Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter Franchise or its characters. All characters used are the property of their respective owners.

Rated M for violence, language, & sexual themes.

Harry Potter & the Dance Macabre XXIV

Parkinson Residence, G.B.

16 September 1996

Edmond Parkinson stared at his guest over a glass of Ogden's Firewiskey. There was an unearned smugness about him that reminded Parkinson of his recently incarcerated Uncle. "So how can House Parkinson help House Nott this night?"

"I bring tidings from our Master," Theodore Nott replied, handing a slip of parchment to Parkinson.

"He survives…" Parkinson whispered peering at the parchment. The information provided left him in little doubt it was from Voldemort.

"He does, and he ne…requires our help," Nott said, quickly correcting himself.

"Of course, whatever he needs."

Nott nodded, taking another piece of parchment out of his robes and handed it to Parkinson. "Direct the Goblins to transfer the specified amount into those accounts by tomorrow night."

Parkinson's eyes widened. "This will leave me all but bankrupt!"

"You would dare to defy our Master?"

Parkinson scowled looking away. "No, of course not."

"Then do as you're told, when this is over you will be more than rewarded for your efforts," Nott explained as he rose from his chair.

"What is this in aid of?" Parkinson asked.

"You don't need to concern yourself with that. It will all become clear soon."

Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, Scotland

19 September 1996

Harry rubbed the back of his head and exhaled, he and Tonks were already in the Gryffindor Common Room despite the hour. Harry knew Hermione always came down early to review her homework and notes for that day's classes. Tonks peered over her book at him and chuckled to herself. "Harry, calm down, you'll wear a groove in the floor."

"Right, sorry…" Harry replied, sitting down in his usual chair by the fire. Even though he was now sitting his leg continued to shake with nervous energy. Tonks rolled her eyes and returned to her book.

A couple of minutes Hermione emerged from the Dorms, she looked tired, Harry guessed that she'd been up studying later than she should have, but he wasn't about to start Hermione's birthday off with an argument. "Good morning, Hermione."

"Good morning, Harry, you're up early."

Harry nodded, his hand returning to the back of his head as he looked down at his shoes. Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Harry, what have you done?"

"N-nothing! I-I mean, I've done something, but it's not bad, I think, it depends on you…"

"Harry, you're babbling." Hermione retorted, she walked towards him and wrapped Harry in a hug. "Relax, I'm sure I'll love it."

Harry nodded and returned the hug before taking Hermione's hand and leading her towards the false panel in the wall of the Common Room. Once the three of them were inside the Gryffindor Lord's Quarters, Tonks retreated to her room, and Harry took a few steps back from Hermione and took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing," He muttered.

"Hermione, I love you. You're the most important person in my life. I can't imagine being at Hogwarts without you beside me. So…" Harry paused kneeling in front of Hermione and pulling a velvet box out of his pocket, opening it to reveal a gold ring with three rubies on top. "Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?"

Hermione gaped at Harry looking at the ring, then him, then the ring again in rapid succession. She then dropped to her knees and wrapped Harry in a bone-crushing hug before proceeding to snog him senseless. Harry shook himself out of the Hermione induced daze a few seconds later and found that Hermione was cradling the ring box in her hands, staring at the contents adoringly. "So, is, uh, that a yes?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and gave Harry another kiss. "You goof, of course, it's a yes, now put the ring on!"

Harry laughed and plucked the box out of her hands and slipped the ring onto the appropriate finger. Regaining his feet, he pulled Hermione up with him and tugged her towards the bedrooms. "I have another surprise."

What Hermione hadn't noticed when she entered was that the layout of Harry's Quarters had changed since the last time she'd been inside. Which was strange given that the last time she'd visited had been the previous evening. Regardless the layout had changed, and the bedrooms now had a small corridor that ran parallel to the door. Harry stopped at the first door and pulled Hermione up beside him. "Open it."

Hermione nodded and turned the knob, inside was a bed along the back wall, to the left a walk-in closet and the on the right a floor to ceiling bookcase. The bed was flanked on one side with a small study table and the other a bedside set of draws. Harry blushed and looked down at the floor again as he hovered at the door. "I hope its ok, I didn't want to presume but, I was hoping you would say yes so I approached the Headmistress about putting in a bedroom for you. After you went back to the Common Room, Professor Weasley came up and helped make the necessary changes. Since you're already a member of Gryffindor Professor Weasley was able to do it in your place," Harry explained, forestalling Hermione's question. "Do you like it?"

