It will perhaps pain you all to know that I've been working on this chapter since last I posted. I am wretched and humbly apologize (yet again!). My profile is a mess of apologies :/ Without further ado, I present to you, the long awaited chapter. And a very earnest thanks to each and every one of you who has continued to support me despite not having any evidence to prolong your faith. I appreciate it :)

Disclaimer! My hair is a very, very dark brown.

Before going to bed, Harry decided against going to the Weasleys again, wanting to avoid changing his sleeping pattern. Instead, he sent Hedwig with a note, shrouded in Elven magic to avoid detection, asking the Weasleys to send her back with a letter from Ron, asking his "new" friend to come stay, and one from Molly and Arthur, asking for permission from his parents. When he woke up the next morning, he readied himself for the day and went downstairs. Hedwig had as remarkable timing in this world as she had before, because no sooner had he seated himself at the breakfast table, then she flew in, two letters attached to her leg, hooting as Harry untied her burden and offered her a choice piece of bacon. Tearing eagerly into the letter addressed to him, he laid the other down beside him.

Reading the letter from Ron, he almost had to laugh. Ron was discovering the difficulty of acting an eleven year old, especially as he considered himself a full century and more older. Harry had to wonder how many pieces of parchment ended up incendio-ed before making the final cut. The final product read as this:

Hey Harry!

I had a blast meeting you last night! It's crazy that we've never met before, but I want to make up for lost time before we get to Hogwarts, y'know? You've got to come and play a game of Quidditch with us, and Mum seriously makes the best food! I know my house isn't anything special, but it's home, and Mum and Dad okayed you coming over. They've sent a letter to your parents, that's what the other one from us is about, and I know you were saying you'd like to come visit, so here's our chance! Man, I hope you get to come, the rest of the summer will be a bummer if I have to spend it with just the family. If your parents say you can come, just send your owl back and we'll be ready at the fireplace. Don't be late!

Your friend (soon to be best!),

Ron Weasley

P.S. My sister won't stop talking about you, I'll try to shut her up while you're here, but then again, that may not be necessary. Maybe she'll get so shy, she won't talk at all. Oh, Merlin, you've got to come now, Harry! I can't deal with this much female chatter; you've got to be here to make her stop!

Harry snickered at the slight dig towards Ginny. Probably she had been standing behind Ron as he wrote the letter, offering mostly unwanted input and thus the postscript. Harry was also reasonably sure that Ron had added that bit after his sister was distracted and then hurriedly sent it. The letter was more mature than the original eleven year old Ron would have written, but it seemed that Ron had decided to deal with that problem by applying enthusiasm.

As Harry read the letter from Ron, the rest of the family had come to breakfast and Harry quickly caught on to the fact that Alex would be flooing to the Longbottom estate soon after breakfast, where he would spend the next three nights. Hearing this, Harry assumed that his own visiting request would be met with equal acquiescence.

He waited until Alex had excitedly flooed off, and then approached his parents, letters in hand.

"Mum? Dad?" He was strangely nervous approaching them, but he quickly pushed the thought from his mind.

Lily turned to him, smiling as she did so.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"You know the Weasleys? The ones with the red hair at the party last night?"

"Yes, Harry, we know them. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just, their son Ron, he's my age you know, and we kind of hit it off and, well, here." Harry offered the letter from Molly and Arthur.

Forehead creased slightly, Lily took the letter, opening so that she and James could both read it. James acquired a bit of a frown while reading it.

Taking the letter from his wife, James spoke to Harry.

"Hmm, I don't know, son. We haven't spoken with the Weasley family very often in quite a while, and what with what happened last night, we didn't really get a chance to speak very much with them last night either."

Harry was shocked. Were they really about to refuse him after letting his brother (younger, he might add!) go traipsing off to the Longbottoms?

"But," he began quietly, "you let Alex go to his friend's house."

Lily felt that same sense of unease at the hurt she could see in her son's eyes.

"But we've known the Longbottoms for ages, Harry," she tried to reason. "We went to school with them and everything. Frank is an Auror with your dad and Sirius. It's just not the same as letting you go off with people we barely know as acquaintances."

"But you let them into your home," Harry argued, his mind already churning over the possibilities if his family refused him. "And Mr. Weasley loves muggles so you know he's not one of the bad guys."

"Harry," James began sternly, "it's our right as parents to protect you from what we see as potentially dangerous situations. You should know better than to argue with us, son, we have only your best interests at heart."

