"A treasure trove? And you said it was called the Room of Requirements?"

The disbelief in Lupin's voice was understandable, even if they should have known that Hogwarts had more wonders hidden away than anyone would ever know. Harry had the professor and Sirius as his audience, relaxing in the living space that had been fashioned at Grimmauld Place. With how the building had looked when they'd first arrived, it was a miracle that they could now describe it as warm and homely. And it provided the perfect setting to recount his latest discovery.

Talking about the previously unknown room, in truth, was Harry's way of pushing past the disappointment at summer arriving. It wasn't a sentiment that he wanted to display, particularly in front of the two men before him. They'd gone above and beyond to make him a part of their lives, and so he wasn't going to throw that back in their faces by complaining. With the world an uncertain place, he should have been celebrating the fact that he had a home to return to and people there to love him.

It was more than he'd been granted for a large chunk of his life.

But the unwanted disruption still ate away at him. Their search of the seventh floor had finally borne fruit, only for the Express to be calling their name. Harry was being made to sit and wait until he could dive into the treasure-laden chamber, a torturous endeavour he'd never been good at. Patience wasn't the attribute that most people branded him with and that was for good reason. The only solace he could find now was getting a different perspective from Remus and Sirius.

"You won't believe how large it is," he told them. "There must be thousands of items inside. Maybe millions, though that might be my imagination running wild. There was an etching on the archway above the door, giving us its name. Like it wanted us to find it."

"And you just stumbled across it?" Sirius asked, leaning forward.

Harry's godfather had always been instilled with a childlike curiosity, particularly when there was an element of adventure involved. Sirius' time at Azkaban might have robbed him of that, but his resilience and resolve to survive had ensured his previous instincts remained intact. The more time that passed, and the more that Sirius was able to move on from his stint in prison, the more the old version of the man took dominance. And it left Harry feeling closer to his parents, knowing he had that greater connection to them through their best friend.

"It was a pure accident. Hermione reckoned it showed itself because we were there for so long. But there's no way of knowing for sure until we've tried it again. Or, I guess, someone else does."

Harry didn't bother to hide the glum tone of his voice. Sirius and Remus already knew the cause of his disappointment, having already put an end to the argument. Harry had politely asked whether he'd be able to return to school every so often over the summer, just so that he could spend more time hunting for the horcrux now that they had a concrete lead. His guardians had quickly put an end to the idea, echoing the same sentiments as holidays gone by.

As long as he was under their roof, he'd be expected to act like any other teenager.

Even if he understood the sentiment, stemming from a wish for him to have a normal life, Harry couldn't help but grumble about the restrictions. He'd reiterated that it was an unfair expectation, given the fact that nothing had been average about his life. But, no matter how often he slipped a plea into conversation, they wouldn't listen. Which left him recounting the tale, rather than doing anything about it. Regardless of how fun it was to impress the former Marauders with the discovery.

There was a small chance that Matthew would be on hand to help if Harry's frustrations continued to grow. The Tardis was very nifty when it came to sneaking to other places and he longed to hear the unmistakable groans of the ship's engines. Sure, it would involve going against the wishes of Sirius and Remus but, if they truly wanted him to behave like a typical teenager, then that surely had to involve some disobedience.

They couldn't have it all their own way.

Thinking about Matthew and Hermione was another source of sadness, something he'd grown used to over the summer months. Whilst he wasn't as dependent on their company as once had been, that didn't mean Harry enjoyed being away from them. With everything up in the air, never knowing when Voldemort was going to strike again, he would have preferred to have spent as much time with his friends as possible. Even if they would have complained about it eating into their romantic time.

The two of them had mentioned something about a trip to France with Hermione's parents, an attempt to relax before their final year of school arrived. Harry couldn't really envisage Matthew on a pair of skis and the images he concocted in his head were delightfully chaotic. They had every right to enjoy themselves, with the future not promised to anyone (particularly with the cloud hanging over Matthew's head). Harry just hoped that the greater distance wouldn't keep them away for long. Again, that was where having a Tardis up your sleeve came really handy.

"I'm sure Dumbledore will be exploring the room as we speak," Lupin remarked. "And I'd much rather him be the one dealing with horcruxes and the inevitable fallout."

As soon as they'd come across the hidden chamber, it had been an unavoidable certainty that they'd have to bring it to the attention of the headmaster. With their absence over summer, Dumbledore was best placed to spend his time ruling out various sections of the room, making it easier for them once they returned. As long as he didn't steal their glory and find it first. Not that it was a competition, of course.

Harry folded his arms. "I've got a pretty good track record when it comes to them, thank you very much."