Hermione gave him a beaming smile. "I love it!"

Hermione wrapped Harry in another bone-crushing hug and once again snogged him senseless. She then left him in a daze to celebrate with the other girls. Only coming to his senses when he heard Daphne and Fleur squeal happily when Hermione told them what had happened.

"Hermione, this is great. I told you you'd be Lady Potter!" Daphne exclaimed.

Hermione blushed. "I um, we haven't talked about that. Harry simply asked me to be his wife. I don't think he meant in the magical sense, just the mundane way."

"I meant it in every way, Hermione, magically and in the mundane world. I want you to become Lady Potter," Harry explained as he emerged into the Common area.

Hermione glanced worriedly at Fleur and then back to Harry. "But, where will that leave Fleur," Hermione's eyes narrowed, Harry could see the anger building behind her eyes. "You're not planning to make her a concubine, are you?"

Harry raised his hands and backed away a couple of steps. "Be calm, Hermione, let me explain."

Hermione nodded but kept her eyes squarely on Harry as he spoke. "Before we left for Germany, I visited Gringotts, remember?" Harry asked, and when Hermione nodded, he continued. "It was, in part, to pick up your engagement ring, but the other reason was that Gringotts had asked me for a meeting. Chief Ragnok wanted to discuss my other Lordship."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, glancing at Daphne who shot a baffled expression back at her. "You have more than two?"

Harry nodded, walking over to the couch, indicating the others should join him, after waiting until everyone was seated, he continued. "I am the heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Peverell, they're another member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, but the house died out a few generations ago. One of my ancestors married a Peverell, but his father-in-law was never able to sire any male heirs. So the line died out, except technically the line survives because I am a direct descendant of that marriage. So, I have decided with her consent, that Fleur will become the Lady Peverell when we eventually marry."

"You're dead set on me becoming a Potter, aren't you?" Hermione asked with a half-grin.

"Yep, since the day I met you on the Hogwarts Express, I knew one day you'd be a Potter."

At this, Hermione's face lost its humour. "Does this mean my Dad has to sign one of those… things…"

Harry sighed. "I discussed it with both your parents, Sirius, and Narcissa a few days ago, they're not happy about it but to stop the Puerblood's objecting, too much, about our marriage. And to stop them trying to stake a claim over the Potter Estate, we should sign one," Harry raised his hands to stop Hermione from going on a rant. "I know you disapprove, but Narcissa thinks it's a prudent course of action, and she the best-placed person to comment on these things."

Hermione reluctantly nodded. "Oh-kay, but I want a mundane wedding when we come of age!"

Harry grinned. "Yes, dear."

Hermione crossed her arms and muttered to herself. "You're lucky I love you, Potter."

"Well, it looks like we have plenty to celebrate at Hermione's party tonight," Tonks proclaimed.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Party?"

"Ah, yeah, I meant to tell you, we've organised a birthday party for you, for tonight…"

"When did this happen?"

"Over the last few days, I asked Dobby to cater, and I invited some friends…"

"Who?"

Harry shrunk away from Hermione's penetrating stare as he answered. "Fred, George, Ginny, Luna, Neville, Susan, Hannah, Tracy, and Astoria."

"Fine, as long as the antics are kept to a minimum and everyone is back in their Dorms before curfew."

"Hermione Granger, the life of the party…" Tonks commented dryly.

"I am so the life of the party!" Hermione protested as they walked down to breakfast together. "Right Harry?"

"Hey Neville, what do you think they're serving for breakfast?" Harry asked enthusiastically as he spotted his other best friend emerging from the Gryffindor Common Room. Tonks burst out laughing as Hermione pouted and Neville stared at them with a baffled expression.

Knockturn Alley, London G.B.

Augury's Curse

There were many men in long black cloaks in the Augury's Curse, but few could make them billow like Severus Snape as he swept through towards the back of the bar. He sat down at a non-descript booth and glared at his companion. "You better have a good reason for summoning me this early, boy."

"I bring tidings from our Master," Theodore Nott replied, sliding a scrap of parchment across the table. "He requires your services."

