Maturity is when you stop complaining and making excuses in your life; you realize everything that happens in life is a result of the previous choice you've made and start making new choices to change your life.
― Roy T. Bennett

"What's wrong, Hermione?"

Hermione sighed and turned away from the gurgling river, brushing the tendril of hair the breeze had caught away from her face, to face Chris. He stood a few paces away, his deep brown hair waving and eyes the color of dark chocolate regarding her with concern. True to Ginny's word, she and Harry had kept Ron occupied all morning, which allowed for this little walk with Chris.

Hermione held his gaze a moment before looking away. "I'm just upset."

"At me? Did I do something wrong?"

Hermione's eyes flew back to her companion. "No! Not at you!" She sighed again, her gaze dropping to the ground. "More at myself."

"Why?"

"Did Harry show you that strange symbol he found? The triangular one?" At Chris' nod, Hermione explained, "He asked to me to find out what it was." Hermione felt frustrated tears fill her eyes and she sniffed, swiping at them with her hand. "I haven't found anything. Nothing! I've never had this much trouble finding information, and Harry's counting on me. If it wasn't important, he wouldn't have had that vision, dream, whatever. Me finding that information could be the difference between Harry's life or death. So far, I've let him down."

Chris closed the distance between them and gently cupped her face, looking deeply into her eyes. "Hermione, you haven't let him down. He wasn't expecting results right away. Like he said, that symbol has probably been around for centuries. It's going to take time to sift through all of that information, and with classes and school work, it's going to take some time. You will succeed. Harry believes in you – and so do I."

Hermione didn't dare move, barely even dared to breathe, for fear of ruining the moment. She'd never been this close to a boy, not like this, and certainly not with Chris. The confidence in her that he just professed, emboldened her. With her breath held, she slowly leaned forward.

0000

"Thanks for keeping him occupied."

Harry turned his attention from the chess game between Ron and Charlie to Ginny, snuggled into his side on the sofa. He'd played several games with Ron. He'd won the first one, though it wasn't much of a contest with Ron having been distracted. After the loss, Ron focused and was victorious two of the next three games. Then, Charlie decided he wanted to play Ron.

"You don't have to thank me," Harry said just as softly as Ginny had spoken. His gaze flicked in the direction of the back door. All the adults had gathered in the kitchen, no doubt discussing the abductions. Harry chuckled. "I may be half-blind, but even I could see that they needed a little time alone. I hope it works out for them. It certainly won't be easy."

"It won't, no, but it's definitely worth it."

Hearing those words, seeing the smile she reserved only for him, Harry's resulting smile could have put the Cheshire Cat to shame, his utter joy reflecting in his eyes. Even after having been with Ginny for nearly a year, even though he'd heard her say it numerous times, it still thrilled him to hear it. He knew only too well how difficult a time they'd had lately – thanks to his stubbornness – and extreme gratitude filled him until it nearly leaked from his eyes.

"Thank you. I love that you think that, even after everything lately. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I've said it before, I'll say it again. You're not going to have to find out. You're stuck with me, Harry."

"And I couldn't be happier, though I don't think stuck would be the best word to use. Gifted is a better one, I think. It's the one I'd use, anyway." To punctuate his statement, Harry leaned in and brushed his lips over Ginny's, never mind the fact they were in plain view of everyone. Harry felt like it needed to be done, so he did it.

The opening back door drew the attentions of those in the sitting room, except for Charlie, who was studying the chess board carefully. Harry didn't know which expression he wanted to see more, Hermione's to see if she and Chris were officially together, or Ron's to see if he would be making a scene. Harry suspected Ron harbored some romantic feelings for Hermione, which would explain his hostility towards Chris. Ron never handled jealousy all that well. If things worked out for Hermione the way she wanted them to, things could get incredibly nasty rather quickly.

When his two friends entered the sitting room holding hands, Hermione practically beaming and Chris looking quite pleased, Harry's gaze jumped to Ginny's brother. Ron's ears reddened as did his cheeks, a sure sign his temper was about to break loose. Harry readied himself to jump into action if the situation warranted it. Charlie declared Checkmate to end the game. To Harry's surprise, Ron shot to his feet, glared in the newest couple's direction, then stalked out the front door.

"What's with him?" Charlie asked, perplexed. "It's not like I haven't beaten him at chess before. Since dragons are so unpredictable, you have to think ten steps ahead so that you're always prepared."

"It's not you, Charlie," Harry said with the quickest of glances in Hermione's direction. "I'll go talk to him."

Exiting the front door, Harry saw Ron trudging along down the lane. He jogged to catch up, ignoring the cold bite of the wind through his shirt. "Hey, Ron," he said hesitantly, not wanting to invite Ron's well-known temper, but needing to say something, nonetheless.

"Go away, Harry. After spending the morning watching you and Ginny annoyingly lovey with each other, I don't particularly want to see you now."

"I know you have feelings for Hermione, and I know that seeing her with someone else isn't the greatest, but –"

Ron stopped abruptly, scowling fiercely at Harry. "You don't know anything! How could you? The girl you fancied returned those feelings! You have no clue what's it's like to see the girl you thought you were making progress with, the girl you thought would be yours, suddenly end up with someone else! I thought we were getting somewhere this year. I'd catch her glancing my way sometimes with a look in her eyes." Ron's expression darkened. "But then he showed up with you and she's completely ignored me since! He took her away from me! You took her away from me!"

"Ron! Hermione isn't an object! She's a person with feelings and she's free to explore whatever feelings she has with whomever she chooses! Truthfully? What turned her away from you is this attitude, this jealousy! You always made snide comments about her wanting to read or study. How is she supposed to like you when you make fun of the most basic element that is Hermione?"

"You don't understand! You can't! Everything's been so easy for you! You get the girl, you have money, you've seen another part of the world! What would you know about jealousy?"

Harry's jaw dropped in disbelief at what Ron had just said. For a moment, all Harry could do was stare at his friend. As if in response to his darkening mood, the wind picked up, plastering his shirt to his chest, the stinging bites of semi-frozen rain burning his skin.

Not thinking about what he was doing, Harry grabbed the front of Ron's jumper, and gave him a strong shake. "Oh, yeah," he snapped, sarcasm dripping from every word, "my life is so ridiculously easy! I've been orphaned twice! Every month I have to endure pain that's been said to at least equal, if not surpass, that of the Cruciatus Curse! I've been forced out of my own country, away from the school my parents attended, because of it! I have someone after me, who has forced me to enter a stupid Tournament that's supposed to be for students with far more superior skills than I've got! And what was that last one? Oh yeah! I have to kill Voldemort if we're ever going to be free of him!" Harry gave Ron another good shake and let him go. With a calmer voice, he said, "Don't you dare tell me my life is easy. You wouldn't have lasted a day in my shoes. Believe me, I know all about jealousy. I've learned, though, that you can't let it rule your life. If you do, you miss out on the good things that are actually there if you'd just look."

