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"You wish to learn?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, and it seemed that one second's hesitation cost him as Slytherin shook his head, and spoke again. His tone of voice was surprisingly disappointed-sounding for a painting.

"You are not yet ready."

And following those words, Parseltongue as it was, the Slytherin in the portrait withdrew and went elsewhere. Harry wasn't sure where it'd go, mayhaps in one of the other portraits or even the one in the study… he wasn't sure exactly how the portraits worked.

"You had a conversation."

Harry looked over at Corene after hearing those words come from her. "Not much of a conversation, I'd say. He asked if I wanted to learn from him and didn't like that I wasn't blindly agreeing."

Corene looked at the empty portrait for a few seconds, silent and scanning, and then she looked over at the books that littered the various shelves and tables. "You were wise to not blindly agree to such an offer. One can only wonder what a portrait can offer to the living, and to what end."

A fair point, Harry agreed internally. He oft wondered what the magic within Slytherin's study or that 'version' of Slytherin stood to gain from helping him. As far as he could tell, there wasn't anything it gained, and as for his name in the book, he'd yet to see anything horrible befall him; quite the contrary, really. Many of those books, old as they were, had been helpful.

"I'm going to take a look around," Harry said after letting his thoughts reach their end. "You'll be fine here, right? There's nothing else I need to do to give you access?"

"All's now well, you've my thanks for doing as you have," Corene answered, and sans those words, nothing else followed.

Harry shrugged. If that was all she needed, he'd go and check the bedroom he'd shared at one point with Elaine, and maybe even the adjoining bathroom. There might be knowledge, however minute, that she'd left behind or books, tomes, even scrolls, that might offer up insight regarding the many things he still wished to learn.

He'd take anything, really. Be it about rituals or the Study, the Chamber or the Basilisk therein, even tomes of spells that'd long been useless would offer interesting tidbits as to the inner workings of magic. There was always something he could learn, and that would be twice as true at Hogwarts.


Elaine really had gone and picked through everything. That was immediately apparent upon Harry's entering the old sleeping quarters. The little trove of books, the chest at the end of the bed, and even some of the artwork that'd once been on the walls; all had been taken. In hindsight, he supposed he should have seen that coming considering the new pieces added to Peverell Manor.

Ah well, at least they were someplace where he could keep track of them, those being the looted items. As for the books, he supposed he realised where those had been taken as well, however accidental the discovery had been. The basement, wherein they were locked away and scattered upon a myriad of tables. He hadn't thought she'd taken some of Slytherin's own books there in addition to all those they'd rescued from Grindelwald.

Harry ran a hand through his hair and then moved out of the room, and back to the library. He'd taken a few small books, a hat that seemed to have some sort of enchantment magic on it, and a bathrobe; the lattermost item had been something he remembered Elaine wearing every morning when they'd been safely hidden away here. It was something he imagined she'd be happy to have back.

"Anything of interest?" he asked upon finding Corene enthralled by a tome that was named 'Spells of the Eastern Roman Empire Volume IV'.

"Each book here has something of interest," Corene answered, ever-engrossed in the book, enough so that she didn't even look back at him when she responded. "Empires, be it the British, the Mongol, the Romans or the Ottomans, oft had the greatest variety of magic, and it was they who made many advancements beyond most others — they joined together magic from across the known world. The history alone told in these pages is exhilarating, the incantations and spells, useless as the majority are, remain equally as intriguing."

She's passionate about this.

That was obvious from the onset of her speaking. One could also take note that Corene was a woman of few words, usually.

"Did you find what you sought out?"

Harry patted his satchel and smiled at her. "Some of what I was looking for, yeah. There's more I seek, a lot more, like you… say, Corene, do you know much about rituals?"

"That's exceedingly abrupt," Corene said, the book in her hands closing shortly thereafter with a marker left behind to mark her progress. "Why?"

"I'd like to know more about them, but much of the information is kept hidden, and what little I've found isn't exceedingly helpful, as it assumes one has a basic understanding of rituals or goes into far too much depth regarding them," Harry gestured around the area they were. "I was hoping here would be helpful, but it's aided me in other ways."

