[Fri, Mar 28]

It was the usual four day weekend around Easter for the students. Harry had no desire to ride the train back to London and Ginny indicated she’d like the time to spend with her friends, so he promised he’d see her at the Burrow and went to spend the day working on his house. By the time he was to leave, he had the basement structure finished and was working on the main floor and ceiling. He left the task of moving some of the stone blocks for the wall from the stacks to where he’d need them when he started on the walls on his next work day.

After a quick time to clean up, he Apparated to The Burrow and knocked on the back door. He wasn’t surprised when the door was yanked open and his girlfriend all but bounced out to hug him and give a quick kiss. Grabbing his hand she dragged him in, all of which caused him to smile.

“Hello,” he called with a wave to Mr Weasley on the couch.

The Mrs came in and gave him a hug. “Welcome back dear. Make yourself at home, dinner will be ready soon. Oh, I understand you hadn’t planned to sleep here?”

“No, Mrs Weasley,” Harry answered. “There’s no need to crowd Ron and I can easily return to the Longbottoms. Besides, I thought you might feel more comfortable with that arrangement.”

She had the grace to look down for a moment before she looked back up and smiled at him. “That arrangement will be fine, but the offer is there.” She returned to the kitchen.

“How is everything working for you, Harry?” Mr Weasley asked.

“Well. My studies are going well, my job is as expected, and I finished the main part of the basement on my house today,” he said with a big smile. “The basement needs a few finishing touches, but it’s capable of holding up the main floor. I was thinking of taking Ginny to see it tomorrow, maybe with a picnic basket.” He gave her an inquisitive look.

She smiled at him. “That’s sounds lovely. I’ll put something together after breakfast.”

“I was hoping we could go flying,” Ron groused with disappointment.

“There’s always the day after,” Harry told his friend, offering a compromise. Ron sighed and nodded, understanding his presence wasn’t wanted tomorrow.

“Dinner is ready!” Molly called

Ron led them, rushing towards the table. Harry escorted Ginny. He had a fun evening with the Weasleys, just talking and joking with them.

When it was time to go, Ginny walked him out the back door and pulled him to the side so they weren’t in front of a window. There, they kissed each other good-night.

“I’ll be over around ten,” he told her.

“I’ll be ready for a picnic,” she told him.

As he left, he considered this one of his best evenings in a long time. He thought tomorrow would be even better.

[Sat, Mar 29]

When Harry arrived the next morning, he found Mr Weasley sitting on his porch with a steaming drink wrapped in a long cloak in the cool of the morning. “Harry, would you join me for a moment? I have a hot drink here if you’d like it.”

He wondered what this conversation would be about as he sat and picked up the offered steaming cup and found tea in it. Another setup he was sure.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I have a question or two for you based on what you said the other day,” the man told him. “I wondered if you had any more information on what you said about the Death Eaters being gone. I hadn’t considered the lack of reporting in the newspaper as an indication of them being gone for good.”

Harry nodded, not minding this topic. “Yes, there suddenly not being attacks caught my interest. If you think about it, they like to have everyone’s attention; so if they aren’t in the news, it really makes you wonder about them being gone for good, doesn’t it?”

Arthur nodded. “Yes it does now that you’ve said it, and combined with some rumors I’ve heard…”

Harry nodded as well. “I’ve heard a few things too, co-workers talking you understand.”

“Yes,” Arthur agreed. “Have you heard of missing person reports being filed for some of the known Death Eaters?”

“I have,” Harry told him with a grin over the rim of his cup. “I think one of my co-workers heard it from an Auror who’s a friend.”

“The real question is You-Know-Who though.” Arthur gave him a questioning look.

“Well, the theory I’ve heard put forth is that whatever happened to the Death Eaters must have happened to him too,” Harry replied while wondering how many conversations like this his fellow Unspeakables have had over the months.

Arthur nodded for a moment and sipped his tea, as did Harry. “You mentioned the other day that you had your Apparation License. How did you manage that at sixteen?”

“An old law in my favor I was told,” using the excuse Croaker had primed him with if someone had asked. “My manager at work knew about it, talked with the right person at the Ministry, and I had a very private test which I passed.” All truth if creatively told.

The father snorted. “I’d wondered. There are so many old laws I’m not sure anyone really knows them all.” He took another sip. “Not really a question, but I’ll ask you to be careful with Ginny. I know you will as you’ve already saved her life, but I feel like I have to say something anyway as her father.”

Harry nodded, knowing this was the real reason for their talk. “She’s very special and I’ll always be careful with her, even if you hadn’t asked.”

“I know I can trust you after what you did in her first year at Hogwarts,” Arthur said with a smile. “You can leave your cup on the table if you like. She should be inside finishing the food for the picnic. Molly is torn between pride and sadness that her little girl is growing up. I hope you’ll understand.”

“I believe I can do that.” Harry held his hand out and Arthur smiled and shook it before he stood and hugged Harry. “You’re always welcome over here lad.”

“Thank you, that means a lot to me.” Harry headed inside and found Ginny in the kitchen with her mother standing nearby making suggestions.

“Really, mum, there’s only two of us; we can’t possibly eat a full pie too.” Ginny tilted her head to the side and let him kiss her on the cheek before she closed the basket. “I’m ready.”

“Mrs Weasley,” he intoned with a nod and led his girlfriend out, her grabbing her cloak on the way. They said good-bye to her father as they walked away from the wards with him taking the basket from her.

A moment later he Side-Along Apparated her to the front gates of his house. “There’s a lot to be done, but one day it’ll be spectacular,” he half apologized as he led her towards the house.

“I’m sure it will be,” she said with a little excitement. When they reached the big hole in the ground that was filled with rubbish, she gave him a look. “Obviously not where you’ve been working.”

“No,” he replied with a chuckle and led her around the hole. “I’m working on the smaller visitor house first to figure out what I’m doing.

She looked over what he had when they reached it. “So just the floor. That leads to the basement you talked about?” Ginny pointed to the purposeful rectangular hole in this floor.

He put the picnic basket down before he led her over and down the stairs.

“All stone, very nice … it’s glowing, the walls and floor are glowing,” she exclaimed as her eyes adjusted.

“They’re the ward stones that hold magic for the main ward stone which is buried,” he explained as she walked over to look through a doorway. “A bathroom one day,” he explained before she could ask. “Upstairs will have a bathroom too, a bedroom, and the rest will be open as one big room.”

She nodded thoughtfully and walked back up to look around. “It would be a nice cottage for two, or maybe even a small family,” she said a little shyly.

He smiled at her and pulled her into a hug. “Yes, I’ve considered that. Perhaps for two, but I like to believe that I’ll have the main house done before children come along. I think it’ll be at least five years from now before I’m ready for children and I believe I’ll have the main house done by then.” He brushed a few errant hairs from her face before kissing her slowly and deeply.

When they finished their kiss, she rested her head on his shoulder and listened to his heartbeat and nature around them. “This is a calm and quiet place; I like it,” she said softly. She felt him chuckle, it rumbled in his chest.

“Work with me so we have a full relationship and you can live here too. It’ll take work by both of us, but it’s possible,” he assured her.

She turned her head back to him and kissed him this time, a little greedier. “I don’t know how I can help you build, but I’m willing.”

“Featherweight and levitation charms are the most useful,” he told her as he let go.

“You know,” she said with some exasperation, “that I’m not seventeen yet.”

Harry smiled and cupped her face with one hand. “This is a registered Wizarding Home, although the Ministry seems to have forgotten there are no adults living here, so you can do any magic you like as long as it’s not an Unforgivable. You just have to make sure your parents don’t catch you … if I ever invite them over before you turn seventeen.”

Ginny grinned manically like it was Christmas morning and pulled out her wand. “Don’t just stand there, let’s get going!”

Harry laughed and pulled out his wand. “We need to finish the floor then we can start on the walls.”

Even with a languid lunch in the sun and stopping for kisses occasionally, Harry was impressed at the amount of work they accomplished that day. They had finished the floor and started on the outside walls and finished the first row all the way around so they could see the size and started on the second row.

He wondered if he could take the day off plus convince her to skip the train on Monday in order to work here for the day. His Dementor project was showing promise so Croaker agreed to his request for the day off and Ginny agreed to work with him on Monday. At this rate, he thought he’d be done by the time school let out for the summer.

