Albus Potter and the Pureblood's Secret

Albus Potter and the Pureblood’s Secret

1. Results

What Albus enjoyed the most about summer was how easy it was to let his worries slip out of his mind and focus on having fun. When his days were filled with playing Quidditch with his cousins, arguing with James over England’s chances against Italy in the upcoming match, and eating his grandmother’s delicious cooking there wasn’t room in his head for thoughts of O.W.L. results, Stuart Boone’s incarceration in Azkaban, or who would replace Professor Young as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. But as the second week in July arrived with a heat wave the likes of which England hadn’t seen in years, worries of his O.W.L. results slowly crept back into Albus’s mind.

Rose wasn’t very helpful with this matter. Albus, James, and Lily Flooed to Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione’s countryside house nearly everyday since the country was slightly cooler than London. As he lay with Rose in the meadow behind their house, Albus wondered if it would’ve been better to stay in sweltering Grimmauld Place and blissfully ignore his impending exam results than enjoy the slight breeze at Rose’s house while listening to her incessant chatter about how she thought she missed a question on Charms and whether that would hurt her chances of an Outstanding.

“I mean, I realize I’ll get into the N.E.W.T. class regardless, but future employers will look at my O.W.L. results and what if they don’t want someone who’s gotten an Exceeds Expectations?” Rose said as she sat up in the grass.

“Rose,” Albus said for the fifth time, “I’m positive you got an Outstanding. And even if you got an Exceeds Expectations, no one is going to not hire you because of that. Can you give it a rest already?”

“I can’t!” Rose exclaimed. “How can you be so calm about it?”

“I’m not calm. I was, up until two days ago when you started going on about it, but before that I’d managed to forget about it. Worrying about it isn’t going to change a thing. We already took the exams.”

“I know,” Rose said ruefully.

“Can we talk about something else?” Albus asked as he watched a spider crawl over his trainer. “James had a huge row with my parents the other night.”

“What was it about this time?”

James rowing with their parents had become a weekly occurrence ever since he, Albus, and Lily had returned home from Hogwarts in June. The rows were always about similar topics- James’s marks, James’s future, and occasionally his maturity level when it came to his relationships with girls.

“Mum wants James to spend time at the Ministry this summer learning about different careers,” Albus explained. “She came up with the idea last week and Dad thinks its a good idea.”

“Let me guess, James said absolutely not?” Rose said.

Albus nodded. “Dad said it would be a waste of the resources available to him not to take advantage of the family connections. James then called him a hypocrite because of how much Dad disapproves of the Ministry. Mum then tried to keep the peace and told James there are plenty of departments in the Ministry that aren’t as political and that the Minister has nothing to do with. She suggested the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad or the Department of Magical Games and Sports.”

“He wouldn’t even go for that? But he loves Quidditch.”

“He loves to play Quidditch,” Albus corrected. “He couldn’t care less about everything else that has to do with it.”

“I kind of agree with your parents,” Rose said quietly. “He’s going to have nothing to do next year if he doesn’t get recruited by a team, and that’ll only happen if one of the teams needs a Seeker. He’s not good at the other positions. It’s going to be Georgia all over again, only worse because Georgia actually got recruited.”

“He doesn’t want to work for the Ministry,” Albus continued. “He said he’s not Dad’s mini-me and he doesn’t want to follow in the family footsteps and be the hero. Then he brought me into it by saying I’m the one who’s the hero and they need to accept that we’re two different people and that James isn’t the perfect kid and won’t ever be.”

“Wow,” Rose said, letting out a low whistle. “No wonder he looked so pissed off today.”

When Albus, James, and Lily had arrived early that afternoon, James took off for the woods and hadn’t been back since. He hadn’t said anything to Rose or Hugo.

“What did your parents say about the hero thing?” Rose asked.

“They told him not to bring me into it, that it wasn’t about me,” Albus said. At that point, Albus had seriously reconsidered whether he wanted to keep eavesdropping. He didn’t want James to bring him into the fight; it made him feel extremely awkward. He couldn’t help that he’d inherited his father’s “saving people thing” just like James couldn’t help that he hadn’t.

“Then they brought his O.W.L. results into it,” Albus continued. “And he started yelling about how he wasn’t the smart one and they needed to accept it. Then Mum said he was smart, if he’d only applied himself, and he could still do well on his N.E.W.T.s. Then James stormed out. To be honest, I think he’s only going back to Hogwarts because of the Quidditch scouts that will be there at the end of the year.”

“Wow,” Rose said. “Has he spoken to them since?”

“Since last night? No. They both leave for work before any of us get up. I doubt anything will happen tonight. Mum might bring it up again in a week, or bring up something else. I suppose if I fail any O.W.L.s my parents will be too distracted to yell at me for it.”

“I suppose that’s one way to look at it.”

Albus didn’t say anything in response, but instead stared up into the sky. The sun was out and there was very little cloud cover, which only added to the heat. Albus hadn’t mentioned it to Rose, but he felt very unsettled by the falling out between his parents and James. When it had happened between Uncle Percy and Georgia, Albus had been enough of an outsider that he’d been able to side solely with Georgia and just feel anger toward Uncle Percy. But Albus couldn’t pick between James and his parents. They’d always been such a close family, their biggest rows the result of someone not picking up their room or James and Albus playing a prank on Lily. And those never lasted more than a day. Albus didn’t like the tension, and he doubted it would lessen up anytime soon.

Lily, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be affected by the rowing. She never eavesdropped, and if she overheard the shouting from her room (where she spent most of her time), she never mentioned it. She was wrapped up in her own world and Albus was frankly jealous about how she managed to do it. As much as he wanted to forget the rowing, he couldn’t. He was also curious about what Lily did while cooped up her room. She only emerged to send owls and ask Mum if she could Floo Ashtyn, which she did on a near nightly basis. While at Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione’s, she went off with Hugo, leaving Albus and Rose to themselves. Albus was perfectly happy with that.

“I have something that will take your mind off James,” Rose said, suddenly looking excited. “Unless you already know. I’m not exactly sure when Teddy was planning on telling you…but anyway, he and Victoire have set a date for their wedding!”

Albus sat up. “No, he hasn’t mentioned anything. When?”

“Christmas,” Rose said, sighing happily. “Exactly a year after Teddy proposed. How romantic is that? Victoire Flooed this morning to tell us.”

“Teddy probably Flooed my house this morning, then. I slept until noon.”

“You’re as bad as Matt,” Rose said. “I don’t know how you can sleep that late. Speaking of Matt, have you heard from him at all?”

“He owled last week to tell me he was going to Australia for two weeks,” Albus said, “and that the full moon is on the 24th. But I invited him to come stay with me after that’s over. Hopefully James and my parents won’t be rowing still. The complete silence between them is better than that.”

“You can always come stay here instead,” Rose said, looking off into the distance. “Are John and Kaden-“

Albus turned to Rose, who had suddenly stopped talking. “Are John and Kaden what?”

Rose didn’t respond. She was staring at the sky, at a small dot drew closer, growing larger until it took the form of a bird. An owl. Rose stood up and pointed at it. “A-Albus?” she said, her voice shaking.

“Is that-“

“An owl,” Rose whispered. “It’s my results. It’s got to be!”

“It might not be-“

“It is! I owled Professor Kendrick and asked when they would arrive and he said today!”

“You what?” Albus exclaimed.

“I didn’t want to be caught off guard! And here they are. This is it, Albus. This is it.”

The owl landed on the ground in front of Rose and she untied the envelope from the owl’s leg. It flew off immediately. Rose slowly opened the envelope while Albus peered over her shoulder. Suddenly Rose stood up, holding the letter against her chest.

“What is it?” Albus asked, standing up as well.

“I- I don’t want you to look,” Rose said nervously. “In case they’re awful.”

Albus laughed. “You’re joking, right?”

Rose shook her head and hurried to the house. “I’ll be right back!” she shouted.

Albus stared at the house, even after Rose disappeared into it. If Rose failed any of her O.W.L.s the rest of them didn’t stand a chance. They might as well just drop out.

Rose returned minutes later, running with her bright red hair flying behind her and her letter clasped in her hand. Once she got within a few yards of Albus he noticed the huge grin on her face. He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and reached for Rose’s results.

“All Outstandings, right?” Albus asked as he unfolded the letter.

“Not all,” Rose said, her face falling just a little.

Albus read the letter.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results - Rose E. Weasley

Ancient Runes - O
Arithmancy - E
Astronomy - E
Charms - O
Defense Against the Dark Arts - O
Herbology - O
History of Magic - O
Muggle Studies - O
Potions - O
Transfiguration - O

“That’s nearly all Outstandings!” Albus exclaimed, giving Rose back her results. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Rose said, blushing. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, though. They also sent a letter asking us to pick our classes for next year and recommend taking no more than six, and we aren’t allowed to do more than seven. I don’t know what to pick.”

“Drop Muggle Studies and History of Magic,” Albus said. “History of Magic is dead boring and you can learn about Muggles from Grandpa or your mum.”

“They don’t offer a N.E.W.T. in Muggle Studies,” Rose explained. “But that still leaves me with two I have to drop. I don’t really want to drop History of Magic, but I don’t know if they’ll hold the class. They haven’t had it in years because no one ever wants to take it.”

Albus laughed. “Can’t imagine why.”

“Never mind that now. We have to Floo your house and get your results.”

Albus felt his eyes grow large. He’d gotten so wrapped up in Rose’s results he’d nearly forgotten about his own. “But-“ he began, grappling for any reason why they should stay at Rose’s, and forget Albus’s results.

“No excuses,” Rose said, grabbing Albus’s arm and pulling him toward the house. “Let’s go.”

After locating Lily and Hugo and telling them where they were going, Albus and Rose Flooed to Grimmauld Place, Albus more reluctantly than Rose.

The house was completely silent, since both of Albus’s parents were at work, and stiflingly hot. It felt at least ten degrees hotter in London than it did at Rose’s house. One of the windows in the drawing room had been left open in an unsuccessful attempt at keeping the place a little cooler, although it had allowed an owl to drop Albus’s O.W.L. results directly into the house. The letter sat on an armchair beneath the window, the owl long gone.

Albus stared at the envelope for nearly five minutes before picking it up, and Rose made no attempt to rush him, her academic obsessiveness for once a welcomed relief. She understood completely, without Albus ever having to say a word. When he felt ready, Albus picked up the envelope, carefully broke its seal, and slid out the parchment. There were three sheets. The first explained what the results meant (what each letter meant, what marks allowed you to continue in the class, and instructions to pick classes for next year), the second was the form to fill out to pick classes for September, and the third was the results. Albus only briefly glanced at the first two, before moving onto his results.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results - Albus S. Potter

Ancient Runes - A
Astronomy - A
Care of Magical Creatures - O
Charms - E
Defense Against the Dark Arts - O
Herbology - E
History of Magic - P
Potions - E
Transfiguration - E

Albus breathed a sigh of relief and handed the results sheet to Rose. “Only failed History of Magic.”

Rose frowned and handed Albus back the results. “Are you happy?”

Albus nodded, and it was the truth. He didn’t care about History of Magic and he would be able to move on in all the classes in which he needed a N.E.W.T. And he got two Outstandings! That was two more than he had been expecting.

“I’ll take Defense, Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Herbology, and maybe Care of Magical Creatures. That’ll be plenty. I don’t need Astronomy or Ancient Runes.”

“Good,” Rose said. “I wish Matt was home. I hope he did all right on his exams. Last year was so stressful.”

“He probably won’t get his results until he’s back from Australia. Unless Kendrick knew he was going and sent them there.”

“This year ought to be better for him. No life changing exams,” Rose said.

“We could Floo John,” Albus suggested. “See how he did.”

