Disclaimer: I own nothing and am making no profit

Acknowledgments: Rpeh on the beta work

Chapter 9

Their engagement managed to make the news in just about every major magical newspaper. Harry wasn't quite sure how as he stared down at a photograph of himself plastered on the front page of the Lifestyle section of the Nagasaki paper. It was an old photo, from the opening of the school, and was simply him smirking at the camera in his brand-new classroom. Below the fold there was another of him and Priya arm-in-arm in a park.

"Anything good in the paper?" Priya asked as she stepped into the kitchen. Harry turned his attention from the paper to her and couldn't help but admire his fiancé for a moment, especially as the meaning behind that word sank in. Her dark hair was down and falling nearly to the small of her back and she wore a pink negligee.

"Us," he said, summoning the teapot and an additional cup to the counter. He used magic to pour it for her as he slid the paper across the counter. She sat in his lap rather than at the other stool and slid the paper back toward herself.

"How did they even figure that out?" Priya asked, peering down at the article.

"It doesn't say," Harry said.

"Not surprised," Priya responded.

"I wasn't either," Harry said.

"Are you going to hunt down this Akane Tetsuo and string her up by her ankles and make her divulge her sources?" Priya asked. Harry couldn't help but smirk at that. A small voice in the back of his head reminded him just why he liked this girl.

"Hadn't planned on it," Harry said.

"What if I told you I thought it was kind of hot?" she asked. Harry raised his brows at her.

"Did you drink more of that Witch Weekly tea?" Harry asked.

"Oh, Gods no," Priya chuckled. "I think I'm still sore from that weekend."

"Are you positive? You're not usually what we could call 'pro-maiming,'" Harry said.

"I mean I wasn't going to go and tell you that I got all hot and bothered when you incapacitated twenty Aurors because I stepped in front of a curse. I didn't want you to get any ideas. But now that we're engaged I figured you should know," Priya said.

"Technically it was only nineteen and I don't think all of them were Aurors," Harry said.

"You're ruining the moment," Priya said, leaning back against him as she read the article in the paper.

"I'll keep that in mind when the next chance for general magical mayhem arises," Harry said. "Did you floo your parents this morning?"

"No," Priya sighed. "Floo'd my grandmother. I don't think I want to break it to my parents over the fire."

"Should I be worried?" Harry asked, feeling worried.

"No not at all. They like you. They tell me that every time we talk. I just…I don't know. I guess that I want to tell them in person. I was hoping we could maybe invite them over and make a big deal out of it," Priya said, quietly, as if she expected Harry to find that a silly idea.

"I'd love that," Harry said.

"Really? I know you don't like having a lot of people around. And I'm sure they'll decide that they just have to invite like everyone once they find out," Priya said.

"I think that sounds fun," Harry said. "I'd like to have a nice big party for my soon to be family."

"We can invite Alex and Fumiko after too. I'm sure they'd love to stop by," Priya said, knowing full-well that Harry thought of them as family.

"They would," Harry agreed.

"Do you want to invite anyone from England?" she asked. Harry frowned as she said it. Despite the fact that she couldn't see his face, he still pressed it into her hair so she couldn't see his expression.

"No," he said.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Can we talk about that?" she asked. It was an interesting question, Harry thought. They'd never really talked about his disinterest in England. He'd told her the truth of Emily Riddle and the Ministry of Magic and he assumed she understood how that extrapolated to his current opinion. But he'd never voiced it to her.

"Yes," he said, knowing that they would have to talk about things that made them uncomfortable. The things they'd avoided. Well, there wasn't much of a point in avoiding them now.

"Are you going to?" she asked after he didn't say anything.

"Yes," he said again, knowing he wouldn't be able to get away with repeated one-word answers for much longer.

"Harry," she groaned, tensing in annoyance but he smirked and kissed her head.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist. It's a hard topic for me and I'm trying to think of how I want to say it. I don't really know how to start," he frowned, a flush rising to his cheeks as he realized that was the truth and not simply an excuse.

"I've found the best way to start is to just, you know, start," Priya said.

"I never feel right around people from England. They've bought into Fudge's propaganda. And it just never sits right with me while around them knowing that everything they think is wrong," Harry said.

"That's a teensy bit nuts, Harry," Priya responded.

"I know that," Harry said. "It's just something with how they look at me. It gets in my head and it makes annoyed and uncomfortable. Neither of which are things I'm particularly good at or okay with. I'm hoping to work on it."

"So, work on it by inviting some people to our engagement party then," Priya said. "You know your friend Ron, whom I've never actually met. Or that Granger girl that I am totally better looking than," Priya offered.