[Fri, Jun 27]

Harry was standing in the Entrance Hall waiting on Ginny. He’d come last night to spend time with his friends before everyone left for the summer. Today, he planned to escort her to the train and then let her ride back as she wanted to spend the time with a few friends; he’d go to his house and work on it all day. He was reasonably sure she’d invite him to her house for dinner that evening.

“Mr Potter, could I have a word?”

He turned and saw Dumbledore walking up to him. Harry took a couple of steps so they were standing on the side and out of anyone’s way who might come by.

Dumbledore pulled out his wand and cast a privacy spell before putting his wand away. Harry noticed the blacked hand that looked nearly gaunt now and remembered back to a discussion with Dupree about the Withering Curse.

According to Dupree, if he’d been there in first few minutes after Dumbledore had been cursed he could have done something about it, but after that the old man’s fate was sealed and the best possible outcome was to slow the curse down, which seemed to have been done since Dumbledore was still alive. Dupree’s guess was that Dumbledore had maybe a few months more at best.

As Harry looked at the old Headmaster, he noticed the man seemed to have to gather his determination. “Harry,” he paused, “I hope you don’t mind as I believe this will be our last conversation.”

“That’s fine,” Harry replied easily. Dupree’s guess seemed to be confirmed.

“I find myself to be in a bit of a quandary,” Dumbledore told him. “I’ve always believed that it would be obvious when Voldemort was defeated because it would take a large battle to remove him and his followers; yet that hasn’t been seen. However, I also must admit that your observation of his not having been seen for over six months to also be true; and like you, I don’t believe he and his followers could stay out of the limelight for that long. Those two ‘truths’ are at odds.”

Dumbledore sighed. “While the evidence points to your conclusion, I am still wary that he will return. Perhaps he’s merely lost his body as he did when you were a baby. Whatever has happened, it is plain that I shall not see the end of this war as my time will come to an end soon.

“Harry, I would like your promise that if I am right after all and he returns, that you will finish him off once and for all. He’s extended his life with very dark magic and you’ll have to deal with that.”

Dumbledore pulled a small thin book out of his robes and handed it to Harry, who took it. “Since you wouldn’t come talk with me, I’ve written down my thoughts in there to guide you.”

“If I’m wrong and should need them?” Harry asked with a smile. He noticed Ginny and a couple of her friends coming so he held up his hand and they stopped across the hall.

Dumbledore smiled at him. “Yes, if you should be wrong and need them.”

“Sure,” Harry told him. “I’ll put the book on a shelf so I won’t lose it and if he returns I promise to deal with him.” He already had a fun idea in mind.

“Thank you.” Dumbledore held out his hand and they shook. “I’ll also wish you well with your young lady.”

“Thank you and good luck,” Harry replied. He walked over to his girlfriend and escorted her out of the castle with her friends walking with them, not noticing the thoughtful look from the old Headmaster.

After Harry had dropped off Ginny at the train, he Apparated to the Department of Mysteries as he activated his cloak to hide his identity. He found his manager in his office and knocked on the doorframe.

“Mike, come in,” Croaker told him. “This is unusual as it’s your day off.”

Harry closed the door after himself. “I don’t plan to be here for long, but Dumbledore just gave me this and I thought you might like it.” He handed the book over and quickly repeated the conversation.

Croaker skimmed thru the book, smiling most of the time. “I’ll have to give him credit, he figured out Voldemort created Horocruxes. I don’t fancy having to go chase them down; I rather liked my way of bringing them here better.”

“Absolutely!” Harry agreed.

Croaker harrumphed. “And he had the stones to mention that your scar might be one too, though he says that you’ll have to be hit with a Killing Curse by Voldemort to get rid of it but don’t worry as you won’t really die.”

Harry snorted. “High comedy there as I’d never do that.”

“Well,” Croaker said slowly and thoughtfully, “his theory might be good as long as the curse hit you in the forehead, but it’s not something I’d want to go through. Still, thanks,” he held up the book, “I’ll read it through word for word later.”

“I thought you might enjoy it,” Harry said as he stood. “It was sort of hard to stand there and act like I didn’t know what had really happened. I wanted to point at him and laugh and tell him the joke was on him.” They both laughed at that.

“A lot of good has come out of what we’ve done though,” Croaker told him. “We removed at least some of more stupid laws, less bribes means the rules are being applied more fairly in general, we’ve removed some of the less savory people, and Scrimgeour is pulling his head out of his arse and starting to show a backbone instead of being so wishy-washy. We still have more work to get better, but we’re on a good path.”

“Great, I’ll tell my friend to come back when she finishes school.” Harry left feeling pretty good and he had an entire day to work on his house.

[Sat, Jul 12]

It was Harry’s turn to wait. Running through what he’d worked on this morning, he couldn’t think of anything he’d missed and hoped that was true. If not, well, he’d figure it out as it happened.

People started to come out of the corridor in front of him. It wasn’t long until a young woman rushed at him with a smile and bushy hair flying and grappling him in a hug.

“It’s good to see you,” Hermione said.

“It’s good to see you as well,” he returned and led her away after he grabbed her bag. Not long after, they found a place alone where Harry shrank her bags down and Apparated her to the gates of his property. “Welcome to your home for the next couple of weeks.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve done,” she said as Harry held her hand and pulled her through the wards. “Will you add me so I can come and go?”

“I will,” he told her easily. “You’ll only be the second person.”

Hermione looked at him for a second before turning back to look at the large hole in the ground with rubble in it. “So you and Ginny are still doing well? You haven’t pulled the refuse and rubble out for the basement of the main house.”

“Yes we are, and no I haven’t,” he replied. “I had a few delays getting the guest house ready and I wanted a some time off so I haven’t made it to this one yet. Would you rather I have cleaned out the hole or made sure you had a bathroom?” When she gave him a don’t be silly eye-roll, he added, “I finished only last week and moved in last weekend. Ginny and Neville are the only ones who’ve seen it finished.”

“I suspect Ginny would be happy as long as you’re in the house. What did Neville say?” she asked as they approached the single story stone house with a slate roof, shutters next to the windows, and a plank door with bold black hardware, giving it a quaint look.

He chuckled. “Yes, she did say something similar. Neville liked it, but said he’d rather live in his family’s house,” he said with a grin. “We’ll see what he says when I finish the manor house.” He opened the front door and led her in.

Hermione looked around and spied a redhead cooking at the stove. “Ginny?”

“Hi Hermione,” she came over and gave the girl a hug. “Thought I’d surprise you.” She looked very pleased with herself.

“You look very grown up,” Hermione blurted out in surprise.

Ginny ran her hands down the sides of her summer dress and smiled demurely. “Thank you, I try sometimes. I’ve found it also helps at home as it’s forcing my mother to notice I really am growing up.” She looked at Harry and smiled. “A few others appreciate it too.”

Harry moved over and put an arm around her waist and kissed the side of her head.

Hermione snorted. “I’m sure.” She looked around the house. “It’s simple but has everything you need. Kitchen, dining, living areas; I like the open plan. Bathroom and bedroom?” she asked pointing at the doors.

“Yes, you can look,” he told her and let her. She poked her head in each doorway to look at the rooms.

“I see only one bed and since I’m not sleeping with you, I guess I can transform the couch into a bed,” she said, sounding like she was thinking through how that would work.

“Or you could check out the basement,” he suggested and pointed towards the stairs.

“Oh,” she exclaimed, “I didn’t see the stairs behind the furniture.” She hurried past him and looked pleased the stairs lit up when she stepped on them.

He and Ginny weren’t far behind her so they saw her curious expression when she made it to the bottom of the stairs.

“Why do the floor and walls glow slightly?”

He touched the switch and the light on the ceiling came on.

“Electricity here?” she was amazed.

“No,” he smirked, “the light runs on magic, I just used Muggle devices because it’s what I’m used to and I don’t like the torch or gas lamp look.”

“And the glow on the floors and walls?” she repeated as she examined a wall.

“They are the power source of my protection runes; you can think of them like big batteries,” he replied.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” she said amazed. “How did you come up with it and will you share?”

“It was a joint personal project with a woman at work. I let my Curse Breaker friend look after I had them up and he was impressed too.” He smiled at her. “Yes, I’ll tell you how they work later. You can sleep there,” he said pointing at the bed in the corner, and there’s a bathroom over there,“ he pointed at a doorway.

“What are the stack of mattresses for?” she asked pointing to them in another corner.

“The party,” he replied with a grin.

