Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

-oOo-

This time on Witch. Wizard. Gnome! : All good things must come to an end. But not all endings are bad.

This will be a short six-part story. Enjoy.

-oOo-

June 27, 1998

Grenobles, Switzerland

Harry held Hermione's hand as they listened to the last remarks from the headmaster. "…I know that you will all go out and achieve great things, for anyone that has attended Grenobles has always achieved what they set their minds too."

Harry clapped loudly, along with the nineteen others that were graduating with them and all their families. Harry took back his girlfriend's hand and kissed the back of it. "Congratulations, luv," he said.

Hermione moved and hugged him. "We did it!"

Harry laughed at her. He wrapped an arm over her shoulder to weave through the crowd to find Sirius, Remus and Hermione's parents. Along the way they shared hugs and handshakes with friends they had made the last few years. It was a squealing child that had Hermione crouching down and holding her arms open. The small girl with wildly frizzy hair ran into her arms. "Hermy," the girl said.

"Annabelle," Hermione said happily before blowing a raspberry on her sister's cheek. The almost two-year-old laughed and squealed happily.

Harry reached a hand out to Mr Granger. "Congratulations, Harry."

"Thank you, Dagmar. Emmaline," he said gratefully.

"Oh, come here for a hug," she told him. Hermione had picked up her sister and joined the group. Sirius and Remus greeted him with handshakes and one arm hugs.

While they were all talking and people were leaving, the headmaster came up to them. "Headmaster Kenagy. How are you?"

"Very good, Herr Potter. I'm trying to make sure I talk to all the graduates before they leave. Frau Granger, I wanted to say that me and my staff have been extremely impressed with you and Herr Potter," the man said.

Hermione inclined her head as her sister was still trying to get her attention. "Thank you, headmaster. It's been a pleasure to be here."

"I was hoping you felt that way. Traditionally the staff doesn't meet to decide on potential Mastery students until the end of July, but we have been so impressed with both of you that I would like to personally give you these letters," the headmaster said.

He handed the letters to them. Hermione immediately started to open hers. Harry looked at the envelope for a moment before looking back up to the headmaster. "I really am appreciative of this, Headmaster Kenagy, but I have accepted a Mastery program with the gnomes in magi-engineering."

The man nodded, looking a little grave. "I know that Frau Rocheford had said you were applying. I had hoped we would get you soon enough. And you, Frau Granger?"

Emmaline took Annabelle so Hermione could read her letter. After a moment, she said, "I need a week or two to consider. I have been offered a position in the ministry and for a master's program at Soble in Zurich."

The man nodded. "I knew that you both would go onto great things. Soble is a fine school for mastery students. May I ask what you would be studying?"

"Magical Law, both domestically and internationally," she told him.

"Ah, yes. Our many discussions on house elf and being rights. If you do decide to accept the mastery in Charms with Herr Esperanza, then we will be happy to have you back in the fall. If not, then I know you will do Grenobles proud."

"Thank you, headmaster," she said.

With a farewell, he moved off to see who else was left.

"Are you really going to turn down a mastery here?" Sirius asked him.

Harry shrugged. "I love it here, but do you know how hard it is to get a freeman Mastery position without signing a ten-year contract with the gnomes?"

"I can only imagine. Come on, pup. We have cake and ice cream at home," Sirius told them.

"Eye cream!" Annabelle proclaimed.

"Yes, sweety. Ice cream," Emmaline said.

-oOo-

August 3, 1998

Toffen, Switzerland

Harry was following Master Craftsman Hammerfoot as he was led from the offices of the workshops towards the workshops themselves. For the last two and a half days he and three others had been sitting in conference and classrooms as they went over all the safety precautions, new employee introductions, the requirements for the mastery program they were in, assigned to the Master Craftsman that would be overlooking their training and the basics of gnomish engineering. He was a little disappointed that they had three months of classes before they would be allowed into the workshops to get their hands dirty, but he had managed to convince Master Hammerfoot to take him for a tour.

The rather serious gnome looked excited for once as he led Harry deeper into the mountain. He had been to Schwanden a few times in the last few years to see the airship facility and ride on them for different business purposes. Each time had only whetted his appetite more to become a Master Magi-engineer, and now he was in the heart of the gnomish workshops to learn.

