Chapter 27: Elf Assembly
Harry was about to go downstairs when he was stopped by McGonagall's hand coming to rest on his chest. He stopped so suddenly that Hermione crashed against his back as he had been pulling her forward. Remus and Sirius barely stopped in time not to send them toppling over Minerva. Harry looked at the hand and then at the Headmistress. She looked more aged than he remembered with the sunlight coming from the window and bathing her face. Perhaps it was the fact that she was wearing different clothes, but she looked softer too, vulnerable.
"Harry, may I have a moment of your time?"
"Of course. Can it be after I talk to the elves? We did schedule a meeting with them. I don't want them to wait..."
"No. I'm afraid it must be before, Harry. It wouldn't do for you to unknowingly insult them and hurt your chances of getting their help," Minerva replied.
"Oh, absolutely," Harry nodded. Chyou was coming out of her family room which was the closest to them.
"Chyou, is your family room empty?"
"Yes, sir," she replied immediately. Realizing how much she sounded like a recruit in the Army down by the ocean she added. "Sorry, force of habit."
"That's alright. May we use it to have a conversation?" Harry smiled.
Chyou replied in a deadpan tone, "No. You may not."
Harry's shocked look made Chyou laugh. "Oh! Your face! Harry… honestly, you are far too easy to tease. Of course, you can use a room in your house that's on your island. You are so sweet!" Chyou pinched his cheek.
Harry blushed. "I wouldn't want to intrude. The reason we opted for family rooms was so that we could all have some semblance of privacy."
"True, but if no one is in the room. There is no need for that," Chyou smiled. "By the way, my dad wants to talk to you when you have a chance."
"Oh?"
"It's good news," Chyou smiled.
"How do you know that? Can you tell me what it is?"
"Nope. It would be unfair. It was all my dad."
"Okay, I will speak to him later... Just so you know, teasing me with possible good news and delaying my satisfaction is mean," Harry told her in mock annoyance, poking his tongue out.
"I know. Hermione will help you cope," Chyou winked and left the door open behind her.
They all went in and did the customary spells to ensure privacy.
"Hermione, I have always admired your inquisitive nature and your search for equality for everyone… That being said, you have been a bit myopic where elves are concerned," McGonagall explained. Hermione blushed but didn't interrupt. "Elves were beholden to humans because they needed our magic and life force to survive. Hundreds of years ago, they were on their own, but their way of life was different. They were more beasts than creatures. They lived off magical herbs, plants, and roots. That's how they could survive. Their magical capacity was said to be barely above a squib. They couldn't speak our human languages. They couldn't pop in and out of places."
"We understand," Sirius added, "that coming from a muggle-born background it does seem like slavery. "They can live without us, and some of them do. There are feral elves in some forests still. However, they have seen it is to their benefit not to do so. They are stronger, mightier, and smarter when they are using our magic…"
"For instance," Remus continued, "Ruki, as Head House Elf, is much more powerful than all other elves on this island. If they were to fight her, they would end up seriously hurt. Why? Well, I am sure you notice that elves' physical appearance changes and improves when they bond with a human. The change varies in intensity depending on the family's closeness with the elf. Dobby, for example, was nothing but a slave to Lucius. Putting aside that Malfoy's magic was not so mighty, he wasn't loved or appreciated by his master. That alone made him weak and frail. Lucius' magic was shared unwillingly, and elves' cores know that."
"Have you wondered, Harry, why is it that you trust Ruki no questions asked when she has been here for a very short period of time?" Minerva asked.
"Yes. I have wondered that. But I can feel how much she loves me through our bond. I feel her concern. I feel her protectiveness. She defended me from someone earlier and I felt like…"
"Like it was a mother protecting her child?" McGonagall asked, knowingly.
"Yeah… And that makes no sense to me because… I haven't really had a mother that I can remember. I have had amazing mother figures like Mrs. Weasley and you," Harry squeezed Minerva's hand. The old witch smiled, truly touched. "And yet… when she defended me… It felt... I don't know... different?"
"Like she was your own blood."
"Yes," Harry replied, not knowing how else to explain it.
"That's because Ruki was in charge of you throughout your mother's pregnancy. Always feeding her potions and tonics and healthy food. Making sure Lily rested. Making sure she didn't overexert herself as she was prone to do. Lily had you at home. Andi helped with your delivery, but it was Ruki who caught you. Her magic was the first magic you interacted with outside the womb. That is why your bond is so special. Your mind may not remember much, but your core does," Sirius explained. "She then handed you to your father and he placed you on your mother's chest so he could cut the umbilical cord."
Remus chuckled, "Then Pads and I had to pick up your dad and take him to the sofa bed in the room because he made the mistake to look down there… and well… James was never good with blood. He fainted straight away. He only looked because Lily asked him to. When we put him to bed, Lily laughed and said that he was finally unconscious. She did it on purpose because he was fussing too much over her and you," Remus smiled wistfully at the memory.
"Can you both please bottle a copy of those memories you have for me?" Harry asked.
Remus and Sirius shared a teary look, "Of course, son," they replied in unison.
"Anyhow," Minerva dabbed her eyes discreetly, "There are few things they will not do if they feel appreciated and protected. They like to feel like they are part of a family, of a unit. I will not presume to tell you whether you should or shouldn't bind them to the service of House Potter, but you should think about what that means for you magically and financially."
"Maybe we should postpone this assembly until we talk to some elves. We should ask them what they want to do," Harry replied.
"I agree," Remus replied. "It can't hurt."
"Ruki," Harry called her. "Please let everyone know the elf assembly will happen later."
"Yes, Master," Ruki popped in and out of the room seamlessly.
"Now, let me give you some more pointers," Minerva continued. "Elves love to use their special skills and you should consider them when assigning them tasks…"
"Master, Mistress, these are Professor Sprout's helpers. Rami, Ekit, Tumki, and Noit," Ruki introduced them.
The elves bowed low, and Harry and Hermione returned the bow. One of them almost fainted at this demonstration of respect and equality, he was so shocked.
"Thank you, Ruki. Let's sit together, everyone… We don't want this to be too formal..." Hermione plopped down on the ground to the surprise of the greenhouse elves.
It wasn't until Harry joined her and Ruki sat next to Harry that they sat down albeit a bit awkwardly.
"How are you feeling? Have you recovered?" Harry asked with a smile.
The elves shared looks of incredulity. None dared speak.