Rose groaned. “I’m not sure I want to know. But yes, let’s.”

***

John’s house was in an utter state of chaos when Albus and Rose arrived a few minutes later. The living room was filled with kids running all over the place, tripping over toys they’d neglected to clean up. At least two of them were screaming. John’s mother had a crying baby in her arms and another woman, who must’ve been one of John’s aunts, swore loudly as she stubbed her toe on a My Little Hippogriff stable. Neither of them seemed to notice Albus and Rose’s entrance.

Albus exchanged a look with Rose and the two of them edged along the wall until they reached the kitchen, which was only a few decibels quieter. Gemma and Amelia sat at the kitchen table, seemingly oblivious to the chaos in the next room. Gemma had a wand sitting in front of her and the table was smoking slightly.

“Want to see the spell I learned?” Gemma asked, picking up the wand. “I just got my wand yesterday.”

Albus eyed the table. “No. We’re just here to see John.”

“And you’re not supposed to use magic outside school,” Rose added as she walked over to the sink and retrieved a glass of water. She took it to the table and doused the smoke.

“Hey!” Gemma exclaimed. “That was my fire!”

“Clean up the water,” Rose added, tossing a towel onto the table. “Where’s John.”

“His room,” Amelia said. “He got his O.W.L. results and hasn’t emerged since. I bet he did really awful.”

Albus and Rose descended the stairs into John’s basement bedroom and Albus knocked on the door.

“Go away, Gemma!” John shouted.

“It’s not Gemma,” Albus said.

The door opened, revealing John, who seemed to have shot up another inch or two in the past month. If he was surprised to see Albus and Rose, he didn’t show it. Instead, he stood aside and then shut the door after they entered.

“You know your sister’s upstairs trying to set fire to the kitchen table,” Rose said.

“I know. She’s done it twice already. Mum’s going to take away her wand if she does it again.”

“Your mum is a little distracted,” Albus said. “I think your cousins are plotting mutiny in the living room.”

John smirked. “Mum and Aunt Jodie are watching all the cousins today. All of them except Isabelle and Alyssa, that is. Aunt Pam took Isabelle and Alyssa to Diagon Alley. So that leaves the other eight. Plus Gemma and Amelia, who are old enough to help, but they don’t.”

“You could help, too,” Rose pointed out.

“I was,” John muttered, his face stony. “Until this arrived.” He grabbed a piece of parchment off his desk and gave it to Albus. “Which is probably why you’re here.”

Albus nodded and took the letter. He reached into his pocket and handed John his own results. Rose did the same.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results - John M. Brickston

Astronomy - A
Care of Magical Creatures - E
Charms - E
Defense Against the Dark Arts - E
Divination - D
Herbology - E
History of Magic - D
Potions - A
Transfiguration - E

“Hey, these aren’t bad!” Albus said.

John grinned. “I know. I got you, didn’t I?”

“That isn’t funny, John,” Rose said, glaring at him. “But I’m glad you did well. Really, I am.”

“Mum’s happy,” John said. “I think Dad will be, too. I can keep five classes.”

“Rose doesn’t know which classes to drop,” Albus commented.

John laughed. “Of course.”

“Shut up,” Rose muttered.

“John Brickston, get up here now!” Mrs. Brickston shouted.

“I’d better go. It’s never good when Mum shouts like that,” John said.

John took the stairs two at a time while Albus and Rose tentatively followed. When they got to the kitchen they found Gemma and Amelia, but instead of sitting around a table, they were sitting around a pile of ash. John’s mother, who stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, looked as angry as a nesting dragon who’s just had her eggs disturbed. She wordlessly handed John the screaming baby and turned to Albus and Rose.

“I didn’t know you two were here. Very nice to see you again, but you’ll need to get going. I’m about to yell at my daughter and I’m sure you’d rather not witness it.”

Albus and Rose didn’t need to be told twice.

***

“Oh, Albus, these marks are wonderful!” Mum exclaimed at dinner that night. “Eight O.W.L.s!”

“She’s right, Al,” Dad said in between bites. “We couldn’t be prouder.”

“Thanks,” Albus said, feeling his cheeks redden. He didn’t want to admit it, but he liked being the center of his parents’ attention, when it was for a good reason.

“The Department of Mysteries will have to take you,” Mum continued. “Won’t they, Harry?”

“It’s not a guarantee, but this will certainly help,” Dad said. “You’ll be into the Auror Department easily if you keep this up, though.”

Albus grinned. He knew his admittance to the Department of Mysteries depended on a lot more than his O.W.L.s, but his dream never felt as close as it did now.

“It’s not as many as Rose,” Lily commented. “She got ten.”

“Eight is still pretty damn good,” Dad said.

“Watch your mouth, Harry,” Mum said, but she was grinning. “Al wasn’t even taking ten classes. He couldn’t have gotten ten.”

“Well, I’m going to get nine,” Lily said haughtily. “And I’ll certainly beat James because he-“

Lily cut herself off upon seeing the stern gaze on Dad’s face. The table grew quiet, the only noise the clinking of silverware. It was amazing how quickly the mood could turn with just the mere mention of James. Albus could kill Lily for bringing him up and ruining his celebratory dinner. But then again, the celebration had seemed forced, almost fake, from the start. James’s empty place at the table a constant reminder of the tension from the past month.

James hadn’t returned from the forest behind Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione’s house. Albus and Lily had waited an hour for him before returning home before dinner, but he never showed. When they arrived home they found their parents in the drawing room, their mother silently crying. Their father held a letter, hastily scrawled on a ripped piece of parchment. It was from James, a note informing their parents he’d be staying with Teddy for a while. It offered no explanation, but Albus had a feeling James wandered the forest all day, before Apparating to Teddy’s Diagon Alley flat above Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and asking Teddy if he could stay. Teddy, of course, let him.

Albus successfully ended his mother’s tears when he presented his O.W.L. results and Dad announced they’d cook Albus’s favorite dinner (roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and broccoli), but the underlying tension remained. No one knew when James would return, and Albus had a feeling their parents were kicking themselves, wondering if perhaps they’d pushed James too far the previous night.

2.

“It just doesn’t sit right with me, Al,” Rose said as they sat in the meadow watching Hugo and Lily tossing a Quaffle around while flying through the tree tops. “It’s been four days.”

“Dad said he needs space,” Albus explained. “Mum wanted to rush over there the next day, but Dad wouldn’t let her. He said James needs time to think and he’ll come back when he’s ready.”

“That’s what my dad said, too,” Rose said, sighing.

In the four days since James escaped to Teddy’s flat, every single one of the aunts and uncles, plus Nana and Grandpa had shown up at Grimmauld Place, armed with food and advice for Albus’s parents. The advice ran the gamut of extremes, from Nana Molly’s instructions to Apparate to Teddy’s place and drag James home to Uncle Percy’s instructions to ignore it until James sees reason. Uncle Charlie’s advice to give James space made the most sense, and it was the only advice Dad would listen to. But whatever the advice, James’s running away remained the talk of the family, obscuring Victoire and Teddy’s wedding talk, Samantha and Lindy’s upcoming first year of Hogwarts talk, and even talk of Bradley eschewing the many Ministry internships Uncle Percy secured for him in order to work for Uncle George.

Albus eavesdropped on all the conversations, his parents either not caring if he overheard or simply forgetting to put charms on the kitchen door. He became increasingly unsettled with each conversation, until they culminated in the worst one the previous night, which took place between Uncle Percy, Mum, and Dad. Albus could still hear his uncle’s exact words, and remembering them brought back the ill feeling in Albus’s stomach.

”Even if James doesn’t come around, remember you’ve still got Al. With his O.W.L. marks, he’ll go far.”

Albus knew his uncle hadn’t meant for the statement to come out the way it did, but it had, and the awkward silence that followed was worse than any of the arguments his parents had had with other members of the family over this. Uncle Percy then cleared his throat, most likely realizing he’d put his foot in his mouth, muttered good night, and left.

It had been a compliment to Al, but he hadn’t taken it that way. He knew he’d done better than James on his exams, but that wasn’t anything new. He’d always been the better student. But Albus knew academic success wasn’t everything, and he thought Uncle Percy knew that, too. Even Aunt Hermione knew that.

Albus interpreted his uncle’s statement as even if James turned out a disappointment, Albus wouldn’t, and that would make up for it. But James wasn’t a disappointment, and this one road block wouldn’t mean he’d turn out to be one. Albus knew James and their parents would work this out. Plus, Albus didn’t want the pressure of being the “successful child.” Success didn’t mean the same thing for everyone. James could turn out to be a successful Quidditch player, just like Albus could turn out to be a successful Unspeakable.

He hadn’t told Rose what Uncle Percy said, and wasn’t sure he’d ever tell anyone. Certainly not James.

“But James isn’t angry with us,” Rose pointed out. “Maybe we could go see him, at Teddy’s.”

“And do what?”

“I don’t know. Talk to him? Help him to understand what your parents are trying to do? I don’t think they want him to give up the Quidditch dream, do they?”

“No, of course not,” Albus said. “How could they, when Mum played Quidditch professionally?”

“Good point,” Rose said. “Can we go see him? What do you think?”

Albus wasn’t sure. He knew Rose would want to talk to James and also knew James wouldn’t want to talk. Then again, it could help if James knew he wasn’t alone in this, if they tried to explain what Mum and Dad were getting at.

“I guess,” Albus said. “Just us, though. Lily and Hugo can stay here.” Without a doubt, Lily would say something tactless, like she had at dinner the night James left.

They decided to Floo to the Leaky Cauldron and walk to Teddy’s rather than Floo directly, seeing as they were turning up unannounced. The pub was packed and Albus nearly trod on someone’s foot when he stepped out of the fire.

“Hogwarts letters must’ve gone out recently,” Rose said as she stepped out behind Albus.

Albus nodded. “Gemma had her wand the other day, so they must’ve.”

Rose snorted. “Now she won’t have it until she goes to Hogwarts.”

“Can’t blame her mum for that,” Albus said. “That reminds me, we’re taking Kaden, Bethany, and their parents to get Bethany’s Hogwarts stuff this Saturday, if you want to go.”

“Sure,” Rose said. “Maybe our book lists will arrive by then.”

Once they were outside it was much less congested. It wasn’t a long walk to Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, which was nearly as crowded as the Leaky Cauldron. Albus spied Bradley at the register, ringing up a line that snaked throughout the store.

“Let’s not walk through the store,” Rose said as she bypassed the main entrance and opened the door next to it, which housed a staircase that led directly to the flat above the shop.

The flat above Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes had gone through several occupants since Fred and George bought the premises their seventh year of Hogwarts. The twins themselves lived there for two years, then Uncle George by himself, then he and Aunt Alicia until they had Fred Jr, then a variety of other tenants, until the last one moved out two months after Teddy started his Auror training. Teddy leapt at the opportunity to rent a flat for cheap in London. His grandmother missed him terribly, but he still went round her house at least three times a week for dinner.

It was spacious enough for one or two people, with one decent sized bedroom and one not much bigger than a closet. The kitchen was small, but the living room was large and provided a nice view of Diagon Alley.

Rose knocked three times on the door and Albus hoped James would answer. A few seconds later the door opened, revealing James dressed in an old Puddlemere T-shirt and a pair of Gryffindor boxers. His hair was more disheveled than normal and he had the faintest trace of stubble on his face.

“You’re not the takeaway I ordered,” James muttered. He turned around and walked back inside, but left the door open for Albus and Rose to follow.

Albus shut the door after them and followed James and Rose into the living room, where James flopped onto the couch, where he’d clearly been sleeping.

“Did Mum send you?” James asked.

