The Guile of the Traveller

by Kingmaker'sUmbreon

After being hit by the Killing Curse, Harry finds herself in a limbo that looks a lot like Kings Cross station. Deciding that the remnant of Voldemort's soul does deserve a chance at redemption, Harry finds herself in London, 1944. However, Harry soon makes a name for herself, and discovers that adventure and drama followed her everywhere, including into the past.

58. Chapter 58

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

It was another episode from Sigyn the demon cat that indicated to Harry that Saturday morning was going to see some very big highs and also potentially also some trouble once more. While no one got scratched or bitten during her tantrum on this occasion – Atty got the honours of teaching her friend a lesson – it was still a portent to Harry that the day was not going to be normal at all. It also didn't help that all the staff members were largely still donning mourning robes. Professor Chattox and her creepy veil really did not help to reassure the young Traveller everything was going to be fine.

Harry was happy to see Felix and War chatting animatedly to each other, and that Ophelia seemed to have largely gone back to her normal self after their surprisingly candid and straightforward conversation. She was even more ecstatic when Malum tried to engage in Ophelia's conversation with Ygraine about familiar fashion and whether or not it was over the topic to dress one's familiars in clothes. Abraxas had long tapped out mentally off that conversation, preferring to read a book while his twin sister shot him knowing looks now and again that he clearly was attempting to ignore. The Lady Regnant was quietly fangirling when she spied Caius helping Arc with a last bit of homework, together with Altair.

What worried her a little was the fact Tom and Altair still had obvious dark rings under their eyes; it was a good thing they would meet Tosti and Hypnos later that evening because Harry was getting extremely concerned at the amount of coffee her boys were consuming. Tom was already on his third mug.

Billy must have seen her conflicted countenance because very soon Harry found that a wooden box had been pushed underneath her nose. She blinked a few times at it before looking at the youngest Prewett, who was vibrating with his usual excitement.

"Billy, what have you been photographing this time?" Harry dared to ask.

"Just take a look!" came the simple, excited answer.

Harry complied, and soon broke out into smiles as she went through the photos taken of the Slytherin versus Hufflepuff rematch, some moving while others were kept in the moment. There were photos of the players, photos of audience members and of course, several of her and Orion. Harry's quick favourite became the one taken just when she and Orion had put their blankets around them and started sipping cocoa. The Lady Regnant had to actually try and conceal her amusement behind her hand, shaking her head at it.

"Oh Merlin, we're completely mad," she commented simply as the others started looking at the photos as well.

"You only just figured that out? We could have told you that," Heron teased.

"Shush," Harry chuckled.

"How did you get these long distance photos without having to leave the stands?" Ygraine asked curiously while still looking at a photo of a very disgruntled Dolohov after being jibbed at by Orion.

"I used a spell to enhance the zoom lens," Billy answered happily. "Tessa helped me do it."

"Yes, because you refused to go bed if I didn't," Tessa grumbled, sipping her tea.

"I wasn't tired!" Billy protested.

Tessa shot him a pointed look. "You yawned three times while talking to me!"

The youngest Prewett folded his arms indignantly. "I can't go to bed before I finish part of project or I will forget what I wanted to do!"

"It was way past your bed time."

Billy huffed. "You're not Mum! Why do you care about my bloody bedtime?"

"Because you're an obnoxious little shit when you're tired, that's why!"

The Weasleys and Artemis snorted at this point. Ignatius chuckled at the antics of his siblings. Minerva rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the smile forming on her face either. Even the Slytherins didn't hide their own amusement.

Billy scowled at his older sister and flushed red with embarrassment.

"Evans, owl alert!" came a chorus from the Hufflepuffs.

Harry's eyes shot to the ceiling, as did the eyes of everyone at the Gryffindor table. Indeed, a barn owl with a Gringotts medallion around its neck was flying along the Lions' table, straight for the young Cursebreaker. Harry braced herself for a potential scolding from Griphook or Rollo, but her trepidation only calmed a little when she saw two boxes as well as a letter tied around the owl's leg.

The owl landed elegantly in front of her, sticking its leg out. Harry didn't waste any time untying the letter and the boxes, her hands shaking slightly. As soon as the packages and the letter were untied, she gave the owl some of her bacon; the bird hooted appreciatively before taking off again.

The Cursebreaker took the letter, broke the seal and unfolded it.

Dear Lady Hera,

I can honestly say that I have never seen Rollo Rowle so enthusiastic to send off an artefact to one of his Cursebreakers rather than study it for himself! We are all anxious to meet Cymede and Jason, and have a good look at them ourselves. Your reports and translations have made everyone very excited. But naturally take your time with them if you believe that they could be of some assistance with the new one we sent you. We sent you the strange geometric cube that no one seems to know what to do with.

I am sure you have seen by now that there are two boxes instead of one. While one is ours, the other most definitely is not. I am afraid, Lady Hera, that Mr. Weird-Eyes is set on testing you once more with only-the-Ancestors-know-what! None of us have dared to open it in fear of what it could be but for the sake of keeping up a pretence that we have been doing for the past months, we were forced to send it along as well.

I know this may sound odd, and I apologise that you have not been kept apprised of the situation regarding the spy in our walls, but the less people know of the true situation, the better.

King Ragnok, Rollo and I will be meeting with your family to see how best you may be protected against a second wave of unwanted Dark Lord gifts. Please forgive us for doing this, my Lady. We would not do this if we had another choice. TREAD WITH EXTREME CAUTION!

May your enemies always fall at your feet,

Griphook

Harry could hear the echoes of her heartbeats ringing in her ears as she read the letter at least twice. Subconsciously, her fingers had begun to dig into the parchment and she felt her magic cascade through her body, fired up by this challenge to her safety and the safety of her loved ones – again.

It had begun. This new game between her and the Dark Lord was now underway, and Harry knew that Grindelwald was not one for simply throwing punches around with no thought to it whatsoever. Whatever it was, it was very likely to cause a whole lot of trouble.

"-Harry, what is going on? Harry!"

The Cursebreaker was knocked out of her train of thought by Orion's frantic calling. She looked up sharply, her eyes still wide.

"Did they put you under another gag order?" Artemis asked carefully.

"No," Harry whispered and she cleared her throat once as she conjured a heat proof bowl and burned the letter, blue flames consuming the letter quite quickly. "No, they didn't."

"Then why are looking like you have been to a ghost's Death Day party?" Caius inquired, a little more bluntly than he had intended, which made him wince a little. He cowed even more when Tom's cold eyes turned on him.

"Because as well as sending along one of the artefacts I requested, they sent along … something else," Harry answered carefully, swallowing a little. She pursed her lips momentarily.

"What is it?" Druella wanted to know, brow furrowed.

The Mistress of Death really hated having to lie, but she could see from Loreley's own expression that she had to keep the truth to herself a little while longer.

"It's Dark and cursed," Harry responded simply. "They don't know to what extent, and they want me to investigate. That is my job, after all."

"That is not why you reacted like that. There is more to it, isn't there?" Arcturus was the one to take up the line of questioning, much to Harry's surprise.

For a moment, the Cursebreaker's jaw clenched and her eyes flashed silver warningly for a moment, causing Arcturus to flinch a little. Harry shoved her irritation into the back of her mind for a moment, composing herself and trying to employ Queen Anne's advice with her own friends as well.

"It is not for you to worry about. At least, not yet," Harry replied carefully. "I will accept help with my historical artefact but I will deal with the cursed one on my own."

A lot of her friends did not like hearing that at all.

"Are you sure that is such a good idea?" Ignatius' eyes widened. "You could get seriously hurt."

He regretted asking that because he got death glares from Harry's girls in five seconds flat.

"I really hope for your sake that you are never patronising like this with Lucretia," Walburga's eyes flashed dangerously as she glared in the elder Prewett's direction. "Because I warn you now, if you ever want children, I would curb the habit very quickly!"

"It's Harry's job! Plus, she has dealt with worse," Ygraine added coolly.

Ignatius blanched. "I did not mean it like that! What if she needs back-up?"

"Then she will ask for it," Druella clarified easily, shaking her head. She turned to Harry. "Did the goblins say you couldn't ask for back-up?"

"No," Harry answered easily.

"There you go," Druella stated simply, going back to her reading.

Malum could barely believe his ears. "You girls are not remotely concerned that whatever that Dark and cursed artefact is could be more dangerous than a portrait prison or someone's dangerous pet project?"

"We are," Ophelia countered easily with a small sad smile.

"We just don't believe in mollycoddling our friend unnecessarily," Artemis added, the other girls nodding along in agreement. "We protect her from her own stupidity and trauma, not tasks that give her a source of income."

Malum was not entirely happy with that answer; neither were more than half of Harry's friends for that matter, including Tom and Altair.

"And what if that damn artefact is another Grindelwald trick?" Malum demanded, glaring at Artemis. "Did you consider that for a moment? Would you still be acting this flippant about your own family's life if it is?"

It was at this point Harry quickly but carefully took the two packages and got to her feet. "I'm bringing these back to the dorms."

"I'll come with you," Artemis jumped to her feet. "I have a few questions from Charlus and Dorea that I need to run by you and I promised to do it as soon as I could but we haven't exactly had a good week-"

"Sure. Let's go," Harry smiled wryly.

"We will meet you girls in the study hall?" Tom suggested as casually as he could manage.

"Yes," Harry confirmed with a quick warm smile. "See you in a bit."

As the doppelgängers set off, the Slytherin girl could sense there was something on the mind of her Gryffindor counterpart. "Everything OK, Arty?" Harry tried to keep her tone as light as possible.

"Yes," Artemis dismissed too quickly for Harry's liking as they walked past the last of the Lions and out of the Great Hall.

Now that is definitely a lie, Harry's Slytherin voice commented.