"Come on, elves. You have been asked a question. Please speak," Ruki said in a patient tone.
"Um… we is okay, sir."
"Are you comfortable?"
"Yes, sir."
"Comfortable-comfortable or could-be-better-but-we-don't-want-to-offend-you-comfortable?" Harry asked with a lopsided grin.
The elves chuckled a bit, "Comfortable-comfortable, sir… Our conditions at Hogwarts were far less favorable," Rami replied with a blush.
"Is there any way we can improve the current state of things?" Hermione smiled.
"Um…." Noit began, but at Rami's angry stare, he quiet back down.
"That's alright Noit, tell us," Harry smiled encouragingly.
"We is wanting to helps good…" Noit began with a pout.
"You are helping us a lot," Hermione nodded with an equally encouraging smile.
"Yes, but… for we to do its better we is needing... t-toolsies. We is trying to use the toolsies in yous shed, but they is rusty and fragile," Noit replied slowly. He grimaced as if he was expecting to be hit.
"Oh dear," Hermione replied. "How have you been making these then?" she motioned at the several planting beds behind the elves.
Harry looked around and saw with dismay that there were large spoons coated in soil, "You've been spooning soil?!"
"What?" Ruki blinked, confused. The other elves just shrugged.
"The spoons. They have built these beds with spoons. I am a horrible landowner!" Harry exclaimed truly feeling bad.
"That is unacceptable! You must be exhausted!" Hermione gasped checking their hands and finding blisters. She pushed healing magic to their hands and the blisters vanished. The elves looked at her in awe and then at their healed hands. "This is what we mean when we say come talk to us or Ruki if you need any help. We don't want you to suffer at all. Especially not when it is unnecessary."
"Ruki, please place an order immediately for everything they need. In the meantime, please get Headmistress McGonagall to transfigure some temporary tools," Harry requested. Ruki vanished.
Hermione nodded in agreement. It was terrible that magical soil shouldn't be manipulated with spells. It would save so much time and effort. If everything they learned in Herbology was right, once this greenhouse was ready, if they took good care of it, the soil should be self-sustaining for at least a couple of decades.
"Thank you, Master," Noit replied bowing. "Thank you, Mistress," he bowed again.
"Hello, Dobby!" Harry greeted the flour-dusted elf who smiled wide when he saw the young man.
"Master! What is you doing in the kitchen?" Dobby jumped off his stool to greet him.
"Talking to you guys... and gals," he added noticing a couple of female elves that were staring at him with curiosity as they kneaded dough under the watchful eye of Ruki while the Browns were baking some loaves outside in a newly built fire oven. "Kreacher, that smells delightful!" Harry smiled.
Kreacher smiled back, "Will Master want some fresh bread when it's done?"
"Absolutely, Kreacher... Thank you. How are you guys feeling?"
"Master?" Kreacher blinked in his confusion.
"Harry and I are going around to check on all of you and see if you are feeling alright. We want to know if the workload is still manageable or if you need any support or help with your tasks," Hermione explained.
"Master and Mistress are most kind to Kreacher," the elf bowed. "Kreacher is being the happiest Kreacher that Kreacher remembers."
Harry smiled, "I am so glad to hear that. How are you faring with the accommodations? I know you expanded to the attic, but I am not sure that is comfortable enough."
"Master, every elf is being grateful and happy."
"Are you sure everything is as good as could be?" Hermione pressed.
"Are your nests comfy?" Harry asked a bit lamely.
"Yes. We is having to spread the fillings but we is okay. This is war times," Dobby replied, blushing at Kreacher's disbelieving stare that seemed to beg for him to shut up.
"Master, don't be listening to Dobby. We is fine," Kreacher said through clenched teeth.
"No, Kreacher. It's okay. Really…" Harry tried to calm the aghast elf.
"We is service personnel, Dobby. We is not needing human fillings!" Kreacher replied.
Harry blinked. That sounded weird and potentially dangerous. After all, it is flesh, blood, bones, muscles, and organs what fill humans. "Human fillings? I am not following..."
"Mistress, if I may?" a female elf turned to Hermione.
"Yes, please. Your name?"
"Netsi, ma'am," the elf had a beautiful sundress on that Hermione noticed was made with some old fabric she had seen in the attic.
"Lovely to meet you properly, Netsi," Hermione smiled.
"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Potter," Netsi bowed. "Lord Potter."
Harry nodded with a smile.
"Some of us elves wonder if we could get the nests that Mistress Tonks and Mistress Weasley have," Netsi explained.
"The nests?" Hermione thought trying to remember. Do they mean the beds? she asked Harry. No idea, he replied.
"Which Mistress Tonks and which Mistress Weasley do you mean?" Harry asked.
Hermione looked at the elves who seemed awkward about the conversation and it dawned on her, "The body pillows? For their bellies?" Hermione clarified.
"Oh! The pregnancy pillows?" Harry asked.
Netsi nodded.
"I see… Well, it makes sense that those would be good nests," Harry replied, scratching the back of his neck.
"Netsi, may I ask you a question?" Hermione said.
"Yes, of course, Lady Potter," Netsi nodded.
"That's a beautiful sundress you are wearing. Did you make it?" Hermione crouched to see it better.
Netsi blushed but nodded.
"From the fabric in the attic?"
"Was I wrong to make it, Lady Potter? Lord Black authorized me… You and Lord Potter were unconscious at the time. I wanted to wait but Dobby told me you wouldn't mind. That was before Ruki took over," Netsi replied panicking.
"Goodness, no. Not at all. Don't worry. I was just wondering… Ruki mentioned there were some idle elves. Were you a seamstress before?"
"Yes, ma'am. I worked with Madame Malkin before, but when she closed her business to run to her family in France, I started working at Hogwarts," Netsi replied.
"And how hard would those pillows be to replicate?" Hermione asked.
"Well, if Netsi had a couple of sewing machines and could use a little magic and some elves to help her, it would take around 10 minutes per pillow," Netsi replied tapping her chin.
"What?!" Harry asked dumbfounded. Netsi jumped away, scared. "I'm sorry for scaring you, Netsi... It's just… Are you telling me that we spent weeks in absolute terror of two pregnant ladies that were in a bad mood because they couldn't sleep properly until those pillows got here, and those things take 10 minutes to make?! Tonks threw a whole pig leg at my head! Fleur didn't manage to slap me because she couldn't move fast enough!" Harry threw his hands up.
