It was a nervous Arthur Weasley who was shown into Amelia's office. His summons was not only totally unexpected, the tone of it was rather alarming and abrupt too. One glance at Amelia's stern face told Arthur this meeting would have to be played exactly by the rule book.

"Good afternoon, Madam Bones. What can I help you with today?"

A well-known voice coming from behind Arthur saw that rule book being tossed out of the office's imitation window. The angry words from his eldest son though were like a serrated dagger ripping through Arthur's gut, with Bill's obvious accusations against him dripping from every syllable.

"You can start by telling me how our Ginny was left in such an appalling mental state, the Italian mind-healer reported the incident to his ministry as a severe case of child abuse."

Arthur whipped around to see his eldest son looking angrier than he'd ever seen him before. Anyone harming Ginny though was always going to face Bill's ire, and it was a gobsmacked Arthur who realised his eldest son's ire was focused on him.

"Bill, what are you doing here? I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. What's wrong with Ginny, and why weren't we contacted if she was ill?"

"Ginny is so ill, the Italian Ministry won't let her return to a country where she was allowed to get into such a state. A temporary guardian has been appointed to watch over her, and Ginny won't be allowed back into Britain until this matter has been resolved to everyone's satisfaction - especially Ginny's, her new guardian's and mine."

It was at this point Arthur's knees buckled. "They're taking my daughter away from me? They can't do that - can they? Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on? What's the matter with Ginny, and will she be alright?"

Helping his father into a chair, Bill pulled over another one so he could sit facing the man who had raised him. "Dad, Ginny spent her entire first year term at Hogwarts being possessed by an artefact of Voldemort's. I have recently come into contact with one of these things, and believe me when I say, our Ginny never stood a chance. Harry physically saved Ginny from the danger but, instead of her seeing the proper healers to make her healthy again, someone messed with her memories of the incident. The mind healer Ginny is seeing now says that was absolutely the worst way to deal with something like this. On top of that, someone else had cast compulsions on our Ginny to chase after Harry in a romantic way."

His father was struggling to believe what he was hearing when Amelia interrupted. "Arthur, this cannot be kept as a Weasley family matter. Bill and Harry have put things in place to appease the Italian Ministry for the moment, but soon they will be approaching us and looking for answers. I'm making this an official Ministry investigation, and we really need those answers now. Let's start with why Ginny never saw a mind healer after this incident?"

There were fat tears now running down Arthur's cheeks as he recounted what was easily the worst day of his life. "I have seven children, and love every single one of them. After six sons though, gaining a daughter was simply something special. I was sitting in Dumbledore's office, thinking Ginny was dead - and Ron might end up in the same condition as he and Harry tried to rescue his sister. Harry Potter helping both of them walk into that room was a simply indescribable explosion of emotions. I was laughing, crying while hugging everyone in sight. Trying to imagine my life without my two youngest children in it is worse than any nightmare."

Amelia removed what was left of her bottle of fire whisky and poured three glasses, Arthur drank his down in one swallow. Fortified by the fiery spirit, Arthur was able to continue with his story.

"Albus was dealing with Harry as we took Ron and Ginny to the infirmary. Poppy had Ron's ankle fixed in a jiffy, the castle's elves supplying him with a meal meant everything was right again in Ron's world. Examining Ginny, Poppy claimed she was physically fine but her magical reserves were extremely low. She expected her to make a full recovery within a couple of days though. I'm afraid my mind just shut down after that. Hearing Ginny was going to be fine left me sitting there grinning like a loon. Who has gotten guardianship of Ginny?"

Seeing his father actually terrified over this matter, Bill felt it was only fair to answer his question. "We didn't want Ginny being handed off to some stranger, and it wasn't really practical for me to take on the role. Harry then made a suggestion that suited everyone, with Ginny having the final say. Poppy Pomfrey has been awarded temporary guardianship. She now works for Harry in Italy, so both Ginny and her are staying at Harry's house. Ginny actually fired a curse at Hermione after discovering she was now betrothed to Harry. Ron had to stun Ginny as Harry shielded Hermione. Ginny's reaction was so out of character, Poppy scanned her to check for any compulsion spells."

Wanting to be certain he had everything in order, Arthur asked for confirmation. "So Poppy's her temporary guardian, they're staying with Harry in Italy, Ginny's receiving treatment and they expect her to make a full recovery?"

