there, Gin."

"That's an extreme over exaggeration," Ginny replied.

"Nah," he said, his eyes twinkling. "I know my witch."

Ginny bit her bottom lip, her stomach still flipping in nerves. "I know that I can play, but I just feel… it's different, you know? I can't quite get myself to relax the way that I know I should be. This is… it's not Hogwarts. You won't be out there on the pitch with me. It's a new team and a new… everything."

Harry's gaze held hers for a moment before it dipped down to take in her new kit. She wore her hair in a high ponytail with a Holyhead scrunchie to hold it in place. Her Harpy kit included tight green trousers with a gold stripe down the side, gold and green Quidditch boots, a long green tunic with the golden Harpy and Holyhead symbol tied with a thick gold belt at her waist, and the green robe overtop with her name and number in gold on the back. Ginny thought she looked very professional but the way that Harry was looking at her right now made her feel beautiful on top of it. She watched him lick his lips as his eyes roamed over her. He'd made a point of telling her how excited he was to see her in her official kit and the way that he was looking at her now told her that seeing her for the first time had definitely been worth it.

"You look so incredible like this. Seriously, you look bloody amazing."

She quirked her lips. "I don't think looking great is my major concern right now. I'm nervous. I need to take deep breaths and relax and just focus myself."

Harry's tongue touched his lip before his slow smile made desire curl in her gut. "Well, I might have another way to help you relax."

She was about to ask him how when he knelt down in front of her. "Harry!" she hissed, her fingers digging into his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

His fingers unfastened the drawstring of her trousers and pushed them down her hips. "Helping you relax." He glanced at his watch and then at her. "But you have to be quick. Don't want someone to come looking for you."

"Harry!" she hissed again, her eyes widening.

Merlin, there was only a door between her and the rest of the change rooms which meant that any one of her teammates could walk in on them. Did he even lock it?

"Gwenog could come back here any second!"

He took his glasses of, tucking them into the pocket of his hoodie before he leaned forward, pushing up the tunic to get to the simple black cotton knickers she wore and used his fingers to push them aside so that he could press a kiss to her.

"Mmm, you do taste nervous," he teased, kissing her core again. "Want me to stop?"

She meant to say yes. In fact, she was positive that she was going to say yes, but then his tongue joined in and well, there was only so much willpower a girl had. And Merlin, he was so good at this.

His tongue flattened over her, fingers tugging her knickers down her hips before slipping into her and she arched her hips towards him. He made a soft moaning sound as he flicked his tongue into her, licking and teasing as his fingers began to press in and out of her in a steady rhythm that made her heart dance and her blood race. He suckled her clit into his mouth, taking his time, teasing her.

"Harry…" she breathed, her hands moving into his hair as he picked up the pace with his tongue and his fingers.

She bit her lip, trying to keep the sounds to a minimum as he tucked himself between her legs, resting her knee on his shoulder. He sucked harder, his tongue swiping in with his fingers and her hands clenched his hair, her hips arching towards him. When she came, her head fell back, her breath coming in short gasps as Harry's tongue guided her through her orgasm. When he pulled her knickers back up, followed by her trousers, she gave him a dazed look.

Harry put his glasses back on and stood, leaning in to kiss her lips. "Relaxed now?"

"Too relaxed," she said, making him grin.

Harry stole one more kiss. "Consider it my version of wishing you good luck. Now go out there, Gin, and kick arse. I'll be in the stands cheering for you."

When he turned to go she called his name and he gave her a smile over his shoulder that lit up his face.

"Don't worry, after you win, you can give me a blowjob to celebrate."

Ginny laughed as she watched him head out and thought that Harry had a way of constantly surprising her even when she least expected it. She fixed her robes, put on her gloves, and then grabbed her broom before heading out of the bathroom area and into the changing room where the rest of her teammates were waiting and chatting.

"Saw your boy toy, Weasley; he back there to wish you luck?" Matilda Pan, the Harpy Beater asked.

"Absolutely," Ginny said, hoping that the team hadn't heard what exactly that luck had entailed.

"Cheeks are a bit flushed," Gold said, her eyebrow quirking.

"I think her boy toy gave her a good luck kiss," Pan said, winking at Gold.

"Maybe more than a kiss," Gold teased, making Ginny's cheeks flush.

Before she could respond, Coach Mallory Miller came in.

"All right, witches, it's game time. Let's start this season off with a bang!"

Gwenog Jones and Wilda Griffiths gave her a smile as she followed them out of the changing rooms and out towards the pitch. She gripped her broom tightly in her hands and thought that maybe Harry had a point.

She certainly was very relaxed now.

She couldn't keep the smile off of her face as she followed her teammates out onto the pitch to await the announcer, feeling more than ready to play her first ever professional Quidditch game.

"Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the season for our Welsh teams!" A loud rumbling voice echoed across the pitch. "I'm Dave Hogan and with me today is my partner in crime, Martin Briggs. Today's match will be the second match of the season for the league, but the first for our Welsh teams as we have the Holyhead Harpies playing against the Caerphilly Catapults!"

The crowd cheered, players and team names being shouted into the stadium.

"From Caerphilly: Havard, Jenkins, Parry, Prosser, Wynne, Rowlands, and Pugh!"

Cheers erupted around them and then Hogan was announcing the next team.

"From Holyhead: Griffiths, Gold, Weasley, Jones, Pan, Smithwick, and Buckingham!"

Applause and cheers broke out again as Ginny mounted her broom and flew out into her position on the pitch, waving at the crowd.

"Prosser and Weasley are both rookies and the excitement is in the air! We're all anxious to see how well these two new players can handle the professional arena," Briggs exclaimed. "Prosser has been a reserve Beater for three seasons now and has never played more than ten minutes of a match. Signing with Caerphilly as the team's newest Beater was a step up and we can't wait to see how Danny Prosser handles himself today in his first real rookie season!"

More cheers as players' photos appeared across the stadium.

"And let's talk about Ginny Weasley! She's new to the world of Quidditch, but rumour has it that her stats at the Premier Quidditch Training Camp were off the charts. This seventeen-year-old has a lot to prove and we can't wait to see how well she plays today! Right, Dave?"

"Right, Martin," Hogan said, smiling at his fellow announcer. "Now, let's get this match started!"

Ginny bit her lip as she let out one slow breath, letting her eyes move across the crowd until she met Harry's gaze. He was sitting next to Theo, Sebastian, and her whole family. The sight of them there, ready to cheer her on, warmed her. Her mother was holding a handmade sign that said: Go Ginny! It made her heart soar in pride as she knew that Molly had never been a big fan of Quidditch and certainly hadn't expected her only daughter to go into the sport. She gave them a small wave before she turned to watch the referee release the Golden Snitch, the Bludgers, and then finally, the Quaffle.