“No,” Albus said. “We just thought we’d come visit…see how you were.”

“I’m fine,” James muttered.

There was a knock on the door and James got up. When he came back he had a bag of Chinese takeaway, which he opened on the coffee table and began to eat, right out of the cardboard containers.

Albus and Rose exchanged a glance. Rose looked distinctly uncomfortable, probably because she liked it when people talked to her and confided their problems in her. She was used to that with Matt, but James wasn’t the type of person to spill his guts. Neither was Matt, for that matter, but somehow Rose (and eventually Albus) managed to get him to open up.

“They’re just concerned about you, you know,” Rose said quietly.

“They’ve got a funny way of showing it,” James said in between bites. “It’s like Uncle Percy and Georgia.”

Rose raised her eyebrows. “Seriously, James? Did you just compare Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny to Uncle Percy? Georgia signed with a Quidditch team. She was recruited, and had a legitimate job with them. You? You haven’t been recruited anywhere and still have a year at Hogwarts left. Uncle Percy wasn’t supportive of a job Georgia already had. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny are supportive of your dream, but they’re trying to get you to explore other options. It’s not the same.”

“It is, Rose,” James said, his voice rising.

Rose let out a short laugh. “Even Georgia agrees it isn’t.”

“You talked to Georgia?”

Rose nodded. “She came round my house last night. She said she’s going to come by and see you tonight. Maybe you’ll listen to her.”

“Maybe if she sees things my way, I will. It’s just stupid…no one batted an eyebrow when Teddy wanted to become a Quidditch player and then took a year off when he didn’t get recruited. No one said a word to him before his seventh year about it.”

“Then he became an Auror,” Albus pointed out.

“Because he took the classes he needed,” Rose added. “He didn’t drop everything after fifth year like you did. He kept his options open. And trust me, his grandmother wasn’t pleased when he took that year off.”

“But Dad didn’t care,” James muttered.

“Because Teddy isn’t his son!” Rose said exasperatedly. “And his parents are dead, so he gets a bit of a pass when it comes to things like this.”

“He and Dad have a weird sort of bond when it comes to that,” Albus said. “Look, James, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but Mum and Dad are on your side. Can you honestly think they aren’t when Mum played Quidditch?”

“Which is why I thought they would’ve been supportive,” James said. “Is me getting recruited that big of a stretch? Even Teddy says I’m good. And Georgia got recruited.”

“Keepers have to be good to get recruited, but Seekers have to be nearly impossibly brilliant,” Albus said. “You know that. Teddy’s the best Seeker Hogwarts has seen in years, but still no one recruited him. Teams don’t take on new Seekers very often, and Seekers tend to retire long after the other positions, so they aren’t needed as often. It’s not just about skill.”

“I know that,” James snapped. “You think I don’t know that? That’s why I’m going to train harder than ever before. The whole team is.” He reached over and picked a piece of parchment up off the end table. He handed it to Albus. “I got captain, by the way.”

Albus scanned the letter. “James, that’s fantastic! You need to tell Mum and Dad.”

“Not until they apologize,” James said. “Teddy said I could stay as long as I want. I could stay until I go back to Hogwarts.”

“They’re waiting for you,” Albus said quietly. “They’re giving you space. You need to come home on your own.”

“I’ll think about it.” James tossed the empty container of takeaway onto the table and grabbed the next one.

Rose reached over and grabbed it out of his hands. “You think this is going to help your Quidditch career? Do you realize how unhealthy this stuff is?”

James sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Of course I am,” Rose said as she grabbed a set of chopsticks out of the bag and started to eat James’s General Tso’s chicken.

“So you’re going to eat it?” James asked.

Rose shrugged. “I don’t play Quidditch.”

Albus laughed, still slightly shocked Rose had managed to get James to open up. He hadn’t said much, but he’d said enough. Rose was still two years away from finishing Hogwarts, but she was well on her way to making a good psychiatrist.

***

Albus decided not to tell his parents he and Rose talked to James. He didn’t want to become the go-between for them, especially when the whole thing had been Rose’s idea to begin with. Instead, as soon as he heard the front door open, he hurried upstairs to his room and took a leaf out of Lily’s book by spending the evening away from everyone else. When he got there, he saw an unfamiliar grey owl outside his window and hurried to let it in. Albus didn’t think he’d ever seen a similar owl before.

The owl unceremoniously dropped its letter on Albus’s desk and left immediately, hooting indignantly. Confused, Albus hurried to his desk and grabbed the letter. He ripped it open, curiosity overcoming him, only to find it was from Matt. Albus flopped onto his bed to read it, realizing Matt probably couldn’t have used his own owl, seeing as he was in Australia.

Dear Albus,

I hope your summer is more exciting than mine. I’ve
been in Australia for a week (but by the time you get
this it’ll probably be a week and a half) and I’m already
bored. Dad has spent all his time owling the Ministry
and doing as much work as he can from so far away and
Amy’s been revising for her upcoming intern exams. If
she passes them in September, she’ll become a resident.
Mum’s been spending all her time with Richard and Cinda,
but they never do anything exciting. I don’t even have any
homework to do, since we haven’t picked our N.E.W.T.
subjects yet.

Speaking of that, did you get your O.W.L. results? Mine
will be there when I get back, although I’m not sure I
want to see them. All I want is to pass at least five with
an E or higher, so I can do at least five N.E.W.T.s.

Mostly I’m writing to see if you’ve overheard anything
funny from your parents. Dad’s been swamped with work,
so much so that he’s thinking of leaving Australia a week
early. Amy’s going with him because she thinks Australia
is too distracting from her revising. I don’t know all the
details, but I think it has something to do with Stuart
Boone.

I’m hoping Mum won’t mind if I go home with Dad
instead of staying here another week. Would it be
awful of me to claim I’m feeling worse than usual and
want to be home? Probably, but I might do it anyway.
It’s dead boring here.

I should be well enough to come visit by the 27th. I’m
sending Rose an owl as well to see if her mum is still
willing to teach me occlumency. My healers and my
parents think it’s a good idea. I’ll owl you again once
I’m home.

Your friend,
Matt

P.S. The owl is Greater Sooty Owl, native to Eastern
Australia. I had to go to the post office to send this,
and the owl probably wasn’t happy about having to
fly this far.

That’s why Albus hadn’t recognized the owl. The poor owl was probably more than ready to get back home, although it at least was used to the unseasonably warm weather.

What was going on with Stuart Boone? Albus thought as he located parchment and a quill to write back to Matt. Ordinarily Albus’s parents probably would be discussing whatever was going on at the Ministry, but they’d been preoccupied with James.

Albus detailed the James situation to Matt and told him he’d heard nothing about Stuart Boone. He sent the letter off with his owl, but instructed him not to go to Australia, but instead just to leave the letter at Matt’s house. It wasn’t urgent, and Matt would probably be home soon, if his dad decided to leave early.

Albus didn’t leave his room until around seven, when his mother called him down for dinner. His growling stomach was the only thing that made him leave, since he still didn’t relish listening to his parents scrutinize James and his decision to stay with Teddy. Still, there was always a chance they’d exhausted the topic of James and would move onto Stuart Boone.

When Albus neared the stairs to the kitchen he heard whispers, so instead of thundering down the stairs as he usually did, he crept slowly, taking care to avoid the two creaky stairs.

“I wanted to tell all three of them together,” Dad said. “But I can’t hold off any longer. The department deserves to know.”

“Well, we don’t know when James is coming back, do we?” Mom replied. “And it’s not the sort of thing he should hear second hand.”

“No, that wouldn’t be fair,” Dad agreed.

“I’m honestly surprised you’ve kept it to yourself this long. Who have you told again?”

“Just you, Ron, Hermione, and Fabius Kendrick, of course. The more people I tell the more chances it’ll leak out, and the last thing I want is it splayed over the front page of the Prophet before it’s even official.”

“Right. I don’t want that, either.”

“If we don’t hear from James by Saturday I’m going to pay him a visit when we’re there with Dudley, Christina, and the kids. I’ll tell him then. I can’t wait any longer.’

“You ought to tell Teddy then, too. You know he’d feel betrayed if you let him find out from the official announcement.”

“I hadn’t even thought of that.”

“Good thing you’ve got me,” Mum said. “And what about Al and Lily?”

“Saturday night. I’ll tell them Saturday night, right after James.”

The whispering ceased and Albus heard silverware clattering on the table. What were they talking about? What news could his dad have shared with Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron, Mum, and Professor Kendrick of all people? And it had something to do with ‘the department,’ which Albus suspected meant the Auror Department, but he wasn’t positive.

“What are you doing, Al?”

Albus turned around and saw Lily behind him, her eyebrows raised. He supposed he looked rather odd crouched in the middle of the staircase.

“Nothing,” he muttered, not wanting to explain what he overheard to Lily. She’d find out soon enough.

“Then can you move?” she asked.

Albus stood up and continued down the stairs, Lily following. By the time they reached the table it was set, and there was a big cauldron of stew in the middle, along with a fresh loaf of bread. His parents still weren’t saying anything, and Albus thought they looked a little more worried than usual, but he had no way of knowing if that was because of James or what he’d just overheard.

“Your book lists arrived today,” Mum said as Dad ladled stew. She handed one to Lily, one to Albus, and set the third one aside, after sighing and shaking her head.

Albus opened his letter and tossed aside the parchment that told him what time the train left, as that never changed, and looked at the book list.

“I need new books for everything,” he said, glancing down the list.

“I expected that, seeing as you’re a N.E.W.T. student now,” Mum said. “We can get everything on Saturday when we meet the Dursleys.”

Dad smirked and snorted into his stew. “Dudley said Marge canceled her yearly visit when she found out Bethany got a Hogwarts letter. Rescheduled it for October, when both kids will be in school.”

Albus laughed. “Bet Kaden was happy.”

“Dudley said he danced around the living room until Christina told him to stop being obnoxious. Bethany is very pleased, though. She’s counting down the days until the train leaves.”

“She’ll fit right in. And the twins are starting this year so she won’t be alone. We should invite her along with Kaden to the family dinner in August. She can meet Samantha and Lindy,” Mum said.

“Good idea,” Dad said.

“Ashtyn’s little sister is starting this year, too,” Lily added. “Dad, if James doesn’t come back, can I have his room?”

Albus groaned inwardly. Leave it to Lily to turn an almost-normal dinner conversation into something awkward.

Mum and Dad exchanged glances and Dad set his spoon down. “James is coming back,” he said quietly. “He just needs some time.”

“But it’s been almost a week,” Lily said. “And his room is better than mine. It’s stupid for him to have it if he’s not even here.”

“Lily,” Dad said. “You cannot have James’s room. It’s his. And he will come back.”

“Are you going to drag him home when we go to Diagon Alley on Saturday?”

Mum and Dad exchanged another glance and Albus looked at them nervously. He hoped that wouldn’t happen when Dad told James whatever he needed to tell him. Forcing James to come back home wouldn’t solve anything. Besides, James was of age. No one could force him to do anything.

“No, Lily,” Dad said quietly.

“But Dad-“

“This conversation is over,” Dad said, raising his voice. He turned to Mum. “Ginny, pass the salt, please?”

“But-“

“Lily, enough,” Mum said.

“The salt, Ginny?”

Mum passed Dad the salt and everyone went back to eating. Even Lily seemed to understand that she needed to shut up. The only noise was cutlery on bowls. Albus stirred his stew, but he wasn’t hungry anymore.

3. Big News

Albus awoke the next morning to the sound of his mother’s muffled sobs. Groaning as he rose out of bed, he wondered what James could’ve possibly done now. Announced he was quitting Hogwarts to join the circus? Jumped on the next plane to America? Anything seemed possible at this point. Albus quickly threw on t-shirt and a pair of trousers on over his pajamas and hurried downstairs to see what was going on. He glanced at the clock in the hall and was horrified to see it was only eight in the morning. Whatever was going on, it better be worth only getting six hours sleep.

