Don't own Harry Potter.

Mrs. Greengrass approached them with a small tray, holding a small silver diadem. "Master Potter, would you do my niece the honour to present her with this trinket?" Harry bowed and smiled, then took the diadem an turned to a smiling Ernestina. "I just hope that this is no marriage ceremony," he muttered to her, and she smiled. Then, he pressed the finely crafted jewellery on her head. Applause rose from the assembled guests, polite, but not loud. Harry hoped he had not done anything permanent.

Before he could ask her about its meaning, a small rainbow appeared over the highest terrace, and everyone turned to an older pair standing at the balustrade. "Granny will be opening the ball now."

The old woman began to speak, and it was easy to understand him all over the party area. "My dear friends, welcome to our annual summer ball. As you can all see, the circumstances are quite different from last year's. A few of last year's guests are not among us, and please take this as a political statement of my family. We have not supported the Dark Wizard Voldemort, and we will not support the Dark Wizard Voldemort. We have not invited known supporters of him this year. I regret that last year, some of our guests obviously fell into this group, though we did not know at that time. We are living in worried times, my friends, and there is war upon us. We have been invaded by our allies in the European Union, and our proud nation has lost most of its sovereignty to Bruxels. I as a British patriot can abhor this, but even I have to admit that this most likely saved many lives. We will have to decide what we want, and we will have to fight for that.

And after we and our allies have won, we will have to help our children to organise the world into a better state. My friends, my generation has failed. Failed us, and our children, and our children's children." He motioned to the terrace were Harry and his friends were standing. "Only a few weeks ago, some children were necessary to fight the Dark Wizard Voldemort to a standstill. My very own great-granddaughters are now flocking to the young leaders of their generation, and they are prepared and willing to fight for their future. I will not see any more children cut down in a fight that should be ours. We will take over the fight from them, as we should have done before, before they had to put themselves between us and the darkness that some of our contemporaries unleashed." She held up both hands. "But tonight, let us celebrate and dance and make merry. We are well protected, and a happy celebration of life is its own victory over the darkness." Applause answered him. Maybe not as loud as it could have been if everyone had applauded with the same fervour as the teens around Harry, but loud enough to show that – if there were followers of Voldemort's ideas in the crowd – they were at least smart enough not to show it.

The old couple moved down to the largest tent and onto the dance-floor, swinging expertly to a slow dance. When all the guests had assembled, the other adult Greengrasses joined them, then Ernestina gave Harry a small push. "We join them. The first dance is for the family."

Harry swallowed, looked at the crowd, suppressed the thought that Voldemort never appeared when he needed him and bowed to his date. She didn't wait for any words, but pulled him to the dance-floor and began to dance. It was easier than he had thought, and he was able to push all those people around him to the back of his mind while he enjoyed leading Ernie around the floor.

The music stopped for a moment, and then started again, this time an even slower dance. In moments, the floor was crowded with all guests who had joined in. To his surprise, even Ron and Luna were dancing, if a bit eccentrically. Neville waltzed with Astoria, giving a much more professional impression.

After three dances, Ernestina let go of his arm. "I think I would like something to drink now, if you would, Harry?"

He nodded and led her from the tent to the outside. A human waiter held out a tray of glass flutes with some cold and pearly drink in it. "Lemonade, Sir?"

Harry nodded thankfully and took two glasses. "Thank you." He then presented one of the glasses to Ernestina, who took a small sip and sighed contentedly.

"Thank you for the dances, Harry. It's the first time that I could go up there for the first dance, and I am sure that everyone noticed." Seeing Harry's frown, she placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's something social. The first dance is reserved to adult members of the family and their partners. With giving me the tiara, they showed that they consider me as coming into my own, becoming adult. And that is a great honour, especially as I have not taken my OWLs yet. It shows that I am forgiven last term's problems with Luna, and that the adults approve strongly of me. It has nothing to do with you being the Boy-who-lived."

"Was I that obvious?"

She shook her head. "No, but I think I can read you pretty well." She indicated her diadem. "It's called a princess' bow, and means that I am now officially accepted as one of the heiresses and adult member of the family. Normally, it would have been Daphne, and me and Astoria next year."

It would be difficult to compare the events of this summer ball with the events of the Jule ball last year. Harry could easily see how much he had developed in the last one and half years, and especially under Tonk's care. They danced almost every song, and the few times they waited out were spent close together. He felt closer to this girl than to any ever before. They snacked on finger food and lemonade, and he did one dance each with Daphne, Astoria and Luna. The two Greengrass girls were polite, but it was pretty obvious that Ernie had staked her claim clearly.