Then, they were off.

She barely heard the announcers, the wind on her face as she focused on the game.

"Parry has the Quaffle. He's flying down the pitch before he passes it to Havard. Griffiths steals! Gold! Weasley! Back to Jenkins. Weasley swoops in for the steal, passes to Gold! Griffiths! Gold! Griffiths! And Gold SCORES! Ten nothing for Holyhead!"

Parry, Havard, and Jenkins worked well together. Ginny could see that they were making a good team, but she knew that Gold, Griffiths, and herself were better. She tuned out the announcers, not wanting to lose her focus and instead kept her eyes on Gwilym Rowlands, the opposing team's Keeper.

He was good.

Twice she'd managed to aim for his hoops, and twice she'd been deterred. The smirk he gave her after the second save made her eyes narrow. She was determined to get past his defences.

Gold scored a second time, but Havard scored moments later. When Gold passed the Quaffle back into her hands, Ginny tucked it under her arm and raced down the pitch. She dodged a Bludger, rolling under it with ease and kept going. Griffiths shouted and she passed the Quaffle to her teammate, fist bumping when Griffiths managed to score another goal.

Then they were chasing the Quaffle away from their Keeper once more.

While Ginny was focused on the game below, Harry was in the stands watching her every move with his ominoculars. He couldn't keep the smile off his face as his eyes followed her across the pitch. She moved with such grace, such beauty, and such fierce determination that it made his blood heat. She was an incredible force of nature.

"Look at her go!" Theo shouted, jumping up and down when Ginny grabbed the Quaffle from Havard.

"Weasley's on the breakaway," Briggs shouted. "But Rowlands is ready! Weasley passes to Gold — Griffiths — Gold — back to Weasley. Rowlands blocks the left hoop and — SCORE! Weasley makes her first goal right through the centre hoop, bringing Holyhead up forty to twenty."

"WHOO!" Theo screamed.

"She's bloody good," Sebastian said, looking at Harry.

"She's fucking brilliant," Harry corrected, not taking his eyes off of his girlfriend as Ron cheered from his other side.

"Weasley's proving herself to be a good fit for Holyhead, Martin," Hogan said. "Let's see what else she can show us in this game!"

"COME ON, GINNY!" Ron shouted as his brothers joined in.

Harry bit his bottom lip and kept his eyes on his girlfriend. He couldn't stop watching how she moved so gracefully, flying between the Bludgers, being exactly where her teammates needed her to be. She assisted four more goals and scored twice more herself, bringing the score up to one hundred to the Caerphilly's eighty. Havard's attempt to take the Quaffle from her was a fail as she jumped over her broom and landed gracefully behind him, Quaffle still tucked safely under arm. Her throws were sharp and her aim almost perfect as it soared through the air and into Gold's outstretched hands. The Bludger that hit Gold's broom made her fumble the Quaffle and Havard swiped it. He sped down the pitch, swerving away from the other players before he took aim at Smithwick. The Quaffle flew through the air and Ginny grabbed it seconds before it made it towards the goal hoops.

"Weasley snags the Quaffle and makes a breakaway down the pitch! Jenkins is on her tail! Parry attempts to steal, Weasley flies over his head! Prosser's Bludger flies right past Weasley's head and Holyhead is still in possession!" Hogan's commentary declared.

Ginny listened with half an ear to the commentary around her, tuning out most of it as she focused strictly on the game and where the Quaffle was. She heard the whizzing near her ear before she saw it; barrel rolling under the Bludger sent her way without a second thought. And then she was swooping down beneath Parry and veering to the left to pass the Quaffle to Griffiths. Everything went seamlessly. It was like a well choreographed dance that she didn't remember practicing before and yet she knew all of the moves.

Adrenaline was rushing through her and she couldn't stop smiling as the wind blew her ponytail behind her and the cheers from the crowd echoed around the pitch. This was where she was meant to be and nothing had ever felt so right. In fact, it felt so right that Ginny cheered internally when she caught the pass from Gold without a hitch. Ginny turned her broom, preparing to race towards Rowlands just as an elbow from Havard nicked her in her shoulder. She wobbled, falling down the length of her broom and dropping the Quaffle.

Ginny scrambled back up her broom as she heard Harry's scream tear through the crowd just below her.

"Bloody foul, Havard!"

Whatever he had to say next was drowned out by Ron's rather loud and inappropriate commentary declaring Havard to be so many foul things that she had a feeling her mother was having an apoplexy. Ginny tuned them out and dove back towards the Quaffle where Jenkins had it tucked under his arm as he made a breakaway towards the hoops. She lowered herself down onto her broom and picked up speed, swooping up next to him and swiping the Quaffle from his surprised fingertips.

Jenkins lunged for the Quaffle and she dodged. He swerved and their brooms clashed, but Ginny's fingers didn't release the leather. Their brooms smashed again and when Jenkins lunged, she shifted and took aim at the hoop just as his foot knocked the Quaffle right out of her hands.

"Foul!"

"Nice try, Jenkins," Ginny tossed out as he scowled at her.

"Come on, ref! That was clearly an accident," Jenkins declared as the referee blew his whistle and urged Jenkins to pass Ginny the Quaffle for a penalty shot as Harry swore from below.

"What the bloody fuck was that?" Harry demanded, turning to look at Ron who was still screaming obscenities at Jenkins. "You can't use your feet in Quidditch!"

"A clear foul," Bill agreed. "The ref caught it and she's going to get to take a penalty shot."

Harry knew that Bill was right, but he was still on his feet, his eyes on his girlfriend as he watched her set up the shot against Caerphilly's Keeper. The penalty shot might allow her a clear shot at the goal hoops, but it certainly didn't stop the Bludgers. He bit his lip, unable to hide the wide grin as he watched her swerve around one Bludger and roll under a second one only to toss the Quaffle straight through the right hoop, earning her fourth goal for the game.

"WHOO!" Harry cheered as Ginny's teammates fist-bumped and high-fived her in the air.

Watching Ginny play was the hottest thing he'd ever seen in his life and he couldn't stop smiling. He was so proud of her and so turned on at the same time that he didn't know what to think. She was incredible. He might have natural talent on the pitch, but Ginny was better than him and he knew it. No one deserved to be out there more than his witch. He stayed on his feet, keeping his eyes on Ginny as she moved back into position with her fellow Chasers. She was swerving between the brooms and when she made another seamless pass, straight into Griffiths outstretched hands, he cheered, chanting her name with Ron's help.