"I don't have the problem around them," Harry said. "But, well, I don't think I will."

"And here you asked if you should be worried I haven't told my parents yet," Priya sighed.

"Avery knows," Harry said.

"I'm not sure that counts," Priya countered.

"He's the only one that does," Harry said. "But that's not why."

"Oh?" Priya asked.

"When you first brought it up, I thought it would be sort of nice to have it be a Patel family thing," Harry admitted.

"What?" Priya asked.

"You know I don't really have a family. I mean the Weasleys were great and all. But I wasn't really family there. That's on me. They tried but I just wasn't really ready for that I think. It never really felt right for me. And then you talked about how your parents would want to invite everyone and it kind of clicked that, well, I am actually going to be part of a family," Harry said.

"Oh," Priya sniffled.

"And I made you cry," Harry said.

"No, of course not," Priya sniffed again. "It's just the onions in the omelet you were going to make me."

"You don't like omelets," Harry said.

"Shush," Priya said.

"Sorry," Harry said. Priya wiggled around on the stool so she was facing him. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Do you really think that?" she asked.

"Yes," Harry said feeling suddenly even more embarrassed. "Is it stupid?"

"No, not at all," she said, hugging him tightly.

"So yeah. I thought it would be nice to have it, be, you know, family," Harry said.

"I'd like that," Priya said.

"Me too," Harry said.

"And I'll get to brag about my ring to my super annoying cousins," Priya smirked.

"Did I overdo it?" Harry asked. He slid a hand down her left arm and held up her hand, staring at the only ring she wore.

"Yes," Priya nodded as she looked down to her hand as well. "But it's gorgeous and I love it. You have great taste."

"Fumiko helped," Harry said sheepishly. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to refute his taste in wedding rings but he did so nonetheless.

"I can't wait to show everyone," Priya said, her attention still focused on the ring. She shifted her hand around slightly so the stones glittered in the light.

"Is it wrong of me to hope they're all jealous?" Harry asked.

"Of course not," Priya said.

"Do you want breakfast before your shift today?" he asked.

"Please," Priya said, shifting off of him and into the other stool at the dining bar. "I suppose it's too early to floo London and invite them all over."

"Midnight I believe," Harry said as he summoned some eggs from the fridge and started scrambling them.

"Not the best time to floo," Priya said.

"No," Harry agreed. "After the shift would be better."

"I hate working on Saturday. What are you doing today while I labor away?" Priya asked.

"Grading and lesson plans probably. Review the stuff from the Ministry to make sure everything is on point still," Harry said.

"Sounds riveting," Priya responded.

"Hey just because you're the breadwinner doesn't mean my job is utterly boring," Harry teased as he finished her eggs and brought them over to her.

"Yeah, I'm not even going to digest that. I'm still not sure where you got your money," Priya said.

"I only know about a third of it," Harry responded.

"That can't be true," Priya said.

"You'd be surprised," Harry responded as Priya shoveled eggs into her mouth in a most unladylike manner.

"Meet me for lunch?" she asked.

"Gladly," Harry said.

"Great," Priya said. She finished the last of her eggs and slid off of her stool. She used hugging him as an excuse to take his wand from her pocket. With a flick she was dressed in her apprentice robes. Another quick flick summoned her wand from the bedroom and then she was out the fire place.

She put on quite the show for her parents that evening insisting they come to visit soon. Almost to the point of fake tears. When she was done Harry teased her that she should stop her work as a healer and try Bollywood. She told him she hated elaborate group dances.

He'd used his contacts at the ministry to secure them a Portkey with an arrival just down the path to their house. They looked exhausted when they arrived. Harry and Priya were sipping wine out front. He'd suggested tea but she'd vetoed it. Her mother wouldn't mind, she'd insisted, and her father would ignore it.

And Priya, unsurprisingly, had been completely correct. They'd met them as they walked up the path, her arm linked through his, her head resting against his shoulder. After only a couple of moments her mother had gasped and grabbed her hand. And then there was hugging and crying and more hugging and then Harry found himself, a couple of days later, at a family party, standing arm and arm with Priya as more members of the Patel clan paid the couple their respects.

Harry very rarely found himself more than an arm's length away from Priya and he felt more like a trophy being shown off for her relatives but her amusement at it all, and the sheer look of glee on her face, amused him as well.

It ended up being a hell of a party, lasting more or less two full days. Her parents stayed for about a week. Her mother wanted to start planning everything immediately but Priya laughed her off. It would be in London, they'd agreed, although saying the words aloud gave Harry some pause. But why shouldn't it be in London? It was the easiest location for most of their friends and family, and the people they wanted to attend the event.

