Chapter Text
Harry takes a deep breath and gets to his feet. He thinks about his love for Hermione and casts his Patronus.
Prongs stands before him shimmering with magic.
“Go to Hermione,” Harry says. “Tell her I have the foal and its mother. I’ll lead them back to the temple to join the others.”
Prongs canters away.
Suddenly, a low part of the hedge starts to burn…
Harry hurries to place himself between the hedge and the unicorns. He raises his wand and stands ready.
A part of the hedge disappears and…
Harry’s heart pounds in his chest…
James steps through.
Harry bends over double to catch his breath.
James’ gaze sweeps over everything. “We’re good!” He steps forward and Sirius steps through the opening.
They walk over, glancing warily at the unicorns.
Harry straightens. “Hermione? Lily?”
“Hermione took Bill back with Lily,” James says. “She said they needed to see if Sara was being kept hostage in the castle somehow since someone had impersonated her in the search. Lily took a glancing blow which broke her arm, Hermione has some bruises from diving into a bush, but if you check through the family magic, you’ll find that they’re both well.”
Harry remembers with chagrin that he could have checked in on all of them with the family magic.
Sirius nods. “James managed to blast one of them. Whoever it is will only have one arm now.”
James shrugs as Harry looks over at him. “I’ve learned not to take chances.”
“One of them was determined to cut you in ribbons,” Sirius comments.
“Did I thank you for knocking him out yet?” asks James with a grin.
Harry rolls his eyes at their antics. He can see the beginning, he realises – he can see the seeds of the friendship that would lead them into calling each other brothers.
“We need to get these unicorns back to the temple,” Harry says. “The mare managed to fatally wound Riddle’s body when I had him distracted, it disintegrated.”
“His soul survived though?” Sirius asks.
“It formed up into this black cloud thing and went into the witch who was helping him,” Harry grimaces with renewed disgust, “the one wearing Sara’s face.”
“It’s likely that she is the anchor then,” James murmurs. He pushes a hand through his already dishevelled hair.
Harry nods. “We’ll have to go on foot to the temple.”
He reaches for his miniaturised trunk, enlarges it and dives into it for supplies. He hands both James and Sirius fresh water bottles and refills his own. They take a few spare potions before he closes the trunk up. He retrieves his broom, miniaturises it and the trunk. The latter goes back around his neck, and the former he puts again in his outer robe pocket.
Harry approaches the foal and mare with caution and bows to the mother. “Will you follow us back to the temple, my friend?”
She tosses her head and snorts. She sets off, the foal following her.
“I guess she wants to lead,” James says cheerfully.
Sirius looks at Harry. “We’ll make better time if we can canter with her. Do you want a ride?”
“I can get back on my broom…”
Sirius shifts. A huge black stag looks back at Harry and very pointedly turns his head to look at his own back before returning his silver gaze to Harry once more.
“Come on,” James tugs him around Sirius’ body. He helps give him a boost so that Harry can ride the stag.
Harry grimaces. It’s not the most comfortable position but he knows Sirius is right. They’ll make better time with him riding.
James shifts and a wondrous white stag stands next to them.
They hurry after the unicorns.
It’s not that far to one of the magical doors to the temple’s grounds, Harry realises.
There was no one single path, no single entrance. There were doors and paths to the temple left all over the lands once known as Albion if someone knew what to seek.
The unicorns had simply made for the entrance nearest to them.
There was a portal under the Lake near to the merfolk. Another at Stonehenge hidden in the standing stones. A plain wooden door in the derelict ruins of an old fort in Wales. A cave on the Cornish coast. A fairy hill in Northumberland.
Doors all over because the temple was built with the magic of the Fae and has never existed in the world of humanity.
Harry notes that they’ve started travelling uphill and leans forward to balance his weight better. They’re making good time, traversing a good distance of the Forest, moving further and further away from Hogwarts.
He estimates that he’s been riding for almost thirty minutes when they weave through a tightly packed section of trees and come out at a beautiful glen bordered by a steep hill with a waterfall running down its grey rocky side and forming a meandering stream.
Harry figures the water probably runs down to the Black Lake.
The unicorn mare steps into the gently running water and turns towards the hill, her foal follows her.
They pause and watch as both unicorns walk under the waterfall spray and disappear into the hillside.
Harry slides from Sirius’ back and stands by the stream.
A moment later, the white and black stags are once again in their wizard forms. They all look apprehensive.
