Chapter 27 - Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards

After Daphne had given Harry a thorough telling-off, she budged up on the bed and allowed Harry to lay down next to her. A few minutes later, as she lay comfortingly on his chest, Daphne and an utterly exhausted Harry fell asleep. They were woken by an "Ahem" about two hours later by Ellanore Greengrass, which startled Harry so much that he rolled off the bed completely and landed on the floor with a painful thud. Nursing a sore elbow, he got to his feet and began to apologise, but Daphne's parents just waved him off, too happy to see that Daphne too had also woken up at their entrance, confirming Harry's news.

After a lot of cooing and hugging and crying, the four of them had a long talk with the healer Abigail where it was decided that Daphne would need to stay in the hospital for a while just for observation due to the extent of her recent brain injury. Harry felt privileged to be involved in the discussion by Daphne's parents and wasn't asked to wait outside. As she was now awake, they needed to ensure that her Cruciatus exposure didn't cause any complications now that her brain was receiving much more external stimuli in its wakefulness. With it agreed that all being well, she would need to stay at St Mungo's for no longer than a week, Harry wished the Greengrasses farewell and gave Daphne a peck on the cheek before calling for Dobby to take him to Grimmauld Place.

Sirius was fast asleep when Harry got up to his shared bedroom, snoring loudly and drooling on his pillow. Harry smirked and climbed under his own sheets. Comforted with the thought that Daphne had repeatedly awoken, sleep came much easier and he drifted off for the second time that night.

"Harry, wake up!" Sirius said an indeterminate amount of time later, shaking him gently, "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

Groggily, Harry started to come round from his slumber and smiled, causing Sirius to release a held intake of breath, already knowing Harry's response before he said it.

"Yeah, she's awake," Harry said, smiling and stretching his arms above him.

"Thank Merlin for that," Sirius replied with a wide grin, "So, what's the plan? Are they letting her out?"

"Erm…" Harry said, still having not quite woken up yet, "They're gonna keep her in for a week, just with the Cruciatus exposure, but she'll be back at Hogwarts soon."

"Great," Sirius answered, "Well, I've only got today off and then I've gotta go back to work tomorrow, do you wanna go to the chamber and work on using your new wand?"

Harry nodded, "That sounds like a plan, what time is it?"

"Half eleven, I didn't want to wake you.."

"Do you reckon Dumbledore will let us view Lupin's memory first?"

"I don't see why we can't ask.".


The headmaster did agree for Harry and Sirius to view the memory after they'd made their way all the way up to Dumbledore's office, but the old man also requested that he view it as well. Harry couldn't see why not, and being grateful that Dumbledore was allowing the pensieve's use on such short notice, consented, and soon the three of them crowded around the carved stone bowl, diving headfirst into Moony's recollection.

"You lost the rings. You lost the damn rings, Padfoot, you absolute moron. You know James is gonna kill you." the young Lupin said, running his hands through his mousy brown hair in exasperation at the memory of young Sirius Black.

"This is weird," the real Sirius said to Harry and Dumbledore, watching his former self's conversation with the werewolf. They were standing in a corridor of what seemed like a very fancy old building, with carved and cream-painted walls.

"I'm just kidding Moony, relax," memory Sirius grinned, pulling two intertwined gold and platinum bands from his inside pocket, "And James owes me five galleons now, he said you'd be able to tell I was kidding."

"I just don't think it's beyond you to lose the rings on our best friends' wedding day," Lupin answered with a smirk.

"Harsh, Moony, I'm offended," Sirius replied, tongue in cheek, "And five galleons richer. Shall we go in and tell him?"

"Sure," Lupin replied, and Sirius raised his arm and turned a large brass doorknob behind him, revealing to Harry the sight of his father and -

"That's your grandfather Fleamont, my boy. He invented the hair potion that I use on my beard: 'Sleekeazy's," said Dumbledore, running his hands proudly through his long, luxurious facial hair. Sirius rolled his eyes as Harry nodded almost imperceptibly, staring in longing at his father getting his tie straightened by his grandfather. James turned his face and smiled nervously at his best friends.

"Hey guys, where's Wormy?" James asked.

"Not sure," said Lupin, "He's here though, he helped us set up the seating.

James nodded.