Priya didn't want to rush it though. Harry thought that her lifestyle must have annoyed her parents somewhat. They wouldn't say anything but they always looked uncomfortable when he held her, gave her a quick kiss, or they otherwise acted like they were already married.

She convinced her parents, though, that they were going to wait until she was done with her apprentice work. And settled into her career. And then they'd do the ceremony. Her parents had looked at him, as if expecting him to protest, when she'd said it. But he felt no reason to disagree with her.

To him, the exact semantics of it didn't matter. She'd agreed. They were going to do it. When wasn't a huge issue. Whenever she wanted to do it, he would be fine with that. So he figured he could let her pick the date. She had agreed to let her mother start scouting venues though. And she'd promised to send some memories of venues her way after they returned.

Harry was fairly surprised that they hadn't found out form the Daily Prophet or anything. But her parents told him that Fudge suppressed just about every bit of information related to Harry Potter. They'd even struck his name from Priya's research.

And then life continued. They were suddenly oddly popular in society. Harry thought it was odd but Priya didn't. He was too hard to approach, she'd explained. He was scary. People knew what could happened if you crossed Harry Potter.

But she wasn't scary. So people didn't have the same trepidation in asking her to attend a party or an event or anything of that nature. And she thought they sounded fun, so she and Harry went. And, although he wouldn't really admit it, he had fun too.

It did lead to all sorts of interesting meetings though. He met Japanese Quidditch professionals, other educators, the head of about every member of the Japanese ministry. And then the medical officials who were interested in meeting him because of how Priya spoke of him.

With those he found out that her grandmother and Healer Singh often raved about him in their private time. Without even realizing he'd done anything, he'd become a minor celebrity in the medical field for his help in the research and the fact that he was the fiancé of the newest rising star in the field.

He found he actually enjoyed this attention. Because it was something he'd done, something he'd accomplished, and not just something that had been done to him. When people whispered when he entered a room it was with hushed awe rather than a knowing pity.

One such party from a few months after their engagement always stuck out in his memory. He couldn't remember exactly what the purpose of the party was. Just that it was in Tokyo and he and Priya had invites.

They'd arrived fashionably late, Priya in a little black dress sparkling with jewelry and Harry in dress robes. Everyone's attention turned to them when they entered. Harry smiled and took it in his stride while Priya slipped away to get some drinks.

Harry found himself shaking hands with quite a few people, as was normal at the start of the events. Until a member of the Japanese ministry he vaguely recognized as a member of their Games and Sports department approached with two exceptionally pretty young women.

"Mister Potter," he said. "Let me introduce you to two of our guests of honor tonight-"

"Sophia Sinclair and Ginevra Weasley," Harry finished.

"Oh. I see you've met?" the man said.

"I went to school with him," Ginny said, smiling brightly up at Harry.

"We've met," Sophie confirmed with a slight smirk. Ginny gave her a curious look out of the corner of her eye.

"I'll leave you to catch up," the ministry official said as he scampered off toward another woman Harry recognized as Gwenog Jones who seemed to be getting into an argument with someone.

"What brings you to Japan?" Harry asked.

"The Harpies are doing an exhibition tour against a few Japanese teams," Ginny said. Both girls were wearing green and gold dresses and Harry half wondered if team colors were part of their contract for events like this. Ginny's hair was down but Sophie's brunette tresses were pulled back into a bun and little golden harpies graced her ears.

"The Harpies?" he asked. "What happened to Vancouver?"

"Holyhead decided I was worth about double what Vancouver wanted to pay. And the British league is more competitive than the Canadian league," Sophie said.

"When did you two meet?" Ginny asked, her eyes sliding between them.

"A few years ago when Harry visited Canada," Sophie said.

"You were in Canada?" Ginny pried.

"Yes," Harry said. "How are the matches going?"

"Three-and-oh so far. Two more to play," Sophie said.

"The Japanese aren't very good at quidditch," Ginny said.

"How have you been keeping busy?" Sophie asked.

"I've been teaching," Harry said.

"Really?" Ginny sounded shocked.

"Really," Harry confirmed. He gazed around the room, biting his bottom lip and looking for a way out of the conversation.

Priya was over at the bar, tapping her foot impatiently as the bartender took an eternity to make a martini. All sorts of annoyed thoughts about his alacrity were rushing through her head while she waited. Of course it was Harry's fault for not ordering whatever exactly the red vinegar she'd ordered for herself was.