The Lady Regnant switched tactic. "So what would Charlus and Dorea like to know?" she continued.

"A whole lot," Artemis laughed shortly. "Only on this occasion, nothing because … because I made that up to get a moment with you alone without anyone else there."

This took Harry by surprise. So much so, she almost tripped over her own two feet but Artemis was lightning fast in helping her get her balance back. Harry used her Mistress of Death powers to sense if there was anyone nearby. The answer was, all students were in the Great Hall and all the ghosts were in all corners of the castle.

None in the dungeons. Good.

"How very Slytherin of you," the Lady Regnant could not help but comment.

Artemis smirked, looking rather pleased with herself.

"What did you want to discuss?" Harry inquired as the pair set off down the corridor to the Slytherin dungeon again.

"Something that has been bugging me, and I think has been bugging the others as well, though I don't dare start digging," Artemis replied, brow furrowing a little. "The Snakes are a slippery bunch by nature and they would be onto me instantly."

Harry had a funny feeling where this was going, her heart already skipping several beats. She muttered the password as the dungeon and led the way inside, Artemis following behind as she continued. "I have been trying to convince myself that I am just being an idiot, but the more and more that I thought about it the … idea just wouldn't leave. Ever since Charlus confronted you about our family connection – Dorea told me – I kept thinking back to everything weird that has been going on, why Grindelwald would be after you, your insane magic and our Peverell connection."

By now, the girls had reached Harry's dorm. Artemis was leaning against the closed door with her eyes closed and Harry, who had put both her new packages in protection chambers just in case, sat on her trunk with Evren's violin and watching her doppelgänger unblinkingly.

"Everything just kept pointing at one thing – the thing I thought I never considered could be real for a moment," Artemis whispered. "Mr. Ogden's death … it practically confirmed it."

"And that is?" Harry responded in a similarly quiet tone, waiting for the words that she suspected were about to come out of her cousin-by-blood's mouth.

Artemis' eyes opened once more; Imperius gold met with Killing Curse green, those eyes sadder than Harry had ever seen them. Not even when Artemis knew that Mr. Ogden was dead did she look this sad.

"You're the Mistress of Death," finally came the words Harry had been waiting to hear.

Harry let out the breath that she didn't even know that she had been holding in. "Yes." The last Peverell then looked to her cousin with a slight frown. "How did you manage to figure it out?"

"As I said, clues but Mr. Ogden was the clincher. You were fine one minute and then the next you ran as though you had been told your grandma was about to pass away," Artemis replied bluntly, laughing shortly without mirth. "It's none of my business how you knew, but you knew."

"Yes," Harry confirmed easily, hand tightening around her ancestor's violin.

Artemis then cocked her head slightly at her friend. "I am not the first to figure it out, am I?" she guessed confidently.

"No," Harry agreed readily once more. "Most of the others have figured it out or at least suspect."

"Riddle and Nott – do they know?" the Potter heiress wanted to know.

Harry nodded. "They do."

"Doesn't surprise me. If anyone could figure it out, it's those two. They lived with you, after all. You get to see someone at their most intimate behind closed doors," Artemis smiled at this point. "There is very little that you can miss at that point."

"I suppose," Harry answered in a whisper, her eyes drooping with guilt.

"I think that is why Heron suspects I have been keeping secrets from him, which is true," the Potter heiress continued. "But the secret I have been keeping, isn't for me to share without your consent so I just played it off as me worrying about family drama, which is also kind of true."

"Oh?" Harry was happy for the distraction as she got to her feet again, violin in tow.

Artemis laughed mirthlessly. "Yes. Hecuba is dealing with more courting nonsense, only this time from Uncle Fleamont of all people! Sticking his nose where it isn't wanted. He is trying to saddle her with this anti-werewolf campaigner with a weird name. Lyall Lupin I think it was."

That made Harry's heart beat quicken for a moment. Remus' father …

Artemis continued as they left the Slytherin dungeon again. "As you can imagine, Hecuba was having none of it and essentially told our dear old uncle to keep his snobby nose out of her love life. Electra has been up to something as well. She is still working on that article of hers – still have no idea what it is about – but her editor is growing impatient. Apparently she has been trying to get a source to comply or want to talk to her by sending them evidence but I don't think it has worked. Anyway, dear old Papa took that as an excuse to try and convince Electra to write for someone else, and that conversation ended the exact same way as the others. With Electra angry and me with a letter complaining about Dad."

"Good grief," was all Harry thought was appropriate to comment at this point.

"Yep," Artemis agreed, huffing. "The sooner Hecuba and Electra find ways to get Papa and Uncle Fleamont off their backs the better!"

"Maybe they should pretend to court someone?" Harry found herself suggesting.

"They tried that. Didn't really work," Artemis informed gloomily. "I am going to spare you the details, but Dad actually checked up on whether Hecuba and Electra had actually gone on dates on the days they said they would be. When he discovered they lied to him, oh boy, he was apoplectic!"

Harry blanched. "He checked if they went on dates?!"

"My sisters are workaholics, Dad knows this," Artemis' gloomy expression didn't falter. "He had to actually train them to take breaks during study periods when they were at Hogwarts because otherwise they practically refused to stop. It did go very far at one point, so I get why he did what he did but … I admit that it went a bit far."

"You don't say," Harry stated wryly with a definite hint of snark and sarcasm.

"Hey, at least I am very unlikely to be subjected to the same," Artemis grinned. "And if he ever does try, I am giving dear old Papa a piece of my mind!"

"I would be more concerned if you didn't," Harry smirked. "You wouldn't be the Artemis I know and love."

Harry froze for a moment, eyes widening as she realised what she had said. Instantly, the Mistress of Death was red in the face. Artemis chuckled and pulled her friend into a one arm hug as they continued walking.

"Love you too, sis," Artemis replied without hesitation. "Now come on, let's go and disturb the peace at the study hall!"

##########################################################################

"Again with this nonsense?!"

"Melanie, calm down. The Tower Guardians do not need to hear you from here."

"I will not calm down, Henry! How can the pair of you sit here and be this nonchalant? Another only-the-Fates-know-what has been sent to our ward and we just have to accept that another package sent by a demented old fool has been sent to children to deal with?"

"Mel, they are off-age."

"As long as they are at school, they're kiddies, Thomas, and you cannot tell me otherwise!"

This could have gone better, Rollo commented to himself internally as he, Griphook and King Ragnok let the guardians of House Peverell argue between them. The Head Cursebreaker sighed. Then again, it could have gone a whole lot worse as well…

Rollo had expected Thomas to be the one to go for their throats, but almost as soon as Ragnok had informed the trio that their ward was once again within Grindelwald's sights, this time with the truth being out regarding Harry's identity, it was Melanie Rollins who had flown off the handle.

The Head Cursebreaker was going to buy Griphook lunch later; the goblin had been more than a little intuitive when he had decided to ward, not only the door, but the entire room. Just in case emotions would start heated and objects were in danger of exploding or windows were in danger of cracking. Rollo was certain that had not Griphook done what he did, more than half of the windows would have exploded outwards. The Rowle heir had no idea why he suspected that, but the amount of power he sensed from the strange university student in her anger and frustration was immense.

Melanie rounded on the Gringotts staff. "Did that whole debacle with the talking time compass tell you nothing?" she demanded. "Our ward is still young – skilled and talented, but still young. You let something unknown near her, sent by a deadly, dangerous foe. Are you trying to get someone killed?"

"Madam, I assure you, we take this matter seriously," the King responded firmly. "But as I stated before in my letter, we had no choice."

"Oh, yeah, which brings me to my next point? Whose life is at stake and have you managed to smoke out your spy yet?" the witch demanded, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Because whoever you're trying to protect must be the Queen of fricking Sheba to be so important as to risk the life of a seventeen-year-old girl who has, frankly, suffered enough!"

King Ragnok flinched but quickly composed himself. "We cannot disclose confidential information-"

"It's not just one life," Rollo, on the other hand, decided it was best not risk facing the ire of Melanie Rollins any more than necessary. "It's fifteen lives."

The Head Cursebreaker knew his superiors would have admonished him for that revelation had it not stopped Melanie in her tracks from exploding. She, Thomas and Henry stared blankly for a moment, before exchanging a look.

"Fifteen?" Thomas repeated softly.

"Fifteen of my people," Rollo continued sadly. "Trapped there because of my own foolishness."

"Now, now, Rollo, what did we say about being hard on yourself?" Griphook stated jovially as he turned to the Peverell guardians. "But it is true. Fifteen of our Cursebreakers have been in the bowels of Nurmengard for just over three years. As for the spy, as far as Grindelwald knows, everything is as was – only the spy has not been a problem for a good few months now."

"He or she is dead?" Henry asked carefully as Thomas and Melanie frowned thoughtfully.

"No, merely … turned," the King answered carefully, exchanging an amused look with Griphook. "At any rate, the spy is no longer an issue."

"And you trust a turn-coat?" Melanie scoffed. "I do not need to know History to know that trusting a turn-coat is a double-edged sword that could end up being one's execution blade."

"Not in this case," Griphook countered with confidence. "I know you have suspicions and you have more than just cause to have them, but I am asking you to put a little faith in us and trust us that we know what we are doing."

"Oh for your sake I hope that is the case," Melanie growled. "Because if anything happens to Harry, I will hold you responsible – whether your reasons for doing this were good or not."

With that, the young witch stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her, causing a good number of objects in the room to rattle and shake in their place.

Thomas sighed. "Forgive her. She's just … worried and stressed."

"She did not say anything that is untrue, Mr. Burke," the Goblin King reassured, though looked extremely contrite.

The strange bookshop owner hummed in agreement. "Given what is at stake on your end, I do not know what else can be done, other than warning Harry of the danger, which you likely did do, and to make sure she continues to read the books we send her."

