A/N: A nice long chapter with a development you've been waiting for! I think most people have long figured out who the traitor is, so let's go catch him (/her/them ...?).
Thank you for beta-reading, megonagall410
"Good morning," Peter said nervously.
"What is it?" Harry asked, having his advisor at the end of his bed never meant good news. He sat up and became aware of the headache lowly throbbing behind his eyes. He reckoned he deserved that.
"The Princess, sir," Peter said, and a sudden jolt of fear ran through his body. Peter continued, "She's changed the schedule for today."
"Oh," Harry said, relieved. "Why say it like that? She can change the schedule as much as she likes."
Peter looked confused at this but nodded.
"So, what is on the planning?" Harry asked.
"She wanted to do a picnic but... well, it is winter, so she asked to have it—"
"In the library." He nodded, remembering how her father would put his appointments on hold to spend time with his kids in the library, especially if one of them was under the weather. "Sounds perfect, don't you think?"
"Certainly, Harry." Peter bowed and walked out.
Harry got dressed and made his way to her chamber, wondering when she had switched rooms during the night. He knocked on the door.
She opened the door and curtsied. "Good morning, King Henry."
He smiled and offered his arm. "Good morning, Princess."
She took his arm and they started walking.
"So I heard you changed the planning?" he spoke.
"Figured I'd be kind to your pounding headache, how is it?" she said with a smug smile.
"Not as bad as you'd expect, but definitely there," he admitted.
"Well, it can be a calm day today," Ginny said. "You only have me on your schedule."
He looked at her. "You could've made me suffer, I decided to drink that much after all."
She chuckled. "I admit it's tempting but I figured you were under enough stress."
"Marrying you is very stressful," he complained.
She smiled smugly. "Yes, I'm sure that part is what you're struggling with."
"Definitely."
When they arrived at the library, Ginny opened the doors excitedly and watched for his reaction. There was a blanket in the middle of the room with a basket, some drinks, and more food.
"I got up early and checked with the kitchen and then set up here," she told him.
He smiled and looked at her. "I am genuinely touched."
She took his hand. "Well, come on!" She dragged him along. "It'll be a fun day."
They settled down on the blanket. Ginny started unloading the basket and putting the food out.
"I would suggest keeping mostly to water for drinks," Ginny said.
"Thanks for the advice," he deadpanned. "I don't usually get that drunk."
"You are very lucky I clocked how drunk you were," she told him.
He grimaced. "I owe you. And Ron. I may have given him shit about the water," he admitted.
"No, I know." She took a block of cheese and tore a piece off. "I came across him this morning. He thought it was amusing, so, you are all good."
"I am glad to hear. Wouldn't want to be on bad terms with the in-laws already," Harry said.
They fell silent for a moment as they dug into the food.
"Oh, this is my favourite fruit," Harry said, taking a small red apple out of the basket. "It's native to Ignotia."
Ginny looked at it. "Is that an Ignotian apple? I've never had those."
"You should try," Harry told her. He picked up a knife.
She squinted. "Is it your favourite because it's the national fruit?"
He scoffed. "Of course not!" He cut off a part and held it out in his hand for her to take it but instead, she wrapped her lips around it, sliding her lips across his fingers, keeping her eyes on him.
She leaned away, chewing on it. "That is good."
"I can give you another piece if you don't do that again," he told her. "The guards can see us from here."
"So what? It's not like we're snogging. And the servants love a little gossip," she said in a whisper.
He cut off another piece and held it out. Her hand came around his wrist as she bit into the piece using only her teeth and pulling it slowly out of his grip. He pulled his hand away.
He blinked. "You don't have to make it so hard on both of us."
She looked at him, biting her lip at the unintended pun. Then she laughed, quickly swallowing the apple so she wouldn't choke on it.
"Alright, that was an unfortunate choice of words." He chuckled.
"Indeed," she agreed. The next piece he offered she took without teasing him. She chewed on it slowly, enjoying the sweet honey-like taste.
"I am curious, are you armed today?" he asked, glancing at her dress.
"Always." She met his eyes. "Do you want to see?"
His eyes widened. "That's a definitive no."
"Oh alright." She looked around. There was a point a little further into the library where the shelves made a small corner that was hidden from the entrance. "If we stood over there we'd be out of view from the guards."
Harry sighed. "And what would we be doing out of view?"
"You'll have to find out." She stood up and pretended to look at a book on that side. She smiled as Harry's hands landed on her waist. "Looks like you knew exactly what we'd be doing here." She turned around in his hands.
"You're playing with fire," he said, kissing her cheek.
"As long as you don't make any sounds, no one will know." She leaned in and kissed him.
He grabbed on to her and pushed her against the bookshelf, which caused a thud to echo through the room.
"Shh," she shushed him in amusement before kissing him again.
He kissed her eagerly and she sighed into it, indulging herself for just a moment. His hands were on her waist, pulling her to him.
"The fact I can't run my hands through your hair right now..." he whispered.
"Would ruin the look I'm afraid," she said, kissing along his jaw.
He rested his head against her shoulder. "What are we doing right now?"
"If you could stop being irresistible for five minutes," she retorted, happily putting the blame on him.
He looked up again. "This is my fault?" His eyebrows raised.
"Yes," she said, kissing him again softly. She leaned away. "Okay, we've been in this corner too long."
