"No, No, I will never allow it!" Screamed Mrs. Weasley, waving the letter from her fist. The snowy owl Hedwig sat and pecked at her half eaten breakfast.

"But it's a wonderful opportunity for them. If Ron wants to and Harry is willing to pay I don't see..."

"They are 11, Arthur!" She turned towards the magical clock on the wall and pointed at the little markers pointed at School. "Ron is going to stay at that school under adult supervision at Hogwarts over the Easter Holiday. And that is final."

"I have a suggestion." Arthur pointed at a name under the heading Work.

"You have ANOTHER brother?" Asked Hermione, as they walked towards the Hogsmeade station.

"Two more and a little sister. Bill said in his owl he'll meet us at the international Floo center in Rome."

"So, let me try and keep this straight. You, Fred, George. The prefect 5th year, what's his name."

"Percy." said Harry. He swung his heavy trunk by his side, packed with belongings for their trip.

"Right. We're meeting Bill in Rome. Ginny's at home. Charlie off in Romania working with Dragons." said Ron.

"And what does this eldest of 7 siblings do?"

"Breaks curses for Gringotts in Egypt. I'm not really sure what that entails but it's definitely dangerous stuff."

"Sounds like it." Hermione smiled. "I'd love to work abroad once I graduate from Hogwarts. I wonder if there's anything like an internship at Hogwarts?"

"Probably not for years yet." said Harry, jumping up onto the waiting express train.

The ride to London was as pleasant as could be following after the disastrous trip to school back in September. The trio ate snacks and laughed in a way they hadn't in weeks. Harry felt particularly glad as he wasn't having his customary headaches or burning near his scar. Knowing they would be making real progress for once filled them with a wave of relaxation that they dearly deserved.

"I only wish some of the others could have come." said Harry, thinking especially of Cho. But the 2nd year had plans with her family scheduled for months.

"It's nice though. We're the inner circle of the group after all." said Ron, scarfing a few every-flavor-beans before wincing horribly. "Black Pepper, dirt, and bleu cheese. I could not be any more unlucky." Hermione rolled her eyes.

The train trundled along smoothly for hours without disturbance, but the peaceful ride couldn't last forever. Students had been wandering down and up the halls as about 50% of the school took the train into London for the Easter break, and inevitably one of them took a shine to entering Potter's cabin.

"Well look what we have here." said Millicent Bulstrode. Harry only barely knew the girl as one of the late Draco's flunkies. She was flanked by two other Slytherin girls Harry didn't recognize. "Not sticking around the castle like a bunch of losers like you did at Christmas?"

"None of your business." said Ron.

"No one was talking to you blood traitor." said the blond girl on the left.

"Yeah, we're talking to Potter." said the brunette to the right. The pair were a surprisingly comely couple, especially next to the bulldoggish Millicent in the center.

"Anything I can do for you?" Harry said calmly, while grasping his wand from beneath his robes. Internally he was running through the few spells he knew for something he could use if these trollops decided to pull any funny business.

"As a matter of fact you can," smiled Millicent. "Edith Bode's been blabbing you're going abroad. Must have quite a bit of that Potter fortune on you. Hand us what you've got on you and there won't be any trouble."

Hermione responded, "If you are capable of realizing we haven't been to a bank as we're still on the train you might realize that…"

"We said we were talking to Potter, mudblood."

"Aguamenti!" Hermione shouted, whipping her wand out. A jet of crystal clear water shot from her wand and splashed the surprised Millicent in the face. She stumbled backwards falling onto her friends. Harry followed up with shouting "Propero!", swiftly shutting the door in the Slytherin's faces. Ron pulled the latch and swung around to slap Harry jovially on the back.

"Nice one Hermione.! And stay out!" he turned his head to the frustrated girls who were now scurrying out of the way as one of the security aurors made his rounds.

"Why thank you." She performed a little mock bow while seated, rolling her hand in front of her in extremely over the top elegance.

"Seems like Millicent is going to try to fill her late boyfriend's shoes." said Ron.