"How ya feeling, Prongs?" Sirius asked, leaning against a desk in what was quite obviously James' childhood bedroom, "Ready to fall flat on your face in front of fifty-odd people?

"Ninety," said Fleamont with a grin, "He'll fall flat on his face in front of ninety."

James rolled his eyes, saying "I'm fine and I'm allowed to be nervous. I feel like my breakfast might make a return trip very soon."

"Well aim yourself over there," Sirius replied with a smile, "Don't be chucking up on this tux, it's Acromantula Silk.

"Can take the Pureblood out of his house, but can't take the house out of the Pureblood, eh Padfoot?" said Lupin with a smirk.

"Shut it you!" replied Sirius.

"Have you heard from Lily?" James asked, "She received a letter yesterday saying her sister Petunia wasn't coming, she was pretty broken up about it."

"No, I've not heard anything," said Lupin.

"I'm not allowed to see her until… well, you know. Would you mind checking in on her, Moony? Make sure she's alright?" James asked.

"Sure," Lupin replied, "Coming Padfoot?"

"Nah," replied Sirius, "Amy'll be here soon. Need to make sure I look as handsome as possible."

"So, like the back end of a Hippogriff then?" added Fleamont with a smirk as he sat down on the edge of a tall four-poster bed.

"And I'm gonna be doing that in my room," said Memory Sirius with a mock glare, leaving James' bedroom as the rest of them laughed.

Those watching the memory followed Lupin out of the room and down a long corridor. Sirius told Harry that they were in Potter Manor, which was unfortunately destroyed in the last war, not long after his parents' wedding. After heading up a small flight of stairs and around a corner, they came to another closed door upon which Lupin knocked firmly. A moment's pause and Harry watched as the door opened, but it wasn't Lily Potter who answered, it was a young woman, clearly one of her friends from Hogwarts, in fact she looked just like…

"Alice Longbottom, you are a sight for sore eyes," said Lupin as the kind-faced, smiling witch came into view, "Look at that dress, Frank is a lucky man."

"Oh, this?" Alice said, spinning on the spot and blushing while the pretty brunette took in the view, "All the bridesmaids have got one, it's a muggle thing the bridesmaids all have to have matching dresses. I got to pick, of course, being the Maid of Honour. Don't think Agatha Midgen likes it very much, but she never did look great in navy. It's not my fault it washes her out, I didn't pick the colour scheme."

"Well it looks great on you," Lupin replied, "Listen, James sent me, he just wanted me to come and check on Lily, after the letter yesterday."

Alice Longbottom chewed her lip, "She seems alright, just…you know what she's like about Petunia. It got worse when Mr and Mrs Evans came without her."

"Who is it?" a female voice called from inside the room.

"It's Remus," Alice replied.

"Let him in, as long as James isn't there," the voice replied.

Alice pulled open the door and stepped aside to let Remus pass and a moment later Harry got his first 'real-life' view of his mother, who was sitting in a fluffy white dressing gown in front of a vanity mirror. She looked very pretty, her red hair held up in an intricate French twist and her small features being enhanced by a touch of flattering but very natural-looking makeup that was being applied by a small, dumpy woman at her side.

"Hi, Moony." Lily said with a soft smile, "I'm guessing James sent you to check on me."

"Yeah," Remus replied, "He's just worried about everything, what with Petunia."

"She's okay," said a woman in her late forties to Remus' left, "We're not going to let my brat of a daughter ruin your day, are we, Lily?"

Harry realised that the woman who had replied was clearly his grandmother, his mum's mum.

"Exactly," said Lily determinedly with a sad smile, "We're just going to forget about her, it's not like we ever really see her anyway. The only muggles we see are Mum and Dad."

"Who apparently has developed a taste for Old Ogden's Firewhiskey, I've heard," added Alice.

"Oh, I swear to God, if he is hammered before the first dance I'm gonna have his guts for garters," replied Mrs Evans with a scowl.

"Let him enjoy himself," said Lily with a roll of her eyes.

"You know what he was like at Tuney and Vernon's wedding." Mrs Evans pointed out.

"I don't blame him, watching her get married to that scornful git," replied Lily.

Mrs Evans snorted, "We can't help who we fall in love with, dear."

"Oh, she's aware," added Lupin "She thought James was a cocky idiot until mid-sixth-year."