Having stumbled and landed a few feet from where Harry stood, Ron's expression crumbled. "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean it. Your life is far from easy, I know. You just handle it so well, I just, sometimes I forget."

"Lucky you. Listen, Ron, like it or not, Hermione's with Chris and she's happy. Maybe it'll last, maybe it won't, but she deserves the chance to find out, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, I suppose. I guess I only have myself to blame."

As Harry helped Ron stand, his eyes were drawn to the black cord around Ron's neck. "I thought the sunstone would help, but it isn't enough, is it?"

Ron pulled the glittery red, Quaffle-shaped pendant from under his shirt. "It does a bit." He offered Harry a weak smile. "I guess my temper is too much for it."

Harry responded by giving his friend a warmer smile. "I'll have another one made. Red Jade is stronger material, therefore, the magic applied to it should be stronger. It'll also help you channel that energy more constructively. You still have to put forth the effort, though."

"I will, Harry."

"Good. Now, come on. It's really raining and I'm freezing!"

"Well, you're the idiot who came out here without a jumper or cloak."

"Yeah, well, this idiot was chasing another one."

The boys laughed, then ran back to the house. By the time they stepped onto the front porch, it was raining so hard one could barely see ten feet in front of them, both boys soaked to the bone. Unfortunately for Harry, he was pounced upon the instant he stepped foot inside the sitting room.

"Are you absolutely out of your mind, Harry James Potter?! Out there with no cloak or jumper?! Now, you're soaked! I swear if you don't get sick, it'll be a miracle! Look at you! You're practically blue! Get upstairs and get out of those wet clothes!"

Harry couldn't help himself. He grinned. He loved seeing Ginny's spirit. He knew she yelled because she cared. He could hear snickers from those behind Ginny, and Ron muttered that he was absolutely mental for being with Ginny. Harry ignored them all, stepped right up to Ginny and kissed her, which had its desired effect. She jumped back, gasping at his frozen touch, no longer angry with him.

Cheekily, he winked at her and said softly, "Thanks, Ginny. I'm warmer already." With that parting shot, he took off up the stairs.

0000

The rain continued the rest of the day. Ron impressed everyone with his attempts at engaging Chris and Hermione in conversation. He'd even offered to teach Chris how to play chess, which Chris readily agreed. Harry made the monumental error of sneezing – once – and Ginny bundled him up on the sofa, ordering him to stay put. Every time he tried to throw off the blanket, complaining he was too warm, Ginny was there with her hand on his forehead, tucking the blanket a little more securely around him. The others found it highly amusing. Eventually, the heat and comfort made Harry drowsy and he drifted off to sleep.

After lunch, Harry was released from his sofa confinement. Fred and George brought out a Muggle game they discovered in the village called Twister. The twins convinced Harry, Ginny, Chris, and Hermione to play, along with themselves. Mr. Weasley practically begged to be the caller. Fred and George explained how to play as everyone took up a spot around the color-dotted mat.

"Er, Fred," Harry looked around the mat at the other five, then at the mat itself, "there's not going to be room for all of us."

"That's an easy fix," Charlie said with a grin. Waving his wand, he enlarged the mat. "Problem solved."

Mr. Weasley flicked the spinner. Once it stopped, he called, "Right hand on blue."

It didn't take long before the six of them were in some precarious and embarrassing positions. Harry was sprawled out facing the ceiling, with one leg twisted around one of Ginny's legs, while the other reached between George's feet. Ginny's nose pressed into Harry's right hip, while Hermione's shoulder pressed against his left calf. Chris had somehow managed to arc over Hermione, but his face was even with her chest. One of Fred's legs rested between Ginny's and Harry's feet, while his other one bent around one of Hermione's arms. George somehow maneuvered himself around and through Chris and Hermione. To everyone's surprise, the twins were out first. Each shrugged, not the least bit upset.

Being competitive, the remaining four played on for some time before Chris' elbow touched the mat, taking him out of the game. Hermione was the next to fall out, leaving Harry and Ginny to fight it out. Ginny had made the mistake of leaving her hair down and that was her undoing. As she moved her left hand, it found her hair and slid out from underneath her, unbalancing her.

To Harry's misfortune, her knee planted itself in a very sensitive spot, Ginny's full weight behind it. As all the males in the room cringed, and Ginny profusely apologized, Harry curled in on himself, wrapping his arms around his middle and biting the inside of his lip to keep from groaning out loud. He was used to pain, but this was a completely different sort. Wave after excruciating wave pulsed through him with each beat of his heart. Barely breathing, Harry could only concentrate on keeping himself from heaving all over the floor.

When he could finally focus on something other than the ache in his lower abdomen, he took a tentative breath and opened eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed. His glasses frames digging into his cheek, he turned his head enough to relieve the pressure and came face to, well, knee with the instrument of his torture.

"Harry?" he heard from above him, a tremulous voice. "Harry, I'm so sorry. Will you be okay?"

Harry let out a noise between a groan and an affirmation. Very slowly, he relaxed and tried to move. The pain still lingered, but at least it wasn't anywhere near as intense as it was. As carefully as he could, he sat up, though he refused to look at anyone.

"I'm fine," he rasped.

"Yeah, not likely, kiddo," Sirius said from Harry's other side. "Let's get you onto the sofa for a bit."

Harry accepted Sirius' help to stand and gingerly walked over to the sofa, easing himself into a sitting position, still too embarrassed to look at anyone. Taking the throw pillow beside him, Harry hugged it to his lap.

In an effort to break the awkward silence in the room, Harry looked up at Ginny, who still watched him closely, brow furrowed in concern, and said with a wobbly grin, "Nice aim, Ginny."

"Harry, you know I didn't mean to do that." Ginny carefully sat next to Harry.

"Of course I do," Harry reassured her with a more natural smile.

"Don't worry, Short Stuff. Harry, here, will be fine, given enough time." Sirius winked playfully at her. "We have a few spots at which we're vulnerable. You just happened to find the best – or worst – one."

Another awkward silence fell upon the sitting room until Fred spoke. "Ah, I just can't do it, Georgie. I feel Harry's pain way too much to joke about how he needed to protect himself better, or how Ginny needed to pay better attention. No, I just don't see the need."

The majority of the pain having mostly subsided, Harry chuckled at Ginny's brother. Leave it up to one or both of them to crack a joke when it was needed. He snorted at his own pun.

"You should be more careful, Gin-Gin," George said with a sly grin and wink at Ginny. "There will come a time when you'll want that to be functioning properly."

