The Ties that Bind the Soul (unedited)

by TheL0sts0uls

Feeling empty in the aftermath of the War and seeing the hypocrisy of the survivors of the OotP, Harry vanishes from the world. Years later, as old and new dangers surface, many still search for him, including Gabrielle Delacour, who tries to find her own path in the world, all the while a figure tries to live a peaceful life in the French countryside. Trans Harry Potter.

6. Chapter 52-55

Chapter 52: Shared Dreams

Londinium Arena, June 2003

"I suppose asking you to stay is fully out of the question?" Elysia looked over at Ragnar, who had come down to the Arena after being told that the Champion had been granted entry to it by the Guards, before smiling softly. "Sorry Ragnar, but after everything that we have done to prepare for my departure, I have no intention of staying. That said… I will be eternally grateful to you and to Londinium for everything. The person that I am now… would not exist without all of you." Ragnar walked up and stood beside his Champion as his eyes took in the Arena in its unmodified glory, the ground being solid and flat dirt under a yellow light, the spectator seats left empty. The Viceroy and Director of Gringotts London couldn't exactly disagree. Ever since Elysia returned from the capital, they had gone through everything that had been left incomplete before she had left. They had contacted the ICW Examiners so that they could evaluate and certify Elysia as a Potions Master after reviewing the files on her new Wolfsbane Potion, sold every property that belonged to Harry Potter and the Peverells in Britain and transferred ownership of Castle Black and the last Black Vault to the Malfoys. Her debt to Gringotts Bank had been paid in full and all that would be left of her past was one small Vault in the bank, devoid of any funds except for those that would keep it operational for at least fifty years. Everything that tied Elysia, body and soul, to Britain had been severed. Now, all that was left was for her to leave for her new home in France.

"Despite how you came to be in our company, Londinium has been proud to host you for the last five years and whilst we have celebrated your return… We all knew it was only a matter of time. I take it you have already said your goodbyes to Dredhook and the Soldiers?" Elysia lowered her eyes, nodding. It had been a particularly painful goodbye for her and her mentor, though she had prepared herself for quite a few drinks from him and his squadmates. They were exceedingly proud of her accomplishments and of her finally taking the plunge and taking on her new form, with all of them pitching in on what they thought would be the more effective exercise routines for her to follow in the next few months with Parision in order to recover her physical capabilities. Elysia had even been very clear that she would retake her swordsmanship training as soon as she could, with Dredhook smiling at her, telling her that he expected to hear either praise from Parision or complaints about her being far too skilled of a warrior. Elysia promised not to disappoint him, before they all cheered and downed enough drinks that most were drunk by the time that she had left the bar. Taking up her shoulder bag, which contained all of her personal effects, and her sword's case, which she had currently placed on the ground, Elysia turned to Ragnar. "I have. It's time for me to go." Gesturing with his hand, the two of them entered the lift and rode it up in silence until it stopped at a section that Elysia wasn't all that familiar with.

While she had worked for the Londinium Apothecary, she hadn't had the free time to explore the commercial heart of the Londinium District, which she and Ragnar were now crossing on their way to the lifts and carts that would bring them up to the Bank itself. What she did notice right away, however, was the new fountain that had been built at the center of the plaza, with a statue that took Elysia a second to recognize. It was marble, crafted in the form of two figures, both seemingly in the throes of combat. One of them was of a Chimera, its large form turned inward, a claw raised in a swiping motion. But what was odd about the statue was that the three heads of the creature seemed unfinished, until Elyia realized that she wasn't looking at the half side of a head, but exposed and bleached bones, with her three companions glowing in pride at their master's accomplishment. Ragnar smiled as she took in the work. "The sculptures worked night and day to craft this quickly and quietly, with the intention of displaying it before your return. It is truly their finest work, an innovative way of displaying the trophies of an exemplary Arena battle." The human figure opposite of the Chimera, however, seemed to have been crafted to look androgynous, the face completely concealed by a helm. Ragnar gestured at the simulacra of Elysia. "As you had yet to take a permanent form, they felt that a less lifelike look would be better, not to mention in respect to your privacy. I take it that you approve of it?"

Elysia smiled as she looked down at the commemorative plaque, where the date of the encounter was inscribed, as well as the title that she had been given by the King, rather than her name. "It's perfect." Raganar looked away from the statue and at his surroundings. "For the pride of Londinium, it couldn't be anything less." Elysia feigned surprise as the Goblins that had been hiding or walking around her had now stood still, their hand to their hearts as they bowed at her, a few she recognized as being the sculptors that had worked on the Marble relief up in the Londinium Lobby. She praised their work and thanked them for immortalizing her achievement, before going to the others. Unlike at the capital, this time she took her time talking to all of the residents, thanking them for seeing her off and listening to their stories. She wasn't sure how long she spent in the streets of the Londinium District. It might have even been a full day, though at no point did the Guards call for curfew, though she had a feeling they wouldn't have even tried regardless. At the end of her long journey to the cart that would take her back up to the Bank, she found Dredhook again, wearing his best armor, Helstrud in her Healer's garb, the smile on her face matching the one she had when the two of them took a photograph together for her collection, and her cousin, Golstrud, who was manning the cart, which had been modified to accommodate her size. Thanking them all one last time, she and Ragnar sat in their respective seats as Golstrud started them on the journey back to the surface, as Elysia took a deep breath. Her time in Londinium, and Britain in general, was at an end.

Present Day

"Are you sure we are going to need this?" Gabrielle nodded as she helped to get Elysia dressed for the occasion. She would never admit it to anyone, but Gabrielle took a great deal of pleasure in dressing up her lover whenever she could. There was just something about picking out a set of clothes for the raven haired witch to wear that made her feel warm inside. Then again, it was probably tied to the feeling she got when Elysia, powerful and strong willed as she was, allowed herself to be dominated by her girlfriend, in bed or elsewhere. Of course, it didn't hurt that Gabrielle found her lover to be extremely attractive, even if she was far more physically toned than most witches ever were, and enjoyed watching how that body was further accentuated by the clothes she wore. Today, however, much of Elysia's form was thoroughly concealed under heavy and warm clothes, the last of the Peverells completely unaware of Gabrielle's plans. The blonde Veela had been building up to this surprise for months now and she had no intention of spoiling it just yet. "Just trust me love." Getting a soft sigh in return, said witch looked over at the three creatures looking at them from atop her bed. "You three are enjoying this too much." Her companions' thoughts flashed through her head, making it very clear that they were thoroughly amused. They might take pride in Elysia's power and capabilities, but they loved to see her become so docile in Gabrielle's tender mercies.

Once she was satisfied with her lover's clothing, Gabrielle reached over to the bed and slipped into her own winter coat, buttoning it up after wrapping a scarf around her own neck. As soon as they left the bedroom, the three familiars vanished into Elysia's shadow, with Gabrielle apologizing to Sera after asking her to stay, knowing that the Chol wouldn't like the weather at their destination, let alone the method of getting there. After all, she had pursued these plans without Gringotts' involvement, knowing that they might let something slip or that Elysia herself might look into her activities. After all, she had been acting as Gabrielle's mediator to the bank, particularly now that she was a certified Magical Creature Healer. The last six months had been some of the most brutal for Gabrielle as she dedicated herself to studying as much of her profession as possible, not wishing to specialize in just common creatures or exotic ones. This meant that Elysia canceled all further encounters at the Arena, though she had managed to arrange a visit to a Sanctuary that housed several Tarasques. The massive creatures responded well to Gabrielle's presence, particularly one that Elysia seemed to be closer to, the blonde witch correctly guessing that it was the creature she encountered at the Arena, the large male grunting in what the Handlers called a respectful way. Touching the scales of the beasts was like handling sharpened stones, but Gabrielle could see the beauty that the beasts possessed, before using her skills to review their health.

The same happened with the Wyverns, as the Sanctuaries were being a bit more protective of the beasts, their numbers now dwindling as people sought to offset the restrictions on dragon products by using the smaller creatures. Unlike the Tarasque, Gabrielle was better able to perform her healer training with a few of the creatures that had been contained due to suffering injuries over territorial disputes, even attending and performing a small surgery on a Wyvern that had received too long of a gash along its belly. After her intervention, the creature was able to recover quickly and return to its hunting flock. These expeditions and her studies resulted in her certification being set for most creatures of the magical world, a rare thing among the MCHs, with Beauxbatons celebrating the accomplishment during the ceremony where Apprentices and interns receive their masteries or certificates, with Elysia having attended. Madame Maxime had apparently anticipated this, as Elysia was awarded an Honorary Mastery in Potions by the Academy, for her latest contribution to the craft: The Blood Alternative Potion. Like the Wolfsbane Potion years prior, the new potion wasn't in wide distribution just yet but the clinical trials into it had been completed, with Elysia only having to do minor adjustments to the brewing process and the ingredients for them to be effective for all of the world's vampires, the potion sustaining the recipient for two weeks in its current configuration.

The landmark achievement had been announced just a month prior to the awards ceremony, and the Beauxbatons Board of Governors and the Headmistress must have moved quickly to authorize the Honorary Mastery. Elysia had confided that she had been happy that she elected to come well dressed for the occasion, as she was forced to join the others in accepting the Mastery before the gathered guests. Ever since the ceremony, Gabrielle had been busy with the newly established company that was being managed by a Goblin called Julstrud, a recent arrival from Londinium, who had been all too happy to become her secretary, though thankfully they had been focused on building a list of clients, establishing the standard fares for her services, the extra costs for potions and everything else needed to be recognized as a business by the Ministry, before she could begin taking on any clients as an MCH. Secretly, however, she had been waiting to receive a particular package, which arrived earlier in the day at Gringotts Paris. As the pair descended the stairs to the Reception Hall, Gabrielle took the bound package with her as they stepped out into the warm summer night, before standing within the departure point, where Gabrielle opened the brown cardboard box, revealing an odd necklace.

Elysia smiled as she recognized the object. "Have you been exchanging correspondence with Luna?" Gabrielle nodded. "Yeah. She was able to secure this for me. It should be an international portkey. It was cleared for use and I was waiting for it to arrive. Ready to go?" After getting her nod of confirmation, the two gripped the leather necklace with a butterbeer cork as a pendant, before Gabrielle triggered the portkey with the phrase "Van Gogh." The two held each other tightly as the portkey took longer than any other they had ever used to transport them to their destination, before eventually their feet touched ground once more. Gabrielle took a deep breath as she untangled herself from the death grip she had used on Elysia. "When we make our way back do you think we can use one of your portkeys? That was… seriously unpleasant. You have definitely spoiled me." Gabrielle found herself being pulled back into gentle arms as Elysia kissed her forehead. "And I will continue to spoil you. Those portkeys are not as well made as they think they are. Now where-'' Gabrielle smiled into Elysia's chest, feeling the emotions leaking through their bond, just as much as the cold air around her told her that they had arrived. She pulled back and held Elysia's hands in her own. "You told me once about your dream about flying in an endless sea of stars. Well, this was the best I could do. The lake has been temporarily warded and the weather is as pristine as it could hopefully be. It's cold out here… but it's the only time of year that we could guarantee the clearest weather. So… what do you think?"

The blonde witch watched as Elysia's eyes scanned the horizon of what was Lake Pukaki, on the southern island of New Zealand. The glacial body of water stretched out far into the horizon, the dark night air as clear and as crisp as many winters that both of the witches had experienced, the sky completely devoid of any other lightsource as the moon was in its new phase. With the lake water being held still by the calm winds and the wards designed to assist, the massive body of water looked like a great mirror, the endless sea of stars above being reflected below. Pulling out Elysia's Firebolt from an extendable pocket, Gabrielle held it out to Elysia. "Just apply a notice-me-not charm and go for it." The raven haired witch looked away from the scene before her and into Gabrielle's eyes, tears running down her face, before looking at the broom in her hands. She touched the wood for a moment before pressing it back against Gabrielle's chest. Momentarily surprised by Elysia's decision, Gabrielle's question was silenced as two massive black wings appeared on Elysia's back, a cheeky smile growing on her face. "I won't be needing that for tonight." Casting a few spells on her person, and after a few massive beats of the wings, Elysia took to the sky as Gabrielle watched from the ground, her lover slowly gliding along the surface of the water, at times reaching down to touch the ice cold surface.

Slipping the broom back into the extended pocket of her coat, Gabrielle's eyes followed Elysia's form everywhere it went, though her black wings and clothes made her hard to keep track of, except for the places where light was being blocked. It had taken her the better part of six months, narrowing down the choices of lakes in the region, the times and dates that tended to be the most calm and better suited for the waters to be still, as well as making a few requests of the local magical community to place wards designed to assist in preserving the still quality of the water, just in case. The area wasn't entirely devoid of human civilization, as there was a road running along the edges of the lake, but it was isolated enough for her purposes, and clearly Elysia was fine with it as she turned over her back several times, taking in both the sky above and the water below, before she did something that truly surprised Gabrielle, as she seemed to dive down towards the water, slowing down at the last moment… and landing on the surface, as if it was made of glass. Gabrielle chuckled to herself, realizing that Elysia must have cast a spell that would prevent her from sinking. Said witch looked at her from the surface of the lake, not that far from her lover, before stretching out her hand. A surge of magic wrapped around Gabrielle, before she found herself apparated, her feet landing on the same still water, her boots apparently enchanted to prevent her from sinking beneath the surface too, bluebell flames hanging around them for lighting.

Elysia held Gabrielle in her arms, her heart beating wildly. "Thank you." The young Veela felt every emotion behind those two words as she hugged Elysia back. As she pulled away for a moment, though, her hand dipped into a smaller pocket, retrieving something within, as her heart started back up at a higher pace. "Elysia." The raven haired witch, whose eyes had once more begun to look around them at the pristine lake, refocused on her, her lips turning into a frown as he felt the anxiety leaking out from Gabrielle. Mustering up all her courage, the blonde witch held up her hand and the velvet box that sat on it, the lid pulled back to reveal a ring within. "Elysia Peverell… will you do me the honor of marrying me?" To say that the emotions coming through the bond were chaotic was an understatement. Aside from getting some feedback from Elysia's companions, which seemed to be positive, Gabrielle could feel the conflicted feelings that were at war in Elysia. As a boy in her youth, she had both been taught that the responsibility fell to him to ask for a person's hand in marriage, but had been depreciated for so long that the idea of ever getting married seemed ridiculous. As she began to live as Elysia, she had entertained the idea that it would be her lover's responsibility, not her own, and had told as much to Gabrielle, but had never really thought about how it would feel. After giving Gabrielle the bracelets, she had assumed that that would be the end of such grandiose gestures.

Now that it was happening to her, Elysia wasn't sure how she should feel, though the tears spilling out over cheeks and the elation growing in her heart overwhelmed all other thoughts or emotions, save one. "Yes. I will marry you." Gabrielle reached into the box, being very careful not to drop anything into the dark waters below, before slipping the ring on Elysia's hand, the gold ring with a light blue stone adjusting itself to her size. The two kissed over the water, the cold temperatures of the air around them completely forgotten, before they finally broke apart out of breath. Holding Gabrielle to her, Elysia looked around, noticing a dark cottage nearby. "So, will we be heading home now?" Gabrielle chuckled before shaking her head as she looked up into Elysia's eyes. "No. We have two weeks of vacation lined up and I have no intention of letting you leave without taking in the sights around here. I have the itinerary with me but don't worry… we'll be coming back here every night to take in the sights and peace and quiet." Leading her towards the dark cottage, the place reacted to an object on Gabrielle's person as the locks were magically opened and the two were able to step inside as the blonde witch went over all the activities they had planned and the portkeys that had been left for them at the cottage for their convenience, Elysia taking a moment to inspect the ring on her hand under the light of building, the smile firmly in place on her lips as she realized that she truly had the best girlfriend in the world. She would have to make the honeymoon plans to be just as special for her, as she wrapped her arms around her lover and began to undress her. She would make sure that the two were properly exhausted to be able to sleep until the morning, when their vacation truly got started.

"Gods, I am going to grow spoiled rotten by Elysia's portkeys. It's like a pleasant magic shower compared to the grand rapids that most portkeys are like." Luna smiled at Adeline as the two had just arrived on a property just on the other side of the Lot River from the main historical village. "You're complaining? I have to take international portkeys every other month from across the globe for my work. When I first used Elysia's special portkey last winter, it was the single best experience I ever had on an international portkey. I just need to be careful when I use it to avoid getting in trouble." Adeline nodded as they walked closer to the two story house that was on the property, the place looking disheveled and in need of a lot of work or just being demolished and rebuilt from the ground up. She then looked away from it over the field of tall grass that was bordered by patches of trees, a few of which concealed roads. "What do you think?" Luna turned and looked, feeling a bit melancholic. "It certainly looks peaceful. Are you sure about this, though? It's a big investment." Adeline smiled, though it was a bit forced. "I know it is. But, at the same time… I think it's the right call for me to make. I like research expeditions and everything, but there is just something calming about having a place to call your own. And this isn't even the whole of it." She gestured at the lands further down on the river's edge. "I talked to the owners on both sides of this property and they are agreeable to sell the lands they have bordering the river, since they tend to be useless with all the floods. With it, we can set up even better irrigation controls over the area."

She then gestured at the back of the property. "We have even gotten into talks with the landowners back there that want to sell because they haven't been able to do much with the land. That way we can have plenty of space for several greenhouses, as well as a few exposed patches for growing herbs and materials in the open air. I was thinking of even going with a decorative plant farm. Magicals hardly ever bother and I had a lot of fun when planting the gardens for Gabrielle's birthday parties. I can then use the earnings from the sales to fund some research projects." Hearing Adeline's plans, and seeing them come to life through her own eyes chased away some of the depressing thoughts that had snuck into her mind whilst the former Ravenclaw remembered her family's home back in Britain. As much as she wanted to say otherwise, whenever she recalled the place, her heart would always feel torn, between the happy memories of her youth with her parents and Ginny as her friend, all of them happily running in the tall grass or jumping in the small streams near their houses, and the loneliness that followed after Pandora's death and Ginny growing distant. Though Luna couldn't deny that some of that distance was her own doing. Being a Seer, particularly one as untrained as her, came with a great many complications, especially in a crowd. It was part of the reason she prefered being in environments far removed from human contact.