"And regularly check-in with her," Henry added.

"That too." The dower man sighed as he got to his feet and picked up his cloak from next to him. "Oh what a bloody palaver."

"Indeed, sir," Griphook agreed readily.

"I said it once and I will say it again, the sooner someone does something about that maniac in Austria, the better," Henry put in as he too gathered his cloak and followed his brother to the door, but not before giving Rollo a promising look that forced the Head Cursebreaker to think of Dumbledore dancing with an ostrich instead of his sinful thoughts. The Rowle heir mentally cursed himself for being so weak – weaker than most of the boys at Hogwarts courting their own girlfriends and boyfriends.

Once the Peverell guardians were gone, King Ragnok and Griphook breathed a sigh of relief.

"That could have gone a whole lot worse," the Goblin King commented. "Well done, Rollo. Your half-truth softened them up and saved me another headache."

"Be that as it may, I doubt our standing with Lady Hera's guardians will be very high," Griphook commented dryly. He then smirked. "Except for Rollo's of course."

Rollo rolled his eyes and tried to ignore the blush he knew was forming in his cheeks. "I very much doubt that I am Melanie or Thomas' favourite person, either, Griphook," he stated after clearing his throat. "As for Henry, I think he is going to make his thoughts abundantly plain tonight."

"Make sure to cook him a nice dinner," the King smirked. "Might soften him up."

Griphook chuckled as the blush deepened very quickly. Rollo huffed. "Thank you for the advice, Your Grace. Merlin's saggy trousers, you are worse than Katerina sometimes!"

"Speaking of Kat, she would like to show you her progress with her occult kit," Griphook smirked. "And then you have an unofficial meeting with our dear guests. Apparently, they want to tell you something. They did not say what – I get the distinct impression they do not particularly like me very much."

"I dare not think why," Rollo commented with dry sarcasm as he went to track down his friend.

#########################################################################

Druella did not expect to find a moment's peace to herself that Saturday but as luck would have it, straight after lunch, most of her friends either dispersed for the common room or went to have a small Charms and Transfigurations competition on the Training Grounds again. The Rosier heiress took the moment to revise Undead creatures for Defence Against the Dark Arts in the library, also taking books from the Ghoul Studies section, which was barely used due to being an extra-curricular class that only one or two overachievers took. Tom Riddle not included, for once. She wasn't even sure who the Ghoul Studies professor was…

But, if there was one thing that Druella still struggled with, was memorising how to best combat Dark creatures efficiently. She didn't realise that the vampire fought in a different way to a strzyga or any other variant of the same genus, nor that some ended were immune to certain types of magic, for example.

Plus, the study session also gave her a moment to gather her thoughts about a rumour she had been hearing about her own brother, with none other than Caius Dolohov, sneaking off to the Astronomy Tower. When she first heard it, Druella had dismissed it as idle gossip but when Oizys confirmed seeing them head to the Tower once, it made her worry about Arc's motives.

The Rosier heiress was so absorbed into her research and her own thoughts that she didn't realise that she had been working for almost an hour, and didn't sense that someone had approached her.

"Dru!"

Almost instinctively, Druella drew her wand and pointed it at the unfortunate. Standing in front of her table with his hands in mock surrender, was her idiotic twin brother. Her lips curled into a sneer for a moment before she sheathed her wand. "Arc, you really are a blithering moron sometimes. First, Madam Ellis could kick you out for shouting and second, I could have hurt you!"

"Madam Ellis is too busy with resorting returned books to care. Why are you so on edge, sis?" Arcturus asked teasingly as he moved to the left to try and get a better read on the books in front of her. His eyes widened. "You're studying Undead. Has Merrythought set another essay that we don't know about?"

Druella rolled her eyes. "She only did that once, and that was in order to see who was actually doing their work or not! No, I am doing this for myself because Dark creatures are my bottleneck still and … I just decided to start with Undead. Besides, it is rather rare these days to get a moment of just peace and quiet."

"I guess," Arc answered with a shrug as he sat down opposite her. "I haven't really noticed anything too chaotic going on of late, except for this morning and … Mr. Ogden's death."

"Are you going to the funeral tomorrow?" Druella wanted to know, giving her brother a pointed look.

Arcturus shrugged again, an awkward look coming onto his expression. "I don't know," he replied simply, his eyes on the table in front of him. "I don't know the guy like Harry and the others did. I don't … think it is really that appropriate." He then looked up at Druella. "Are you?"

"I am going to support Atty, Harry, Orion, Artemis and Loreley, so yes," Druella answered easily. "Wally, Lia and Ygraine are as well. I have even heard that Abraxas is swallowing his pride and coming."

Arcturus' jaw clenched for a moment. "And what is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"Oh I think you know exactly what I mean," Druella shot back coldly, her eyes boring into her twin's. "I may not have known the man, but I know he meant something to my friends and that he did his job uncomplainingly. I am going to support my friends, which is what you are supposed to be doing, since you apologised to Atty. Why don't you put money where your mouth is, dear brother, and do the same?"

Arcturus spluttered for a moment. "That is not fair!"

"The truth never is," Druella responded with icy sass. "An apology means nothing if your actions betray you. But that if what I have come to expect from you."

"Now hang on a minute!" Arcturus exclaimed indignantly. "Dru, my apology to Atty was one hundred per cent meant."

"Really?" Druella raised an eyebrow. "Just like your apology to Victoria Grey was meant? Or to Talbot, Percy, Bulstrode – do I need to go on? Oh wait, yes I do, because those are only some of the female hearts you have broken in your past drunken stupors. I still need to get onto the males!"

By this point, Arcturus was bright red. "Dru, stop! You have made your point," he snapped. "Yes, my apology to Atty was more meant than to any of them, and I am a first class braggard. You don't need to remind me!"

Druella scoffed. "Apparently I do, because from what I have been hearing, you have been having a lot of supposedly clandestine meetings with Caius Dolohov lately. At the bloody Astronomy Tower of all places."

Arc's eyes widened. "Dru, whatever it is you have heard, it isn't true. All we are doing is studying," he looked over his shoulder for a moment and then lowered his voice, "Old Magic. OK? We haven't been doing … anything untoward. I swear!"

"So you are not stringing him along like all the others?" Druella demanded.

"No! What are you talking about? We are just friends. Dolohov isn't even interested in me!"

Arc's eyes widened at what he just said.

It made Druella stop and think for a moment. Harry had accidentally mentioned that she knew someone who was interested in Arc, but refused to say who it was. Had she been protecting Caius Dolohov? It would explain why the Dolohov boy literally never once looked at a girl in anyway. It could explain why Dolohov had hated Altair for all these years …

No, surely not?

"How do you know?" Druella asked before she could stop herself.

"What?" Arcturus squeaked.

"How do you know Dolohov isn't interested in you?" Druella obliged. "Did you … try to get some hints?"

Arcturus' mouth opened and closed without making any noise for about twenty seconds. "No," he eventually admitted.

"Then you can't know for certain," Druella stated, both for her brother's sake and the sake of her own sanity. Because the last thing she expected to find out this day was that Dolohov was perhaps interested in her twin brother. She then cocked her head a little at Arcturus. "Are you interested in him?"

"I … I don't know …" Arcturus whispered. "I mean, I enjoy his company. He is a good study partner and he can be fun to debate, and has insight from another culture and whatnot-"

"-and you watched him dance with Harry," Druella suddenly remembered very clearly. "You looked like a lost puppy."

"I did not!" Arc protested.

"Fine. Wounded puppy then," Druella smirked.

"Urgh!" Arcturus mock-scowled at his sister and then composed himself a little. "Can't I just be happy that I have a good friend without feelings coming into the mix?"

The Rosier heiress laughed shortly. "You can try, but I think if you do, one or both of you is going to end up in tears."

Her twin scoffed and shook his head to himself before he looked up with a frown. "You haven't noticed anything weirder than normal regarding Harry have you?" he suddenly asked, taking Druella completely off-guard.

"What?" she snorted. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific because her normal is just plain strange."

Arcturus swallowed. "You haven't seen any … Marks on her body, have you?"

Druella gave him a pointed look. "Arc, we may all be female down there but we do not go around ogling each other in the showers! In fact, we take it in turns, if you must know. So no, we don't tend to see each other in a state of undress."

"Ah, OK," Arc was once more bright red in the face.

Druella's eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?" she demanded.

Arc gulped a little under the scrutinising gaze. "Well, I noticed at the beginning of term that Altair has a Mark on his stomach. One that looks like a triskele or triskelion – whatever that three pronged Celtic spiral thing is called. I suspected Tom may have one too and if two of them have one-"

"I think it is safe to say that Harry already has at least two," Druella pointed out. "The one on her forehead and the one on her shoulder."

"Yes, but what if she has one on her stomach as well? I know the Malfoys think I am paranoid, but what if they … lost control?"

"Arc, I think you're overthinking things," Druella sighed. "Have I worried about Harry, Riddle and Altair losing control? Definitely. But then I remember Harry is a stubborn donkey, Tom is inhuman at times and Altair has a sheer amount of willpower when he really wants it. There is no danger of them losing control because they simply can force themselves to stop. I don't know for certain, but I know them longer than one day. There is nothing to worry about on that front."

Arc sighed and put his head in his hands before slumping onto the table, groaning. "Why did this happen?" he complained quietly.

"No idea, and frankly, it is none of our business," Druella stated firmly. "We just have to accept that the Peverells are not normal, will never be normal and anyone who falls for a Peverell has to factor in the fact they will be pulled into that vortex as well."

"Along with friends and family," Arcturus added as he forced himself to sit up again. "It's headache-inducing sometimes."