Lily’s door was still shut tightly and no sound was coming from inside, so Albus assumed whatever had happened had nothing to do with her. Albus was slightly jealous she was sleeping through it, and had a fleeting thought to wake her up, but then thought against it. He didn’t need to start his sixth year with Lily pissed off at him.

The sobbing grew louder as Albus reached the drawing room, and he also noticed his father’s whispers. Even more curious, Albus hurried to the room, and his jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw his mother’s arms wrapped around James, who didn’t seem to know what to do. The whole scene was rather funny, when Albus looked at it objectively from the doorway. James, a full head taller than Mum, awkwardly patting her on the back while she sobbed into his shoulder. Dad stood a foot away, trying to get Mum to let go of James.

“Er, James,” Albus said tentatively as he walked in. “You’re back.”

Mum finally let go of James and wiped her eyes. James turned to Albus and shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face.

“I’m back,” he said.

“And you’ve…made up?” Albus asked, feeling incredibly awkward. Maybe he should’ve stayed in bed.

Mum embraced James again. “Of course we’ve made up,” she said. “It never happened, as far as I’m concerned.”

Albus turned to Dad, who simply shrugged. Clearly he didn’t want to get involved when it came to Mum’s emotions about James’s return.

“Oh, James…James,” Mum said.

“Mum,” James said, pulling away until Mum finally let go.

Dad checked his watch. “I’ve got to get to work, but James? Make sure you’re home for dinner tonight. You too, Al. I’ve got something to discuss with all of you. Lily, too.”

“Aw, Dad, I’ve only just returned-“

“This isn’t about you,” Dad said quietly, giving Mum a significant look. “But don’t worry, we’ll get back to your future soon. I’ll let the Ministry internships go if you can come up with a decent back-up plan to Quidditch.”

James groaned. “Fine. I’ll be here for dinner. Have fun at work.” With a loud crack, James Disapparated.

“I’d actually begun to miss that,” Mum said ruefully. “But now that he’s back, not so much.”

Albus laughed. James, who had taken his Apparition test a few months ago, had taken to the annoying habit of Apparating in and out of his bedroom every morning and night. Albus pretended to be annoyed by it, but was secretly jealous. He couldn’t wait to start Apparating. He hoped the lessons would start as soon as the year began.

Instead of returning to his own room, Albus went to James’s. He was very curious as to what made him finally come home, perhaps even more curious about that than about whatever Dad needed to tell them at dinner. He knocked three times on James’s door and hoped he hadn’t already gone to sleep. James answered a few seconds later and stepped aside for Albus to enter.

James’s room was always at least ten times messier than Albus’s. This time the floor was strewn with dirty socks, a few quills, empty packages of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, an old Snitch, and half the contents of James’s Hogwarts trunk. Albus stepped over a few textbooks and sat down on the bed.

“Was it Rose who convinced you to come back?” Albus asked.

James shook his head and sat down next to Albus. “Georgia.”

Albus smirked. “What did she do?”

“Made me feel like an idiot,” James muttered. “Called me one for saying Mum and Dad aren’t supportive of my Quidditch career.”

“Rose told you that,” Albus pointed out.

“It sounded different coming from Georgia. Rose is becoming a healer. Every parent wants their kid to become a healer. Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron are going to be bragging about her for decades.”

“Mum and Dad will brag about you for ages if you get drafted by a team,” Albus said.

“Not as much as they will about you, if you make it into the Department of Mysteries. And you’re following in Dad’s footsteps.”

“You’ve got to stop comparing us. It’s getting on my nerves. Anyway, what did Georgia say?”

“That I was being stupid and acting childish. That running away is something a twelve-year-old does, and if I have any hopes of getting drafted, I need to start acting my age. She said the teams are fed up with players who practically need babysitters to get them to the pitch on time for practice, and they’ve started looking at more than just skill. And she said we’ve had enough Quidditch drama in the family, and that she and Uncle Percy have the monopoly on it and I’m not allowed to steal her thunder.”

Albus laughed. “Sounds like Georgia.”

“She made me promise I’d come back today and apologize and then told Teddy if I hadn’t done it by the time he got home from work, he was to side-along Apparate me here. Never get on Georgia’s bad side, Al.”

“After playing on the Gryffindor team with her as captain, I’ve never wanted to,” Albus pointed out. “Did you tell her you were made captain?”

James nodded. “She said she wasn’t surprised, but that I need to show I deserve it, rather than just rely on the family name. I spent all last night thinking about who will make a good Beater. We need two new Beaters. Historically, teams don’t do well when they have to replace all their Chasers or Beaters at once.”

“John will be trying out,” Albus said. “He’s excellent.”

“Good. We need excellent. I need that Quidditch Cup. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see who else tries out.”

“Hugo will probably try out.”

James groaned. “He’s awful. He can try out, but he’s never going to make the team. The only one in the family worse than him is Rose, and that includes Lily, who’s afraid of heights.”

Albus laughed. “Let’s get a few hours’ sleep and then go to Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione’s. I’ll Floo John and see if he wants to come over. We can shoot some Quaffles around, maybe get out a Bludger, and you can see how good he is.”

“Excellent,” James said, grinning. “How long do you think Dad will give me to get that plan together?”

“Two days, maybe?” Albus shrugged. “I’ve no idea, honestly. But I’d get it done soon. You told them you made captain, right?”

James grinned. “I did. I’ve never seen Dad prouder. Not even when he talks about you becoming an Auror.”

“See? They like Quidditch. They support you.”

“I know,” James said, sighing. “All right, I’m kicking you out. It’s too bloody early for anymore talk about the future.”

Albus agreed. He needed at least four more hours of sleep before he could have anymore discussions about James’s future.

***

When Albus and James returned from Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione’s before dinner, both of their parents were already home, and Teddy was there as well. Teddy usually came round for dinner every Sunday, but it was very odd he was there during the week. Albus assumed he was there to hear Dad’s big news.

“James, Al!” Teddy greeted them as he brought a steaming bowl of carrots to the table.

“Hey, Teddy,” Albus said. “Do you have any idea what this is about? You work with Dad.”

“Haven’t the foggiest,” Teddy said, shrugging. “Whatever it is, he’s kept it quiet.”

“I’ve been trying to get him to give me hints ever since he got home,” Lily said as she set the table.

“No hints,” Dad said loudly, dodging Lily to deposit a large cauldron of beef stew onto the table. “Everyone sit down. I’ll explain once everyone is served.”

Albus sat anxiously as Mum doled stew out to everyone. He’d spent the night turning various scenarios over in his head and each one was more ridiculous than the previous. The last one he remembered having, before finally drifting off, was that Dad was going to run for Minister in the next election. When he thought about that one in the morning, it made no sense because Laurentis still had many years left in her term.

“Before I begin, I just want to say that I’ve thought about this a lot over the past six months,” Dad said as he passed a basket of rolls around the table. “I’ve talked it over with your mother, Uncle Ron, and Aunt Hermione, and all three of them agree that it’s the right decision for me. I need your support, because after I make the announcement, things might get…chaotic.”

Albus exchanged a glance with James. What could Dad possibly be doing? It was strange he was building it up so much, but even stranger that he was acting as if they were all adults. Well, Teddy and James were adults, but Albus doubted his parents saw it that way. Yet, he was asking for their support, as if all four of them were real adults.

“And I’m sorry for whatever grief you may get at Hogwarts for this,” Dad continued.

What did it have anything to do with Hogwarts?

“Just spit it out, Harry,” Mum said.

Dad sighed. “I’ve decided to resign from the Auror Department.”

Albus’s mouth fell open. In all the bizarre scenarios he’d created in his head the night before, this had never crossed his mind. His dad had been an Auror since before Albus was born. Albus couldn’t even fathom his father not being an Auror.

“You what?” Teddy asked, awestruck.

“Why?” Lily demanded.

“Seriously?” James asked.

Albus couldn’t even think of a response. His dad was an Auror. That was all there was to it.

“I’ll explain,” Dad said. “All of you, especially Teddy, know the department has changed a lot since Minister Laurentis was elected. The most noticeable being her appointment of Johnson as Head of Department instead of me. But since then, there have been other…changes. Changes that take away rights people have had for decades. It’s almost as if the department has gone backward, in the way it treats suspects. Johnson has headed these changes, with Laurentis’s backing. That’s why she chose him as Head of Department, because she knew he’d do whatever she wanted.

“I don’t agree with what the department is doing, and I don’t like what the Ministry is doing in general. Especially in light of what has happened with Stuart Boone-“

“What’s happened with Stuart Boone?” Albus interrupted. That must’ve been why Matt’s dad was so wrapped up with work. Something had happened.

“Nothing I can discuss,” Dad said. “The point is, I no longer wish to work for them. Now, Teddy, this doesn’t mean you should up and quiet. You’re barely out of training and have yet to figure out your own beliefs, which might not necessarily align with mine. And that’s okay. Same goes for you, Al. Don’t change your career path just because I’ve chosen to change mine. Uncle Ron has decided to stay with the department, because he’d rather be on the inside than the outside.”

That made sense, Albus thought. “Will you ever go back?” he asked.

“Possibly,” Dad said. “Laurentis won’t be Minister forever.”

“If Uncle Percy ever becomes Minister, he’ll want you as his Head Auror,” Lily said.

“I don’t think Uncle Percy is going to run again,” Mum replied.

“But what will you do instead?” James asked.

Dad gave a wry smile. “Professor Kendrick has asked me to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, full time. He hasn’t got anyone else, and doesn’t want the Ministry to appoint one.”

“Is that why you quit the department?” Albus asked.

“It was a contributing factor to why I chose this moment,” Dad clarified. “I will make the official announcement tomorrow and tender my resignation to Johnson. I’ll stay on another month, and then in mid-August, I’ll be done.”

“But what about Stuart Boone?” Albus asked, thinking of how much Matt’s view of the Ministry will depend on how Boone is treated.

Dad sighed. “Mr. Eckerton is doing all he can for Stuart Boone, and he’ll be able to do a lot more than I ever could. But even Mr. Eckerton has to work within the laws we have.”

“You’re going to be our teacher again,” Lily said, her brow furrowed.

“I hope that won’t be a problem,” Dad said, grinning.

“No, not at all.” Lily’s cheeks were red. “Just weird, that’s all.”

Albus didn’t care whether his dad was the DADA teacher or not. He was at least happy they’d have a good DADA teacher. What he was more concerned about was what would happen to the Auror Department if his dad wasn’t there keeping things in check. Even though he was no longer Head Auror, and Johnson was, Albus’s dad still held power just by the fact that he was Harry Potter. Harry Potter would always wield power, just with his name alone. In the wrong hands, that could be dangerous, but Dad was careful with it. He never took advantage.

“I want to warn you the press will have a field day. They’re going to blow it out of proportion and take things out of context. I’ve decided not to comment on anything to the Prophet, and Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione have decided to do the same. Teddy, I highly recommend you join us.”

“I leave for a week’s long training tomorrow,” Teddy said. “Remember? They won’t even be able to reach me.”

“Right. I’d forgotten about that. Good. That’s for the best. Hopefully it’ll blow over by the time you get back.”

“Have you told the rest of the family?” Albus asked.

“Not yet. I didn’t want it to leak out before I made the official announcement. They’ll find out tomorrow.”

“Nana Molly is going to murder you for not telling her ahead of time,” James pointed out as he began to eat his stew.