"He still is," answered Lily fondly as the last of her makeup was applied, "He's my cocky idiot though. Right, off with you. I've gotta put my dress on, tell James I'm fine and not to worry.

The group followed the memory of Remus back to James' room but he found that no one answered, so they were soon led down a flight of stairs and into a red-walled and white marble-floored atrium which was quickly filling up with guests. As they entered, glasses of Buck's Fizz were being passed out from a long, low table and small canapes were being served by catering staff as the guests mingled in the atrium. With no James in sight, they followed Memory Lupin through the crowd as it milled through the large hall and into a large ballroom. The grand, rectangular room was thoroughly decked out in a simple navy blue and silver colour scheme and housed circular tables surrounded by chairs and a small sweetheart table at the right side under a large gold plaque of the Potter Crest. Along the long, far wall were several tall windows around a large set of double doors through which several guests were exiting.

Harry, Sirius and Dumbledore followed Memory Lupin through the hall and as they exited through that door into the sunshine, they took in the beautiful grounds of Potter Manor, the setting where it was clear that the ceremony would take place. The doorway of the ballroom exited into a short set of stone steps which merged into a straight stone path of paving that had been repurposed as the aisle. At the base of the stairs in large stone pots were cascading blue and cream flowers of types that Harry didn't recognise. On either side of the aisle, rows and rows of ivory-coloured chairs had been carefully placed on the lawn and adorned with champagne-coloured cushions and large deep-blue tulle ribbons that were tied at the chair-backs in bows. Several of these seats had guests sitting on them already, chatting while they sipped from their glasses. Right at the end of the aisle stood James underneath the archway of a beautiful cylindrical and domed bandstand, which overlooked a deep blue lake behind it. Harry's father was standing idly with his hands in his pockets, looking like he didn't know what to do with himself while Sirius at his side was chatting animatedly to who looked like an older Susan Bones, though it was clearly a younger Amelia.

Those watching the memory didn't immediately follow the young Lupin as he strode towards James and instead took in the scene around them. Suddenly Harry's vision became blurry as several people stepped right through him. Deciding that the sensation was far too weird for his liking, he stepped down the stairs and to the side at just the moment that a younger Albus Dumbledore walked past them and straight down the aisle and towards James, looking his most extravagant in a set of violently purple and sparkling gold robes.

"Wow, I forgot how snazzy you looked, Albus," remarked Sirius, as they finally started to stroll down the aisle.

"Indeed," Dumbledore said with a chuckle, "It was the most heinously expensive work of fabric I've ever bought, but alas when you get to officiate the wedding of two of your favourite students, one must look the part."

Sirius gave Harry a little side glance and a smirk. The wizarding world's amusement at Dumbledore's eclectic dress sense clearly spanned generations.

"I didn't know you officiated," said Harry, curiously.

"Of course I did, my boy, only I had the power to hold their ceremony," Dumbledore replied.

"What do you mean? You don't do all weddings and there are not many more powerful than you."

"Well you see, your mother didn't put much stock in the way our world does things, didn't like the idea money would have to change hands for her to be married, but still wanted to be introduced to the Potter family magic. After much research, she found an ancient soul magic ritual going back to the time not long after the founders built Hogwarts that accomplished the same feat. Soul magic is, in general, banned. It took your father a great deal of politicking for the ritual to be researched by the Department of Mysteries and declared safe to be used by members of the public. However, its legalisation wasn't publicised because of the Ministry's general fear of those types of magic."

"I see," Harry said, as the vast majority of the guests of the wedding came out of the main ballroom and took their seats, "So you had to do the ritual because it's difficult, I'm guessing."

"No, Harry, it's because of the power used. The spell is incredibly draining and so most wouldn't be able to cast it without passing out themselves. Even after I had, it took me a good few hours before I felt strong enough to cast any magic again."

Harry nodded and thought back to what he and Ellanore had been talking about all those weeks ago in the Greengrasses kitchen. Here he was, learning about a spell his own family had used to get around the social issues of the way the wizarding world did magic, it was just a shame not many could cast the spell.

"I wish I knew the spell, or at least could read the book she got it from," I said to myself, "I wonder if it's in the Potter vault."