With the exception of the Peverell Estate. Something about Elysia's magic and the way it wrapped around the entire property had the unintended effect of blocking out any random bursts of insight from the future. That wasn't to say that she was unable to see things others ignored, though Elysia certainly seemed to see a lot more of the things around her than almost anyone else that Luna ever encountered. No, whilst her vision of things beyond time were inhibited, she could still get insights into people. Out here, on this wide open field, Luna found that she could still see events beyond time… but there was an ease to how she could snap out of the visions. Sensing the air, she briefly smiled as she realized that they were currently underneath the leyline that ran along Elysia's home, meaning the magic that seemed to leak out of her friend constantly had permeated the leyline and was giving off similar effects miles away from the property. "So? What do you think?" Luna looked at Adeline and smiled at her before responding. "I think you will be happy here." Adeline nodded, as she always did when Luna said something unusual, before she walked over and took the blonde's hands. The dark skinned witch looked into Luna's eyes. "I was hoping… you might be willing to join me out here. Of course, you wouldn't have to be here all the time, and your work will take you all over the world and I have seen how important it is to you, but if you ever wanted something more…"

Luna just kept smiling at Adeline, having seen this coming for months, maybe years. Sometime after they were paired up together in their first trip, Luna had seen Adeline getting more attached to her, probably around the same time she realized that Luna's enigmatic words weren't devoid of meaning and that she could see and hear things others couldn't. It made Adeline become far more aware of the world and the people around her, particularly of the unusual witch that was her partner for six whole months. Over the years, they started to grow closer, with their second shared expedition to Guiana cementing the feelings in both witches, though Luna had been waiting for Adeline to make up her mind, as it was unfair of a Seer to make the first move in a relationship. It had been a bit amusing to see Adeline shifting emotions for months during their second trip, as she tried to come up with the courage to ask Luna for a deeper commitment, but it never came, though Luna could see that it was Adeline just being unsure of herself. The witch in front of her, who kept rambling about things that Luna could do in spite of the request, was finally certain in her feelings. That was enough for the blonde as she pulled Adeline's head to her before placing a soft kiss on her friend's lips. Adeline blinked, having gone silent after the surprising action from Luna. "Is that a yes?" Luna giggled, knowing that sometimes… she didn't have to be enigmatic. Sometimes, being direct was the only good choice. "It's a yes."

Later in the evening the two returned to the Peverell Estate for dinner, with Elysia looking between them as soon as they entered the dining hall, with Adeline heading into the kitchen to help Ida. As Luna took her seat, Elysia looked at her and smiled, with Luna smiling back. It was one of the things that the two of them had been doing for years, first at Hogwarts, and now here, as they hardly needed words between them to know what was happening. Though they had talked about it before, right after Adeline and her returned from the last Guiana trip, as Elysia had known of Adeline's plans. The two of them had an unspoken understanding that Luna's feelings were far more complicated than anyone else's, both because of her gifts and because of her past. Ulike Elysia or the Veelas, Luna neither desired nor craved physical contact or displays of affection. Not that she wasn't able to show affection, as Luna could, but it was simply that she didn't have the drive that others did. Elysia understood that and had learned to read Luna's emotions through her magic, though never in an invasive way, and Luna herself was quite happy that she could do that, as it meant that she didn't need to explain anything. Reuniting with her old friend had given Luna a person that she could trust with her truth, whilst running into Adeline had given her someone that Luna believed she could trust with her heart. Their relationship wouldn't be quite like everyone else's, but the brief glimpse she had seen of the two of them together walking fields of flowers had shown them happy. It had shown Luna something else too, but that was a consideration for another time. After all, Ida always made extra dessert for her every night that she was at the Estate, so she had a feast to look forward to first. Everything at its own time, after all.

"Easy girl. I am almost done." Gabrielle felt the rumble of the creature's emotions against her magic, but the large beast kept still as the witch reached in and removed the final egg from the dragoness' body. The Handlers at the Jormungandr Dragon Reserve had been very concerned about the health of the Ukrainian Ironbelly that she and Elysia had helped transfer over a few years ago when it became clear that she was pregnant. Like quite a few reptiles, the Dragons initially incubated their eggs in their body before laying them in a nest for the next stage of their development. Unfortunately, like with any living creatures, complications could arise, with the Handlers having seen the dragoness behaving oddly, spending long periods of time in her nest but with no eggs to show for it. At their request, and with Elysia accompanying her during the initial trips, Gabrielle was able to get a blood sample to confirm that she was indeed pregnant, and then proceeded to try and get a feel for the eggs and what the dragoness was feeling. When it was confirmed that she was getting weaker, Gabrielle returned with her surgical equipment, without Elysia this time around and, after allowing her Allure to interact with the Dragoness long enough to get her to calm down and agree to her invasive assistance, she and the handlers got started on the procedure, first feeding her a heavy dose of anesthetic potion, with her Hebridean Black mate also getting dosed and isolated in a section of his enclosure so as to avoid any mishaps, as both the males and the females tended to be very sensitive when they perceived someone was harming a member of their family. With eggs in the mix, aggressive behavior could quickly become deadly.

Cutting through the lighter scales of the dragon's belly had been a difficult task on its own. Sure, someone of Elysia's caliber could ram a sword easily through the softer scales, but making medical incisions was a different matter, with Gabrielle having to essentially follow along the scale lines to successfully make her way through the tough hide and equally as tough flesh, before she was finally able to expose the inner organs. Cutting into the reproductive tract, Gabrielle was finally able to reach the eggs, which seemed to be fine, though clearly far more along than was expected for a dragoness still carrying them in her body. Removing them gently was a delicate procedure, as the eggs were still a bit soft and thereby vulnerable to damage, though the Handlers that had braved what many saw as certain death with her was more than capable of handling the eggs safely, placing them on the nest and gently washing them with just water, as any trace chemicals or potions ingredients could cause the parents to not recognize them as their own. With the last egg handed over, Gabrielle reached over and touched the Dragoness' snout. "I need to apply some pressure to close the wound, so you will probably feel some pain, but I promise you, you will be fine and your eggs will be waiting for you. Just be patient a while longer." The dragoness, still under the effects of the potions, grumbled but remained still.

With the eggs wrapped in a blanket filled with the discarded scales of the nesting parents to prevent them from getting too cold, Gabrielle proceeded to gently tug the thin membrane of the reproductive tract together, applying healing potion to the edges of the wound before holding the cut closed with medical vices. The process was a lot slower than cutting into the belly in the first place, but the young Veela, wearing blue overalls that were covered in blood, just liker her gloved hands, persevered until the last of the sensitive membrane was healed up and sealed, with a scan confirming what her eyes told her, before she began the process again with the thicker layer of flesh, muscle and scales. As expected of the legendary creatures, these wounds responded better to healing and the cuts she had made practically vanished without much of a trace, with a final check with her wand telling her that everything was healed over, with no indication of infections. Feeding the dragoness a heavy, particularly when compared to most other creatures, dietary supplement potion, Gabrielle asked the Handlers to clear the area, the blanket over the eggs and all other traces of human presence being removed, before she also fed the large creature the counteragent to the anesthetic, with the beast coming awake rather quickly. Taking the portkey to the relative safety of the Ranger station along the riverside, Gabrielle went over to the nearest sink, removing her gloves and proceeding to remove her face mask, hairnet and overalls, before washing her hands, as the Handlers talked amongst themselves.

While this was Gabrielle's first time doing this emergency procedure on a dragoness, she had gathered some experience when it came to difficult deliveries, particularly with Wyverns as the population was in recovery. Mikhail, the Director of the Reserve, had heard of her work with the lesser Dragonkin and had requested her professional opinion and assistance. Said man approached her as she finished cleaning herself up. "That was exemplary work, MCH Delacour. We can't thank you enough. Losing Kriemhild would have been a devastating loss for the Reserve after everything you went through to get her here." Gabrielle unfurled her hair from the knot so that it rested down in a ponytail. "It was my pleasure. That being said, you will need to readjust her diet if you want her to lay any more eggs. From what I could tell, the eggs were fine, but it's possible that her years in captivity with diminished meal offerings, plus the fact this is an interspecies breeding program, resulted in the complications. She needs to keep her strength up for longer, and maybe increase her water retention. Adding dietary supplements to her meat will be necessary not only for her immediate recovery, but for her life in the reserve for the long term. I would have suggested ending the breeding project, but it isn't exactly you people that get to decide that." Mikhail chuckled. "Indeed. Siegfried would be quite cross if he and his mate were separated after they found each other. We will get started on the supplements as soon as possible."

Taking the offered meeting room of the Handlers, Gabrielle sat down, beginning the process of completing her summary of the medical procedures she performed, writing down the potions used, as well as the volume of said potions, before finishing with the results of her final scans at the end of her treatment. After proofreading her work, Gabrielle signed the document and called Mikhail over, who reviewed it, before nodding at the price that was written on the receipt. "My dear, had you asked for more, I would have gladly paid it." Gabrielle shook her head. "You read my company's terms. Treatment costs are all tightly regulated, so as to prevent any improprieties. Besides, having you as a repeat customer has its privileges." Mikhail chuckled before signing the receipt and handing Gabrielle back her copy. He then went into his office before returning, a pouch in his hand as he counted the galleons until the amount was correct, handing her the gold and silver coins, with Gabrielle counting them herself before depositing them in her own money pouch. She smiled as she held out her hand to Mikhail. "You take care of those two and let me know when their eggs hatch. I might even get my fiancé to join me." Mikhail chuckled as they shook hands. "You two certainly had a lot of fun meeting Blackridge's nestlings. Don't worry, your office will be informed as soon as they hatch."

Dressed in a heavy winter coat with her scarf wrapped around her neck, Gabrielle took one last look at the Dragon Reserve nestled in the fjord before activating her portkey. She sighed in relief as soon as her feet touched solid stone, waving her hands at the Goblins of Gringotts Paris managing the Portkey Transit Point after handing over the magical object, so that they could disable it. As a business partner of Gringotts Paris, Gabrielle had permission to use the Bank's transportation network and portkeys, but only with prior authorization. Thankfully, she only tended to use the service when she needed to make international appointments, like her latest trip to Scandinavia. Making her way through the bank, she knocked on a door that she was now very acquainted with, a voice inside saying "enter." Gabrielle smiled as she spotted Julstrud behind her desk, which was covered in stacks of documents. "Busy days ahead?" The female goblin grumbled. "To a degree. The receipt and memory crystal?" Gabrielle handed over her documents and the money pouch, before removing the crystal from her coat pocket, the object being used by their company to prevent anyone from claiming malpractice without evidence. It hadn't happened yet, but Julstrud, like all Goblins, always made preparations for anything that could be bad for business. Taking out a small wooden box with a date and serial number already engraved, Julstrud placed the crystal inside and sealed it, before verifying the payment, handing back the cut that belonged to Gabrielle, as well as the schedule for the upcoming week. "Anything else, Miss Delacour?"

Gabrielle looked over the schedule, seeing that she would be busy, though not extensively so, and all of it would be within French borders. "No, that will be all, Julstrud. Thank you as ever. Have a pleasant day." Julstrud nodded, before getting back to her papers, most being requests for medical appointments, with Julstrud checking to see how severe the condition was and what timetables she could manage so that Gabrielle wasn't overworked while still attending to those with creatures undergoing medical emergencies, with a few documents being resumes of people wishing to sign up to work with them as MCHs, most of the candidates still going through the certification process at either Beauxbatons or at Ilvermorny. Gabrielle knew and trusted that if Julstrud needed something from her, she would send her a letter or call her over through the Floo, so she took her earnings from the day and made her way towards the Transportation Hub, before activating the Floo Terminal. Stepping through and entering the Reception Hall of the Peverell Estate made her smile, particularly as Seraphina landed on her shoulder, having removed her coat whilst in Gringotts. "Sorry I couldn't take you with me girl, it was too cold for you." Serah shrilled in agreement, before Gabrielle felt an overwhelming presence wrap around her, welcoming her home from afar. As Gabrielle went to search for her lover, she felt those emotions inside of her surging again. This place was her home now, but there was a part of her that was demanding that she seek one last thing to make it perfect. it was a desire… that was getting a lot harder to ignore.

"This feels strangely familiar." Hermione grumbled under her breath. "I know. I thought my days of reading over other people's assignments ended when Ronald didn't return to Hogwarts." Elysia chuckled, before taking the seat opposite of Hermione, her potions notebook in hand. "Really? Gabrielle and Luna might have been outliers since their internships had no instructional requirements, but Adeline was very clear when she described her having to help Persaud with the younger students and their classwork." Hermione barely took her eyes off the assignment in front of her. "Professor Persaud… and you did that on purpose." Elysia smiled as she opened her notebook, reclining back in her seat. "I did. Aside from the work, though, you have seemed quite happy of late, despite overworking yourself." Hermione looked up from her work for a second, ready to retort, but she noticed the stern look in Elysia's eyes. Her friend wasn't joking about her last observation. As part of her mandated preparation for the Mastery, Hermione had to be an assistant professor at the school for a full year, teaching the youngest students the basics of Magical History, and her presence in the classroom had certainly been a huge draw for the younger years. Even though Harry remained the central figure in the narrative for Britain's Second Wizarding War, Hermione's involvement still drew plenty of attention to her, particularly from the children of British expatriates that were beginning their education in the French academy, many having grown up with tales of the brave souls that succeeded in ending the reign of terror of the British Dark Lord.

Hermonie's brief time as Minister for Magic also helped in drawing both attention and questions, even from students who weren't part of her classes, with the brunette trying to be as polite as possible while screaming internally as the questions tended to vere towards the less pleasant aspects of her life. At least the staff was a lot more understanding, though Hermione almost hyperventilated in the presence of the Flamels, who were doing their guest lectures at the Academy for the Alchemy NEWT and Post-NEWT programs, and she had some trouble trying to get Professor Trefor Belnades to quit inviting her to the Dueling class for her to participate as a guest instructor. As skilled as she remained in Defence, Hermione had no intention of dedicating her life to teaching others how to do the same, particularly when there were far more qualified people on staff. At least Trefor's wife was able to handle him, and Hermione found her love for books, even if it was limited to potions, to be a fond way for the two witches to interact during their breaks in the school week, though these were few and far between, particularly during exam season. Sighing to herself, the former Gryffindor knew when to back down from Elysia's challenge. "I know. With this, teaching myself Magical Law, and still being the Liaison for Magical Britain to France, it's starting to take a toll. Thankfully, the latter has calmed down a lot, and I am doing my self-study on most of the treaties that the ICW and France have asked to put under review, as I have no intention of doing it forever. What about you? With Gabrielle working as an MCH all the time, I have noticed you have been busy in the lab these last few months, when you aren't busy out of the Estate."

Elysia nodded. "I know. I would rather take time off a lot more, but with Gabrielle so focused on her work, it didn't seem fair if I was just laying around in the Estate." Hermione nodded back, returning to her grading. "How is the Hag Potion research coming along?" Elysia shrugged. "It's finally progressing a little bit after I had a chat with Nicholas. It's been hard, trying to figure out what exactly a Hag, or any other maneater like the Rougarous, are actually feeding on, whether it's the inherent magic in the flesh, or if it's actually the flesh itself. With my work with the Vampire Blood Alternative Potion, I already had a foundation on the transfer of magic into the consumption aspect of the potion, so I just needed to cover the flesh part. Apparently, Alchemists have been using animal flesh to create Homunculi for centuries, with the exception of the actual psychopaths that were using either corpses or live human sacrifices for their works. I didn't need to know that Mary Shelley's vivid nightmare was actually something Alchemists had been up to for as long as anyone could remember." Hermione lifted her head to look at Elysia, horror dawning on her face. She closed her eyes and grumbled to herself. "Of course the science-fiction cautionary tale was ignored by Magicals and Alchemists long before it was published. There are days when I really question why we even bother to write laws down." Elysia waved her hand dismissively. "Please, we both know non-magicals aren't any better. The chemical and biological weapon research facilities scattered throughout the world are evidence enough of that, though I do agree in researching counteragents."

"Anyways, Nicholas was kind enough to share with me the alchemical process for turning animal flesh to human, and I have been trying to create a less complex variant using just Potioneering and I think I am getting close to a working solution using pig meat as a catalyst. I was thinking of eventually branching off my research into other biological sources of protein, including plant based meat substitutes, but getting the first potion functioning sufficiently for clinical trials is more important. After that, I can work on expanding the effectiveness to other protein sources. Other than that, I have just been doing basic work on pre-existing potions, seeing if there are ways of streamlining the brewing processes and maintaining or improving their effectiveness." Hermione shook her head, realizing that Adeline and Gabrielle were right. Elysia really didn't seem to grasp that what she can do in just half a year of research is beyond amazing. Then again, this was the same person that thought that casting a Patronus Charm as a third year was nothing special, particularly the massive one at the end of the school year, as well as the same person that taught a good chunk of the student population Defence Magic in a way that surpassed every professor they ever had, save one. "Should I warn Brion or Hannah about another possible shift in the Potion economy?" Elysia smiled at herself. "It won't be for another few years and even then, I am not sure how much of an impact it could have at the time. Besides… the Viceroy Council would be disappointed if you spoiled their fun."

Hermione's head shot up as she watched her friend jotting down ideas for her potions, before making a few corrections with her pencil. On second thought… perhaps she did know and just didn't care about it for herself. Hermione wasn't sure which of the two options were the most concerning to think about, so she decided to leave it alone, and focused on her own work, the two witches descending into a comfortable silence that lightened the mood of the brunette as she finished grading the student's work. While she hadn't planned on actively pursuing a career in general education, Hermione couldn't deny that she rather enjoyed the actual part of teaching whilst she completed her internship. Watching the students listen to her as she taught them the early histories of Magic, from the point of views of so many civilizations and the impact that these fantastical beginnings had on modern magic was a delight, particularly as she developed a method of teaching the history as if it were a puzzle, giving the students all the clues they needed before asking them how they thought the pieces would fall into place. It was a technique she had developed with Victoire's homeschooling and she rather enjoyed seeing it be effective with so many others as they began to think about the past and the present. Though, what Hermione and Elysia, in their own unique ways, were far more concerned with was with the future, and how they could make it just a tiny bit better for all, if not at the very least for the people in their lives that meant the world to them.

Chapter 53: Forged Bonds

Occitanie Peverell Estate, Summer 2003

A loud whistle filled the air, the noise reverberating around the massive stone reception hall and down the two large wings of the building, as Elysia and Fueruk entered the Peverell's sole Fortress in Occitanie, France. The last of the Peverells frowned as she looked at the decrepit wooden stairs that lead to the first floor, which had mostly fallen apart. "I thought the Estate was under a stasis ward?" Fueruk walked to stand beside the Champion of the Arena, his cane echoing louder than it usually did in the lobby of Gringotts Paris. He eyed the rotted wood and shook his head. "It was, but the leyline that crossed over this property grew weaker in the centuries since, with the bulk of the magic focused on keeping the property secure. The stasis aspect must have failed at some point. Thankfully, anything truly valuable would have been taken with the Peverells nearly a millennium ago, so nothing of great value has been lost, aside from the woodwork, which probably needed to be replaced anyways." Elysia sighed. "You're not wrong, but this means that I can't set up the wards for the property. According to the records, the chamber is on the second floor, next to the Master bedroom. If the stairs here are diminished… I don't even want to think about the stairs that led up to the second floor. Besides, would there really be any point in my raising any wards if the leyline is so diminished?"