"Griffiths flies down the pitch, passes to Gold, back to Weasley — Gold — Griffiths — Gold — Weasley and SCORE! That's five goals for Holyhead's newest recruit and — ow! Prosser's Bludger knocks straight into Pan, but she holds herself steady. Caerphilly in possession. Havard — Jenkins — Parry and SCORE! Caerphilly gets back into the running making it Holyhead, one hundred and twenty, Caerphilly ninety!"

Gold took possession of the Quaffle, but a Bludger from Prosser knocked it out of her hands and straight into Jenkins' waiting gloves. He flew down the pitch, Havard and Parry surrounding him and Smithwick missed the Quaffle by barely a centimetre as it sailed through the left hoop.

"Jenkins SCORE! Holyhead, one hundred and twenty, Caerphilly, one hundred and blimey! Looks like Pugh's seen the Snitch, folks!"

Harry's gaze shifted to Adam Pugh as he made a beeline towards the ground on the right side of the pitch. Belinda Buckingham was hot on his heels as they moved closer and closer. Holyhead scored another goal as Pugh's hand extended and in the last second, Buckingham swept past him and wrapped her hand around the Golden Snitch.

"Buckingham's caught the Snitch!" Hogan yelled. "Holyhead wins — Two hundred and eighty to one hundred. What a match, folks!"

The crowd was going wild as cheering filled the stadium. Harry was hollering his own pride in Ginny's great match as he shouted for Holyhead. Martin Briggs and Dave Hogan continued to chat about the match.

"What a stunning match to kick off the 1998-1999 season, Dave."

"It really was, Martin," Hogan agreed. "Not only are we seeing Holyhead start off strong, but Caerphilly's Gwilym Rowlands is one hell of a Keeper. He was stopping goals left and right, even better than last season. I predict good things for Rowlands this year."

"He stopped over twenty-six goals," Briggs reported. "Letting in thirteen is still over fifty percent saved and that's a heck of a start to Caerphilly's season. Now, let's talk about Danny Prosser."

"His aim is quite impressive," Hogan said. "Controlling Bludgers in a fast-paced game like this one is no walk in the park and he unseated Matilda Pan herself, quite a feat for a rookie Beater."

"And then some," Briggs agreed. "But everyone today will be talking about Holyhead's newest starter, Ginny Weasley. In a thirteen goal game, our newest rookie scored five of those goals herself, not including the four assists. Weasley's going to make a name for herself before this season is over, mark my words."

Hogan nodded enthusiastically. "That first successful goal, the way she deked Rowlands, the crowd went wild. The arm on her is impressive and I think that we're all excited to see what Weasley is going to bring to the season this year."

"If she keeps her game up, we might have a contender for Rookie Player of the Year," Briggs agreed. "Holyhead's win gives them a leg up on the beginning of the season. Join us next week to watch them take on the Tutshill Tornadoes as Caerphilly heads to Ireland to play the Kenmare Kestrels! Goodnight, folks!"

Harry turned to grin at his best mate as Ron hugged him. "That was bloody brilliant!"

"She was a bloody fiend out there," Ron agreed. "Don't you lot think?"

"Amazing," Fred agreed. "Tell her congrats for me. I have to get back home to the babies."

"Will do," Ron said as he squeezed Harry's shoulder. "Five goals in her first game, mate! Five! Think of what she could have done if she signed with Chudley!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Keep dreaming, Ron."

Hermione smiled from next to Ron. "It was very exciting. Seeing her play with the professionals is very impressive. The commentators were very kind to her."

Bill, George, Percy, and Ron spoke some more about the match, explaining things to Molly who didn't really follow Quidditch. There was a small press conference after the match so that the teams could discuss the play and since Ginny and Prosser were the newest members, they were obligated to join their coaches and team captains to talk to the press. Harry stood next to Molly at the back of the room, his smile big enough to crack his face as he watched his witch sit up at the table wearing dress robes.

After a match, it was mandatory for all players to leave the stadium dressed to impress. For male players that usually meant a suit, but for female players, it meant either a suit or a dress. In Ginny's case, she was wearing the dark green velvet dress she'd worn to Slughorn's Christmas party last year and Harry's eyes weren't the only ones who raked over how well it fit her every curve. The dress was long-sleeved with pointed cuffs, but cut in a square at the shoulders and down her chest, revealing the swells of her gorgeous breasts. It was just above the knee and fit her like a second skin. He noticed that she wore a black ribbon around her neck like a choker necklace with the gold h&g necklace he'd bought her dangling between her breasts. She had on dark green heels to match that made her legs look so much longer. Her hair was framed around her face, waving down her back like flickering flames. She topped the outfit out with a short black leather jacket.

She looked amazing.

"Coach Miller, how do you think your team played tonight?"

"They did well," Miller said, smiling at the camera flashes. "They worked together like a team, as a team, and I couldn't be prouder of my girls."

"Weasley, how did it feel to score five goals in your first ever match?"

"Amazing," Ginny said, smiling warmly at Jones and Miller. "I couldn't have done it without my teammates and I look forward to seeing what else Holyhead can show you in our next match."

Questions turned to Caerphilly's coach and onto their team captain, Rowlands. Harry listened with half an ear, his eyes on Ginny's radiant face and the swells of her breasts above the dress. He couldn't quite explain the pride that he was feeling for his girlfriend and he wanted to shout it from the rooftops. He heard his name mentioned and sobered.

"Weasley, is it true that your boyfriend is Harry Potter?"

"No comment," Miller interrupted. "All questions are strictly to remain Quidditch related. Thank you."

A few more questions about stats and previous seasons were asked before the press conference wrapped up and Ginny met Harry, Theo, Sebastian, and her remaining family outside of the stadium, her rucksack over her shoulder.

"Hi! Thank you for coming!" she exclaimed, moving to hug her mother.

Molly kissed her forehead. "You were brilliant, dear! I wish your father was here to see this, he would have been so proud of you."

Ginny blinked back tears as she hugged her mum again and worked her way around her family. When she finally reached Harry, he kissed her softly.

"You were amazing, Gin. Seriously incredible out there. I'm so fucking proud of you."

She blushed and stood on her toes to kiss him. "I had a good luck charm."

His eyes darkened as he leaned down to nibble on her ear. "Absolutely and now I'm going to take you home and feed you my cock to celebrate."

Her face turned bright red as desire filled her eyes. "Can't wait."

Harry watched her saunter off to hug Theo and licked his lips. He couldn't wait to get his girlfriend in his bed for a proper celebration. He wanted to worship at her feet and as his eyes ducked to how the dress cupped her assets, he definitely wanted to peel that dress off of her as slowly as possible.