"Yes," Druella agreed readily with a chuckle. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

Arc chuckled shortly. "Yeah, me neither," he admitted quietly.

His sister then turned back to her research. "Now, brother, if you will excuse me, I have some reading to get back to."

"May I help?" Arcturus lit up. "I would rather not play a game or get my butt handed to me in full view of the school."

Druella rolled her eyes. "Very well. You can start with the mummies."

"Awesome," Arcturus happily pulled the books on the subject towards him.

###########################################################################

"Ah, right on time as usual! Good evening, Harry. Good evening, Atty, and of course good evening and welcome to you, boys!"

It was safe to say that the last thing Tom and Altair expected when Harry told them if they woke up during the night, to get dressed and bring their weapons then meet her in the common room instead of going back to sleep. They had thought it was perhaps just another freaky coincidence, which was rather foolish in hindsight.

Tom and Altair had expected that their demi-immortal lover wanted to train them. They did not expect to see Thanatos, Hypnos and Melinoë standing in the Room of Requirement's arena, dressed in armour and wearing their divine faces instead of their mortal ones, and grinning at their confusion.

"I take it the Headmaster does not know you three are here," Tom commented dryly.

"No, and he won't find out, before you start worrying. He hasn't found out about us training Harry for the past few months," Hypnos informed with a grin. "If mortals could figure out the movements of deities, then we would have a serious problem."

"Touché," Altair agreed. He then frowned and his eyes widened a little. "Wait, you have been training Harry … here?"

"It is the best protected and most convenient," Melinoë shrugged. "We would have taken her to see Chiron, but he wouldn't know how best to train a Master or Mistress of Death. The centaur trains heroes and demigods, not representatives of gods."

"I am glad that they took it on themselves. I wouldn't be able to do half the things I can without their training," Harry added.

Athenaïs chirped in agreement.

Thanatos regard the two young wizards with such a serious glance that it made the pair nervous. "You two must have realised by now that what you have been experiencing of late isn't something that is occurring for no reason."

"We suspected, sir," Tom answered, trying to keep the unease from his voice.

"Well, what you may not have suspected, is this. During your little ritual, Harry's magic acted on its own accord and not only healed your soul, but decided to also take a trip into Altair's soul," Thanatos continued, the children not even daring to blink or breathe too loudly, as he began pacing. "Harry's capabilities as Mistress of Death are great, and for whatever reason, parts of her powers decided to transfer themselves to you."

Altair paled at hearing this, while Tom and Harry's eyes started bugging out of their sockets. "What?" he exclaimed. "She … transferred powers to us?"

"Unintentionally, but yes," Hypnos confirmed simply. "Just how many of the powers were transferred, we haven't the foggiest idea. All we know is that, you Altair, have gotten powers that are more closely linked to mine."

"Ones that I haven't even trained yet," Harry added. "Or didn't know I had."

Altair looked set to faint at this point; Thanatos turned to Tom. "And, ironically enough, your powers are closer to mine and Harry's."

Tom swallowed. "But how? Why? Why has this happened? And what does this make us?"

"Why this has happened only Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos know and they are not very forthcoming about giving answers – ever," Melinoë grumbled. "As for what this makes you … you're not Masters of Death but you're also not fully mortal either. We don't fully understand it either. This has never happened before! Not once."

"Great," Harry commented sarcastically. "Thrown into the deep end as usual."

"What we do know, is that the pair of you could be a danger to yourselves and others if you are not trained properly," Thanatos continued, ignoring his Mistress's commentary. "I think you both figured that out for yourselves as well."

"Yes, sir," the boys readily agreed.

"Given that you both can sense the presence of life and death, we will train your abilities to become more focused, like we did with Harry," the God of Death continued. "We will even train you in the basics of Soul Magic."

The boys could hardly believe their ears.

"No way," Altair breathed out.

Thanatos chuckled and then continued. "Then, we will split up. Altair, Hypnos will train you in the art of navigating his Realm and how to not interfere unduly in his children's work," Altair flushed at this point, "while Tom, Harry and I will teach you to get more control over the shadows."

"Yes, sir," the Heir of Slytherin answered obediently.

"You didn't have any more accidents with the shadows, by any chance?" Melinoë inquired.

"No, but I did have a near miss once," Tom flushed. "I nearly cloaked Frey in shadows because I was getting fed up of her singing."

Harry and Altair both snorted with laughter.

"OK, then – while that isn't ideal, I had perhaps expected someone to have landed in the hospital wing," the Goddess of Ghosts stated jovially. She clapped her hands together once. "Let us not dilly-dally any longer. We need to use all the time we can before the kiddies escape Hypnos' Realm again so let's get to it. Atty, will you be the glamorous assistant again, please?"

"Kkkyyyyuoo!"

"Perfect! Atty, could you please – yes sit right there. Now, Altair, we will start with you. Just stand right here," Melinoë instructed as she positioned the Nott Heir three metres away from Athenaïs. "Right. As we taught Harry, Soul Magic is both Life Magic as well as Death Magic. It has the capability of giving sentience to non-sentient life forms, as Forgers of the past sometimes discovered the hard way. The first thing every Soul Mage needs to know, is how to read the life force of another creature. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Altair confirmed readily. Tom nodded as well.

"Depending on how intelligent and big a life form is, the difficulty of the task can vary," Thanatos continued. "Which is why we will start with Athenaïs. Not because she is stupid, but her draconic genus makes it easier to read her soul than a human."

Altair nodded.

"Close your eyes," the God of Death ordered.

The Nott Heir complied immediately.

"Deep breath in, and then out. Keep doing this; focus," Melinoë continued as she and Thanatos observed the young wizard closely. "Good. Now, try to focus on nothing but Atty's heartbeat."

The Gargouille stayed as still as possible, just as she had done with Harry, but watched her Witch's mate with anticipation. Altair had no idea how he was doing it, but he could hear his own heart, and those of Harry and Tom – those he thought sounded more like human heartbeats anyway. Then he heard the sound of … humming. The Nott Heir zeroed his focus in on that humming sound and as soon as he did, Altair felt his magic begin to tingle and make its journey around his body faster.

Acting on instinct, Altair focused more and more on the humming of Atty's heart, which only seemed to fire his magical synapses up even further. Eventually Altair's eyes shot open on their own accord and he gaped when he saw a magnificent orb of luminous silver dancing in the young dragon's chest near her heart.

"No way …" he breathed out in disbelief.

"You see it, don't you?" he heard Harry's musical and amused tones to the side. "Atty's soul is pretty, right?"

Altair could only nod in agreement, utterly lost for words.

"You did very well. Not even Harry acted on that much instinct," Melinoë praised.

"Stupid question: how do I stop seeing her soul?" Altair asked.

"Lose focus. Calm your magic and allow the other presences in," the Goddess of Ghosts instructed.

Altair closed his eyes once more and listened to the sound of the beating hearts of his two lovers as well as his own, taking a few deep breaths. He felt his magic begin to calm down once more and as the sounds of the heartbeats faded, Altair opened his eyes once more. Atty was still sitting stock-still and smiling at him, but this time he could not see her soul.

"Well done, Altair. Tom, your turn," Thanatos grinned.

Tom and Altair obediently switched places, Atty still smiling encouragingly at Harry's mates. For some odd reason, Tom fumbled nervously with the Gaunt ring, while looking at the God of Death. "This … won't hurt her, right, if it goes wrong?"

"There is very little that can go wrong with a soul reading exercise," Thanatos reassured. "Atty won't feel a thing of what you are doing."

"I soul read most of the school," Harry added with a small grin. "No one noticed either. You'll be fine, love."

Tom nodded and then started following Melinoë's instructions. Again, once Tom got to the stage where he started hearing the heartbeats of the mortal beings around him, he too began narrowing in on the heartbeat that sounded not as bombastic as the other two. As he did so, the last Gaunt felt his magic begin to race and dance through his entire body; he especially felt it converge in his stomach, hands and eyes. His eyes flew open and Tom nearly staggered back in surprise when he saw the bright silver hue coming from Atty's chest.

"Like fish to water," was all Hypnos commented with a chuckle.

Melinoë lit up. "Let's see how good their long distance pinpoint sensing is already and then move onto Soul Fire conjuration!"

Tom and Altair both blanched for a moment at hearing this.

"Mel, let's not push them in one night. They also have specialised training to do!" Harry huffed.

"The more focused they become now, the more control they will have," the Goddess of Ghosts countered. "Besides, if they are sleepy tomorrow, you can always ply them with coffee at breakfast."

"That is not the point and you know it!" the Mistress of Death countered.

"Harry, we will lay the foundations and give some exercises for homework," Hypnos reassured placatingly. "We are not going to put them through the ringer like we did with you. We do have some knowledge of mortal limits."

Harry looked set to protest again but Tom decided it was best to put her worries to rest himself. "We don't mind the extra training, love. Merlin knows we need it," he advocated. "Altair and I can take it."

"Plus, I am not saying no to early Soul Fire training," Altair added with an excited, goofy grin.

The last Peverell rolled her eyes but she seemed to settle a little. "Very well. If you want to do this, I am not going to stop you."

Her lovers lit up.

Melinoë clapped her hands together, conjuring a map, just as she and her cousins had done with Harry. "Wonderful! Then let's get started. Altair, you will sense as many living forms on the grounds as possible and put them on the map. Then Tosti will check if you're correct. Tom, you will sense as man familiar presences in the castle as you can; Hypnos will check if you're right."

The boys looked daunted for a moment until a look of determination came onto their faces.

"OK," Altair agreed.

"Understood," Tom added.

Harry pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment and exchanged a look with Athenaïs, who had a resigned expression on her face. Indeed, Mistress and Familiar were both thinking the exact same thing: this was going to be a long night!