Fueruk smiled, glad that he and Ragnar had a detailed conversation about his newest charge. "As you know, a ward is powered by both the leylines and those who control them. It's why most first generation wizards or witches can ward their homes, regardless of where they live. You would be more than able to ward this place properly, and that's not even taking into account your… unique situation." At Elysia's silent stare, Fueruk smiled. "As you know, Raganar kept a close eye on you whilst you stayed at Londinium. The Goblins noticed an odd phenomenon was occurring with the leylines and they believe, which we will soon be able to corroborate, that your presence was revitalizing the leylines that cross over Magical London. Once you establish your wards here, we will likely see a change with the leyline for the better." Elysia frowned, curious as to if her status as a Master of Death had anything to do with that, though her studies of leylines in regards to warding didn't mention that a line could diminish. "What would cause a leyline to diminish anyways?" Fueruk looked… bothered by what he was about to say. "Leylines are like rivers of Magic and, just like actual rivers, the abuse of them can have negative repercussions. France, as you know, has many magicals and they have all clustered in great numbers over major cities and leylines, siphoning off the magic for their own homes. Like a river, the flow of Magic can be affected and the tributaries that once were fed by it can become… withered, if there is not enough excess magic to feed them. The leyline here is one such tributary, having weakened over time due to an increase in population in the lines that act as its source."

Elysia realized why Fueruk looked bothered. In the eyes of the Goblins, leylines were seen as the lifeblood of the Great Earth Mother. That they could be diminished must seem as if the world was harming their goddess, even if it was unknowingly. She turned to look at the empty Estate. "Is it right for me to add my own as a burden to the Great Earth Mother as well?" Fueruk looked at his Champion, surprised, though his face took on the features of recognition, before smiling softly. "My Champion, your presence in this region will be a boon, not a burden, for the Great Earth Mother. That I can assure you. That said…" Looking around as he walked deeper into the structure, resting his hands on his cane. "If the ward chamber is on the second floor, then our people's planners and workers will need to get started on some aspects of the renovation soon." Elysia approached the old stairs, grabbing the railing and having it disintegrate at her touch. "Have them come over and map out the ground floor and basement so we can start discussing designs. The sales of the properties in Britain weren't anything grand so the expenses will not cover everything, but at least I can afford to get the floors and stairs fixed up first, before I start brewing. On second thought, we will need the Potion's Lab up and running almost as soon as the wards are up." Fueruk chuckled. "Indeed. In the meantime, I can offer you a room at the Bank for the duration of the initial work on the property. In fact, His Majesty has requested that you help in designing the Champion Suites."

Elysia blushed at the mention of the King's request. "I will get right on that soon. As for where I will be staying…" Walking towards the back of the building, in what she was certain must have been a chamber of some social value, Elysia reached over and opened a door that led outside, the hinges breaking as soon as the door shifted to the side. Looking at the overgrown yard filled with weeds and tall grass, Elysia walked over on a small patch of stone that remained mostly untouched. It was mossy and stained, but nothing a bit of Magic couldn't fix. "Actually… could I stay here until we get the wards strengthened again? I… want to see what it's like living out here before the reconstruction, and my wizard's tent will be fine on this clear path of stone. It's been sometime… since I last saw the night sky." Fueruk nodded in understanding. Goblins were creatures of the Earth and were quite comfortable living underneath rock and stone, but she was a witch who had just spent five years under her work release sentence. "Of course. I will have the wardmasters start setting up the temporary wards along the perimeter and let you charge them over the night. In the meantime, I will have the planners inspect the property so that they can get the measurements for the reconstruction." Elysia waved at him in thanks as he walked back in the direction of the portkey arrival point, before she started setting up her Wizarding Tent.

By the time night fell, the Goblins had completed their inspection of the ground floor… and even the first floor, with them planning to inspect the rest of the structure the next day, meaning they would have the information needed to give her a concise design by the time they were ready to get started. It still surprised her just how much they were willing to go through to please her, despite the fact that she was no longer as strong as she once was. Having cleaned up the stonework that seemed to have been a balcony that overlooked the gardens, Elysia began to work out, following the exercise routine that the soldiers suggested for her, before her stomach growled in hunger. Pulling out a few premade sandwiches and simply sitting down on the stone floor, Elysia leaned back and stared at the starry night sky, feeling her anxieties about the place disappearing, as she felt that a view like this was more than worth all the effort that the place needed to go through to become livable. As she stared at the sky, she felt her three companions take physical form, Anand and Macha sitting down next to her as Badb took to the skies, a smile tugging at her lips. The place might not look like it… but after a lot of hard work, gold and time… it could become a home for her. The word felt so heavy in her heart, having never known a place that she could really call "home." It was almost too terrifying to hope, considering what became of Hogwarts, the place she had thought of as home when she was eleven years old. Maybe this time… things would finally be different.

Present Day

"These are my notes on the last few batches. Once you have them verified, please let me know as soon as we have permission for the clinical trials. I want to be around to hear their opinion in case I need to rework the potion so that it's more appetizing to ingest." The Goblin Potioners took the papers with reverence and bowed their heads. "Of course, Lady Peverell. We will begin testing your latest recipes as soon as possible." Elysia sighed, still a bit annoyed that, despite how helpful the Goblin Potioneers were during her time in Britain, when they had to step in to continue feeding the research bats to determine that the Blood Alternative Potions were functioning correctly, they still regarded her so highly. Then again, at this point, she felt there was little more she could do, as she took up her bag and slipped the strap on her shoulder, before making her way to Fueruk's office. The aging Goblin smiled as she entered, before gesturing at the person seated across from him. "Welcome, Lady Peverell. Viscount Moriéve and I were just going over the latest from the groweries that were established to secure the raw materials for the Blood Alternative Potion." Setting down her bag, Elysia held out her hand, with the Elder shaking it in return. "Bernard, always a pleasure. How is Cynthia doing?" The white haired vampire shrugged. "She is doing fine, enjoying the reprieve from your mutual training sessions with her boyfriend."

Taking the offered seat, after she adjusted it so that she was able to look at both Bernard and Fueruk, she leaned back and smiled. "I am glad. After all the weekends we trained together, I was starting to feel a bit sore myself." She gestured with her hand. "Please, don't mind me. I want to hear how everything is going." Fueruk returned his attention to the report he had on his desk. "The groweries managing the primary ingredients will soon be reaching harvesting maturity, so the sap will eventually be available for higher production and demand. The rest of the materials are also being increased in production to match the expected load the new potion will have on the world market as soon as full production begins, with Gringotts and the Courts having sufficient controlling interests in these to ensure they don't suddenly increase the prices. If everything goes as planned, we will be seeing worldwide distribution of all variants by next summer." Bernard sighed in relief. "That's good. I had heard that some of the youngsters were getting restless after they got word of the potion. They might not like it, but a year's delay will be acceptable under the circumstances." Fueruk looked over at Elysia. "Will your current project need any of these materials to have to be mass produced as well?" Elysia rubbed her chin. "Only the secondary ingredients. The primary are materials that aren't part of the Blood Alternative Potion."

Moriéve looked over at her before grinning. "I take it the Hags will be getting some good news?" Elysia shrugged. "Maybe in a year or two when the trials are completed. nfortunately, the pig population of the world will be seeing a decline unless I get the other variants to use different proteins as the transformative base material." Moriéve snorted. "I am sure Gringotts and the Covens will be able to… encourage an increase in the population of pig farms, particularly once they hear that they will have a steady supply to maintain." Fueruk nodded. "I will start making enquiries of both the farms and the Covens, though I will try to be discreet." Moriéve looked over at Elysia. "And that other variant you wanted to test?" Elysia looked over at the Elder Vampire. "Getting the Blood Alternative Potion to have a longer period of effect is tricky, which is why I have been stockpiling several ingredients suspended in solutions to see which combinations work. If there is a marked increase in duration, however, you will understand that these potions will not be produced in an expedient manner. Unlike the others, you will need to brew them in advance for specific customers." Moriéve nodded. "Of course, though this is all still conjecture." Elysia sighed. "It is… I… have been saving any research into longer lasting potions for later in consideration of a change in my… living arrangements, so this research is purely on the theoretical stage for the moment."

After a few more discussions on business, Moriéve departed, leaving Elysia with Fueruk in his office. The Viceroy of Parision steepled his fingers. "I take it that you and Miss Delacour are beginning to plan for more… permanent arrangements?" Elysia nodded. "We are. For the moment it's still just us discussing a few ideas for the wedding, but… after that, there is a higher chance that we will have other priorities to consider. With her career being what it is, it's obvious that I will have to change my own workload to take up more of the burden, which means reducing my ability to produce or research potions. I believe I will still be able to produce the potions that the Charbonneau Apothecary sells, as well as some for the Bank, but research will have to be dialed down to less extensive work." Fueruk hummed. "Hence why you wish to focus on potions with ingredients that take weeks, if not months, to be at their peak efficiency." Elysia shrugged. "It seems like the right course of action." She turned to her friend. "Anything else?" After going over a few documents that will need to be worked on during and after the wedding, Elysia picked up her bag and headed out into Place Cachée, taking a deep breath of the warm summer air, before heading over to a nearby shop where her friends were waiting for her. She still had a long day ahead of her.

"Oh, I love the shoulders on this one." Daphne watched as Susan walked around Hermione as she was sporting the latest wedding dress style that had been suggested for her. As they were in Alex Rosier's famous clothing shop in Paris, having reserved the afternoon so that Rosier could offer a full selection of dress designs to pick from, all of which were enchanted to be adjustable so that the dresses looked well on most women who wore them, the group really having a chance to explore the options available for both the bride and the bridesmaids, with Susan taking it upon herself to be Hermione's more vocal critic, after Luna simply said "You will look lovely." Daphne had no idea how the other ladies could even have a long conversation with a witch that was either a Seer, or suffering from a few loose screws, maybe even both at once, but she was at least very gifted in picking out colors, as was seen when Alex brought out several dresses of various materials and coloration, with the former Ravenclaw narrowing down the options to three, though she had whispered something in Alex's ear about two of the dresses she had dismissed. It was a shame that Hannah wasn't able to attend today's visit to the shop, but at least Susan seemed certain that she would like the options available, as the British Minister for Magic was busy in meetings with her French counterpart as they discussed various political and economic matters for their two communities.

A lot had changed in the almost two years that the British Ministry had been radically altered after the ICW intervention. For one thing, all of the trials that had been backed up in the DMLE were finally properly processed, with a few unfortunate souls getting some monetary compensation as their involvement in criminal acts was confirmed to be under the effects of the Imperius Curse. On the other hand, the backbone that had financed the Death Eater movement, starting from all the way back in the sixties, was neutralized completely, with a lot of families seeing their Vaults reduced greatly in size. Those that were genuinely remorseful for their tactile support were given lesser fines, including her own family, after they cooperated with the investigation and turned over all evidence, giving the DMLE a thorough understanding of how the Death Eaters were financed. This knowledge was then applied to legislation in order to prevent another terrorist cell from developing again in Britain. It was these actions that had further cemented Daphne as a trustworthy Chief Witch, with her cold and detached persona being very appropriate for what was essentially the mediator and leader of the Wizengamot, whilst Hannah's more compassionate and caring approach serving her well as handled the Ministry itself, which was in even better condition now.

Two years was more than enough time for many of the provisional staff members to become competent at their posts, and the more recent graduates from Hogwarts had been thoroughly motivated to improve the Ministry's situation, both for their younger housemates and families. Whilst the DMLE was still understaffed and assisted by an ICW Auror support force that Jacob King had left in place, the other departments had seen a boom in recruitment, even from amongst the first generation magicals. In the aftermath of the Death Eater Occupation, many of the Muggleborns had found their positions in the Ministry either stripped from them, if they were lucky to have passed as half bloods, as most were arrested and either interned or killed. This had made the remaining population weary of returning to the workforce, even after having high profile figures like Hermione Granger taking up a post with the Muggle Liaison office, which was recently renamed to the office of Intergovernmental Affairs, whose job it was to maintain a far more open line of communication with the Non-Magical government. Sally-Anne Perks, who had disappeared after graduating from Hogwarts, became the new head of the office, after it was revealed that she had been Hermione's covert replacement within the office of the Prime Minister. With the new government in place and now fully staffed, there had been a growing sense of relief amongst the population that things were finally heading in the right direction.

Which was why the retirement of Hermione Granger from her position as British Liaison to Magical France was being kept quiet, with the idea being that the announcement would be made at the same time as she was reported to be married, so as to not make it look like Granger was jumping ship. As much as Daphne and the others found it surprising, Hermione had remained a deeply influential figure amongst British Magicals, particularly after the announcement of Potter's final goodbye. In the eyes of the survivors of the previous war, especially amongst the first generation magicals, Granger had been seen as the voice of reason and the bright future of the community, her short time as Interim Minister for Magic regarded as the obvious turning point in recent years. Her leaving would do quite a bit of damage to public morale, though her being announced as married was seen as a decent way to soften the blow. No one would question her decision to shift her career after getting married to a single mother. As Hermione returned with a slightly more conservative dress, Daphne finally chimed in. "I personally prefer this one. The transparent texture on the shoulders and neck make her look a bit more classy." Susan hummed as she looked around Hermione's current outfit. "It does look great, but I am not sure it suits her as much.'' As the two women debated, the door of the shop opened, with Daphne looking over, surprised as she had been told the door was locked.

Alex looked over from behind her workshop's backroom opening, having heard the sound of the bell ringing, before smiling. "Ah, there is my most lovely challenging customer! Mademoiselle Peverell. Mademoiselle Granger had you on her list so I was expecting to see you. Are you here to see the bridesmaid dresses?" Elysia, wearing her dragonhide coat with a green camisole underneath and a pair of jeans, nodded. "I am, though… I might need to get my measurements again." Alex walked up to he4 and looked Elysia over, raising an eyebrow. "I take it you gained a bit more muscle mass?" Elysia rubbed the back of her head, her black hair held in a loose ponytail. "I think it was just a little, but enough to throw off my old measurements. The dress you made adjusted to my new size but…" Alex sighed. "But the charms aren't as good as a well tailored dress… Will you be possibly changing in size again before the wedding?" Elysia shook her head. "I checked with ny Healers. Aside from a sudden growth spurt, my bulking phase should be over and done with, with my exercises just being done to maintain my form and stamina." Alex hummed approvingly. "Good. Now, will you only be getting the measurements for the bridesmaid dress… or should I use it to start offering you my ideas on a bride's dress for your own wedding?"

Elysia blushed softly. "I see you have been talking to Apolline." Alex chuckled. "Mademoiselle, Apolline currently has her two daughters awaiting their separate weddings. Believe me, even she can't contain the news, let alone her excitement." Elysia shrugged. "Fair enough. Just give me a price so we can start talking about designs. We will be following the same convention as Hermione and Fleur." The famous threadwitch nodded. "Matching styles while keeping both parties from seeing each other's clothes until the wedding. Understood. Now, follow me into the studio so I can measure you up again." As Elysia stripped off her jacket and waved at the other ladies, Daphne took a moment to gauge their reactions. Seeing both Luna and Hermione clearly delighted to see her spoke volumes of a deep and meaningful relationship, whilst Susan desperately tried to school her expressions, which made Daphne frown. Peverell… Peverell… It took ner a moment to recall the name of the infamous Pureblood Family from Britain that had seemingly gone extinct, though she also recalled hearing the name in association to news out of the world of Potions, both because of her Medicinal Potion's book, but also her enhanced Wolfsbane potion. There had been a report that a new potion had been developed for the Vampires, but the ICW and everyone else were keeping it out of production, probably because of an issue with a likely shortage in supplies. Despite it being such an infamous name and the current head of the family being so well known, there was hardly any news about her, let alone any interviews. She seemed to be practically a ghost.

Still though, that long and messy black hair looked oddly familiar. Luna, who had been looking over the other dress designs that have nothing to do with the wedding, spoke up from her position as Hermione went back into the changing room to try out another style. "She's not hiding it anymore, but that doesn't mean she will want to go back, even if things are getting better." Daphne frowned as she looked at the enigmatic witch, before Susan came over and whispered in her ear. "We can talk about it later, just not here." Daphne raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend, but didn't disagree, as they waited for Hermione to come out in the next dress, which she seemed to really like. Alex Rosier came over and listened to the bride's observations on the preexisting dresses, what she liked and didn't like, and took some notes, having already been paid to be creative with the design. After that, she started to discuss the bridesmaid dresses, as Elysia came out of the studio, fully dressed, though still blushing, with Hermione noticing. "We told you those shirts were getting tight." Elysia grumbled. "I know, I just thought I was past it all." She then looked at Daphne, before smiling, offering her hand. "I think this is our first time meeting. My name is Elysia Peverell. You must be Daphne." Ignoring her years of upbringing, Daphne took the hand and shook it. "I am. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Gesturing at the dress options for the bridesmaids, Elysia took a moment to look through them, even resting one against her chest before looking in the mirror, with Hermione commenting on which looked better on her.

In time, Hermione finally narrowed down the bridesmaid dresses to two choices, which she would be taking back to Fleur so that they could make the final decision, before the group finally headed out, the brunette escorting them out into non-magical Paris for lunch. During the meal, Elysia did speak to Daphne, though the former Slytherin found the exchange quite unusual. Most people who talked to her were always looking for an angle, something they could use as common ground to start a rapport, but Elysia wasn't like that. She never brought up Daphne's job, views or even her aspirations. Instead, she asked about how her family was, what magic she liked to study or review and if she and Susan would be tying the knot soon, with the aforementioned redhead blushing at the comment. Even Hermione had been aware enough of her position in British Magical society to look for anything that could be beneficial to both of them during her time as interim Ministers. Clearly, the last of the Peverells knew of Greengrass' employment and former affiliations, but to her those seemed… unimportant. It was… refreshing for the former Ice Queen of Slytherin to not have to raise up her persona or look for any political angles, enough so that even Susan seemed to relax, as if some concern she had grown the moment Elysia arrived had since passed. Whilst the current Chief Witch had a thought as to who Elysia was based on everyone's reactions… it soon felt as if even that knowledge was unimportant. At the very least Lady Peverell made for pleasant conversation topics. Maybe going to Granger's wedding rehearsal and the actual wedding wouldn't be such an unpleasant thing after all.

"Welcome back Maman!" Apolline smiled as Fleur pulled her into a hug as soon as she stepped through the Floo Terminal, kissing her on the cheeks. "It's good to be back." She then went over to Gabrielle before kissing her cheeks too as they had been waiting for her return from the Paimpont Conclave in their own home. Her youngest was the first to ask what was probably on both their minds. "What did the Elders decide?" After patting Gabrielle's cheek, Apolline looked back at Fleur. "They have agreed to test out the rings for a while. The Andartan Stalwarts, the Priestesses and the Healers will be testing them out first before they consider that they are safe for general distribution, but if everything works out, the Conclaves will be making a crafting agreement with Gringotts so that every Veela can have access to them." Fleur took a deep breath. She knew that the Elders were unlikely to agree to her Allure Containment Rings right from the start as the Allure itself was seen as an integral part of the Veela's identity, but the fact that most of the laws that created exceptions for sexual assaults on Veela were written with the Allure as the primary excuse was a problem that needed to be addressed. After almost two years of testing out a variety of enchantments, combining Futhark and Goblin runes using Goblin crafted silver rings, the end result had far exceeded her expectations.

