The Next Dance

THE NEXT DANCE

BY AERIE22

CHAPTER 17

AMRITSAR

* * *

Harry wasn't sure what to expect. Amritsar was named for the ancestral home of the Patils, a city in the Northern Indian state of Punjab just south of the Himalayans and just east of Lahore, the capital of what now is Pakistan. So Harry expected Amritsar Manor to be full of beaded curtains, ivory carvings and exotic painted silk screens.

Nothing could have been further from fact. It resembled nothing as much as a Victorian country house, with a large, two story central room with high beamed ceilings and chairs, sofas and side tables scattered around. He looked up to see a railed walkway that led to the various bedrooms on the two upper floors. There was a large dining room and a spacious kitchen with dozens of small cabinet doors one side of the ground floor, and a study, sitting room and library on the other. And there was an odd door to an enclosed corridor that extended about 20 feet out to what looked like a tiny cottage.

Harry looked curiously at the cottage and the enclosed connection to the main house. "What's that?" he asked Parvati.

She chuckled. "That's the Muggle room."

Harry shook his head in confusion.

Parvati laughed. "That room is apart from the rest of the house to allow shields against magic that would interfere with the Muggle equipment. You know, the tele, the stereo, the computers, all that electrical stuff."

* * *

He was actually surprised how much fun he had had so far at Amritsar. Once the awkward introductions were over, Hari and Gani had launched into an intense discussion of Quidditch with Harry. Shane and Monkey managed to contribute on occasion, as had Parvati, Padma and Lakshmi. But somehow, talking Quidditch with Hari and Gani, who had been Ravenclaw chasers ten years apart, was like hearing Ron in stereo.

Amid all the arguing and complaining, Harry found Shane's wife, Janine, to be the one pocket of sanity.

"Is it always like this," Harry whispered to her with a confused smile.

The pregnant Janine gave a hearty laugh, keeping her hands folded over her swelling belly. "You don't know the half of it," she said with a glint in her eye.

Harry gave her a quizzical look.

She gave him a warm smile. "Lil told me that, when she met Sanjit in school, he was handsome and sweet. But he always seemed to be holding back, like he was trying to be the perfect young man to please his parents. She said she vowed that she would loosen him up and make sure none of her children would be so straight-laced. I think she succeeded too well," Janine said, giggling and hiccuping amid the uproar.

Harry simply shook his head in wonder.

The next day, he had found himself hauled out of bed for an impromptu Quidditch match, with he, Sirius and Shane as chasers, Parvati as a merely average beater and Mr. Patil as only a fair keeper, against Hari, Gani and Lakshmi as chasers, Padma as a beater who was a little better than her sister, and Monkey as a surprisingly good, if loud, keeper. "No seekers permitted," Monkey announced.

Harry complained loudly, but with a smile, that the odds had been stacked against his team, as Hari and Gani worked fluidly and well together, much to the grumbling of their father, Sanjit. And he had to laugh as Parvati and Padma spent the end of the match hitting an off-speed bludger mostly at each other, rather than at the opposing chaser lines. The match was finally called with the score 200-90 against Harry's side.

Supper was an event, as Lil showed she was a great cook. Harry chuckled at how Lil managed to serve numerous courses in small portions, unlike Molly Weasley, who would serve a few dishes in massive quantities.

And Harry discovered what he had expected from the start: that the favorite pass-time of the Patil sons and daughters was arguing. Hari, it seemed, was the main subject for abuse, specifically over the fact that he was 32 years old and not married. Gani came under nearly the same amount of abuse over his constant quest to find a professional, or at least semi-professional Quidditch team to take him, rather than finding a real job, preferably with the firm, as Sanjit and Hari insisted. Monkey, of course, seemed to he the main instigator, and came in for his share of abuse simply for being the Monkey Man.

Lakshmi, for her part, seemed to enjoy watching the action, and contribute on occasion, but mostly she could be seen sitting back, providing a running commentary for Harry, Sirius, and Shane's wife Janine.

Harry watched all this, wondering why Shane and the girls seemed to be exempt. Finally, late on the second night he was there, he pulled Parvati aside to ask.

Parvati first looked at him uncertainly, then made a face. After making sure they wouldn't be over heard, she pulled him into a corner. "Look, Harry. Don't tell anyone, but Janine caught Shane fooling around last year and kicked him out. They made up and all. We always used to give Shane the devil about being such a flirt and all, but after last year, we stopped because it makes Janine upset."

Harry nodded. "But what about Lakshmi?"

Parvati looked down. "The boys used to like to pick on her about her love life, or lack of one. But she's been lonely for quite a while, and now she just cries when they do. We like to tease each other. But it's not supposed to hurt. So we make fun of her running the business and bossing everyone else around, but we try to be careful."

Harry nodded, solemnly.

Parvati's face suddenly brightened mischievously. "And as for Padma and I--well, there's nothing to criticize. We're perfect," she said with a hearty laugh.

But it was the next day, Christmas Eve Day, that was an anxious one for Harry. It had started out pleasantly. After Sunday services, Parvati led him out of the house. It was cold, but not bitterly so, with the temperature hovering a few degrees above freezing.

Harry followed obediently as she walked him out to what looked like a long, low cottage. He was about to ask her what it was when she led him to the side of the building and opened tall, broad doors. "I want you to meet one of my best friends," she said with a broad smile.

Harry stared in surprise. It was a stable.

Parvati stopped at the first of about a dozen stalls. "Harry, meet Oxhead."

Harry noticed the stall had a brass plate that read 'Bucephalus.' Then he looked up to see a beautiful chestnut stallion with a white diamond on its forehead.

Parvati threw her arms around the horse's neck as it snorted and nuzzled her affectionately. "Hey, Ox. Meet Harry," she murmured among a series of other nonsense words.

Harry didn't quite know what to do.

"Raise your hand and let him smell it," she whispered. "Maybe, if you're good, he'll let you stroke his muzzle."

Harry stared at the animal wide-eyed. He had never been this close to a regular horse before, although he had met centaurs like Firenze, Bane and Ronan, and unicorns like Snowflake. But Oxhead seemed even bigger than Ronan, the biggest centaur he'd met. Harry gave an uncertain smile and raised his hand to Oxhead's nose.

The horse snorted.

Suddenly, he felt Parvati slip something into his other hand. "Give him that," she whispered.

Slowly Harry raised his left hand and opened it to reveal a few sugar cubes. Oxhead gave Harry a speculative look and gently took the cubes from Harry's hand.

Parvati inched over and put her arms around Harry. "There you go, Ox. That's Harry."

After a few more minutes of getting to know Oxhead, Parvati dragged Harry over to an enclosed room that ran at least three stall lengths along the opposite side of the corridor. Parvati opened the door to the tack room and motioned Harry in. She turned to look at him and frowned. "Take off your trousers."

Harry's eyes opened in a panic. "But...what if someone should walk in?" he stuttered.

Parvati rolled her eyes and turned to open one of the lockers along the inner wall. She reached in and pulled out a pair of khaki trousers and tossed them to Harry. "These are Shane's. You're about his size, maybe a tad thinner. They should fit." She continued to rummage through the neatly kept locker. She tossed out a pair of boots with a bit of heel to them. "Try these."

Harry looked at the clothes being tossed in his direction. "What...?"

"Take off your trousers," she ordered.