Both Harry and Ginny blushed at that statement. Ginny cleared her throat and said overly brightly, "That was fun. Not the last bit, of course." She rubbed the spot where her hair had been pulled. "Congratulations, Harry, you won."

Harry shrugged, a small grin in place. "I'm used to being stretched and twisted around at odd angles." His offhand comment silenced everyone as they looked at him. Harry shrugged again. "Well, it's true. It's about time my lycanthropy works for me rather than against me, right?"

"Right," Ginny agreed, "which is why you're sitting out the next round. You have an unfair advantage. Two, actually. You're stronger than the rest of us. We should have thought about that before we played the first round."

"I don't know," Fred said, a sly grin on his own face now, "Harry may be the most disadvantaged right now. Maybe we should go ahead and let him play."

Harry shook his head, more than content to let the others play. Ginny ended up taking that round. The last round ended in a tie when both Chris and Hermione hit the floor at the same time, not long after the twins did. No one wanted to play again so the game was put away. Dinner was prepared and eaten. Chris, with help from Miss Lena, enlightened everyone on the American holiday of Thanksgiving. Everyone took turns expressing something for which they were thankful.

When it was Harry's turn, he took a moment to look at each of the others. "I'm thankful for Uncle Remus taking that job at Hogwarts last year. If he hadn't, there's a good chance I'd never have gotten to know you all, minus Sirius, of course."

"Well said, kiddo." Sirius nodded his head, silently commending Harry on his choice of words.

Harry shrugged, slightly embarrassed about having put his thoughts and feelings out there for everyone to see, but it was getting easier for him to do so. As he thought back over the past year, he realized he had a lot to be thankful for, things that had changed the course his life had been taking. He knew, now, that if he'd continued on that road, he'd have been an angry, bitter, and very lonely person.

"Sometimes, change is what we need," he quoted. "I don't know who said that or when I read it, but it's rather appropriate, all things considered."

Harry received many nods and sounds of agreement to that. He felt a light squeeze at his knee. Turning his attention to Ginny, he saw her smiling softly up at him, making a comforting warmth radiate from his chest outward to his fingertips and toes. She was the one responsible for opening his eyes to exactly what he was missing by closing himself off as he was. She taught him it was better to feel and share his emotions, rather than push them deep down inside.

"Change is definitely what you needed," Ginny said softly in his ear. "I love the person you've become and are still becoming. I can remember a time when you wouldn't have said what you were thankful for. You're becoming the person you've always been meant to be."

"It's all thanks to you, Ginny. You've been my light in the storm. Whenever I feel beaten down or lost, all I have to do is look for you, because I know you'll show me the way."

Ginny's brows rose as she stared up at him. "Wow. That was rather poetic."

Harry looked down at her, a bit disgruntled. "You're surprised. I'm a bit hurt by that."

"Oh, don't be. That wasn't Wow, I'm surprised. It was Wow, that was so lovely and sweet."

"Oh. In that case, I guess I should try to be more poetic in the future."

Ginny gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. "Just be yourself, Harry. That's all I could ask or want from you."

0000 Saturday Nov 26

Miss Lena and Sirius surprised Harry and the others with their announcement the following morning just as everyone was finishing their breakfasts. "We should get back to school today. You three need time to readjust to the time difference. You'll be expected to attend your classes on Monday."

Harry caught the quick exchange of glances between Chris and Hermione. "But not until later, right? I mean, it's earlier there, so if we timed it right, we could be tired from being awake all day and get back there in time to go to bed at a normal hour."

Miss Lena gave Harry a small smile and Harry wondered if she knew exactly what he was trying to do. "That sounds like a good plan."

Sirius took his plate to the sink. "Okay, anyone interested in learning a highly difficult spell, follow me."

Harry was surprised when Hermione didn't jump up immediately. The Hermione he was used to would have been out of her seat at the words interested in learning. But then, Chris stood and held out his hand to her, which she took with a brilliant smile. The two grabbed cloaks and gloves, then followed Sirius out the back door into the diffused sunlight of the overcast morning.

With brows raised, Harry asked, "What do you think? Up for a challenge?"

Ginny gave him a cheeky smile and said, "I'm with you, aren't I? Of course I'm up for a challenge. Always!"

The two of them left the table amid some chuckles, and dressed in their winter gear, Ron and the twins following close behind, with Fred all but crowing about Ginny having 'put Harry in his place.' George added to the fun, saying it was a good thing Harry was up for a challenge on a daily basis, laughing when Ginny turned back to him and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Sirius," Hermione asked, her hand raised to about shoulder height. "We're not supposed to be doing magic."

"Technically, no. However, seeing as this is a Wizarding residence, the Ministry won't know. Ron, Fred, George, you have your dad's permission to use your wands at this time only." Once he received their nods of understanding, he continued with the morning's activity. "The charm I'm going to teach you is the Patronus Charm. Let me say this again. It's a very difficult charm. Some adults never learn to do it."

"So, why teach us?" Harry asked.

"You, Harry, especially need to learn it. The Patronus is used against a Dementor or a Lethifold. With a Dementor, you will feel cold, dread, and you will hear – maybe even see – the worst things that have happened in your life. That goes for the rest of you, too. And Harry, let's be honest. With this Tournament, there's no telling what you may face. Then, there's the very real war we'll be finding ourselves in. The Dementors went against us during the last war. They likely will do so again. It's best if you all can at least produce a little bit of something, just enough to get you out of a tight situation."

"But surely Harry won't be facing a Dementor!?" Ginny cried, stuck on the first part of Sirius' statement, horrified at the idea.

Harry took the hand that suddenly clutched his arm, squeezing it reassuringly. "Learning it can't hurt. Even if I don't need it for the Tournament, it could come in handy sometime." To Sirius, he asked, "Can you show us your Patronus? Since you're teaching us, I'm assuming you can conjure one."

"Yes, I can." With a wave of his wand, a silvery crow appeared.

"But I thought a wizard or witch's Patronus would be the same as their Animagus form, if they were an Animagus," Hermione blurted out, stunned at the bird that flew around the group.

"Sometimes, that's the case. It certainly was for James, and it is also the case for Professor McGonagall, but it's not any sort of rule."

"So why a crow?" Ginny asked.

"Well, as has been explained to me, crows are often considered to represent knowledge, shape-shifting, eloquence, prophecy, boldness, skill, cunning, and trickery."

Harry snorted. "If that's not you, I don't know what would be, then." Laughing, he added, "Not to mention that crows are black."

"Now, I want all of you to close your eyes and think of a memory," Sirius instructed them, ignoring Harry's last comment. "It has to be a supremely happy one. Let the happiness you felt at that moment fill you completely. Once you've done so, open your eyes, wave your wands in a clockwise circle and call out Expecto Patronum!"