"Yes dad, but what happened after you got Ginny to the Hogwarts infirmary that day?"

Taking a deep breath to recover from what he'd just heard, focusing on the 'Ginny will be fine' part helped immensely, Arthur continued with his tale. "When Albus entered, he'd also brought Harry along for Poppy to check over. Your mother was immediately fussing all over the lad - she treats Harry as one of her boys - and then Albus had a quiet word with me. He said that, since Ginny had been injured within Hogwarts, he would take care of everything. No mention was made of any possession, or the need for a mind-healer, and certainly you-know-who being involved was never brought into the conversation. Poppy told me Ginny would eventually be fine, and Albus Dumbledore just promised to take care of everything. Why wouldn't I agree to that?"

Bill needed a sip of his own firewhisky to stop him shouting at his father for being so trusting. They had never seriously considered Arthur to be willingly involved in any of this but could easily imagine Dumbledore pulling something like that off. Arthur just continued with his story.

"Ginny was a bit quieter when she came home that summer, we put it down to recovering from her experience. She never actually talked about what happened, and Ron was trapped before reaching her so never saw anything either. Harry is a modest lad who you would never hear boasting about anything he did. Your mum and I nearly had a fit when we saw those pictures of the basilisk in the papers."

Suppressing a shudder of dread that passed through him even thinking about that, Arthur switched to a happier memory. "That was also the summer we won the prize draw, and used that money to take the family out to visit you in Egypt. It's never been a secret who Ginny's favourite brother is, and we thought this special treat would help our little girl recover from her experience. She returned to Hogwarts on the first of September and then left from Platform nine and three quarters straight to holiday with Harry. None of her letters home indicated any sign of trouble. We got our daughter back but are going to lose her anyway..."

Watching as his father fell to pieces in front of him, Bill moved over and put a reassuring hand on Arthur's shoulder. "When I had the discussion with Ginny about choosing Poppy as a temporary guardian, I made it plain to her I would always be her brother - no matter what. That same rule will apply to you - you are her father. I have to say though, until we get all the facts of this, Harry won't let anyone who could possibly have harmed our Ginny anywhere near her. That boy is scarily protective of his family and friends. He certainly counts a few Weasleys as being part of that exclusive group."

They had been fairly certain who had cast those memory charms on Ginny, Amelia now asked the question that would determine if Arthur got anywhere near his daughter again. "All the mind-healer could tell us was that the compulsion charm was cast by a different person than the one who messed with her memories. Have you any idea who could have done this to Ginny?"

The moral boost Arthur had received from Bill's comments was instantly washed away by that question. He has his suspicions, but that was all they were - until he spoke with his wife.

"Ginny has been obsessed with Harry Potter, long before she met him. We figured it was harmless, reckoning that at least half the witches around Ginny's age would be the same. Ron becoming Harry's best friend had her in a tizzy, then coming down to breakfast and finding Harry sitting at the table last summer had Ginny racing straight back to her room. She spent most of last August unable to talk to the boy who was staying with us. That she was going on holiday with Harry, well I could see Molly casting something on Ginny to give her a bit more confidence. I have no knowledge that she actually did, I'm only guessing here. I'm also wondering if such a spell, normally pretty harmless, could manifest itself differently due to what had already been done to Ginny?"

Seeing that as a distinct possibility, though she would enquire of the mind-healer for more information to be certain, Amelia decided to put most of her cards on the table. Arthur was, after all, a Ministerial Head of Department.

"The only way to discover the truth would be to ask Molly, and I really don't want to do that at the moment. Everyone sitting here knows Molly Weasley can be difficult, if not downright bloody minded. Molly would go absolutely crazy, whether she cast that spell or not, and I just can't see her believing the word of some Johnny Foreigner over that of Albus Dumbledore. I'm building a strong case against the Headmaster but Fudge is protecting him - since our Minister of Magic seems to have lost all of his other supporters."