Harry steps into the stream. Sirius and James follow him as they walk slowly towards the waterfall.
He steels himself for getting drenched and feels Sirius cast a spell to keep them dry a moment before the water is due to hit them.
He walks through the spray and closing his eyes he steps into the rocky side of the hill…
…and out into a peaceful, but wild and overrun garden.
The unicorns are nowhere in sight.
The Temple of Avalon is just ahead of them, a white castle with four towers that reminds Harry of drawings in old storybooks. His breath catches in his throat.
James stands beside him as they look up at the castle walls with its old-fashioned turrets ideal for archers. “Wow.”
“It’s stunning,” Sirius agrees.
Harry feels the family magic vibrate a little and he knows his family is ahead already in the castle. Hermione and Lily feel very distant, and the predominant emotion he senses from both is determination.
They head into the castle.
The castle gate leads them into a small courtyard. The fountains still work, a soothing tinkling flow of water into deep basins in each quadrant. They make their way into the great hall at the end of the courtyard.
Charlus, Arcturus and Dorea stand by the thin tall windows talking quietly. They turn as Harry enters, closely followed by Sirius and James, and their faces break into three different expressions of pleased relief.
Within moments they all find themselves being hugged tightly.
Harry steps back from Charlus and finds himself tugged into another hug with Dorea. When she finally lets him go, Arcturus pulls him in for a brief time.
“Where’s Reg?” asks Sirius.
“Your sister went to explore,” Arcturus says sombrely. “I left her in the Lady’s solar.” He points to the door to the left. “Through that way and down to the far tower. She’s in the basement there.”
There is a strange note to his voice and Harry wonders at it. He sees Sirius do the same because he hesitates.
Sirius finally nods and heads off.
“How did it go?” asks Dorea, her gaze darting to the door as though expecting to see Hermione and Lily.
Harry briefly explains what happened. He’s just finishing when there is a sound by the courtyard door and they all turn in unison to see Hermione and Lily entering.
Harry immediately crosses to his wife. He hugs her close and eases back to cup her face in both hands and kiss her gently.
Hermione looks fine except for a bruise and scrape across her right temple. He places a gentle kiss on the injury.
“You took a bit of a knock,” Harry murmurs.
“I fell on my head,” Hermione says sheepishly. “I need to learn to dive better.” She looks over him critically. “You seem remarkably fine.”
Harry shrugs. “Riddle did a disappearing act but he doesn’t have a body thanks to being impaled on a unicorn.”
“You sound very gleeful about that,” Hermione says, amused.
“How did you get here so quickly?” asks Harry.
“Your wife brought us through the Room of Requirement,” Lily explains.
Harry steps back from Hermione and warmly hugs Lily. She looks tired and grim.
“There was a witch wearing Sara’s face torturing the foal,” Harry says bluntly. “Did you manage to find Sara?”
Hermione shakes her head. “I don’t think it was Polyjuice like Moody,” she says, “I think it was witchcraft of some kind.”
“Sorcery,” Lily says. “Filius says there are a few Egyptian practices that might account for it. He says the Pharoahs used to steal faces from others so they could appear young.”
Harry grimaces. “I take it you reported it to the Aurors.”
“Moody sent Pettigrew out with another couple of Aurors to search Sara’s home flat,” Hermione says. “Maybe they’ll be able to track her down.”
Harry thinks it’s more likely that they’ll never find a body. He feels helpless but there is little he can add to the Auror search.
“Dumbledore arrived back with Snape just before we left,” Hermione says in a clipped tone. “Apparently they picked up Bill’s dropped tie and it portkeyed them into some kind of locked trap where they had to puzzle their way out.”
“All of the party?” asks Charlus, his eyebrows raised. “That seems unlikely.”
“The Aurors with them were left behind,” Hermione says.
Lily nods. “They got stuck in some kind of quicksand.”
“How are the two students?” asks Dorea.
“Bill’s bruised. He says he was briefly knocked out and when he came to, Malfoy was gone and he was tied up and locked in the cage,” Hermione says. “Molly and Arthur were with him when we left.”
“And the Malfoy boy?” asks Charlus.
“Gaius Malfoy was making arrangements to transport Malfoy’s statue home for healing,” Lily says. “He’s going to buy a potion abroad rather than wait for Snape to create it at Hogwarts. He basically said he’ll be sending Sylvestre to Durmstrang for the rest of the year.”