Harry looked at them both for a long moment and saw that nothing he could say would change their decision. Grimly, he turned his head and nodded before walking away, heading back to his room.

Locking the door firmly behind him, Harry pulled out his wand.

Calling forth Prongs, Harry just stood for a moment, basking in the love and warmth he felt in his Patronus' light. Raising a hand, Harry lifted it to the gently butting head of what he knew to be the representation of his father. Not the one downstairs, but the one that had died for him, given his life for him, and who was waiting patiently again in Death for him. Harry allowed this to calm the raging hurt and turmoil in him, before giving the glowing stag a message.

"Tell the Weasleys this: Night of full moon set. Love you, all of you."

Overtaken by calm, Harry began to plan methodically. What was the point of a century of experience if he didn't bother to put it to good use? Reminding himself of the larger picture and the fact that he did have a family that understood and cared for him, he set to packing.

He had just finished, deciding only to pull enough outfits for a few days, when his only knowing family member of this world bounced in.

"Harry!" He turned, unable to help grinning as his bouncing little sister jumped into his arms. She surveyed the bag on the bed with an expression beyond her years on her small face. She smiled and stroked his cheek with a soft hand. "You have to leave, don't you?"

His grin switched to a wry smile as he sat down on the edge, settling her on his lap.

"Well, there are things that I have to do. Things to keep people safe." He brushed back her hair, remembering all the children he'd done the same for in his first life. It filled him with an even stronger resolve. Her small face crumpled slightly as she sniffed.

"I'll miss you," she buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing just a little.

"Hey, now," he jostled her soothingly, "shhh… I'm not really leaving. I can come see you whenever I need to. And I'll be leaving an elf friend to take my place. You'll have fun with him, too. So much fun, I bet you'll forget all about me even!" He tickled her, forcing a giggle out of her. "See? Think of it as an adventure. It's not really any different than if I were already at Hogwarts, you know. And I'll make sure to come see you then, too."

She sniffed, rubbing her eyes in the manner of all children, before smiling up at him.

"You promise?"

He hugged her tightly.

"I promise. More than anything, I promise you."

He soon released her with orders to go get ready while he took care of his arrangements.

Recalling his first night as King, he called a young elven male to him that grew up in Potter Manor. In the space of but a breath, the young elf he knew was now called Talyn appeared before him.

"Majesty!" The elvish preteen prostrated at his feet. "It is a great honor to be called to your presence!"

Hastily pulling the boy to his feet, Harry spoke quickly, wishing to stem the hero worship he knew was forming.

"You have no need to stand on ceremony at this moment, Talyn. Should you accept this task from me, you will be performing a great favor for me."

The young elf's eyes grew wide.

"Your Majesty knows my name!" He stuttered into a bow again, only to be pulled upright by Harry again.

"Talyn, be still," Harry laughed, "I am your King, that's true, but I live and breathe as you. Unless we find ourselves at Court, you may use my name. Actually, I insist!" Harry became more serious as he continued, "Now, come sit with me, I have a proposition to make of you, if you would be willing."

Dealing quickly but not impatiently with his young subject, Harry apprised Talyn of the situation. At least, he told him that as King, his duties carried him to places that his parents could not yet know about, and, in order to avoid suspicion, he needed somebody to take his appearance around Potter Manor, that he not be missed.

Talyn, despite his initial excitability, was a quite capable and intelligent young man. Moreover, having been raised in Potter Manor, he knew exactly how the eldest Potter boy was treated, and knew, also, how to behave in a manner similar to Harry.

And since it was due to Harry that he could now grow up to a life of more than servitude, he was more than willing to serve his King in this manner.

It helped that he was closer to Acacia's age than Harry actually was; Harry wasn't entirely joking when he suggested that she might enjoy herself more with his replacement.

Plan ready to be fully executed, Harry was unsurprised to find his sister letting herself into his room. He'd wave it off as lucky timing, if he hadn't evidence of her special qualities already.

She looked a bit sad, even though she knew he would come spend time with her still, and hugged him as hard as she could before pulling back. She tugged him down until he knelt to her level again.

"You'll be safe." She kissed his forehead with childish enthusiasm. She then took his wrist very seriously, wrapping a unicorn hair thrice around it. Harry watched with awed curiosity as it glowed faintly before congealing into a thin, nearly invisible bracelet that he barely felt. She looked him in the eyes, lavender glowing into green. "Safety lies in family, and friends are family of the heart, if not of the blood." She blinked suddenly, glow all but extinguished as she grinned, a child once more. She hugged him again, chattering about things she was going to show Talyn while he was gone.

