"Oh my goodness!"
Percy tugged Penny closer to him at her exclamation at Harry's manoeuvre. His arm was around her shoulder and it felt good to have her close. He smiled back as she smiled up at him warmly.
He was pleased they'd decided to try again; pleased she'd given him a second chance. They'd taken things slowly all Summer, gradually getting to know each other again.
Percy hoped Penny could see how he'd changed. He winced remembering how stuck-up he'd been about his Ministerial job; how puffed up and self-important. He had been a prig.
His hand strayed to his belly where the faint scars of the werewolf scratches still remained. He had been so lucky. He had more of a taste for red meat and he'd noticed he was restless around the full moon but he wasn't a werewolf.
His new job was a good one. Working in Brian Cutter's office as a legal secretary was giving him valuable experience and, alongside his legal apprenticeship he was on his way to becoming a legal advocate for witches and wizards with special circumstances.
He sneaked another look at Penny; at her rosy cheeks and smiling lips; her bright eyes as they tracked Harry through the sky.
Yes, thought Percy with satisfaction. It might not have been the future he had dreamed about, but he was happy with the future ahead of him.
o-O-o
Amelia accepted the binoculars Brian handed her and peered with pride as Susan took to the sky, changing places in the pick-up game with a Chaser. Sue flew with confidence, dipping and diving. Amelia lowered the binoculars.
Beside her Richard winced and shifted his weight.
"Your ankle's fine." Amelia told her brother with exasperation.
"It hurts." Richard complained.
"You haven't been doing your exercises." Flick said, tucking her arm around her husband and leaning into him.
Richard grimaced. "They're silly."
"They're supposed to strengthen your muscles." Amelia retorted. "Honestly, Richard. If you don't want to start walking with a cane, do your exercises!"
"Yes, Mother." Richard said and stuck his tongue out at her.
"Merlin," Flick said laughing, "anyone would think you were Sue's age!"
They all turned to look at the young girl weaving in and out of the hoops.
"She's doing better, isn't she?" Richard said quietly.
"Much better." Amelia agreed. "She said she's looking forward to coming back to school and making a new start."
"She has good friends." Flick said warmly. "The alliance kids have been there for her." She smiled a little. "She and Neville seem to have picked each other up."
Richard frowned. "Neville?"
Flick slapped his arm playfully. "Not like that." Her amusement dimmed. "I don't think Sue will think about boys for a while. She misses Cedric a great deal."
Richard nodded but Amelia could read the relief in his eyes; relief that as a father he didn't have to worry about his little girl being with boys.
"Have you seen the Abbotts?" Amelia asked wondering if they were attending.
Richard shook his head. "Leonard flooed me yesterday. They're going abroad for a while. He's asked me to be his proxy."
"I can't say I blame them." Flick added. "I'm not sure I'd cope with the unremitting gossip here either." She sighed. "Karen won't even talk to me."
"It's a very difficult time for them." Amelia said.
Brian nodded beside her. "I've seen it happen with a lot of families who have a son or a daughter in prison. The shame and the guilt can be worse for them than for the culprit. A lot of people move homes trying to find somewhere they're not known."
Richard sighed heavily. "I think you're right. I think they're going to stay abroad and – truthfully? I think that's got to be the right move for them."
"As much as I hate what Hannah did to Sue," Flick shook her head, tears gleaming, "it could so easily have been the other way around if Crouch had targeted Susan and not Hannah."
Amelia nodded. She was so deeply grateful that Crouch had looked to Hannah first. Of course, she didn't discount that Crouch might have discarded Sue as an option due to her own familial relationship with her. If it had made a difference in his choice, she couldn't help be thankful as guilty as that made her feel about Hannah.
She hoped the combination of prison and mind-healing would be the right one for the girl who had spent so many years of childhood as Sue's best friend.
Her thought drifted as her eyes returned to the game. It had been a long Summer since the battle but a good one. It had been difficult dealing with the trials and the fallout of the battle but it had been worth it.
On a personal level, her family was safe; Sue was healing from the wounds she'd sustained with Hannah's betrayal and the death of her boyfriend. Richard was alive and well, his wife providing her family with love and support.
Professionally, Amelia couldn't remember a better time. Politically the landscape was stable; the Wizengamot revitalised and reformed. Cornelius was proving, with the right guidance, he could be a formidable Minister. Bertie was reinvigorating the DOM with new blood and new ideas. Her own patch was also re-energised. The losses they'd taken in the battle seemed to have bonded the Auror and Hit Wizard forces. There were more new recruits than ever.
She glanced over to where Sirius stood with the rest of the Houses of Black and Potter. Her lips twitched.
"What are you thinking?" asked Brian in a low voice, his mouth close to her ear.
Amelia turned to him and smiled. "Do you remember telling me how you thought Lord Black would shake things up?"