“He’s right,” Mum agreed. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Dad groaned. “I know, but if the Minister or Johnson found out before I made it official, it’d look bad. And the Prophet would love that.”

Albus tuned out his parents’ discussion of the best way to appease Nana Molly and began to eat. He understood why his father had chosen to resign from the department, but he didn’t feel good about it. In fact, he felt more unsettled and uneasy than he had in ages, not since the Willinsons were on the loose. Without even realizing it, Albus had taken comfort in the fact that his father was an Auror. Despite all the trouble he’d gotten into with criminals at Hogwarts, he always felt safe, because he knew his father would be there to rescue him in the end. But now, his father would be just another professor.

Maybe it was time for Albus to start taking responsibility for his own actions, and stop relying on his dad to come rescue him all the time. In less than a year, he’d be of age. In two years he’d be in training to become an Auror himself. Albus knew he was inching closer and closer to adulthood, but somehow that didn’t help sway the uneasiness he felt.

***

As Albus sat reading the Prophet at breakfast on Saturday, he wondered if perhaps his parents should reschedule the trip to Diagon Alley and stay home instead. When his dad got home the previous night, after making his resignation official, he hadn’t said a word to Albus, James, or Lily. Albus supposed he and Mum spoke about it later, in the privacy of their own room with Muffliato cast on the door, but they were quiet about it at dinner. Albus wished they would talk about it, so he wouldn’t have to find out the reaction from the paper.

A large picture of Dad took up most of the front page, with the words, HARRY POTTER RESIGNS FROM MINISTRY. The article underneath would only serve to create rumors.

In a surprise move yesterday, Auror Harry Potter
resigned from the Auror Department. Potter, who
was demoted from Head Auror by Minister Laurentis
last year, refused to comment on his reasons. The
resignation will be effective as of August 20th.

It is no secret that Potter has clashed with Minister
Laurentis and current Head Auror Robert Johnson
on many occasions. Most recently, Potter has spoken
out against the harsh penalties taken against Stuart
Boone, a werewolf convicted of identity theft,
trespassing, and possession of illegal substances.
‘Potter believes we were too harsh,’ Johnson said
to reporters yesterday. ‘But we were well within
the law to sentence Boone to Azkaban.’ Head of
the Department for the Regulation and Control
of Magical Creatures, Walter Eckerton, declined
to comment on Stuart Boone.

Johnson refused to comment on Potter’s resignation.
Unconfirmed rumors state that Potter has taken up
the post of Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts
professor. The position was vacated when Elliott
Young was wrongfully accused of the Hogsmeade
Murder, which remains unsolved.

“Are you done with that?”

Albus looked up from the paper and handed it to James, who took it and sat down on the other side of the table. Albus turned to the remaining stack of mail and noticed a letter from Matt. It was dated two days ago. His owl must’ve had to seek shelter during the extreme heat.

Dear Albus,

I’ve only just returned from Australia. Cinda
broke her ankle shortly after I sent the last
letter, so we wound up staying an extra three
days instead of coming home early. Mum’s still
there, actually. She’s trying to convince Cinda
to give up the heels, but I don’t think that will
ever happen.

Dad said I can come to your house on the 27th,
if I’m feeling up to it. Amy’s staying with me
for this full moon because Dad’s so busy with
work he’s not sure he’ll be able to stay home
during the whole thing.

Rose said her mum will teach me Occlumency.
We’re going to start on the 28th. Owl me and
let me know if your parents are still good
with the 27th.

Your friend,
Matt

Albus hurried upstairs to send a quick owl to Matt, and by the time he got back down to the kitchen, his parents, Lily, and James were ready to go to Diagon Alley.

“Did you see this?” James asked, holding up the paper.

Dad nodded. “It could’ve been worse. Technically everything they printed was true.”

“But they make it sound so fishy,” James said.

“That’s journalism, James,” Mum explained. “Everyone ready to go? Lily, you come with me. Al, go with your dad.”

James seemed rather smug he was able to Apparate on his own, and Albus glared at him as he held onto his dad’s arm for side-along Apparition. He couldn’t wait until he took his own Apparition test.

A few seconds later all five of them reappeared outside the Leaky Cauldron. Dad disappeared into the crowded pub to retrieve Dudley, Christina, Kaden, and Bethany from the Muggle side. While they waited, Albus watched the busy cobblestone street and saw at least twenty people he knew from Hogwarts, including the Jordan-Bell twins. He blushed when Marina waved at him, and hoped James hadn’t noticed.

Dad returned a few moments later, the whole Dursley family with him. Dudley looked slightly awed, despite the fact that he’d seen Diagon Alley before. Christina had a firm grip on Bethany’s hand, and Bethany looked as excited as Kaden had four years ago. Kaden himself grinned at Albus, and looked nearly as excited as his sister.

“Seems just yesterday we were doing this for you, Kaden,” James said. “And I’m off to Weasleys’. What time are we meeting back here?”

“How about one, for lunch?” Dad suggested. “And James, don’t forget to buy your books.”

“Don’t need any books, Dad. I’m taking the same classes as last year. No new books for seventh year,” James reminded him. “I could use a new broom, though. Those new Firebolts have an added speed booster-“

“Absolutely not, James,” Mum said flatly. “Now give me back that gold I gave you for books. Unless you want to buy new robes.”

James sighed and handed her the gold. “Fine. I’ll see you later.”

James disappeared into the crowd and Albus knew he and Kaden would need to make a break for it soon, else they’d be stuck with Lily trailing along.

“Come on,” Albus whispered to Kaden. “Let’s go.”

Albus began to step away, Kaden following. He held his breath as they went, thankful that his and Kaden’s parents were all discussing the best order in which to go to the various shops.

“Al, wait!” Lily shouted, running after them.

Albus groaned. “Can’t you go with Bethany?”

“No, she’s a first year,” Lily said, crossing her arms. “And Mum and Dad are with her. It’ll be boring.”

“You realize Mum and Dad are going to make you sit with her on the train,” Albus pointed out.

Lily glared at him. “No they won’t. She’s Kaden’s sister. He’ll sit with her.”

Kaden burst out laughing. “That’s almost as funny as Dad asking me if I got a prefect’s badge this year. I’m not sitting with my sister on the train.” He turned to Albus. “Does this mean we can’t sneak into Knockturn Alley this year?”

Lily’s eyes grew large and Albus groaned inwardly. Kaden was fifteen and still hadn’t learned to close his mouth.

“You went to Knockturn Alley last year?” Lily asked. “Do Mum and Dad know?”

“No, and it’s going to stay that way,” Albus said as he began to walk toward Flourish and Blott’s. With any luck they’d find one of Lily’s friends in the book shop and they’d be able to shake her off.

4. Occlumency

Albus heard whispers in every shop he, Kaden, and Lily went and he knew everyone was discussing the front page article from the Prophet. The whispers grew silent when Albus, Kaden, and Lily passed by, and Albus heard them start up again when people thought they were out of earshot. He heard his dad’s name from nearly everyone, from shopkeepers to customers, kids to adults.

It bothered him. Didn’t they have anything better to discuss than his father’s possible reasons for resigning from the Auror Department? And weren’t there more plausible reasons than the ones Albus had heard so far? Why did everything have to be assumed to be scandalous?

“Just ignore it, Al,” Lily said as they left the Apothecary.

“It makes Knockturn Alley seem awfully enticing, doesn’t it?” Kaden asked, a wicked grin on his face. “Bet it’s nice and empty there. No one talking about your family….”

“Give it a rest,” Albus muttered. “I’m not going to Knockturn Alley. Not after last year.”

“What happened last year?” Lily asked.

“We ran into Professor Young. Or I suppose it wasn’t really Professor Young. It was Stuart Boone,” Albus explained.

Lily burst out laughing. “Only you, Albus.”

“John’s dad was not pleased,” Kaden added. “Let’s go to Madam Malkin’s It’ll probably be quiet in there, and Mum said I need new robes.”

By the time they finished their shopping, Albus was exhausted. Listening to the constant rumors about his dad made him feel like he’d just played a three hour Quidditch match during a thunderstorm. Kaden and Lily didn’t seem at all bothered by it, which didn’t surprise Albus. The two of them were somewhat alike in their ability to become oblivious to the world around them, although Albus would never mention this, as neither of them would admit it.

Dudley, clearly not understanding wizard money, had given Kaden far too many Galleons to buy new robes, books, and potions ingredients, and Kaden even had some remaining after they went to Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. They decided to spoil their appetites by buying huge sundaes from Florean Fortescue’s before meeting their parents at the Leaky Cauldron.

“Do you think James will actually get drafted by a team?” Lily asked in between bites.

“I don’t know,” Albus answered. “He told Mum and Dad he’ll work for Uncle George if he doesn’t.”

“He’s not as good as Teddy,” Lily mused. “And Teddy didn’t get drafted.”

“But now Teddy’s an Auror,” Kaden said, grinning. “And that’s awesome.”

“James doesn’t have the marks for that,” Albus said. “Even John got more O.W.L.s than he did.”

“I got eight O.W.L.s,” a loud, drawling voice said.

Albus set down his spoon and looked up only to see Scorpius Malfoy sitting down on the one vacant chair at their table. Albus made no effort to stifle his loud groan. The last person he wanted to see given his father’s resignation was Scorpius Malfoy.

“Good for you,” Kaden replied. “So did Albus.”

“Dad was so proud he bought me a new broom,” Scorpius continued, ignoring Kaden.

“You don’t play Quidditch,” Albus pointed out.

“I don’t have to play Quidditch to enjoy flying,” Scorpius said. “And my dad says the Slytherin team has gone downhill anyway.”

“And I suppose you’re going to become a Ministry puppet just like Dear Old Dad?” Lily asked, smiling sweetly. “Will you be Laurentis’s puppet or will you wait for the next minister?”

Scorpius’s face turned bright red. Albus was suddenly glad his sister had tagged along. He’d never seen anyone besides Amy Eckerton render Malfoy speechless before.

“I trust you saw the Prophet this morning?” Scorpius asked, recovering from Lily’s retort. “Your dad’s giving up what little power he has left. And all to what, teach at Hogwarts?”

“Our dad’s Harry Potter,” Lily said flatly. “He could announce the Chudley Cannons are the greatest Quidditch team and that would make the front page of the Prophet. Your dad could resign and he wouldn’t even get a blip on the last page, with all the advertisements for cleaning potions and control top under-robes. Believe it or not, Malfoy, very few people care about blood status anymore, and the House of Malfoy doesn’t wield the power it did two decades ago.”

Malfoy’s mouth fell open and it gaped like he was a fish out of water. He stared at Albus, who only shrugged, smiling slightly at Lily’s wit.

“Oh, and also?” Lily continued, her sugary sweet smile still plastered on her face. “Since you got eight O.W.L.s, I assume you’ll be continuing with Defense Against the Dark Arts. I imagine it’ll be a requirement for whatever Ministry job you’ll get after you leave Hogwarts. So, I’d watch what you say about Harry Potter, seeing as he’ll be your teacher. Plus, Al is a prefect. You might find yourself in detention so often you won’t have time to fly your new broom. Come on, Albus, Kaden. Mum and Dad are waiting for us.”

Without giving it a second thought, Albus got up and followed his sister and cousin out of the shop. Before shutting the door behind them, he took one last look at Malfoy, who still sat stunned at their table, amidst the half-eaten sundaes, looking bewildered at the fact that he’d just been shot down a peg or two by a fourteen-year-old girl.

“Wow,” Albus said on their way back to the Leaky Cauldron. “When did you get so….”

“Brilliant?” Lily supplied with a wry smile. “I’m not seven anymore, Al, and I wish you and James would stop treating me like I am.”

“We don’t-“

“You do, Al,” Lily said. “Last year? When you gave me that talk?”