###########################################################################

Sunday morning the members of staff and the students attending Mr. Ogden's funeral were let out of the Realm at a more than decent time. The shower routine in Harry's dorm was quicker and snappier than normal with zero fuss. All the girls, Harry included, donned their best black dresses. Afterwards, Walburga took charge of doing Harry's hair and picking out a suitable piece to go around her neck while Ophelia took care of Atty and placing a collar of mourning around the dragon's neck. Druella did the same for Sigyn and Seraphina, who apparently insisted on coming too. Much to Harry's quiet dismay, Ygraine conjured five black lace veils and then helped to fix them to the head of each of her friends and then herself.

Quietly, Harry felt the veils were a bit much, but she also knew the protocol behind it. Mourning was meant to be a private affair and the veil assisted with that. What soothed her embarrassment was that War, Oizys, and Eileen – all three coming to the funeral as well – were wearing veils too, though War was as happy about it as Harry was.

"I am reminded why I hate going to funerals," War grumbled to her friends as she lifted the veil from in front of her face.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Harry pointed out to her.

"True, but I have already accused Felix of being a crappy friend. I am not about to become a hypocrite!" War sniffed indignantly. "Besides, Mr. Ogden was always there for the students. It's about time we return the favour."

"He was nice," Oizys agreed easily. "He checked if I slept better the night before when he saw me. I think he sussed out my insomnia somehow."

The boys joined them at this point. Harry smiled when she saw that young Octavian was wearing a snappy black suit, looking very dapper. Orion was even more well-dressed than normal, if that was even possible; Tom and Altair had put in a lot of effort as well. Heron was dressed in full black and Harry could admit that the look suited him very well. She was surprised to see Abraxas in full mourning robes, Arcturus and Caius both had swallowed their pride as well and she could have sworn Malum and Felix were bribed into coming judging by their faces but at that point Harry didn't care.

"Morning, boys," Druella greeted as Harry already exchanged hugs with Orion and embraced both Tom and Altair. "Sleep well?"

"Well enough," Arcturus answered first, yawning a little. "Feels like it is a bit too early for a Sunday still, though."

"Yeah, I would not have minded another hour in bed," Malum agreed.

"Or the whole day," Felix grumbled, which earned him a pointed look from Abraxas and Heron.

"Everybody present?" War asked. "I want to get a move on. I'm bloody starving."

"Lucky you. I am never hungry before a funeral," Ophelia huffed as they set of. "But I am going to have to eat before I have Mama Wally on my case."

"You need to eat something, even if it is just an apple," Walburga stated.

"I would rather just consume a smoothie and leave it at that until lunch," Harry agreed, Atty walking sedately beside her.

"How about just one bowl of porridge?" Altair bargained immediately. "Even if it is just a small one?"

As an extra bonus, the Nott Heir had donned the Pout of Doom, which made Harry cave in about two seconds flat. The Lady Regnant huffed. "Oh very well, then."

When the group got to the Great Hall, they found the breakfast tables filled by the early risers and the funeral attendees. The Heads of House and the Headmaster were at the staff table, eating at a morose pace and chatting quietly amongst themselves. Artemis and Loreley, both decked from head to toe in black with veils fixed to their heads, were listening in on a conversation between Ignatius, Tessa, the Weasleys, Katie Huxley and Jonathan Wood.

"-there is no way that the next Quidditch World Cup would be given to Germany or Austria after this mess," Huxley snorted. "They'd sooner give it to Transylvania!"

"I wouldn't mind seeing a World Cup in Svalbard or something," Wood smirked. "Let's see how the players adapt to those Merlin-awful conditions!"

"I don't think the World Cup organisers are interested in dealing with frozen corpses, Wood," Tessa rolled her eyes.

"They would be if paid enough money," Wood pointed out.

"Are you really talking about potential corpses on the day of a funeral?" Ophelia commented distastefully as the Slytherins joined them. "Have some decorum would you?"

"Oh thank Morgana you're here!" Artemis breathed a sigh of relief. "If you think that is bad, you should hear what they said about the wars."

"I would rather not," Harry pulled a face of disgust as she began helping herself to some porridge.

"Aiii, child solider – good point," Artemis winced. "I'm an idiot."

"Self-awareness is important," Caius commented snarkily.

Artemis glowered at him. "Shut up."

"It's just an observation," Caius stated with faux-innocence.

"Here is another observation: you're ugly," came Artemis' harsh reply.

"Can everyone please behave in front of the children?" Tom sighed irritably as he let Frey out of his pocket to have breakfast. Harry promptly poured him a mug of coffee, sensing the need for caffeine in her moody lover and stat!

"I've heard worse," Oizys informed primly. "I argue a lot with Malum, and with our parents. You should hear our parents when they really get on each other's nerves. They shout and trash a room and use words that Malum refuses to tell me what they mean-"

"Because you're too young!" Malum stated firmly.

"My parents ignore each other for up to two weeks when they get angry," Eileen added. "Eventually they forget what they were arguing about and then simply go on as if nothing has happened."

"My parents first shout at each other and then start crying," Octavian deflated.

"OK, I think we get the picture," Tessa paled.

Tom fortunately distracted Harry from the depressing topic with a rather concerned question. "Harry, did you or the girls remember to put a Glamour on Atty before Dumbledore notices that she isn't the most orthodox familiar?"

"Nice to know you have confidence in us, Riddle," Ophelia, who was sitting opposite Harry and overhead him, smirked. "I put an enchantment on Atty's collar. As far as her friends and loved ones can see, she looks like herself. But to everyone else, she looks like a giant cat."

Tom relaxed at hearing that while Artemis grinned. "Awesome! That means Atty considers me a friend at least!"

Atty howled happily in confirmation and nuzzled Artemis' right arm.

Breakfast continued with very little fuss. Once the Heads of House and the Headmaster saw that the students decked in mourning garb had finished, along with their familiars, they came to collect them – wreaths of lilies in hand – and on the way to the carriages usually reserved for taking students to and from Hogsmeade Station that were going to take them to Kelpie's Hollow.

The students listened carefully to Dippet as he babbled. "All right, children, our schedule for this morning is as follows: we will have a small service in Kelpie's Hollow. The staff and I will say a few words and then the floor will be open to all of you to say a few words if you wish before we consign Mr. Ogden to the ground. Afterwards we will have a cup of tea or coffee and cake at a café that Mr. Ogden and his late wife frequented as part of his funeral wish. You may have a look about the village before we return to the school. Is this clear?"

"Yes, sir," the students chorused without hesitation.

As the group stepped out onto the courtyard under the Clock Tower, the Headmaster handed out a wreath to Harry, Orion, Loreley and Artemis; none of them could disguise their surprise. He then knelt down in front of Atty and smiled. "I take it you are Athenaïs?"

Atty didn't trust to make a verbal noise so simply nodded. The Headmaster carefully put the wreath around her neck before standing up. "Patrick requested that if you intended his funeral, that you be the ones to put the wreaths on his coffin," Dippet explained. "Seeing as, and I quote, 'you made his day with your visits to his humble home'."

Harry forced herself to hold back the tears that were already threatening to fall. Orion, Artemis and Loreley managed to keep themselves composed but Atty looked set to start bawling again.

The group split up with the staff taking the carriage at the front. Harry, Atty, Tom, Altair, Loreley, Orion, Walburga and Seraphina took carriage number two. It was when the Thestrals, who were wearing necklaces of lilies and poppies around their neck, were ordered to set off that it began to drizzle and the bucket down cats and dogs.

How fitting, Harry thought dryly to herself.

"Has Dippet made a decision on who is going to take Mr. Ogden's place?" Orion asked quietly.

"He is still undecided," Loreley replied in an equally docile tone. "His mind will be made up by Wednesday."

"Let us hope it is someone who is as competent as Mr. Ogden was," Walburga sighed as she petted Seraphina absentmindedly.

"And not someone who is chosen by Dumbledore," Altair added coolly.

"Fortunately there are always multiple candidates for jobs such as this, chosen by the Governors and the other Heads of House," Tom answered, a dark look in his eyes. "Dumbledore can only advocate for his little favourite but it isn't a guarantee that the Headmaster will listen."

Harry chose to stay silent on the matter and continued to stare out of the window. Fortunately the topic soon changed onto Divination, Arithmancy and Testing How Accurate Loreley's Eye Actually Is. Orion and Altair had asked Loreley several questions that ranged from whether or not someone was going to cheat on a homework or coursework assignment, which new laws were going to be passed and general questions about their family.

Harry already smirked to herself as she waited for the answers.

"Seven will this week."

"Undecided; two paths can be taken."

"One will receive a nasty surprise, and the other will have a secret uncovered by an unlikely source."

"Oh, come on! You have to give us more than that," Orion pouted.

"She's a Seeress, not a Magic 8 Ball," Harry could not help but comment.

"A what?" Walburga frowned, cocking her head slightly, the other purebloods just as confused.

"Nothing," Harry sighed.

"I do think you should stop," Tom put in. "Most predictions are self-fulfilling anyway. It does not do to dwell on what could be."

Harry and Loreley smiled knowingly.

"It was just a bit of fun," Altair looked a little bit embarrassed. "Sorry, Loreley."

"No harm done," Loreley reassured serenely.

"By the way, how did your conversation go with Clare's mother?" Harry wanted to know, suddenly remembering her friend recently assisted another Gifted young witch.

Loreley smiled broadly. "Very well. Niamh was very inquisitive; she genuinely wants to support her daughter better. Clare was also very sweet. We talked a little bit about what she can see. As it happens, she can see the vitality of someone's life force – not that she knows what she is Seeing."

"She has no idea?" Orion's eyes widened.

"Well, she obviously knows she can see something others cannot, but she doesn't know precisely what it is," Loreley explained. "Clare is not too fussed by it because to her it is normal. Like seeing the sky is normal for us. We are the weird ones to her."