The focus, after all, had been to allow the wearer to walk in the streets with their Allure fully contained, without hindering their natural abilities. The very beginning of her research involved spending time with Elysia, learning how she controlled her own magic, expanding and restraining its reach and determining if there was a way to replicate that with enchantments. Once they were able to craft a ring that did that, Fleur then tested out if it covered the Allure, being pleased that it did, before taking on the more complicated task of making sure that, whilst the ring inhibited accidental magic, that it wouldn't inhibit wilful magic use, or even the Veela transformation. That had been the hardest part of the test, as the rings themselves were safe from breaking as they were capable of magically resizing during a change into the Veela's avian form, but whether or not the enchantments had been diminishing the abilities of the wearer. Having Elysia test the rings out originally had been a small miscalculation as her magic was apparently beyond containment, so the ring's effects were far less pronounced on her than on someone else like Fleur. With a lot of work, including studying some very obscure books on mind magics, Fleur was able to limit the ring's effects to accidental or incidental magic, without inhibiting anything else. She did keep the designs of the previous incarnation in case they could serve a purpose with the ICW and their current reevaluation of the first generation magical laws, but only submitted her Veela variant for review to the Conclave leadership.

That they were willing to test the rings out themselves was a better sign than she had hoped. Apolline seemed to think so as she patted Fleur's cheek. "Trust your work, my dear. The Elders will see the merit in the rings for our people's future and adopt them as soon as they verify your studies and results." Fleur nodded. "I understand. Did Grandmere…?" Apolline chuckled. "Maman is many things and proud of you is definitely amongst them, but she is a fair leader. She abstained from voting as it would show favoritism to you, but she was active in the discussions, never once betraying her feelings. There is a reason she is our Chief Elder after all." Gabrielle fidgeted. "Speaking of Elders… is Ligia doing well?" Apolline nodded to her youngest. "She's doing quite well. The Priestesses that tend to her have found her enjoying her days a lot more, sitting in the gardens listening to the birds sing rather than to the choir, though she is still carrying out her duties." Gabrielle sighed. as she sat down. "I am glad. Elysia and I were afraid… that asking her to officiate our wedding would be too much of a request. She's already lived for so long…" Apolline sat down next to her daughter and took her hands into her own. "Is that why you have been making preparations for the wedding… without having set a date?" Gabrielle nodded. "If her condition were to deteriorate… we didn't want her to miss out on it after she seemed so excited by the prospect."

Apolline looked into her daughter's eyes. "And are you certain that you wish to go through with the wedding? No one would blame you if the two of you never married." Gabrielle looked back at her mother and smiled. "We both want it and in the months since my proposal we have just been getting closer. There isn't a day that I don't want to wake up next to her, to see her smile at me with love in her eyes. As a Veela, a witch and as a person… I feel fulfilled. Sure, we could go the rest of our lives without getting married, but this is a dream the two of us have had since we were children. We want to make it a reality." Apolline nodded and kissed Gabrielle's forehead. "I am very proud of you for taking your time with this and letting your heart and mind guide you, my ange." She then looked at Fleur, holding out her hand for her oldest to join them on the sofa. "And you, my flower? Are you certain this is what you want?" Fleur sat next to her mother and nodded. "It is. Hermione has been there for me and Victoire every day, even when it wasn't her responsibility to do so. Now she has taken the responsibility and is treating Victoire as the daughter she always was, giving her the love and attention she deserved. As for me? What more could I ask for in a mate than a person who looks at me with love in her heart, who is there to care for me, but who also gives me space when I need it? I may have rushed into my marriage with William, but it's not the same with Hermione. I have no doubts in my heart. Not anymore."

Seeing the determination in her older daughter's eyes, but without the fears and anxieties that had been present the first time so many years ago, made Apolline feel at ease. It had never been about her doubting how suitable their future spouses were, as she was certain that both Gabrielle and Fleur had found the best people that could be their mates in life. No, her doubts and worries had been if the two of them could end up damaging their relationships by rushing into these weddings they were planning. However, seeing that, despite being deeply in love with their significant others, both Fleur and Gabrielle were still being very reasonable about both their expectations and desires, having taken their own fears and those of their lovers into account. She leaned over and kissed her eldest on the forehead, before pulling the two of her children into hugs against her. "I am so very proud of the two of you and know that I support you in this and anything else. François and I have been blessed to have had you two as our children." Gabrielle and Fleur hugged their mother back, both expressing their love for her, being happy to have had her as their guide in life as well. The conversation did, however, turn playful as Apolline asked how soon she should expect to have more grandchildren, with the girls saying "Maman!" Apolline, however, was all smiles, particularly since neither seemed to want to answer her question.

Gabrielle laughed as Elysia carried her past the door frame and softly lowered her onto the bed, the long white dress spilling around her as the blonde Veela stared up at the love of her life, her shining knight… and her wife. It had taken them almost a full two years since their engagement in New Zealand before they got married, though that partly had to do with the fact that Hermione and Fleur had scheduled their wedding first, in the Autumn after Hermione completed her two year long internship for a History of Magic Mastery at Beauxbatons. She had been so popular as a teacher that, upon her graduation, Maxime had offered her a job at Beauxbatons. Hermione had certainly been flattered by the offer, but turned down the opportunity. Not that she didn't have any intention of teaching, as she certainly wanted to, but that her goals weren't limited to a single school. With her impressive dual Masteries in Magical History and Law, and taking advantage of her renown, the former Gryffindor witch had requested the Magical Academies of the world to host her as a guest speaker, with a focus on the historical precedence of Magical Laws, and the dangers that these could hide in allowing for the rise of authoritarians, like Grindelwald, or extremists, like Voldemort.

The ICW was more than happy to assist her in her endevours and used its influence to make sure that the guest lectures would have academic accreditation for the students of both History and Law. She had been due to start her world tour of Magical Schools, both large and small, in October… hence why she and Fleur got married in September, as the world tour would work as an extended honeymoon for the pair of witches. Fleur had been more than happy to agree, particularly as Victoire would be joining them on the trip, this being her last year as a homeschooled student as the year after she would be eleven and would officially begin her magical education. Since Fleur had completed her research project and was just waiting for the Veela Elders to come to a decision, the international travel wasn't going to hurt her career, particularly since she would be lending a hand to Gringotts' Magical Object Inspection departments in all available branch offices. In fact, they would be using the Gringotts Branches as their primary method of travel, both for security purposes, as well as ease of access, since most of the locations she would be visiting had small Goblin communities, with the three having permission to spend their evenings within the visitor rooms at the banks, unless they had secured other accommodations. Elysia had offered them access to her Champion Suites, but Hermione and Fleur had declined. Their expedited and secure method of travel was enough of a favor from their future sister-in-law.

Unfortunately for some, Fleur and Hermione's wedding had turned into quite the glamorous affair. As it was the marriage of the firstborn daughter of two officials in the French Ministry of Magic and a former British Diplomat, they were hardly able to expect privacy or a private event. To accommodate everyone, including visiting figures from Britain, with the surprise attendance of the Hogwarts Professors that had taught Hermione, the wedding took place in an old Magical Estate just outside of Noyon, the location being significant as it was where the French Magical families signed the treaties that recognized Charlemagne as their ruler, beginning the era where the Non-Magical Kings of Europe and the Magical Families worked in consort, before things deteriorated with the rise of Papal authority from Rome. The Estate had fallen into the hands of the Ministry of Magic during the Napoleonic Era, where it remained, the location converted into a place where foreign delegates could be received… or where weddings of great significance could be celebrated, as was the case for theirs.

The large chapel within had been stripped of all religious iconography long before Hermione and Fleur's wedding, with the parties encouraged to either bring their own or to conjure them for the celebration. At the request of Fleur, the wedding was celebrated in the style of the Veela nuptials, with her grandmother, Helia, officiating. The chapel had been packed to the brim with invited guests, amongst which were Jacob King who had come from an assignment in the Middle East, Minister Beránguer, as well a few former Hogwarts students, including George and Angeline Weasley, the only members of the family attending. In the lead up to the wedding, the two brides agreed that Susan was to be Hermione's Maid of Honor, while Gabrielle would be Fleur's, as Elysia's presence beyond just being a bridesmaid would draw too much attention to her, particularly with the obvious absence of Harry Potter in the event. Since her connection to the Delacours was well known, Elysia attended on Fleur's side of the aisle next to Gabrielle, with Luna, Hannah and Daphne attending for Hermione, the four witches and their friendship representing a return to the old ideals of Hogwarts, as they represented the peaceful coexistence of the Founders. The newspapers were particularly keen on promoting the wedding as both a confirmation of the new era for Britain, but also a new era for their relationship with continental Europe.

In the light of the setting sun blazing through the glass windows to either side of the chapel, the two brides had been escorted down the aisle by their parents, their white dresses designed to be identical except for the patterns that were embroidered into them, with Fleur's having a tree motif with petals falling down, the images highlighted in silver threads, whilst Hermione's showed flowing waves and spirals, as if she were the embodiment of wind, their shoulders, arms and neck bare for the jewelry they both wore. After receiving their parents' blessings, both being kissed on their foreheads before they took their places amongst the invited guests, the two brides finally came face to face as the Priestess requested that they hold hands as she began the ceremony. Bound together with golden ribbons, Hestia, covered in the deep purple and golden robes denoting her position as Chief Elder, spoke as she held the bound hands between her own, calling upon her goddess, as well as the gods of those bearing witness, to bless their union, before the witches each presented their vows, with Fleur tearing up as Hermione swore upon her magic to be there for her, Victoire and their family to the best of her abilities, with Hestia having to pause the ceremony to give the two witches handkerchiefs to dry out their eyes, both quite happy to be wearing magical makeup, before resuming the ceremony. Their kiss led to cheers and clapping, though George Weasley couldn't help himself and gave a loud wolf whistle, which made everyone laugh, particularly after Angelina slapped him hard on the back of the head, as the blushing and smiling brides looked on towards the guests.

Several months later, at the Dumont Conclave's Cathedral, another wedding took place, this one being far smaller in scope than the previous, with a limited list of invited guests, though as Elysia was the Champion of the Goblin Nation, her side of the aisle ended up being filled with quite a few more Goblins, the role of her parents having been carried out by King Gringott himself, who touched her forehead, a rare show of physical intimacy by one of his kind, as a display that he too blessed the union after escorting his Champion to stand before Elder Ligia, the old Veela looking quite energetic as she had patiently waited for this day, with her giving Elysia a knowing smile. As Elysia waited for her bride, many commented on her chosen attire, as Alex Rosier had expertly crafted an outfit that seemed to blend the look of a black suit and a dress, as the coat's length created the illusion that it was a dress from the side, the sleeves being tighter than would be seen on most male suits, with frilly white cloth wrapping around Elysia's bare hands as she held them at her waist, the raven haired witch being quite happy that the vest around her waist wasn't too tight, as the sight of her bride approaching had left her breathless. To those present, the sight of Gabrielle walking down the aisle in her wedding dress had been an unexpected surprise. Wearing a traditional looking white dress minus the veil, Gabrielle had marched forward, feeling exceedingly proud as the highlights on the white cloth was designed to emulate her Veela transformation. She and Elysia had debated whether she should attend in her Avian form, but Gabrielle had eventually agreed that it wasn't something she wanted the rest of the guests to see. Still, she had allowed Alex to see her in that state so that the dress itself would invoke the image.

With the edges of the feathers embroidered in silver thread and a soft touch of blue tint on the back of the simulated feathers, the feather motif wrapped around her long arms, the sides of her skirt and her dress, her belly and chest legs made of bare white cloth, the feathers wrapping around her shoulders and ending along her neck. Everyone could see and understand the source of the inspiration, with the invited Veela who remained unmarried or with soon to be of age daughters probably already making plans to see the threadwitch about a similar dress design for their own ceremonies. However, the person Gabrielle had most wanted to see the reaction to the dress was Elysia, who did not disappoint as the feelings tumbling through their bond almost made the blonde witch trip over her own feet, despite the hem of her dress not being too long to encourage that. After both Apolline and François offered their blessing to their youngest, they stood aside, with the two fiances feeling quite nervous in front of the other. When both their hands touched, Gabrielle swore she felt as if it was the first time their skin touched all over again, the jolt of Magic that ran across her fingers and throughout her entire body distracting her briefly, before a soft squeeze from her fiancée returned her attention to the moment, with the Maids of Honor, this time being Luna and Adeline, shaking their heads at the behavior of their friends, before they presented the Priestess with the golden ribbons, with the Elder taking one pair of held hands before wrapping the ribbon over them, binding the women together.

With the process repeated on the other hands, the two ribbons were lastly bound together over the palms, all the while the Priestesses invoked Nantosuelta, as well as The Great Earth Mother, in honor of the Goblins attending, and the Peverell's unnamed patron, her words being very carefully chosen for obvious reasons, to come and bless this union. During Fleur and Hermione's wedding, Elysia had felt a brief surge of Magic in the air but nothing else at the invocation of the divine. This time around, however, there was no mistaking the appearance of not one but two magical signatures in the air, with the last of the Peverells spotting a white feminine figure with no discernable features run her finger over Gabrielle's left hand, whilst a black cloaked hand reached out and touched the ribbon over Elysia's left hand, the two vanishing just as quickly as they appeared, the air remaining thick with magic. By the tears slipping over Ligia's cheeks, Elysia was certain that the blind Veela had been able to "see" the beings far more clearly, as the ribbons that bound the two witches together had grown warm as the foreign magics filled them. With her hands held above and below those of the two brides, Ligia finished her, slightly different, prayer. "By the blessings of the great beings that have come to bear witness today, as well as the blessing of the bond that already existed between these two souls, I hereby declare them united before the world. May the ties that bind their souls endure forevermore, so long as love remains within their hearts." Hermione, who was wearing a light blue dress like the rest of the bridesmaids in her best friend's wedding, had told Elysia that the moment that the two witches kissed, the golden threads between them had flashed white, before they, like the threads that had bound Hermione to Fleur, faded away.

As their unions were to be recognized by the French Ministry of Magic, both pairs of witches had their bridesmaids produce sets of wedding bands, with the two slipping the bands onto the finger of their spouses, before kissing one last time to thunderous applause. The festivities in both Noyon and Dumont, had lasted well into the night as food and drink was plentiful, with both pairs of newlyweds having entertained their guests for several hours, before they would retreat to their rooms. In the case of Elysia and Gabrielle, the two had eventually made their way back to the Peverell Estate, with Elysia having apparated the pair to the second floor, before carrying Gabrielle in her arms into their bedroom. After the two feverishly kissed each other, the young Veela pushed her lover away, before she began to undress, using her foot to keep Elysia away, a wicked smile on her face. "Not yet." Elysia, not one to suffer teasing without offering some back, began to caress the stocking covered leg of her bride, before the blonde pushed her further away. Standing up before her lover, Gabrielle finally managed to slip the dress off her body, revealing her intricate white lingerie, before sitting back down, holding her legs up. "Help me with these." With a soft touch and the careful application of kisses, Elysia eventually removed the stockings, before she noticed Gabrielle starting to shift into her Avian form, the remaining underwear apparently made to accommodate the change.

Breathing heavily, from both the change and the surging emotions within her, Gabrielle looked at her wife. "I don't want you to take the potion tonight." Elysia, who had already been stripping off her own clothes, stopped as she had been unbuttoning her shirt. "Are you sure?" Gabrielle bit her lip, her thoughts and body both in agreement. "I am. I want to stay in this form all night… and every night for the next week. I… want to carry your children." As soon as Elysia was undressed fully, she pressed her body against Gabrielle's, her hand rubbing her wife's cheek lovingly. The two had been discussing this ever since they had agreed on a wedding date. With Gabrielle's business having been a success over the last year and a half, and with most of the clients being very satisfied with the service and the continued care of their animals, Gabrielle had been growing a lot more comfortable with the idea of getting pregnant. The upcoming summer would also see the graduation of a few MCH that had followed in Gabrielle's footsteps at Beauxbatons and beyond, with a few of them having agreed to receive some training with Gabrielle's business before going on as full time Magical Creature Healers. This would mean that, if Gabrielle did get pregnant, her clients would be covered during the later months of the pregnancy. Elysia had also shown a remarkable reduction in her paranoia, though Gabrielle knew her lover still felt that she needed to do more. That being said, Elysia hadn't been as opposed to the prospect of having children as she had been several years back. Holding Gabrielle's cheek in her hand, Elysia looked deep into Gabrielle's eyes. "Are you absolutely sure?"

Receiving a very breathy "yes" before Gabrielle kissed her wife with reckless abandon, the transformed Veela found her arms pressed into the bed above her head, with soft ropes binding her wrists. She bit her lip as Elysia sat back, her hands exploring her lover's form once more, sensing the building need under the warm skin. For a brief second Gabrielle watched as Elysia's eye glowed green, before two large wings appeared on her back, her teeth growing sharp and her skin crackling with magic. Gabrielle swallowed a little as she realized that her bride wanted to give herself fully to her too, meaning Macha, Anand and Badb, who had been in their artefact form on Elysia's person during the wedding ceremony, would be fully integrated into her, at least for the night. While it was easy to differentiate the four of them when in separate forms, Gabrielle understood that they were very much a singular being. Sensing her acceptance, Elysia smiled before she tugged at her lover's legs, with Gabrielle realizing that her lover had no intention in making the night end quickly for either of them. After a few brief test bites, with Elysia trying to avoid hurting her lover, she proceeded to bring Gabrielle to the peak of pleasure over and over again, denying her the final tumble into blissful oblivion. The blonde witch was only able to briefly think that she had made the right call keeping Pepper Up potions inside her bedside drawer. By the time she was able to wake up, she would repay her lover's attention back in full. When the two finally became one, however, Gabrielle could only think one thing. She and the woman that she loved with all her heart had been made whole at last.

Chapter 54: Stepping Forward

Turning over onto her side, Gabrielle moaned as a pair of hands wrapped around her from behind, resting on her stomach. "Five more minutes." Warm lips began to toy with her neck, slowly chasing away the grogginess from the morning. "Sorry love, but midday is pushing it already." Groaning, Gabrielle sat up, stretching out her arms over her head, before turning to look at her wife, the raven haired witch leaning over and capturing her lips with her own, though mercifully she didn't take her breath away. She needed it now more than ever. The lovebirds stared into each other's eyes, with the blonde Veela noticing Elysia's choice of attire. "Were you out today?" Elysia nodded. "A Wyrm Nest was found near Beauxbatons again, as the Goblins were expanding the tunnels underneath Rue Academic. I took care of it without issue and came back as soon as we were sure the nest was out of commission." Macha jumped onto the bed, where Elysia caressed her black pelt. "These three were very insistent on coming back, which is unusual, considering they actually enjoy hunting Wyrms." Gabrielle nodded, petting Anand's head as the larger canine rested it on her lap. "And you didn't want to wake me. I understand. Anything we need to do today?" Elysia raised an eyebrow. "Hermione and Fleur are at your parent's place with Erielle. They all will be coming over for dinner." Gabrielle smiled, as she turned to her side of the bed and placed her feet on the ground, before pulling herself up, her hands carefully wrapped around her very extended stomach.