He couldn't wait.

~ TTTC ~

The last place thing that Harry wanted to worry about tonight was meeting the guys for pub night, but Ron insisted before they left the match. The October meeting hadn't worked out and Seamus was insistent on them showing up for the last Saturday in November. He said it was a tradition and when Harry had pointed out that it wasn't a tradition because they hadn't actually had a pub night yet, Seamus had scowled.

"Traditions have to start somewhere, Potter!"

He dragged his hand through his hair. He had so much to worry about right now and going out for a few hours was the last place he needed to be. They had no idea where Sirius, Bellatrix, Crouch, and Belladonna were which was alarming to say the least, not to mention that Harry still had absolutely no idea how or why Sirius was alive.

Or why he wanted to kill him.

The thought alone had kept him up at night.

But he'd given himself today to take a breath.

Watching Ginny play her first professional Quidditch match and kick arse on the pitch had been amazing. Seeing her out there, flying professionally with her team had been the hottest thing he'd ever seen in his life. Sitting in the stands, the taste of her orgasm still on his lips, as he'd cheered his heart out for her had been everything. He just wanted to stay home with her tonight to celebrate.

Preferably in bed.

And naked.

Instead, he watched as everyone congratulated her and he waved Ron off when he mentioned their plans for the pub later on that evening for the third time. He was already trying to think up an excuse to bail on pub night so that he could spend the night with Ginny in his bed. He suddenly had much more interesting things to be doing and all of them included the vibrant, sexy, redhead standing in front of him. After promising Molly to be at the Burrow the next day for a big celebratory dinner, the Weasleys had finally parted ways, and Harry pulled his girlfriend into his arms to congratulate her again.

"You were bloody amazing out there today. Brilliant. That one pass to Gold was absolutely bloody brilliant; flawless."

Ginny's cheeks were red from his praise and excitement. She stood on her toes to press her lips to his. "I think I'd like to celebrate a bit more privately now. You promised me something. Take me home, Potter."

Harry didn't need to be told twice.

They Disapparated to Clevedon Court and he dragged her upstairs to their bedroom, stopping to kiss her furiously along the way. Her jacket fell to the floor by the door of the bedroom before she tumbled back onto their big bed. When he covered his body with hers on the bed, the sound she made had him rubbing himself against her.

"Fuck, I can't believe that I have a professional Quidditch player in my bed," he moaned, tugging her dress down to make her nipples spill over the top.

He took one of her nipples into his mouth, wiggling it free from the bra to drag his tongue across it.

Ginny pushed the hoodie with her name on it up over his head, knocking his glasses off in the process. Harry made no notice of it and simply returned to her breasts, sucking and kissing them before he finally slid his hands down to the bottom of the dress and began to drag it up over her body. The fact that he had to peel her out of it only made him harder as he tugged it over her head and tossed it onto the floor before feasting his eyes on the black lace bra and matching knickers she was wearing. He licked his lips, eyes on where her nipples were sticking out overtop the bra and then lowered his mouth back to them as he unhooked her bra and tossed it down with her dress.

Merlin, she'd missed him, she realized.

It had been much too long since the two of them had found time together. With how tired they'd both been and how much they'd both been working on their burgeoning careers on top of the whole Sirius and Zee fiasco, it had been ages. But feeling him now, the way he pressed his body against hers, taking what he wanted, losing himself in her… it was what they both needed.

Harry pulled her nude nylons down along with her knickers, leaving her naked before him as he licked his lips and kissed his way down her torso. That hot mouth planting wet open mouthed kisses down her abs made desire race through her and she made a soft whimpering sound.

"Harry…"

He ignored her and instead buried his face between her legs, needing to taste her again as he teased her with his tongue. The sound he made as he licked her, had her hands fisting in the blankets on either of side of her.

Merlin, the completely blissed out look on Harry's face as he went down on her was everything. The sounds of enjoyment he made, the moans as he suckled her clit and used his fingers were enough to bring her to the edge of reason.

She came, her fingers moving into his hair as he licked her through it. When she finally caught her breath, he was kissing his way up her abdomen, his tongue flicking over a nipple, pebbling it before he circled it with his tongue.

"Mmm," she murmured, reaching down to undo his jeans. "You have too many clothes on."

Instead of responding, he suckled on her breast, his tongue twirling around her nipple like she was his favourite lolly. He helped her shuck his jeans off and when her hand slid into his boxer briefs, he groaned.

Ginny pushed him away from her breast and shoved him onto his back, straddling him. His slow smile made desire course through her as she bent her head to kiss his shoulders.

"My turn."

Harry's green eyes were twinkling in happiness as she kissed her way over his torso, taking her time to lick and suck at his skin, trailing his tattoos with her tongue before slipping into his belly button. He shivered as her hand slid back down into his boxer briefs and gripped him. There was nothing he loved more than the feel of her holding him in her hand. Or her mouth. Or, bloody hell, just her touching him, he thought. She gave him two long tugs that made his eyes cross before she shimmied lower and sucked him through the cotton.

Harry's hips rose up off of the bed and she purred.

"Patience."

She could taste him through the cotton, the wetness not only from her mouth, and when she finally pulled them down, his cock bounced, slapping against the bottom of his abs as it stood proudly. Ginny undressed him fully before she took her time, licking along his long length, teasing him with her nails. She dragged her tongue over his head, teasing the skin lower, squeezing his balls in her hand; he groaned.

As much as he wanted to let her tease him, there was something he wanted more. He flipped her over onto her back, making her laugh as he slid up her body, his knees on either side of her head. The tip of his cock brushed her lips and her eyes darkened.

"Open up," he demanded, fisting himself in his hand.

Ginny's brown eyes met his as she did as he instructed, eyes on where his hand was stroking himself. Then he slowly guided his length into her mouth, his eyes closing as he let out a shaky breath.

"Ginny… oh, fuck, yeah…" he groaned. "Merlin, I need this… I need you."

She stroked him with her tongue as she let him work himself in and out of her mouth, keeping it slow and torturous. She slid her hands up to his hips as he arched, feeding his cock between her lips, deeper and deeper. When she couldn't breathe, she returned to soft kisses and licks along his length, twirling her tongue around the head and then taking him all the way to the back of her throat and sucking.

The look of pure lust in his eyes as his gaze met hers, so full of desire and amazement, like even after all this time he couldn't believe that she was touching him like this, made her clench her thighs together. He cupped her cheek in his hand, trailing his hand down her throat to feel himself there.