"That sort of overconfidence will come back to bite you one day."

"There's no telling whether there's even a horcrux there," Sirius pointed out. "It could be a complete waste of time. I, for one, would be glad to see the old goat spend his entire summer in there, only to come up empty-handed."

"I wouldn't. No matter who finds them, we need those final horcruxes. The sooner, the better."

Sirius' expression sobered. "Good point. Though the image of Albus being sent on a wild goose chase is still an entertaining one."

"There has to be at least one horcrux in the Room of Requirements. It's the only logical option."

"And you're saying Bellatrix was there during the attack."

"Hermione and the others couldn't properly locate her on the map, but now we know why. Because the room was hidden from view."

"They're just lucky that Bellatrix didn't know that they were snooping. There's no telling what she would have done."

"There's no telling what Hermione would have done. In all honesty, I can't believe that Matthew let her go after Lestrange. Hermione isn't normally dictated by her emotions but, after what Bellatrix did…she wouldn't have held back. It could have been an absolute disaster."

"The fact that no one suffered any lasting damage is a miracle, and one we should be celebrating loudly," Lupin remarked.

Harry grew quiet, pondering the comment. It was the only remaining point that left him doubting whether Enola was as corrupted as other people were claiming. Had she been forced to play her part in the attack? Had she subtly orchestrated proceedings so that any fallout would be minimal? She had gotten Hagrid out of the way, even going as far as looking out for Fang. Would someone with ill intentions really go to that much effort?

The issue was that there was no one in Harry's close circle who was willing to hear him out when it came to Enola.

"I'm just surprised that you didn't know about the Room of Requirements," Harry said, hoping the change of topic would adequately distract him. "The so-called Marauders."

Sirius huffed, taking the bait. "It's a bit wounding, I'll admit that. I always thought that we'd explored every nook and cranny of that school, and now it turns out that the map isn't nearly as accurate as we once thought."

"But we can't help but be proud of you, Harry," Lupin commented with an easy smile. "You've trumped any exploration we were capable of. If the Chamber of Secrets wasn't enough, you've gone and made this latest discovery."

"A true Marauder if there ever was one."

Harry glowed with pride, sitting taller at the praise. It was something that he'd largely moved past from, a burning desire to follow in his parents' footsteps. Hearing more about his mum and dad, and how they weren't entirely perfect, had contributed to that. But that didn't mean those wishes had completely left him. And to know that he was succeeding without forcing himself into that box only made it even sweeter.

"Though I was hoping that we wouldn't be talking about world-defining tasks so soon into your holidays," Sirius sighed. "We've barely been home for five minutes."

"You can't expect me to just switch that part of my mind off," Harry complained.

"You managed it perfectly well over Christmas."

"But we're even closer now! And, if I remember correctly, you helped us find a horcrux during winter break. Or was it someone else who gave me the key to the basement here?"

Sirius' lips were set in a thin line. "I'm sorely regretting giving in to you, if you're going to throw it back in my face now. Even if it led to some good being done."

"'Some good' is a bit of an understatement, don't you think?"

"Be that as it may, I've been waiting excitedly for you to come home, so I'll be forgiven for wanting things to stay perfect. I've made my feelings perfectly clear about Dumbledore but he's got as much of a chance as you when it comes to finding a cursed object in that new room. Leave it to him."

"Leaving it to the adults hasn't always helped."

Sirius stood up. "That doesn't mean you need to worry about acting like one. Not yet. Down the line, you'll look back and regret not making the most of this time you have. I know I do."

With that, Harry's godfather stalked from the room, bitterly shaking his head. Harry couldn't tell whether he was muttering under his breath as well, or whether it would have been concerning if he'd left in complete silence. He wanted to be there for Sirius but he also wanted the older man to understand where he was coming from. It was a losing battle and one he didn't even want to get involved in. The problem was that he already had far too many fights, both physical and emotional, lined up to add another to the mix.

Lupin got up too, though he paused to pat Harry on the shoulder. "He just worries."

"I know."

"He's not just worried about you. Sirius…he's rightfully concerned about the future. We don't know whether we have many years left together. Voldemort seems to be gearing up for one final assault, a war to end all wars. You can understand, then, why he's so obsessed about making everything perfect. Because we live in an imperfect world, Harry, and all we can strive to do is control the few things we have a grasp on."

"I know better than anyone that the future isn't promised to us all."

"Then maybe you'll indulge him. Just a bit. And what's the worst that can happen? You're forced to get on a broom again to keep his quidditch-loving heart happy? I can think of more horrendous punishments."