Harry blushed and removed his cloak, shoes and trousers and quickly donned the khaki pair. "They feel a little loose," he remarked.

Parvati nodded. "I hope so. There's charmed padding. You'll need it as a new rider."

Harry absently reached down to his thighs. "They feel weird."

Parvati sighed. "You don't know anything about riding, do you?"

Harry shook his head, wide-eyed. "You want me to ride? On a horse?"

Parvati ignored him as she removed her long coat and moved to a locker down a ways. She already was wearing her riding breeches. She kicked off her shoes and grabbed a pair of tall boots. "Try Shane's boots."

Harry tried the boots. "They're a little loose."

Parvati returned to give him a pair of heavy socks.

As Harry pulled the socks over his own socks, he started chuckling. "Where can I buy these. They're just the thing for Professor Dumbledore."

Parvati gave in a quizzical look and pulled out a pair of laced leather tubes.

Harry glanced at her with curiosity.

"They're half chaps. You wear them with paddock boots when you don't have full riding boots."

Soon, Harry was fully dressed.

Parvati then led him to a stall down from Oxhead. "This is Lord Lumos. He's Padma's."

Harry stared at the horse. He was almost as big as Oxhead, and a deep brown. Unlike Oxhead, Lord Lumos seemed calmer and much less haughty.

"He gets on with Oxhead better than the others and is much better behaved. He'll be good for you."

Harry shuffled nervously as he helped Parvati bring Lord Lumos's saddle and tack out and put it on. Then he watched Parvati prepare Oxhead as she explained the basics of riding.

Finally, the couple led their horses out of the stable and out past the paddock to the open field behind Amritsar. After a couple tries, Harry managed to mount Lord Lumos. It was a surprisingly nice feeling.

Parvati, who already was up on Oxhead, turned to him. "Remember, Harry. If Oxhead takes it into his head to run, just keep a slight pressure on the reins. Lumey knows when to let Ox have his head."

As they began their ride, Parvati slowly increased the pace. Harry was amazed how wonderful it felt. It was almost like riding a broom. But it was even more exciting as he never felt the power in his broom as he felt under him now. And he also felt a thrill knowing he wasn't totally in control the way he was on a broom, and that he would have to work to maintain control of the huge, beautiful beast under him.

Harry noticed Ox was bobbing his head nervously.

"Harry, hold on to Lumey and don't try to follow at more than a trot. Ox wants to run."

And suddenly, Parvati kicked and Ox was off like a shot.

Harry could feel Lumey fidgeting nervously under him, and gave him a slight nudge with his boot heels to follow, like Parvati had showed him. But soon, Harry began to feel a little more confident and gave Lumey more leeway. Soon, he was racing across the fields almost at Ox's pace. It was the most exhilarating thing he had felt since his first time on a broom.

As Ox veered to the right ahead, Harry could feel Lumey veer. And somehow, after years on brooms, Harry understood how to lean into the turn, as well.

Parvati continued to ride up to the top of a rise, slowing Ox and turning him around to see Harry racing Lumey not far behind her. As Ox campered excitedly, Harry managed, only a little awkwardly, to join them at the top of the rise.

Parvati was practically bouncing with excitement. "I knew it!" she cried. "I knew you were a natural! Just seeing you on a broom for the first time back in first year, I knew you could be a rider, too."

Harry gave her a foolish grin, then calmed a little. He sighed in pleasure and then looked around the fields below them. "What are all those houses down there?"

Parvati sidled up to Harry and Lumey. She pointed to each house. "That's 'Kharma,' Shane and Janine's place. The one by the stream is 'Beas,' Hari's place. The big house over to the left is 'Batala,' my Uncle Mandar's house. And the cozy place on the far hill is 'Siwalik,' where my granny lives."

Harry blinked. "Your whole family all lives here?"

Pavati shrugged. "Granny and Shane and Janine live here full time. My parents, Hari, Gani and Monkey live in our house near Portsmouth. Uncle Mandar and my cousin Jay live nearby in Portsmouth as well. But we spend as much time out here as possible."

"Wow," Harry said with a wistful smile. "The whole family together."

Pavati chuckled. "That's why you have to be careful flooing here. This is all the Patil Estate. You have to be specific as to which house you want to go. You wouldn't want to accidentally floo into Shane and Janine's and scare the kids, or worse, into Hari's and stumble into one of his girlfriends."

Parvati then gazed out at the surrounding grounds. "Maybe someday..." she said quietly.

* * *

Harry sighed in happiness as the couple rode slowly back to Amritsar. Parvati had showed him the small cottage in a copse of trees on the grounds and they had enjoyed the privacy.

But there was something that nagged at the back of his mind. Finally, he turned to Parvati and took a deep breath.

"Parvati, I figured your family was prosperous. But I had no idea you were rich."

Parvati turned to look at him with a puzzled expression. "We're not rich," she said in a halting voice. "Well, maybe well off among the merchant class. I guess we're on par with the Richardsons, the Zabinis and the Abbotts...they're the ones I'm familiar with. Padma and I went to primary school with them, you know."

Harry frowned. "I didn't know..."

She chuckled. "This is nothing compared to Lavender. Her family's holdings are huge, and the Northern branch of the clan...well, they are so closed and secretive that nobody knows how rich they are."

"They're all rich? Like you and Hannah and Blaise? Like Malfoy?"

Parvati gave Harry a crooked smile. "Well, I guess some of us are well-to-do. Some more than others. Look at the Malfoys. Why do you think Draco could act like he does. His family is immensely wealthy. Not on par with the Browns. But they've always used their money to get what they wanted, and to get away with what they want."

Harry frowned in thought. "You mean a lot of our classmates are rich?"

Parvati shrugged. "Sure. A lot of the old-line pure-blood families have large land holdings. Why do you think Pansy is such a whore around Draco? Her family is one of the 55, but they are small. They have decent holdings, but not on the scale of the Malfoys or the Adairs or the O'Briens over in Ireland."

"What is the 55?"

Parvati tilted her head in surprise. They're the 55 official pure-blood families. It used to be the 200 decades ago, but there's been so much intermarriage with Muggleborns in the past 50 years that there was a move about 20 years ago to change all that. That's why you're not a member of the 55. The Potters never bothered with the pure-blood stuff. I can't be because I'm a wog, an immigrant. After all, we've only been in England for 11 generations," she said with a snort.

Harry shrugged. "So they're all rich," he said flatly. "All these rich kids coming to Hogwarts."

Parvati's eyes fluttered in consternation. "Harry, what did you expect? It's not as if this is a regular Wizarding school."

Harry gave her a puzzled look. "If this is such an elite school for rich kids, how do you explain the Weasleys all going here? Or the Creeveys? What about Crabbe and Goyle? They were one step up from being mountain trolls."

Parvati sighed. "Do you really think the Weasleys are poor? They were reasonably well off. Not rich, but certainly not poor. But they have been putting seven kids through Hogwarts. This year alone, they are probably spending close to 2,500 Galleons to keep them all here. That's probably 50% more than most Wizarding families earn in a year. And when Percy was here, they had five children going to Hogwarts at the same time. To put it in terms you can understand, that's about 250,000 pounds sterling for the seven of them just for Hogwarts. Of course they don't have a lot of money to throw around."

Harry sighed. "What about the others. I heard Amy Hattan say that her father is a dock worker or something."