"I will bring a series of tomes when next I visit for a meal."

Harry smiled wide at Corene. "Brilliant," he said as he nodded at the parlour portion of the quarters. "I figure you'll be down here for a while, Fancy a fire while we read?"

"Elaine?"

"She'll be at the Ministry for a while, not that she'd be annoyed with us spending time together in the first place," Harry started off toward the area he'd pointed out, and whilst doing so, continued speaking to Corene whilst peering at her over his shoulder. "Tea?"

Corene rose gracefully, and a small smile formed on her face. "Agreeable."

And so they went.


It was nearly three hours later when Harry and Corene emerged from the Chamber. By the time they did so, Corene had skimmed through a dozen books easily, mayhaps even two, with Harry by her side all the while. They'd had half as many cups of tea between the two of them, and with enough caffeine Harry's heart was going at speed.

"You'll be returning home at the present, is that right?" Corene inquired as they strolled through the halls of Hogwarts, the architecture, the feel, the coolness, all of it hitting Harry in a spot he hadn't realised he'd missed quite so much.

Maybe I should teach at Hogwarts too. Merlin knows I love the place enough, and I know enough about it — reckon I'm one of the best fighters in the world too, he thought in the span of a few seconds. Ultimately, however, he knew that wasn't what he was meant for even if Hogwarts had always been his truest home.

"Soon," he answered Corene's question. "Fancy a bit more time here, you know?"

"If you would be unopposed, I could show you the plaque in commemoration of those who were felled in the defence of the greater Hogwarts area."

"I'd love to see it."

Harry felt obliged to. So many had fallen defending Hogwarts from the country at large, allies, the occupants of Hogsmeade, and even Hogwarts students themselves in the final hours of battle. It was they who'd broken the stalemate by force of wands and the timely arrival of more allied forces.

"Corene?"

She looked at him as she continued leading him toward their destination. With a brow arched, he reckoned that was all he'd get by way of recognition from her.

"Do you think others would support a new holiday for that lot? Would you help me in forming it?" he gestured to the grounds of Hogwarts as they passed one of the thousands of windows within the castle. "I think they deserve as much, don't you?"

"I'll aid you if that's what you desire."

Harry figured that was her way of agreeing and grinned at her. "You know, you always could have come and joined Elaine and me at the Ministry."

"Nepotism would be claimed beyond the point in which it currently is," Corene said so quickly, he half-expected she'd had a similar conversation with Elaine already. "The invitation is kind, and I am glad to have such a high level of trust from you, but the Ministry wouldn't be a place in which I'd thrive."

She's always preferred staying in the background, I s'pose.

"Well, if you ever feel like joining us, just say the word, yeah? Or if you'd ever want to holiday at Peverell Manor, we've got dozens of bedrooms and it'd make accessing the library far easier," Harry held open the door as they reached it, allowing Corene to exit first and all the while he spoke. "Think about it, yeah? We'd love to have you."

Maybe he'd love to have her help on hand too. There were few smarter than Corene in the world.

"I'll give the offer an in-depth analysis of both the job and the lengthy invitation," Corene said with a small, polite smile. In the flickering of the torchlight, she and Elaine looked even more similar nowadays than when they'd been students at Hogwarts.

Maybe it was because both had grown out their hair considerably, or Elaine had lost much of the tan she'd previously had. Well, tan was a strong word for it, but she'd not been as pale as she currently was… Corene, well, she was always pale.

"Question?"

Harry blinked at her inquiry, and when he noticed her head, cocked to the side as it was, he couldn't help but snort. That action drew a brow, singular and trimmed and sharp-looking. "I was just thinking about our first year or so at Hogwarts together. It feels like it's been a lifetime, doesn't it?"

"For some, it was a lifetime," Corene answered as her attention drifted to the plaque they'd finally come to a halt before. "A quote will sit in the blank space atop the commemorative stone, but only when one profound enough has been found."

"Deserve something more than a cheesy sentence, they do," Harry said in agreement, one hand falling — gently — on the plaque with all the caution one would treat a wounded loved one. Each person that fell deserved so much more. "He's here?"