"Which is probably why she was confused as to why I didn't know I needed a Healer, according to her," Tom stated with a look of realisation.

"It makes sense. Plus, she's a kid. Life is usually much simple for them," Altair agreed.

Walburga frowned at Tom. "Why did Clare think you need a Healer for your life force vitality?" she asked curiously.

Oh boy, was the shared thought of Harry and Altair.

Tom, cool as a cucumber, smiled serenely. "Because of the effects of some unorthodox magic I had been researching in the Restricted Section," he answered nonchalantly. "Mostly Dark magic, admittedly."

Walburga nodded. "That does make sense. Darker magic does leave more of a mark."

Harry was quietly thankful that Tom had not lost his innate talent for lying very convincingly. She let out the breath that she had been keeping in, Altair doing the same. Loreley nearly giggled at them. Orion frowned in confusion but decided it was best not to ask too many nosey questions on the matter.

It was perhaps fortuitous that they arrived soon at Kelpie's Hollow. The carriages travelled through the village to its outskirts where a very pretty church with twelfth century architecture was situated. As the carriages pulled up, Harry was extremely surprised to see a pastor as well as a woman dressed in brown who clearly was not a Christian pastor coming to meet them.

The funeral party began departing their carriages. Orion left first and then helped his fiancée, Loreley and then Harry from the carriage. Atty, Altair and Tom jumped down next, Tom carrying Atty's wreath for her. The rest of the party, the girls putting their veils over their faces, gathered together and then followed the staff towards the church.

"Father Matthew, Banduri Brighid, good morning!" the Headmaster greeted. "Suitable occasion for a good watering, is it not?"

"Indeed, Armando," the pastor answered with a small smile. He looked at the extensive group for a moment. "Is this everyone?" he asked.

"Yes, this is everyone. A few of our staff opted to remain to look after the students and make sure no one got up to too much mischief," the Headmaster answered.

The pastor nodded and he and the strange woman stepped aside to let them into the church. On the face of it, the church looked like any other church someone could visit in England or Scotland. It had benches, an altar and a giant crucifix hanging above it. The casket containing Mr. Ogden's body was also at the front next to a small pulpit. However, Harry's sharp Seeker eyes noticed that the carved gargoyles and angels in the walls and ceiling changed and there were protection sigils carved above all the doors and windows. The organist was also not playing depressing or Gothic creepy music but a very light-hearted tune, which caught her a little off guard. The Lady Regnant was also surprised to see there were four others in the church: a veiled woman, a man who she assumed was the woman's husband and their two children.

Were they Mr. Ogden's family too? Harry could not help but wonder as she, Orion, Artemis, Loreley and Atty were directed to the opposite bench level with the small family by the Headmaster. Tom, Altair, Walburga and Heron were permitted to join them.

The pastor and the strange looking priestess waited another moment or two, just in case more mourners would be attending, before closing the church and beginning the service. Harry thought there would be an overt Christian element to the pastor's speech, for obvious reasons, but she was rather surprised that it wasn't entirely the case.

"Thank you all for coming. We are here to celebrate and remember the life of Patrick Ogden – a man who strove to put duty and others before his own needs. He spent his formative years here in Kelpie's Hollow with his family, and attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he became a member of the Hippogriff Club due to his outstanding work in Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. He began working as a Magizoologist at age twenty-two, which is also when he met his wife, Maggie. When his father died and it was time for Patrick to take over the mantel as groundskeeper, he set aside his research – his ambition and his passions – to fulfil a job his family had been doing for generations almost uncomplainingly. In fact, he made the job that he was effectively forced to take into one that people thought he was born to do. Through the loss of his wife Maggie, his familiar Bertie and even the loss of his brother and sister, Patrick never wavered. Until the end, he embodied the traits every child of the Almighty should strive to possess: honour, duty and selflessness."

It was here that Father Matthew opened the floor to anyone who wanted to come up. Harry looked to the people sitting to the right of the church, not wanting to take precedence over family members, but none of them went to stand. The Headmaster did.

"The Ogdens were a constant at Hogwarts; legacy groundskeepers. I still remember Patrick's father and grandfather, even though I was not Headmaster at the time. They had this innate work ethic that is slowly becoming a rarity, and Patrick was no different." The Headmaster smiled fondly. "I remember a conversation with him over tea once – I had complained about a few students who had ambition and talent but were faltering for some reason. And Patrick simply laughed and said, 'Armando, they are probably tired. If I had the ambitions of half of those children, I would be tired too!' And I won't deny that it bothered me. Because at one point Patrick had as much ambition as any of them, only his sense of loyalty to his family and to the school ensured they were put to one side. But once he had made the decision, nothing could dissuade him." Dippet chuckled. "I am going to miss that stubborn old goat and his good conversation over a cup of tea. He was … always willing to lend an ear when you needed it most, and that is really rare. I only wish … that he told us that he was ill."

Dippet placed his wreath onto the coffin. "Rest old chap. You deserve it. Give my best to Maggie and Bertie, would you?"

With one last bow of the head to the coffin, Dippet sat back down; Dumbledore got up next. He too said some sweet words and anecdotes about Mr. Ogden before laying his wreath and bowing his head. Harry noted that the rest of the Heads of Houses followed a very similar protocol. She did not want to call it scripted, but there was just parts of their speeches that did not feel as natural as they should. With Dippet she could sense the emotion – with the Heads of House, not as much.

Harry quickly realised they were very likely performing their duties as Heads of the Houses belonging to the Founders as part of a long practised funeral rite for the death of staff members. She had not noticed or even thought of that; everyone at Dumbledore's funeral in her original timeline were genuinely sad and angry.

Quietly, it really annoyed the Traveller that this was the case. No one deserved near scripted sympathy! It was probably because of this that the moment Professor Slughorn sat down, Harry got to her feet and went to the pulpit with a sense of determination, carrying the wreath with her.

For a moment she looked back at the coffin and a small smile began to form. "I think you underestimated your importance," she stated candidly to the coffin. "You were the person to guide me and a whole lot of first years to this castle of wonder that was going to be my new school. A potential new home. In that you remind me of someone I used to know. People always underestimated him too." Harry smiled sadly. "You offered me a place to just come to and escape without a moment's hesitation. You treated our familiars as equals without second thought." Harry swallowed. "I didn't take your offer as much as I would have liked, or should have in hindsight. Yet that doesn't change the fact that … I considered you a friend." Harry closed her eyes, forcing the tears back again. "I … hope you can forgive me for not showing it better."

This time a tear did escape and Harry was thankful for the veil at this point. She placed her lily wreath carefully onto Mr. Ogden's coffin, dipped a courtesy and took her seat. The Lady Regnant felt her breath quiver as she did so. Altair taking her left hand in his right and giving it a reassuring squeeze helped her to calm down as her friends gave their own short speeches. Atty did not say anything, opting to only put the wreath on the coffin and nuzzle the wooden box before trudging back.

What Harry did not expect, was Ophelia to start singing, with Oizys, Eileen and Octavian following closely behind. Walburga, Druella, Ygraine, Orion, Heron, Artemis and Loreley followed suit very quickly. Soon the church rung with a song Harry had never heard before.

# Hail Winged One,
We meet at last,
It took some time I pray,
I seek no reason for my spirit to stay,
No regrets to bewray,
For I made my peace long in the past

I greet thee Paean,
Thy Sword and birds I do not fear,
To the cycle of life I adhere,
To the earth I will return,
A rest I will earn,
And reunite with those gone before.

I ask thee, love of Lanais,
Let me not make the journey alone,
As I leave all that I have known,
Guard my soul,
As the earth doth guard my bones.

May life be created from my death.

#

During the song, the funeral party had followed the levitating coffin, Father Mathew and Banduri Brighid out to the church cemetery, past the Christian graves to a pretty grove the back. Harry watched as her friends continued singing, Banduri Brighid stepped forth towards two cypress trees with two stone angels, one of them being in the shape of a handsome hound, in front of them with names at their feet: one with Margaret Ogden carved under the angel's feet and the other with Bertie. The Lady Regnant watched as the strange priestess extended her right hand with the palm of her hand facing the ground.

Seconds later, the earth caved inwards as Father Matthew began muttering a Christian prayer. The hole formed itself perfectly to contain the coffin. Harry watched with wide eyes as the wreathes on the coffin began to glow. Vines began to sprout out and completely encase the coffin as it was lowered into the ground. Once Brighid had checked the coffin was lowered in securely she incanted a spell again and this time pulled the earth towards her, filling the hole in. As soon as the spell was done, it barely looked as though the ground had been disturbed.

It was also at this point that the singers stopped their ode. There was a moment of contemplative silence that followed.

"Is that it?" Harry found herself whispering.

"Yes, young miss," Banduri Brighid smiled kindly. "It will take a while for Patrick's tree to grow, but that is expected."

"Tree?" Harry repeated, flushing at how stupid she sounded.

"Yes. Just like his wife and familiar," Father Matthew gestured to the two cypress trees they stood close to. "It is a burial method saved for those with Druidic blood and Druidic affiliations. Margaret was a Druid, which means her husband is afforded the same courtesy, though he wasn't a Druid."

"And you don't mind?" Harry once more felt stupid for asking the question but felt she needed to, nonetheless.

"My church is a sanctuary for all, young miss," Father Matthew answered with a small reassuring smile as the group headed back towards the carriages. He regarded her curiously. "I take it this your first magical funeral?"

"No," Harry replied with a sad smile. "But the ones I went to, were not like this. In some cases we … didn't really get time to bury the dead properly."

She swallowed heavily at this admission. Tom offered her covertly his arm for her to take, which Harry accepted gratefully.