Netsi blinked, concerned, "Somebody threw a pig leg at Lord Potter?!"
"Yes, but don't you worry... I made the mistake of saying she was waddling like a tipsy penguin... and she didn't like that. I deserved it."
"Sir, you are the Lord and owner of this home. No one should physically attack you, sir, ever," Netsi replied.
Harry shrugged, but his eyes darkened, "I am used to it..."
Netsi's face was shocked and almost instantly comprehension dawned on her. He wasn't talking about Tom Riddle and his minions.
"I am so sorry, sir," Netsi patted his hand.
"It's okay. Don't worry. How about this? If you tell us what materials to order you, and which sewing machine you need, we can order them in and you can be in charge of making the nests and any clothes or well aprons that you may need," Harry handed her a kitchen rag so she could dust off her dress. "You can teach some of those idle elves too if they want to learn."
"Thank you, sir! Oh, I am so glad I get to do my job again!"
"And we are happy you can help us with that," Hermione smiled.
A group of about twenty elves was doing their best to clean and polish the beach chairs although it was windy, and the island seemed intent on not letting them clean, throwing sand at them with gusts of wind.
"Hello, everyone," Hermione began.
The elves froze in their current positions.
"Good afternoon," Harry added. One of the elves who was currently holding a bucket of water to wet the sand around the chairs to prevent it from flying away was so surprised that he dropped the bucket and splashed Harry's pants.
"L-L-Lord Potter," a very emaciated and bruised elf threw himself quite literally over Harry's feet and balled. "F-F-Forgive us! P-P-Please don't be throwing us away! We is liking it here! This is the b-b-best place we is being! The s-s-safest!"
"Whoa! Friend, calm down. It's okay!" Harry lifted the elf from his feet. " I am not throwing you away at all!"
The elf gasped, his tennis-ball eyes widened, "F-F-Friend?!"
"Of course. I would like to be your friend. You are all so kind to me and all my people," Harry smiled.
Hermione offered the elf a handkerchief. "Here."
"Rabi is b-being honored, L-L-Lord Potter. Thank you, L-Lady Potter." the elf dabbed his eyes.
"We wanted to talk to all of you a bit about how you are feeling and what we may do to help," Harry said.
"We is wanting works, sir," Rabi replied immediately, all elves behind him nodding repeatedly.
"And you are not working because…?" Harry asked.
"Head Elf Ruki is thinking we is too sick to help."
"Well, Ruki is a very smart and cautious elf. I would not dismiss her concerns. You seem a little too skinny, are you eating well?" Harry frowned a bit.
"I… Yes, sir…"
Hermione knelt and took both of the elf's hands. She had been looking at the elves behind Rabi and they all seemed very similar. "Is this your family?"
Rabi nodded.
"Please tell me you are not restricting your food intake on account of them eating more," Hermione said with concern in her voice.
Rabi pouted a bit and nodded with a blush, "We is being a burden. My family is being first. If they is well, I is well."
Harry felt his heart squeeze. He remembered all those long days without food. To him, it had been a punishment, but this elf was doing it voluntarily.
"Rabi," Harry placed his hand on the elf's bony shoulder. "I know what it's like to not have food for days."
Rabi looked up, incredulous. "H-H-How sir?"
"I lived with muggle relatives, and they hated magic. I think they thought they could starve and beat it out of me."
"S-Sir?" Rabi's eyes filled with new tears. There was nothing but naked truth in this human's eyes. Truth and pain were very poignant in that shade of emerald green.
"My point is that I never want anyone to starve. Ever. I have enough resources to keep you all well-fed. I know I am not your bonded Master," Harry grinned cheekily. "But I have been told that while you are on this island, you must listen to me a bit so… Here are your orders. First, I need you to heal properly. Then, I need you to eat so you stay healthy and get stronger. Last, I want you to work on something you are good at, whatever that may be."
The elves sighed in relief. Their cores were so glad to have direct orders. "Yes, Lord Potter."
"Were you cleaning elves before?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Some of us is working cleaning at Hogwarts. Two of my cousins is Healing Assistants and my brother is working in paper works at the Ministry, but he is still in bed. His leg is getting broken badly," Rabi replied.
"Well, he should rest until he feels better, then."
"Healing Assistants?"
"Yes…"
"Then you know St Mungo's…"
"Yes, Lady Potter. We know St. Mungo's well," one of the smaller elves behind Rabi said timidly.
"Wonderful... Once you are healed, please talk to Ruki and tell her what you want to do. We understand that being idle is not good for your health and we don't want you to struggle at all. However, we want you to fully recover first," Hermione smiled at them.
Sirius fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. Amelia took deep breaths. Across the table, a very confused Harry and Hermione, a slightly concerned Susan, and a very hesitant Remus stared at them. Remus was frowning and staring daggers at Sirius who wouldn't speak. After three full minutes of significantly awkward silence, Harry couldn't take it anymore.
"Did someone die?" Harry began with a frown.
"No," Sirius replied immediately.
Susan replied, "Then tell us what this is about before someone dies here..."
"Susan!" Amelia chided her.
"What? Auntie, I mean it... The suspense is killing me!" Susan replied.
Sirius stood up, pulled Amelia up too, and bowed to Harry who looked entirely lost at this. From a corner, Ruki cleared her throat and motioned for Harry to stand and bow, so he did.
"Lord Potter," Sirius began. "Lady Potter."
"Lord Black," Harry replied in a questioning tone.
"Congratulate me," Sirius smiled.
Remus gasped. Susan stared at her aunt, her jaw hanging.
Harry blinked and said nothing, motioning with his hand for Sirius to complete his statement.
"Amy and I are engaged," Sirius smiled brightly.
"Shut up!" Harry replied, very surprised. His Marauder father's spirit seemed to whisper to him what was best to do. Ignoring Sirius entirely, he turned to Amelia and placed his hands on her shoulders, blocking Sirius. Amelia frowned slightly, not knowing what to expect. With a worried expression, Harry whisper shouted, "Blink twice if you were forced to do this! We can help you run away! There's still time."
Amelia burst out in pearls of laughter and hugged Harry.
"PUP!" Sirius exclaimed indignantly. "You wound me!" Harry didn't care for his complaints and turned to hug him.
"Like father like son!" Amelia struggled to speak as Susan was doing her best to put boa constrictors to shame and squealed loudly and so fast that she couldn't even make out her words.