"So he did survive, I'd heard rumours of Death Eaters making trips to see the Goblins in the last few days, but I was under the impression some big legislation was making its way through the Wizengamot. Am I to assume our Master has been directing these transactions?"

"All you need to concern yourself with is what the Master requires of you, nothing more," Nott retorted shortly.

"And what does our Master require of me?"

"Your loyalty and your potion brewing skills, he's confident in one but not the other."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "My loyalty to the Master has never been in question!"

"Is that why you ran to Dumbledore after he murdered Lily Potter?"

Snape looked away, the shadows hiding his face. "That's none of your concern."

"But it does make the Master pause, he could of course avail himself of another potioneer, but that would make your position in the new order a perilous one…"

Snape's face turned the colour of sour milk as he weighed his options. "Fine, what potion does the Master want me to brew?"

Nott handed Snape a slip of parchment which Snape read three times before returning his gaze to Nott. "What possible use…?"

"That is not your concern, can you do it?"

Snape gave him a short sharp nod, Nott smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Good, the Master also ordered that you begin work immediately at my family's estate. He wants you under supervision, less you grow a spine and try to warn someone what the Master is planning."

"How could I betray him to anyone when I don't know what he's planning?"

Nott gave a short shrug and rose from his seat. "I do not know, but I don't question him either, given the results of his earlier plans I think it's better to err on the side of caution."

"And what are your plans, Nott?" Snape asked.

Nott gave Snape a small grin and left without responding. Snape sat in the booth a while longer after ordering a drink. He figured it would be the last he would have as a free man for some time."

Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, Scotland

Harry spun around on the spot and slammed the door to his Quarters, taking a deep breath and resting his head against the door. Daphne, Hermione, Fleur, and Tonks were already inside, sitting around the coffee table and staring down at that day's Daily Prophet. His and Hermione's engagement/betrothal was splashed all over the front page. This had led of course to a deluge of both Howlers and Congratulatory notes at the breakfast table. Many of the girls from Third Year, up, had been loudly lamenting his decision all day.

But the only one Harry cared about, outside Daphne, Fleur, and Hermione, was Susan, she looked stricken when the paper landed on the Hufflepuff table, and she'd barely spoken to any of them all day. Harry had wanted to take her aside and talk to her, but everyone's over eager interest in his private life had meant he'd not gotten a chance.

"Sometimes I wish you'd kept Skeeter in that jar…" Harry said loudly.

Hermione took a sip of her water and hummed in agreement. Tonks raised an eyebrow. "You kept Rita Skeeter in a jar? Must have been a big bloody jar…"

"No, she's an unregistered Animagus, Hermione worked it out during the Tri-Wiz, she managed to catch her and keep her in a jar for a while. But Hermione let her out on the promise she would behave herself, at least where I was concerned, advice she didn't take to heart…" Harry explained.

"We should get changed, the guests will start arriving soon," Daphne announced.

As they rose to go to their respective rooms, Hermione walked over to Harry, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Are you going to try and talk to Susan tonight?"

Harry nodded. "If she's here, yeah, after today I'm not sure she'll show up."

Hermione kissed him on the cheek. "It's ok that you care about her Harry, it's what makes you who you are."

Harry smiled back at her. "Is it ok though I already have you, and Daphne, and Fleur, should I be pursuing something with Susan too?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You want too?"

Hary sighed and rubbed the back of his head and then nodded. "Yeah, a bit, Susan's very pretty, and I like her personality. She's so vibrant. I want to preserve that and make sure she's happy. Would you be angry?"

Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder and gently took his hand in hers. "I should be, I should have run for the hills screaming a long time ago. But you have a big heart and lots of love to share, I've known that for ages, so you should pursue it if you think it'll make both of you happy. But know that even if things don't work out, you'll always have Daphne, Fleur, and I to come home too."

Harry smiled and turned to kiss Hermione gently on the lips. "Thank you."

"Hey! Where's my kiss?" Daphne demanded as she exited her room in a knee-length skirt and purple top. Harry blushed and walked over, shyly kissing Daphne, briefly, on the lips. As he pulled away, he could see that she was blushing as well. The two were still getting comfortable with acts of physical intimacy, especially in front of people, even if it was just Fleur, Tonks, and Hermione.