“Party?” she asked dubiously. “You’re really throwing a party?”

“Yes, the ‘good to see you again’ party tomorrow,” he explained with a grin. “I’m looking forward to it, actually. If people want to spend the night, they can. Girls down here and boys upstairs.”

Hermione still looked like she didn’t believe him. Ginny just smiled at her.

Harry flicked off the light and led them all back upstairs. There, they found Dobby stirring a pan on the stove. “Oh, my gravy! Thank you, Dobby!” Ginny hurried back to the stove.

Hermione scowled at him but didn’t say anything about the elf being there, having already known he would be here and why due to previous phone conversations.

The three had a pleasant time at dinner and talking afterward. As it neared dark, Harry excused himself and said he’d be back in a few minutes as he pulled Ginny outside by the hand. Hermione peeked out the window and saw the two standing very close for a minute, obviously saying good night. She was surprised when Harry stepped back and Ginny Apparated away.

When he returned inside, she had to say something. “I know you told me you told me you have your Apparation License, does Ginny?”

Harry smiled at her. “She’s quite capable at it I’ve found. Makes it easier for her to come here when she wants. If you have enough magic and focus, it’s not like it’s hard. I did it before I started Hogwarts.”

Hermione frowned but changed the topic as they talked into the night.

[Sun, Jul 13]

The next morning, Hermione came up from the basement to find Harry cooking. “Good morning,” she heard. “Did you sleep well?”

“Good morning, yes I did. Sort of like at school,” she answered as she took a seat at the dining table.

“Dobby put the same charms on the mattress as the ones at school have,” he said with a grin. “Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.”

“This house is too small to raise a family, but it’s a nice little house for just yourself or you and a wife,” she told him with a questioning look as she grabbed the pot of hot water in front of her to make some tea.

“It’d be a little cramped without some changes, but if we were desperate enough a small family could live here. Those with less money have made due with less than this,” he told her, “but I understand your point and I’m glad I have options.”

“True. Has Ginny been helping with the house?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, she’s been a great help actually, when she can get away to come over,” he replied.

“I suppose that’s easier now that she can Apparate on her own?” Hermione dug for more info.

“It was the main reason I taught her,” he said without any guilt as he brought the last of the food over and sat himself.

“She not even quite sixteen yet,” Hermione huffed. At Harry’s pointed look she dropped the topic. “Have you had one of your adventures or any other strange and unpredictable events happen to you lately?”

Harry actually chuckled. “I’ll have you know that I haven’t had anything like that in a long time.”

She looked at him and wondered. “Really?”

He actually looked a little uncomfortable for a moment. “Since it’s just us, I’ve had one and only one time that was just a little dangerous at work, but I wasn’t having to fight for my life and others were there so we helped each other. I never worried about what could happen to me or anyone else.”

“Oh? Tell me,” she asked, curious as this was the first time he’d admitted anything like this to her.

“I can’t, I’m under oath not to,” he told her seriously. “I might be allowed to tell you one day, that’s not for at least a few years and only if you decide to work with me in the future. Normal life is so much easier and safer than when we were at Hogwarts. Didn’t you tell me something like that?”

Hermione was disappointed to not get more detail, but tried to ignore her disappointment. “Yes, no threatening adventures at Salem.” She snorted lightly in amusement. “People ask how I know some of the things I know and when I say it was because of trouble at Hogwarts they give me funny looks like I must be making it up.”

“Yes,” he agreed with a nod, “same for some of my co-workers when I mention things at school, though I don’t give names.”

Hermione drank the last of her juice. “If there really is a party, when is everyone coming over?” She wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not as he’d never been a party sort of person at school.

“The Portkeys are due to get here at half past ten.” He smiled. “I think it’ll be a lot of fun.”

– – –

Shortly before everyone was to arrive, Harry said, “Let’s go outside as the party will be there.” He led her out.

Hermione stopped in amazement, staring at the banner that read, “Welcome Back Hermione!” There were also chairs in a circle and tables with snacks as well as pitchers of drinks and a tub full of ice with the tops of bottles of Butterbeer sticking out. “You were serious.”

“No, I was Harry,” he teased, earning him a glare from Hermione.

“Harry,” she complained sternly and put her hands on her hips. “Beside your bad joke, how did all of this get here?”

“Dobby,” he said with a grin. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to bring the other guests in.”

As he walked away, he heard Hermione say, “That boy!” with exasperation.

“Don’t ever change, Hermione,” he muttered with a grin, glad she couldn’t hear him as he walked towards the gates.

It was only a couple of minutes before Neville Apparated in with his small bag over one shoulder. “Harry!” he called out.

“Hey, Neville, glad you could make it. Let me help you in.” Harry grabbed his arm and walked him in. “Hermione is over in the work area.”

As Neville strolled off, a pop could be heard and Harry saw Luna had arrived by Portkey with a neon pink bag over her shoulder. He gave her a hug. “Good to see you.”

“Hi, Harry,” she said calmly as she looked around. “This is nice. You’ve hidden your house well as I don’t see it.”

He smiled. “The manor house isn’t built yet, but you can just see the roof of my current house if you look that way.” He pointed it out. “Let me help you in and you can go over there. You’ll see the others when you get near.”

The last pop sounded and Harry saw his last two friends. “Ginny! Ron!” he greeted them as he moved over and pulled his girlfriend to him for a hug. “How are you?” he asked Ron.

“Good,” Ron said, looking towards the house and not at the couple.

Each of them also had a bag, so Harry grabbed Ron’s free arm and walked him through; Ginny could enter on her own already having been added to the wards. “I’m glad you could make it. I know Hermione will get happy to see you.”

“How’s she doing?” Ron asked as they walked.

“Fairly well, though I’ve surprised her multiple times and that’s been fun,” he grinned. The two Weasleys laughed with him as they walked towards the party.

As they walked up, the two Weasleys greeted everyone, starting with a hug from Hermione and her gushing about how she was glad to see them. When she let go, Ron walked over to grab a small plate and some snacks with a drink.

“Just like old times,” she said fondly with a smile.

By the end of the day, they all stayed overnight and would admit to having had fun together.

[Mon, Jul 14]

No one got up early the next day, but everyone was curious as to what Harry had planned for that day. After a full breakfast, he took them all outside and led them to the large hole in the ground.

“What are we doing here?” Ron asked, looking at him suspiciously, the same sort of look he had when his mother told him to go get rid of the gnomes in their garden.

“Well,” Harry said a little sheepishly, “I was hoping everyone would help me for the morning. I need to pull everything out of here and with all of us, I was hoping it wouldn’t take very long.” Most of the group nodded.

Ron looked the most dubious. “All of that,” he said while waving her hand in the direction of the rubbish in the hole.

“Yes,” Harry answered. “All of that moved out here. You can dump it over there by that tree,” he pointed, “or over on the other side by that large rock. I’ll move it later, but for now I just need it out and for everyone to keep their eyes open for anything interesting.

“The larger stuff is easy with a Levitation spell, but for the dirt there’s a digging spell that acts like a large bucket, picking up a pile of dirt and holding it until you move it. It’s like this.” Harry showed them the spell then did it. A clump of dirt, grass, and a few stones -- all about the size of his body put together -- rose into the air allowing him to move it over to the desired place and then stopping the spell so it all fell. “It’s that easy and you don’t even get dirty,” he told them with a grin.

Ron still looked like he wasn’t sure about it, but Neville jumped in and levitated a large tree branch out of the hole.

“I guess this isn’t too bad,” Ron said after a few minutes. “Better than doing the gnomes in the garden. At least here I can use my wand.”

Ginny snorted and retorted sarcastically, “Mum doesn’t let you use your wand for that because it’s punishment.”

About half an hour later, Ginny shrieked and yelled, “Harry!” as she pointed into the now larger hole. He rushed over and she kept pointing. “It looks like a hand, a skeleton!”

Harry looked down and saw that she might be right, but it looked like it would belong to a child. The dirt wasn’t too far down so he walked forward and jumped to the ground in the hole with his wand out. There was what looked like a collapsed stone wall with the bones of a small hand sticking out.

The others had jumped down and joined him, standing around in a loose semi-circle. With care, he levitated most of the stones up and back to reveal a full skeleton. It was Hermione that let out a shriek this time and most of the others turned away. Harry felt Ginny grab and cling to him.

It didn’t take long for him to realize what he was looking at. “Dobby! I need your help!” he called out.