As he gathered his bag up, he said his final goodbyes to them, pleased to be leaving them in each other's company. Talyn was already wearing his face, excitedly planning a round of hide and seek in the house. Harry grinned in amusement as he waved, leaving with a silent snap of displacement.

It was with some relief he found himself once more in the Burrow. The tinges of disappointment and hurt left by his parents were soothed by the overwhelming feeling of love and warmth emanating from the Weasley residence. He had aimed for, and achieved, the field that made up most of the Burrow's outside, wishing to resolve his churning emotions before entering the humble abode. Feeling once more at peace, Harry entered.

He came upon a domestic scene that he had not had the living pleasure of viewing in well over a century. Knitting and humming along to the Wizarding Radio, Molly Weasley cast a loving eye over her full family every so often, and thus was the first to see him. Her exuberant welcome to her son returning home caught the attention of the twins in the corner strategizing with Charlie, of Bill conversing maturely with his little sister, of Arthur and Hermione's quiet discussion on merging muggle artifacts with magic, and disrupting the calm concentration of Ron and Percy's chess game.

As he greeted each and every one of his closest family, Arthur's steady hand came down on his shoulder.

"They denied our request, I see," his gaze was as steady as his hand, howbeit there was silent empathy in its depths. At Harry's downturned glance, he sighed. "I had worried of such; I had hoped the Potters of this world would match more the ones I've come to know and respect so greatly, rather than their past history in this world." He placed both hands steadily on Harry's shoulders, forcing the man-turned-boy to look up at him. "I know it hurts, son, but just remember that we're here for you no matter what, and you know that without a doubt your parents are looking down on all of this right now, wishing beyond measure they could comfort you in this time with all of their love."

It humbled Harry, these words of comfort from Arthur Weasley. For all that Arthur was a kind and fun-loving man, he so rarely bothered to speak his mind that when he did so, losing that earnest kindness and gaining instead a serious demeanor, one listened to him far more closely than one did to others given to weighing in indiscriminately.

"Harry?" Ginny's hand touched his right arm briefly, her brown eyes concerned. "What's happened?"

Harry smiled ruefully, forgoing the urge to cry in the face of the obvious care his chosen family showed.

"Ah," he shrugged it off, "nothing much. Mum and Dad just refused to give me permission to come here." He smiled somewhat painfully.

Molly's eyes crinkled in consideration.

"Perhaps if we extended the invitation to your brother as well? Surely it wouldn't be so difficult to keep him out of the loop," she offered, worried about her only son not of blood.

Even as the others voiced their agreement, Harry raised one hand and shook his head.

"I'm afraid not," he sighed heavily, taking the chance to sit in an armchair. "Meaning no disrespect to you, but Alex is spending the next few days with the Longbottoms." With this last, he bowed his head low over his bent knees.

Gasps of outrage met his ears, and various profanities were thrown around as the Weasley members registered the enormity of the Potter parents' actions.

"Maybe we should pay a little visit to Potter Manor, dear brother," Fred muttered darkly. "It would seem we have some business to attend to."

"I do think it's time we introduce this world to the pranking genius that created the most lucrative prank business of our time, you're right, brother," George mused thoughtfully. "I can definitely see a market for our rather special skill set."

This exchange lightened Harry's heart enough that he sat up straight and eyed them with wry amusement.

"I appreciate the offer, gentlemen," he began, only to be cut off by Fred.

"Oh, we weren't offering, dear little brother," he said with a smirk.

"We were plotting," George put forth.

"And Gred and I," Forge added.

"Always manage what we set out to do," they chorused together.

Grinning now, Harry just shook his head at them, aware that it was futile to try to talk them out of it. Instead he continued reassuring the family that he was really going to be just fine.

"Like I was saying," he side-eyed the twins for a moment, "I'm not really, truly all that bothered." At some of the looks and raised eyebrows he received, he amended his statement. "Ok, sure, I'm a little saddened by it, and it throws a bit of a wrench in our plans, but I've already dealt with that, and fine, maybe I'm a little upset that I can't even enjoy my second childhood with my siblings, but, no. I'm fine. All I have to do is remember who my parents really are, and who my family really is." He looked at the people he bore no blood relation to, but still considered his. "You guys. All of you are my family. And no parallel world will ever change that and nothing and no one can ever take that away from me." He had no idea that his eyes began to glow emerald bright. "You are mine, and I am yours, and that's how it will always be."