Taking a sip from the tumbler she'd been nursing, Amelia then gave Arthur some more shocking news. "There's going to be stories hitting the papers on Thursday, and I guarantee you they are all true, that may see your Molly changing her opinion of Dumbledore. The rumours of him casting compulsion charms on Hogwarts professors is one hundred percent true, Minerva needed to go to St Mungo's to have them removed. Hogwarts has lost six professors, three of them Heads of House, and its Healer. Harry Potter has effectively left Britain, and actively seeking Italian citizenship for himself and his betrothed. Since he's also spending a small fortune in Italy building a new school, I don't see their Ministry refusing his request. You know what's happening at Hogwarts next term, both Dumbledore and Fudge desperately need that tournament to be a success - it may be the only thing that saves their jobs."

Of course Arthur knew about the Triwizard Tournament, it was one of the other matter's mentioned that had him staring at his eldest son for some answers. Bill eventually obliged.

"There's no way the matter with Ginny will be resolved before September. She was in contact with that vile thing for ten months, and then left for a year after her mind being messed with. The mind-healer she's seeing reckons it could take a year for Ginny to fully recover from this, and she might never recover fully if she returned to Hogwarts. Ginny will be attending the Potter Institute, at least for next year, that's simply non-negotiable dad."

If sending Ginny to Hogwarts hampered or stopped her recovery, Arthur couldn't really argue with that. Bill then continued with what he knew would be the much harder sell. "Ron of course wants to attend the same school as his best friends, and the twins are begging Headmistress Sprout to let them go there too. Those will be decisions for you and mum to make. When the story breaks about Ginny though, and it will, where you send those three to school will determine how the public - and Harry - sees your part in this. Sending them to Hogwarts would certainly be seen as condoning what Dumbledore deliberately did to our Ginny."

"Why is Harry's opinion so important?"

"Dad, Ginny stays in Harry's house - will be attending his school - and he is scarily protective of her. No harm will come to Ginny while Poppy and Harry are there. Dumbledore deliberately did that to Ginny not to help her, but to stop news of what had happened inside Hogwarts getting out. You just said Ginny didn't mention it all last summer, Dumbledore did that to her."

The knut finally dropped for Arthur. "Your mum and I will need Harry's permission to visit his house - to see Ginny."

"Unless Harry approves a portkey for you, there's no other way onto his property - his wards are unbelievable. That portkey will only work for whoever it's issued to. I have one but it wouldn't let me take you there with me."

"I'm desperate to see Ginny, she she's alright. What do you want me to do?"

Amelia let out a sigh of relief as she could once more help Harry, she was pretty bloody useless with the horcrux this morning. "We're only buying time here, Arthur, time that Harry needs to carry out his other plans. On Thursday, the country will discover that Harry Potter is prophesied to face Voldemort, and only one of them can survive. I recently heard the prophecy myself in this very room with Harry and his family, the firewhisky bottle came out that day too. Nothing is more important than the final defeat of Voldemort, so we don't want him having to fight the Ministry, Dumbledore and the Weasleys at the same time. To help Harry I managed to get Fudge off his case. Thursday's headlines will see Dumbledore being far too busy trying to save his own skin to bother about anyone else. You can help by not having Molly demanding her children come home at once, hopefully giving us the time we need to accomplish what we must."

Arthur could easily see there was a lot more going on here than he was being told, it also wasn't difficult to decipher that Bill was heavily involved in whatever these going's on were. Knowing that the 'scarily protective' tag also applied to Bill, especially where his family were concerned, meant Arthur trusted him to do what was best for them here. While Arthur nodded his agreement, Amelia still wanted to make sure he fully understood her position on this matter.

"When the story of what Dumbledore did to Ginny breaks, I will be showing up at the Burrow and demanding answers. It would seem neither you nor your wife knew what Dumbledore was up to but you must know I'll have to take action if Molly cast anything stronger on your daughter than what you suggested earlier."

Once again, Arthur could only nod in agreement before pleading with his son. "Bill, can you get me in to see Ginny?"

"I can ask, dad, I can only ask."

Arthur had loads more questions but didn't think they would be answered. He left Amelia's office silently praying that Molly had indeed cast nothing stronger than what he'd suggested on Ginny. Arthur knew how badly Molly wanted to add Harry to the Weasley family. Had she crossed the line however, there may not be a Weasley family left to add to.

Poppy Pomfrey was an inspired choice as Ginny's temporary guardian, not a single voice could be raised against her unimpeachable character - though Molly's voice would certainly be raised when she discovered this. With Bill already based in Egypt, Charlie in Romania, Molly would be heading for Azkaban and their youngest three sons would all probably stay in Italy with Ginny. This was a disaster waiting to happen, and Arthur really needed to see Ginny to assess the extent of the problem for himself.