"Do not touch anything. You are not certified," Master Hammerfoot reminded him for the fifth time.

"Yes, Master Hammerfoot," Harry replied. They came to a large, heavy set of wooden doors that Harry could see aurumil runes in. If he was reading them correctly, they would only allow authorized people through, reinforced the doors and make them lighter.

Master Hammerfoot regarded him for a second. Whatever he saw must have been what he wanted too because he gave a little nod. When he opened the door, Harry grinned to see a large cavern. It was full of noises. Stepping into the cavern, it was full of machines, milling centres, workshops with automatons and other inventions. His eyes took it all in.

"Our main journeymen workshops. This will be where you will be assigned a workspace once you pass the basic magi-engineering tests. Over there you will see the lathes, milling machines and other equipment needed for making parts. The wire bonding and rune crafting cells are that way. In the far corner is the steam generator," Master Hammerfoot pointed out.

"Is that the superheated steam generators?" Harry asked, nodding to a cell full of strange spherical devises around a larger one that looked like a single piston steam engine. He knew the gnomes had been able to make some technomancy steam engine that would generate enough steam to power an automaton for days without refuelling or watering. It was a marvel that he yearned to know about. Only those trained by the gnomes ever learned about it but were sworn to secrecy. He would be taking his own oaths once he passed the apprentice tests.

"I cannot say. Perhaps if you are good enough you will find out. Now, I'm going to introduce you to a few of the top candidates. If you can pass the level one exams next week, you may be able to start as a technician for one of the mastery track candidates," Master Hammerfoot informed him.

Harry's eyes widened. "Uhm, Master Hammerfoot, I don't know of any level one exam."

The gnome smiled at him. "As a free-contract apprentice, there are other options. I also looked at your NEWT scores and talked with Master Wedman. He highly recommended you."

Master Wedman was the half-gnomish professor that headed up the technomancy program at Grenobles. Harry had grown close to the man in his three years at the school. "I am pleased he thinks so highly of me. I will have to send him a note of thanks."

"Take him out for a drink. A mead or wine ale will be better to talk with him. Most apprentices must pass the level three exams to start. With the backing of a Master Craftsman, you can start earlier. Now, this over here is Apprentice Natalie Oberbeck. Apprentice Oberbeck, if you have a moment, I have someone that might be interested in being a technician for a few months," Master Hammerfoot said to a rather stocky blonde that was holding a spanner the size of Harry's arm. She was looking at an automaton that looked to be built to lift several tons. It was much beefier than he was used to seeing.

"Just a minute," she said as she watched a gage. The pressure continued to rise. When there was a pinging sound, she swore in a language he didn't recognize before moving quickly to cut off the steam supply and bleed the line. After what was obviously another string of swears, she turned to them. "I just can't get it! I'm sure I have the proper rune scheme, but the steam requirements keep overpowering them."

"What are you using?" Master Hammerfoot asked, moving over as she started to remove the protective cowl around the pistons and mechanics on the leg.

"I tried using argenquin, but it's not stable enough for the heat generated and using a wrought iron casing isn't strong enough, so I can't use aurumil," she said. When she took the cowl off, it was obvious that the control mechanism to the piston was destroyed, and the piston was still hissing out steam. "Damn it! That takes twelve hours to machine."

The master craftsman started to look at the fine line of runes on the piston and other mechanics. "Apprentice Potter, can you get me the reticulated callipers and reticulated spanner, size four."

Harry moved over to the work bench and quickly found the tools. Oberbeck was looking at him. Master Hammerfoot pointed to the release valve. "Check to see that is calibrated properly and then set it to eight-hundred pascals."

"Isn't that a little low?" Oberbeck asked. "And the new kid knows what he's doing? That will take three days to build a new valve assembly if he messes it up."

Harry didn't bother to answer her, just got to work the way Master Wedman had taught him. Ten minutes later he was done, and Master Hammerfoot was going over the rune scheme with the blonde.

She nodded before looking towards him. "If you damaged that you will be making me a new one."

Harry shrugged. "It's easy enough, though I don't understand why you are using a modification to the model eight. Wouldn't it have been better to use a Ellenstein number four? That has a secondary release valve that you can set to go off if the inlet has issues as well," Harry said.