She turned around to choose a book from the shelf. His hands rested on her waist, and he placed a kiss on her neck. She let out an involuntary noise at the sensation and his hand came over her mouth to stop her. He placed another kiss on her neck and then carefully removed his hand.
She grabbed a book and walked back to the blanket. She opened it. "Let's see."
"And?" Harry asked as he sat back down too.
"The Tale of the Three Brothers, I don't know it," Ginny said, reading the title.
Harry cocked his head. "I can tell you without the book."
Ginny looked at him curiously.
"It's about the creation of Ignotia, you should learn the history of your future country," Harry told her softly.
"You're right." She put the book down beside her. "Go ahead and tell me.".
He smiled. "Very well. A long time ago there were three brothers. Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus. They were great warriors and so the gods offered them three pieces of land."
"Antioch, being the eldest, boasted about his piece of land. He was hungry on power and would fight for land that was not his. He was killed for his greed and his piece of land was inherited by Cadmus, the second oldest. The second oldest neglected his duty to chase after another man's wife and he too was killed."
"Hold on, which god gifted this land and why?" Ginny asked him. It seemed significant to the story.
"Xydite of course!" Harry told her.
She should have known that already. "Oh, right."
"They were supposed to take care of nature and the animals that lived there, like a sanctuary. Now Cadmus had no respect for nature, and he tried to steal someone else's woman. Not quite god-approved behaviour."
Her eyebrow raised. "That must have pissed off Xydite's wife."
"Probably." Harry shrugged. "And so all the land was left to Ignotus, who was an honest and noble man. He cared for the land that was given and ruled it fairly. For that, he was blessed with a long and happy life and his land was inherited by his oldest son upon his death, who renamed it Ignotia in his honour. And from then the land has been handed down to the eldest child until, well, me."
"Did the lady love Cadmus?" she wondered.
He shook his head. "No. Believe it or not, she actually loved her husband."
Ginny snorted. "I can't believe it at all." She looked at the book in her hands and thumbed through it. "I think I'll keep it for a while. You're right; I should know the kingdom's history a little better."
There was a knock on the door.
"There is an urgent message," Peter said.
"What is it?"
"He only wants to talk to you."
Suddenly Ginny's stomach turned and it had nothing to do with the food. A feeling of dread crept over her. She grabbed Harry's hand before he could stand up and he looked at her in surprise.
"Do you trust me?" she whispered.
His eyes searched hers and he nodded silently.
"I have a bad feeling about this. Don't close the door and I will sneak in after you," Ginny said.
He paused for a moment but then he nodded again. "Okay." He pushed off the ground and stood up. "I'll be right back," he said more loudly.
"I will be waiting right here," Ginny replied. She watched anxiously as Harry left the library. She waited just a few seconds more. She rose too and walked to the exit.
"So much for waiting right here, huh?" one of the guards standing right outside the door commented.
She met his eyes and smiled. Little did the guards know how much she knew about them. "Seamus," she said. "I can do whatever I want."
He smiled at her and bowed. "Of course, Princess."
They shared a look of understanding. She quickly walked down the corridor, trying not to raise suspicion by running. When she neared his office, she pulled her dagger from under her dress. She crept inside silently.
"What's your business here?" Harry asked him.
Ginny saw the man reach down quickly and the moment she saw the blade, she moved. She threw her dagger, and it landed in the man's back. He went down with a yelp, dropping his knife.
Despite her warning, Harry looked quite surprised at the development. She rushed forward and pinned the man to the ground so he couldn't move.
"How did you know?" Harry asked her.
She eyed him, telling him wordlessly she didn't want to say with the assassin still in the room. Harry nodded and walked to the door. "Justin," he called one of the guards. "Another assassin for you."
By the time the guards came in, Ginny was up again and stood by the assassin as though he had randomly ended up on the floor wounded. Her dagger was on the desk. She looked at the guards.
"Keep him on his stomach and take him to the Hospital Wing so he doesn't bleed out," she suggested.
They looked at Harry to see if they should follow her instructions but he simply nodded. They took the assassin and dragged him outside.
Harry looked at her to speak.
"When I changed the schedule this morning... you know Peter doesn't like Gwyn but he is always gracious to the Princess. Yet when I asked to change the schedule, knowing there wasn't anything significant on it, he was alarmed. He pressed on not changing it and he seemed so anxious. When he showed up in the library... I had this gut feeling," she spoke. "I know you don't want to hear it but we need to get to the bottom of this. We are going to be married and if there is a traitor in this castle, I want to know. Before one of us dies, or our children are put through what we've been through. Or worse, they get killed."
Harry looked at her, a deep frown settling between his frowns. He took a deep breath and nodded. "How do we do this?" he looked at her. "I'm out of depth here."
"Do you trust my brothers?" she said, it would be easier if she had them on board, she knew she could trust them.
"You want to loop them in?" he asked her.
"Just Fred and George," she said, the two brothers who had shown her the art of sneaking around and wreaking havoc, it was precisely what they needed.
"Fine."
"Okay," she said, her mind racing. "You need to keep Peter occupied, I will take care of the rest."
"He's never been caught on any wrongdoing…" Harry said, doubting if they would find what they were looking for.
"Oh, if there is something to find, my brothers will find it," she said, it was impossible to keep secrets with them around.