Only Harry and Ginny produced small wisps of silvery smoke-like light. Sirius laughed in delight. "Good job! Keep trying. You have to focus completely. Tune out everyone else and everything else. Immerse yourselves into your memories. If, after several attempts, you're still not making progress, try a different memory. It needs to be strong and emotionally powerful."

Harry thought of all the special moments he'd spent with Ginny, of when he'd told her what had been his biggest secret at the time and she hadn't turned him away. He thought of how she'd taken care of him when he'd become sick, taking him down to Uncle Remus' quarters, and had visited him frequently that week. In his mind's eye, he saw the first Christmas they spent together, their first kiss. He thought of her declaration of leaving Hogwarts with him. The dance they shared in Pennsylvania on that ferry as they traveled to Louisiana came to his mind next, how she looked so beautiful she nearly took his breath away. The memory of their conversation last month about the wolf and what it meant for him, now, came to mind. Their matching tattoos and the meaning behind them followed. Then, the night at Hogwarts popped to the forefront of his mind.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry watched the silvery light leave his wand and thought it took a vague shape of something with four legs, but something wasn't quite right with it.

"Excellent, kiddo! Not bad at all for your second try."

"It looked weird, though."

"Harry, you're missing the point. You've tried this spell a total of two times and you managed to produce something both times! That's unheard of! It's brilliant!"

"I know, but, it just … it looked like some … mix of creatures or something."

"Try it again."

So, Harry focused on the memories once more, then called out the incantation again, and produced the same result. "See? It doesn't look right."

Sirius checked on the others' progress before turning back to Harry. "Maybe it's the memory you're using. What is it?"

Harry blushed, looked down at his shoes a moment, then met his godfather's questioning gaze. "Ginny," he said softly.

Sirius merely nodded, as if he'd expected Harry's response. "Okay, but which one?"

Harry shrugged. "All of them. When she discovered what I am and what I have to do, our first kiss, our very important talks, our tattoos …" There was no way he was going to add the night at Hogwarts.

"Do you want to know what I think, Harry?" Ginny asked after failing to produce anything on her third attempt. At Harry's nod, she explained, "All of those memories are tied in with your lycanthropy. Maybe it's conflicting with your inner self and that's why you're getting the result you are."

Harry could only stare, dumbfounded, at Ginny's perfectly rational explanation. Sirius, however, had no such problem. "I knew you were smart, Short Stuff. That makes perfect sense. Harry, concentrate on just one memory."

As hard as he tried, Harry failed to get any sort of result while using just one single memory, and he began to get frustrated. "Why is it that I can get something when using all of those memories, but can't get anything when using just one? You'd think the feeling would be more concentrated or something and make it easier to cast."

"What were you using?" Ginny asked, having failed, yet again, to produce anything.

"The, er, night we fell asleep on the couch and were caught by Miss Lena."

Ginny quickly searched for Sirius and found him helping Fred and George and not paying her and Harry any attention. She faced Harry fully. "Well, I guess that wasn't a strong enough memory. As for your question, think about it. With all of those memories, you have all those emotions pooled together. I think that's why you could get something then. Now, you're having to rely on the feelings evoked by a single memory. I think that's why it has to be a really powerful one."

"That makes sense, I guess, but the problem is that all of my memories with you are tied up with the wolf in some way. I don't have any memories that aren't."

Ginny shook her head. "That's not entirely true. Remember our kiss when you came back at the end of last year to take the exams? We hadn't seen each other in two weeks."

"True. If that's what you're trying to use, though, it's obviously not enough."

Ginny glanced back over her shoulder to see Sirius talking with Chris. When she faced Harry once more, she had a certain gleam in her eye, one he wasn't sure how to interpret. He figured it out fast as Ginny slid her hands into his hair and pulled him down into a rather amorous kiss. One of Harry's hands slipped into her hair, while the other arm wrapped around Ginny's waist, holding her close.

"Oi! Stop it! I don't want to see that!"

Ron's exclamation had a wet blanket effect on Harry, who ended the kiss reluctantly. He wasn't entirely sure if he felt warm due to being caught snogging Ginny in front of everyone or if it was from the snog itself. Either way, he didn't dare glance at anyone.

Ginny, naturally, didn't have that problem. "Shut it, Ron. In case you haven't noticed, it's cold out here. Harry and I were just staying warm."

"That's what the Hot-Air Charm is for," Ron griped.

"Yeah, well, I was also trying to give Harry another memory to use for his Patronus, so just shut it."

Running his left hand through his hair, Harry awkwardly cleared his throat and forced himself to focus on what they were supposed to be doing. This time, when he cast the charm, a form came out of his wand, still too indistinct to figure out what it was, but it didn't have the unnatural look the other form had. He tried ten more times, but was met with no success. It frustrated him to be so close, yet still be so far away from achieving a full corporeal Patronus, despite the fact that, technically, he shouldn't have been able to get anything at all.

Judging by the looks on the others' faces, they hadn't had any success, either. The twins looked slightly disappointed, though determined. Ron exuded defeat. Hermione and Chris appeared troubled, but also determined to get it, and Ginny looked just as irritated at her failure as he, himself, was at his own. Sirius had warned them that it was a difficult charm, but Harry hadn't been prepared for the letdown after his earlier success.

"Don't be discouraged," Sirius told all of the kids. "I do want you to practice the charm as much as you can once you're back at school. Better to be able to produce something and not need it, rather than need it and not be able to produce even a mist."

They all trooped back into the house, had some hot cocoa and relaxed. That is, they relaxed until Hermione brought the outside world back into the sitting room. "Harry, can I see your medallion again? I'd like to take another look at it. It's a clue to the next task. You should figure it out sooner rather than later. Maybe I can help."

Figuring it couldn't hurt, Harry brought the medallion down from his overnight bag and handed it to Hermione, knowing if anyone could decipher the pictures carved on the back of the medallion it would be his friend. He waited patiently as Hermione studied it carefully, drawing a finger over the scenes depicted. Others wanted to see it, so it made the rounds and, eventually, was back in Hermione's grasp.

"Well, something to do with water, certainly," Hermione declared. She pointed to the top scene. "This wavy line looks like water. This figure is under the line, so, perhaps, it's someone underwater. Maybe you'll have to do something underwater."

"But what about this second figure?" Chris then asked. "This one is shown lying down. Why would there be two figures?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's two different phases of the task, like in the first one. That would explain this bottom section. It looks like a river or something. Is there a river near your school, Harry?"

Harry snorted and shared an amused glance with Ginny and Chris. "Yeah, Hermione, you could say that there's a river close by."

Hermione tilted her head to one side as she studied the other three, her brow furrowed. Then, she rolled her eyes and huffed. "Okay, what's the joke?"