Harry looked away from the name, away from Corene, and away from the general direction each was in. Instead, he looked at the lake, calm, constant and present as always; he didn't want to stop and think. Not now.

"Reinhard was a friend of many and a protector of more — he never completed Hogwarts, not officially, and I suspect many from our year or that of the year above us won't either," Corene stepped forward, he felt the wind from her doing so, silent as she oft moved, and then he heard her tap the plaque. "Alongside Reinhard's name are those of Aurors, volunteers and others that hadn't graduated Hogwarts but fell in the defence of their homeland."

"How many?"

Harry didn't want to look for himself.

"A number that's finally stopped increasing thanks to you and Elaine," Corene answered, and not more than a second later, one of her hands, soft and small as he remembered them being, grabbed one of his. "I'll escort you to the Floo — two weeks, three days, eight in the morning precisely."

Immediately, his brows were furrowed as he looked at her. "What?"

Corene blinked at him, that same smile from earlier on her face once more. "You made an offer for a holiday at your place of residence, and after a period of thought, I've decided I'll take you up on the said offer. My time for arrival was what I've just given you."

"Oh. Oh!" Harry stood a touch taller now, his previous attitude gone in all of a second. "I'll be glad to finally spend some evenings with you again."

"But of course. Who else might join you in the early hours of the morning for conversations or tea?"

She wasn't wrong. It was only ever them up so late in the night, and even then, Harry would go to sleep long before she did; there was rarely a time Corene was resting, and when she did, it was nothing more than her reclining with closed eyes.

Merlin, Harry was glad he'd run into her here.


By the time Harry returned home to Laddey and the rest of the house elves that were all but family at this point, the afternoon had come and gone. In its place was the early evening, cooler and with the orange glow of the sun descending on the horizon; this was Harry's favourite time of day.

Elaine's was the night, if that counted, which he still didn't believe that it did. All the same, she loved the early hours of the morning, around two or three. He couldn't blame her when the fireflies were out on a nice, chilly night with the smell of leaves and other plant life on the breeze.

"Laddey," Harry summoned, the elf popping to him in an instant, and Harry continued speaking. "Could I task you with something?"

"Anything, sir! Laddey can solve anything for his friend!" Laddey's answer was emphatic as he nodded rapidly. Large, expressive eyes held Harry's gaze whilst larger ears flapped all about thanks to the aforementioned nodding.

"I'd like to expand our household — no, not children, Momsey still has some time yet," Harry added with the utmost expediency he could; the last thing he needed was Laddey spreading such news to Momsey. "I'd like another two butlers like yourself, I'd trust you to teach them what to do and how to do it. Another gardener, another groundskeeper, and if there's such a role, guardians or whatever they might be called."

Most people look down on house elves, they'd never expect the magic of one to be their downfall. They'd be too busy looking for ward schemes or wands.

Harry could picture it already. It'd be glorious, and so very amusing. He reckoned he'd have wizarding photos taken of the whole happening… if only they were created at this point in time. Maybe that was something he could work on down the road. Merlin knows he'll be needing a hobby once Grindelwald's dead and his name's been scrubbed out of all written history.

"Sir?" Laddey had responded, finally, and after enough time that Harry had thought the little guy had left whilst he'd been in the midst of his thoughts. "What does the sir need more for? Are Laddey and the oth—"

"No, no no," Harry said, holding his hands up. "You're all doing great, Laddey. Each and every one of you has done everything we've asked, exactly when we've asked for it. We just want to have more hands when we do eventually have a family, not to mention, we'll be inviting guests over very often. The last thing Elaine or I would want is to overwork the lot of you, and that extra help would be great in making sure you're not run ragged."

Laddey seemed put at ease when Harry's rapidly-spoken explanation was finished. He seemed affronted, absolutely affronted, but he wouldn't say as much. Instead, Laddey nodded a few more times, the action far less happy-looking than it'd previously been.

"Laddey can do that, sir."