The house-elf popped in. “Master Harry calls?” He was facing Harry with his back to the discovery.

“Dobby, I uh.” He felt like he needed to stop for a moment. “Ginny, can you let go for a moment please.” When she did, he knelt down on one knee for his and the elf’s faces to be at about the same height. “Dobby, we found something that … well, I don’t know what do. Maybe you’d know?”

“Dobby will help. What does Master Harry need?”

Harry gestured lamely behind Dobby and stood.

The house-elf turned around and went stiff.

“I have to assume he worked here with my grandparents. Do you know what to do so he’s treated with respect?” Harry asked

Dobby turned and looked at him with tears in his eyes and nodding slowly. “Dobby knows what to do.” The elf walked over and looked carefully, examining the situation more closely. Holding his hands up, they all saw a glow form around the skeleton and some of the dirt before it rose into the air. Suddenly, it disappeared with Dobby with a large pop.

Harry shook his head and looked around. “I think a long break is in order. Hermione?” he nodded at Luna as he grabbed Ginny’s arm and Apparated out of the hole and over to his work area where drinks and chairs were waiting. Neville appeared beside him as did Hermione with Luna.

“Hey, can I get a hand too?” Ron’s voice called out from in the hole.

Harry looked around and saw Neville working to hold back a grin.

“He didn’t want to tell you, but he’s had some trouble with learning that,” Neville said.

Harry couldn’t help himself and started so smile, causing other to also.

“Harry! I can’t climb out!” Ron’s voice called.

Using his wand, Harry levitated his ladder over to the hole and dropped it in.

“What? You can’t come get me? I know it’s not hard for you, Potter!” Ron shouted back.

The others started to chuckle, as did Harry. Instead of going over, he levitated a bottle of Butterbeer over and sat it on the edge so Ron could see it.

“I hate you, Potter!” Ron shouted, but the bottle was summoned into the hole, causing everyone to start laughing. A few minutes later Ron climbed up the ladder with bottle in hand and glaring.

[Sun, Jul 27]

Harry Side-Along Apparated Hermione back to the airport. They looked at each other with long faces.

“This is depressing,” he told her as they stood not too far from the counter she needed for check-in.

“It is, but I want you to know I really enjoyed the time with you and everything you taught me.” She gave a more seriously look. “You really can’t tell me where you learned some of that?”

He smiled and put an arm around her shoulders. “Learn all you can at school, then find a job that stretches you. A few years after that, I can get you an interview with my employer and I’m sure you’ll have no problem being hired and have plenty of opportunities to learn even more things.”

“It’s Gringotts, isn’t it?” she guessed.

“Not telling,” he said with a light chuckle. “Come on, let’s get you going. I’ll come visit at Christmas if you want me to. Your family can come see and stay with me next summer. I should be far enough along with the main house by then for your parents to stay there, even if the whole house isn’t complete.”

After she checked in and before she was escorted back to the gate, they hugged one more time. “Thank you, Harry,” she told him. “This has been the best two weeks of my life.”

“I think I’d have to say the same,” he replied. “I enjoyed having you come stay and having our friends over too, not to mention all of our conversations. I really appreciate all the help you gave me in building. With you helping me and Ginny the basement is almost done.”

“I enjoyed it. Bye Harry,” she said, obviously putting on a brave face before she turned.

He watched her leave and sighed. “One day, Hermione,” he mumbled, “it will all be like it should be.” Harry turned and left. He still had most of the day to himself, but wouldn’t be surprised if Ginny dropped by.

[Fri, Aug 22]

Harry looked up to see his least favorite family member walking into the Parlor; still, he stood. “Good evening, Narcissa, welcome.”

“Lord Black,” she said with a bow of the head, “thank you for inviting me over.”

“Have a seat. I believe you know everyone here?” Harry said. “Kreacher, refreshments!” he called out and the elf appeared a couple of seconds later with a tray of different drinks.

Narcissa gave the barest of nods to her sister and ignored Ted and his daughter. Taking a cup of tea, she took a seat.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

“Well, my lord. I have a few more things to be put into order, but for the most part I have everything under control,” she answered.

“That’s good to hear,” he said. “Andi was telling me about her work just before you came. Nym, how are things at the Ministry?”

“Harry, you know better,” the young Auror growled.

Harry sighed. “I won’t call you by your full first name, but I also can’t call you Tonks in this setting as that would be confusing. I thought Nym was a good compromise, but if you have something better, let me know.”

“Dora will do,” she said grudgingly. “For your information, the Ministry is fine, the job is fine, I’m fine.”

“I’m glad it’s all fine,” Harry said teasingly and looked at Ted who smiled back, having already answered the standard question when the trio had first arrived.

“I do have a question for everyone.” Harry looked around. “As I’m building a new Potter Manor, would anyone like to buy or even just live here?”

“I’d forgotten about it until only a few days ago,” Narcissa said absently, “but I don’t need it.”

“Yes, well,” Harry started sheepishly. “It was hidden with spells until the I brought a curse breaker friend in to remove that. Andi, Ted?”

“We’re happy with where we are,” Andi said, “but Nymphadora might appreciate it as she wouldn’t have to rent her flat and could live in a proper Wizarding home.”

“Mum, I like my flat, thank you, and I make enough to easily live there. This place,” Dora waved her hand around, “looks a lot better than it did when I first came here two years ago, but -- I’m sorry Harry -- it’s still a dump.”

“You could supervise Kreacher and fix it up; I’d let you live here for free,” he offered.

“Thanks but no thanks,” she returned.

Harry sighed. “I tried.”

“Narcissa,” Harry turned to her. “There are a few things at the Ministry that I’d like to look into as Lord Black if I had time, but I don’t. Would you like to and be willing to handle a few things for me?” Thinking back to his last conversation with her, he’d noticed she’d shown more interest in working for the House of Black rather than the House of Potter. As for his interest in the Ministry, it didn’t matter to him if it was done in the name of Black or Potter. This would also be a good test for her, he thought.

“Yes, my lord, I’d love to help out with that,” Narcissa replied with a hint of eagerness.

“Very good,” Hary said with a smile at a plan coming together. “I’ll send you a message by owl in a couple of weeks to come visit and discuss it.”

[Fri, Aug 29]

Ginny regained consciousness only because someone was tugging on her sleeve. Looking towards her feet, she saw Dobby in the partial moonlight. It took a few seconds for her to remember where she was and why.

“Is something wrong?” she asked the elf.

“Your father is here by the road,” the elf told her.

Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she said, “Thank you,” allowing the elf to leave. Carefully so as to not wake Harry, she slid out from under the blanket on the couch they were sharing and stood. She couldn’t quite make out anyone by the road in the partial moonlight from this far away, but knew he must be there if Dobby said he was.

Taking care to be quiet, she walked toward the main gates. With a small grin of pride, she walked around the newly started wall for the ground floor of the main house as well as around the stones that now ringed it for the next row that was about to be set in place. She had thought it a little crazy for Harry to build his own large manor house the first time she had come, but Ginny was no stranger to hard work and had enjoyed spending the time to help him and for it to come out so well. She thought the shared work helped to cement their relationship. Sure, the building was going slowly, but she helped him when she could leave home. Tonight she had to be here and she was honored he trusted her this much.

As she neared the gate, she could see a figure on the outside and it did look like her father. Feeling the magic, she stop a good ten meters from the gates. “Dad,” she said simply.

“Ginny,” he said with a slightly quieter than usual voice. “What are you still doing here? Your mother is worrying about you and you should be at home.”

“I’m staying with Harry tonight,” she informed him.

He sighed and thought for a long moment. “Your mother won’t be happy about that and I can’t say that I am either. I’ve also noticed I can’t enter the property. Why?”

“Harry raised the wards on his main house tonight and it exhausted him; therefore, I’m staying with him to make sure he’s all right. I’ll be home tomorrow evening,” she told him.

“Tuck him in and then you should come home,” he repeated.

“I promised him I’d watch over him” she returned. “In addition, if I left now I’m not sure I could get back in, so I’ll wait until he’s awake tomorrow morning.”

“Ginny--”

“Dad, I know I have another year before I’m seventeen, but this is very important. Yes, I know I’m still living at home, but I believe I can do at least a few things on my own … including watching over my boyfriend when he’s not feeling well. Think of it as I’m ensuring my future,” she told him.

Her father looked at her for a long moment. “I didn’t think this conversation would come so soon. So you truly believe you will marry him?”