"What if he tries to kill me?" Harry asked.
"He's too much of a coward to kill you himself. Or he would have done it already," she told him.
"That's a comforting thought," he replied sarcastically.
All she could do was offer him a smile.
"I'll go get Peter and send him here. Just keep him talking as long as you can. As soon as I find anything, I'll let you know," she spoke.
She picked up her dagger, tucked it back into its strap and strode out of the room, walking to Peter's office with much determination. She knocked on the door and walked in without waiting for his reply. "Oh, it's terrible!" she started. "There was another assassin!" She pretended to be shaken up about the fact. She watched his reaction.
Peter shot up off his desk. "Oh no, how terrible."
"I didn't know what to do! Please, Peter, can you check on the King? I think I need to lie down." She wafted air into her face with her hand.
Peter stood up and walked to her. He took both her hands in his. "Of course, Princess. I will take care. You can go ahead and rest."
"Oh, thank you, Peter," she said.
She pretended to walk off to her room until Peter had disappeared into Harry's office. Then she turned on her heels and ran across the castle in search of her twin brothers. She found them in the armoury, inspecting the swords.
"Guys, I need you for some actual proper mischief," she said in a tone that emphasised the importance.
Fred and George looked up immediately.
"What do you need?" Fred asked.
"I believe the advisor is the person who has been sending assassins. He is a family friend but ... I've suspected him for quite a while. Harry is keeping him occupied so I need you to go into his office and—"
"Turn the place upside down?" George asked.
"Find out if he's a filthy traitor?" Fred said.
She nodded. "Precisely."
"Say no more," George said. "We are on it."
She started telling them how best to get to Peter's office and then remembered who she was talking to. "You already know, don't you?"
"Yes and we know about the secret corridor leading to it, in case he circles back too soon," Fred said.
"Good. I am counting on you," she said.
They seemed proud to be assigned such an important task. They nodded and disappeared to the office. She walked to her next destination. She found Alastor in his office, going over battle strategies with one of the guards. As he spotted her, he dismissed the guard. Ginny waited for the door to close and then turned back to him.
"I know you don't know me well yet, but I need you to trust me. I think I figured out who has been trying to get the King killed for so long," Ginny spoke.
Alastor stood up at once. "Really?"
"I know it sounds unbelievable—" Ginny argued.
"So, you figured it out, Gwyn?" he said.
She stood frozen across from him, surprised he had figured out who she was. She wondered how long he had known. "How do you know it's me?"
The old Head Guard shot her a gruff look. "We don't have time for this now, what do you need?"
She recomposed herself and nodded. "I think it's Peter. If you could check with the assassins, the ones that haven't been moved to the jail. I am hoping for them to confirm they all received their instructions the same way. I don't hope for them to know who instructed them but ... if he slipped up once we would know. Whatever you can get out of them is fine," she said.
"Peter?" Alastor said. He walked to his desk and took out evidence he had collected from the would-be assassins. He pushed aside the knives and took out the letters. He mumbled to himself. "I will go talk to those assassins. I'll be right back. Where is Peter?"
"Harry is keeping him occupied," Ginny said. "I will hang around to stop him if he comes out too quick."
"Good." Alastor hobbled out of the room.
Ginny walked out and remained in a corridor somewhere between the King's and the advisor's office and anxiously waited to hear back from them. At least Peter didn't appear. Her brothers came back first and walked up to her.
"And?" she asked.
They nodded. "You were right. Once we found one thing, it didn't stop. One more incriminating than the other..." Fred waved the pile. "We brought the worst of it but we sorted everything in his office. There is no way he is worming his way out of this one," he said.
Ginny felt something between sadness and relief. She still had hoped she was wrong, because she knew it would devastate Harry.
"Ginny, he was planning on framing you, Knight you for it. You don't show your face, you wouldn't be able to prove your innocence," George said. "He was probably hoping to rule here once Harry was dead. There is no heir, the council knows him... It would be quite easy to sell. Of course he would just be a puppet..."
"Who is he working for?" Ginny asked. She took the papers out of Fred's hand. She found her contract had been altered, clearly to frame her.
George shot her a grave look. "You are not going to believe this. Queen Bellatrix."
Her eyes widened.
"She orchestrated the murder of his parents too... it's very impressive the King is still alive and well."
Her mind raced, but it made sense. She closed her eyes for a moment as she digested the news. Her eyes opened again as she heard the familiar 'thud' of Alastor's peg leg on the floor as he came towards her.
"What do you have?" Ginny asked.
"At least three of them could confirm their letter carried the Royal stamp," he said as he walked up to them. "The letters that I have ... it doesn't match Peter's handwriting but that doesn't mean anything. He could alter it on purpose. None of them ever saw someone face-to-face and payment was promised after succeeding."
"Thank you. Together with what they found, that will be plenty to prove it's him," Ginny said. "Fred, George, tell Bill what happened. If Bellatrix is involved, he needs to know. Alastor, can you alert the guards? In case he makes a run for it."
The three men nodded without argument and took off. She quickly walked back to Harry's office. She entered silently.
"Are you feeling better, Princess?" Peter asked.
"Quite," she spoke. She met eyes with Harry and she nodded to confirm her suspicions were correct.