When he finally finished the drinks she paid, turned back to the party and wandered through the crowd until she found Harry. Her eyes narrowed upon seeing his company. Although his expression made it clear as day that he wasn't overly interested in the conversation.

Something primal stirred in her as the red-haired one reached out to brush a hand over his shoulder. She narrowed her eyes and moved toward her fiancé.

She'd grown accustomed to women like that. Women who were far more forward and willing than she'd ever been able to be. Women who were more comfortable in their skin and knew what they'd wanted.

She'd never been able to act like that. Even with Harry it had taken longer than it probably should have for the relationship to develop because she was too nervous to act on most of her feelings. But it had worked out. Still, she didn't like the way the girls were looking at him.

Well, the brunette looked fine. For every moment she looked at Harry she leered at another man in the party. There was a familiarity there but she wasn't hanging off his every word and action like the red head.

No, the red head was clearly trying too hard. And Priya didn't like it at all. She'd dealt with women like that all of her life. Ones that dismissed her immediately because she was a variety of things that weren't good enough. Too skinny, too flat, too brown, too nerdy, too short. Always too something.

"Here's your drink, babe," Priya said, sliding his martini into his hand. While sliding her arm through his. The redhead turned her gaze to Priya.

"Thanks," Harry said.

"You must be the Doctor Patel I've heard about," The brunette said. Priya smiled at her and nodded.

"I am," Priya said.

"This is Sophie Sinclair and Ginny Weasley of the Holyhead Harpies," Harry said, gesturing to each of them with his drink.

"A pleasure," Priya said.

"And how do you know Harry?" Ginny asked. Priya shifted her grip on Harry's arm, the ring on her hand glinting in the light of the room.

"We share a vagina," Priya said, as dryly as possible.

"Oh," Ginny blushed, her eyes going wide as her gaze shifted to the ring. "I…I need to go get a drink."

"That was effective," Sophie said, watching Ginny wander away.

"I..uh," Harry said, blushing a little bit and looking down at Priya.

"I couldn't resist," Priya muttered.

"She'd been talking about nothing but taking a bite out of Harry since we got here. Bit annoying, really. Congratulations though," Sophie said. "You two really do look good together."

"Thank you," Priya said.

"More importantly though," Sophie smirked. "Just how much sharing are we talking?"

"Oh ha ha," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Hey it's a serious question," Sophie teased. "And is there room for one more?"

"What was that?" Harry asked, blinking.

"Get me drunk enough and I'll think about it. But we'd need something better than this wine," Priya said.

"Wait what?" Harry blinked more.

"You're still so easy," Sophie laughed. "Anyway. I'm going to go make sure that Ginny doesn't hang herself. Have a good night you two. And congratulations again."

"Thanks," Harry said, dumbly.

"She's the one you hooked up with in Canada?" Priya asked.

"Yeah, when I was sixteen," Harry said.

"She's cute," Priya said.

"I don't know how to answer that," Harry said, sipping the martini.

"You love me," Priya said.

"Yes," Harry responded, instantly.

"And you want to spend the rest of our lives together," Priya said.

"Yes," Harry said.

"Then honestly," Priya said.

"She is cute," Harry agreed.

"How long do we have to be here?" Priya asked.

"We don't have to be here at all," Harry said.

"Good. I'm feeling more like I want to act like a dumb kid than a responsible adult. Let's wander through night time Tokyo and see where the night takes us," Priya said.

"Sounds like a plan," Harry responded.

Dreams of Tokyo faded from his mind as he woke. He reached across his bed, intending to pull his fiancé to him. But he found only soft blankets. Harry groaned against them and opened his eyes, saddened to find himself in the head's bedroom inside Hogwarts.

Harry sat up in annoyance, his gaze shifting to his clock. It was only a few minutes before he was supposed to get up to assist Neville. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, slashed his hand at the clock to turn off the magical alarm before it went off, and rose from the bed.

It didn't take him very long to shower, dress, or summon some breakfast from the kitchens. He ate quickly and stepped down the stars into the professor's tower. There weren't many signs of life in the pre-dawn hours. He yawned stepped quickly down the steps, dodging past Gemma Farley as she stepped from her room.

He spun around as treacle tart, whisky and cherry blossoms filled his nose.

"Morning Gemma," he said. His potions professor wore only yoga pants and a pink tank top and was carrying a small cauldron.

"Good morning, Harry," she responded as she locked the door to her suite.

"Amortentia lesson?" he asked, eyeing the potion.

"On Monday," Gemma said. "It has about a two-hour window where I can sterilize it but keep the aroma aspect. A little trick Horace taught me in case students think it a good idea to swipe some love potion."