Fleur cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow at Harry who rolled his eyes and walked over to Fleur, she pulled him in close and wrapped one arm around his neck and snaking the other down to get a firm grip on his ass as she slipped her tongue into his mouth. The two stood there for almost a minute making out, before Harry pulled away, his face a bright red. Fleur grinned, twirling some hair in her finger. "A bit more training, and he will be the perfect lover. Fortunately, I got a head start on his education, or he would not be ready for the three of you."

Hermione and Daphne looked away, their faces now bright pink as Tonks gave Fleur a confused stare. "Three? I think you miss counted."

"Non, I did not cherie. It is only a matter of time," Fleur replied with a wink.

Tonks was saved from responding by a knock at the door, Neville had been patiently waiting at the entrance to the Gryffindor Lord's Quarters with Fred and George for the other guests so they could come up together. Members of other Houses were not allowed in unless they were accompanied by a member of the house that Lord belonged too, and only with the permission of the Headmistress.

Harry's face brightened when he spotted Susan's face among the friends he invited to Hermione's party. He immediately seized her hand and pulled her aside into his bedroom. Susan's face turned the same shade as her hair as she realised, she was in the bedroom of the boy she liked with the door closed. Harry stood in front of her and scooped her hands into his. "You've been avoiding me all day."

"I'm sorry, I just… I saw the article in the Prophet, and my emotions got all jumbled up… I was afraid that now you're engaged to Hermione you wouldn't want me anymore…"

Harry frowned, lifting his hand to tilt Susan's head up so her ocean blue eyes would reflect into his emerald. "Why would you think that?"

"I've heard horror stories from my Aunt and her friends, all the men who have wives and their mistresses. I don't want to be one of those girls…"

"Have I made you think that's what I want?"

Susan slipped out of Harry's grasp and walked away from him, wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't know what you want from me, Harry, you've never said. We've just been in this holding pattern, dancing around each other. It's like we're scared to give voice to what this is!"

"I'm not scared Susan, are you?"

"Yes! Of course, I'm scared, because admitting how I feel about you means my dreams might come true, but if I do tell you and you don't feel the same way, I… I don't want to get my heart broken Harry."

Harry walked towards Susan and took her in his. "Don't be scared Susan, I'm right here, beside you."

"Will you be there tomorrow too?" Susan asked meekly.

"Yes, if you want that."

"I do… I want that a lot."

Harry gently pulled Susan around and left a lingering kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, they were both smiling. "You know, you're the second girl I've kissed in this room?"

"Who was the first?"

"Fleur."

Susan screwed up a nose a little. "I don't think Fleur classifies as a girl anymore. She's a woman."

Harry grinned as he led Susan to the door. "Oh, believe me, she's all woman."

Susan rolled her eyes. "Hermione's right, you're such a boy…"

Harry chuckled as the two re-entered the Common Area, Hermione was seated on the couch beside Daphne, with space between Hermione and Fleur for Harry. Susan sat down beside Hannah, who had Ginny on her other side beside Luna opposite Hermione and Daphne. At the end of the couch nearest the entrance door were Fred, and George and their respective girlfriends Alicia and Angelica who had brought Katie with them. Nearest to Harry were Neville and Astoria. He cut around Neville to sit down beside Hermione in front of a pile of presents.

"I think Hermione should open Harry's present first," Daphne declared with a grin on her face.

Harry blushed, suddenly interested in the lint on his robes. "That's ok …"

"No, I want to," Hermione insisted, reaching for the largest box on the table. She ripped off the wrapping and pulled the box open only to gasp.

"Well, what is it?" Fred asked.

When Hermione didn't respond immediately, Daphne pulled the box towards her and scooped up the contents to show everyone. It was a leather-bound edition of Hogwarts: A History. George raised an eyebrow. "I don't get it, doesn't Hermione already have a copy?"

"She does, but she doesn't have this copy," Daphne announced proudly. "It's a leather-bound self-updating first edition. There are only three in existence. One is down in the Hogwarts Library, and one is in the Ministry archive and the other…"

"The other is owned by Professor Dumbledore," Hermione finished giving Harry a piercing stare.

Harry continued staring at his robes as Hermione watched him. "I've seen you reading the one in the Library, so I asked Madam Pince about it, she told me about how rare it was and after almost begging she told me where the other two copies were. S-so it's sort of a present from both the Headmaster and me, I hope you like it."

Hermione gingerly moved the book onto her lap, picking it up so she could wrap her arms around it. "I love it."