"That wouldn't work," Oberbeck stated. "You would have to have a tertiary bleed to the valve and the number fours aren't rated high enough for what I need."

Master Hammerfoot was regarding them as they got into a conversation about the steam pressure required to lift the loads she wanted finally ending in Harry suggesting using a four-piston design of lower capacity each that would add up to the higher capacity instead of a single cylinder. She was huffy as a green horn giving her the advice before Master Hammerfoot offered to introduce him to another apprentice. As they walked away, he said, "You are right."

"About what, Master Hammerfoot?" Harry asked.

"It is more complicated, and can lead to higher maintenance, but using a system that distributes the load over more pistons is usually better. It adds redundancy should something fail. It allows for a design load limit that is higher than desired while maintaining a safety margin. It also will support the rune scheme she is trying, but at a lower pressure. I have been trying to lead her that way for months, but she is determined to use a single master piston. If she gets it to work, then I will award her a mastery. If not, then another year or two will season her more," Master Hammerfoot said.

Harry looked back. He hadn't fully thought of all those benefits, but he could see them. He was thinking of the lower pressure requirement and the fact you could use a simpler valve system.

"Now, over here is Apprentice Eric Strauss. Apprentice Strauss, this is Apprentice Harry Potter," Hammerfoot introduced. Harry found he liked the lanky dark hair man right away and soon was going over a rune scheme to make a better dishwasher. He had never thought something so innocuous could be so complicated when you tried to use magic to do what muggle technology did. But, as he had found out at Grenobles, you can shield muggle electronics from magic, but you could not make magic and electronics work together. Thus, if you wanted something magical, you had to create it.

-oOo-

December 25, 2000

New Zealand

The cruise ship was swaying slightly as it left Auckland, New Zealand to head towards Sydney, Australia. For a few years now Hermione's parents had been talking about taking a cruise and Harry and Sirius had surprised them all with a cruise over Christmas.

As the ship left the port, Harry was looking at his beautiful girl. For the last five years he had been dating her and felt like he wanted this to go for the rest of his life. She was standing before the mirror and putting on some ruby earrings he had gotten her last Christmas. She smiled when she saw him watching her from the door that separated the bedroom from the sitting room in the suite they had.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she questioned.

"I can't look at a sexy woman?" he said with a cheeky smile.

She shook her head. "We have a dinner with the captain tonight. You can peel me out of this dress later."

The classy burgundy dress hugged her body, and he had a feeling peeling her out was the only way to get her out. It was a thought he fully enjoyed. She shook her head again. "I mean it. Later."

"Fine," he grumbled.

She walked over to him, put a hand on his face and leaned in to give him a gentle kiss.

In the hallway, they met her parents and his godfather. Her sister was being watched over in the day care tonight so they could all go to this dinner. Harry raised a questioning eyebrow to ask where Moony was, and Sirius just nodded. The action started a gurgling in his stomach. He thought he had put this nervousness to rest last night, but it came back. Her father gave him a wink as they walked by.

Hermione leaned into him. "Am I going to like whatever you are planning, or will I need to hex Sirius later?"

"You'll like it," he said far more confidently than he felt.

"I better, or you'll be on the couch," she warned.

If this goes wrong, I'll be over the side, he thought to himself.

The evening was rather enjoyable as they joined two other couples at the captain's table in the centre of the large two-story restaurant at the stern of the ship. It was when desert was coming out that the butterflies in him really started. Hermione was talking with the captain about how mariners used to navigate by the stars when the slice of chocolate cake was put down before Hermione.

Everyone was looking expectantly at them as she took up her fork.

Harry had the insane notion she was going to eat the cake before even looking at it. He was starting to panic when the fork descended towards the cake… then it stopped… he swore his heart did at the same time.

She had stopped talking.

He licked his dry lips.

"Harry? Is that…?" she trailed off.

He pushed his chair back to get down on one knee. Her eyes drifted to him as he took her hand. "Uhm, Hermione Granger. You have been my best friend, my girlfriend and my better half since we first met at eleven. I couldn't imagine ever finding anyone that fills those roles better than you. You are beautiful, smart and unafraid to tell me when I'm being mental."

"Like right now?" she said as her eyes were brimming with tears.

Sirius and her mother laughed.