"Clever," Harry said.

"Sadly it's ahead of schedule," she yawned. "Was supposed to get to that point around ten, not at six fifteen."

"Ouch," Harry said.

"Mmhmm," she said. "It's only about a half hour process though. What has you up this early?"

"I promise to show Neville a few tricks," Harry said. "Apparently he likes to do that in the morning."

"Gross," Gemma said.

"Yeah. I agree," Harry said as they walked down toward the main hall.

"Well I'm going to finish up in my classroom," Gemma said, turning left at the bottom of the stairs.

"Have fun," Harry said, turning right and walking toward the Entrance Hall. He left the castle and made his way down toward the lake. The autumn foliage was setting in and he spent a moment just gazing across the scenery.

He made it to the lake before Neville. He sat near one of the banks and closed his eyes, letting magic flow around him as he waited. It was an intoxicating feeling, nothing but power coursing through every inch of him, making it seem like everything in the world was possible.

"You're glowing," Neville said.

"That happens," Harry responded. He opened his eyes to watch the purple tendrils flare around him and evaporate into the morning air.

"That doesn't feel normal," Neville said.

"That happens too," Harry said.

"You going to explain that?" Neville asked.

"Well, I could, but that's a very long story," Harry said. "And would definitely cut into me showing what I did to Grindelwald."

"And I have a strange feeling is probably a better story if there's a couple of beers involved," Neville said.

"Most stories are," Harry agreed. He stood and started to stretch.

"That's the truth," Neville laughed. He watched Harry stretch, making no attempt to do so himself.

"So, do anything fun this weekend?" Harry asked as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Uh, I took Hermione out last night," Neville said.

"Nice," Harry said, pulling his arms behind his head. "How'd it go?"

"It was…fine I guess," Neville said.

"That doesn't sound fine," Harry said.

"No it was," Neville shrugged. "Just weird first date awkwardness, you know."

"Not really," Harry said. "Last first date I had involved sushi, drunken karaoke in a foreign language and ended up waking up with her in a bed of leaves around noon the next morning."

"Yeah I can't say I've ever gotten that lucky on a first date," Neville laughed.

"We didn't have sex," Harry said. "It was more complicated than that."

"Oh?" Neville asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "But I'm too sober to go into details. So how's Miss Granger?"

"She's fine," Neville said. He eyes him carefully for a moment. "Are you sure there's nothing between you two? I know you've flirted with her before."

"Positive. And I flirt with everyone," Harry said. "But it still amuses me to make her uncomfortable. Old friendship habits die hard. Anyway, she's not my type."

"What even is your type?" Neville asked.

"Less pale," Harry said.

"Specific," Neville countered.

"Want to learn some fancy new magic or not?" Harry asked.

"Fine, let's get started," Neville responded, drawing his wand.

"Great," Harry said. "The incantation I learned it with was Hindi, but I've found the Latin absorbeo works just as well. Start by making a cone with your hand and using the incantation." Magic glowed around Harry's left hand as he held it up as described.

"I can't do wandless magic like that," Neville blinked.

"Then use your wand," Harry said, suppressing his mild annoyance. Neville took out his wand.

"Absorbeo," he muttered, pointing his wand at his hand. Magic flickered around his fingers. It took him two attempts to get a passable glow, a reddish aura surrounding his fingers.

"Good," Harry said. "Release it and try again."

"Okay," Neville said, doing as instructed. After a few more attempts he seemed to have it down. "You weren't holding your hand like this when you were fighting Grindelwald."

"I've had practice," Harry said, holding his hand up and making the purple and green glow of his magic appear in various shapes around it.

"I see," Neville said, wincing away from Harry as he cast. He at least had the decency to not comment aloud.

"Like most things, it gets easier with practice," Harry said, letting the magic drop from him. "The next part is trickier."

"And that would be?" Neville asked.

"Actually catching spells," Harry said, sliding his wand out of his pocket.

"Oh joy," Neville responded. "At least go easy on me?"

"I'm not going to try to hex you," Harry laughed. "Just hold your hand out a bit."

"That's so comforting," Neville said, but he held out his hand as shied his body away from Harry.

"You'll be fine you're a fully trained Auror," Harry laughed. He shot a weak cutting spell directly at Neville's hand. Neville winced as it impacted on him, but his hand flashed a brighter red as it hit.

"Woah," Neville said, staring down at it, his arm visibly shaking.

"Hold onto it," Harry said. "Restrain it. Keep it there."

"I think I have it," Neville said, gritting his teeth a bit and focusing down at his hand, his muscles growing more tense with every passing moment.