With the suddenness of a cannon going off, everyone in the room save Harry staggered. Though no actual sound occurred, the effect was as though one had. Rarely does one ever encounter a sound so strong that it leaves a physical impression, but odder still is it to encounter the aftermath of such a sound without the sound to actually back it up.

Hermione staggered upward with all of the grace of a drunken sailor, being one of the few to actually fall down amidst the magical pulse.

"What the bloody buggering hell was that about," she wheezed out, hanging on to a barely steadier Ron.

It is of some importance to note that Hermione Weasley has never been one much given to profanity. In fact, it is safe to say that should one hear such profane mutterings leaving the mouth of one such as she, then perhaps one should sit up and take heed, for, pardon the language, as they say, shit has surely hit the fan.

Well in this case, the fan had certainly taken a few blows; however, it would conspire to have a far more desirable outcome than the situation would normally warrant.

Harry, left somewhat confused but otherwise unaffected by the supernatural blowout, was staring at them all in something very akin to awe.

Looking at them, he had what he considered to be a fairly decent idea of what exactly had happened. For to look at them was to see that they had changed.

Changed into Elves. Elves of highest standing.

"That's what that bloody unicorn was alluding to!" Harry burst out as he charged to his feet. "Bloody hell!"

Harry began to laugh somewhat hysterically, overwhelmed by the feelings of joy and elation coursing through his veins. Seeing the Weasleys were still confused, Harry fought to calm himself to explain.

"Please," he started, "I hope you won't be upset, but it seems that my declaring you my family in such certain terms has indeed made you so. Not by blood, because nothing can change that, but of my heart and soul. You are my family on the most important level, that of love. And as the King of Elves, my declaration has made you as I am, Elven, and because I trust and love each and every one of you, you are, if I'm not mistaken, now a part of my Royal Council, my Inner Circle. You have power in my Kingdom, and the gifts that accompany my race." His joy was slowly abating, however, as a small frisson of fear entered his heart at the thought they might not appreciate him changing them so permanently without so much as a by-your-leave.

Seeing her son, now in spiritual truth as well, begin to doubt his place in their hearts, Molly, the consummate mother, pushed her way towards him and pulled him into her arms. Since he was only eleven in body, he was still shorter than her despite his Elven inheritance.

"Oh, child," she whispered to him, feeling him shake at the simple acceptance in her words, "you may not be of my body, but that makes you no less mine. Even before you married my daughter, I thought of you as one of my own. My love for you transcends this body. If Magic has made what love already deemed true a reality, never fear, my son; we will always be your family."

As she spoke, the rest of the family gathered around them in a group hug, murmuring similar words of love and acceptance. It was there in the nucleus of their love that Harry broke down and cried. At first tears of sadness that he could not have this with those of his blood, but then tears of joy that he had these people, this family, in his life.

The rest of the day was a blur as they prepared themselves for the evening ceremony set for the next day. Whereas originally the Weasley's had been uncertain of their involvement, the fact that they were now high ranking members of Harry's Inner Circle made their presence paramount. Not that any of them were complaining; indeed, all of them felt that much calmer about the proceedings because of it.

As the light of day began to fade, Dobbin appeared with a much appreciated gift. He brought beautiful and appropriate apparel for everyone to wear that night, a fact that brought the Weasley Matriarch to tears.

As she held on to her exquisitely wrought robes, gold designs embossed on white as an outer robe, the dress made to wear under it no less beautiful, though a plainer rich toned brown, with small touches of gold upon it, she couldn't stop thanking the King's Champion.

"Nonsense, Madam Weasley," Dobbin waved off her thanks and protestations. "You are my cousin's family, aren't you? And as some of his most trusted advisors, it is only right that you be provided with clothing fit for royalty." He smiled briefly. "It's what you are now, anyway."

Molly blushed, overwhelmed momentarily before setting aside her ceremonial garb carefully, a new and well known glint now in her eye.

"Well, it seems to me that that makes us family as well then!" And with an aggressiveness that belongs solely to motherly types everywhere, she took the now adopted and somewhat hapless elf with her, tones of imminent fattening coloring her every word.

The rest just looked at each other and laughed, also carefully putting away their special clothes before deciding to make the night merry in light of their growing family.

That decision was in fact a good one, in a way. As they were all elves now, it seemed that they suffered none of the normal hangover effects (and wasn't it actually rather odd, seeing apparent children drinking wine and firewhiskey?) at least, not from the alcohol of the world they lived in.