He gave a nervous smile. "Like right now," he agreed. He swallowed before forging on. "As much as I have loved dating you that last five and a half years, I was rather hoping you might make this a more permanent thing."

She laughed at him. "More permanent?" she said in her high-pitched voice she used when nervous or flustered.

"More permanent. Like, maybe becoming my wife?"

Her free hand went to her mouth. She was speechless. He could accept her being quiet for a moment, but as it dragged on, he fidgeted a little. "Hermione, just say yes," her mum said under her breath.

Hermione's head suddenly started to vigorously nod. "Yes. YES!" she said rather loudly before throwing herself at him. He had to use the chair to steady them. People around them started to clap and cling silverware off their glasses. Hermione crashed her lips into his.

When he helped her back into her chair, Sirius said, "Well, let's see what you got her."

"You are such a woman," Harry said back playfully.

"Well, someone has to be the man in this relationship," Remus smoothly stated.

"I am not a woman," Sirius huffed.

"Ignore them. Let's see the ring. Oh my God, Hermione," her mother said as she took in the white gold ring with a four-karat diamond and rubies around it. Hermione's eyes were as large as her mothers.

"This is too much," Hermione said.

"It was my grandmothers. I just had the gems reset," Harry told her.

Hermione had to wipe at a tear. "I love it, Harry. I love you."

"I hope that I won't get hexed tonight," Sirius snarkily said.

"You're safe for tonight," Hermione said, still looking at the ring.

"Congratulations," the captain said. "If you would like me to marry you, we can do that tonight."

Hermione looked up, sounding slightly panicked. "So soon?'

Harry had to laugh at her deer in the headlights look. It was as much out of nervousness as it was hilarity. "I hadn't thought that quick, but if you want."

Everyone looked at Hermione for a few before she said, "I want to get married back in England at the church we used to go to."

"Anything you want, luv," Harry said. His smile was for his new fiancé, and the fact he still had a little more time before he had to say yes. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He knew he would, but something felt far more final about it now Hermione had said yes.

-oOo-

June 22, 2002

London, England

Diagon Alley was busy today. Over the last few years, business and foot traffic had grown, as did the number of witches and wizards, not to mention others. Cornelius had to silently keep his comments to himself as another obviously Muggleborn witch entered the store. She was in her early twenties with a noticeably young child on her hip. The muggle trousers and knit sweater would have been scorned at not long ago. Now it was scorned at to scorn them.

He pushed his broom around to pick up the ingredients he had dropped on the floor while filling the last order. Roland Nelson came out of the back room when the bell had run on the door. "Make sure you weigh that up," the man told him.

Cornelius didn't say a word. He often lost a galleon or two a week for what he thought was normal business when Roland took out the cost of the wasted potions ingredients. He had been the Minister of Magic! Now he was a store clerk that barely made enough to pay for the single room apartment he had and enough food to keep his reduced frame satisfied. The only reason he had this job instead of being with some of the beggars in Knockturn Alley that used to be his allies was because of his great niece.

"Hello, Mrs Creevey. Is this little Lizzy?"

"Good morning, Mr Nelson. This is," the woman said with a smile.

"She is getting so big. You are a cute one, with your mum's eyes," he said. The small girl hid her face in the woman's jumper. Cornelius rolled his eyes as he turned. Being so nice to people and playing with babies should only be done when a politician was trying to win something. "What can I do for you today?"

"I just came to pick up my husband's order for his shop," she said.

"Of course. Cornelius, can you get the Creevey order from the back room?" his great-niece's father-in-law asked.

Cornelius nodded. He hated being an errand boy for people, but it was the first job he had found in over a year and one where he wasn't jeered at by most of the clientele, as most seemed to be Muggleborn or muggle raised and didn't seem to recognize him. He really had no clue there had been so many, or that most had gone to other schools and only returned after Bones had become Minister.

When he came back out with the large box, his boss was having an animated conversation with the witch. "Business is doing very well," she was saying.

"I can imagine. I see many going into his shop and he's made quite a name for himself. I see his photographs in the New Prophet and internationally weekly," Roland replied.

"Yes. He is doing quite well," she said with a smile. "I will warn you now, it might get busy in the alley later today."

"Why would that be?" the man asked with excitement.

"There will be a few high-profile clients coming in. Actually, there they are now," she said, looking out the window.