She watched as Harry's expression turned stone-cold. She walked up to him, aching to reach for her dagger. If Peter made any attempt to kill Harry himself, she'd gladly stab him.
"How could you do it?" Harry asked Peter, his voice measured.
"Sir?" Peter asked in confusion, looking between them.
"I know what you've been trying to do... Did you kill my parents too, was that you too?"
Ginny watched as Peter's face drained of blood. He stammered. "No. Sir, I could never. They were my friends."
"Don't lie, Peter. Or are you going to pretend you didn't try to have me killed again today?" He breathed in slowly. "Weren't you getting anxious because I was getting married?"
"He works for Bellatrix," Ginny spoke, waving the papers.
Harry looked from her to him in surprise. "Peter..."
"No, you got it all wrong!" he said nervously. Beads of sweat were forming on his balding head. "Your Knight..."
Harry's eyebrows shot up. "What about him?"
"All those recent attempts, that was him!" he said eagerly. "I had my suspicions, I caught him once. I am so sorry I didn't say anything, he threatened me! I was terrified he'd kill me." He turned to Ginny. "Princess, I was so worried for you. He wants you dead and ... I couldn't protect you. He pulled a knife on me!"
Ginny looked at Harry. They both knew this was a blatant lie. She reached for her dagger again. Harry took the papers from her and she shoved him against the wall. "He'll pull a knife on you now," she bit. She looked over at Harry. "You'll find he altered my contract to frame me, knowing you had never seen it."
Peter's eyes widened. "Your contract?"
"Yes, you numpty. My contract. Didn't think that lie was going to fire back on you so fast, didn't you?" She looked at Harry again. "He's been working for Bellatrix for many years. I am quite sure he orchestrated the attack on your parents. Or did you not cut off your finger to escape accusation?" She looked at Peter again.
He was breathing heavily, his watery eyes flitting nervously between the blade and her face.
"Getting my brothers here was the worst possible idea... Bellatrix could have taken us out in one go," she told Harry. "I bet Peter ran to tell her as soon as he heard..." She ordered him to sit down in a chair. "You know I am Gwyn, you know I move fast. One wrong move and you are dead."
Peter swallowed.
Harry thumbed through the papers for a moment, his eyes flitting across the pages. They looked up when Bill stormed in, followed by Sirius and Remus. Every one of their faces read murder.
"How could you?" Sirius said, grabbing hold of Peter. "Tell me immediately! Did you get them killed?" His voice quivered with contained anger. "James and Lily... did you?"
"You don't understand! They threatened to kill me if I didn't obey!" he said with a gasp.
"Then you die, you coward," Sirius spat. "You don't betray your friends."
Peter's chin trembled. "You don't understand."
Sirius stood up, recomposing himself. "I understand perfectly well. We have been friends for decades and it didn't matter to you."
"No!" Peter said in anger. "It was always you three prince boys strutting about the castle together. No one or nothing to stop you. I was the pitiful peasant that tagged along. I was never one of you."
Sirius scoffed. "But you were. We treated you as equal. We grew up with you. We offered you a comfortable life. James offered you that job so you'd never have to worry about income or food or ... you've had a great life here. James gave you all of that and you never had the troubles of ruling!" Sirius' hands balled into fists. "James trusted you with his life. And it got him killed."
Remus came to stand beside Sirius, looking at their childhood friend. "And Lily... she took you in just the same. She trusted you because James did."
"She made Queen. Me? I didn't even get a Lordship," Peter said.
Sirius' jaw clenched. "You think that's easy work? The title doesn't mean anything, Peter. James offered you the best he could. I know being advisor isn't always a walk in the park, but you've slept comfortably every day. Warm, fed, in a big nice bed..."
Remus sighed. "They trusted you to keep their family safe. To keep their son safe. I hope you look at him every day and feel the guilt, you filthy little rat!" He stepped forwards as he lost his temper but then thought better of it.
Peter slid back further into the chair, desperate to escape physical harm. Ginny let her dagger relax in her hand. She knew between the three Kings, her and her brother, he would not get far and all the guards would be on high alert by now.
Peter looked down, his shoulders slumping. "It's been so hard, they were going to kill me."
"No, no." Sirius shook his head. "If you talked to us, we could have protected you." He pulled his sword from its sheath and aimed it at Peter. "What were you planning with them? Kill them on their wedding night? Then kill Bill and the rest of their family? Do you think these Kingdoms will be off well in Bellatrix's hands?" His blade came to Peter's neck.
"Treason is punishable by death," Sirius said in an icy tone. "But this isn't my Kingdom." He pulled his sword away and put it back. He looked at Harry to decide.
"Please don't kill me," Peter begged. "I have known since you were a kid, Harry. Didn't we have fun times?"
Harry's face was unmoving as he looked away from Peter.
"Princess Ginevra," he said then.
Ginny stared him down.
"So pretty, so lovely..."
Her fingers curled tighter around the dagger, not feeling an ounce of compassion for him. She looked over at Harry. "I will gladly kill him for you," she said as he met her eyes. "It's your call."
She could see him struggle to decide. He did not speak and so she did not move.
"William," Peter said, turning to Bill.
"It's Prince William for you. Take my name out of your mouth, or any of my family's for that matter."
Peter's eyes flitted around again and landed on Remus once more. "Rem... my oldest friend."