“Unless one of us does something horribly stupid, which I don’t believe will happen, yes. I do need to figure out a solution to a problem that bothers him first, but I’m confident I can find a way.”

“He doesn’t have any problems to solve to make you happy?” her father asked in surprise.

Ginny shook her head and sighed. “No. Harry has his issues, he’s not perfect; but overall I have nothing major to complain about with him. No, the issue is that he doesn’t like being in the spotlight, as you can imagine.” She saw her father nod. “However, he’s rightly pointed out that I’m seeking the spotlight and he would be drawn into that at least some.”

“I don’t understand. What would you be doing that has you in the spotlight?” he asked.

“Well, if I play Quidditch for the Harpies…”

Arthur looked at his daughter for a moment before his expression brightened. “Oh!”

“Yes,” Ginny confirmed. “Ignoring some very public appearances from playing and such, there are at least some functions he’ll need to attend with me.” She brightened now. “I made the effort to write Gwenog Jones and ask about a few things and she was nice enough to write back. There is an easy solution to at least part of the problem. As for the other part,” Ginny shrugged, “I have time to work it out or I just don’t take Harry with me if I must. The point is that I think I can make it work. I only plan to play for five to ten years if I can make the team, then I can be just Mrs Potter.”

“I see,” her father said slowly. “I’m glad you’re working that out, but that doesn’t solve the current problem.”

“I’m sorry, but I really feel I need to stay,” she insisted.

Arthur took a step forward and then stopped. “I can feel something from the wards in front of me and they’re giving me the feeling I shouldn’t challenge them.”

Ginny grinned. “I don’t really understand what he did, but from what he told me, I’d definitely advise you not to try. He also mentioned that he worked with at least one if not two people who have their mastery in Runes, and he said his mentor at work is a former Curse Breaker.”

“You still don’t know who he works for?” he asked.

“No because he hasn’t told me, but I’m fairly certain I know anyway. I can tell he’d be disappointed in me if I asked again so I won’t. While I’ve decided it really doesn’t matter, I think he’ll tell me before we’re married, probably when he proposes -- or that’s my guess. If my guess about where he works is correct, he has a job for the rest of his life if he wants it, not that he has to work,” she told him.

“The Potters weren’t poor,” he acknowledged and sighed. “Very well. I’ll tell your mother you’ll be home before dinner tomorrow. Make that so or I’m sure you’ll be bigger trouble than you already are.”

He started to leave then stopped. “Oh, how did you get here? I didn’t see Harry come to get you tonight, or for the last several times now that I think about it.”

Ginny looked down sheepishly. “Well, err, you see, Harry taught me to Apparate at the beginning of the summer.”

“Ginny,” he said with a sigh and great disappointment.

“Dad, it’s not like it’s hard, even if Ron has trouble with it,” she told him. “Like Harry said, if you have enough magical power and focus, it’s fairly easy and he’s right.”

Her father shook his head. “I won’t tell your mother, but if she finds out I won’t protect you either. You’re as bad as the twins sometimes. Don’t forget your deadline to come home.” He was gone with a quiet crack.

Ginny sighed as she turned and walked back towards Harry. She loved her family, she really did; but there were times she didn’t care for their expectations of her.

As she approached the house, she had to take a detour to the stairs and walked down into the basement and marvel at the sight of the walls giving off a slight glow. It was like the basement of the little house but more so because the basement here was probably ten times bigger. Touching the wall, she could feel the magic if she became very still and reached out with her magic. She supposed it wasn’t strange that it felt like Harry, or at least it had the same feeling as when she touched his chest then reached out and tried to feel his magic.

Smiling she left the basement and returned to the couch under the stars which held her boyfriend covered by a blanket. Pulling her wand out, she raised him into the air and moved towards the little house. The door opened on its own -- courtesy of Dobby she knew -- allowing her to walk in. Placing him on his bed, she pulled most of his clothes off before she pulled most of hers off also so they were each in their underwear. After a moment, she pulled her bra off and found one of his larger shirts and put that on before joining him in bed.

Ginny decided she could get used to this and sort of regretted returning to school on Monday, where they’d be apart for four days a week. Worse, she had two more years of school before she could do this all the time.

[Sat, Aug 30]

Harry woke up and found it was late morning. Well, late for him normally as it was nearing 9am. He’d also noticed that he had a warm Ginny in bed with him. He caressed her back for a few minutes before she seemed to suddenly spring awake and look at him.

“You’re awake,” she said with surprise. “How are you feeling?”

“Quite well in general, though perhaps a little tired magically.” He grinned at her. “I didn’t expect this sort of personal treatment when you said you’d watch over me.”

She blushed a little but didn’t look away. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right and I was nearby in case something happened.”

He lifted the sheet enough he could look down their bodies for a moment. “I don’t recall getting undressed nor that jersey ever looking so good.”

Ginny smiled brightly at him. “Thank you. Hungry? I can fix breakfast.”

“Sure,” he replied. She kissed him briefly and got up. He saw a flash of knickers as the jersey rode up. He also noticed she didn’t seem to be all that concerned he saw that either.

“I need to bring a few changes of clothes over,” she said quietly as if talking to herself as she looked at her dirty clothes in a pile on the floor. “Oh well, I’ll take care of that later.” She padded out of the bedroom in what looked like a short dress.

Harry just shook his head before getting up himself and getting dressed.

As he come out of the bedroom, Ginny was heading towards the bathroom with a pile of clothes in her hand. “Look what Dobby brought me, isn’t he sweet?”

Harry saw the elf was pulling out food and pans were warming on the stove, which he supposed Ginny had started.

A few minutes later, Ginny came out of the bathroom in her cutoff jeans but still wearing his jersey. “Harry, can I come and go through the new wards?”

“Yes, I added you in as the last thing I did,” he answered.

“Thanks!” she told him with a huge smile. “I can stay all day but I have to be home before dinner.” She started setting the table for the two of them, still smiling happily.

He just watched her making herself at home and decided that it looked very natural and right.

[Jul 1997]

Ginny Apparated in next to the small house. “Harry?”

“Over in the storage area,” he called out to guide her over to his barn like structure he’d been using to store things in and as a work area when carving runes on building materials.

She found him and gave him a kiss before looking at the Manor House. “You’ve made good progress since I was last here three weeks ago.”

“You had your OWL exams and I wasn’t going to disturb that by bringing you here; but yes, I have a good start on the second floor,” he told her. “I have a few divider walls to put up on the first floor still, but there’s no hurry on them. I’d like get the second floor done, the parts that have a third floor, and the roof on before I do the interior.

“I have a charm on the second floor to make it weather-proof until we get the roof installed,” he continued, “but we should probably do the windows soon. Maybe we do those after we finish the second floor,” he finished.

“All right, so more stone for the outside walls?” she asked.

“Yes, though I have an idea.” At her quizzical look he grinned. “If you want to take your Quidditch game to the next level, start using your wand as little as possible. If you can lift it on your own, do so.”

“But why?” she asked with puzzlement. “That will slow us down.”

“Only a little, but it will help build your muscles which can’t do anything but help your Quidditch game,” he grinned.

She gave him a bit of a glower, but did as he said -- for an hour. “I swear these stones are getting heavier,” she complained as she set another smaller one into place.

“Try lightening them to half their weight since you’re not used to it,” Harry said as he adjusted the stone he was working on. “I’m sure it’s a pain now, but more muscle will help you. In fact, I’d be surprised if the professional teams didn’t have some sort of general fitness program. Hmm, I bet Oliver Wood would tell me if I wrote him.”

“I’d appreciate it,” she said as she paused for some water and to look at their progress so far today. “This is going to be special when it’s done.”

“I think so,” he replied a bit absently.

“Harry? Do you think it’s going well with us?” She watched him level his stone before he suddenly froze. It was all she could do not to smirk as she watched him think through the surprise question.

He turned slowly and looked at her. “Why do you ask?”

They were both dirty and sweaty, but she still walked over and stood in front of him. “Part of me just wants to know if all of my hard work on making you a good boyfriend is working. Another part wants to know if I’ll be the one that gets to enjoy this for years to come.”

He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her to him and kissed her hard. “Yes,” he breathed into her ear as he held her close, “you’ve been a splendid girlfriend that I think will be here for a long time.”

“You think?” she whispered back.

“I can’t foretell the future,” he replied, “but you’re doing everything right so far and I’m very glad to have you in my life.”