"Good," Harry said, firing another spell at his friend's hand.

"Merlin," Neville gasped, tensing against it.

"One more," Harry said, shooting a week bludgeoner this time. Neville caught it as well, wincing a bit. Harry could see the sweat forming on his brow.

"This is starting to hurt," he winced as he held his arm out.

"It does that," Harry said. "Now hold onto it. Focus it."

"I'm trying," Neville said, his hand starting to glow a deeper red as his concentration focused on it.

"Good," Harry said. "When you think you're ready either let it go or force it out."

"Okay," Neville said. He stared down at his hand as if marveling at the power he could feel there. Harry saw Neville tense, his hand still held out, pointing directly at him. And then he saw him flinch and knew what was coming.

A bright red ball shot from Neville's hand, flying directly at Harry. It moved quickly, closing the gap between the two figures almost instantly. When it hit, a flash of blinding red light forced up cloud of dust flew up around the both of them.

"Oh shit," Neville gasped, coughing through the dust. When it cleared he saw Harry Potter, standing exactly where he'd been, seeming entirely unfussed by the situation.

"Well done," Harry said.

"How?" Neville gasped.

"Practice," Harry smirked. "Anyway, you have the basics down there. I was being pretty easy on you with the spells. It takes a while to be able to hold onto that much of someone else's magic. I have a bit of an advantage there, but it's a long story to explain."

"Can it absorb anything?" Neville asked.

"Theoretically, probably. But I haven't tried with like, say, the Killing Curse. If you can't hold onto it, it just overpowers through your arm. It can do serious damage to you if you try to hold something too powerful," Harry said.

"Good to know," Neville responded. "How can you tell though?"

"Practice and a good sense of magic," Harry said. "If you like we can continue to push it and see how it goes.

"Let's do it," Neville said, he pointed his wand at his hand once more and it started to glow. Harry didn't really give him any time to brace himself. He just cursed him immediately, firing stronger spells this time, and aiming at him rather than his hand.

To his credit, Neville managed to react fast enough to counter Harry. At first he tried to absorb the spells Harry fired at him, but he quickly realized the barrage would be too much for that. So, he started to counter most of them and absorb the ones he could.

It took them longer this time. It was about twenty minutes before Neville managed to shoot the spells back at him. This time Harry held out his own hand and felt the power impact on it. It was stronger than he'd thought. His muscles tensed as fire shot through his arm. But he caught it.

He couldn't help but smirk at Neville's shocked face. He didn't fire it back at him, though. Instead he just let it dissipate.

"Again?" he asked.

"You're unreal," Neville laughed.

"I mean it's not like you've not seen it before," Harry shrugged.

"In Oslo no one really managed to follow you. In France I was a little busy at the time. Now you're not even trying and I'm probably at about eighty percent effort," Neville said.

"So again?" Harr asked again.

"Fine. Just don't try to kill me," Neville laughed.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry said.

"Uh huh, sure," Neville laughed and shifted his stance. This time he fired at Harry first and their dueling resumed. Harry eased off a little here and Neville responded by pushing him harder. He smiled as he countered a jinx. It was good to know Neville was still the type who'd rather be pushed than gone easy on. It wasn't quite as long this time. Perhaps ten more minutes before Neville fired the absorbed magic at him.

Again, Harry caught it. But this time he did throw it back at the ex-Auror. He watched it speed toward Neville, a look of surprise on his face. Harry expected him to shield it. But his friend surprised him by raising his hand against the spell. Harry heard him shout in pain as he absorbed it. But he managed to hold on.

Neville turned to try to fire it at Harry. But it became too much for him and the magic burst from him mid turn. Harry's head shot to the side, following the beam as it sped toward the castle and a brunette.

Harry's heart sank, but he needn't have worried. She held up a hand and it stopped before her.

"You have to be shitting me," Neville said as he stared at her. She was merely examining her now glowing hand with a slightly bored expression on her face.

"She does that," Harry said.

"So, is that why you aren't interested in Hermione?" Neville asked, nodding toward Emily as she started to walk toward them. He knew they'd interacted some. She'd sat in on a few Defense Lessons to see if it was something she was still interested in. He hadn't asked Neville for his opinion on her, or her for his opinion on the lessons as of yet.

"Still not my type," Harry said.

"What's wrong with this one?"

"Not brown enough," Harry said.

"Really?" Neville laughed.

"Really what?" Emily asked as she stepped toward them, still examining her hand.

"Nothing. Just teasing Harry about his love life," Neville said.

"He has one of those?" Emily asked. "Or were you taking about his hands?"