The Ravenclaw was very different than he had ever seen her, except maybe during the battle in the Ministry. Yes, of course, her eyes still protruded a bit, but she talked about the music in a knowledgeable and normal way. "I thought that you were hunting in Sweden?"

"Oh, we did, for about two weeks. Then, I decided that I needed to come back for Ronald."

"For Ron?"

"Sure. He needs a Lady Black, doesn't he?"

"Aren't we a bit young to think about marriage?"

"You do remember that I am the strange one, don't you?" Her smile seemed so innocent. "I like him. A lot, actually. Maybe we will marry, maybe not. And I would fit – a minor pureblood. But more importantly, he needs another woman in his life than Molly."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "You are right there."

"So, are you going to take Ernie to the garden later tonight?"

To his surprise, Harry nodded. "Make sure you go to the fountain!"

"Why's that?"

"Because Ron and I will go exploring the labyrinth."

Surprisingly quickly, Raginald Greengrass approached them during a break. "Master Potter, if you would, I would like to take you away to the billiards room." Harry looked at Ernie, and she nodded encouragingly. He bowed before her: "If you allow me?"

"Of course, Harry. I will go over to the other girls."

The billiards room showed that Tolkien had it right. Wizards liked to smoke. About thirty men – no, about half of them were women – of all ages sat or stood around three big billiards tables, though no one was younger than thirty or something. Almost all of them held a cigar or a pipe. The air was bluish. "I guess you don't smoke yet, Master Potter?"

"No, Sir. It is supposed to be unhealthy."

"I guess it is. And it tastes awful, if you ask me. Can I interest you in a glass of porter?" Harry nodded and his host personally poured him a glass. "So, do you have a good time?"

"Yes, thank you again." Ernestina's grandfather moved to them. "Master Potter. So you are Ernestina's very dear friend?" He smiled.

"I guess so, my Lord." Sometimes it was best to attack directly. "And I guess anyone would be happy to be."

"Good answer. I think I could approve of you. See that you stay on her good side."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Now, I would like to introduce you to some of my friends." He led Harry from one guest to the other. Almost half of the wizengamot members were here, and the others obviously felt they were rather important, too. But each was rather friendly to Harry. Yes, they were either proud and sure of themselves or – sometimes – arrogant asses, but they were friendly. A Lord Foretooth even remarked how many good things he had heard from his granddaughter Ariadne, a second-year Slytherin that Harry – as far as he knew – had never even consciously seen. Still, it always helped to be polite. "I am sure she is quite an asset to your family and Slytherin House, my Lord. I have never heard a bad word about her." Which was true, after a fashion.

Sadly, Lord Foretooth took this as an invitation for a discussion. "So why do you think that there is so much conflict between Gryffindor and Slytherin?"

Harry shrugged and found that about twenty guests were carefully not interested in what he had to say. This was no friendly discussion, and these men were not interested in what a schoolboy thought. They wanted to see how The-Boy-Who-Lived could play politics. He raised his voice a little, just enough to show that he had recognised the others' interest. "Actually, my Lord, I don't really think it is so much of a conflict. Yes, Draco Malfoy and a few of his friends don't get along with me and my friends. And after quidditch, the high spirits sometimes need an outlet. But apart from that, it is not conflict as such." He smiled. "I can't get into a conflict with people I don't know and meet only seldom. Of course, it is also difficult to find friends among people I talk little to. Last year, I started a study group."

Some of the guests made choking noises. "That was this little study group where you taught advanced battle magic, wasn't it?" Surprised, Harry looked at the speaker. "We studied defence against the dark arts, yes, my Lady."

A portly man interjected: "And you taught everyone a corporal patronus. Even the fourth years among them."

"Not everyone, but most..."

"I think you digress from your topic, Master Potter. Forgive Archibald." Harry looked closer. Yes, the distinguished gentleman was the "Archie" he had seen at the world cup wearing a dress.

"I apologize, Lord Greengrass. Now, we had students from three houses there, only Slytherin was missing. And we were very well able to work together. I like to think that I won many friends there."

"So why did you exclude Slytherin?"

Harry forced himself to smile. "Mostly because I was a moody teenager who had been told that all Slytherins are evil since the day I was reintroduced into our world, my Lord." He held up his hands for effect. Hey, this was actually fun! "To my defence, I was singled out by our teacher. And I didn't know whom to trust. In the end, we were not betrayed by a Slytherin, but by a Ravenclaw." Give them some show! He took off his glasses and shared a glance with the men around him. "Excluding Slytherin because of a few bad apples was a mistake, my Ladies and Lords. I don't think even I would have made this mistake if I had known then half of the things Ms. de Bokken has taught me over the summer." Most likely a lie. The Harry of last fall would not really have been ready for that. Still, it helped bring his point across. "This is why Ernestina and I have invited all students into our partnership program."