"New Orleans is situated on the bank of the second longest river in the U.S," Chris explained with a grin. "The school isn't far from it, really."

"Oh, well, maybe that's the answer, then. Maybe the next task will include the river. Maybe you'll have to swim. Can you swim?"

"Fairly well," Harry replied, nodding.

Ginny eyed Harry critically. "Are you just saying that or do you actually mean it? Maybe you should take advantage of the pool when we get back to school. That river is a very large one. Swimming in it has to be different than swimming in a small one or a lake."

"True." Harry gave an unconcerned shrug. "Maybe I can do that in the evenings or something, since I tend to have a lot less schoolwork to worry about."

With that somewhat settled, Harry took the medallion back upstairs and packed it away. The remainder of the day they spent lounging in the sitting room, though Chris and Hermione did indulge in a quick walk outside. Ginny whispering in Harry's ear that their friends likely wanted to snog in private made Harry want to grab Ginny by the hand and take her outside as well. He refrained, however. He knew he and Ginny would have any time they wanted. Chris and Hermione only had the next few hours to hold them until Christmas. Harry knew if things had been the other way around, he'd have wanted all the private time with Ginny he could get. Instead, Harry engaged Ron in a battle of wizard's chess, Ginny contentedly leaning against him and watching with amusement as he trounced her brother several games in succession.

Late that evening, it was time for goodbye. While Ginny said her farewells to her dad and Charlie, Harry said his to Ron and the twins. Hermione and Chris were a short distance away saying their own private goodbyes.

"Fred, George, I haven't used that little gift you gave me last month yet, but rest assured, it will get used. If you'd give me a hint as to what it does, I'd have a better idea of when to use it."

"Now, now, don't be nosy," Fred said with a playful wink.

"Ear, ear!" replied George with a huge grin.

"Besides," continued Fred, "we wouldn't want the result to slip out prematurely."

George shook his head dramatically. "Eye certainly wouldn't, that's for sure."

Harry grinned at the pranksters. They'd just given him a huge clue. All the emphasized words made up the face, so whatever that little potion did, it involved the face. He patted each one on the shoulder.

"Thanks, you two. I have the perfect time in mind. Chris has told me about some celebration called Mardi Gras that happens every year. Every night for two weeks the school holds a small celebration. They even take an afternoon off and go watch the parades. I think your potion would be perfect for one of those school parties."

Identical Cheshire cat grins appeared on the two Weasley faces. "Thanks, mate. That would be brilliant," they chorused.

Next, Harry spoke to Ron. "Thanks, Ron, for easing up on Hermione. I can only imagine how difficult it may be for you, but if you change how you talk to her, how you treat her, you may just end up where Chris is now. Then again, maybe you won't. I don't know, but either way, your friendship will grow, and that's a good thing, right?"

Ron nodded solemnly, his eyes flicking briefly to the girl in question. "Right. Er, Harry, thanks, you know, for entering the Tournament. At least one of us could do something to help, though I wish it didn't have to be you. I hate feeling helpless."

"You don't have to thank me, Ron. I've already explained why I did it. Just remember that, really, by staying out of trouble, you're actually helping your dad. You not being in any sort of trouble gives him one less person to worry about."

"I suppose. I never thought of it like that."

By this time, Chris and Hermione had finished with their goodbyes. Harry stepped up to his bushy-haired, intelligent friend. "Hermione, keep Ron's spirits up, will you? Don't let him dwell on his brother and mum okay? Practice the Patronus Charm as much as you can. I can't wait to hear what your form is. Help Ron, but be nice about it. You know how he is."

"I will, Harry. I'll work even harder on finding the meaning of that symbol you showed me. I'll talk to the House ghosts, maybe even the portraits. One of them could surely tell me about it."

Harry gently gripped Hermione's shoulders, gazing intently into her eyes. "Hermione, don't stress yourself out over it. I don't expect you to figure it out right away."

"But, Harry, it's so important."

"It is important, but not to the exclusion of everything else. Okay?" He debated with himself for a few seconds, then said, "If you have to, go to Dumbledore with it. It's possible he may know something and I can't afford to leave a possible source alone."

Hermione nodded, then smiled. "Okay."

After they shared a quick hug, Harry was pulled over to Mr. Weasley and Charlie to thank him once again for being willing to enter the Tournament. Harry tried to shrug away their words, but neither man would allow it. Finally, Harry managed to extract himself from them and joined Ginny, Chris, Sirius, and Miss Lena by the door. With a final wave, he grabbed the scroll they were using as their Portkey, gripped Ginny's hand, then felt the familiar sensation that Portkeys always elicited.

0000

Having waited until late evening British time to return to school, it was easier for all of them to re-integrate into Magnolia House's time zone. Monday evening, Harry headed for the pool. Not wanting him to be there alone, Ginny and Chris accompanied him, Chris with schoolwork. Ginny refreshed Harry on the four swimming strokes she'd shown him over the month they'd traveled. Sirius also showed up, wearing a whistle around his neck. He transfigured Harry's glasses into goggles.

After two laps of freestyle, Sirius let him rest a few minutes, which Harry was thankful for. He didn't remember swimming being so taxing. A short whistle had Harry back in the water, this time doing two laps of breaststroke. Then, rest. Whistle. Two laps of butterfly. Rest. By the time the final whistle blew for Harry to get back into the water, he was ready to be done. Thankfully, it was something rather easy and relaxing, the backstroke for one lap, and the sidestroke for one lap.

Three times a week, Harry was in the pool. While it was tiring, he enjoyed the feeling of gliding through the water. He could tell his technique was improving as his speed was increasing. As if those weren't enough, his muscles took on more definition, a fact he'd noticed Ginny really liked. He'd caught her staring during his breaks. She was definitely good for his ego! Of course, on the evenings she didn't have any schoolwork, he challenged her to a race which, more often than not, kept his ego in check.

On the second Saturday of December, students were allowed to visit Magazine Street with reminders of the bordering streets they weren't allowed to cross. With Sirius' instructions to behave ringing in his ears, Harry and Ginny left the school. They'd decided to spend the morning alone, then meet up with Chris, Amelie, and Raven at one of the little cafes for lunch.

Walking hand-in-hand, Harry looked down at Ginny. "Any idea where you want to go first or what you want to look at?"

Curiously, Ginny seemed to blush. "Well," she hedged, not really meeting his gaze. "I do need to find something for the Yule Ball. None of the dresses I have are long-sleeved. I'd freeze at Hogwarts."

Harry could have smacked himself for not thinking of that sooner. Tilting her chin up, he gave her a smile. "Can't have that, can we? Come to think of it, I could use something myself. Alright, first stop is for the Yule Ball, then. If we can't find something here, then we can ask Miss Lena for permission to go to Magic, Inc. to find something there."