"I actually have the tome in my office," Dumbledore said, "Your mother said that I could keep it and I must confess it was rather special to keep a memento of the day at the time. Even more so, with what had happened to them."

Harry nodded again and looked over at his Dad who was rubbing his hand in his hair in nervous exasperation in exactly the same way that Harry knew he did himself. While it was amazing to see him, it was difficult to see the happiness on everyone's face knowing that in just over two and a half years, they wouldn't be here anymore.

"If you want, Harry, you may have it. I'm immensely grateful that we've been given the opportunity to show you this. It's a token of your parents' immense love and dedication for each other, even just what they went through to have it cast. I think that it should be yours."

Harry nodded and thanked him, he'd have adored any opportunity to cast his eyes over his mum's writing, whether a complex tome of magical research or a simple shopping list.

Harry, Sirius and Dumbledore stood in silence and just watched. Soon, the double doors of the ballroom opened once again and soft piano music started playing. A moment later, Lily appeared, looking young, elegant and beautiful in a bright white mermaid-style dress, her gleaming copper hair in an elegant updo with two rippling curly locks framing her face.

Over the next forty minutes, Harry watched his parents tie the knot, to rapturous applause. After giving their vows, Dumbledore had cast a very long spell in a language that Harry wasn't familiar with, but the moment that his mum and dad kissed, a soft glow formed at their lips for a moment, signalling it had been successful. After many muggle and magical photos were taken and Lily and James strolled back down the aisle together, suddenly, the memory faded and they were now standing again in the ballroom, at the wedding reception. His mum and dad were sitting at the sweetheart table, and his Dad was looking rather nervous as Sirius had just stood up to give his best man's speech.

"I still remember it. All of it," the real Sirius said to Harry quietly, wiping a tear from his eye, "Amy made me go over it again and again cause I was so bloody nervous."

"Witches and Wizards, Old 'uns and sprogs," Memory Sirius announced, clutching a flagon of mead in one hand and a piece of parchment in the other, "Here's the part you've all been waiting for. Well, the part that I've been waiting for, the time when I finally get to embarrass old Jamesy here as much as possible."

The crowd laughed and whistled and Sirius continued as Harry watched his Dad lean his head back in obvious immediate exasperation.

"First of all, I think we can all agree that Lily, the blushing bride, looks absolutely stunning. While I still think she deserves to be on the Janus Thickey ward for marrying James today, she's been an unstoppable force of good ever since we've known her and everyone who knows her knows that without her in our lives they would be much emptier and devoid of kindness for it. She's never judgemental of blood, creed, race, or class and would and has given her last chocolate frog just to brighten someone's day. James is a lucky bugger who thankfully knows just how wonderful a person she is. I'd like you all to raise the first toast of the night to the beautiful bride of the day, Lily. To the bride."

"To the bride," the room chorused good-naturedly and raised their glasses in a toast. Harry found himself chorusing with them and beamed at the warm smile on his mum's face.

"Now let's be honest here," Memory Sirius continued, "Lily is amazing. Long red hair, beautiful eyes, and a temper that is incredible to behold, as long as it's not targeted at you, mind. It's true that Lily is frankly, way out of James' league. Her parents have done a wonderful job of raising her and I know just from talking to them how immensely proud they are of their little girl. Heir James is meant to be the prim and proper one here but while Lily often conducts herself with all the grace and decorum belying James' station in our world, my best mate here has on numerous occasions shown he has the propriety and etiquette of a niffler in a jewellers."

There was another chorus of laughter.

"The first day I ever met James, back when we were fourteen, on our first morning after the feast, James somehow managed to walk out of the dorms with his robes tucked down the back of his underpants. Of course, neither I, Peter or Lupin - though we didn't really know each other back then - told him, so, he just walked down to breakfast like that and then got all the way up to Transfiguration until McGonagall told him. I'd thought she was a massive spoilsport at the time, it wasn't til last year that Minnie told us she'd seen it at breakfast as well, and thought it'd be funny to leave him like that a bit longer."

The throng broke into laughter again, especially a very sloshed-looking Professor McGonagall, in deep red tartan robes that shimmered with intricate silver inlaid thread.