Harry begrudgingly smirked. "You haven't seen the number of times I fall off."

"Perhaps. But I have witnessed Sirius taking numerous tumbles. And that's always the height of entertainment."

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry couldn't exactly go on trips by himself. Whilst most teenagers would have been gallivanting off to the town centre or the nearby shopping mall, he couldn't take the risk. Being out in the open was just inviting someone to snatch him up and, having already personally experienced what that was like, he wasn't in any rush for a repeat performance. Even if the stifling nature of Grimmauld Place left him wanting a taste of the outside world.

He supposed it was an explanation for Sirius' terse attitude. Whilst they'd moved past their initial bickering, and Harry had followed his wishes in ignoring the horcrux hunt, there was still a cloud hanging over them. It was a similar time the year previous when the Death Eaters had captured him, stealing him from the Ministry of Magic. So it was no wonder that Sirius was on edge, as if he expected Voldemort to try his luck yet again.

The furthest Harry was allowed to go unattended was the park outside Grimmauld Place. He may have loved Sirius and Remus, but he still needed the occasional time alone. When he grew bored of his bedroom, he needed somewhere else to go and a bench under a collection of trees had grown to be his preferred spot. It meant he was still in view of his home, in case his guardians wanted to check up on him, but could still feel like he was enjoying a completely different slice of the world.

There were various ways as to how he kept himself entertained. It wasn't the busiest part of London, but there were still the occasional passers-by who he could observe, making up stories about their lives based solely on their appearances. He had plenty of books to read and texts to study. Homework could almost be considered pleasant when it was done under the sun. With their all important NEWTS exams coming in their final year, the need for revision was more crucial than ever and Harry knew that Hermione would be proud of his attitude.

At times, he considered reaching out to his friends, knowing that the slog of school work was always made more enjoyable when he had them around. He remembered their early years together, when letters had been sent across the country to stay in contact. Thanks to the Tardis, the use of owls seemed less efficient, not that Hedwig was too pleased about the assessment. It sometimes felt that, despite having that blue box in his life, his friends were further away than ever.

Harry had to remind himself that they weren't the only people he had to rely on now. Sitting on that perfectly placed bench, with Hedwig occasionally nipping at his fingers, Harry scribbled rambling notes. He wanted to make a concerted effort to grow closer to Neville, a promise he'd been vowing pretty much since First Year. Checking in on Ginny felt like a necessity, given the Weasleys' close connection to the Order. And he had encouraged Draco to visit, so sending a letter put that in official writing, as well as providing an excuse to monitor Daphne's wellbeing.

It was probably a cosmic sense of jealousy that brought about the heady gust of wind nearby. As if he knew that Harry was daring to replace him, Matthew was making himself known with his usual bombastic flair. Harry had been looking forward to seeing the Tardis once again, so the noise of its old engines was a welcome surprise, even if he was subtly hiding the messages just in case his best friend took it the wrong way. Though Harry was more concerned about the other people in the park noticing the disturbance, rather than any green-eyed ill feelings.

Except, as Harry stood up (tucking the sheets of parchment away to stop them from blowing away), it quickly became apparent that there was no blue box appearing before him. Having spent a decent chunk of time in the park, he was well placed to notice when there was another tree in his line of vision, one that looked remarkably like its partners. The Tardis visiting him had looked quite different in the Forbidden Forest, with Harry at least willing to appreciate the charms in place to keep it disguised.

He wasn't as happy when it came to seeing the young woman emerging from the outcrop of trees. Though any emotions in regard to Enola Karstark were difficult to define for Harry. As it was, he only stopped himself from instantly producing his wand by the fact that he didn't want any Muggles asking any difficult questions. Not to mention that Enola's hands were empty as approached, even if he knew that could change in an instant.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked sharply, trying to ignore the dose of nerves now affecting him.

He wanted to place his whole attention on Enola, someone he hadn't spoken to since the attack on Hogwarts. But his gaze was constantly shifting, a trait Mad-Eye Moody would have been proud of. There was no telling what Enola was up to. She could have easily been the main attraction, whilst a group of Death Eaters circled nearby, closing on. Harry was left calculating how quickly he could make it back to the house, in case things truly spiralled out of control.

"I've been hoping to see you ever since everyone left Hogwarts," Enola explained. "I thought things would be a lot easier once we got a chance to be alone, so I was willing to wait."

Harry's resulting laugh was harsh and cold. "The last time you got me alone, things didn't exactly go well."

She took a step forward, though Harry resolutely remained in place. "I thought that things had been going very well before we were distracted."

"By your lackeys attacking the people I love."