The Veela witch had been true to her word for her wedding night, refusing to take any potions and remaining as long as possible in her Avian form. To no one's surprise, she had conceived during that very week, and now that it was late October, she was literally waiting on any sign that her baby would be on the way, which was why she was exceedingly tired all the time, and why Elysia, who had lost some of her paranoia over the last few years, was being exceedingly cautious and observant of her wife. Helping her get dressed in her maternity clothes, Gabrielle sat at their suite's dining table, enjoying her breakfast as Elysia read to her the latest from her business. The MCH company that Gabrielle had started up had been fortunate enough to acquire three other Magical Creature Healers, two graduates from Beauxbatons and one from Ilvermorny. Two of the graduates were specialized in the taking care of your average familiar, non-magical in origin or otherwise, meaning they tended to answer the calls for caring of owls, cats or toads, whilst the third from Ilvermorny had specialized as an exotic creature Healer, taking on jobs with Magizoologists, Handlers and Rangers at Magical Preserves. Gabrielle had been able to give them all field experience with her acting as their mentor for their last few months of education before certification and the ones after, before her pregnancy finally became too much for her to handle on the field.

That said, Gabrielle then began seeing customers at the various medical clinics that Gringotts operated throughout the Continent, taking care of simpler diagnoses and injuries, until just recently, when the very act of being out of bed was exhausting. She had no idea how Hermione managed to hold on as she did whilst carrying Erielle. Unlike with the last Peverells to have the name, Hermione and Fleur hadn't exactly conceived on their wedding night, their honeymoon in the Caribbean leading into Hermione's first lecture at the Salem Academy of Witchcraft. Whether it was the atmosphere or just the ready access to a certain potion that the Salem Witches were famous for keeping in stock at all times, Hermione's month-long stay at the Academy in Massachusetts resulted in her carrying Fleur's child. Apparently that had been a conscious choice, as though Fleur was willing to carry a second child to term, her job would endanger her condition if she were to be pregnant when exposed to cursed or hexed objects. By contrast, Hermione had no actual exposure to anything other than a bunch of students for most of her days teaching them about the rise of Grindelwald in Magical Germany and its echoes across the Magical World, including Voldemort in Britain, so she insisted on carrying the child. Hermione continued her worldwide tour with Victoire and Fleur, the group making sure to explore the many regions they visited thoroughly, with Hermione ending her tour at Beauxbatons in May.

Just a few short weeks later, after Fleur practically dragged Hermione to take maternity leave, Erielle Apolline Granger was born on June 10th, just five days after Victoire's birthday. The now eleven year old Veela had been thoroughly excited to be a big sister, though she understood it would be a while before Erielle would be able to play with her. Fleur made sure that her workaholic wife would be staying on maternity leave for the next few months as they went through the rougher adjustment of looking after a newborn, though the two had gone through it once before already. Now, a few months later, it was Gabrielle's turn, though everyone was being overly cautious. Veelas tended to have odd maturation cycles, with Hermione giving birth a bit earlier than expected, though Erielle was found to be properly developed. By contrast, Gabrielle had gone past the early delivery date and was now in the regular due date time period, meaning they had been walking on eggshells for the last few weeks. Still, Gabrielle had no intention in staying bedridden so, with Elysia's aid, she took one of the hidden service elevators to the ground floor and sat on the patio chair, enjoying the fresh air of the Gardens in the fall whilst Elysia finished her work downstairs in the labs, her hand idly rubbing her belly, feeling a kick or a shift from the baby inside. She had joked that the baby was going to be a fighter like Elysia, but didn't bring it up again after the crestfallen look from her wife.

Elysia had certainly grown out of some of her fears, having even accepted an invitation from Hobart's Magical Academy to attend as a guest instructor. According to Luna, the students and professors had no complaints at all with her during the duration of her stay, with the Potions department even noticing a sharp improvement in the grades of their students in the weeks that she was there, and the following months. Like Beauxbatons, Hobart had given her an Honorary Mastery, the document presented by the Elders from the Aboriginal communities that had benefited from her publishing their recipe in her book and then improving upon it, a fraction of her earnings from books sales always going to improving their people's access to food, water and medicine, and the profits they themselves made from growing and harvesting the ingredients. To no one's surprise, other schools began requesting her to visit, though Elysia had only been willing to answer the summons from a Mesoamerican Magical School in the Yucatan Peninsula, with her making clear that she had no intention of going on a prolonged international tour. Gabrielle knew that Elysia could only manage so much time being in the public sphere, so she never pressured her to accept, though the two did go over the requests to determine which were favorable. That they both took advantage of visiting both locations during their summer seasons went unsaid, with Gabrielle having enjoyed the way Elysia couldn't stop being attracted to her, even while being pregnant whilst wearing a bikini.

As Gabrielle reminisced about her wife and their short trip to Belize, she suddenly felt a sharp contraction. It wasn't the first she had felt and the Healers assured her it was normal for a few to occur before the moment the child was due, but these felt stronger and then they seemed to carry on for longer than normal… before she felt her legs growing wet. The sudden panic that gripped her didn't go unnoticed as Elysia apparated right next to her, with Gabrielle looking into her startled eyes. "I think… it's time." Elysia called Ida quickly. "Head to Gringotts and have them open the Floo Terminal, and inform them that we will need a Healer to tend to a humanoid birth, before you let the Delacours know that Gabrielle is going into Labor. After that, return and empty out my cauldrons completely. I will call on you to bring the overnight bags as soon as we are settled. We will be back home as soon as we can." Ida nodded before apparating away as Elysia, noticing she was still wearing her jumpsuit, magically vanished it, leaving her only in her tank top and shorts. Not too bothered about her current appearance, Elysia took Gabrielle into her arms, bridal style, and carefully rushed through the Estate until standing before the Floo Terminal. When Ida reappeared, Elysia asked her to get her a change of clothes before throwing the powder into the terminal and carrying Gabrielle through.

A few hours later, the Delacours, Charbonneaus, Grangers and Luna were all eagerly waiting outside the door of Gringotts Parision's Medical Ward, with a Veela Healer from Dumont having been allowed in to assist the Goblins with the delivery. Everyone waited with bated breath, until they heard it. A baby started wailing. A few minutes later, Elysia stepped out, carrying a bundle in her arms, with everyone noticing that she looked winded, her brow covered in sweat. The Veela Healer stepped out with her, a washcloth in her hands. "Everything went well and the baby is perfectly fine, though I didn't detect any signs that she is Veela. Gabrielle is doing well too, though she is understandably exhausted. Thankfully, she won't be needing anything but her postpartum potions for the next few weeks. Not even for her throat." Everyone looked surprised and many did recall that the only sound they heard had been the baby crying. Luna gave Elysia a knowing look. "You couldn't help yourself, could you?" Elysia chuckled, though it was short and breathy. "What can I say… it didn't seem fair if she was the only one in pain. Besides… I am far more familiar with it." The Healer shook her head. "The blessings of a bond like the one you share. I suggest you get some rest, Lady Peverell. You might have drawn the brunt of the pain unto yourself and can take it, but it's still wise to get some sleep… while you can."

After the Healer excused herself and was escorted out by Goblin Guards, the family crowded around the newborn, everyone noticing how careful Elysia was holding it, with Apolline taking the child out of Elysia's hands to give her daughter-in-law a break. Fleur, François and Apolline entered into the room first, finding Gabrielle on her bed, looking exhausted, her hair wet from sweat, but still very much awake, with her sister congratulating her first. Eventually, the baby was slowly placed into her hands as Gabrielle smiled. The rest entered and congratulated her, with Apolline taking the other available seat next to her daughter, as Elysia, wearing a medical overall, reached over and took Gabrielle's hand in her own, kissing her hair. The blonde gave her a look. "Don't think you are off the hook. We never discussed you taking all the sensations of pain unto yourself." Elysia raised an eyebrow. "And here I was under the impression that most women would have gladly shared their pain with their significant other." Apolline chuckled and said "I don't disagree," with François looking a bit sheepish as she gave him a knowing look. The elder Veela reached over and caressed the newborn, seeing the black tufts of hair sticking to her head. "Did the child inherit anything else from you, Elysia?" The raven haired witch nodded. "They did." Everyone knew what her choice of words meant, with Apolline nodding. "What name did you two agree on?" Elysia looked over at Gabrielle, who nodded, before she looked down at their child, reaching over to gently touch their head. "Aesc. Aesc Peverell."

Apolline took a seat, feeling exhausted, before François reached over and massaged her back. "You did say you wanted plenty of grandchildren." Apolline hummed in appreciation of her husband's kind gesture. "I did… but I think I will have to agree with Maman. Three of a similar age are more than enough." François chuckled. "Well, it's a good thing the larger get togethers are harder to arrange." Apolline groaned, knowing her husband was right. The years of 2010 and 2011 had been very busy for the extended friends and associates of the Delacour family, with Erielle Granger and Aesc Peverell being born first, with François' Auror and friend Cynthia Moriéve having her son, Adrian, in the winter of the same year. The next year saw a surge in the population of Britain, as many had been waiting to be certain that the new government would work before starting their own families, with Minister Hannah Longbottom giving birth to a son, Harold, a year earlier. As the population grew confident seeing as their Minister for Magic, who would be leaving office as her term would soon be over, having a child of her own, many more followed suit, including Susan Bones and Daphne Greengrass, both of whom gave birth to a pair of daughters in the next summer, around the same time that Adeline Charbonneau welcomed a daughter of her own with her partner, Luna, the little witch called Selene. The last child to be born in that year ended up being Vivienne Peverell, the second child born to Apolline's youngest daughter.

No one had been surprised that Elysia and Gabrielle tried for a second one child so soon after Aesc was born, though she did end up giving her parents a few surprises of her own, as she not only matured early, being born as a Veela on August 31st, but the Healers who tended to her had noticed that the child's magic was unusually strong for a newborn. Not that Aesc was any weaker magically. According to Elysia, the only reason there were no bouts of accidental magic with either child was because she was constantly containing their magic whilst in the Estate or out with the family, with Elysia swearing the two might eventually turn out to be troublemakers as they were already trying out some intentional magic, though it was purely based on their instincts. Thankfully, the rings that Fleur had developed had proven to be very effective, with not only the Conclaves authorizing their use, but France even managing to pass new laws to remove the old biases that remained in place because of the Allure. All the loopholes that so many people had used in the past to be acquitted of sexual harassment or assault with Veela were now closed, with the only exception being if there was proof that a Veela abused their use of the Allure to instigate matters themselves. A smiling law was being considered by the ICW, though it was delayed due to how little impact it was believed to have on the population as a whole, until the Veelas and Goblins offered an incentive.

As the world grew ever more dependent on digital technology and magic proved even more difficult to conceal, the situation of first generation magicals remained a great concern, as it was believed that they presented the greatest risk to breaking the Statute of Secrecy. Since the inhibitor rings proved to be effective on Veela, and Fleur had inadvertently made a few stronger variants that restrained magic on a higher level, the license for these were offered to the ICW as a safety measure, with the rings or other accessories being effective in keeping accidental magical outbursts completely contained, and a ward variant developed by Gringotts being able to offer the non-magical parents a measure of safety at home. Since the restrictions didn't prevent a child from using magic in extreme moments, when one could genuinely fear for their life or safety, the offer was believed to cover all of the ICW's concerns. The matter was currently being reviewed by the DoMs and Ministries from around the world before a vote was held, though few could deny the effectiveness the rings have had on the Veela population, particularly as it had proved a useful tool in helping the younger children learn how to better control the magic themselves, having a perfect point of comparison for them to use as a guide for how to restrain their Allure naturally. There was some debate as to how difficult that could end up being for Vivienne later on in life, but Ligia had assured the Peverells and Delacours that the child would be more than capable of managing her power.

Thinking of the Dumont Elder made Apolline feel melancholic. Ligia Paimpont had lived to see the birth of Vivienne Peverell, having held the baby in her arms and smiled as the child giggled at her, telling Elysia and Gabrielle that their children had been blessings from the gods to all, before she passed away a few months later in her sleep. Those who had been present had noticed Elysia's reaction to Ligia's choice of words, with the secretive witch eventually admitting that, when Aesc and Vivienne were born, they had been visited by two ethereal beings, one of which Elysia called an old friend of the Peverells and the other an aspect of Nantosuelta. Apolline was more than able to read between the lines of Elysia's vague answer about the one that visited Aesc, but having read Cateline Peverell de Brocéliande's journal, she knew better than to speak the name openly. Elysia did, however, make it clear that these visitations had not impacted the lives of the infants, as no magic was actually shared. What magic they had was the one they were born with. This did put the family at ease, if only a little, though the last few years had shown that Aesc and Vivienne were just as playful and demanding of their parents as any other children. Looking past the window and into the Granger's backyard, Apolline smiled as she saw the children playing with their toys, all under the watchful eyes of several magical creatures, as well as Fleur and Elysia.

With Gabrielle back on call as an MCH and Hermione currently finishing up a class at Beauxbatons, it usually fell to the two witches that sat in the backyard to tend to the young children, though neither of them complained. Elysia had, as planned, shifted her focus into long duration potions research, only brewing the basic potions needed by Jeanne's Apothecary and Gabrielle's business once a month relatively quickly, so that she could focus most of her time on the children, only doing research whenever both she and Gabrielle had time off. Fleur and Hermione had taken a different approach, taking advantage of Hermione's position as a guest lecturer so that they could switch which months one had to focus on their career, before they switched out to focus on staying at home. Not that either spent much time away from home, as Fleur still returned home every evening from her job at Gringotts Paris, as did Hermione, the latter using Gringotts issued international portkeys to travel across the globe to teach her short term courses wherever she needed to be before portkeying back home. It was exhausting for her, particularly during times when the school was on the other side of the globe, but the two witches were making it work and both were rather satisfied with everything. If anything, it proved that Bill Weasley could have been a good father to Victoire despite his career… had he actually tried.

Looking over her shoulder, Apolline looked at her husband. "Did you read Victoire's letter from yesterday?" François nodded. "I did. Taking up her third year electives hasn't slowed her down at all." Apolline smiled. "Well, considering who her mothers are, was there ever any doubt?" François chuckled. After almost a year traveling the globe, Victoire had taken her studies at Beauxbatons with enthusiasm. To her delight, the combination of her mother's enchanted ring and the presence of other children born from British expatriates made it so that she was able to integrate with groups a lot more easily, with some of her friends from Saint-Cirq-Lapopie having joined the school at the same time as her. The fact that Hermione was giving lectures at the school also helped the strawberry blonde Veela feel less isolated, whilst the Academy's board of governors were reviewing a request to allow the use of the portable communication scrying mirrors, though there were obvious concerns over school safety and breaches of privacy, hence why the request was taking a while to be processed. However, the thing that had helped Beauxbatons in general over the last few years had been the Mental Health program, as staff members were taught to spot the signs in their students and the medical professionals were always ready to lend a hand. The Mind Healers at the school helped to identify the students suffering from emotional difficulties, referring the students with exacerbating biological conditions so that they could receive adequate treatment, and engaged with the families of said students so that the lessons could be continued at home.

Of course, not everyone was willing to change, as was the case of several Dark Wizards and Witches that continued to prey on non-magicals, but these had grown to be severely isolated cases, and the absence of an organization that accommodated these violent tendencies for their own benefits made certain that individuals that wilfully sought to harm others for their own entertainment were swiftly apprehended and incarcerated. The fall of Sangroyal had exposed many vulnerabilities in France's magical community, but the new laws went into effect quickly, before they were refined in the following years under intense review, giving the population a well deserved feeling of safety and comfort. Both François and Apolline were very grateful that the power vacuum created by the fall of Sangroyal was never actually filled in by any other group, as their place in Magical France had been expertly dismantled, with the MSF keeping a watchful eye on anyone trying to establish any form of illegal organization, whilst the ICW kept it's own eyes peeled for any foreign actors trying to establish said links, having been actively intervening in various countries were similar organizations as Sangroyal were already established or in the process of taking roots, the lessons from France and Britain an ever present thought for the international governing body.

It was this peace that had resulted in the population boom across the world, with the Delacours reaping the rewards of it as they watched the children playing happily, not a care or a worry in the world. François noticed the way his wife looked at the raven haired witch. "So much has changed because of her." Apolline nodded. "Indeed, and she too has changed. She was so paranoid those first few years, keeping everyone at arm's length. Now here she is, watching over more children than her own, a lot less worried about people who aren't ever going to hurt her again." François snorted. "That's only because of those three companions of hers always keeping watch. Everytime I go outside, I can feel their eyes latch onto me for a brief second." Apolline kissed his hand. "That's why she has calmed down. She can genuinely trust in us and her companions to watch her back when she wants to rest. It helps that those three love all the children just as much as she does." François nodded, remembering how the Peverell familiars had treated Victoire, seeing the same love and devotion repeated with the infants, many of them loving to nap on a sleeping Anand or play with Macha, who never once extended her claws with them. "Any regrets?" Apolline chuckled at her husband, who would ask her that question whenever they grew thoughtful. Her answer was the same every time. "Never."

"Well, that's it for the first year students getting Sorting. I told you Slytherin House is still going through a dry spell." A young fourth year student with dark brown hair and gray eyes looked at the last of the students to be sorted taking their seat at the Hufflepuff table, as the Headmistress waited for the Great Hall to fall silent once more. Edward Lupin, Ted to friends, watched from the far side of the Great Hall as the first years settled into their house tables. His friend, Miles O'Brian, who grew up with him in Northern Ireland before they turned eleven, was right that the House of the Cunning had seen better years. Then again, since many of the magical families that used to impress upon their children their need to be sorted into that House either hadn't produced an Heir yet, had moved to other countries, or the families were less willing to see their students sorted into a House that had grown infamous over the last three conflicts, there was no surprise that Slytherin wasn't seeing many students being sorted into it. Not that he had issues with anyone being sorted into that house. Being raised by two Sisters who were both sorted into said House had given him an appreciation for what they were like. In fact, the Sorting Hat had been divided into which House to send him as he valued the traits of all four houses, but the Hat settled on Gryffindor, after seeing how brave he was for choosing to come study here.

Ted knew that he essentially had his pick of any school in the world, knowing a few people in Beauxbatons and having extended family in France, though the one had been most tempted by was his Grandmother's Magical School. The Irish Government, both Magical and Non-Magical, had agreed to the establishment of a school for magicals, providing a large patch of rather uneven land along Carrowmore Lake. For Magicals, this was no problem, and as soon the land was properly warded and large trees were planted around the area to add to the concealment of what would be built, work had started on the creation of the Rathmorgan Academy of Magic and Witchcraft, being completed just a year before Ted was due to start his magical education. True to its namesake, the Academy was built as a circular fort, with the outer edge being a massive retaining wall, with a large space between it and the inner structure reserved for the various outdoor activities, housing greenhouses, a small forest for rituals and animals, a quidditch pitch and a general recreation area, with the large internal structure being the school itself, the classrooms lining up the outer edges whilst the dorms were in the upper floors that looked over the walls, which gave all the students a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape. The Academy had been a quiet success in its first year as many families in Ireland were very happy to send their children to a school with no history of violence, well accredited staff and it being close enough that the children were free to return home on the weekends.