As they walked along, Harry looked around them, at all the people simply going about their daily routines. For all any of them knew, he and Ginny were doing the same. It was nice to be able to walk amongst a crowd and not worry about being accosted, or having someone pointing and whispering in his direction. It made for a wonderful contrast. Harry knew, however, that it wouldn't last. They had to go back to Hogwarts next year; there really wasn't much choice. He couldn't fight Voldemort from here, and things were bound to get worse over there before they would get better. This line of thinking caused him to sigh heavily.

"What's wrong?"

Harry shrugged, then stopped walking. "I've been doing some thinking. We have to go back to Hogwarts next year. As much as I'd love to finish my education here, I don't have that luxury. I have a feeling things are going to get really bad back home. I can't do what I have to do if I'm here."

"I know, Harry," Ginny said softly. "I've been thinking the same thing. I'd love to stay here, too, but what's coming is bigger than us. We can't be selfish."

"No." Harry collected himself with another huge breath. "Well, we'll just have to enjoy it here as much as we can, learn as much as we can so that we can share what we've learned with the others. Maybe set up a couple of groups or something. One for the spells and techniques we've been taught, and another for Potions. With Snape as teacher, everyone could use some help in that subject."

Ginny snorted. "That's certainly true." Her brown eyes scanned their surroundings, her brow furrowing slightly. "Do you think we'll find a shop here? If I remember right, there's mostly casual wear shops and tourist-type things."

Harry chewed the inside of his lip in thought. A moment later, his expression brightened. "We could ask Alex. He would know if we'd be wasting our time looking for a formal wear shop here."

"That sounds like a good idea. Let's go."

Finding Alex's shop was easy. It was the only one that had a multitude of young people entering and leaving it. Harry squeezed into the crowded interior, pulling Ginny close to his back so as not to get separated. He took note that Alex was currently talking with someone, so Harry and Ginny wandered the shop as best they could, ending up not far from where Alex stood.

A few moments later, Miss Lena's husband greeted the pair jovially. "Harry, Ginny, welcome. Harry, I haven't had the chance to thank you for that potion research. That potion will change the lives of many people, but I'm sure you are well aware of that."

Harry smiled a bit shyly. "I'm just glad there's something to it. I'll be so glad when I can try it."

Alex's hand landed affectionately on Harry's shoulder. "I know, mon jeune loup. You'll get your chance. I just couldn't, in good conscience, let you take something so experimental. Who knows? Maybe this time next month, you and Lew will be taking it with me."

"I hope so."

"Now, is there something I can help you with, or are you just looking around?"

"Alex, is there a shop near here that sells formal wear? There's this dance at Hogwarts this Christmas and –"

Alex held up a hand to stop Harry's words. "Say no more. I remember Lena mentioning something about that. By the way, quite the noble thing you're doing. I hope it all works out."

"Me, too," Harry replied, Ginny nodding her agreement.

"As for shops, yes, there is one. A block down, I think. It's called The Witching Hour. It's a Wizarding shop, and, despite it's name, it sells both witch and wizard wear. If you don't find what you're looking for there, the owner can either have it made or special order it."

"Okay, thanks."

"Sure. Glad I could help." Alex looked over the teens' shoulders a second. "Well, I need to tend to the shop. Always busy on these days."

Just as Alex was turning away, Harry had a sudden thought. "Alex, would you sell joke products if they were really good?"

"I might," Alex said, looking intrigued. "Everyone can use a good laugh. I won't sell anything harmful or degrading. Why do you ask?"

"My brothers," Ginny spoke up, "they're pranksters and rather brilliant at it. Their greatest wish is to have their own joke shop one day. They just lack the money to buy a storefront. That, and they're still just over a year underage, but they'll need the money once they do become of age."

"I'm interested. Do you have any samples of their work?"

"I do, actually," Harry said with a nod and grin, "in my room. I'll send you what I have. You can look it all over and then decide."

"Sounds like a plan, Harry. Now, I really must get back to the business."

"Yeah, sorry."

"Oh, don't be sorry. I'm always willing to listen to new business ventures. Good luck with your clothing hunt."

Harry and Ginny ended up buying some sweets before leaving the shop. Ginny surprised Harry by giving him an emphatic kiss once they'd stepped outside, leaving him rather dazed for a few moments.

"Er, Ginny, not that I'm complaining," he said once he'd gathered his wits about him, "but what was that for, exactly?"

"That was for promoting Fred and George's joke stuff. They'll be so thrilled to have a new market. If it all goes well, they'll have enough money saved up to buy that storefront by the time they graduate."

Harry shrugged. "They deserve it. They're certainly brilliant, as you said."

The smile Harry loved so much, the one she reserved for him alone, graced her features as she looked up at him. Then, she pulled him down for a softer kiss.

"Come on," Ginny whispered afterwards. "Let's find that shop. I hope they have Muggle dresses rather than witch's robes. I'm tired of robes."

"Let's go find out."

0000

As it turned out, The Witching Hour carried mostly Muggle formal attire, with a few robes in stock for the more traditionalists. Harry waited patiently and gave an opinion on each dress Ginny tried on. Personally, he thought they all looked fine, but were lacking that extra something, though he didn't know what. Then, Ginny stepped out of the changing room and he gasped.

"That one," he breathed. "That's definitely the one."

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked, sounding very skeptical.

"Ginny, you look like angel. I couldn't be more sure."

"I agree with your friend," a passing shop attendant said. "The way the asymmetrical collar dips to the right, how the material is gathered slightly at the waist on the same side, the floor-length skirt just seems to float around you, and the light jade green color is perfect for you. The dress is simple yet elegant. This is definitely your dress."

"And it has long sleeves. Well, okay, then." Ginny beamed. "That's me taken care of, except for shoes. Your turn, Harry."

With Ginny's discerning eye for help, Harry settled on a traditional-style tuxedo of a gray color so dark to as almost look black and a white shirt. His waistcoat, bow tie, and pocket square were colored a green a couple of shades deeper than Ginny's dress, almost a pine green. Harry wasn't fond of the lavish attire, but if Ginny's expression was anything to go by, he'd wear the suit without complaint anytime she wanted.

Harry insisted on paying for both of their outfits, telling Ginny to save her money for other things, to which Ginny instantly grinned and promptly dragged him off to a jewelry shop to look for something to go with her dress. Harry inwardly congratulated himself for heading off her oncoming argument. It didn't hurt that he loved watching the pride skate across her face as she paid for her own purchases using some of the Muggle money she had. He'd do anything to extend that ability, even if it meant enduring her sometimes wicked temper.

The couple laughed at various things and chatted about inconsequential subjects as they wandered through the shops, neither wanting to bring down the other by mentioning the full moon only a week away. Having spotted Sirius a few times, they figured he had patrol duty to make sure everyone behaved themselves. Harry snorted at the thought and explained his reaction to Ginny, which also made her snort. The thought of Sirius making sure someone behaved was very humorous.

