Everything is J.K. Rowling's. I only claim the plot. Everything else, including the characters and the magic, is hers. Please let me know what you think. I encourage feedback of all kinds; just be nice about it!

I want to thank everyone for their patience and their kind words in the comments. I wish I could say I was incredibly busy these past few months, and while I was on occasion, the main issue was just my own motivation. I really struggled with writing these past few months, not just with this story but for any of my own stories or the other HP fanfictions I'm working on that I hope to publish after this one. I struggled with all of it. I tried doing short story competitions to re-ignite the muse, so to say and I actually did decently with those, I got an Honorable Mention for one even. But it was still rough. I kept giving myself deadlines for posting a chapter and then not making it after staring at the blank screen and then just feeling worse about it. Which did not help the writing drive.

Anyway, enough about me! I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's very long which I hope is some compensation for the long wait. It's not super plot heavy, more character chatting and interactions and seeing how the Hogwarts students are, so very light and fluffy, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Also, the next chapter is a Marvolo POV and is mostly written I just need to edit it a bit because it's a bit melodramatic for a Dark Lord, but I hope to have that out within the next week or so.

Again, thank you again for all of your patience and your continued support of this story, it really does mean everything to me. I re-read the comments often to work on my inspiration and motivations. I hope I can release more than a few chapters this year, I'd love to finish the story this year but we shall see how things go.

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Isn't It Obvious?

The stone wall was cold against her back, but Ginny didn't care, barely felt it through her thick jumper, especially when all of her focus was taken up by Blaise standing inches from her and smiling that devilishly handsome smile that she both wanted to kiss and hex off his face. They were supposed to be standing guard for the Room and waiting for Harry to arrive. It had been a while, though, since Harry had left the Great Hall and Ginny was fairly certain that they would hear the sounds of fighting before they actually saw him, especially considering he went off with Dumbledore alone. Plus, they'd set wards to alert them when someone neared the hallway, so Ginny wasn't particularly worried about not being on full alert.

"Bet on whether we wake up to Dumbledore's corpse in the morning?" Blaise asked.

"You're on." Ginny grinned."Harry's got more control than that. Plus, the whole school knows they went to the Headmasters' Office. He wouldn't risk the repercussions." At least, if Dumbledore didn't rile him up to the point of being so emotionally impulsive that Harry disregarded all the plans he'd made. That was the only sticking point in Ginny's certainty. Harry was like her and her family in that regard, emotions were their strength and weakness, the line between the two was thinner than a fired curse. "It's a win-win, either way, though. Dumbledore is dead, and we can start the next steps of revolutionizing the world, or Dumbledore will live a few months longer, and Harry will finish ruining his reputation first."

Blaise smirked, but it faded, and a groove appeared in his brow as he pursed his lips. Ginny frowned up at him. "What's wrong? Afraid to take your own bet?"

"Not at all. Loser pays for everything at Hogsmeade tomorrow."

"Everything?"

Blaise nodded cocky smirk returning, even though he had to know Ginny would win, which meant that was his plan all along the bloody Slytherin. "So what's wrong then?"

Blaise shrugged, hands shoved in his pockets and shoulders slightly hunched. "Well, I know Hogsmeade is tomorrow, but I did have some plans for tonight. Considering today is actually Valentine's Day."

Ginny swallowed down her smile and ignored the flip of her stomach at those words. "I'm okay with the plans changing, Blaise."

"But it's Valentine's Day. Unlike others, firecracker, I actually had something planned." Her stomach flipped again at the nickname, but she kept her smile coy despite knowing her face burned; some things just couldn't be helped, Weasley genetics were one of them.

"Did you?"

"Well…half a plan. An outline, to be fair."

"There will be other Valentine's Days. Besides, tomorrow we can go to Hogsmeade and celebrate then." Bloody fucking Merlin's ball sack, she hoped there were other Valentine's Days, hoped desperately that Blaise would stick around.

"Suppose that will be what's best. However, I don't think we should disregard the day altogether; I'm sure there are some things on my outline that we could still make a reality tonight."

"Oh, you think so," Ginny said with a cheeky grin, swaying closer and rising on her toes to reach him.

Instead of kissing her, though, he pulled a box out of his robe pocket. She blinked in confusion and accepted the box. It was thin, rectangular, and flat, with a blue ribbon wrapped around black velvet. It looked like a wand box. She frowned at it, glancing up at Blaise. He looked oddly nervous, which had her nerves spiking and anxiety swirling in her stomach. He never looked nervous – consummate Slytherin that he was – she'd only seen him look nervous when he first introduced her to his mother before the Dark Lord's Ball. But his mother was amazing, so she didn't know why he had been nervous then. Elladora Zabini was a woman that Ginny wished to emulate: a strong and independent woman who forged a legacy. Ginny loved her mother, was a proud Weasley, and would defend her parents from the sneering Purebloods to her dying breath, but she and her mum rarely agreed on anything.

Slowly, Ginny opened the box and gasped. It was a necklace. A thin golden chain holding a pendant of interconnected fireworks. The pendant was only an inch or two in diameter but held many colors, alternating and changing like an actual fireworks show. "I know we haven't really talked about it. I mean, we did a bit after the Yule Ball, but not officially, anyway. But…" Blaise took a breath, and Ginny thought her heart might actually burst from her chest. "I like you, Ginny. I want to see where this goes, and I'd like you to consider this my first courtship gift."

She swallowed hard against the emotions building in her throat and licked her lips. "Courtship?" She asked, her voice shakier than she'd like, but Blaise didn't comment.

"I know it's an old Pureblood tradition, and it's not much different from just dating, I guess, if you really think about it, but…I like the seriousness behind it, the intention. This isn't just a passing fancy, at least not for me."

"You did say you were a romantic at heart," she said softly.

"You mentioned being similar," he countered with a weak smile.

Ginny made a mental note to ask Hermione for every book she had on courtship practices. Actually, no, she would ask Pansy. She'd probably have more resources than Hermione in this situation, and in the past few months, Pansy had, shockingly, become one of Ginny's dearest friends. "Put it on?" she asked, looking up at Blaise, his face contorted from nervous stoicism to relieved adoration to coolly suave so quickly that Ginny would have missed it if she hadn't been looking. Her smile widened.

Spinning on her heel to stare at the stone wall, she pulled her hair over her shoulder and felt a thrilling rush as his fingers fumbled at her neck to notch the necklace's clasp. The weight of the pendant rested on her chest, and gripping it in her hand, Ginny turned back to face Blaise. "I would love to be courted by you," she said, grinning widely and not bothering to smother it. Blaise's eyes lit up with a hidden warmth while his mouth only twitched into a smirk.

It was a smirk that could only have one response. Happiness brimming within her, and not wanting to hold it back, Ginny grabbed Blaise's shoulders and brought him down to her level to snog the bloody hell out of him.

"Should I come back later?"

The immediacy of her reaction was something she would pride herself on later, but in the moment, her adrenaline was spiked. She and Blaise had their wands aimed in less than a second, and spells danced on the tip of her tongue as she stared at the empty hallway. Why hadn't the wards alerted them?

"It's just me!" Harry's head and body appeared standing a few feet away, a grin on his face. Ginny launched herself at him, hugging him tightly. Sure, she had just seen him in the Great Hall, but that was different. That was when he was putting on his pretentious airs, his Lord persona, his Deaths' Child act, not the real him, her brother, her friend.

Finally pulling back, she allowed Blaise to wrap Harry in a side hug as he finished tucking his Invisibility Cloak away. "Sorry to interrupt your plans for the evening," Harry said, looking too amused to be genuine.