"So, I think we can all agree that Lily is far too good for James, but I know many of you noticed he was utterly relentless in going after her, regardless of her making it obvious that she had the opinion that he was, in her words, 'A bit of a dick, really.' Say what you want about Jamesy boy, but he never backs down from a challenge. He'd send her flowers, ask her to Hogsmeade every weekend, he even brought her back chocolates from Honeydukes right at the end of fifth year. Lupin and I thought that might've done the trick, her face lit up when he gave them to her. James was almost too excited about how well it had been received until two hours later we found out she was allergic to nuts and was currently midway through treatment after an emergency run to the hospital wing.

After that we all thought he was nuts for still trying after that, pun definitely intended, but that wizard knew who he wanted. Apology letters followed, more flowers and even though we knew that Lily still thought he was a prat, he would always try to talk to her. Then, sometime around sixth-year Christmas, he seemed to get a bit maturer. Not much mind, but he started getting his act together, and he stopped sending her mindless gifts and started actually listening to her. Suddenly Lily didn't think he was quite as much of a prat anymore and fell for it, accepting a Hogsmeade date where she finally succumbed to the Potter charm! Jokes on you Lily, he's still a prat, and if you haven't noticed it by now, we seriously question your decision-making."

This one got a huge chorus of laughter. Lily was grinning at James who was sitting with his head in his hands, with the way things were going, clearly the worst was yet to come.

"You think the pants incident was bad? Trust me when I say that was tame in comparison to some of the *ahem* shit, that we would get up to."

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" James said aloud into his hands and the crowd giggled with anticipation.

"In our fourth year," Sirius continued, 'He decided that he was gonna try and improve his senses by brewing a wit-sharpening potion before a Quidditch match versus Ravenclaw. Dirty cheating I know, but he got what he deserved when he took a dose to test it right before their last-minute practice the night before. Subsequently, he discovered that if you misread a three as a five and put in five drops of armadillo bile it will look correctly brewed, but if you drink the concoction right before you go flying, you will in fact have quite prolonged explosive diarrhoea from thirty feet up in the air. I was just pleased I was with Peter in the stands watching and not on the ground in the quite literal shit-storm, pardon my French."

"Didn't know about that one, Lily eh?" Sirius grinned above the howls of laughter as she stared at her groom in horror, "He swore us all to secrecy but I'm afraid it couldn't stay secret forever. Have you lost any and all attraction for him yet? What about if I tell you about our stag night?"

"OOOOOOHHHH!" called many in the crowd. James didn't look like he could sink into his chair any further.

"I know for a fact that he doesn't remember a thing from that night, which will make telling this tale all the more fun. We'd just had a bite to eat at the Three Broomsticks and were winding down for the night. This was midnight, mind you, just after last call, and it was only due to our relationship with our good friend Madam Rosmerta that she let us in after last call and cooked us a big plate of chips to soak up some of the drink.

Now everyone, I'm gonna tell you two truths and a lie, and you can decide for yourselves which one is the truth. Firstly, at one point, James vomited down his favourite dragonhide trousers so ferociously that with it being made of what it was, even scouring charms wouldn't get the smell out. He ended up having to beg Madam Rosmerta for a change of clothes and brilliantly she let us pick, so ten minutes later we had him forced into a lovely flowery pink dress. Very frilly, lace, everything.

Secondly, at one point he stared around at those still in the pub, while in said very girly frilly pink dress, and sidled up to each of them individually. After giving each one a great big hug, he told them that he loved them dearly and that of course they would be invited to the wedding.

Finally, when Remus, the much-needed sensible one decided that he'd had enough, James sighed, collapsed next to me on that big brown sofa in front of the fireplace and said this, and I've transcripted this from an extracted memory so it is word for word:

'You know, Sirius. I love you mate, but I'm sorry, I just have to tell you, I love Lily more. I just love her the most. Don't be upset at me. You're not upset at me, are you? I dunno, it's like when I'm with her she makes me feel like nothing else matters. She's like the sun, you know? And I'm a plant or something. Not like a bubotuber or a mandrake or something but something majestic, like…oh dunno… but she's the sun Sirius, she's warm and makes me grow. She makes me want to be better. Merlin, I love her, she's so nice to me…and she's so freakin hot, have you seen her legs? They go on for days. DAAAAAYS!" Then with a big sigh, he said, "I can't believe she's marrying me."

The crowd "awwed" at the right moment amidst the giggles.