-oOoOo-

Arriving back at where she now considered home, Hermione immediately set about tracking down her parents. Dobby informed her they were sitting down on the beach so she headed there while Pomona dragged Harry away to see some drawings of the Institute. After the decent down to the beach, Hermione spotted them sitting on a couple of deck chairs, under a thatched parasol. As she approached, her mother suddenly shot up and hurried toward her. Hermione found herself once more wrapped in her mother's arms.

"Oh thank goodness. We were so worried, and we have to repeat all this tomorrow again."

"Tomorrow's mission has been postponed..."

As her mother clung on tighter at hearing that, her dad wanted to know if anything had gone wrong.

"It didn't go exactly to plan but no one was hurt and the job got done. It just means we're going to take a bit more time to plan the next one more thoroughly. Watching you jump out that chair, and the fact you made it down here, must mean you're feeling a lot better. Are you up for a day's shopping with the gang tomorrow?"

"I might have made it down here but I have no idea how I'll get back up. Your father and I were just talking about sleeping on this beautiful beach tonight when you arrived."

Hermione started laughing before answering her mother. "Harry says he's got getting you back up covered, he'll be down shortly. Dad, that invitation was for you too."

"Of course, you'll need someone to carry the bags."

"Don't be silly, Dobby will pop away with them when no one's looking. There will be four boys shopping with us tomorrow, and none of them have ever been muggle shopping before. Mum and I will have our hands full with the girls, you get to take Neville, Ron, Fred and George shopping..."

All talking stopped as Harry shot over the cliff and rocketed vertically down toward the sand below. He pulled out of the dive at the last second, zooming across the beach to their location. He stopped right beside Hermione and kissed her cheek.

"Harry, stop showing off, and scaring my mother. Mum, it will be a far gentler ride back up there, or that will be Harry's last kiss for a while."

Dan could easily see she was joking about that last part, and called Hermione on it. "Yeah, for at least ten minutes. That was some flying son, you didn't have much margin of error there."

"Thanks, I love flying, and I love this broom. It seems to know what I want to do before I do. I'll take it nice and gentle on the way up, Emma."

With Hermione coaxing and coaching, Emma was soon behind Harry and holding him in a death grip. Harry flew gently out over the waves, flying in a wide circle and increasing height slowly. By the time they passed overhead to complete their third circuit, the broom was fifteen feet in the air and Emma wore a wide smile. As they approached for the fifth time, a now laughing Emma was confident enough to wave as they passed.

"That boy of yours is pretty special, Hermione. It took me years for your mother to gain that level of trust with me. Now I suppose we have to face all these stairs."

"Yes Harry's pretty special, but he also has an unfair advantage. He has all of my memories of mum to work with, and me constantly offering advice. We also don't have to climb those stairs. Dobby!"

The elf instantly appeared and, almost as quickly, had transported them both to the decking above. As Hermione was busy thanking him, her father had a question. "Why didn't you just call Dobby to get your mother and I back up here, and then you could have flown with Harry?"

Dan's answer arrived before Hermione could open her mouth. Harry glided his broom toward them, an overjoyed and giggling Emma riding passenger. As soon as they landed, she kissed Harry in thanks, kissed Dan - while telling him how wonderful it was - kissed Hermione and then kissed Dan again. They walked away, arm in arm, her father turning his head and nodding before they made it inside.

"Thank you so much, Harry. I've never seen mum so happy, and couldn't tell you the last time I heard her giggle. I loved those drawings too - things are really starting to come together."

Harry too was in an incredibly good mood, and fired off a string of suggestions to his betrothed. "Francesca wants to come here tonight, I'm suggesting we make dinner buffet again and let her. That way, everyone can have a say on the design of the institute. When that's over, we drop the shopping bomb on our friends, checking with Remus before the meeting. Then we can sit down and talk with your mum and dad."

"Do you think they'll go for this?"

"Hermione, they're the adults. We tell them everything we know, answer all the questions we can, but the final decision is up to them."

"Mum's out of the temporary infirmary now, and their bedroom has a double bed in it."