"Our plans can be rearranged," Blaise said easily, putting a hand in his pocket and throwing his other arm around her shoulder. Ginny tried not to let her face combust with the heat she could feel radiating from it. "Not like I could top your entrance into the Great Hall."

Ginny snorted; she knew that Harry's entrance would be the talk of the school. It would be a lot of work on her and the others' part, to keep the focus on what was said and not on just how desirable Harry looked in his leather jacket and his nonchalant attitude of strolling up in the middle of dinner.

"Yeah, I guess, I didn't check the calendar when I planned the visit. Sorry."

Blaise smirked. "You mean you don't regularly check your calendar for romantic holidays while in Dark Lord training?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "So, are you two the only ones who hung around, or are the rest waiting?"

Ginny grinned. "As if you'd be so lucky. No, the others are already in the Room. We were the look-outs."

"Yeah, you two were really on the lookout." Ginny punched his shoulder; Harry chuckled.

"Come on, let's get in then. Your adoring fans are waiting," Blaise said, stepping closer to the blank wall to begin walking back and forth.

Harry tugged Ginny's arm to hold her back and not interfere with Blaise's pacing. She looked at him. "Does Ron know?"

Ginny grimaced. "Not in so many words. We haven't said anything directly to him, but he knows something is between us. I mean, we went to that Ball together, and we always hang out and…ugh! Don't you dare say anything to him, Harry James Potter. I will bat bogey you, Deaths' Kid or not."

Harry held his hands up in surrender. "Won't say anything, but you do need to tell him soon. You don't want him to find out by other means."

Ginny sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I know. He just gets so ridiculously overprotective, and it's unnecessary."

"You know it's because he cares."

"I get that, but it doesn't mean I want to deal with it."

"I'll try mentioning something to him if it comes up."

Ginny smiled thankfully while the door to the Room of Requirement materialized, and Blaise looked back at the two of them. "Let's get you to your party. You're the guest of honor, after all."

Ginny walked towards the Room but stopped, her hand almost on the doorknob, when she noticed neither Harry nor Blaise were following her. She glanced back. Harry had actually put a hand on Blaises' shoulder to prevent him from walking and pulled him a few feet away, out of hearing range. Frowning and noticing that neither was paying attention to her, she cast a spell that Fred and George had taught her regarding eavesdropping, enhancing the sound around her.

"Aw, don't look like that. I'm not even the brother you have to worry about," Harry said, and Ginny watched Blaise grimace but looked resigned. Was Harry honestly doing this? She thought in annoyance. Of all her brothers, she hadn't expected it from him. Maybe she should have, though; she knew how protective he could be. "Look, I know Ginny is perfectly capable of castrating you if you ever hurt her, and her other brothers will certainly enact their vicious creativity in making you suffer. I just want you to know that if you ever hurt her, after all of them have reaped their revenge, I can legally eviscerate your soul so thoroughly that you will be erased from history and existence."

Ginny blinked. Could he really do that?

"Does the offer go both ways?" Blaise asked, looking a bit pale in the face of Harry's threat but keeping his chin up. Harry – and Ginny still ignored, eavesdropping, and standing in front of the still shut door to the Room – frowned in confusion. "I know she's your sister, but I am your ally and one of your circle. And between us, I think I'm more in danger of being hurt than she is."

Ginny's heart melted a bit at those words. Did Blaise really care that much? She gripped the necklace, the pendant a representation of his nickname for her, and pursed her lips to keep the bubble of happiness down.

Harry softened his grip on Blaise's shoulder and smiled more gently at him. "If she hurts you, I promise I will also extract a punishment from her. However, to be honest, I probably won't kill her because then I'd have to deal with her brothers and her parents."

Blaise chuckled. "A bit cowardly for a Gryffindor."

"I'd say tactical."

Ginny chose that moment to interject and remind them that she was still there. She cleared her throat and took a breath before huffing out an annoyed, striding closer. "Are you doing what I think you're doing?"

Harry squeezed Blaise's shoulder again before dropping his hand and walking towards Ginny. "I said I'd talk to Ron on your behalf, and I will. I didn't say I wouldn't also have something to say."

Ginny scowled, but Harry grinned and wrapped her in another hug. "It's fine," he whispered in her ear. "I like him. So don't you go hurting him either," he whispered in her ear.

Blaise gave her a look as he walked past to open the door. She smiled and gave him a nod. Blaise returned the nod, glanced at Harry's back, and then entered the Room. Ginny grabbed Harry's arm, stopping him from stepping through the open door himself. "You mean it? You like him?"

Harry looked at her, his head tilted and his eyes intense but warm and gentle. "Yeah, Ginny. So long as he makes you happy and keeps you smiling, I'll have no problems with him."

She didn't need his permission or his approval, but it lifted a weight she hadn't known rested on her shoulders. Harry was her brother. The brother that held the most sway among the others, even if he denied it. His opinion held weight with herself, too, as much as she tried not to let it. If he decided he didn't like Blaise as her boyfriend, then a single comment from him would fan the flame she'd never be able to fight against. Ron was already predisposed to dislike any guy she was interested in, and Ron's opinion would influence the brothers who weren't in Hogwarts because Ron had a front-row seat to the guy in question. Still, if Harry cast his vote in favor, it could sway not just Ron but her other brothers, too.

She watched as Harry entered the Room of Requirement and heard the cacophony of cheers rising in greeting. Blaise poked his head out moments later and gave her a quizzical look. "All good, firecracker?"

Ginny didn't know if Blaise would last long as her boyfriend, didn't know if he was the one – didn't really care to know right now, to be honest – but he here now and smiling at her, and his necklace rested comfortably around her neck, and her brother supported her choices, and for now, that was all that mattered.

She smiled at Blaise and walked into the Room. "All good."

Theo hovered at the back of the crowded Room of Requirement, the Room was small enough to feel cozy but large enough to not feel cramped, there were only about thirty students if that after all. Streamers and decorations were hanging from the ceiling, to add to the festive atmosphere and along the back wall was a long buffet table and in another corner was a group of chairs that seemed pulled from a Common Room, probably Ravenclaw given the blue color. For being put together so quickly, essentially since they'd left the Great Hall, Theo thought it was well done and mentally tipped his hat to Pansy, Hermione, and Daphne for putting it together. He thought Narcissa Malfoy herself would be impressed.

He lingered on the outskirts of the crowd, watching the students of various Houses mingle together as they waited for Potter to finish his private meeting with Dumbledore. A meeting that he'd publicly requested in the middle of the Great Hall after not just disrupting dinner but also accusing the Headmaster of slavery and meddling in Death Magic by revealing a rotten hand. Theo still couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. He was confident that the event would be discussed for years. Theo already had plans to make a copy of the memory tonight for safekeeping and frequent review. He'd probably do the same after this meeting, too. It had become a habit of his, ever since Potter upset his entire summer and future, to create memory copies of his experiences interacting with Potter because Potter was a puzzle that Theo struggled to content himself with never solving.

Daphne struggled with it, too. After he'd expressed his admiration, disbelief, and minor frustration with everything Potter and his inability to adhere to rules during one of their courtship dates at the start of the school year, she'd been inclined to agree with him. She had even started helping him put together pieces about how insane life was because Potter was in it, enthusiastically investing herself in the subject. Of course, she was far more inclined to investigate and research ancient and complex magic than he was, so she'd added a greater level of perspective and theorizing.

They dubbed it the Potter Phenomenon.

Daphne suggested making copies of their memories for further research and documentation, and they had been. Not that he'd ever share them with anyone but himself and Daphne. He'd even spelled and warded the vials against the tampering or opening by other people. He might be insanely curious and a bit obsessive over the conundrum, but he'd never disparage Potter's privacy by being so disrespectful with memories regarding his person. Memories were sacred, whether the subject of the memory was aware of the memory record or not. Daphne's notes on the Potter Phenomenon were also warded and spelled from the reading of outside eyes.