Her lips turned in distaste. "They're not my lackeys. If I needed people to order around, I'd at least hire people of a certain standard. Those Death Eaters could barely screw a lightbulb in place, with magic."

"How did you even find me?"

"That's been quite frustrating, to be perfectly honest. After your little exploits in the Tardis, your magical signature is now on record, which means she can locate you if needs be. Except…for some reason…she couldn't track you until now. Like you were obscured from view."

Harry knew all about the capabilities of a Tardis. The tracking system on Matthew's ship had been a lifesaver on a number of occasions, so he was never going to complain about having that precaution in place. But the fact that Enola could do the same thing…the fact that she had done the same thing…sent a shiver down his spine. Because how could he have let that slip his mind? How could he have left himself so exposed?

Enola's eyes were dancing in curiosity. "What is it then? A specific kind of ward? Runes? A Fidelius Charm?"

Harry must have reacted in some way, because her gaze seemed to soften in realisation. Perhaps his body had stiffened in response to her guesses, giving the game away. The Fidelius ensured that only a minute number of people even knew that Grimmauld Place existed. The fact that Enola knew what the spell was, even if she didn't have the specifics about the location, made him feel uneasy. It was the same charm that had ultimately failed his parents and, the longer Enola stayed, the more Harry grew concerned that fate was repeating itself.

"It's a good choice," she said breezily, as if they were discussing something as trivial as picking a sandwich. "I could be standing right outside the front door and I wouldn't have a clue."

"I'm flattered that you've been standing in your Tardis, waiting for me to pop up on screen like a red dot," Harry spat. "But you still haven't explained what you want."

"To talk. It's that simple."

"I've got no interest in listening to you."

"You've been ignoring me for weeks."

"Because of that lack of interest. I thought you would have taken the hint."

"Maybe I should have. Maybe I'm not approaching this rationally." She cocked her head slightly to one side. "But I didn't want to give up."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you. You've obviously gone to a lot of effort to be here, and it's turned out to be a wasted trip. But I've got things to be sorting out, so if you don't mind…"

"I don't think I had the opportunity to properly explain myself in Dumbledore's office. There was too much going on. Too many voices. Too much anger."

"Anger that you caused," Harry reminded her, feeling his patience wearing thin. "There's nothing left to say."

She nodded her head slightly. "I guess it was worth a try. It's just awfully lonely in that castle at that moment. This is actually the first proper conversation I've had with…anyone for a while. If you exclude the Tardis, of course."

"You brought that on yourself. You were steadily being accepted into the fold. And you threw that all away."

"I know. Which is why, if you're not interested in talking, I just want to say…thank you. I know it blurted it out when you defended me that night, but I really mean it. Every piece of evidence should have told you to kick me to the curb."

"Don't tempt me."

"But you were willing to take a chance on me. You're the first person to do that in a long time and I'm just hoping that I can prove you right. I've been caught between a rock and a hard place ever since I came to Hogwarts so the fact that you were ready to acknowledge that is more than I deserve. So…if I don't get another chance to say it…thank you."

Harry knew that it could have easily been a convincing performance, that Enola was just carefully choosing his words to lure him back in. But there must have been a reason for him to have backed her that night. There must have been something powerful enough in the back of his mind to convince the rest of him, away from simple attraction. He'd hoped that he would have had the entirety of the summer to work out what had brought him to that choice, but Enola seemed hell bent on making things difficult for him.

It seemed that that truly was all Enola wanted to get out into the open. With Harry showing no signs of opening up to her, she was heading back to the Tardis. The same ship that was being monitored by Dumbledore, a point Enola must have known when she'd travelled to see Harry. She'd taken a massive risk in seeing him, with the headmaster surely poised to strike if there was a remote sign of trouble. Did that prove the genuine nature of her intentions?

Harry sat back down on the bench. He didn't say anything, but the movement was enough to catch Enola's attention. She hesitated by the false tree, as if she were trying to figure out whether there was an invitation to join him. He couldn't quite meet her gaze and the lack of that burning animosity must have convinced her to take a chance. Again, he didn't react when he felt the subtle shift in weight on the bench, signalling that she was by his side.

They remained quiet for a short period. Enola had made the decision to keep as much distance between them as was possible on the wooden seat, like she didn't want to push her luck. Once more, Harry was trying to assess whether that proved anything. If she was trying to win him back, then surely she would have been all over him. Surely she would have begged to stay, rather than relying on his unprompted acquiescence.

"You know, I haven't spent any time in London," Enola said, cutting through the quiet. "I've either been holed up with Voldemort or at Hogwarts ever since I landed in this time period. But I've heard a lot about it. It's quite beautiful, isn't it? Some of the buildings I've seen…it doesn't make sense just how tall they are. They're their own kind of magic, I suppose."