"Did you speak with the elves about that?" Harry didn't need to be in Hermione's head to know the answer, it was written all over her smug face. "You, Miss Granger, are a little minx..." Harry playfully chased her back into the house, both of them were laughing.

-oOoOo-

There was no sign of humour on the face of Severus as he entered Hogwarts and headed straight for Albus' office. A busy headmaster was shocked to see him, but managed to force out a welcome anyway.

Deciding there was no point in putting this off, all the information would soon become public knowledge, Albus just dove right in. "Severus, to say I have news would be an understatement. Pomona, Filius, Septima, Bathsheda and Poppy have all resigned."

This barely registered a raised eyebrow from Severus but Albus knew the next part would get his attention. "I managed to coax Horace out of retirement, he demanded to be head of Slytherin again though."

The sarcasm was dripping from every syllable Severus uttered. "I'm not sure if you are aware, Headmaster, but that is currently my position within Hogwarts..."

Dismissing his sarcasm out of hand, Albus cut right across Severus. "I had intended to install you as my Deputy, and have you teach Defence Against the Dark Arts."

That would indeed have been a more than acceptable compromise but Severus was well acquainted in dealing with Albus. "You said intended, Headmaster. Am I to understand those plans have changed?"

"With Minerva already resigning, I was forced to go to Fudge with my hat in my hands. He's agreed to support me, but that support has a price. He want's Umbridge here as Deputy, mainly to keep an eye on me and the tournament. I would still like to offer you the defence professorship, and will of course continue paying you the same salary as you are on now."

Severus gave the impression he was deep in thought, while inside he was doing his happy dance - well as near to happy and dancing as he got. He was here to ask a favour of Albus, one he was sure would now be granted. Severus was also going to be receiving the same pay for a lot less work, and doing the job he really wanted. While being Deputy might have sounded nice, Severus was well aware of the extra work that came with that promotion. He couldn't see this Ministry person doing all Albus' work for him, like McGonagall had for years. Rather than giving Albus an answer, he played the old wizard at his own game and went off at a complete tangent.

"Are you aware the Potter brat has declared a Blood Feud against House Malfoy? Narcissa has approached me and asked for help, since Lucius somehow managed to squander the entire Malfoy fortune before getting himself killed."

Albus never even heard the last bit, he was far too busy concentrating on this opportunity to solve a couple of his own problems. Helping Narcissa would see a grateful Severus accepting his offer, meanwhile Albus solved two of his currently pressing problems - recruiting a pair of Professors to fill Hogwarts vacancies.

"If my memory serves me right, I remember Narcissa Black being particularly gifted at charms. It just so happens Hogwarts has a vacancy for someone possessing those talents, a vacancy I would be more than happy to interview her for. Free boarding would of course be available for young Draco, and I'm sure we could swing free tuition too - if his mother was a professor here."

"I will gladly pass on your offer, while taking some time to consider my own position within Hogwarts. I assume you've considered people for the other three vacant head of house posts? Aurora I believe was a Hufflepuff, and I'm certain Hagrid was a Gryffindor."

Knowing Severus was only suggesting appointing Hagrid as Head of Gryffindor to see that house suffer, Albus ignored that part but confirmed Aurora was the new Head of Hufflepuff.

"And what of the Potter brat? Will my godson be safe inside the castle."

"I will have a meeting with Harry after the welcoming feast, we'll need to know what tutors he has engaged too." A thought struck Albus. "I met with the Steward of House Potter and was assured Harry would be on the train come September first. I wonder if all these staff changes will affect those tutoring plans? I must contact them and make Harry aware of these changes in circumstances."

Severus sported the ruse immediately, saying Potter would be on the train did not mean the brat would be attending Hogwarts. He was about to make Albus aware of this but stopped himself. Albus tended to believe whatever he wanted to, and Severus would certainly be celebrating if Potter was no longer in the castle. Now, if only Potter would take a few of his friends with him, that would make Severus even happier.

Both wizards left Albus' office thinking they'd come out ahead in the negotiations, a sure sign of a good meeting.

-oOoOo-

The buffet meeting with Francesca went very well, with everyone excited their opinion was being asked for - and actually listened to. Harry loved the pool idea but wanted one side of the winding ribbon of water to be straight, so it could be used for those interested in serious swimming - rather than just larking about.