“I can’t blame him for that,” Dorea says. “I might have threatened the same if James had been abducted from the safety of the school during a detention.”
“Stupid thing to give them a detention in Hoggle Forest!” Charlus says. “We always had detentions in the castle. Only the Professors went anywhere near the forest, and then it was usually for potion ingredients.”
Dorea nods and pats his arm consolingly.
Harry notices how Arcturus is staring back towards the door where Sirius had gone. “Is everything alright, Arcturus?”
Arcturus startles as though surprised by Harry realising something is amiss, only for a note of chagrin to ping down their family bond.
Arcturus pinches his nose. “I fear our want to protect the temple has gotten more complicated.”
“What do you mean?” asks Charlus.
Dorea looks at Arcturus with understanding. “This is to do with Regina’s discussion with Mab during the ritual, isn’t it, Arcturus?”
Arcturus sighs. “Follow me.”
They all exchange a concerned glance before hurrying after Arcturus as he strides away, through the door he had directed Sirius towards.
The stone corridor leads to a small room with shelves of books and furniture covered with dustsheets.
Hermione gasps. Harry takes her hand and tugs her away. He has a feeling he’d lose her for days if they stopped. A quick look behind him reveals James doing the same with Lily.
“Later, dear,” Dorea says to Charlus.
They take the next door and move into a stone corridor. There is a beautiful mural on the inner wall depicting scenes of magical creatures in between windows out to the courtyard. To their right, there are occasional doors which likely lead to rooms with hidden treasures.
They ignore all of them as Arcturus continues down the corridor. He opens the end door which leads to the tower and ushers them into the small hallway. A stone staircase is hewn along the wall, spiralling upwards and down.
Arcturus leads them down the stairs and they enter a large circular basement room.
Harry’s attention is immediately arrested by the flowing fountain of magic in the centre of the space, a real sword held in the stone statue of a standing Arthur, his stone hands clasping the pommel of the sword as he had done when he had appeared during Harry’s Wizengamot visit. Gold magic runs rivulets down the stone and disappears into the golden pool of magic in the basin.
This must be the doorway, Harry realises; the anchor of the in-between and Camelot’s sleep; the magic that will one day return their King.
The family magic swells with worry and Harry’s head snaps away from the sight of Excalibur to the far side of the room.
Sirius and Regina are there, hugging tightly, their eyes closed and heads bowed into one another’s shoulders.
Harry can feel their bubbling emotions in the family magic and he shields himself tighter against the raging grief in Sirius and the grim determination in Regina.
He shifts his gaze away from the siblings and looks around the room.
Most of the furnishings still have their dust coverings, but a large white wooden desk sits on the left. There is a closed door in the same wood beyond it.
Shelves fill the right wall in a half-arc, filled with books and tomes, scrolls and parchments.
Arcturus coughs deliberately to get the attention of his grandchildren.
Sirius looks up and blinks. “Grandfather.” He glances around and registers them all. He keeps hold of Regina as they turn to face them, his arm around her back.
Harry can see Regina’s upset in her red eyes and tear-streaked face.
“Arcturus says there’s a complication,” Charlus states briskly.
Sirius nods. “Reg?”
She straightens in her brother’s hold. “A Fidelius won’t work. The temple sits in a magical space where the borders transcend the land. We won’t be able to set the runes properly.”
Dorea nods and breathes out sharply at the news. “I thought as much.”
“Me too,” Hermione says with a sigh. “But the truth is that the only protection the temple has had is gone. Riddle knows that the centaurs can help him find paths here.”
“It’s a miracle that wizarding kind hasn’t stumbled into the temple through one of the doors left behind before,” Lily says.
Regina swipes at her face and shakes her head. “During the ritual, I spoke with Mab, she explained the protections. This is Fae land, neither of the world nor apart from it. It cannot be hidden by the spell of a wizard, only of the Fae. Vivien cast the spell to hide the temple from wizarding kind including a kind of notice-me-not on the doors should they come across them. We were exempted when Merlin cast for us to have the knowledge.”
“You’re descended from Mab,” Lily states, wide-eyed.
“My Grandmother’s maternal line descends from the Fae,” Regina agrees. “I can cast a new protection but it will take another coven ritual.” She takes a trembling breath.
“And what about this upsets you so?” asks Dorea gently.
Regina bites her lip.