Andromeda had been very proud of her work and Ted had wanted to join her at the school, but a part of him felt it would be unfair if he did study there, wanting to experience a bit of the way of life that had shaped his Grandmother and Great Aunt Narcissa, as well as his parents. Andromeda agreed, as long as Ted understood that he was free to leave Hogwarts at any moment to study at Rathmorgan. Whilst many children of age from both Ireland and Northern Ireland had elected to study at the new school, a few others like Ted and Miles had chosen to come to Hogwarts, motivated by both tradition and curiosity. Of course, they had all heard the horror stories from the past, but the Death Eaters were all gone and the dangers had seemingly passed. To Ted's delight, Hogwarts under Minerva McGonagall, at least for the last three years, had been a pleasant experience. Due to the reduced number of students, they all took their courses by year group, rather than by house, so the old House divisions had been eroded, the House Points system itself having been eliminated, as had the House Cup, with the only real division being maintained by the Hogwarts Quidditch Teams. That said, there would always be a shadow hanging over the heads of Slytherin House, though their Head of House, Professor Tracey Davis of the Defence course, was doing her best to rehabilitate the image people had of them, expecting the students be more open with each other and to be willing to come to her with any worries.

The former Auror looked on from behind the staff table as the Headmistress began to speak to the students, drawing Ted's attention to her. "Now, before we begin with the announcements for this school year, I would like you all to welcome the next group of students who will be joining us in pursuit of a magical education. These students are part of the Academic Exchange Program and they all chose Hogwarts, so I hope everyone here will be on their best behavior." As the group of four students entered the Great Hall, Ted briefly looked at them and was about to turn to Miles, before he did a double take. Amongst the group was a young girl with strawberry blonde hair that was kept long, held back with a hair clip, which made it cascade down to her shoulders. Miles noticed the reaction of his friend, the dark haired boy looking in the same direction. "You know her?" Before Ted could respond, Deputy Headmistress Sprout read the name on her list. "Victoire Delacour, entering her fourth year, coming to us from Beauxbatons." There were some murmurs amongst the other students at the mention of Delacour, as a few had heard the stories of the failed attempt to revive the Triwizard Tournament from a decade ago, with one of the Champions being Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons. As the hat fell onto her reddish hair, everyone waited with a bated breath, as her blue eyes scanned the room.

"Ah. You have quite a few family members with exceptional life stories, Miss Delacour." The girl blushed softly. "They are the reason I wanted to come here and see the school for myself. So, where will you sort me, Ric?" The hat chuckled. "I see that Lady Peverell chose to regale you with some of my stories. I tell you, having her wear me for an evening was such a rare delight. As are you. Like with your fellow transfer students, it is rare for me to be placed on someone so much older, getting to see for myself the potential given shape. In you I could see you happily with the Ravenclaws, as your mothers did not fail to teach you the joys of learning and the acquisition of knowledge. The Hufflepuffs would be delighted to have such a hard working student amongst their numbers as well. Even Slytherin would be favorable to you, as you have learned to use your knowledge and wisdom to pursue your own ambitions. Ahhh, but you inherited something special from your family. You saw your darkest days as a child and saw the bravery in those around you to face the evil of the world. You have a strong sense of right and wrong, and the wisdom to judge the world through your own eyes. I believe you will be at your best in GRYFFINDOR! Do give Elysia my regards. I would love to have another chat with her, particularly as she is now a mother herself." Victoire smiled. "I will let her know." Taking the hat off her head, Victoire passed it to the Deputy Headmistress as she walked over to the Gryffindor table, seeing a space near a particular student.

She smiled as she sat down across from him, being very careful with her skirt, as the Hogwarts uniforms felt a bit too uncomfortable to sit on. "Hello Teddy." The young boy blinked before blushing. "Uh, hi Victoire. I thought I told you to call me Ted." The young Veela giggled. "I know but Auntie Elysia said to at least call you Teddy once for her." The young boy smiled softly. "She would. You didn't say anything about studying at Hogwarts in our last letters." Victoire's smile grew. "Of course not. It was supposed to be a surprise for you." Miles nudged his shoulder. "Hey." Ted rolled his eyes and introduced his friend to Victoire, who tried to be suave, only for Victoire to just giggle at his antics. Once the remaining exchange students were seated, the Headmistress tapped the speaker stand with her wand. "Now as to the customary announcements. The Forbidden Forest remains Forbidden to all students, unless Professors Hagrid, Sprout, Longbottom or Davis are leading a class, in which case those attending are asked to be extremely careful. It is also my pleasure to welcome back Professor Mcmillan, who has been officially designated as the Professor for Potions for all years of study. We are pleased to have you amongst us, Professor." The students that had been taught by the young man clapped as he bowed from his position at the staff table, having obtained the position that had been denied to him just a few years earlier.

McGonagall waited a second for silence before continuing. "Now, aside from our exchange students, Hogwarts will be hosting guest professors from various schools around the world in the coming year, so I hope everyone can temper themselves and place their best foot forward. The standing of our beloved school has fallen in recent years and with good reason. It will take all of us, students and staff alike, to restore the name and reputation of Hogwarts to the best of our abilities. For now, though, I wish you all a good meal. Tuck in." With a wave of her hand the empty tables were covered with plates full of food, as Victoire looked over them, piecing together a light meal, as she wasn't all that fond of the greasier offerings. As soon as everyone had gotten a bite to eat, Ted placed a subtle privacy ward on the section of the table they were at. "Won't your being here cause trouble with… well…" Victoire briefly raised her eyes to meet his gaze, initially annoyed, though his genuine worry did mellow out her glare. "It probably will, but I decided that the issues between my birth families wasn't a reason for me to not live my life as I wished. This school meant a lot to Maman Hermie and Aunties Luna and Ely. I wanted to see it for myself, at least for a year or two. I was actually planning to transfer over to the Rathmorgan Academy either next year or in my sixth year, before returning to Beauxbatons for my final NEWT year."

Ted gave her an understanding look. "Trust me, I understand. And Grandma Andi would be delighted to have you at the Academy if you decide to go." The young boy scratched his cheek. "I was actually planning to switch schools next year myself." Victoire smiled at that. "Then maybe I will accompany you. For now though, I would really appreciate someone willing to guide me throughout Hogwarts." Miles tried to speak up but Ted gave him a look that stilled the boy's tongue, his grey eyes having briefly flashed gold, before he turned and nodded at Victoire. "And we will be happy to assist… though if you keep up the sweet girl act, you are bound to get some unwanted attention." Victoire chuckled. "I am aware. Auntie Ely was very clear that my attitude invited certain… unwelcomed attention, though she did teach me how to take care of myself." Ted raised an eyebrow. "With Grandma's knives?" Victoire smirked. "I learned to use them but Hogwarts does have its new safety measures, so I left them back home. Let's just say that… you're not the only one who has been learning to control their transformation traits to be used at a moment's notice." Ted shook his head, not at all surprised that Victoire knew about the latest Wolfsbane Potion that was being tested by certain Weres, including himself. He watched as Victoire reached over and picked up a glass of apple juice before saluting him. "To an interesting new year at school." Ted took his pumpkin juice and toasted back, certain that this upcoming year was going to be something special.

Elysia was tapping her feet on the stone ground, eying her pocket watch as the minutes ticked on by, waiting for the doors in front of her to open. She usually had any number of things to distract her. Either Aesc and Vivienne running around, Anand and Macha having one of their usual spats about who was more liked by which child, or Gabrielle's wandering hands making a boring moment anything but for the head of the Peverell family. Unfortunately, none of her family were here, with the expressed exception of Badb, who was waiting on her shoulder just as patiently for the door to open. If it hadn't been for her entire family ganging up on her and suggesting she take this small assignment, she would never have considered it, but they all believed that it was time for her to put aside her bad experiences and actually get to enjoy a brief time at her old school. The fact that both Victoire and Teddy would be here as students helped in selling the whole thing to her, particularly since Fleur and Hermione wanted her to check on everything and maybe put some wards down around Victoire's room. There was a certain degree of satisfaction knowing that, out of the lot of them, Elysia wasn't considered to be the only paranoid and overprotective mother. She most definitely was the most paranoid, being exceedingly careful in absolutely every excursion her family enjoyed into the wider world, but she had made sure that her daughters never suffered for them.

Thankfully, both Grimgotts and the Veela Conclaves were rather accommodating whenever Gabrielle and Elysia took their daughters out on an extended vacation across the world, and even the DoM of France seemed to be putting in some work, as Elysia had sensed some magical activity outside of her Estate's property lines, only to sense a few portkeys dragging some unsuspecting souls out of the dense and quite deadly forest. So far, she had no need to test the defences of her home and she hoped that day would never come. Still, she could understand why Gabrielle wanted Elysia to carry out a short stint as a guest professor at Hogwarts, beyond the excuse that Professor Belnades was going through the late stages of her own pregnancy. Elysia had been on an extensive research and development binge in the last few months, particularly after her new, long term duration Wolfsbane Potion proved effective. It wasn't exactly what she had wanted, as it only lasted for three months, but the Potion's… other effects had certainly been an unexpected surprise as not only did it make the Werewolves transform fully in control of their animagus-like selves during the full moon… but it had allowed them to control the transformation and perform it even during the day, as if it were just another form they could take. Apparently, her original potion had always imparted those effects, they were simply unknown because the potion tended to expire so quickly within the Were's body. Which was why the new variant was being heavily tested.

Not that it was the only potion being heavily reviewed. The Long Term Blood Replenishing Potion was also being reviewed by the Vampires, as it had produced a three month long duration, as did the latest long-term duration potion she had been developing, that being a variant of the Alternate Flesh Potion for the Hags and other man-eaters, with Elysia wondering if there was something about the brewing process that was limiting said potions to three months and not longer. Gabrielle had seen just how obsessed Elysia had been with trying to break through this unexpected limiter on her work and wisely asked her to take a break and focus on something else. Being back at Hogwarts would definitely serve as a definite distraction… particularly as the ghosts wouldn't stop staring at her. At the very least, she was no longer worried that anyone would "mistake her" as Harry Potter. Horror stories had been circulating out of combat zones all over the world about a raven haired, green-eyed man with a lightning bolt scar on his forehead appearing in battle zones, particularly those involving magicals, though no one could state clearly what "he" was doing. The world, however, was convinced that Harry Potter was busy getting involved in every conflict under the sun in some misguided attempt to put a stop to them. Death must have been enjoying himself greatly, considering the prank he was pulling on all of the Magicals. Maybe he did have a sense of humor. Regardless, with everyone's attention now fixed on all the flashpoints throughout the world, no one was batting an eye at the presence of a Potions Master who hated social gatherings. That was, as long as the ghosts around her didn't betray her presence. At least it was now November and her Magic was back to normal.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the doors of the Great Hall opened, with Headmistress McGonagall's voice reaching her ears. "Now I would like you all to please welcome Potions Master Elysia Peverell, who has kindly agreed to fill in for Professor Persaud of Beauxbatons. Potions Master Peverell currently stands as the most prolific Potions Researcher and Author in the last few centuries, her books on Medicinal and General Purpose Potions being amongst the most well received by the entire world." Elysia blushed slightly as she walked forward, waving her hand at the students with what she hoped was a decent smile on her face. Her second book, "An Apothecary's Companion", had been just as successful as her first text, particularly since she had painstakingly grouped the various potions she had researched prior to and after the birth of her children into regional recipes. This made the book a must have for every Apothecary and Potioneer in the world, as it detailed exactly which potions were more easily accessible to every region, their interactions with other potions and ingredients and their shelf lives. She had heard that there had been quite a boom in the amount of Apothecaries that now were licensed and established throughout the world, with the quality of their products having improved considerably. That Gringotts had a hand in… helping most of these new businesses get off the ground was something she was also quite aware of.

Still, as she crossed the Great Hall, with her eyes landing on Victoire and Teddy, both of whom were waving at her with knowing smiles on their faces, the anxieties of the past started to fade away. This wasn't like the first time her name had been uttered in this very hall, as everyone looked at her with awe or suspicion over an action she would never have been responsible for, let alone remember. Just like at the other academic institutions, the students and staff members that looked at her now were celebrating her actual achievements in the field of study she had found was her rightful place. Sure, she wasn't enthusiastic about all of the attention… but it was the sort of attention she could deal with. The fact that she was receiving said attention at Hogwarts, where her journey into the magical world began, without any of the baggage of the first eighteen years of her life, helped to chase away the last of her anxiety as she bowed to McGonagall and went to sit at the staff table. Gabrielle, Hermione and the rest of their extended family were right. This had been the right time to come back here and walk within this stone edifice, so that she could discover that she was truly free from the last vestiges of her past. When she returned home for the holidays she would make sure to thank her family for their support and suggestion, though she had a feeling that she and Hermione were going to have something new to bond over, as she would have to deal with teaching students how not to blow themselves up. Badb tapped at her head, causing Elysia to look at the bird sitting on her shoulder, receiving her reassurances that everything would be fine. Coming from her made the raven haired witch relax a bit more.

Minerva looked up as the staff meeting room door opened, with Filius walking in. "You're here a bit early." The Charms Professor shrugged as he walked over to his seat. "All of the students in Ravenclaw will be heading back during the Yuletide, so I had no reason to spend time organizing study groups." Minerva nodded. That had been a consequence of the events of recent years. Sure, Hogwarts was safer now than it ever was in the last century, by a combination of improved security measures, oversight by the staff and the Ministry, but also thanks to the absence of any legitimate threat. With the Neo Death Eater arrests over five years ago, the presence of Dark Witches and Wizards had diminished greatly, with Director Susan Bones having the DMLE respond to any incidents quickly. As the NDEs were judged under the new system of government, they had been given long prison sentences. That said, the government was willing to offer clemency if the individuals were able to demonstrate genuine remorse. Quite a few former Slytherin students who were halfbloods that had been part of the movement more out of custom than belief were allowed to go on parole, many rebuilding their lives in recent years. However, the vast majority of those arrested in both the Castle Black Raid and the Hogwarts Hostage Crisis were still held in Azkaban, almost none being remorseful. The bulk of the old Dark Family faction was still incarcerated, which was noticeable in the fact that Slytherin only had about a dozen students in total.

Then again, the same was seen in all the other houses. As the majority of the students currently studying would have to have been born in the final stages of the last conflict, their numbers were quite low. There was some improvement this year as a total of twenty students were sorted, not counting those from the Exchange Program, with the bulk going to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, with Gryffindor being the third most populated Hogwarts House at the moment, barely ahead of Slytherin. The last two conflicts, and the capture of Hogwarts in both, eroded any trust the Magical Community had in the school. Minerva couldn't blame the parents that chose to send their students to Andromeda's Academy in Ireland, nor those who chose Beauxbatons despite the language barrier. Those who were fortunate to have avoided any legal problems who had been part of the Dark Faction had chosen to send their students to Durmstrang. This left Hogwarts in its current state, where the students all shared classes with their yearmates, the Professors held more classes throughout the year for everyone, but otherwise many had plenty of freetime, particularly as every family now insisted on bringing their children home for the holidays. In a way, though, Minerva was grateful for all the changes, as the professors were more capable of ensuring every student learned the subject matter, with inter house hostilities being almost nonexistent. The last few years had some of the students graduating with some of the best scores in decades. Still, as she had said at the welcome feast a few months back, there was still a great deal of work left to do to restore faith in the school.

As Filius served himself a cup of tea from the pot set at the center of the table, two more Professors arrived, them being the youngests. Tracey Davis had decided that her skills weren't up to par with the rest of the Aurors and so elected to join Hogwarts as the Defence professor in full, her knowledge of the Auror Academy helping her to prepare the students who went into the NEWT course better than many who preceded her on the job. Her being a former Slytherin also allowed Horace to take a back seat, becoming the School's sporadic Professor of Alchemy whenever a student requested the course, with him turning over the position of Head of Slytherin House to her. Neville Longbottom took up the instruction of Herbology in full, with Pomona dedicating herself completely to being the Deputy Headmistress and the Head of Hufflepuff House, the latter until she found a suitable replacement. Slughorn was also able to relax into his retirement better now that Earnie Macmillan had had taken over as Potions Master, with Horace finding him a better replacement than Draco ever was. Minerva had felt a bit of guilt, having allowed Shacklebolt's gesture of kindness to the former Death Eater blind her to the possibility of another betrayal, particularly as she had advocated for Macmillan taking the post from the beginning. At least the current staff of Hogwarts, including Hagrid as Professor of Care, and the others, seemed more than up to the task of teaching the students everything they would need to do well for their OWLs and NEWTs.

Earnie pulled Tracey's seat back, a gesture that had become a lot more common between them, to the amusement of the staff, as he continued his discussion with her. "I just don't know how she does it. I agreed to Potions Master Peverell using one of the smaller potions labs for her continued research programs, thinking she would be running two, maybe three cauldrons at once, but she has the entire classroom worth of cauldrons running at the exact same time, and she never once has any trouble avoiding disaster. I swear she could probably do all of the work for an entire year group and have the work receive Outstanding grades, and she wouldn't look the least bit stressed." Minerva smiled. "It does put her incredible published works into perspective, doesn't it?" The young man turned to the Headmistress and nodded as he sat down. "At first I thought she was just compiling pre-made recipes, and some of them are, but to then publish refined versions that are easier to brew, as well as international variants using regional ingredients… I can see why she is the most academically recognized Potions Master in the world." Fililus looked over at Minerva and raised an eyebrow. "Have the Board of Governors approved the request?" Minerva nodded. "Hogwarts will be presenting her an Honorary Mastery on behalf of the Ministry of Magic for her contributions to the school during her short visitation, and for her peerless work as a Potions Master."

Filius nodded back as he took a sip of his tea, the two professors who knew the secret of her origins understanding that the Honorary Mastery was the least that they could do. The former Boy-Who-Lived had not only saved dozens of lives during the Hostage Crisis, assisted in the improvement of Hogwarts' security through her contacts with Gringotts, but had even been willing to return to the school as a guest professor for almost two months, though she was able to return to her home during the nights and weekends. Her exceptional talents as a Potioneer should have been a source of pride for the School, though sadly the cover story from the Department of Mysteries and the fact that Snape never saw fit to foster this talent himself robbed them the chance of calling her a proper Hogwarts graduate. Still, despite her short stay, Elysia Peverell had proven herself not only an exceptional teacher, but a welcomed addition to the staff. The students found her down to earth attitude and lack of pride refreshing, with her never once complaining about offering anyone any pointers, even for other classes, though she did steer clear of the Magical Creatures that Hagrid had at the Castle, particularly the Thestrals, despite the fact that they seemed to really like her presence. Even the very air itself felt… lighter, as if magic was more at peace in her presence, which Minerva thought was quite probable, considering the impossible feat she did in absorbing and channeling Death Magic safely into the ground. Hogwarts might not have had her for long… but McGonagall felt that the Castle might not be the same without her.