At noon, they caught up with their friends at the agreed upon cafe and had a pleasant lunch. Afterwards, the girls dragged Ginny off to have some fun of their own, stating they'd meet the boys back at the cafe in a couple of hours.

Chris turned to Harry. "Actually, I'm glad they left. I need help. I don't know what to get Hermione for Christmas. I mean, I've thought of a book, but she probably has an extensive collection already. I'd hate to get her something she already has. The last thing I want is to struggle to find her a gift with the girls present, probably giggling over the fact." The last bit he said accompanied an eye roll.

Harry, hiding his own amusement by biting his lip, replied, "Let's find that book shop. There's bound to be something in there that she doesn't have. Maybe a book on Louisiana's history? Or one on the folklore of the area?" His barely hidden grin grew wide as he asked, "Does Magnolia House have a book on its history? One of Hermione's favorite books is on Hogwarts' history."

Chris' eyes widened in excitement. "It does, actually. That's perfect! I should have just asked you a long time ago. I've been nearly in a panic trying to figure out what to get her."

As they headed to Alex's shop for the book on Magnolia House, Harry laughed to himself. He'd received a frantic letter from Hermione just two days ago asking for advice on gift ideas for Chris. Harry had written her with the same suggestions he'd given Chris. It certainly would be fun to be in the same room when they opened their gifts to each other. They'd likely figure out quickly that he'd given them the same advice, but he shrugged to himself. He wasn't wrong in his suggestions. Maybe next time, if there was one, they'd simply consider what they, themselves, would like. Not that Harry minded giving his friends help. He just knew it would feel more personal if they thought up their gifts themselves. In their defense, they hadn't been able to spend much time together. He supposed time was all they needed to come to the point of figuring things out on their own.

Two hours later, they caught back up with the girls. Harry smiled at the jubilant light in Ginny's eyes, making their bright brown seem even brighter. In his opinion, she didn't spend enough time with her friends. No, instead, she spent nearly all her time with him, and while he enjoyed having her company, he could see that being around other girls helped Ginny in ways that being around him simply didn't. It made him feel just a tiny bit guilty that she did spend so much time with him and that he hadn't given it any thought before.

Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face because Ginny hugged him and whispered in his ear, "Whatever it is that brought that sad look to your eyes, forget it." She punctuated her statement with a little kiss.

He really should have known that he couldn't hide anything from her. She seemed to be able to read him so easily. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was an Empath or a Legilimens. However, he did know better. He knew it was all the talks they'd had that gave her that key into his thought processes and emotional states. Most people would probably be annoyed at that, but Harry wasn't most people. He still found it difficult at times to talk about some things; therefore, to him, her ability to read him was a blessing.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered back. At normal volume, he asked, "Have fun?"

"Yes, we did," Ginny said with a nod, as she stepped back from Harry a little. "We did some shopping and some people-watching. Well, I think Amelie and Raven watched some Muggle boys who were cute." Harry's brows rose at that, giving her a Do tell expression. "Oh, don't worry, Harry," Ginny joked, patting his cheek. "No one compares to you."

Harry, feeling confident in Ginny's affections, playfully said, "Well, you know, Ginny, if you ever do find someone you like better, just say the word. With a little Felix Felicis, I could get lucky a second time. Maybe she'd be another redhead, even. Because, you know, you're so incredibly replaceable."

"Don't even think about it, Potter," Ginny said, frowning, hands on her hips. "You're mine, and I don't share." But then, she laughed, and Harry knew it was all in jest.

"Alright, well, before this conversation devolves into something the rest of us don't particularly want to see, any ideas on where you want to go next? Any place you haven't been to yet?"

Harry grinned at his friend, knowing full well that his and Ginny's banter could have easily done just that as, most of the time, they ended up in a kiss. Taking Ginny's hand, he turned to the others and shrugged in response to Chris' question. After a bit of discussion, they decided to simply wander around and enjoy their afternoon together.

A pleasant couple of hours later, Harry and Ginny returned to school. He had begun to tire. His energy always waned as the moon waxed, and it annoyed him completely, despite Ginny's reassurances. He'd be fine the day before, but that first day of a full moon week, it was like a switch was flipped, and he suddenly didn't have as much energy as he did. He figured it was his body's way of conserving energy for what was to come.

Back at school, Harry sat on one of the sofas with his feet propped up on an ottoman, Ginny cuddled into his side. He didn't need to actually sleep, which was something. That would come later. Harry recounted the story of Chris nearly panicking over Hermione's gift and Hermione doing the same over Chris' gift.

Ginny chuckled. "It's a good experience for her. Who would have thought that things would have turned out like this? I'm glad for them, though. For a year or two, Hermione's kind of had a crush on Ron."

"Ron? Really? I never would have guessed that. I knew Ron fancied Hermione, but they're polar opposites. I've heard people say that opposites attract, but I'm just not sure they would have worked well together. At least, not until Ron controlled his temper and thought before he spoke."

Ginny nodded. "I know. I agree, which is why I'm so glad she and Chris have come together. They're both great people and are alike, but are different too. Chris shares her love of reading and learning, so they can have some pretty in-depth discussions about things, but he doesn't exclude other activities, either. It's like, for him, there's a time for learning and a time for play. That's what Hermione needs, I think – someone to show her when it's time to play."

Harry, impressed with Ginny's insight, said, "You seem to have given this a lot of thought."

Ginny merely shrugged. "Hermione's my friend. I want what's best for her, and right now, it seems like what's best for her is Chris. As much as I hate to say it because he's my brother, but I don't think Ron is the right one for her. I don't think he'll ever be able to change enough to be what she needs. He could prove me wrong, but it may be too late, in any case."

"You think so?"

"I've probably said too much already, but yeah, I do."

"Huh. Interesting. So, what, in your opinion, does Chris get out of it? You've told me what you thought Hermione gets out their relationship, so, what about Chris?"

"Chris gets a pretty girl with the brains to go with it. I think Hermione challenges him, makes him look at things in a different way, and he loves that. He loves being able to talk about random things at length. Let's face it, the rest of us can't keep up with the quick subject changes, or don't care to discuss the intricacies of … whatever."

"True."

Their conversation was interrupted when an eagle owl swooped into the room and landed next to Ginny on the sofa, a package tied to one leg. Once Ginny released the owl from its burden, it hopped up to the back of the sofa and promptly closed its eyes. Harry watched her, curious, as she opened the box. Ginny didn't get packages normally, rarely received any mail at all, for that matter. Before he could ask her about it, she let out a little excited sound, then jumped up and ran for the hallway that led to the girls' dorms. A few minutes later she returned, empty-handed, smiling as brightly as he'd ever seen her.