And with a pop, the little elf was gone. Harry huffed when he was certain of that; he'd gone and offended Laddey, one of his best mates. He'd have to think of a way to make it up to the guy.

He could think of something. Eventually. In the meantime, there was still plenty more that needed doing and so Harry turned and started off toward the garden. He wouldn't bug the elf responsible for its upkeep, but he'd go and see what exactly was planted, and if anything was all that useful. The way he saw it, if there was a garden, they may as well go and plant ingredients for Elaine's potions. It'd save money and be a good source, a private source.

Privacy was a luxury all the more when one was a politician and celebrity combined. To think he'd had it bad back where he'd originally lived.


"I really could fit a pitch right here."

Harry turned and looked over his shoulder, to where his greenhouse and more importantly, Peverell Mansion, were located. He was well-within viewing distance of both, but far enough away that the more ornate, fine details couldn't be made out. As for where he was, the answer was easy, if slightly tricky; a meadow.

One of the many this land of his possessed, and one that, as Reinhard had once pointed out, was perfect for a Quidditch Pitch. The more Harry thought about it, the more the idea appealed to him, especially with the other uses it could have for important functions at the manor.

The Minister of Magic and the Deputy Minister, a Gaunt and a Peverell, the Slayers of Grindelwald, Order of Merlin holders… there was much more people would oft list about them, but he snickered when he thought of 'Quidditch-pitch owners' tacked on to the end of their titles.

Maybe we could field our own team, that'd be a right funny way to stick it to the Cannons. Ron, wherever he was, whatever he was doing and if he even remembered Harry — there was the hope that his ears were ringing at Harry's thought.

Harry turned around and started back on the path to Peverell Manor, the sunlight causing the shadows of trees and leaves to dance as he did so. It made for an eerie sight, as did the pond covered with green muck; birdsong and blooming flowers cancelled those happenings out easily enough, as did a much cleaner-looking stream with sparkling rocks… going through…

Them.

Harry blinked. Those weren't rocks he'd noticed on his little stroll home. They were Galleons. Well, that was certainly something of interest to him. Not so much for the monetary value, so to say, but their presence in general. So far as he knew from the many times he'd walked or flown the property, he'd not so much as seen another structure save for a ruined wooden building long since overgrown and reclaimed by nature.

That building, ruin really, wasn't all that close to this stream. Not close enough for the galleons, few dozen as they were, to make sense. Harry moved closer to the stream, looked at the galleons, and then let his eyes drift upwards, following the little flow of water. Unsurprisingly, it led into the woods, wherein its source likely was. He'd never gone throughout the entirety of his lands, he just knew they were in a relatively untouched forest with plenty of wards to keep the Muggles away; others as well too, considering the failure of so much as one person to find him.

With a snicker, he moved along and brushed past various bushes, ferns, hedges and trees. The further into the woods he grew, the dimmer the light was on account of the canopy above, and by Merlin, was the place dense. There was seldom a denser forest save for that of the Forbidden one back at Hogwarts that he imagined were rougher to traverse.

It was awfully wet too. There was a myriad of little streams, ponds and puddles that scattered the woods in the direction he'd gone off to, and the mushrooms and plantlife around seemed to thrive in the conditions. It was no wonder the land hadn't been used for anything with how overgrown and swamp-like it was.

Until he saw the crest of a hill beyond a thicket so dense it'd kept the aforementioned peak hidden from him. Atop it, or rather, surrounding it, was a stone wall. One that was stacked together and seemed to have some sort of pestle keeping them connected. Leading up to it was a dirt, pitched road with a layer of stones not unlike those that made up the wall, but most were almost completely hidden by the years of mud and growth overtaking them.

Perhaps they'd once led back to Peverell Manor proper, and perhaps there were dozens more that'd also been left to rot. The house elves, knowledgeable as they were, seldom spoke of the grounds beyond the immediate area of the home and like when he'd asked them all those years ago when he'd been brought back in time; they knew very little about pre his arrival. Only that he'd supposedly got them the day prior, of which his memory still remained wholely inconsistent.