“That was all James!” Albus argued.

“Yes, but you didn’t try to stop him. You just went along with it. It’s not your ‘brotherly duty’ to protect me, and after today, do you really think I need it anyway? I’ve grown up with a dozen older cousins. I can hold my own.”

Albus stared at her, confused as to how this turned from what she said to Malfoy to what he and James talked to her about the previous year. Suddenly it dawned on him, and his eyes grew wide.

“Lily, do you have another boyfriend? Is that why you’ve been in your room all summer?”

Lily turned bright red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Al.”

Albus grinned and turned to Kaden, who was laughing. Lily’s blushing was all the answer he needed, but the question remained, who was the bloke?

***

“Do you think it’s weird that my dad is resigning from the Auror Department but your dad isn’t?” Albus asked Rose as they sat in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place, waiting for Matt to arrive.

Rose shrugged and turned the page in Advanced Rune Translation. “They don’t have to always do the same thing. I could never see my dad being a professor. And he didn’t even join the department right away like your dad did. He helped Uncle George with Weasleys’ for a few years.”

“I guess,” Albus said. “Has your dad said much about it?”

“About Uncle Harry resigning? No, not really. Just that he thinks it’s a good idea for him to teach Defense. And he probably doesn’t want to quit so that he’ll know what’s going on in the Ministry, and he can tell Uncle Harry what’s going on.”

“That’s what my dad said.”

Rose sighed. “Then why are you worrying about it? Al, you over-think everything. You’ve got to stop. What time is Matt supposed to arrive, again?”

Albus checked his watch. “Anytime now. Are you sure you don’t know who Lily’s boyfriend is?”

“For the third time, no,” Rose said flatly as she closed her book. “I’m sure you’ll find out once term begins. She won’t be able to hide it in Gryffindor.”

There was a loud crack and Rose shrieked as she scrambled onto the nearest couch. James stood a foot from where Rose used to be, dressed in a Puddlemere jersey and holding his broom.

“Bloody hell, James!” Rose shouted, holding her right hand to her heart. “Stop doing that!”

“Time is Galleons, Rosie,” James said, grinning. “And I saved approximately thirty seconds by Apparating down here instead of walking. Al, you up for practicing?”

Albus groaned. Ever since James returned home, made up with their parents, and became Quidditch captain, he’d been dragging Albus to Rose’s house every afternoon to fly, no matter the weather. Whenever he could, John joined them. The plus side to this was that John had all but secured his spot on the team, proving to James he was a superb Beater.

“I told you yesterday that I couldn’t today,” Albus said. “Matt’s arriving any moment.”

“He can come, too. He can use one of Dad’s spare brooms and play Keeper for us.”

Albus and Rose exchanged glances and burst out laughing. James raised his eyebrows at them. “What’s so funny?”

“Matt hasn’t ridden a broom since flying lessons in first year. He’s an awful flyer, and he doesn’t particularly enjoy it, either.”

“And it’s raining at my house, James,” Rose said.

“I don’t care,” James said. “It’s good to get practice in the rain. Is John busy today?”

“He left on holiday with his family last night. They went to Spain and won’t be back until next week.”

Albus was a little peeved about that, since this was the week Matt was visiting and Kaden had been granted permission to come as well, as soon as his grandparents left.

James sighed. “Fine. I’ll go work on strategy for this year.” With another loud crack, he was gone.

“I swear, I’ll never be that obnoxious when I pass my Apparition test,” Rose muttered.

Green flames erupted in the floo and Matt stepped out, a rucksack over his left shoulder. Shockingly, neither of his parents were with him. Maybe now that Matt was sixteen they were easing up a little on their protectiveness.

Matt’s hair was a little longer than it had been in June, and he had a few scabbed over scratches on his face. But he didn’t look any worse than normal after a full moon.

“Hey, mate,” Albus said as Matt dropped his rucksack onto the floor. “Got the okay from Amy to come?”

Matt nodded. “The full moon wasn’t any worse than usual. Had one of the worst migraines of my life the day before, but it went away Sunday.”

“Is your mum still in Australia?” Albus asked as he sat down next to Rose.

Matt nodded, grinning. “How could you tell? Believe it or not that was the first time I Flooed anywhere on my own. Amy side-along Apparated me to the Leaky Cauldron, but let me Floo here from there myself.”

“Well, you’ll do it a lot more this week because our parents have been letting us Floo wherever, so long as we stay out of Knockturn Alley.”

Matt groaned as he sat down on the other couch. “I never want to go there again.”

“Kaden tried to get us to go there Saturday when we were in Diagon Alley. I didn’t let him.”

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me,” Matt said. “But if we do go to Diagon Alley this week I’ve got to get new robes. Mum said if I don’t get them on my own she’s going to drag me to Madam Malkin’s once she’s back from Australia.”

“You need new robes?” Albus asked, smirking. “You’re still a head shorter than everyone else in sixth year.”

“Except Janie Creevey,” Matt reminded him. “And very funny. Mum said they’re worn out, and they actually are a little too short. I grew two inches last year.”

“Did you bring your O.W.L. results?” Rose asked suddenly, looking eager. “Sorry, I just, I’ve wanted to owl you and ask you, but I figured I’d wait until I saw you and-“

Matt cut her off with his laughter. “I’m surprised you waited this long to ask that. Here you go.” Matt pulled a piece of parchment out of his rucksack and handed it to Rose.

Albus leaned over Rose’s shoulder to read them.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results - Matthew C. Eckerton

Ancient Runes - A
Astronomy - O
Care of Magical Creatures - O
Charms - E
Defense Against the Dark Arts - E
Herbology - A
History of Magic - D
Potions - A
Transfiguration - E

“Congratulations!” Rose said as she handed the results back. “Those are really good.”

“Yeah,” Albus agreed. “You got the same number of O.W.L.s as I did.”

Matt grinned. “My parents were thrilled. Which one did you fail, Al?”

“Same as you. History of Magic. I got a P.”

“You slept through fewer of those classes than I did,” Matt said. “I was amazed I passed Potions.”

“Did you pick your classes for next year?” Rose asked tentatively.

Albus glanced at Rose and understood what she was thinking immediately. Matt seemed much cheerier talking about O.W.L.s now that he’d gotten his results. But the fact that his career prospects were still dismal remained the same. No amount of O.W.L.s could change that.

Matt nodded. “Defense, Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy, and Care of Magical Creatures. I was hoping for a sixth, but I didn’t get the marks to move on in anything else. Dad told me not to overload my schedule, anyway.”

“I’m doing six,” Albus pointed out. “Defense, Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures.”

“What did you get in Care of Magical Creatures?” Matt asked

“I got an O. You can see my results when we go downstairs. Mum hung them up on the icebox.”

Matt laughed. “My mum did the same with mine, until I took it down. What about you, Rose? Are you taking everything?”

“No,” Rose muttered. “I want to, but they won’t let me. I’m dropping Muggle Studies because they don’t offer a N.E.W.T. in it, and I’m also dropping Astronomy and Arithmancy.”

“And those were her only Es. The rest were Os,” Albus explained.

Rose turned red. “That’s not why I dropped them. I had to pick which ones would be the least useful in my future career.”

“That still leaves you with what, seven?” Matt asked.

“I might have to drop History of Magic. Professor Kendrick wrote me to tell me they rarely offer that as a N.E.W.T. because the demand is so low. It depends on if anyone else wants to do it. If it gets canceled I’ll pick up Arithmancy again.”

“Mad, I tell you,” Albus muttered. “Seven classes.”

“If I get permission. Technically we’re not supposed to do more than six,” Rose reminded him.

“Has your mum told you anything about what Madam MacDougal decided about Hogwarts?” Matt asked.

“No, she’s kept pretty quiet,” Rose said. “She can’t say anything until it’s officially announced, though. Still, I’m not sure what there is left to do now that Professor Young is gone.”

“They wouldn’t have hired MacDougal just to figure out which professors can’t teach. There’s going to be something else. I just wish Aunt Hermione didn’t have such a good poker face.”

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Rose said.

“We’re going to your house tonight, right?” Matt asked. “For Occlumency?’

Rose nodded. “Mum invited us for dinner, too. She said Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny need a date night.”

Albus groaned. “Too much information, Rose, too much information.”

Rose laughed. “I’m just passing it along. Try not to think about it, Al.”

***

“Good night for Quidditch,” James said as he passed the pudding to Al at dinner that night.

“It’s still raining,” Aunt Hermione said flatly. “I think you ought to start studying for your N.E.W.T.s.”

“I’d rather not think about those,” James said. “Uncle Ron? Quidditch?”

“Sorry,” Uncle Ron said, shrugging. “I’ve got a report due tomorrow.”

“Is it about Stuart Boone?” Albus asked.

“I can’t talk about that,” Uncle Ron replied, before shoving a spoonful of pudding into his mouth.

Albus sighed and glanced at Matt, who shrugged. Both of them had been unsuccessful so far in trying to get information from their fathers about Stuart Boone, so Albus had figured he might as well try Uncle Ron. The Prophet had said very little about Boone since his arrest in June. He’d been tried for identity theft, trespassing, and possession of a controlled substance and received a five year sentence to Azkaban, but Albus knew there was something more going on, because why else would the Auror Department be involved?

“I actually need you to clean the attic,” Aunt Hermione told James. “You, Hugo, and Lily. It ought to go quickly since you can use magic now, James.”

“What?” James exclaimed. “How come Al and Rosie don’t have to help?”

“They have a friend over,” Aunt Hermione said.

Albus had a feeling Aunt Hermione had come up with the clean the attic project simply to get James, Hugo, and Lily out of the way so they wouldn’t ask questions as to why Matt was learning Occlumency. He had to hand it to his aunt. Cleaning the attic was an excellent task and there was no way they’d finish that evening.

“Then can I invite a friend over?” Hugo asked.

“Nice try. One way or another, you’re cleaning that attic before you go back to school,” Aunt Hermione said. “Al, Rose, Matt, would you clear the table for me while the other three get started?”

James, Hugo, and Lily grumbled the entire trip from the kitchen table and up to the attic. Rose smirked as she cleared the table, apparently very pleased to have missed out on the attic cleaning. Albus couldn’t blame her; he’d also much rather help with the washing up than clean the attic.

As soon as the kitchen was clean Uncle Ron hurried off to the study he shared with Aunt Hermione to work on his report. Once he was out of earshot, Aunt Hermione muttered something about saving things for the last minute and how things never change. Albus caught Rose’s eye and the two of them stifled their laughter.

“All right,” Aunt Hermione said as she settled onto the living room couch with a cup of tea. “Rose tells me you want to learn Occlumency.”

Matt nodded. “She said it might help with my nightmares.”

“It might,” Aunt Hermione agreed. “But Occlumency is generally used to protect the mind from outside attacks.”

“But Snape taught it to Uncle Harry to keep him from having nightmares,” Rose pointed out.

“Uncle Harry’s nightmares were created by Voldemort, an outside attacker.” She turned back to Matt. “I did a little research, and couldn’t find much in the way of Occlumency being used to stave off PTSD nightmares.”

“But Healer Norlam said it could help,” Matt said, looking slightly dejected.

“And it could,” Aunt Hermione said, smiling. “I’ve never been one to shy away from something just because no one else has done it. I just want to warn you that it might not work right away, or ever. And it will be difficult. Did Al tell you much about Occlumency when I gave him lessons your first year?”

“No,” Matt said. “Just that he didn’t like it much, and it was hard.”

Albus felt his cheeks redden and turned to Aunt Hermione, but she only giggled. No, Albus hadn’t much enjoyed Occlumency back then, nor had it worked very well. But eleven was a very young age to learn.