"I want to be inside of you."

Ginny gave him one more long suck before she slowly pulled her lips off of him, gasping for breath. Her eyes were blurred with unshed tears and her mouth swollen as she pushed him back onto the bed and rolled on top of him to kiss him. She straddled his lap and then slowly guided him into her. The groan he emitted had her own desire flaring up and he reached between them to use his thumb on her clit. Ginny moaned, taking him deep inside of her and letting her head fall back.

Harry thought that it was the most incredible sight he'd ever seen. Sweat pebbled on her forehead, red hair cascading over her shoulders and breasts. Her soft lips were parted in pleasure as his thumb continued to circle her clit, his own eyes crossing as she rolled her hips and began to wantonly shag herself on his cock. Her breasts were bouncing and he watched as she reached up to hold them in her hands, letting her fingers tease her nipples. The sight of those nimble fingers stroking and twisting the soft pink peaks was enough to make him bite his bottom lip in an attempt not to blow.

Fuck, she was so beautiful, he thought. He worked his thumb faster, trying to bring her closer as he tried to think of something, anything other than the beautiful vision riding his cock. Ginny's breathing became faster and the sound she made as he finally drove her over the edge made him grip her hips hard enough to bruise. He flipped her beneath him, clasping his lips to hers and picked up his pace, driving himself deeper and deeper inside of her, his tongue meeting hers and matching every stroke. He came seconds later, driving into her again again and again with a loud grunt as they rode out their orgasm together.

Harry managed to roll over onto his back, pulling her with him. She collapsed on top of him, her breathing heavy and Harry pressed his lips to her hair.

"I missed you," she whispered.

Harry's arms came around her, the slick feel of his damp skin against hers making her cuddle closer. "I've missed you, too."

She listened to his ragged breathing in her ear, wrapped in her boyfriend's arms, and thought this was what they both needed. He turned his head to meet her lips and they kissed lazily as their hearts stopped racing and when Harry's mouth found her neck, she made a soft mewling sound.

"Mmm, it's been too long since we've done that."

"Much too long," Harry agreed. "We have to do that more."

"Absolutely," Ginny said, sighing as he kissed his way over her shoulders.

"You looked so beautiful out there today," Harry said, moving away to lie on his side, his head resting on his hand as he stared at her. "On the pitch you were a bloody force to be reckoned with, rocking those tight as fuck trousers and that sexy kit like you were born to it. And then at the press conference… fuck, Gin, that dress should be illegal."

Ginny smiled. "Illegal, huh? Going to arrest me, Auror Potter?"

"Yes," he teased, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "For looking too fucking sexy. You should never wear heels."

"Why is that?" Ginny asked, trailing her nail around his nipple.

"Because they do something to make your legs look insane and I can't be asked to control myself."

Ginny chuckled. "Well, I can't make those promises as I am short."

"You can sit on my shoulders," he told her.

She let out a snort. "Harry, that's not something that we can do at a press conference or in public."

His eyebrow shot up indignantly before a rather roguish grin crossed his face. "I meant to give you height, you naughty witch. But I can be persuaded for the other anytime."

Her cheeks flushed and he leaned in to press his lips to hers.

"I'm still going to wear heels," Ginny told him. "I need to find time to go shopping with Fleur again. She promised to help me shop. I need to amass a new wardrobe of sorts for the press conferences. There's a few ways I can change up a dress, but I can't wear the same thing all the time."

Her nail continued to trace his nipple, rolling it between her fingers now.

"I need to present myself a certain way. Men have it so much easier. They can basically wear the same suit over and over again."

"I'd say you could be naked, but no one's allowed to see you naked but me," he said, cupping a breast in his hand.

Ginny smiled and placed her other hand over his abs, sliding it down slowly and provocatively as she stared in his green eyes. "No, I'll only be naked for you." Her hand wrapped around him and her lips curved. "Look at that, it seems like you might be ready for round two."

Her fingers twisted his nipple just a bit and his cock twitched in her hand.

"Minx," he hissed, leaning in to kiss her lips. Her hand stroked him before she snuck it lower and cupped his balls in her palm. "Bloody hell."

Ginny bit her bottom lip as she pushed him down onto his back and then those brown eyes met his just before her mouth wrapped around him. Harry's hands flew to those long red locks, using both hands to hold her as she worked his rapidly growing cock in and out of her mouth. She made a 'mmm' sound before she moved lower and wrapped those lips around his balls.

Harry's fingers tangled in her hair and Ginny basked in the freedom of it. She loved the way he held her when she went down on him. He had a way of locking his fingers in her hair, cupping her cheek, or holding her head in such a gentle and fierce way that she knew he was losing his mind and yet she had all of the power. She took it now, enjoying the salty taste of his skin as she sucked on his balls, feeling his thighs flex when she did so, watching his cock bob with every suck. She rolled her tongue over them, pressing a kiss to the soft skin and he trembled. She increased the suction and he groaned.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, too much, too much! I don't want to come yet," he begged as she reluctantly let go, dragging her tongue over the length of his cock to catch the wetness seeping out of the tip.

Ginny licked her lips before she kissed her way up his chest, taking her time to linger over his abs, every inch of his tattoos, and then twirling her tongue around each nipple before sucking it into her mouth. Her mouth finally met his and he held her close, his tongue meeting hers eagerly.

Harry's hands gripped her arse, squeezing as he pulled her up his body. Then he pecked her lips once more and grinned up at her.

"Didn't you say something about sitting on my shoulders?"

"No," she said, kissing the pulse in his throat, sucking him there because it made him squirm. "I said I can't be doing that in public."

Harry's lips curved. "But we're in our bedroom so come up here."

Ginny kissed his shoulders and up his throat a moment longer before she shuffled her knees on either side of his head. "Like this?"

Harry's hands slid up her thighs, desire pooling in those green irises as he licked his lips. "Almost. Like this."

Then he dragged her thighs closer and settled his mouth over her core. Ginny's head fell back as his tongue slipped into her and her hands attempted to fist in the sheets as a moan escaped her. One hand held her in place as his other moved up her flat stomach to play with a breast, twirling a nipple between his fingers as he licked her and Ginny thought this was what heaven felt like.

Harry groaned against her, basking in the taste of her as he dragged his tongue through those hot folds and finally up higher to circle her bud. She gasped and her hips began to move to meet his tongue and he added a finger.

"Oh gods," she moaned. "Oh, Harry. Oh, Harry. Oh, fuck, right there! Mmm… yes!"