They obviously had heard about that. And about the letters that their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren had received. Had he really thought that that letter would escape scrutiny? "So what's the goal of that, Master Potter?"

Harry looked directly into the old man's eyes. "To show us that the others are people like us. That the purebloods are no bigoted inbreeds. That our culture is not a funny rip-off of old Jane Austen novels, but a complex and good way to live." He was not actually sure about that, but still. "And also that the muggleborns who don't even know how to address a member of the wizengamot are not primitives, but children who have left their parents for the first time and are thrown into a world they could not have imagined a few short weeks ago. Without any course teaching them." It was time to lay on even thicker. He thought for a second, grasping for the right words – they were at least as important as the things he had to say. "Their scientists have sent man to the moon and to the deepest deeps of the ocean. Our best have found the secret of eternal life, of transmutation and – well – magic." He bowed to Lord Greengrass. "I have digressed again, my Lord. But to answer the question: I would consider our idea a great success if next summer ten muggleborns will visit their pureblood friends for a week or two, maybe visit this ball or another without anyone pointing out their mistakes the way many of you most likely did with me. And if ten purebloods are brave enough to visit their friends' muggle homes, to use a London subway to visit the Science Museum and stare at the piece of moon rock they have there." Oops, maybe a bit thick there, he had to throw them another bone. "We should not become like the muggle. But there are too many of them for us to ignore. However we decide to confront their numbers and technology – we need to understand them. And the muggleborns can help us with that – while at the same time strengthen our world." Exhausted, he stopped.

For a moment, there was silence, then, two hands started to clap, slowly, but not quite ironically. It was Archibald. "And thus, with great humility, I accept the office as Minister of Magic. Well done, lad. Good speech." Another moment later, the private discussions had started again. Still, Harry felt that he had passed a test. With flying colours. While Harry caught his breath, Lord Greengrass carefully chimed his glass. "My friends, I believe we have been deprived of our partners' company for long enough now." Mr. Greengrass smiled at Harry and let him out. "You know that, Master Potter, but be sure: That was a good speech."

"Thank you, Sir."

Ernestina was waiting for Harry on the terrace, with Daphne and Astoria flanking her. Harry bowed to them again. "Would you like to dance or should we go for a little walk?"

Astoria giggled and was stopped by a sharp rap on the head from Daphne. "Did they eat you up?" Harry shook his head. "Actually, no. I think I did rather well. Who is that Lord Archibald?"

"Oh, you met uncle Archie. Lord Archibald Shortface, head of the Shortface family. Does he approve of you?"

"I think so."

"Good. He is mad, but he is very influential among the older gamots. He can be quite funny to be around. And if he likes you, he will help you. And we are going to the garden." Astoria and Daphne curtsied and left. Harry looked after them, surprised.

"Tonight, I take precedence. I am the princess, and if you did well, you are the prince tonight, Harry." She hooked her arm under his and gently forced him to lead her down the stairs and into the garden.

It was a beautiful night, not too hot anymore, but warm enough. The stars and the mostly full moon gave enough light to see, and Harry steered to the fountain. "I really love this place, do you know?"

She nodded and smiled at him. He reminded himself that he was a Gryffindor and turned directly to her, pulled her close and gently combed a strain of hair from her face. "You are beautiful, Ernie." Then, he leaned closer, and his lips met hers.

Kissing was so much better when the girl you kissed wasn't crying.

This was really something he could get used to.

Yes, definitely. And holding her was, too.

"Miss Ernie needs to go to bed now, she does." A shrill voice from much too close interrupted them. Reluctantly, Harry let go of Ernestina and turned to the house-elf. "What's the time?"

"Half past two, kissie-sir." It couldn't be, could it? "And your body-auror is waiting for you, too."

Harry sighed and turned back to his girlfriend. She was, wasn't she? What had Tonks said? Never stay in doubt and never leave her in doubt. "Ernie? Would you do me the honour to be my girlfriend?"

This earned him another kiss. "Certainly, kind sir."

With a goofy smile, Harry led her up to the house where her uncle was waiting for them. "Well, Master Potter?" Harry bowed. "Sir, with your permission, I would like to thank you for the invitation and to take leave of your wonderful niece for now."

"I will allow both, Master Potter. And I expect you to be here on Monday to start your internship with me. I think we will have much to discuss."

Harry decided to take this as a token of approval and bowed again. Then, he kissed Ernestina good bye and followed Tonks from the grounds.