“It’s hard because in order to teach you, I have to use Legilimency on you, which is exhausting, both physically and mentally. I’m not positive, but I’m guessing your nightmares will get worse at first, because your mind will be more susceptible after I open it up with Legilimency. I’ll teach you the theory, too, because I don’t think it does us any good to learn how to do something but not understand why it works the way it works. But there’s no getting around the practice. It requires a lot of practice, and I won’t be able to teach it all in the week you’re staying with Al.”

“Oh,” Matt said. Albus noticed the more Aunt Hermione described Occlumency, the more apprehensive Matt seemed about it.

Aunt Hermione picked up a book from the end table next to her and handed it to Matt. It was the same book he’d used when learning Occlumency in first year. Legilimency and Occlumency: The Art of Seeing Others' Thoughts and Protecting Your Own Mind.

“This is the book you will use to learn the theory. I’d like you to read the first chapter by next week, if you choose to do the lessons. I can come to Hogwarts and teach you twice a week like I did with Al, if you wish.” Aunt Hermione set her mug down. “And I can teach you here, before term starts, or I can go to your house and teach you there.”

“Okay,” Matt agreed. “My house would be best. But where would you teach me at Hogwarts?”

“I taught Al in an empty classroom, but we could also use the Room of Requirement or the hospital wing if you’d prefer.”

“I think the Room of Requirement would be good,” Matt said as he toyed with a floral throw pillow. “Will we start tonight?”

“If you wish,” Aunt Hermione said. “But before we start, I have to warn you that when I use Legilimency on you, I will be able to see your memories. That’s what the spell does, and I can’t prevent it without a pensieve, which I don’t have. I’d also have to teach you how to extract your own memories to put in the pensieve, which is an incredibly difficult spell.”

Matt’s face paled and his eyes flashed with that look of panic Albus had grown accustomed to. Albus knew the last thing he wanted was for someone to see the events of his past, the events that brought his family to England. He wasn’t sure which Matt feared more- someone seeing into his past or someone seeing his future.

“You have my word I would never, ever tell anyone anything I saw,” Aunt Hermione said quietly. “But it is up to you. Tonight, if you wish, I’ll teach you to close your mind. Tomorrow, if you decide it’s okay, we’ll move onto Legilimency.”

Matt nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Aunt Hermione nodded. “For this part, Al and Rose can stay, but tomorrow, when I cast Legilimency on you, we’ll work in private.”

Matt looked relieved and Albus couldn’t blame him. From what he’d experienced, a person was at their weakest when their mind was under attack.

“All right,” Aunt Hermione said. “Everyone close your eyes and take a deep breath. Now let it out. Another deep breath, and let it out…”

Albus closed his eyes and followed Aunt Hermione’s cues for relaxed breathing. This part of learning Occlumency was very relaxing.

“Very good,” Aunt Hermione said. “Starting now, I’d like you to do this every night before you go to bed. Concentrate on breathing steadily, and try not to let any other thoughts enter your mind. Think about nothing. If that’s too hard, imagine a relaxing place. A field of wheat, or the ocean, or a beach. It’s all about relaxation. Breath in and out…in and out…”

Albus breathed. He tried to empty his mind, but it didn’t work. Between sixth year, Stuart Boone, and his dad’s resignation from the Auror Department, there was too much to think about to think about nothing. Albus hoped Matt was better at clearing his mind than he was.

5. Balladanis’s Visit

The following day was bright and sunny, so Albus agreed to practice Quidditch with James at Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione’s, while Matt and Rose studied the theory of Occlumency. Rose, never one to shy away from potential educational experiences, was all too eager to help Matt and the two of them lay in the grass in the meadow the boys used to practice Quidditch. Hugo, ever insistent that he could join the Gryffindor Quidditch team, played Beater. Neither Albus or James had the heart to tell him he wasn’t any better at Beater than Keeper and figured it’d be better for him to just not make the team at try-outs. Lily agreed to play Keeper, mostly because it was a decent excuse not to continue cleaning out the attic. Lily wasn’t a bad Quidditch player, but she didn’t enjoy it much.

“Term hasn’t even started yet and they’re already reading textbooks,” James said, gesturing down to Matt and Rose with his right hand, in which he held the struggling Snitch.

“They want to get ahead in Transfiguration,” Albus explained. Before Albus and Matt Flooed back to Grimmauld Place the previous night, Rose had transfigured Matt’s Occlumency book to resemble Advanced Transfiguration to avoid questions from their dormmates as to why Matt was studying Occlumency.

“Well, Rose is the one who wants to continue with History of Magic,” James said, shrugging. “She’s probably the first one since before Binns snuffed it.” He released the Snitch and sped off after it.

Albus laughed as he flew toward the trees they’d designated as goal posts. On this matter, he agreed with James. Rose was crazy to want to continue with History of Magic. But she wasn’t the only one; Amanda also wanted to continue the subject.

The Bludger came whizzing past Albus, nearly grazing his shoulder and Hugo came speeding after it, holding the Beater’s Bat in the strangest position Albus had ever seen.

“Oi, Hugo!” James shouted. “Don’t take out my best Chaser a month before term starts! And you’re not supposed to hold the bat in the middle. Hold it on the handle.”

“Sorry!” Hugo shouted as he adjusted his grip.

“Bloody hell,” James said, sighing. “If I put him on the team we wouldn’t have a team left.”

“I don’t think you’ll ever have to do that,” Albus pointed out. “Only if he and John are the only two to show up to the try-outs.”

“Thank God for John,” James said. “Replacing both Beaters in the same season never works out well. But with John, we just might make it.”

“Mum’s home!” Rose shouted.

“Already?” Hugo said, taking his eyes off the Bludger.

“Hugo, watch out!” Albus exclaimed.

The Bludger slammed into Hugo’s arm and knocked him sideways off the broom. Albus and Lily rushed to him and managed to hoist him onto Albus’s broom while James caught the Bludger and immobilized it with a spell. All four of them landed in front of Matt and Rose, the latter of whom ran into the house to get Aunt Hermione.

“Goddammit, Hugo!” James said, shaking his head. “Never take your eyes off the Bludgers!”

Hugo let out a shriek of pain as he clutched his arm, tears welling up in his eyes. All the blood drained from his face and he turned pale as a ghost.

“I don’t- I don’t feel so good,” he muttered, his voice faint.

James and Albus eased Hugo to the ground before he had a chance to pass out.

“Put your head between your knees if you can,” Matt instructed. Hugo did so and the color came back to his face.

“What happened?!” Aunt Hermione shouted as she ran across the meadow with Rose at her heels.

“Hugo…got hit with a Bludger,” James muttered, not meeting Aunt Hermione’s eyes.

“He WHAT?!” Aunt Hermione shrieked, turning from Hugo to James. “You let him play with Bludgers? You know I don’t allow Hugo to play with Bludgers unless a responsible adult is present!”

“I’m of age, Aunt-“

“That doesn’t mean you’re a responsible adult in my book!”

“But Mum,” Hugo said weakly, “I had to practice for try-outs. Both Beater positions are open and-“

“Oh, no. You are not trying out for Beater. I forbid it. I won’t sign the consent form.”

“But Mum!” Hugo shouted, wincing.

“If there was ever a reason not to try-out for the Quidditch team, this would be it!” She stepped toward Hugo, pulled out her wand, and pressed it to Hugo’s arm while muttering an incantation. The arm straightened itself and Hugo relaxed.

“Thanks, Mum,” Hugo said.

“Just don’t do it again,” Aunt Hermione said, shaking her head. “Hugo, James, Lily. Attic. Now. That was your job for today. Not breaking bones with Bludgers.”

“But I just broke my arm,” Hugo argued. “Madam Pomfrey would’ve kept me in bed for observation for hours.”

“I’m not Madam Pomfrey,” Aunt Hermione said. “Go. Now. Before I rethink the idea of punishing you for using the Bludgers. You’re fourteen and plenty old enough to know the rules. This wasn’t entirely James’s fault.”

“Okay, okay,” Hugo said, getting up.

James, Hugo, and Lily hurried to the house, muttering to themselves as they went.

“Why did you come home early?” Rose asked once they were out of earshot. “Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine. I have some work to do for Hogwarts-“

“Governor work?” Albus interrupted. “About whatever MacDougal found?”

“Yes,” Aunt Hermione confirmed. “But I can’t explain the details. I figured I could do Matt’s Occlumency lesson now and then move onto the work for Hogwarts. It’ll be better not to do the Occlumency lesson right before you go to bed.”

Matt nodded, looking nervous. “That makes sense.”

“That means we’re going to have to clean the attic, doesn’t it?” Albus asked, sighing.

“No. The others would wonder what Matt was doing. We’ll go into my study and work in there while the two of you do something in Rose’s room and pretend Matt’s in there with you. I will cast Muffliato on the study.”

“Wow,” Albus said, impressed. “Good plan.”

Aunt Hermione smiled. “Don’t seem so shocked. I’m the reason your dad and Uncle Ron didn’t wind up dead in first year. Let’s go.”

“She’s got a point,” Rose said as they walked back to the house. “Our dads were kind of stupid when they were at Hogwarts. Just like you and John, and Kaden, and even you, Matt, after June.”

“Good thing we’ve got you,” Albus said, grinning at Rose.

The Occlumency lesson didn’t last long. Rose had only beat Albus in chess twice before Matt entered Rose’s room, looking very shaky and pale. Aunt Hermione was behind him, and followed him into the room.

“What happened?” Rose asked as Matt lay down on her bed.

“Everyone reacts differently to Legilimency,” Aunt Hermione said, looking worried. “If you don’t want to continue-“

“I do,” Matt interrupted. “I have to see if this will work. Can we try again tomorrow?”

“Not tomorrow, but the next day,” Aunt Hermione said. “And you’re staying for dinner. I don’t want you Flooing for three hours at least. I might just side-along Apparate you home.”

Aunt Hermione left, closing the door after her.

Rose turned to Matt. “What happened?”

Matt sighed and sat up. A bit of the color had returned to his face. “Legilimency has just been added to the long list of things I don’t react well to.”

“No one reacts well to Legilimency,” Albus pointed out.

“Does everyone else pass out?” Matt asked.

“Well, no-“

“Then I really don’t react well,” Matt muttered. “The first two times were bad, but I passed out on the third. And forget about closing my mind…that didn’t happen.”

Albus wanted to ask which memories Matt had been forced to relive, but had a feeling he wouldn’t tell him.

“It was weird,” Matt continued. “Like I’d disappeared from the world and was in my own memories. And then everything went black and the next thing I knew I was on the floor and Rose’s mum was shaking me awake.”

“I wish there was a way for you to specify which memories you wanted to experience when someone’s using Legilimency on you,” Rose mused, “but I suppose that would defeat its purpose. And that is what you can do when you get really good at Occlumency.”

Matt sighed. “There’s no getting around this. If I want to learn Occlumency, I have to do it.”

“Is it worth it?” Albus asked.

“If it works in the end, then yeah,” Matt said quietly. “Were you playing chess? Can we play Exploding Snap?”

“Sure,” Rose said as she reached over to her bookcase to grab a deck of cards. “Are you sure you don’t want to take a nap? You look tired.”

Matt shook his head. “I want to put off sleep for as long as I can. Your mum said I’ll be more likely to have nightmares right after the lessons.”

“Right,” Rose said, nodding as she dealt the cards. “I guess you have to go back before you can go forward.”

***

James and Lily decided not to stay for dinner, but neither of them questioned why Albus and Matt were staying. By the time they finished dinner and had helped with the washing up, Matt was feeling much better, although still tired. Aunt Hermione didn’t trust him to Floo, so she side-along Apparated both Albus and Matt back to Grimmauld Place.