He kissed and sucked, using two fingers to drive her mad as her hips circled over him, desperate for more and when he shifted his tongue, licking and sucking in quick succession over her bud, she came, a soft cry as she rocked herself against his face. Harry licked her until she finished before he wiped his chin with the back of his hand and flipped her beneath him, sucking her nipple into his mouth. Her hand reached between them to stroke his very eager cock and he let her, moving his hips to meet her hand and slipping two fingers back inside of her.

Ginny groaned, the hot warmth of her holding his fingers tightly until he groaned.

"Fuck, I'm not going to last much longer if you keep that up. Roll over."

Ginny gave him a knowing smirk, but did as she was told. He took a moment to appreciate her spectacular backside before he yanked her up onto her hands and knees and slid his cock along her arse.

Ginny let her head fall back. "Harry… stop teasing me."

He teased his cock along her folds again and again.

"I swear to bloody Merlin, Harry, if you don't get inside of me right now, I'm going to — yes!"

He slid into her in one deep swoop and she made a strangled breath before pushing back against him to take more of him. Harry kept it slow, deliberately slowing his thrusts to make it last, his thumb on her clit in the same slow pressure to drive them both mad. Ginny squirmed under him, attempting to pick up the pace, but he held her in place, rocking himself in and out of her. He kept his eyes glued to her firm arse, watching it flex as his thick cock slid in and out of her folds.

"Harry…" she breathed. "Please…"

"Please what, Gin?" he asked, rolling hips.

A hand reached between her legs to squeeze his balls and he picked up his pace.

"Yessssss!" Ginny cried out, pushing herself back to meet him again and again.

Harry pulled out and rolled her onto her back. He gripped her thighs, lifting her legs up to rest over his shoulders and slammed back into her. She groaned, her fingers in his hair and three more thrusts sent her crying out his name as she came again, her toes curling. Harry managed to last thirty more seconds before he came too, milking every last stroke of his orgasm deep inside of her. He lowered her legs before he collapsed on top of her, kissing her breasts as he snuggled close.

"Nap," he murmured.

Ginny chuckled, her breathing ragged as she stroked her fingers through his hair as he snuggled into her breasts. "We need to clean up, but then we're doing that again."

"Nap first," he murmured, "but yeah, we're bloody doing that again."

The soft snores that followed seconds later brought a smile to her face.

Ginny continued to run her fingers through his hair, listing to his soft snores as he stayed snuggled up next to her, an arm wrapped around her waist and his face pressed between her breasts. She traced the lightning bolt scar on his forehead with a soft smile, trailing her finger over his eyebrow and down the thin scar on his cheek; it wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep along side of him.

She didn't think that she'd been asleep long when the Patronus burst into the room. The highland cow glowed brightly, but whatever it said was private as she couldn't make out the words. She felt Harry stir from under her.

"You have to go?"

He nodded, fumbling around for his glasses and finally finding them inside of his hoodie on the bedroom floor. He slapped them on his face and then leaned over the bed to kiss her.

"Yeah, it was Robards. Something's come up on the case."

Ginny stretched in the big bed and Harry's eyes immediately fell to her breasts. "Something important?"

He tore his gaze away and found his wand, doing a quick freshening charm on himself before he grabbed a new pair of boxer briefs from the wardrobe. Ginny sighed in disappointment as he covered himself.

"I hope so. We've been trying to decipher the spell they used with the runes and to try to figure out how the hell they brought this Sirius imposter back. We still don't understand anything. It's… well, it's a lot."

Ginny turned on her side, not bothering to cover herself up as she watched him hurry around the room to find his Auror uniform. He tugged on the trousers and the belt and when he hooked on the suspenders with his wand holster she licked her lips.

"Don't look at me like that," he told her, pulling on his tie.

"Like what?"

"Like you want to hold onto my suspenders and lick every inch of me."

Ginny bit her lip as her eyes heated. "I do want to do that," she told him. "Just because you have to leave doesn't mean I can't lie here and fantasize about what I want to do to you. You look really bloody sexy in your Auror kit."

Harry finished adjusting his tie and grabbed his red robed cloak. "I have to go, Gin."

Ginny sat up and crooked her finger at him. He sat on the side of the bed to tug his boots on and she crawled up behind him to kiss his neck, her naked breasts pressing into his back.

"I have to head back to school in the morning and get some stuff done for Compass before we go to the Burrow for dinner. I have a few assignments I need to get finished as well," she said, kissing his neck again. "Go to work and do what you need to do. I'll be here when you get home tonight."

He turned his head to capture her lips in his. "Ron wants me to go to that pub night thing with Seamus and the guys tonight. I'm going to skip it and come back to you."

Ginny brushed her lips over his. "No, you should go. You deserve a night out. Then when you get back, I think we should talk about me holding you by your suspenders and licking every inch of you."

Harry groaned. "Fuck, don't tease me! I can't show up with a bloody woodie."

Her eyes twinkled and she bit her lip. "I'm suddenly thinking I want you in nothing but your red coat, suspenders, tie, and drawers," she teased, nibbling on his ear. "You'd look so peng, Harry. I would just hold onto your suspenders and slip my hand into the front of your drawers to free your big, thick cock through your fly and —"

The loud bang on the door startled both of them and Harry groaned.

"Did you get Robards' message, Harry? Stop shagging my sister and get your arse out here! We have to meet the blokes after we stop by the Ministry!"

"Coming!" Harry shouted back, kissing Ginny once more. "I love you, but I hate you right now."

"I love you, too," Ginny said, her eyes twinkling in suppressed mischief. "Go catch some bad guys and then have a drink with Seamus and everyone. You deserve to have a life sometimes, Harry."

"I have to go, but we're coming back to this idea of yours. Soon. It's a rain check I'm definitely cashing in."

She kissed his cheek and Harry gave her a half-smile that made her heart soar before he stood up and said goodbye. He closed the bedroom door behind him and she snuggled back into the bed, tugging the blankets up to cover her naked body and thought about all of the work she had to do when she returned to Hogwarts.

Instead of thinking about it, she remembered what it had been like to be out there on the pitch in her first professional Quidditch game, the sound of the announcer calling her name and seeing Harry's smiling and cheering face in the crowd. It had been one hell of a day. Her stomach let out a loud grumble and she bit her lip.

Maybe Hermione was home and would want to share dinner with her. Either way, she needed to find some food before she became hangry. A great day followed by really great sex was bound to make anyone hungry. She hummed to herself as she climbed out of bed, unable to stop smiling.

First was a shower and then she was going to stuff her face to get her energy back up. She only hoped that Harry being called into work meant that he might be getting some answers.