This was a research project solely for their own peace of mind. It was a couple's hobby that they decided to embark on and share together as their courtship and later marriage progressed.

Finally, the door to the Room opened, and Blaise walked through. After another minute, Potter entered and was immediately swarmed by the majority of the crowd. Theo contented himself with lingering on the edges; he wasn't a fan of crowded spaces, and while all those in attendance had sworn loyalty to Potter and had accepted that the Slytherins were not the enemy – though that had taken quite a few meetings and Hermione's frequent reminders that they'd sworn oaths to not speak of anything – Theo still wasn't comfortable rubbing elbows with any of them.

Eventually, Potter made it to the middle of the Room where Ron and Hermione hovered protectively at his shoulders, his ever-faithful lieutenants.

"Mate, that was bloody brilliant!" Finnegan said, breaking the soft silence that had fallen and unleashing the other questions. "Did Dumbledore really mess with Death Magic?" "Is Dumbledore still alive?" "Did you really meet with thestrals?" "Was it really the Dark Lord who came to your school?" "Why did–" The questions and shouted admiration blended together, and Potter blinked dazedly under the onslaught. Theo wanted answers to all of those questions as well, but the one he really wanted answered, though of course would never shout so uncouthly was: What had happened in Dumbledore's Office?

"Oi! Oi! Quiet!" Ron shouted, and silence fell again. "Let the man breathe. Harry will tell us what he can, but don't pester him."

"Seeing all of you guys here, can't tell you what it means to me," Potter said, his voice calm and steady, just as relaxed and easy as it had been in the Great Hall under the stares of the entire school. Theo felt another spike of envy over Potters' unflappability to be calm under pressure and at ease as the center of attention. "Truly, thank you for all of your support. But I don't want to make this night too serious. Ginny and Blaise mentioned it was a party, after all." Finnegan and Thomas led a few cheers. "But I do hope there is food because, like I said, I have not had dinner yet."

"Fresh from the kitchens," Ron assured him.

"Great! So let's relax for the night and enjoy another step towards our inevitable victory."

There was a small cheer before the crowd dispersed again, breaking into smaller groups as humans were wont to do. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Draco's bright blonde hair entertaining a circle of their peers, lounging in the chairs provided. Slimy, smarmy Malfoys always able to integrate themselves with the populace, even if he had been a bully to those same people just last year. It was another impressive feat, he'd never hold the same sway with people and for the most part was content with that knowledge. Still, Theo rolled his eyes at the sight and saw Pansy was entertaining her smaller circle of people, no doubt gaining gossip that she'd wield as currency for months to come.

Theo watched Neville pull Harry off to the side, away from the crowd still pestering him with questions, the Room providing an alcove for privacy. He wondered what they had to discuss but guessed it was something that Neville had learned from Dumbledore that couldn't wait. He watched Neville pass something to Potter but was too far to see what it was. Then they were leaving the alcove and joining Hermione and Ron again, the crowd having dispersed momentarily.

Daphne grabbed his hand then and pulled him through the other students until they stood closer to Potter. It was necessary for proper observation, but Theo couldn't deny how being near Potter left him feeling empowered. It was as if just standing in his presence was enough to encourage feelings of comfort, safety, and inspiration. It reminded Theo of when Potters' magic was unleashed and the intensity that came with the onslaught of that rush of security but a subdued version…probably because it wasn't unleashed.

Theo made a note to bring it up with Daphne later to see if she felt anything. He was so glad he had someone to compare observations with now. Once again, he was thankful that their parents had decided to betroth them all those years ago.

"Harry, as thrilled as I am to see you," Hermione said, pulling Potter into another tight hug, "coming was such a big risk."

"Oh, Hermione, haven't you realized yet?" Potter glanced around the small circle forming. His intense, eerily bright green eyes, glittering with amusement, looked over Ron, Hermione, and Neville, the only ones lingering close to hear him, and then Theo and Daphne who had just arrived. Theo felt a strange wave of adrenaline sweep through him at being included in Potters' encompassing gaze. Potter tugged one of Hermione's loose curls fondly. "Isn't it obvious? I was the distraction."

"Distraction?" Ron repeated, his brow furrowed and eyes analytical. It had surprised Theo how strategic the youngest Weasley son actually was. While his grades didn't show it, the man was sometimes smarter than Hermione. It had shocked Theo the number of times he had lost to chess against him, and not just him but Draco had lost against him too – and annoyingly ranted about it for another hour in their dorm room.

Potter smirked, eyes sparkling with mischief in a way that made him look years younger and reminded Theo again that despite carrying himself like a full-grown adult, leading a faction in a war, and being a thrice Lord, Potter was still just a teenager. "The distraction. I kept Dumbledore's attention and focus so that Voldemort could sneak in and collect some things."

Theo felt his blood go cold. The Dark Lord had been in Hogwarts. Tonight!

"What?" Neville asked hoarsely.

"There were a few things that he had to collect himself –" Did Theo imagine the look Potter and Neville shared? "– and as I said in the Great Hall, I had a few things to discuss with the old goat too. So, two for one and all that."

"The Dark Lord was…here?" Daphne asked, looking frozen.

Potter nodded like it was a perfectly normal event, not groundbreaking and potentially dangerous, bringing the most feared Dark Lord in history to a school run by the one man he hated most.

"Is…is he still here?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

Theo couldn't stop himself from glancing around as if he'd see the Dark Lord reclining against a wall, observing all of the students or, more ludicrous, lining up to grab food at the buffet that Pansy and Tracey had set up before Potters' arrival.

It was the Potter Phenomenon. It had to be.

How was it possible for Potter to just do things like this? How could he warp reality with hardly a blink? Once again, Theo had the urge to examine Potters' head, to dissect him thoroughly to ascertain the source of this ability. What was the key? Was it a Necromancer ability? Was it just being a stalwart Gryffindor that infused Potter with this luck? Or was it just something that Potter alone was blessed with? If so, why? Why Potter? Was it Mother Magic or Lady Luck who had bestowed this gift to him?

"Oh no, he left after we chatted with Dumbledore."

Pansy turned her attention away from subtly observing Potter, looking delectable in his muggle attire, while she chatted with the others around her. She gritted her teeth as she listened to Padma and Parvati discussing something about some seventh year that would never amount to anything and had no influence and so had no business taking up Pansy's time by being discussed in her presence. She remembered the numerous play-dates she and the Patil twins had been forced to suffer through when they were children while their parents conducted business, none of them ever enjoyed it, but after Hogwarts started those had stopped. Now, though, their circles were overlapping once again.

Unfortunately, Pansy only found them barely more tolerable with age. Though Padma was better than Parvati. The one blessing they had was that they brought Lavender along with them and Pansy found Lavender delightful with her sharp eyes and cutting tongue. So Pansy allowed the Patil twins to be near her, and focused her attention on Lavender, Susan, and Hannah. Pansy had been wonderfully surprised by how resourceful the two Hufflepuffs were regarding their information-gathering techniques and she saw many years of informational currency gathering between the four of them – with the occasional input from the Patil twins, because they had their uses and Pansy would never disregard a useful source – especially if Hannah continued with her plans of taking over the Leaky Cauldron after her Great Uncle retired. The amount of information gained in that place would be astronomical.

"Pansy!" Pansy turned from Padma and Susan, debating the merits of the rumor that Eloise Midgen was dating a boy from Durmstrang, to see Ginny rushing towards her. "Pansy!"

"It's a small room, Gin. No need to shout."

