„Going through Riddle's past," Alexandra said as she entered the bedroom, "is like going through the sewers."

"Have you found something?"

"Maybe. I seem to be on a promising trail. But it's frustratingly time-consuming. It would be easier if I could share the work with other historians, but as it is..."

"Do you have anyone particular you would want to ask?" Alduin tried. Perhaps it could be done.

She gave him an amused look. "Yes, Lucia."

"Lucia Rowle?" Alduin assured himself.

"The very one. Don' worry, if I thought it was feasible, I'd have consulted it with you a long time ago."

It was true: however much Alduin wracked his mind, he couldn't think of a single trustworthy historian who was alive at the moment. It was funny, he thought, that he could think of so many who died in the war...historians, who one would expect to be the least involved in any direct warfare. Though, then again, perhaps it wasn't so strange. If those who didn't know history were doomed to repeat it, the historians were the people who would be most alarmed at Riddle's rise, and have the most motivation to try and stop him before it was too late.

Alduin could only hope Alexandra would not become another such victim. She didn't seem like the type, but then again, neither had his Aunt Diana, or his father, or even Wilbur Crouch.

"There's your great-great-grandmother," he said a little hesitantly.

Alexandra laughed. "Do you honestly want that?" She asked. "Besides, she truly is old and frail these days. She only has a few years left to live at most, in my opinion. I do not think it would be a good idea." She shrugged. "I will do it alone, it is just that I had little enough time for my book since Wynn was born, now it's practically non-existent."

Alduin hesitated. "Do you want to wait, then?" He asked, glancing at the potions standing at the bedside table.

Alexandra shook her head. "No. I don't go back on my word, and besides, this isn't a problem that will be dealt with in a month or two. I'd have to wait for a very long time." She shrugged. "I wanted a challenge, didn't I? I won't back out just because the challenge suddenly gets more challenging."

"I don't want you to overwork yourself-"

"Alduin," she said in a warning tone, "I'm fine."

He sighed. His wife hated the idea of her own weakness more than she hated anything, and any attempt to take care of her he made was rebuffed because she read it as an implication that she was struggling, and that she was not capable of managing on her own. She did not seem to judge him for his own struggles a year ago, not since he'd overcome them at least, but as far as she was concerned, no talk of needing help was allowed.

So Alduin just nodded. "Okay then," he said, trying to push his vague guilt and frustration and feeling of inadequacy at dealing with this back, "if you're sure..."

He handed her the first of the potions. She gulped down two, and so did he, and then they both crawled into bed.

"I don't know why it is," he muttered, "that while we have a perfectly healthy sex life most of the year, as soon as we're about to conceive a child, I feel less than inspired."

Alexandra rolled her eyes. "You think about it too much," she said. "Come on, let me help you stop."

She was very skilled in accomplishing that, he had to admit. It only took a few minutes for him to forget there were any potions involved this time.

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"What do you think Wynn's birthday party is going to be like?" Ron asked curiously as they sat on the train, speeding towards London.

"If I know my cousins, huge," Harry said with a laugh. "I mean, my birthday parties are pretty big, as you know, and Wynn is their son."

Sophie gave him a look. "Harry," she said, "don't be an idiot."

"What?" He asked, genuinely uncomprehending.

"Do you really think your cousin would make your parties smaller just because you weren't his son?"

"Well, it's not like they're small – I'm hardly complaining – but yeah, I think it's natural he'd want to throw a bigger one for this own son's first birthday..."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why? Like I said, he's his son. Their son, I should say."

"He really is an idiot, isn't he?" Dean asked conversationally. Then he turned to Harry. "Listen," he said, "my birthday parties are hardly comparable to yours, of course, but I've never seen any tendency in my dad to make them different because I wasn't his biological son."

Harry considered this. "I guess it's different since he knew you since you were a baby," he said, even though it still seemed strange to him. The Dursleys had known him since he was one, and it hadn't helped him any. Probably Dean's mum protected him from any slights.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Fine then," she said. "My step-dad only met me when I was five, and he met my older brothers when they were ten and twelve. He doesn't make my parties any smaller because of that – or theirs, even though they're such prats I think he really should have."

"I thought you liked your older brothers?" Neville said, surprised.

"Yeah, but they're prats." She exchanged an understanding look with Ron.