~ TTTC ~

Robards didn't have much for them in way of answers. Harry and Ron spent three hours going over all of the evidence that the AIU's had accumulated and the only thing that they managed to come up with was that the ingredients mixed with the Runes was definitely more than a simple resurrection spell.

"Do you think that they used part of the same ritual Old Moldy used in the graveyard?" Ron asked, popping a candied nut into his mouth.

Harry frowned. The thought had crossed his mind, but he still didn't understand how they had been able to bring Sirius' body back to life without him being some form of Inferius.

"It would make sense," he replied. "It's just the how and why and who that's the problem."

Ron nodded, popping more nuts into his mouth as Baxter returned with a file in his hands.

"Here's everything the curse breakers know about necromancy rituals and bringing back the dead," he said, tossing it on the desk. "All of the evidence is pointing to the body belonging to Sirius Black. As to what's inside of him… I'm starting to think it's really him."

"That's bloody impossible!" Harry exclaimed, his heart pounding as he stared down at the file. "You can't bring someone back from the dead."

"Technically that's not true," Baxter began, tapping his fingers on the file. "You can bring people back from the dead quite easily, the problem is doing so without messing it up. Once you die, your soul and body are divided and that division is where the problem lies. I think Black is alive and well, but I don't think that all of him came back. He came back wrong for lack of a better word."

Ron's brows rose up. "You think that he's soulless?"

Baxter licked his lips. "Yeah. Think about it, when a Dementor sucks the soul from your body, you're still alive. Most people end up a little catatonic from the horror and trauma of the experience, but not everyone. Some people are kind of in a state of shock where everything is kind of fuzzy. They don't remember much of anything. Some people can even go on living a normal life, but eventually it catches up to you and you start to go mad. Living without a soul means that you don't feel emotions like a normal person would. You can't feel and without feeling you often can't negate right from wrong."

Harry frowned. "So… it's really Uncle Sirius?"

Ron reached out to touch his friend's arm. "But not really, mate. Without a soul he's not the same person."

"And you're saying… he doesn't have a soul?" Harry repeated carefully, not quite understanding what was being said.

"I'm starting to think that's the case, yeah," Baxter admitted.

"How long can someone live without their soul?" Ron asked.

"Years," Baxter said. "But most people start to go mad within six months, at least in the case of the ones where a Dementor has fed. Memories start to come back and even though you start to remember, you can't feel anything. I've been told it's one of the worst experiences anyone can imagine, seeing a replay of their life flash before their eyes with no feeling, no explanation, and no sense of belonging. It's like living in a world without hope and feeling nothing but despair and emptiness. It drives people mad and with the madness, often leads to death whether by their own hand or someone else's. Whenever the Dementors sucked out souls, the prisoners were usually locked in solitary to prevent them from hurting themselves or others."

Harry was staring at Baxter, hope blooming in his chest. "And what if a Dementor didn't feed on a soul? What if they died and the soul was just… separated from their body?"

"What do you mean, Harry?" Baxter asked.

"I mean, his soul is still out there somewhere, isn't it? It's not like a Dementor fed on it. It died with him and if he's back, his soul is… where?"

Baxter opened his mouth before he closed it. "Er… I don't know."

"Harry…" Ron began.

Harry shook his head. "If that's really Uncle Sirius, Ron, I'm going to get him back his soul."

"Harry, I don't even think that's possible," Baxter replied. "Re-souling someone is an urban legend at best. What's dead should stay dead for a reason."

Harry bit his bottom lip. "If it's really him, Baxter, I can't not try. I need to talk to Robards."

He marched off, leaving Ron and Baxter staring after him.

His talk with Robards didn't give him any hope on the matter. In fact, Robards was even more against that plan than Baxter was.

"Potter, I understand that he was your father, but he's dead. What they brought back… it's barely human. His entire task and reason for being brought back is to kill you and once he fulfills that task, he'll die."

"You don't know that," Harry insisted.

"You can't give someone back their soul once it's been removed," Robards exclaimed. "It's impossible. Sirius Black is no longer human. People without souls are monsters and he needs to be killed. There's no way around it. If you can't get on board with that plan, Potter, I'll have to remove you from the case."

"But, Sir —"

"Potter, it's a lost cause, do you understand me?"

Harry blew out a long breath. "Yes, Sir."

Robards stared at him for a long moment. "He can't be saved. I need you to understand that."

"Yes, Sir," Harry said as Robards continued to stare at him.

When Robards dismissed them and told them not to come back until Monday unless they were called, Harry ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Ron nudged his shoulder with his.

"You know that they're right, don't you?"

Harry shuffled his feet, turning his head to meet his best friend's eyes. "What if they're wrong? If it's really him, Ron, if he's really… back… how can I let him go again? How am I supposed to kill him?"

Ron linked his arm through Harry's. "Because he's going to go mad, Harry. He wants you dead and the real Sirius would never hurt you. He wouldn't even think about it. This is like… an imposter. It's not really him when he doesn't have a soul."

Harry stared into his friend's eyes, a lump in his throat. The fact that Ron spoke nothing but the truth made his heart race. Sirius would never hurt him and Ron was right, this wasn't him. He couldn't hope for more because it didn't exist.

Sirius had to die.

~ TTTC ~

By the time Ron tugged Harry out of the Ministry and into London, the only thing Harry wanted to do was to go home and find Ginny. He wanted to hold her hands above her head and drive into her until they were both screaming in pleasure. He wanted her to hold him by his suspenders and finish the filthy thoughts she'd started to tell him.

He just wanted her.

"Come on, mate. You need a night out and meeting the blokes tonight is what we both need. Let's have a drink or two and just try to relax."

"I need to check with Grandmama about Mina and Leo and then head back to Ginny."

"No," Ron insisted. "I already told Sorcha that I was taking you out tonight and she told me in no uncertain terms that you weren't going to Black Cottage until at least tomorrow. You need to take a breather and Seamus has insisted that this needs to happen. As to Ginny, I know you spent the afternoon shagging her so you can wait until after pub night to see my sister again. Let's go."

Harry sighed. He knew that his friend was right, but right now, he wasn't sure he could shut off his mind. He'd much rather go home and find Ginny, see about making that idea of hers a reality. She was good at taking things off of his mind like that. He wondered if she was still sleeping naked in their bed, but his thoughts were interrupted by Ron dragging him into the pub called …And A Bottle of Rum to see his friends.

He spotted Seamus, Neville, and to his surprise, Theo, at a round booth in the back as he and Ron made their way over to them. Seamus immediately poured him a glass of a dark beer from the pitcher in the middle of the table.

"Drink."

Harry did so without a word. After a few sips of the smooth, creamy beer, he closed his eyes.