Parvati shook her head. "Each year, there are a few Muggle students, and a few from the Wizarding world, that show exceptional talent who get scholarships. Hermione probably could have gotten a scholarship except that her parents could afford to send her here. That's probably how Amy and the Creeveys could come to be at Hogwarts."

Harry frowned, deep in thought. "Well, if it's such an elite school, why do we have so many lousy teachers?"

Parvati twisted absently in her saddle. "Well...most of the professors have long been retired. Look at how old so many of them are. They've made their fortunes and have expertise in their field and wanted to teach. And some have such strong ties to Hogwarts that they couldn't stay away."

Harry snorted. "So what about Crabbe and Goyle?"

Parvati shook her head. "You still don't get it, do you? Hogwarts provides the best education in the Wizarding world. But it also gives students a chance to get to know the elite in the Wizarding world. Most children in our world would never even get to meet, much less get to know, a Brown, a Malfoy, a Harry Potter, someone like Susan Bones whose guardian is the MLE minister, or Cedric Diggory..." and she closed her eyes in pain, as did Harry.

Parvati gave Harry a sad glance. Finally, she took a deep breath. "Harry," she said softly. "My mum and dad explained to me that we're going to school with future Ministers of Magic, Patriarchs and Matriarchs of clans and the major wizarding families, and the heads of the major industries in our world. That is something you can't buy, but you can experience by going to Hogwarts. So families use all their resources and all their influence to get their children into Hogwarts. And some pureblood families have enough influence and resources, or high-placed friends, to get their children into school even if they are trolls."

Harry nodded, feeling very confused and very uncomfortable as the couple arrived back at the stables.

* * *

It had been a wonderful, but disconcertingly enlightening, morning. But now, Harry looked anxiously at his Godfather, who was frowning in thought.

"So what do they want to see us about?" Harry said nervously.

Sirius made a face. "Well, I'll let them explain. They're just waiting for Hanuman."

Harry would have laughed if he wasn't so terrified. Hanuman was late again, but for what? 'My execution?' Harry thought anxiously.

Hanuman suddenly came bounding down the stairs and paused in front of Harry. "Sorry. I couldn't find my knife," he said to Harry with a leering grin. He then stepped into the study.

Harry jumped when he heard shouting. "What do you mean they're out there? Why are they waiting?" he heard a voice sounding like Hari. "Bring them in!"

Hanuman poked his head out of the door. "We're ready for you now," he said with a evil grin.

"SHUT UP!" he heard another voice shout.

Sirius and Harry rose and entered the library.

Harry was surprised at the size of the library. There were four small desks with chairs, and several easy chairs and sofas. And there were bookcases up to the ceiling on two walls. And these were not for show. The books were of all sizes, shapes and ages, from an entire bookcase with diamond-shaped shelves instead of flat ones to hold scrolls, to ones holding stacks of papers. There was even a bookcase that looked to hold nothing but Muggle books on everything from accounting to history to a couple shelves of Muggle novels. He chuckled at some of the authors. Ian Fleming. John LeCarre. Mario Puzo.

Near the fire, Sanjit was sitting in a large armchair on one side. Hari, Shane and Monkey were sitting in a sofa on the other side. And in the middle was a loveseat facing the fire.

Sanjit smiled and rose. "Have a seat, Sirius, Harry. I didn't realize you were out there. My sons should have invited you in directly," he said, suddenly glaring at the three young men on the couch.

Harry and Sirius gingerly took their seats and looked around curiously.

"Gani can come to meetings when he gets a real job," Monkey said, making a face.

Sanjit frowned at Monkey, then leaned back in his chair and templed his fingers under his chin. "Has Sirius talked to you about why we asked to talk to you?"

Hanuman suddenly cackled evilly, only to be elbowed by both Hari and Shane.

Harry glanced over at the three brothers with wide eyes, then turned back to Sanjit, who looked exasperated. "You must excuse my sons..."

Suddenly there were snorts from Hari and Shane and an innocent smile from Monkey.

Sanjit rolled his eyes. "Harry. We understand that your Godfather has no knowledge of, or control over, your finances."

Harry frowned and shrugged.

"And I understand you were raised by Muggle relatives. Were they involved in your finances?"

Harry scowled. "No way. They would have stolen every knut I have in Gringotts."

Sanjit nodded. "And your current guardians ... well, I understand that there is a matter of security. I promise you that my wife and I will never divulge what little we know of them..." He then cast a narrow-eyed glance to his sons. "Not to anyone."

Harry nodded in confusion.

Sanjit returned the nod. "And your new guardians similarly have no knowledge or control over your finances?"

Harry shrugged. "It never came up. I guess not, unless Professor Dumbledore mentioned something."

Sanjit continued. "And yourself?"

Harry frowned. "What about me?"

Sanjit sighed. "You are aware of your financial situation?"

Harry went to open his mouth, then turned to look at Sirius, who simply shrugged.

Harry took a deep breath. "According to my last Gringotts statement, I have 31,700 Galleons in my account."

Hanuman raised his eyebrows, Shane looked thoughtful, but Hari and Sanjit frowned.

Sanjit pursed his lips before he spoke. "That's about enough to support you for about ten years if you are careful. Do you have a full accounting of your vault?"

Harry shrugged. "My last statement gave five years of information. They deduct the costs for Hogwarts each year. There's something called trustee fee. I guess that's one percent. That's what it looks like. I get about 1,000 to 1,500 a year in something they call shared risk investment..."

Sanjit snorted. "They're lending against your account and splitting the profits. But not the risks. Damned Goblins," he muttered. "Well, at least that's within the interest range of safe loans."

Harry frowned again. "And I got about four deposits of 500 Galleons each for something called 'Ministry/Accruals'." He looked at Sanjit with a puzzled expression

Sanjit's eyes widened. He looked at Hari. "What's that?"

Hari shrugged, frowning.

Sanjit lowered his head in thought. Finally, he glanced up. "Harry, you have no blood relatives in the wizarding world?"

Harry shrugged. "Not that I know of."

Sanjit cleared his throat. "The reason why I asked you to sit down with us is that we are concerned about your financial situation."

"Yeah, we don't want any gold-diggers dating our sister," Monkey whispered with a smirk, again earning elbows from his brothers.

Sanjit closed his eyes and shook his head sadly. "This has nothing to do with Parvati. You are a fine young man and we like you. We are just concerned about you and the status of the Potter Estate. It appears that it is being kept in trust by the Ministry. And, absent an adult blood relative in our world to act for you, you will have to wait until you reach the age of seventeen before the estate is released to you. With your permission, we could make some inquiries for you."

Harry looked at Sirius, who shrugged and nodded.

Harry turned back to Sanjit. "Okay, I guess."

Sanjit turned to Sirius. "And you, Sirius. May we do the same for you?"

Sirius frowned. "I don't care about that money."

Sanjit sighed. "Sirius. You are now the head of one of the 55 families. The Blacks were not among the richest of the 55, but the Black Estate is not small. I would suggest that you take a more active interest. If you decline your inheritance, it goes to the nearest blood relative."

Sirius frowned. "Narcissa's mother was my oldest aunt. Andromeda Tonks's mother was next, followed by ..." and Sirius's eyes narrowed "Ballatrix LeStrange's mother. They're all dead, as is Narcissa. So Andromeda would be next in line?"

