The train ride back from Hogwarts was as strangely tense as everything else was these days. It was funny, on some level, that it was worse now than directly after Riddle's return. Clearly, it had taken time for people to realize that things have changed, and for that realisation to affect how they behaved, but it had well and truly happened now, and Harry couldn't help but wonder what it would mean for the summer.

He already knew that there would be no birthday party for Seamus this year – Dean's had happened, but had been extremely subdued, especially with no Quidditch pitch available for them to play an improvised game – and they'd tentatively agreed to meet up at the manor over the holidays to continue their duelling classes, if their families allowed. Harry had no idea what security measures Alduin had in place – very reasonably, his cousin refused to discuss it by owl or via the mirrors – but he realised it was quite possible that it wouldn't allow for a bunch of his friends to come over, and it's not as if they had anywhere else to go.

"I'd ask you over," Ron had said glumly, "but if mum got a whiff of us using magic over the summer, I'd be grounded until I was thirty."

Harry was truly, deeply thankful that Alduin didn't care about that.

Unsure about the summer as it was, though, he did his best to find some time to talk to everyone he might not see over the holidays. He spent some time in the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw compartment, but with Draco and Theo, he stepped out into the corridor instead, and Harry cast the privacy spells he had learned to rely so much on in the last few months.

"This summer's gonna suck," Draco declared with firm conviction as soon as they were secure from eavesdroppers.

Theo only gave him a look. "You think yours is going to be bad," he muttered. Harry had noticed Theo had been grimmer and grimmer in the last weeks, and suspected his father's correspondence was to blame for it.

Now, he realized that Theo was older than him and Draco by almost a year – his birthday was in the autumn – and asked, horrified: "Is he pushing you to – you know – participate?"

Theo shook his head. "I have until I'm of age at least," he said in a low voice, and Harry shuddered. That was only a little over a year away!

"What are you going to do?"

"I honestly have no idea."

Draco pressed his shoulder in commiseration. "I know my father won't do that, at least, but...there are indirect things I'll be asked to do, probably, people to meet at parties...and I talked it over with Mum, some of those people are disgusting..."

"I'll probably be at half of those parties at least," Theo agreed. "But still, makes me thankful for how antisocial father is for the first time. At least I won't have to see them in our own house."

Harry imagined that Travers Manor would be invaded by people like that, and shuddered. He imagined there was much worse among the Death Eaters than Mr. Malfoy and Perseus Yaxley at their most polite, and it wasn't as if Alduin was forcing Harry to actually talk to those men.

"What's going to be happening with you?" Draco asked him after a moment of silence.

Harry shook his head. "I honestly don't know."

"And even if you did, you couldn't tell me."

Instead of an answer, Harry sighed.

"Hell," Draco said, silently and succinctly.

They just stood next to each other in silence for a time, all three contemplating the unpleasant things likely to be found in their futures, when Horatio entered the corridor from the sixth-year compartment.

"Hay, Harry," he said. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Harry nodded, and Draco and Theo retreated back to the Slytherin compartment.

Horatio cast a silencing spell of his own around them, then hesitated before saying: "I assume you know about...well. About my father's..."

"Yes," Harry rescued him, realizing in that moment that he'd been distressed by thinking that Theo would be of age in only a year, but completely forgot that some of his other friends were of age now, and just as close to Riddle as Theo. His stomach churning, he waited for Horatio to elaborate.

The older boy took a deep breath. "I've been thinking about this since Easter, and...I want you to know that I...well. I won't be turning up to fight against him any time soon – he's still my father – but I don't...support what he does, in any way, and you don't have to be worried about me joining the ranks, at least."

Harry nodded. "Thank you," he said, "it's...good to know. And...well, if you don't want to fight, there are other ways to help, I'm sure."

Horatio sighed. "I thought about that, too, but...in the end, it all comes down to the same thing, doesn't it? Whatever way I help, it can be what brings my father down in the end."

"Maybe you should talk to Alduin," Harry suggested. "I know his parents fought, even though his uncle was...well."

"I know, and I understand why, but...he's my father," Horatio repeated.

Harry nodded. He could understand that, too.

Horatio was turning to go when Harry thought of another thing Alduin, or maybe Alexandra, had told him. "It could be what you don't do that brings him down, too," he said. "Their opponents are not the only danger that supporters of Riddle have to face. They're nto the only ones who make them suffer, or go down."

Horatio shuddered, but did not reply as he returned to his compartment.

-hp-hp-hp-hp-

Barty's trial took place at the very beginning of July, and after all that danger that had preceded it, turned out rather underwhelming.

Barty confessed – unsurprisingly, after what Alduin had seen – and proudly announced that he was working for Riddle. But he'd declined to answer questions under Veritaserum, and so instead of anything useful, rambled about the glory of his Lord and how he'd be freed from Azkaban in a few days if they locked him up. Generally, he seemed so insane Alduin did nto think it was going to help convince anyone of anything, especially if Riddle did not, in fact, free him in a few days – which seemed unlikely, given that he'd chosen to lie low until now.