"Maybe she'll turn out to be an Heir of Slytherin too and do us all a favor." said Hermione. Harry couldn't help but notice that she was shaking in anger despite her performance.

"Are you ok?" asked Harry.

"What, oh it's nothing. It's just...she's just another in a long line of bigots I've been dealing with all year. It grates on you after awhile."

"No kidding." responded Harry, thinking of Dudley. "Fuck bullies."

"Woah!" responded Ron, smiling gleefully. "Mum'd wash your mouth out so fast."

The trio sped through Diagon Alley that evening, packed as ever. Gringotts seemed slightly more impenetrable since the break in last fall, but the Goblins were at the pinnacle of professionalism for a reason and accomplished their tasks quickly. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked down the street with 50 Galleons, 100 Sickles, and 100 Knuts, as well as hundreds in muggle currency. Harry was quite surprised to realize that Gringotts worked in the business of muggle money, but it made sense once Hermione explained how she purchased her books and robes last summer.

"Anything else we need before we head off?" said Hermione. She clicked off 'gringotts' from her checklist with a ballpoint pen. "I'm through everything I prepped for."

"No, all set. Where is the Floo Office?" asked Harry.

"2235 Diagon Alley." said Hermione. They walked towards the northwest end of the street for awhile before nearly turning down a very dodgy looking back alleyway. "No wait, it's right over here." They turned the other way and saw an office with a steady stream of smoke billowing out of the front door and more than a dozen small chimneys sticking out of the roof.

The trio made their way inside and were nearly bowled over by a hurried looking man in a Sari.

"Watch it." he said, not slowing down.

"This'll be the place."

"Is someone there?" said a voice to the right. The trio looked up and Harry could make out the outline of a robed figure at a desk. The smoke was nearly suffocating indoors, Harry couldn't imagine having to work in a building like this.

"Yes." coughed Hermione. "Three for Rome."

"Ah, the first years. Yes I have your itinerary. That'll be 2 galleons, 1 sickle, 7 knuts." the attendant coughed, pushing a hand forward out of the cloud.

"Why don't they get rid of the bloody smoke?" asked Ron under his breath.

"Maybe it's part of the aesthetic." Hermione whispered.

"You know I hate it with the big words." said Ron surly.

They walked towards the roaring fireplaces. Harry and Hermione had been briefed on the process over their weeks of planning, but Harry was now surprised as to the large urn of powder he was handed.

"Do we need all of this?" he asked, a little sheepishly.

"If you want to get to Rome you do. You're all set up at stations 3, 4, and 8. Just dump the lot on the fire and walk in. The connection has already been dialled up for you."

"Fancy service." said Ron, taking his urn. "At home you need to say the destination yourself."

The group took up their positions with their hands and mouths covered by their sleeves. They tossed the powder into the flames and watched them burst into towering plumes of emerald green. Harry was slightly terrified, but watched Ron, and then Hermione walk into the flames and disappear, and so he marched into the fireplace.

Harry felt himself rocket out of a hole near the floor and onto a well worn cushion. It erupted in dust as he landed, an all new sort of coughing available following the smoke inhalation from the London office.

"Welcome to Italy!" said a jovial voice Harry didn't recognize. He looked up to see a tall red head he presumed to be Bill. "Glad to see you all made it in one piece."

They walked out of the smoky little building onto a side street, and Harry and the rest were finally in Rome. But then he felt something familiar, but unfortunate.

"Great." Harry said, putting a hand to his forehead. His scar was burning again.

In a dark penthouse, an alarm similar to a whale song sounded, and a young attractive man with dark hair shut his book sharply.

"Is there something you require, young master?" asked the elf cleaning the floors nearby.

"No, nothing Nis." He stood and walked to the window which overlooked the Vatican. He took out the dark wand of Draco Malfoy and intoned in a sing song manner a series of spells. The window shimmered like a mirror, and a visage of a young scruffy haired boy appeared. He was rubbing a lightning shaped scar and covered in ashes. "Just a surprise visitor come to town."