Sanjit frowned again. "Not necessarily. She's married to a Muggle, and there are special rules regarding pureblood fortunes at risk of leaving the wizarding world. If I were you, Sirius, I would be more active in pursuing your inheritance. Otherwise, there is a real risk it could end up in Narcissa's estate. In Lucius Malfoy's hands."

Both Sirius and Harry felt a shiver of cold run down their spines. Finally, Sirius sighed. "I would appreciate your help," he said quietly.

After another ten minutes of idle chit-chat, and a few elbow-inducing comments from Monkey, Harry and Sirius left.

Sanjit's pleasant face turned serious. He looked at Hari. "That doesn't sound right."

Hari frowned and turned to Monkey, who just shrugged. "Where I work in the Ministry, an 'accrual' is just a smokescreen for an accounting error in your favor. But when that happens, it's usually just some prat whose calculating spells were poor. It doesn't recur in the same amount several times."

Shane simply shrugged and looked down in thought.

Sanjit simply frowned. "Call our lawyers first thing after Christmas," he said finally.

* * *

Harry was snuggling with Parvati when Padma come bounding around the corner. "There you are, you two," she said excitedly. "Harry! My mum wants to see you. She wants to test your skills in the kitchen," she said with a giggle.

Parvati burst out laughing. "Don't worry, Harry," she said gasping. "Mum does this to every girl any of my brothers bring home. It's about time she did this to a boy!"

Padma joined Parvati in laughing.

Parvati started to follow Harry. "I can't wait to see this," she said, chuckling evilly.

Then Padma grabbed her arm. "Oh, no. Mum said he has to face this alone. Anyway, I've got something for you to see," she said with her eyes sparkling.

Parvati stopped short and Harry continued on with a worried look. He vaguely heard Pavati ask "Again?" and Padma reply something about Sirius and Shi-Shi 'huddled thick as thieves' together.

Harry slowly entered the kitchen, and Lilac Patil turned to greet him with a half smile. "Harry, Parvati tells me you fancy yourself as something of a cook. Ever been in a magical kitchen before?"

Harry blinked and shrugged. "I stayed with the Weasleys and watched Mrs. Weasley cook."

Lil Patil nodded. "Molly and Arthur. Nice people. My husband and I went to school with them. They were Gryffindors and we were Ravenclaws."

Harry smiled at her and looked around the large kitchen. There were numerous heating platforms and more pots and pans hanging from hooks on the ceiling than he'd ever seen. But what was most striking was the multitude of cabinets. Harry frowned in concentration.

Lil noticed and gave a bubbly laugh. "You were raised by Muggles, correct?"

Harry nodded.

"And you now are staying with a Muggle clergyman and his wife...Oh, my husband and I know. Your Headmaster told us. And we understand. Your secret is safe."

Harry sighed and nodded.

"The first key to a good meal is fresh ingredients," she continued. She reached to open one of the larger cabinet doors and Harry looked in. He was startled. It was like opening a window on a large garden, with numerous tomato plants growing in warm sunshine here on a cold overcast day the middle of winter. Lil grabbed four tomatoes and handed them to Harry. "Blanch and peel them, please." She opened the next cabinet and Harry saw two rows of romaine lettuce growing in a completely different garden.

Harry watched in amazement as she opened one cabinet after another and each seemed to be its own garden, whether it be vegetables, fruits or herbs. She suddenly turned to Harry. "Chicken?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess. I've made chicken."

Lil opened a tall narrow door and Harry was startled to see a small barnyard full of live chickens. She summoned three with her wand and grabbed them out of the air only to stuff them into a nearby empty cabinet. After about ten seconds, she opened the cabinet and withdrew three killed, plucked, cleaned and dressed chickens.

Lil turned and smiled at Harry. "Let's get started."

Harry's head was spinning as she showed him all the conveniences of the kitchen proper. "Don't mind me," she said with a chuckle. "There are only about a dozen kitchens like this in all of England, and I think the Zabinis own half of them for their restaurants. I love showing this off," she said with a chuckle.

However, once the actual preparation and flavoring for cooking started, Lil slowed down. "Here Harry, you peel and chop the vegetables. I find it relaxing to do a lot of this by hand."

Harry started on the carrots, peeling then cutting them on a bias as his Aunt Petunia had taught him.

Lil nodded in approval. Finally, she took what seemed to be a deep breath. "Parvati tells me you had a girlfriend before her. Hermione?"

Harry started. "Well...not exactly..."

Lil turned to him. "Were you sleeping with her before you slept with Parvati?"

Harry's eyes went wide. This was it, he thought. She's holding a razor sharp chef's knife. Should he bolt to the nearest exit and get to Sirius before she killed, cleaned, plucked and dressed him?

Lil stared more intently. "Oh, stop looking like you were just hit by a stunning curse," she said with just a hint of humor in her voice. "You must have suspected this was coming. Yes, Harry. It's 'the talk'."

Harry face had turned a dark shade of red as he looked down at the counter.

Lil Patil sighed. "I know. So does Padma and Lakshmi. And maybe Shane, either through Sirius or Janine. My husband and my other sons suspect, but don't really want to know, and we aren't going to tell them."

Harry gave a weak nod.

"Harry, I want you to look at me."

Harry slowly raised his anxious eyes to meet hers.

Lil Patil's face took on a serious look. "I want to tell you that I don't approve. I don't like it. I think you're both too young."

Harry had trouble maintaining eye contract, wanting to be anywhere but in that kitchen.

Lil sighed. "You didn't answer my question," she said softly. "Was Parvati your first?"

Harry closed his eyes and nodded morosely.

Lil responded with her own nod. "And you were her first?"

Harry again nodded.

Lil again nodded back. "You know, I didn't know what to expect before you arrived. I had read the story in Teen Witch Weekly..."

Harry suddenly looked up with a frown.

"Yes, I know...it's mostly rubbish. But I do like to keep an eye on what my daughters are reading. As I was saying, I had read the story and others. And I was pleasantly surprised at how far from the truth all those stories were. You seem like an honest, decent young man, not the arrogant teenager I feared. And I flatter myself that, after raising four sons and being exposed to all their friends over the years, I am a relatively good judge of character when it comes to young men."

Harry gave her an uncertain look.

Lil sighed again. "I also know how Parvati can be," she said wistfully. "She can be brash and headstrong. So I understand that whatever you two are doing together most likely was at her instigation as much as yours."

Harry gave an small shrug. He was beginning to feel that his life was no longer in immediate danger, even if he still wanted desperately to escape.

Lil paused for a moment, then continued. "But I want you to know. Parvati may be headstrong and willful. And she is the strongest of my daughters. But she is not made of steel. She is a vulnerable fifteen-year-old girl."

Lil gave him a wan smile. "I just want you to know that I expect you to treat her with care and decency. As I said, I know you have slept together. Don't expect me to pat you on the head over that. I do not approve. I think you are much too young to have such an intense relationship. But I also know that, with Parvati, short of locking her away here at Amritsar, I can only give advice, not make demands. What I am saying is that I don't want to hear that you are taking advantage of her, or hurting her."

Harry lowered his head. "I love her," he said quietly.

Lil closed her eyes. "I know, Harry. I can see it from the way you act around her."

Harry raised his eyes again to the woman, this time with a hint of both hope and vulnerability.

Lilac Patil paused and gave Harry an intense look. "I want to tell you something, something important for you to know. I want you to promise that you will never breathe a word of this to anyone, not even to Parvati. She knows the story, but I don't want it to get around that you know."