Ginny huffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder before turning pleading eyes to Pansy and grabbing Pansy's hands in hers and holding them under her chin. "Oh, dearest Pansy, might you bless me with a favor."

Intrigued, Pansy turned her full attention to the youngest Weasley, and the others in the circle fell silent, too, not even bothering to hide their listening ears. Ginny glanced at the others, tilted her head, and then gave a short nod as if accepting the audience. This was a friendship that Pansy had never anticipated nor dreamed of needing, and yet now she couldn't imagine her life without it. "I'm listening. What's in it for me?"

"Being the first to know something."

Pansy narrowed her eyes. "What is it? I'll let you know if it's worth the favor of my illustrious time."

Ginny's face flamed red, clashing with her hair, which was very on-brand for a Weasley. Sometimes, Pansy felt envious of the colorful hair and the vibrant personalities that the Weasleys embodied, but then Ginny or Ron would blush, and their freckled faces would go red, and her envy would shift to pity.

"So…I need to know everything you know about…courtships."

Pansy blinked. Courtships? Why would Ginny…unless Blaise? "Morgana's tits, are you serious!" She squealed, gripping Ginny's hands tighter. Ginny beamed so bright Pansy thought she could rival a Lumos. Lavender and Padma caught on next and each squealed, rushing even closer to Ginny and tightening their circle, as if trying to physically block the information from slipping away.

"Keep it quiet for now," Ginny said before glancing again at the people in the circle before sighing, "at least don't tell Ron. I'm telling him myself soon. But he needs to hear it from me."

They all nodded in acceptance. It was smart of Ginny to change her demand. Expecting such a crowd of gossips to remain silent was ridiculously naive. She would have remained silent and kept the secret of course, because she had a proper upbringing on discretion and knew the cost of secrets and because she considered Ginny her dear friend. But Pansy couldn't guarantee the others.

"Tell me everything!" Pansy insisted, pulling Ginny's attention back to her. "Oh, I'll owl Mother and have her send me all my courtship primer books. You'll have them by Monday. Now, tell me."

"So while we were waiting for Harry –" Pansy couldn't stop the impulsive reaction to search for the man himself and saw him chatting with Hermione, Ron, and Neville and a small crowd of others asking questions. Pansy wasn't worried about not being involved with that because those people were outside of Harry's Inner Circle, and she was a member, so she would get her answers directly from the source and not while in a crowd like a heathen peasant. "– Blaise was talking about Hogsmeade and Valentines, and then he gave me this present and look!" Ginny pulled a necklace from under her jumper and thrust the pendant out at Pansy and the others. It was a pendant of color changing fireworks. Pansy didn't catch the significance, but it obviously meant a lot to Ginny and Blaise.

Susan and Parvati fawned over the craftsmanship. "Oh, that's so sweet, Ginny," Padma said. "Is that your first courtship gift?"

Ginny nodded, looking suddenly shy. It was a strange look for the vibrant girl, and Pansy grinned wider, squeezing the girl's hand and knocking her shoulder against hers before glancing around to find Blaise. Pansy saw the Italian chatting with Finnegan, Thomas, and Macmillan. Pansy only met Blaise on the train ride to Hogwarts back in First Year. He'd known Draco and Theo due to business interactions on their parents' part, but the Parkinsons hadn't collaborated with the Zabinis, so they hadn't met. Because of that, Pansy probably knew Blaise the least in their Slytherin year, but she was happy for him. He'd always seemed so aloof, too charming and sarcastic to be genuine, but Ginny made him seem not so distant. Blaise glanced around, obviously searching for Ginny. Pansy snickered, when she saw him spot the redhead. He caught her eye and glared at her. Pansy winked before purposefully turning her back to him to lock arms with Ginny, who looked at her with a bright smile.

"Did Neville get you a courtship gift, Hannah?" Lavender asked.

"Oh yes, over Yule." Hannah held out her arm and showcased a bracelet of yellow gold with leaves interwoven together to make the chains. Not bad, Longbottom, Pansy thought impressed, but she quickly tuned out when Hannah started going into the specifics of the leaves and what the plants meant. If she had an interest in Herbology she would pick up a book or enter a Greenhouse.

"Ladies," Blaise said, sliding up behind Ginny to wrap an arm around her waist.

"Zabini," Parvati said with a smirk. "Were your ears burning?"

"Something like that," he said with a sidelong look at Pansy. "But I heard that the buffet is about to be devoured by some starving lions and badgers. So I recommend grabbing a plate soon." Pansy glanced at Finnegan, Thomas, and Macmillan, who had merged with Draco and his cohorts. She glanced again in Potter's direction and saw that Theo and Daphne were working towards the Gryffindor group.

Ginny glanced, too, and snorted. "Let's go get a plate for Harry, too, it doesn't look like he's going to get away from his adoring fans anytime soon."

Pansy, still locked together with Ginny via their entwined arms, was dragged from the gossiping group to the buffet table with Blaise trailing behind them. Ginny grabbed two plates and loaded them both with the various snacks the house elves had provided. Pansy glanced around as Ginny and Blaise discussed which foods to grab, identifying what groups she needed to infiltrate before the end of the night to get the most well-rounded information. Draco's would probably be next. He, Macmillan, and Finch-Fletchley were in what looked like deep talks probably about business practices, it was a favorite of the three of them in the past month or so of the House integration Hermione had initiated. Luna and Thomas were nearby discussing something, too, Pansy might walk by those two just to see if she understood the subject matter and decide then if she would linger. As much as she enjoyed Luna, she only understood half of what the girl said, and Thomas was a bit too quiet for her tastes.

"Come on," Ginny said, pulling Pansy from her thoughts and towards the Man of the Hour.

Pansy casually brought her hands down to smooth her robes and then quickly tucked loose strands of her hair behind her ear as they walked closer. It was so unfair for Harry to look so wonderful, she thought mournfully, even more unfair was how unrealistic her infatuation was. At least when her crush on Draco was present, she could entertain the possibility because their parents had been in talks, however brief. But with Harry, realistically she knew it would never be possible, not even the smallest percentage of a chance. He was just too amazing and destined for great things, fated to be the center of everything, meant to change the world and Pansy just wasn't. She enjoyed attention but she knew herself well enough to know she wouldn't want it constantly. She preferred to gather information and connections rather than be the one in focus and Pansy just wasn't destined to change the world or anything really, she was a follower not a leader. It didn't stop her heart from fluttering whenever he ran a hand through his hair or his lips twisted into a crooked smile.

"Oh no, he left after we chatted with Dumbledore," Harry said.

"The food you keep whining about," Ginny interrupted, shoving a plate into Harry's hands. "Didn't look like you were going to make it to the buffet." Pansy stole a sandwich off of the plate Ginny kept, not dropping her linked arm. Blaise hovered at Ginny's other shoulder.

"You're the best!" Harry grinned and wolfed down a few finger sandwiches in seconds.

"So, who left?" Blaise asked, glancing around the group, one hand in his pocket and the other stealing a biscuit from Ginny's plate. Ginny glared at both of them but didn't comment on the theft.

"Oh, Harry was explaining how he played the distraction earlier today while Voldemort snuck into the school," Hermione said and her tone remained surprisingly even and steady. Her eyes wide and unblinking.

"I'm sorry. What?" Ginny asked in shock, almost dropping the plate. Pansy caught the plate and held it steady, her movements automatic and numb.

"Our sentiments exactly," Daphne agreed, blinking rapidly. She seemed to have recovered from her shock now.

"The Dark Lord was here, in the castle…" Blaise said dazedly.

Harry nodded, completely unconcerned, eating some treacle tart.

"He was with you when you spoke with Dumbledore?" Hermione asked, a hint of nerves finally entering her voice.