Brian's eyes widened as he recalled the moment in the corridor just after they'd convinced Cornelius to give over the custody. "I do. You said you'd look forward to it."
"Well, I might not have enjoyed every minute," Amelia said wryly, "but I'm so glad he did it."
Brian gave her an understanding smile, his arm sliding around her waist. She gave into the urge to lean against him. That reminded her…
"Brian," Amelia whispered, "how do you feel about a trip to Italy?"
o-O-o
Bill rocked as Charlie punched his arm with overexcited enthusiasm.
"Did you see Ginny make that turn?!" Charlie shook his head. "How did she do that?!"
"Ow." Bill stated, staring pointedly at his brother.
Charlie didn't pay attention, his eyes already back on the sky. "She's good."
"She's very good. I'm sure she's going to go into Quidditch." His mother said loudly.
Bill looked at his Mum shocked. He was beginning to think maybe the Wiccan ritual had given his mother a personality transplant. She had actually congratulated Bill on his assignment in Paris and had helped him pack.
"We probably should look at getting her a better broom, Arthur."
Bill exchanged a 'did Mum really say that' look with his Dad who shrugged and grinned, his freckled face alight with pride.
"Right you are, Mollywobbles." His Dad replied.
"She shoots! She scores!" Charlie whooped.
"Excellent play!" Percy agreed, dragging his attention away from Penny for a moment.
Bill shook his head and returned his own attention to the game where Ginny was exchanging high fives with another Gryffindor team-mate Katie Bell.
Across the pitch Fred, George and Ron were applauding their sister's run even if they had ended up on the other team.
"Your sister is a natural, non?" Fleur said, suddenly reminding Bill that he'd played host to his French tutor.
"She is." Bill said. "I don't think my Mum's wrong. I think she's headed for a Quidditch team." Especially since his sister had embraced finding her own path and stopped focusing on becoming Lady Potter.
"She is good." Fleur said and huddled into her coat when a blast of wind caught them by surprise.
Bill offered up a warming charm and Fleur smiled at him prettily. She was stunning and smart; very smart. When they'd been introduced at Gringotts they'd immediately recognised each other and Fleur had apologised for her behaviour at the school when she'd had a crush on him. He had suggested they begin with a clean slate.
They'd started a friendship which Bill was already coming to treasure. Fleur had provided him with a sympathetic ear about Caroline and had been a stalwart support as he'd adjusted to working for Gringotts again and prepared for his latest assignment. He enjoyed her company but he wasn't ready for anything more than friendship, and he rather thought Fleur was happy with the status quo too. Maybe one day that would change and there would certainly be opportunity as Fleur would be part of his team in Paris.
He was due to leave that week.
He was looking forward to it. He would stay in the Black apartment but he had already secured a standing invitation to the Delacours who had offered to show him around, and he had a challenging assignment to complete.
The next couple of years would be busy, he had no doubt about that. But Bill was determined to keep up the bonds he'd re-established with the rest of his family, the friendships he'd formed with Sirius, Harry and Remus. There would be a service to the House of Potter once he was finished with Gringotts and building a future for his own House to make a difference again.
He still didn't know if Caroline had been right but he would live his life to the full and ensure her sacrifice was worth it.
o-O-o
Draco rolled his eyes at the Weasley brothers celebrating their sister's goal. They were on the competing team! Still, he couldn't deny that the Weaslette was proving to be a very good Chaser. The Gryffindor team was going to be hard to beat in the coming school year especially with Harry resuming his previous place as Seeker.
Harry was across the other side of the pitch running interference with Fred and George to help Ginny and the Bell girl score. He wasn't actively looking for the snitch which was so far remaining elusive.
Draco was hovering and keeping a look out. Well, he would have preferred to have followed Harry around as he had at the start since he suspected Harry had some preternatural ability to spot the snitch and therefore the best strategy was to follow him and hope he could beat him to it once it was spotted. But this was a friendly match and he had eschewed his chase of Harry for a wait-and-see approach instead.
He shook his head.
He would never have believed that he would be so close to Potter; so close to Lord Black; so estranged from his father.
But it had happened.
His gaze drifted to where his mother sat in the stands, Regina in her arms.
Draco wasn't ashamed to admit if only to himself that he was head over heels about his new baby sister. She was beautiful. A tiny perfect human being who Draco was determined would never know Lucius Malfoy.
His father was banished to South America and a Malfoy plantation there. By all accounts he was drinking heavily and spending most of his days sozzled. Draco didn't wish his father dead but he was happy the man was out of his life. He still had nightmares from the alternative events Hogwarts had shown to him.
Hogwarts.
It felt strangely right that his future was with the school. He was actually looking forward to teaching; to being a Head of House. It would be a new start for the House of Malfoy, a better start. One that would give his baby sister everything she would ever need.
A glint of gold caught his eye.
The Snitch!
And Potter nowhere in sight!
Draco dived after it gleefully.