Harry took a deep breath at that against Sirius' shoulder. It was a bittersweet source of comfort that people saw his parents in him even if he couldn't remember them much.
"Congratulations, Sirius!" Harry felt his eyes tear up, thanking Merlin and Morgana that is godfather had a second chance at life. "Please don't tell me we need to prepare for another pregnant witch."
"Mr. Potter! Of course not!" Amelia exclaimed, blushing.
"I'm sorry but I feel I speak for the whole island when I say that I can't handle more than two expectant mothers at a time. You are trained by the DMLE. Who knows what you will throw at me!" Harry laughed.
"Something sharper than a leg for sure!" Amelia replied, laughing.
"Cheese?" Harry asked with a wink.
"Oh, we will get along fine!" Amelia laughed.
Remus was still frozen in his armchair. Sirius noticed this and walked toward him. Remus was so concerned, so scared, so… conflicted. He didn't know how to feel. Happy, he heard Lily's sweet voice in his mind. Your best friend found love with Amelia again. The emotion you are looking for is happy. Remus felt… No. It couldn't be.
"Moony?" Sirius sat next to him. "Are you okay?"
Remus focused on his emotions. Lily was right. He felt happy. Right? He shook his head to clear it.
"I know you are used to being my number one, Moony… but I have been your dirty mistress for way too long. You are going to have to learn to share me," Sirius elbowed him and wiggled his brows at him. "It was about time you became my dirty mistress!" the man laughed.
Remus chuckled, "I am sorry… I was expecting this to be the ultimate Marauder prank."
Sirius laughed, "Can you imagine?"
"Let's not, Remus" Amelia smiled tightly at Remus.
"Of course. Congratulations, Padfoot," Remus stood and hugged his friend tightly. After a few seconds, Amelia's hand on his shoulder made him let go.
"No hug for me?" Amelia asked with a dangerous, possessive glint in her eyes.
"Of course, Amelia… Congratulations," Remus hugged her lightly and briefly while Susan and Hermione hugged Sirius.
Ruki appeared with a platter with a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice and enough flutes for everyone. "Congratulations, Lord Black!"
"Ruki! Thank you! This is just what we needed!" Hermione smiled in gratitude.
In the Lupin family room, a wife stared at her husband who seemed to be worlds away. He had been staring out into the ocean for about one hour. She had called his name several times and he didn't hear her. So, Tonks rolled to the balcony and tapped him.
"What's wrong, Remus?" Tonks's voice broke the silence.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"You need to start talking," Tons said.
"About what?" Remus asked, blinking.
"You… You are all mopey… All morose…" Tonks replied.
"I am not... I was just reflecting on some things."
"Such as?"
"I am worried about many things, but I don't want to burden you. You know what your mother said," Remus replied. "We should not raise your blood pressure higher than it is."
"Perhaps, but I know you well… You look like someone killed your puppy," Tonks nudged him, trying to keep things light.
Remus sighed, but he said nothing.
"Bull's eye, Auror Tonks! 100 points to me," Tonks sighed.
"Huh?"
"This is about Sirius, isn't it?" Tonks asked feeling a deep and impending sense of doom.
"I am just worried about the timing…" Remus pushed his hair away from his face.
"The timing?" Tonks asked, puzzled.
"You haven't heard?" Remus turned to her.
"No, I have been helping Fleur with her birth plan most of the day… Then I was helping the elves do inventory," Tonks replied.
"Sirius and Amelia are engaged," Remus said slowly.
"Oh?" Tonks blinked. Her husband was jealous of them. Or maybe of her boss? Heaven forbid. Get a grip, Tonks. This is just your pregnancy hormones talking. "And you have a problem with that because?"
"I don't," Remus replied straight away.
"Clearly, you do. You look green at the mere thought. What is it that is bothering you about their engagement?" Tonks asked, turning him to face her.
"Dora, I don't want to talk about this," Remus said in a warning tone.
"Well, tough luck, because I do. Maybe it's my pregnancy brain freaking out, but… Remus... Are you jealous?" Tonks asked, very pale.
Remus took a very deep breath, "I am worried."
"About what? They aren't children. They were in love then, it makes sense that they want to pick things back up now," Tonks replied, crossing her arms.
"That's exactly the problem. Why now?" Remus hated the tone of complaint in his voice.
"Because we may all very well be dead tomorrow?" Tonks asked as if it was obvious.
"Yes, trauma bonding, the basis of every healthy relationship," Remus replied sarcastically.
Tonks gasped and physically turned Remus to her pulling him down to kneel before her chair.
"Remus Lupin… is that what you think our relationship is?!" Tonks replied angrily.
Remus stayed very still for a while. She had a very valid point. A point he had never even thought of before. He looked up at her, "Is that what you think our relationship is, Dora? Did you feel forced? Did you feel pressured into us? Into marrying me?"
Tonks shook her head 'no,' "I wasn't forced, but now that I am thinking about it… were you?"
"What?"
"Did you marry me because you felt you had to?" Tonks's eyes welled up.
After a long, torturous pause, Remus had to be honest with himself, "I… I don't know…"
Tonks gasped, "What?!"
Remus added, "Dora, I don't think so… I just… I never even thought about it. You know I wasn't keen on us being together because it was too risky… We don't even know if the baby will be born… like me," he stood and walked a few steps back.
"He or she could be born like me too. Maybe the baby will have both our special skills. All I know is that you never had any issues with risking your livelihood and your life to help Sirius when he escaped Azkaban, and you welcomed him back into your life after he came back to life with open arms. There were no doubts in your mind at all. It's not that I didn't want you to have him back, and I am not trying to be a psycho-possessive witch but you have never acted like this before… I am scared the baby and I are second best to him."
Remus turned back to her, "You are not second best, Dora. I love you and our child with all my heart. What I feel for Sirius is… strange and confusing. I am… protective of him. I love him."
Tonks' tears rolled down her cheeks, "You what?"
"I love him…. But I am not in love with him. He's part of my pack. I don't know how else to explain it," Remus replied.
"Who are you angry with? Amelia? Sirius?"
"I don't know, love."
"You are going to have to sit down with your feelings and figure this out before our child is born because I will not have him or her feel any of this. We are either your number one priority or I am filing for divorce as soon as we are able. Am I making myself clear?" Tonks asked with a deep frown.
"Yes, Dora."