Harry nodded again, finishing the tart and grabbing another sandwich. He looked amused as he watched everyone process.

"Harry…is…is Dumbledore still alive?" Ron asked, he rocked on his heels a bit looking wary of the answer.

A strange look passed over Harry's face. "Yes." Pansy shivered at the dark tone. Harry looked down at the plate in his hand, almost empty already. "I almost killed him. Mar- er- Voldemort stopped me."

"He stopped you!" Theo blurted out, normally stoic face cracked with disbelief.

"It wasn't the right time, we still have too many plans in place." Harry sighed and shook his head, dark curls flying wildly. "It would have been more troublesome in the long run, but bloody hell…" Harry's grip turned white around the plate and Pansy watched him swallow hard, his eyes dark. Pansy felt a thrill of fear and attraction simultaneously.

"That was some entrance, Potter," Draco drawled with a smirk, joining the circle, breaking up the tense atmosphere that had settled on the group.

"Ah, you know me, always have to cause a commotion." The darkness faded from Harry's eyes and Pansy watched his carefree smirk return. His shift was a bit too quick for comfort in her mind but she wasn't unfamiliar with a mask slipping into place, she'd seen it all her life. She'd just never seen it done by Harry. The changes this past year were greater than she'd imagined.

"Speaking of commotion, a few of us were talking about maybe doing some dueling tonight," Draco said, with a nod towards the group he'd just been standing with. Ginny perked up beside her and even Pansy felt eager at the idea.

Harry grimaced though. "I do like the idea, and I'd love to duel with you all again soon, but not tonight."

"Why not? We'll put time limits on them so we can do more," Ron said.

Harry shook his head again., looking anxious. "No…I can't…I…I can't guarantee not hurting someone."

"I've been working with Madam Pomphrey a lot this year and I've been studying more Healing spells. I could probably heal any injuries, especially if we put restrictions on the spells or something."

"That's great news Pansy, I'm really proud of you." Pansy felt deliriously high at his attention and praise. She wanted to bottle the sensation, wanted to grip it tightly and live off of it. Harry closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "After…after that bastard of a goat…I took a very strong calming draught but even that is barely working. If I start dueling, with adrenaline high and my magic less restrained…I don't know if I can control it enough to not hurt anyone."

Pansy felt concern enveloping her, Harry looked so distraught and angry and guilty at just admitting to the possibility of potentially hurting someone. The calming draught would explain the glassy tinge to his eyes though, she thought, looking him over again with a more critical eye, her lessons from Madam Pomphrey coming back to her and cursing herself for not noticing sooner, but to be fair to herself it was very faint glassiness and Harry's eyes were naturally already brighter than normal. It was easy to miss.

Hermione gave Harry a hug and he looked surprised. "Alright, we can do dueling another day."

"Definitely," Ginny agreed. "We could duel during the Easter holidays, bring back the twins and the Guard. And then do more over the summer."

"Oh, speaking of Easter holidays," Pansy said, taking the chance to lighten the topic again. "That's when Hestia and Marcus are getting married. Right?"

Draco immediately went off on the new robes his mother had ordered specifically for the event. Daphne commented how her mother was doing the same. Pansy didn't listen to the debate of best fabrics for a Spring wedding though, because Harry was catching her eye and giving her a small nod of thanks. Her heart fluttered at his consideration and appreciation, how could one person just be so perfect?

The conversation flowed around them, but Hermione didn't pay it too much attention. Her focus was on Harry, who was still firmly between herself and Ron. She was hovering, she knew that. This night was for Harry to interact with all those still loyal to him in the school, specifically the ones that she'd worked to integrate. It had been a long process that was still a work in progress and she'd only managed it with a few people outside of the original group of Slytherins but it had to happen eventually, sooner than later too based on Harry's plans, and she'd been working the integration since after Yule break.

She and Ron standing guard at Harry's shoulders hindered that integration and progress, she knew that too. Hermione couldn't help it though. Her best friend was here. He had snuck into the school alongside Voldemort to distract Dumbledore and make a scene in the Great Hall. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Harry brought Voldemort to Hogwarts. That would take a few days to properly process in her mind.

She worried that if she lost sight of him, he'd just disappear once again, and then it would be another set of agonizing weeks and months of only catching glimpses of him in the Prophet. The wedding fashion discussion shifted a few feet away from them and Hermione was grateful. As much as she found herself enjoying conversations with the Slytherins, she still could only handle so much society talk.

"Come on, let's go get some more food," Hermione said quietly. Harry glanced at his empty plate and then at the group that had shifted a few feet over and nodded.

"Mind if I come too? I'm going to bring Hannah a plate," Neville asked and Hermione felt guilty that she hadn't seen him still standing near Ron.

"Of course," Harry said immediately, clapping him on the shoulder.

The four of them left the group of Slytherins and Ginny, the conversation having shifted from the upcoming wedding to the upcoming Quidditch season and how being newly married would affect Marcus' stats. Draco was of the opinion he'd be distracted and Ginny was arguing that it would give him motivation. The others weren't die hard Quidditch fans, at least from what Hermione had gathered, and were content to watch the debate.

Reaching the buffet table, Hermione bit back her irritation when immediately more people swarmed them. Well, swarming Harry, taking his attention again. She just wanted her best friend, she wanted to hide away and talk to him, just the three of them again. Stop being selfish, she scolded herself as she began filling the plate that Harry had abandoned in favor of talking to Seamus, Padma, Parvati and Lavender. This was bigger than a simple friendship, this was changing the world, this was a revolution. Harry was still her best friend, he still cared for her and Ron, time apart wouldn't change that, she knew that, but she still missed the connection they'd once shared, back when it was just the three of them against the world.

Strange sounds caught her attention and she looked back at Harry and the Patil twins, all three looking eager and excited as they spoke but it was in a language Hermione couldn't understand. She blinked. Harry spoke slower and in a more disjointed method while the Patil twins spoke far smoother but it was obvious seconds later. They were speaking Hindi. Harry had mentioned it casually over Yule and she had given him the translation dictionary but it seemed that he had actually taken to learning the language.

"Translation for the rest of us?" Lavender asked during a lull in the conversation.

"Sorry," Harry said, running a hand through his hair. "I only just started learning and I haven't been able to actually talk to anyone and see if I'm actually improving or not."

"It's obvious you're still new but I'd say your progress is impressive," Padma said with a grin.

"I'm so glad you've started learning though, Harry, it's great of you to try to reclaim your heritage," Parvati said.

"Another thing I'm trying to learn this year," Harry said with a laugh.

"Careful, you're turning into Hermione," Lavender teased with a smile thrown in her direction. Hermione played along with a mock glare but she really didn't mind. Add it to another change this year, she supposed, but her relationship with her roommates had improved drastically. While she, Lavender and Parvati would never be inseparably close, the three of them had established a new understanding of each other and the tension that had suffocated their dorm had faded into something softer.

"I think he'll need to maintain this progress for another decade to match our 'Mione," Ron said, throwing an arm over her shoulder and causing butterflies to erupt in her stomach at the action.

"Oh stop, all of you, I think it's great Harry is taking to his studies. It only took five years of nagging on my part," she teased, handing Harry the reloaded plate. Harry grinned at her, accepting the plate. Luckily he didn't scarf down the food immediately this time, taking a single sandwich and eating that one at a much calmer pace.

"Harry!" Luna said, launching herself at Harry, causing him to almost spill his newly acquired plate. Luckily Ron caught the plate and held it away, stealing a few sandwiches himself in the process. Where had Luna come from?

"Hey Luna," Harry said, hugging her back. "How have you been? Dean, you good?" Harry asked, nodding to Dean who had walked up with Luna.