Cornelius followed her gaze. Walking up the alley in the plum-coloured robes of a Wizengamot member ready to enter the chambers was a man of slightly less than average height. He had messy black hair that seemed familiar. Next to him was a strikingly attractive woman with curly brown hair. She was in a very strange looking Muggle woman's suit. Behind them was another man in plum-coloured robes walking besides a man with sandy coloured hair.

"Oh, is that Lord…"

"Potter!" Cornelius spat when he recognized the man.

That got the woman's and his boss's attention. The look of hatred on Cornelius face was nothing compared to the seething rage that had built up to a roiling boil in him the last seven years. It had been all Potter's fault that he was now a simple clerk when he should have retired in comfort.

All his woes came down to Potter.

What he couldn't understand was what Potter was doing here? He had left the country and not returned.

Potter said something to the woman next to him and she nodded in a very business-like manner. As they walked by, Cornelius followed them with his eyes.

"Yes, I heard that Lord Potter and Black have come back for one Wizengamot meet. Something about needing the remaining members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight," Roland said, keeping a wary eye on Cornelius, who didn't notice.

"From what Colin says, they are going to change the Wizarding Compact. I'm not totally sure what that is, but it's important to help with the new laws," she said.

"They are going to change the compact?" Cornelius asked.

"So, my husband says. Do you know what that is?" the woman asked.

"It's the magical bindings that established the ministry, and the Wizards' Council before that. Why in Merlin's name would they be changing that?" he asked.

"Haven't you heard? It's been all over the New Prophet and the Quibbler for months," Roland said.

Cornelius frowned. He really didn't have the extra funds to afford a paper daily. "No, I haven't."

"Well, the laws passed in the last winter session will disband all hereditary seats and make a fifty-one-seat parliament that is voted on every two years," Roland said.

Cornelius swallowed. "That is preposterous. The Wizengamot seats have been hereditary since the founding of the Wizards Council."

"And that got us to such a good spot, didn't it?" Roland shot back.

It was then that Cornelius realized who else had been with Potter. "That was Black! Sirius Black! How is he not in Azkaban?"

Roland gave the man a concerned look. "Lord Black was pardoned, years ago."

Cornelius remembered something like that, but… "Pardoned?"

"Well, he never did it to begin with, or even got a trial," the woman said. The girl in her arms was starting to fuss. "I need to get Lizzy and the supplies back to the shoppe. How much do I owe you?"

"Just tell your husband to square up with me at the end of the month, like usual."

She gave him a smile and took out her wand. Cornelius didn't really pay much attention as she levitated the box out of the store.

His boss turned back to him. "Are you alright, Cornelius?"

His mouth moved a few times. After a moment he said, "Potter destroyed everything and Black is a murderer. How can you be so unconcerned?"

Roland looked at him oddly for a moment. "Cornelius, I think you need to read the news more or listen to the wireless. Lord Black has been investing back into England. He's the backer of this shoppe. Lord Potter is the founder of a new firm in Switzerland that makes some of those Muggle tellies and other inventions that Weiscroft's sells down the alley."

Cornelius looked at his boss blankly. "That is Potter?"

"There was a large article on it a few months ago."

"And it's Potter that is going to destroy the Wizarding Compact? What about all those families on the Wizengamot?" Cornelius blustered. He had hoped that some point his old allies would be able to recover and save him from this hell he was now in.

"The new compact passed almost unanimously. Over the next six years they will all step down or go for election. A third of the current Wizengamot will be replaced every two years," Roland said.

His mouth moved like a fish.

"Are you feeling well? You look a little pale," Roland said.

"I'm… I'm… I don't know," he said. He couldn't understand why anyone would so willingly give up their power like that. It didn't make sense.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off. You really don't look well right now."

A short bit later, Cornelius was walking down the alley towards his flat. As he looked around, he felt like he was really looking at things for the first time in years. The Daily Prophet had been replaced with a new store that sold all sorts of Muggle looking things. He had heard talk about them, but they were wizards. Why would they need anything like a… what did Roland call it? A fellie?

As he investigated the window, his eyes caught the movement on a mirror, but it wasn't his reflection. Instead, he was watching people flying on a broom. It took him a moment to realize he was watching a quidditch match. His mouth fell open. He just stood there watching it for a while until someone said, "I had the same reaction when this store opened two years ago. It's amazing what Muggles have figured out."