Harry and Hermione agreed, as was almost always the case, that elves shouldn't be ordered to risk their lives if they didn't want to do so. They would explain the situation and what they needed and if some elves volunteered that would be great, but if they didn't their team would have to figure out another way to get Neville's parents out of the hospital. It was a very delicate and risky mission, but it was their only choice to help Neville and make sure he wasn't immediately attacked or killed upon sight.
Hundreds of elves, young and old, sick, injured, and in perfect health were before Harry sitting on the sand or on healer's cots. Talking to them first had definitely been a great idea. Curious, slightly fearful, grateful, and even loving eyes stared at him. As much as he adored his wife and her wishes for elves' freedom came from a pure place of love and care, she had left their own wishes out of the equation.
"Hello, everyone. I am so glad you are here and so very happy to have you on this island," he smiled and got many smiles back. "It's been a pleasure to get to know you and hear about your needs and your concerns. The work you are doing for this resistance initiative is so important, so essential to everything else we do that we would be entirely lost without you."
The elves sat up taller at this. They took great pride in their work and having it recognized so publicly and so nicely was a great incentive.
"We have brought you here because, to us, you are equally important to any humans here. We want you safe. We want you to be healthy. We want you to be happy. Yesterday, we had the opportunity to speak to several of you. We learned many important things. That's why we moved the meeting to today," Hermione explained.
"We wanted to have a chance to hear from you what it is you want and need, and all of you my friends, are remarkable," Harry smiled.
"We are planning a mission to help Neville, Heir Longbottom," Hermione motioned to Neville who stood so every elf could see him.
"We would like to know who wants to help us…" hundreds of hands went up.
"Wait, before you volunteer, you need to know… This mission is very dangerous. Like all of our rescues, it is potentially deadly," Harry began.
"You could get seriously hurt. You could be kidnapped. You could be tortured. You could be killed," Hermione added.
No hands went down. From afar, Minerva McGonagall dabbed a tear. Her elves were so brave. Regardless of their current bond status, they would always be her elves to her.
"Know that whether you decide to participate in this mission or you don't, this island is and will continue to be your home," Harry added. The hands of some elves in recovery went down. "Thank you. We don't want anyone injured to feel like they have to do something or else
"Fabulous. This is what we are thinking," Hermione motioned for General Xu to approach. Jing did a spell to enlarge a blackboard that had a battle plan.
Harry took slow deep breaths with Luna and Hermione. They were about to go talk to Ginny. Neville insisted on guarding them even if he wasn't allowed to hear the conversation. Ruki had been warned to stay in the room invisible. Ready? Hermione asked. As ready as I will ever be, he nodded.
"Good morning, Ginny," Luna walked in first.
Ginny was in a wheelchair. She still had muscle damage from the manhandling she received. Right now, she was on the balcony overlooking the pool. Her arms and legs were fastened to the chair. Andromeda was scared that she would try to hurt herself or heaven forbid jump from the balcony. The salty breeze moved her long hair. She was still wearing her hospital gown.
Ginny didn't reply. "Finally deigned to come see me, did you?"
Luna took a deep breath, "I asked to come see you as soon as I knew you were awake, and you said no."
"When have my wishes ever mattered to you?" Ginny's scathing reply made Luna freeze.
"How are you feeling, Ginny?" Harry asked in his most calming voice.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, not even trying to turn and look at him. "Worse, what is she doing here? What about Neville? My disgrace is just a sideshow for you, isn't it?"
"If you mean me," Hermione replied. "I still think of you as a friend. I care about you and your well-being. I am aware that is not something you want to hear so I will give you the other answer. I am your hostess and I want you to feel good here. Neville can't hear a word you are saying while he's wearing that."
Ginny laughed drily at that. "Right… Came to gloat, have you?"
"Ginny... Can we please talk like adults? Can we be civil?" Harry asked.
"How should I answer that? Let me think…. I am tied up to a wheelchair like an animal... Andromeda won't let me shower because, apparently, I am too dangerous to be alone in a bathroom for five bloody minutes... so, gee... civility? Don't know her," Ginny replied.
Harry took a deep slow breath. "Your wand is not in this room. I will untie you if you are willing to stay seated and not lash out."
"If you don't want me to lash out, I want the three of them OUT!" Ginny exclaimed. She turned to look out pointedly.
"Well, you are going to have to stay tied up, then," Luna replied before Harry could say anything.
"Come here Loony, let's see if you have what it takes to get into my head again, then," Ginny motioned with her head.
Luna turned the wheelchair. "I will not step in the balcony so you can blast your core trying to send me over the rails."
Ginny looked shocked.
"Guessed your devious plan, did I?" Luna stared, looking entirely unimpressed as she tapped the space where her third eye would be.
"You think you deserve no punishment, bitch?"
"Whoa! No need for that kind of language!" Harry replied, incensed on Luna's behalf.
Luna ignored him, "I self-flagellate; don't you worry about that."
"You what now?"
"I have come here to say my piece. Once I am done, if you never want to speak to me again, I will honor your wishes," Luna replied.
"I don't believe you."
"Let's see how logical you can be, Ginevra… Whether I speak to you now or later, you will eventually have to hear me," Luna replied. "So, if you think I am lying, it makes no difference if I lie to you now or later. True?"
Ginny scowled, but she nodded.
"I was never a girl that had a lot of friends… You were my only friend growing up. I always considered you as a sister," Luna's lower lip quivered.
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I know you think I can't feel that way because well... I have no blood relatives of that kind so what the hell do I know, right?... But that is the only way I can describe it in my heart. I will not excuse my behavior. I know you hate me. I can feel all those horrible feelings and thoughts you have about me even when I am far away from the house. I don't blame you. I deserve your anger. All I will say is that I spoke about your personal issues ONLY because your health and safety were at risk."
Ginny scoffed.
Luna tried not to cry as she powered through. Neville's hand steady in her own. The noise-canceling headphones on his ear blasted music loudly.
"That doesn't justify breaking your trust, I know that. It only gives me solace that I didn't say anything for gossip's sake or personal gain. I wasn't trying to hurt you or embarrass you. I didn't sell the story to a magazine. I didn't send your enemies a letter telling them how best to get to you. I told your Healer to prevent her from giving you something that could harm you and yes... I told Harry. He is the boss here. He is paying for everything. He needed to know in case additional things needed to be ordered for you in the Infirmary. He was so worried about you... and he was blaming himself for everything. I love Harry like my brother. I didn't want to allow him to destroy himself with a guilt that wasn't his to bear."