"Careful Harry, you might have competition for Hermione's affections," George teased.

"Never," Hermione retorted, kissing Harry on the cheek.

"Quite right, George, Hermione's first love will always be books," Fred added as Hermione threw a rolled-up piece of wrapping paper at them.

The other gifts included various pranking items from the twins, their girlfriends and Katie, some sweets from Neville, writing supplies from Daphne, and Fleur, handmade radish earrings from Ginny and Luna, a dragonhide wand holster from Tonks, on behalf of her parents, Tony, and Sirius, and a book on Wizarding Etiquette from Astoria.

The party lasted until just before curfew at Hermione's insistence, when they were finally alone, Hermione was standing in front of Harry's door. He smiled as he brushed some hair out of her face. "Did you have a good time?"

"It was the best, thank you," Hermione responded shyly.

"You don't have to thank me, Hermione, I wanted to make your birthday special, if only to make up for all the years I haven't."

"It's ok Harry…"

"It's not," Harry said firmly. "You're special to me, Hermione and it's your birthday, I should have made more of an effort. In future, I will."

Hermione blushed. "Thank you, goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight Hermione."

As Hermione walked away, she stopped for a moment. "You know that the Twins were joking earlier right, about the book?"

"I know," Harry replied with a smile.

"Good."

"I know books will always be your first love."

"Gah! Merlin, you're impossible, Harry James Potter!" Hermione declared loudly as Harry closed the door to his room, laughing. Hermione hurled a pillow at the door of his room in vain before stomping off to her own, trying desperately to stop the giggles from overcoming her.

22 September 1996

Ginny and Luna were walking down the corridor towards their first class of the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts, they were both looking forward to it. Hogwarts had a competent Defence Professor for the first time since Remus Lupin had left. As the last student, alongside Tonks, of Alistor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, he'd had his lessons drilled into him, and he passed on these lessons to his students, but not at the level Mad-Eye asked of him and Tonks. Ginny had wondered why until she'd heard about Cormac McLaggen challenging Professor Carlstrom to a duel during class, McLaggen had ended up hanging upside down in his boxers from the ceiling for the rest of class. Protests fell on deaf ears when it was shown to the Headmistress that McLaggen had agreed to the terms of the duel.

Ginny was brought out of her musings when Luna elbowed her in the ribs, nodding down the corridor. Ginny spotted Professor Carlstrom leaning against the door of his office, having an intimate chat with Professor Sinestra, what Professor Carlstrom couldn't see from his vantage point for Professor Heywood watching them from the other end of the corridor. Ginny saw something that had been shown in her reflection on several occasions in the past when she thought about Harry and Hermione getting together, anger that it wasn't her and sadness. Those feelings had subsided, and now she was nothing but happy for the two, and even happier she'd found someone that she loved almost as much as she'd once loved Harry. But she could still recognise those feelings in the eyes of someone else.

As Ginny and Luna sat down, Luna spoke. "She still loves him."

"Are the Wrackspurts telling you that?"

"No, my eyes did, but the Wrackspurts talk about Professors Carlstrom and Heywood often."

"Horrible gossips, Wrackspurts," Ginny commented sagely.

"Quite, I think we should take the Wrackspurts advice."

"What do they advise?" Ginny asked.

"That Professor Sinestra is looking for another notch on her bedpost, but that Professor Heywood loves him. We should help them get back together." Luna explained.

"Is this because you love a good love story, or because you used to have a crush on him?" Ginny asked teasingly.

"You had the Boy-Who-Lived, I had the Curse-Breaker," Luna countered.

"Touche."

To Be Continued…

Sorry for the long delay between chapters, I've been working on other projects and motivation has been lacking. I can't promise the next chapter will be out in a timely fashion, but this will get finished. I know what the end game is now, after retooling the story. It has maybe 15 chapters left. I'm not sure yet. I'll know when I get there.

Someone wanted to know what the abandoned plot of the story was and I'm thinking about taking all the bits I wrote that got abandoned and putting them into a story called Dance Macabre: Abandoned Plot. I'll probably only do that once I've finished this though.

Oh, and I hope you'll indulge me regarding this side plot regarding the Nick/Penny romance, it's a small side-plot, and it won't get in the way of anything the main characters are doing. It just gives Ginny/Luna and the Twins something to do.

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