Cornelius turned to a tall and broad blonde man. "Yes, amazing," he said, never having heard Muggles so openly praised in the heart of the Wizarding world. Had he been that under a rock the last few years?

"Did you catch the score?"

"Uhm, the score?"

"Yeah. Right there. At the bottom of the screen. Bloody hell! The Cannons have been a menace the last few years. I never thought I would see Portree losing to them," the man said. "Well, I have to get going."

As the man walked away, Cornelius wasn't sure if he was more bothered that the man didn't recognize him or praising the Muggles so highly. He turned to see the quidditch match again. It was almost like being at the match.

"And Potter did this?" he said to himself.

Things had changed so much that Cornelius wasn't sure what his world was anymore.

-oOo-

December 25, 2008

Altdorf, Switzerland

"Is dada awake?" a young girl whispered.

Harry felt the weight of someone small climbing onto the bed. He was too tired to really move but knew this would happen. It had been the same for the last few years now. A small finger touched his eyelid and pulled it down. He glared at the messy raven hair of a six-year-old girl. Her chocolate brown eyes were wide awake for the early morning. Merlin, it was still dark out!

"He's still sleeping, Lena," she whispered back. His eldest wasn't as quiet as she thought she was being.

"Mama?"

The raven hair girl started to climb over him. As she did, Harry rolled over. She squeaked as his arm caught her, pinning her to the bed. "ELAINA, help!"

The smaller four-year-old was suddenly climbing up the side of the bed. "Lena!" she yelled. If Harry had thought he might get another hour or two of sleep, he had been sadly mistaken. His younger daughter jumped on him, earning an 'oomph' from him.

Lena was trying to squirm out of his grasp as Elaina jumped on him again. "Let her go!"

"Why you little," Harry exclaimed. His arm came up and grabbed the smaller girl. She squealed as he pulled her down. Lena tried to use that to escape, but his other arm trapped her. Both girls started to laugh and scream.

Hermione groaned from next to him. "Do you have to do this so early?"

"I would have kept sleeping if they let me," Harry said. His fingers stopped and his daughters were breathing heavily. Lena recovered first.

"It's time to get up, dada! There are presents," she said rather loudly.

"I want to open presents," Elaina yelled back.

Harry closed his eyes. "It's too early. Time to sleep."

"NO!" they both yelled.

Hermione rolled over and put her pillow over her head. "I'm not getting up until there is tea or coffee."

"Father Christmas came. You must get up," Lena said, squirming out of his arm to pull on Hermione's. "Mama, time to get up!"

"It's not Christmas. It's too early," Harry said.

Elaina got up and flopped on his chest. He opened his eyes to find her face inches from his. Her eyes were so much like his own. "There are presents under the tree, dada! Time to get up!"

It was the energy that only small children could have on Christmas morning. Harry smiled at her, then kissed her nose. The small frizzy haired brunette giggled. "I suppose we should go see if there are presents under the tree?"

"There are, dada. We saw them. Big ones and small ones. I saw four with my name on them," Lena said excitedly.

"I saw my name too," his four-year-old added.

"Coffee, Harry. I need coffee," Hermione told him.

Harry huffed. "Fine. I'm up. It's only four-thirty!" he exclaimed when he looked over to get his glasses.

"It's Christmas!" both his girls exclaimed.

"I blame you," Hermione told him.

Harry moved to get up and both girls jumped out of bed. "I don't get up at four-thirty," he grumbled to his wife.

"No, but you get all excitable like that," she said.

Harry rolled over to kiss her shoulder. "I'll get a pot going. Get up if you don't want them jumping on you too."

Hermione groaned and snuggled into the blankets.

Harry rubbed at his eyes as he got up. In the hallway were pictures of Hermione and him. Just outside their door Harry was spinning her around on a beach at sunset. That had been in New Zealand two days after he had proposed eight years ago today. He considered that his fourth happiest day of his life.

Another had her in a white dress and him in a tuxedo. They stood before a stone church in Godric's Hollow. When Hermione had found out that his parents had been married there, besides being buried, she had wanted to be married their too. Harry agreed. That had been July twentieth, two-thousand and two. His third happiest day of his life.