In any case, they all had a lovely, good time which put the night quite late, one might think early morning even, before they wandered off to sleep. In some cases pass out, but, that, I think, is neither here nor there at the moment.

Ah, where were we?

Oh, quite right; the late night put them at a fresh start sometime after noon the next day. Which was rather handy, if you care to think about it, as it left them with solely enough time to thoroughly prepare themselves for their evening jaunt before said evening was upon them.

As it turns out, it's a good thing they were so well-rested.

They apparated with just a bit of time to spare, unheeding of the Wizarding wards surrounding the mystic henge, landing instead dead center. Dobbin immediately led Harry to the center, so that he could be in place before others began to arrive, and the rest of the family broke up as they wandered around in awe of the magical gate.

"Well," Hermione said, peering curiously around the ancient monument. "It certainly is nice to have something of an explanation for this place, now."

"You mean you didn't know that Stonehenge was actually a gigantic ancient portal to another world?" Ginny asked. She placed her hand on her chest in faux shock. "I'm terribly disappointed in you, Hermione, I thought you were better than that. Just what were you doing with your whole life that you didn't stumble upon the truth. I tell you."

Hermione laughed and shoved the younger girl lightly.

"Just like you noticed your husband was an elf, right?" She retorted, winking at her past/future sister-in-law.

Percy sniffed disdainfully from behind them.

"I should hope both of you will apply yourselves more usefully in this world. That neither of you reached either conclusion without needing to be lead to it is troubling, to say the least." He sounded so serious that both girls gaped at him. His lips twitched minutely as he continued, "Perhaps this time around you will both pay more attention to what is so obviously right in front of you."

Catching on, Ginny punched him in the arm, taking care not to muss his clothing.

She scowled at him playfully, saying, "Nobody said you could have a sense of humor, Perce; it's detrimental to my health."

Fred and George weaseled their way in between the two, smirking as they did so.

"Isn't this precious, Fredge?"

"Family bonding? Of course, Gord! Why, my favorite bonding is at the expense of others."

"Indeed?" The newly appointed Gord responded. "Why how convenient; so is mine!"

"Just how many names are you two going to come up with anyway?" Ron asked, exasperated as he wandered back over to their group. "Never mind," he said, taking Hermione's hand and leading her purposely to where Harry and the others were congregated. "It's starting now, none of your foolishness while Harry plays with magic he's barely even heard of."

Harry's head snapped around quickly as he picked up that last. His vibrant green eyes narrowed briefly, before a mirthful expression crossed his face almost too fast to comprehend. Ron felt a momentary sense of doom, but he shook it off, much as a dog does excess water.

"Also," he continued as the rest arrived following him, "you do realize that those new nicknames just sound like a dodgy bit of fudge and a vegetable that nobody knows what to do with, right?"

If one goes by the expression on the twins faces from behind him, then whether or not they were previously aware of this, it goes without saying that they certainly didn't appreciate hearing it from him. Ron remained blissfully unaware of the danger he was incurring upon himself.

"Alright!" Dobbin called them to attention. "The ceremony is a relatively simple one, thankfully. If I could have all of you to stand in a semi-circle a few feet behind Harry, I will stand at his side as his Champion."

"It's larger than you'd think, just looking at pictures," Hermione admitted quietly as they moved into place. "You'd think with all of the stones in the middle, it'd be pretty hard to fit a lot of people in- wait a second, wasn't there a rock right here when we first arrived?"

Harry glanced back at her from where he was standing on top of a stone that appeared surprising well-placed. He looked a little sheepish.

"I may have done a little rearranging," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. At Hermione's instinctive look of scandalized horror, he rushed to reassure her. "I only put it back to where it was supposed to be! And it'll still look the same to outsiders."

As it was, their semi circle seemed to follow the path of the interior standing stones, creating something of an open space in front of Harry for which to pledge their fealty.

The moon was full and bright, and hung high above them now, signaling the beginning of the ceremony. As Dobbin had instructed them all the night before, it consisted solely of simple pledging in front of the King by members chosen to represent their race. The time and place were the trickiest part of the ceremony, and thankfully they had been closer to a full moon instead of on the tail end of one.

As though by magic (surprise!) the outside of the newly reinstated ring of stones was suddenly surrounded by shadowy figures and all of them had to steel themselves not to appear fidgety.

The ceremony began without pomp or fanfare, yet the Unicorn making its way through the stone archway directly opposite of Harry's position felt as importance laden as a bride making her way down a long awaited aisle.

It felt as though an eternity occurred before the selfsame Unicorn of the woods two nights before knelt before Harry, and in that moment, it was no longer a boy who stood before them, but a true King.