She rested her head on his shoulder. “You stink right now, but I otherwise like it here.” She stood up straight and kissed him lightly.

He laughed. “You don’t smell so sweet right now either, but I think I’ll keep you around too.”

[Jul 1998]

Harry held Ginny from behind as they looked at the Manor house and waited on their guests.

“You made it,” she told him with enthusiasm and pride.

“We did because you helped,” he returned. “It’s completely dried in, as they say. There’s still a ton of work to do inside to finish, but weather no longer matters and I can move in after our guests leave.”

Ginny sighed. “I’d move in with you if I could and I wasn’t afraid of what would happen.”

Harry turned her around and was surprised with her resigned looked. “I don’t think I’d mind if you moved in, but what are you afraid of?”

“Besides the obvious issue of my mother trying to stop it even if I am about to turn seventeen?” she asked with some mirth. She looked down at his chest as if unable to face him.

“Besides the obvious,” Harry said teasingly, “which wouldn’t stop us if we really wanted to.”

Ginny snorted with laughter for a moment before she looked into his eyes. “That would be epic and a shouting match to behold, but that’s not my biggest fear, nor is the idea of getting pregnant because there are ways to protect against that.”

“Why then, because I can’t think of anything else that’s bad,” he asked.

“Harry, do you know why you go on a honeymoon after a wedding?” she asked carefully.

“Besides the obvious fun part,” he said with a grin, “not exactly. Why?”

“The idea is to take your ‘honey’ away for an entire cycle of the moon, to get adjusted and -- err -- get things out of your system,” she said with a hint of shyness.

“Yes, the fun part.” He actually laughed at her and she popped him on the back where her hands were.

“It’s not that funny.”

“Sorry,” he told her as he got himself back under control. “I’m reasonably sure I understand what you’ve alluded to, but I don’t understand your concern.”

She sighed. “I’m afraid that once we start having sex that I’m not going to want to stop for longer periods. I’m not sure even all summer is long enough to get it out of my system -- or so it feels like sometimes. I also really like the nights we spend together even if all we do is snuggle and sleep. I don’t want to be apart from you for four days a week once we start sleeping together regularly, which is what would have to happen since I have one year left and I have to return for my seventh year because of Quidditch.”

“So you get noticed by the recruiters,” he said with a nod. “I don’t know what to tell you other than if you prefer to wait, I’ll wait. If you want to move in the day you’re seventeen, I’m fine with that too or anything in between.”

Their guests arrived suddenly outside of the front gate and the mother promptly threw up.

“You decide and tell me what you want,” Harry said as he let go and they started to walk toward their guests.

“My thought now is to finish my NEWTs, move in here that night, and then keep you here for a solid month,” she grinned, “so save up your vacation time.”

They both laughed as they finished their walk.

“Hermione,” Ginny called out as she hurried over and pulled her friend into a hug.

Harry walked over to her parents and held out a vial. “Need something for your stomach?”

Mrs Granger took it and nearly gagged on the potion. “That was vile and…” she paused, “but that’s already starting to help.”

Harry conjured a glass and put some water in it. “Don’t swallow, but you rinse your mouth out with this. Mr Granger?”

“No thanks, I’m fine,” the man said as his wife spit the water out on the grass beside her and Harry Vanished the glass.

“It’s good to see each of you again. Come in.” Harry grabbed an arm of each and pulled them in through the wards. Ginny had already pulled Hermione in and was walking her to the big house.

The tour didn’t take long as it was mostly an empty shell, except for one bathroom and two bedrooms that didn’t have much more than a bed, a dresser, and a few chairs in each.

“I’m sorry there’s not much here beyond the basics, but it’s still under construction,” Harry apologized. “Nevertheless, you can stay here for as long as you like. Oh, the spell.” He pulled his wand out and cast a spell on each of the three Grangers. “Now you can come and go as you like -- even after you get an rental car. I hope to have the kitchen done later this week, but my house-elf, Dobby, can bring you any meals you need while you’re here. Just call for him, he knows to expect that.”

“Thank you,” Mr Granger told him. “This will help us significantly as we search for a place to live.”

“We’re all glad to have the Grangers back,” Harry told them, pleased to have his best friend and almost-a-sister back.

“Definitely,” Ginny agreed with a smile at Hermione, who was beaming just as much.

[Mar 1999]

With a few simple disguises, Harry made his way to the level under the top box in the stadium. So far, he’d escaped recognition. The pass in his hand had helped him gain entry into the more private areas, including this box in the stadium. The guard took the pass and ran his wand over it, satisfied. He then asked for Harry’s name to check a list. The guard was not satisfied because he “knew” what “the Harry Potter” was supposed to look like and Harry didn’t match, forcing Harry to remove the disguising charms. The guard was satisfied finally and Harry was let in.

Harry found two long rows of seats in front of the windows that were near the center of the pitch. A very long table on the back wall held various trays of food and drinks. He counted eight others in the room which could have held four times that number easily.

Not sure what to do, he walked over and took a seat on the end of the second row. An older man a few seats over on the first row looked at him. “Do I stink or something?”

Harry barely held in a snort, only a small smile escaping. “No, I just didn’t want to take anyone’s seat.”

The man grunted. “Doubt it, this is about all that ever shows up for some reason I can’t explain. You can’t get better seats than this. The top box is as good, but it isn’t better in my opinion. Hell, we don’t even have to pay for the tickets or the food and still the chumps don’t show.” He shook his head then held out his hand. “The name is Jepson, but you can call me Charlie. My wife’s the coach. Not too hard to figure out who you are. Boyfriend of that pretty little redhead that joined this season?”

“Yeah, that’s me, Harry Potter. Ginny, the new reserve chaser, is my serious girlfriend.”

Jepson laughed as did a couple of the other men who were nearby. In fact all of them in the box were men. “How serious is serious?”

Harry thought about the two weeks after Ginny had finished her NEWTs. She had met him at his home that evening, not even bothering to wait the four days before the Hogwarts Express was to take everyone home. She’d practically ripped her own clothes off and then his. They didn’t leave his house for two weeks, forcing Harry to send a note to Croaker about needing time off for a family emergency.

Dobby had had to bring them food from time to time which they had cooked. Dobby had also had to intercept several Howlers from Ginny’s mother demanding she come home to see them, despite Ginny telling him she’d already told her parents she wouldn’t see them until the middle of July because she had other important things to take care of.

When the two had gone to The Burrow after their two weeks alone, Ginny had packed all of her remaining things she hadn’t already had with her and moved in with him that evening … despite her mother telling her not to do it. He and Arthur had just stood back and let the two women argue while Ginny packed.

“Serious enough,” Harry said finally, “that we’re considering making it permanent.”

“Another one goes down in flames,” said a man only a little younger than Jepson. “Dilman Williamson,” he said for an introduction.

Each man after that introduced himself, the last finishing just as the teams flew out onto the field.

Harry looked carefully and finally saw his old teammate Oliver Wood. “What are their chances against Puddlemere United?” he asked to the room at large. Ginny had been easy to find and he thought she looked amazing; he could see her large grin from here, or so he thought.

Jepson answered, “It’ll be close, about even odds; but it’s hard to really say since it’s the first game of the season. Sorry, but that probably means your girl won’t get much playing time. Now if it was the Canons…” he laughed as did all the others, “…she could start the game.”

Harry smiled along with the others fully understanding the joke and glad Ron wasn’t here to hear it.

“Grab whatever you want off the table,” Jepson told him, sort of pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. “It’s all on the team.”

Harry shrugged and went to the back table and grabbed some food and a bottle of beer before coming back and sitting on the front row with only one empty seat between him and Jepson, who gave him a friendly nod and turned back to the pitch as the game started.

– – –

Harry was sitting on their now permanent couch in front of the little house waiting since it wasn’t raining. It was cooler than he liked but not too bad. Harry had sent her a Patronus message to meet him at home as Jepson said it’d be a madhouse down by the locker room.

Ginny popped in with a crack and screamed a high-pitched yell as she held her hands up and danced while she spun.

Amused, Harry stood up and walked over. She still yelled for a few seconds more before she launched herself at him and kissed him hard. He barely kept them from falling over. “Happy?” he asked with a laugh?

She screamed and kissed him hard again. “I play professional Quidditch! It was only as a sub for ten minutes, but I played and I scored on Oliver Wood!” She yelled her pleasure again while Harry led the bouncing and dancing girl into the house.