Remus closed his eyes and shook his head. "I have a son now too. I could not fathom you betraying me the way you did James and Lily. You got them killed and then you stayed around... biding your time for Harry to be old enough... why? So you could feel less guilty about killing him?" His eyes bore into Peter's. "How dare you speak to any of us."
"You were planning on framing Knight Gwyn ever since he showed up," Harry spoke now. "And with him out of the way... it would be just too easy..." Harry pulled the contract from the pile. "He doesn't talk, nobody has seen his face, lone wolf... I bet you thought he'd be the perfect candidate." He looked through the contract again as the room fell silent. "It would seem from this that you'd try to kill me. The suspicious clauses, the payout..." he told Ginny.
Sirius stepped forward, looking between them. "Hang on just a moment." He looked at Harry. "The Princess is your Knight?"
Harry looked at Sirius. "I thought your brother would have told you."
Sirius frowned. "My brother? Oh! Knight Gwyn, you are...!" He shook his head. "Unbelievable that Reg had a Princess under his wing for years and neglected to say."
"He was just trying to keep me safe. But yes, I am Knight Gwyn," she confirmed.
"I have several questions," Sirius said with a frown, ignoring Peter.
Harry nodded. "In short, hire a Knight. Ask Knight to take helmet off. Out comes ... her. Then when she said her name... I started wondering if she was the Princess. Sure enough, she was. That got me a dagger to the neck. Then I proposed..."
Ginny grinned at him, momentarily forgetting their predicament.
"You're so much like your dad, aren't you?" Sirius said.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
Sirius glanced at Ginny. "Chasing after a girl you can't have. She pulled a dagger on you and you just thought to propose." He seemed amused.
"Can't have?" Harry asked.
"As a Knight? You're not going to tell me you only had an interest in her when you found out she was a Princess." Sirius raised an eyebrow.
A blush crept up Harry's neck. "Well, no."
Bill cleared his throat. "Can we get back to the traitor?"
Peter visibly gulped as all eyes landed on him.
Harry nodded, he breathed deeply. "Just bring him to the dungeons. I will deal with him later."
Peter seemed relieved he got to live another day. "Thank you, Harry!" He stood up and neared Harry.
Ginny raised her dagger at him, warning him not to take another step.
"Don't," Harry spoke. "I have a wedding to plan and a battle to prepare. I don't have time to deal with you right now."
"Go on, walk," Ginny said. She kept her blade close to him as he walked. So he knew if he tried anything, he'd be dead.
Bill opened the door for her. She walked him outside and found Alastor with four guards.
"King Henry would like Peter moved to the dungeons," she said. She pushed him forward.
The guards nodded, shooting foul glances at Peter. Two guards guided him away, Alastor walking behind to watch him. Ginny looked at Seamus. "That's why I couldn't wait in the library."
Seamus held up his hands. "And you will never hear a comment from me again. I stand corrected."
She offered him a small smile and returned to the room. She looked at Harry but he had fallen silent.
Bill stepped forward. "Let's all gather in the library and discuss how we move forward."
Harry nodded. "Collect your brothers. I'll be there shortly."
The three men walked out and Ginny turned to Harry when the door closed.
His shoulders slumped. "I still hoped..."
"I know," she spoke. She walked to him and wrapped him in her arms.
"Go ahead and tell me you were right," he said.
Ginny leaned back and took his head between her hands. "I didn't want to be right, trust me."
"We're fucked, aren't we? He probably told them all the plans we had. Attacking Harpia, the wedding... and I don't have an advisor, there is no way we could possibly..." His eyes searched her desperately for an answer.
She shook her head. "It became a little riskier, yes. That's never stopped me before though."
"Okay but you are you, you are a brave Knight. I am just some King," he said.
"You are not. You are a good King. You are kind and brave. You survived terrible things and all by yourself. This time you are not alone. There's me, and my brothers, Hagrid... we got your back. We just need to change some plans, move some things around. We will manage."
He looked so unsure. She kissed him softly, trying to contain her own emotions. Because if she fell apart, he would too. She pulled at his vest. "You are King Henry of Ignotia and we are going to kick some ass."
"I love you," he said.
She pulled him along. "I know. Now let's go, we've got a lot of work to do."
They paused as the door opened and Alastor stepped in. He closed the door and they looked at him expectantly.
Alastor righted his shoulders. "I would like to offer my resignation. I failed serving you." He seemed to bite back anger. "The traitor was right under my nose, and I missed it!"
"I am out of an advisor and you want to leave too? I can't be without a Head Guard, definitely not now," Harry said.
Alastor glanced at her. "She could do it."
Ginny's eyebrows raised in surprise.
"She found him out, she has the skill to fight and she can lead the guards perfectly well," Alastor said.
"Don't be ridiculous, Alastor," Ginny said before Harry could humour the idea. "He almost had me fooled too. He had everyone fooled. You are staying right here. We have a battle to prepare, and we need your expertise."
Harry looked from her to Alastor. "Precisely. We need you. We are meeting in the library."
Alastor sighed. "Fine. I will stay."
"How did you know?" Ginny asked. "How did you figure out I was Gwyn?"
Alastor looked at her. "I could tell you were a woman from the start. The way you stand, the way you walk... of course the helmet made sense."
Ginny nodded and waited for him to go on.