"I would say that I couldn't believe it either, but I'll be honest with you, I could. James has been there for me when I've needed him the most, when I've been at my lowest and now I feel humbled to be here talking to you all when he's at his highest. He's the best mate I could ever wish for and I know Peter and Remus would say the same. Please, all of you, raise your glasses to the second most handsome wizard in the room, James. To the groom!"

"To the groom!" the group called through their laughter and clinked glasses.

"James is a wonderful wizard and a great friend who's gotten me out of more scrapes than I would care to count. He's always been there for me, but I couldn't finish this speech without mentioning his parents, Fleamont and Euphemia, who after a particularly difficult few years, took me into their own and treated me as they would their own flesh and blood. It's easy to see how James got his sense of determination, kindness and honour. They've also done a wonderful job helping to put this wedding together and letting us use their ancestral home as the venue. To the Potters!"

"The Potters!" called the crowd.

"Well, I think that's me. Let's continue to eat, drink and be merry, but before I let you go I'll let you in on one little secret…"

Memory Sirius bent down under the table and lifted a brown paper bag as the crowd hushed in anticipation. His hand dipped into the bag and from within it, he pulled out a very garish, frilly, flowery pink dress.

"All three of them were true! Have a good night everyone! To Lily and James!"

"Lily and James!" Cheered the crowd unbelievably loudly amidst raucous laughter before Memory Sirius finally sat down, grinning madly at how well it had gone.

Harry looked at the real Sirius who had a similar expression, aside from wiping a few more stray tears from his face. The next few hours of the memory, just like the others had been, were something that Harry would never forget. He stood right next to his mum and dad as they had their first dance, the tears in his eyes matching his father's as James held close the love of his life. He stood near his grandparents as they chatted with people he didn't know about how well things were going and how proud they were of their son. He spent time listening to his mum talking with Alice and realised he loved his mum's devilishly 'Fred and George-like' sense of humour. He stood next to his Dad as he egged on Wormtail, trying to convince him to pursue a girl that he liked and then watched amused as James dragged a little Tonks to the dancefloor, her hair flashing wild colours as she stood on his feet while he swept her around the dancefloor. Finally, hours later, Harry, Sirius and Dumbledore followed the crowd to the back porch and watched his mum and dad disappear to their honeymoon by Portkey amidst a stream of magical fireworks.


Needless to say, Harry's mood was on the up. Daphne would get better soon and he'd spent an amazing five hours with his parents. This, in turn, had made him think of Daphne and in thinking about her still hospitalised state, vowed that he needed to push harder. Sirius had promised to spend the entire day with him, and wanting to help Harry get started, he escorted his Godson down to the Chamber after the evening feast to start work on his dual-wielding.

As the original master of dual-wielding, the portrait of Salazar Slytherin had rather a lot to say on the matter and after a few anecdotes on where and when the skill had been beneficial in his life, the portrait told him the best place to start would be keeping a Protego up with his left hand while casting with his right, alternating between the shield's states to try to maintain a near constant shield while casting through it. When he'd mastered that, he was to learn the other way, by casting the protego in his dominant hand and then casting other spells with his non-dominant, his left.

Initially, he found it incredibly difficult and found himself getting increasingly frustrated over the first two hours. Sirius just sat patiently, perched on the sculpture of Slytherin reading a book while Harry repeatedly cast spells at his own shield by accident until he'd finally gotten the hang of it.

Their subsequent duel, with Harry dual-wielding and Sirius agreeing to only use spells that could be blocked with a Protego really showed how far he still had to go. He started well and blocked several of Sirius' shots, but then ended up getting confused and dropped his shield when it was meant to be up and took a bludgeoner to the knee which needed to be swiftly repaired. He did find at that moment though that he could heal his knee and shield at the same time, but alternating between the shield states and firing through it was going to need a lot more practice. In the end, before Sirius went home, he advised Harry that because he couldn't be there all the time to help him train, that he would need someone else to help him.