"What was all that?" he asked her with a little confused chuckle as she sat back down beside him, careful not to disturb the resting owl.

"Oh, nothing. Just your Christmas present."

His interest really piqued now, Harry leaned forward, the corners of his lips curling upwards in a full smile. "Oh, really? Will you give me a hint?"

"Sure," Ginny said, the light in her eyes dancing with her suppressed laughter. "It's small enough to fit in the box it came in."

Harry groaned and fell back against the sofa. "What kind of hint is that?"

"The only kind you're going to get." Ginny giggled and pecked Harry's cheek. "It's only a fortnight away. I think you can handle the suspense." Her expression then turned serious. "So, care to tell me why you looked so sad when we met up again after lunch?"

Harry squirmed a little. "I couldn't help thinking how happy you looked after having spent time with Amelie and Raven and thought that much of your time is spent with me, rather than with them. The thought crossed my mind that you should spend more time with them. I just felt a little guilty about it."

Cupping his face, Ginny pulled him close enough for their noses to almost touch. "Harry, I do spend time with them – more than you seem to think. When you're busy, I'm with them. We've done schoolwork, we've talked, we've played games. Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it isn't happening."

"Okay, now I feel bad for not noticing."

"Don't, Harry. I promise you, I spend enough time with my friends. No more guilt. Okay?"

Harry dropped his forehead to hers. "Yeah, okay. Sorry. I just can't seem to help myself."

"It's the full moon. You get a little moodier than usual. You know that."

One corner of Harry's mouth curled upward. "I do. I'm so thankful you're willing to put up with me."

"When you love someone, you deal with all their little faults, and I do love you, Harry."

"I love you, too, Ginny. More than I thought was possible."

The sound of a rush of students returning from the outing had Harry pulling away from Ginny. The evening was spent with Chris, Amelie, and Raven playing Exploding Snap, as well as playing some Muggle card games that Chris taught them.

0000

A little before noon the following day, while Harry rested from the early morning workout and his pool time, a Tawny Owl alighted on the back of the sofa Harry occupied, a letter attached to its leg. It puffed out its chestnut brown, streaked plumage, shook, then closed its dark eyes. Glancing at Ginny and Chris in confusion mixed with a healthy dose of trepidation, Harry relieved the owl of its burden. He sat staring at the foreign handwriting on the envelope, as if he could determine any magical spells placed on it if he simply concentrated hard enough, not certain if he really wanted to know its contents.

"Maybe you shouldn't open that," Chris cautioned him.

"Let me get Sirius or Miss Lena, Harry," Ginny suggested. "The last time you received a letter from an unknown person …"

Not bothering to respond to either of them, Harry broke the seal on the envelope and pulled out the parchment inside. It was another letter as evidenced by the Dear Harry at the top written in a smallish script. Looking to the bottom of the letter to see who had written the letter, Harry gasped at the name. Lyall Lupin. A relative of Uncle Remus? Had to be. But why would this person be writing to him?

"Harry? What is it? What's wrong? Who's it from? Oh, I knew I should have gone to get Sirius."

"It's … It's from someone named Lyall Lupin." Harry dragged his gaze away from the name at the end of the letter to look up at Ginny. "A relative of Uncle Remus, don't you think? I mean, how many Lupins can there be in the Wizarding world?"

"Probably not many, so I would think this person is a relative, yes. What does the letter say?"

Sheepishly, Harry grinned. "I haven't read it yet." This response made Ginny roll her eyes in exasperation and order him to read the letter, which he did.

Dear Harry,

I know this letter probably comes as a great surprise to you. Let me introduce myself. My name is Lyall Lupin. Remus was my son. I loved him with all my heart. He was an incredibly sincere and generous child. It's my fault he became a werewolf. It was my ill-chosen words that prompted the attack on him in retaliation for those comments, and I will bear that guilt until the day I die. You see, I once called werewolves 'soulless, evil, and deserving nothing but death'. Needless to say, I'm very ashamed of those words. Not for the retribution they brought on my family, but because I never stopped to think about what I was saying. I never stopped to consider that most werewolves were wizards and witches just like any other wizard or witch.

When my own son became afflicted and he remained the sweet boy he always was, my eyes were opened and I began to understand what my thoughts and actions were doing to some. Hope and I, we did our best. We never told anyone of the attack in order to protect Remus. We moved often so that no one would catch on to his secret. Then, Albus Dumbledore came and convinced us he'd be safe at Hogwarts. His first letter home went into great detail about some friends he'd made – Sirius Black, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew. In his second year, he wrote home telling us his friends discovered his secret and didn't care at all.

I'm sure you're wondering why I'm telling you all of this and why I've written to you. After he finished Hogwarts, his secret intact, he insisted on 'letting me live in peace'. I think he was afraid of what might happen to me if his secret was made known. I lost all contact with him. Years later, I left the country and traveled all over Europe. I've only recently returned and hoped to rekindle a relationship with my only child. I was grief stricken to learn of his death. That was when I discovered I had a grandson, of sorts. For months I grieved what I had lost and agonized over whether I should bother contacting you. In the end, I decided I had nothing to lose and so much to gain. If you are the least bit interested in getting to know me, send me an owl. I won't pressure you. It has to be your choice. Please think about it.

Sincerely,

Lyall Lupin

By the time he'd finished reading the letter, Harry leaned against the back of the sofa, emotionally drained. Shock had quickly turned to anger, then morphed to hatred, which, in turn, gave way to sadness. Absently, he handed the letter to Ginny so she could read it. He tipped his head back so that he stared at the ceiling. Uncle Remus hadn't talked about his parents much, only to say that they'd done their best and had shown him a lot of love. What should he do? Should he respond to the letter? Ignore it?

"Oh, Harry," Ginny breathed. He felt her cuddle up against his side. "What are you thinking?"

Harry let out a huge breath. "I don't know. Should I send a letter back? Should I ignore it?" He ran a hand over his face. "I don't know what to do."

Chris spoke up. "Harry, have you considered the fact that this letter may not be authentic? Maybe whoever wrote this isn't who he says he is. Could Sirius verify any of this information?"

"That's a good idea," Ginny said as she sat up. "Let's take this to Sirius and see what he has to say. Maybe he can do a little investigating and make sure this person is who he claims to be. If he is, then you can decide what to do."

"Okay, let's go."

After getting reassurances that Sirius would look into the person portraying himself as Remus' father, Harry forcefully put it out of his mind so he could concentrate on more important things, like Christmas, the Yule Ball and the Tournament.

AN: I apologize for the long wait. I had to take some time off writing as things just weren't flowing. Finished the chapter I was working on in about a week so I'm back to writing again.