“The only way to ensure the safety of the temple is to close the doors or to prevent any magical being from finding them,” Hermione reasons out loud. “Either will take a great deal of power.”
“And it will need an anchor to stay stable, ideally within the temple,” Lily says softly. “Vivien stayed here until she passed.”
Harry swallows hard as he realises what that means: Regina will stay within the temple, within this land of the Fae.
He can see the grief already lining Arcturus’ and Sirius’ faces. Regina will not die, but she will be gone from them.
“Mab believes it best to close the doors,” Regina says. “One will remain open, the one which was always hidden from all magical kind beyond the Fae and their Priestesses.” She gestures to the white wooden door behind the desk. “Beyond it is the bottom of Black Lake.”
The Lady of the Lake, Harry muses. It explains the stories of how Vivien would appear, rising up from under the water.
Hermione clears her throat. “What about leaving all but two doors? The door to the Lake and another?”
“It creates a risk of Riddle finding it,” Regina says. “We cannot take the chance. Only we know the Lake door now and only I can pass through it.”
“Then we do this,” Sirius says roughly, “but we look for other ways that allow us to visit, or you to leave for periods of time to visit us.”
“Or a different way to protect the temple,” Hermione says firmly. “This is not the end of it.”
They all add their agreement and Regina nods, but he can tell she’s not confident of their future success.
“We should prepare for the ritual,” Regina says. “I want to do it at soon in the sun.”
“Won’t it wait a week?” asks Sirius. “You could come back and say your goodbyes? You’ll need your things and…”
“I already packed and I have left letters from my friends saying I am going abroad on an adventure and will be out of contact,” Regina says gently, taking his hand in hers. “I knew before we came what I would need to do.” She cups her brother’s cheek and wipes away the tear that slides down his face. “I have always known my destiny is to live beneath the water.”
Sirius pulls her into another embrace and Arcturus moves to join them, his arms encircling both his grandchildren.
Harry slides an arm around Hermione who swipes tears away from her own face.
For a long moment, the Blacks simply hold each other.
Finally, Arcturus moves back. His eyes are bright and shimmer with tears but he straightens his shoulders. “Let me try something. Mogby to me!”
A female house elf pops into the room and looks around wild-eyed, her ears waggling furiously. “Fae-land!” She whispers.
Regina looks as though she’s about to protest, but Arcturus holds up a hand. “Mogby, I would like to request that you stay here with Regina and attend her. It is a request only, but know that if you accept, she will hold your bond and become your witch. You will live here in the land of the Fae with her.”
Mogby looks to Regina who smiles gently. “Only if you wish Mogby.”
“I wills stay,” Mogby holds out her hand to Regina who grasps it gently. There is a flash of magic between them.
Harry lets a small sigh of relief escape him. Regina will have company and companionship. The house elves. Their popping magic may also still work regardless of the protection, Harry muses. It will help them communicate with her if that is so. They can send parchments back and forth – or mirrors. Maybe the Mischief Makers enchanted communication mirrors the same way his Marauders had done.
Regina smiles brightly, her eyes still damp. “Let’s prepare.”
It feels like it takes no time at all for them to learn the ritual, before they all troop back out of the castle and through the gardens into a wild meadow beyond.
Harry’s eyes widen at the sight of the unicorn herd, peacefully grazing. There are so many of them. Overhead, there is a cry of a hawk and he finds one circling in the blue cloudless sky.
Regina leads them into the centre of the meadow where the green grass is spotted with white and yellow daises under their bare feet.
Mogby has already taken their shoes and socks to the Room of Requirement – Regina will hold that door open long enough for them to leave.
Harry takes place in the circle. Instead of them each holding candles, they all join hands together – nine of them instead of seven as Arcturus and Charlus will be part of the ritual.
“I call upon the ancient magic of Avalon to hear this plea,” Regina begins, “your people call you to service.”
The rustle of the wind through the grass disappears.
“We protect this land,” Regina continues strongly. “I, Priestess of Avalon, daughter of Mab call upon the ancient magic and our own in this ritual to hide the temple; to hide Avalon; we hide all doors but mine, hide and keep hidden this secret within mine own magic, protect all within the temple and its lands. I command it as the new Queen of the Fae!”
Harry feels his magic rising to meet the call, it shimmers on his skin.
Yet…it will not be enough, it will not be enough to do what needs to be done, and…
Suddenly the unicorns move, they race towards them like a whirlwind…
“Stay in the circle!” Regina calls out before any of them can move to counter the unicorns.