"All good, Harry," Dean said easily.

"I'm quite well," Luna said breezily, finally letting Harry go and stepping back. "You know Daddy and I found evidence of the Crumple Horned Snorkack in Sweden this past summer. Well, he's there now again, he said he thinks he's even gotten a horn. Isn't it wonderful?"

"That's great Luna," Harry said, accepting his plate from Ron. Hermione smiled lightly, glad that the brewing war hadn't changed Luna.

"Luna and I were actually talking about magical art," Dean said suddenly, "and whether or not you've considered the decorations for your school yet."

Harry looked surprised at the topic. "Not really. I've been more focused on the construction and getting it passed through the Wizengamot and the logistics of teachers and students. But I'm all ears for suggestions, that is so not my area of expertise."

Dean swallowed and shifted nervously on his feet, glancing at Luna who just smiled dreamily back, as if content to let him take the lead. Seamus nudged Dean with an elbow, tilting his head in a way that seemed like he was trying to be encouraging, so he obviously knew what Dean wanted to say, Hermione thought. Dean sighed, his head ducked and his shoulders raised. "Well, I was wondering if you'd consider maybe using a few of my pieces for the classrooms or hallways or something? Maybe a mural painted on the entrance wall or something. It was something my muggle primary school did, a big mural in the hall that was the centerpiece of the school and set the tone and vibe for the experience they wanted the students to have."

"Dean, that's genius! I love it. Both the mural and the other art pieces. I already know you're good, so I'm not worried about that. So yeah, over the summer you can come by and do the mural. I'm not artistic so if you have any ideas for the subject material, send me an owl and we can start sketching that out."

"How can he owl you though? I mean, Dumbledore isn't monitoring our mail, because he doesn't care much for us specifically, but from what I've heard the wards around your location are intense," Seamus said.

"Right…" Harry said with a contemplative frown. "I'd say Hedwig but she's too recognizable to be seen around here. I've been meaning to get an assistant of some kind though. So the owl exchange could probably go through them as the middle man."

"An assistant?" Padma said in surprise.

"Yeah," Harry said, looking uncomfortable. "I know, it feels kind of pretentious but so much is happening and it's getting hard to keep it all straight."

"I think it's good of you to seek help," Parvati said. "I know our parents both have an assistant, I doubt they'd still be married otherwise. Essi and Louis have helped so much with organizing both their schedules." Padma nodded emphatically at her sister's words.

"Do you know who you would hire?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head.

"The only person that I can think of that would be super organized enough to handle all of your stuff is Percy," Ron said looking thoughtful. "But I don't know if he'd want to leave the Ministry."

"Are he and your parents good again?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged. "Better. The fact that they aren't crazy with Dumbledore anymore and how the Ministry is good with you again has helped. I know Dad said Percy and mum have been exchanging letters, so that's good I guess, but I don't know if they've done anything in person aside from Dad and Percy seeing each other at the Ministry."

"Maybe I'll write him a letter then. Thanks for the idea though Dean. I really do like the idea of a big mural, something to encompass all that the school represents. The integration of magical cultures, a safe place for all, wizards, vampires, werewolves, Veelas, everyone." Hermione smiled at the intensity of Harry's eyes, his fevered energy when he spoke about his school. His passion was undeniable and she was so proud of him. "What about you, Luna? Do you want to contribute some art for my school?"

"No," Luna said easily. "I've decided my artistry is best situated in more permanent methods."

"What's more permanent than a framed picture?" Padma asked.

"Tattoos."

Hermione blinked. Luna was going to do tattoos? Since when?

"Tattoos?" Ron repeated.

"Yes, it's the most permanent form of self expression I think."

Hermione supposed she couldn't argue that… "I thought you were going to do magizoology," she said instead.

"Oh, I will. I see no reason why I can't do both." If anyone could, Luna would be the one, Hermione supposed.

"Luna," Harry said slowly, "would you ever consider tattooing runes onto someone?"

"That sounds quite fun!" Luna said cheerfully.

Hermione stared at Harry. "You want to tattoo runes on your body!"

"It goes with his whole bad boy vibe now anyway. Isn't he the big bachelor of the year?" Seamus said with an eye roll.

"I'm what?" Harry asked, stunned.

"Oh yes, Witch Weekly released the Hottest Bachelors of the Year for their Valentines Edition, you were ranked number one," Lavender said eagerly, pulling out the magazine in question from her bag. On the cover was a picture of Harry dressed in the robes he'd worn when he did the press conference all those months ago. His picture didn't look pleased with being on the front and kept trying to leave but the cover designer must have realized that and put stylized walls on either side of his picture to block his exits. Hermione smiled.

Harry made a face at the magazine and Ron, Dean, and Seamus laughed at his discomfort. "Anyway, yes I'm thinking about it," he said, turning back to Hermione. "Death mentioned something about making the runes permanent and at the time I didn't understand but I think this is what they meant."

"It would be a wonderful experiment on magical theory," Luna said thoughtfully.

"Oh yes, I mean the theory regarding engraving runes into stones making them stronger than ones sketched onto paper has been discussed for decades," Padma agreed. "It's assumed that since stone protects the runes from damage it also gives strength to them since it's more permanent, allowing the magic to soak the material better than paper allows. But skin…I don't know if anyone has really tested that. I mean there is so much that could go wrong with that."

"Wrong, why?" Ron asked.

"Well, runes are volatile at the best of times," Hermione explained. "One stray mark or a rounded edge when it should be pointed and it could change the entire rune. There are many books on runes exploding during experimentation or even just basic documentation, because someone slipped up and the Rune Master lost fingers or limbs. So I doubt anyone dared attempt inking them onto skin. I mean theoretically it would be the most permanent and the strongest source of magical strengthening but the high probability of losing not just a limb but damaging the body probably turned people off the idea."

"Hmm…well, now we'll know for sure. How about it Luna? Say over Easter break?" Harry asked, unperturbed, as if Hermione and Padma hadn't just explained how dangerous that would be.

"Oh yes," Luna said brightly. "Though you should send the runes ahead of time so I can practice." Hermione nodded in agreement, surprised at the more serious tone Luna had, it was one of the first times Hermione had heard the Ravenclaw so stern.

"Of course. Hey guys," Harry said, greeting Draco, Ginny, Blaise, Pansy, Theo and Daphne as they rejoined the group. Hermione eyed Blaise's close proximity to Ginny and raised an eyebrow at it. Ginny just glared at her, Hermione smirked and glanced at Ron who eyed the closeness with a small frown and tilted head. Maybe he already knew? She knew Ron could be really observant when he chose to be and he was incredibly smart when he applied himself.

"Was it true that thestrals prefer Welsh Green dragon meat?" Luna asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. They seemed to really love it. Oh speaking of the thestrals, you've made quite an impression on them Luna."

Hermione blinked in surprise at that information. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, they said last year when they helped us get to the Ministry it was all because of Luna."

"You sure it wasn't because you're, you know, Death's Kid and all?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, I asked them about that. They said they could sense it in me but since Death hadn't Sired me yet, I wasn't actually Death's Kid yet so they weren't obligated to me. But they liked Luna and how she always visited and did it for her. And they even named their youngest foal, Luna, too." Luna gasped, her blue eyes looking larger than usual. She reached out and Ginny caught the hand, squeezing it as Luna stared. "Sadly, the poor thing is very weak and sick, so I'm nursing her back to health, but you have to meet her over Easter. I've already told little Luna all about you."

Luna looked so overwhelmed that Hermione worried the girl might actually cry. Hermione didn't think she'd ever seen Luna unable to speak before. Hermione saw many soft smiles among the group as they watched Luna try to process the information. Pansy gave Luna a small hug and Luna grabbed her hand too, as if needing many points of contact to ground herself.