Pictures of his daughters and the rest of his family were scattered around the wall and the stairs. One of him holding Lena the day she had been born was next to the one when Elaina had been born. It had taken him years to figure out how he felt about the beautiful, curly hair brunette that he slept next to every night. He wasn't sure he understood what love was until almost the time they graduated from Grenoble. It had taken time for him to understand his feelings for Hermione. The second he had seen Lena and Elaina, it was instantaneous. He knew he loved them and would do anything for them. Those were the happiest days of his life.

To have two excited girls bouncing around the sitting room trying to determine what presents were who's had a smile come to his face. "Don't touch anything yet."

"Can I open just one?" Lena pleaded.

"Wait for your mama," he told them. In the kitchen he put a pot on and then moved to get the coffee machine working. As much as Harry loved tea, he figured Hermione would need the coffee today. He silently laughed to himself a few minutes later when their daughters started to pester Hermione to open presents.

By the time he walked out into the sitting room with her cup of coffee, the girls had already sorted out their piles. Lena had helped Elaina, but for a four-year-old she had done very well. He sat with his cup of tea, enjoying the chaos of Christmas morning with the three most important girls in his life.

It was a few hours later, when the sun was up, that a handsome Eurasian owl tapped on the window while he was making the girls favourite breakfast: crepes with lots of fruit, clotted cream and sausages.

He opened the window, shivering at the blast of frigid air as the owl entered the house. Hedwig was on her roost. She lazily turned to look up and gave a dignified hoot. Unfortunately, she was starting to show her age, already having lived a good bit longer than non-magical owls.

"Easy," he told the Eurasian owl. He gave the owl a fresh sausage and some water as it warmed up before moving towards the window again. In that time Harry had opened the letter and smiled. It was a Christmas card from his Account Manager Rosetwist. The little gnome had become a friend over the years, and he enjoyed seeing her with her children and husband.

"Dada, is breakfast ready?" Elaina asked.

He took a plate and piled it with food as the second round of sausages went into the pan. "Here. Go tell your mama and sister that things are ready. Grandpa, Grandma and Aunty Annabelle will be over soon."

Elaina gingerly took the plate, balancing it over to the table before running off to get the others. When they came in, Harry asked Hermione, "Luv, would you send a card back to Rosetwist? I forgot to do that this year."

"I already did, Harry. Is that from Rosetwist?" she asked, looking at the card on the counter.

"Yeah. I may have to increase her percentage again and have her go after the goblins for a better contract in Ireland," he said as he flipped a crepe in the pan. "I want to expand the store in Dublin. Maybe I can get the gnomes rights for their airships too?"

Hermione chuckled before pecking his lips. "You just enjoy seeing her get all excited to be able to go after the goblins."

Harry gave her a cheeky grin back. "Well, it's not like the goblins ever did anything good for me."

Hermione clucked her tongue. Lena was patiently waiting for Hermione to hand her a plate. "Be careful. You too," she said to Lena first, then him.

"I never start any trouble."

The look she gave him told him she didn't believe him. She affectionately patted his cheek. "You're lucky your handsome."

Harry laughed. He spent the next bit trying to figure out what fun he could give Rosetwist. The goblins were still upset with him for pulling out all his funds, especially now that he had grown his wealth with his engineering and other businesses. If the little blighters had helped him when he went to them that Christmas after he was emancipated, then things would have worked out better for them.

"Grandpa!" Lena exclaimed when she saw him walking up the path outside the door with an armful of presents. He could worry about how the gnomes could cause more issues for the goblins later. Family was more important.

Besides, teasing his fourteen-year-old sister in-law was getting interesting now that she knew what boys were. Well, it was more teasing Dagmar, but Annabelle could turn a few shades of red he hadn't seen before. He just wished his father-in-law didn't stop his fun at times when he mentioned his own girls.

"Happy Christmas," he said quickly to everyone before going back to the stove. Harry was soon having an exceptionally good day as everyone piled into their dining area and Harry was able to join them.

-oOo-

C'est Fin.

I would like to thank everyone that has followed, favourited and reviewed this story. I know I write for my own muse and don't expect anyone to really read it, but I am very happy and grateful to those that do and like what my warped mind can come up with at times.

WolfgangNH