"Yes, I heard that your past is a little different from the Headmaster," Father Matthew answered. "He wanted to make sure that we didn't make the service too difficult to follow since you are not entirely accustomed to certain traditions just yet. Don't worry, we did not do anything or leave anything out that was important to Patrick."

"OK," Harry answered simply. She pursed her lips for a second. "May I ask a question?"

"Of course," the priest replied kindly.

"What was the song my friends were singing?" Harry was once more red with embarrassment. "I have never heard of it before."

"That's because these days only purebloods sing it," Altair informed her with a small smile.

"Indeed," Father Matthew confirmed sadly. "It is an ode to Death himself that witches and wizards of old, especially when the mortality rate was exceedingly high, would sing in order to fortify their spirits and be able to rally themselves to face the trials of life. Especially if a death was sudden. It is falling out of fashion, sadly."

I haven't heard it in a while, Thanatos commented through Harry's Link. I liked hearing it again.

"So, Banduri Brighid is a Druid?" Harry guessed, deciding to get her last question out before it was too late to get an answer.

"Of a kind, yes," Father Matthew answered.

Unfortunately the priest did not get to elaborate.

"Miss Evans, Mr Riddle, Mr Nott!" Professor McCullagh called from outside the gates. "It is tea time. Hurry up before Professor Dumbledore gets cranky!"

"Kara!" Dumbledore protested.

"Ooops, too late!" Professor McCullagh stated jovially, the students chuckling and giggling.

Harry chuckled too and bowed her head to the priest. "Thank you for enlightening me, sir."

"You're welcome, young miss," Father Matthew's eyes danced with amusement.

Harry followed Tom and Altair back to their carriage before the Head of Ravenclaw made more of a fuss.

"Merlin, did you see Dumbledore's face?" Orion grumbled as soon as he and his friends were back in their carriage. "I swear, he could not even pretend to not be a judgemental old coot!"

"I should have allowed Seraphina to use his shoes as a scratch pole," Walburga agreed.

Seraphina meowed in affirmation.

Harry's brow furrowed immediately. "I'm confused, what did I miss?"

"Dumbledore's sour countenance at the fact we had the gumption to sing an old funeral ode," Loreley answered with a whole lot more ice than normal.

The Mistress of Death pulled a face of disbelief. "What?"

"Yep!" Altair stated irritably. "It is a good thing McCullagh and Griffith were shooting him some dirty looks because I swear he looked set to take points off us for doing it."

"Oh for goodness' sake," Harry huffed.

"Indeed," Tom agreed.

Harry then looked at Walburga. "Stupid question, but why didn't you put that song into my pureblood training?" the Lady Regnant wanted to know.

Walburga paled and her eyes bugged out in realisation. "Oh by Merlin's sainted mother Hunith, we didn't teach you any classical odes! This is terrible! I will discuss the best ones to study with Ophelia later. We are such idiots!"

"Nonsense, dear," Orion reassured her gently. "You taught our dear Lady Regnant how to be a Lady – I think that is way more important than being able to sing a funeral ode that we likely may not need to sing again in a while."

Both Seraphina and Frey concurred this time. Atty nodded emphatically too, causing Harry to mock-scowl at the familiars while her friends chuckled heartily. Harry then remembered the strange family of four and frowned.

"Why didn't the small family come with us?" she wondered out loud.

"What small family?" Orion asked curiously.

"Wait, you are not being serious are you? You didn't see them?" Harry's eyebrows flew up in surprise. "They were sitting directly opposite us on the right hand-side benches."

Everyone in the carriage, familiars included, exchanged a look between them in shock and looked at Harry as though she had appeared out of thin air. Loreley though then had a split look of realisation but soon composed herself.

"There was no one there, Harry," Altair informed carefully.

"Yes there was," Harry contradicted. "There was a man, a woman and two children."

"Are you certain?" Tom inquired.

"Positive!" his future Consort insisted.

Walburga frowned for a moment and then lit up. "Perhaps they were church sprites? Maybe you saw them because of your powers?"

"Could be," Harry frowned.

"Wait … Blacks … how much do you know about…?" Tom wanted to know, suddenly realising what Walburga was referring to. Altair was paler than the petals of a lily at this point.

"About Harry being the Mistress of Death?" Orion finished with a small smile. "We know, but we don't know the true extent of her powers. To be honest, that doesn't really matter to us."

"Indeed," Walburga stated primly. "She is still our Harry in dire need of fashion advice and direction."

The last Peverell rolled her eyes, before turning a little serious. "I know I risk sounding like a broken record, but what are church sprites?"

"You know how Romans believed in household gods? Church sprites are similar to that," Walburga explained. "They are Fae who adopt a church under their protection or simply for the reason that they built on a leyline. Most are docile, but others can be very testy when disturbed."

That gave Harry something to mull over for a while. She was still silently pondering when the carriage procession parked itself close to the main square of Kelpie's Hollow and the Headmaster led the way to a small tavern none of the kids had visited before. Mainly because it was down one of the streets they had not gone down yet. Harry was very aware that they all stood out like a sore thumb, given that there was a large group of people dressed entirely in black.

The Kelpie's Song was a cute, rustic tavern that kept a medieval theme in their decorations and how the tables were set up. There were shields on the wall, display swords and awesome tapestries. There were already a decent number of people drinking and talking amongst themselves; the owner herself – a well-built woman in her late thirties – came to greet them.

"Ah, you must be the Ogden party. We have a few tables reserved. Follow me!"

The Headmaster also addressed the children. "Right. The tea and cake has already been prepared for us. If you want something else to drink, it is on your own tab – no alcohol! I am certain none of you contemplated it, but I want to have it said."

Harry tried not to laugh at the disgruntled faces she spied on Felix and Caius' faces. Clearly they had been planning exactly that!

Ophelia kidnapped Harry, Walburga and Loreley, much to the amusement of the boys, to sit with her, Ygraine, Druella, Artemis and the first years, eyes gleaming. "Can you girls come with me to the market later? I spotted a new stall that have some interesting objects for … the project we have been discussing."

The three girls smiled knowingly. Walburga lit up. "Did you see a suitable box?"

"I think so – I saw a stall with a bunch of them so I assume they will have something suitable," Ophelia informed happily.

"Well, we will check later. First, tea and cake!" Druella stated as she, Ygraine and Artemis distributed the tea cups, cake and tea pot they were levitating towards their table.

The three first years lit up when they saw the kind of cake. "Yes! Chocolate cake!"

"Abigail's chocolate delight; a favourite of the Ogdens, apparently," Ygraine replied with a grin as the children tucked in as soon as they were given a fork.

"I can't help but wonder who Mr. Ogden named as his heir for whatever possessions he did have," Artemis stated with a frown as she poured her tea. "I mean, if no one is named than by law it is automatically given to Hogwarts. I mean that is not the worst that could happen, but still."

Harry frowned as she sipped her own tea. "Why would his belongings be forfeited to the school?"

"Because of a bit of archaic magic," Druella explained. "Those employed at the school are seen as an extension of the castle itself. Without natural family, Hogwarts is automatically viewed as the 'last living family', thus inherit everything."

"Huh," was all Harry could answer with. She had absolutely no idea that this was a thing.

"It only happens rarely. Most of the teachers have family," Ygraine added. "Because of this most people forget the rule exists."

Harry nodded ponderingly, taking the information in. She tuned her friends out for a moment in order to quietly ponder about the news that Dippet was still apparently undecided about Mr. Ogden's successor. Though Loreley already practically confirmed what she already knew, the Traveller could not help but wonder if Hagrid was going to be given the job the same manner he received it in her original timeline. Though, she was forced to admit, she was not entirely certain how Hagrid had been given it. Somehow, Harry doubted it would be entirely the same manner.

Too much had already been altered, and there seemed to still be enough prejudice against the young half-giant to put doubt in the mind of Armando Dippet. Though Hagrid had been her friend once and she still felt loyalty to him, Harry could also understand why he was a controversial pick.

Young King Edward was right; once an idea takes hold in the mind of people, especially when reinforced, it took a whole lot to dissuade them from it.

"Do you not want your cake, Evans?"

The innocent question from the young Rookwood boy knocked Harry out of her stupor. She blinked a few times and then smiled sadly. "I do not have much appetite right now," Harry replied honestly, pushing her cake in the young boy's direction. "You can have it."

Octavian lit up. "Thank you!" he exclaimed happily as he tucked into his second piece.

"Greedy guts," Oizys commented, shaking her head at him.

"Hey! She offered!" Octavian protested. "I only meant to check if she was OK."

"No, you were fishing," Eileen rolled her eyes. "You're just as bad as Nymera when it comes to chocolate cake!"

The seventh year girls chuckled at the disgruntled expression of the first year wizard.

"I admit, I would like to see a competition between Nymera and Harry to see which one of the two could inhale their favourite dessert first," Artemis grinned, causing Harry to put on a faux-indignant expression on her face.

"Thank you, Artemis, that's very flattering," Harry drawled in her Snape inspired manner.

"Well, I know the both of you would be left in the dust by Sigyn, Seraphina and Atty," Loreley informed serenely, checking over her shoulder for the status update on the familiars' bowls of milk. "Both bowls are squeaky clean already."

"Yes, but they prioritise milk over conversation so that isn't too surprising," Druella commented with a grin as the three familiars shot her a pointed look.

"Well, I would prefer the priority to shift to going to the market soon before all the good boxes are gone and we need to go," Ophelia stated, a little more jumpy than normal, practically bouncing in her seat to get going.

"Yeah, yeah, Lia, let us finish our tea and Rookwood eat the last of Harry's cake," Druella countered.