But that was a worry for another time, he reckoned. At the present, he'd found himself a little stone watchtower or something of that ilk, and now that he'd seen it as well as galleons, he couldn't very well leave the place alone. After all, there was the chance Elaine had already seen it. Those few galleons wouldn't have been collected by her any more than they'd be collected by him. Neither was hurting when it came to currency.

Harry debated calling out Laddey to question the little guy before he went up, but ultimately, after a few seconds of thought, he decided against doing so. There wasn't anything dangerous up ahead, that much was obvious with nought but a few waves of his wand, and he was far more confident in checking for traps that weren't set by Grindelwald. So when it came back there were only faint signs of magic ahead, and of a type that wouldn't harm him, he went to work.

That didn't start with him running up the road until he stood at the top of the hill in the midst of the structure. At one point in time, the place had been important, he figured, and so after all the Peverell name and finances had done for him, he reckoned he could leave it with more dignity than he'd found out.

It took him no more than a few waves of his wand, one incantation said aloud and a minor effort, and from there, the place was far more presentable. The afterlife that he knew existed, therein, he hoped those that had once visited or built this place were pleased. After he'd cleared up the weeds, mud and other debris that'd long ago overran the path, he finally followed it; as Harry had suspected upon seeing it too, the path went on for quite some time. He didn't clear it all.

This is higher than I thought it'd be, Harry thought with his eyebrows raised as he looked over his shoulder to see whence he'd come from, back down the path. Prettier too, now that it's clean. Well. As pretty as any swamp can look.

The assortment of frogs especially gave off the energy that the place wouldn't be used for anything he'd like in the near future. Not unless he completely transformed the landscape, but he wouldn't do that. There was no telling how many creatures called the place home, Magical and Mundane, and he'd not lead to their deaths in the tens or hundreds.

Harry turned his head back around and continued up the path, and in short order, he found himself standing in the midst of stones arranged in rows atop the hill. The stone walls went around nearly the entirety of it and stopped only at the entrance from where he'd entered. Much like the path, the stones in the ground and the stones of the walls were overgrown, with greenery dominating them.

He looked at the centre, squinting his eyes when he thought he saw the shape of a person, and then he drew closer to the figure in question. It was a person… in a very loose sense. There was a statue, and whilst it was decayed and overgrown just as everything else was, it was intact enough that a few simple charms cleaned it off and restored it — mostly — to its former glory.

Harry realised then, with the script now legible below, that he'd found something he should have sought out when first he'd arrived.

Had he known it existed.

The Peverell Cemetery.


It's been a day.

Harry looked out at the vast expanse of land that belonged to him. There was greenery, plantlife, streams and ponds aplenty, and no lack of room for him to do with whatever he'd like. He imagined, with the money he and Elaine possessed if combined, the two could build a whole town if they desired. They had more than enough land to house even a city if they'd like to.

Hogsmeade was the largest settlement, obviously, and there was a huge population of the less fortunate at Diagon Alley. It was a fun thought, but not a very practical one — entertaining as it was to imagine looking over a town he'd built. A far more realistic thought was cutting a few trees to get a better view of the largest pond on his land. Maybe he could add some sand to it and make a proper beach.

He'd have to clean much of the water and do something to keep it that way too, he supposed.

Harry relaxed into the couch he'd seated himself upon and took another drink he'd had Laddey fix for him. It was a mixture of firewhiskey and some drink one of the Aurors had given him when they'd been hired; it was something of an Eastern European origin, and good, whatever it was, with firewhiskey.

"A strange place to find you."

He looked over his shoulder at Elaine, who had silently approached him at some point. Ah well, he hadn't been all that attentive. He was more than content to read, tape sips of his concoction and view the land at large. It was peaceful, and he longed for peace, finally.

"Not too strange," he answered as he set down his book after marking his space. From there, he gave her his full attention as he patted the space beside his. "Join me?"

Elaine made a noise of interest, and then she all but glided across the floor and over to him, whereupon reaching Harry, she immediately 'fell accidentally' into his lap. When his hands wrapped themselves around her waist, the accident needn't be fixed any longer, and her eyes conveyed as much with mirth as she spoke from her position atop him.