Two days later Harry had led a very nervous Neville into the main Chamber, of course making sure to subject his friend to the slide on the way down. After the usual giggling and commenting on how impressive the whole thing was, Harry and Neville got down to business. In terms of training they quickly both found that they were a match made in heaven. With his new wand, Neville found that he was having a much easier time casting spells, but his endurance and speed in spell casting left a lot to be desired. While there was no way Neville would be able to deflect all the spells Harry would shoot in return, Harry found that casting Periculum at his friend between toggles of the shield state helped him to learn faster and Neville got lots of practice with his speed on Harry's advice working on simple spell chains, casting spells in an order where the end of one wand movement would blend into another.

By Friday night, things were going much better for the both of them Neville started working on casting his spell-chains non-verbally while Harry started using his right hand to shield and his left to cast. Pleased with each other's progress, they left the Chamber that night happy, both going off to get an early night from exhaustion at so much casting after classes.

Harry sat in bed that night, again reading the soul magic research book that his mother had given to Dumbledore, his fingers delicately tracing over his mum's neat looping handwriting when his memorandus tablet lit up.

Beaming, he grabbed a dry quill and turned his attention to it.

A/N - As before, Harry in Bold, Daphne in italics.

Guess what?

What?

Just as a precaution, as long as everything is fine overnight, I'm getting discharged tomorrow!

Yes! Does that mean you're coming back to school?

Yep, I feel fine, to be honest. Gotta go back for a checkup in a week, but I'm not feeling dizzy anymore and they say my vitals are all normal.

Amazing! I can't wait to see you! When do you think you'll be coming?

Well, it's the Hogsmeade weekend isn't it and I seem to remember you promising to buy me whatever I wanted from Twilfit and Tattings.

Oh God, you're gonna drain my bank account, aren't you?

Ha, yes. But you can afford it.

Nah I'm just kidding, but meet you outside our shop at twelve? I'll let you know if anything changes.

Hell yes! God, I'm so relieved you don't even know. I swear I'm just gonna wrap you up in a ball of bubble wrap or something so you don't get hurt again.

What's bubble wrap?

Muggle thing, nevermind haha.

Haha okay. Well, I best go to bed, the healers get funny if you aren't trying to sleep by eleven.

No worries. See you tomorrow.

I love you.

I love you too, night xxx

Night xxx


"M-my Lord," a mid-forties man with greying receding hair and a thick Birmingham accent stuttered, "You…you asked to speak with me."

"Yes," came the high, cruel voice of Lord Voldemort, sitting importantly in the main office of Malfoy Manor, "Your family owes a debt to me, Julius Rookwood. I saved your nephew's life. With the help of Severus Snape, he even has a pair of eyes to go with his new limbs."

"Something I am immensely grateful for, my Lord. What would you ask of me? I know we've discussed it before, but I will take the Mark if you desire it," said Julius, though he was very fearful of the idea.

"No. That is not necessary," said Voldemort nonchalantly, sitting back in his scarlet cushioned, high-backed chair and steepling his wrinkled uncared-for fingers together, "Your reports from upper society are far too valuable to me and if the Dark Mark is soon able to be detected it will soon be much more difficult, for the next two weeks at least."

"I see," said Julius with a sigh of relief.

"That isn't to say you won't have a very important task in the weeks ahead. Two weeks from now will be the next full Wizengamot session. You will challenge Harry Potter to a duel, at the Falcons stadium the following day. You will declare Bellatrix Lestrange to be your second."

"Bellatrix?" Julius replied, his eyes raised with surprise, daring not to portray the fear he felt at such a challenge, "Won't she be arrested on sight?"

"No, even the Ministry isn't allowed to interfere with a sanctioned blood feud. Stadium arenas don't have anti-portkey wards set up in case of injured players, so you are to hit him with a contact-activated portkey which will bring him here. Bellatrix will have a portkey to banish Potter as well, so I have no concerns if you fail. Potter has proven to all a dangerous opponent. Are you aware of the magic that young Septimus was able to use to fight Potter's family magic so effectively?"

"I am, my Lord," the eldest Rookwood said proudly, "I helped Augustus to develop it."

"Excellent. You will be showing Bellatrix how it works. It isn't family magic, is it?"

"No, just developed by Augustus and me before it was banned by the Department of Mysteries when he wanted to further experiment with it."

"Why?" Voldemort asked simply.

"It can remove one's magic, sucks it into the void as it were."

"Excellent," the Dark Lord replied with a manic gleam in his blood-red eyes. Tomorrow you will return and teach it to me first."