"Then Harry's mood started improving significantly, Lady Luna showed up... and then the Princess showed up. I immediately knew it was you, you walk the same way. It was obvious as Harry's mood improved even further," he explained.
"You are saying I gave away her identity?" Harry asked.
"It helped in assembling the pieces. When you asked to say I retrieved the Princes... well, after that I didn't have a sliver of doubt. She had been in the castle all along."
Ginny nodded. "I have to say, I am impressed. I don't think anyone has ever noticed I am a woman before."
"I do have a sharp eye," Alastor said. "Or at least I thought I did."
"Peter's betrayal started long before you started working here, he had all his lies ready," Harry said. "If anyone, I should have noticed what he was up to."
"You had no reason to be suspicious of him," Alastor said. "You grew up with him."
Harry nodded, seemingly deep in thought.
Ginny stepped forward. "Let's go to the library and join the others, so we can untangle this mess." Dwelling on the past would not offer much comfort right now.
When they arrived in the library, every Royal in the castle seemed to have gathered there, with the addition of Hagrid and Alastor. Sirius, Remus and Bill seemed to be explaining to the rest what had gone down. All her brothers were equally red in the face with anger. Regulus listened intently as his brother spoke. Remus took Teddy out of Queen Dora's arms and put him on the ground with a book, hoping to keep him occupied. Several people had helped themselves to the picnic. Which was just as well, it was not like they would be getting back to it soon.
The group looked up as the last three entered and closed the door. They all fell silent and waited for Harry to speak. Ginny looked at him, wondering if he was up for it. Then she saw the determined look on his face. She stepped back, allowing him the time to speak.
"I am sure you have all been informed of what has happened. There is much to do and to fix. I am just going through what I can think of that we need to fix. I welcome any suggestions. If there is anything I am forgetting, don't hesitate to speak up."
Percy's hand raised carefully. He spoke when Harry looked at him. "We collected all evidence from his office and put it here. I have been reading through some of it so I can tell you what he has or has not done."
He nodded. "Thank you. The first major thing is that I am in need of an advisor. I know none of you are eligible for the job, but I'll take suggestions."
Ginny looked about the room, knowing she didn't have much to add. She looked at Regulus and suddenly her eyes widened. His eyebrows raised. They looked at each other, communicating wordlessly.
"Are you planning on losing me yet another Knight?" Regulus asked her.
Harry looked at her curiously. "What does he mean?"
"I believe she is planning to offer Neville up for the job," Regulus said, looking at Harry now.
"He's a splendid Knight, but he doesn't want to do it forever. He is smart and he is loyal to a fault. He could work together easily with Alastor, because he has the knowledge," Ginny argued.
"He seemed nice enough," Harry said as he thought it over.
Ginny looked at Regulus again. "We could at least ask him, maybe he'll say no."
Regulus nodded. "Fine. I'll go and retrieve him. The sooner you have that sorted, the better."
He walked past them to the door.
"Thank you, Regulus," Ginny said.
He turned back around. "You owe me so many favours, I hope you know that."
She nodded with a smile. "Yes. So what's one more?" She could see Regulus resisting rolling his eyes before he left the room.
"As for the battle and the wedding, what do we have?" Harry asked Percy.
Her brother looked up from the papers. "I don't think he has alerted as many troops as he should have so we need to personally check in with all the Lords and Ladies to ready everyone," he said. "They know both about the wedding and the battle now. It probably wouldn't have been a surprise regardless, but this is a clear disadvantage."
"We should move our attack earlier, to still allow us some surprise," Charlie said.
Bill looked at the papers too. "Can we? We don't have much margin. A week max and then what do we choose?" He looked at Harry. "It's not like we can attack next week. There is the wedding, we can't possibly move that earlier. We need more time for the army, we need to make sure we can feed everyone... we don't know what Peter ordered. We need to run checks..."
Ginny stepped forward. "It's simple. We cannot shorten the three weeks to the wedding. We need that time to prepare everything. We will skip our honeymoon. No one is going to expect us to attack right after our wedding." She looked at Harry to see if he agreed.
He nodded. "It's not quite the destination I had in mind, but I am sure Harpia is nice in winter," Harry said.
"Then that's settled," Ginny said.
"What else?" Harry asked.
"To come back to the food..." Percy said.
Ron perked up. "I have plenty of experience trading and ordering food. I am happy to check what we need for the wedding and to keep the army fed."
"We need to be ready to be stopped at the border, we'll need to expect to start the conflict there," Alastor said.
"I will have to return to my Kingdom soon but you can still count on a third of my troops. Together with half of Remus', your forces should easily outweigh theirs." Remus nodded to confirm he would prove half. Sirius continued. "I will get another third ready at the Orion border with Harpia. I am not taking my chances, we will be too close to the conflict to assume they won't counter-attack in both directions. I hope I will not need the other third," Sirius said.
"Appreciated, Sirius and Remus. Truly," Harry told them.
"I am happy to help manage the finances until your new advisor has had time to settle in. For a traitor, he kept the finances quite orderly. I think it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out," Percy offered.
Bill eyed Charlie. "I need to stay here but Charlie, Fred and George are quick riders. If they split up they can cover much ground and check personally that all troops are being prepared and sent here in time for the battle."
George nodded. "We can do it. We just need instructions, and we can be off tonight."