"I do find such joy in moments as simple as these," Elaine said as she adjusted herself atop him, her legs swinging up and over so that she might settle fully in his lap with her arms around the back of his neck. In an instant, those arms pulled him closer, until his head was firmly fixed against her chest, and so when she continued speaking, the words were partially muffled; they remained intelligible enough for him to make them out with the utmost clarity all the same. "We've done much more than I'd thought we would have at this point in our life. When last I checked, we were three years and eight months ahead of schedule. The unfortunate passing of the Minister and much of his staff in the midst of Grindelwald's first return aided us beyond my imagining."

"We're the Minister and Deputy Minister — the latter being a position you created. I'd imagine it set us ahead even if I still don't quite understand how you managed it," Harry responded, his voice muffled enough that she withdrew just enough for him to speak clearly.

Of course, once he was finished, she pulled him close with a giggle, devious-sounding as it was. It was the same sort of giggle she'd make when the two got up to baking in the kitchen, more specifically, when the sweets bowl would go missing or bits of the mixture would somehow be on her lips or down her shirt.

A very dangerous giggle, that.

"It hardly matters now, our good fortune," Elaine said, brushing it aside once her giggle fit was under control. Her hands sought out his hair, bringing his head impossibly further into her bosom whilst she began to further mess with the 'style' his hair had previously been in. "Were the previous Minister not killed in the line of duty, I'd have his corruption and those of most of his underlings brought out to the world at large."

"Honouring them?"

Elaine scoffed. "Hardly. There's simply nothing to gain from exposing the corruption, rampant as it was. Not unless a report's to be made to showcase just how far we've gotten, and after a suitable time for the grieving families not to press issues."

"I don't imagine you'd want that report anytime soon. We've still got a few problems in the Ministry, as I recall."

"Far too many for the report to come out at the present. I'd like the sum of corruption to be equivalent to zero — mayhaps once I'm certain we've weeded out all those that would incite trouble, I'll leave a thousand galleons somewhere and see what happens to it," Elaine snickered and rose from her seat, one hand pulling him up after her. "Enough of the Ministry. We've got a matter of importance."

Harry's brows rose. "Yeah?"

"We've been back for a day and in that time, we've done little sans work. I seem to recall the topic of an especially enjoyable bath and dinner."

Of course, that's what she'd remember most while we were in the pits of a mountain fighting Inferi to get to Grindelwald's soul.

Harry wasn't complaining. He'd gotten a good bit of work done today and lest he wish to burn himself out, a bit of relaxation would do him wonders and keep Elaine close; a thing that was good for a number of reasons.

"We'll start with the bath."

Elaine's words left little up to debate.


Harry woke to a soft, comforting breeze as it swept in with all of the great scents of the world at large. There was precious little he enjoyed being woken by more, and it was heaps and bounds better than being woken by the foundation of Hogwarts rocking or the canopy of his bed ripped open. Hogwarts, he'd always miss the Castle, but there was something to be said for being independent.

Truly independent; he and Elaine had all the might they needed be it monetary or magical. There was nothing they couldn't do if they put their minds to it. That was something that was oft mentioned in the Prophet too. He was certain that was Elaine's doing, the mentioning of how 'charitable' the two 'young adults' were for staying to save the Magical world of Great Britain and her Dominions.

The truth was far from how simple it was made to sound, and they most definitely hadn't saved the Dominions, the opposite could almost be said, but he digressed with a yawn and stretch. The comforters, falling away from Harry's body, brought from their departure a sudden chill that nearly made him wish to remain in bed. Were he any weaker-willed or had he desired rest more than he did at the present, he might have given into such urges. Unfortunately, he wasn't, and the start of his day went by in quick secession, until he was standing before his floo with his hand outstretched for the powder that went along with it.

There were a few destinations he'd thought about heading out to, but ultimately, one stood out more than the rest, and it was a trip that was long overdue. One of many, he reckoned.