Harry nodded solemnly.

Lil lowered her eyes. "There's another reason why I am concerned about how intense your relationship with Parvati has gotten," she said softly. "You see, Lakshmi was in the same position ten years ago. She too fell in love with a strong, handsome young man, a classmate, at about the same age as you two. Quite frankly, I was pleased by the match. Then, when they got into their seventh years together, something happened. His family got involved, or at least some members of his family did. They had someone else in mind for him and he didn't have it in him to resist them. Their relationship ended badly because the boy, who was a lot like you in many ways, couldn't find it in himself to follow his heart. I think she still has the scars. It's only recently that she seems to have started coming back to life."

Harry sighed and looked down. "I wouldn't never do anything to hurt Parvati," he said in almost a whisper.

"I believe you, Harry," she said in an equally quiet voice.

* * *

"Sirius, do you mind if we talk," Shane said quietly.

Sirius had been looking admiringly at Lakshmi, who had been so blushingly sweet that he felt like a 15-year-old again. He could not remember when he had talked as often, or as much, or about so many things, with a woman as he had with Lakshmi over the past three days. Suddenly, the strong, frightening woman he had met a couple months ago had taken on a softer form.

He hadn't spent all his time with Lakshmi. He had spent a lot of time with Harry, reassuring him and explaining, at least in a general manner, about his friendship with Shane and the fact that he had met Lakshmi before. He had discussed the Knockturn Alley incident, and possible future operations, with Shane. And he had been subjected to some oblique and puzzling conversations with Sanjit and the other Patil sons. He even had a chance to visit Remus twice for an hour each time.

He had been disturbed, however, about how Sanjit and three of the sons had pulled him and Harry aside about their finances. First, he didn't know that it was their business and mentally kicked himself for not cutting off discussion before it started. But he also realized that they were right. No one was looking out for Harry's interests. And the Patils were merchants, and very prosperous ones, who probably knew more about the world of Sickles and Galleons than he ever would.

Now he turned to Shane with a familiar shiver running down his spine. Seeing Shane with a serious expression and not in disguise in a seedy bar in Knockturn Alley or the Rusty Bucket area in Portsmouth brought back the fact that he was facing an Auror and a pretty tough one. And, after dodging Aurors for over two years, the visceral cold feeling of facing one, even as a friend, had not vanished.

Sirius nodded cautiously.

Shane laughed, which seemingly transformed his face from that of a spy and Auror to that of a film star. "Don't worry. You're not under arrest. Not even by the family police," he said with a smile.

Sirius gave a forced smile and followed Shane past the drawing room to a door next to that of the library where he and Harry had talked money. Shane motioned with a nod for Sirius to enter. As he was about to step in, Shane grabbed his arm. "Don't be put out. My dad and uncle seen a few too many Muggle gangster movies," he whispered with a chuckle.

Sirius entered a large, wood-paneled study, with leather chairs and couches and a large desk. The room was lit low, with green-glass-shaded magical banker's lamps on the desk and end tables, casting a murky light. Sirius looked around at several faces. There was the family patriarch Sanjit, with his slicked back graying hair, and Hari, with his typical stoic expression. Hanuman was looking, for once, serious in dress robes. Ganapathi was seated in the corner by a shrouded window, playing idly with the tassels on the heavy velvet drapes. And Shane entered behind Sirius. But there were two strangers in the room.

Sanjit stood and offered his hand, which Sirius shook solemnly, even though they had been chatting amicably only an hour before. "Sirius, let me introduce my brother, Mandar, who is the co-owner of Patil Imports, and his son and my nephew, Jayanti."

Sirius smiled at Mandar, who was very round and fighting a losing battle with his hairline and, apparently, with hair-restoring potions, and had resorted to a terrible comb-over. Jayanti, on the other hand, looked a lot like Ganapathi--light-haired and trim, but who had wide eyes that seemed to take in everything around him.

"Mr. Black," Mandar said, holding out his hand for the obligatory handshake. Sirius shook and turned to Jayanti. The young man's face split into a smile. "Awww, just call me Jay," he said, ignoring the faces being made by his father and uncle.

Sanjit recovered his composure. Shane was right. He felt like he was trapped in some bad parody of a Muggle gangster movie.

"Sit down, Mr. Black," Mandar said as he shifted his bulk on the couch. He gave Sirius a smile. "Sirius, if I may?"

Sirius nodded.

Mandar nodded in return. "Sirius, we've asked you here to meet us to ask you what your plans are," he intoned.

Sirius blinked. He was about to say: 'To have a good time,' but he decided kidding around with this crew under these circumstances would not be appreciated. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You got a job, or one lined up?" Jay offered.

Sirius's eyes widened. "Well, I've already been doing some lectures at the Auror College on escape and evasion. Shane...Shanmukha knows about that," he said tentatively.

Mandar nodded. "But nothing permanent?"

Sirius flushed. He was living on a small pension of 100 Galleons a month from the ministry, which hardly compensated him for the nearly 15 years of his life he lost after being wrongly convicted. He lowered his head and shook it.

"Sirius, we've got a problem and perhaps you can help us," Shane offered.

Sirius looked up at the Auror with a puzzled expression. "Sure, I'll try. What is it?"

Sanjit cleared his throat. "It's a little bigger than getting your advice," he said sadly. "Look. We're losing somewhere between 800 to 1,000 galleons a month, maybe more, in 'inventory shrinkage.' That means we are getting robbed blind. Warehouse thefts, stevedores with sticky fingers, shipments lost, simple misplacing or misdelivery of inventory, you name it. We need someone who knows the streets to help us. Quite frankly, we're basically clerks and salesmen. And we've tried retired Aurors--no offense, Shanmukha--but they are more schooled in the Dark Arts rather than the dark side of human nature. On the other hand, you seem to be uniquely qualified to take over security at Patil Imports."

Sirius leaned back in shock. "You're...you're offering me a job?"

Mandar leaned forward. "I hope you don't mind, but we've done a little investigating of your background...as much as possible under the circumstances. You've been living underground for over two years. You know the Knockturn Alleys of our world a lot better than you know the Diagon Alleys. I understand you've also spent a lot of this time in the Muggle world and have a good handle on how it works. And you're fundamentally honest, from everything I've heard. Those are all the characteristics we would need as a head of security. Someone who can understand where the problems are and how to attack them at their source."

Sirius's face clouded. "You want a night watchman?" he snorted. "Thanks but no thanks."

It was Sanjit's and Mandar's turns to blink in surprise. Their sons, on the other hand, started laughing.

Hari slapped Sirius on the back. "If we needed another night watchman, we wouldn't be here. We'd just send you around to the loading dock in Portsmouth to ask the warehouse manager. No, my friend. We need someone to manage all our security operations. All the warehouses, the docks, the interactions with Muggle and wizarding customs officials, our clients, whatever."

Sirius looked around at the group, who were looking at him in varying degrees of anticipation. "Buy...why me? I can live on the streets, but I don't know anything about customs or..."

Shane leaned forward again. "You know how to work the system. We don't. And so you know how the low-life wizards can work us. I may be the only one in this group who has any experience in dealing with the streets, and I'm not sure I'm as qualified as you are. After all, I was part of the team of Aurors who hunted you for over two years and I never got close enough to get a sniff," he said, laughing.