Mr. Bartemius was still too unwell to appear in court, so he only gave a signed statement, and Winky the house-elf only went as far as to confirm everything factual Barty had said, unwilling to add any details of her own. House-elves, of course, were not obligated to testify against their masters, the same way families were not obliged to testify against each other, but the end result was that apart from Barty's Azkaban for life being confirmed – Fudge's vying for a Kiss didn't do him any good, considering that he way denying Riddle return at the same time and without it, what terrible thing had Barty done exactly, that would be worse than the Longbottoms torture? Not even the escape had been his own plan – it really all came to effectively nothing.

It did make Alduin feel pretty grim about Barty, and the Ollivanders and Crouches, and how they must all be feeling.

Therefore, he was very glad when Melania wrote to him that she'd come to see him a few days after Harry's return from Hogwarts. Alduin might have wished that they'd sorted it out before and he could have told Harry about the changed situation – if it did end up changing – but it was what it was, and he was perfectly aware that he didn't have any right to make demands on Melania, let alone pressure her into hurrying her decision.

As it was, he'd written to Harry that he'd gotten friendly with Melania lately, and now told him that she'd be coming over for an evening after dinner. Harry only nodded to that, long gone the days when Alduin's visitors that weren't for him as well made him insecure, and retreated to his room as Alduin went to his to get ready properly, with an optimistic view of what might follow. After all, he didn't think that if Melania meant to reject him, she'd have arranged to come in the evening.

Still, it wouldn't do to presume, and so he welcomed her in the evening parlous, as was proper.

She looked fantastic, her robes all sleek and black and figure hugging, and there, too, Alduin had another glimpse of his answer.

The third one was how, when he rose to greet her, she stepped very closely to him instead of taking a seat.

"It's stupid," she said without any preamble at all. "The reasonable thing to say would be no. And yet...the war is starting. We might both be dead in a year's time. In this light, it seems...well. Why not take what we can have for now?"

Alduin didn't bother to answer with words. If she'd wanted a conversation, she'd have taken that seat.

Not too much later, they ended up pressed against the door she'd come through, out of breath and smiling at each other like fools, Alduin feeling lighter than he had in a long while.

"Do you have somewhere more comfortable we could take his?" She asked breathily as he moved to kiss her neck.

Alduin did. He wasn't about to take her to the bed he shared with Alexandra – he did have some manners – but in a bout of optimism some days ago, he had the elves prepare another room in his wing.

Now he dragged her impatiently after him, and she followed eagerly, up a staircase and down a corridor until finally the door, with its silencing charms, was closed, and they were falling to the bed.

Alduin had known the difference between sex with someone he was merely attracted to and someone he was falling in love with ever since he'd been seventeen and slept with Eliza for the first time. It still, however, managed to take him by surprise once again. He wondered whether people like Alexandra missed out on something like that completely, or whether they could find similar intensity in different circumstances.

Then he redirected his thoughts, as he doubted Melania would appreciate him thinking about his wife while in bed with her, in whatever context.

"You're even better than I imagined," she was saying now, "and I've been imagining quite a lot, for quite a while."

Alduin gave a small, vague smile at that. He couldn't exactly return the compliment, since he'd been trying his best not to imagine anything for a large chunk of that time. "You, too, took my breath away," he said instead.

"Quite literally?" She asked with a laugh.

"That, too," he admitted with an answering one.

-hp-hp-hp-

That summer was to be somewhat less orderly than was usual for Travers Manor.

Alexandra and the boys had come back for a short while when Harry'd returned from Hogwarts to greet him, but since them, they came over at completely random and unpredictable times, and never for too long, so Harry had already had to interrupt his time with Neville and Ron to devote his time to them, as well as with Draco. Ron still grumbled a little at that, but saw the changed circumstances. Draco and Neville understood much better, though each for a different reason.

Alexandra would sometimes come alone, Alduin had explained, and the boys would be watched by house-elves for two or three hours as she'd preside over some dinner the Traverses could not quite get out of giving.

There would, however, be no garden parties that year. Harry'd overheard Alexandra telling a guest that this third pregnancy was too exhausting and she could not possibly manage.

It wasn't, of course, the real reason.

Harry had asked about it, why Alexandra could come back like this in a more organized manner and the boys could not. Alduin had given him a serious look. "If Alexandra is captured," he said, "in an attempt to get me to give you up, it will be a tragedy, but a tragedy the likes of which happen in a war, and to the risk of which she'd voluntarily agreed. She knows I wouldn't be getting her out. If the boys are captured..." he shuddered. "I don't want to have to face that choice."

"Captured? At a party?" Harry asked a little dubiously.

Alduin gave him a long look. "That's how my parents and grandparents died," he said then, and Harry remembered being told this years ago, and was flooded with shame.

Apparently, though, he wasn't the only one who should be feeling shame.

One morning only a few days after he returned from Hogwarts, he was finishing his breakfast, wondering where Alduin was, when he saw his cousin entering the room with a woman he had never seen in his life, both looking rather worse for wear, and like they hadn't gotten much sleep.

Harry stared, flushing – half with embarrassment, half with anger.

"Oh, hello, Harry," Alduin said when he spotted him. "This is Melania, the witch I've been telling you about. Melania, this is Harry."