Ginny's eyes filled with frustrated tears. "I heard you. Now, get out. Take your boy toy too and Granger. Neither of them needs to speak to me."
"Luna, please leave us," Hermione placed a supportive hand on Luna's shoulder and squeezed. Luna nodded and left pulling Neville after her.
"I don't want you here either," Ginny scowled at Hermione.
"I know. That's okay… Unfortunately, I do have things to say to you. Then, I will never speak to you again if you don't want me to," Hermione replied in her most stern voice.
"I don't want to hear it. You had no right to know my personal affairs. You less than anyone have a say on my life after what you did."
Hermione sighed, "What I did?"
"Don't make me say it," Ginny scowled.
"What was it that you felt was a personal attack on you from my actions? That I loved Harry through it all? That I stayed with him when everyone else fled? Do you really think me staying with Harry or our relationship has anything to do with you?" Hermione raised a brow at Ginny.
"Gee, Granger... I don't know! Maybe it was the fact that you swore to me up and down that you weren't interested in him at all and that you saw him as a brother and then you went behind my back and wormed your way into his heart and his bed!"
Hermione closed her eyes and willed patience back into her body, but it wasn't coming. Harry reached out for her hand and squeezed. This anchored her, but before she could reply Harry spoke.
"Ginny, that's enough. First of all, her name is Lady Hermione Jean Potter now. Address her with the respect she is due as both my bonded wife and your hostess. Second of all, we really thought we were like siblings but neither of us had any of those. Now, we know better. I see Luna as my sister. I see Neville as my brother. I understand now that I never saw Hermione as a sister. I get it now. But Ginny... You know... We always loved each other. We were always too close for friends. Chyou noticed and ended things with me. Viktor Krum noticed and asked me essentially for permission before asking Hermione to the Yule Ball. Rita Skeeter noticed and it cost Hermione injuries from crazy fans."
Ginny turned her face away. She remembered the horrible pustules.
"Ginny, even you noticed... Everyone knew to some degree or another that we were in love with each other and that we were meant to be together except for the two of us. Third, she didn't need to worm her way into anything. She already had my heart since she gave me the first hug of my life. I was just too immature, too traumatized, and too emotionally awkward to understand that. When we left for the hunt, you and I had already broken up and you had moved on. We ended things permanently. Our breakup wasn't some time apart with a promise of reconciliation. It was over. We were done. You know that. I never said we would get back together after the war because quite frankly for most of this journey, I didn't even consider surviving this nightmare a remote possibility," Harry inhaled shakily.
"Why did you have to tell her?" Ginny asked, her body shaking with a sob.
"Gin," Harry knelt beside the chair and placed his hand on hers. "I didn't. Luna spoke to me. She had to disable my magic so I wouldn't blow up the house or the whole island. Hermione knows because we share thoughts. She felt how angry and sad I was and came to find me and she could access what I had learned through the bond. She didn't go looking. It was just too fresh... I... Hermione is my best friend, Gin. I would have gone to her for advice and support bond or no bond."
"Ginny," Hermione began.
"Leave, Hermione," Ginny roared, but her tone was more of a beg than an order. She was so mortified.
"Fine, but Ginny… We are on your side. No one should have to go through what you did. Let alone at that age. No one should have to deal with mental health issues without any support. That is over. You can count on us for anything you need. Your potions have been ordered and we have a starting supply for a year. You never have to go through any of this alone again. I know you want me as far away as possible, and I will respect your wishes if it is within my possibilities to do so."
"That isn't committing too much, is it?" Ginny spat.
Hermione shrugged, "I'm sorry, but it is the best I can do, Ginny."
The redhead scoffed.
"Do you really think that if we are ever in danger, in battle, I will let you die just so I respected your wishes to keep my distance? Hell no! I will fight to protect you to the death just as I would do with Luna or Neville. Whether you believe me or not is an entirely different issue, but your well-being matters more to me than how much you may hate me at the moment."
Ginny tried to answer something spiteful, but she couldn't. Perhaps it was the potion regime, but Hermione's words meant a lot to her, especially after she was informed by her mother about all the things she did and couldn't remember.
"For whatever is worth, I am really, really sorry that you had to go through all that fear and pain and frustration and if you ever want to vent or talk about it, I am here for you," Hermione pushed some hair behind Ginny's ear, but Ginny shook her head, so her hair went back to falling over her face. She didn't want either of them to see her tears.
Hermione sighed. She squeezed Harry's arm supportively and left the room. You got this. I will be out of our bond while you talk to her. Please be patient. She is really hurt.
Harry sat on the bed, across from Ginny's chair, "Can we talk now, Gin? Openly?"
"Push her out of your mind."
"What?" Harry blinked.
"Hermione. Otherwise, she will be listening."
"She won't. She shut me off when you asked her to leave. She said she will respect your wishes and she is doing just that. Do you want me to add more wards?"
"Yes."
Harry stretched his arms and focused. Soon enough a sphere surrounded them.
"Let's talk."
"I have nothing to say. People have already betrayed my confidences and I am not about to provide more information willingly so it can become yet more gossip, thank you very much," Ginny replied with a frown.
Harry took a deep breath. Luna had warned him Ginny would do just this. Extreme vilification of those who wronged her to guilt trip them into letting her do whatever she wanted.
"You don't have to say anything, then. Listen. There is no gossip. No one is talking about what happened to you. Your family knows, Luna, Hermione, and I know. That's it. Luna hasn't even told Neville."
Harry turned her chair to face him and pulled her closer. She tensed so he immediately let go and took a step back, conjuring a chair so there would be some distance between them while still staying within the sphere.
"I know that when we were together, I never spoke much about my home life or my childhood, and that alone didn't allow us to grow as close as we could have," Harry said. He looked to be in pain from having to say this.
Ginny frowned further. She wasn't expecting this topic of conversation...
"When I was growing up, I was abused... It took me many years to admit this to myself. I couldn't name it for what it was because I never knew anything else. I never saw a healthy family until I saw yours. It was then that I realized it wasn't normal to be beaten and starved. It wasn't normal to be treated like a slave. It wasn't normal that they had me cooking since before I could actually reach the stove or… that they never took me to a doctor when I got burned or cut."
Ginny blinked and stared in surprise, but she said nothing.