It is as I said the Unicorn's words resounded brightly, joyfully As the Ambassador of the Unicorn Race, I hereby pledge my fealty, my utmost loyalty and respect, to Harry James Potter, King of Elivynea.

There was a moment where nothing seemed to happen, but then Harry's eyes began once more to glow. He lifted his hand and reached out, placing it upon the Unicorn's shoulder.

"Arise, my friend," his smile was kind, "I, Harry James Potter, King of Elivynea, do hereby and forever after, recognize the Race of Unicorns as Friends and loyal members of the Kingdom, and, moreover, do hereby pledge to respect and honor in return."

The unicorn rose fluidly to his feet, and gently nudged the King's hand with his nose before turning gracefully around to return the way he had come. As he passed through his chosen archway, a subtle bell tone resonated, and the archway began to glow a soft white.

Ginny's eyes were wide with wonder, and from her vantage point she could see some of the others were in like condition.

The ceremony continued, after the Unicorn a Phoenix passed through the archway directly behind them, and it flew along the inner pathway between the inner and outer rings once before making its way along the path to Harry.

Its pledge of fealty was the same as the Unicorn's, only sung in beautiful and unmatched song that despite its lack of words fully conveyed its meaning.

The shocking part was when Harry responded in kind. Once the Phoenix returned through its own archway, it also began to glow, and another, different note of beauty sounding.

And so it continued. Following the Phoenix, was the Goblin ruler, coming from the direct left. Offering up his mighty axe, a symbol of his people's submission, Harry's response was to return it with the message to use it well.

A myriad of magical creatures came and went, some upholding the pledge for many a kind, and some coming for a race of just a few. After the last had come and gone, the ring of Stonehenge mimicked the beauty of the full moon and the time had come for Harry to play his final party trick.

"My friends," he called out, voice ringing easily to each ear, "though it has been a millennia since the realm of Elivynea was last opened, let tonight bring forth a new, and better era, as we return the balance of magic and open the Gateway again!" As he spoke there was a sense of gathering power, the quiet before the storm. "Let it be known that though the gateway may once more be open, until it is deemed safe, none without my express permission may pass from that realm to this one. Though freely may pass the denizens of this world, until fealty is sworn by those of Elivynea proper, only those bound by loyalty to me may travel between the realms. So mote it be."

With his final command all of the differing notes of the archways began to play, creating a mass melody that ended with the roaring applause of all in attendance. The glow of the outer ring pulsed once at the melody's peak and at its end withdrew to settle with all of its brilliance within the inner archway before which Harry stood.

With the ceremony at its end, everyone gathered together in an impromptu party, mingling with each other in ways they hadn't felt comfortable doing in ages. The gathering was full of joy and mirth, all convinced of better days to come.

Harry was just ending a conversation with the very intriguing Sphinx that, unbeknownst to her, had, in another lifetime and another world, stood between him and an accursed trophy. He found it great fun to hold a secret that not even she could possess. She was one of many that he had spoken with personally already, some of whom had merely accompanied their chosen ambassador, and he was just thinking that he would need to find something to wet his dry throat when he froze.

Before him stood Remus Lupin, and, somewhat unbelievably, Tonks. They drew closer to him, their eyes bright with both joy and mischief.

"Harry, my boy," Remus said quietly, glancing around. He pulled the seemingly young boy close and they led him to point outside the stones devoid of other celebrants. In a state of shock, Harry allowed them to do so, having not anticipated someone not of his world but known to him to find out his royal status. Make that two someones. Oh, dear. Family dinner was going to be so awkward next time around.

"So," Remus said, clapping Harry on the shoulder, "it wasn't enough for you to be the Boy-Who-Lived-to-Defeat-Voldemort, eh? You just had to top that one with King of Elivynea, didn't you?"

Taken aback, Harry stared uncomprehendingly at the smirking couple.

"You never know," Tonks joked with Remus, "next world he goes off to save, he'll be Galactic Emperor or some such nonsense." She winked slyly at Harry. "Now, Harry, what have you to say for yourself?"

Some force of excitement and exuberant joy began to bubble up inside the boy, causing him to vibrate with the knowledge implicit in their teasing repartee.

"You-I-how," Harry was at a loss for words so he chose action in their place. He surged forward, catching them both slightly unawares, but happy for it, and the three hugged as though their lives depended on it.

My beta was half asleep when she read through it, but I wanted to get it posted. 'Night y'all!