"I mean," Dean said slowly, "I guess he might pamper Wynn a little more at the beginning – the babies of the family always are a little pampered, right?"

"God, yes," Sophie said with feeling. "It was unbearable with both of my brothers when they were very little."

"Ginny is the apple of my mum's eye," Ron added, "but maybe that's more because she's a girl."

"The only girl and the youngest at the same time? Gah." Dean looked like he couldn't even imagine the horror.

Harry wasn't really listening to them, though, he was thinking about what they said before. It seemed it was very different when one of your parents stayed in the picture. It made sense, he supposed – who would marry someone who didn't treat their kid properly?

He really didn't see why Alduin should care about him as much as he cared about Wynn. It seemed absurd. He didn't deserve it, even. Wynn was the most precious thing in the whole world, while Harry was...well. Just Harry.

He was absurdly grateful for all Alduin had done for him, really, and would feel like a spoiled brat if he was angry just because his cousin loved his own son more.

It turned out he had been wrong about the party, though – it was just as big as his birthday one, even with basically the same guest list and a similar amount of presents. The major difference in the official program was that watching Wynn tear at the wrapping paper was no doubt much more endearing than watching Harry unwrap the presents.

There was a lot of gifts, but the one that caught Harry's attention was a toy broom. Alduin seemed to groan a little when he saw it. By his look, Harry had the impression Mr. Kingsley was the origin of the gift.

Wynn was thrilled by it, and Harry had his fun assured for the rest of the day, overseeing his baby cousin and teaching him how to control the broom properly. His friends gathered around him, too, to admire Wynn's budding skill and coo over him and give Harry tips, depending on who in particular it was. Draco and Horatio seemed happy to offer sarcastic commentary on his teaching technique from the sidelines, while Daphne and Ginny seemed ready to take over, with the amount of interfering they did.

"You shouldn't train him too well, Harry," Draco noted jokingly, "because I bet he'll be in Ravenclaw one day, and why would you train a flyer for an opposing team?"

"I know maths is hard, Malfoy," Ron said, rolling his eyes, "but you do realize Harry won't be at Hogwarts any more by the time Wynn is, right?"

"What, does your house loyalty only extend until graduation?"

Harry sighed. Before he managed to say anything, however, he heard Susan's chiding tone. "Boys," she said. "You're around a child, could you at least try to act like role models?"

That sensible question was only a little ruined by Ginny making a funny face at Wynn at the moment, and Wynn laughing so much he fell off the broom.

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It was afternoon in the middle of the break. Wynn was asleep after he had been dragged crying from his toy broom for an afternoon nap. "I don't know how we're ever to take revenge on Kingsley, given that I don't believe he plans to have children," Alduin had muttered as he took the boy away.

Harry watched in dismay. He understood that Wynn needed sleep, but still, he really hated to see him cry. "Doesn't he need to have his diaper cleaned or something?" He asked Alexandra.

"Litty will take care of that before he goes to sleep, don't worry," Alexandra replied. "But you know that with the vanishing spells on it, even when it's dirty, it hardly causes him any discomfort. I remember Alduin explaining this to you. He really isn't crying because of that, Harry, he's crying because he wants to play, and also he's sleepy."

"He didn't look sleepy to me," Harry couldn't help pointing out.

She sighed. "Small children become overwrought when they stay up too long, and it leads to them being more irritable and crying more. We left him on that broom too long. Alduin, I fear, shares your weakness for giving Wynn whatever he wants."

It didn't seem that way to Harry, but he supposed Alexandra would know better.

Now, he was sitting with Alduin and Alexandra in the drawing room and discussing his elective subjects.

"Okay," Harry said, "I know I want Care of Magical Creatures. It sounds really interesting, and it would have come in handy a few times in the past already – with the Cerberus, and it helped Neville figure out it was a basilisk in the Chamber...I bet it'll be useful in the future too."

"I agree with you," Alduin said. "It's far from my favourite subject, but it is very practical, especially if war is to come soon. Riddle used dark creatures in the past. What about the other subject, though?"

"Well, I know I don't want Muggle Studies, or Arithmancy – you know how bad I'm at maths. I kinda hate Divination, but I don't know...I mean, wouldn't it be useful too, given the prophecy and all?"