"Haha," Harry said, dryly.

"This is a neat trick," Emily said, holding up her own glowing hand. "But I feel like if you combined the two activities it would end poorly."

"Probably," Harry said. Emily clenched her hand into a fist and Harry watched the magic flare down her arm and then vent off of her. She didn't flinch at it occurred.

"Wow," Neville said.

"Told you I was strong," she said to Neville.

"Do I even want to know how that came up?" Harry asked.

"The effectiveness of magical shockwaves for defending against Inferi," Neville said.

"Right. So, what gets you up before noon on a weekend?" Harry asked, his gaze turning to Emily.

"I'm not anywhere near as lazy as you," Emily said.

"That did not answer my questions," Harry said.

"I felt the fight. Seemed worth checking out," Emily shrugged. She unfolded a copy of the morning paper she'd had under her arm and handed it to him.

"Was it entertaining?" Harry asked.

"Less so when I realized it wasn't to the death," Emily responded.

"Do I even want to know?" Neville asked.

"No," Emily responded. Harry peered at her.

"How did you two meet anyway?" Neville asked

"We ran into each other in a park," Emily said. "Harry was brooding and I was having a picnic."

"Sounds like Harry," Neville teased.

"I don't brood," Harry said.

"Well maybe not anymore," Neville said. "But we both know that wasn't true while you were at school. I mean you sat in bed ignoring everyone most of your last year at Hogwarts."

"I guess, I did," Harry shrugged.

"Gross," Emily said.

"I wasn't—" Harry started.

"Uh-huh," Emily said.

"Why did you bring me the paper?" Harry asked.

"Maybe read the headline on the first page before asking that?" Emily said.

"Another article on how I'm the worst Headmaster in the history of Hogwarts and how the Ministry should remove me from office?" Harry asked.

"Have there been many of those?" Emily asked.

"At least three," Neville said. "Weirdly they're all written by anonymous authors and include all sorts of information that only people in the ministry could know."

"And that could have only come from the Department of Education," Harry scoffed.

"You're not blaming Hermione," Neville narrowed his eyes.

"No. It's not her," Harry said. "It's Fudge or Percy. But it's better if I let them think I'm falling for the obvious."

"Is Hermione aware of that?" Neville asked.

"I'd assume. She's smart," Harry said.

"But you haven't talked to her about it?" Neville asked.

"There's no point," Harry said. "I'm no less open with her than normal and if she doesn't know I trust her already then nothing I can say will change that."

"I just think it would be nice," Neville said. Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. Instead he distracted himself by looking down at the paper. The headline above the fold and the top half of the photo accompanying it were all he needed to see.

"Really?" he asked, holding the paper up toward Emily.

"You're the one that attacked him," Emily said. "You should have known that he'd use it."

"Gellert Grindelwald tells all, his reformation, the magic that brought him back, and how he was attacked by Harry Potter. An exclusive interview with Rita Skeeter?" Harry scoffed.

"What did you think would happen?" she asked.

"People can't believe this," he said.

"Believe that someone could be reformed after a life in prison? Believe that people could change? Yes. Why would anyone believe that?" Emily scoffed.

"I see what you're trying to do," Harry said.

"Good," Emily said.

"Is your entire purpose of coming out here to be bitchy?" Harry asked.

"No," Emily said, her eyes narrowing. She drew her new wand from her pocket and twirled it around her fingers. "I think it's time I break this in."

"Really?" Harry smirked. He tossed the paper toward Neville and shifted into a defensive stance, wand drawn.

"Uhm Emily I wouldn't recommend that," Neville said.

"Really," she responded ignoring Neville and stepping toward Harry. When she was about fifteen paces away she tilted her head in the slightest form of a bow possible and Harry understood the rules. He bowed back. And then it began.

She opened with a cutter. Simple, leading, and obvious. Harry was almost disappointed at the simplicity of it. At least until four more spells followed it. He countered two, shifted away from the third, and threw a quick shield up for the forth.

That was his first mistake. The shield shattered on impact, shards of magic scattering around him. A few of the shards pierced through his arm. He cursed loudly and healed them with a wave of his hand while continuing to counter her spells. She didn't let up and he found himself quickly on the back foot.

Harry kept his eyes on her, the fury in her face surprising him as he slashed back against every spell she cast. He had no choice but to fall back against the onslaught, the fatigue from his three fights with Neville wearing him down.

His eyes flashed back to Emily as the onslaught continued. He wasn't surprised to see the familiar green and purple magic radiating off her as she fought. Harry kept countering until he recognized one of her spells. It was a familiar cursed cutter known to deflect in multiple directions if shielded.