"Why is the thestral sick?" Daphne asked, drawing attention from Luna. Hermione saw her fingers twitching, knowing that the Slytherin was wishing she had her quill and parchment for notes again.

Hermione was surprised to see Harry look guilty as he ran a hand through his hair again. "Well, thestrals are sustained by Dark Magic, I mean they still need food but without Dark Magic they can't really survive. And since there hasn't been a Necromancer in centuries the Dark Magic sources for them have dwindled. It's lucky the Forbidden Forest is so coated in it or they probably wouldn't even be here now. So now, me being…well me, I can give them that Dark Magic source again. And Luna, er thestral Luna, since she's the most recent addition to the herd and the weakest, I'm needing to give her a more direct connection I guess."

Fascinating, Hermione thought, already wanting to rush to the library and compare Harry's first hand account with the academic texts on magical creatures. Outside of Harry being the first Necromancer in centuries and reintroducing the world to a previously extinct brand of magic, the insights he could now provide for the academic community on both magic and magical creatures and even life was mind blowing. It was too bad that Harry wasn't the type to write academic texts, luckily she and Daphne were and they'd help sort through everything and make sure the public became properly informed. She couldn't wait to see the changes that Harry's insights would bring to the progression of the magical world.

"And the Dark Lord is alright with you nursing a baby thestral in his house?" Draco asked.

Personally, Hermione thought it would be more accurate to call it their house, because she really didn't think that Harry was ever moving out, at least not unless the Dark Lord was moving out too.

Harry shrugged. "Sure. I asked first, of course…sort of, kind of." Harry winced at his corrections before brushing it off with a wave of his hand. "And I've got a third of the herd in his yard too. The other third is at Peverell Manor and the rest are still in the Forest."

"Well it does go with the Dark Lord vibe," Ginny said after a few moments.

Harry brightened and Hermione ached at how boyish and young it made him look. She had the desperate desire to bundle him up in blankets and not let him leave, protecting him from the world. "That's what I thought too."

"Sorry to interrupt," Neville said, walking up gripping Hannah's hand. "But it is getting late. We need to start sneaking out to our Common Rooms if we don't want to be caught."

Hermione wanted to yell and scream at the injustice of it all. She felt like Harry had only just arrived, it had only been an hour or two. It wasn't fair!

"Right, I need to be getting back anyway. Voldemort mentioned something about a present and how he stole some things from Dumbledore's Office, I should probably find out what all he did."

"A present?" Blaise repeated. "He got you a present?"

"On Valentine's Day?" Ginny added, a grin spreading widely.

Harry's face went red. "No…no, it's nothing like that."

"So the Dark Lord didn't say he had a present for you and it's not currently Valentines' Day?" Hannah asked sweetly. Hermione pursed her lips to keep the laughter in, impressed by Hannah's innocent head tilt accompanying her question.

"Well, yes, but no not like that," Harry said, getting more flustered as more knowing smiles and looks were exchanged between the group. "Besides he said it was regarding justice or something, I doubt he even realized today is Valentine's Day. Seriously, I'm sure it's nothing like that."

"What does the Dark Lord even get someone as a Courting Gift?" Draco asked with a laugh.

The others made more teasing comments and suggestions for what the gift might be, while Harry held a tight smile on his face, looking very uncomfortable. Soon though, the group let it drop, giving Harry hugs as they began sneaking out to their Common Rooms. Hermione stayed silent as she watched everyone in the Room say their goodbyes. When it was just her, Ron, Neville, and Ginny again she grabbed Harry's hand.

"Oh, Harry, there is no point in denying it," Hermione said gently. "You can't deny he has feel–"

"No!" Harry said sharply. Hermione froze at his tone and shifted nervously, but didn't drop his hand. "No, stop it. Please, he won't ever…I can't…please stop," Harry said sadly, pulling his hand from hers to run both through his hair. "Teasing myself with the fantastical hope that he'd ever…especially today…it's too much, Hermione."

"But he does," Ginny said, voice softly.

"No, he doesn't. Why would he?" Harry asked, sounding so small and broken. Hermione couldn't bear it and so engulfed him in a hug. How could Harry not see? How could he not understand how amazing he was? Instead of asking the questions though, she hugged him tighter. She could only hope that with time, he would eventually see the truth.

The five of them slipped from the Room and Hermione watched Harry pull the Invisibility Cloak back over himself. The evening had ended on a more bitter note than she'd hoped, but she wouldn't begrudge any time spent with Harry. She and the others all hugged his invisible, Cloaked form once more before creeping back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron squeezed her hand as they snuck down the hallways and she felt a rush of gratitude, she would have crumbled under the weight of everything this past year if it hadn't been for his steady, reliable presence at her side.

Harry walked the familiar halls of Hogwarts under the Cloak, his feet tracing the familiar steps as though he had never left. Luckily the Calming Draught was still effective, but Harry could feel it fading even now. He needed to get back home soon so he could unleash his frustrations safely, but just thinking of going back home made him think of Marvolo and the present he mentioned and how it was Valentine's Day. Harry cursed himself, shaking his head to dislodge the thought. No, he couldn't let himself hope for something, couldn't allow a fantasy to form, he couldn't bear the crushing weight of disappointment that would follow.

Did Marvolo even know what today was? Would he have cared to remember the significance? Harry hadn't realized. He only knew it was a Friday night which statistically meant more people would be in the Great Hall and that he needed to visit soon before Dumbledore could gain too much traction after the information Neville had provided about the Ward. Harry reached a hand into his jacket pocket and felt the vial of memories Neville had given him earlier that night, at the start of the party. The memory of the entire time Neville had been in Dumbledore's office when they reviewed the memories. Harry planned on scheduling a time for him and Marvolo to view it themselves sometime in the near future. Sure, Neville had told them what had been in the memories but Harry knew they had to see it for themselves. Hopefully Neville would get more information about Dumbledore's thoughts on the Ward and whether he thought it defective or what his theories were.

Harry sucked in another breath and then looked around. He frowned, he was not at the Entrance Hall nor was he at the One Eyed Witch statue. Why had his feet led him here? He got his answer moments later when the Hogwarts ghosts started to float into the abandoned dead-end hallway. Glancing around again, he verified that there were no people in the portraits before lowering the hood of the Cloak.

"Sire," Sir Nicholas said, bowing low floating in front of the ghosts that had arrived.

"Sir Nicholas," Harry said stiffly. He recognized Sir Nicholas, Moaning Myrtle, and the Fat Friar but he didn't recognize the other handful of ghosts. He knew it wasn't all of the ghosts but it was a fair few.

"We wish to seek an audience with you, my Lord," Sir Nicholas continued. Harry shifted on his feet. He was so tired and he just wanted to get home. Instead he nodded. "We wish to petition for our Passing."

"What?"

"Our Passing," a female ghost said, she looked regal and poised. "As a Necromancer you can grant us our second chance of fully Passing."

Right, Harry thought, frantically thinking over everything he had read in the Journals and Guidebooks on anything regarding ghosts. He knew they were loosely tied to Death but only barely because technically they had 'rebelled' and 'denied' Death and so were cursed to remain forever with the Living but never truly one of them.

"All of you want to Pass?"

"Yes," Sir Nicholas said. "We understand we angered Death, we understand we must pay penance. However, we wish to pay it, we wish to go forward."

Harry nodded slowly. "Okay…it won't be right now. I need to review the steps to accomplish this task. I can do it during the summer. However," he said, raising his voice to tamper the excited murmurs from the ghosts, "however, I will require one more additional task from each of you if you truly wish for me to complete your Passing."