Mandar grumbled. "I started out in the warehouse. I know something about the streets."

At this point, the rest of the Patils began laughing. "Mandar, you started as a go-fer for grandfather," Sanjit said, chuckling. "I did the same thing before you. And all I learned about the streets back then is what you learned: That they're hard when you fall on them after too much firewhiskey."

Mandar grumbled and sunk his chins against his chest.

Hari templed his fingers and looked at Sirius intently. "You are actually superbly qualified for what we are looking for, Sirius. But you have one additional qualification that you might not like to hear about."

For the first time, Sirius felt he was hearing from someone willing to be square, not elliptical, with him. "What is that, Hari?" he said seriously.

Hari took a deep breath. "There are a lot of people who don't believe the Ministry about you. They believe they were lied to about Voldemort. And now they believe they were lied to about you. There are a lot of people out there who believe you are truly a vicious killer and got your sentence overturned in gratitude for your fighting against Voldemort or though some back-room deal."

Sirius began to bristle, but suddenly calmed. Hari was right. He had seen it nearly every time he went out. Normal decent wizards and witches tended to avoid him. And a few lowlifes kept asking him how it felt to be a killer. He closed his eyes and nodded. "I'm innocent. I know everyone in Azkaban says they are innocent, but in my case, it's true. Believe me if you will. I don't care."

Shane leaned forward this time. "We believe you. I was there when Peter Pettigrew confessed. I'm one of three Aurors who were there and recorded his entire, rambling confession on our wands, as did several members of the hospital staff. For what it's worth, he cried over your incarceration and said he welcomed death or the dementor's kiss after what he did to you and the Potters."

Sirius lowered his head, tears suddenly forming.

Mandar shifted uncomfortably again, but the rest of the Patils waited silently, with Shane patting Sirius on the shoulder.

Finally, Sirius rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. He looked up with a renewed gravity. "So what does the public's belief about my past have to do with my qualifications?"

Shane leaned back. "Patil Imports is a soft target. A lot of the wizarding world, especially in the underworld, looks at us as a wog enterprise, a bunch of foreigners who are afraid to invoke the authorities, even though we've been in business for nearly 250 years. They think we're afraid of them."

Mandar again shifted.

It was Hari who now took the floor. "You have been the most notorious criminal, outside of You-Know-Who, in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, in decades. An escaped mass murderer. If we let it be known that anyone who messes with the Patils will have to answer to Sirius Black, a lot of the underworld will think twice."

Sirius gave a barking laugh. "Me?" he said sarcastically.

Shane leaned forward. "Yes, you. And you know it. We know better. But think of how you've been received by the wizarding world. You know your reputation better than anyone because you face it every day."

Sirius looked sharply at Shane. But he saw that the Auror was right. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay. And what does this job pay?"

Sanjit cleared his throat. "Well, we'll start you out at 250 a month. After three months, if things work out, 350 a month. Eventually, 500 a month is not beyond the realm of possibility. We'll go from there."

Sirius's eyes bulged. That was nearly twice as much to start than Remus was making with his literary rag. And 500 a month was more than he ever thought he would make when he was in Hogwarts. "You are talking galleons, aren't you?"

Jay burst into laughter. "No, knuts," he gasped out.

Shane screwed up his face. "Three hundred fifty is more than I make as a Senior Auror with nine years on the job," he grumped.

Hari started laughing now. "But that's not including your cut of the firm profits. You're probably the richest Auror on the force, except for that dilettante Jack Brown."

Shane gave Hari a nasty look. "Jack Brown is a good man, even if he is a Yorkshire Brown."

The group burst into laughter.

Sirius looked down. "I'll need some time to learn the ropes, my responsibilities and duties."

Sanjit rocked back in his swivel chair and nodded. "You'll be working for Mandar and me, but Lakshmi will work with you on your day-to-day duties. She'll show you the ropes. She knows more about government regulations, customs duties and rules, and tariffs than the rest of us combined."

Sirius mulled over the proposition. It sounded too good to be true. But, what the hell. It wasn't as if he was getting offers like this every day. He looked up. "I'll give it a go."

Mandar let out his breath. "Grand, grand," he said with a broad smile.

Shane slapped him on the back and Jay and Hari shook his hand.

Sanjit looked at Sirius with a smile. "We would prefer if you live in the Portsmouth area. You will probably find it more convenient as your hours will tend to be somewhat irregular. We do have company apartments in Portsmouth proper and you can stay there as long as you would like. But I do suppose you'll eventually want to find your own place. The apartments are nice, but not luxurious, as I'm sure Shanmukha can attest," he said, frowning at Shane

Shane blushed furiously. "Hey, it was only for a few days and Janine and I worked out our differences," he said sulkily. "You'd think I was an axe murderer," he muttered out of the side of his mouth to Sirius and Hari.

Mandar reached back and flipped open the sideboard behind him. "This calls for a little firewhiskey, if you ask me," he said jovially.

Jay and Shane rolled their eyes, but everyone eagerly grabbed for glasses to toast the new vice president of security at Patil Imports.

* * *

Harry, Parvati and Padma were huddled with Lakshmi, debating Harry's contribution to the evening's meal. "Quite frankly, I thought the meal was pretty good, Parvati. I don't know why you won't admit it," Lakshmi said with a smile.

Parvati rolled her eyes. "Pretty good for a house elf. Lots of basic food basically cooked. No subtlety. No flare. Just chow." Harry sunk in his chair, pouting.

Padma was rolling with laughter. "Parvati, you should be happy that Harry knows his way around the kitchen. With mummy's help, he could be a great cook. Maybe better than you. And almost as good as me," she said with a chuckle, as Parvati gave her a playful swat. "Terry probably thinks that you put your plate on the table and a meal automatically appears every time," she said, still giggling.

Now it was Parvati's turn to roll her eyes. "When are you going to wise up to that blockhead. I'm sure there are plenty of nice guys available."

Harry guffawed. "Yeah. I hear Professor Snape is available."

Lakshmi shrieked in laughter. "That old heartbreaker hasn't been snapped up yet?"

Padma stuck her tongue out at Harry and leaned back, pouting. "Terry is all right once you can get him in a one-to-one conversation. It's when he's with a crowd that he starts rambling."

Parvati laughed. "Most of those good one-to-one conversations must be when he's alone because half the time I talk to him, I don't know what he's talking about and the other half of the time, I don't care. I heard he argues with himself and loses every argument," she said giggling.

Sirius suddenly entered the room. "Well, if it isn't my three favorite Patil sisters. Oh, and you're here, Harry. I didn't notice," he said with a grin.

Lakshmi gave him a speculative look.

Sirius flopped down in an armchair across from the couch where Padma and Lakshmi were sitting and next to the love seat containing Harry and Parvati, who were characteristically leaning against each other.

"Where'd you disappear to, Sirius?" Harry asked.

Lakshmi looked down. "In there with the brain trust, weren't you?" she said quietly.

Sirius, still relatively alert despite three shots of firewhiskey, gave Lakshmi an appraising glance. He nodded. "I met your uncle Mandar and cousin Jay. They seemed all right," he said, suddenly quiet. "Why weren't you in there?"

Lakshmi raised her eyes and gave a small snort. "Oh, they didn't need a girl interfering with their big deals," she said bitterly. "After all, what do I know? It was only my idea, based on my data as applied to my business plan. Did you accept?"