"Hermione was the first person to ever hug me… At the time, I was freaking out. Not only was she a girl, and I was young and socially impaired, but I had come to immediately associate physical touch with pain… I am not in any way comparing being beaten to what happened to you. I know that what they did to you is beyond my understanding… I just… Gin, I need you to know that I am so sorry I was a horrible boyfriend. You deserved a lot better than what I had to offer. I should have been a source of comfort and protection, not something else for you to stress about. Luna only told me because she saw I was being eaten alive by guilt. Guilt that she was sure wasn't mine."
"I am sorry you went through that, Harry..."
"I know, Gin. It's okay."
"What did she tell you?" Ginny asked.
"Does it matter?" Harry asked back.
"Yes, I need to know for how long I need to keep my head down in shame and the number of details you have can help me determine that," Ginny kept her eyes down.
Harry lifted her chin with his index finger. "Ginny, look at me," she kept her eyes looking at her lap. "Gin, please."
"What?" her voice was small and pitiful, but she stared into his kind eyes.
"Never lower your head before anyone. You are a fighter. You are a survivor. You are so strong and beautiful and so worth every effort," Harry smiled. "Just because someone decided to try and break you, doesn't mean they get to win."
Ginny took a shaky breath, "They did. Time and time again. Not to say that guys aren't abused like I was... but it's different... I don't know how to explain it."
"Gin, I understand you aren't at a stage to see the reasoning behind Luna's actions. It's all too recent and raw. I get it… Please don't hate her. I am not asking you to jump back into friendship with her or anything else… But please consider that Luna is a very special person. It was physically painful for her to have to tell me."
"That's just it. She didn't have to tell you. Only the healer," Ginny pouted a bit.
"Yes. I understand you are upset about it. However, all I know is the gist of things. She told me you were abused, and she told me who was behind what happened to you. I am sorry I didn't make you feel like I was the kind of boyfriend you could confide in. I wish I could have been there for you to support you as you deserved. To help you through it. I wish I could have done more. I am sorry, Gin, truly."
"Thank you," Ginny grimaced as she squeezed Harry's hand.
"Just be warned, though, I don't really care how mad you might be at me or for how long. I am on your side come hell or high water. Whatever you need, be it therapy, medication… or chocolate ice cream with whipped cream, caramel syrup, and crushed pecans on top," Harry chuckled and was glad to see a small smile on Ginny's face at the memory of them sharing the ridiculously large and ridiculously sweet dessert in one of their very few proper dates. He was also hoping to tempt her to eat. Andi was concerned that she was refusing food.
"Now that you mention that… chocolate ice cream sounds lovely," Ginny offered, hoping to steer the conversation to lighter topics.
"Dobby," Harry turned to see the smiley elf. "Please make sure that you get Ginny a bowl of chocolate ice cream as soon as she comes out of the shower."
"Yes, Master. Dobby is being happy to sees Ms. Weasley is doing better," Dobby popped away after Ginny smiled at him.
"Shower?" Ginny asked, hopeful. "I get to shower for real?" Cleaning spells were fine in a bind, but not for everyday use.
Harry snapped his fingers and Ginny's ties vanished. While she rubbed her wrists and rotated her ankles, he grabbed a set of clothes that Mrs. Weasley had prepared and placed them over Ginny's lap. "Yes, Gin. Andi says you can shower provided that you are supervised."
"Harry… I know we are exes… but I'm not sure Hermione will be okay with that," Ginny snorted.
"Gin! Behave! I would never!" Harry blushed and chuckled feeling relieved. This was the Ginny he remembered. "Fleur is waiting outside to supervise. She ordered your usual shampoo and conditioner and lotion. Take your time. Andi will be here in an hour to talk to you. Once she evaluates you, you may even get your wand back," Harry smiled. "I am sorry we took it, but we were concerned that you could hurt yourself."
"It's okay, Harry… I don't want it… I don't feel… ready," Ginny admitted.
"That's okay, Gin. Take all the time you need… Adapt to your potion regime and just keep Andi in the loop. If any of us can help you, just reach out. My Head House Elf, Ruki, is willing to help you whenever, alright?"
Ginny nodded, "But Harry… what about the training? What about the war?"
"Ginny, you matter more to me than the war… You don't have to fight at all. If you want to help us when you feel better, we will consider it then. Right now, all any of us want is for you to recover. Don't worry about anything else," Harry smiled.
Ginny stood on shaky feet and launched herself into his arms. Harry awkwardly held her as loosely as possible. He didn't want to hurt her or trigger her. "Harry James if you don't squeeze me back right now, I swear to Merlin-"
Harry embraced her a bit more naturally at that. "I'll tell Fleur she can come in."
"Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," she sighed into his chest. "For everything."
He kissed the top of her head. "Anytime, Gin. I just want you to get better."
"I think I will… I wasn't really hopeful until now," she replied with a smile. "I'm sorry about… everything."
"It's all in the past. You know we love you. We are your family and that will never change," Harry smiled. "It's like I told Draco. You are stuck with us."
Ginny chuckled and stepped back, wiping her nose with the back of her wrist.
Harry opened the door. "She's ready to shower, Fleur."
The Frenchwoman smiled, visibly relieved, and stepped inside. "Hello, Ginny."
"Hi."
Harry closed the door behind him. A collective breath was let out. The rest of the Weasley family had been waiting for him to come out.
"How is she?"
"Still very upset but gradually opening up," Harry smiled. "There's hope, I think."
"Oh, thank Merlin!" Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry. "Thank you, Harry."
"Did she yell at you?" Bill asked.
"Not much," Harry shrugged.
"Did she hit you?" Charlie asked.
"Nope."
"Bat-bogey hexed you?" the twins asked in a chorus.
"No. She still doesn't have her wand," Harry replied.
"Did she throw up on you?" Draco's head peered from behind the twins.
Harry chuckled, "Definitely not. I'm afraid that's still a Malfoy special."
"Bugger," Draco replied. "I am glad she's doing better, though. Mrs. Weasley, your potions," Draco handed her three vials.
"Thank you, dear," she drank them. She pulled him and Harry away while her sons talked about their sister., "How did it go?"
"Potter, my mother is in love with your cooking," Draco said.
Harry blinked, "Huh?"
"Mrs. Weasley's idea was a success."
"Oh! Right! Are you guys back on good terms?" Harry asked.
"No, but she's speaking to me again so there's hope," Draco smiled. "She let me have a plate too. When did you find the time to learn how to cook like that?"