Harry watches wild-eyed as the unicorns slow and surround them, pen them in.
And Harry suddenly feels a horn touching his joined hands on either side. He turns his head and sees a unicorn bowing its head at every joined hand so that their horns are placed on top. Beyond them, every unicorn touches another – joined together.
Their pure magic races through the circle like a lightning storm and…
Suddenly there is a boom like thunder and…
It is done.
Harry can feel it down to his soul.
The doors are closed.
Regina takes another breath. “The ancient magic of Avalon has answered our call. Our friends have answered our call. Our own magic has answered our call. We thank magic. We thank our circle and leave it unbroken.”
There is a rush of warm magic around the circle and it ripples out across the unicorn herd.
Regina breathes in and turns to the large stallion beside her. “My thanks, Friend.”
The stallion steps away and leads the unicorns away.
Regina looks first to Sirius and then to Arcturus beside her. She lets go of their hands gently. She waves her hand behind her and a Hogwarts door appears.
“This will lead you back to the Room of the Requirement, but we must hurry,” Regina says, smiling sadly.
She steps to the side.
The rest of them carefully untangle their hands although Harry keeps hold of Hermione’s and he sees James keep hold of Lily’s.
Charlus and Dorea go through the door first, hugging Regina on their way. James and Lily follow.
Hermione and Harry let go of each other’s hand and hug Regina to them together.
“We’ll work this our end and you do the same here,” Hermione says. “There has to be another way.”
“Or we’ll make it safe for you to reopen the doors,” Harry says.
“Take care of each other,” Regina says, tearfully. “Take care of Sirius for me.”
“We will,” they say in unison.
They step away and cast one last look behind them before walking through the open door and into the warmth of the Room of the Requirement.
It’s set up as a simple space – an empty stone room lit with wall sconces either side. Their shoes are all lined up on the right wall.
Charlus and Dorea are in conjured chairs, tying the laces on their boots. James and Lily are pulling on their footwear on the floor.
Harry heads over with Hermione to retrieve their shoes. He’s done pushing his feet into his boots when Arcturus and Sirius step through the door and it immediately disappears behind them.
Arcturus places a hand on Sirius’ shoulder.
Harry moves to comfort them and Hermione follows. Their four-way hug lasts a while and when they emerge from it, the Potters are already gone from the room along with Lily.
“Come,” Arcturus says gruffly. “We shall need to armour ourselves for questions and discussions.”
They leave the room.
“You should both head to the infirmary to get checked out from your battles,” Arcturus says, waving a hand between Sirius and Harry. “I have to return home and ensure Regina’s letters are sent and that everything is taken care of so as to not draw attention.”
Sirius nods. “Grandfather.”
“We will prevail, Sirius,” Arcturus says, “and we will be with her again one day, I am certain of it.”
Sirius nods briskly.
Hermione takes Harry’s hand and he squeezes it comfortingly.
Arcturus walks away towards the main staircase and the front entrance. Harry nudges Sirius and the three of them walk to the infirmary.
Their examination is brief.
Ariana is apparently with Bertie’s statue, and it is Poppy who sees to them. She declares them bruised and magically spent. She orders rest and gives them salve before sending them on their way.
They step out of the main doors and almost bump into Remus Lupin.
“Baron Blackthorn, Lord and Lady Peverell,” he stutters. “My apologies.”
“Lupin,” Sirius nods and darts away before anything more can be said.
“It’s good to see you back from abroad,” Harry says diplomatically to ease the awkwardness of the moment. “James will be pleased to see you.”
Remus flushes red. “Yes, I…I’ll be pleased to see him too.” His fingers play nervously with his frayed tie.
“Are you here to see Bertie?” asks Hermione politely.
“I am,” Remus says hurriedly. “Peter contacted me and told me what had happened. A Medusa curse?”
Hermione nods. “I’m certain he’ll be back to normal soon. The Headmaster has asked Severus to make the counter-potion.”
Remus flinches a touch. “Right, Severus.”
“Well, we won’t keep you,” Harry says, desperate to escape the conversation. He nods and offers Hermione his arm.
She takes it and with a nod of her own at Remus, they walk away from the werewolf.
A quick look over his shoulder confirms that he went into the infirmary as soon as they left him.
They’re quiet on the way back to their quarters, tired and heartsore from Regina’s fate. It feels unfair.