“It’s a good thing no one lives too close.” He grinned and laughed because her jubilation was infectious.

She kissed him again then grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the stairs. “Come on, Potter! I’m in a great mood and I’ve still got energy to burn. You, Harry Potter, are about to get really lucky with a professional!” She cackled as she pulled him along, not that he was resisting at all.

[Sep 2000]

Harry finished getting dressed in his formal robes and looked at Ginny as she finished with her hair. He drank in her looks and admired her. Sure, he’d seen women who were better looking in an overall way, but Ginny wasn’t all that far behind them. She was also a wonderful person whom he enjoyed spending time with. He knew she loved him and he thought he loved her too.

That last part was a bit iffy only because he didn’t remember love from his childhood, so he’d always had to guess at it. Still, he thought that his feeling for her was love.

He also admired the fact that she wasn’t afraid of hard work, unlike her brother Ron who seemed to only do enough to get by. Ginny worked hard at her Quidditch job, she’d worked hard in helping him build their house too. Most importantly, she’d worked hard to do the right thing for him in regards to her job.

Harry would admit to enjoying her games in the team box. He’d even received permission to take Ron for the game where the Harpies played the Canons … and Ginny had been allowed to start and play that whole game. Ron had been disappointed the Canons had lost, but he had enjoyed seeing the game.

Ginny had also made sure everyone on the team treated him like everyone else when they had their team dinner last week. In fact the last hurdle in their relationship was probably tonight. He could skip the event but didn’t think that would be a good idea since their relationship was known publically.

As she put down her hairbrush, she looked in the mirror and saw him watching her. “What?”

He grinned at her as he walked over and pulled her up and into his arms. “You look exceptionally beautiful tonight.”

She smiled prettily at him and leaned forward to kiss him lightly. “Thank you, you look very good too.”

He looked at the team emblem on her robes and shook his head in chagrin. “I’m so impressed by you making the team and I believe you should be awarded Rookie of the Year.”

“I can hope, shall we go?” She grabbed her small purse and let him lead her to the fireplace in a special room of their house. A moment later they were at the building that was being used for tonight’s ceremony.

They had to push through a small crowd that included multiple reporters and photographers. Harry kept a smile plastered on his face as he looked around for anything unusual that might happen. He wasn’t wearing his Unspeakable Cloak and honestly felt a little naked without it. Soon they were inside the main hall and found the tables for the Harpies.

Not long after, a wizard Harry couldn’t remember the name of (since Ludo Bagman had been forced to retire after the Triwizard Tournament) stood in front of everyone and with a spell got everyone’s attention. “Welcome to the year-end banquet and award ceremony for the Quidditch League.”

– – –

When the ceremony was over and everyone started mingling, Harry was a little sad Ginny hadn’t won Rookie of the Year, but she still seemed to be happy and that was the most important thing in the end.

“Potter!” he heard from a familiar voice and turned around to see Oliver Wood walking up.

“Wood, how are you doing?” Harry noticed Ginny turn from whom she was talking to and glance at him; he gave her a nod and she returned to her conversation.

“Fairly good; we ended up in third for the year. The Harpies did all right,” his old friend said.

“Fifth is a good showing and Ginny did well when she played,” Harry returned.

“She did.” Wood raised his glass in a salute which Harry returned with his own glass. “It’s a shame you’re not playing; you were very good in school so you’d only need minimal coaching to play in the League.”

Harry smiled. “Thanks for the compliment, but I have other commitments that I enjoy.”

“That’s--” Wood started and was interrupted.

“I only want to talk to him,” an insistent voice said behind him that also sounded familiar.

Based on Oliver’s frown and Ginny’s voice saying, “I really don’t think so, but I’ll give him the message that you’d like a word if he ever finds time.”

He had to hold in his groan as this was the sort of thing he didn’t want. A glance over his shoulder showed it was who he thought it was.

The new visitor saw him look and all but shouted, “Harry! Harry! I really need to talk to you!”

He turned slightly to see Cho Chang standing on the other side of Ginny reaching for him. Behind her he saw a couple of reporters heading his way and looking gleeful. “Mr Potter!” the one in the lead called.

“Damn it! This is what I was I was afraid of,” he growled.

“Harry!” Cho called before she growled, “Move bitch!” and shoved Ginny who stumbled backward a couple of steps and into a teammate who caught her.

Angry now, Harry whipped out his wand and cast a Banishing spell at Chang, sending her flying backward into the table and chairs behind her to land on the floor. A grappling hand found the tablecloth and pulled half of the dishes and drinks down on top of her. A step to the side and shield caused the two reporters hit the barrier and be knocked back in a daze.

“Mr Potter, look this way!” a photographer he hadn’t seen before called out. A hasty Summoning charm yanked the camera out of the man’s hands where it was directed to the floor and rolled under the table beside him.

“I can’t take this,” Harry said in a panic. With a tap of his wand on top of his head, he started disappearing. Everyone around saw his lower half and then only shoes step onto his chair and then onto the table before only a blur started running and jumping from table to table to avoid the crowd. After three tables, a door on the side suddenly opened and the slammed closed before it disappeared and looked like the rest of the wall.

– – –

“Uhh!” Ginny yelled in frustration and pulled her wand out, looking so incensed Chang started trying to do the crab walk backwards to get away from her.

A strong hand clamped onto Ginny’s wrist and forced the wand upwards so it pointed at the ceiling.

Still angry, Ginny turned to see who was stopping her from getting some satisfaction on the “thing” that had started all of this. It was her team captain.

“I know you’re angry,” Gwenog Jones practically hissed to keep it mostly quiet, “but hexing people can get you thrown out of the League. They don’t like fights at events like this.”

Ginny’s eyes went wide and her angry complexion cleared a little. “I didn’t know.”

“Now you do,” Jones told her. “Your boyfriend can’t be thrown out since he’s not a player. At worst they won’t let you bring him next year, but considering who he is, I think that unlikely.

“Speaking of your boyfriend, I think your energies would be better spent chasing him than standing here and being angry or sulking.”

“I’m not sulking!” Ginny ground out.

“Whatever,” Jones told her with a devil-may-care look. “I don’t care what you do, just don’t get thrown off the team. I have plans for you next season.”

That shocked some sense into Ginny. Nodding, she put her wand away and looked around for the nearest door. Unfortunately, the only other working door was the main door, so she started striding for it, bumping a few people who were staring at her but not moving when they saw her coming.

“Make way!” a voice shouted before a larger body stepped in front of her and started clearing a path. “Make way, I said!”

Ginny smiled as she fell into line behind Oliver Wood as he plowed his way through the crowd.

He didn’t stop when he reached the main door but kept going until he reached the Apparation area where he turned and looked at her. “Sorry about the trouble, but us Gryffindors have to stick together.” He gave her a slightly lopsided smile, making her wonder if his jaw had been broken sometime in the past and hadn’t healed correctly for some reason. “Don’t forget to remind him that this wasn’t your fault and that you couldn’t have prevented it.”

“Thank you, Oliver,” she told him softly with a big smile. “I appreciate it.” Two more steps and she was gone.

Landing on the front doorstep, she opened the door and hurried in, locking it behind herself. Not hearing anything, she hurried up the stairs to the first floor. A small noise caused her to hurry to their bedroom where she found Harry throwing his tie on the bed before sitting on it and his coat in what was definitely an angry sulk.

“I’m sorry that happened. I tried--”

His angry look stopped her. “That was what I was afraid of when we got together. I can hardly go anywhere as me.”

Ginny’s eye’s narrowed as she crossed the room. “Harry, I did my best to stop it. Chang wasn’t going to get to you.”

“It wasn’t just Chang; it was everyone else too, especially the reporters and photographers!” he threw back.

Ginny had to purposefully hold her hand back so she didn’t slap him. “I did everything I could, Harry!” she yelled, angry at him now. “I’ve protected you all season. I made everyone on Harpies respect your privacy. I didn’t let Chang or a few others you weren’t even aware of get close to you. But I can’t keep the whole world back, Harry -- no one can!

“I go out in disguise with you when you ask. I stay here at home at times when I’d like to go out with you. What the bloody hell more do you want from me?”

Harry looked down for a moment before he stood and walked over to the window and looked out into the night. He didn’t say anything and neither did she.

It was over a full minute before he turned back around. “I don’t want to be me sometimes.”