So, he threw up the most powerful shield he could. The blast of bright light blinded both of them for a moment. He heard Neville curse and assumed he didn't protect himself in time. But a quick glance as his vision returned showed he'd managed to heal himself.

"So that's how it is?" Harry said, stepping toward Emily as she took a moment to blink her vision back into focus.

"You could have killed your friend with that," she said, the magic still radiating around her.

"Neville can take care of himself," Harry said.

"Are you two trying to kill each other?" Neville yelled.

"You're still easy to push around," Emily said.

"I didn't think you were going to open with that," Harry said, nodding toward her.

"You think Grindelwald will hold back?" she asked.

"I'm not trying to kill you," Harry scoffed.

"Another mistake," she said. And then she reverted to form. She threw her hand straight out to him and a spell he recognized easily enough. But it wasn't just unleashed from her in a circle as he'd always seen. Instead the shockwave focused into a ball and rushed straight to him. Harry watched it come and made no attempt to stop it.

"Harry!" Neville yelled as it hit him square in the chest. The impact shook the ground, dirt and dust kicked up around him. Neville rushed toward him. But he only made it four steps before he stopped in his tracks.

"Impossible," Emily gasped as Harry stepped closer to her.

"You wanted to know what I did," Harry said as the first tendril of purple energy flared off him.

"Diffindo, Tonare, Tonare," Emily yelled, throwing more spells his way. The purple and black tendrils flared out around him with each spell.

"It's easier to show than tell," he continued. He was mere steps from her, the purple energy reaching out from him to her, flaring out around him as he loosened his control on something that he'd grown so accustomed to being a part of him.

"How?" she gasped as one tendril lashed out and caressed her. She recoiled away from it, a purple splotch staining her face as she moved away.

"Power and time," he said as another tendril flared after her.

"Don't touch me," she exploded in anger as the tendril did just that. Her magic flared around her once more, more green and silver than purple this time. A mistake, Harry thought, as the tendrils swarmed it.

"And there's your mistake," he said as he could feel it being drained away from her.

"Get. Away," she yelled as he stepped closer to her. "Tonare. Tonare!" But the blasting curses had no effect. He made no attempt to prevent them from hitting him.

"Yield," Harry said.

"Crucio! Crucio! Crucio," she shrieked, her eyes flashing in rage at her own helplessness as he continued to approach.

"Yield," he said again as she continued to approach her.

"Avada!" she yelled but the tendrils hit her before she could finish the statement. And she collapsed against the oppression they brought. She fought against it. He watched as she continued to struggle. Her body flushing with the effort as she continued to fight against him.

"Yield," he said one final time as the purple aura encompassed them both. It ate away at her green and silver magic, dulling the aura around her until it vanished. But it didn't prevent her from continuing to struggle. Her eyes flashed up at him and for the first time in his life he saw true panic on the face of Lord Voldemort.

It was an intoxicating feeling. He couldn't help but smirk down at her as she continued in vain to struggle as the magic left her. He knew she of all people should be able to tell just what she was fighting against. How she of all people would have experience against it. But it didn't matter. He was letting it free and there wasn't any escape for nearby magic.

"Reducto," she gasped slashing her wand toward him as he closed the final gap.

"That won't work. Just tell me you give in," he said. She tried to step back away from him but she couldn't flee. She pressed her left hand to his chest, pushing against him. He laughed, he couldn't help it. She couldn't have been a hundred and fifteen pounds and she thought she could push him away? He realized his mistake too late.

"Never," she gasped and his world exploded around him as power ripped through him. More power than he would have thought she could have possibly had left over from him. It threw him back and into the air. He thought for sure that he'd crash hard into the ground but the tendrils steadied him as he pulled them back into himself. It only took moment for his magic to fight with it again as he felt the war of it raging within him. But he'd grown used to it and he suppressed it as much as he could.

He looked toward where she'd been. She was kneeling on the ground, pulling herself up from the effort, mud and grass in her hair, panting as she struggled to get to her feet.

"How about we call it a draw?" he offered, shaking off the lingering effects of the shockwave she'd blown through him. His muscles shook but he managed to keep it together. Her eyes locked onto his, anger flashing in them. But a moment later they softened and she laughed, shaking her head.

"Fine," she said. He tucked his wand into his pocket and walked to her, offering a hand to pull her to her feet. To his surprise, she took it without question.

"Lunch?" he asked.

"I could eat," Emily said.

"Yeah, we need to talk," Neville said. His wand was drawn and leveled on Emily.