Five minutes later, the group – after informing Dippet and McCullagh where they were going – was attempting to keep up with the Rowle heiress' surprising stiff march towards the market. The first years complained regularly that Ophelia needed to slow down; eventually Druella looped her right arm through her friend's left and Harry taking the other side in order to make sure the enthusiastic witch kept a reasonable pace. It was no surprise to the Lady Regnant of House Peverell that they received some funny and amused looks – they must have looked utterly absurd: dressed in full funeral garb and having to restraint Ophelia.

"I take it we are looking for something for Rowle to send to my brother?" Oizys stated bluntly as they approached the stall that Ophelia had spotted and they began surveying the boxes – all of them in different shapes, sizes, styles and cultural influences.

"Erm, yes," Ophelia was bright red as she answered.

"Oh good! Because I have been getting jolly sick and tired of his excuses," the young Avery informed bluntly. "I do not care how poor his poetry is – it should be his job, not yours. But then again you are friends with Evans, so it would be foolish that some brazenness has not rubbed off on you."

The girls could not disagree there.

Oizys continued. "I do not know if you know this, but Malum's favourite colour is red, which is funny because his name literally means 'apple'."

Harry could not help but snort shortly with laughter at hearing that. She never thought about that until now! "And why did your parents pick that name?" she dared to ask once she had recovered.

Oizys grinned. "Because my parents met because Father's familiar stole Mother's apple."

The Traveller gaped unabashedly. OK, now she definitely needed to hear that story! Walburga saw the danger and decided to intervene. "Oizys, we can have story time later. Right now, we need all hands on deck finding a good box. Ophelia, where is the one you had your eye on?"

"Here!" the Rowle heiress called from the left – the box stall was two tables long. She had in her hands an ornate medieval-inspired heavy antique cast brass box with scenes that Harry could not discern what they were of. "I found this one, but I also like that red, green and gold one," she nodded towards a box that she stood near.

Some of the girls hurried to take a look; Harry continued to survey the boxes for herself with a pondering frown. Somehow, that brass box just didn't feel right. It looked too ordinary and she was willing to bet her incoming wages that those scenes were some generic Arthurian nonsense.

No, that would not do at all!

It seemed like some of the others shared her sentiments.

"Lia, the box is great for a jewellery box, but this is a courting proposal," Druella reminded her gently. "It needs to be something that symbolises both you and him. We could help you make one."

"Plus, that other one is of Russian origin! You are chasing Malum Avery, not Caius Dolohov!" Artemis added not so gently.

Harry actually facepalmed at that and continued to study the multitude of boxes in front of her. They were all very pretty, but they just did not sit right either. But right before Harry decided to throw the towel in and offer to make one for Lia, she straightened her attitude when she spotted something in her peripheral vision. She hurried to the end of table two to the thing that had caught her eye. It was one of the few wooden boxes for sale. On the face of it, it was just a simple wooden box made from various different woods, but it was the carving on the top of the box that had caught her eye. It was an image of a group of kelpies in water frolicking under what – to Harry – looked like apple trees.

The Lady Regnant chuckled to herself softly as she carefully picked it up to examine it. The sides were undone – they could be added to. Then she carefully lifted the lid. The inside was deep enough to add something to as well as fit at least three or four other gifts in it.

"Good choice, lassie," Harry looked up at the jolly, rotund man who had been apparently watching her browse. "I carved that one meself. Took me ruddy ages! My wife loves woodcarving and I wanted to give it a try. A lot of blood and swearin' went into that!"

Harry grinned. "I do not doubt it, sir," she answered politely. She then looked to the other end of the table where her friends were still debating over a few other metallic boxes. "Lia. Lia! Come here! Have a look at this one!"

The group came over in seconds, curious to see what their friend had happened to find. Harry almost preened and laughed when she saw every pair of eyes widen at what she had just happened to find. Even Seraphina, Sigyn and Atty had looks of awe that were too adorable for words. Loreley was biting her lip, trying not to laugh; Harry frankly did not want to know why.

"Did you just happen to stumble across the perfect bloody box, Hera?" Artemis grumbled as Ophelia took the box and began studying it closely.

Ygraine chuckled. "I think I am just going to let Harry hunt for my box as well."

"Wait until the weekend before Imbolc," Loreley answered mystically. "You will find the perfect one then."

No one dared to say anything.

"Can she predict if we are going to pass this year?" Octavian was the only one brave enough to comment eventually.

That question earned him a small but knowing smirk from the Malfoy Seeress.

"OK, from what I see, the box can fit everything I have planned…" Ophelia wondered out loud. "The inside though …"

She raised her head sharply to look at Harry. "Are you still up for helping me?" she wanted to know.

"Just set me to work," the Lady Regnant answered simply with a small shrug.

Ophelia grinned and she turned to the stall owner who had been watching them with a look of sheer amusement. "This box please, sir!"

"A very good choice! That will be five Galleons if you please, miss!"

Oizys was already hyped up. "I am going to need someone to put me under a Silencing Charm because I don't know if I can keep this from Malum."

"We could just make you temporarily forget."

"Artemis!" the Potter heiress was scolded for that idea immediately.

##########################################################################

That particular evening, Andras found himself padding carefully down the dark corridor that led to the study and library belonging to his wizard's father. Ever since the Yule holidays, the Northern Inuit hound had been keeping a closer eye on Lord Nott and his antics. What the familiar observed was that the man was coming home more often, and practically lived in his library when he wasn't out in London.

Now this was not all that out of the ordinary – except Andras could have sworn that Lord Nott was talking to himself. This was something he had head the man never do and frankly, it was unnerving the familiar. It got worse a couple of days ago when a strange owl had delivered mail for Lord Nott.

Initially, Altair's father had been dismissive of the letter and pulled a face of disgust when he realised it could be a matter of import and thus was forced to deal with it. Andras, unbeknownst to the man, had been right outside the library door, which had been ajar, when this happened. The Northern Inuit hound had been witness to seeing the man's expression go from thunderous to confused to surprised to absolutely horrified.

What the reason was Andras did not get to know because the magical outburst from Lord Nott had forced the door to slam shut. But the familiar knew whatever it was, was not the usual human government business because the man never reacted like that to any kind of set back thrown at him. Hiding was the go to card for that.

But, this evening, Lord Nott had not come home at all. Andras could only guess at where he was but presently, he did not care. The curious familiar needed to know what had gotten the man who tormented his wizard and poor Amaris so riled. It was this curiosity that made the Northern Inuit hound walk through the ajar door without any concern and padded straight for the desk.

Humans kept all their important papers and weird objects on those things; Andras knew to start there. He stood on his hindlegs and studied the objects on Lord Nott's desk. Feather pens, ink pots, blank sheets of parchment – not useful. Photo frames, none with Amaris or Altair but with a different woman and different children. This made Andras growl for a second or two.

OK, nothing on the desk – maybe in it?

The Northern Inuit hound began to rifle through the desk drawers, looking for anything that could look like a letter that could make someone angry. In the top left drawer, nothing. Second and third also had nothing that looked like a letter. Just folders and files. Then Andras went to the right to do the same.

The moment he opened the top drawer, Andras' eyes widened. There were more photos, quickly made ones – he assumed, but they were different to the ones on the desk. As though they were made without the people in them knowing they were being taken. There were photos of the strange boy and girl, the same strange woman and Lord Nott. Andras carefully picked them up and dropped them to the floor to have a closer look only to discover a message underneath them.

I wonder if Lady Nott knows what you have been up to of late. You are not as careful as you think, sir.

It wasn't a letter, though written on the weird paper. It had more of a threat to it, Andras noted.

"Andras!"

The Northern Inuit hound yelped in surprise and jumped back in surprise. He looked to see Amaris hurry into the library, looking absolutely ashen. "What are you doing in here? You know you're not allowed in here! Come away this instant!" she fussed, now and again looking to the door in case Lord Nott would appear out of nowhere.

Andras shook his head and barked at the pictures on the ground. This made Lady Nott frown in confusion. "What is it, boy? What have you got there?" she asked curiously and came round to see what had her son's familiar making a fuss.

When Amaris saw the photos her eyes widened. She promptly picked them up to have a closer look. Andras watched her eyes bug out of her head, her skin turn even paler and tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Oh Mattheo …" her voice was barely a whisper. Andras then got back on his hindlegs and barked at the strange note. Amaris stared at the photos a moment longer before she turned to see what else the hound had found. "What in Merlin's name is this?" she wondered to herself as she picked up the note and read it.

Amaris' strange purple eyes suddenly had a look of realisation in them. "Someone is blackmailing you, aren't they? Finally someone is starting to catch onto you," she stated to no one in particular.

Andras barked in agreement. This knocked Amaris out of her train of thought. "Come on," she stated as she quickly put the note and photos back in the drawer and beckoned Andras to follow her. "Not a word or bark, Andras. We saw nothing."

Andras frowned in confusion but could see that his wizard's mother had an emotion other than fear in her eyes. He just couldn't tell what it was – only that perhaps that Lord Nott should be very afraid.

###########################################################################

So Harry versus Grindelwald part 2 has begun, Tom and Altair's training has commenced and Artemis is now officially in on one of her cousin's secrets. It also seems that Diantha is not the only one who has been receiving letters and photos. Where will these paths lead? How many turns are going to be taken? Stay tuned to find out!

Orion: Oooooooo Andras went snooping!

Harry: I was really worried Lord Nott would be the one to find him!

Tom: Umbreon knows how to keep one in suspense.

Gellert: Pffft, I knew the doggo would not be dealing with Nott's idiotic father. Too obvious.

Orion: Shush!

Gellert: What? It is!

Queenie: You know what else is predictable? Harry is going to be able to deal with your Undead better than you thought.

Harry *blanching*: What?!

Orion: No spoilers, Queenie!

Indeed, Orion! See you next chapter everyone

Kingmaker'sUmbreon