As it was a weekend, no one was surprised that Elysia was the last to arrive, just a minute after the meeting was supposed to start, the witch having arrived just a bit winded, as if she had been running. "Sorry for the delay. I was stuck in a pillow fort with my wife and children having decided that I should have to crawl my way out in the midst of a pillow fight and that apparating was cheating." Neville chuckled to himself. "And I thought that Harold, Evelyn and Amelia were all exaggerating when they said your kids were a handful of troublemakers." Elysia shrugged as she took her seat. "They only cause trouble when they know they can get away with it." Minerva gave her former student a knowing smile. "Well, I had to deal with three generations of similar troublemakers myself and I can assure you, Elysia, they all thought they could get away with everything." Those familiar green eyes focused on the older witch. "Well, unfortunately these two and their cousin have all been raised by witches that should have been sorted into Ravenclaw, so you can imagine that they are starting to get… inventive. That my wife encourages them is both a curse… and a blessing." Minerva nodded, having heard similar complaints from Hermione Granger and George Weasley. "Well, as long as they bring a smile to the faces of their friends and family, then their troublemaking can be forgiven. Now then, let's get this meeting started."

Chapter 55: Family

June 2022, French Guiana

"Selene, we need to get ready to head home!" Hearing her mother calling, a small dark skinned girl with bright silver eyes and dark hair with blonde highlights raised her voice from the tree branch she was sitting on, stashing a notebook into her thin jacket's inner pocket. "Coming!" After being very careful where she stepped and gripped on her way down the tree, Selene reached the ground and quickly ran towards her mothers, both of whom were busy clearing out all traces of their presence from the area. This wasn't Selene's first visit to the rainforests of French Guiana. After her parents had been satisfied that she could follow instructions and recognize why it was important for her to do so, they had been including her on their expeditions to not only this region but others, including visits to the Pacific Northwest of North America, the various ecosystems of New Zealand and the high mountainous terrain of the Andes. She had wanted to join them on expeditions to Australia, Africa or India, but her mother Luna had vetoed those, as she warned that the local Fauna and Flora tended to be far more dangerous than anything Selene could safely manage, with their visits to the French Guiana Rainforest having the benefits of heavier than average wards used by the Research Program to keep its budding Magizoologists and Herbologiests safe.

Still, what regions she had been able to explore had been beautiful and spectacular beyond words, with seas of trees spreading out beyond the horizon, and mountains that went past the clouds and reached seemingly into the realms of the divine. She dearly wished her cousins could have come with her, but aside from a few trips to New Zealand and the Caribbean, they weren't able to join the expeditions, as too many people around tended to disrupt the work of the research programs. That and Mama Luna said that Elysia and Aesc would be scaring every living being within miles of them by just being there. She couldn't really blame the animals. Though she grew up in a house that was tied to the Peverell Estate leyline and had been at the property dozens of times, Selene could agree with the animals that there was something terrifying about Auntie Elysia. Not that Selene was scared of her, none of the children were, as Elysia was exceedingly calm and patient, even by the standards set by the women in the family, with Selene putting her friend's mother, Daphne, as the most inpatient amongst their group. No, the issue was Elysia's magic, which had something deeply primal that, unless you got used to it, could make a person briefly think about getting as far away from her as possible. Aesc' aura wasn't anywhere near as defined, but their magic did have the same effect on animals, with everything short of Familiars and Dragons being wary of them, hence why the latter were Aesc' favorites.

Seeing her approach, Mama Adeline smiled at her daughter. "Check your room and make sure that everything that isn't in its place is locked within the boxes. As soon as the tent collapses, anything improperly stored will get tossed about." Selene nodded and stepped inside of the Wizarding Tent, before entering the section that was her room, grabbing the paint brushes and storing them in their containers, before picking up the jars of paint and screwing the lids closed. Like her parents, Selene had developed a love for art, learning from them how to sketch and paint. In fact, when she wasn't studying, she would find a neat place to sit and just sketch the environment. When she was in her room in the tent, she could then transfer the image she sketched onto a canvas and then add color to it, though she always tried to be less photographically accurate and instead wanted to capture the feel for an area, making places that were quite warm have matching colors and images that evoked those feelings. Her family was very supportive of her love of the visual arts and Selene was hoping to eventually take a course that would teach her how to apply magic to either the canvases or the paints. Luna had never studied said magic, so she wasn't able to teach it to Selene, though Adeline had bought a few introductory books that they could all study together in the coming years during the breaks from school.

That was part of the reason they were packing up now, as this was Selene's last summer before she would start taking classes and her parents wanted to bring her back home so that she could be with her cousins and friends. As Luna walked past the entrance to Selene's small alcove in the tent, she frowned slightly. While her daughter had inherited her mothers' shared love of art, she had also been born a Seer. Obviously, living on and around the Peverell Estate was shielding her from the worst of the impacts, allowing her sweet girl to make friends readily at the village, though there was still the issue that as soon as she entered school, she would be forced to endure the mental barrage of so many destinies. Even if she did go to the same school as Aesc and Vivienne, both of whom had enough trace magic from Elysia to neutralize the sight, they wouldn't always be there to protect her. Luna had tried to teach her daughter some measure of control, using these excursions to remote sections of the world as a way for her to be around just a small group of people so that she could learn to focus her sight, a skill Luna had been learning alongside her daughter after gathering some Seer books from Greece, but the mental discipline required was greater than what Luna could muster, let alone a child.

A warm hand rested on Luna's back, drawing her gaze onto Adeline's eyes, those brown orbs showing just as much worry as Luna's. "See anything troubling?" Luna smiled softly, glad that Adeline had learned to fully grasp her quirks and abilities, even if it was hard for her to grasp why they were occurring, something that was still beyond even Luna's understanding. She really had to thank Elysia for that and so much, as the two witches had apparently talked quite a bit about her during the time they worked together. During their many trips into unexplored territory, Adeline kept an eye out for Magical and non-magical plants that could serve as potions ingredients for Elysia, initially keeping them at the Estate for study, before having built her own secure greenhouse on her property. During most of the year, their shared property near the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie was managed by Adeline, where she grew plants, both medicinal and cosmetic for sale, with the aid of a group of fairies and brownies that settled on patches of trees that Luna planted around the property to give them some natural privacy. When they were away, the fairies and brownies managed the plants all on their own. Adeline did continue to work with Elysia at the Estate, managing the gardens and helping with the exotic potions supplies she brought back for testing, though she never left anything dangerous when she was gone on the expeditions. The conversations the two shared when they were working helped to ease Adeline's fears and gave her a better understanding of Luna, though her fears had been more along the lines of mistaking something Luna said and not being able to keep her or her daughter safe. As such, the two would often stop and talk plainly whenever Adeline felt something was off.

Shaking her head, Luna looked back at Selene, still busy putting all her art supplies and canvases away. "Nothing specific. Just a worry." Adeline nodded before giving Luna a brief kiss on her head. "I am worried too, but she's our brave and strong little girl. We need to trust that she will be able to handle herself. You still have all of summer to teach her more about her gift, and after that she will be with her cousins and friends at school. We just need to have faith in her and in ourselves." Luna nodded before turning and caressing her wife's cheek lovingly. "I know, but old fears linger. As much as I might have seemed the most well adjusted of our group of survivors… there are still wounds that go too deep." Adeline wrapped her arms around Luna's waist. "Believe me, I know that, after having you wake up screaming next to me a few times. Those fears will probably be with you for the rest of your life… but you're strong and wise enough to push past them. Whatever challenges await her, we will be there for her and she will come out of it stronger and wiser for them too." Luna smiled as she looked into Adeline's eyes before leaning up for a kiss. The two broke it after they heard Selene grumbling about having seen something scarring already, which made the two adults chuckle, more than happy that the sight of them kissing was what the girl thought was the worst thing she had seen yet.

"I call this Meeting of the Council of Viceroys to order. Vladstock, your report." An older Goblin with one eye missing from a combat wound stood up, papers in hand as he spoke before the assembled Viceroys and the Goblin King. "The evacuation of the Districts of Kyiv and Moskov have been completed, with our people only having the bare minimum required to keep the banks operating, though all are outfitted with portkeys that will transfer them to the District of Åbo before they can be redistributed to other Districts of the Goblin Nation." The Goblin Viceroy in charge of the youngest District seated at the table stood up. "My District in the Pyrenees would be more than happy to continue accepting more refugees from the evacuated regions, as the previously occupied Wyrm tunnels have been successfully converted into living spaces and mines." Vladstock nodded. "We are grateful for the offer, Plastyr." The other Goblins grumbled in agreement as many already had their districts at their full capacity, so the fact that the Pyrenees District had so much vacancy due to its short time since its foundation was seen as a great relief by all, with the sudden onset of the new war in Europe. Gringott leaned back into his throne. "What of the Ural District?" Vladstock lowered his head to the King. "Our people's seat of power there remains undisturbed, since we never reported its creation to the Soviets and their successors. The Menks have agreed to… assist in keeping trespassers away from the hidden entrances." Gringott nodded.

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia had shocked not just the world but the Goblins as well, considering the humans were still recovering from the global pandemic outbreak, and that great wars had ceased to be common on the European landmass. Unfortunately, Russia's aggressive tactics weren't just limited to its neighbors, as its own Ministry of Magic was acting as the government's proxy, attempting to force its magical population to toe the line, as they even began to ignore aspects of the treaties between the Goblin Nation and the current Russian Federation. As this was not the Nation's first tangle with a government becoming belligerent to those within its own territory and spheres of influence, they had elected to evacuate the Districts that were more than likely to be targeted or in line for collateral damage emptying their Vaults and relocating the majority of the population to other areas where they would be safe. Those that remained would make sure that Gringotts Moscow and Kyiv continued to operate normally, with a short supply of Galleons maintained or transported in, until someone attempted to violate the treaties. At that moment they would abandon the Districts in full and deny the aggressors any of the gold they may have had, with its return, if it were to ever occur, done later after negotiations. Even Durmstrang, the Magical Institute located at the far north of the Scandinavian Peninsula, near the borders of Norway, Sweden and Finland, was not immune from the Russian Government's influence.

As the Soviet Union had rejected the old aristocracy, which included many magical families, they had endured decades without an official Ministry of Magic, the population essentially teaching itself magic, if not sending its students to Durmstrang. With The Union's fall, the magical population regained a measure of representation, though over the years their voice was silenced, replaced primarily by those who were only loyal to the ruling party. As of late, they began to try and influence everywhere they could, including Durmstrang, as they used their higher than average population of students as a way of trying to force radical changes to the school's policies. While they had resisted for a while, with the help of the Scandinavian Ministries, there were concerns that the current administration of the school might have capitulated, with the students from former Soviet republics having abandoned the school almost entirely, their numbers being dispersed through Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and the Rathmorgan, as talks for a larger Balkan or German based school being founded continued in the ICW Assembly. The District in The Ural Mountains, however, wasn't built as an economic center but as a source of raw resources, so the goblins hadn't seen fit to inform the Russians of its existence nor evacuate it just yet. As Vladstock sat down, the Viceroy from Bavaria spoke up. "And what happens if the Russians block the emergency portkeys and transport system? We could have some of our people held hostage, if not executed."

Gringott smiled, as did a few other members of the Council, as the Bavarian Viceroy had only recently replaced their predecessor. "If that were to happen, we would make all necessary diplomatic protests… Whilst our Champion retrieves our countrymen, by whatever means necessary." The Council members nodded, with Ragnar looking over at Fueruk. "How is our Champion doing? It's been some time since she stood at one of these meetings." Fueruk chuckled. "She is doing quite well, though having to manage two very powerful preteen magicals tends to keep her busy, though she has and remains apprised of all that we discuss. She was particularly worried about the situation in Durmstrang and has decided to extend her influence slightly with the Boards of Governors for the other Magical Academies, trying to ascertain if she may need to… get involved." The older members of the Council shivered, with Gringott smiling to himself. They had been witnesses to the influence that Elysia Peverell possessed and it was a sight to see, particularly as she never once took advantage of it. Not only had her potions completely upended centuries of discrimination against the Werewolves, Vampires and Hags, whilst also assisting in strengthening Gringotts' position as both a major economic powerhouse in the magical world, as well as a neutral force that the ICW could no longer ignore, as the three major Dark Races had strengthen their ties with the Goblins. Even the Dwarves, their ancient enemies, had chosen to enhance their trade and economic dealings with Gringotts rather than act as an alternative.

Because of this, the Magical World had entered into an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity, particularly after the near two centuries of non-stop upheavals. The regions of the world had developed the resources to maintain economic and material self-reliance, with the ICW behaving closer to what it was envisioned, an international regulatory force that made sure that the Magical World wasn't trying to destroy itself or unduly influence the Non-Magical world. And all of this started from just a single person, a Potions Master whose only desire was to make the world a better place for as many people as possible, without getting directly involved in any of it. That Elysia Peverell was considering "direct" involvement in the Boards of Governors for the Magical Academies showed just how concerned she was, particularly over the wellbeing of her children. No one seated here doubted that she could upend the world to keep her family safe. On that note… "I suggest we use our own influence to… ascertain the current status of the Academies and make certain that our Champion's interference is unwarranted. We were fortunate that The Morrígan's first brush with the world went unnoticed by many, save for the Unspeakables. We should make certain that her next awakening doesn't occur… unless it's absolutely necessary." The Viceroys concurred and discussions turned to how they could use their connections with the financial aspects of the schools to determine if the staff were above board, with Gringott taking all the suggestions in. Their world was at peace for the moment, tenuous though it was. He and so many others would do their best to see the peace last… lest far more devastating wars be unleashed upon the world.

Gabrielle and Seraphina watched from outside the ritual circle of the Peverell Estate as her youngest daughter, Vivienne, knelt in concentration as magic swirled around her, her dark golden hair blowing in an unnatural breeze. She watched as the girl slowly shifted into her Avian forn, the clothes of the ten year old designed to accommodate the shift, her sides, back, arms and legs exposed, allowing for her white and black feathers to express themselves comfortably, though her face remained human. Gabrielle sighed. "Vivienne, remember what we taught you. Drawing your magic inward is only part of the exercise. In order for your focus not to cause the change to occur, you need to contain the magic at a deeper level, within your heart and soul." The little girl frowned but nodded. "I know, maman, but it's just so… difficult. Everytime I try to contain it, it feels like I am about to burst." Gabrielle rubbed the back of her head, as this difficulty of her daughter was something her family and the Elders were well aware of. After Ligia's passing, Helia took on the roll of being the instructor for Gabrielle as a Ritualist, as well as teaching Vivienne and Aesc the histories of the Conclaves, with the great grandmother focused on teaching her youngest descendant how to control her Veela nature. As expected, Vivienne proved to have inherited more than Elysia's green eyes. Her Magical reserves were uncommon for an adult, let alone a ten year old Veela.

While her Allure had yet to fully mature, both Elysia and her Veela family wanted to be certain that Vivienne had sufficient control over it, without the rings in play. It wasn't that they were against the rings themselves, far from it, as they agreed that Fleur's invention had been a boon for the Veela race, paving the way for the ICW and its member nations to recognize them as full citizens with all of the same protections as the rest of the magicals, but it was the excess of power that concerned them, as Elysia was capable of surpassing the effects of the rings all on her own. While neither of their children matched the Peverell Matriarch in raw magical power, they would be the closest to it, so the adults all agreed that Vivienne needed to know how to control her magic at an early age, just in case the rings failed. Gabrielle watched her daughter struggle for a few more minutes, until she watched as the transformation receded, the air still devoid of her daughter's maturing magic. She smiled as Vivienne returned to her human form, even as she panted from the effort. Reaching over, the older Veela rubbed her daughter's hair and kissed her on the head. "See? You can do it. Now, how about we go upstairs so we can watch Aesc and Mama Ely train before dinner, hmm?" Vivienne smiled up at her, sweat running down her cheeks. "Sure. Though I would like some juice while we wait."

As the pair exited the basement level and made their way to the back of the house, Gabrielle rubbed the back of her daughter's head. When Aesc had been born on October 24th, neither Elysia nor Gabrielle had expected to try again for a second child. The first pregnancy had taken a lot out of them, particularly Elysia after she cheated and drew all of the pain and suffering into herself during the delivery, that all Gabrielle had to focus on was the instructions from the Healers. Having Aesc had been an absolute delight, though, even if Elysia spent most nights waking up to tend to the newborn, feeding her the breast milk that Gabrielle had collected from earlier in the day so that she could get some rest. They had settled into quite the comfortable routine, with both Hermione and Fleur even complaining that they seemed unfairly rested. Then, when December came around, Gabrielle's body had… recovered, perhaps a bit faster than normal and the urge to pin Elysia down to the bed and bring both of them to a satisfying release began to grow stronger. Her raven haired wife had noticed the shift and asked Gabrielle if she wanted another child, as this could be their only chance at giving-their children the opportunity to be raised together, rather than over a gap of years. Seeing Aesc sleeping in the cot, remembering how happy she always was with Erielle and how both cried whenever they parted, was all the motivation that Gabrielle had needed back then.

On August 31st, born mature despite the short time in Gabrielle's womb, was Vivienne, with the pair of parents satisfied that their children wouldn't have to grow up alone in such a big house. Gabrielle had complained that Elysia drew the pain onto herself, again, but she didn't have the heart to press the matter, seeing the way her wife doted on their children, even going as far as taking a potion to induce the production of breast milk from her own body. The two witches dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to raising their children, which was a bit more involved than what Gabrielle's parents went through, as not only did they have to raise a Veela who had developed the ability to change form at a very early age and fly around the Estate, but also figuring out the best way to raise both children while not stifling either of them. Aesc was, after all, a Transient like Elysia, so they were very careful never to apply any labels on them, or enforce any vision as to how they should be later on in life. Both children grew up together and had similar tastes, though they did eventually start to drift to having personal preferences.

Whilst both loved playing with toys and dolls, and neither Elysia nor Gabrielle discouraged them from practicing either physical games or reading books, it was clear that Vivienne had developed a preference for the latter, spending a lot more time reading stories and fairytales from all over the world. Aesc enjoyed reading too, but they spent a lot more time outdoors, playing hide and seek with Anand and Macha, or with Vivienne when she was willing. Both children learned how to fly on a broom, though Vivienne preferred flying in her natural form, whilst Aesc prefered the broom, with Elysia reassuring Gabrielle that, unless Badb was involved, there was a very low chance of Aesc developing wings for themselves… Probably. That being said, even though they had grown to have their own personal interests, with Aesc preferring wearing darker clothes like Elysia whilst Vivienne liked lighter colors like Gabrielle, the two were still inseparable, neither willing to have their own room, as they now used Gabrielle's old room as their shared bedroom, though they did agree to having separate beds, if only because Vivienne complained that Aesc was prone to kicking and tossing in their sleep. That desire to remain close was a strong motivator regarding their plans for school.