It was easy to forget that Enola came from a different time, given how well she'd acclimated to the setting. It was something that Harry didn't give Matthew enough credit for, with how much time they'd spent together. What must it have been like to step into a new world at such a young age? Harry supposed he hadn't focused on the point, seeing as he'd done exactly the same thing in joining wizarding society.

"If it's any solace, I don't get to explore the city nearly as much I'd like," Harry replied. "Or the country. Or the world. I've always spoken about travelling the globe, so that I can see what other magical communities are like. Maybe once Voldemort is gone, I'll finally have the opportunity to do that."

"If you needed another reason to defeat him."

"That's always been a growing list."

"I do want to help you do that, Harry. Beat him, that is. I want that on record."

Harry sighed. "It's alright saying that. But your actions paint a different picture."

"I wouldn't say so. Who was it that told you about the horcrux inside you? Who was it that engineered a way of removing it? I've done plenty of good things since meeting you. Apparently, none of them have been enough to clear my name. But one supposed bad deed is enough to condemn me. Do you think that's fair?"

Harry risked turning to face her. "You worked with him, Enola."

"To get to you."

"Exactly what he wanted, yeah."

"No, so that I could be with you. And I've stopped him from reaching you ever since. He doesn't have a Tardis in his arsenal now. He wanted to figure out how they worked, perhaps so that he could stop Matthew. Perhaps so he could build his own. Either way, I robbed him of that advantage."

"Not before he used that very Tardis to attack the school."

"We're going around in circles," Enola grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"Because it's the biggest issue! You can't deny that you were responsible for what happened."

She shifted on the bench so that they were both facing each other. "And what exactly happened, Harry? A few Death Eaters made it to Hogwarts and were either kept at bay, injured or killed. Not only that, but Voldemort showed his hand. He gave away what his main priority is, in finding one of his horcruxes. Without his servants bumbling around, you never would have discovered the Room of Requirements. You never would have known where to look for the horcrux. You would have spent years searching with no end result and, all the while, Voldemort would have been invincible. I had to cooperate with him, not just to be given the freedom to join you, but also to expose his plans."

With the way they'd turned, their faces were alarmingly close together. At some point during the debate, the two of them had slid across the bench, fuelled by their anger and sense of injustice. Given the impassioned nature of her speech, Enola's chest was rising and falling rapidly. Harry was more focused on the burning fire in her eyes, a sign of the power bubbling away under the surface that he'd only been given a taste of. And, as much as he knew he shouldn't, he found himself hungry for more.

Enola seemed to blink a few times, acknowledging their close proximity and the deluge of words she'd unleashed. Coming to her senses, she backed away sheepishly, snapping Harry out of the entranced spell at the same time. They were both left fidgeting on the bench, unsure of how to continue. Enola had basically laid her heart bare before him, unleashing a justification for her actions that she must have been holding in for months. It was no surprise that she'd been so eager to see him, if that had been eating away at her.

"You know about the Room of Requirements?" he asked quietly.

"When there's barely anyone in the castle, it's easy to keep track of what they're doing. Dumbledore has been visiting the same spot every day, spending hours in that room. I wasn't told the specific details about Voldemort's plans. He didn't trust me enough for that. But I knew that, through his desperation to protect himself, he'd reveal the cards he's holding."

Harry messed with his fingers as he pondered Enola's words. The problem was that it made sense, and so every opinion he had of her became skewed. He so dearly wanted to believe her that there was a possibility he would have agreed with any excuse she was able to come up with, but even Matthew would have agreed that they wouldn't have been handed the advantage if it hadn't been for the attack. Was that enough to absolve Enola of her sins?

"I don't know where we go from here," he said quietly.

"The fact that you're even referring to us as 'we' is enough for me."

"It's going to take a lot more to convince the others."

"Couldn't we just…forget about them? At least for this summer break. We could start afresh, without worrying about what everyone else has to say. Because I really enjoyed that date we went on and I'd like it even more to go on another." She looked out across the park. "This would be the perfect spot for another picnic, if you wanted to see me again."

Harry knew that whatever he said was going to determine his short term future, and potentially even further beyond that, which was why he took his time in responding. Meeting Enola would be a betrayal of everything he'd said to his friends and would go against the strict advice he'd been given by Sirius and Remus. But they'd also made a big point of him acting like a true teenager. Wasn't part of that experience all to do exploring what love and romance had to offer?

His hand reached out across the bench, their fingers lacing together.