Minerva asked about kitchens, and the Italian Ministry's position on house elves. Francesca as usual had the answers they were looking for at her fingertips.

"The kitchen, food preparation and storage will all be under the leg of the Pi that houses the staff quarters and assembly hall, there will also be general storage areas, utility rooms and elf quarters under there too. Our Ministry's views on house elves are entirely different to those of Britain. The elves would be employed by the Potter Institute, rather than bonding to an individual. There are also strict rules on the treatment of any elves working here, and a formula which dictates the minimum number of elves you must employ to ensure they are not overworked."

Hearing that, Dobby then put his little hand up - looking for permission to ask a question. This was a first for Francesca. That this elf was not only invited to attend the meeting, but felt comfortable enough to ask a question, said an awful lot about the people she was dealing with here. She was delighted to let Dobby ask his question.

"Dobby knows there are elves back in Britain who have been given clothes because their families have run away. Dobby was wondering if any of them could come and work here?"

Instead of Francesca, that question had all eyes focusing on Harry. "We need to discover what the Italian Ministry's position on this is, and whether these elves would take the kind of employment bonding Francesca just mentioned. Dobby, if any of these elves are hurting, invite them here now. Even if they don't want to come and work here, we will offer them shelter until they find somewhere to settle down."

Remus immediately added this item to the list of things he needed to discuss with his contacts in the Italian Ministry. Francesca then asked if news of the new school could be published in the Italian papers, after it appeared in Britain of course. No one could dispute this would help find applicants for the posts they needed filled.

Harry instantly agreed, wondering if they should take out adverts for these posts in the papers too. Francesca joking that, if Harry gave them an interview, the Institute would get those adverts for free saw the young man in question reach an instant decision.

"Remus, the Ministry is pushing for us to visit them - can we tie that in with a press conference?"

This had Remus laughing. "They're still politicians, Harry. I don't think there will be any problems organising that, the opportunity of getting their picture in the press - standing beside you - practically guarantees it."

This move of his godson's intrigued Sirius. "What's the plan? I know you hate publicity - almost as much as you hate your fame."

The smile on Harry's lips reminded both marauders' of his father, James, just before he pulled a prank. "We're going on a charm offensive. We want the country to know we're here to stay, and this is not some little rich boy's latest fad. Francesca, we'd love if you could be there with us too. Again, letting the country know we're using Italian everything in the construction of the Institute. The Headmistress and her Deputy should make an appearance as well. We can't predict or control what stories will start to come out of Britain about us, but I want the Italian people to know exactly what we're doing here. After the story breaks in The Quibbler, the Potter Institute will have nothing to hide."

With only Francesca there not knowing about horcruxes, everyone else understood what was being said here. Harry might have secrets but the school wouldn't.

After everyone had their say, and also their fill from the buffet, Hermione mentioned them all going shopping tomorrow. To say the teens were excited would be a gross understatement. Hearing that Sirius would be accompanying them, Francesca offered to show them around Naples, since it was her home city - if they could leave after ten am. She had a meeting first thing in the morning that couldn't be broken. Harry tried to keep a straight face as the silent pleading in Sirius' eyes would put Padfoot to shame. Harry saying that would be great, and much appreciated left his godfather wanting to turn into his dog form to howl in delight - while wagging his tail like mad.

-oOoOo-

It was a warm evening so Hermione suggested the meeting with her parents could take place on her veranda. Emma had her now customary cappuccino while the other three enjoyed a fruit drink the house's elves made from locally grown produce. It was delicious but Hermione wasn't paying it the respect this wonderful concoction deserved at the moment. Taking a large gulp, she then got straight to the point.

"There are silencing charms around this veranda, so there is no chance of us being overheard. We all got off on the wrong foot that day in the restaurant, looking back though it was probably inevitable. Neither Harry nor I were able to explain our bond properly, we're still learning and every day is like a different adventure as we discover new things about it. That thing being sucked out of Harry's head left Voldemort's memories behind, and our bond allows me access to them. We had all that knowledge of just how bad thinks could get, and also knew you wouldn't believe us. That frustration, and mum upsetting me riling Harry right up through our bond, was responsible for the trouble we had that day. I'm glad to see we seem to have put that behind us now..."