Ginny could see the hope growing in Harry's eyes.
"Anything else?" he asked.
Bill shook his head. "We will sort his papers among us as needed, food to Ron, finances to Percy... we can work together to get it sorted, know what we have. I've met Neville a few times before. If he is the new advisor, I am sure we can get help him get settled quickly."
"Thank you."
Bill smiled warmly. "I know the risks you are taking for us, this is the least we can do. I am sure you'll find even more satisfaction taking down Bellatrix."
"I sure will," Harry said. "So then I guess that's it for now. I do apologise for the abrupt change of plans," he said.
The people filed out of the room. Charlie, Fred and George went to get ready to travel. Alastor went to update the guards. Eventually, only Bill, Ron and Percy and the two of them remained in the library.
The brothers made quick work of the papers in the room, sorting them and dividing them among themselves.
"We'll sort the rest of his papers in his office," Percy said.
They took up the papers and left too. As they left, Regulus came back with Neville.
"Go on, inside," Regulus said, holding the door open for him. He closed the door behind Neville as soon as he was inside, leaving them to speak in private.
Neville bowed. "Regulus said you had a question for me?" he asked.
Ginny smiled encouragingly at Harry.
"We have just found out my previous advisor was the traitor who tried to have me killed, worked for Bellatrix... so I am in need of a new advisor." He looked at Neville. "And you were recommended for the job. So if you are up for it, it's yours."
Neville blinked in surprise. "Forgive me, King Henry, but you hardly know me."
Harry smiled at Ginny. "But Ginny does and I trust her judgement. More than my own currently," he added. "We can talk pay, benefits..."
She looked at Neville. "We'll give Regulus ample compensation, so don't worry about that. Your experience as Knight can be convenient. You already know much. It will be less fighting. You will be able to sit comfortably here, for life if you do your job well. I'll spar with you if you ever get bored, though."
"I understand you need time to consider, I can give you until Friday, much not much longer than that considering our plans," Harry said.
Neville shook his head. "Just give me five minutes to talk to Regulus and I will let you know."
Harry nodded and Neville walked out again.
Ginny walked up to Harry and took his hand, squeezing it. "You're doing great."
He looked at her. "Your family... they're amazing. They just... show up and get things done."
"We have strength in numbers I suppose," she said. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her a little closer. She looked up at him. "Is there anything you need me to do?"
He shook his head. "You already manage two jobs. You've got training to do, fiancée activities to be had..."
"Okay," she said. "Perhaps I can enjoy wedding planning a little more if I don't have to do it with Peter." An involuntary shiver ran down her spine.
Harry hummed in reply. "I'm sure you will."
The door opened again, and Neville came back in. Harry released Ginny to hear his answer.
He smiled. "I'll take the job."
Ginny walked to him and hugged him tightly. "You are going to like it here."
"Don't know how I feel about you being my boss, though," Neville said as she released him.
"Well, Harry is your boss for the most part," Ginny said, smiling widely.
"We'll get you a temporary room while the servants clear out Peter's stuff. He's lived here nearly all his life, I am sure he has accumulated many items... Ginny's brothers are already going over the paperwork, so they will help you get up to speed."
Neville nodded. "Sounds great. Regulus is going to retrieve the rest of my items and bring them back here. And check in to see the pages are all still alive."
"Oh, let me talk to him before he leaves," Ginny said before walking to the door.
Harry looked at his new advisor as the door closed.
"I am sure Ginny will be happy to show you around the castle," Harry said. "She said before you weren't really passionate about being a Knight, so I hope this will suit you better."
"Just like Ginny, I was forced to become a Knight due to circumstances... Regulus trained me well, I am good at my job but I don't enjoy it. Ginny does. She can really enjoy long training, pushing herself to the limit, getting the technique down completely. I appreciate being able to be a Knight, but I doubt I will truly miss it."
Harry nodded. "Let me walk you to your new office." He led Neville down the corridor as he spoke. "So you knew who Ginny was?"
Neville nodded. "Except Regulus, I was the only one... I always knew she was a girl, we shared a room. But I only found who she was because of the nightmares." He looked at Harry. "Regulus threatened to hang me from my ankles in the basement if I ever told anyone. In hindsight, he could have threatened me with much worse. For nine-year-old me that was sufficient though."
"She never tells me in detail about her time there," Harry said.
"It isn't easy. I knew why I was handed off to Regulus... Ginny didn't really grasp that until she was much older... and once she started wearing the helmet, her life got lonelier and lonelier, especially when we started taking jobs," Neville said.
"And then she tells me I am lonely." Harry shook his head in mild amusement.
"She probably could sympathise well," Neville said.
"I guess so."
They arrived at Peter's old office. Harry opened the door and the three princes looked up.
"Neville!" Bill said. "You took the job then?"
When Ginny found Regulus, he had already reached his horse.
"Yes, I will bring your items too," Regulus said when he noticed her.
"That's not why I came," Ginny told him.
He turned around to her. "Why did you come?"
"Thank you for giving up Neville. I know I am... very disruptive to your life," Ginny said.
Regulus laughed lightly. "It's quite alright. And I am not giving up Neville. Whether I provide Neville as a Knight or an advisor, it's all the same to me. I get paid out just the same. You two are adults, it's okay for you to leave the nest. Find your own way in the world." He took the reins of his horse. "And you certainly are, aren't you?"