"Did you two talk about which school you would like to go to last night?" Vivienne nodded at her mother as they walked outside, seeing the rest of their family practicing by the treeline. The little girl took a sip from her glass of lemonade after thanking Ida before responding to her Maman. "We did… We don't like the idea of being too far away from everyone, so the international schools are out, except for Hobart." Gabrielle chuckled. "You have been listening to Auntie Luna's stories too much." Vivienne blushed. "I know but the school sounds so nice. I just didn't want to discount it." Gabrielle waved her hand. "Fine, fine. What about the others?" Vivienne looked over at her sibling and mother. "We think Beauxbatons will be better since you and Auntie Fleur graduated from there without issues. Hogwarts sounds to be better according to cousins Victoire and Teddy, but they don't have experience… with either of our conditions. They did love Rathmorgan, though. And Durmstrang…" Gabrielle nodded, both knowing exactly what the situation at Durmstrang was thanks to the Viceroy Council keeping them apprised as to the changes occurring at the northern magical academy. The irony wasn't lost on anyone that many of the children born to either former Death Eaters or Death Eater sympathizers were forced to either return to Hogwarts or to enroll in Rathmorgan, both schools being completely against their pureblood ideals.

Gabrielle took a sip from her own glass of lemonade. "So Rathmorgan, Beauxbatons or Hogwarts, with a chance at Hobart. You could probably do all of them if you wanted to do the Exchange Program." Vivienne smiled wistfully. "I know. Victoire was very happy with being part of it, minus the run in with her extended family at Hogsmeade, as was Teddy. It's just…" Vivienne fidgeted with her glass. "Aesc thinks it would be better if we were homeschooled for a few more years… before we try it." Gabrielle thought about that option and shrugged. "First and second year courses are rather easy to cover at home. Technically, you have already covered most of them already. That would still leave you with five years of studies at any of the schools." Vivienne nodded. "I know and I would be fine with it… but… It just seemed like Aesc… is scared. That they feel that if we went to any of the schools now, we wouldn't be able to look after each other. And if I am honest… I am a little bit scared too. I know this is going to be new for us, and if we pick the right schools, we won't be alone since we will be with Erielle and Selene, if not our friends from Britain, but… it's just scary… knowing we can't just stay with you and mama." Gabrielle moved her seat over and pulled her daughter into a hug, kissing her head. "I understand. Believe me, I was the same way, when Maman told me it was my time to go to Beauxbatons."

"I had just had a scare at Hogwarts with the incident that brought your mother and I together for the first time, and aside from everything that was happening to her that I was unaware of, I was still nervous, and that was without the benefits of the rings you will be carrying with you. I was afraid that I would feel lonely, and for the first few years I was, and things didn't exactly end on a happy note either. But… that's life, and your mother and I have done our very best to raise you both right, to show you the good and bad of the world, without stealing the wonder and the hope that is a part of it. But, eventually, there comes a time when you need to go out on your own, to experience the world through your own eyes. That's what these schools are offering, a relatively safe place for you to meet people of your own age. Education is definitely part of it, but we could just homeschool you until you took your OWLs and NEWTs. Yes, you might run into people who won't like you for their own reasons, but you could meet more people that do like you, beyond just Saint-Cirq-Lapopie and Auntie Hermione's circle of friends. So, if you want to wait, we can keep homeschooling you for however long you want, but just make sure… that the reason behind the decision you make is the right one for you." Vivenne rested her head against her mother's chest, enjoying the sideways hug. "I… we will talk about it more." Gabrielle kissed her on the head again. "And your Mama and I will be there to support you, whatever choice you make."

"Keep your side always to your opponent. Reduce the areas where you can be struck and give yourself all the opportunities to dodge. Once you are better in control of your magic, you will be able to deflect more, but for now…" Aesc nodded, their wooden sword held in a low hold, ready to snap up at a moment's notice, their other arm held against their back. With a quick flick, Aesc guarded against their mother's strike, the blow almost knocking them off their feet but Aesc held on, before pulling the blade back, casting a spell through the wood. While Aesc and Vivienne could have retrieved a wand of their own by now, both had agreed to learn wandless magic from Elysia, though their mother had made a special request from the Veela wandmakers. Using woods that were favorable for her children, with Aesc's blade made with Elder wood and Vivienne's made of Oak, the blades functioned similarly to wands, though the resistance they had was more akin to wandless magic, meaning that practicing with them didn't interfere with their lessons. Dodging the banisher from her child's blade, Elysia used her own wooden blade, which was made to match the weight and balance of her regular sword, before responding with a barrage of spells, most being benign, though the speed and appearance matched those of most curses, so that Aesc didn't get used to the wrong sort of spell behavior. She smiled as Aesc managed to dodge most spells, expertly dodging the green and red spells, while only just raising shields to counter the ones that they couldn't avoid.

Letting her child set the pace, Elysia moved over the grass effortlessly, though she tried not to be too obvious about how easy this training match was for her. She didn't want to hurt their pride, as they had certainly made a great deal of progress in the last few months of practice. While Vivienne did participate at times, it was clear that she wasn't overly fond of physical activities, though that wasn't to say that she didn't stay in shape. Every member of their household jogged, particularly around Saint-Cirq-Lapopie and its trails, with only minimal workouts in the gym so that they had some measure of arm and grip strength. Aesc had taken to these far more readily, though it was clear that they preferred the hands-on lessons in magic and swordsmanship. Obviously, Elysia knew better than to push her child to the extremes that she endured under Dredhook's lessons, but she was making sure that Aesc was well on her way that if she did wish to take on far more exhaustive lessons, she would be in a better position than Harry had been at the start of his training. Still, Aesc was only eleven years old and while that made them far smaller and more nimble, the amount of magic they were using was draining their exceptional reserves quickly as sweat began to form on their brow. After getting knocked back by a banisher that they should have been able to block or dodge with ease, Elysia knew that Aesc was exhausted, though they had exceeded their previous training sessions.

Sheathing her training blade and placing it aside against the nearest tree, she gestured for her child to join her. Taking a bottle of ice cold water, Aesc leaned back against the trunk before sliding down until they were seated on the grass, with Elysia joining them with her own bottle, giving her child a towel. "You have been insisting on these training fights a lot more often. Are you worried about going to school?" The eldest of the Peverell children looked over to the house, seeing their sister and mother seated at the garden table, before lowering her eyes. "Vivienne wants to go to the schools, but she's scared. Not only about her being a Veela and being treated differently, but about… me. About how people will react to me, how I will be treated… and… If I end up losing control of my magic." Elysia lowered her gaze for a moment. She could understand those fears. Part of the reason she was teaching Aesc both how to control their magic and survive an encounter with an aggressor was because she knew that they had more magic than she had at their age. Aesc had already shown that they could bypass almost all forms of magical restraint, including Fleur's far more powerful rings. Of course, using this magic exhausted Aesc faster than most magicals, which would place them in danger if they ever did get overwhelmed. That was the reason Elysia wanted to teach her control.

"You don't feel that you will be ready by September, do you?" Aesc looked at their mama. "Do you think I will be ready?" Elysia turned to them before reaching over and rubbing her child's short black hair. Despite being a Transient, Aesc felt far more comfortable in short hair than Elysia had been as Harry, though at the same time they were far more likely to retain female traits, though she was also able to shift to a more masculine form. They weren't at the level of a Metamorphmagus, as they couldn't change their hair or features to anything they envisioned, but because of how Elysia had raised them, they never felt uncomfortable in their own skin, nor did they feel confined by the form they took. Their appearance and physical form were more an extension of their sense of self. There was always the possibility that they could pick a gender at a later date to identify themselves with fully, though at the same time she could remain a true Transient, remaining physically ambiguous for the rest of their life. It was this ambiguity that Elysia knew troubled some people, particularly the older establishments. Hogwarts was still dividing its student population by gender, as were many of the other schools, though both Beauxbatons and Rathmorgan had individual dorms that were fully desegregated, both having even adapted a few rooms for Weres and other Magical creatures. Still, even if the schools had been built with Transients in mind… that didn't mean that the students would be as prepared, as the world was still in the process of recognizing the rights of humans, regardless of all the labels people applied to exclude the other, with some places even backsliding.

That was the factor that Elysia was worried about, and by extension Aesc. "Honestly? I think you could surprise yourself in the next few months… and even if you didn't complete your trading to control your magic, you will still be better prepared to defend yourself than you think." Picking up their child's training blade, which was made of a heavy wood, Elysia reasoned. "Trust me. No magical at the school will know how to face you right from the start, and that's just with the use of your blade. Combined with what I have taught you about casting and dodging, and you will be practically untouchable. Of course…" Aesc completed the sentence they had heard a hundred times over. ""Never go into a fight assuming you will win, but instead fight assuming that your opponent can be stronger than you." I know, Mama. I know." Elysia leaned over and kissed Aesc on the head. "I know you do. And I am very proud of you for being so self aware about your limits and worrying about your safety and that of everyone else. I would have loved to have had your maturity at your age." Aesc smiled, closing their eyes as they relaxed in their mother's touch. "So… we could go to any school?" Elysia hummed. "Well… not every school. But you will be fine at most, and I won't be worried about you two." Aesc looked up at their mother, who shrugged. "Ok… I won't worry… as much. Still… you and Vivienne won't be alone, no matter where it is that you go… and you know that at worst, I am literally a call away."

Aesc looked down and smiled as Macha came over, as the older of the Peverell children ran their hand through the cat's black pelt, with Badb coming over and landing on Elysia's shoulder. Looking over her child's head, Elysia noticed the rest of their family sitting at the garden table, waiting for them patiently, Anand having come over to rest her head on Vivienne's feet. Despite the fact that Aesc was definitely favored by the Hallows in being Elysia's successor, her companions did their best not to show excessive favoritism between the children, though Anand did seem more comfortable with Vivienne, while Macha loved to sneak into Aesc's bed, with Badb being more neutral in who she spent time with. "I think our lovely ladies are waiting for us." Aesc looked over and nodded. "Yeah." Elysia leaned over and kissed Aesc's hair one last time. "Come on, let's join them for a bit before we head to the showers. And remember… If you two have any doubts, don't be afraid of asking me and Maman for anything." The two stood up and Aesc rushed over to join the rest of her family as Elysia looked on, a smile on her face, as she picked up the equipment that was left over, enjoying her life as a mother… while trying to tone down the anxiety that had been building up all year. As much as she wanted to keep her children safe, she needed to be willing to let them go to school, to experience the world for themselves. And if something went wrong…, well Elysia would give the Goblins a warning before she dealt with the problem personally.

"Erielle!" Hermione smiled as her daughter got jumped by Aesc and Vivienne as soon as she entered through the front door, as Fleur helped Hermione take her jacket off. It never failed to bring a smile to Hermione's face, seeing the bond that existed between some of the children from their closest family. As the oldest, Erielle had the unenviable role of trying to be the most mature, which was a struggle when dealing with Aesc and Vivienne, who loved to drag her around for their own ideas of fun, though Erielle enjoyed most of them. The oldest of the new generation of Veela, Erielle had dark blonde hair that had a natural waviness to it, though the Veela traits had ensured that she never developed the extremely bushy hair that Hermione endured in her youth, at least as long as the humidity remained low, as Erielle's hair did tend to go wild whenever they visited the more tropical regions. Thankfully, this didn't rob Hermione's first born from having her parent's love of the beach, a trait she shared with the rest of the children, though she was the only one that was serious about pushing her passion forward, having learned to snorkel and was waiting to be old enough to learn how to scuba, with or without the aid of Magic. That the blue eyed girl would potentially cause some issues between Veela and Merfolk was an understatement, hence why Hermione was actively in communication with the underwater magical race, hoping to eventually broker a stronger peace treaty between the warring races. It was a long shot but, then again, she had beaten the odds before.

Of course, whenever Erielle wasn't able to be the reasonable one, Aesc tended to switch onto that role naturally, particularly if it involved looking after Vivienne or Selene, as the two were the youngest of the group. Seeing the generally happy and carefree raven haired magical switch into an overprotective worrywart always made Hermione recall her time at Hogwarts with Harry, suspecting that Aesc would probably have been closer to what their mother could have been, had she known of her true nature and been raised in a loving environment. As soon as her parents were through the door, Hermione closed it behind them, before finding Gabrielle, wearing her more common white open robes that she now favored, descending the stairs, a teasing smile on her face. As she was a practitioner of Veela Ritual Magic, she had been encouraged to wear the purple robes, but she chose white, as she felt that while she was a "believer," she wasn't a Priestess nor a political force in the Conclaves. Hermione did have to agree that the white robes did suit her better. "I hope you all are ready for a very long day." Hermione sighed. "Well, it's a good thing we can all spend the night over. Where's Elysia?" Gabrielle gestured at the Floo Terminal. "She went over to Gringotts to pick up the mail, hence why she asked everyone for permission to pick up theirs up for today. Better to fetch it now than wait for an owl to deliver it."

As Gabrielle reached the bottom of the stairs, she greeted her sister warmly, kissing her own the cheeks, the two briefly talking in French, before Fleur turned to see Erielle getting dragged outside, before she chuckled to herself. "Well, it's a good thing that she had already applied the skin protection potion on herself and is wearing her bathing suit under her clothes. I had a feeling her cousins wouldn't let her get ready before dragging her out to the pool." Gabrielle nodded. "They have been practicing holding their breath for weeks now with the weather being quite warm, so they are desperate to see if they can beat her record." Fleur raised an eyebrow at Gabrielle. "Will they play fair?" Gabrielle smiled at her. "As long as they feel they have a chance to win. Don't worry, we have been very careful about them behaving themselves in the pool. Besides, Victoire is back there with Teddy and she will be keeping an eye on them until lunch is served." Fleur looked in the direction the kids were going before she and the rest stepped outside. While not as full of people as some of their birthday parties, today's gathering involved the entire extended family, with the Grangers walking over to greet Apolline and François who were busy at the grill that Elysia had placed outside, whilst Ida managed the food items and drinks that required an oven or to be cooled down in the fridge or freezer.

The now twenty three year Veela greeted her mother warmly, wearing her white and blue one piece swimsuit, Victoire's toned form almost matching Elysia's. Having completed her education after studying at Beauxbatons, Hogwarts and Rathmorgan, the exceptional Veela had taken the unexpected career of becoming an ICW Auror. That she had inherited her Grandfather's sense of duty and justice wasn't unexpected at all, though the young Veela had felt that she wanted to be able to help as many people as possible and that a career as an Auror for the MSF wouldn't be enough, hence why she signed up for the ICW Academy in Luxembourg, before taking an international tour of training and later service throughout much of the world, which did seem to be slipping into a less peaceful state, with many of the regions that had been at peace becoming embroiled in conflict. With the sudden surge of the pandemic, the political chaos born from several less than popular government administrations and the resurgence of war in Eastern Europe, the ICW had been kept rather busy in trying to mitigate any potential magical involvement. They had been successful for the moment but it was clear that the magical world was being a lot more careful now as there was the possibility that any new conflicts could inadvertently expose their existence to the world, though there was a plan already in motion to mitigate the damage, by reintroducing the idea of magic into popular media in a more positive light. That Skeeter's tell all books on Harry Potter could become part of this initiative did not cease to be a source of irritation for Elysia, though she was wise enough to not go to Britain and deal with the bug of a woman just yet.

Thankfully, Victoire's training and aptitude had served her well as an ICW Auror, and she had earned herself a promotion as a Senior Auror, as well as plenty of vacation time, which she was using now to be amongst family. There was no doubt that she was the pride of the Delacour family, particularly François, who was finally looking into the possibility of retiring from his position at the MSF, as he and the Department prepared for that eventuality, with a certain Dhampir being eyed as his successor, particularly as there were signs that the recent upheavals were finally running their course and stability was slowly returning to the world, though popular confidence on both sides of the Statute of Secrecy remained low. Fleur then greeted Ted, the young Werewolf having integrated himself well into the family, having even been informed as to Elysia's previous life, as had Victoire. While there was some gossip about Ted and Victoire getting together, Elysia had stated that she found their relationship to be more akin to siblings than romantic, and Fleur, having met the man a few times, agreed. The young Were, rather than following Victoire into the ICW's Auror program, joined a Werewolf initiative where the Weres, who now could operate as Animagi, would use their unique skills for security purposes, hiding in their animal forms to act as guards for either private or government facilities. The initiative had been very well received by the ICW and the non-magical world, with Ted prefering to take jobs closer to home.

As the last of the guests arrived, them being the Charbonneau family in its entirety, with Selene happily joining the other kids in the pool, Gabrielle watched on from the door that led back into the house, before a pair of strong hands wrapped around her waist. "I get the feeling that you are going to be missing this sight in the next few months." Gabrielle hummed to herself, trying to tamp down the sudden surge in desire from her body. "I know that you will be missing it too." Elysia leaned over her wife's shoulder and kissed her cheek. "I know. I don't like the idea. I am almost tempted to take the kids at their request and homeschool them for another two years." Gabrielle turned to look her right in the eyes. "Weren't you the one that suggested that all the kids talk about their school plans together so they can make up their own minds?" Elysia sighed but nodded. "I was… because as much as I want to keep them here, they deserve better from us." The raven haired witch pressed the bundle of letters against Gabrielle's stomach. "Hermione and Luna put in a lot of work, considering that I am very certain they all got the same letters for admittance for Ilvermorny and even Hobart. Thankfully I only had to remove two, which were for ours." Gabrielle nodded, understanding why Elysia removed the offers from Durmstrang, taking the letters in hand and slipping them into her pockets as Elysia was greeted by everyone and wished a happy birthday.

Whilst she never failed to make all of her children's birthdays memorable in their own unique way, everyone understood that Elysia would never be fond of her own, hence why it was decided that the family would simply have a get together on Elysia's birthday, sing her happy birthday with cake and everything, but have the focus be less on her and more on everyone coming together. Aside from Christmas, this was the one day of the year that everyone left open in their calendars to come over and spend time with the witch that had essentially made all of this possible. Because as much as Elysia wanted to ignore her birthday, all of her friends and family wanted to celebrate the occasion with her, to show her in both words and action just how much they appreciated what she had done by just being herself. What might have started as lonely nights spent locked in the cupboard under the stairs in a suburban house in Surrey, had now become a gathering of over a dozen people, many calling her sister, aunt and even daughter-in-law. While the life she had lived up till now had been filled with hardships no human should have been forced to endure, the raven haired witch couldn't deny that she had finally found the paradise that awaited her beyond the end of her great trials. A paradise that began with the woman in her arms, who refused to let go of her even as the world thought her dead or lost to all. So, as much as everyone wanted to make this day about celebrating Elysia, she would always feel that the greatest gifts she could have ever wanted had already been given to her by the love of her life. A life filled with love, joy, peace and just a smidgen of worry. As far as Elysia Peverell, formerly Harry Potter, was concerned, she wouldn't have it any other way.