Dan reached out and took his daughter's hand. "When those wizards burst into our kitchen, your mum and I were more helpless than babes in the woods. You came and saved the day, all is forgiven."

With a wry grin, Harry took over. "I think we all can agree Britain isn't safe for both of you at the moment, certainly unaccompanied. Hermione and I love having you here but we don't want you to think of this as some sort of prison. While your old lives have to be put on hold, the world literally is you oyster. Whatever you want, your greatest wish - we can help make it happen. Magic, money, whatever it takes."

An emotional Emma reached out and took Dan's other hand, their daughter was still holding on to the one he'd offered a moment ago. "Hermione, Harry, I think our greatest wish is sitting on this veranda. You have no secrets so you both know our family has never been this close. I'm just sorry it took your dad and I almost being murdered for us to see what fools we were being. Watching you two together is wonderful too. Seeing how you practically complete one another, it gives us something to aim for."

Here was an opening Hermione wasn't expecting, she seized the moment. "Mum, dad, our bond is precious to us. I can honestly say it's the greatest thing that's ever happened to either Harry or me, but we still have to work hard at it - so we get the most out of it. I've watched you both for nearly fifteen years, and Harry can see all my memories, between us we can't think of anyone who would benefit more from a bond like this than you two."

Still holding Hermione's hand, Dan's other squeezed Emma's without him even consciously thinking about it. "But we're not magical, sweetheart - is that even possible?"

"To the level that Harry and I share everything, probably not. Realistically, what we're looking at here is sharing emotions. Mum won't tell you if she needs a hug, and you would never initiate something without her permission. This should at least get you passed that hurdle. The magic will be in the bracelets, and they will trickle-charge just from you being around witches and wizards. Harry and I will pump our magic into them to kick-start the reaction, the rest will be up to you."

Excitement and panic was coursing through Emma's body in almost equal measures. Was this something she wanted to do? Putting off making a decision, she started asking questions. "Where ever did you get such things? I can't imagine you can buy something like this from your corner shop. Are their any side effects?"

She didn't expect the reaction she got, a look of terror briefly passed on both teens faces - before Harry got himself under control and provided some answers.

"The goblins tracked these down for us, cost is immaterial. Trust me, you couldn't put a price on what Hermione and I share. We didn't consider the possible side effects until it was too late, we dived right in like Gryffindors. Hermione has now seen me at my very worse, lying silently crying in my cupboard and wondering what made me so different that I deserved this treatment..."

Harry had to stop for a moment as he suddenly had his arms full of Granger girls. Dan looked ready to go looking for another knife - and then use it on whoever had done that to Harry. Getting himself back under control, having Hermione and Emma clinging to him certainly helped with that, Harry gave them the bad news that neither of the teens had considered at the time.

"Hermione is my very best friend, and both of us are working to ensure we are everything to each other as we get older, but just the thought that I could have lost that terrifies me. She's seen who I really am, and what it took to get me here, yet still loves me. You don't need me to tell you how special Hermione is, and I want that special someone by my side for the rest of my life. The bond helps us move toward that goal every single day but the initial part was the scariest thing I've ever faced. That's really been the only downside to the whole experience, something that we could possibly have avoided if we'd known what would happen - and had time to discuss it before putting the rings on."

Hermione gently kissed Harry's lips as Emma sat back in her own seat and reached for Dan's hand. "I'm ready whenever you are. Dan. These two have been open and honest with us since meeting them in that restaurant, it's time for us to do the same. I can't go back to being that cold version of myself again. If these will help us move forward, I'm willing to give it a try."

Dan's wide smile provided its own answer but he replied anyway. "I'm in, but with one condition. If I act like a buffoon again, one of you needs to slap me around the back of the head."

He leaned over and kissed his wife, before turning to watch Harry take a pair of open bracelets from an exquisitely made box. The bracelets were just under half an inch wide and about an eight of an inch thick - also clearly made of a high carrot content gold. Five stones, they surely couldn't be diamonds, were in alignment down the centre of each bracelet. Carvings, that Hermione was telling them were runes, also made each of the bracelets works of art - and probably worth a fortune each.

"The stones act as battery cells, collecting ambient magic and storing it to power the runes. If you're sure about this, Harry and I will push magic into them before you put them on."