"No, it would not," Alexandra said decisively. "From what my friends who took it told me, it's a complete joke of a class, and a waste of time."

"Well, that's settled then, isn't it? Care of magical creatures and Runes." Harry smiled. "It sounds great. Horatio loves Runes, too, so I'll have someone to discuss it with even if none of my friends take it. I'm pretty sure Neville at least is going to take Creatures, so..."

"I don't think there's a very high chance you'd be the only one among your friends in Runes," Alduin said. "There aren't that many options, after all. Draco, Theo or Daphne will be there with you, in all likelihood. Or, at the very least, Hermione Granger."

"Though it's not unlikely you'll be the only Gryffindor there," Alexandra added. "If my experience is anything to go by, that house tends to pick Creatures and Divination by and large."

"The cool class and the easy class," Alduin agreed. "I'm glad Harry didn't go that way."

Harry privately thought that it would have been hard to, with both of them looking at him over the end table and evaluating his choice. Still, he was looking forward to Runes.

"Well, if that is decided," Alduin said, "do you have time for training now, Harry?"

"Sure."

They headed to the room they used for this purpose, and on the way, Alduin asked a little awkwardly: "Do you want to go to church on Sunday, Harry?"

Harry blinked at him. "No. Why?"

"Well, it's Easter Sunday...and you were raised a Christian, after all."

"I've never been in church in my life until you took me when we went to Warwick," Harry assured him. "What brought this on, anyway? You didn't ask last year, or the year before."

"Last year, Wynn was two weeks old on Easter, and I had other things to worry about," Alduin replied. "And the first year you've been living here, there were also different priorities. But I've realized that perhaps it's been...remiss of me."

"Don't worry about it," Harry said easily, and because his cousin still looked a little awkward, he asked: "What are we gonna do today, in training I mean?"

"Some duelling to start with – there can never be enough practice with that – and then I looked up some spells that are relatively simple and surprisingly effective in a fight, and that I believe you haven't covered yet at school."

"We're doing mostly theory, so I think you're right," Harry agreed.

"Oh? What are you studying?" Alduin asked curiously.

"Dark curses, lately. But I think we're done with that – I mean, Mr. Titus wanted to wrap it up before he left, so...I don't know about next term."

"Did you do protective wards and amulets and such yet?"

"No..." Harry somehow didn't even realize that should be part of the Defence curriculum.

"Then I think that's what will happen with Sarabeth." Alduin gave a small smile. "It's what she liked best from Defence, so if she can, she will teach it."

They reached the training room, and Harry got ready. "Any particular spells?" He asked.

"Whatever works and doesn't do lasting harm," Alduin replied and sent a stinging hex in his direction.

For the following half an hour, Harry's legs were jellied, his wand was lost, he was petrified and leg-locked and fainted and a number of other unpleasant things. He himself managed to hit Alduin only twice, both times with an Expelliarmus.

"You're really good with that spell, Harry," Alduin praised him. "It's good, because it can be very useful, but you need to learn the follow-up to that as a reflex. Disarming your opponent isn't enough. The most efficient route is stupefying him next, and then tying him up with conjured ropes. These things need to follow naturally for you, otherwise you'll always be dealing with opponents waking up and grabbing for their wands and so on."

"But I don't know either of these spells!"

"I can try to teach you Stupefy – it's a spell for older wizards, but you're good, so I think you can manage – but conjured ropes are beyond you for now. Perhaps in a year or so."

"So what should I do if I got into a fight now?"

Alduin grimaced.

"It can happen!" Harry insisted.

"I am well aware – that is why I'm training you. I just don't like thinking about it. But I'll teach you Stupefy – and you know the Full Body-Bind, you can use that too – and well, it normally lasts a while, unless there are allies who can wake their fallen comrades up. With luck, you may have enough time to tie them up by hand, if you bring a rope. So I'll teach you how to do that."

"You know how to tie knots the Muggle way?" Harry asked in some surprise. He's certainly never seen his cousin do any such thing.

"Harry, I told you being able to get around like a Muggle has many advantages, didn't I? I learned how to eliminate an opponent without a wand, and this was part of it. I'll teach you too, later, but for now, you're simply not physically strong enough to do so. If you ever find yourself without a wand, simply run."