Harry stepped forward, cast a glance around the parlour room, and then threw down the dust he'd had in his grasp. In an instant, the green fire that signalled travel enveloped him, and when next he opened his eyes whilst maintaining his balance as he stepped from the Floo Access, he was greeted by a familiar voice and friendly face.

"Harry!"

… and an incredibly tight embrace.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around the person as they all but grappled him in their hurried hug. "Sarah," he greeted warmly. "It's good to finally see you again — I was glad you responded to Laddey as fast as you did. I was going to wait for your letter, but when I remembered you've met him before I fi—"

"You're always welcome to stop by, don't you remember what my family thought of you?" Sarah withdrew from their hug and looked up at him, his height now causing a noticeable difference between them. "Come on, let's go inside. Wine, like always?"

Wine? It's ten in the morning… well, I guess a few hours later now that we're in Greece again. Merlin, the international Floo makes it feel like nothing.

"Yeah. Why not," he said aloud after that small, internal monologue. His decision was an especially easy one when he considered the time difference and the food that'd go along with the wine. There was seldom better food served that he could remember, than at the Goldhorns residence.

It helped that much of what they consumed was grown on the island they owned or one of the many that surrounded it. Another goal for him and Elaine, he imagined, when that peace he longed for was good and firmly in place. He quite liked the sound of Harry Peverell, the slayer of Grindelwald and saviour of the wizarding world, turning into a gardener.

Sarah smiled widely at him, her dimples large as ever and her happiness as infectious as he remembered, and from there, the two all but skipped through the vastness that was the halls of Goldhorn Estate. As he recalled, there were busts, statues, antiques and furniture scattered throughout, and there was still the huge, centre garden with a myriad of plants therein.

I remember that one that made people randy. Almost a situation, that was, he'd been lucky they'd avoided it.

"You've been doing amazing, by the way," Sarah gushed, her rambling of pleasantries finally finished as she looked over her shoulder at him for the hundredth time in the past ten minutes. "My family, especially Sammi, has been keeping up with whatever news we get from back in the UK — you've been busy!"

Harry couldn't help but nod at that as yet another smile formed on his face at the mention of her entire family keeping an eye out for his name. "A lot of us have been busy, but still, I should have checked in on you lot earlier than I did."

Sarah scoffed and shook her head before punching his shoulder. "Please," she said, waving away his worries. "We left for home as soon as the conflict started to spill into our new home, and don't you worry either, we'll be returning."

"I'm glad."

Silence… or rather, there would have been a bit of silence, were it nought for a few other errant Goldhorns choosing that time to appear. There was Webster, the shy little boy that'd grown substantially since last they met, and the troublesome sister of Sarah's, Katie; she was like Sarah's older sister, Sana, he remembered.

"... but only for twenty minutes, Web. I know you enjoy it more than your lessons, but you won't be the one getting punished if you fail them," Katie finished speaking to the younger boy and seemed about ready to continue after a breath until she saw Sarah and Harry standing together. As soon as that sight reached her eyes, whatever she'd initially been ready to say next, was gone and replaced in an instant. "Harry! Sarah? When?"

Sarah grabbed his arm and approached her siblings whilst speaking. Harry, for his part, allowed himself to be dragged by the ever-happy Sarah. "He's only just got here. I'd gotten a missive from him, and when I did, I summoned his house elf for my reply, and here we are — great, isn't it?"

"If it means we can study together again, I'd say so. It's been horrible trying to work with Sarah, you'd have no idea, Harry," Katie said as she pulled Webster along with her, the boy no longer looking half as scared as he last had. "Well, Harry? How have you been? I know Sarah's gotten plenty of letters from you, but some of us don't rate highly enough."

"Please. It's only natural that I'm the favourite," Sarah gestured to herself with a winning smile on her face. It was all good-natured, the mischievous, teasing look on her face made that obvious enough.

While the two sisters bantered — a familiar sight he was glad to have once more — Webster, the previously quiet boy, greeted Harry with a smile that was all too reminiscent of his younger self. "Hey," was all he said to Harry, and in a voice that, despite having only said one word, was noticeably heavier in terms of accent.