The whole day feels like a dream.
The communal quarters are empty and they head to their own suite. A hot shower and some food, Harry thinks. He has no doubt that they’ll be called upon soon enough to debrief with the Council.
He’s almost right.
Just after dinner a house elf pops by and informs them that there is an impromptu staff meeting.
Sirius and Lily are waiting for them by the door and the four of them walk wearily to the staff room.
Harry takes his seat with subdued greetings to the others. The injured Stabling is missing along with Sara. Glass sits huddled in a thick woollen shawl. Locke sits, arms folded, and with a belligerent expression on his face. Filius, Pomona, Horace, and Minerva all wear sombre expressions. Wilde is back from his own family business and sits quietly. Argus Filch lurks at the back wall along with Severus.
Dumbledore sweeps in with a man following in his wake.
Harry looks over the newcomer. Harry doesn’t know who he is, but there is something familiar about him, something in the line of his jaw and the shape of his nose. His black hair is trimmed very short to his head, and he is clean shaven.
“Good, we’re all here,” Dumbledore says briskly. He stands at the head of the table. “Firstly, thank you to all of you for your efforts today in either keeping the castle and students safe, or in searching for our missing students.”
Harry rubs his chin thoughtfully.
“The boys were abducted by a new group of dark wizards, hoping to distract the Aurors from a crime,” Dumbledore explains. “We recovered both boys who were thankfully not harmed permanently or gravely. Still, Mister Malfoy has been removed from the school by his father and will no longer attend. Mister Weasley has been treated and is back in Gryffindor tower.”
Hermione sighs beside him.
“During the search, it was revealed that a witch has been impersonating Sara Wood,” Dumbledore presses his lips together. “Based on the evidence the Aurors uncovered, it would appear that she was replaced before she arrived here. I have turned over all the belongings she had in her quarters to the Aurors.”
Harry exchanges a quick look with Hermione. Neither of them is surprised given their own knowledge, but they can see a ripple of startled faces around the table in some of the other Professors.
“Fortunately, my nephew has recently arrived back from his travels abroad and will be able to step into the position of the Astronomy Professor,” Dumbledore continues. “Let me introduce you to him: Aurelius Dumbledore.”
The man stands and bows his head. He looks up with dark eyes to survey them all as they utter hasty greetings and welcomes.
“Thank you,” Aurelius says with a smile that has the hair on the back of Harry’s neck rising. “I look forward to getting to know you all.” His gaze meets Harry’s briefly before he sits back down.
There is little more to the staff meeting. Dumbledore announces that the Hoggle Forest is now forbidden to students and detentions will only be held in the castle.
It feels a little like shutting the door once the horse has bolted and Harry pays little attention to it.
He leaves with the others as they all filter back to their personal quarters. Sirius excuses him, still heart-torn from earlier events and Lily says a quiet goodnight.
Hermione and Harry head into their own bedroom without discussion.
Harry sits on the end of the bed. Hermione sits beside him and rests her head on his shoulder as their hands tangle together.
“Had you ever heard of Dumbledore having a nephew before?” asks Harry.
Hermione hums. “There was an allusion to it in one of Rita’s interviews about her biography of Dumbledore back on our world. She said that there were rumours of Aberforth having an illegitimate child that he gave up, only the child ended up in the service of Grindelwald.”
“I think he’s trouble,” Harry admits.
“Me too,” Hermione agrees. She sighs. “Today doesn’t feel like a win, does it?”
Harry shakes his head. He drops a kiss on the top of her head and she shifts to look at him.
“Riddle’s a wraith, the unicorns are safe,” Harry says. “We have time to figure out how to defeat him.”
“Time to figure out how to defeat this Evil we’re meant to battle,” Hermione adds. “Time to figure out how we can make sure Regina isn’t trapped in the temple for the rest of her life.”
Harry kisses her and for a long moment they lose themselves to feeling their love and affection, to their friendship, to knowing they’ve both made it through alive.
Hermione eases back and rests her head back on his shoulder. Harry breathes in the scent of her, lets her weight against him comfort him.
Soon, Harry thinks, they’ll go to bed and sleep. Tomorrow, they’ll get up and be teachers. They’ll comfort Sirius. They’ll plan their next step in fighting Riddle, and fighting Evil.
But for this moment, Harry muses wearily, for this night he’ll be with Hermione and hold her; they’ll be together and simply be.
fin.