With both her parents nodding, they each held a bracelet between their hands and used their rings to pour magic into the stones. Those stones were sparkling with magic as Hermione slipped her bracelet onto her father's wrist, while Harry repeated her actions with Emma. All held their breath as nothing appeared to happen for at least ten seconds, before a visible pulse of magic jumped between the two bracelets.

Emma was heard to mutter an 'oh my' before her eyes slowly rolled in her head. Dan didn't even manage that before his eyes closed. Harry was using his magic to stop either of them slipping to the floor, though Dan and Emma's hands were still joined.

Hermione was running medical scans on them, scans that were telling her they were sleeping - and their biorhythms had synchronised. "Maybe we didn't think this through enough, or pushed too much magic into the bracelets, or both."

"Hermione, let's just move them onto you bed. They'll be comfortable there."

"Great idea, I'll be comfortable on that couch."

"We'll be comfortable there, we need to monitor them all night."

As they levitated Dan and Emma onto Hermione's bed, she couldn't resist chuckling. "This is the first time I've ever had to put my parents to bed. Do you think they'll give us a rollicking for spending the night together?"

"Since your dad hasn't stopped grinning since you put that bracelet on him, I would say probably not. We'll need to get some sleep anyway, shopping tomorrow."

"Harry, I'm willing to bet Luna, Ginny, Millie, Susan and Hannah won't get much sleep tonight either. All were far too excited to sleep when we came up here after dropping that little surprise on them."

-oOoOo-

Most of the witches and wizards in Britain considered Bellatrix Lestrange to be mad. In fact, that was probably one of the kinder adjectives that would be used when describing Voldemort's ruthlessly vicious attack dog. Sitting in her cell in Azkaban, Bella's madness was still nursing a massive grudge against her cousin - a cousin Bella swore she would slowly and painfully torture to death first chance she got.

Bella had waited years for the right person to come along, and then he was there. Donald Carrick was probably the biggest dick on the planet, and Bella wasn't speaking in an anatomical sense here. The prick was so full of himself, she'd been able to slowly manipulate him into getting ready to forgo all the Azkaban security precautions and enter her cell. Donald was so stupid, Bella had him thinking it was all his own idea too.

Donald may be the first person, in over a decade of her trying, stupid enough to even consider entering her cell, but he certainly wouldn't have been leaving it alive. He had been Bella's ticket out of this shithole, she was so close Bella could almost taste her freedom, and then that bastard Black only went and beat her to the punch.

No one could figure out how Black had managed it, so all the security arrangements within Azkaban had been immediately changed and upgraded - including the guards. Her one shot at getting out of here had been snatched away from Bella's fingertips by Sirius fucking Black.

She was pulled out of her musings by a voice Bella thought she'd never hear again.

"Did you miss me, Princess? You've no idea the strings I had to pull to get back here. We have some unfinished business though that will make all that effort of mine worthwhile."

"Donald, how did you manage to return?"

"It was actually a rather brilliant idea of mine, if I do say so myself. I pretended to be such a shit auror that Bones the bitch went complaining to my Uncle Cornelius. He asked me what I wanted to do, and Bones was so gad to see the back of yours truly, she never raised an objection to me being transferred to the Azkaban guards. We'll need to wait a few weeks, until I can get put on the night shift, then I'll come calling on you."

"Donald, my husband is in the next cell..."

"Don't worry, Princess, I'll put up silencing charms. Wouldn't want anyone getting jealous, especially when he hears you moan and scream. Catch you later - it's not like you're going anywhere." Donald strode away, chuckling at his own joke. Had he looked back, the calculating expression on Bella's face would have told Donald the joke was on him.

She was well aware Donald wouldn't have to 'pretend' to be a shit auror, and that this boastful prick was desperate to put the name Bellatrix Lestrange at the very top of his list of female conquests. Bella had deliberately acted all demure and broken since they had first met, hoping to entice him into making the very move he was now promising to do.

Donald was of the opinion that he could easily handle her, and she had carefully nurtured that belief. He obviously thought his size and weight advantage would be more than enough to force the waif on the other side of the bars to do his bidding. Bella would do everything to encourage that belief, right up until she tore his throat out. If Donald Carrick was crazy enough to bring a wand with him into her cell then Bella could guarantee there would be moaning and screaming - it just wouldn't be coming from her.