2004, 7 years later

Harry Potter was famous not for being the Chosen One who had saved the magical world from the Dark Lord Voldemort, but for his fervent endeavours to turn the magical world into a better place.

Of Britain. The magical world of Britain.

Harry was busy enough as it was, no way was he going to reform the societies of other places. No. Just – No.

Getting himself in a position from where he could actually attempt to make any chances in the first place had already taken him years.

And there was so much to do – he was still working on rebuilding the entire Ministry of Magic from the ground up without anyone who might oppose and hinder his very important and necessary progress noticing. He was pushing for a school system reform that should have been enacted years and years ago. He was hoping to one day rid the (British) magical world of pure-blood bigotry and work hand in hand with other magical people like house-elves, goblins, centaurs, werewolves, to strive for a world of equality. He was – really, super busy.

Such things took time.

But Harry had already shirked his destiny of saving the world before, he couldn't chicken out again.

No, really. It wasn't because of Rhea's incessant needling. Definitely not.

At least Theodore, Ron and Hermione helped as much as they could, all in their own ways. Theodore was way more suited to the political side of things than Harry could ever hope to be. Hermione was thriving as the leader of several campaigns promoting equality for all. Ron took care of all the important details everyone kept overlooking.

Rhea, meanwhile, was doing precisely what she had told them she would be doing after graduation – working with the dead in all sorts of ways from simple funerals to dubious experiments – already planning for her own death someday soon. (Harry had almost had a heart attack the first time she had mentioned it, misinterpreting her words as plans to take her own life. Rhea's answering laugh had hurt him deeply.)

Someday – Someday, Harry would convince her to –

Who was he kidding?

He would never be able to convince Rhea to do anything she didn't want to. He hadn't been able to convince her not to propose in his stead (Harry may have been trying and failing to ask Theodore for three years by that point, but that was neither here nor there), he wouldn't be able to convince her to stop needling him into saving the world in the ways that mattered rather than simply defeat some evil dark wizard.

It would have been so much easier to go and defeat some evil dark wizard.

He could have taken Voldemort. Perhaps not done it as quickly and efficiently as Rhea had, but he had been the Dark Lord's marked equal, fated to defeat him. There had been a whole Prophecy and all.

He could have –

"Are you ready to leave?" Theodore poked his head into Harry's office. "If we stall any longer, Rhea might actually make true on that threat to –"

"Don't say it," Harry hastily interrupted. "Last time you said it out loud –" He shuddered.

Theodore fully entered the office and turned to close the door, but Harry didn't miss the smile his husband was trying to hide.

"She was not summoned by the words, Harry. It was a coincidence."

Harry watched Theodore approach with narrowed eyes. "How can you be so sure about that?"

Theodore put his hands on the desk and leaned closer. "If we stall any longer, Rhea might –"

"No!" Harry exclaimed loudly, putting his hands over Theodore's mouth. "Don't say it!"

Theodore arched an eyebrow at him.

Harry slowly lowered his hands.

Theodore smirked.

"She might actually –"

"Theo!"

"– make true on – mmph!"

Really, Harry thought, the desk digging uncomfortably into his stomach, Theodore's collar grabbed tightly in his fists, if he had wanted Harry to shut him up a certain way, his husband could have just said so.

(Rhea would not make true on her threat, even though they would arrive very late to the official reveal of her newest invention.)

Harry drew back just enough to fumble for his wand and get the damn desk out of the way.

He smiled.

"I missed you."

Theodore's eyes softened, slowly bringing up one hand to cradle Harry's cheek, the other coming to rest on his shoulder. He pecked Harry on his lips, but retreated before Harry got the chance to deepen it, keeping a firm hold on him.

"Don't think your distraction will work on me. Now, as I was saying –"

AN

Thanks for reading!