Ginny noticed his eyes were red and a little watery plus he still had trouble looking at her. The pause in the fight had also given her some time to calm herself -- mostly. “We don’t always get what we want and we both know that,” she commented with more than a hint of bitterness.

He nodded slowly and a tear slowly came out of one eye. After several more breaths, he slowly walked over and pulled her into a hug, which she didn’t participate in as she just stood there.

“I’m sorry, Ginny,” he said quietly. “You have done your best and I’ve been an ass -- especially tonight. I think I wanted something that wasn’t possible and it’s taken me until now to realize that. I’m sorry, can you forgive me? Please?”

Ginny slowly lifted her hands and put arms around him and leaned against him so her head was on his shoulder. “I tried so hard to do the right thing for you, so it hurt me when you said that.”

“I can see that now. I’m sorry, Gin. I’ll find a way to change.”

She sighed but didn’t move otherwise. “Thank you for realizing that.”

Harry twisted a little and moved an arm. A couple of seconds later something slapped into his hand. As she was about to ask him what he was doing, he Side-Along Apparated her outside and they fell down on the couch they kept outside for looking at the stars.

“What the hell, Harry?” she scowled at him.

“This seems like our spot,” he said quietly. “When I was staring out the window I considered what it would be like if I walked away to live on my own…”

Ginny froze, fear gripping her despite what he’d said a moment ago.

“No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t imagine that -- I couldn’t imagine you not being with me.” He opened a dark blue case that looked like it should have been for jewelry but was rather large for that.

“I thought these were the best ring sets in my vault but I couldn’t pick one so I’ll let you. Marry me, Ginny, please?”

She turned from the ring sets and grabbed his face and kissed him hard. “Yes, finally,” she managed before she kissed him again. Now he was grinning at her.

Letting go of him, she turned to the case he was still holding and looked. “So every set has three rings?”

“Yes, that means you’ll also pick out mine too,” he acknowledged. “I don’t really care in that I’ll wear any of the men’s rings.”

It took a couple of minutes but she finally pointed, “This one.”

Harry pulled out the engagement ring of that set, closed the box to set it down, then put the ring on her finger.

She admired it for a long moment, smiling the whole time. “How about getting married next February before the season officially starts?”

“All right,” he answered, “though that wasn’t the question I was expecting you to ask.”

“Oh?”

“I figured you’d ask where I work.”

Ginny laughed. “Don’t need to, I already know -- or I’m pretty sure I know.”

“What?! When?!” he sat up straighter and looked at her in surprise and shock.

She laughed again and patted his cheek. “Silly boy, I figure out that you work for the Department of Mysteries soon after we started dating.”

“How?” he asked in amazement.

“I doubt many others could figure it out easily if you didn’t spend much time with them and if their father didn’t work for the Ministry too,” she said with a grin. “You use some of the same phrases of speech that he does and your special cloak that I’m not supposed to put on gave it away … at least to me. If you talked with Mum long enough she’d probably figure it out too, but you don’t spend that much time talking to her about enough different topics.”

“Wow, I’m impressed,” he told her.

Ginny smiled smugly. “I’m just that good. If you’ll Apparate us to our bedroom, I’ll show you another way I can be good.”

Harry smiled, grabbed he jewelry case, and they were gone. It was quite some time before they went to sleep.

The next day involved a lot of Apparating as they went around telling all of Ginny’s family and their friends of their engagement.

[Feb 2001]

Harry stood at the front of the tent in the back garden at The Burrow. Planning for the wedding had been relatively easy for him. Ginny was going to pick Hermione for her maid of honor, so Ron was his best man. Neville understood and didn’t have a problem not being in that role; he was happy just to be included. Ginny picked Luna to stand up with her too.

As the Weasleys considered him as family already, the rules on who sat where were pretty relaxed and the idea for the day was to have a good time while Harry and Ginny were married.

Harry thought Ginny looked great as she was escorted to him by her father, her long red hair over one pale freckled and muscular shoulder. While Ginny’s bust was large enough for him, he still wondered how the dress stayed up without straps on top, but he supposed it was simply tight enough to, and there were always sticking charms. Of course, her smile and happiness practically lit the room.

He also noticed her bouquet had a small silver horseshoe at the bottom for luck, not that he thought she needed it. He suspected that was forced on her from her mother as Ginny had refused to wear the Prewitt “Goblin-made Tiara”.

After the ceremony was finally over, the two of them had a slice of cake where they each tried to shove overly large pieces into the other’s mouth, much to the amusement and laughter of everyone watching. As they walked around and visited with everyone, a few times Fred or George would come near and Ginny would give her brother a pointed look before he’d smile and turn to leave. Harry had no idea what Ginny had threatened them with, but he was sure it was epic and painful to get that kind of reaction from the twins.

They danced and had fun. Luna drank a little too much Firewhisky and Ron had to take her wand away from her. She also said she was too hot and started trying to undo buttons. At that point, Ron had to take her inside the house and they didn’t return before Harry and Ginny left. Harry didn’t want to know what happened there, but it was probably better Ron pursued her than Hermione, since ‘his sister’ had told him she would never seriously date Ron.

All in all, it was fun day and Mrs Weasley could stop nagging them to get married. Now, she could focus on another child.

[Mar 2025]

“May I have your attention, please?” Betty said almost needlessly as everyone in the department stood around and looked at her in anticipation.

Harry looked around too. About a third of the faces that had been here when he’d started were now gone. Betty didn’t look like she used to when he’d started because she was no longer disguised and that had taken him a little time to get used to. He’d decided in the end that her natural face was kinder looking.

It was his turn to unmask and he wasn’t completely sure how he felt about it, but it was another phase in life he was going to have to learn to deal with.

“As you’ve all been aware, I’ve been handing off my duties over the last few months,” Betty said. “Larry is the staff healer and he’s worked out well.” There were positive murmurs and nods to the man, who smiled and nodded back.

“More recently, I’ve finally handed over the last of my responsibilities to Mike, who is the next head of the Unspeakables,” she said with a smile and flourish of her hand towards him.

“Speak! Speak! Speak!” several chanted, led by Dupree who was grinning like a loon.

Everyone seemed to be happy for him, especially Julie.

“Thank you, everyone,” Mike/Harry said. “It’s an honor to do this. I hope I can serve you and the department well.” It wasn’t much, but there really wasn’t much need.

“Who won the pot?” Grace asked with anticipation.

Betty pulled out a bag and emptied the Galleons on the table so there was a small pile. “Four of us couldn’t vote, but of the rest of you…” Several leaned forward. “I’m sorry, Heather, your talent failed you.” There were several laughs and Heather smiled and waved, not bothered by the teasing. “Grace and Kathleen.”

The two women whooped and lunged for the coins that Betty had put out, dividing it between them.

Freddie groaned. “All right, who are you?”

Mike smiled and reached up to his collar and pressed the control to turn it off for the first time while at the office since his first week there.

“Harry Bleedin’ Potter?! We’ve been working with Potter all this time?!” Freddie shouted in amazement. Several others were amazed; Grace and Kathleen smugly put their winnings away.

Everyone congratulated him and they all talked for a bit. At the end when it was time to go home for the day, he looked at Julie who nodded before he Apparated away.

Ginny was there to greet him and gave him a kiss before teasing him. “It’s official? You’re in the spotlight now?”

“Yes, Betty’s stepped down and I’m now the head.” A bell chimed and Harry opened the Floo Network.

Julie came out before she touched her cloak and turned into Hermione, who hugged him again. “I can believe it and yet I can’t,” she told him before looking at Ginny. “Don’t ask, I can’t stay for dinner as much as I’d love to.” She hugged the other woman who returned it warmly.

“Tomorrow is the day, right?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, I’ll be introduced to the Wizengamot since the head Unspeakable is always known,” he confirmed.

“Who’s going to be your deputy?” she asked with a look of hope.

Harry chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re on my short list, but it’s not an automatic, sorry.”

Hermione nodded. “That’s fine, I’ll make it a good race. Good luck tomorrow!” She hugged them each again before leaving.

“Are the children all home?” he asked.

“Yes, I made sure so we could have a celebration,” Ginny told him as she hooked his arm so he could lead her to the main part of their family house they both were so proud of.

Life was good, Harry thought, very good.

(A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed that one. I’m not sure which of my ideas will be the next out nor when … but that’s what author alerts are for. :) -- Kevin)