Harry gave him an incredulous look, not replying. Yes, Alduin had talked about Melania – as his new friend! But she'd come over last night and stayed until the morning, and Harry very much doubted it had been for a friendly sleepover.

Disgusted, Harry pushed back his chair, leaving his breakfast unfinished, and left the room.

"Oh dear," he heard Melania say behind him, and fought the urge to scream at her.

He retreated back to his room, and about five minutes later, there was knocking at his door.

He didn't answer, but the door opened anyway, and Alduin stepped in. "What was that?" he asked, sounding strict, and that was really the last straw.

"Are you kidding?" Harry said loudly. "Alexandra is in hiding because of the war, and the moment she leaves, you can't wait to get some other woman in the house? If not for Alexandra, then I'd have thought you'd control yourself for the boys at least!"

Alduin looked at him for a moment, then came in and sat in one of Harry's armchairs. "Harry," he said slowly, "I know we never said so explicitly, but I thought you knew me and Alexandra were not a love match."

That threw Harry off. "I suspected," he admitted, "but...that was years ago. Surely...I mean...it was you who told me people who marry for political reasons grow to love each other in time, wasn't it?"

"Often, it's the case," Alduin agreed. "But not me and Alexandra. We are simply good friends."

"Good friends who have three children together," Harry pointed out.

"Well, yes. We also have quite a look of good sex," Alduin said plainly, and Harry blushed up to his ears.

"I didn't need to know that," he muttered.

Alduin raised his eyebrows. "You brought it up. For your information, we originally planned to stay monogamous until our children were all at Hogwarts, like I told you was usual, but the war starting changed it. Alexandra is hardly ever here and the boys even less so. We agreed there was no need for this obligation at least as long as the war lasted – and it was Alexandra who suggested that in the first place."

Harry shook his head. He didn't, couldn't understand this. Everything in him told him it was wrong, but he knew from experience it was pointless to argue with his cousin, so in the end he just shrugged, and after a hesitation, Alduin rose to leave.

"I expect you to treat Melania with courtesy next time you see her," he said in the door, and then he was gone, leaving Harry to muse about the whole thing.

He was still in a strange mood that afternoon when Draco came over. His friend didn't seem very cheerful either, and they walked together to the far side of the park.

"Sometimes I feel like I'll never understand how relationships work," Harry muttered on the way.

Draco snorted. "I really wish that was my biggest worry right now."

"But it sucks!" Harry insisted. "It was probably a good thing we broke it off with Parvati, it wasn't going anywhere, but...this is a time when I'd really appreciate to have someone to really lean on, you know?"

Draco grimaced, and Harry sighed. "I know, you're here, but...you know it's complicated."

"Yeah," Draco agreed, "it's pretty bloody complicated."

"I just wish I didn't have to think, sometimes," Harry added.

"Well, then I recommend trying to find a replacement for Parvati," Draco said drily.

Harry gave him a surprised look. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Harry. Surely you know that a good orgasm is one of the best ways to stop your brain from working?"

Harry blushed, he couldn't help it. "We haven't...really gotten that far with Parvati."

Draco seemed surprised. "Really? Why not?"

"I...well, we were never really serious so..."

Draco rolled his eyes. "You don't have to be serious with someone to bring them off," he pointed out.

"I know that," Harry said, because he did, really. "But at fist I wasn't really interested, and then when I was, Riddle kinda put a wrench in that."

Draco grimaced again, and they walked in silence until they reached one of Harry's favourite spots in the gardens, this one private and secluded.

"Did you want to, then?" Draco asked after they settled down.

"I mean...I guess."

"You guess." Draco's tone was dry as sand.

"Well, I wanted to, but not necessarily specifically with her, you know? I mean, I wanted to try it...plus," Harry muttered, embarrassed beyond belief, "who doesn't want to get off, right? But...well." He shook his head. "It probably wouldn't have been fair to her, and maybe it really was a good thing we broke up."

Draco's attention caught on a different subject. "So you don't much care who brings you off?"

Harry grimaced. "It sounds terrible when you put it like this."

Draco shrugged. "I don't see why. It's fine whatever way." He hesitated. "Do you...do you have a preference for a type, at least?"

"A type?"

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Draco said impatiently. "Some people prefer blokes, some prefer girls, some don't care."

"Oh. I..." Harry hesitated. He'd been trying not to think about that, lately, because every time he did, he got all muddled, and he had more important things to deal with, anyway. It's just...he'd grown up believing it was wrong to be gay, and even though he knew better now, it was still very strange when he imagined that it could apply to himself in some way. He'd seen many same-sex couples over Hogwarts and Hogsmeade by now, and he was no longer startled by it, but...it was just...confusing. It was all very confusing.

"I always thought I was only into girls," he said out loud, "but...I don't know."

"Ever tried it with a bloke?" Draco prodded.

"No."

"Well, if you want, I'm available."

Harry stared at him. "Draco..." He said after a moment.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't make a big deal out of it. I don't want to date you or anything. It's just that I haven't gotten off with someone else for a while, and I really could use the stress relief. I think you could, too."

Harry could only blink at him with wide eyes.