She opened her mouth to defend herself, but Regulus shook his head.
"We always hoped being a Knight would help you in getting Harpia back and it will. It has done more than we expected because it brought you here," he said, pointing at the castle behind her.
"I thought you disapproved of the King and me," she said.
"I don't hate Royalty. I despise the politics around it. I know you love him. I didn't approve because even I deemed it impossible... of course you had to prove me wrong." He mounted his horse and looked at her. "I talked to Sirius. He told me how the King spoke of you. I have full faith you will be happy here. And I can stop worrying about finding you back on my doorstep."
Ginny smiled. "My doorstep is here now. It's a big one."
Regulus chuckled. "It is. I'll be back soon."
"Bye, Reg. Safe travels!" she said as she waved him off.
Dinner was an animated event. Everyone was discussing Peter's betrayal. Some people suddenly never trusted him. Her brothers discussed the affairs and papers. Ginny glanced over at Harry and he met her eyes. He sighed deeply. She reached out, putting her hand over his.
"How's your headache?" she asked. They had gotten far from a calm day today.
"Pounding," he muttered.
"Just head up after dinner." Her voice dropped lower. "I will see you there."
She found she did not even have to bother changing into her armour to get to Harry's room. The guards were too busy discussing to notice her. Part of her wanted to tell them off for not paying better attention. Considering it was convenient for her, she decided against it.
She got into her room and put on her nightshirt. She walked into his room.
"I still can't believe it," Harry said. "How could you know someone for that long and betray them? He has known me since I was a baby. He knew my dad since they were kids."
She sighed. "I don't know."
He looked defeated as he sat on the side of his bed.
"Suppose you don't want a drink?" she asked.
He shook his head. His head was bowed as he stared at his hands. Ginny walked to him and got onto the bed. She sat against the headboard and pulled Harry to her.
"Pathetic, aren't I?" He settled between her legs, his face hidden in the crook of her neck.
She moved his arms to come around her and he wrapped them around her waist. She hugged him close.
"I feel like someone pulled the carpet from under my feet," he muttered.
Ginny played with his hair softly. "Yes, they did. And you are still upright." She kissed his forehead. "This was an awful day, but it is almost over. Tomorrow will be better."
Harry sighed, his warm breath tickling her skin. "I know I should kill Peter but ... I don't think I can."
"I can do it at night, make it look like an accident. No one would know," Ginny suggested, only half-joking.
"It sounds tempting, I have to admit," Harry said.
"It's normal that you don't want him dead," she told him softly. "You have known him for so long."
Harry shifted slightly, sinking further into her embrace. "I know he deserves it, but I don't feel like I can say the words."
"You don't have to think about that right now. He can enjoy the dungeons for the time being," she spoke.
"Can you hold me forever?" he asked softly. "You are soul-calming."
Ginny looked at him. She had found he had the same effect on her too. "Of course." She wondered for a moment if she was free to ask but then pushed through. "Peter made a remark... about your mother."
Harry lifted her head a little. "How he didn't get a Lordship?" He shook his head. "I never realised that bothered him."
"Should he have?" Ginny asked.
"No. But my mum did. She was made a Lady, she was born a peasant too. It's kind of a public secret, my dad didn't play by the rules and he couldn't care less about her standing. But the law dictates—"
"You have to marry a Lady or Royalty," she finished.
He nodded. "Yes. I don't know if my granddad, King Fleamont, did it because my dad asked or just because he was so fond of her. Making her a Lady meant they could get married. I guess Peter was bitter about it." He put his head back down. "I suppose my dad would find it rather amusing I am marrying my Knight."
"I am just finding out now I am marrying a half-blood?" she said, faking indignance.
He chuckled. "Yes, your family is particularly known to care about the bloodline."
"The gods chose your family to rule here. We established our land, growing from a tribe to a Kingdom. The origins of our families are quite different."
"Suppose you could say I am divine," Harry muttered. His eyes slipped close.
She laughed. "Indeed," she agreed.
Harry dozed off in her arms and she didn't move. It wasn't a particularly comfortable position to sleep in but she had slept in worse spots.
Harry woke up early, his head on Ginny's chest. Her arms were still around him and he assumed it couldn't be comfortable, but she was asleep too. He moved, careful not to wake her but she stirred almost immediately.
"It's okay, just me," he reassured her. He stepped out of bed and put a pillow under her head. He pulled the sheet on top of her. She turned on her side getting comfortable.
She looked at him sleepily. She smiled softly before closing her eyes again. He sat down on the couch after pouring himself a glass of water. He wondered what he was supposed to do today. Everything was a little different today. The first thing he needed to speak to the council in the morning. He had already alerted them of the meeting last night. He had to check if Neville was settling in alright. Most of the Harpian family would be busy managing the mess Peter left behind.
As Ginny began stirring again an hour later, he stood up and walked to the bed. He kneeled down beside it so he could face her.
"You know, it should be illegal to look this beautiful while sleeping," he murmured.
She smiled. "Shut up." Her bright eyes landed on him. "Morning."
"Good morning, I'd say," he said. He leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.
The idea that it was a 'good morning' left Harry rather quickly when he stood in front of his council and found about half of it missing. All he had left was Lord Kingsley, Lord Dedalus and Lord Elphias.