"Anything, Sire," The Fat Friar said, coming forward. Harry never had much interaction with the Hufflepuff Ghost but he'd always seemed content with his role as a ghost. Harry knew Sir Nicholas had expressed some regret over his decision to remain, at least it had seemed that way last year after Sirius died.

"I want you to keep an eye on Dumbledore and the students loyal to me. I want any additional information you can gain from observing and listening in on Dumbledore, things that students wouldn't be able to overhear. Anything you learn, tell it to Professor Snape, he'll get the information to me. And I want you to help protect the students, all of them really, but the ones sworn to me most of all. Do this for the rest of the year and during the summer, I will allow your Passing."

The ten ghosts who had sought him out bowed low to him before disappearing once again. Taking another deep breath, Harry pulled the Cloak hood back over his head and commenced his walk out of the castle. He wasn't that far from the front doors, so after a quick glance around, he slipped through the large doors and entered the chilly night.

As he walked, he couldn't help but think back to the small party his friends had held in his honor. It had been disorienting at first walking into the Room, being swept up in the press of bodies.

There had been so many familiar faces, old and new. A blend of all four Houses, a strange unity that Harry never expected to see. Some faces he honestly hadn't given much thought to since the chaos of his life began but they had still sworn loyalty to him. Faces who had disparaged his name just last year but rallied behind him now. It was dizzying. Even if they hadn't seen him since the end of last year back in June, they still swore their secrecy and loyalty to him.

The weight of their shared faith and trust hit him then standing in the center of the students who had promised to stand by him despite their tumultuous history. They had sworn to side with him despite Harry never having visited Hogwarts since the year started. Despite all of the controversy Dumbledore had stirred up in the papers. Despite everything, they'd chosen Harry. He could have not shown up today, and they still would have been sworn to him.

It was unreal, and it terrified him. His chest felt tight with the weight of expectation. The responsibility placed in his hands so visually represented by the grinning faces of his classmates and friends, teenagers in a world bordering on war. And they all chose, followed, and trusted Harry. Suddenly very overwhelmed and feeling hot under the Cloak, Harry tossed the hood back and sucked in the frigid air and allowed the frosty air to touch his face and cool his heated skin. It was a risk, if someone looked out the windows and saw a head just floating it would raise alarms but Harry was banking on the fact that it would either be too dark to see him or that everyone would be asleep or too busy to glance out a window. His feet continued trudging through the snow, bringing him to the property line as he stared at the stars and allowed himself to feel small and unimportant, needing the feeling of insignificance to ground him against the weight of expectations placed on him.

Reaching the edge of the property, Harry stopped walking and stared at the night sky, allowing himself a few more minutes of peace and silence, embracing his cowardice of hiding from the responsibility of everything that was now his life. Two minutes later, Harry took another deep breath and pulled out his wand, the borrowed wand that Marvolo had given him because Dumbledore had stolen and snapped his precious, dear, holly wand. The anger burned in his gut once again, the Calming Draught almost fully out of his system now and Harry embraced it. Embraced the heat to fight the cold, Harry glanced back at the castle. Saw his first home standing tall against the stars and darkness. Keeping his eyes on Hogwarts, to soak in the sight for as long as his bruised and battered heart could suffer it before spinning on his heel and Apparating home.

He arrived on the grounds of Slytherin Manor and started walking towards the front door. Sadly, due to the strictness of the wards, Harry couldn't Apparate directly inside the house, only Marvolo could Apparate within the manor itself. And only emergency portkeys could bring a person inside. The emergency portkey he had used after meeting with Fenrir and Remus had worked because it had been parseltongue coded and was made by Marvolo, so was imbued with his magic which the wards identified. Whereas when Draco brought him to Marvolo back in August, the combination of being an emergency portkey while also being activated during a Death Eater meeting when the wards are already just slightly lowered to accommodate some of the lesser Death Eaters had allowed Draco's portkey. It was a rare and fortunate series of events that led to Harry meeting Marvolo that day last summer, almost like fate, Harry thought in amusement.

Marvolo had offered to alter the wards a few days after the New Year – after the attack on the Dursleys, after Marvolo's birthday when they made their new deal – to allow Harry to Apparate within the manor itself, but Harry hadn't wanted to tamper with the wards just to allow himself a minor convenience. So Harry still had to Apparate to the property and then walk to the manor, like all of the other Death Eaters.

He didn't mind the walk though, especially tonight when it gave him time to harness his thoughts, his hopes, his anger, and his magic before seeing Marvolo again. Before he had to set aside his inner desires and focus on whatever Marvolo had gotten from Dumbledore's Office. Before he saw whatever this present Marvolo had promised was.

Pushing the front door open, Harry entered the lobby and grinned when he saw his greeting party. Hedwig landed on his shoulder as soon as he shut the door behind him and immediately started grooming his hair. While Raaja slithered off of Luna's small shoulders that he'd been draped over, because she wasn't strong enough to stand with his full weight on her so he had to be partially on the ground but he'd taken to laying his head on top of hers to give him the added height.

"Master!" Raaja hissed, slithering towards Harry rapidly.

"Master's Colt," Luna exclaimed, excitedly stomping her small hooves and wiggling her wings but still unable to unfurl them.

Harry knelt down to allow Raaja to wrap around his arm until he was draped around his neck like an ornate shawl or scarf, before continuing to Luna and kneeling again to rub her head. "Hey," he said softly, contenting himself with their excitement, "what have you all been up to?"

Hedwig hooted indignantly. "I know, you've done such a good job overseeing these troublemakers," Harry placated, stroking her soft feathers and grinning when she nipped his fingers gently. "But what happened that required your supervision?" Hedwig churled and ruffled her feathers briefly before returning to his hair. Harry turned to Raaja and Luna.

"The other Master, your nest partner, has a friend over," Raaja hissed, tongue tickling Harry's neck.

"A friend?" Harry asked, a strange coldness solidifying in his stomach. Trying not to let himself be crushed by the disappointment, cursing himself for allowing his friends teasing earlier to get to him, despite his best efforts of ignoring the hopeful tendrils that had festered.

"Yes, Master's Colt," Luna agreed, nudging his hand to remind him to keep rubbing her neck. He did so numbly. "They are in the underground stables. We listened to the screams, he wouldn't let us down to see."

Harry blinked. Screams? Underground stables? "What?"

Raaja hissed. "The minions brought someone by earlier today and then when your nest partner arrived, he went underground. He hasn't been up since. Not even letting me and Nagini to hunt," Raaja hissed despondently.

"I'm sure he'll let you down to hunt again soon," Harry soothed distractedly. "Did you catch a glimpse of who this person was?"

All three animals made motions of the negative. "They dropped something though, Master's Colt," Luna neighed excitedly before stumbling down the hallway. Nervously, Harry followed the tiny thestral down the darkened hallways towards the dungeon entrance. Admittedly, Harry hadn't spent much time in the dungeons, he preferred avoiding the area. He'd visited once or twice when Yaxley was locked up and Marvolo had shown it to him during the initial tour, but Harry didn't seek it out.

Luna leaned against the wall of the hallways, panting heavily, her small body heaving greatly. "Hey, Luna, how are you feeling?"

"Good Master's Colt. I'm just waiting for you." Her tail wagged weakly and Harry smiled, petting her on the head.

"Are we near whatever was dropped then?"

Hedwig hooted and flew off his shoulder to pick up something in a dark corner nearest the dungeon door. She flew back to drop the item in his hand before alighting on his shoulder once again. Harry blinked and felt a mix of emotions – eager elation, savage anger and vicious hatred suffocating the small trickle of dread that tickled his spine – at the sight of the innocent pink bow resting in his hand.