Makes sense, I guess, Harry thought. His siblings got to socialise at Hogwarts, and he's not really gotten the chance to yet. Reckon his English will get to be just as good as theirs when the time comes.

"How's it going, mate?" Harry answered the younger boy, once his train of thought was finished. "How's the family too, yeah? I've not gotten to ask Sarah yet, and I think she and Katie have another few comments to make at one another before I'll get an answer from her."

Webster laughed quietly, awkwardly, really, and then he answered Harry's question. "Everybody's normal."

"Good," Katie corrected. "Most of the English you'll meet will just say good instead of normal or alright."

Sarah tutted. "A lot of them say alright. Some of them will just look at you and ask that too 'Alright?' they'll say, as if that's even a real question."

It is, Harry nearly said aloud. He, Ron, Aster… the era didn't seem to matter any more than the upbringing did. From what Harry could tell, blokes didn't feel the need to speak aloud the extra words and settled for 'alright' instead of just grunting; everybody should be happy about that.

"I don't think Harry came here to talk about English," Katie eventually said after another few exchanges between her and Sarah while he and Webster remained out of it. "We'll leave you two to do whatever it is you'll be doing. Web still has a few tasks to complete after the break we'll be taking."

Webster didn't seem all that excited, but he allowed himself to be dragged away by Katie, the overbearing girl going so far as to pluck at Webster's hair and shirt when it wasn't pristine. Once she was far enough away, Harry fixed his eyes on Sarah and looked back whence the others had gone.

"Yeah," Sarah said in understanding. "Everybody else has noticed it too — she's not immature anymore. Usually."

Harry snickered at the last little insert. That implied there was still a healthy dose of the Katie he'd originally gotten to know still in the newly mature girl. He was glad to hear it. Pranks couldn't be committed with the same partners in perpetuity, otherwise, they'd get boring… and what could he say? Katie also made for a good study partner when he needed to look at it from a different perspective.

One that wasn't almost entirely the same.

Corene, Elaine, Daphne and Druella, his most prominent tutors, by and large, had practically been clones of one another when it came to curriculum or the way they approached any and all subjects or problems. It was no wonder the group got along as well as they had when they all saw everything in much the same light and tackled it in that same fashion.

"Come on," Sarah said, speaking again as she grabbed his hand and pulled him along. "Let's go to that familiar tower, shall we? When I knew you were coming, I had it cleaned and snacks prepared. I figured it was a familiar and fun place to catch up."

It was certainly very sentimental. He'd give her that. "I like it."

"The tower or the plan?"

"Why just one?"

Sarah huffed and stuck her tongue out at him; she hadn't changed, unlike Katie. "Duh, 'cause everybody has a favourite even if they won't say it."

"Fine," Harry said, rolling his eyes as they began to ascend the familiar, very long, staircase. "What're the snacks?"

"My mama made fresh bread, pastitsio, souvlaki, tiropita and kreatopita—" Sarah paused for a moment to furrow her brows as she cocked her hips to one side, and then she nodded to herself, pleased, and started them off again. "And baklava."

In truth, as soon as he'd known it was her mother who had cooked, he'd been sold. But when it came to Baklava, as soon as the first syllable was out, his mind was beyond certain.

"The plan."

"Knew it!" Sarah cheered.

And thenceforth until the time the two emerged onto the balcony of the all-too-familiar tower, she teased him regarding his decision. It would seem time apart hadn't changed their friendship. He hoped Marcus and Vee would be much the same, but he wasn't too certain. They each seemed far less outgoing than Sarah.

"Snacks!"

Harry, once again, was pulled from his thoughts when Sarah spoke aloud, and loudly, as a tray of snacks set itself on the nearby table. He saw no sign of house elves nor any servant of another kind, and for a scant few seconds, he wondered if the item was enchanted; he'd really wanted to study it if it were.

"Now we can finally start talking," Sarah said as she started fixing two plates. "Anything you wouldn't like, Harry?"

He shook his head immediately. "Everything works for me."

Sarah snickered. "You never could turn down food," she went back to working on the plate but continued speaking to him all the while; the question she asked, he hadn't expected. "How are you, really?"