Harry, Parvati and Padma looked back and forth between Sirius and Lakshmi. "Accept what?" Parvati asked with concern.

Sirius turned to Harry. "Looks like I'll be moving out of Hogsmeade, Harry."

Harry started. "Really? Why?"

"Because I'll be working down here. I'm the new chief of security for Patil Imports."

Lakshmi gave Sirius a small smile and nodded. "Good. Now maybe someone else will know what's going on there."

Parvati took a swipe at Lakshmi. "Come on, Shi-Shi. Dad knows what he's doing. And Hari's smart. And Jay shows real promise."

Lakshmi shook her head. "Dad is a top notch salesman, and is a great strategic planner. But he doesn't take any interest in the day-to-day operations. And you know Hari isn't a detail person. Jay and I pretty much run the operation and, quite frankly, Jay is too inexperienced for the job. So I've got to make all the operational decisions and then Jay and I pass them up to dad."

"What about your uncle?" Sirius asked.

Lakshmi frowned. "Look, he's a good salesman. But in recent years, he's basically spent his time wining and dining old customers and hasn't really gotten out there looking for new ones. And that's how you keep a business vital."

Sirius frowned. "How's the company doing?"

Lakshmi shrugged. "It's doing well. It just keeps rolling. But it could do a whole lot better if we had some support, if I didn't have to run to dad before implementing any changes. Honestly, there hasn't been any real leadership in this firm since great-grandfather Harshad."

Sirius nodded. "And you can't provide that leadership?"

Lakshmi closed her eyes. "It's a male-dominated operation. Throughout the years, the Patil boys took over the firm and the Patil girls got married. I guess they expect that to continue."

Sirius was watching Lakshmi closely. He understood her frustration. It wasn't fair. And no one could recognize and empathize with those treated unfairly more than Sirius.

"Lakshmi. Your father said that you would show me the ropes. Want to take a walk and tell me about the job? It's your idea, after all, right?"

Lakshmi suddenly blushed. "Well...okay. Just let me get my cloak. We can walk around the grounds."

As the couple left the room, Parvati and Padma exchanged glances and smiled. Harry turned and saw the silent communication and was puzzled. "All right. No telepathy allowed. What's going on?"

Parvati turned to Harry and grabbed his forearm. "She likes him," she whispered urgently.

Harry blinked. "Sirius?"

Parvati and Padma both rolled their eyes. Harry leaned back on the loveseat in a pout. "A double Patil roll. They should make that a Wizarding Olympics event."

The twins' eyes lit up. "Come on. Up to the bedroom. We can get a good view from there," Padma said enthusiastically. She turned to Harry. "Come on, Harry," she said with glittering eyes.

Harry looked back and forth between the twins in confusion when Parvati grabbed his arm. "Come on. We don't want to miss anything."

Suddenly, Harry felt himself being pulled upstairs by two sets of eager hands.

Harry had been in the twins bedroom briefly once when he first arrived. It was, in a word, 'girly.' The room was a study in pastels, from powder blue to pink. Padma's side had a few more books, although Parvati was no slouch on her side, and Parvati's side had a few more pictures, including a framed cover of Witch Weekly where she and Harry appeared in a Colin Creevey glamour shot.

And in between the two full-sized beds was a large, bay window. The twins blew out the candle on the nightstand between their beds and removed it so they could huddle in the window. "Come on, Harry," Parvati whispered, and pulled him in between the two girls. Harry felt a little light-headed as two of the prettiest girls he knew leaned up over his shoulders and pressed down to get a closer look.

It was then that Harry noticed Lakshmi and Sirius down on the flagstone patio. He could tell that there was a substantial warming charm at work down there as what little snow that was on the ground was completely absent on a broad semicircle. He could see Sirius on a wooden bench next to Lakshmi, facing her and gesticulating while she faced him with wide eyes.

Sirius's animated conversation went on for a while, with Lakshmi seeming to inject a question here or there. Suddenly, he felt Parvati on his right nuzzling his neck and giving him silent kisses as she bent farther over his shoulder.

Harry suddenly smiled mischievously. "Padma," he whispered. "Not here. Parvati might find out."

He suddenly felt Padma on his left straighten up. "What?"

And Parvati on his right suddenly dug her knuckle into his ticklish spot on his right. He collapsed in giggles, as Padma suddenly gave him a poke on the left side. The three wrestled for a minute or so until he finally cried uncle.

Parvati looked up at her twin, breathing heavily. "Padma," she whispered. "You keep watch. I've got to teach this boy a lesson."

Padma giggled and nodded, climbing back up on the nightstand.

Harry got up and brushed off his slacks. "Oh, and Padma. If Parvati gets tired, she'll come back and you can take over," he said with a laugh.

Parvati rammed into him, knocking him on the bed and jumping on top of him. "I'll wear you out first," she whispered evilly and gave him a deep kiss.

Harry and Parvati were necking for several minutes when Padma hissed. "He's up on his feet and waving like a wild man."

Harry and Parvati reluctantly disengaged and scrambled back to the window. Sirius had his hands on his hips and was talking to Lakshmi, who was giving him a skeptical look. Suddenly, Sirius transformed himself into Padfoot and Padma gasped, as, apparently did Lakshmi. Harry chuckled, as did Parvati, now lying atop Harry's back to see out the window, who been told about Sirius' secret talent from Harry.

Just as suddenly, Lakshmi stood up and disappeared. In her place was a black Labrador retriever. Harry jumped, nearly knocking Parvati off his back. "She's an animagus?"

Padma looked at Harry, puzzled. "Sure. I was surprised that Sirius was, though."

Harry could feel Parvati's body quiver as she started chuckling. "It's a dog's life, isn't it," she said happily.

Suddenly, Sirius and Lakshmi transformed back and both were apparently laughing uproariously. The trio in the window watched as Lakshmi's face lit up and her eyes were glittering to the point where all three noticed.

Next thing they knew, Sirius was seated with his arm around Lakshmi as they continued to talk. And by now, it was apparent that Lakshmi was more than holding her own in the conversation.

Suddenly, Harry could feel Parvati's arms around his neck as she relaxed into him, watching the scene below. And Padma had just as suddenly taken his hand as the two sisters took turns sighing.

Harry felt wonderful, feeling the two sisters pressing against him. But he felt even more wonderful, watching his godfather finally connect with someone new. Lakshmi may not be as pretty or trim as Padma or Parvati, but he had found her to be smart and sweet and caring.

Then he felt Parvati's grip around his neck tightening, just as Padma's grip on his left hand tightened. He looked down at the patio as the couple down there slowly leaned toward each other and gently kissed. This time, all three of them at the window sighed.

Then Harry felt the weight bearing down on him increase. Parvati squeaked in protest and Padma turned to give her brother a smack on the shoulder.

"All right, you three," Shane said with a smile. "Is this a private orgy or is everyone invited?" he said, leaning over to look out the window. He suddenly started to chuckle. "Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Could that be Lakshmi I see?"

By this time, Sirius and Lakshmi were leaning back on the bench, Sirius with his arm around her shoulder looking shell-shocked and Lakshmi leaning up against him with a startled look on her face.

Shane reached around Parvati and gave Harry's shoulder a squeeze. "Potter, what kind of havoc have you wrought on this house," he said with a chuckle.

"Shane?" came a voice from the doorway.