"How you holding up, mate?" Seamus asked.

"How do you think I'm holding up?" Harry demanded, more snark in his voice than he intended.

Ron's hand squeezed the back of Harry's neck. "This was a good idea, Seamus. We needed this. Where's Dean?"

Seamus' expression darkened before he masked it. "He couldn't make it tonight."

Ron lifted an eyebrow. "Is he working somewhere?"

"He's doing work for different places, yeah."

When he didn't elaborate, Neville cleared his throat. "So, how's being an Auror, Ron?"

"Kind of awesome," Ron said. "To be honest, I wasn't sure that I'd like it as much as I do. Baxter, my partner, he's great. But this case… none of us were exactly prepared for it."

Harry continued to drink his beer, listening with half an ear as his friends made small talk, catching up on what they'd missed. He was halfway through the second one when he started to feel a little bit more relaxed. Maybe Ron was right; he needed to focus on how to stop them, not on something unrealistic like saving the dead from themselves.

"How are the kids, Harry?" Seamus asked, pulling Harry from his thoughts.

"All right," Harry admitted, taking another long sip of his beer and getting foam on his lip that he licked off. "They don't really understand what's going on. Thank Merlin for Grandmama, Grandma, and Grandpa. They've been a blessing when it comes to taking care of them. Plus Uncle Remus and Tonks are helping as much as they can. I'm back to sleeping in my old room again most nights."

Theo frowned. "I don't know anything about kids, but I'm mostly doing nothing these days. My courses don't start up until January so I'm free to help with whatever."

Harry gave Theo a grateful look. "Thank you. I might take you up on that, but right now I'm okay. I'm… dealing."

They ordered fish and chips and another pitcher of beer as Seamus told them about the fire academy and how everything was going. He'd just finished his training courses and would be writing his practical exams the first week of December.

"Then, hopefully some place will be interested in hiring me."

"Didn't that Grant bloke want you?" Ron asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"Yeah," Seamus said. "But it's not a sure thing. I'm hoping, but it's about house openings and where people fit… the blokes there are great though. I'd really like to get into the fire brigade in Brighton, plus it would be close by."

"How's Dean doing with you almost being an official fire flyer?" Theo asked. "Wasn't he not too keen on it?"

Seamus shrugged. "He's fine."

Harry exchanged a look with Ron when Seamus didn't elaborate. He wasn't sure what was going on there, but he was pretty positive that there was something up with Seamus and Dean. It was weird. But he knew better than to push so instead he turned to Neville.

"Things are going great actually," Neville said. "Hannah's catering business is really taking off. She's quite busy with baking and she's really saving a lot of money towards opening a place. We're starting to look a bit more seriously for a place and are thinking maybe even by next year we can open up a shop. She's already told Tom at the the Leaky Cauldron that she'll be leaving after the holiday. Her orders are getting to be larger and she doesn't have time to waitress on the side."

"That's great, Nev," Ron replied. "But how come you didn't bring us any of her scrumptious fairy cakes?"

Neville snorted. "Still thinking with your stomach, Ron, nice to know some things haven't changed."

Theo chuckled. "Hannah's baked goods are a pure delight. It's the second greatest thing I've ever put in my mouth."

"Don't—" Harry began, giving Theo a look in which he completely ignored.

"The first is Bas' cock," Theo finished as Harry winced. "You knew it was coming, lover. Or well, that's Bas actually, preferably when he's in my mouth or in my arse or on my face… I'm not picky."

Ron shook his head as Harry blanched.

Seamus laughed, clearly not offended by Theo's oversharing. "I forgot how much bloody fun you are, Theo. We should have hung out more in Hogwarts."

"We probably should have," Theo agreed. "But you were a foul Gryffindor. It was disrespectful."

"Hey!" Ron protested. "You're outnumbered here, Nott."

Theo shrugged. "School's done. House pride isn't still a thing."

"Speak for yourself," Ron exclaimed. "House pride is for life!"

Seamus, Ron, Neville, and Harry all exchanged high-fives as Theo rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

Theo filled them in on how he and Sebastian had officially decided to move in together and how he was going to be taking courses in January to become a mind healer, specifically for kids.

"I really want to help kids. I think… I know my childhood was a little messed up and sadly, I know I'm not the only one out there. I want to be available to help kids understand what they're going through and to… heal and learn how to grow properly without all of these baggage and nightmares and shit some of us still carry around. I want to help."

"Like a Social wizard?" Neville asked.

"To some extent," Theo agreed. "But mostly I want to work on helping ease their minds. Did you know that there are almost zero mind healers geared specifically towards children? Sure, there are some great mind healers in England and all of them are excellent. Na'eemah Hickey, the mind healer I've been speaking with, is amazing, but she's not a child mind healer. I want to focus just on the kids. I want to help."

"That's amazing," Harry told him. "You're going to be great at that."

"You know, I think I just might be," Theo admitted, a blush creeping up his cheeks. "I'm anxious to get started on it."

They talked more about their jobs and their lives and when the bartender made last call, Harry leaned into Ron's arms when he stood.

"I'll get you home, mate," Ron told him as Harry attempted to walk one foot in front of the other.

"You're the best," he said, resting his head against Ron's shoulder.

"I know," Ron said, holding him close as they headed towards the fireplace to use the Floo. "So don't throw up on me when we land."

He didn't, but he did stumble his way up the stairs to his bedroom and gave Ron a grateful snort before he crashed face first into his bed to sleep it off. Ginny opened her eyes and Ron urged her to go back to sleep before he pulled Harry's trousers and boots off. Ginny snuggled close and wrapped him under the blankets.

"I got him, Ron."

Ron nodded. "Get some rest, Harry."

But Harry was already asleep before Ron left the room, his dreams for once not on Sirius and the fiasco of what was to come next.

---

End Author's Notes:

Here is the list of the Quidditch players.

Holyhead Harpies:
Wilda Griffiths — Chaser
Verona Gold — Chaser
Gwenog Jones — Beater, team captain
Matilda Pan — Beater
Anastasia Smithwick — Keeper
Belinda Buckingham — Seeker
Coach Mallory Miller

Caerphilly Catapults:
Charles Havard — Chaser
Jensen Jenkins — Chaser
Priscilla Parry — Chaser
Megan Wynne — Beater
Danny Prosser — Beater
Gwilym Rowlands — Keeper, team captain
Adam Pugh — Seeker
Coach Winston Fleming

Quidditch announcers, Dave Hogan and Martin Briggs.

Thanks to celtics534 for her awesome help in writing the match!

Thanks for reading and please review!