“I’ll see you again the day after tomorrow,” Aunt Hermione said once they’d landed on the front stoop of the house. “Remember, the worst is over. The first lesson is always the worst. Just remember to clear your thoughts before you go to bed tonight.”

Matt nodded. “Thanks.”

“I’ll pop in for a minute to see your parents,” Aunt Hermione said as she turned the handle.

Aunt Hermione hurried off to the kitchen, leaving Albus and Matt in the quiet entryway. It didn’t look like the Apparition had agreed much with Matt, whose face was slightly green.

“Do you want to go to bed?” Albus asked.

“I think so,” Matt said. “Usually I don’t mind Apparition. It’s a lot better than Flooing. ”

“Hopefully you’ll be better at Occlumency before we start Apparition lessons,” Albus said.

Matt opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a sharp knock on the door. Albus turned to the door and frowned. It was half eight. Who would be coming by at this hour?

“Who is that?” Matt asked.

Albus shrugged as he walked to the door. “Haven’t a clue.” He peered out the peephole and was shocked to see Professor Balladanis standing on the stoop. “It’s Balladanis.”

“What?!” Matt exclaimed, his face turning from green to white. “What the hell does he want?”

Balladanis knocked again. “No idea,” Albus said, thoroughly confused. Why would Balladanis come by Grimmauld Place at all, let alone at night? “I suppose I’ve got to let him in.”

“You don’t have to,” Matt said.

Albus thought about ignoring the door for two seconds, but then heard footsteps coming up the stairs from the kitchen and realized his parents would open the door if he didn’t. Sighing, and not looking at Matt, Albus wrenched the door open.

Professor Balladanis was dressed in his usual black robes with the intricate silver fastenings. His head sported a few more grey hairs than it had when he taught at Hogwarts, and his face a few more lines. He stared at Albus with his piercing black eyes and Albus felt his stomach turn. Two years had done nothing to diminish the fear Albus had for this man.

“Albus Potter,” Balladanis said. He looked up and smiled slightly when his eyes rested on Matt, although he only looked creepier when he smiled. “And Matt Eckerton…what a…surprise.”

“Is there something I can help you with?” Albus asked, trying to sound more brave than he felt.

“Yes, you could let me in for starters,” Balladanis growled. “And I need to speak with your father.”

Of course, Albus thought. Why else would Balladanis be there?

Albus reluctantly stepped aside and let Balladanis in, shutting the door after him. Matt took a few steps further into the entryway as Balladanis walked in.

“I heard about your little…escapade this past June,” Balladanis muttered, not taking his eyes off Matt. “Awfully brave of you. Stupid, but brave.”

“Th-thanks, I guess?” Matt replied.

“Balladanis?”

Albus turned and saw that his father, mother, and aunt had arrived. All three wore identical looks of curiosity and confusion.

“Potter,” Balladanis said. “I’d like a word.”

“Of course, sir,” Dad said, gesturing to the drawing room. “In here.”

“Can I get you anything?” Mum asked. “Water? Tea?”

“Whisky, if you’ve got it,” Balladanis said bluntly.

Mum nodded and walked back to the kitchen. Balladanis followed Dad into the drawing room, Aunt Hermione joining them and shutting the door after her.

“Quick, up here,” Albus said, gesturing to the stairs.

“But aren’t we going to eavesdrop?” Matt asked.

“Of course we are, but we have to wait until Mum comes back. If she sees us she’ll put an Imperturbabble charm up. I’m going to get some Extendables. I’ll be right back.”

Albus hurried up the stairs to his room and dug through the pile of assorted detritus on his desk until he found two Extendable Ears. He decided not to alert James and Lily, who were in their rooms, to the visitor, so he and Matt wouldn’t have to vie for spots in front of the door.

“Got them,” Albus said once he returned to the first floor landing where Matt was waiting.

“Your mum just went inside. I don’t think she’s coming back out,” Matt said.

“Of course she isn’t,” Albus said as he crept the rest of the way down the stairs. “She was the best eavesdropper of the family when she was a kid.”

Albus and Matt quietly sat down on either side of the drawing room door. Albus handed Matt one of the Extendables and took the other for himself, quickly inserting one end into his ear and the other under the crack between the door and the floor.

“Ah, thank you, Ginny,” Balladanis said. “Really hits the spot.”

“What do you want, Balladanis?” Dad asked, a slight annoyance in his tone. “What couldn’t wait until work tomorrow?”

“I apologize for the time. I intended on coming earlier, but I was held up at the ministry and didn’t get out until just now. And what I have to say can’t be said at work. I do not wish to be…overheard.”

Albus snorted and grinned at Matt, who was stifling his own laughter. Little did Balladanis know that every word was being overheard.

“Your mum just said ‘I wouldn’t count on that,’” Matt said, a look of panic on his face. “She whispered it, just barely. I think she knows.”

“If she cared she would’ve put up the charm,” Albus said. “She doesn’t like Balladanis, so she must not care if we hear.”

“I’ll get to the point,” Balladanis said.

“Please do,” Mum said.

“I came here to ask you not to resign.”

Something shattered onto the floor as Albus turned to Matt, his mouth open. Why would Balladanis care if Dad resigned? Balladanis never seemed to like him anymore than Dad liked Balladanis.

“Dammit!” Mum shouted.

“I’ve got it. Don’t worry, Ginny,” Aunt Hermione said. “There, all fixed.”

“Excuse me?” Dad asked. A chair creaked and Albus heard footsteps going back and forth. Dad was probably pacing.

“You heard me. I’m asking you not to resign.”

“But why?” Dad asked.

“I’ll be frank, Potter. I realize we’ve had our…disagreements-“

“That’s one way to put it,” Mum muttered.

“-but you’re the best Auror we’ve got. You’re smart, passionate about fighting the Dark Arts, relatively organized-“

Mum snorted. “Sorry,” she muttered.

“-More organized than the other Aurors, that is. And no one can deny your past helps. You’re good, Potter, and off the record, Laurentis was stupid to replace you.”

“Laurentis put you in power,” Aunt Hermione pointed out.

“And she never lets me forget it. But her other appointments were…questionable. Again, off the record, Johnson is an idiot.”

Albus was beginning to realize why Balladanis hadn’t wanted to have this conversation at the Ministry.

“If you were still in charge, you’d have caught the Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley murderer months ago, possibly before he even had the chance to become the Hogsmeade murderer. Now they’re having to cover up the fact that the haven’t had a lead since Young. And now Johnson is trying to pin it on Boone. That man might be a criminal, but he’s no murderer.”

“Is that what your dad’s been dealing with at work?” Albus asked.

Matt nodded. “I don’t know much. Dad doesn’t talk about it.”

“Walter Eckerton and I have been fighting that since June,” Dad said. “We’re only stalling the inevitable. They’re going to put him on trial for that, despite his alibi.”

“See?” Balladanis said. “Johnson is focusing all his energy on trying to make the evidence fit Boone, rather than finding the actual murderer. It’s like trying to fit a Quaffle in a size one cauldron. It’s never going to happen. Anyone with one working eye can take a look at Boone’s hands and know he’s not capable of slitting anyone’s throat.”

“Then if our justice system has any integrity at all, he won’t be convicted.”

“Young was convicted,” Balladanis said. “You’ve got to stay, Potter. You’re the only one brave enough to challenge Johnson.”

Dad laughed. “You’re Johnson’s boss! Can’t you do anything? You’re head of the whole Magical Law Enforcement.”

“If I have any hope of keeping that position, Laurentis has to think I’m on her side. In order to do that, I have to agree with Johnson, even if I don’t agree with Johnson. Laurentis wants a scapegoat for the murders so the public will believe in her new Auror Department. Young is gone, so now Boone is taking his place.”

“So you agree the new department isn’t working.”

Balladanis let out a harsh laugh. “Isn’t working? That’s a nice way of putting it. I need you in there, Potter, because you can oppose Johnson all you want and no one will question why I don’t sack you. You, Potter, will never be sacked.”

“I can’t,” Dad said. “I can’t keep working for Johnson and Laurentis. Although, it is comforting to know you aren’t Laurentis’s puppet.”

“I suppose I’ve been doing a good job of pretending if I had you convinced. But no, I am not her puppet. I’m trying to make sure she doesn’t cause another war. She’s already got Johnson brainwashed, and I suspect she’s got Malfoy brainwashed as well. She’s dangerous, Potter.”

“I’ve thought that from the beginning,” Dad said quietly.

“Then why are you resigning? Wouldn’t it be better to fight from the inside?”

“Why do you think Ron isn’t resigning?” Dad asked. “We need eyes both inside and outside. I can do more if I’m on the outside.”

“We need him at Hogwarts,” Aunt Hermione added. “We had no other applicants, and if Harry hadn’t stepped up, the Ministry would’ve appointed someone.”

“You’ve been awfully secretive about what’s going on at Hogwarts this year, Weasley,” Balladanis said. “I was informed of one change, and I think it was an excellent choice, but I haven’t any idea what else is going on.”

“The other governors and I, as well as the headmaster, agree the students have the right to know before anyone else. There will be an article in the Prophet on September 2nd. I assure you it’s nothing bad.”

Balladanis grunted. “If there’s nothing I can do to convince you, Potter….”

“No, I’m afraid there isn’t,” Dad said.

“Then I will see you at work tomorrow,” Balladanis said, “where we will treat each other as we have been. Reluctant tolerance. We ought to have one more public argument about Boone before you leave.”

“Right. I’m sure the timing will present itself.”

“They’re coming!” Matt hissed as he stood up.

Albus followed and the two of them ran back upstairs to the first landing. They hid in the shadows as Balladanis left, and once Mum, Dad, and Aunt Hermione walked back into the drawing room, Albus and Matt ran the rest of the way upstairs to Albus’s room.

“Never would’ve expected that from Balladanis!” Albus exclaimed after shutting the door.

Matt collapsed onto the bed. “I don’t know if I believe it.”

“If he really was Laurentis’s puppet, why would he come here and try and get Dad to change his mind about resigning? And what’s he on about Laurentis for? Do you think she’s really evil? I never thought that. Stupid, but not evil.”

Matt sat up. “I think Balladanis is paranoid. He always seemed that way at Hogwarts. I don’t think Laurentis is a Dark witch, but I think if she was allowed to do as she wanted, the wizarding world would be in trouble. She’s power hungry.”

“Yeah, that’s it,” Albus agreed.

“I always thought it was weird she appointed Balladanis,” Matt said. “He’s still bloody terrifying, isn’t he?”

Albus nodded. “I wouldn’t want him on my bad side.”

“It sounds like he wants Laurentis gone. But I wouldn’t want him as Minister, either.”

Albus shuddered. “What about Boone, though? They really are trying to pin those murders on him.”

Matt didn’t say anything for a full minute. “No one’s going to care, either. Just as long as the public thinks the murderer is locked up, no one will question how he did it even with his hands so messed up. They’ll think because he’s a werewolf, and therefore evil, he figured out a way. And they’ll be happy he’s locked up.”

“That’s so messed up,” Albus muttered.

“My dad will get him a good solicitor, but he’ll still be in Azkaban for life. It’s hopeless.” Matt sighed. “I think I’m going to go to bed.”

Albus nodded. “Okay. You can have the bed, if you want.”

“Thanks,” Matt said as he lay down. “If I have any nightmares, just wake me up so I don’t scream and wake your parents, James, and Lily up. I don’t want to have to explain tomorrow morning.”

“Sure,” Albus said as he dug around on his bookcase for his wand and his new Defense book. He turned out the light and lit his wand to read. After listening to his parents’ and aunt’s conversation with Balladanis, he wasn’t the least bit tired.