Shane turned with a smile to face his wife Janine. He waved her over and pointed out the window.

"Awwwww," Janine said, sighing. Then she turned to Shane with a smile. "Love's finally found our little Shi-Shi."

The girls all started giggling and Harry reluctantly felt the weight released from his back. Padma and Parvati embraced, as did Shane and Janine. Harry smiled broadly and took one last peek out to the patio to see Sirius and Lakshmi embrace and kiss again and then walk hand-in-hand inside. With all that had happened that day, it would be a Christmas Eve he would never forget.

* * *

Draco,

We expect you to deliver our young friend. Do not harm him. Others will know how to handle him.

Now is the time, now that you are alone, to do some reconnaissance. Any information will be welcome.

We expect you to listen to your two favorite housemates and heed their advice.

All rewards you earn will await you. And I will do what I can to shield you from any punishments for your failures.

L.

"And a Happy Christmas to you, too, father," Draco muttered bitterly. He incinerated the letter and reached for the first of Aunt Carmina's and Uncle Bill's presents.

* * *

"Mr. Malfoy, sit down."

Draco eyed his head of house warily. He actually liked Severus Snape. The Potions Master was one of the few professors, one of the few people, that Draco knew who didn't accept all the surface flash and bravado of the Gryffindors, the smug arrogance of the Ravenclaws, and the dim fuzziness of the Hufflepuffs.

No, Professor Snape, like no one else, could cut to the heart of each house, shaking the sentimentality and reputation surrounding each until all that was left was their core, the trunk and roots of the underlying tree. And when all that surface was stripped away, it was the Slytherins who showed themselves as the strongest, the purest, the best representatives of what it meant to be a wizard or witch.

But Draco also knew that being called into Professor Snape's private office did not bode well for a student. For general comments or guidance, Snape would simply appear in the House common room and deliver it. But an invitation into the Sanctum Sanctorum meant a confrontation, an inquisition by the Head of House.

Draco Malfoy slowly sat down across from Professor Snape. "Mr. Malfoy. I know this is probably not the best of times for this little discussion, but I have been ... indisposed for the past couple days. And I do believe that it is necessary for you to hear this as early in your holiday as possible so you may get a desperately needed head start for the next term."

Draco looked at the Potions Master with narrowed eyes and nodded for him to continue.

Snape templed his fingers under his nose and stared at his favorite pupil for a few moments, watching him begin to squirm. He cleared his throat and began. "First off, your academic performance during this term has been appalling. I will grant that it is, in large part, understandable, given the difficulties you have encountered--the loss of your mother, your father's current status, the loss of your companions, Misters Crabbe and Goyle, and your unfortunate encounter with the ... Golem."

Snape took a deep breath through his large nose and continued. "All these would mitigate your performance had you been made of lesser stuff. And, as such, I have taken your circumstances into account in your grading, as I have been forced to do with that ... Hufflepuff, Mister Hopkins," he said as if he had uttered something distasteful. "I have spoken to some of your other teachers and they too are taking your difficulties into account, including Professors Flitwick, Sprout and ..." he took a deep breath, "... McGonagall. However, I will not pass a student who I do not believe has earned it. You have managed to earn it this term...barely. But if you continue on your downward spiral, you shall be in grave jeopardy when the O.W.L. examinations are presented."

Malfoy looked away, trying to remain calm and composed.

Snape looked down his nose at Draco. "In case you are interested, you ranked below Miss Granger in Potions."

Draco scowled.

"And Mister Potter."

Draco blinked.

"And the two Miss Patils."

Draco was now staring at the Potions Master.

If anything, Snape was looking down his nose with even more disdain. "In fact, you ranked No. 14 in my class for this term. And that was giving you due consideration for your circumstances. Otherwise, you might have been in danger of entering Longbottom territory."

Draco's face turned dark. Suddenly, Snape slammed his hand down on the desk, causing Malfoy to jump.

"Did you know there were no Slytherins in the Top Five of Potions this term!" Snape shouted. "No Slytherins! Even Miss Zabini could only muster seventh! But there were three Gryffindors and two Ravenclaws! Do you know what that looks like?! Do you know how humiliating that is!!!"

Malfoy recoiled angrily. "So fix it!"

Snape's hand shot out to strike the boy but held back at the last moment. "You know I will do everything I can to advance our House. But I will not stoop to the level of a cheat," he hissed with pure venom. "I am supposed to be preparing you for whatever comes. And you...are refusing...to be...prepared!" he growled angrily. "This will not continue," he said in a menacing tone.

"What more can you do to me?" Malfoy snarled.

Snape leaned forward, staring intently at Draco. "I can start making a man of you," he snapped.

Draco gave his Head of House a sullen stare.

"First, no more moping around like some weepy, heartbroken young girl. You will study. You will do your assignments. You will come to class on time and prepared. And not just Potions. I have talked to a couple of your teachers and they have promised to tell me if they see you slacking."

Draco frowned. "Who?"

Snape snorted. "I shouldn't tell you. But I will. McGonagall and Flitwick. Moody will tell me whether I ask or not."

The frown on Draco's face fell even farther.

"And you will began again to assist your Slytherin classmates. Mister Blythe is keeping up. I am not so sure about Mister Greinglass and Miss Davis."

Draco made a face, only to jump again as Snape again slapped the table.

"You have the potential to be a leader. Not because of your name, but because you have the intelligence, the drive, the shrewdness to lead."

Draco raised his eyes in an uncertain curiosity to meet Snape's.

Snape eyed his student. "You've spent too much time relying on your father and your family name. It's about time you started relying on yourself. During your father's current difficulties, it's all you have. But I think it will be enough."

Slowly, the life in Draco's eyes began to return. He looked away as if in thought. "I guess."

Snape lowered his head as he continued to stare at the boy. "Don't guess! Know!"

Draco slowly nodded his head.

Snape sighed. "Speaking of your father, I am sure you are on his mind and in his heart today," he said in an uncharacteristically soft tone.

Draco's head jerked up as he looked at Snape to see if there was any sarcasm or irony in the last comment. There didn't appear to be.

Snape then frowned. "Possibly you've heard that there has been a sudden upsurge in clubs and extracurricular activities among the younger students. Defense practice and such."

Draco shrugged. He was aware that the younger students in the House would disappear at times, but he hadn't give it much thought during his recent funk.

Snape shook his head. "A true Slytherin places no value on such 'group gropes'," Snape said with a sneer. "It is best to work alone to achieve for one's self, or to work with one's close colleagues for the good of the House. As such, I thought you might benefit from these."

Snape slowly reached into his desk and pulled out three volumes tied together in a green and silver ribbon.

Draco peered at them. The Art of the Duel in Three Volumes by D.N. Crump. Volume One: Offense. Volume Two: Defense. Volume Three: Knowing Your Opponent. Draco stared at the books. They were rare and valuable. And they contained enough dark magic to put them in the highest level of the library's restricted section. There was a set in his father's library, but Lucius never let him touch the well-worn tomes. They were too rare for a child.

Draco looked up at his Head of House. "I can really borrow these?" he asked with a new sense of enthusiasm.

Snape bowed his head. "No, Mister Malfoy. You can keep them."

Draco looked up at his professor in surprise, then down at the books, then back at Snape. "I...I..."

The ancient clock in Snape's office struck midnight.

Snape nodded again. "Happy Christmas, Draco."