"Well… Life, I guess," Harry replied with a bit of a forced smile. He didn't want to talk about it.
"Well, you should open a fancy restaurant when all of this is over," Draco winked.
"Maybe," Harry replied with a small smile.
Severus could smell his own blood. This wasn't a strange occurrence lately, but now he was worried he would die. He felt faint. He had lost a lot of it. Bellatrix had lost her patience. Riddle was alive, true. He had managed to patch him up enough. He had regained consciousness but was still very weak. Severus had managed to stop the Dark Lord's flesh from degenerating further, but his last resource for the third-degree burns was the phoenix tears he had gone through a lot of pain to obtain did not work.
Snape was astounded. The tears worked on him, but not on Riddle. That made no sense. Phoenix tears were supposed to be able to fix the worst injuries, burns, cuts, and even poisons from terrible bites, but the tears usually shimmering gold drops would turn black upon contact with Riddle's anatomy. Anywhere in his body that he attempted to use the expensive remedy they would turn into black and not heal anything. Worse still, if he didn't remove it straight away, it seemed to start eating away at the tissue as acid would. He had never seen or even heard of such a thing happening.
They were importing the tears. No phoenix had ever returned to Hogwarts after Dumbledore… passed. Fawkes was never seen again. The cost of every dropper was astronomical. With Hogwarts only being accessible by air and the dementors getting more and more territorial, ordering anything was increasingly difficult. Owls were starting to refuse flight. Even the Ministry's owls would take twice as usual to move around and they would often come injured or halfway dead. The few elves that remained from the Death Eater's families were dying as their Masters were being killed left and right.
Potter's reward had slowly but surely gained traction. A few days ago, The Quibbler posted a reward notice for any information that would lead to the capture of any active Death Eaters whether they were recruits or senior members. As soon as the bounty hunters and retired Aurors and Defense Masters caught wind of the first reward being paid promptly upon fact-checking the information given, they started hunting everyone. In the three days since five recruits had been apprehended by bloody muggle authorities of all possibilities. Kingsley, who was the new Head of Aurors, was fighting hard in the DMLE even with all things against him. He was doing everything by the book with heaps of evidence that was, if rumors were true, being kept in three locations two of which were only known by Kingsley himself.
Severus just knew Kingsley Shacklebolt had incriminating evidence against him. The muggles were doing their part against the magicals. Secret Service, MI6, Interpol… everyone was cooperating. Such international links that the Potter brat had managed to forge had never been seen. The Queen of Goblins was helping them. The Queen of muggles was helping them. The bloody DMLE was being pushed in the right direction now. Madam Bones was gone, and Kingsley had nothing to lose. He had lost his entire family in the previous war. His work history was impeccable. There had been no whispers, no scandals. He was incorruptible and absolutely paranoid in the "Constant Vigilance" spiel way that his mentor Alastor Moody always parroted. He had turned his office into his home. There was a single bed and a small kitchenette. He wouldn't drink or eat anything he hadn't personally made. He slept with one eye open and always had 10 different plans of escape and defense no matter where he went. His two top agents were always masked and slept in an office next to his. There was a door that connected both offices, but the security was top-notch. Kingsley's staying in the Ministry was a masterful move. There were too many witnesses and too many checkpoints. Even if trained assassins were to try to get to Kingsley, he would have ample time to run away and too many options to flee. With his credentials, he could go everywhere within the Ministry, and visitor badges were very limited.
Severus downed another blood-replenishing potion, did a few episkeys, and hoped that this new concoction would garner even a bit of an improvement on Riddle. This improvement had to be evident enough so that Bellatrix would calm down. She was spotting and there would be hell to pay if she miscarried from all the stress of seeing her spawn's daddy die. As it was, Severus feared Bellatrix's sadomasochist tendencies worse than Voldemort's. The man was a Guy Fawkes. He had political designs. He wanted power and to be obeyed. Lestrange was just a psycho. She was the kind of disturbed human that wanted to see the world born and implode just for the fun of it. Destruction of others brought her twisted pleasure. There was no method to her madness. There was no reasoning with her. There was only pain, torture, and death. The only way Bellatrix would stop her ways was once she was dead and buried. Something told Severus that she would find a way to come back just as disgusting as Riddle, or maybe worse.
Harry sighed as his dilemma gave him another headache. Bellatrix was one of the people he despised as much as a person could be despised, but she was pregnant now. The devil's spawn, as Sirius kept calling the baby was… just that, a baby. If she was far along enough for her condition to be noticeable, chances were that the baby in her womb could survive on its own if it were delivered early. Who knew what would happen if they waited for her to deliver? Harry knew he couldn't kill a baby either.
"Fuck! This is a nightmare!" Harry threw the updated Hogwarts map up.
"Ahem… Should I leave?" Jing asked with a frown.
"What? Jing… No, please. I could use good news," Harry smiled slightly.
"My girl is such a gossip," Jing chuckled. "But I have both good and bad news. Your choice."
Hermione peered from behind a bookshelf, "Bad first," she said feeling a block of led in her stomach. She rushed to sit by Harry who wrapped his arm around her.
"Voldemort is still alive. Apparently, that bat of a potioneer managed to save his life. It's pretty touch and go, but knowing them and their dark arts' acumen, they will find a way, and if they don't… they will create one," Jing grimaced imagining all sorts of terrible rituals.
"Okay… what are the good news?"
"We have a chance to end Voldemort quickly and in one smooth coordinated hit."
"Do tell."
"T."
"What?" Harry frowned.
"T as in Trick?" Hermione asked.
Jing's smirk and nod were a sight to behold.
Ted's hands shook as he read the letter he received. This could change everything. He needed to warn his wife. He needed to talk to Sirius and Remus and McGonagall. He couldn't just drop this on Harry and Hermione. How do you even go about telling someone news like this? He walked briskly to his wife and did the secret touch they agreed on when there was an emergency that needed privacy. Andromeda paled and stopped her checkup to join her husband in the office. She warded everything and sat, not knowing if she could stay standing for whatever this was.
Ted took a deep breath, "Andi…"
"What happened?" she held on to the arms of the chair.
"I… The Grangers... They were found."
"What?!"
A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope your year is going well so far and that you are safe, happy, and healthy wherever you are. Sorry for the cliffie! I know you hate those, but this is almost 11k words. I hope to update this soon as I am 3k words into writing Ch.28. -Lux-